Variety (Dec 1929)

86 VARIETY VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, December 4, 1029 After More and Better Acts For Units—Long-Term Options Publix is eng?iglng as many standard vaude acta as may be placed for the stage units, with opr tions for additional units, thus sew- ing up talent for as long as desired. New production regime in Publix is dictating that more and belter acts should be used, with some units . now having six and seven different turns, although some are singles. Formerly four acts was the Jivei;-^ . ■»&«. , . The Publix claim is that It lias the best comedy acts now. While new- comer? of promise are encouraged • more "names" from vaude and kin- dred flelds ate sought. Among comedy acts now on the circuit ^re Hal Sherman, Seed and Austin, Carlton and Blue, Harry Savoy, Joe Browning, Bob La Salle, Roy Sedley, Ed and Tom Hickey, Egan tind Cannefax, Lang and Haley, Senator Murphy, Bayes and gpech-t, Jinimy W. Dunn, Johnny Burke, Joe Penher, Ross and Ed- wards, Art Frank, Ralph Whitehead, Ed Norworth and Ed and Martin Beck. Most of these gradu^ited to pic- ■ . ture housps from vaude.- Reports Publix bookings for units the .. past two Veeks shows a letdown. ; '.Only 10 acts w'ere taken up, Those okayed- are Renle Riano, Felovis, Rome and Gault, The Berk- . offs, Two Bliack Dots, Jean Boydell, Monro and Granit, Varsity Four, Du- ■ calion. Five Entot Girls, Ford and Whiting, Chester' Fredericks, Bert ^Gordon, 'Lassiter Bros., Madeline >; ""McKenzle, Norton and Haley. Some of the acts are repeat book- Ings. „ Withew With Publix Charles Withers and his "Opry House," Btandiard in vaude many years, go§s to Publix to head a unit built around the act and called "Now and Then." Jack Partington is producing, opening date at Par- amount, New Haven, Dec. '12. Others in cast are Tommy Won- der, Ward Sisters, Bendova . and Gamby-Hale Girls. LAUDER'S ^GS£;EK TESTS liollywopd, Dec. 3. Sir Harry Lauder took a couple of tests last week at Paramount Not known that company will use the Scotch, humorist or whether the tests have some other angle. Geo. Choos' Appendix George Choos .^Was stricken sud- denly Sunday with a bursted' appen- dix and taken to French hospital. New York. » He underwen,^ an operation im- tnediately, and will ptiU through. Story on Vaude Hollywood, Dec. 3. Nick Grinde, director with M-G-M, will have his first "Satevepost" story published m the issue of Nov. 30. Title is "Where's Vaudeville At?" KNOCKS WIFE OFF PIANO STOOL FOR A LAUGH Comedy lyrics are. not the pnjy funny things pulled . off In music publishing houses^ according to Solly Cohen. Just ah average day brings in any number of foolish requests, such as a dance team wanting to know \vhat^ key they could dance "Strutters' Ball" to, or a colored tenor wanting to sinff "Ireland Mtist Be Heaven, qause My Mother Came from There." Recently a vaudevillian requested some songs, for his act. When asked what kind o£ turn he did, he replied, "Imitations of animals and birds," He was given, an orchestration of "Listen to the Mocking Bird." Acts from the sticks often bring in unexpected- laughs when after new numbers, A man and womath recelntly arrived, explaining that all their material was specially writ- ten and tfiat^ they wanted a substi- tute for their third number—feeling that they were ge>;tin^ a little me chanlcal. Their get-ups were istrict ly low-comedy, but they were ushered Into a stu4io to. run over the number so the song-writers could get some idea of their style. The nunaber proved, to be "Gunga Din," with, the woman accompany ing her partner at the piano. When he reached the line, "They have belted you and flayed you, he hauled off and struck the wom^ an on the^ chin, sending hfer fly in off the piano stool. —-The spectators_recelvcd>-thi3 piece of business with plenty of mirth. "That's what It does to audiences It kills them," said the singer proudly. The team was advised to keep the nuniber in as no better substitute could be found. . The woman meanwhile had picked herself up and was gingefly feeling her chin. "See that blue spot on her face? asked the man., "Sometimes I for- get and hit her too hard." "Jhat's* right," said the partner, "He's always clowning." GEORGE S. BROOKS Has written some of mbst popular short stories published by "Satur day Evening Post," "Scribner's,' "Harper's," etc. His play, "Spread Eagle," produced by Jed Harris, re- ceived outslandipg seasonal notices. Now with Fox Film Company and very happy. . Remaining there in deflnitely. , '" DirecUon SIDNEY PHILLIPS, 234 West 44th street. DOW-HOWAftD CLINCH Agents Battle Over What May Have Been Said to Lady Manager Loews TiTU^ Presentation Unit Shaved Down to Vaude BiDs Cost Use for Vaude Advantageous use of vatide In, sound houses, aa advertised in the El Tovar theatre, Crys- tal Lake, III., house program: "Betrayed! She? had placed faith In a man who sought to blackmail .her, and, rebelling, to save her honor she^ "Added 8 Acts of Radlo- Keith-Orpheum Vodvil!" Ihdle vaude agents are discussing the wrestling setto that A.. B; Dow and Sam B. Howard had In How ard's bfflce In the Bond bulldihg. [t occurred over the booking of the William Seabury act for one of Dow's houses." I)bw claimed How ard said some un&omplimentary things to the woman operating the house where the Seabury act played. A claim was made that a change had been made in the turn without notifying Dow. *' An eyewitness claims Dow walked into Howard's office. . Words flew, and some naughty words, too. Dow is said to have gotten a hammeiiock on Howard's windpipe. Howard's language was choked for the time being until the combatants were separated. " No blow-by-blbw broadcasting of the bout, although later each com batant spieled his own vecslon. W. B.'S FLATBUSH SHORTS Shorts made at Warners' Flat bush studio include Joe-Frisco, Rose Perfect and Otth and Codee. Latter team have -made half a dozen previous recordings for War- ners. Latest has Harold Morava and Florence Vem.on in support Holtz on Leew Lou Holtz opened 20 weeks for Loew in Boston this week. Booked through the Morris office. [N. V. A. GAINS UOO NEW MEMBERS IN DRIVE Ending last Saturday, the special drive tor membership by the national Vaudeville Artists had netted .that reorganized " club 1,200 .new mem bets. Over 1,600 applications had been received during the three months the drive was on... • ■ ConsidWlng the variety playing situafion for past montlis, the hun- dreds of pew members gained in such a short while lis said to be gratifying to the N. V. A. officers The campaign for Incrbasfed membership is to cohtinuei It takes in all of the variety branches of the show business. ■ . No date as yet has been set for the formal opening of the N. 'Xt'. Ai Sanatorium at .Saranac^ This Is reported due to the condition of uncompleted installation. A "prob- able day Is . set as New Ye?ir'.s or before. Moran and Mack Split; Bert Swor as New 'Moran' A Ldew presentation'unit, "Dres- den China," produced for the pic- ture house route starting at the Cai^itol, New York, will be played as an eiu>erlment in place of the customary five-acts bills on Loew's southern vaude time. Opening date is Dec. 28 in Richmond, when the unit will have completed its picture house .bookings. Results irom Loew's first , try witiL a band unit in the southern vaude towns will settle the booking of others to follow. •T>resden China" will be trluimed in cost and film house proportions to meet the shorter budgets^ In the vaude theati-es. ■ Present line of girls will be reduced and the salary sliced on all sides. Pit bands fn the vaude theatres will be elevated to the stage. The cpmedjr act travel- ing With the unit will contribute one or . both members as permanent m. c.'s. , , Whether the pretentious presen- taUon units can stand up under the necessai'y cutting will be part of the experiment. • . ''Cost The Capitol" units, produced by LoUls K. Sydney, range from ?3,500. to $4,500 in 'Weekly cost after the opening week at the Capitol. In order to sweat them down to $2,500 or slightly more, average cost of Loew's vaude road, shows in the south, much clipping must be done, Loew's ■Southern time comprises 10 of the circuit's 28 vaUde weeks. The Loew presentation route has been Increased to 11 weeks since addition of five theatres formerly booked by Publix; With the 11 weeks already under Its belt, "Dresden China" will play 10 more south for ..a total route of 21 weeks. . THE NEXt Anniversary Number OF hi Deeemher will be the 24th Annual Special of this newspaper Prepare copy early and send to any "Variety** off ice No change in current advertising rates Hollywood, Dec. 3. Moran and Mack have split. "Moran" the IVth or Vth, didn't like i the way Charlie Mack, who hais a 140 page contract with Paramount, was cutting him In on the t ake, so I he told his employer and blew. Mack, who supposedly owns the I trade , mark of "Moran and Mack' and "Two Black Crows," gets bet- ter rthan $100,000 for each picture he makes. ,~ Mack Is now dickering. with Bert ] Swor, one of. his former "Morans,'" I to do *'Two Black Crows in the A. IB. F." G}eorge Searcy, the present "Mo- ran," threatens action for an ac- counting. . . Moran gays he has been receiving $200 weekly for each week worked, whether vaude, pictures or radio. A bonus of. $50 weekly^ however, was included for every week worked and $150 per side for all phonograph recordings; Moran claims that the team has been averaging $5,000 a week during the past season through Its various activities. . Moran hinges another claim on that his contract was Inequitable because of Mack having the right to fire him on two weeks' notice and he not having the right to. quit, as his services are defined as "unique and extraordinary." Moran Is also pro- hibited from professlohally employ^ Ing the name/Of George Moran'or from using the copyrighted billing, "Two Black Crows." 200 SHDBERT CONTRACT ACTS AND NO SHOWS With not a single muslcaj in re- hearsal at present the Shuberts sfeem concerned over the'unloading of approjclmately 200 acts under l-contract.. Many of these acts have been al- ready released by the Shuberts. New Ohio RKO Stands Chicago, Dec. 3. Five more Ohio houses have been added to list to western RKO books. They are at Warren, Steu* benville, Bellaire, Akron and Can- ton. Herb Jennings, managju^; Ih© Canton RKO-Palace, will book through the Chicago Office. Sandusky and Lima, O.. were added two weeks ago. dTJIGE STUFF! Vaude comic who hasn't worked this season walked I'htp a busy agent's office. "Sam," he said, "I'd like to talk to yoU; about some time." "I can only talk to you about a minute," said the agent. "Okay," snapped the comic. "I'll take it.".. DEMFSEYS AT PALACE Estelle Taylor has been booked for ,the Palace, New York, next week, concurrently but not in the same act with her husband, Jack Dempsey. Sobers Charity Show Nat Sobel, Keith agent, will stage one of his periodical charity shows tomoxTow (Thursday) for inmates of Hudson County Hospital, Laurel Hill, N. J. Acts represented by Sobel will give the performance. Sobel runs about 20 shows an nually for various charitable insti- tutions In New York and vicinity. JHe has been doing it for 15 years. Bennett Asking $2,500 Legit's Richard Bennett breaks In a Max Gordon - produced vaude sketch for Keith's In NeW Rochelle, Dec. 7. Three people assisting the star. . Bennett is asking $2,500 for going democratic. Haley's Short •Laurence Schwab will direct a shoi'trfeaturing^Jack-Haley at Par"- amount's Astoria studio next week. The film will be "King Solomon, Jr.," originally a vaude act with Franklyn Ardell and written by him and Daniel Kusell. Schwab had made the screen. vOrsion. Eight girls win be used in the Haley short. Haley is under contract to Schwab & Martdel for the firm's Paramount talkers. 1560 BROADWAY, NEWYORK. ym WILLIAM MORRIS CALL BOARD WANT Spanish and South American Entertainers - -I ""CHICAGO, nil BUTLER BLOG.