Variety (May 1923)

VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE PARI F^ CABLE ADDRESS, VARIETY, LONDON VAULLiJ 8 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar 2096 Regent - Square Thursday, May 3, 1923 ax: SUB ENGLISH THEATRE MANAGERS STOP ARTISTS' BROADCASTING — • Holding Secret Meetings and Refusing Permission for Plays—George Robey and Billy Merson Pre- vented—Concert Agents Acting With Managers ■London, May 2. Jjondon theatre managers are holding secret meetings -when they are refusing permission for artists under their management to be employed for broadcasting pur- poses; also any of their plays. Harrod's department store gave a mammoth entertainment, broad- casting It, but George Robey and Billy Merson were prevented from appearing by their respective man- agements. All concert agents have .agreed not to engage artists appearing on broadcasting programs. NORA BAYES OPENS Does 26 Minutes to Restless Audi* er.ee—Better Monday Night "EAST IS WEST" AGAIN, FOLLOWING ITS PICTURE Produced as Flop. But Now Wants to Reproduce Piece After Film London, May 2. The Samuel Shipman play, "East 1s West," will again be stage pro- duced in London but by whom isn't decided upon just at this moment. The point seems to be that fol- lowing the flop of the stage -East Is West" In London when produced by J. L. Sacks, that Sir Alfred Butt believes the picture of the play with Constance Talmadge has given It another chance if properly put on for the second, tjme. Butt has ne- gotiated with William Harris, Jr., in New York for the rights. Sacks asserts a title to the Eng- lish rights through having first se- cured them and insists he will make the second ,stage production. His • aim will be disputed, it is under- stood, on the ground Sacks' con- tract called for* 75 performances of "East is West" in England while Sacks' flop played but 12. London, May 2. Nora Bayes opened to a restless audience during her 24 minutes at the Coliseum Monday matinee, Miss Bayes refused to be guided before opening. If encountering the seme result once more or more often it will again be her own fault. The opening show was attended by a number of her American friends but during the act numerous na- tives left the theatre. Neverthe- less her reception was cordial. The present tiun is not regarded as sufficiently impressive for a money draw. There are many travesty points used not understood here; also the phraseology had not been properly ■ localized. Monday night the Coliseum drew a number of late comers who went k there to see Bayes only. The Sjtoll management has expressed its opinion Miss Bayes will prove a drawing card. Monday afternoon she sang four songs, then took a curtain, then an encore, another curtain, second en- code, 26 mjnutes in all. Next week Miss Bayes also will appeaivat the Queens Hall cabaret, doubling with her Coliseum engage- ment. Willia"hi Mop-is booked -her over here. You remember the old adage, "Out of sight, out.of mind"? \Vell, that's the reason Frank Van Hoven keeps plugging and plugging in this little space every weeK. No one in this little world has ever done a single thing for Frank Van Hoven, in his fight for starduo** but. Frank Van Hoven. CUM<1 and toughed at be- cause ke was years ahead of the times ,he still kept on, and many American artists now reaping har- vest in England can thank his breaking the way. P. S.—The above was sent to me by an old admirer, and It sounds so Van Hovey, I am sending it in, and don't forget the best little comedian in all the world, Dave Chasen. FRANK VAN HOVEN Direction; EDW. 8. KELLER BERNHARDT THEA. FIGHT Municipal Council Would Oust Son —Household Effects at Auction TRACING BACK Explanations for Material in pire's "Rainbow" Revue Em DANISH ACTOR AT ODEON Paris, April 28. 1\ Gemler has this week extended tlio courtesy of the Odeon stage to Paul Reumert, hailed as the greatest! actor of Denmark, for a short series of performances of "Professor Klen- ow'" three-act drama by Mrs. Karen Bramson. Reumart played the title rolo in French, supported by Gemier himself, who not know- ing his words by heart read them from cards placed at the bottom of his dilapidated hat into which he frequently cast his eyes while im- personating the disreputable father of the maiden saved from dishonor by the aged, ugly professor. But he proved his talent as an actor. The story is the selfishness of the benefactor by insisting on marrying the young girl he has saved while knowing she has already given her heart to a man about her own age. She commits suicide to free her- self of the ill-a*ssorted union. Mrs. Pramson has written a solid play in French, though Danish is her native tongue, and can give lessons to many prominent local play- wrights In the matter of dramatic construction. ' London, May 2. More or less discussion is still current in the West End concerning the "annexation" of certain Ameri- can material for use in the Empire production of "The Rainbow." Al- bert de Courville claims to have permission from John Murray An- derson to use the Savoy and Bren- nan skit,. "Which One is your Brother?," and to the charge of Hassard Short that a girl number now being used at the Empire was taken from "The Music Box Revue" I in New York, de CourVillo claims I to have secured permission from Irving Berlin. v On top of. this Allan K. Foster, who came over to put on the num- bers for the Empire show, rises to remark that he alone is responsible for introducing the girl number in the Empire show and that it was used by him in a show m America at least a year before Short used it in "The Music Box"—and, fur- thermore, says Foster, one of his girls, named Joscelyn, gave the number to Short and aided him in staging it. • One of Variety's Liondon corre- spondents alleges he saw a similar number on Hammerstein's Roof in New York about a score of years ago, and knows the late Oscar Hammerstein saw it in a production on the Continent, bringing ^it to America. PLAY FOR LEAGUE OF NATIONS Geneva, May 2. The municipal council has invited the federal theatres of Austria to furnish actors for a series of per- formances in September, while the League of Nations will be in session in Geneva (Switzerland). Richard Strauss with the Vienna philhar- monic orchestra now in South America on an extended tour will come to Geneva at that time instead nf returning direct to Austria. A troupe from the Rurgtheatre, Vienna, will be with the visitors and present plays in German. Meanwhile 700 performers, singers and dancers, are rehearsing for the musical festival to take place an Geneva during June and July, di- rected by E. Jacques Dalcrose, in collaboration with Pierre Girard and J. Chenevieve. AMERICANS IN EUROPE Paris, April 25. In Paris last week: Arnold Daly, Roderick White, violinist; Duncan Robertson, baritone (who sailed for New York); Arthur Hopkins, Rob- ert Eugene Lorton of Daily World, Tulsa, Okla. Josephine Earle is at present dancing at the Tris Sisters' Blues Room, Abbeys de Thaleme cabaret, Paris. Clara Rabinowitch, pianist, is giving recitals in Vienna, Austria; Josef Stransky, New York conduc- tor, is at the Teatro del Liceo, Bar- celona, Spain. Charles Hackctt, tenor, is in London, but is listed to sing at the Paris Opera middle of May. Miss Van Hemert, an Ameri- can singer, is concert touring in Holland. OTHER FOREIGN NEWS page 27 "MERTON" BAD FLOP IN LONDON THEATRE New York Success Fails to Land* Abroad—Less Than 500 Pounds Last Week London, May 2 Although one of Broadway's big- gest comedy hits just now and since it opened over there, "Merton of the Movies" is a bad flop In this city. The piete has not a living chance, conceded by its George Tyler man- agement. It did 150 pounds the first night; 69 pounds second night; 60 third; 64 fourth; 40 Saturday mati- nee and 150 Saturday night. Since, it has been doing under 50 pounds nightly. Paris, May 2. The household effects and library of the late Sarah Bernhardt will be sold at a public auction here early next month. The Municipal Council owning the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt ob- jects to Maurice Dernhardt. son of the deceased, and Ullmann, former administrator, retaining the lease In which It is stipulated would terminate if the death of Sarah Bernhardt occurred before its ex- piration. The Council has decided to consider an 'offer from new French tenants. • - : Maurice objects, claiming proro- gation' according td the present law concerning leases and will fight the claim. . » ' ? LIBRARIES ARE SAVING MARIE LOHR'S PLAY -. . . Buying 1,000 Pounds Weekly With Gfross Scarcely 1,200— Curtain Raiser Added . - ■ T London, May 2. Marie Lohr is being saved at the Globe through the. buys by the ticket libraries. The Globe is doing about 1,200 pounds weekly, scarcely that with the libraries, taking 1,000 pounds of the gros's v . Saturday Miss Lohr added a cur- tain raiser to her comedy. It is "The Voice Outside," gloomy and supernatural but thrilling and well played. "GOODNESS SAKE" GOOD American Play Highly Elates Liverpool—Opening Point Liverpool, May 2. "For Goodness Sake," an Amer- ican piece produced over here by Sir Alfred Butt, opened in this city Monday to a rousing reception with Fred and Adele Astafre, American dahcers, making a particularly strong hit. The piece is going to London. REINE DAVIES AT DINNER Attending Distinguished Dinner by Pen Club in London London, May 2. Tomorrow (Thursday) night the International Pen eiub is giving a dinner at the Suffolk Galleries to distinguished foreign authors In London. Among the foreign writers will be Romaine Rowland, Blasco Ibanez, Johann Bojer. August Brunius, Martin TeXo, Kate Douglas Wig- gin, Edwin Robinson, and Maxwell Aley. Reine Davies, president of the International Story Company of New York, will be among the American guests. Miss Davies is over here on behalf of her play- broking concern, buying and selling rights to American and foreign plays and stories, for the Screen and stage. Alex. A. Aarons, Jr., who pro- duced "For Goodness Sako" in New York, is associated with Butt in the English production. Young Mr. Aarons is now abroad, having su- pervised its staging. CONVERTINGJTHREE WAYS Devonshire House May Be Taken By English Syndicate London, May 2. An English syndicate is forming to take over Devonshire House In Piccadilly. If the negotiations are successful, the House will be con- verted into two theatres and a large concert hall. Consummation is reported closely at hand. Gerald Bacon to Antipodes Gerald Bacon, of the Sanger & Jordan offices, leaves for Australia July 1, on busines's for the firm con- cerning sale of picture rights to Play. LONDON k Arrangements are being made by which Bransby Will lama will tour Canada in tho autumn with his Dickensian repertory, The Domin- ion may even have a chance of see- ing his new version of 'Hamlet," which he produced recently in Bir- mingham. on Crock, the famous clown, has been married secretly at a Bloom.«burv registry office to Inez Maria Delia Casa, also a vaudeville artist. The bride is a Spanish woman 11 years younger than her husband, who gave his age as 42. Grock described him- self as Charles Adrian Wettach, the son of a French watchmaker. He made his first appearance In Eng- land at the Palace in 1912. A deputation from the galleritet who booed "Merton of the Movies" on its opening night waited at the stage door for Tom Douglas after the second performance and apolo- gized for their conduct. They ex- plained they could not hear. Doug- las shook hands warmly with the booers. The Vilna players, a troupe of Yiddish artists in a limited engage- ment at the Kingsway last year, are considering an offer to go to Ameri- ca. They have a large repertoire of pieces. They did not set London afire during their West End engage* ment, but have rejected what would ordinarily be a flattering proposition to appear at the Pavilion, Mile End, in the heart of the Jewish district in Whitechapel. They seem to con- sider sin h an appearance as not commensurate with their dignity Fred Kitchen is producing a n^w revue, employing the old title to be used for many years, "Hodge." Everything* will be new excepting the name of the revue. Jack Has- kell is staging the production. Arthur Collins will produce Arthur Shirley's play, "Ned Kean of Old Drury," during the second week in May. II. A. Sainsbury, who origi- nally toured in tho piece, will again play the title role. The cast will include Louis Regnis, Esme Shirley, (.Continued on page 27) LORD ROTHERMERE Nfl| THEA. FOR LIGHT OPERA » Has West End Site—Success of "Polly" Caused i Decision j /, London, May 2. * Encouraged by the results of hig' investment in the presentation of Gay'a old light opera "Polly." orig- inally produced .at the Kingsway and now running strongly* at the Savoy, Lord Rothermere ha» de- cided to finance the construction ot a new theatre in the West End," to be devoted to that style of enter* tainment. The location has been selected out little details regarding the title must be adjusted. Lord Rother- mere has commissioned Edwin Lut- yens, tb© architect, .to make plana for the structure, and it is under- stood that the interior decorations will be the work of Nicholson: "LONDON" LEADING Cohan Play Ahead Among Amen* can Hits in London London, May 2. "So This Is London," the George M. Cohan comedy, is .the leader among the American successes now here. It is playing to from £26* to £270 a performance and last week did over £1,800. Charles B. Cochran, producer, of the three American hits now in London, In association with their American producers, says the Cohan show is repeating its prog- ress In New York and Chicago;' slowly but surely building. It may do* around £2,300 this week. The other two are "Anna Chris- tie," which is holding to its box office gait of £2,000 to £2,100, an< "Partners Again," £1,800. SAILINGS Through Paul Tausig & Sons, 104 East Fourteenth street: May 1 (from New York for Lon* don), Frank'and Jen Latona (AquN tania). May 3 (same), Charles Gibbf (Thuringia). May 5 (same), Archie and Gtrt Falls (Homeric). May 12 (same), Hayman ai Franklin (Majestic). May 19, Rigoletto Brothers (Geo. Washington). May 1, (from New York to Chei burg), Tommy Lyman, Roy Barton/ Sam Salvin, Lew Leslie (Aqultania), May 9 (New York to London)* Dr. Thompson (Pres. Van Buren). April 28 (from New York fop London), Madam Haverstick>(01yra- pic). May 2 (from London for New] York), Arthur Hopkins, Mrs. Sam H. Harris, Mrs. Archie Selwya (Majestic). - RUN FOR THREE-NAME PLAY London, May 2. The Haymarkel has a hit in "lsa« bel, Edward and Ann." It opened there to £1,100 the first week, got £900 its second week* did £1,100 the third, and £1,35» last week. DEATHS ABROAD Paris, April 25. Roger Alzieu, of the Aeros trio trapeze act, died at Antwerp, Bel- gium, after a fall during a perform* ance. M. Dawant, painter, died in Paris, aged 71. M. Gaudy, French pianiste, daughter of Henry Monnier and widow of M. Gaudy, actor of the Comedie Francalse, died at Ermont, France. THE TILLER SCHOOLS OF DANCING 143 Charing Cfoss Road LONDON Director, JOHN TILLER RHINESTONES THE LITTLEJOHNS 226 West 46th St. New York Phone BRYANT 4:137 WII.KTTK KERSHAW GUARANTY TOtST CO &:2 Fifth Avenue JiVK T'