Billboard advertising (Jan 1921)

The Billboard JANUARY 22, 1921 v BASEBALL CASE AROUSES INTEREST IN VAUDE WORLD United States Supreme Court to Decide Whether Baseball Is Sport or “Trade and Commerce” —May Have Bearing ‘on V. M. P. A. Decision ‘New York, Jan. 17.—Considerable interest $s. being evidenced in vaudeville circles all over ‘the country in the litigation now pending 10 the United States Supreme Court at Washington, ‘which hag been brought in an effort to determine whether or not professional ‘baseball is “trade or commerce,” in a legal sense, or “sport” and immune from antl-trost laws. “Should the bigh tribunal decree basetnl “trade or commerce” it will, in all probability, pave the way for the setting aside of the decision handed down in the case of the Federal Trade Commission against the Vaudeville Managers’ Protective Associa‘thon, ‘The Supreme Court bas been called upon to solve the baseball problem under a writ of error granted recently in the District Court of Appeals in a controversy involving @ $900,000 Gamage sult brought by the Baltimore Club against the American and National leagues, resting on charges of alleged monopoly of the Dig leaguers. It was brought in tho District Court of Washington under the anti-trust Inws, ft classified bameball as “trade oF a Jury granting a verdict of $264,000. The Appellate Court, on the other band, ‘Viewed baseball as “sport”? and set aside the verdict. Harry Mountford, executive secretary of the American Artistes’ Federation, when interviewed at his offices at 1440 Broadway. eaid that he ‘was quite aware of the action of the Baltimore Clad and that be was glad that such a case was to be taken to the Supreme Court of the United States, He pointed out that the distinetion in the ‘Dareball case bad been made just as the incor rect and illegal distinction bad deen drawn by the Department of Justice in tho case of the ‘White Rats against the United Bookiog Ofices never claimed,” ‘operating a theater was interstate commerce, Dut we claim that the operation of the United Booking Offices is interstate commerce. This Aecision in the baseball case was that playing Daseball was not interstate commerce. The Baltimore Club never claimed that it was. It ‘was the operation of the National and American Jengues that was claimed as interstate commeree.”* In splte of the hurried decisiom of the present Department of Justice, Mr. Mountford said that ‘contracts made between theaters in different States, the shipping of actors’ baggage, parsphernalia; the actors themselves, to and from different States; the ‘of moneys from ‘different States to the Palace Theater Building, ‘such moneys arising out of such business, would. leatly prove that the United Booking ‘Offices’ ‘Dosiness was interstate. commerce when the ‘actors’ case got to the Supreme Court. “What do you men ‘when the actors’ case ‘gets to the Supreme Court’?” he was asked, “Exactly what I said,” Mr. Mountford re “In any case,"* he went on; “after March there will be a new set af officials in the De partment of Justice. “If the Supreme Court can set aside the Creston Act, as they did in the recent Duplex Printing Press tigation, and can make so wide ‘an interpretation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act 23 the majority openty did in that case, then there is xo legal, moral or ethical reason why ROSE & CURTIS REINSTATED New York, Jan. 12.—Tho booking combtnation of Rose & Curtis bas been restored in the good graces of E. F. Albee and bas been re‘turned the peivilege of booking acts on the for ‘of the Keith office, it became known this ‘They were ‘temporarily suspended be the Supreme Court of the United States shoulé not deal as harshly with the United Booking Offices and its successors as it did with the International Assoclation of Machinists.’ ‘Any way,” Mr. Mountford concluded, ‘want no one to believe that the resources’ of civilization of the & A, F, are exhansted.”" 8 VAUDEVILLE The Latest News and This Week’s Reviews This Week Kelcey Allen, third vice-president: F. J. Hoghes, treasurer; H. P. Hansford, secretary, and William Pine, recording secretary. CABARETS CLOSED At One O'clock in New York Theatrical District, by Police Order New York, Jan, 13.—Broadway was treated to @ Jolt last night. It took the form of a police edict that every restaurentfand cabaret in the ‘theatrical district must close its doors at 1 Gelock sharp. Tals order completely Knocked the Joy out of tho night Ufe slong the Rialto. ‘Just what prompted the enforcement-of this ‘oprecedented shutdown is prodlematicfl. One Teport bad it that tho activities of the police ‘were stimulated by advices.from ‘Albany. Another rumor was that the tightening of the poTice restriction was occasioned by the Police Commissioner as a result of the police graft snquiry. Proprietors, ia most instances, closed thelr establishments without hesitation, Relsenweder'a, however, defied the closing order, as ¢id Healy's A CLEVER PAIR OF ENTERTAINERS ‘The, Miniature Dyo has established quite «reputation Doth so this coun peared in dramatie shows, ‘musical comedy and vauderlle. Phey ugh oe ellng of ncaa tn cooneclon wit fe Sect netic sn Nos “SNOWBALL” JACK OWENS. Pronounced in Last Stages of Tuberculosis ‘The many friends of “Snowball” Jack Owens ‘will be sorry to learn that he is suffering from vp bis work Im a letter to the editor of The saya: “Please notify tho profession that I am pronounced in the Ist stages of tuberculosis and that I will be in Phoenix, Ariz., indefinitely. I ‘will not fll any more orders. for ‘material, only my books thit I have on Zand. “I have had the advice of five proficient doctors, also'three x-ray plates made, and find that my right Tung is very nearly gone and my left lung is one-quarter gone.’ CHEESE CLUB ELECTS New York, Jan. 14.—The Cheese Club, an of+ ganization of vaudeville press agents and theatrical newspaper men, Whose cblet activity it Is to dine once a day at the N. V. A., bold its annual election this week. Frank “Pope. Gramatie editor of The Journal of Commerce, was elected president. The other officers chosen were: Harold Conway, first vice-president; Harry Hershdeld, second vice-president; Eugene at Columbus avenue and Sixty-slzth etreet. Paol Salvin, who controls more than halt a Gosen such places in the theatrical district, sald the intended to comply with tho police instructions, Among the Salvin cabarets that were closed were tho Folies Bergere, Montmartre, the Palale Royal, Moulin Rouge and the Little THEISS TO RETIRE? ‘New York, Jan, 14.—Valeska Sarat opens in ‘Jack Latt’s “Scarlet” \ Paul Theater this week, Sho will make a tour of the Orpheum Time. Norman Theiss, heading reported. that Mra retire from vaudeville, having purchased @ ranch in California. The wife of Theles ‘bas ‘deen the plano player with the act. JUNE ELVIDGE. IN VAUDE. New York, Jan, 14.—“The Crystal Garer"* ts the title of ‘a new Albert Cole vanderitlo act, in which June Elvidge, the movie ster, wili @ tour of the Orpheum Time, It 1s @ ‘ketch, Mise Elvidge opebed at the Or+ pheum's Memphis Bouse, “FALL OF EVE” TO LONDON Former English Sketch To T: ‘on Orpheum, Then Oo English Trot” New York, Jan, 14.—The Fall of Eve” ‘vauderillo sketch bas recelred a tontrect to toor the Orpheum ‘Time, startiog at the Chicago Paece the week of Februsry 6 and closiog ia Bloux City, Is., June 10. Members of the cast are: 0. Garreil Clacss, Mabel Cameron and ‘Alan Devitt. Contracts are now being slgued for a tour of England, following the Orpbeameagegement, ‘Tho act will do twelve. weeks tz England, openisg July 4 at te Leadon Colizenm, where it will Dlsy four weeks, and {hen will go on the Moss ‘Time, playiog the Victoria Palace, Shepherdsbush Expire, Wood Green Empire, Birmingham. Empire, Manchester Hippodrome, ‘Liverpool Empire, snd thea is Glasgow and Edloborg’. Seotland. When the ‘act retaras to Amerie {t will open at the Palece in this city, and then play all the New ork Keith houses. “The Pall of Ere” te a handsomely mounted sketch, written originally by Arthor Eckersley, former editor of Tho Yondon Punch. Tt was adapted to use in la, country by J. Gordon Bostock. In its origina form “The Fall of Eve was used a8 a coriaia raiser in England under the title of “Head Firet." Tt bes been working im thle comty for about s year, the script being bronght here by Mr. Clucas. NEW BOOKING ASSOCIATION Formed by Colored Theater Owners ‘An event of importance bas Joat_tranpired 0 the colored vaudeville world, Recenty there was formed at Chattanooga, Tenn., The Theater’ Owsers’ “Booking Ausrcation,” Slace te inanguration of thle company ies operating ter. tory Bas been extended catll now it doclodes practlelly every desirtble colored theater frm Galveston, ‘Tex, and Jecknoevie, “Pia, to Cleveland, ©., and Kansas City, Mo. The T. 0. B. A. is owned, controlled and operated by theater owners, cach omaing am equal amocst or stock and contpllsg a nequal voting pomer fn the affairs of the company. The ceattl of fice of thle compeny iw located ta Coattanrors, ‘Team, Soite 2060 Pound Bullding, with Suet E, Reerin, a8 geoeral booking ageat, ‘Blace he cpenlog of this otice there bes been feceed ¢ Sood of telegrams and letters from almost ¢7ery recognized colored company and actor in the Profersion. During the past week eight theaters Rave purchased stock and become active me. bers of the aswoclation, CENSORS BAR ACT Houston, ‘Tex... Jan. 13.—Considerable comment wan caused in theatrical circles here by ‘the action of the local board of censors tn comPletely eliminating the act of Billy Hibbitt and Eddie Malle, entitled “Two Ladies’ Mes.” The act, billed for the Majestic Theater, was killed after the censor heard about it. The Mayor of ‘the city Ukewlse ordered it eliminated. Hibbitt and Malle, in a statement to 2 ‘Billboard representative, said that thelr act was eliminated without even the suggestion of modlfication or the elimination of what they thought objectionable, whlch, they say, would have bees fair to them. JIMMIE HUSSEY SUED New York,. Jan. 16.—Jimmle Hussey, erst ‘while producer of “Tattle Tales," who 19 aDDearing over the Fox Circalt in bis old act. ‘has been made defendant in a sult for $50 ‘alleged unpaid salary, filed in the City Court ‘dy Gladys Stockton, former chorus girl of the “Tattle Tales” Company. Hussey was served last week at the Bedford Theater with o ‘summons and complaint by the plaintif's at tornéys, Hess & Kahn. ‘The summons ects forth that the defendant 1s Hable to arrest. LIND TO HAVE NEW ACT