The New York Clipper (July 1919)

July 2, 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER BUSINESS GOOD AT PARKS DESPITE RAISED ADMISSION Luna, Palisades, Bronx Exposition Report Takings to Be 25% Over Those of Former Seasons. New Shows and Prizes Doing the Trick Amusement parks about Greater,New York haTe, during the past month, done an average of 25 per cent, more business than 'during any like period.in the last ten years. These figures apply to Luna and Steeplechase Parks at Coney Island, and Palisades in New Jersey.. The Bronx Exposition and Amusement Park is doing a business beyond expectations, but no comparison could be made with respect to business of previous seasons. It was not open last season during the month of June. Luna' and Palisades have increased their gate over last year from 10 to 15 cents admission and, from indications, the amount of attendance did not fall off, and the receipts from that source were in- creased in proportion with the advance of the scale. Weekdays, the admission at the Bronx is ten cents with one cent war tax, and on Saturdays, Sundays and holi- days it is thirteen cents with two cents war tax. Steeplechase, as in past seasons, is making its play on the 60-cent combina- tion ticket with a five-cent war tax added. The Bronx Exposition, located at 177th street and Southern Boulevard, is the only one of the adjacent parks which is in the ■ five-cent fare zone. Palisades Park, from New York, carries a seventeen-cent fare, and Coney Island, from above 42nd street, a fare of fifteen cents. The Exposition is not fully completed at the present time, as several new riding contrivances and various other amuse- ments are in the course of construction, and will not be ready until the middle of the month. Still, at the same time there are a host of amusements in the park to interest patrons, and they have been doing an unusually good business. Some of the attractions which are at present open to the public in the Bronx are the Jazz Dance hall, about 100 x 150 feet in size. This hall has proved inade- quate, and President McGarvie has under course of construction another hall which is adjoining. This place will be 100 x 800 feet in size and will be ready for use on Independence Day. Then comes the Witching Waves, which is a ride old to summer park habitues. Adjoining this, as a free exhibit, is Hol- land Submarine No. 9 and a number of artillery pieces captured from the Gerjnans during the Chateau Thierry battle. A lit- tle further along the midway can be found the House of "Mirth, Laughter and Non- sense." This building is of the Nut House variety, and has been doing considerable business. The Old Reliable Carousel still holds its own, as it does in all summer parks, and the Tub race is also a money-getter. A new Motodrome got underway on Sunday, and from indications will be a box office attraction. The Venetian Canal and Whirlpool have been doing an average business, hut nothing of a startling variety. "Hereafter," a panoramic spec- tacle, seems to appeal to the patrons of the park, and has been doing big on Satur- days and Sundays especially. The Ferris Wheel, which was brought from the recent San Francisco Panama Exposition at San Diego, CaL, opened on .Thursday night of last week and, despite weather conditions, got off to a good start. The frolic and Captive Airplanes are - adjoining attrac- tions, ' with the latter being the better patronized of the two. Then there is Underground Chinatown, which is a portrayal of the city's slums of recent years offered in wax. It is much better to see this attraction in wax than to be "bunked" into seeing Chinatown on a tight-seeing buss. - ?*** ■ Vista's Temple of Mystery,-with Capt. Horse, the animal advertised as having human intelligence, ia one of -"the park's big money-getters. ' "Shimmyland," a dance emporium in which five little maid- ens endeavor to give their'interpretation of the latest' dance craze, proves to be the big office attraction in the park. The show is a .fifteen-cent attraction, and probably the value and merit of it all can be ob- tained through the appeal of the "barker" for patronage. If the girls would only do what friend "spieler" promises, it would be some show and more than worth the price. But the gals don't, not because they cannot, but because someone might come along and say there are some little things we do not want. So the girls just do a few little shoulder wiggles and let it go at that. The racing coaster is an attraction somewhat in the discard with respect to volume of business, but does enough to get by and make ends meet. One of the best attractions in the park is the Garden clubhouse conducted by D. P. Ritchey, of the Gregorian Hotel, and managed by Jim McGilvery, formerly maitre de hotel at Murrays. It has a restaurant, cafe and cabaret. The latter is provided by four dusky entertainers. Between the numbers dance music is pro- vided by a Jazz Band. Ritchey also oper- ates a cafeteria in the park, and win, the middle of this month, open a popular priced restaurant. One of the most popular places in the park is the mammoth swimming pool, 300 x 330 feet in dimension. It has a capacity of 2,500,000 gallons of water, which is changed every day. About 8,000 persons can be accommodated in the pool at a time, with 2,750 dressing rooms for their use. This pool is the largest in size about Greater New York, and from present indi- cations will prove one of the biggest fea- tures of the Exposition. A new contrivance which will be known A3 the mon-o-pjane aeroplane is now under course of construction and will be ready in two weeks. It is being erected by C. M. Clegg at a cost of $80,000. Band concerts are supplied every after- noon and evening, and six free acts are on the program at the open air theatre during the same period. Some of the other attractions located in the park are the Roller Skating Rink, Whip, Pony Track and TJ-Boat Dodger. In the line of concessions, the Kentucky Derby seems to be the leader with respect to patronage. All of the games give away a similar line of prizes which include, candy, kewpie dolls, shawls and pennants. Luna Park has as its new attractions this season "The Last Shot," a panoramic spectacle based "on the recent war. This attraction seems to have been one of the big money-getters during the past month. "Shimmyland" proves to be a real box- office magnet, playing to capacity at all performances. Five girls and a man par- ticipate in the terpsichorean endeavor. The Shrine of Diana" Is also a new show, rather commonplace and hardly to b': qualified as a lasting attraction. The other attractions that can be viewed about the park are "Night in Pekin," "Submarine F," "Rajah with the X-Ray Eye," "Baby Incubator," "Dragon Gorge," "The Whip," "The Top," "The Gyroplane," "Luna Ride," "Treat >Em Rough," "Over the Top," "Mystery House," "Coal Mine," "Red Mm," "Virginia Reel," "Chutes," "Witching Waves," "The Tanks," "The Frolics," "Captive Airplanes" and "Honey- moon Express." The ballroom, to which admission is free, is always filled to ca- pacity, and, in conjunction with it, a "masked" woman, late of the Chicago Opera. Company ballet, is doing a solo danco. She has" been appearing there for three weeks. (Coefwwed tm page 84.) NAMED HIS OWN FIGURE When reports came into the Shubert offices last week that the "Gaieties of 1919" was a bit weak, efforts were made to strengthen the show for its New York premiere. - - - ~ Ed. Wynn was immediately sent for and asked to join, bat he was at first reluct- ant to listen to any proposition. Then an offer was made to him but was not ac- ceptable. Finally, on Wednesday morning, a hurry call waa sent to him at the New York A. C. telling him that he could "write his own ticket" and should join the show that evening. Wynn left the place immediately and departed for At- lantic City. Wynn was under contract to the Shu- bert a at the beginning of the season, but was loaned to Arthur Hammerstein for a period of three years. He was assigned to "Sometime" and, according to Wynn, was to have received $1,000 a week and 10 per cent. However, Hammerstein could not see the 16 per cent, part of the agree- ment, and Wynn left the show for a week. Seeing the possibilities of the piece, Ed decided to go back without the percentage and played in it through its run at the Casino. Should Wynn prove to be a success- in the "Gaieties" it is quite likely he will be kept in the cast Tor its entire New York run. Then, probably, Hammerstein will be heard from and will demand of the Shuberts that he be returned to him to complete his contract. Should this situa- tion arise, it is said the Shuberts will make a settlement with, Hammerstein which will be satisfactory to him and probably supply him another comedian In Wynn's place for the "Sometime'' show. MORRISSEY NAMES CREDITORS Will Morriasey, who recently produced the "Overseas Revue," condensed and now being presented as a. vaudeville act, with Elizabeth Brice featured, last week filed a ■voluntary petition in bankruptcy. The petition filed in the U. S. District Court by Henry J. Block, Morrissey's at- torney, seta forth that Morrissey owes a total of $24,214 to pay off, while he has assets amounting to $130. His principal creditors are: Elizabeth Brice, $9,600 due for salary; Harry Kelly, $500 for salary; Andre Sherri, $1,200-for goods sold and delivered; M. Hosti, $300 for goods sold and delivered. ■ K. OF. C. TO FILM FIGHT Billy Roche, the prize fight referee, has been delegated by the K. of C. to supervise the taking of a motion picture of the Wil- lard-Dempsey fight. As soon as the film is completed, Roche will sail for Trance,- and will there show the picture to the members of the American Expeditionary Forces in the Army of Occupation zone and other territories occupied by American troops. Roche returned from France, where he had been with the K. of C. for eight months, late in May. SUES "TAKE IT FROM ME" Grace MoOarren, a twenty-one-year-old artists* model who resides in Brooklyn, be. gan an action last "week In the Supreme Court against the Take It From Me Com- pany, Inc., which produced the musical play "Take It From Me" that closed at the Central Theatre a week ago hut Saturday. In her complaint, filed by Abraham Rosenbhith, her attorney. Miss McCarren asks that she be awarded $50,000 to com- pensate her for the humiliation she ha* suffered by reason of seeing her picture— the one she originally posed for—used in connection with the billing of "Take It From Me." . The picture is that of a young girl with her lips puckered ready to be kissed. Miss McCarren alleges- that ahe posed for the picture at the request of Ralph Armstrong, an. artist. He told her, she says, that the picture waa to be used on the cover of Puck, a weekly magazine. The picture was used on the magazine cover, but since that time it has also appeared in numerous other books, post cards and last year waa used on a calendar. Her picture waa put to all of these uses without her consent; she says. RAPS BILLBOARDS Atlantic Crrr, June 27.—The National Association of Real Estate Boards, In con- vention here this week, approved the declaration of Everett L. Millard, president of the Municipal Art League of Chicago, that the advertising billboard ia one of the worst nuisances of today. He claimed that the billboards are eye- sores and that they' affect real estate valuee. He pointed out the fact that Fifth avenue, in. New York, is much more at- tractive than Broadway because of the absence of signs. K.OFC Er^TERTAINMENTS Two entertainments were given last Sunday night by the Knights of Columbus. one at the Broadhurst Theatre and the other a't the K. of C. Hut at Camp Upton. Rev. Father Duffy had charge of the show at the Broadhurst, at which soldiers and sailors from the Victory Fleet appeared, and Frank Burns was in charge .of that at Camp Upton. Those who appeared at the' performances were J. E. Carson, H. Burger, W. Burns, Mr. Carney, formerly of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Hagney A. McDermott, A. J. Musterman, Ehehker and Levine, M. Bloomfield, C. F. Hasafk, W. Waters, J. W. Ward, R. L. Brigga, J. Gaynor, H. C. Hudson, J. F. Fredler and M. Greenfield. PATERSON HOUSE WELL BOOKED Paterson. N. J., June 30.—Numerous attractions have been booked here Cox the Lyceum which will open on August 11 with Gns'HBl's Minstrels. Among them are "Up in Mabel's Room,'' "Friendly Enemies," "Flo Flo," "Tiger Rose." "Flake O'Hara," "Business Before Pleasure," "Somebody's Sweetheart," "Tumble In," "Take It from Me" and "Leave It Alone." "Uncle Tom," "Mutt and Jeff," "Ten Nlghta in a Bar Room," "Trail of the Lonesome Pine" and "Si Perkins" are among the shows which will play three-night stands here. GIVE BALL FOR ACTORS Seattle, June 27.—The theatrical folk of this dry, both permanent and visiting, gave a ball last night to raise funds' for the Actor's ■ Benefit The affair was held in the Masonic Temple. Newell Miller, manager of the Wilkes Theatre Joe Carter, of the Oak Theatre, Howard Russell, a member of the Wuke* Players and Vic Gainstlett, press repre- sentative of the Wilkes Players, consti- tuted the committee in charge of the ball. DELYLE ALDA Prima Donna Zicgfdd's- Follies-of 1919. New Amsterdam Theatre now. Persons! ma ment Edgar Dudley, Inc., Strand Theatre ORR HAS NEW PLAY Harvey D. Orr has acquired a new musi- cal play called "Come Along, Mary," for the road next season. The piece will ha assembled, rehearsed and booked from New York. The cast will require the serv- ices of at least thirty-five; The route win start from New York, booked by Kla w and Erlanger.