New York Clipper (Apr 1923)

Copyright, 1923, ud pnhlUhcd wctUr t>y Uia Qlpper CoipantkB, ItSt Bra^wmr, Nc« York. Entered at the PM OOcc ai Nav YaA. Jam 34. II7>. aa (ecmd daaa nuil tDattcr ander an of Hanh 3, 1879 Foanded hw FRANK QUEEN. 1853 NEW YORK. APRIL II. 1923 VOLUME LXXI No. 10 Price Fifteen Ccnia. 85.00 a Ymr SCORES OF SHOWS REHEARSING FOR E ARLY SPRIN G OPENINGS Few Are Scheduled for Summer Runs but Majority Are in Nature of Trial for Fall Engagonents—^New Ptoducere to Try Hands This Season More than a score of new productions bave gone into rdiearsal during the past wedc and are being readied for an early Spring showing. While some are intended for runs during the stunmer, here and else- where, it is to be expected that in most cases the producers will exercise manager- ial prerogative and relegate many of 4hem in "moth balls" until the autumn. Practically every representative firm of producers will be represented in the above complement with at least one, and in most cases several, productions. Dominating the list, however, is a goodly portion of newr covers, who seem to have sufficient faith in their wares to invest their time and money in the respective productions which they are about to bring forth. The newer element were undoubtedly spurred on to take a chance through one of the several freak plays Fate has made with the theatrical deck of cards this season. Perhaps the outstanding object lesson is the phenomenal success of "The Last Warning," which established such I'enfant producers as Messrs. Mindlin and Gold- rcyer. Other youngsters who have dabbled with one branch or other of theatricals are e(]ually confident of their proposed produc- tions and will attempt to emulate the good fortune of the "two Mikes." . Probably the most ambitious plans from the newer element are those of the Mel- t>oume-Arden Productions, Inc., a new- comer in the theatrical producing line, but who have sufficient faith in their convic- tions to promise no less than three produc- tions for Spring perusal. Their list in- cludes "In tiie Balance," a melodrama in three acts, by Daisy Wolf; "The Greater Law," an adaptation of the Swedish play, "Mother," by Arvid Paulson, and a musical comedy, "My Gal Sal," with book and lyrics by Frank Williams and music by George Kramer. The first two pieces will be given a Spring hearing and then put away until fall, while the musical play is destined for a summer run in either New York or Chicago. Messrs. WAer and Gomstock will be represented with "Fires of Spring," a new play by Robert McLaughlin, the Cleveland stock impressario and best remembered as the author of "The Eternal Magdalene." A. H. Woods will reopen the revised ver- sion of "Naughty Diana" and will also bring out another non-musical piece, which is as yet without title. Joseph Shea, the indefatigable producer, who gave us "On the Stairs" and "Hail and Farewell," has lined up another called "Chivalry," which will open out of town at an early date and be brought directly to New York. Louis Werba, who has returned to the producing field and is already represented with "Bamum Was Right," will launch a new musical comedy, "Adriennei" within a few weeks, while Louis Qine, formerly as- sociated with George Broadhurst, is stak- ing his bankroll on a piece by Ethel Clay- ton, the vaudeville actress-author, entitled "For Value deceived." Even William A. Brady has ceased to concern himself with the legality of Sunday^ performances to produce his second musical play, "Pansy," which he acquired abroad and for -which Joe McCarthy and Harry Tiemey will supply the jingles and times. And by no means the least of all is George M. Cohan's annual musical pro- duction, this time "The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly," which will lighten the burden of the Bostonians during the warm spell, when it will be firmly entrenched at the Tremont Theatre. Henry W. Savage will be amply repre- sented by Mitzi in her new comedy, witfi music, "Minnie and Me," which has already had trial performances in New England and which will shortly make its bow in the Hub. Carle Carlton is rushing things to have "The Javanese Doll" among the list, and if he doesn't have a change of heart in the meanwhile, New York will also have a glimpse of "Paradise Alley." Brock Pera- bcrton-, too, may be represented with a sum- mer song show, it being a musicalized ver- sion of "Good Gracious, Anabelle," which, in the newer dress, will be known as ".^nnabelle." Other producers who will be represented in the list and their attractions' follow: William Hawthorne, "Daisy Won't Tell"; Messrs. Cook and Ahrens, "Struttin' Along"; George Lederer, "Suzette"; Rob- ert McLaughlin, "Bristol Glass"; Davidow and Le Maire, "Helen of Troy, N. Y."; Jack Schulmann, "Pretty Polly"; Mack HiUiard, "Within Four Walls"; Myron C. Fagan, "Thumbs Down"; George Byron Totten, "Gabette," and Jamie Kelly, "For- gotten Sweethearts." According to our statistics, the margin of spring tryouts scheduled for the spring season of this year greatly overshadows that of last season. All of which argues that, despite the inactivity of several of the established producers, the producing game is by no means on the -wane. Of Hie promised lot, just how many will survive their "dog showings" will be a mat- ter of interest and just how many we shall ever have an opportunity of glimpsing is "something else again, Mawruss," as Abe Potash would say. Nevertheless this unusual spring activity will provide employment for hundreds of actors and others who would otherwise be enjoying enforced vacations during the summer. P. M. A.-A. E. A. COMMITTEES MEET The committees representing the Pro- ducing Managers' Association and the Actors' Equity Association to confer. on the extension of the 1919 agreement held the second of a series of conferences in the headquarters of the P. M. A, on Monday afternoon, Messrs, Thomas, Brady, Lee Sfaubert and Edgar Selwyn represented the P. M, A., while the Equity was represented by John Emerson, Frank H. Gillmore, Florence Reed and John Willard. The conference lasted two hours with no announcement coming forth as to what occurred. It is understood that the Equity members still stood firm on their demand that the Equity closed shop be granted in 1924 and would not recede in any manner from this' stand. The man- agers tried stratgetic manoeuvers, but were not in any way able to break down the barrier erected by the actors' body, who came instructed to get the closed shop. Another meeting of the joint com- mittees will be held next Monday. LOOKING FOR TDMBERG CAST The Health Department of New Yoric is on the outlook for die east of tfae recently closed Hemam Timberg Unit Show, "Frolics of 1922," which cloud recently in Philadelphia. Tryce Fristoe, musical director of the show, was taken ill in Philadelphia and re- mained after the piece closed. His ailment, according to the Health Department offi- cials, has developed into smallpox and the officials are searching for the members of the cast in order to ascertain if others are infected with the contagious disease. GIVES UP TO FRAUD CHARGES FoBT WOBIH, April 9.—Dr. Frederick A. Cook, who claimed to have discovered the North Pole and made a vaudeville tour upon bis return to the United States, tell- ing audiences how it looked and all about his trip in the frozen nortli, was named here in complaints charging the use of the mail to defraud, filed against a number of Fort Worth oil promoters, gave himself up to Federal authorities. He was released on $25,000 bail. NEW HOUSE FOR WASHINGTON Washington, D. C, April 9.—Ground will be broken shortly for the erection of the largest theatre in the city when com- pleted, to be known as the Cosmopolitan. The house will be situated at the corner of E. and I3th, street, N. W., iust off Pennsylvania avenue and in the heart of the hotel and theatre district. OLD TIME "MELO." TO TOUR "The Crimson Glow," a melodrama of the old school, is being prepared for a tour of the middle west, where according to the heavy takings of the Raymond Hitchcock snow, "Hitchy koo," much ready money is laying idle. Harry Aus- tin, who was identified with Charles E. Blaney in the days of the latter's reigri of "melodrama lung" is sponsoring the production. PALACE AFTER THE TICKETS SPECS With the employment of eight private detectives and the use of several regular policemen the battle which for the past two weeks between the Palace Theatre, the vaudeville house, and the ticket speculators, two of whom have offices near the theatre, will be fought to a fim'sb by the Palace. Instructions were given uiis week to Elmer Rogers, manager of the tfacatrc, to bar all persons who present tickets pur- chased of the speculators. The battle is beiiK waged under the personal direcUon of E. F. Albec, who de- clares that the ticket speculator is to be a thing of the past in so far as the Palace Theatre is concerned, Speculating with the tickets of this the- atre has_ been very renumerative^ street agendes in the vicinity carrying little else. They have brought as high as ^ to $4 apiece_ and higher on Saturday aod Stm- day nights. One instance is on record of a street speculator who sold three Palace tickets for $1& On each side of the the- atre's entrance big signs warning patrons against purchasing tickets from sidewalk men or speculators are displayed. AGDTIS OUT TO DEFEAT BOX Chicago, April 9.—The agenU of Chi- cago are raising a fond of $3fl)0 to defeat the bill, fathered by Senator Dailw in tls Illinois Senate, seeking to prohibit theat- rical booking agents h-om charging more than three per cent commission. Two years a^o a similar bill was intro- duced in the Illmois Legislature, the asents at that time raising a fund of $2,0^) to fight it. EQUITY TO REVIVE '^SWEET NELL" "Sweet Nell of Old Drory" is the play selected for a revival by an Equity Cast in which Laurette Taykir will be starred during the Equity Festival period bet^ ning at the Equity-Forty-cigfath Street Theatre on May 7. This play was produced about twenty years ago by Klaw and Erlanger at the Knickerbocker Theatre with .^da Rehan playing the title role. I . To know hew good a cigarette really can be madi you must try a^^ LUCI STRIKE *irSTOASTED-> IVI F(0^ Sml« namtm at »tmam AtUrm 'SlirsStasz BROOKS-MAHIEU R. Y. C.