Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday, December 4, 1029 TIM ES SQUARE VARIETY. 47 Hoof-and-Mouth Talker Epidemic Takes in Old and Young on 5th or 10th Talker pictures have affected the feet and tonsils of the nation. A danclner epidemic of cyclonic force has swept the globe. Screen Hugo is the raging fad. Scarcely an office, a home, school or factory the country Is -without its quota of dance-mad, dialog-crazed mem ■ fcere. ■ ■ Tens of thousands of picture fans «re imitating the steps and speech of their favorite stars, now that the ability to talk and dance are stronger reciulsltes for a cineina career. - jjjnter the office of most any bus! iiess house, or, a department ^tore and one hears, stehogrisiphers, clerks, aecretaries and fllier.s carrying on auch conversations,as: ... . '•'Did yoU' see .Nancy Carroll do that dance .in 'Burlesque'?" ' "Sure," replies the red-haired ateno, ir/hq is "O* chewing gum ber cause the • noise is baifred on the screen. "I-can do it.- Xt goes like this." She rises to demonstrate. Forthwith the UnderwioiQdi Ingenue trips across the office.; floor, per- fectly apeihg each Vbreak'.^and tap, • "Here'.q ^ne you can!t< do,". boiasts the bossV blonde sec, grabbing the auditor's-derby and.leaping into a routine, 'which endangers! an office water-stand. .• "G'wan, ^you saw Marlon- Dayies do that at the Capitol. I'U be able to do It next week wh^en-1 get my ■peclalty aidancln' school," "W«il, take my advice, dearie, and have your language improved.... They don't say 'G'wan' oir 'dancin" In talking picti^res. . What do you suppose Vm taking dramatic art for "three nights a week, besides my buck and ballet at Wayburn'^." Usually at this Juncture ,the boss comes in and tells the girls to get to work, using the George Bancroft bass he Ukes so well. " 'Thunderbolt' has gone to his head," cracks the blonde, as he dis- appears. ; , The • schools of dancing and dramatic art . attest theV.truth of the sittiatlon in numbers .•; enrolied in their classes. Most of ihe institu- tions are loaded, the hiajOrity of — -their. studlos.Jnadequate-tOLiccom-_ modate the incoming hordes. To cope..-with this, the larger danc- ing schools have correspondence de- partments, yrhich do a' mall order . business, They ship out records and questionnaires to pupils in the 48 states and foreign countries, re- lying on the mail man to dis- seminate buck, tap, ballet, and toe work, aside from enunciation, shad- ing, gesture and poise. Wayburn's University The Ned Wayburn • School of I)ancing In New Tork, largest of its kind, Is operated not unlike a uni verslty or college, which In addition to campus, matriculates students by mall. • Wayburn's, for example, 'has i class of adults—16 to 74—number Ing 482, whereas its Juvenile classes at present have enrolled 450 under 16. Its corrnspondence. courses are mailed to about 4,000 students. The school ■ staff—-or faculty—numbers 41. Examin-ltions are conducted with acadennic severity a.nd ac- curacy. The curriculum includes one month of limbering, on© of tap, and one each of niusical comedy danc Ing, advanced tap, professional and advanced professional. A diploma can be earned only by excellence . In the four depa.rtme|nts—ballet, tap, musical comedy and acrobatic. This particular school, aside from its regular classes, has a special weekly class Saturdays for society girls of the Junior Licaguie. The dancing schools have tossed the 18-day diet. Sixty-flve per cent of the enrollment of the majority of the schools is composed of men and Women seeking to reduce, a dance routine and sensible diet being con- sidered the best. Again the slim figures of the talker screen have resulted In the population seeking to imitate. Keepihg Her Shape ^^^..:=^.^^.o.r_w.onder-=Mae^Murray--^keeps her shape," one is likely to hear the iiousewlfe declare. "Look how much she dances. I'm going to take les sons. I can learn by mall. There's plenty room upstairs since the boarder moved out of the front room!" Picture studios are besclged by eraduates of the dancing school And the studios heed plenty of good corps oi dpincers in a scene of a mu- sical comedy, opera, night club or otber film with a' show business background. Eiven the boys who hang around the corner are stimulated by the success in pictures of such new stars as Jack Oakie, who emanated froih. a Broadway chorus. One hears sorority sisters com-: nlehting on their prettiest member such as: "Tea, Evelyn is a beautiful girl and looks like Betty Compson, but she. can't dance and she's so quiet. "There isn't a chance for her In pictures. . . . But, Martha—well, she's not so hot on looks, but.how she can dance and put over a song. She'd be a riot; on the screen." Tenth^nd. Park avenues, are akin in dancing enthusiasts. Women in limousines, debutantes in roadsters, little -girls in street cars., and sub- ways and older women from, the kitchen' stampede the studios, don the same kind of rompers and do the identical routines. Men /ahd boys, too. Parties' "It" Society girls want to be the: "If of parties. Salesgirls want to crash showblis.' Men and boys .hope for a "break'■ ;as extras. AH haye, star Lock's Liniit! A fellow called his girl's apartment from FhlUy at 2 a. m. the Other night and told the operator to reverse the charges. Operator anno.unced the ball, telling the girl who was <ialling and he wanted tp reverse. She O. K.'d the call, but the manager of the hotel cut .in, . eayirig: . "You- owe two months rent now. Miss So and So, and we can't accept this call." "But It's mt boy friend," she said, "and ho'B going to pay it when hei returns to- Man- hattan." "Then just a moment, Til talk to him," said the manager, lifting the receiver. "Hello, baby," aald. the boy friend,"Cfee, I'm broke.". . Man{|,ger hung up and the girl moved immediately. Inaccurate Biogra^ HIRAM BROWN STOCKBROm'S WIFE SAYS SHE OUTTALKS HIM Edward W. Schermerhorn, stodk broker, with the firm of Hornblower & Weeks, denied in West Side Court he was cruel to his wife,: Ijaura. He stated that she had a violent temper and tore his pajamas when he re- monstrated with her. The Scher- merhorhs live at 146 West BBth street. . ' Mrs., Schermerhorn had been' the hroker's. nurse. He proposed to her, she said, when he recdvered. "Fax a time,'? she s?Lid, "we lived in hap- piness, but lately he has such a temper I cannot endure him," She told Magistrate Gotlleb of the marital rift and asserted that McMANUS CASE BEFnNG ODDS FAVOR ACCUSED By Claude Binydn Quitting a nifty snap as president of the United States Leather Com- pany to becoihe liead man of Radio-* K^ith-Orpheum, Hlraim S.' (Rudy) Brown discovered too latei that leather Is much easier to handle, despite Its odor, than actors, book- ers, agents and managers. "Have you gents," asked Brown at his first conclave of bookers, "been paying any attention to .anything outside, of vaudeville? Have you been tracing the yarlous.cpndltlbnis that made vaudeville what It Is to- day ? Pictures, for instance 7 Radio, for another?" "What?" asked, the bookers. ; "Heigh-ho,** said . 'Brown, wonder- ing if he had erred. Then he phoned he wouldn't be hpme tor dinner. ■ Brpwii lsj46 yefirs old, and wns bpirn of . Quaker ..parents on a jlary- her husband spent' most of his time j reading sex books. "He never't?ikes I land farm.' This stern background I me to the theatre or for walks," shie wis quite "a contrast,to the, lacka- declaredv , ^ daislcjal spirit of Vaude.. To aay "We had verbal" spats,. ;your Brown was paralyzed' is a fair, but. Honor, and I always won. . This not clkssy, description of his reap- I vexed him so that he would strike tlqn. mie. He appears dignified, but oh, | !'i think," said BroWn, "that we With the trial of George A* Mc- Manus, charged with the murder of l^hat a.temper!" she asserted. She 1 oujght to rin^r down the curtain on Arnold Rothsteln, In Its third week came to court accompanied by h^r evpry act which pulls ah Improper V « T„/ii,« nk.^i^o xT«+t «T,fl - attorney, Joseph Butler. . bit of humor. 1 thihk Vfe ought to before Judg^ Charles Nott and a ..^our Honor, t should be the do that In evet-y one. Of bur the Juiy In General Sessions, odds that gQjjjpl^jj^a.nt," the husband said. Utt-es.'* , , ... , 1- V,+ ^^'^^""^ would be , acquitted ..jjjps Schermerhorn talks In her The bookers aild agents gazed dom back In their heads, but knqw stretched to four to lone with no gjggp gi^gp ig disturbed. When morosely at the floor. "Yott taean,* their feet and tongues are tne oesi takers. Some of those supposed to U arouse her she becomes incensed ventured bne of the bookers. **tfaat media to crack the oyster. have Inside dope on the wprkings Lrid tears my hair and pajamas," the tsircult Is going 8tr^ght j»l*J The schools are operating far into of the law and criminal trials Bo g^^^^g^ ^j^g ^^joker. Itures?*" the night to hold the hordes of bo far as to, say that It's an even "That Is not so," declared the for- !'HeIgh-ho," said Brown, phonlhs dancing-talking maniacs. The cor- bet the case never reaches the Jury. ^^j. ^uyge. Mrs. Schermerhorn'told home hie Wouldn't be there that respondence departments, are ship- "Nigger Nate" Raymond, westH reporters that Mr. Schermerhorn rilght. ping out Instructions to Oklahoma, coast gambler, who won over ^200,- U^j^^ Y,ge„ married twice before, She From School to College Capo Horn and Japan, feven as the poO from Rothsteln In a card game g^^j^ she Intended to start annul- Brown worked his way through Ford factory. . at Jimmy Meehan*s home a month Lj^^^t proggg^lngg^ Mrs. Schermer-1 school, and later graduated from The situation Is so acute the before the shooting, was the last of jj^^^ ^jj-oygj^t the broker • to court Washington college at Chestertown, Missing Persons' Bureaus of the po- the gamblers to testify. Like his summons. The Court dismissed Md. He was only 18 at the tlm©-^ lice departments comb the schools pais, he was a reluctant State's wit- eummons against the broker, Iquite remarkable until It's remem- regularly for runaways t^ho have ness. He . gave little Information L^ij^ jg. .g^^g years older than his bered th6 school has no worthwhll© tlie hoof and mouth trouble beyond concerning the actual shooting. Ain ^Ifg^ . | football team. control. "BOYS" POWDER PUFF MISSING-DISMISSED Chicago, Det. 3. Tb^ troubles of Dr. Henry j! [Thanksgiving, turkey at Mr..Zero's^ George Bautler, 25, telephone boy I these, he ttsstlflied. He has hopes I Schlreson, plastic and. .fa.cial sur- 'Next, leather works. He figured in a hotel and one-time dancer in of g etting "the" |19, 00o f rom theLygpn, BtnV g" A t present tHej best s olution woul d be the U. S . the Everglades Club in Mia.mi, he Rothsteln estate, eventually. ' awaiting trial for the rGVOCatlon of Lfather Company. As its president, said, and Louis Phancelt€r,;25, fel- James t>. C. Murrky,' counsfel for hIs'medical license, Schlreson has. lie advocated'walking, then dlscoy- low roomer with George at 158 West McManus; got Raymond 'tb admit just bee^i sued by Tvoijne Harmon,, eijed golf and his slogan was: 'Be 72nd street, also a phone operator, that shortly after the game wound of Madison, Wis., for $25,000 for al- Who walks on leather lasts lastI'r were in West Side Court oi) ' the up he had a quarrel with Roth- legdd neglect and mutilaOon followr jThat got him Into shojv businesa^ charge of disorderly conduct. They stein over the settling of the "I. lAg a'liaskl operation. . ' ' Vaudeville Js now rollicking In slo receive;d suspended sentences. . o. U.'s." ''But we didn't come to According ' to the . girl's suit, Sfns. One is "RnK-,0—I/et's Go,* The pair almost upset the court blows," the'witltess calmly told the gchireson promised to beautify her sWU suggesting walking. Magistrate Gotlieb I Jury. • | nose, His<"operation which; she.l!Mi'. .BPown..hfts,a>60n In Prince- he could testify to was what oc- curred at the big $300,000 game in I Meehan's apartment. He 6aid he had loaned Rothsteln $19,000 in cash | before th4 game and when the ses- sion wotind' up he had RotYistelh I in the red' for' $200,000 for which] the dead - gkmblei^ g:ave hlhi I. O. U.'s. He has never collected on DOCSCHIRESON'SNEW Starting in newspaper work with the "Herald-Tribune" at $5 weekly. Brown quit and went to a WasK^. mmmw^mm , IngtoH daily fOr $6-60. Botight out, 1 AM.IIP WITH >l lIT as were., Later h^ ^ent into pub^ jmu Ul WWI*,. He uUllties, Justly flgurlng that 20 yCfl[rs of steady grind'ail a, reporter would . still .'have .'him.< eating- his' proceedings, ha^ to rap for order. Both were attired In'women's clothes. George, wore a Spanish shawl and beauti- ful flaming red dress, while Louis was similarly attired. They were arrested by Patrolman Dan Sheehy of, the West 100th street station. They had been to a masque ball. They left the Central opera house and walked to a restau- raunt at 72nd street and Broadway Prebedlng Raymond on the stand' gaid, consisted of "plastine" Injec- was Meyer Boston. He told that he knew of the Meehan game and as Raymond iand the others had done, testified to the square methods of McManus. None of the witnesses I seemed ^o have the same opinion | of Rothstein's methods. Didi^'t Startle A witness who the State con- tion, necessitated a second opera- tion, and left a scar on her face. Man Met in Dancehall Attacked Her, Says Girl ton, but bets on Harvard. Recently h^ selected several students who had worked their 'way - through tht^t' l|ttle 'Washington college and made ■tliem assistant nianagers In R-K-O thjeatres. Others had suggested the chair, but Brown tvas soft-hearted. 'He is said to play a good game Arraigned in West Sidef Court on of golf, if you're not. such a good a tierioUs'charge, Daniel Seigal, 25, player yourself, and will-llBten po- furrier, of 98 South 10th street, lively to description of an 18-foot sidered Its most linportant failed to I Brooklyn, made a denial. Seigal will putt. Anything over 18 bores hhn, Louis wore a blonde wig. George startle the courtroom with her story. ^^^^ jji^ j^te this week, in Tombs btecaus? he plays himself, was an excellent brunette. She was Mrs. Marian T. Putnam, Lj^uyt where Magistrate Stern will He lives In'Rye. One of the in- A crowd had followed them to the restaurateur of Asheville, N. C, k.gjj3gj. decision. Seigal Is out novations he brought Into show restaurant, almost causing a small described as an "eye-witness' to the ^,^11 riot They had to be rescued by shooting. Mrs. Putnam occupied a Sheehy. In West Side Jail "The room on the' third floor of the Park boys" asked Charles Wyer, "Sun" Certtral Hotel the night of Nov. 4, reporter, for a powder puff. That 11928, when Rothsteln was shot. The The furrier was arJCested by De- tective Steve Love of the West 47th I Street station. Sally Lezak, 17, of 2823 West 3lBt street, Coney Island, ' buslhess. started a new fight. shooting is alleged to have oc- testified In West Side court that The Court hurriedly disposed of curbed in a room on the same floor U^e met Seigal In the Roseland LEADING LADY REHIRNS W CHANNEL'DRESSES their cases and advised they take a cab home. CHURCHES COMPETISH FOR DANCE EMPORIUMS engaged by McManus under the ^ance hall, Broadway and 51st name of "Richards." street. She danced with him. 1 „t ^ t 1, ^ ^* w. Mrs. Putnam said she had left The hour became late. He start- ' 'J"<Jee. I ha^ no IntenUon of her room for a stroll along the cor- ^o escort her home, but Instead Jj'" "1 ^„,rin«„? ™ ridor When suddenly she heard a took her to a hotel and attacked the impression the compla^ant wa« "crash." The next instant she said k^r, she said. She sought Seigal f^^co-P^odu^^^^^^ ^pntlsi S She saw a man^^staggerlng 'r^-|and^ecently saw him emerging from | JJl^^^^^^^^ said Frances Johnson, who was the leading lady in thei show "Deep Channel" that closed et th9 Wal- dorf. Miss Johnson appeared In West of 2231 side Court before Magistrate Got- room 349, the McManus room, with his hands to his stomach as If in a theatre on Broadway. Professional dance halls ' In the neighborhoods and on Broadway are I room. She couldn't give the exact being given a greater slap this year time of the occurrence but thought than ever before by the epidemic | it was about 11 p. mi • She did not pain. The man followed her along u'^- W».A«rt. T>lorf»/* the corridor and she fled to her | Pruna m Wrong ^CC After Salary in Flops Blllic Rose Cansoh, 23, of club dances thrown weekly and I know at the time the "crash" she West 62nd street, who played the lleb. She had been summoned by bi-weekly in neighborhood syna- heard was that of a revolver shot, prima donna in "Broadway Scan- Anna Cohe, theatrical dressmaker gogues and churches. Under cross-examination by Mr. dais" and "Step on It" at the Bronx who complained that Miss Johnson ThPflA tielehborhood socials are Murray the woman's, story fell flat, opera house, summoned to West was holding several hundred dol h^ifl hv clubs afflUated with .the Slie changed Its details repeatedly Side Court Samuel B. FUashnlck, Itrs worth of dresses that. Mlsa nWPhPs Thev're a draw for the until it was worth very little to 116 West 46th street, producer of gone hired to J. W. Von Barry, pro adolescents from miles around, the State. Murray also got the in- the shows. MisS Carson alleged that] ducer of the show, T^e rellclous centers are also farm- ference before the Jury that Mrs. I Fliashnick owed her salary amount- ^ out t5~bMSro?gan ea out, lu u 6 I State-and got h*r to admit Maglstratfi Gotlleb heard the tale Von Barry owed her several hun^ she was registered with a man not of the .sho-ivgirl and explained It dred dollars in salary. "He told me her husband at the hotel the night was out of his provinC? as It was to keep the dresses" she said, of the shooting under the name of of a civil nature. Miss Cone denied she had any' Mr. and Mrs. Putnam. I She told the court She played the [ thing to do with the show except Miss Johnson explained . to the -eourt--that-^-when-= the--show--dledir^ . Previously these hops were held infrequently. Now because of the profit a majority of churches and synagogues throughout the city are headquarters for dances weekly. Neighborhood dances attra mainly through being a homey af- With the gamblers finished as .stellar role In the two shows for to furni.sh the costumes. She state- 4 1 +u..«„crv, >.Pintr a homev ai- [Witnesses, Interest in the trial has Fliashnick. There were no funds cd to reporters that Von Barry everv^^^^^^^^^ Many of those who make to pay off. she toH.the magistrate, owed her $900 for the hire of the itn 7^1 adm!Jsk.n fee J^ much Broadway their hangout returned to She stated she worked from Oct. 25 dros.sos All the garments.- were xe- also the aclml-ssion fee ^^^^ muc until Nov. 4. ' turned by the cost. •iancers. Every big picture has a lower than In professional spots.j their haunts.