The Billboard 1924-05-31: Vol 36 Iss 22 (1924-05-31)

10 The Bi lliboarad ——— . ' : ee as cee gah ad pe ae at ae | 7 Data Sinieteistareieceetere as : a Organization of Vaudeartistes Problematical, Says Gillmore Equity Will Make No Move in the Near Future To Carry Doctrine of Organized Labor Into Non-Union Stronghold EW YORK, May 26.—Vaudeville has got the “To Be or Not To Be Or ganized Blues”. This is the big question of the moment, now that Equity has virtually settled its differences with the producing interests, and artistes are expectantly awaiting some word from the organized players that will mean the carrying into action of the long-promised move against the nonunion stronghold of show business—vaudeville, New York, May 26.—Berton R: e, literary editor of Th New York He 1-Tribune, praises Harry Houd ni in yesterda Look Section of that paper. Rasevo To the annual convent ! of the Pooksellers’ A ition tor t at t ( mo dor ind s V ek I l ! n, G Holt 1 th ir wives adil the Pp ‘ s the most nt ‘ z ' I thou . Was Ho: dini’s o s exposes of fraud in spritualism, second s'g ind oO cult ‘miracles Ile is an I ne ma er tainly, one of the most intellizent, I b of his tim He has never t powers to himself and avows th a trickster, but he has been able to miracles more a nding than any who claim for them-elves spec'al gifts and revelat ons If he had early begun to claim divine powers, what a career he would have There is no likelihood of the Actors’ Equity Association undertaking the organization of the vaudeville profession in the near future. In fact, it is problematical if Equity will ever take this step. This statement should put an end, for the time being at least, to the wild rumors that have been current PoP among vaudevillians sine the majority of the pig legitimate producers and Equity signed the Treaty of 1924. Altho no further statement regarding Equit attitude toward the vaudeville situation co be ol d t is apparent t its leaders a fully cognizant of the fact that spreading KOS] of orgar d labor in vaudeville presents ay em, Which it is either unprepared, o1 unwilling for some other reason, to undertake at this time, The roblem is an entirely different one from that which has confronted Equity in its relations with the manacers, Insofar as the latter are concerned, Equity has had as its opponents a group of employers ecrgaged in highly competitive enterprises; or legitimate Ernest Hare, Larry Briers a-d Billy Jones, popular r2dio entertainers, who have standard feature over the air from Station WEAF, New York. made for himself!’’ It is extremely doubtful, however, The J 7 Y Billboard is authoritatively informed, se if Equity will tackle the job of marshal“THE HAPPINESS BOYS ing the two, three and more-a-day actors under the w.aespread banner of 2 g il : j ig $ 7 j " ; ‘ ] the American Federation of Labor. 5 ; j : 2 +2 $ | ' i Frank Gillmore, executive secretary 4 . ae 4 : oe ‘ ‘ | of the Actors’ Equity Association, this % : : 4 : $ week had this to say about the possi¥ ; ‘ bility of his organization unionizing : ' ‘¢ ¢ vaudeville: H : Seip: Sect NEE RTI ie «e h ee become a ganized, yet by the very nature of ther business, divided against each other. This confore they can expect any rel'ef from their dition has rendered Equity’s dealings with the Present state of serfdom. Perhaps Equity legitimate managers comparatively easy, as wit™'sht then extend the h Ip ng hand. But until ness the recent Equity Shop controversy. that time arrives vaudeville will continue to have the “To Be or Not To Be Organized One-Man Control This condition does not exist in vaudeville, however, where the control of virtually the entire business lies in the hands of one man— Ek. F. Albes, head of the Blues”’, KEITHS ACTIVE IN CANADA Keith Circuit; an Montreal, May 24.—The Keith interests, adversar who has completely stamped out recently incorporated here with a capital of tl or movement n vaudeville and who §$5,(00,000, are negotiating for a site to erect has set up in its place a most efficient and a new theater in Ottawa, to take the place of owerful non-union agency—the National Vaudethe Franklin, now playing Ke'th vaudeville and Artists. Inc pictures, Tentative negotiations have been t run up against Mr. Albee before. made to secure the site wh'ch was purchased fe sup] the managers in the 19 strike, eve:al years ago by the Famous Players1 since then as taken more t aj ng Lasky Canadian Cory oration. ’ t affairs « 1 f th ent Some eculation has been arovsed here irges of John Emer i W 4 thru the announcement that N. L. Nathanson, of are to be be ] t { was Toronto, managing director of the Famous PlayMr. Albee’s interest n th Equit Shop con ers-Lasky Canadian Corporation, has made an troversy which last summer led Equity to offer te il either the Capital or Palace here to der an vestigation of vandevil ondit t new WKeith Corrorat on, which already has With a view to the organizativn of the artist the Princess and Imperial theaters. Equit : pparent reluctanes » 4 t Sectrine of unionism into vandeville is not ue GOING TO EUROPE FOR WOODS o any tear otf Mr Det wid however. The real reason is be ise t nt New Yor May 25.—Capt. “Jack’’ Potter, ment is not strong er al g vand f Keith's Ejighty-Virst to insure such a venture with any reasonabl Sireet 7 t as been released ¢ degre e of sm CESS, True many artistes are > a4 t it . n wit 4 ii “ dissatisfied with the present order of things in Ww 1 1 r 1 manager f Mr. Wood's vaudeville and would welcome a change, but London interests Captain Potter < sailed to apparently they lack the initiative to cor ou take immediate cha of the Wood's enter$ nto the open and declare themselves. prises abroad. lrevious to his assignment to The desire to organize must come from the the Eighty-First Street Theater Mr Potter was artistes themselves—not a few, but many—bewith Charles Dillingham. MEXICAN BOOKINGS New York, May booking of a circull of theaters in Mexico have 24.—Negotiations for the been entered into between the A. E. JobnsonMax Lowenstein office and a lead ng amuse ment company in Mexico C'ty In a cable gram received this week from the Mexico City enterprise the local bookers were asked for ferms on acis viously booked with Manuel Ci rol y tan theater owner Ci rol’ theat r conf ated b the s during the upris'ng tl early part of s i sn ! i i s \ ted the rebel government and it is ex pected) that Cicrerol’s propert will be re turned to h'm. With the resumption of busi ness with the Yucatan theater manager and the consummation of a contract with the Mexico City concern the Jo! n-! ow nstein office plans to initiate a combinat’on book’ng affair for the country below the Rio Grande TENLEY PUBLISHES CRACKS Elmer Tenley, writer of stage material and for many years comedian in well-known as a musical comedy, burlesque and vanudevill: has published a book which he has titled “‘Blmer renley'’s ‘Cracks’ "’, It a omy 1 ¢ ‘“‘cracks”’, short monologs and verse and de a new version of his popular ‘‘Trolles Cur Stories’ Since his retirement from the tage, about five years ago, Tenley has devoted the greater part of his time to writing comedy material for which he has found a ready market among members of the profession. SHOWS HOUR LATER IN MOSS THEATERS Change in Starting Time To Offset Daylight Saving Law oe New York, May 26.—In effort to offset th hience of patrons and theaters brought daylight saving time four B. 8S Moss houses in this city wil] start their vwaud ville shows at 9 o'clock in the evening, bh ginning June 2. The theaters that will inaugu rate the later hour for vaudeville are the Re gent, Hamilton Coliseum and Franklyn, playing two shows a day. Doors at thes« ouses will open for the « hing show at 7:15, and the feature film will go on at 7:30. The shows are expected be out by 11:30 at the latest and but litt!e lat: than the usual time. The six acts of van played at ea house run aé total of on hour ; thirty-five minutes ‘as an average, and the film fo‘lows the acts for the second showing of the g It is g i believed that other vaude muses 1 voa will follow the example of the Moss theaters and start the season with D-o' clock wlevills The Moss o-o'clock vaudeville as soon as daylight saving time goes into effect. While daylight man theatrical houses nex saving time is believed by managers, the letrimental to tl g ts at most especially ‘ir business, eve vaudeville houses have ot been materially hurt in so far as the con a 7 tinuous three-a-day houses and big-time shows ure concerned In some instances matings wds appeared later than usual ‘i ral Moss managers reported that an average of 100 patrons a night appeared at the box-oflice about 9 o'clo@& and a little late just after dark, only to learn that the vaudeville show had started forty-five minutes or more ‘ Some patrons, it is said, are loath to ave t house while it is still daylighi, and thers elying on their sense ef time, are an uur late in their judgment, The new plan is theaters, and prove a great convenience for the patrons of the family houses, such as the Moss theaters. VAUDEVILLE SAILINGS eXpected to fill empty seats OK salling awew York, May 24 Vaudeville f this week included Florence Walton and her husband, Leon Lietram, aboard the France They will spend the summer in Paris and probably dance at the Hermitage. Maurice Goodman, general counsel for the B. F. Keith interests, sailed aboard the same ship. Paul Durand, Keith booking agent, sailed today for Antwerp on a pleasure and business trip The Hartwells, Marie Blank, Kate an Wylesy and the the Stuttgard for Germany, where they wi Seala, Berlin, June 1. The Two sailed on the Hausa May 20. Will Gretel sailed May 22 on the Three Mowatts sailed aboard open at the Roeders Schenck and Bremen, ACTRESS WINS SUIT Trenton, N. J., May 24.—A jury verdict for Elsie Kaure, vaudeville performer, against Jack Singer, New York producer, in the Essex Cireu'! Court, involving a canceled contract for $3 weekly, has been affirmed by the Court 6 Errors. The actress had a contract dated Mays 24, 1922, for thirty weeks. The contract wa terminated by Singer in Brooklyn September 1922. An Essex jury found the contract breal I was irregular. Singer, who was a Shubert Unt producer, went inte bankruptcy in tl Federal Courts listing the claim as a liabil J. J. JONES SIGNS ST. CLAIRS Chicago, May 24.—John J. Jones, who book vaud 1! uwts at the Rialto Theater igned with the St. Clair Twins, who wet prominent in George M. Cohan's ‘‘Mary’’ sho They will top the Rialto bill the week « June 2. Edna Aug headlines the following wet Fr