Variety (Mar 1939)

Wedneadayf M«ch 22, 1939 FORUM-OUTDOORS VARIETY 03 WHAT THEY THENK Betorn ot Stock Maiden, Mass. Editor, Varietv! I read with Interest In your March A edition about the group players on Boston's Beacon Hill devoted to the nroductlon of significant plays. It seems to be in Une with a general tendency for the retjim of the old -jt<jck-company»-.You may-or-may-jjpt know of the history of the Maiden Auditorium. For thirty years it was known far and wide as a stock thea- tre and a great many people on the gtege and screen ait the present time played there years ago. After a lapse of 10 yean), a group of people Intere^ed In tblf type of entert^inqient have'formed the Mai- den Theatre Guild-.and are putting on plays twice a moiith under the direction of Martha- Abbott Simon- Ian. The first play was Oscar Wilde's Importence of Being Earnest,' played to capacity au(Uenoe with .a cast made lip of summer stock players. The plan- has received favorable comment in all the Boston papers and the general opinion Is that it will run successfully, Ethel Taylor ha^ come on from New York to play , the leading role In our next play, opening March 25, 'Ahother Language.' In the support- ing east are Wesley Boynton, Gladys Mevls,. Loraine Wilson, Laura Jjee, Paul Neelon, Warren McCann and Nathan Schwartz, With proper management' we can charge popular prices, -80 and 75 cents. The audience is entirely of the non-movie type and from what I hear from movie patrons, there will be more in this class as time goes on, because there seems to be a'dissatisfaction among this group at the present time and the feeling seems to be that the play will prove to be a medium for diverse enter- tainment William Faversham, Jr., is to be the featured player In Noel Coward's •Tonight at 8:30,' slated for opening AprU 7. It is the Intent of the GuUd to have at least one guest star for •very play. I hope this Information will prove of hiterest, Arthur C. Jaynes. Bevlvmb' B. O. Highland Park. Mich. Editor, 'Varktt: In last week's Issue you give some food for thought aboyt natural box- office possibilities, plus ahownia|i- (lilp, etc. Here In Highland I*ark (Detroit) we have one modest specimen of so- called showmanship, who saw the bijg parade of road-shows, vaudeville and In the fiesh entertainment change into entertainment packed In cans. This man created for himself • gdal based on a showmanship Idea. Today, at 47, he Is known as That Film Man Revivalist and Bring "Em Back DeHaven, who should be awarded an Oscar for outstanding and unique exhibition. At this writ- ing, 'Jezebel' and' 'Citadel' have been presented for 14 consecutive days, from 9 a.m. to 12:30'a.m. daily, and attendance Is stUl 100%. There's gold In showmanship re- vival presentations. Junior Daugherty. Laagford Fan Brooklyn, N. Y. Editor, Vabiett: ■.After reading your column. Inside Stuff—Music, In the March 1 Issue, I wonder where In the picture you would place Frances Langford as re- gards the 'Deep Purple* hit After all. Miss Langford was the orst to sing 'Deep Purple' over the ||ir, as . a scene In ibe sketch 'Man- hattan Masquerade,' on the Texaco. Star Theatre program of February }• Miss Rhodes didn't sing the tune ™i after that Anyway, they both do right well by it 'Marion Sehifain. Sen. Flshface Beporta Hollywood. eoitor, Vabiety: It's been quite a while since youve heard from old Senator Fish- «ce. Just wanted to let you know He s still in there fightin*. In case your millions of readers "ave lieen wondering what has hap- Peaed to the old boy, you can tell «tt it's no wonder they haven't Ward anything about him. He's ^ hi vaudeville. I joined up with 'ohnny O'Brien and hla Harmonica ^ Hat band in Chicago about five Months ago, and we barnstormed tone, two, tiiree-nlghtos) through- out aie midwest for about three •nontlis. It was great experience and I learned • lot about diow business (hat i didn't know before. I can as- sure yoa our little unit was warmly received everywhere we played. There Is no doubt In my mind that theatre-goers are starving for good flesh shows. ' But—they've got to be good.' A bum unit can positively spoil it for the next one. In some of the "h6iUsSs'"we played we were told that there had been a couple bad ones that had preceded us by a few weeks, and in almost every Instance our business was way below whal "we did In most of the houses that hadn't played those shows. Those that did come, hpwever, went for the show in a big way. I .dont think vaudeville has a chance of ever coming back in. its old form, but T'do ^cerely believe that with the ri^t kind ot showman- ship :fle^ shows In unit form have an excellent chance. Theatre-goers must be re-educated to the idea that flesh shows are a more human "and more intimate type of entertainment However, uhlt^ must have smartness —a fast pace—and originality. If they try to throw vaudeville at them agaln^-as It used. to. be—whether they call It vaudeville or 'Joe Doakes and His. Hollywood Cut-ups,*' then Via afraid motion pictures wUl con- tinue to be "your best entertainment' I real^ would like to see a rebirth of flesh, and I do believe it a lot of smart sitownven would get behind the movement it can be done. Elmore Vincent. rretty llanx New York. Editor, VABiErr: Tm grateful for the notice and for yoiir very constructive erlticlsm. It looks as if the listeners are go- ing to enjoy .'If s XJp to You.' There were almost 1,000 letters by the end of the second mail—all ml^tr Per- sonal. That's one Jieodache the radio provides for those working in It— what to do with' the thousands of letters written by the most sincere people in the country. I feel like spending every nickel I earn to an- swer these wonderful letters. ... It makes me feel a little ashamed. By the way, the score is based on a point system: audience reaction, a facile mind, a sense of humor and a capacity toi remember. The little girl who came oiit first in the contest was voted by 90% of the fans as the best contestant So, fortunately, our master mind guessed right I had very little chance to display any zing I may have as an 'm.c.—we finished the dress rehearsal (allpw- .Ing time for contests) just five min- utes to three. .And then I was told to cut four and a half minutes dur- ing the broadcast Ohj it was a lot of fun. Dale Baxter. Switch an ^Scarlett' New Yorlt Editor, 'Varietv: Just to keep the records straight the lyrics for 'I Don't Wanna Be Scarlett' were written by David Greggory, and the music, as you re- ported, by Berenece Kazounoff. In your mention of the New Masses' 'Sunday Night Varieties,' credit was attributed to John LaTouche, erro- neously, though the latter did the wordage on several other tunes in the show. For a news, note you may be in- terested in knowing that Greggory also has written 1930 lyrics for'I've Got a Little List* and l^et the Pun- ishment Fit the Crime' for Michael Todd's The Hot Mikado.' Thanks ip advance for a correc- tion on the 'Scarlett' lyric credit Considering Uie million and more details in each issue of Vabiety let me add my appreciatlion that there are so few inaccuracies. Special Con- grats on the drama news checking in a field where confused Informa- tion is almost a part of the theatrical tradition. M. R. Jacobson. Jemail'a New FormuU New York. Editor, VarieTj-; I agree entirely with the con- structive criticism. However, I've changed my type of show to that of straight Inquiring Reporter, with the thought of keeping a newspaper at- mosphere in all thb Mterviewa. It is ihy intention, generally, to divide the time between celebrities and the man on the street and the new setup seems to pull much more than the old type of show, which everyone is doing. But when we have a news setup, as we have to- night (16), when I'U ask Jimmy Walker if he'd like to be mayor of Lateness Pays San Francisco. March 21. The one-miUlonOi visitor to the (jolden Gate International Expo dropped her. 50c ticket in the box and passed through the turnstile at noon,' last Wednes- day (15) to become famous for a day. She was Betty Barnes, young local dietician, on her .first trip to Measure Island. Before die returned, home she had been presented with cash and gifts totaling almost $1,000, ranging from a t>edroom set a wrist watch and a gasoline camp' lamp, to a round trip to tios An- geles. She was given free access to every exhibit and concession on the island. No Outside Shows, So Chicago Stadnm Wffl Stage Own Grcos Chicago, March 21. The Stadium is going into the cir- cus business again this year. On April 14 it will bring its own Euro- pean-Olympia: (^us into the' arena for a 16-day sojourn. Barnes & Camithers' fair booking office is setting up the show. Stadi- um played its own circus several yeai^ ago and' managed to make some coin with it on tiie .two-week run. Decision of the Stadium to stage its own spring indoors circus f^- lows the indication tliat no other outside show will. come int6 town. This Is unusual for CHiicagb, which usually has two or three dicuaeS getting away with indoor dates in the spring. Chi previously had openings of such shows as Cole Bros., Sells-FIoio, Hageniieck-Wal lacie. HENNIES LOSE SUIT VS. MICH. STATE FAIR Detroit Mareh 2L Hennies Bros. Carnival's suit against the Michigan. State Fair board, Uleglng breach of contract for the 1939 fab:, was dismissed by Federal Judge Edward J. Moinet last week. The judge decided that no oral contract existed between the Hennies and Frank Isbey, resigned manager of the fair. Orvllle Hennies, president of the carnival, has contended that the new fair board had voided Iiis oral con- tract for next fall's fair for political reasons, despite his deposit of $4,000 to bind the contract ° Isbey testified he had not approved or signed the contract The American Amuse. Co. has been awarded the midway contract for next fall's fiilr. Gnberg Gels N. Y. State Fair Midway Iteal Syracuse, March 21. New York state fair, through Paul Smith, director, has given Max Gru- berg ttie contract for the midway at the annual expo this year. Gruberg replaces Rubin & Cherry exposi- tions, which played the fair date last year. Other details for fair, now slated to buck the N. Y. World's. Fair for two weeks in the hope of drawhig New York-bound tourists, are mov- ing slowly because the state legisla- ture is toying with the idea of a slash in the fair budget, Giovemor Lehman having asked an additional appropriation of $68,000 to meet losses incurred last year. The gov- ernor's explanation for the loss in his budget message was 'cold and rainy weather encountered last season.' Frisco Fair Maps Promotion Drive To Prevent M^t ^ N. Y.'s Expo Main Selk Title Akron, March 21. '' Frank Ruttman has leased from Walter L. Main' the more than 50- year-old title of Walter L. Main Shows and will launch a three-ring circus early in May, to play the mid- west territory under auspices. Outfit will play three-day and week bookings in all stands, with the show tentatively set for at least two weeks in Detroit and a possibility of an engagement of the same length in Toledo. New York City again, the program will be far more interesting If we let the interview "take the greater part of the show. Jimmv Jemau. Sari Francisco, March 21. Determined to keep the approach- ing opening, ot the New York World's Fair from overshadowing Interest in the Golden Gate Interna- tional Expo, a campaign has been mapped by - promotion manager C\jds M.' Van^erburg to grab all available space in 1,800 top trade publications during the month of AprU. Fact that the exhibits at the N.Y. Fair are not completed and ready for photographers means that these channels are practically closed to eastern expo at this time. Expo has a plan on foot'to. bring a hun- dred or so key mag. publishers, art- ists and writers to the Coast' within the next several weeks. Expo has set April SO as Los An- geles County day. It is hoped that the setting of this day on the open- ing of the N.Y. fair will limit the breaks in tiie Coast' dailies of the eastern expo. Described, as 'a post-graduate course' following Sally Rand, the highly touted Greenwich Village opened its doors on the Gay way Sat- urday. Within its Conines are Zo- rima and her nudies, Cal Lipes' flea circus; hurley producer Dick Wil- bur's girl show .under CHarence Clayton's management; ex-AIcatraz Island {irisoner Roy Gardner in a talk on prison life; a girl revue in the Village's main auditorium, and four restaurants - serving food of va- rious nationalities.. The Village, an $85,000 attraction, is expected to be one of the GayWay's biggest draws. The fair management realizing the need for' such a coin-puller, is ex- pected to maintain a "hands off* pol- icy, permitting the operators to pep it up as they see fit New Ooncesslons Several other new concessions opened within the past few days, in- cluding 'Glass Blowers of the World,' which got under way Friday- (17). Featured is William Smith, seen at the St Louis World's Fair in 1904 and the Paris exposition three years ago. An added attraction is W. E. Alexander's flea show. 'Dan- cers of the World,' with Noel Wes- ley as director, and operated by th« Stutz Brothers, is another new one. Leo Singer's Midget Village, which folded a few days after the fair's opening due to lack of capital and incomplete facilities, is expected to reopen within a week or so under the'new management of Walter Sibr ley, who has the 'Headless Girl' show on the Gayway. Log cabin ap- pearance of the village's front will be dianged for. something more ap-. propriate. Expensive CHiinese VUlage, a dis- appointment from the beginning, en- countered new difficulties last week when some of its concessionaires closed, up in protest agabist the 25c admission charge to the village grounds, which is In addition to the tees asked for individual exhibits within. Dispute has not been set- tled yet but the concession^ were reopened for the week-end. Fact that some of the exhibit material has been tied up in customs has pre- vented the opening of several other concessions within the village. Cus- toms officials have been asked to permit the goods to enter duty-free, with the concessionaires promising to pay the customs charges from re- ceipts as soon as they can get their displays going. Union Squabble A jurisdictional dispute revolving around the ride men on the Gayway has flared up between the RuUding Service Employees International union and the American Federation of Actors. Former group claims pri- ority and right to organize the ride men, who number about 50. - AFA, however, maintains' it has the right to represent all branches of the amusement field with two excep- tions, billposters and musicians. Ex- ecutive board of the American Fed- eration of Labor, in Washington, D. C, has been asked to rule on the matter by representative Al Smith ot AFA. Indications continue that the Ex- position board of management is considering further reorganization of dejMirtments and operating policies in order to have the islimd make its best possible showing during the summer season. Meetings are being held dally to iron out the problems of operating the expo, rather than promoting it In line with the-reorganization. It was disclosed yesterday (Monday) that about 50% of the personnel originally employed by -the Exposi- tion Company Itself bad been dis- missed. Press Department has been cut in half. Mel Smith, new captain of the Island's 'bright zone,' h.is already begun the task of 'pallshing up' the fun center. Smith has 'heen guar- anteed freedom from censorship' in his program of adding 'life to the Gayway.' Fair execs have asked Smith that he produce a Gayway with more sensations, brighter iights, more breath-taking shows, more pep and more thrills. Buildings on the Gay- way are all pretty low, but former concession chief Fred Weddletsn was glad to get almost any type, ot build- ing in order to have -imething re- sembling a midway ready in time for the opening. Wedcicton has just taken over the management of the baby incubator show on the Gayway. Smith will endeavor to get more height into the new structures. 'Folies Bergere' Hss B.O. The 'FoUes Bergere' continues to be the big lure on the Island right now. However, . the Clifford C- Fisher show is essentially a 'night attraction,' and for that reason per- formances during the week are being limited to one matinee a day in- - stead of two, as originally scheduled. Expo officials are delighted with public's reception to 'Bergere,' although there has been some criti'- cism leveled at a few of the body movements in the dance staged by Valdez and Corinne. As a result a tew ot the snakier, movements have been clipped and pants have been put on one of the men in one of the meatiest parts of the show.' Take, for first week of 'Bergere' reached aiound $34,000, which means a nice profit Nudity Is now creeping into "Cav- alcade of the Golden West' the ex- position's octdoor historical pcgeant which has been in need of some pep- ping up. The Aztec maidens in the spectacle are now being sacrificed in the rkw in the interest of bigger boxoffice receipts. Except for a few balmy nig|its, weather has been too chilly on the Island, resulting in poor attendance at this show. Warcrar Temp, Better B.O. As the mercury went up last week, so did the attendance at the fair. Take the previous week i.aj dropped nearly 20% over previous stint Re- ceipts of Gayway operators also took a nosedive along with the fall at the gate, biz in the joy zone t>elng off around 16%. Last week, however. Was a differ- ent story when the expo had several of its. best week-day crowds since tho Fair opened. The warm weather, coupled with the personal appear- ance on the grounds of screen stars Robert Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker and others, hypoed attend- ance considerably. A free talk last night In ttie 9,000- seat California, Coliseum by Mrs, Eleanor Roosevelt also helped the gate considerably. Mrs. Roosevelt Is reported to have received $1,500 for her talk. (Concessionaires look upon such free attractions as swell come- ons and. want more of them. Contrary to expectations, local niteries are being hard hit by the expo' competlsh, with only two or. three garnering any appreciable patronage. Embassy Club, one ot 10 spots whose liquor licenses were re- voked for five days recently for violation of the 2 a.m. closing law, tailed to reopen after the shut-down. Dime Day and special events for newsboys drew 73,717 people to the fair Sunday (10), making it one ot the largest days at the ex^p since its opening. PLEAD FOB KABE CABNIES Detroit March 21. Mabe carnivals, banned several weeks ago by common council, should be allowed to operate because of their neighborhood social effects, veterans' organizations pleaded with councilmen last week in an attempt to get the ban rescinded. American Legion posts testified. they were able to maintain such things as drum corps, etc, through revenue obtained by sponsoring an annual camivaL Lieonard Simons, spokesman for the Michigan Show- men's Assn., told the council that at least 500 Detroiters would be de- prived ot livelihood this summer if the ban Is continued.' The council took the plea—wnder advisement