Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday* December 4. 1989 \r A R I E T Y CHICAGO Variety's Chicago Office WOODS THEATRE BUILDIN&-CENTRAL 0644-4401 Enolewpod Bill, with Ave shbwingr turns add- ed to regular five-act program, not up to standard of Englewood enter- tainment, though the usual big au- dience for preview night fancied every iact except two. Six of th« 10 turns were of the singing ,variety,, more or less* In one Instance a man and glrl teiun doing dialog and songs with a phone as prop followed the iaame sort of act, even to the phone, hardly Indi^ cative of thoughtful booking. Doran, West and Doran,. three men rigged as Dikmond L.ils (New Acts), were the standout of the evening in the next-to-^clogirig spot, lifting the show awa,y up. Of the no-pays,. International Four, opening was best on roller skates, but failed to obtain full value because of hurried routine artd ci-amped staging. Could c^it sonie of the solo fancy stuffi and spread the breath'-taking swings miore. Ted and Billy King, two men with ukes and harmony, in th^ deuce, seeped over with mediocre stuff. Art Kahn (New Abt?) and his band, No. 3, got big returns with much hokum and little else. No. 4 *vas Charles Glcott, assisted by an unbilled girl at the piano, in songs and gags about dates and . his date-book. Fifth, and over about the saine with- many stale gags, were Princeton and Tale, man and girl, and the sec- ond act In succession to use the phone prop. ItegUlar show- was opened-by-Gttor Ifeardell and Otto, two p>en and a girl in juggling; comedy kpd. comic sleltrht-6f-hand, doing very well with theli: poor material. .Tohnny and Freddy, brodacasters over KTW were next, Johnny at the ■piano with good duets, but poor sin- gle stuff, and clicked on local name strength. Capabilities/ espe'cially til" pianist. '■Xite Club," three men and four girls in dance flash followed, and ordinary, yet with high moments of harmony by a sister team. Needs more comedy, like, opening drunk two-man dance* and can eliminate musty jokes by the m. c. Doran, West and Dorah next,-to keep the audience yowling for some 15 minutes, and-the bill was closed When in Chicago Visit ' These Hits Matsv Wed. &' Sat. AA. H. WOODS'Y DELPHI Clark n I'Madison LEW LESLIE'S "BLACKBIRDS" Fastost, Fuiiniest, .Most Tuneful Musical Revue Ever Presented Original H«w York and Paris Cast ILLINOIS 'Mats. ^ed.-Sat. 2IEGFELD SENSATION SHOW BOAT I In rhe Flesh and Blood) With CHARLES WINNINGER ERLANGER M'^'^" Wed sat, Now Playintr BERT LYTELL «1 'BROTHERS*' Thrilling Romantic Melodrama SELWYN MatB. Thura. and Sat. GILBEBX MII.T.ER Preaents Kathame CORNELL in 'The Age of Innocence' . ■ nraniatlirnttnn of . EDITH WHARTON'S Novel by M.'VRGABKT AYER B.ARNES RKO WOODS 6th Sensational Week. Radio Pictures "RIO RITA" -=-^The^(3icture^o,f- theXentur-y- by "Polar Pastimes," two men and a woman^ men In neat hiandstands and: headstands, working In gro- tesque, but effective costumes of Polar bears. '•JLiast Perfonnance" (U) on the screen- Belmont With' thermometer 'around zero, the two warm spots on the 10-act I'^riday night bill were thoroughly appreciated, by an Underpopulated house. Anderson and. Graves and Co., screening room because the govern- ment's theatre inspectors refused to pass the installation. N. It. Nathanson, former manag- ing director. Famous Players Cana- dian Corp., is now also out of United Amusement Corp., Ltd., with I. W. ELiUam, replacing him. A British film company tried to get a foothold in Canada, but the offered Canadian franchises have gone begging because 11 of the 12 pictures offered. were silent. The six film boards of trade In Canada are not disturbe.d by the recent decision of Judge Thacher in the United States regarding the legality of arbitration as such judg- ments in the United States have no effect in the Dominion. . VARIETY BUREAU WASHINGTON, D. C. 416 The Argonne 1629 Columbia Road, N. W. Telephone Columbi* 4630 Wilton W. Spencer, representing Famous Players Canadian Corp., has arranged for Grandeur films equipment in the chain's theatres. Milton Davis, former solo bi'ganist for Crandall houses, back , at the Earle. CORRESPONDENGE All matter in CORRESPONDENCE refers to current week unless otherwise indicnteo. The cities under Correspd'ndence in this issue of Variety are as follows and on panes* By HARDIE MEAKIN Belosco—"Innntte Shoeblack" i Profes- sional Players). Natlonnl—"DrnculR." . roU'ST-'-Mllo. Modiste." Pictures Columbia—"The Ylrelnjan." Jb^orle—"Evidence." Vox —"Seven Kneels." Met—"Welcome Danger"' (2d week), I'alace—'The Mlglity." Rlalto—"Her Private Affair." RKO (Keith's) — "R|o .Rita" (4th week). and Roy Prltzinger, art director of the last "Wietlug and Empire stocks, are seeking support for the Syracuse Players. They are dickering for the Entipire. Francis V. P. Martin joins Fox as manager in Buffalo this -n-eek. Hi- will direct two nelglibornooas. Viola Mae Norrls, 24, got plenty of publicity on. her offer to "mnrn.' any decent man who will give me $10,000," la making a personal ap- pearance at the Empire theatre this week. Hallie Stiles, Syracuse primia donna,, makes her debut wltli the Chicago Civic Opera in "Lohengiiri" Dec 19. Library of Congress is booking concert attractions into its private auditorium, with local concert hu- reaus handling tickets and bodkiniS. Nelson B. Bell, m. p. editor of the Post, was operated on Sunday for minor complaint. ) George Richey now handling pub- licity for U's Rialto. Eddie Peabody was a hurried F. & M. booking Into the Fox witli cur- rent unit. John Irving Fisher con- tinuing as m. c.,'however. Allen Rogers, former musical com- edy player, new m. c. at JLoew's Pal- ace. ■ ■ ■ . • Much , publicity being given to closing after current week of the legit Belasco. General belief is house is through. With Poll's going shortly, Shuberts will be without a house here. two men and a girl, clicked on the regular bill, with hokum comedy. Fishing scene and fish dialog. Bay- ard and Cook, man and grirl among the iio-pays, with punnish gass on baseball, another hit. Show shorter than usual, just skimming ..two hours. ' Madame Maree ajid Pale opened; pony and dog circus. Dancing Shetlands well received, with biting jackass for strong finish.' Played to good re- turns, but,could have sliced. Ford and Van followed with their banjos, then Bayard and Cook,-who sped the show along. Dot Meyers and Co., fourth, a flash act with six girls, ran 12 drag- ging minutes. Fair dancing talent, but no continuity and too many singles. Could have closed after neat roller-skate tap number by a quartet. Lee Fester (New Acts) followed and went over big con- sidering material-and presentation, both poor. Last of the showing acts was Mahoney and Talbot, male harmony team. Standard act. Anderson and Graves opened the regular bill and had . the house in an uproar, making things easy for Ro3op La Rocca, the harpist, who followed, California Poppies (10 girls and man) closed with a nice family time flash act. Chorus of nine works neatly in three special- ties, and finish went big.-^ "Unholy Night" (M-G-M), sound clips, R-K-O TJianksgiving trailers and a lengthy advance shot of what's coming on the screen. Loop, Local offices of Villa Moret tem- porarily closed. Jack Lavin, man- aprer, will probably leave shortly for New York. Villa Moret will con- tinue to have a representative herei Robbins music company moving to larger quarters in the Woods building. Bill Danziger has resigned as p. a. for the Essaness theatres. TOLEDO By E. H. GOODING Palace—"The Bad Man" Players). Paramount—"Battle of Paris show, ' ■ ValeMtlne-^"TamIngr of the Shrew, State—"Sonp of Kentucky." Pantheon—"Painted Angel." PrlnceB8—"Darkened Rooms." . Vita-Temple—"Tanned Lags." Klvoli—Viiudfllm. liinitire—^Burlesque (Mutual), . , (Klwanls stage Yvonne XeRoy (Yvonne LeRoy and Co.), aerial act, i playing the Rivoli two weeks ago, is- out of St. Vincent's hospital here; but will not be able to resume work lor 10 weeks. She fractured an elboV in a 16-foot fall at the theatre. Paramount is featuring "Amos 'n' Andy" (radio), booked independent- ly. Same was done last week with "Little" Jack Little. Fpstoria city council disregarded Mayor Gibson's veto and authorized sale of the Foster lots in the heart of the city to Publlx Theatres for a hotel and theatre. ■M, J. Gettinger, picture photog- rapher representing Universal News here, listed among bonus winners for October by Klnograms. He sub-, mltted Clarence Kehr, 5, Toledo's strong Ijoy, who smokes black cigars and was unhurt when run over by an auto recently. Indictment against L. R. Barhydt, State manager, Schine theatres, charging Sunday operation of shows, nolled by common pleas court after acquittal of two Portsmouth theatre managers on like charges, namely, Francis McDonald and Robert Risley. V SYRAGUSE, N. Y. By CHESTER B. BAHN Wletlng—Dark. Keith'B—Vaudfllm. liOew'ft-:—Vaudfllm. PnrnmoDnt—Opens Deo. 6 with "Glorl fylng the American Girl." Strand—"Disraeli." Eckel—^"Sunny Side Up" (2d week). • Eniplrc-^"!3ong of Love." "Glorifying • the American Girl" was chosen last week to open the Paramount (forriier Temple) Dec. 5 "Sunny Side Up" may remain for a third week at the Eckel. CLEVELAND By GLENN C. PULLEN nonna—"Hold Everything," Ohio—"R. U, R." Playliouse—^"Daughter of Jorlo." ■ Palace—"Frozen Justice"; vaude. . State—"Battle of Paris": unit. . Hip—"Romance Of Rio .Grand©." AU«.n^"Mlghty." Stlllnum—"Welcome Danger" (3d wk.), l(Wth—"Big News"; vaude. William James re-elected presi- dent of M, P, E. A. of Ohio for Jifth time. Other officers elected: J. J, Harwood, Cleveland, vice-president- at-large; L Llpson, Cincinnati, first vice-presiaejvt; Henry Bieberson, Delaware, second vice-president; John L. Damm, Wadswortli, third vice-president; Caldwell Brown, Zanesville, • treasurer; Georgfe Fen -. berg, Columbus, secretary. I . Both Kenneth Mettle, secretary of operators' union in Columbus, and Arthur i>. Standley. sentenced to six months in woi'k house and fin<&d $200 and costs for throwing stench bombs in J. Real Neth's. Cplunabus tlieatres, Standley confessed he re- ceived $50 from M<6ttle for each house he bombed. Case was. out- growth of wage s.cale wai^l Going talkie: National, Norwood, Corlett, local houses; Strand in Seb- ring, O.; (cordon in Middlefleld, O. Hal Brown, veteran stock player, ! HOTEL CHICAGO World'a taUeat, 1044 room* *<kd t«tlia. > HOTEL ^ MCCORMICK ONTARIO AND RUSH STREETS Eph Rosen has been added to local R-K-O booking , staff as road man. (Tomes here from the east; Bill Danziger, formerly p. a. for Essaness theatres here, now with press department of R-K-Q in Mil- waukee. • Sophie Tucker closed at the Green Mill after a four weeks' stay and left for St. Louis where she is booked for two weeks at the Mound City Country Club, SEATTLE By DAVE TREPP Ofpheuin—"Rio Rita" (Film) 'week). Metropolitan—"Rio Rita" (T.eglt). President—"The Skyrocket" (stock) tifth Ave.—"The Kiss." Heattle—"Taming of the Shre\»." . pin© MoHB*—"Flight" (2d week). Mnsic BoiX—"Disraeli" (3d 'M-eek). .Pox—"Marianne"' (Znd.wiBCk), Coliseum—"The Viking," (2a Auditorium has been leased to S. Hurok for the German Opera Co. for week of Feb. 2. OTTAWA, CAN. By W. M. GLADISH The Ontario Board of Picture jGcnsors-^annot .use. j±s. JimiiiiV-^I^^^ ture eciuipmcnt in the' board's Vic Mej-ers and band open at Fox Dec. 6 when Sanipeitro then terminates engagement tiiat started at its opening last spring. Henry Le Bel stays at the organ. Meyers also plans a second band for night club he opens Dec. 18^ CHICAGO Phone Superior 492 7 "Willis Ross, singing doorman at Fox, and Helen Kunt2, were married last wpck. Katiicrine Chevigny now on pub- licity for Fox West Coast staff, Eddie Fitzgerald In charge. IN CHICAGO LIN DY'S RESTAU RANT On Randolph Street Is Home, Sweet Home, to the Profession A Good Place to Eat and Meet ^" "Ted' n "West Coast in Northwest division, I ha.s df'.^ignod four-color covers for 1 srrii) books that may be adopt'.'d at all divisions. Lynn pptorson now city manag<'r for P"ox at Bremerton, across from Seattle. The Place to Stay IN CHICAGO IT'S only ten minutes' walk from the loop theatres. IT'S near the lake—^just off Michigan boulevard. (T*S smart—modern in every details—lux- uriously furnished. IT'S up-to-the-minute-^with such unusual features as ja gjrmnasium, handball courts, golf ■ driving nets. IT'S reasonable—the low rates include light, gas, refrigeration, complete hotel •vice- . Fox-Pacific Theatres,' Inc., .sub- ; .sidlary of Fox-West Coa.st. will erect 1 new Uitatie in Fcurt Angeles, Wash, AparlDicnts - —^Fbr " $90 and $100 Mo. Larger Apis, to accommodate 1 $150 lo«175 Mo; Hotel Rooms SI 5 to S16.50 per y,etk