Variety (August 1925)

19 VARIETY TIMES SQUARE Wednesday, August 19, 1925 'ROUND THE SQUARE Armored Sightaeeing Car* A Chloagoun lately arrivtul In New York said he was promoting a sure- flro scheme to make money In Oilcago. He intended to build and operate Armored slphtHcelnpr auto hunea tor that town, guaranteelngr pa«sengrers •gainst all harm or Injury If they would agree not to put their arms or heaiis out a window. H«rm«n L. Roth Back in New York Herman L. Roth has returned to New York from California, where the former attorney became involved in trouble that lan&ed him for a term at San Quontin prlMon. It is said that Mrs. Roth Interceded for blm and the intercession won Uoth a pardon. Shortly before the Roths were about to return east, three weeks ago, Mrs. Roth, il, died on the coast. Car Trip to Miami Some of the sightseeing autos in Times Square are advertising trips to Miami. Fla., to start in November. No Information is given on the boards other than the bare announcement. Miami is a S8-hour tfeln ride, if the train arrives on time. The last time that happened, It is •aid, was in 1908. „ Browne's Curiot Sold The famous collection of old prints, programs, manuscripts and antique theatrical curios which for many years adorned the walls of Browne's Chop House, next to the Ehnplre, was sold last week for 1480 to a col- lector. Immediately after the unexpected sale many of the theatrical patrons of Browne's made bids to the collector for certain pieces they had admired. The collector said he would appraise the stuff and then otter It for separate sale. The name of Browne's Chop House, however, has not disappeared •ntlrely, for its owner has an establishment at Hollls, I.. 1., where he will h*eafter preside. The hunchbacked man who opens and closes the doors for the back- stage Johns and other visitors at the New Amsterdam theatre is great material for a human Interest yam. His income from the tips in per- forming the simple duty and transmitting notes must be worth while and his Insight on human nature is quite extensive from casual con- versation. Shortaga of "ShilU" There is a shortage of female "shlUs" for the rubber-neck buses on Broadway. An advertisement was inserted in the "Times" last week by one sightseeing omnibus for "old women to sit on buses." These women are employed as come-ons to sit until the buses become filled up. when they depart. The sidewalk spielers' psychology is that an empty bus never attracts prospects, hence the daily Investment for several of these "•hills" at |1 and (2 a head to serve the purpose of come-ons. «oTinny Lyons Popular, Too With the insertion of John J. Lyons, former Secretary of the State of New York, as a candidate for the Republican nomination for New York's mayor's chair, it developed Johnny Lyons is another of the popular New Yorkers well known in Times Square. Notwithstanding that Mr. Lyons has as campaign manager Jack Lewis, the vaudeville agent, and that his campaigning headquarters were located In the law offices of Freddie Goldsmith, the Jimmy Walker sweep of the mid-section of New York was not affected. Many mentioned that Johnny Lyons is a regular and they didn't want to see him defeated by Jimmy Walker, but it is doubtful if Senator Walker lost a single admirer from 34th to (9th street when the Lyons candidacy was announced late last week. The destruction of Brownelb Chop House began last Thursday, when workmen started on the roof, four stories up, and bei(an dismantling •thkjgs. The understanding is that a 10 story office building will sup- plant tli« present structure. Iodine and Veronal "Suicides" '•Attempted suicide" by the iodine or veronal route continues in the jnld-section of the large town. Iodine is said to be dangerous when swallowed, but If the lips onlr are moistened it's a safety first means for love-sick "suicides" or those who would have others believe they «re love-sick, if not worse. Veronal, of late, is said to have been placed in the prescription class of drugs. Previously it hung around drug store counters and had perfect freedom. Too much veronal might produce something besides sleep, but it's like sugar In the coffee—it all depends upon how much you can stand. Inexperienced girls trying "suicide"' for the first time are much Uke other girls who start to Jump out of a window, after concluding that other people In the room can reach the window before they can. The flrst-tlmers are usually well advised whom to notify as the first clause when about to commit suicide, and when and how to make it deceptive the next, with ^he benefits last but most Important. The Races Beating Fannie Brice Fannie Brice, the comedienne, nearly escaped breaking the bookies at the race tracks in the east this summer. Miss Brice sUrted gaily and With a success that finally encouraged her to get as high as |5.000 dally or to a race, It is said. But when Fannie wasn't looking the horses commenced to run funny or her guesser went out of gear. Something happened, for the Brice winnings slumped, so much so that of late Mis* Brice is reported to have United her bets to $5 per race. ^ until he read In one of the dallies that if anyone got the correct number on a 12 bill he could get $200 for nothing. I'\>r months and months Bill never touched his cash drawer, even for a touch, but now he hangs around the cashier looking for $2 bills, and spends half of his time comiiaring numbers. The other half Billy spends wondering why he doesn't win. Jimmy Hussey's Long Letter Jimmy Hussey Is back In New York. You can always tell when Mr. Hussey Is around New York. The night places remain open longer. Jimmy was out on the coast playing the Orpheums for a special engagement, returning to the big village to resume playing with the Janis show, "Puzsles." Jimmy was telling the other evening how he killed time on the Twentieth Century from New York into Chicago. "I never thought of It before," said Jimmy. "You know, I seldom write a letter, and never a long one. I haven't written a long letter to my mother in years; always wire her, long or short messages, and often. "On the Twentieth Century I thought I would do a little kidding, so I started to write to a fellow in New York. When I got started I couldn't stop. The letter was sixteen pages long before I finished, and I thought it was the candy for iiidding, if I do say so myself. "Getting into New York I mailed it, but heard nothing from the fellow. I jufit saw him for the first time tonight. "'Did,you get my letter?' I asked him. 'Sure,' he said. "What did you think of It?' I asked him again. 1 thought it was pretty funny myself, 'Her niother formerly was In the and besides It's the longest letter I ever wrote. Did you get my *P. S.'? Wasnt' that a bear?' "And the fellow replied: " 'Yes. I got the P. S. That's how I knew you had written it. When I opened that letter and saw how long it was I turned over to the last page to find out the writer. 'Oh, Jimmy Hussey,' I said to myself. 'He must have gone off hts nut. So I threw the whole thing into the waste basket.' " Basil Gallagher Accepted Dan'be Invitation Basil Gallagher, newspaperman, covering assignments In the RIalto iA the daytime, surprised most of his friends in Manhattan and New Jersey, where he balls from, by dancing with one of the chorines in the cast of "Vanities" at the Carroll. Gallagher, who comes from Metuchen, a graduate of Rutgers, and once a star fullback, is familiarly known by his chUms as "Red." because of his Titian locks. Gallagher, a guest of Norman Carroll, was Invited to see the show. Gallagher never has to be Invited twice, especially where the fair ones predominate. Gallagher in his new light summer suit felt sorry for Julius Tannen. Julius was telling the audience of the dancing liberties which precede the show. He begged anyone to step up on the stage and avail them- selves of the free dancing. The Rutgers kid had Just -had one of the free Canada Dry ginger ales. He felt sorry when Julius asked for recruits. Without introduction Gallagher leaped aboard tl\e stage and embraced one of the blonde cast. Gallagher is keen for the fair ones and he lost no time In getting from his seat—the Butter and Egg section, in the fore i)art of the theatre—to have his Jig. UNION-MGRS. MEET ON COAST ^ r, , V '^^COOO to Equip Pop Price Restaurant On Columbus Circle is a newly opened popular priced restaurant seat- ing around 600 people It cost $130,000 to open the place Ind it s J^lSth; restaurant must do 11.500 daily to break even. The restaurant has two entrances, from Broadway and Central Park West Another growing restaurant chain seems to be The Coffee Pot. Uptown Iw"?..'.^ °"® *''"2^^ °" *''*'"^ ^^"""^ *""* downtown are any number of the little stores fitted up with counter and coffee. Slightly Joshing One Winchell Two-gun Murphy is a tough guy, a bad man, handy with the guns both of 'em. Ask Walter Winchell, the bright youth who is the "Graphic's" specialized column conductor. At other times Two-Gun Is Walter's conductor. He takes him to Chinatown and other places Mr. Winchell has road about In books but never did believe existed. Now he knows differently. Every place Two-Gun goes with his pal Walter is touKh. some tough! Ofttimes It's so tough that young Mr. Winchell never even suspected that he was being framed. He probably won't believe It after reading this, although almost all of his friends around 48th street know about It, including Two-Gun Murphy. It has kept the bunch so busy staging tough places for Walter they have almost run out of places. Billy Lahiff Out for Easy Coin Billy I^hiff Is Scotch l.y deweni: He .tIho runs the Tavern, a favorite ••ting place In the .Squmv. Mr. JMtr.n liad nothing to worry about (Continued from page 9) schedule. f3.79 is asked for the matinees. For houses playing pictures at In- tervals the I. A. T. S. E. road scale, which is 13% Increase, is asked. For men working in projection rooms and supply houses on Film Row an increase of 20%^ is asked, with the salary being boosted to $60. For men employed in preview rooms of theatres the boost is 16% or $40 per week. Stage Hands, |6 More The stage hands are asking for an average increase of $5 per week^ which heads of departments and as- sistants with the flymen having their increase piade from $3.50 to $4.50 a performance and with grips from $3.60 to $4.00. The Increase for front lamp operators is from $4.00 to $4.50 a performance and for clearers and lamp operators from $3.|60 to $4 a performance. The working conditions for all houses and a 48-hour week In six days with a request that all theatres employ a regular relief man, paying him the salary of the head of the depart- ment The scale for combination houses for all heads of departments requested is $56 per week with a maximum of nine performances. For stock houses the price asked for heads of departments Is $60 a week with assistant cap boys get- ting $55. assistant property and electricians $45 per week. The sca,le for vaudeville and tab- loid is set for $55 a week. These houses are permitted to give two or more performances a day. For the two-a-dJiy vaudeville heads ot de- partments are asking $55, with the assistant carpenters $50, and assist- ant property and electricians $45, with flymen $50 and assistants $47. Performances In fhese houses are to be limited to three and one-half hours running time. For the continuous vaudeville houses the scale Is the same with tho exception that two helpers are to be employed. At these houses three showH a d.iy are allowed with the maximum work ng time of seven hours. For vaudeville houses where the admission fep !s not more than 30 cents $ri0.i)0 Is tho price asked. This was formerly $42 for heads of depnrtipents. For ,-the Cl.ihs D or vaudevlllo where not more thnn two full stage sets are used heads of dermrtmrnts are to get $55 a week. Houses which do not have regular performance are asked to pay $10 n performance In- HOMESICK GIRL RAN, AWAY FROM HOME Lives in Flushing and Wanted to See New York—Home- sicl< Later Margaret Yeoman, 15. 600 So. 17t.h street. Flushing, L. I., daughter of a theatrical couple, has heard so much about the country and seen so little of It, that she made up her mind Saturday midnight that she would venture forth and see some of It for herself. Her father, under the name of Pat Peck, Is out in Indiana soma place in a. comedy sketch with her uncle, Frank Yeoman. They are in vaudeville and have been for years. same line of endeavor but for the last few years has been sticking close to the old homestead, takinir care of Margaret and some other children. There have been postals from dad and her uncle from all over the country. Margaret being a school girl and geographically inclined Anally developed an appetite to se« something more of thie country than the pictures on post cards. Saturday midnight she packed up a small suitcase after everyone was asleep, threw It out of the window, and then slid down part of a blan- ' ket she had previously fastened to the radiator in her room, and caught a train for New York, 19 miles away. Margaret was $7.50 strong when hittlMg the big city and was directed to the Hotel Stanley, 124 West 47th street, where she registered as Rose' Young. A general alarm was sent out for her as soon as she was dls* ' covered missing. Detective Stevens* of the West 47th street police sta- tion, located her there late Sunday, night as she was about to check out, having become homesick. A policeman took her back home and she says she won't run away again until she Is much older. 8b« had 35 cents left. stead of $7.50 as In the past. The scale set for the de luxe pic- ture houses Is $60 for all heads of departments with two helpers called for at this scale, an assistant car- penter at $55, and the head flymen at $56. These houses are not to employ less than six men. Picture houses which give con- cert and presentations and do not use more than one set are listed at $5v for heads of departments. Musicians' Average Increase The demands of the musicians average from $7 to $10 a week In- crease; with the combination houses $10 a single performance is asked and $7 a performance where two performances are g'.ven in one day. The leaders to get 50 per cent of one man's pay extra. For the dra- matic stock houses $46 per week for seven performances, asking $E a performance for all performances over that amount. The leader here also gets 50 per cent of one ^man's pay extra. The time limit a per- formance for these houses is three and one-half hours. In stock houses where the season Is 52 weeks a scale is set at $40 a man for s 'ven performances and $5 a performance over.. For the Class A or two a day vaudeville houses the new scale is $75, raised from $68 a week, with leader getting 50 per cent of a man's pay extra, however, where the pres- ent hours a day is listed at seven hours with the ui.ions requesting that It be cut to six hours a day. The Class B vaudeville houses or three a day, $70 a week Is asked for a six-hour day with the leader to get $105. For the suburban vaude- ville houses $40 a week Is asked for two shows a night or less with the director to get $60 where three and a half hours is allowed a perform- ance. For the Class A picture house, where six hours a day is the maximum, the scale has been boosted from $62.50 to $70 a man with the leader to get $106. For the Class B houses, where admission is forty cents or less, the maximum pay asked Is $56 a week. This was formerly $47, with leader to get $82.50 a »veek. For the tabloid house, where the admission is over 50 cents wit', the working day llmitci. to six hours, the pay asked Is $55, an increase from $47, and $82.50 for the leader. In Picture Studios For the picture studios where the d".,- is limited to eight ho'irs. where HALL SHORTAGE Some Shows Rehearsing Uptown-^ Heavy Demand Jumps Rent The unprecedented rush of pro- ductions and acts Into rehearsal^' presaging an early season, has ere* ated a scarcity of rehearsal hall* in and near the vicinity of Time«^ Square. Practically every theatre and known rehearsal hall Is currently occupied by some production in the making, and many producers have been shunted Bronxward in their quest for available spots. The heavy demand has blown up, a harvest wind of revenue for op- erators of rehearsal halls, with many doubling the usual $1 an hour fee and still others demanding a premium besides the rental figure in order to let an embryonic attrac- tion in. Act producers have ' partially solved their problems by holding rehearsals of small cast acts in their offices or In other inactive offlces, with the rehearsal rent coming In handy for the owners and more than paying rent in these dull times. Rehearsal hall owners are aware that the rush is but a temporary one and are consequently cashing In as heavily as possible while it lasts. one person plays along the scale Is set at $15 in or oui of the picture. Where more men are used the scale Is set at $12.50 with the man in charge of the band or orchestra be- ing given $5 additional, provided more than four players are used. For night work the same scale is to be paid. For radio broadcasting one-half hour day or less people are to be paid 25 per cent extra and for one hour a day 3E per cent. ■ For men working in hotels not to exceed five hours a day a scale of $76 a week, for four hours a day $60. For dance halls the scale runs from a minimum or $7.25 for three hours a week to $70 for 52 hours a week: Where they aro required to play continuously without an Intermission between two or more numbers the maximum is $87 a week for 52 hours. For beach resorte where the sea- son Is not less than 10 weeks be- tween Juno 1 and Oct. 1 the scale Is set toe $50 a man with a limit of five hour.s a day. Where the season l« more thnn ten-weeks it Is more than $45 per week.