Variety (April 1919)

BfU W ysgszzg "■■■■■ - ; f!?*y' •-'-•V'-. !R| 5c: to* pi 10 .>-: j-ifiiiS^V*- !'*tfj I COLUMBIA REVIVING CENSOR COMMITTEE NEXT SEASON? Reports Present System of Reporting on Wheel Shows t Unsatisfactory. House Managers Diagree. Old System Preferred by Executives. Special Investigator, Possibility. 1 \m ! H i » vy A somewhat authentic report wafted itself into the realms of Broadway burlesque this week that next season the Columbia Circuit may revive its former censoring committee of three members. The story found immediate credence. Many agree the present manner of reporting on the big wheel's attractions, and through those reports, mostly from house managers, attempt- ing to regulate the productions from the New York offices of the circuit, has been a failure. The former plan of censoring bur- ' lesque at the opening of the season was to have a committee of three, termed censors, speed along the line of the wheel, looking over the shows and making reports. The reports con- tained recommendations as to material, production and personnel. They were accepted by the Columbia executives as absolute and producers were in- structed to observe them. In this way the wheel attractions were generally straightned out by the tenth week of travel. Of recent years the system was re- laxed, with reports from house man- pagers depended upon. The house man- agers reported their opinion as to the snows in their theatres. This resulted /in a multitude of diverse opinions. The Columbia people have found that with but possibly a couple of exceptions, the house managers' return could # not be depended upon as a critical criterion. .A recent example of the inept man- ner of reporting was brought to the /burlesque men. A show played the -Columbia during March, having toured sitice last September with hardly an adverse comment against it by any house manager. At the Columbia, Vaktbty*s critic raked the show fore and aft, tore into it generally and said it was the poorest example of a bur- lesque attraction from almost any angle the Columbia, New York, had presented within a couple of years. The burlesque people who saw the show agreed with Variety's notice but the producer of it, as a counterclaim, pointed to a clear record of reports all over the Wheel, up to New York. When the show left the Columbia, and within 10 days afterward, alt of the principals of the production, excepting two, received two weeks' notice, with the producer commencing to engage new people. This was accepted by the —Columbia directors as a confession by the producer he had come into New York with a bad show and that he had slipped over the circuit with it from September until March. In the same connection, it is said the Columbia executives are considering the advisability of appointing a versed burlesque man, as special investigator, to supplement the censoring commit- tee. The investigator will be on the go all season, reporting any deliquency in performance he may observe with his movements kept a. secret. The identity of the investigator will also be kept secret, if it is found possible to do so. The matter of censoring is to come up at the general meeting. Many of the producers on the big wheel are said to favor it. They claim their shows suffer from the shoddy ones and that correct censoring means more money at the box office to all of the attractions as the season progresses. COOPER LOSES WILSON CASE. In handing down a decision in the case of Irving Cooper against Jack Wilson, Judge Frederick L. Johnson, in the Second District Court of Newark, N. J., decided that a booking agent operating in New York who has not obtained a license under the The- atrical Employment Agency Act has no standing in court, and therefore cannot enforce a contract for the com- mission due on the management of an act because of his operating without a license. Judge Johnson reserved his decision on the matter for almost five months, and did not hand it down until this week. Last October David BobVer, a New Jersey attorney, acting for Cooper, attached the salary of the act of Jack Wilson and James J. Corhett while the team was playing in Newark. Cooper's claim was for $.100 due him as com- missions for having booked Jack Wil- son for 10 weeks on the Loew time in 1917. Wilson secured Nathan Burkan to defend the action, and the case was tried in the Second District Court, with William M. Rysdyk representing the Burkan office as associate attorney for New Jersey. Judge Johnson's decision is reprinted herewith: "I find from the evidence that the services for which the commission, which is sued for in this case, was agreed to he paid were performed in the plaintiff's business of procuring engagements for theatrical artists, to adopt the language of one of his own witnesses in describing the duties of an artists' representative. That busi- ness therefore falls within the defini- tion of a theatrical employment agency, as defined bv Chapter 700 of the Laws of New York, 1917. This being so it was the business of an employment agcncv within the mean- ing of Chapter 700 of the Laws of New York, 1910; and the contract hav- ing been made in New York, to be performed there, that act, with its amendment, applies. It is admitted that plaintiff was not licensed as re- quired by that act. The contract is therefore not enforcible, it having been made by the plaintiff in violation of law. I think that the rule in Mevers vs. Walton, 76 N. Y.. Miss. 510 (Sup. Court, App. Term, 1912) governs. "There will be judgment for the defendant. "Frederic L. Johnson, Judge." BURLESQUE CHANGES. Vic Plant. "Trail Hitters." left last week in Indianapolis. Bert Weston re- placed him. American Show for Deady. At a special meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Bur- lesque Association March 28, a fran- chise to produce a show was granted to Robert E. Deady, Philadelphia. Deady operates the Trocadero in that town, the Troc playing the circuit show. Deady will personally super- intend the production of the new show. BOWERY BURLESQUERS. In this heyday of burlesque success, whether It be temporary or permanent, there ere two factors about the business that will bear care- ful watching, for upon bDtb depend much of the future possibilities of that branch of the profession. Inferior shows and suggestlveness. Practical Illustrations of both have crossed the path of the Columbia this season, and the reaction, following their departure, cer- tainly must have been felt by those In charge. Wltb the season of demobilization at its height, men In uniform naturally turn to girl shows, and because of the reasonable admis- sion tee, burlesque comes In for the greater share of their patronage. These men must be slowly educated up to the reform of bur- lesque, and with proper and practical tutoring, they will become Imbued with the correct Idea that burlesque Is as near the border of musical comedy as It can be consistently brought. But Inferior Bhows will never help, nor will such shows as Hurtig ft Searoon's "Bowery Burleaquers." for this type of pro- duction will only appeal to the one In search of "ginger." At the Columbia It was covered up as well as might be expected, but It was evident the aggregation, particularly the comedians, were working under a strain to keep clean. And even then the double entendre was con- spicuous, sometimes to a disgusting degree. GJve any burlesque audience, especially the upstairs occupants, a spoonful of dirt and they want the stage turned into a sewer. This was definitely proven In Ibis show when, after a rather spicy "bit" of comedy. Marty 'Semon. who has always been scrupulously clean In his work, walked on to render an Irish ballad. He was greeted with a shower of pennies, for the gallery wanted more "pep," and even a corking Irish number like "When Ireland Comes Into Its Own" didn't please tbem. But with the catch line they had re- covered, and Semon was repeatedly encored. The comedians are Billy Foster and Frank Harcourt. two burlesque principals who have been credited with unusual ability. They work well together and should never find It neces- sary to play with "fire." for with legitimate material they could satisfy any audience. But, perhaps, it Is a force of hsbit. for they couldn't behave, even after the customary Monday cen- snrlng. A comedian singing a number wherein his catrh-llne describes him kissing a woman on a leaking nose is a fine thing to hear after dinner. But It wasn't wholly dialog wherein the bulk of suggestlveness was projected. It was done In eesture. action and personal con- tact Laughable to a degree, admittedly, but If the Columbia directors propose to allow a Hurtig « Seamon show to turn their theatre Into a "honky-tonk," their past effort toward progreBslveness must have been a labor of love. The production Itself Is up to the average. Pam Lswrenre. the Ingenue, stands out like a ray of sutfthlne In a (lock of clouds. Miss Lawrence Is about the prpttlest Ingenue on the wheel, leads her numbers to the encore division, has a shapely form and. while not particularly agile nor a dancing phenom. she knows her limitations and. like a nstural ar- tiste, gets everything possible from the oppor- tunities afforded her. Grace Anderson, the prima, has a personality that will wither the most skeptical auditor. Tall, slender and at- tractive.' Miss Anderson Is somewhat away from the usual prima In build, and while she Is not overburdened with duty, what she attempts Is excellently done. ' Llbby Hart played a French role In the opener, and in the afterpiece carried her dia- lect along in spots. Her enunciation In the "straight" part Is a bit faulty and ber points occasionally miss, but her character work was fully up to expectations. Joe Bannon makes a capital appearance and does good work In both sections, and the same may be said of Mr. Semon. The chorus constitutes a good looking aggre- gation, although one girl In a front line broke up the harmony In an endeavor to syncopate every song. She roared out of tempo and could be heard above her associates, to the general detriment of the score. The girls might Introduce their tights to a cleaner. They need attention, many carrying spots vis- ible In the back row. The comedy scenes are tlmeworn and the book proper looks as though It were taking its final breath. The check "bit" and many of the "gags" were "released" long ago, but the manner in which Foster and Harcourt handle them helped somewhat It's a fairly good laughing show, and lu tblB respect It pleased, but It can hardly be compared with some of the competing shows. Wynn. LEAVITT WRITING SHOWS. A. Douglas Leavitt has been con- tracted .by Jacobs & Jermon and the Theatrical Operating Co., 'to write their shows for next season. The shows for the former concern are "Golden Crook," "Sporting Wid- ows," "Grown Up Babies" and "Bur- lesque Revue" while the latter com- pany includes the 'Bon Tons," "20th Century Maids" and the "Million Dol- lar Dolls." Mr. Leavitt is a principal comedian with "Take It From Me." which open- ed at the 44th Street Monday. He is credited with having supplied the piece with much of its comedy, in dialog and situations. GIRLS FROM THE FOLLIES. With the tag end of the burlesque season here It Is too late perhaps for tbe men be- hind "The Girls from the Follies" at the Olympic this week to make needed Improve. cier.ts in various departments. For tbe new season Strouse & Franklyn should give their show a general overhauling, put a soft pedal on Fred Binder, tbe chief comedian, and by a thorough cleaning process denude htm of alt the dirt be employs In the present abow. Then they should slap In some talent—talent that might bave a little dancing. Instrumental music or something that would not force tbe gf ntral run of the present layout Into a noisy monotonous channel. That chorus Is about tbe nolsest In bur- lesque, and the way It races, jumps and prances around may be a modernized brand of burlesque, but too much of It la some grind on the eardrum. The girls go at some pace and at the Olym- pic Monday nlgbt it must be said to tbelr credit that they went tbrougb tbelr paces without any noticeable shirking by either tbe front or back rows. The chattering parroty chorus may be excused or alibied many times o\er when compared wltb the rough, coarse and suggestive work of Binder. He does just about as be pleases with the girls, kicks them one minute and slaps them tbe next, and has several supposed wrettllng bouts wlto the girls that had tbem rolling about the stage. To force a laugb or draw attention Binder employs some methods that would clog up a vacuum cleaner. . Some of tbe old stuff from the former show Is retained, especially the water-bulb busi- ness, and that Is Prize Exhibit Al In the filth product. Then tbe courtroom scene also has some pretty rough edges. While the Olympic burlesque regulars do not fancy tbelr shows to be of the parlor- room type, they do not care for a lavish dis- play of unclean, messy work. The women do fairly well In a way. Madge DeVoe Is back, but taking too much for granted. The number where she offers to kiss members of the orchestra and the front row was decidely a bloomer in every respect. Miss DeVoe doesn't go In for any extensive wardrobe changes. The other women showed more strength In this respect Mae Barlowe was like a refreshing summer shower, her voice having an unmistakable musical quality that pleased immensely. That '"Bubbles" song of hers lu tbe first part was a treat and had a musical comedy swing that seemed out of aplomb with this show. Miss Barlowe looked nice in ber stage gowns and stood out prominently. Anna Armstrong may be big in proportions to other women In burlesque, tut she surprised tbe boys wltb her shapely ccntour below tbe waistline when tbe legs were encased In full length tights. Of the men praise Is due Harry C. Van. He worked hard, put his straight lines over effectively and sang himself Into favor. Wlll- llam Jennings was a sldewheeler for Binder, handling an Irish make-up, but wltb little for him to do. There Is a lot of room for Improvement in "Girls from the Follies." For the most part tbe girls on looks stack up pretty well, they show a willingness to work, but seeped In tbe atmospheric roughness there Is hope only In the summer Interim that a new show with the name left will rise from tbe present mess. SPLITS HOUR SAVED. Although the new daylight and "save an hour of sunshine" is aeain effective with the clocks of the United States turned ahead an hour, some of the local house managers, especially the burlesque house managers, are not giv- ing it a tumble. The Olympic. New York, is starting its shows at 8:30, Manager Dave Kraus saying that the patrons somehow can- not get accustomed to going to the 14th street show until it's dark. . $10,000 for Death of Horse. Los Angeles, April 2. The Al. G. Barnes (circus) Amuse- ment Co. was made defendant in a $10,000 damage suit for the death' of "Black Beauty," a trained horse. The suit was filed by If, L. Cum- mings, the owner, who alleged the animal was trampled to death in a railway car near Rock Island, 111. All Serene in Dody Family. Sam Dody (Dody and Lewis) denies that he and his wife. Evelyn Dody, have separated, although the couple quarreled over Sam's inclination to speculate. A reconciliation has been effected, and all is maritally happy between the twain. Sam Dodv and Sam Lewis have signed with Hurtig & Seamon for next season, and will attain head their bur- lesque show, "Hello, America." Hastings' Trio Next Season. Harry Hastings will have three bur- lesque shows under his direction next season. V I. -J