Variety (Dec 1929)

OUTDOORS -VARIETY 59 Mgrs. Fostern^ It , Chicago, t>e(k t4. '' The - ,$5hrlstmw piffls^nt . h^lne I»nde4 «ut;b;Jli0 pljigUnS'.ofl^op tci AudiioHum managers." thrdushQut the countr:^, l¥ tho ultimatum that, they wtU noW take the BlnsUn& «ir-; cuseb at the BlinKlInff prices or. else. It is the old Wea of jp, comlblrie" trying to dictate to the hall mahr figers and the. latter are sore.' Already the maniagers have ataxt-i •d a series of letters to independent eircueea advising of th«. Rlhgling move, itating they are still open to tema, - but not frona th^ l-^t^^^ offices. : ^ ■ S<it!!ib ^!20 meni '^?:"eRreia'entlng aiUdl- toriiims throughout America, i^re affected by the: Rlngllng/-ultimatum. The'poll<!!y's1ia,t)(es up -^Ith the last mlnut^ Bignlhg of persohnel of' the circuses. 'Jfdtiny arfe, <^i^'|j5!that tlie same tacttcs will T),e ^sed; here whiaii the p^rforniieta = iirtd. o'ttidi's wlU get the club. .1^^ be told they ^^vfill' have to work- &£ Rlngling prices, or go without worki Time Ripe Show;'^rlht inert a^ -iligyer mbre llrm In their fi'dfef jftatrtW'tlme" i^- ripefok^ iie^ circuses^ >' They- aroTiiot ctaii'di'rig back. Some or^ eveh of 4 fering .flifanclal y^aid ^to reaponoibl^ men to . get out lictw tricks, v They base' their faith on ^he tested theory that no ' amusement -^monopbly has ever^.,au'ceeeded ."f6^^ a.T(iy length of 'time* '.. " ■ • ■' - ■" ■ '■ In keeping with this plan Charles Sparks is Tyorklng ■ at. the present time on a liew SO-'Car 'railroad cir- cus. With the aid that is .coming; his way there.' Is. a chance :he. will put the thing oVer. If he does it will cut in on the Blnigling offices. After that office has set a number of fairs it Id going to be Impossible to change the -routes whicK. win give the opposition a sweet tifne ^ith^the big fines; I The^.e fft'irp jti'aye to- bo' oh circuits and the-circus must play or pay ho matter what happens around them. It looks like the ^Bingllng taepry"'ChristmsLS idea is' hot- going «p good.^ ' ^ <: r ■ "Chieagoi^jtiet;:^*; . R." M. Harv6y 'has -'clpsed "eiigiit tpwnsi 4or- turtle raciftgv.in the aprlti^^' ■ pKle . of the' 'Big* flipots Is TulsaTokla; : ' If'«uiBci6iit 'iiutiabet of towds ican- be booked '^ack . MlUer^ Js rft^ujclhg on turning, the entire <buisiness over to Harv^: All Jhe fjic^ aYe un- der cont^drof ttxe Miller Bros., xlirpp- erties at' Ponca CJity, Okia. • • Spark* Sells'^Nagf" • :. -Macpri/.'iSjti/.Deic, .24. A, general "nag" sale was con- ducted by the - Sparks i oir<;Us, In winter 4Usr.tirs at tiie''C!^nt|;ar City park here, when a number of rid- ing horses and trick broncos were ■disposed of. The oircus has bought a carload of new- horses that will be trained during the winter and the old ones that "are hot what they ittsed to be" were >61d for' whatever price they would luring. ALL RINGUNG CIRCUS WORKERS fid ON SALARY Chicago, Dec. 24. , ; Candy butchers .and ticket-sellers on . the Ringling circuses in .1930 are going to work oh flat salary. Tlcke^ inen will recieive $36 weekly. Under the old plaUj under Jerry Mugiyan^ these boys worked on si commission basis. . It was hot uncommon, for a. man to sell 900 concert tickets at one show.' Hard work, but th6 boys put it Over. • This one change in plan is figured liable cost Ringling at . least halt a million''ih '8eas<i>hS..i^^^ due. to probable'wbrkers* Jet-down in ^ork. 101 Next jSeasoh Ponca City, Okla., Dec. 24. The following people have been re-epgaged- fpij . 1930 on . the; 101 Ranch: <3eo..-:Myers, arena Abchctori: T. p. Scanning, . auditor and treas-; urer; Jeick-.Bell;;: musilcal dlr^tor^ and Fred Seyihour, director-of per- sonnel. The. circus wehf into win- ter quarters here Dee. 17, winner on the outdoor engagements, but losing o.h,,the three indoor stands. B. Mi Harviey'will ajgaln be. gen- eral agent;" ' f • Hokiiei^si Stock 'Poisbh,ed; . . .St. Louis,.'Mo., Dec. 24.1.' A disgruntled groom pPlsOned sill Jack Hozie's stock at the closb of the "101" engagement here .last week. Carbolic acid was used, "Silver King," Hoxie'B trick horse, valued In the thousands, was lost along.with the. othiers. . Music's Circus Nick.. [ • >..■' ■ * . ,Chicag6, Dec. 24.'.i Circuses;'ih'd . .<jarnivals' will- be taxe:d',:il90/!p1l}.b,;tp ■;,jip.OjOOfr' ib: ;havci muslet inri 1930. >' The • tax goes to> the Am^lcan.Soplety of Composers, Authors', iand •^Publishers- ' . ■ • Cahhedt'^ar <Ji;chestra''thualc must pay. The :long-name .bunch ha,ye agents all-set•iU'-key cities to start in the,J3pring., . .. ! Rnslnq; Shm Mgrs. Chicago, Dec. 24. William J. Conway, last 8ea,son with the BIngllngTBarnum circus, ^11 be manager of the Hagenbeok- Wfdlace. circus next yeiir. - ^ Dan Odonf,' unlesschanges axe made, will retain the tittle but will give his time to the fair end. Jess Adklns wiU.be manager of the John ..Bobihson show, while Sylvester Cronln will be at the wheel . for Al G. Barnes. • • Auspices Circus Strands Chicago, Dec. 24. The Moose Indoor Circus at Mus^ kegon, Mich., paid oi£ 19% to all performers, leaving seyejcal .strand-- ed in town. Show closed last week. It was' under managem^ht' of .John McGrall. / ~" ' ' " Edward' HOck'd'-MoqSe* <sircus at the Ashland Auditorium, Chicago, paid in full and netted $3»006. < ^ 3-Ring Midget Circus .Chicago,.Dec. 24, Coliseum here is figuring; pn'; a midget ' three r'ring clrcUs. next month; • -Troupe.; • -coiiBlsts" -of' 150 midgets.. who, put .on a . complete, circus. ' ': ' TED WILDE Ted 'Wilde, picture director, died at his home in Hollywood, Cal., Dec. 17, following a paralytic stroke. Wilde was directing Charles Mur- ray in "Playing the Market" (Eddie Small) at the Metropolitan studios. During a scene he was. stricken and apparently .realizing his condi- tion Was critical asked to be taken home and died 24 hours later. ^ Wilde was born In New York city; was a graduate of Cplunibia University, where: he speciaiized in dramatic construction. Wilde began his stage career in 1912- playing comedy- parts in niusical stock. During, the World War he wept overseas with ■ the 32Cth Infantry as a. corporal and wai^ woiAnded at St. Miehl. He also produced a num- ber of musical acts ' for: the sol^ dlers while, withjthe,A?...E; E.^ "AfteV the war he returned toi the stagei and in 1922 went to Hollywood. He got a Job wltl* Harold, lilpyd. .ai| a gag man and -then directed- for ' (Continued-from-'page SO). Park avenue. Blanche Yurka, act- ress, has .bought a -two'-sw;re tract at Chappaqua^t N.^ Y>, ahd yrill biiild a colonial residence. She divorceid Ian Kieith, actor,. who -then married Ethel Clayton, actress. • Ann An-; drews. has leased, an apartment at 400 East 58th street.; Eleanor Shaler ha^<aIso. leased at that. same.ad- driess. The daughtier of Gen. <jharles, Shaler wa^ last in. ;iLnderson'^ "Ahnanac'? . > . ' • • Belmont Down and Ont Toledo, Dec. 24. . Joe.Artessi. Belmont; circus clown and* trouper for 53 year's, perma- nently injured While doubllhg ■ lor Theda Bara in. "The Serpent'* In 1916, y hen iiei missed the net ih a 46-fQot backward fall, no-j^ ijs down, and out here, with ^wo sons to support, The faihny vjiii b6 one of the. beneficiaries of the News- Bee Christmas fund-boxing show. - Joe's Wife ^lIso was injured the same year, "When the rigging of Jier " ladder broke. Joe now is blind, but sUll can do a few stuntis to please the kids of the neighborhood. CLOWN, NEAE 100, DIES • Kansas City, Dec. 24. William j;. Fisher, an old time clown, died at his hwne in Shelblna, Mo., bee. 13, lacking but Ave months of being 100 years old. ,He wa« ill but a few days. Fisher was once a clown and wag with the Johri Rob- -f MP??. pl rc^S -O'ver JO y^ Gruberg's Bernardi's Buy Chicago, Dec. 24. Ruben Gruberg, owner of the Ru- bin Cherry shows, 13 reported as having purchased half interest in the Bernardl carnival, a Pacific Coast outfit. ffelicla Bernardl will have Cllf Kelly as general agent. KeUy ex- pects to leave for the Coast in Jan. 'i^/Q^ All Out^ .,;cl-;>;:-.:v';.::^T Chicago,' I)ic. -24;- The.,.'.;9)^sj^..;;jS.ros.. .•;'-.Clr'cusMiaS'; notified/'ait jacket men that the;^ will not'-b,e--used, in;- I9^0i With CM^ty .'d^iapj^lng-i^ kypi thisileattes all major circuses free of the chis- eling, Cele Bros.- and Gentry; botti of which passed out of the picture this fall, were the only other two carrying ^'lucky boys. There may still be-a;'^tery few-"small wagon shows vthat. use Jthe take :idea, .'bui 1930 will find all circuses using raJls clean.. ■. .', ,"' -, . . , .i Show people continue'ip'be well paid. itor/.appearing ■a€='jpriYiattih-en4 tertalnmehts: At tfaie.^siupher^^hce given by Mr. and Mrs; I^uls.Gordon Itaihersley at lOffO 'Sth^a^fertUe, Rutbj .Ettlng, Will Mahoney^. Fred Keat-i ing an4 .Miliar and iFartell appteared) ;At i;he':supper-dance giVeh, biy CoL arid Mrs. William Hayw«^rd at 1051 6th "lavehue,'' Jack 'iteatlhg;'.' Xiucky Roberts and Evielyn -Ijaye.iappearedi But. not the • hoftteas's. • fqrhie^ daughter-in-law, Constance ;'Ben nett; who is in BaHs.' " MEDICINE. SHOWS €ROWD : Louisville, Dec. 24. ; Four rhediclne shows on cne block here—a record/fqr thi? town. Charlie, iWhltecloud and Gash Miller are the best known of,: the .quartet, AH g*y6 free .shows; to attract bi? ..and sell the cUre-allS. - ■ • Q^lye^tpn New Booster ; .-'Gilvestqn, . Dec...24'; Galveston j|eacfi Association held, annual election of pfflcerts and con-, sidered' tenlaUi^e pirogra^ ^call^hg for ten .special' feature events aind extensive, advertising this season.- j Tom iwtobre^ manager Hotel Gal- vez; succeeded -G. B.' Barfleld as president. Barfleld; former'carnival operator, has one of principal rides on the beach. OUTDOOR SLANTS Frank Abbott was re-elected pres- ident of the bill p6sters' union in Chicago, with Jick Jilson going in for the siith year as blst manager. ^^gloyd^King,JtoXTOeiljowner of Ji^ Gentry and Cole Bros., circuses .is now in Dyersburg, Tienn., his home, trying to Interest the local banks in a new 10-car outfit 101 Ranch issued a 341-page route book to wind-up ttie season. Credit to H, Truby Baldwin, P. A., of the show', H. H. Harper, cartodnl.st. Mo- bile "Register," and Bob Kincey, city ed of the same sheet. Many of the gay Americans' who visit Paris have met Aga Kahn, the Indian poteutale, arid the lady he recently married,-.Jane' Andree Carron,.modiste,., lo -whom he ba^ been iJevoted for years.,-,gphey.;hav$ visited the fine.-estate ^neor Paris that Aga Rahh ebld tb J.' Searle Barclay of New York; Nlta' f^aldi now lives there. - Nita. is.-said to have-changed; her jiame from -Dopley and to have been a phone operator In New York before Jbirting "The Follies'.' and featured in, pictures, Barclay has been divorced by Isa- bella BCunriewell, socially re'gls.tered. Post-Ritchie Finis Guy Bates iPost; divorced by/Adel^ Ritchlfe, first married Jane Peyton. Adele,, daughter of J. B. PulzJ' first miarrled. Chairles Nelson; Bell. jFor ■yeiars she was courted .by .the latfe Joseph Herbert, actor, aiici f dr some tihie liyed with Mrs. •;"TpiHi«y'; Pierce, who, like 'EleiytiqrA^ SesLfs, hails from. Boiston. Post first acted in 1893 with_ Mrs. James Brown Pottel: (mother of Mrs. James A. Stlllman), and Miss Ritchie first acted in 1893 with Thomas Q. Seaibrpoke in "The Isle of Champagne," Reno Applicant* Mrs. Hamilton Cottier, wife of a professor at Princeton University, is in Reno for a divorce. She was Ann Seton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Thompson Seton. Her father, tlxejiMttrsli9t.Mid_.-autho_r^^^^ his name from Ernest Seton Thompson. • Her mother was Grace Gallatin, of the distinguished New York family. Ann, who married, in" 1923, was previously attended by John de Blesse, a handsome filna extra. Also In Reno for a divorce is MrSi Frank Chapman, Jr. She, a writer,. was ^ Elizabeth Cobb, daughter of Irvln S. Cobb. Chap- man is a concert singer. PLAYS ON BROADWAY (Cohtlhued from'pag6 55) achusetts. His wardi Ann" Carr, Is immensely -attracted 'by Raphael Xibrd, a student who. has' .not been there long. He Is a sort of mystery and is some fl.ve years' older than' other students, having been a sol- dier of f<)rtUne . before turning to scholarly matters.: Anne hals an- other suitor, a football star i^ho dids of heart ifailure.. during tjie party that night. Excitement attendant ujpon.Rapbael'a demand that' he teU Anne of the affiiction is a cojatribUr tory '. cause, v according to. .,Curtl3. Maxwell, the - athlete'is - brother..; Lord is determinedvtp piill but for New ■ York, positive he -will make bis way. upward ih the business world. The second, act, five years later, Xiord ha!^ tifiade. great ..^.trldcs, He- has done even more than, he said- he would. He had accompll9h4 ed the .Jiierger of autonibtive. in- dustries!' Right now he is. en- grossed in ' the development of a South An^erican republic where his drillers etruck oil. A hundred thpu- sand people bad bought.stock in the corporation; because ..oi.,..-faith,'iri Lord. - 1: ,'...'<■■"".' .- f . In slddltloii' h^a has the dream'bf making ^the country a -utopla, a- land of' moder dwellings'; . a place . that will take the' Outpourings; of the slumd, • ifrbrti ..poverty" in paradise.^ But there covti^ a,r .time of . Ihde^iJ cisioH. He realises- he. dannot' longeo; live With Anne,: his yrtfe; ' Calling. Dr. Avery he sayaihe Itnotvs. tbe'te is a.shadow'Comlpg .over ^his I(fe and does not want Anne to be en- folded. ■ . - ' '' • • • • Another tWo' years.; elapse. i/LsiXr ters in. the Soutli;American venture appear to be. In dan'gefoua' condi- tion. - Maxwell, -holding the grudge against-Liord,-although being paid a handsome salary, has tried to sell 'out to opposed 'interests. Anne. , has always : believed there Would be a- tline When Raphael's mind would collapse. - She her lieves the .moment ha's come for her to-step in and..bring her- matO: back to the plane of normal beings: For'a; second or two he listens to her,,-then" again, becomes vislbnafy, knowing that he will win. He phones his financial opponent, with the result that man is. coming t6 the house to 'settle oh Lord's termsl But Anne had gone. She threat- ened to leave if h^ continued his extraordinary endeayofs. She had' protested his ..schem.es that Included' machine guntf in the.land he wpuld make a utopla. She felt that, she ho longer had; a- place in his heartj. A curious cu'rtkih bri a .curious menf tallty,' .. ■■ :■ . ■. t "Meteor" IS'a'study'.in "absolute egotisnj,'' . Lord, who _slept on parl|; benches ''and Hhc?" poverty ..fis \4 youth, never lost cbnfidence In him * self. He" knew yirhat- woUld hapipehi love^ , power, .' abbve'^ = everjrthipg'. Wheh " asked why' lie jbbught. 4 country house as a wedding gift for his. brother-in-law, he' said he wanted to feel like God. and did and was sincere about It Perhapp there never was such a man, save in an author's mind. Perhaps the only finale for such. a .being was to go nuts. But the author did not go that far. Alfred Lunt gives a powerful and alluring picture pf Raphael Lord. His is . the. genius (described sis the development of a sixth sense) that seems sUprdpie, almost superhuman. Such a person might easily be of- fensive on the stage, but Lunt wins sympathy Miss Fontanne's Is not nearly the assignment that is Lunt's. She has her moments but the power of the other lead out-distances all other characters. Edward Emery very good as Dr. Avery. Douglass Mont- gomery and Lawrence Leslie also counted. "Meteor," the story of a marvel who arhleved groat wealth and ac- complishments. Is skillfully pro- duted. liee. the latter, his pictures, including "Speedy" and "The Kid Brother." From there went to First'National. He is survived by his. widow and one child. ALPHON8E BUSSON Alphonse Busson,. S^, reporter for the Los Angeles Bl ' Heraldo de Mexico died at the Metropolitan studios In HoUs^ood from a heart attack while covering a meeting. for the standardization of Spanish dia- lects to be used in pictures. BussOn had been connected with newspapers in Mexico City.. before coming , to Los Angeles five years ago. Is survived by. a widow aAd two children. : .BUD WARIhlidi Biid. (Montoe)- Waring, 34, brother - of Tona and Fred "Waring tlRraring's ; Pennsylvanlans); killed by railwaty train lit Tyrone, Pk.* ;Dec,' :2lp. A news story .of the .-fatality appears. ■elsewhere in this Issue.- -• ; ' • ' EDWARD R.' kELSEY lEdward 'R. Kielsey, 51, secretary Toledo Rotary , club flind Toledo News-Bee columnistr died; Dec. 18 of . heart trouble. Kelsey worked oh .in Pohfl Meniory of' -;;.'.y ."and'' ■•• . They' Have Passed bh . •; But Are. Not Forgotten by TOM aUlGli^ Toledo papers' for 'yie&n,. thii^h b^.-'^, tajniife p; a. for the Lyceum and Burt- tKeafres' Jthefe;'ind ifaiW "iifiiuaged ;th'e'two-houses; • , ■'t ;' }At_oiie^iihie hb riain hls bwn -stock; f company °ih tvi^lqti' Maigr,;Sery<>0s-^^^^ And other 9tara appeared, His;? wido:v and daUj^hter/Bturylye. ' * •■' 'WiMiarh' P. ,CS»tl(*m^rf»'' \ ,'■ William Prypr Caetleinan, fpi'm^r,, o^era singer, died In Louisville. Deo, 19^ following a flbbi^ llthbsjBv' .M^; C^stleman-made hie debut in bpera at Th^ Hafiue, in; He la;t«r sang at the Paris Opera Housb and. the Algerian tJperia, House.' ,, » :^ The wife «f' Frederick-McQulggr^ dramatic. editor. ChlCfgq Evenihg Ahierican, died in.'Chicago, i>ec; lt*>vi A:Son also survlvea. , The mother (78 X of: the late Dr. George E,, Lothropr died .In, Boston. Dec. 17 . with interment :}h Xrling* • ton cemetery. Paul J. Cassettj 24, yiolinist, who bad played Ja the, Iteieney^: .Mo'zart and. Capitol theatre . brche$tras,-.in Eimlri, ;n. . Y.,;". dlied- in that city iThe iFather of' Paul i*. Wildrlclf. ■ ■Variety correspondent at Southern . Tier, N. Y.,;dred Nov. ^28; : ' A sister of Feymour Felix • died Dec. 2(1. in Gi'eehwlch, Conn.. . Chai;leB P.JBeiber, 34, former,as^ sibtaht manager,' Pbntiac' theatre,; died Dec. 13.a^t Saranac Lake, N.-.'S', He is survived, by his 'wldbyr. and mQthe^. The mother of M. B. and Edward Shanberg, both of the Midland Clrr; cult of Theatres, died In Kanajts City, Dec. IT* Of heart trouble.' ^ Deaths Abroad Paris, Dec. 15. .Siflurd^He s«elbergi,;B3,_Norwegian writer, died at Bergen. M. A. Willner, 76, author of sev? eral operettas for. which Frailz Lehar, Goldmark and Puccini wrote music, died In "Vienna. Louis Baud, €5, French journal- ist, died. In Paris. He was the father pf Christiane Dargtl, dancer, now playing in H.aniburg, Germany, Luciano Zucooli, 7(^/ Italian au- thor, died in Paris.