Judge — September 25, 1926 — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

I | HE morning after the opening | of Owen Davis’ “The Donovan Affair,” the following adver- lixement appeared in the newspapers: “Last Saturday night at the Great Neck Playhouse a group of theatrical managers and celebrities witnessed the performance of “Phe Donovan Affair.” After the first spirited discussion was started in the lobby between Arthur Hopkins, John Gold- en, Edgar Selwyn, Arthur Hammer- stein, Sam H. Harris, Eddie Cantor, Gene Buck, Ernest Truex, George Jessel and others as to who was guilty of the murder of this baffling mystery play. Every one of these well-known theatrical men was wil- ling to wager that he could guess the yer, and a number of bets were “ed in the hands of Donald Davis, pli son of Owen Davis, the author of the play. Not one of these seasoned theatrical experts was able to arrive at a conclusion.” ‘Therefore, w Donovan Affair” may not succeed in doing, it is certainly to be credited with having produced the most un- grammatical and illiterate advertise- ment this season. The exciting scene in the lobby of the Great Neck Playhouse comes vividly before the eye. The thril- ling question: “Who was guilty of the murder of this baffling mystery play?” occupied each and every tongue. The answers agines ever else “The may be im- 1. The murderer of the play, ording to Arthur Hopkins, who bet Gene Buck a photograph of Louis Mann against Florenz Zieg. feld’s 1922 bathing suit, that Owen Davis the author, Mr. Buck con- tending on the other hand that the murderer was the acting troupe. Arthur Hammerstein, giving odds of JUDGE G the SHOWS: ‘¢ By George Jeam Nathan. ° appears herein, 1 to the “The Donovan Affair” (Full lett sh and Perlmutter, Detectives” (Rite as Sherloc | “The Adorable Liar™ (49th St.) —The lecture | The Ghost Train” (EM inystery stuf boards a ehoo-cl )—The old “Vanities” (Carroll vine making atheists of u: } "The Home Towners* (Hudson) —Gee Cob musing dialogue. livened by » form di he Shanghai Gesture” (Chanin’s)~ unk of chink sex pitile. neat week. ere) —To be surveyed (Wallack’s)—A poor behave and go n't Say No™ (Booth) — Florence Moore, for those who think her fu | “If 1 Was Rich (Mansfield)—See next | week's words of wisdi “She “Cradle Snatehe best loud laugh in town, Music Box) Still the “Henry —Behace” (Bayes) — An entertaining theme spoiled by writing down to the bes anttice —Dreadful drivel. “The Great God Brown" (Klaw)—O'Neill s st contribution to American drama, he Little Spitfire” (Cort) —About as bad as they jely)—Turn over “Garrick Gaieties™ (C kins is the attract rick) Bobbie Per were, “Tolanthe* (Plymouth) Gilbert and Sul fivan to the Queen's taste. “What Krery Woman Knows" (Bi Helen Hayes engaging in Maude Ad shes. “One Man's Woman’ (48th St.)—The sue of this one may explain why so many Americans consider Cal Coolidge a great mau. yfeld Rerue” (Globe) {hus slipped this season. he Rev. Dr candals” (Apollo) —Diverting revue you overlook Harry Richman and les Fi “Abies Irish Rose” (Republic)—The Irish and the Jews, “My Country” (Forrest) —Only more so. “Henry's Harem® (Greenwich) —To be in- “The Captire’ spossing” (Hurtis)—Same here. | (Empire) —And “Fanny” (Lyceum) —And he “The Great Temptations” (Winter Garden) The Shuberts’ liveliest Winter Garden exhibit “The Girl Friend” (Vu | evening. jerhilt)—A dreary y's Kisses” (Playhou ¢)—Expert dan Nick Long—and 4t Mrs. Beam's” (Guild)—The Guild's al ticket. Iwo to one, picked Albert Lewis, who staged the play, as the fellow responsible for its murder, Eddie Cantor stoutly contending that the culprit would turn out to be Mr. Brooks Atkinson, the dramatic eritic for the Times. Edgar Selwyn wagered Sam Harris an expensive five-cent ur against’ a hand-painted ear- pick that the criminal would prove to be Perey Hammond, critic for the Herald-Tribune, provided Perey got illness in time to attend the Monday opening, Mr. Harris laying his all that the murderer of the play would unquestionably turn out to be one of the union who would ball up the constant switching out of the lights before the last act was over. The excitement was in- tense, reaching almost the pitch of a ame of lotto. But this was no marker of what was yet to come. One ni y easily conjure up the con- sternation of the assembled intel- lectuals when the fact was born in upon them, if we are to believe the advertisement, that, for all their de- ductions and wagers, they were yet “not able to arrive at a conclusion.” One can visualize the effect of the discovery of this astounding meta- physical phenomenon, this dismay- ing philosophical paradox, upon the gathered cognoscenti. Poor Mr. Truex, driven mad by the cruel trick of the gods, doubtless ran around in circles and ended up by biting off Mr. Jessel’s ear. Mr. Hopkins, foaming at the mouth and deliriously singing “Valencia,” evidently jumped on Mr. Golden and was prevented from choking the latter to death only by the timely intervention of Mr. Ham- merstein, who turned the job him- self. Mr. Harris’ hair suddenly went white and, believing himself to be David Belasco, he began making a (Continued on page 27) comicbooks.com