Inside facts of stage and screen (February 1, 1930)

SATURDAY, FEB. 1, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE NINE DO UP ID DOWN IN PAST m IS. (Continued from Page 7) some litigation that no one could understand, J. and V. got the house back. They put a pile of dough into it for new seats, car- pets, drapes, complete projection equipment, a Western Electric sound installation, etc., and opened the house following the greatest barrage of publicity that has ever preceded a theatre opening in this end of the country. Full page ads, in two colors, were run daily for two weeks prior to the open- ing day, January 4. The house clicked from the opening gun, with J. & V. capitalizing on their personalities and throwing up the slogan, “The Liberty Has Always Had a Good Show.” The opening of this house was the signal for a lively price war. Showing, currently, first run Pathe and RKO quickies, the Liberty opened heavily ballyhooing its “popular prices”—15c till one; 25c till six, and 35c after supper. Local second runs charging two- bits in the afternoon, were forced to come down a peg, and even John Hamrick’s Blue Mouse, which has retained a straight half buck pol- icy since it installed Seattle’s first Vitaphone three and a half years ago, is now plastering its ads, bill- boards and lobby with a 25c till six snipe. Fox-West Coast, in an effort to combat the Liberty, changed its policy for the Coliseum by meeting the J. & V. prices and setting in only first-run all-talkies. It appears that the two local show- men are out to give the opposish a strenuous race. They have the public behind them, it seems, as the big Liberty sees long lines of outside standees. W. C. Bucks Weather West Coast have withstood the weather calamity fairly well since the holidays. Joan Crawford in “Untamed,” her first squeakie; “Romance of the Rio Grande,” billed as a sequel to “In Old Ari- zona” and possibly one other opus kept the Fifth Avenue in the black. But the big bolster for this house came last week when Marco shoved Eddie Peabody in for a limited stay as M. C. Eddie im- mediately proceeded to smash the existing week-end record, "which he himself held, and has brought plenty of profitable activity to the Fifth in his first two weeks there. The other West Coast stand, the Fox, took a new lease on life with the booking in of “Sunny Side Up,” together with Vic Meyers’ radio dance band replacing Joe Sampietro’s aggregation. Follow- ing “Sunny Side” the new Fox had “Hot For Paris” for two mighty profitable stanzas. Owen Sweeten is currently in at this stand as conductor of Vic’s band| Publix, due to its geographical location, five blocks up the hill from the whirl of traffic, was, possibly, hardest hit by the ele- VANCOUVER (Continued from Page 7) The Capitol led the parade this week with the biggest b. o. tak- ings of any house in town. Ron- ald Colman in “Bulldog Drum- mond” and Alfredo Meunier and his Capitolians being the draw. The new Orpheum was next with a five-act bill of vaudeville head- lined by Healy & Cross, and Paramount’s “Half Way to Heaven.” The Strand had Billie Dove in the “Painted Angel,” and their last F. and M. revue, “Jazz Temple.” The Dominion had Fox’s “Lucky Star” with Janet Gaynor and Chas. Farrell. The Pan split the week with “4 Devils” and “Behind That Curtain.” At the Vancouver Maurice Colbourne and his English company played three different bills to poor business. EXCHANGE CHANGES SEATTLE, Jan. 30. — Recent changes at United Artists Ex- change here include th^ following: D. J. McNerney goes to the San Francisco office, Fred Gage comes to Seattle from Salt Lake, Fred Lind is still covering Washington territory and Fred Talbot is still handling Oregon. BUSHON IN N. W. SEATTLE, January 30.—David Bushon, Western sales manager of the United Artists Corporation, has been in Seattle for the past week. He left last Thursday for Los Angeles where he expects to stay for about ten days. ments. Ronald Colman in “Con- demned,” did fairly, while Maurice Chevalier in “The Love Parade” and Marilyn Miller in “Sally” un- doubtedly turned in a profit. The last two productions would un- questionably have brought another five grand apiece had there been a weather break. The fans found it tough battling the icy pavements up those five hilly blocks. Legit, Vaud Did Well The legit field, including vaude- ville, wasn’t hit quite as hard as the pictures. Duffy at his Presi- dent, has done consistently well, while Maurice Colbourne in a repertoire of Bernard Shaw plays and Gordon McLeod in “The Ringer” at Erlanger’s Metropoli- tan both showed a little in the black. RKO’s Orpheum didn’t slump much, and had a whale of a week right after New Year’s when Olsen and Johnson appeared. Rudy Vallee’s first screen at- tempt, “The Vagabond Lover,” held up fair, but took a wallop from the ice man. But one real bust was registered during this period, and that by Jack Russell and his musical com- edy troupe which folded up after but four weeks at the Pantages. The initial price scale m^y be at- tributed as one of the direct causes of the flop. The show was well enough, but this town is too dime conscious, and that 65 cent night tariff scared the natives the first two weeks. And after that, it was too late. The opening week was heavy and profitable. NOW—40th WEEK—STATE THEATRE SEATTLE BEB MALLOY-EVELYN RUTH SINGING and DANCING FUNSTERS Fanchon and Marco Route List of “Ideas” GRAND OPERA CO, TO OPEN FEB. 18 Following is the Fanchon and Marcos Ideas route schedule, with the opening dates, all of the current month, in pa- renthesis besides the name of the town: PASADENA (30) Colorado Theatre “Zeppelin” Idea LOS ANGELES (30) Loew’s State ‘ ‘Eyes’ ’ Idea Wells and Winthrop Six Candrevas Bob and Ula Buroff SAN DIEGO (30) Fox Theatre “Trees” Idea Shapiro ond O’Malley Nayons Birds Keo, Toki and Yoki LONG BEACH (31) West Coast Theatre “Peasant” Idea Diehl Sisters General Ed Lavine ■June Worth Bert Prival Belcher Dancers HOLLYWOOD (30) Egyptian Theatre “Manila Bound” Idea Romero Family Stella Royal Harry and Frank Seamon FRESNO (31-2) Wilson Theatre ‘ ‘Ivory’ ’ Idea Betty Lou Webb Hy Meyer Four High Hatters Goetz and Duffy Christel LeVine and Ted Reicard SAN JOSE (3-6) California Theatre “Ivory” Idea Betty Lou Webb Hy Meyer FourHigh Haters Goetz and Duffy Christel LeVine and Ted Reicard SAN FRANCISCO (31) Fox Theatre “Overtures” Idea Toots Novelle Harry Rapee Edison and Gregory Huff and Huff Helen Hille OAKLAND (31) Fox Oakland ‘ ‘Desert’ ’ Idea Ed and Morton Beck Muriel Stryker Cropley and Violet Manuel Lopez Carla Torney Girls SACRAMENTO (31) Senator Theatre “International” Idea Frederico Flores Osaka Boys Billy Carr Markel and Faun Mignon Laird SALEM, ORE. (1-3) Elsinore Theatre ‘ ‘Hot Dominoes’ ’ Idea Les Klicks Pall Mall Dexter, Webb and Diaz PORTLAND (30) Broadway Theatre * ‘Uniforms’ ’ Idea. Armand & Perez Joy Brothers Sylvia Shore & Helen Ruth Hamilton SEATTLE (30) Fifth Avenue Theatre “Carnival Russe” Idea Countess Sonia Sam Linfield & Co. Alex-SherBekefi Russian Sunrise Trio GREAT FALLS, MONT. (28-29) Grand Theatre “Black and Gold Idea” Four Kemmys Maxine Hamilton Arnold Grazer Lee Wilmot BUTTE, MONT. (30-2) Fox Theatre “Black and Gold” Idea Four Kennys Maxine Hamilton Arnold Grazer Lee Wilmot DENVER, COLO. (30) Tabor Grand “Jezz Temple” Idea Wally Jackson Nora Schiller Gus Elmore Sylvia Dorse Temple Beauties ST. LOUIS (31) Fox Theatre “Idea In Green” Doris Nierly Franklyn Record Moran & Weston Way Watts & Arminda PLAY TO OPEN SEATTLE, January 30. : —“The Makropoulos Secret,” by Karl Ca- pek, will be seen at the Metro- politan Theatre on Friday and Saturday, February 7 and 8, when the Moroni Olsen Players offer their second visit to Seattle for the current season. This play is new to Seattle audiences. MILWAUKEE (31) Wisconsin Theatre ‘ ‘Far East’ ’ Idea Frank Stever 2 Jacks & 2 Queens Helen Fachaud Ruth Kadamatsu M. Sanami & Co. Joan Hardcdstle DETROIT, MICH. (31) Fox Detroit “Accordion” Idea Burt & Lehman Theo. & Katya Nat Spector Mary Price Arnold Hartman NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y. (1-4) Strand Theatre ‘ ‘Kisses’ ’ Idea Mabel and Marcia Joe & Jane McKenna Mitzi Mayfair Will Cowan Wallen and Barnes E. Flat Four Dave Hacker Helen Aubrey UTICA, N. Y. (3) Gayety Theatre ‘ ‘Kisses’ ’ Idea Joe & Jane McKenna Will Cowan Mabel & Marcia E Flat Four Mitzi Mayfair Helen Aubrey Dave Hacker Wallen & Barnes BUFFALO, N. Y. (31) Lafayette Theatre “Types” Idea Carlena Diamond Trado Twins Harold Stanton WORCESTER, MASS. (31) Palace Theatre ‘ ‘Drapes’ ’ Idea Frank Melino & Co. Jerome Mann Dorothy Kelly SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (31) SEATTLE, January 30.—The Columbia Grand Opera Company will open at the Metropolitan on February 18 for seven erforrn- ances, following a long engage- ment in Los Angeles and at pres- ent playing in San Francisco. The chorus, under the direction of Alberto Conti, who recently came from the Royal Theatre, Lisbon, is said to be assembled from the southern opera associa- tion and said to be one of the finest found in a grand opera chorus. The company is under the di- rection of Alexander Bevani, whose principals include Myrna Sliarlow, Tina Paggi, Louisa Caselotti, El- sie Lee Wilson, Edith Mackey, Alicia Mums, Giuseppe Barsotti, Mario Fior,ella, Nino Piccaluga, Gennaro Barra, Galileo Parigi, Enrico Spada, Claudio Frigerio, Carlo Scattola. Palace Theatre “Columns” Idea Rome & Gaut Billy Rolls Niles Marsh Maxine Evelyn Dorothy Henley HARTFORD, CONN. (31) Capitol Theatre ‘ ‘Gobs of Joy’ ’ Idea Pat West Scotty Weston Bailey and Barnum Coley Cook Sisters Loma Ruth Billy & Elsie Lewis Dolly Kramer Moore and Moore Johnny Ashford Jones and Howett Wanda Allen Henry Aguirre NEW HAVEN, CONN. (31) Palace Theatre “Hollywood Studio Girls” Idea Three Gobs Miles & Perlee ' Chas. Rozelle John Vale Lorris & Fermine BRIDGEPORT (31) Palace Theatre “Screenland Melodies” Idea David Reece Lucille Iverson Sherry Louise Everts & Lowry Karavaeff Franklin & Warner Lamberti Jack & Betty Welling WATERBURY, CONN. (31) Fox Theatre “Jazz Cinderella” Idea Mae Usher Albert Hugo Roy Rogers Billy Randall James Gaylord Pauline Alpert Adair & Stewart BROOKLYN, N. Y. (31) Fox Theatre “Gardens’’ Idea Slate Bros. Vina Zolle Moffa and Mae Cliff Nazzaro WASHINGTON, D. C. (31) Fox Theatre “Watermelon Blues” Idea Mammy and Her Ted Ledford Picks Louise & Mitchell Southern Steppers ATLANTA, GA. (31) Fox Theatre ‘ ‘Sweet Cookies” Idea Eva Mandel Roy M. Loomis Jones & Hull Bobbe Tomson TULSA, OKLA. (31) Orpheum Theatre “Speed” Idea Black Cat Four Cal Norris Parker & Mack > Greyhounds Helen Burke BAND RE-SIGNS SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 30.— The Laughner-Harris, orchestra, headed by Carol Laughner and Phil Harris has re-signed at the Hotel St. Francis and will re- main there for another six months. Since this organization opened there several months ago business has picked up to an appreciable degree. BETTY SHILTON THREE YEARS SEATTLE FAV SEATTLE, Jan. 30.-—Close to three years now have Seattle thea- tregoers been hearing Betty Shil- ton, popular young organist at Fox’s big Fifth Avenue Theatre here. Due to the fact that the Fifth Avenue houses the Fanchon and Marco stage units, Betty does not have the opportunity to play concerts, but she is heard daily, morning and evening, over radio station KOMO, the town’s leading ether occupier. Requests running into the thou- sands annually pour into Betty’s mail box, coming from every state in the Union, from Maine to California, and from Alaska to. Florida, not excluding the Ha- waiian and Philippine Islands and the Orient. When the occasion calls, Betty also serves to enhance the worth of the house orchestra’s. concerts and overtures. BOOKER SHIFTED SEATTLE, Jan. 30.—L. Carl- son, assistant booker at the Pathe Exchange here,'has been trans- ferred to the San Francisco office. GREETING from OLYMPIC FILM STUDIOS 2419 2nd Ave., Seattle SLIDES—TRAILERS INDUSTRIAL FILMS The Largest and Best Equipped Plant in the Northwest We’re Proud of Our Union! SEATTLE LOCAL No. 154 Motion Picture Operators