New York Clipper (Jun 1923)

June 27, 1923 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 25 CARNIVAL MEN WIN BIG VICTORY The most decisive victory io carnival history was won last week by the Show- men's Legislative Committee, when the Illinois Carnival Bill, prohibitiiig such shows in the State failed to jess the House of Representatives. Illinois, considered the center of the battle ground between carnivals and lawmakers and others in favor of abolishing outdoor shows, had all of the contesting forces massed • for the fight, which has been going on since the bill was first introduced in April, 1923, and in the face of such odds, the victory of the showmen is of tremendous im- portance. Legitimate showmen and members of their league, who not only assisted the Legislative Committee financially but morally as well, are receiving much of the praise due for defeating the bill to kill out- door shows in Illinois. These shows, which were practically on probation, gave the best possible aid to their various or- gsnizations to make a good impression on law makers and laymen, and to convince them that it was their aim to' give a clean show without a defect. These carnivals have been so absolutely in earnest in giv- ing lirst-class shows that they cannot be too highly commended, according to the report of the Legislative Committee. In other words, the legitimate carnival men won their own fight. 'Having the jump on the carnival men, enemies of such amusements succeeded in getting their propaganda to work before the carnival men took it seriously and woke up to the fact that many factions were poisoning the minds of legislative bodies and other organizations. Added to this was the attitude of the fly-by-nigfat shows, who did everything possible to further discredit the legitimate attractions on the road. These shows went so far as to state that they did not care whether laws were passed or not, they would continue to clean up either way. Immoral shows and^ unfair games were put out with the policy that one good season would make it worth while. With such things the carnival men had to contend with, making it doubly hard for the good shows to con- vince the people and lawmakers that they were on tlvp level. However, the Legislative Committee an- nounces that the fight to clean up the show business has just begun and the victory in Illinois should be a warning to so-called outlaw shows. To those shows who per- sist in giving unclean shows, the Com- mittee says that if pleading, coaxing or influence will not make them see the light, some method will be foimd to make the fly-hy-nights change their minds. The bill In Springfield was not defeated without the work of the hardest kind and on ^ one occasion it almost passed both legislative bodies. A false story that ap- peared in a Chicago edition of a paper to the effect that the carnival men wanted a conference with the movie men who were in convention in Chicafro was another factor in influencing legislators in favor of the bill to do anvay with carnivals. This was finally overcome by the Legis- lative Committee of the Showmen. Similar bills that have been pending in other states have been fought by the Show- men's Legislative Committee, and some are still to be passed upon. When the Minne- sota lawmakers were ready to pass a law prohibiting carnivals in the State the Com- mittee went before the Senators and Representatives of Mbnesota and proved No. 8 PRIC:E one DOLUkB FEB COPY IT COWrUMS THE F«UOW«S CUT'OGE, DP-TtMtATC CANDV MATEBUL: 21 SoMBlif ■»nHwa. 12 tar(D( iUU tm Tn mmlf. U triflBil Mt It mn iMi fiwtf. 39 Sn-Fb* ttnilm. SfHt VatHli^Ht Act A tart-uniif FMto Art. A nrailt lisMto UL 4 tUnmtm fl»ifc SMbbo. 9 Ckntv TaMlt, Umttt ig« Sirtemf. 12 tatiM Mliftnl FInt-Pati. A Snm4 Hlnlnl FImIl at SManlt tmnMUau tar Tm M« 9m4 Mai* utf FtMltt. Btaabtr. tfca prim of M(MALLrB BDUXTDf Kb S b tolr « tfollir per opr. « >U1 —al m BnUCTINS No*, r U4 « for with WM. MCNALL.Y «1 Ewt laSUi Stimt NEW TtIK to them that the cause of the legitimate carnival was just, with the result that a different law was passed, approved by the carnival men and the fair secretaries of that State. In Michigan another fight was taken up and after the bill pendmg in regard to prohibiting carnivals was substituted for one agreeable to carnival men and fair secretaries, the battleground was trans- ferred to Wisconsin. In Wisconsin a license so great as to practically prohibit a carnival from enter- int; the State was provided for in a bill that was pending at the Capital. This bill was changed for one that was eqtiit- abk' to the showmen and fairs of the State. In Pennsylvania a bill was also put up for consideration, but thanks to the efforts of the showmen's organization and others it was unfavorably refwrted on. In New York City ordinances were ready to be passed to prohibit carnivals by placing an exorbitant fee upon them, but this was finally killed. The Legislative Committee is calling attention to carnival men that the fight is not yet over and that they must dis- courage those who have the attitude that "We play here only once—let us get what we can out of the town." The amount of money invested in carnivals and affiliated industries such as rides, and merchants who manufacture other commodities used by showmen aggregate a total of $300,000,000, and the Legislative Committee is calling upon showmen to protect this capital as well as the reputation of outdoor show people whom statistics prove have higher morals than any other branch of show business. RUTH BAUGHMAN MARRIES Chicago, June 25.—Ruth Baughman, general understudy in "Blossom Time," which is playing here now, was married last week to George Perrott, a government chcniis*. Mrs. PcTott intends retiring from the stage at the end of this season and make her home here. SHORT BACK FROM LONDON Hassard Short, who went to London to Stage the Music Box Revue at the Palace Music Hall there, returned to New York last Saturday from France. Short will shortly begin preparations for the next Music Box Revue which will go into re- hearsal early in September. "SUWANEE RTVER" OPENS JULY 9 Sam Wallack will give Edward Locke's play, "Suwanec River," its initial presen- tation in Asbury Park, N. J., on July 9. Charles Purcell has been engaged to head the cast and Dick Carlisle is scheduled to portray the role of "Old Black Joe." "LADY BUTTERFLY" TO TOUR The Morosco Holding Company intend next season sending "Lady Butterfly," the musical comedy which ran at the Astor Theatre this scasoa, on tour. The tour will begin at the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, early in October. RALPH SITTERLY FOR "PANSY" Mindlin and Goldreyer have engaged Ralph Sitterly to appear in support of Rob- erta .Arnold in Herbert Hull Winslow's comedy, "Pansy," which they will place in rehearsal on August 20. Leon Gordon will stage the production. WRITING "VILLAGE" TUNES Walter Donaldson will supply most of the tunes for the forthcoming fifth annual edition of "Greenwich Village Follies," which will open at the Shubert Theatre in .August. NEW STAGE UGHTING PLAN The Triangle Work Shop, situated in a cellar on Seventh avenue, between Elev- enth and Perry streets and known as a laboratory for stagecraft, last week an- nounced that they had achieved success in several experiments in ultra-modem stage production, not the least of which is a new method of stage lighting. The Tri- angle Workshop, taking its name from the shape of the cellar and the meeting of the three streets in the locality, is or- ganized as a club and numbers among its members artists, musicians, actors and stu- dents of the drama. It plans a perma- nent organization to work out its plans in play writing and production. During the summer the club is running a bill of four one-act plays every night and is putting into effect many novel pro- duction ideas. The tiny stage acquires the effect of spaciousness through the em- ployment of the "dome" effect used by Max Reinhardt in Europe. The "dome" consists of an untinted concrete back- ground that meets the stage on a curve, forming a perfect parabolL Lights are projected on this neutral back^ound through slides prepared with special de- signs which produce any desired back- ground. Footlights, borders and strips are eliminated. "The non-sympathetic evenness of light- ing from the conventional borders and footlights," said Miss Kathleen Kirkwood, •director of the club, "is really so inflex- ible, even with all the modulations of in- tensity that can be got from them, that the method we are experimenting wiA proves a marvelous relief. The actors, as they move about the stage, are subjected to plays of light and shadow that give a plastic effect and heighten the desired mood of the play. The result is much like that of 'shading' in expressively played music. "Although many plays have been given by us during the past year, I feel that only one has put our theories to the ex- treme test. It was brtiught to us by two Jewish women who played it in Yiddish. We had it translated and went over to the east side to gain local color. It was produced under the title 'It's a Lie,' and the entire setting was made up of two chairs and the lighting effects." Members of the Triangle Club include Mme. Enrico Caruso, Borden Harriman, Dr. W. E. Contcras, professor at Coltmi- bia; Gerald Leak, winner of the $1,000 Hoyt prize this suiiuner, and Marguerite Barber. The club current bill includes "The Angel Ititrudes," by Floyd Dell; "The Street of Seven Sins," by Thomas Allen Rector and Jay Fassett; "Ropes," by Wil- bur Daniel Steele, and "Lost Sheep," by Bclford Forest "GO GO" MOVES TO APOLLO John Cort moved his musical comedy "Go Go" from Daly's 63rd Street Theatre to the Apollo Theatre on Monday night. Should "Go Go" thrive here the plans of Will Mor- risscy to present his new musical revue, "The New Comers," at the Apollo will be upset and Morrisey will probably seek refuge in the Eltinge Theatre for which he is now negotiating. The initial perform- ance of Morrisseys revue will be given at the Stamford Theatre, Stamford, on Friday evening, July 6, and three performances will be given there with the show ready to open ill New York on Monday, July 9. FARRAR GETS DIVORCE Thomas H. Mahoney. of No. 100 East Forty-Jiftb street, referee in the action for divorce brought by Geraldine Fanar against her husband, Lou Tellegen, last week decided in favor of the plaintiff and the report was filed with the Onmty Cleric early this week. Lou Tellegen was married to Geraldine Farrar on February 8, 1916. In November, 1921, the opera star sued for divorce, nam- ing only one corespondent, Loma Ambler. a<i actress, with whom she accused Telle- gen of having been indiscreet in a bunga- low at Long Beadi. Tellegen met her suit for divorce with a coimter suit for separa- tion, brought in Westchester County, this suit being later withdrawn. Miss Fanar then amended her complaint to include the alleged misconduct of Tellegen with Miss Kathleen Qifford in the St Francis Hotel in San Francisco, and also made charges against Miss Stella Adler Larrimore. NUss Lnrrimorc later brought suit and bad her name stricken out. Samuel Untermyer, attorney for Miss :F3rrar, said he would appear before Su- preme Court Justice Cohalan this week for judicial confirmation of the report and entry of an interlocutory decree m her favor. It is reported that Miss Farrar had won her case on points in her com- plaint against her husband, the report being said to have fotmd that the evidence-sub- stantiated her claims of "Tellegen's mis- conduct at Long Beach and San Francisco. DRIVE FOR BAND FUNDS The Citizens' Committee are laimcfaing a drive for a "voluntary budget" to carry on the free summer concerts being given by Goldman's Band in Central F^k. The committee have been sponsoring these con- certs for the past five years. It is pointed out in the appieal for contributions that the concerts have been increased from two to five weekly and that since die dty has no appropriation for the concerts, the conmiit- tee has been standing the expense. It is also accentuated that small contributions, as well as large ones, will be welcomed. Those wishing to subscribe to the fimd should mail their contributions to Mrs. William Laimbeer, treasurer, at die United States Mortgage and Trust Company, 940 Madison avenue. New York Gty. KNICKERBOCKER GRILL CLOSED The Knickerbocker Grill was declared a common nuisance by virtue of dry law violations and ordered closed for six months by Federal Judge C M. Hough, of the Circuit Court The order was is- sued against the resort which is managed by Joe Pani and the place will be locked up on Saturday. Owners of several Broadway cafes and cabarets who have been indicted for viola- tions of the Volstead law will be tried soon, according to Federal agents, who also_ said that no time would be lost in closing establishment; of which the pro- prietors have been found guilty and a padlock put on the door. Braadwmr and 47tli St 25, SO anii 7Sc. Everr Mat. DailT at 2 P. M. B. F. KdlVs PALACE „igh,.2S, 50, 75.»l.JlJ0 PRE-EMINENT INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT ALL STAR PRCK;RAMME BERNHARDT FILMS BURNED Tlic film laboratory of William B. Gray, at Sccor lane, Pelham Manoi;, was de- stroyed by fire last week, and included in the films burned were several made by the late Sarah Bernhardt, which were to be mailed to her son in France. The loss of the huilding is put at $5,000. The origin of the fire is unknown. WEDS PLAYWRIGHT Lillian Kemble Cooper, actress, was married to Louis Bernhardt, playwri^t, at the Pickwick Arms Hotel, Greenwich, Coimecticut. last Tuesday. Justice of the Peace Albert S. Mead performed the cere- mony. The hridc recently played with Norman Trevor in "The Mountebank". The couple will spend their honeymoon abroad. "THROUGH THE MALE" NEW SHOW "Papa season, in re- month. Male" "Papa <:cason "DULCY" IN DUTCH Amsterdam, June 25.—Under the title of "Dulcy Hilft," "Dulcy," the American com- edy by George S. Kaufman and Marc Con- nelly, was produced here in the Dutch lan- guage and well received. Ralph Kemmett,' who produced Joe" at the Lyric earlier in the has another which he will place hcarsal the latter part of next The piece is called "Through the and is the work of Jerome Reilly. Joe" will also be sent on tour next under Kcmmett's direction. "VANITIES" OPENING POSTPONED Earl Carroll's "Vanities of 1923" will open on Monday nicht. July 2. instead of Thursday night of this week as preriously anrounced.