Variety (March 1923)

* V A 11 I ET V ^ ; ^rsf ^rj M;>: . : .rr .Mf ^' Thursday. March 1, 1823 B. S. IMR "LEVIATHAN" WILL HAVE SPECIAL DANCE MUSIC ping Board Engage* Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra for Ocean's Biggest Boat—Will Or- ganize Four More Bands ; 4 > >S'When the mammoth line, "Levia- i^ llian" takes lis maiden trip about r lune 1 as of the fleet of steamers ^yperated by the United States ship- B^IUS board, It will carry as an extra ■ attraction, Paul Whiteman and his ■ fetfid. ^H ^he Whiteman band has been es- IPIl^ially engaged by the shipping JNMTd to make the .Irst rrund trip •n the "Lieviathan," the ocean's biggest boat. The band will play dance music each evening. It will follow Whiteraao's London engage- rfirnt. with the musicians returning 'Tto New York to keep the shipping / board engagement. Following the . completion of the seagoing voyages, the shipping board has empowered Whiteman to organize four more j^ bands for others of Its passcnger- * carrying liners for permanent en- ir&gements. The "Leviathan,"" (formerly the German "Vaterland") Vss in the •ervice for the United States as a r transport during the war, taking thousands of American soldiers to <' the other side under all conditions || without accident. It brought as I' many back af'er the armistice. The I enemies macje desperate efforts "to i get" the big boat while en voyage t^ 'with her fighting men, but repeat- K edly were unsuccessful. The entire K German secret service in and arounj ^ l^ew York often concentrated upon Ji the departure of the "Leviathan" f' ft-om this port. While frequently \^: authentically reporting its leaving, i the boat with its convoy always es- caped the dangers arranged for it on the ocean. TELLEGEN "FASCINATED" BY PEGGY HOPKINS Reported Actor Will Marry Af- ter Geraidine Farrar Ob- tains Divorce- ^ Chicago, Feb. 28. It's quite safe to assert Lou- Teie- gen has serious intention of remar- rying, with his choice settled upon Poggy Hopkins-Joyce. Miss Hop- kins lost the Joyce end of her family, who is of this city, through the di- vorce courts. Tellegen is now await- ing his freedom from Geraidine Far- rar through similar proceedings pending against him In New York, brought by his wife. The source o^ the information states Mr. Tellegen has said that Immediately upon the decree being finally granted he expects to wed Miss Joyce; that he is fascinated by her. Tellegen and Miss Joyce have exchanged innumerable letters. PROJECT ^v-^*, ProfeMional Entertainers to Be Paid-^^mple Instru- ment Can Be Hooked Into Service Wire Like Toaster—Charge for Ser- vice to Support Program Cost ' . ■:-^:v.-.V. 1% TAX ON MAM GROSS REGARDED AS SURE IN N. YJ Bill Introduced in Legislature Putt New State Imposf on Amusements and Sporting Events—Baseball and Turf Hit f'.i .r.'. » , ■l:;. INSTALLMENT SALES UNIVERSAL LICENSE REFUSED "TESS" FILM Only Adults May See It— No Reason Advanced by Lord Chamberlain ^ London, Feb. 28. "U'ithout giving reason for the ac- ' tlon a universal license has b«en Tdenied Mary rickford's "Tess of the !etorm Country" by tho Lord Cham- ?4bcrlain. The ultimatum was served after the trade showing on Feb. 22 and means that only adults may witness the presentation. Miss Farrar Is now on a concert tour with a route laid out for 22 con- certs that Include ^ guarantee for each as her share, according to pop- ulation. She interrupted a tour to testify In the recent divorce pro- ceedings In New York. Mr. Tellegen Is playing In a sketch In vaudeville In the West. Miss Joyce Is not pro- fessionally appearing at present. Some while ago, when Variety published an Item Intimating the Tellegens had separated, Lou Telle- gen started an action against the paper for $100,000 .damages. Later he withdrew it on the stipulation that no mention was to be made at the time of the withdrawal of the action. PARISIAN COMEDY'S DETECTIVE AGENCY At Nouveautes—Favorably Re- ceived— One Character Speaks in English UNDRESSED OPERETTA "Dieux Ccmplotent" !c Risky Effu •ion on Antiquated Subject. t SMAKT KEVUE FAIK Paris, Feb. 28. R. FlateaU'Ia giving a series ot •mart shows at the Cigale, fre- quently renewing hia program. Again, on Feb. 24, he presented an- other well-dressed and witty revue, "Oul, ma Poupee," by Briquet and Saint-Grangier, collaborators of the Casino' de 'Pafia productions." The newest piece made but a fair Im- pression. Tho current cast Includes Montel, Jullien, Cassel, Bever, Magnard, Xlmes. Maxa, Gaby Montbreuse, Jenny Colder and the Dixie Girli. Paris, Feb. 21. **D I c u X Complotent" (formerly called "Orgle Devinc") Is a risque effusion In the broad operetta way that was rather nicely received and well Interpreted by Dorian and Si- mone Judic whcii presented Febru- ary 17 at the Apollo. Its book is by Maury WIchol with music by Fernand Masson. The high light of the production seems to be the undressed scenes the com- pany proceeds to Olympse. Meccano, an aviator, meets Nin- ette at a Paris dance resort. Mec- cano elopes with the girl In his ma- chine, going to Olympse where Jup- itor appropriates her. In amends Juno takes Meccans. With a broken machine and no re- pair shop, the mortals are obliged to forevor remain on Olympse. Other than the missing repair shop the subject is very antiquated. "COUSIN," LIGHT OPERA London, Feb. 28. "The Cousin from Nowhere" opened at the Princess Feb. 24. It made a favorable Impression. The piece is a light opera minus my chorus wbarsoever. COSTUMES Foremoft Mtkfr» of Stiijte Atttn for Women •nd Men We Invite Comparison of Design. Price nnd Workmanship BROOKS-MAHIEU Uit Bway N. ¥. City STOLL'S GARDEN FOR 8 WEEKS London, Feb. 28. Jean BcdIni .sailed on the "ila- Jestic" today. Before leaving he told the company of "You'd Be Sur- prised' at the Covent Garden he would return with additional ma- terial for the piece. Tho production has been playing to around $12,000 wt;t,k'.y. It is rumored StoH wiU not exerciKo his option on the house to continue after the prescribed run of eight wteks. "Little Bit of Fluff" Revived Ix)ndon. Feb. 28. Tho Aiul)assador8 revived "A L'S tle Bit of riufC" last week. What will probably develop Into the most gigantic radio undertaking yet la the plan now being developed by the North American Company, which la behind a "wired wireless" enterprise. It provides for central- ized broadcasting stations, with the entertainment arranged by an of- ficial director. This service will be paid for by the radio subscribers, and. accordingly, will bring into de- mand talent from al. spheres, which will be proportionately reimbursed for their services. It la the first ofllcial cognisance by the radio people that the talent must be paid for, and Is to be considered as a very important factor In popu- larizing radio. The plans are so far-sweeping and ambitloua that were It not for the fact that a corporation which has since proved its success In supply- ing heat and power to various cities and townships la behind It, It would aound like the colloquial "pipe dream.** The North American Co. has for Its basis the licensed pat- ents of Major-Gencral George Owt.i Squler, Chief Signal Officer of the U. S. A., now consulting engineer of the corporation. The wired wire- less is merely a patented device whereby the overhead aerial, ground wire and storage and dry battery cells are eliminated; the mere plugging in on the ordinary electric light wiring circuit aerves as the means to effect radio com-f munlcation. The plan is to sell the radio Instruments on the monthly installment basis, as the electric light companies sell electric toast- ers, irons, vacuum cleaners, etc. In addition, the small charge for the entertainment services Is added to the electric bill at the end of each month. A system of attuning to various wave lengths will permit the sub- scriber to tune Into any division de- sired. These divisions are divided as follows: Dance music, opera and symphony orchestra concert ser- mons and lectures, news reports anent sporting events, topical news of the day, weather and agricultural events, etc., and light entertalr- ment. Experiments conducted for two months with the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. h.-^vc proved the practicability of this new radio in- novation to the satisfaction of the North American Co. The latter, by Its license arrangement with Gen- eral Squler, has the privilege of sub-llcenslng to anybody It sees fit. All that is necessary, technically, are a simple crystal set and vacuum tube receivers to facilitate loud speaking. The Instrument Itself Is not much larger than the ordinary desk telephone, although' a bit more bulky and clumsier In appearance. On It are the various dials to per- mit switching from one wave length to the other. What effect on show buslnes?j In general this new device will have la startling In Its revolutionary pos- sibilities. Typical advertisements, advertising radio receiving Siets, reading aomethlng like, "No nee(l tc (Continued on page 3) Paris. Feb. 28. Following an excellent run with "Chouchou polds plume" at the Nouveautes. Mr. Roze presented Feb. 22 "L'Ecole dee Amants" ("The School of Lovers"), a new comedy In three acts, by Pierre Wolff. The play is a Well written piece of work, although differing from the author's usual style. It made a favorable impression. The theme has to do with an elderly beau who desires that women love him disinterestedly. Although of considerable means, he refuses to pay the debte of his son, ^eorge, who squanders his allow- ar.ce and becomes ruined through fair -damsels. Xbe boy attempts to earn his own living by opening a lovers' detect- ive agency where the women are supposed to consult the psychologi- cal professor. Among the clients is a woman seeking to find a way to make an aged suitor jealous. George discovers she is bis father's mis- tress. Father and son become reconciled with the older man continuing to eclipse his offeprlng. He finally in- vites an English miss to dinner whom he has met at hlst son's es- tablishment with the finale bemg that the son takes his parent's mis- trees and the father ultimately se- cures George's. Albert Brasseur adroitly Imper- sonates the elderly beau and Lou- vlgny plays the son. Regina Ga- mier and Irene Wells are the father's mistress and the English girl, respectively, and Marguerite Deval was amubing ae a matured dame in constant search of loversw Miss Wells readc her lines in English during the early part ot the comedy, which is quite vogue, ay Britannic characters are consid^ ered most fashionable in the pree* ent Parfslan plays. M NEW MUSIC HALL y;: \ry:' \. Albany, N. T^ Feb. 28. A tax of six per cent* would be, levied on the gross receipts at' vaudeville performance^, motion pic- ture shows, concerts, baseball gamea, prize-fights, wrestling matches and other sporting events and amuse- ments of every character for which an admission la charged if a hill in- troduced In the Assembly of tho State Legislature yesterday by As- semblyman Charles P. Miller, Re- publican of Genesee county, ia en- acted into law. Assembb'man Miller declared the bill will be passed by the lower house, as It haa been ap- proved bjr both the Democratic and Republican leaders. The bill la de- signed to raise additional revenue amounting to between 15,000,000 and 17.000,000 for the State. Before Introducing the bill, A.ssem- blyman Miller had a conference witti State Tax Commissioner John J, Merrill and certain exemptions were written Into the measure. Tl.ese ex- emptions would include such events as are staged by agricultural organ- izations, both State and county; re-* llgious. educational and patriotic so- cieties. All other "organizations* corporations or persons" conducting amusements would be taxed. Other provisions of, tho measure would require those conducting the .. amusements to post with the States*.! Comptroller a bond sufficient to in- " sure the State against loss of any of the taxes. The taxes would be made payable on or \)efore.Feb. 16 after ' the year ending Dec. 31. The major portion of the revenue probably vould be raised from pro- fessional baseball games In th« State, particularly at the Polo Grounds and the new home of the New Yprk Yankees in New York City. Sunday games in New York, it Is expected, would furnish tho principal tax. Big outdoor boxing shows that are staged during the summer in Greater New York, how- ever, also would provide a big share toward the revenue. The race tracks, too, would enrich the Stat* by thousands of dollars if the Mil- ler bill is passed. ' - '..,"* Before Introducing the meaiiure. Assemblyman Miller Is said to hive shown the bill to legislative leadfere of both parties. With one or two amendments, it was said at the Cap- itol today, the bill is almost sure to pass at this session. The elimination of vaudeville and motion picture shows from the pro* visions of the bill, it is believed, will have to be made by Assemblyman , Miller before it can be passed. La Palape, in Paris, Formerly Eden, Opened Bill Feb. 24 •V * ... Paris, Feb. 28. Oscar X>e£renne and Henri Varno having tak^n over the Eden, recently designated as the Theatre des Boule- vards, 4h« new house in the Fau- bourg Montmartre, on the site of Gaumonfs color picture house, re- opened it Feb. 24 as a music hall un- der the TT'ime of Le Palace. Tho initial bill is a revue entitled "Toutes les Femmes," by C. A. Car- pentler, Leo Lelievre and Andre Dahl. The revue is on the Concert Mayol style, but it is too early to decide if the tide of bad fortune of the Eden has turned, although the opening war nicely received. The production is splendidly staged, with Harry Pilcer having arranged the dances. The cast in- cludes Mme. Polaire, Simone Tilly, Nina Myral, Peggy Vere, Mme Ilahna, j Huguetlw Dfacy. Wlnnii Richmond, Claire L^lond, Siria, Ver^ Olcott, T)lanfe Bell,' Crn.sto- Tffti^VTroupe, Mars Dancers and Pilcen High lights of the production re- volve aroupt^ the "Feast of Bal- thazar,* Ihje "Rain Dance" and a number called "Around the World In Eighty Dances." '^ ONE-HOUSE NIGHTLY SYSTEM MAY RETURN , v.-v < Variety Business in England Apt to Restore Old Time Policy London, Feb. 28. The one .''how a night system may return to the English halls. Busi- ness Indications warrant the expec- tation, say the vaudeville people over here. It's the old system of playing on this side when a turn would do five or six halls a fTte^t traveling to each In make up With appearances timed. If the ono show nitchtly does re- turn it is almost c« rtain to revive the "turn'.' playing. Tiiis may mean that many an act now off willrfind Itself in demarr<Tr""—*—: :—— ^-f Barrymorc's Hamlet in London? Ix)tidon, Feb. 88. An unverified rumor wafting about this locale ^ays John iJarry* more may play ••Hamlet" in Loa* I don within the ii» .Tr future. .; 1.**^- wj •i