New York Clipper (Jun 1923)

30 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER June 27, 1923 DEATHS ALFRED W. KORFF. actor, wcU known in motion picture circles, as well as the legitimate Btage, died last week at his home, 46 Uoion street. Jersey Otj. N. J. Mr. Korff made his last appearance on the speaking stage in "The Squaw Man" mbMit three years ago. Among the other ptajs in which he was prominent are '*The ChristiaQ,'* "Oliver Twist," "A Temperance Town" and "Tlic 'Vincsar Buyer." His last screen sncoess was "Inside of the Cup." He is survived by a sister. Mrs. Lotuse Gaemer. -HENRY PIERSOrlT one-time matinee idol and . more recently superintendent of the Earl Carroll Theatfc, died at bis home in Elmhimt, L> I., last Thursday. He was once America's matinee idol, and a compatriot of Booth, Barrett and Joseph Jeffenon. Picrson began his theatrical career as a r.a]l boy at Ford's Theatre, fifty yeara ago. Sub* sequently he became actor and manager. Whoi age finally forced him one of action, bis passion for the stage inspired him to cootinne to do his bit as arbiter of the stage door, at which he could sit aud dream and still remain part of his beloved theatre. PETER MARSHALL, formerly one of the Ma- rines in the play **Ram" died on Saturday at the Boston Hospital. Marshall was a peculiar character. Immediately upon receiving uis sal- ary each week be would viiiit the lodging houses on the Bowery and distribute all that be did not acttuUy need for bis immediate needs. His relatives are unknown and the hospital is making inquiries in an effort to discover their names and addresses. MACEY HARLAN, weU known fibn character actor, died on Sunday of last week, at Saranac Lake. Hr. Harlan played with all of the lead- ing film companies and was in great demand as an interpreter of Desert and East Indian types. Moat of bis work was- done for the Conno- IMT^itT" company, and - bis last appearance with it was in "The Face in the Fog." Several months ago Harlan came East from the Coast where be bad just completed some work in "Bella Donna" with Pola Negri, and told friend* that he would be at the resort if they wanted bim. Tbe news of bis death came as a shock being that be was thought to be in fairly good health. PHOEBE GILBERT, sister o( Adele William- son, died recently after a long illness. She was formerly known professionally as one of the Gilbert Sisters in the Variety theatres. DORIS RANKIN MARRIED Chablotietille, Va., June 25.—^Doris Maiic Kanldii, former wife of Lionel Banymore. was married last week to Cap- tain Malcolm R- Mortimer, English writer and dramatist They u-ere married at Fiederick, Md., after having obtained a license at Winchester, Va., but the news did not become known until the couple arrived here at tbe country home of Mrs. H. F. Grant, near Rio. LESTER GOWNS FOR FASHION SHOW The Associated Far Industries of Chi- cago have coounissioned Lester, Chicago's forctnost theatriol costtimer, to desifrn and execute the costumes for thrir forth- coming Million-Dollar Fur and Fashion Exhibit to be held at the Marigold Gar- dens, Chicago, from July 30 to August 12. Lester is now taxing the ingenuity of his creative b.rain for fashions with which to dazzle the feminine eye. BECKWITH IN HAVANA HOSPITAL 'Walter Beckwith is in a hosjutal in Havana. Cuba, suffering from a bite on the hand from his lion, Jim. He was playing with the big beast, who although in play, gashed his hand badly. Blood poison set in and Beckwith was then sent to the hos- pital. He is said to be recovering and is c-cpected to return to New Yoork as soon as he is able to travel. OUTDOOR OPERA POSTPONED The second outdoor performance of opera at the Polo (Grounds, originally scheduled for this week, has been 'post- poned until next.Wednesday evening. The erection of a larger and more adequately equipped stage is given as the reason for postponemeirt. The performance will in- clude a double bill. "Ca\-allieri Rusticana" and "PagliaccL" GATTS TO STAR MRS. WMFFEN Mrs. Thomas Whi£Fen, who has not been starred m a play during the past forty years, will again enter the rank of stardom oext season when George M. Gatts will have her heading a company on Robert L. Dempster's new play, "Sweet Mother." GENTRY SHOW DOING WELL The Gentry Brothers and James Patter- son Combined Shows, after having played as far east as Media, Pa., are now routed west again. The show, which is carried in fourteen carg with one ahead, has' so far played to very good business but has suffered from a shortage of help, Jess Ad- kins, the manager, experiencing difficulty in getting the show on the lot and up in time for matinees, but succeeding neverthe- less. The program; is well'arranged .and'mf dudes dogs, ponies, miiles, goats and inon- kcy acts; also trained wild animals, five performing elephants, twelve high school horses and several clever circus acts. The show opens with a spectacle, "The Child's Dream," in which all the performers and animals are used- Miss Harris is the prima donna; Miss Castcel presents elephants, riding monkeys, leaping greyhounds and dogs; Miss Brown presents elephants and a troupe of trained goats; Miss Dc Vem and Miss McFarland conduct the pony drills; John Myers is in charge of the big lion act; the Matlock Trio perform on the swinging and revolv- ing ladders and do a wire act; Allen and Lee have a balancing act; Miss Lee does the sensation slide; LaRose and LaRose have an act on the revolving ladders; the Misses 'Kennedy, Harris and Rolf do the trapeze work; Kobert Wright has the hurdling mules; and J. A. Casteel a sixteen pony drill. Ed. Limoges, the producing clown, b assisted by Roy Albright, Mickey Blue. Howard Walsh, Jimmie Amet, Fred Myers, E^ie Scott. Leo LaRose and James DeCobb, the feature of their work being the clown band and several very funnv walk-aroiinds. H. MacFarland is equestrian director, assisted by J. A. Cas- teel. JOLSON HAS "SCREEN FRIGHT" (Conl'mucd from page 7) tomey for Jolson called the Griffith office on Friday and informed them that the star was "sick and hysterical" and could not appear that day. Friends of Jolson aloiig Broadway were not at all-surprised at his abandonment of his picture career. As prior to signing t'ne contract Jolson stated that he knew hc-w good he avas with 'biack make-up on but did not know how he would register on the screen as he would have no "gags" there. Jolson told his friends that under no circumstances would he sign a lilm con- tract imless he were privileged by the makers to decide after the picture had been completed, whether or not it should be released. He contended that should he fail on the screen evm in one pictiu'e that it would hurt his stage reputation and con- cert work which he intends laimching on within the next year or so. "KANDY BOX REVUE" CLOSES San Francisco, June 25.—"The Kandy Box Rcvuc." said to have been sponsored by Lopcr B. Laidlow in an endeavor to star his wife, Betty Baird, closed at the Casino Theatre, here, after two weeks of wry poor business, due, in a large meas- ure, to the poor calibre of the entertain- ment offered at the $1 top. Laidlow is supposed to have dropped $20,000 in the experiment. The Will King show, which was vastly superior in every way, played the same house for a long time at a £0- ccnt top, and this also made it difficult for "The IKandy Box Revue" to do business. It is possible that the house will shortly be reopened with a melodramatic stock com- pany at a SO-cent top. PICTURES OUT OF LOBBY ' George 'White after a request made by the Society for the Pre\'ention of Vice and Crime on Wednesday withdrew a large portion of his lobby display of paintings of various female members of the cast of his "Scandals" show at the Globe Theatre. The display was said to be a daring one and attracted so much attention that some one notified the societ>- and the request was made that White withdraw all pictures that were not fully draped or covered. Six were taken out of the frames. BROADWAY SHOWS (Continued from page 3) lies, at the New Amsterdam, in their new Summer regalia and with the first night list in vogue, managed to play to the ca- pacity line. Of the two new attractions which opened last week that registered as hits, "Helen of Troy" had the olge in at- tendance on the George White "Scandals" that evening. The attraction at the Selwyn was a practical "sellout," while the White show sold its entire lower floor and first 'balcony, but was badly neglected in the upper shelf. The other musical shows did not fare so well that evening, as one of them was ordered to close on Saturday night. This attraction is "Dew Drop Inn," at the Astor Theatre. In the dramatic field the only shows which were able to muster more than half a lower floor were "Rain," "Seventh Heaven," "Merton of the Mov- ies," and "Aren't Wc All" at the Gaiety. The other dramatic attractions were hard hit, and it is most likely that at least three, if not four, of them will be withdrawn this Saturday night. The shows which may suspend are "Mary the Third", "Not So Fast," "Up Town West," and "Give and Take" at the Central Theatre. "MOLLY DARLING" TO TOUR Moore and Mcglcy's musical comedy "Molly Darling" which closed its season at the Colonial theatre, Boston, last Satur- day after playing its third return engage- ment in that city during the present sea- son, will' be sent on tour again next sea- son. The show will hegin its season in Detroit on Labor Day and is scheduled to play a return date in Chicago early in October at the Colonial theatre. The at- traction opened its en^gement last Sum- mer in Chicago at the Palace theatre early in June with Richard Carle heading the cast at the time. Jack Donoghue who has been at the head of the cast since ths play was seen in New York this season will again be with the attraction next season. DEWnr AT ROCKAWAY Jim DeWitt and his Harmonists opened at Murray's Seaside, Rockaway, for their twenty-fifth season at this summer pavilion. Besides his combination of nine pieces De- Witt has added Joe Undwurm, trumpet, and Herbie Holland, trombone, late of Mammy Jinny and her Georgia Bard, a-i act that has been appearing in Keith Vaudeville. DeWitt, although he has been in the orchestra game a long while, has managed to keep abreast of the times and his com- bination ranks with the most modern of dance orchestras. BIG INCREASE IN UCENSE FEE Although showmen in the several ex- positions and shows playing in Greater New York claim that business does not warrant such a high fee. Mayor Hylan last week signed the new license bill which calls for a sum of $50 to be paid for a license, non-transferable, for ^ch show, ride and concession playing within the greater city. The former fee was $25. ENDURANCE DANCERS IN ACT Two teams of world champion endurance dancers have been grouped into a vaude- ville dancing act to be known as the Mara- thon Four. The act is now being re- hearsed by Jack Blue and will shortly be seen in the local theatres. The teams com- prising the act are Billy Kish and Frances Merrer, and Sampson Held and Ann Powers.- OUVE TELL IN STOCK Rochester, N: Y.. June 25.—Olive Tell returned here for the first time in eight years to head the Lyceum Players at the Lyceum Theatre today for the balance of the stock season which ends early in Au- gust. The play being presented this week is "The Exciters" by Martin Brown. PRESIDENT STOCK CLOSES Washington, D. C, June 25.—The President Theatre Stook closed on Satur- day after a record breaking run of "Abie's Irish Rose." The intense heat cut short the run which would have continued. The theatre will reopen about August 15. BcUkI, BUiyl Bladilime, Intel B4>iilU. UUe. Bnodoo. Belle CecU, lUldml Cbadsldi. Dos CoMeUo, Aooi YiuXt. jQlls OeoieUe, His Beam, UlUaa Byocs, Acnes I.. Joos. PsnnU KroDtdy. EteaiKr Klrby. ZIU. l^ms La BsjT. Bcnike Leny, Miir Mstbui, aarm Meadon, Ftaub Morcsn, R. PeUnoo. VlTlsn End. Dot Belobud. lln. Jolm Bobcrts, NcUto Hume, Bnddls WsUtoe. Mlldnd VFlnOeld, CENTLEHEN . B«rtrsa, Robert B. Binder, FRd Coito, HocD Fraser, Gonloa HuDBond. Al Kotaler, T. LaUs, EiVDS Lavlne, Qiss. W.. Jr. Lajdeo. John B. IMK, Edvlo J. HanseU. B. UcAllltfer. Bkh. HeDerautt, Billy Uolbsir. OUo rsodlir. BiUy rmtr. Waller A. SUllDso, Mr. 4 Un. WsUtfns. a H. Weir, Jack k. Tbauny WfSt t Bru. GERALD. GRIFFIN SAILING Gerald Griffin,, the Irish singing actor, sails for London this week, where he will produce a play by Cecil de Mille entitled "The Royal Northwest Mounted," the cen- tral character of which is an Irishman. Griffin has also secured the rights for sev- eral of Chauncey Olcott and Fiske O'Hara's former successes. He will ap- pear under his own management. In addition to appearing with his own company Griffin intends producing several other plays, among which is a new play, by Ralph Thos. Kettering and Lincoln J. Carter, entitled "The Crash." It is a mystery play and is full of thrilling situa- tions for which Carter is noted. Griffin has toured Australia and Africa a great many times under his own manage- ment, with great success and believes he can repeat that success in England. As- sociated with him will be Edward Delaney, who has managed practically all of Griffin's tours of various countries. ELSIE COLE IN GORGEOUS GOWN Chicago, June 25.—Elsie Cole, prima donna of the new revue at the Rainbo Gardens, has proven a sensation, not only through her splendid singing voice, but also because of her gorgeous gowns. Last week she flashed a new one designed by Lester that immediately struck a popular note with feminine Chicago, who have since been besieging him with orders for duplicates. The fabric of the new gown is Lester's own conception of the colors of the King Tut era, combined with a touch of modern style to give it the proper snap. POLLACK SHOWS FOR CONVENTION Irving J. Pollack's "World at Home" shows will play New Jersey Firemen's Convention next week beginning July 2. There are a number of openings for shows for week and balance of season and no exclusives will be sold. The shows this week are at Eddystone, Pa. NEW PLAY FOR O'HARA • De Witt Newing has written a new Irish romantic play which Augustus Pitou has selected as the starring vehicle for Fiske O'Hara next season. Mr. Pitou has not as yet selected a title for the play, which is expected to open at the Stam- ford Theatre. Stamford, on August 11. BARNES SHOW IN THE EAST The AI. G. Barnes Circus will show the following towns close to New 'York City this week June 21. Elizabeth. N. J.; June 22, Jersey City, N. J., and June 23. Paterson, N. J., and then jump next Sunday, June 24, to Carbondale, Pa, and start from there west. PLAY CO. SUES MARCIN Max Marcin, producer, was sued last week ill the Municipal Court by the Ed- ward Small Play Co., Inc., which seeks to recover the sum of $3513 for services aljcged to have been rendered and com- missions due. "LETS CO" FOR CHICAGO Chicago. June 23.—"Let's Go," the Izzy Weinsarden colored show, will open at the Grand on the South Side July 23 for » fortnight's engagement.