New York Clipper (Apr 1923)

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April 11, 1923 THE NEW } V YORK CLIPPER ONE NIGHT STAND SHOWS FEAR NEXT SEASON W IU BE POOR New Tjrpe of Theatre Manage Looks with Suspicion on High Priced Shows and Leaning ToMrard Picture and Vaude- ville Policy Makes Booking Very Difficult Popular priced attractions may find a vety profitable season beginning in Sep- tember on the one-night stands. But tne so-called big ^ows presented by number two and three companies, wiAout stars and members of an original cast which demand the same scale of prices for admission as the original New York company have little hope of clearing the "faigli grass" towns with any considerable amount of profit. According to a well-lmown booker of one-night stands, the old showman who has been operating the theatres in these towns has disappeared. New theatres have taken the place of the old Opera Houses in these towns; also a new type and land of manager has sprung up with the new theatres. These managers operate their houses with a policy of playing vaudeyille and motion-picture attractions an4 booking a road show occasionally. As a rule, a good many of these managers play a road at- traction once a week and some once in two weeks. For the road shows they set aside either a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday, which generally are found most unprofitable for vaudeville and motion pic- tures, with the traveling attraction being expected to turn the tide and make the day a profitable one for the house. In some sections of the country, where Saturday is the general pay day, it is almost impossible to get a Saturday date for a traveling at- traction, as the managers calculate that the people will patronize any sort of amuse- , ment on that day without the theatre being compelled to give up a greater part of its receipts to the attraction. Then, again, in other parts of the country, where there are only one or two pay days a month, or where the pay day falls on a different day than Satunlay, it is most easy to obtain Saturday playdatcs, but the business on that day of the week is no more, as a rule, for the attraction, than on any other or- dinary play date of the week which might have bren selected. In one section of the country, particu- larly, Saturday is the only play date that is placed at the disposal of the bookers for these theatres in New York. These bookers, of course, figuring transportation, attempt to route their ^ows, with the shortest jump possible for six or seven con- secutive days a week. In some sections they have found this almost impossible, due to the fact that only this one day was open. As a result, attractions have ' been com- pelled to make long jumps around a drde so as to be able to cover a territory and get all the good Saturday play dates. Then again these bouses, especially in the smaller of the one-night stand towns, have been building up a patronage with their vaudeville and motion-picture pro- grams by charging a nominal admission fee. Therefore, when the so-called "big shows" presented by second and third com- panies, come to the towns and ask a $2.50 and $3 top and> in some instances musical shows call for a $3.50 top^ with the per- centage calling for 75 to 85 per cent to the show, the theatre does not do a capa- city business, and in most instances plays to a loss, with the attraction probably get- ting away to a profit. Then again the op- erating expense of these houses is three times as much as it wai prior to the war, as stage hands and musicians* wa^es have increased and newspaper advertising is much heavier than it was several years ago. During the past season the New York bookers have contracts returned to them for so-called bK shows due to the fact that the terms ofthe scale would not allow the theatre to cpcrate at a profit. The one-night managers also set forth the contention that whenever a road show came to their town and charged more than a nominal sum the business for their thea- tre's regular business of vaudeville and motion pictures suffered considerably, as the people had saved up and spent all of their luxury or amusement money on one attraction and were foregoing the theatre for the time being. These attractions, the managers held, were more harmful than helpful and the returns for them, they as- sert, never warranted their being played. However, this coming season the book- ing offices are attempting to avoid any con- flict on the one-night stands and are book- ing attractions which will play at a $1.50 and $2 top and that arc willing to take an average from 65 per cent to 70 per -ent of the gross, without putting the manager to the expense of hiring extra stage hands and musicians, in which case, no matter how large the gross played to might be, the theatre would probably play the show at a loss or break even at the best. EQUITY STOPS BARON SHOW Hcniy Baron's proposed production of "My Aunt From Ypsilanti" suspended activities last Friday, when Baron had failed to satisfy the Equity as to his finan- cial responsibility for the production. The giece had_ been in rehearsal a week. Aaron's failure to post a bond protecting the members of the cast prompted the Equity to step in and stop the rdiearsals. Should Baron iron out the difficulties, re- hearsals will be resumed. Baron was responsible for the production of "The Red Poppy", which stranded on Broadway several months ago, owing sev- eral weeks' salary to membo-s of the cast A combat with the backers, who walked out of the show, was given as the cause of its financial embarrassment tnr Baron. The Equity legal department having a number of _ claims against "The Red Poppy" preci(ritated their insistence upon a bond covering two weeks salary for the cast being posted with them before they would allow the piece to go into rehearsal. Baron consulted with the Equity officials and convinced them that co-operation with him on the newer piece would, providing that show hit, expedite the liquidation of the outstanding claims. Upon Baron's word that the bond would be posted last Friday, he was permitted to go into re- hearsal early in the week. When the bond failed to materialize. Equity stepped in. "DOPE" TO BE MADE INTO PLAY "Dope" the vaudeville sketch in which Herman Lieb appeared in for many years on the Keith and other circuits has been enlarged imo a three act play by Lieb and Joseph MediU Palerson, 'pubKisher of the Chicago Tribune. Negotiations are now pending between Lieb and Will Page, for the latter to produce the play this spring. HERK BEFORE REFEREE I. H. Herk, was examined before Referee in Bankruptcy Seamon Miller, last week, the hearing '-^ing short, and now closed until Herk files his schedule in bankruptcy, sometime within the next few days. After Herk files the schedule in bank- ruptcy a meeting of the creditors will be held. Kendler & Goldstein represented Herk and Attorney Serling appeared for Referee Miller. AM. BURLESQUE ASSN. BANiCRUPT Judge Learned Hand, of the United States District Court, who several weeks ago dismissed a petition declaring the American Burlesque Association, Inc., of 701 Seventh avenue, bankrupt, last week reversed the decision and graoted the peti- tion made by the Carey Show Print Ccnn- pany, Charles J. Maher and the Columbia Amusement Company to declare the Gr- cuit a bankrupt. Judge Hand decided to reverse his de- cision after Olcott, Gruber, McManus and Ernst, attorneys for the petitionen, set forth certain facts which the Court felt would warrant placing the A. B. A. in bankruptcy. In the petition set forth by the three creditors, the claims of the Carey Show Print Company and of Maher were nomi- nal, while that of the Colun^ia AmusL- ment Company was for $49,000, due on a promisso^ note. Peter B. Olney, referee in bankruptcy, was appointed by Jud^e Hand to take charge of the hearings in the matter and report his findings to the Court. Meyer and Goldsmith, -attorneys for the A. B. A., were instructed to file a schedule within three weeks, when the hearings in the mat- ter will begin. The first witness to be summoned to at- tend the hearing will be Izzy H. Herk, formerly president of the A. B. A., and recently head of the defunct Affiliated Theatre Corporation. FARRAR'S MAID SUES Gcraldine Farrar was made defendant in a $5,000 damage suit instituted today by Ella Swanson, formerly a maid in the opera star's home. Miss Swanson charged her eyes had become infected from towels Miss Farrar used in bathing her Pekinese dogs. The singer entered a gen- eral denial. BROKAW JUDGEMENT REVERSED The judgment for $1,442.00 which Ben- jamin D. Berg, theatrical manager, ob- tained against George T. Brokaw, was reversed last Friday by the Appelate Division, which held that the latter was' justified in dismissing Berg as general manager of the enterprise "Just Because." Mr. Berg, .said that he had been en- gaged by Brokaw as general manager with complete jurisdiction over the show, and wrote a letter to Brokaw in which he resented what he called the interfer- ence of the financial man of the project By engaging the chorus, said Mr. Berg in his letter, Mr. Brokaw had violated his contract, with him. When Berg was dismissed he filed suit for salary due and obtained a judgment. Brokaw claimed that Berg had tiireatoied to wreck the show and see_ to it that it went to the storehouse without regard for the number of people employed in it. "The evidence discloses rank in-subor- dination and disloyalty," said the Appellate Divbion, "which constitutes dear justi- fication to defendant for terminating plaitifTs contract of employment." A. E. A. ROAD ACTORS TO MEET Actors engaged in the so-called "pop- ular- priced attractions" playing at a dollar top, most of whom have heen booked out of Chicago will be assembled by the Actors' Equity Associatkm for a special meeting in that city early next month, to discuss CMiditions of their work and contracts. Players who arc not in touch with the Equity and who are on the membership list are urged to keep in touch with the Oiicago office for further details con- cerning this meeting. LEDERER TO DO "SUZETTE" George Lederer has decided to hold his musical comedjr, "Peaches" over until the autumn, and is now concerning himself with the ivoduction of a new musical com- edy, "Suzette". with book and lyrics by Charles Nordlinger and music by_ Charles Gilpin. The auSiors are also said to be financially interested in the productioiL Gilpin has been writing the scores for the Mask and Wig shows, given by the stu- dents of the University of Pennsylvania. His latest work is "Here's Howe", which ran last week at the Forrest Theatre. Philadelphia. WINTER STOCK TO CLOSE Patbison, N. J., April 6.—^The Char- lotte Winters' Stock Company closed a two years' engagement at the Lyceum^ this city, April 1. A number of Broadway at- tractions have been booked at the house for the Spring. PHILA. SHOWS DOING BETIER PKiuuiELfaiA, April 9.—Business took on a new lease of life last week, with several grossing high and others gettmg a fair share of patronage. The prize takings of the week were rolled up by the Mask and Wig show, "Here's Howe,* which ran for the week at the Forrest The latter house has booked a motion picture feature, "Hunting Big Game In Africa" for a limited engagement, after which it will resume its policy as a legit house. The Shubcrt Theatre, which has been dark for several weeks, bids fair to re- main out of the running until April 16tli, when the fourth annual edition of "Gr een - wich Village Follies," Vill relight the house. "Spice of 1922," which has been here on two previous visits, returned to the Chestnut Street Opera House tou'glit. This had been the local Shubert vaude- ville house, but the collapse of that , cir- cuit has thrown it back into the tanks of a legit house.. . "The Mountebank" is in its second and final week at the Broad, with The Changelings" following in next Monday. The latter piece will be presented wiui an all-star cast including Henry Miller, Blanche Bates and Ruth Chatterton. "The Monster" will also depart at the end of the week from the Walnut, to make way for Fiske O'Hara in "The Land of Romance." "Captain Applejadc" has entered tipon its final two weeks at the Garridc^ while "Blossom TioK" is alo neanng the end of a phenomena] run at the Lyric ."The Cat and the Canary" has entered ° upon its eleventh week at the AdeliU and continnes to maintain a pace that is profitable. HUMAN FLY ACTS TO BE BARREED As a result of the many ' deaths due to "human fly" exhibitions William T. Col- lins, alderman, has introduced before the city board an ordinance prohibiting aD such exhibitions in New York. The proposed ordinance reads as follows: "Section 22.' Street shows: "Ho fersoH shall give any eskOnlion of climbing or scaling on the front or exterior of any house, building or structure, nor shall any person .-from any window or open space of anv house, building or structure exhibit to tne poblie upon the street or the sidewalk thereof any performance or puppet or other fig- ure, ballet or other dandng comedy, farce, show, play or other eotertaln- ment "Section n. This ordinance shall take effect immediately." Alderman Collins made this statement regarding h. "Out citizens were horrified in March last by the tmfortunate death of Harry F.- (Spider) Young while in the act of climbing the walls of the Hotel Mar- tinique. Thousands are reported to have witnessed his fall from the tenth floor. Thousands more are reported to have seen his -mangled body. But for die police, no doubt, others than Young wonid have heen killed." "SUN SHOWERS" PRODUCERS SUQ> The aftermath of the ill fated musical show "Sun Showers," apjieared last wedc in the form of three suits filed in the Third District Munldpal Court against Harry Delf Productions Inc., in one case and in two other cases Lew Cantor and Harry Delf, are made defendants. The suits total $1,611.50. Skanks Boot Shop is sning the Haitr Delf Productions Inc, seeking to recover the sum of $274.00 due for dandng slip- pers. Allyn King, prima-doraia of the show, is sning Lew Camor and Harry Delf as guarantors, for balance of salary due for the final week the show played, $337.50 being asked for as the salary dne^ less the 25 per cent, cut agreed UpOlL Douglass Stevenson, juvenile in the cast, is suing Hany Ddf and Lew Cantor for salary also, five weeks pay being due Stevenson for the five weeks cnd"ng March 17(h, totalling $1,000.00.