STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 February 1916, Page 11

STALLS GOSSIP.

MUSIC, MIMES AND MOVIES, Mark Twain's works are to be filmed in America, which has secured the world's rights. "Tom Sawyer," "Huckleberry Finn," "Roughing It," "The Jumping Frog," and scores of short stories have been secured by the Lasky Company, who can be trusted to get the very best that can be got out of them.

Bechstein Hail has been closed in London because of its German ownership. Also at a recent meeting of the Philharmonic Society of London, "the names of certain musicians belonging to enemy countries were removed from the roll of honorary members. They include Hans Richter, Richard Strauss, Arthur ■Nikisch, Max Bruch and Pan Ontlricek."

Marguerite Clark, of the Famous Players, is at the top of the tree in the picture world, and that she has reached it without the assistance of a press agent is a proof of her great ability. Those who are Marguerite Clark's supporters use this argument whenever the name of, say, Mary Pickford, Anita Stewart, or some other big star is mentioned.

Charles Hawtrey, the noted actor, has filed a petition in bankruptcy. His liabilities are placed at £20,000, "and his assets at £lO. He previously failed for £27,332, with assets at £4O. His salary was sometimes £l5O a week. The microscopic nature of the assets make the failure seem very serious. It is not certain that the war is the cause of this breakdown.

The following Titheradge story is revived:—The late Gus Glover was a big man with an exceptionally powerful voice. He held the floor among a group of actors, telling of his deeds in the Old Country. "Yes, ray 'Hamlet' made quite a noise in London," said Gus. "My dear Gloer," and Titheradge in suave tones, placing his hand affectionately on Gus' shoulder, "your 'Hamlet' would make a noise anywhere;" * * •

It is estimated that there are 5000 actors and actresses in Los Angeles who rely solely on chance employment from picture-makers. These people are called "extras." They receive from one dollar to two dollars 50 cents per day; the engagement will last from a day to perhaps a week. Two dollars 50' cents Is practically 10s in English money. The work of an "extra" leads to small parts. On the regular stage the ''extras" would be described a 9 "supers." » » •

The San Francisco Argonaut gives this example of the imaginative powers of the advance agent:—The agent was speaking to a newspaper map with reference to the wonderful powers of the leading woman. "Do you know," he said, enthusiastically, "that in New York, when she appeared as the dying mother in the last act, an insurance man, Who had, not a week before, written her a policy for 10.000d01., actually fainted in the theatre!"

Mr. Lewis P. Mnir, well known as the composed of "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee," died in New York early in December, aged thirty-one years. Mi'. Mitir far five years was *a tramp in America, but when the rag-time craze caught on lie struck public fancy with the "Robert E. Lee." Like Irving Berlin, who made a fortune out of ragtime, Muir did not understand music. He could strike chords in the key of G, otherwise mueic was unknown bv him.

Another girl from Australia is making a big name for herself in the films of the London Film Company, Wanda Radford. This little lady went to England some few years ago and became a wonderful child reciter, later on appearing before Royalty in special recitation performances. For a few years very little has been heard of her, an •ccasional paragraph telling of her whereabouts. Xew she is appearing with the London Film Company.

In Los Angeles the local police force find playing for pictures a nice recreation when oft duty. It has become so common for the inhabitants to see a rt>al policeman—off duty—chasing a thief or a 'creek," of some sort through the street, or knocking one down with his truncheon, that they have petitioned the City Council to prohibit policemen from playing for moving pictures, on the ground that night duty men who play for pictures during the day, when they ought to be in bed, arc making themselves unfit for duty at night. The police have now been forbidden to become stock policemen for a film company, but they may act occasionally if they wish to do so.

A remarkable success has been attained by a voting playwright, Private Herbert le llamei, of the London Scottish, to whom London daily newspaper has accorded the rare distinction of publishing in full his one-act drama. "War Mates." One of the London critics writes as follows:—"Most war plays smell of the lamp. Their authors fail to convince you of the reality of e pcrienres gained at second-hand. 'Wi.. Mates'—hot from the pen of a soldier who has fought and bled in tliein—brings the smell of the trenches over the footlights, .and forces one to breathe the atmosphere that hangs heavy over France and Flanders. I was present at the first performance, and—in common with the rest of the audience—l was gripped and thrilled as rarely I have been gripped and thrilled before. A real war-play at last!—with its central character interpreted by a young actor of forceful and arresting personality. I have nccer heard of Sidney Vautier before. I expect to hear much of him in the future." * » •

Although it will be the most realistic big fire ever filmed in a story, and filled with thrills, the actual fire scenes attendant on the burning of a large structure near New York City for the KleineEdison feature, "Children of Eve," came nearly being filled with as much horror as they were of startling experiences for Viola Dana and the large company who figured in them. For three weeks a large force of men had been engaged in working an a four-storey brick structure preparing it for destruction . The property man lifld placed seventy-five pounds of gunpowder to explode at the tense moment. This was going to be tho surprise; hut he kept this fact to himself. The action of the play went on, the fire started, and the excitement began. The property man was so bent on watching for his special effect that he forgot to warn the players in time, but suddenly told the director, who warned player* through his megaphone. Tie_y barely escaped when the whole tariding hlew up. The shock was so great that every lady in the cast was prostrate from nervousness for days

The worst trouble with brass bands is that the drummer fails to make enough noise to <lr«wn out the mistakes wade by the other playersSpringfield (Mo.) Republican.

There was a. general exodus of Amediean players from Australia last week. The whole of the "Potash and Perlmutter" Company and Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Plumer were pa&Bengers by 1 the 'Frisco steamer.

In spite of having made "positively her last appearance'' in Australia, .Miss Muriel Starr, who is at present in Jvew Zealand, is to return to Sydney at foster to act in a new play.

Madame Melba is to return to Australia in April, but it is unlikely that she will give any concerts for some time after her arrival, as s)'« intends spending a holiday at Lily vale, her home in Victoria. * • •

■Mr. Roland Foster, who came to Australasia with Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerly Bumford on their last tour, and has since become well known as a vocal teacher in Sydney, has been appointed Professor of Singing at the N.S.W. State Conscrvatorium of Music, Sydney, under the directorship of Mr. Henri Verbrugghen. * * »

A motion picture expedition has left New York for a six months' cruise with the object of filming scenes of wild life in out-of-the-way places. Included in the party is Mr. Rex Beach, the welU known novelist, and it is not unlikely that scenes for future film stories by this author will be secured. As one of the places to bo visited is Coeos Island, we may yet hear of the Sydney-Emden fight figuring in an American film. # # ♦

Bernard Shaw's new play, "O'Flaherty, V.C.," which was announced for production at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, was suddenly withdrawn, No public announcement was made as to the reasons for jthfi withdrawal, but unofficially it is stated that the play was submitted in the ordinary way to the censor, and was so mutilated that Mr. Shaw decided not to permit the production of the subedited version. * * #

One of the most artistic features of "Mother Goose" at Her Majesty's, Melbourne, is "My Little Dream Girl." During the singing of the song by Miss De Venny, the principal boy, the theatre is darkened, and from the interior of a large pink rose that opens its petals there rises a pretty little girl, who floats into the auditorium, the dainty figure being faintly illumined by the pink flush of a spot light, the whole of the stage and auditorium being in darkness. The effect, is indescribably pretty, and never fails to arouse a furore.

Captain Frank Huling, the trainer of the remarkable seals in Wirth's Circus, tells a geod story concerning one of his troupe. It seems that this seal, one of the best lie had, took sick. Huling decided that the only hope for it was to give him the freedom of the sea. Dewn the coast went the seal, and he was put into the water. He swain out far miles, until he became a mere speck in the scean. Captnin Huling thought hi- had gone, but back again came tbe Rick seal, anil fussed round his owner. Te give him a chance he was left. The seal died, but, as Huling said, he had one chance of life—freedom—and that was given liitn. It is a striking piece of evidence, however, in support of the captain's contention that the only way to train seals is kindness. The seal evidently appreciated the kindly treatment he had had. #i * »

The ragtime industry of America has been attracting attention in the newspapers of late, in spite of all the announcements that ragtime had passed into the limbo of the forgotten, in the latest stages ragtime is being vigorously defended as "the one original and indigenous type of music of the American people. , , . the one type ot American popular music which has persisted and undergone constant evolution." Conservative estimates show that 50.000,000 copies of populan music is sold in America every year, and the greater portion of this is ragtime, wfiioh seems to provide sufficient excuse for the modern American composer giving the public what it wants. Hiram K. Moderwell, in a spirited defence of ragtime music, quotes the case of the folk songs, and remarks that tli*. Russian folk songs were scorned ill" "We court of Catherine the Great, but became the basis of some of the most vigorous music of the past century, and to-day no one mentions the Russian folk songs without respect. "You can't tell an American composer's 'art song' from any mediocre art, song the world over. You can distinguish American ragtime from the popular music of any nation and any age. It has carried the complexities of the rhythmic subdivision of the measure to a point never before reached in the history of music. It has established subtle conflicting rhythms to a. degree never before attempted iu any popular or folk music, and rarely enough in art music. It has shown a definite and natural evolution—always a proof of vitality in a musical idea. ft has gone far beyond most other popular music in the freedom of inner voices (yes, I mean polyphony) and of harmonic modulation." Mr. Moderwell admits that modern ragtime is deficient on the melodic side, and that many of the best ragtime pieces have nothing but tlieir rhythmic energy and ingenuity to distinguish them. If there had been a folk-song tradition in America, he considers, ,the popular melodies would not have been so permeated with vulgarity. Going into figures, Mr. Moderwell estimates that five million dollar;; are spent annually on popular music, most of it by women, and that the composers obtain a royalty of about £IOO,OOO. The peculiar thing about ragtime is that two of the. most successful writers, of it are deficient in knowledge of music. Lewis F. Muir wrote "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee." with its "bustling laziness," and sold two million copies of it. Muir had been a tramp for five years. Irving Berlin made £4OOO out of "Alexander's Ragtime Band." He wa3 born and educated in New York's East Side. He plays the niano with no more than two fingers. These are the men who write \ ragtime. i