Variety (Dec 1928)

VARIETY HJC-ffS President But Entire' rrhouBh Hiram a Btown V^as frnheum at the board of directors' ^fnff lit week. Keith's, (part of rK-oT i? anxiously awaiting the. S'ne looked for reorganization ^of that chain, commencing with Its "^JiSlS* has been over the .wJon of an actual . showman «lmto? of Kelth'3 as a vaudfilm ?r«^lt Sok of information held subject by anyone is almost S^^fnSybetheinl^^tUjaorDgri^ fSarnoff. chairman of the R-K-O ?oa?d and the new president, to at- feXt to operate Keith's as at present manned, placing the almost super, human task upon the present staff. It^s now headed by John Ford who so far has capably discharged his onerous office as general man- ager of the combined Keith and Orpheum circuits. . Of the two operators' names for- merly mentioned in connection with their possibility of physical direct- ing the Keith houses and policies, one Is reportisd to have been dis- missed from consideration. The other, it Is said. With a president Selected, filling that post, Is not in- clined to further consider the prof- fer, if it has gone to him, declining to accept a secondary position of authority in any organization. He ts now president of the chain oper- . eted by him; ■ . . . PBO, tbe picture producer, the other end of R-K-O Is permanently offlcered and directed under Brown, Jos. I. Schnitzer is general mari- ^g^T of FBO, with William LeBaron 5n charge of production. Both are loldovers and placed In their pres- ent positions by Sarnoff, aa was Ford, also a holdover under R-K-O In Keith's. Other Appointments ' Other appointments made by the board last week Were Maurice Good- Tdaon. as general counsel to R-K-O and vice-president. B. B. Kahane Is the secretary and treasurer of the company. Goodman bias been general counsel for Keith's for many years. He started as a law clerk with the late B, Keith. Kahane pjreviously was counsel for. the Orpheum Circuit, up to its, mergier With Keith's. ' ■ Kelth-Albee-Grpheum remains in existence as a non-active, corpora- tion and will thus remain, It Is said, until its outstanding voting (com- inon) stock shall have been secured 100 per cent, by -R-K-O. Up to now it la reported R-K-O "holds 86 per cent, of K-A-O common, turn- ed In for conversion. While K-AtO remains a going concern its presi- dent, E. F. Albee, retains that po- sition by virtue of a contract held by him with Keith-Albee-Orpheum. It Is understood R-K-O in con- Verting K-A-O stock into R-K-O and conti'OUing in that manner, as- iBumed .no Keith-Albee-Orpheum obligations. It Is reported that Albee will continue On the construc- tion of the new Keith theatres started by him. Two remain under :cohstrUction, at^ Rochester, N. -T.i and Flushing, K I. Each Is du6 Shortly to be completed and open. ' ShiftingTOthers No mention of any' office, to be keld by Marcus Helman, former Orpheum prtsident, in R-K-O Is heard. One story says Helman may be temporarily placed In the broadcasting enterprises of Radio Corporation of AmericiEl, the parent : R-K-O company. Other former executives of Keith-Albee-Orpheum may also go to R-K-O offices, with FBO mentioned as the talking short maker for their service?, or R. A. C. rhotophone, a Ri- A, C; "sub, with its own. proposed talking picture production studio. The new president, Brown, called the Keith and FBO heads down- town last Friday for a conversa- tional chat. The impression left Was Brown Is pleasant enough and ah inference he did hot contemplate any revolutionary changes in the Keith organization, immediately. Hi Brown Brown may leave his downtown quarters and ihove into the Keith offices by Dec. 15, with his resig- nation as president of the United States Lieather Company to take ef- fect Dec. 31. BroTvn's knowledge of the show business or vaudeville is of the slightest. He socially knows the Albees and Ted Lauder through the Westchester-Biltmore golf coutse as a niUtuai meeting place. , Brown lives on the W.-B. grounds. - Downtown, Hi Brown at 46 is known as ah organizer of unlimited ability. He walked into the leather 'trade when it was greatly dis- organized, bringing the leather mess Into its present position of solidity within Ave years. Called a hard-boiled business inah, Bfown is. reported an unusual cohcillator and is said to have early worked out his leather problem by round table ipersuaslon through Which he obtained c6-operatioh In leather community interests. In handling th6 leather trade so satisfactorily, Brown Is said to have attracted the attention of big downtown business. He became very friendly with Owen Toung of A. T; & It was due to his. standr ing that the prestige of his name and as contact for the large inter- ests affiliated with R. Q. . A. that Brown was requested toi become the R-K-O president;.. The supposition Js that through Brown's record as ah organizer his choice is In Ime with R., C. A/s Ideas for the future In the show business. At last week's R-K-O board meeting It was officially ^tnnounced that Paul D. Oravath, Arthur Leh- nian (L/ehman Brothers, bankers) and .M. Hcrr had been added to the. R-K-O board, making the R-K-O board sound equal in its names to any board of directors in the coun- try, not excepting U. S. Steel. A .Demoralized Keith's Meanwhile, with the slowness In establishing the R-K-O organiza-. tlon, principally for Keith s, Keith's as an institution Is badly demoralized. Its condifion Is be- coming more so dally, with morale at the lowest ebb. This is partially due to uncertainty of the staff men. Including bookers and house managers, but principally because there, is no dominant chain operator to take hold with strong-arm. au- thority to straighten out the chaotic condition.. ' ' . Keith's, for months, subject to the costly and damaging interfer- ence of minority, stockholders in K-A-b, has been reduced from one of the most Influential chains Into a matter of guesswork as to who can pull it out of. its present hole. A recent statement issued by Keith's revealed it has lost $1,000,- 000 the nrst eight months of this year. The full year may see that amount reach almost two millions It will require the most skilful of direction to handle -this mixed vaudfllm chain. The most skilCul. operator obtainable will still have a heavy task to work, it out. The impression among the inost astute vaude showmen is that Keith's can be worked out by- the right operator. It-is not expected that Brown can assimilate sufflcierit detail on Keith's to give . it his intelligent working direction within . six months. Ford, with admittedly a load enough for any one man to handle in office and routine tnattera Of the circuit, is not looked to to operate befeide.s, it is said. ^ Earl Sanders, at' present chief booker for Keith's, is . reported having his hardest work untangling the terrific booking Jam the factional interfer- ence last summer threw the com- bined Keith circuit's books Into. Bookers and Agents It is commonly believed that be- side3=-two=-.=corkinp^---.execUtiiea^^In Chicago, Dec. 4. Musicians and masters of ccre- nvonies seem to acquire pugilistic tendencies once they come here- They are Imbued with the idea of living up to thO: reputation the newspapers have given this town. ^ Last week Art Franks,, dancing comic with the Publix ''HI Hat" stage unit, Chicago theatre, lost his temper, professional dignity and standing when Slugging Lou KbSloff, band leader and m. c. of the house. Argument was trivial. Kosloff came down to Franks' driessihg room, remonstrating about the un- warranted temperament the latter had • displayed while on stage. Franks hauled off at Kosloft and hung up a nice brlght shiner on his eye! . ' Then followed a visit from James Petrillo, head of the musicians' union here, and Franks;made a pub- lic apology, admitting he waS wrong. Kosloft, meanwbile, carried around a tinted lamp. . The Incident aroused much anger around toWn. It is doubtful if Franks will be permitted t,o con- tinue on his route,. • Browning Thinks lightly Of Slander-Meves She s Insulted Keith's Broadcasting Stopped in Minn. GEO. B. MILLER KILLED Striick on? Head by Bandits—For men Magician • Best Xmas Present Always Welcome for $10 Year's Subscriptioa to Variety Toledo, Dec. 4. . George B. Miller, 63, died Dec, 1 as the result of an attack by ban- dits. While held up,- but not robbed. Miller was. struck over the head and died the follpwlng day; The deald man was a magician on the stag© some years ago. At one time he traveled with. Thurston. More recently he had resided in this city. ;; ' •' ... ■ ■ 2-Wk. Palace Dales For Name? Shortage Shortage of name acts will lead to a two-week booking at Keiths Palace for names for: the balance of the season, it is said. 'To date the probable draws have been held over whenever i>bs3lble. but the re- peat weeks have, not been set in advance^ : . Ted Lewis Is currently h. o. at tne Palace on an original 14-day book- ing Phil Bakier has been engaged for" the weeks of Dec. 16-23, result of his opening Week notwithstand- Ingi ,1. - ^ Due to the severe scarcity of ma- terial, the office hag found no way to set Palace bills e::vrliei; than Fri- day, two days before opening. In numerous instances this season acts have been booked into the Palace as late as Saturday, opening the fol- lowing day. Whiteman at Palace Paul Wiiiteman will return to Keith's Palace, New York, for. the week of Dec. 30. . . The band of 27 at the Palace will have the Rhythm Boys (3). Latter now playing for Keith's as an act. Boys Ushering . J j-..^_Chicagp,^ NOT^: 2^^ .^ Palace, two-a-day, is the last lo- cal vaude house to discard girl ush- ers in favor of gent cadets. Fally Nlarkus Adds Two . New Empress, South Norwalk, Conn., and Sanford, trvlngton, N. J., have, been added to Fally Markus books. . \ M ^ Five acta on a split week for both. Minneapolis; Dec. 4. Acting on orders from the liiaia offices in New York, the Hchnepin- Orpiieum (Keith's), lias discontin- ued its weekly broadcasting over local station WRliM. ^i6 reason given for the ban on the broad- casting. It is Understood the ban applies to every houne oh the Keith cir- cuit.- • Broadcasting by artiats appear- ing at any Orphoum hoirsVliefc al- ways had been taboo up to this season. When Frn,nk N. Phelps, local district manager, arranged several months ago to broadoawt an entire program >yeekly. with per- formers on current bills supplying the entertainment talent, the; moyo was regarded as a radical departure ■from old p0lici63. Hereabouts Phelps was lauded for his progreasiveness and enterprise in putting over the broadcasting deal. The response; to the radio exploitation on the. public's part was understood to be splendid. Ar- tists, too, were co-operating to make the ether programs a sue- • The sudden discontinuation of the broadcasting therefore came as a shock here. ' . . Radio-Kelth-Orpheum is a sub sidlary of R.. A; C, Its own broad caster with a couti try-wide (WEAF) network. . : KENNETH HARLAN IN AIR So Lead ing Lady In His Sketch Slips Picture Actor Notic* 'KJIUCO : V TT v^—-v-^---* r» ' r Keith's for its routine and general operation, Keith's needs the two best booking heads obtainable, with Sanders expected to be one of these. Most of the best vaude- ville bookers at present are outside of the Keith agency. In the Keith main booking office are over 50 agents, about 40 too many. They have boert held, in through as- Cleveland, Dec. 4. While Kenneth Harlan went up In i the air during his sketch playing at Keith's Palace last week, Louise Huntington, his leading lady, slip- ped him a two weeks' notice be- fore the picture actor could regain his balance. Harlan's simulated temperament In vaudevllie, after faded picture engagements which forced, him there, is said to have given Miss Huntington the yawns. That Is why-she gave Harlan the air. ' . ■ I—- ■ Carroll Unit Unhurt The 30-odd members of the Harry Carroll unit in the Soiithern Pacific train wreck near Roseburg, Ore., Dec. 2. were all reported un- injured. The company, playing th6 coast for Keith's, was en route to San Francisco from Seattle.. Principals of the unit, all in the wreck, are Harry Carroll, Califor- nia Collegians (band), Demarest and Collette and the Donovan Sis- ters. Last named are daughters of Major Dionovan of the V. M. P. A. Josephine Baker's Flop Berlin, Nov. 15. Josephine Baker, colored, long a raVe In Pai^is and ballyhooed here for months as a promised Sensation, washed out before a packed house at the Theatre des Westerns. Plenty took the air before the end. Critics unanimous Josephine has lost much of her zip and naivete.. Hal Sherman, American hoofer, saved the house from drawing a blank. sociatlons of one sort or another. On the booking floor are several underpaid bookers, so many that thoi-c 'is u continuous internal revolt .amongs them for the low .sal- aries paid for the high pressure work they do. With bookers au- thorized to spend millions of dol- lars yearly on bills, the most .im- portant part of the Keith Institu- tion, must of the bookers receive fg^i^fian^iOOkk^Cpersr"-r= This situation has led to many reports, none .flattering to the agents or bookers involved, with acts commencing to . talk. It will be the first struggle for any oper- ator appointed to .take up. WhUe vauacviliians shrug thdr shr.uldorS at the suggestion that Keith's may has-o no operator. DEMPSEY'S HEAVY PRICE Los Angeles, Dec. 4. Jack Dompscy is reported pre paring a vaude act, pending .icttle ment of his salary demands with Keith's. The ex-champ is asking heavy coin. . . If the wage dispute la settled Dempsey may open out here for Or- pheum •vrithin a month... Coatt Man Now Down East yew -Haycn,^ Dec. 4. Ruth Shopley's resignation from 'Thi* Squealer" because of Peaches . Browning, may fetch > $10,000 slan- der .<!Uit by Poaches against Miss Shoployi Miss Browning and her ' manngor, Edgar Allen, have con- sulted Julivis Kendlcr to serve notice on Miss Sliopley who quit the Jack Llndor show wheii advised of ;Daddy" Browning's woOf-WOof's .. advent into the; meller. . The Shepley-Brpwning imbroglio broke perfectly in the dailies for. the attraction. It smacked Of smart publicity but this suspicion Is nul- lified by the original Intention being that a special part be written in by Mark .Under, author of. '"The Squealer." for Miss Browning., It m^ly be that Peaches will do Miss Shepley's role as Is. The latter turned in hk?r two weeks' notice, al- though she was for quitting, sum- niarilv only because of Equity rul^ ing, voicing her objections to Peaches. The dallies threw a nose- gay £i.t Mi?s Shepley for her stand, . recounting her. impeccable legit •' record.' , . The latest wrinkle is the slander , . suit; Meantime, Kendlcr petitioned the White Plains (N. T.) Supreme Court for a further adjournment of * Kathbrino Rlurray's (Mrt. Allen) suit against Edgar... Alloh, naming . "a Mrs. Browriing," on thfe ground .; that he Is too weak to try the case in court. Kcndler deputized a sub- st'tute to Interpose his affldavlt. with the possibility that trial will. be -ordered to . proceed regardless. The. attorney Is but now recovering: from a critical illness. ^ Some sort of hnai action Is ex-, pected next Monday when the suit nicd by Mrs. Edgar Allen against her husband is slated for trial. Efforts to settle out of court so far hais Wen unsuccessful. . ' This Is also the same date ?et for the appearance of Peaches Browne ing in the Jack Llnder shoWi Allen's Wir» Allen sent the following wire to Miss Shepley at the; Forrest,: New York: .. ■-. "If the' newspapers quote you correctly, your statements regarding Mrs. Browning Is a direct Insult to the thousands of artists who^ have appeared on the same vaudeville bills with her and your experience should have guided you to be-more diplomitic. (Signed) Edgar Allen, Allen since his re.signatlon from the Fox vaudeville agency has been, managing Peaches. "His ^severance With Fox Is said to be the ..result of the Browning notoriety to which, jack Loeb, his immediate superior, objected. . "Squealer" Types When I'eaches was announced to Join the show la.st week Miss Shep- iloy handed in hor notice. She was for qutling bnt . after consulting Equity, was informed she w6uia • have to continue, playing o^t jicr notice time. That aiinoyed Miss Shepley further since Peaches will go into the show Monday and-Misa; Shepley must play until Wednes- day. At that time Louise Jeasup. understudy for Miss Shepley. will take over the role. ^_ There was a further objection on Miss Shepiey's part over the fea- turing of Peaches. Her agrcemcift with Llnder . Is sole featuring. Peaches is slated to .appear in .a, cafe scene, but not otherwise. Lln- der thinks she can put-The Squeal- er" across. To date its business ha3 been Just so-so. "-^ uv ♦k« "The Squealer" deals with tne Barbary : Coast, Frisco, prior to t^ie earthquake. It has all of the low down types that infested the coaSt aH^af period. That Miss Sh^lJ obiocted to Peaches ajipf'aring in a pUy of that description was som'^thihg of ^^^X^'ZJtS^ \vay, since Miss Shepley dUln t mind low types of plays herself., . . Bernard J. Ilynes, formerly West Coast theatres division manager in Seattle, has been appointed man- ager of the Palace here by llCTSf:hel Stuart, general manager of the Fox New England Theatres, Inc. The Palace, which roopfsnfd Sunday, i.s the ace house of the Fox New Eng- land chain. a a J; a H < •Ji ■n 15C0 BROADWAY. »KW YOBK ? . . > ==-2 —— u William Morris CALL BOARD n ► in M O .< 1^ fflAE MURRAY IB Breaking All Records at the j Fox, Brooklyn, TMs Week h CUICACJO: nil UUTIXIi BU)0. »