Variety (April 1923)

ff." «' I*» ; 1 Aivam^j'^**:"^.'*™'>„':;*{'."^j^*^" TiMtndAy, April 19, I4AS EDITORIALS -'•'V V,'^'' >* . 11 jr ■- ; 7, f ntETY INSIDE SIVFF 4)H VAUDEVILLE film* StlvarmMi. Pr*Bl4«at |f4 WMt 46tb Street New York City V: 'k BUBSCRIPTIOVf : jl ^»M^........ .»T 1 ^•••■itS* ••••••• ♦•• Biji^« C0ple**«••«••••'•«••••••• •" OMito ;. VOL. LXX. No. t From all slcn* the principal cAUem In the capital dtotrict—Aibany, Troy, Schenectady, CohoM. W«**i^li©t and I tftH Bg H aer. N. T.—Will (O on day- B^t «avinff time -agadn this year. Aoeordins to the oAoiala in the Tore- ■oi«fr oitte* the •e»tim«nt In these l^cHi •eetn« t« he aliuaat unani- «wv«>F t<w '*>« "amm** time. The BOjMiner time ia •chaAt^ed to jrtart at 3 e'ctock on the momini: of £un- tey. iLprii Zt. and continue until the «a«ie hour of the Uust Sundcy in September. ——— ■ '*"■-•■■ '' T*»e Freepert (L. IJ thelitre is now 1>ein8: bcfoked by John KobWnH, the present policy bein^ stoclc for the nr«t half and vaudeville the lajrt, in- cluding: Sunday. 6toc^ will be dia- eontlnurd after Aprfl 80, the housf then ptnying a spTIt week five-act and feature-picture bill. ;t.. t- Stories are coming back about Irving Tishman and Jimmy O'Neill In London. They went over there with the colored "riantHtlon Days" show, in which they have an interest. The show encountered>-the obstacles also experienced by Whiteman's Band. TIm methodical manner of the SInglieh in suction irritated Tishauin, especially, according: to accounts. He couldn't understand it or them. Impatiently, he would suggest they set a laustle on er to do eomethlngr, throw a little ginger into the works • and other expressions calculated to mxpinmrn hie diasttst to anyone under- VtaTtding them. While O'Neill agreed with his partner, he allowed Irving to do most of the expostulating. Tlte show flpaily got set. » ■•■■ r:.-\-4 Vaudeville at a |B scale Is at Keith's Tataoe, KTew York, where that price is charged on Sunday evealag for the flrit If rews iM the «rciiestra. Other nigtiis it is |2. ^ -.^ ;^ Max t»orciorn, the vaudeville agent (Ltewi.s & (rordon), expects to eail for the other side May J4.. The L^hts Club at Preeport, L. I., will open its summer season around the usual time. Mctnorial I>ay. r-M_i u^ --. f- . ■-,, <f.-,,7T.» The will of Patrick J. Touhey of the vaudevillo team of Touhey and Burke, who died Jan. 10, filed for prot>ate last week in the Bronx County Surrogate's Court, gives his entire i ale of "over |1,000" in personalty, after all debts are paid, to his wido •, Mary G. Touhey, of 1175 Grand C')ncourse, the Bronx, and. without bonda. irames her also ■as the executrix. Mr. Touhey, survived only by h's «ridow was a former resident of "fiast Haddam. Conn., and it was •here that he made his will. June 17, 1915. He 'was 57 years old. a aative of Ireland, and >eame to JLmerica at an early age. For 3S years he was a vaudeville actor. The Touhey and Burke partnership continued for 14 years. The team of Pat and May Touhey played for years in vaudeviUe. The exact ^ralue of the estate left by him will aot be known until It Is appraised lor inheritance taxation by the «OUrt. •■..;:'.-.', ■ ■* ,\ -^^ •-' ^* .. — - ■■■«■■ »-% met the one man whose policy was watchful waiting—a Man whe^ wouldn't be made a fool of, but iuHtead made her love system 1<k>1c inetncient—there wasn't anything left but to go out on the desert and get** eaten up by a loopard—maybe it wasn't a female leopard—— Pola Negri's clothes have the effett of having grown upon her, so much are they part of her. In her present picture she bus the opportunity to Indulge in the slinkiest, vampieet frowns it is possible to imagine and she makes the most of the opportunity. In a particularly voluptuou.s tea gown of soft black velvet, whoso wide piinel flows into a train nnd graceful sleeves to the hem of her akirt, Negri's neck and face look as duzzingly white as Rodin's marble. 8he goes In for long, tight sleeves, panel trains and three corner bats wlMse ends droop becomingly to her shoulders. She Is marvelously luxurious In a tea gown of white beaded net whose Ions train is edged with ermine tails. vjf-1' ■.■•*•-■ Sophie Tucker spent $75 to give Harry Voa Tilser a surprise, ft was In the form of an advertisement in Variety, advertising the newest Von Tilser song hit, "Old King Tat." The ad itself was a part («f the surprise, and another portion was Soph's statement in it she had recorded "Tut" for the O-Keh. son>ething Harry previously had net been advised about. It was a nice Uttle tiring for Sophie to do, both for Harry—and Variety. Miss Tucker recently sold the Sophit: Tucker Garage at Baldwin, L. I., netting a prom bf |7,0M. .; :■':'■: ■:. V-' -" :^ ; ^ ■■ ■■':■•.,.: ■'•■ • ';.•■<■,■:■-•■ ■^:t A. booking executive will shortly assume active charge temporarily of a omall vaudeville circuit. His superior, an officer of the company. IS known for his "tight" methods^and practices of 1»argainlng with acts. This ha.s gotten to be so the time is often referred to as the "cloak and -"^miit" circuit, because of the continuous iiaggling over actors' salaries. The substitute has voiced a method he will put into effect to avoid this bargaining practice and at the same time give both man- higher-up and the actors satisfaction. When a |250 act seeks wock he will instruct It to ask 1400 and the officer of the company will be "yessed" Into offering-$27S, which will either net the act a we$kly increase or result in its gcvtting its regular salary. Those acquainted, with tlic circuit official analyze him as not so much concerned with paving money as with having the satisfaction of believing he is "smart," while the rest of the business Just set him down as a sap. ;** *■* The purchase of the Lyric, Cinchinatl, is report^ having bfen com- pleted by the Keith's Interests, with Senator John P. JHarrls of Pittsburgh and Ike LIbsun uf Cincinnati associated. Tike reported price is |1.000,(K)0. Llbson Is running the Lyric with pictures. The new owners may expect that^he adjoining department store of Mabley A; Carew will eventually buy the property. Pantages, vaudeville, Memphis, Is for rent, accordtnif to report. Mem- phis has been n bad show town this season without any of th€f local vaudeville theatres making money. The Orpheum and Loew also have a house each there. Some Idnd of deui has been on hand looking toward a consolidation of the vaudeville playing, but Pantages Is reported asking too mucii rent for his house, although willing to lease it at a loss. T*be reported offer to sell the Loew coast two big picture houses seems to have fallen down as far as the East Is concerned. The Loew people, are said to have demanded a cash payment of too large an amount. A. C Blumenthal, the coast realty expert, was in charge of the .negotiations." He came to New York, but has returned to the coast. The Incident at Clevelan^s Keith's 105th Street theatre last week-^wben Kar^'I Norman, the female impersonator, reprimanded the audience for. nojt applauding him, was commented upon by several of \hB Cleveland papers. One writer said: "The most remarkable instances of bad man- ners we have heard of occurred at Keith's 105th Street when Karyl Norman, a female impersonator, who got his start in Cleveland end Is (Continued on page 25) Fannie Hurst's appealing story, "The Nth Commandment," Is a tale of love that lasts after the wedding rln^r Is tarnished and the pay envelope has dwindled. Colleen Moore plays Sarah Juke, the square little partner of Harry Smith, witk sincere emotion. She doesn't Just cry when the director tells her to—she lives the part and makes thoKe who eee it live it txto. Fashions for de«»artment store girls and the wives of depart- ment store defies aren't apt to be llie stHMiHeAt and iiMfit lusurioun. ^«t^' Miss Moore is fetchinc lo her little black silk cape with astrakhan collar and muff that she wears to the skating rink, por the rest she wears modest bungalow aprons and ginghams. Her "best friend." the flippant blonde. Angle, Who Hves easy, gets sooke dashing effects with black silk ■': and lace, Wg hats and fancy shoeh. Tiiia part in admirably placed by Charlotte Merriam. The story could end on that snowy Christmas ere when Sarah's des' perate gaiety has got her enough money to send her sick husband to California, but true to the tradition of a "happy ending." an anti- climax has been tacked on sliewing Sarah in a dacky Uitle gingkam > dress romping with a new baby on the porch of a pretty CaUforuia bungalow. "The c;o-Getter," by Peter B. Kyne, is the story of an ex-soldier who. ;' with all the splendid arrogance of youtli, wins a good job and the girl ' he loves. Blessed volcanic old *Cappy Rleks" is In it and It's a stery ot regular people. Seena Owen, as Mary Hklnner, the «irl who believes in ; the ambitious young "go-getter," is good looking and up to enufC In her costumes. She wears a stunning broadtail suit made with the popular hip length coat and long skirt draped up in front. She goes in tor- turbans with flowing veils and her clothes are much alike. The girl advises BUI to refuse to be fired as ehe stands at th* other end of the telephone wearing a silver cloth neffUgee ea prinoeae lln*s. When the perslrtent Bill flags 4>ld Cappy's private train and ap- pears with the vase ho n*s tuTH "to get," Mary rives him a kiss •f wel- come, becomlnglj' gowned In chiffon velvet that is specially sMMirt with Its long draped-up«-ln-tbe-tront skirt, normal waistline marloed by f«r trimming and alluring silt sleeve^i that are caught in at the wrltt. "Where the Pavement Ends" Is a picture of great aoeatc hfmuly, admirably acted, written by son\e one who knows the whereaboats of the South Sea Islands. It is bleesed with an "unhappy endUv"—whii-h happens to be an ending that has the appearance of verisimilitude. No storm scenes are thrown in ner native uprisings. The stery itself Is sufficiently dravnatlc even for tite movies. The inhabitants Aaa't play around in picturesque eflfects of the Neolithic Age. but dreoe ia « pathetically absurd conglomeration of silk hau, alarm' eiooks, ginctMOis and'Sttck ubly modesties and vanities as are introduced by the traders and missionaries. Ellen Terry is n graceful, charming minister's daunkter who is tempting;, even in her simple printed frock and straw bonae.t Kamon Novarro succeed? in creating a gravely gay and lovaMe young South Sea chief—a part that, with less skiU and physical beauty, migiit have been ridiculous. But this lithe, sinewy boy is a tptendid Qresic -.t».' •» CABARETS ■^.^ '■r/sY,-'^ •>**• Martin Book, former Orpheum president, and his wife, returned to . this country on the "Majestic" ^T^esday, after a four months' tour of Europe. Mrs. George M. Cohan was a returning passenger on the Aame ship. Max Reinhardt also was a passer^tr. B. S. Moss returned to his desk this week after a 10 days illness. Loew's American, New York, re- duces its bUls from nine to eight acts commencing next week. All acts will do tw^shows In the theatre downstairs and one on the Roof. The Salvation Army is out for $500,000 durtng May. The drive will be undertaken under the heading of the Home Service Appeal Augus- tus Thomas has accepted the chair- manship of a theatrical committee in furtherance, and Will H. Hays is to imilarly act for the picture people. WOnffiN AND aOTHES ,.v 4 ''Le^ the cops ctoes them,*^ said a I man the other night, referring to New "tork cabarets. -When A caba ret that charges |S coveur asks f2.r)0 a quart for White Rock, it's about time that they close, whether they Vllma Steck a.-* the gold digging flapper In the amusing sketch. "Just Wame the police or their hinh Out of Knickers." at the Palace thl.s week wears a purple and lavender checks," he added. The customary chiffon accordion plaited skirt with a purple polo jacket and turban, charge for mineral or stlH water in The now Costsr theatre In Web- ster, Ma«s., is open. It la named for George R. Coster, associated with Henry Steinberg and Michael Holden in the enterprise. The Strand, Hempstead, L. I., re- turned to the Fally Markus agency, having terminated Its booking agreement with the Keith office. Governor Hyde of Mis.souri has signed the new "bone dry" en- forcement act which makes it a penitentiary offense to manufacture or sell illicit liquor. There is a clause in the law providing regula- tions for soft drink places, which i» going to make things bad for some of the "boys." Under the law liceii.sp.s of tlruK^ists and phy- ' "Wlclans can ho revoked for a sec- ond violation. The officers of the Missouri Anti-Saloon League, which backed the new bill, declare the i»afi8agr of ihe act is the greatest Mctory for the drys In recent years. Sukl Van as her "best friend" (Gwendolyn Smith) is in a less distinctive gown of salmon silk. * Dainty little Sibyl Vane sings her lays in a beguiling lavender talfeta frock trimmed with silver lace Insertion. From a ribbon on her wrist hangs a garden hat of the same shade. Julian Eltinge sings his "Monte Carlo" song in a striking black and silver gown that has 'ong fur-edged side panels which sweep into the fashionable double train. In the catchy song "The Cute Little Beaut from Butte" he is a handsome, sophisticated woman of fashion encased In a tube-like affair of flesh colored, crystal-sewn chiffon, draped by a cascade of strand pearls. A unique note is the slim shoulder straps that develop Into a narrow panel caught In at the waist and flows en to a long, narrow train. His bathing number Is sung In a nifty apricot satin suit with a laced bodice and a brief, scalloped skirt. As Cleoptitra, Mr. Kltlnge is a fascinating siren in a gorgeous stone-studded shawl with a deep green border which he casts aside to reveal a shimmering ortetal dancing dress with bright colored breast plates and the wide' Egyptian girdle drawn tightly about the hips and decorated In front by a long, {■winging panel. - _^-^-,^ -„...^ „:_:%- Vivien Oakland (with Jolin T. Murray) Is sweet in a white graduation dress but she has no gift for clothes. She Is best in her a 'curate 18(0 model of buff taffeta with its tight bodice, off the shoulder line and piquant bustle. The girl of Wood and Wyde at the Riverside this week In the unique sketch "Alright Eddie," is a flippant, charming Ifltle to^vn gossip of England's 14th Century, showing the fashion for young wives was stiff navy blue taffeta with the wal.st under the arms, a full ankle length frkirt, white stockings and black slippers. In the povel arctic courtship she wears a bizarre black <?ostume of a black velvet tunic above the l<nee one one side and considerably above the knee on the other, with tiprht fitting trousers ruffled at the ankles and having lace Inserts. The exotic oatflt Is completed by black wristlets and a little .square blark cap fas- tened under the chin by black strings. She is an imperious Josephine in a heavy white satin with the hifih waist and puff sloeve..! of the Empire period, a long shoulder train lined with red and a jeweled coronet add regality, while cunning little retl slippers suggest flirtatious femininity. the cabarets has been |1.50 a quart This price has been made by caba- rets without regard to their coveur tax that runs from 75 cents to |S (on Saturday nights). Few believe the police annoyance has contributed to the» low-ebbed business In most of the New York dancing restaurants. Some of the cabarets that have sane pri<;e8, but withal were bothered a%well by po- lice detalis are doing a nice busi- ness. In the other places the extor- tion for food and drinkt has ruined the trade. New Yorkers have grown tired of th&t game and the out-of- towners have seen the flash places once, more than enough for them when It came to settling. Arsother statement made by many restaurateurs, honestly, or In pique, says that none of the high checking places are "food restaurants," that they merely want to take the peo- ple when they arrive, with the coveur charge the start, the menu price.s next and the booze selling first, rather than last. Those same men laugh when It is said some places suffering from poor business allege they don't sell. Selling has been so wide ©pen of late there has been a revolt .imong the few buyers left of over |25 a quart In a rejitau- rant for champagne. The former charge was 135 a quart and more often than otherwi.se the wine was phoney. Whiskey at from $25 to $28 a quart is anO»her cabaret prJ<^e tl)«t hfis driven many a patron into other and cheaper places or kept him at home. The police did annoy diners, that is admlittJ, but the same rciitauiar tenrs r;ill aUentlon tu anolluT f;»( t; that when the coiw were first de- tailed to the places th<» proprietors "BelKi Donna' is the siory of a wom,in t.» whom love was the breath | said privately thoy were glad of it. of life. The business of conquests kei>t hei busy and when at last she ' they had put the cops on the pay roll, Cecilia Weston, at the AnuTlcan Roof this week, did her clever char- acter songs In a black spangled eveninp gown with bright colored flowers down the front, while h^r accompanist wears a shimmering green dress of gold lace and satrti. The girl of Dawson, Lanlpan and Covert is fetching In a gray-pink taffeta frock «imply made with ^ixht l»i>dici' and full. ankh-Iength skirt With a picture hat to match. But nhe can't reei«t the «>han«c-yom"- fcener.v habit and dashes off, while her partners .-ire doinc some nent dancing, to return in a trushy apple green silk that is a failure. • *, sold o|>enIy and the cgps 1 ept out % the Federal men. Tlie selling places also gave up as often as requester! and the requeirts were often, from "^ many. As the cops didn't kill birnl- aess then, the charge they haU of Ute is not literally accepted. The ehvlous rivals, if they are en-vloun or rival.«5. merely sum It up that the . robbing restaurateurs killed ih*ir own business. * :■'<•♦ •• ..'; The new Statler hotel, Buffalo, formally opens May 7. Vincent Lo- pes and orchestra will journey from the Hotel Tennsylvanla, New York, to participate in the oi>ening. Lopez will return In tirtle to open on the Hotel Pennsylvania root the week following. May 14. That thf advent of warm weather does not curb the fft6wth of t he dance craae Is evidenced by the cabaret booking agents, whd. In the last week or ten days, have been receiving notices from out-of-town cabaret proprietors to discontinue booking new acts. At the same time demands for new musicians, either In copibinations or extra specialty jatzers are being fnade to all musi- cal booking bureaus. The minimiaint of the show's overhead In some cases is Rscrii;*«J by the various cabaret manage- ments to poor business, n<K«e.sslfat- Ing economftlng. Contrartly, one Buffalo restaurateur advises hU New York booking agent that the dance end has been drawing his patronnge for him. with the sliow angle merely contributory to thf general scheme of things. Accord- ingly, he wishes to employ a crackei jack exhibition dance couple AS the sole feature of the floor en- tertalhment. also asklntr th.nt a snnppy slx-piec* orchestra he en- g«fre<l. Incidentally, similar reqi!»'.':t« for specialty exhibition danc«r«« from p*)ints east of the Mlsslssinp^ " which looks to New York for tt^ talent, makes mention of the fact a Spanish tango specialty must be In- cluded In the a^t's dance routine. (Continued on pAfe Jl) '''■;-