Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday^ December; 11, 19C9 V A U P E V I LL E VARIETY 47 196 Contract-Exclusive Artists for NBC Radio or Other Ei^agements' There are now 156 artists under bxciusive contract to the artists' bureau of the National Broadcast- ing Company for all radio work. Kumher includes all of NBC's high salaried radio stars and names, With the artists' bureau of the ether chain also handling the majority for oijtislde eneagetoents. In addiUon are 24 popular orches- tra leaders Under non-exclusive contracts. • . Private talent list of the NBC: . Tenors Theodore Alban, irranklyn Baur, Harold Branchf Giuseppe Di Bene- detto^ Morton Downey^- Charles Harrison, William Hlllpot, Judson House^ Lewis James, jamisoh Steele, Prdnk Xutlier, Rkhard Maxwell, Allen M<iQuhae, James Melton, Lamlicrt Murphy, J uHan Oliver, Colin Of More, Leo O'Rourke, Jack Parkerj Lannir Boss, Henry Shope, Bobert SImmpns, Robert Stevens, Maurice Tyler, Nicholas "VasUIeff, Joe M. White. . Baritones • Ai-dhibald Vernon, Darl Bethmann, I>hll Dewey, Walter Preston, John Seagle, Elliott Shaw, Theodore w;ebb, Edward Wolter. . Bmeps'; Frank Cro?cton, Harftr Donaghy, Wilfred Glenn, Leon Salathiel, Dar- rell Woodyard, . ■ -. Sopranos'-- ■ Olga Albianl, Caroline Andrews, Martha Attwood, Betsy Ayres, Bea- trice Belklnf Dolores Casslnelli, Jes- sica Dragonette, Gltlfj. Erstinn, As- trld Pjeide, Brva Giles, Amy Gold- epilth, Olive Kline," Mary McCoy, Alma Peterson, JPaulIhe Haggard, Gladys Rice, Muriel Wilson, Rosalie Wolfe, Genla ZleUnska. Contraltos Elsie Ba,ker» Vaughn DeLeath, AdiBlaide DeLoca, Paula Hemmlngr haus, Mary Hopple, Mildred Hunt, Alma Kitchell, Elizabeth Lennox, Welcome Lewis, pevora Nadwomey. ' ■ Pianists ■ Frank Black, Dabid Buttolph, LO- llta Cabrera; Galnsborg, Keith- Mc- Leod, Murlfel Pollock, Kathleen Stewart. Violinists . Arcadie Birkenholz, Godfrey Lud- low. Harpist Georgia Price. Organist Lew White. Conductors 'Robert Armbruster, Giuseppe Bamboschek, Arcadie Birkenholz, David ;Buttolph, Walter Damrosch, George • Dllworth, Graham Harris, Hugo Marianl, Erno Rapee. Specials Amos 'n Andy, Prank A. Arnold, Phil Cook, Floyd Gibbons, Harvey Hays, Percy jSemus, DeWolf Hop per, Katherlne Tift Jones, Bob Maq Glmsey, PIckard Family, Bob Pierce, Grantland Rlctf, Bob Sherwood, Ed ward Fi'ank, Goldman's Band. , ' ; Standard Vocal — American Singers (5), Utlca Jubilee Singers (6), Armchair Quartet (5). Instrumental—South Sea Island •rs (6), Parnassus Trio. Popular Vocal—Breen and DeRose, Inter woven Pair (Hare and Jones) , Sniilih Brothers, The Guardsmen (4), New Torkers (4), Men About Town (4), National Cavaliers (5), The Ram- blers (4), Revelers (5), The Sere naders (4), Bonnie Laddies (3). Landt Trio and White. Melody Mus keteers (3). Instrumental—Piano Twins (Rob ert Pascocello, Lester Place), Blvl- fino and Pecorara. Announcers (Noted if doubling.) Alwyn Bach • (baritone), Howard Butler (humor- ous tallcs), Herbeft Butterworth -=^aritons)7Thiniprc£mn,=Mnt:orj; .Cross (tenor), Paul Dumont (basso), Neel Ebslen (baritone), Ralph ^eese (tenor), Kelvin Keech, Pat- wck Kelly (tenor), William Lynch. Graham McNamee (baritone). Curt Peterson (baritone), Marthln Pro- ven.gon (basso - baritone), Marley Sherrls (basso-baritone), Norman Sweetser (baritone), Edward Thor- e&nnon (planlst-organlst), Charles An Actor Former vaude headliner ■who works but two hours a day raaklng a short at Warners' studio, Flatbush; sleeps in Brooklyn every night .so he can make the plant on time for shooting daily at two p. m. Same ,actor closed early this year with a revue. He was getting $1,500 and a vaude chain offered him a 40-week contraict at the same figure. He . turned it down. Wanted $1,750, been off! the stage since and is out only $36,000. Chow, Meineries and Nite CIttbs As Spots for Keith Jump-Breakers JOE LilNG RUINED HIS KITTY'S SMILE PAE MORTON CANCEED BY KEITH'S, EASTERN •'As far as the eastern Keith houses are concerned, Paul Morton Is thr-pughv" This was stated by George ! (Sodfrey, Keith's eastern booker, following the second can cellatlon of Paul Morton %vithin :a month. » , .■ Mortoni liately doing a two-act With his daughter, Naomi (Paul and Naomi Morton), was booked to open at the Kenmore, Btrooklyn, Saturday, but declared to be in an .unfit condl, tlon to go on. It followed a simi- lar happening at the 81st Street about a month, ago when Morton promised reform, according to Godr frey. ■ • Paul Morton is a Son of Sam Mor ton and the late Kitty Morton; and one of the original family mem bers of the noted vaude ttct, Four Mortons. His daughter, Naomi, has been .:hi8 istage partner since the split of the standard team of Paul Morton and Naomi Glass (Mrs. Morton). Ban against her father does not affect the status, of Naomi, God firey stated.' Other vaude circuits and booking; pfflc,ei3 not concerned in the matter.,. ' RUTH LOCKWOOD of LEAVITT and LOCKWOOD in "Hit-Bits of 1929" With Ted Eddy and. Band, the Seven Hayden- Gloria Girls, Babs Dlay and Gattlson Jones and Elsie Elliott. This week (Oec/ ll), Golden Gate, San Francisco, Calif. Costumes iby Saul Burger Modes, Inc. Direction CHAS. H. ALLEN : Chicago, Dec. 10. Joseph Lang squawks that .the lowdown on why his vaude turn, "Smiles and Kisses." . flopped was because his wife and partner, Kitty Lang, failed to live up to the act's label and didn't show her teeth. Kitty admits she didn't give the mob a bl^r flash of dental work, but claims that Joe socked her where she smllesj ruining that effort. . To settle things all around, Kitty has filed suit for divorce, so that Joe can get a hyena and Kitty can go into a dead pan .routine. LEE KRAUS DISAPPEARS Wife and Children Destitute—Ap- peal for Aid Keitli's Is after a nite club and chop suey circuit through its club booking department. Accord ing lo Jule Delmax\ in order to avoid the Pekln riinnround fre- quently given, the indie cafe book- ers and acts, the egg foo yiing mandarins will be asked to sign contracts and lay it on the line In advance. All of the resta.urants booked will pay the club department a fla:t siim weekly. Keith's revenue will be de- rived through the difference be- tween the guarantee and actual sal- ary total. . Acts for the cafes will be drawn from the regular Keith A'aude soui'ce and booked in most instances through the Keith agents. In a short time it niay not bo unusual for an act to break ibo junip between .the Jefferson and New Rochelle with a split week at the Far East restaurant (spe-* dal dinner, 76c; no convert charge; ladies invited). ; ^ CAUSE KEFTH'S Few May Standing T4irns Jeopardize of All-Negro on Circuit Unable to find a single trace of her husbandi, Lee Kraus, former vaude agent, and herself and two children destitute, Mrs. Kraus this week was forced to alppeal .to theatr rical organi2£».tions for assistance. . The police are making an effort to locate. Kraus. At one time he was a house detective at the old Sara- toga hotel, Chicago. Later he en- gaged in vaude agenting In Chi- cago. Upon forming a piartnership With Arthur Horwitz, he opened an agency in New York.. Later he and Horwitz parted. Later Kraus was^ reported, taking up a commercial line. . - ' Loitaine HI Saranac ' Conflicting stories circulated upon departure of .Oscar Lorraine, yaUde musician, for Saranao Lake Satur- day night. It Is understood that his health became impaired at about the same time he suffered sievere losses in the New York stock market. Oscar will take a good rest at the Lake before resuming in. vaude. TOUGH CUT-BACK Hollywood, Dec. 10.- Ted Doner's auto smash of two years ago is still t9.king its toll. Doner, engaged for a Warner sliort, was to do some hoofing. The legs wouldn't stand it and the studio was compelled to replacelilm. GETTING BEADY . Hollywood, Dec. 10, Billy Grady, of the Wllliani Morris office. Is here laying the fuses for^ the. Al Joison concert tour which he wilf manage. Grady retui-ns to New York be- fore picking up Joison Jan.; 10. Arrested Over Wrist Watch Rochester, N. Y-. Dec. 10. Ruth Mix, at the R-VO Palace, reported a wrist watch, vialued at $1,745, stolen from her dressing room while she was on stage.. Po- lice Investigated and arrested Roy Mckihney, Columbus, O., colored dancer with the unit. McKlnney maintains he is innocent, and watch has not been found. Tramont, John Yoting (dramatic reader). Orchestras and Leaders (Not exclusive.) Jack Albin. Smith Bellew, Bon Bei-nle, Larry Briers, Clicquot Eskimos (Harry Reser)r'BeYKle-CummlnsrJeanvGoUV kette, Johnny Hamp, Tal Henry, Ipana Troubadours (Sam Lanin). Hal Kemp, Howard Lanin, Vincent Lopez, Don Marcotte, McKInney's Cotton Pickers, The Mediterraneans (Hugo MaVlanl). Earle Mobley, Ben Pollack, B, A, Rolfo, Rudy Vallee. Peter Van Steeden, Venetian Gon- doliers (William Srottl), Fes.<5 Wil- liams, 7-11 (Dave OriipP)- . *' Tlu-ee or more of the colored acts on the Keith chain Are reported causlncr anndydnce to the Keith the- atre 'ixiana^ei^ and bpoking^ , blQce. Tlie account atates that before the present. reorganized booking ' force assumed charge in Keith's these colored aicts, credited as stage hits, sieemepi to do abotlt as they plelEtsed, whether 'in the theatre or in con- nection' with' thelif business trans- actions with the booking' office's. There; Is nothing against the turns or members on personal be- havior. The 'substance appears to be that the negro turns bringing about the annoyance have developed swollen heads regarding their Im- portance to either keith*s or any stage/over the tallness of their sal- ary or the size of their hits. One of the acts In question last week Is said to have wired the Keith office, requesting a release from its contract, •with an answer promptly returned if the act paid the booking office the full amount of the money it had secured as an advance it would be released Im- mediately. No reply was received. Won't Be Bothered This wire peeved Keith's to the extent it wau determined if more bother came through colored acts, in their dealings with booking office or houiae managers, Keith's would stop playing colored tiurns altogeth- er. While the booking office appre- ciates the value of some colored acts to its vaudeville bills, the new- ly organized booking and manageri- al staff has taken the attitude that no actors of. any color will here- after run the Keith stages or of- ficesi Qjuite a large number of colored turns might be affected were Keith's to carry out its determlnatipn. If the negro artists continue to attempt to take advantage while in the theatre or booking office. Some years ago aU colored acts remained off of the big time, Keith's and Orpheum, for a long period; While off they were haphazardly restricted to the small time. They gradually worked back through merit, receiving much more salary from Keith's than they could secure in any colored show. ^This "^tory^seems"-to==have^been= Riven to Variety In something of thi: nature of a suggestion, if the colored turns .who may have an- noyed Keith's wish to observe It, On the Keith time negroes are ac- corded the same treatment given any other performers. In return, the Keith people say, they must recip- rocate If continuing to play the cir- cuit. Stewart and $500 Cone I Sioux City, Ia„ Dec. 10. ; Dick StiBwart; managing an act for (jreenwald & Weston, Chi pro- ducers^; is being solif^ht - by police, along with |?00 in Gteenwald & "Weston money, acgprdlng to Morris Greehwald. Stewart disappeared Pec 3 after paying off the company, including his wife, and hanging scenery for the act. Which opened the same day at the Orpheum (RKO). He has not been seen since. 2D PEBJUBY TBIAL Los Angeles, Dec. 10. : Garland Biffle, accused of perjury in the Alexander Pantages-Eunice Pringle case, goes to trial a second time Dec. 16. On his first trial jury stood seven- to five for conviction. Pantages awaits the outcome of this case with peculiar personal in- terest, as an acquital will strengthen his own plea for a re-hearing. STABBING HELEN KANE Hollywood, Dec. 10, Pai'amount is going to star Belen Kane in a musical to be made at the Long Island studios. A. E. Green Is being sent on from here to direct. Production early in January. Green ..was operated upon for goitre at the California Lutheran Hospital this week. TEACH^B'S FABLOB DOUBLING John Mulholland, special Instruc-. tor at the Horace Manh School- doubles at private parties as a. magician. Mulholland's routine consists of a lecture , on the history of magic In addition to card and coin manipu- lation. YAUDE ACTOB AS LINCOLN Hollywood, Dec. J.O. Indications are that Charles Mid- dleton, of .Middleton and Spell- meyer, vaude, will play Abraham Lincoln in D. W. Griffith's talker of that name. Picture Is to be made for United Artlsts.^^^::=^-.=-^ 1^ ASKING $1,500 Los Angeles, Dec, 10. Fox has given Stepln Fetchitt, colored screen comic, 15 weeks' re- lease from his contract to play vaude dates. He is being offered at $1,500 a week. Worries W Judge; Separation Suit Harry Hemme, professionally Harry Lemor6, chanted the sad song of the disappearing tight-rope walker and juggler In explaining to New York Supreme Court Jus- tice Wasseryogel be couldn't pay $100 a week alimony and $1,000 counsel fee asked by his wife, Ada^ Itnown as Dolly Lemore. in her suit for separatldn. HI3 talk got a rer ductlon pf his wife's, demand to $30 a week 6,iimoify and $300 counsel fee, but did not win a dismissal of the flult oh hfs clfl.^m.,that his. wife haff'been- suiiig him in tJonnectlcilt ifor a divorce for the last two years, Dolly Lemore said she married the defendant In England in 1916, and that she was his stage partner until 1027, dwring which time they earned $63,000, of whlcii she clalme(i half. Telling his troubles to the court, Lemore said: "The income'of a vaudeville per- former is necessarily epasmoldic. I have .earned $800 a' week, but my particular forte <fl slack-wire walk- ing and juggling. The vogue for this sort of performance reached Its height, so far as I was concerned. In Great Britain and on the Con* tinent up to 1920. Since 1920 the tastes of theatre audiences changed and there is little or no demand for my type of acti "My profession Is also a danger- ous one, I have sustained numerous falls, which |iave destroyed my ability to continue as a juggler. Both my hands sire partially paralyzed, my shoulders have been dislocated and my right leg so' severly injured as to incapacitate; me." Lemore said he put all his earn- ings, $30,000, In a loan two years ago to Edward Arlinerton and Zoe McClary in the Chafllngton ilotel Co. and the 74th St. and Broadway Hotel Holding Co., from which he first got $300 a month, then $200 and flna:lly $160, and which he thlinks maiyr be nothing before long because Arlington has been in bankruptcy and no assets can be found, and Mrs. McClary has said she can't pay the principal for at least seven years. "My wife wasn't entitled to half my earnings anyhow, for she wasn't in any sense my partner," Lemore said, "I would have made as much without her, and only let her work with me to humor her. Her sole duty In the act was to hand me towels, powder; etc," MABKEBT STAYING WEST H olly wood, „Pe^c.j.l0v Russell Markert and his. 17 girls appearing In Univer.sal's revue, will remain on the Coast for several months to fill other picture dates. Final negotiations are still on. Chi Agents In N. Y. Max Richards and Maurie Green- wald, Chicago Keith agents, are in New York this week on an act hunt.