Inside facts of stage and screen (January 3, 1931)

Saturday, January 3, 1931 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Page Nineteen .VVVVWV^WA%VVVV^i^nA^^VU"^<VWUVU^VAV.VVVJ , l.*A^iV^^ i ■ SAN ' iwwwww ^^ By HAROLD BOCK DINE and DANCE Dine and dance business in this town isn’t at a standstill. It’s running o-n a downward slope and picking up speed each week. First, the stock crash, seasons ago, kept the customers away. Then came visits by the prohi squad, legal proceedings and consequent loss of business for the cafes. Summing up the past year’s jig and eat activities is like pinching a bad bruise. It doesn’t make the thing any better. Only a few cleanup nights during the pa, year. New Year’s Eve reserva- tions aren’t so hot. No big bands except in the hotels: Palace, Mark Hopkins and St. Francis. Exceptions, however, are the Apex, colored spot, where Curtis Mosby has rather a pre- tentious show. Lido has several entertainers; Silver Slipper has a dance duel and a harmony team: Marquard’s has a floor show; Mark Hopkins a dance team; Hoof Garden, dancers; Topsy s Rocst, varied entertainment. That’s tlie extent of it. If cafes continue their present policy of cutting all entertain- ment to the bone how can they hope to attract old and new cus- tomers ? Hotel business is pretty evenly split between the Palace, Mark Hopkins and St. Francis. Jesse Stafford and orchestra have been there for about two years. Anson Weeks is at the Mark and con- tiues his run of popularity. Laugn- ner-Harris are entering their sec- ond year at the Francis. It’s pretty hard to pick out the business leaders among the cafes. Roof Garden, with Val Valente’s band, holds its regular followers. Silver Slipper, featuring Bunny Burson’s orchestra, is doing as well as the rest. Walter Kraus- grill and a floor show comprise the Lido’s entertainment. Jack Coakley’s band remains at Tait’s at the Beach, favorite haunt of inveterate and staid night lifers. Ray Tellier is at Robert’s with a small combo. Jo Mendel opened his own cafe at the beach last year and has found the going rough. With a huge capacity and a low tariff Topsy’s Roost has been packing ’em- in quite well, Clyde Lockwood’s band aiding in the draw. Apex, opened recently by Curtis Mosby and run in con- junction with his colored Apex in Los Angeles has started off in okay style, a big floor show help- ing. Marquard’s, with a floor show and Lee Carroll’s orchestra cap- tures the downtown dinner trade. Coffee Dan is still in the same WWAWWW NO BLUES HERE By Harold Bock lAiVVWrtftWW^WkVWWW^VVUVVWl^WVUVVW^WVWV' local losses reported running close SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30.— While cries of the blues rose up from other cities of the coun- try, all brancnes of tne San Fran- cisco theatrical industries kept plugging along at a consistent pace during the past year with the result that there is a fairly clean ledger to its credit. Changes have not been numer- ous, largely because local condi- tions have been quite satisfactory. Fox, Warfield, El Capitan and Golden Gate have done the out- standing consistent business dur- ing the year past. Publix, how- ever, has fought a losing battle; likewise William Wagnon with his Embassy. Other than this shift- ings have been slight. Greatest change of the year came this month when Publix turned over operations of its coast houses to Fox West Coast, shift- ing the Paramount, California and to $9000. Next month Warners begin op- eration of the Embassy wdiich they bought from Dan Markowitz, holder of the lease when Bill Wag- non w T as forced to drop the house. In the legit field Henry Duffy is w-aging a successful comeback after several months absence. Er- langer is doing fairly well at the Columbia; Belasco and Curran continue at the Curran and Geary. Tivoli is moving along under a trial policy of $1 top. Burlesque got firmly re-entrenched here aft- er a long absence when Warren Irons took over the Capitol and has built its business up to good proportions. Musical situation, reviewed else- where in this issue, is better than in most cities. Radio, too, has forged ahead. Most radical change took place at St. Francis and the yet unbuilt , Paramount, Oakland .under the KYA , whc “ “ entire new policy Fox banner. Change goes into ef- fect January 1. Publix has had a tough time of it here, its weekly San Francisco old spot with Les Poe now m. c. featured. A shifting in the Duffy organi- zation has put Emil Bondeson into the manager’s chair at the President with Charles Joseph re- turning to the Alcazar as treas- urer. . . . Leo Feist, Inc., has closed his San Francisco offiee m the Garfield building as part cf a move eliminating offices through- out most of the country. T1 Sath- er remains as local representative. United Artists has taken a 20-year least on B street, San ma- teo; where they plan construction of a $70,000 house. ... A son was born recently to Arthur Winns. Daddy is trumpet player with Her- man Miner’s orchestra at Clinton’s Cafeteria. . . . Peggy Reynolds has opened with the Irons’ burlesque troop at the Capitol as scubrette. Edward Hoffman, city repre- sentative for Columbia Phono- graph Co., has announced his en- gagement to Florence Pagano, nc-n- pro. Wedding will take place Feb- ruary 7. . . . Jim Thompson is new orchestra contractor at ike Fox California, succeeding Doc Rowe. . . . Wedding bells will ring very soon for Henry Warner, vocalist with Rack Coakley’s or- chestra at Tait’s, and Laura Thorne, non-pro. Couple met sev- eral years ago on a boat en route to Australia. . . . Sullival Sisters, dance team, and Percy Beast, col- ored singer, are added entertain- ment at Topsy’s Roost w r here Clyde Lockwood and orchestra are was launched with a 30 per cent increase in business noted during the past few months. KTAB came under the jurisdiction of the new- ly organized United Broadcasting Co.,, and as such is more of a subsidiary station than an origi- nating unit for programs, partic- ularly in reference to night hours. National Broadcasting Co. has made many changes in personnel during the year while KFRC has steadily progressed at its regular rate, and is said to be the best .money maker in town. KGGC went into new studios recently on Mis- sion street and KJBS has done well with its ail night programs. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30.— Shifting from the stage to the manager’s desk, Randolph Hale has leased the Playhouse, Salt Lake City, and opened there Christmas day with a stock com- pany assembled here and in Los Angeles, Young Hale’s pop is Marshall Hale, one of this burg’s leading merchants and civic-minded men. Associated with Hale, Jr., are Ferdinand Munier, former Duffy director; Charlotte Treadway (Mrs. Munier), and Cameron Prud’homme. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30.— Cigars are being passed around by John Wesch, trumpet with John Wolohan at El Patio ball- room, in honor of a baby girl born to Mrs. Wesch last week. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 39.— Out on the Coast to crack pic- tures Miss America (Margaret Eckdahl) made appearances at El Patio ballroom on December 25, 26, 27 and 28. Showed for Barney Poetz on straight salary. OAKLAND OAKLAND, Dec. 30—San Fran' cisco Musician’s Union, Local 6, also having jurisdiction over this city conditions here are similar to those across the hay. Orches- tras are working at the Fox Oak- land T. and D., Orpheum and Ful- ton theatres. Bands are at the new Sweet’s Persian Gardens* several other ballrooms and radio stations. . . Hermie King has bowed out of the Fox Oakland for eight weeks to conduct at the Paramount, Seattle, where Fanch- on, and Marco Ideas are being played after having been moved from the Fox Fifth Ave. . . Lynn. Cowan will play the Fox Oakland as an act for a week, handling the m.c. reins during that time. After that Jan Rubini may come in for a few weeks to conduct. . . . . Working on a Theatre Guild proposition of pledged sub- scribers Fulton reopened Christ- mas Day with “Burlesque” start- ing out to average business. George Eby and Ed Hogarty still operate the house. Seasonal Greetings TED MAXWELL and ROEEIE DEAN National Broadcasting Co. SAN FRANCISCO M °0 Since 1925 m I I I The Wilbur Players Have Been Presenting High Class Dramatic Stock , T. H. Send Our “Aloha” AND A Merry Christmas AND A Prosperous New Year TO ALL Here is the Band: and They Send Greetings — TEX HOWARD and His MUSIC now on their second year at the TRIANON BALLROOM—SEATTLE “It’s a Pacific Northwest Record” & \ Personnel: Billy Stewart, trumpet and trombone; Sid Johnson, trumpet; Gordon Green, trombone; Syl Halperin, piano and arranger; Mace Chamberlain, banjo, guitar, and bass fiddle; Harry McAllister, drums; Fred Reed, bass; Paul McCrea, sax and clarinet; Randy Ball, sax and clarinet; Jim Murphy, sax and clarinet, and Tex Howard, leader and director.