New York Clipper (Jun 1923)

& THE NEW YORK CLIPPER June 27, 1923 AU AMUSEMENT STOCKS HIT LOW MARK RECORDS FO R THE YEAR Famous Players Goes Down to 71, Orpheum Hit 16% and . Loen/s During Week Slumps to 14—General Trading Better Than Previous Week With trading a little heavier than the previous week and in line with the gen- eral trend of the market, caused partly by the hot weather and partly by the series of failures of Stock Exchange firms, the entire amusement list declined and every one of the issues, without exception, at one time or other bit a new low for the year. Were it not for the fact that the entire market is off it might be said that the long predicted bear movement was now on and that the bear pools had full control of the amusement field. It is pos- sible that several of the pools are oper- ating but if so their operations are being well conducted as in none of the issues has the selling been so pronounced as to cause appreciable comment. Usually, in an organized bear move- ment, heavy sates are recorded at the outset, each a fraction off from the pre- vious. In the present instance, however, the decline has been more or less gradual, being spread over a space of two weeks. That the tendency is general rather than the result of pool operation seems to be borne out by the fact that the entire list of amusement stocks hit new lows as pool movements are ordinarily conducted with but one or two of the issues being the objects of the clique's attack. It is possible that the general trend will con- tinue for a week or two yet, with the probability that when any of the issues reach a certain point protective interests will rush to the rescue and start a buy- ing movement that will serve to sustain the price of their peL This expedient seems to have been invoked in the case of Orpheum, which is in the strongest LOUISE LOOKS PROSPEROUS Paris. June 28.—Louise Groody, who played in America last season with "Good Morning, Dearie," and who, after being accused of being worth over $1,000,000, which was supposed to have been given to her by her husband, W. Frank McGree, confessed bucketshop operator now in jail in New York, pleaded that she was really yery poor, has evidently abandoned the poverty role if her appearance in exclusive supper cl:d>s here is to be taken as a criterion. Miss Groody, who plans to stay in Paris until after tbe running of the Grand Prix, and who wiU then go to London, where she win stay at the Waldorf, was seen arrayed in an ermine coat and bedecked with a big string of diamonds and five costly loctang bracelets besides various other items of jewelry. FEMALE LAWYER WINS CASE Ganna Walska McCormick lost the action bron^it a^inst her in the Supreme Court last week when a jury before Justice Platzek awarded $2,850 with costs to Mrs. Clarice M. Barig^t, an attorney, of 170 Broadway. Tins is the full amount Mrs. Barigfit sought to recover from the prima donna for professional services, in under- talane for her two actions started for breaiu of contract about two years aga One suit for $58,000 was a^inst Oie Brocala Opera Company, of Cuba, the other, for $25,000, was against Robert E. JpbnstOD. Both were discontinued. Mrs. Barigfat '•'a?""^ her services were worth $3,000 and that she had received $150. MOROSCO TO DO '^HEMERS" "The Schemers." a satirical comedy by Dr. William Irving Sirovitch, has been se- lected as the first production of the new season to be niade by Oliver Morosco. fjftmg has already be^rni and the piece win go mto rehearsal within a fortnight. technical position of any of the amuse- ment issues. During the week which closed last Saturday 18,100 shares of Famous Play- ers-Lasky were sold the issue declining from 76^2 to 75, a loss of lyi points. During the course of the week!s opera- tions, however. Famous went as k>w as 71 which is 2^ points below its previous low for the year. On Monday of this week the slump continued, the issue clos- ing at 72^ for a further loss of 2'/i points with 1,300 shares traded. Goldwyn trading was really very lii^rt but the issue, nevertheless, slid from its opening at 4^ to a flat 4, a loss of }4 point. This closing price of 4 is also a new low for 1923 on this issue. During the week 2,600 shares were sold. On Monday of this week 1,000 more shares were traded without any change. The Goldwyn Voting Trust Certificates, which had originally been quoted at around 21 and 22, felt faster than the old issue, 400 being sold at a toss of 2 points from its opening of 17. Loew's had comparatively heavy trad- ing and fell off from its opening of 16% to a flat 16, a loss of >A with 17,200 shares sold. At one time during the week the issue declined to 14 which marked a new tow for the year. On Monday of this week the stock closed at IS'A, a toss of point, with 4,500 shares being sold. Orpheum, although at one- time during the week hitting a new tow of 16V4, licld fairly firm durmg the week at IS, with 3.000 sliarcs sold and continued there with SOO shares more traded on Monday. "VILLAGE SCANDALS" FOR BDWY. "Grecnwicli Village Scandals," the new musical revue by Frank S. Williams and George Kramer, will have its premiere in Atlantic City the latter part of July and will later be brought to a Broadway play- house. Messrs. Schutmaiin and Carlo, who arc sponsoring the production, were lining up their cast early this week. The show will carry fifteen principals and a chorus of thirty-live. NEW SHOW FOR PLAYHOUSE Chicago, June 23.—"Qiains" is going to remain a few weeks longer at the Play- house and the plans of Letter Bryant and John Tuerk. the producers, are to matce another production at that house to follow. "The Teaser" by Martha M. Stanley and .Adelaide Matthews may be offered with Francine Larrimore in the principal role. If not. "Mr. Lazarus," a Harvey O'Hig- gins-Harriet Ford play done some years •ago by Henry E. Dixey, will be revived. COP SUPPUES CASH FOR TICKETS H. B. Warner, star of the play "You and I," will from now on be a booster for policemen, for he had an experience re- cently which he will long remember. Mr. Warner and his wife by chance found themselves outside the Yankee sta- dium and decided that they would go in and look over the players. Warner put his hand in his pocket for the price of the tickets and to his amazement found that he had but a dime. The policeman looking on saw the predicament and immediately oifered to loan the price of the tickets and taxi fare home besides. Warner accepted and was so amazed at it that immediately upon his return wrote a letter to the Police Commissioner praising the policeman and then wrote out a check for dojble the amount of the loan and sent it special de- livery to the cop. STOCK TRYOUT FOR PLAY Carte Carlcton has made arrangements with RolTcrt .McLaughlin, manager of the stock company at the Ohio Theatre, Gcve- tand, to have the stock company appear in the initial American presentation of "The Javenese Dolt," a Viennesse play of which Gare Kumer has made the American adap- tation. The company will offer the play for one week beginning July 16 and should it prove successful the rtm will be pro- longed another week. Lina Abarbanell and James Rcnnie will be sent on to head the stock company, as they have been selected to head the cast when Carleton makes his Broadway production of the play. THREE "WILDFLOWERS" .\rthur Hammerstcin wilt have three companies of "Witdflowcr" on tour next season. The New York company now at the Casino, he e.xpccts to remain there until early in November when it will be sent to Boston, where it was originally scheduled to open Labor Day. The second company, which will be known as the New England and Canada company, wilt open in New- port, R. I., on Labor Day. Tlie third com- pany, which will be known as the Western company, will start off on its tour early in October, probably opening in Pittsburgh and breaking its jumps to the coast. MORRISEY REVUE OPENING. Will Morrisey's summer revue, '"New- c<.n:crs of 1923," will not open cold after all. Instead the show will have an out of town showing prior to coming into the .-XlKjllo Theatre for a summer run. Mor- ris£ey has been holding auditions daily and has practically lined up his cast, although iK>nc have as yet been bound by contract. Unless present plans are switched the sliow will come to the Apollo on July 14. HILL TO DO "MAIN STREET' Gus Hill made arrangements last week with Frank Montgomery to produce next season "Main Street," a musical comedy which the latter had written. The play will tcur the popular priced and o:ic night stand territory. FROHMAN COMPANY PLAYS Two American and one foreign play will be put on by the Charles Frohman Com- pany, according to David Burton, the gen- eral stage director, who has just returned from his European trip. The first play to be produced by the company this season will be Avery Hopwood's "The Alarm Clock," with Bruce McRae and Blanche Ring starred. Following this will come "Little Miss Bluebird" by the same au- thor, starring Irene Bordoni. The other play planned for production is "The Swan" by Franz Molnar, Htmga- rian playwright. While Burton was in Budapest for the Frohman company re- cently a performance of this play was given in his honor and he discussed with the author, production details of this piece, which is to be seen in New York in Sep- tember. JOHN CORT DIVORCED A decree of divorce was granted in the Superior Court at Bridgeport, Conn., last week to John Edward Cort, son of John Cort, theatrical producer, freeing him from Mrs. Maude Fealy Cort. The decree was awarded young Cort on grounds of desertion, after he testified that his wife left him five days after their mar- riage and refused to renounce her theatrical career. John Cort also testified in behalf of his son and said that there was no other reason for the alleged desertion by his daughter-in-law than the fact that she did not want to leave the stage. The couple were married in Cincinnati, in January, 1920. At that time Mrs. Cort was a chorus girl. "JACK AND JILL" TO OPEN SEPT. 10 John Murray Anderson's musical com- edy "Jack and Jilt" which recently closed its New York engagement at the Globe theatre will go on tour again next sea- son. It is reported that Lew Fields has taken an interest with Anderson in the show and will be at the head of the cast Ann Pennington and Brooke Johns who are now appearing with the "Follies" wilt re- turn to "Jack and Jill" when it opens its season Sept. lOth in Detroit. From there the show is scheduled to go to the Apollo theatre, Chicago for four weeks. HART RETURNS TO SCREEN Wiltiain S. Hart has returned to the screen. Last week .Adolph Zukor, head of the Famous-Players Lasky Corporation, announced that as the charges made against Hart by a Boston woman had been found to be untrue, the screen star had decided to again iKgin appearing in motion pic- tures. Hart is to begin work immediately at the Lasky studios in Hollywood, Cat., and his first release is expected in October or November. The last Hart release made was "Travellin" On" in March, 1922. CHARLOTTE LEARN IN S(IOW Chicago, June 23.—Charlotte Learn (Mrs, John J. Garrity) joined "Up the Ladder" at the Shubert-Central this week to play the role of the flapper, formerly in the hands of Ruth Hammond, Miss Learn has for several years been stepping into nearly every show which had a lengthy run m Chicago and her appearance in 'Up the Ladder" is not surprising though in- tensely interesting. "PLAIN JANE" NEW MUSICAL SHOW Hat Skelly is to be co-featured with , Mary Hay in Arthur Hammerstein''s pro- ' duction of the musical comedy, "Plain Jane," which goes into rehearsal on Sejv- tembcr 6 and opens at the Grand Opera House, Wilkes-Barre, on October 22. The * book of the piece was written by William Carey Duncan and Oscar Hammerstein 2nd. and the lyrics and mijsic were supplied by Vincent Yoemans and Herbert Stothart. MINDUN SAILING SATURDAY Mike Mindlin, who was to have sailed on the Majestic last Saturday for Eng- land, on account of business, was com- pelled to delay his departure until this week when he will sail on the Olympic for Southampton on Saturday. LES STEVENS and His Clover Gardens Orchestra