Variety (August 1925)

->■■ I We&iesday, Aogmt 8,1<28 RADIO VARIETY it ■"^ DJTERtL RADK^ CONFERENCE : REPORTED OFI^ ASK QUEm ,..-n 1 !>'••>/4 I .»■ ^■. "»•,' O «'; JiAiJk of.Intereiit QuetU Hoover^* Pet Ideft—Inquiries j^t.Mitf^ About Monopoly ChiLrget and Proposed ^'^' Radib "Csear"—Broadcasters Dodging Spotlight fflTi " ■ Waidilnvton, Augr. 4. Th« vc^edaled int«rDation»l radio coaf«r«iic«, according to well- founded rumors, lis off. B«t for th^B l«at week in September. It is no^ 'tanderetood that the Departlneat of Covunerce taaa decided to let "well joiotwh alone.'* From othor ao u ree a I, It Is stated that the cancellation wab 1^ brought about because of the l^ck C^ of interest on the part of the radio l^^lndnstry. Offlclale of the departl- f nent refuse to comment either way, k but it is understood the broadcast- ';. 'Orti are satlsfled with the way thinsfs ] The conf^i^ence Idea is said to be a •pet" one with Secretary Hoover. fn>ia> amongr those close to the de- partment, makes tho explanation that the radio Interests were not Interested beat* even more weight.' ,And still those wanting lincenses In the congested areas are clamoring if or wave lengths that are exhausted- ii During the- lali the Bureau df e>:'etandards. amdei* the direction df t the department, is quietly carrying ^ on its tests of the ruper-power pleas r'of the broadcastera Officials at this ^Jblireau will not discuss the results ^..Of their experiments at this time, al- [ though they admit that the super^ y power station does not overcome .^fetatic. as it was hoped. Asking Question* j^nother prevalent radio question in Wasblngtn is, ^hat has become of the Federal Trad* Commission's charges of mono^ly against the four or Ave big radio manufactiuring 'concerns? At the commission it is ktaiod that no hearing, following thosf already ca^Ie<l and postponed, has yet been called. Outside of the commission it is stated that the of- ficials there are afraid to move be- cause of the strong attack being made on them by powerful members of Congress. T^hls alleged "fear" is Still stated to exist in spite of Presi- dent Coolldge's statement he would stand behind the commission. , Still another question Is. What K has become of the "radio cxar" that &■ was to be appointed at the request * of the boardcasters and wh6m the department stated th^ would "back tap"? Radio has decided to let well enough alone, believe those who have followed the broadcasters through from their rtrst onslaught of the "copyrlghied material for nothing" campaign in Congress to their present and evident deelre to dod^e the spotlight. UNION'S TEST CASE Los Anflees Local Order* Owen Sweeten from Pit of Loew's fttats' '■ Los Angeles, Aug. 4.' Claiming that Owen Sweetet, leader of the orchestra at Lqe^*s Stote. wa* a non-resident of Lqs Angeles and had been lmi>orte|d from the 0*k£and lurlsdiction far the job, the executive board of Ijo- cal 47 of Los Angelea ordered him withdrawn from.the pit last Krldacy night Swioeten^ a member of Loc^ i, in Oakland, was brought to Los Aii-< geles by the West Ooast Theatres, Inc., six months ago and placed ih charge o' the orchestra at the Cali- fornia, replacing Carl Ellnore, Who was movM over to the State. Wheh the California clois^d two months ago Sweeten replaced Blinor at tlije State and was given the title <Jf •^last conductor."' | The ITuBlcians' 'Vhlon here claims to have several similar case^ hence the decision to make a test case of the Sweetpn matter. Sweeten, on being Informed of the decision of the local union. Imme- diately wired an appeal to Presi- dent Joseph N. Weber of the Amer- ican Federation of Musicians. \-. Prize Radio Play On Royalty Payments Nancy Broslus, of Cleveland, on the staff of the local public library, won the WOBS (Glmbel Brothes) radio play contest Her comedy, "Sue "Eml" got the first prUe con- test for a play written exclusively for jradlo production. Miss Broslus received $75 advance royalties from WGBS, WOT and witt*' which will produce the win- ning play. Her royalty Is $25 per station per performance. In addi- tion Brentano's Is publishing it. Union Band Marches Alone in Movie Parade Lcs Angeles, Aug. 4. Col. Walter P. Storey, of thel60tfa Infantry, N. O.. threatened to place under arrest any members of Musi- clans' Union No. 47. of Los Angeles, at the Qreater Movie Season parade if they endeavored to pull from the line of march the members of the regimental band who were under army orders to fumikh diuslc for the parade. The trouble which led to this statement was brought about by a band furnished free by the union which wanted to lead the parade. The marshals stated the program citlled for the regimental band with the American colors to lead the parade and that It could not be changed at the last moment -The union men then stated they would not march. This was satisfactory to the marshal, when the union representatives said that if such was the case they woulcl also .pull out the regimental band, as Its mem- bers belonged to the union. Then Col. Storey appeared and issued his ultimatum. More squabbling followed, when one of the assistant marshals had an Idea. This was to start the l>and coming from the union at the head of the column. After they had pro- ceeded (L block by themselves the police were Instructed to hold up the line of march and allow them to proceed alone. When they had gone about three blocks in advance the regular parade, with the 160th Reg- iment band at Its head, was started and kept going, with the distance dividing them from the lone band being kept at from threo to foiu- blocks. TT- WAEN8 BB0ADGASTEB8 George E. Maxwell, of the O. Rlcordi Music Co., has written all radio broadcasters to cease perform- Inir all works controlled by the Rlcordi Co. of Milan, Italy; the Casa Qonzogno, Milan; symphonic works controlled by J. A W. Chester, Lon- don; B. Schott's Sohne, Mainz, and others. Bacon «ik Dav SILVER BELL BANJOS New Catalog — Just Out THE BACON BANJO CO, Inc GROTON. CONN DISAPPODnilENTS ON RAMO PROGRAM The'Widely advertise^ "pageant" lauhchlplr' "6reat*r Movie Season" over Xh« wave lengths pt WEAF In the Crystal room of the .Ritx-Carlton Hotel, New Tork, Monday talgl^t Wks a:' disappointment' to d gr^i n'un^ber of radio and ii^ctUre talntt. Parts of the program came up to expectations. The orchestral.num- bers particularly were good. So were the turns Of Bugs Baer and Irene Franklin, who provided the much needed humor. Major Edward Bowes, managing director of the Capitol theatre, was master of cere- monies. The program began :*t 10:16 and lasted over an hour. I Among the greater disappoint- ments was the failure of Qovemor Alfred' B, Smitl) to appear althouflh it had:been widely annonpoed th4t the governor would open the mo- granry. Ho sxcuses were sent Bofh Major Bowes and Bugs Ejaer' took every opportunity, while fh*y. were on the air, to apologise for the gov- ernor's absence, saying "he.Is prob- ably on the way and will take part In the latter portion of the pro- gram.'? Another disappointment was the absence of Will Rogers whose name also appeared in the advance publicity. . A few musicians firom each of five prominent motion picture houses 6n Broadway, Capitol. Strand, Picca- dilly^ Rlalto and Rlvoli, were ,con)- b^i^^d into an OTchMtra i<jr n tevt numbf ra . which , were very w«*i; played. Liszt's "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" and an Offenbach selec- tion were the outstanding orchestral contributions to the program. T>fiv|d Men(fIoza and Hugo Riesenfeld con- ducted the' orchestra alternately. The Capitol male quartet tuned off by singing "The End of a Perfeit Day." Douglas Stanbury and Evelyn Herbert each sang solos. Mafor BoW'es finished the progratn by tiJaklng for public co-operation In "making finer and better flUns." I^e said that the picture Industry eix>- ployS $00,000 persons re^Iarly. TPhe"nieehanicar' stat^ihenfs'on the Victor'records came through .i ,¥9bday ai^^ w^re ^^n^rally characterized ail "brutal." Sales of 30.000 to (0,000 of some numl^ers which were pessimistically ex- pected to go twloethat,' and formerly good for 200,000, are among the disappointments.' •rhe wfeirm wfeatHei^'obviously counted most against the sales, the siito^mer spell not epcomragiryg sales In any wise. ^he statements from the other companies have not come through as yet, Victor being the first. A more thorough survey of the "mechanical" returns will be forthcoming by next week. D£HI£S WV70 INJUNCTION Justice Churchin, In the New Tork Supreme Court, refused to assist In censoring radio material. This was his reason advanced for fenying the injunction petition by taxpayer to enjoin the Mayer Hylan administration from utilizing WNTC. the municipal station, for political propaganda purposes. Justice Churchill opeines that It would be too much like censoring, what Is being broadcast and If some other Individual did not care (or educational features, a similar suit oould be successfully brought if the political angle were decided other- wise. WASH. LEADER ASRESTf^D Washington, Aug. 4. Thomas J. Gannon, leader of the orchestra at Loew's Palace, was held In bail of $200 on the charge of assault preferred by W. S. Morey, Gannon's neighbor, both living in the same house. Gannon asserted Morey's son had been annoying his daughter. He admitted striking Morey following a quarrel between them oveir tbe children. OEEBER-AZST DECISION The "Stepping in Society" arbi- tration has resulted in a victory for Alex Gerber and Harry Akst, writers of the song. Willy White, who presented his cause to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, alleging a third-interest in its propertj- rights, lost out after Gerber and Akst Introduced aflldavlts proving prior authorship before White al- leged h« became Interested. White, now accompanist for CharJcs King In vaudeville, was at the Club Morlts. (now the Texas Gulnan Club), for which fioor show Akst and Gerber wrote a revue which included "Stepping In So- ciety" as one of the numbers. White alleged he worked on that particular number with the acknowl- edged writers; BE0UMES LEADESSHIF Los Angeles, Aug. 4. Art Hickman, wbo some time ago retired as a musician to become as- sistant manager of the BUtmore Hotel here, has resigned that post and will again lead his own orches- tra. The Hickman combination will replace Eixrl Burtnetl's orchestra at the Biltmore, Sept 16, L. FICHTMAN FOUND DEAD Baltimore, Aug. 4. L. Viobtman, bead of the Flcht- man Musfc do. of New York, was found dead In his room Sunday at the Hotel Biltmore. Heart disease was the coroner's diagnosis. The body was taken to the city morgue. Stage Reproduction The Piccadilly,) N«w Tork, is going the Rlvoli one better this week by demonatratlng how radio broadcasting is lic- tually done from the stage of the theatre. The Piccadilly broadcasts regularly through WOBS and a replica of Its studio In the the- atre is part of the theatre's presentation. u BRUTAL" VICTOR STATEMENTS INSIDE STUFF On Music ^ir\t.' i- - .:• i» ^^ Ukulele Hughes Leaped Up "Ukulbls** Ifughes was in Bait Lake recently—"my homo town." R» was recording for Brunswick, says Variety's oorrespoadent out in that elty. Mr. Hughes was formerly In the theatrical game in New Tork and not long ago came to Salt Lake, with his wife, a Ziegfeld "Follies" gIrL At that time he se/:ured a good position in a musle store, and helped Introduce to Salt Lakers the ukulele. He also took part In local theat- ricala. After a time he went back to New Tork. Success cams. His talents were featured. He made music from saws, cigar boxes, etc. Latsr a manufacturer of ukulMes put out a special kind, and Mr. Hughes was taken In charge by Brunswick to make reoords and broadcast by radio for it exoluslysljri*^ Ur^Tf\l throughout Um couotrjr making personal appearances. , .(.u; 'i.' Ovsrdeiitfl CkiB Stuff The vogue In comedy songs Is to ta)c« surefire gaga and transform them Into "punch line" rhymw*. For 4' time they sounded funny, but it's becoming-moBhly overdone, ^he antique about "bad to w«lk home from -an auto rids^ has been dond time and again In song. Some of tho gags would perish if told In prose and still managS' to do ta^iy woU In yens, but the pf»ctibs Is bscomlng tod well known. Musicians fro,m Pa. Small Town ' Lefilghton, Pa^ has be^n us«d by Ben Bemle as a gag town, It bshtg an inconspicuous hajnlet,..although for its physical unimportance it la unique in the number of expert Jaxs musioians wbo havs emanated from there.' Among them la Donald Paxton Bryan, better known as "Toots." of the Bernie personnel. The unusualness of this Is explained through J. J. BlakSly, ass i s t a n t postmaster-general under Presl<Hent Roosevelt from Lehighton. Pa., and an ardent musical enthusiast. He sponsors the town band, which has graduated about 1.000 male musicians and 600 female since its inception. Alleen Stanley, American Jass songstrsss. returning on the Caroola. states that the BrKish aristocracy has been bitten by the ukulele bug. The dukes and the earlS aren't toting their own ukes along yel, but Miss Stanley prophesies It's only a question of time before they do. Among the well-known signatures on Miss Stanley's uks are those of Prince George, the third Son of the Xing; Lady Loughborough and Lord Beaverbrook. MUSK-RADIO MEETING DUE WEEK OF AUG. 17 To Frame New Copyright Bill If Various interests Can Reacii Agreement The music men and the radio in- terests will eonfer the we^kof Aug. 17 In an effort to reach some ad- justment of their differences. This move Is part of the Copyright Re- vision Committee's, scheme to bring all differing intersats^ together for the proper introduction of a nfivr oopsrright bill. Frederick B. Hume is chairman of,'this committee. The last conference between the music men an& the plctitre Interests, had Sydney B. Cohen, representing the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, scoring the A. S. C. A. P. for Its "Shylock tactics." There is talk of Congressman Sol Bloom introducing the new biU Into the House i^nd Senator Ernst, chairman of the Patents Commit- tee, Into the Senate, but such gos- sip Is premature, as the vkrylng In- terests seem disinclined to co-op- erate for the proper introduction of any^ Mil. Any clause strengthening the property rights of the copyright owner, particularly as regards mu- sic, seems to be immediately black- balled by various Interests Including the picture theatre owners,' tadio and phonograph record and roll people. BUSSE'S "BUZZASDS" Henry Busse, of Paul Whiteman's orchestra, makes bis debut as an exclusive Victor artist Aug. 31. Busse's Buzaards Is the blUlmlr ac- corded the "hot" trumpeter of thp WhltemanltoB. The Buzsards will feature "hot" recorilinRB, the BiiPHe combination r<'places the Rons Gprroan Jaz4 uhit which Whlteman spoHsored iip uh-' til Oormnn loft to org-inUe his own "Vunities" orchestra. A SPECIAL MUM- PER FOR ORCHESTRAS BANDS, CABARO& ARTISTS and MUSIC ■■*■ ■f.. win be iMued hf darmy the summer and before the opening of the new Reaervationa of Spaem ati^ copy now ncempiabim " u),.. . ■J:j^. \Ax:iL ■