New York Clipper (Feb 1923)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER February 14, 1923 ACTS MUST PLAY OR PAY NO EXCEPTIONS TO BE MADE A strict enforcement of the "play or pay" danse will be made in all theatres booked by the B. F. Keith Vaudeville Exchange, it was stated by E. F. Albee last week. No act whatsoever, whether headliner or openiDg act, will be exempt from this claitse in the Keith contract, and if any artist or act walks ont of a show becaase of dissatisfaction with their dressmg room, spot on the bOl, billing, or lights, or any canse unless embodied in the contract, will "be compelled to pay the booking office a ■Dm etfoivalent to the amount the act was to receive for its week's engagement at the theatre they walked out of. The rule has been in force since the "play or pay" con- tract was drawn up, but hadn't been strict- ly enforced until recently. Allman and Harvev were the first artists in recent months to whom this rule was applied whoi they waOced out of the Orpbeum Theatre's bill, refusing to play the number two spot. Tiaccy and McBride were fined $175, the amount they were to receive for a three-day engagement at the State The- atre, Jersey Ci^, for walking out of the show, and refusing to play the second spot. "^e have endeavored to place vaudeville oa a business basis," said Mr. Albee, "and the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Asso- ciation has been giving all the co-operation possible. The artists must realize that it IS a business proposition, and co-operate with us. The clause applies as touch to the managers as it does to the artist, and is for the protection of both. We cannot impress too strongly that it will be carried ont in every case/' The "play or pay" clause of the Keith contract is the twelfth one in that docu- ment and reads as follows: "In the event of a breach of this agreement by the man- ager or artist, the offending party agrees to pay liquidated damages without demand of an equal amount to the salary stated in paragraph one (1) hereoL But this shall not be an exclusive remedy." AGENTS CANNOT PENCIL IN Artists' representatives, booking with the B. F. Keith Vaudeville Exchange, have been cautioned against pencilling in any time for acts before the managers' meeting at which the act's salary is set shall have been held. This ruling was poster by W. Dayton Wegefarth, general booking man- ager of the circuit last week, and prac- tically does away with the system of "penalling in" acts. During the past, it has been the custom of an .agent, in arranging time for his clients, to pencil in an act for a certain date with a certain booker before consult- ing the act and without setting any salary for the engagement. The act would then be taken up for consideration at the week- ly managers' meeting and its salary set. "The agent would then report to the act, and oftimes find that the salary set by the managers was not acceptable to the artist, and this would cause a great deal of trouble for the booker, who would have to secure another act to replace it on his books, and also was a source of aimoyance to the act, who sometimes has turned down offers of other dates awaiting the "pencil- ling in" to be made permanent, and who also considered the fact that they were "pencilled in" as an assurance that they would get the date. All this will be avoided, now that the act cannot be pencilled in until the man- agers have set the salary, the agent will know Just whether an act can accept the money offered and then offer it for the approval of the booker. N. V. A. COMPLAINTS CeoiKC S. Fredericks has filed complaint against Miss Woodworth, claiming that she left his act without giving him the customary two weeks' notice. The De Wolf Girls have complained against an act which played Proctor's 23rd Street two weeks ago under the name of 'De_ Wolf Girls, alleging infringement on ^eir name. VE COURVILLE IN NEW YORK Albert De Cbnrville. the English musical comedy producer, is in New York for a three-week visit and is engaging American performers for a new revue which he will produce at Sir Alfred Butt's Empire The- atre on March 15th. De Conrville has leased the theatre for the current season. HEIMAN MADE ORPHEUM PRES. BECK HEADS DIRECTORY BOARD ORPHEUM ACTS IN ENGLEWOOD Chicago, Feb. 10.—^The Englewood, on the far south side, with Orpheum vaude- ville, gives the western circuit a house in one of the most thickly settled districts of Chicago. The Englewood was built for burlesque, and has been for years the home of that form of entertainment, until the advent of Shubert vaudeville. Playing the unit form of entertainment as put out by the Shubcrts the Englewood was one of the best paying houses on the circuit. The policy of the Orpheum will be three shows a day. full week, seven acts, at a 50-cent top. For years the W. V. M. A. had the Empress, around the comer from the En- glewood, playing pop. vaudeville, but never made any headway with the house. Marcus Heiman was elected president of hte Orpheum Circuit, succeeding Mar- tin Beck, at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of that circuit held in Chicago last week. According to the Or- pheum Circuit announcement, Martin Beck has asked to be relieved of his duties as president At the same meeting Beck was ■elected chairman of the Board of Direct- ors. Beck was not present, having sailed for Europe a few days ago. The executive board was cut down from seven members to five members for the ensuing year, Frank W. Vincent being elected to the board. The other members are Marcus Heiman, Mort H. .Singer, Joseph M. Finn and B. B. Kahane. Vin- cent was re-elected to the position of general booking manager of the circuit, which position he has been occupying for some time. The election of Marcus Heiman to the presidency of the Orpheum Grcuit does not come as a surprise to theatricals, as it has been _ rumored and published several times during the past year. Beck had de- nied these rumors to a Clippeb representa- tive, in the presence of Marcus Heiman, the day before he sailed for Europe. FEMALE MINSTRELS AT Stii AVENUE The Female Minstrels, composed of amateurs from the immediate neighbor- hood of F. F. Proctor's Fifth .\venue The- atre, will hold forth upon the stage of that popular play house the full week of February 12th. Many of the profcssion.-i from the regular weekly vaudeville pro- gram will assist in making this new idea a popular success. ARTHUR GEARY BOOKED William Morris has booked Arthur Geary, former tenor at the New York Hip- podrome for a ten-week appearance in mo- tion picture theatres in the Middle West controlled by Scholler Brothers. He wfll begin his engagement next week at their St. Louis house. DORIS RANKIN IN VAUDEVILLE Doris Rankin, who secured a decree of divorce from Lionel Barrymore recently, will be seen in Keith Vaudeville shortly with a comedy playlet called "Somebody Lied," written by Evel^ Blanchard. Three people will be seen m her support. She will use the billing of "Mrs. Lionel BarrjTnore." LORRAINE RETURNING IN ACT Lillian I^rraine has fulfilled her contract with the Palais des Beaux Arts and is planning to return to vaudeville in a new singing act She will carry her own ac- companist special setting, and will display some gorgeous costumes. ORPHEUM .ROUTE FOR JEMIBIA Aunt Jemima and her jazz band has beeu rooted over the Orpheum Circuit and win open at the Orpheum Theatre; Kannis Gty, on March 4tlL The rest of the c>r- coh wil! follow. MILES COMPETES WITH HIMSELF Charles H. Miles has declared a vaude- ville war on himself in Detroit He is playing vaudeville at two of his theatres only a block apart that is booked by two different agencies in New York. For many years the Pantases Circuit has been booking all three of the Miles houses in Detroit, the Regent Miles and - Orpheum. Last year Miles abandoned the vaudeville policy of the Orpheum and the house had a varied career, playing stock musical comedy, road attractions and motion pictures. He also for a short period leased the house to the Masonic order. Two weeks ago he decided that he would again play vaudeville in the Orpheum and sent for M. R. Sheedy of the Sheedy Agency. Sheedy signed a contract to fur- nish six' acts for the house each week. The Miles Theatre only plays five acts from the Pantages office. So the result was that the Orpheum is making a strong bid for trade and is giving six acts and a feature picture for less money than the Miles is charging for five acts and a fea- ture picture. "The result has been that busi- ness has started off with a spurt at the Orpheum and that the Miles is feeling the effects of the competition. HARRIS SIGNS BAKER Phil -Baker has been signed by Sam H. Harris for a period of two years. Baker will probably be seen in the cast of next season's "Music Box." VALENTINO DIDN^ DRAW DEiaorr, Feb. 12.—^The claim by Carl 'Fischer, owner of the New Majestic ball- room, that he was "hoodwinked" as to the popularity and drawing power of Rodolph Valentino and stands to lose $15,000 on a two-week contract he has for the film hero to appear twice a day at his establishment, has brouj^ the two to a parting of the ways. 'Fischer says that when he signed the contract for Valentino and his wife's appearance he was assured that they would be unusually popular and fiU his establish- ment twice daily. But the results have been to . the contrary, with Valentino's drawing power being slight on the first week. Fischer was also visibly annoyed at the fact that even though he ^vas pay- ing $600 a week for a suite in a hotel occupied by Valentino and his wife, he was not permitted to enter. Incensed at this turn in affairs, Fischer told the fol- lowing narrative : "Several years ago I was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Bliss at their estate on Long Island. The boy who polished our golf clubs was Valentino, the assistant gardener." In telling his side of the matter. Valen- tino says he was "unwillingly led to ap- pear in a third rate dance hall." And that not for a million dollars a week would he have signed the contract had he known the place he was expected to dance in. He declared if he were able he would gladly cancel his contract. Regarding the statement made by Fischer that he polished golf clubs, he declared that he was the head landscape gardener and not the assistant and that he lost his job when Mrs. Bliss decided to change her gardens into a golf course. "EASTER SHOW" FOR COUSEUM An "Easter Fashion Show" will be held at B. S. Moss' Coliseum Theatre during the week of March Sth, and will be staged bv Emil Groth, manager of that theatre. The costumes, shoes, hats, lingerie and all other wearing apparel used m the show will be contributed by local merchants and worn by local girls. The "Fashion Show" idea was originated at this house, and this will be the second one to be- held during the current season. "CABARET'S FATHER" DIES Chicago, Feb. 12.—^Fritz Freiberg, known as the "father of the cabaret," died last week at the age of 83 years. He was the founder of "Freiberg's," still one of the famous spots in Chicago's night life. Long before the advent of jazz he opened a hall in Twenty-second street which be- came famous as the center of a former white lights district there and was the rendezvous where all actors could be found, as well as visiting notables, espe- cially during the days of the World's Fair. Freiberg played a violin in his own or- chestra, and after the place had become known for the quality of its music, the good food served there also became an at- traction. Later he had acts of vaudeville, doing their turns tetween dances. With the coming of ragtime, Freiberg sold his place and was known as one of the richest of musicians when he died. K. C. ORPHEUM TO CLOSE Kansas City. Feb. 12.—The Orpheum Theatre here will be closed during the lat- ter part of March, and will probably re- main dark for the rest of the season. The other Orpheum Circuit house in this city, the_ Main Street, will assume the big time policy of the present Orpheum and drop the motion pictures - from its program. BASKET BALL IN ACT The basket ball craze has now invaded vaudeville as a business builder. The ex- periment will be made at Proctor's Fifth Avenue Theatre next week, when a male and a female team will clash in a series of contests to be held throughout the week. If the experiment proves a draw it will be adopted in other Proctor vaudeville theatres and will undoubtedly be adopted by the other circuits. HOWARD KYLE IN VAUDEVILLE Howard Kyle, president of the Actors' Fidelity League, is entering vaudeville and will open at Keith's Prospect Theatre on Monday, February 19th. He will appear in a mystery drama in one act called "Alias Who?" written by Evelyn Blanch- ard. Two people will be seen in the sup- porting cast FRANK GILLEN IN NEW ACT Corine Muer, concert singer, and Frank Gillen. popular song composer, have formed a vaudeville partnership and are breaking in their act "Variety of Songs," in Pitts- burgh this week. After several weeks of out-of-town engagements they will appear in local Keith vaudeville.