The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 24

24 BROOKLYN IAGLE, SUNDAY, SEPT. 5, 194S CANDID CLOSE-UPS Cheryl Crawford Goes All Out With 'One Touch of Venus' I mini liili i w. it. t4) INGRID BERGMAN in "For Ernest Hemingway picture at Si music and orchestrations. His scores for "Johnny Johnson" and "Knickerbocker Holiday" are well remembered, and of course his "Lady in the Dark" was a great success.

Agnes DeMille, choreographer of the Ballet Theater, who achieved a new prominence in the dance world with her choreography for the sensational "Oklahoma," Is also staging the dances for "One Touch of Venus," in which she will have Sono Osato as her principal soloist. Mainbochcr, American designer who made a world-wide reputation in Paris before World War II, has Martin. Howard Bay has designed designed the costumes for Mary the 11 sets. Miss Bergner Made Hit at 19 Elisabeth Bergner, International star of stage and screen now at the Booth Theater in Martin Vale's London success, "The Two Mrs. Carrolls." came here from Vienna and made her first Ameri can appearance in 1935, when she was starred in "Escape Me Never.

America also saw her as star of the film version of that plav. On the occasion of her American debut sije was hailed by the critics with the same enthusiasm that attended her performances in Austria, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and England. The British press named her the "finest actress to appear in a century." At 19, fresh from the Vienna Conservatory, Miss Bergner scored her first success, playing Ophelia to the Hamlet of the late Alexander Moissi, whom American playgoers saw as a member of Max Reinhardt's great company. That was in Zurich. She was to know Shakespearean success, too as Rosalind In "As You Like It." as Katherine in "The Taming of the Shrew," as the Queen in "Richard II." as Juliet, She played a number of Ibsen heroines and in 1924 still a child In years she achieved one of the greatest successes in the history of the German theater as Joan of Arc in Shaw's "St.

Joan." Cheryl Crawford will present her new musical comedy, "One Touch of Venus," for its first performance Friday evening, Sept, 17, in Boston at the Shubert Theater, where It will remain for a week and a half. It will reach Broadway in early October at the 44th Street Theater. Miss Crawford's last production seen In Boston was the eminently successful "Porgy and Bess," the George Gershwin folk opera which played nine months on Broadway, another nine months on the road, and will reopen in New York on Sept. 13. In "One Touch of Venus" Miss Crawford Is undertaking her most lavish and ambititfus venture so far.

Hollywood and New York have both been tapped for some of their best talents both artisans and performers to contribute to this new production. Elia Kazan, gifted young director, row represented on Broadway by the Pulitzer prize-winning "The Skin of Our Teeth" and the distinguished production of "Harriet." starring Helen Hayes, both of which he directed, will be in charge Of the staging. The cast is headed by Mary Martin, Kenny Baker, who Is making his stage debut, and John Boles, who returns to the theater after many successful years in Hollywood. Paula Laurence and Teddv Hart are the featured players. Miss Laurence, who originated the role of Hilda, the comic maid.

In "Junior Miss," is one of New York's most successful supper club entertainers; she left "Something for the Boys," in which she was featured with Ethel Merman, for her Important role in "One Touch of Venus." Teddy Hart has been seen in some of the funniest shows of the past 10 years. Including "Three Men on a Horse." "Room Service." "See My Lawyer" and "The Boys from Syracuse." The story has been written by two of our best-known humorists, S. J. Perelman and Ogden Nash, whose books, "Dream Department" and "Good Intentions," respectively, are selling as fast as his previous anthologies. Mr.

Nash has written the lyrics, and they are his first work in this field. Kurt Weill, famous in Europe before coming to the United States seven years ago, has written the Everett West Might Go High Hat, But He Still Likes a Beer for His Pipes By ROBERT FRANCIS Now that producers have discovered a fresh vein of ore In those tunefully ancient operettas, it Is getting so you can't walk through 45th St. without colliding with a romantic tenor. And on the subject of tenors, this corner would like to mention one of its favorites. His name Is Everett West.

He looks a bit like Fairbanks Sr. of Zorro" period), and has a set of pipes that would do credit to a Met. "La Boheme" production. At the moment, he is the wolfish opera singer who chants his way into "Rosalinda's" boudoir and thence to Jail every night at the Imperial Theater. Your reporter became West-conscious last Summer up at Carnegie Hall.

Maestro Tushinsky put on an edition of "New Moon" and the opening night performance was rapidly falling apart in all directions, when the gentleman playing Phillipe stepped out and sang "Softly as in the Morning Sunrise" and was called back for five encores. The lad, of course, was young Mr. West and, as far as this department is concerned, without him "The New Moon" could have set there and then. Maestro Tushinsky's operetta festival didn't survive the Summer, but it brought Everett's voice to the notice of Mrs. Yolando Mero Irion, who has much to do with the New Opera Company.

So young Mr. W. moved downtown and into a top spot in the "Rosalinda" company, which is a very nice thing for everybody. We never knew much about Everett. He likes to drink beer with the boys in Louie Bergen's bar and tell dialect stories (which he does very badly, but everybody laughs because he gejs such a kick out of them himself), but he doesn't talk about Ev West.

And that, for a tenor, is something out of this world. So your reporter threw the question book at him the other night. It seems he's been pretty busy since he got out of Northwestern back in 1933. Started singing with an amateur opera group in Chicago, his home town, and then organized an octette, called the California Varsity Eight, which was featured In the 1936 "Follies." The boys did their stuff for the Chicago World Fair and trouped the Middle West in vaudeville and night clubs. While playing a club date in Forth Worth he caught up with Lady Luck.

He met Allienne Morrison, who was dancing on the bill, and Billy Rose. He took the former right around to the preacher at the First Presbyterian Church and the Mighty Midget took Ev out of the act and put him into his "Show of Shows." After a year of that, Mr. West settled down in California to earn young Joy formula and spinach via singing at the Trocadero and radio. "I really didn't get a new start until 1939," he says, "when I went on with Al Pearce and his gang over KSD and WEAF. We all came East, and I did a chore at the Paramount and more clubs and hotels until the Carnegie Job came along." "I've been taking courses five days a week up at the Juillard School for the past year," he whispers.

"Its helped my voice a lot, I think." "Gosh, you're not going 'longhair' on us?" we exclaim. "I might," he grins. "But first I'd like a crack at Danilo in the 'Merry Widow' and-if the voice gets heavy enough at Villon Your correspondent would like to hear that, too. in "The Vagabond Whom the Bell Tolls," the the Rivoli. i FRED ASTAIRE whose new Leslie, his companion above now at the Palace Theater.

film this time with Joan is "The Sky's the Limit," Hero or Villain, Mustache Clicks Time Was When Desperate Desmond Alone Dared to Wear It, in Movies m- A Buy Bond; See, Come Saturday, Galaxy of Movie Big-Wigs MAUREEN O'HARA and John Garfield in "The Fallen Sparrow," which shares feature honors at the Albee Theater with "Adventures of a Rookie," the latter starring Alan Carney and Wally Brown. Cavalcade are contingent on purchase of an extra bond for the Third War Loan. Tickets are scaled from $25 bonds to $2,000,000 in bonds for boxes, for a total of $86,000,000 in bond sales. The stars of the Hollywood Cavalcade include Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball. Jimmy Cagney, Olivia De Havllland, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Kay Kyser and his band, Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Mickey Rooney, Red Skel-ton and others.

The Garden appearance of the Cavalcade is sponored by the Third War Loan Motion Picture Industry War Activities Committee, of which Leo Brecher Is chairman. The glamorous group will appear in New York as part of a nationwide tour on a special train, in which they will visit 15 major cities. Purchasers of extra $100 War Bond for the Third War Loan, starting next Thursday, will have chance to see their favorite movie stars close up on next Saturday night when the Hollywood Cavalcade, a caravan of more than two dozen outstanding film players, will appear at Madison Square Garden. Ten thousand of the Garden's 18,500 seats have been set aside for $100 bond buyers. They may be obtained now at leading department stores; at the War Center on Victory Square, 50th St.

near 6th at War Finance Committee headquarters in Brooklyn at 60 Clinton St. and at the office of the Bronx War Finance Committee, at 2400 Grand Concourse. All admissions to the Hollywood THIS WEEK CLIFTON WEBB and Peggy Wood who will be seen once more in Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit" which returns for a four-week engagement to the Morosco Theater tomorrow evening. 20. Goldfinches Keep Gay, as Long as Sunflower Seeds Remain for His Table iff A trick mustache tickles an audi ence almost as much as it does the leading lady who works with the player who wears it.

Mustaches, like monocles, are character props in pictures. This is as true with villains as with come dians. The scraggly, stringy mus tache affected by George Coulouris as the despicable Teck de Brancovis in Warner "Watch on the Rhine," now at the Y. Strand, is easily spotted as a key to his character In that Bette Davis-Paul Luka.s picture. An audience dislikes him immediately, oncethat mustache registers upon the screen.

In the same production Donald Woods, playing Bette's brother. wears his customary short-cropped lip-trimming that fits exactly his characterization as a strong and sympathetic member of the household. Paul Lukas, playing the lead, and Bette's heroic husband, is clean Curtiz, Leaving Now Puts Out Mike Curtiz has directed soldiers of practically all of the armies of all the wars, but In Irving Berlin's "This Is the Army" he worked with his first real ones. They are now showing at the N. Y.

Hollywood Theater. He directed English soldiers of the Elizabethan era, bedecked In armor and waving swords for "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex." In "The Charge of the Light Brigade" he had both English and Russian soldiers of the Crimean War to work with, and for a climax a roulng charge that still remains a milestone in photographic make-believe. In "Captain Blood" It was pirates. In "Santa Fe Trail" there were Union and Confederate soldiers of the Civil War. "Dive Bomber" dealt with navy pilots.

Lately Mike has moving in Kolberg, Violinist, in War Stamp Concert Hugo Kolberg, violinist and will be heard in recital In the Brooklyn Museums Sculpture Court today at 1:30 p.m. This recital is one in the Museum's War Stamp Concert Series, held each Sunday at this same hour. Mr. Kolbenr will be accompanied by Hllde Freund at the piano. The program will be Reger.

Sonata. Op. 91, No. Spohr. Concerto No.

9 in minor. Op. 55; Paganlnl, Two Caprices; Salnt-Saens, Introduction and Rondo Caprlccioso; Bloch. Improvisation; Marsick, Scherzan-do; Shostakovich-Forst. Satirical Dance (Polka); Mozart.

Rondo. They're Looking For New Plays Now that "Murder Without Crime" Is successfully ensconred at the Cort Theater. Del Bmdlo, Win-dust and Weatherly, the producers, are ready to present a new venture. This time they want to do either a light comedy or a small musical piece, and herewith invite authors to submit their wares to the firm's offices at 137 W. 48th Street.

Baker Writes Poetry Olendora. Cal. (UP William C. Arthurs combines his dally Job as a baker with that of writing poetry. He starts mixing his dough at am.

ana uirn wnue ll Slowly bakes, he writes poetry. The publication of his bonk entitled Adventures of Twinkle" has attracted national attention. He was born In Bath. Enaland. but recent ly became an American citizen.

shaven always the safest condition for the hero of any picture. Charles Coburn makes effective use of both a mustache and a monocle for his role of the testy English uncle of the Sanger family in "The Constant Nymph," Together they help him give a hilarious interpretation of that role. He wears the mustache, incidentally, only in the second half of the picture when the demands are heaviest upon his abilities as a comedian, Jerry Colonna and Groucho Marx have made mustaches their prin cipal trick of the trade. Jerry's is his own, in spite of its highly false appearance. The mustache that Marx wears is usually merely painted on, for comedy effect.

Time was when the spiked, waxed mustache was accepted as a definite mark of the villain who "still pursued her." But now it can be used by the hero or the comedian. Make-Believe, the Real Thing to the modern conflict with great gusto. In "Casablanca" he had Nazi and French troops mixing it no in North Africa. And his recent picture. "Mission to Moscow," allowed him to work with soldiers of the gallant Red Army.

These have only been a few highlights of Mike's long and distinguished military career. It is only fitting that his day should be, made perfect with the Job of directing "This Is the Army." Now he Is working with and for the United States Army. The McCoy, Three hundred and fifty privates, corporals and sergeants, assorted types, all duly sworn and trained members of the new forces of Uncle Sam. were detailed by the War Department as a Provisional Task Force, the task being to make a motion picture of the hit show that Irving Berlin has produced for Armv Emergency Relief. Hungry Internees Riot As Magician Shows Hen Marj knoll, N.

(U.R) A chicken used by a magician in an impromptu show in Hongkong intern-ment camp almost caused a riot among the underfed "guests" ac cording to Father Michael O'Con-nell. a Maryknoll priest from San Francisco who recently has been released by the Japanese. Under the starvation diet all Inmates were getting thinner and thinner. All they could think about was food. To boast their morale, it was decided to put on a show.

Among the entertainers was a His act was watched with normal interest until he slowly pulled a cackling chicken from his hat. Pcdlam broke loose, according to Father O'Conncll. The 3.000 prisoners all asked the same thing' "Where did that chicken come from and what's going to happen to it now?" The hen, it proved, belonged to an outsider. It was placed under gimrd and eventually got back to him. Marines Watch 'Circus' Rendova Island (delayed) (U.R) U.

S. marines on this newly won Pacific base, Just off Munda, have had a spectacular, albeit uncomfortable, three-ring circus to watch. While Jap bombers were hammering at this island, and fighter planes were tangling In dog-fights above, American bombers were diving on Munda, six miles away. Ma rines daring to poke their heads from foxholrs coudl se all three actions going on at once. 0 to GLENN FORD and Marguerite Chapman in "Destroyer," the new picture in which Edward G.

Robinson is to be seen currently at the Criterion Theater. OUTDOORS ish brown. He loses his black cap but retains the distinguishing black wings and tail, and so resembles his lady when in Winter dress. As he stays with us throughout the year, the goldfinch takes things more leisurely than those birds that hurry through their nesting duties in order to get off on the Southern Journey on-schedule. He nests late it is usually well into June before the goldfinch couple settle down to household affairs, and while other fathers are working from dawn to dark to bring Insects to their hungry families the goldfinch is still flying about and singing in carefree abandon.

Likewise, he prolongs his season of song until the last of Summer long after other great songsters have become mute. At this time of year when abandoned bird nests are free to inspection, the nest of 'he goldfinch is recognized by its luxurious lining of thistledown. By nesting late the goldfinches avail themselves of this silky material, and as they do not stint themselves the downy lining spills over the sides, sometimes covering the round, compact nest and so giving It a most comfortable over-stuffed appearance. Well has the goldfinch earned the title of "wild canary," not only because of its yellow feathers but from the tuneful cadence of its song. By the hnblt of singing on the wing and the dlnping motion of its flight the goldfinch as it sways and slnis arross a field of goldenrod seems the happiest of birds.

And its sunnv disposition seems not to be affected by the adversities of Winter. Though icy winds ruffle Its brown feathers, it sings a cheerful little rilttv when hovering over the dried sunflowers. Performance capacity audlpnces In Chlcaeo: a third company featuring Violet Hemtnsr. Walter Gilbert and Betty Anne Nyman is about to open a tour In New Haven on Labor Day, and a fourth company is being assembled for a West Coast tour, with Katherine Alexander playing the leading role. Incidentally, the Chicago company played Its 150th performance last Wednesday.

By LORINE LETCHER BUTLER Author "Birds Around the Year" A flying bit of yellow among the sunflowers does not indicate that one of the blossoms has taken wing, as it might appear, but that the goldfinch, the "wild canary," is seeking refreshment from the prolific brown seeds. Wherever the sunflowers flourish the goldfinch is almost sure to be. Goldenrod also lures this sprightly seed-eater, as do other bright members of the sunflower family the sneeze-weed, black-eyed Susan, Jerusalem artichoke. As the sunshine grows paler and more subdued at the end of Summer the warmth it has lost seems concentrated In the brilliant yellows of the first Autumn flowers the sunflowers. Helianthus is the title bestowed upon the family by botanists, from the Greek helios, the sun.

and anthos. a flower. The name sunflower, however, usually suggests the sturdy plant which springs up unbidden and flourishes in the corners of our gardens. And this, the garden sunflower, with its great brown center and fringe of yellow petals, seems to be the head of the house, as it were. All other sunflowers, from the dainty goldenrod to beggar-ticks of Spanish needles those annoying plants whose seeds clutch the passerby and hang on so persistently, hitchhiking their way across the country are its relatives.

The dried and brittle sunflowers of Winter also furnish food for the goldfinch and other birds that do not migrate. Like the sunflower thai, turns brown when Winter comes, the bright yellow plumage of the goldfinch is dulled to green 'Kiss and Tell' Plays 20Oth With the 20Oth performance of "Kiss and Tell" played at the Bilt-more Theater last night, the George Abbott office Is feeling Jubilant these days about the widespread success of the F. Hugh Herbert comedy. Besides the Broadway company, a second company with Katharine Warren. Clay Clement and Patricia Klrkland, is drawing BETTY HUTT0N and Joe Sawyer, a lively pair, in "Let's Face It," starring Bob Hope, on the screen at the Fox Theater.

The second feature finds Chester Morris in "High Explosive." MARTA EGGERTH and Jan Kiepura in "The Merry Widow," Franz Lehar's famous operetta now filling the Majestic Theater at every performance..