STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1915, Page 9 (Supplement)

STALLS GOSSIP.

MUSK), 'MIMES AND MOVIES. "■Paul Jones" is to be revived at Her Majesty's, Melbourne, by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., with Miss Florence Young in the title role. .. .. * * * ■' ?! Miss Grace Palotta, whose latest exploit was in the millinery line, has accepted an engagement with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in "Nobody's Widow." ♦ * * * "Henry, the Him of Eight" (the celebated monarch), was the apt title of a playlet produced by leading members of the profession at the recent theatrical garden fete in London. ♦ * * * Mr. Fred. Shipman announces that lie has secured Air. Paul Dufault for an Australasian tour next year. The New Zealand tour will commence about the middle of the year. * * * * Miss Nora d'Argel, the New Zealand songstress, has been singing for a gramaphone company, The doll song from "Tales from Hoffman," which is one of her records, is well calculated to display the brilliance of her voice. * * * Jjc The J.C.W. New Musical Comedy Co. opened in Auckland on Tuesday, with "The Girl in the Taxi," which made good from the jump. The company is aaid to be an excellent one. The Auckland season closes next Saturday, and the company come on to New Plymouth, where "High Jinks" will be staged on 4he following Monday (the 11th inst.) * * * * Miss Marie Eaton makes a big hit in the supper scene of "High Jinks," the second production of the Williamson Company, in "Faust" in ragtime, in which she is assisted J?y Mr, C. H. Work-man and Mr, Fired Maguire. Another song in which Miss iEaton scores is "Sammy Sang the Marseillaise," in which the ehonw joins. * * * * The J.C.W. firm already has a strong hand in regard to their moving pictures of notable productions. Fred Niblo's fine acting in "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" and "Officer ■666" has been put into permanent record on the film. "Within (Our Gates," a military drama, is now 'being shown all over Aust-alasia, and 'fras scored a big success. The latest picture production ig "Within the Law," with Muriel Starr in her original role of Mary Turner. *.* * « Is Lizette 'Parkes to be made principal girl in the next J. C. Williamson pantomime? The question (says the Theatre) is being widely asked by theatre-goers. Miss Parkes has shown that she can both sing and dance. Of course, in other respects—for example, in appearance and acting ability—she is, if anything, more than equal to such a role. As principal girl, Miss Parkes would be not onlv an artistie success in the part, but one of the biggest draws in the pantomime. * * * *

Stirring battle scenes, dancing barefoot nymphs, and the splendor of ancient Greece, filmed with the aid of a host of professional "movie l " actors and •hundreds of supernumeraries, all go to make up the gorgeous. spectacle of the second big 'Frederic Slivpman feature, P aEO " an d Pythias." The pictnrednuM, of course, tells the famous Gfcek story cf the greatest friendship in the susiex? of mankind, on which the Order oi ,h<: R'niglits of Pythias was founded. It :>a i.o be givin its first, Australasian prejeMta-iiou iat t!u TtfeSi.'iirae Auditori'iTu to-day.

Miss Billie Burks lias concluded the negotiations tfhioit were entered into some week,s ago with the Xew York Motion Picture Corporation for her appearance 111 a picture to be taken at their studio in Santa Monica, California. The sum paid to Miss Burke is the largest paid to any artist who has so far appeared in pictures. Her salary 13 £BOOO for five weeks' work, and in conjunction with this Messrs Kessel and Sauniann, president and vice-president of the New York Pictures Corporation, nave agreed to pay all Miss Burke's expenses and furnish her a private car to I and from California.. I * * Ss Sc

Mary Pickford, the little' queen of the screen, has made her re-appearance in Aew Zealand in what is described as her crowning triumph," and the name of the romance is "Such a Little Queen." Miss Mary has the role of Queen Ann Victoria of Herzegovina, and her performance is spoken of as being the greatest this lady has given. Comedy and drama arc alike to her. She is as delightful in the one as she is< moving in the other. As a comedienne she seldom does the anticipated; and therein lies the charm of her work. As the Little Queen" she has great scope for her talents, and the picture is taking well in the large centres. * * * * "Neptune's Daughter," the spectacular photo-play featuring Annette Kellerman, is now showing in Wellington. The play tells of Annette, the daughter of Neptune, who becomes a mortal maiden to avenge the death of her baby sister, but falls in love with the young King, and renounces her immortality to become his Queen. The pictures were taken on the coral coast of Bermuda, where the clear atmosphere gives extraordinary distinctness to the work of the camera. To see the diving Venus as a mermaid amid the seaweed and coral reefs, or sporting among the breakers, swimming intrepidly in the deep sea, or escaping from the fisherman's net, is to sec her performing feats that would be impossible in any tank that might be constructed on an ordinary stage. In the course of the romantic story, Miss Kellerman also proves herself the possessor of remarkable ability as a pantomime aetresa. * * * * Says "Archdeacon BPnegum" in the Bulletin:—The swamping of Australia with a cheap-jack U.S.A. canned drama has driven me and a largo part of my congregation out of the picture shows. For a couple of years or more'kino-men have protested to me that the public demands the kind of photo-drama that Uncle Flam produces, and that "scenic" films will not go. I'm busy now hunting for those alleged authorities. Last week the long scenic film, "London by Day and Night," was unwound at the Sydney Lyceum, and ran at least twice daily. It was advertised as the attraction, and it drew exhilarating business. I saw it from various parts of the house on divers occasions, believing, as I do, that the Hun lias still something up his Zeppelin, and that there may be violent alterations in the old historic town. Each time I was in the theatre people before me, behind me, and on each side of me gave the extraglad hand to that "scenic," and any back-number showman who tells me again that "that sort of thing is dead" does so at the risk of being invited to , try his hand at ths bottle-oh businets.