Variety (Dec 1929)

66 VARIETY L E G IT I M ATE y^edn(^day» P^c^ber. 11, lajjg Merchants Parades and Baflyhoo Too Much for L. A. Legits- Los Angeles, Dec. ■JPVe-Christma.s showmanship .by- merchants downtown and in Hol- lywood is bothering legits. Boys axe burned at the Chamber of Com- merce and Business Men's Assn. for pulling stunts and parades to hold people on the -sidewalks and have them window shop a,t night. For three nights, last "Week there was a celebration on the bpu- levard, with studio lights strung the entire length of the main sleiti. An airplane flying . over the. streets dropped prop snow. Traffic was tied up and theatres | were hurt plenty. • . . Biltmbre copped the week's top take with the Columbia Grand Opera Company and nig^itly change of repertoire at $4 a. head. , For first week arpund $16,0PP.. • Ju3t too bad. for- "Follow Thru" at the Mason. With no, holiday or, football mob to help out around J3,B00 in ■ the red • oh • next, to final week. Theatre, probably ■ ,w,iU. go dark indefinitely tinj^ss colored troupe in "Lulu Bell^?' is .shuntepl in: Noel Coward; meant . nothing around here, so the attorney- backer of Pauline Frederick in "Queen Was In the Parlour" .sang th? blues for the fourth find next to last week take at the Belasco. ■ . ; •. House will go dark tena^ordrily after curreht Week. . i' ; Majestic, -With '^Amohg. the Alar- ried," had & tl.SOO yfeels., biggest house has had lij long'^lihe.' .Actors' Thedtre no panic to, tHe ,loc6.1s with **Papsing of Third . Floor Bi,ck.'r Only $2,3Q0.. . .. . • ,^ High school.itlds furnished. main patronage for "Bad Babies" in sec- ond week at Flguaroa PlayhoilS6. Gross around l^.'OOa. "Remote Con- trol," after five weeks at the I'resl- dent, was pulled with a $5,000 take oh Saturday night and .''Th.e IFergu- son. Family" went In Sunday mati- nee. . ■•' ••H6r First.Night" struggled through, second stanza at . the Egan and got around $1,100, giving man- agement. $300 profit. Trio of hpuses operating in Holly- wood did hot managb'tp aggi-egate fiMoo. Estimates for Last Week Attors^ : Theatre—"Passing of Third Floor Back'? (Ist- week). Little too antiquated for. kale; only means • of draw they had: Initial . week was Henry B. Walthall nkme; »2,300. . Belasco—"Queen "Was In'the Par- lour" (4,th week).': Pauline Fred- erick seems to have overstayed her draw; next to last week only liroQnd $8,500. Biltmbre.—Columbia G. O. C. (repertoire) (1st week). . Bill changed for each show, with such operas as "Carmen," "II Trbvatore" and "Barber of Seville" at $4 a listener; first week oke at $16,00.0, Egan—"Her First Night" (id week). $1,100. and a profit. El Capitan—"The Shelf" (3d and final weekl.. Mtss St ar n ever got anywhere with this one. "Terry Dufty pulled It oft week ahead of time to the tune of $5,000. "Abra ham Lincoln" current. Figueroa Playhouse "Bad Babies" (2d week). Would-be "Bad Babies" from school are giving this . one the play to $4,000, % Hollywood Playhouse—"The CU ■ max" (1st week). Guy Bates Post 7 did not start off as well as expected; ■ * $5,500. Majestic — "Among the Married" (1st week). Plenty dirt dialog, and they're eating it; $8,500, big. Mason — "Follow Thru" (6th week). Producers are having head- aches; $3 top too much before Xmas; plenty on chin with $10,000. Presideht—"Remote Control" (Bth and final week). Cost little to operate; every week better than $2,500 profit for Terry Duffy. Out with $5,000. Vine Street—"In His Arms" (1st week). Seemed to be thumbs down oh the Rambeau-Pangborn com- bination; opening stanza just $4,200. Possibly two weeks more while an- other opus Is readied. Australia (Continued from page 2) . "New Moon" will be produced here next season by W.-'T. with same cast now doing VDesert Song." W.-T. running high overhead with "Show Boat" at Her Majesty's, Syd- ney. .Probably largest and niost ex;- pensive cast over here in long while. Ernie Lotinga and his burlesque troupe meeting with success under W.-T. riianagement in Melbourne. Sydney will be played, under Puller management. ; Frith Aired 'Alfred Frith,'-corhedy lead during Sydney season of "Hold Every- thing," absented ; himself from a couple of performances and was given ale by W.-T. Gus. Bluett, local, comedian, engaged for Melbourne run. OS. Perry .will produce the stage presentations at the Capitol, Sydney, for each long-run tialker. Perry also: does the presentations at the Statei, Melbourne; for tTnloja Theatres. ■ Stuart. F. Dpyie, head of . Union Th'eatres, .has ;had, ah air . beacon erected atop'"the State, .Sydney, as a gUiding llgh.t.'for pilots" making night flights; First of its kind iiver here. maft laAJtesry's. — "^ow Boat" .got; ajW&y. to' 'big ^tairt last -^eek. W.rT. appiear: to hav«'& "vrlnher. Wtthout talker opposl- tlpn,, the attraQtlon .would be good for. at leafit '20 weeks. W.-T. uo4er big overhead, with corking lineup . of players, "Show Boat'.' Is about the best America: has given us In'a lonp whllO and quits a change' from the usual run of musicals.. W.-'T. pro- duct the show lavishly in a brave attempt to buck the- .talker' ifienace; Cast' includes Olen Dale, Muriel .Qreel, Herbert Bently, Colin Crane, Bertha' Belmore, Leo Frank- lyn,.' Owen Lascellea,. with a fine 'baHet. Produced by Georgo Highland, with Andrew McGunn conducting. CRITERION.-JLeo Carlllo still highly successfur with "Lombardl, litd.," W.-T. On Indet run. OPBIIA . HOUSED—Mln'sbrel and old-tdme vaude. ■ , ■ FUX/LrER'9.>—Revue of faihlly type. So-so. PALACE!.—W.-T. opened last week With revue, and. vaude.'Idea presented along happy-go-lucky lines. Management evident- ly did not expect,to get mush;business^Just figured oh using the house to., play out contracts with'acts. "Nevertheless, business has taken an upward trend and' maiybe will continue, wUh present"'bill staying .Several weeks. In the- old days, and ..played at the Tlvoll, the.'curreht. shtfw would be good for cai)aclty. W.^T. practlcallj^ opened the bill cold In legit, house, with hardly, any adver- tising matter.. No.w, with business grow- ing, thby are taking notice. Jerry and Baby Graoda featured, with girts appearing 6ii and oft most of the time. Bvery act playing- right through from open- ing;.to closing, staging regular .act and ap- peaf-lngf In bits with rest'of company. Twice daily, ■ •. •',' Ann Penn opened last week 'and scored strongly.. 'Girl good Impersonator, with Ann Suter bit beat. Hargrove Bros, scored with dancing'. Lavelle and Brown hit. Miss Xa- veil acts as m. c, getting over well.. Jerry and. Baby Grands stopped the show. Nice working ballet and male octet backed -up well. Walter Richardson hit public taste with eOngs. Sampsel and Leonhard got over with comedy talk and songs. Gags and bits used In the afterpiece probably from some New Tork revue, . New over here and liked. ' Staged by Francis Kennedy. W.-T. have guest performers In afternoons as a boost. •: " Pictures ST. JAME}S.—Wired. "Desert Song." LYCEUM.—WIrfed. "Noah's Ark." V.T. REGENT.-Wired. "Behind That Cur- tain." Hoyfs. LYRIC.-^Wlred, "Sonny Boy," U, T. RIALTO.—Wired. "Shady Lady." Hoyt's; HAYMARKET. — Wired. "Iron Mask." U. T. PRINCE ETOWARD. — Wired. "Dance Life." U.T.-Carroll's. " STATE.—Wired. Nice working bill this week, with "Divorce Made Easy" feature, together with "The Lone Wolfs Daughter," Will Prior and orchestra, ncwsreel, orga.n features with Price Dunlayy and State bal- let, stage band'presentation. U.T. CAPITOL.—Wired; Last week of this house as 'weekly change. Long runs' open- ing With "Cocoanuts."' Management stated Impossible, to secure, tiilkers suitable to weekly ' change policy^ House regarded tlA the. ace of the U.T.'a chain and big busi- ness getter. Looks like bad buelnens policy to change at this stage.. Bill this week not .up tq standard set here with "Forbidden. HourSi". so cut about, by the censor'as to put the feature In the flop class, "Cohens and Kellys In Atlantic City" Juat passable. Horace Sheldon, Eng. llsh Conductor, how in charge of orchestra and getting Over. Sheldon works tremen- dously hard, uses the brass over much, but is a showman. ■ Newsreel (sound) opened, with Fred Scholl scoring n^pely with organ solos following. Stage presentation pro duccd by Os. Perry scored very high, clos Ing intermission dtrongly. Business big for flnal week. ROYAL.—Wired. Hoyt's, In association with Willlamson-Talt, will open "Cock (UcagoMusidsWbyiM b (iener^ Pre JACK POWELL "Jazz in a- Kichenette*' Appearing nightly at .County Pair, 54 'East 9th, a club; for srnart "New Yorkers. '• ' "tt.ncro'wned ,klng .of novelty, in blackfaca' of .his .coming-up days, routine of his bit. in Anders.on's-Al- manac was a miniature riot in trey spot." , ' —"Bimpard." ,/ Direction LEDDY & SMITH . (Continued from page 65) on the American;'/stage- as Anne 'Meredith,' appear^ni^ In' several: Be- lasco productions, . She divorced Stephen S. Bl^elow, Boston society man, ' ,' ^ Estate of Sir Clifford Sifton, of Toronto, who died In New Tprk last April, Is now apt>raised at $3,287,- 231. Four surviving sons divide this fortune. A fifth son, the late Capt. Winfield B;: Sifton,: -waid' the second of the five'husbd;nds of the lhiernatld°hally f^ous Jeanf'Nash. Originally she , was Jean. Donald- son, d>aughter 6i a vice-president of the Erie Raliroa.d. , • tn for the Winter . Mrs. J, Rayhor Wells, lias rented an apartment on Sast 48th street. As May Maloney she was a well known . showgirl and appeared In '^Queen of the Moulin Rouge." Her late husband, father. of " her. two daughters, ."Was the only, son of the rich and fashionable Mrs. William Storrs Wells, .of New 'York an4 Newport, and, brother of Mrs. Harry T. Peters. Grand Puchess Marie, of Russia, has leased, an apartment on West 55th street This daughter of the late Grand Duke Paul divorced Prince William, of Sweden, and married Prince iPoutlatin, Now em- ployed as a style expert by Berg- dorf-Gbodman, she has followed the example of her stepsister. Princess Natalie Paley, who married Lucien Lielong, Palris dressrhaker. . 'Chicago, ppe. {I'D. Pre^Chrlsttnald sluihp sharply felt. All houses off excdpt this Blackstone, which etilL lB doing business itrlth "Stitahg^ Interlude," in its third week and main floor virtually, all taken, by, subscriptions. "Jade. God" closed at the Play- house after a profitable 12-week run. Theatre relights Sunday (15) 'with "Illegal Practice," which Is the latest name, for the eastern so-so originally entitled "Philadelphia," • •: , Musicals were pff $6,000 to $7;600 excepting the two'new ones.' "^how Boait," In Its tenth week'at thie tUl^ Hois, fell'bCC-to.$36,000.ft-o^ $43,000. Seaits are ..• now selling'. only' foiir w'^eks ;in-UdvaHce.''' •''.. • ■■''' ''- 'y^ ^'troliow Thru" slid to $20,o6() and enters its last and'20th week. "New Moon" also was off to $24,300 from $31,200 the previous week, . Both: of these Schy<ra;l).& Jiand^it produbtloris have been receiving nice agency .aid since exhaustion of, the SLgency 6\xi,^ right buy three weeks agpo. Since then ■ Gouthoui's have b'e'en ordering art'aVerage.'of iOO top prlfctj selats for each' piece'eyei*y hi^hti ' In the general off-Week' "Black- birds" t66k it oh thfe'beeper'at the lAdelphi with only $18,000.' ' 'Fewer peirforhiancea the' firdt week' netted gretiter returns. ~ Should ihipl'ove latei'^bn. ■ '''■■ ■ • i- --"- .- ■.;, .;!.': ' . ^'Veqrce*^'\Nekp R^jii' ^f'!, "Night In' ^?:enicet'.' barely held "^tf self'abo-ve*; the ,red rat the Gr^ihd'ln Ita.second. vireek with ,$2g,PQ0. Riith Di?aper made her:.debut' at the Selwyh Sunday,. booked In" for t'wo weeks' feafy after^'Age of lhWo- cBnce." This piece;'held only, three weeks because .of fufure' bookings^ and '-with Katharine' CoirneU : as' the iattractloh, finished at $16,600 and averaged around $17,600 for t»he. run. Bthel Bari'ymore Is in the last week of her paying stand at 'the Harris. Outside of the musicals, she has been the most oohslstent^.draw-v in the Lo6p,^ and oi^lginally €aFded"for; five weeks, she will have remained eleven. After "The Love Duel" house will close foi* a ■week, reopen- ing with "Bird In Hand," froni Man- hattan, and due. here on Dec. 21, ., Erlianger: continues to .be a sur- prise 'With the cut-rate demand for Brothers." Thoii&h Ifsluriiped $6,- 000 from the ^prfece'dlng week, this piece held nicely for Its fifth ^eek. "Qiieen :pee," the comedy 'brouirht from New York, 'wherie It didn't do Putnam's Candy Nicholas Putnam, of the social register, is said to be the head of the firm making that: candy retail ing at $4 a pound. Youth, who attained his majority and inheritance last summer, plans a six months' exploration tripi to South America. Territory to be traveled Is ad jacent to the River of Dqubt. Eyed World" at this house with midnight performance this week. Great publicity' gotten but to make this legit house pay as talker.. Crystal Palace only silent house in city. Business around' zero. U.T. Union Kine Vaude Acts on circuit Include Carr6 and CaHotta, Gorley and Sharp,, Ray Vaughn, Marino and Mona, Seb Meza and the Thrillers. jn .three weekp o£.trying, stood lh« first;,'weel(!8 ,fe^ fii., the Coirt with $5,000 and. looks tp be set If the nerfc two weeks are ; Weathered, It la the type of fcotnedy ihJs "llttld house can carry fot' nionth? on a paying baslh With Allan Dlneha'rt In the leading role.lt has better balance. * Estimates for. Last Week "Age of Innocence'' (Selwyn, 3d and final week). Good finish fop Katharine Cornell with $16,600. Total.for three weeks around $52,00q! Ruth Draper replaced for two weeks "Blackbirds" (Adelphl, 3d week) Colored musical felt the pinch "too bilt .ls making money at '$18,000. ''Brothers" (Erlahg^,', i3th we^k) Twdrfor-onea.WlU' makli Bert Lyteil a," resident Qf Chlcti&o'itt least the rest of this year. ■S'alr profits it $i2 - o^Ov; ■ '■ '. , i'pirst'.Mrs'. .r^rase.r''!, (Princess,.'Pth week). " .Down a bit, jto $13,500 for this., comedy. sihashi which. lea'ves' for ,Kew. "XovK .CH^ac,e, George. ^uad all, at the.ehd,of thel week.. .Housia will be daj;k unitil;. .Dec. 23,,, when. ''Infinite' Shceblapk''- will. ,Qpen; for Dramatic League of <ph I subs'cribej;B,, aif tef be- :insjretitled.". ;■ ' • , VFpllqjKV' Thru":. JCApollo, . 2'6th weeH). Mad^ no .n^oney .for ^chtyab & Ma,nd9l. at . $20,000, ;.bu,t doesn't mlh.d tpt,t.0i:lng after a Ipng, strong run;; p.p^s to. rpad af t(^r thlp, week. , "Jade.',God" (Playhftvs.e,; 12th and final :W^.pk'). Pas^d .pffMto :$4,70Q, but even ,that:flgurei means pporttv Hpuse is «iark one week, and then 'Illegal Practice" :(DeCt ,15),' .. . '. "Love Diief".' (Harris,.i5th week). Down from $25,Q0,0.'to'around $18,000, Miss Barrymore.blds.Chipago adieu Saturday,,. . :,„., ,:; . . .. :"N.aiW-, Moon'^ (Great- .Northern," 14th,week)', . Not espeplally profit- able at $24,300. About. $3,600 In agency business. . "Night in Venice" (Grand, 3d week). Stays In alt $26,000, May close week' before Xmas and then reopen Dec., .22 at the Majestic, but. this :1b not deHnlt^. :; i: ' .. --i "Queen Bee" ■ -(Gbrt,-. ,24 Week)* JPor this ihouse $&,^.0D was: gratify- ing, estpeolally In vlew^ df a weak start vsnd. casual .dismissal. by .the morning, rpapers' playt-scorcheys. i'^Show Boat" (Illinois, .10th week). Slowly drifting - from. the solid -gold stream* Down $7;00d to :$3e,000, ^'Strarige i Interlude" (Blackstono, 3d week). Around $18,000 fpr six 6 %--hpur. performances. • Xiooks like long-run. • .' An English producer worked sevieral weeks, on a project .to put oh "Fata Morgana" In a Hollywood theatre^ He was negotiating with a film company for the services of afemine star and ■with a thesitre playing super-stock oii a proposition, whereby he wpuld direct the'piece. Femme chatterer eh a L, A. sheet h'eard some odds and eiids pf gossip* put them together, and came out with the announcement that the pro- ducer was going into a certain theatre Chrlstnias Day, This was news to "the legit star playing the theatre, also to the actual leggee, and the theatre deal was oft. The chatterer named as male lead a player on Equity's blacklist and for the big femme part mentioned a. couple of picture natrfes7~both wrong. Idea that other femmes might first have been considered for the part killed negotiations for the femme star. Producer called It off. At the opening of "Sons o' Guns" (Jack Donahue) at the Imperial the entire orchestra was scaled at $11 with the box office holding plenty, in the back of the house. As a result there was plenty of price slashing going on at the ticket cage. . At 8:40 orchestra seats were selling at $5.5C<- Ten minutes later they were $4.40 and & 9 $11 seats were selling at $3.30. ^ . . , Imperial is operated by the Shuberts. Lee and -a. corps of Shubert spotters were on hand to watch the Shuberts* own cut rate plan in oper- ation in the lobby of their own theatre. , , William Gillette was presented with a bound book of letters written to the . actor on the. occasion .of his revival of his play, "Sherlock Holmes," at the New Amsterdam theaitre, Monday night. The . letters bore the signatures of more than 60 proThlnent Americans. The presentation was made by Prof. 'William Lyon Phelps, oif Yale University, at the close of the opening performance. Bargain Xmas Qift For Two (2) Years, $15, Sent Ahywhere Nothing beats "Variety" for a steady present to shov\r folks, friends or i'elatives interested in the. show business at home or abroad One Year's Subscription (Regular Price), $10 Two Years (Special Price), $15 HOLDS GOOD UNTIL NE.W YEAR'S T. W. T. .-T. yt's.-. pfe- MELBOURNE (Legit) BOY All.—"Hold Everything:." W. GOMBDV.—"Brewster's MlUlons." KllirCJ'S.—"Whoopee." Nell & W. TIVOLI.—Ernest Lotlnera & Co., W OLYMPiA.—Wlrth'B Circus. PicturiBs (All Wired) REJGENT.—"Lucky Star." Hoyt's DB LUXE.—Pleasure Crazy." Ho CAPITOL.—"Behind That Curtain acntatlon^ond. Jan .Bublni.^£bl UlpSr;^ PRINCESS.—"Cocoanuts." U.T. ' MAJBMTIC—"Four Feathers." U.-T. STATE,—"Dangeroiia Curves." ATHENAEUM.-"Slnglnar Fool." U.-T. ADELAIDE (Legit) ROYAL.—"Desert Song." W.-T. MAJBSTIC.—Connors and Paul revue. Pictures YORK.—"Sonny Boy." U.T. "WBST'S.—"Harold Teen." U.-T. WONDERGRAPH.—"Broadway Mvloily.'' Iloyl'o. A smart alecky art theatre promoter around New Hwrtl has changed plays three times so far this season with a different cast'for each. Up to date he has failed to pay a single salary to the actors. When they demand their money, he refuses and the actors have no contract to base a suit upon. The slicker instead of a contract sends or gives, them a letter addressed to himself, outlining the engagement. A new art theatre group is being financed by a manufacturer, who is dabbling In show business simply because his wife has stage and social ambitions. Woman, in her late 40's has had no previous stage experi- ence, and no play without a fat part for her is being considered for pro- duction. Investment to date is around $26,000. Marion Gering, who is producing "Broken Dishes," Martin Flavin's comedy, gives his backer, Oscar Serlln, unique recognition using a "by arrangement with" line on his house boards. That phrase is usually employed when one manager borrows a star from another who has him or her under contract. An L. A. manager, whose Sunda;y business was off, tried direct-by-mall, advertising. He sent" out 500 letters to school teachers, each letter en- closing, a pass for two. Pass had no strings tied to it. The return was IB out of the 600. Direct-by-mall advertising was out.