Inside facts of stage and screen (March 15, 1930)

SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE SEVEN Harold J. Bock Manager PHONE DOUGLAS 2213 SAN FRANCISCO KRESS BLDG. 935 Market St., Office Suite 504 SHOW-RAIDING BOOSTS URGE FOR POLITICAL ORGANIZATION SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— A move is reported under way in San Francisco to gain for this city a representation in the the- atrical industry’s political and pro- tective organization currently be- ing formed in Los Angeles. Since details of the organization were published in recent issues of Inside Facts the San Francisco -♦•office has received innumerable in- quiries asking for further informa- tion. The calls came from all branches of the profession: legit, vaude, radio and music and even from outside of the industry. Centering of the group in Los Angeles will not make it the MI-SHOW MOVE HIT BV STIMTEGY SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— By a strategic move at a crucial time, a movement put under way by the Federation of Women’s Clubs to stop midnight shows seemed permanently squashed this week by the Allied Amusement Industries. While women’s groups generally throughout the city were waging war on late shows, the Allied stepped in and got the San Fran- cisco Center of the League of Women Voters to sponsor a mid- night premier of Radio’s “Case of Sergeant Grischa” at the RKO Orpheum. With this powerful or- ganization backing the show, other women’s clubs were practically forced into silence. Center’s backing of a midnight show is one of the first decisive stands this club has taken in civic and political matters, its directors generally seeing fit to remain non- committal on such matters. While the Federation of Wo- men’s Clubs, another organization, had previously expressed itself as being against midnight shows, the same club’s Better Film Board, in a general statement, claimed it was “concerned with good apples, and not when they were eaten.” The Fox and RKO Golden Gate are the two houses regularly stag- ing the late operas. strong combine it can be if or- ganizers only will attempt to take in the entire state, according to lo- cal backers of the move. Unrestricted and repeated cen- sorship of legit shows by Capt. Arthur D. Layne of the police de- partment has caused considerable ill feeling against the Captain. Despite acquittal by jury the Cap- tain has continued to raid Sid Goldtree’s production of “The Peephole” at the Green Street Theatre and only recently he fol- lowed the same tactics with “Bad Babies” at the Capitol until that show' was forced to leave town. Typical of the views taken on the matter is a recent letter writ- ten to Inside Facts by Albert A. Greenbaum, secretary to the local Musicians’ Union, in which Green- baum says: “I think the idea of an actors’ political organization on the Pacific Coast is first class, but there should be a combination of the interests interested in the theatre. The only way that the sane ele- ment is ever going to get any place is to become militant, ag- gressive and particularly articulate. We all let the fanatic and Puritan do the shouting while we remain quiet with the result that the po- litical officeholders, who live with their ears to the ground, become of the opinion that a vociferous and noisy minority represents the views of everybody.” ■PEEiirCISE SHU. IIP III HP Market St. Gleanings SAN FRANCISCO, March 13 — A casual survey of the theatrical era and its constituency preceding the entry of the talkers in 1928 re- veals many interesting changes, chief among them being the pres- ent occupations of former show people forced out by the changing situations and who now are en- gaged in various pursuits in this city. The comedian in a former next to closing two-act has donned a street car conductor’s uniform and collects nickels from the patrons of the municipal railway. An ex- theatre manager now works in a cleaning and pressing emporium. A former hoofer is industriously engaged in peddling fairly good gin at $2 a fifth. The selling of vacuum cleaners occupies the time of a former stock juvenile. A young fellow who was once a corking good juvenile is night clerk at a third-rate hotel. Garage work is now the occupation of a for- mer orchestra leader. Three ex- vaudists that we know of are driving cabs for a living. A jug- gler now sells handkerchiefs; a comedian is splitting wood five days a week; a harmony team sell pots and pans in Kress’ nickel and dime palace; several are bell hops, cafeteria bus boys and waiters. * * * But don’t think all former show people, in changing their occupa- tions, have gone downward on the social scale. Many have bettered themselves, radio claiming most of these. Program directors, musical heads, continuity writers and an- nouncers are among the former followers of the spotlight. Real estate and insurance have claimed others, while some find it difficult to completely break away and have established themselves as dancing teachers, elocutionists, bookers and song pluggers. * * * HAMMERSTEINS SAIL SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Oscar Hammerstein II, play- wright, and his wife, Dorothy Blanchard, sailed from here this week for Honolulu, from where they will go to Australia. In Sydney, Hammerstein plans to su- pervise production of “New Moon.” NEAL ABEL RECORDS SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Neal Able, vaude player, was here from Los Angeles this week to record for Columbia. BOOKERS IN S. F. SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Bern Bernard and Harry Golub of the Los Angeles RKO booking office were here this week. Artistic Scenic Advertising Curtains By Far the Best in America CURTAIN PRIVILEGES BOUGHT FOR CASH OR SCENERY Chas. F. Thompson Scenic Co. 1215 Bates Avenue Phone OLympia 2914 Hollywood, Calif. SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Status of “The Peephole,” Sid Goldtree’s production at the Green Street Theatre, still is un- decided. At a second jury trial this week jurors were unable to agree, the only happening of the week coming when Goldtree, his director, Hugh Metcalfe, and his leading man, Joseph Kemper, were indicted by -the grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit an offense against public morals. Heavy bail was set for the trio' but this was later reduced. Mean- while the theatre has been closing awaiting a clean bill of health by the court. Another trial is set for next week. “MOON” COMPETITION SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— “June Moon,” comedy by Ring Gardner and George Kaufman, is due to open March 31 at the Geary, while. “The New Moon,” Schwab and Mandel’s operetta at the Majestic in Los Angeles, will open next door at the Curran about that time. REPRESENTING ADVANCE SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Milt Frankel has arrived here to represent Advance Trailer Co. William Queen, from the firm’s Los Angeles office, was here for a few days assisting Frankel in get- ting set. Meet Your Friends at the LOUVRE CAFE 972 MARKET SAN FRANCISCO Daily Entertainment by Jimmy Curry and Chuck Thode Who says all Scotchmen are tight? While playing the Golden Gate this week Scott Sanders passed out a coat hanger and a cigar lighter to his friends. They were in an envelope which, when opened, disclosed a nail and a match. And the match we got had been used before. * * * The following gag going the rounds of the local Rialto is passed along to us by Musical Walsh. It concerns a new act breaking in at a suburban theatre. Stage manager: “What do you work in?” (Meaning stage setting.) Act: “Tuxedo.” Stage manager: “Well, what spot do you want?” (Meaning lighting.) Act: “Oh, first or second will be all right.” * * * Rufus Freiling, the Fox’s stage doorman, celebrated another birth- day this week. * * * On its Carnival Week, just completed, the Lido Cafe featured The De Ceciletos, ballroom dance team; the Grant Wallace revue with Gladys Kane; the Tabarin Trio, vocalists; and Paul Kelli’s orchestra. ALLEN’S DIVORCED SACRAMENTO, March 13.— Barbara Brown, leading woman with Roy Clair’s stock company at the Plaza, was divorced this week from Frank Allen, musician and radio entertainer of Seattle. ADDS ENTERTAINMENT SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Louvre Cafe, headquarters for the profession, has added entertain- ment to its culinary attractions, with Jimmy Curry and Chuck Thode as featured attractions. Ed- ward Mitchell manages the Louvre. ‘VAGABOND KING’ IS BIG WITH $34,000 AT GRANADA SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Paramount’s premiere of “The Vagabond King” was easily the outstanding event on this week’s picture shop calendar, the Publix Granada looking set for a neat run of this Dennis King vehicle. Figure for the initial seven days was $13,400, a mighty pleasing bunch of digits for this house. William Haines was good to the Fox, that big house grossing around $49,000 on “The Girl Said No,” aided by Fanchon and Marco’s “Eyes Idea” and Walt Roesner, m. c. Warner Baxter in “Such Men Are Dangerous” cur- rent. “Blaze o’ Glory,” Sono-Art pro- duction with Eddie Dowling was distinctly disappointing to Loew’s Warfield, that house grossing only $14,000. “Happy Days” opened big this week. It’s on regular width screen. C. Sharpe-Minor helps at the organ with Peter Paul Lyons’ concert orchestra. At Publix’s California there was “Roadhouse Nights” which didn’t mean too much, taking in only $19,000 but holding over. Pub- lix’s Granada with Gary Cooper in Paramount’s “Only the Brave” got under the tape with an $18,- 500 intake helped by Don George’s orchestra and Harold Ramsay at the organ. Inspiration’s “Hell Harbor” with Lupe Velez is there now. Second and final week of “The Case of Sergeant Grischa” bowed out weakly from the RKO Or- pheum showing a figure of only $12,000. “Second Wife” now holds the screen, with Buss McClelland and Johnny McCartney in an or- gan novelty and Tommy Boyd’s orchestra completing the show. Casino came near previous rec- SELLS MARINA SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Louis R. Lurie has sold his Marina Theatre, located in the city’s class residential section, for approximately $200,000. IS UPTOWN MANAGER SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— J. C. Richards has been appointed manager of the recently opened Uptown located in the Fillmore district. O’ROURKE DIES SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— William O’Rourke, well known dancing teacher, who has been coaching here for the past 15 years, died at his home this week. SMITH ON VACATION SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Don Smith, tenor at Ackerman and Harris’ Casino, is on a short vacation. ords with “Ship From Shanghai” and a stages how. Almost $12,- 000 for this house which is good. ’’Cohens and Kellys in Scotland” looks okay now. Embassy with Johnny Barry- more in “General Crack” big at $14,500 and holding on. Davies with Dolores Costello in “Second Choice” all right at $8000 and “Tiger Rose” now in. si mm may oo mm m s. f. SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Ann Dempster arrived in town this week to confer with local capitalists on opening a musical stock company at a San Francisco showshop, possibly the Rivoli (the old Columbia) or the Capitol. Miss Dempster’s tentative plans call for presentation of such mu- sical shows as “Sally,” “Irene” and others, gradually working up to the new productions. She would not star in these, as she had in others. In addition to her musical stock offer, Miss Dempster, who re- cently closed after three months in Santa Barbara, also is consider- ing a proposition for her to ap- pear in stock in the San Joaquin V alley. ON GREENWOOD TOUR SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Henry Duffy has started Char- lotte Greenwood on a tour with “She Couldn’t Say No,” with Nellie Revell going ahead of the troupe as advance agent, and Frank B. Hill acting as company manager. After dates in Fresno, Visalia, Stockton and Sacramento, the company jumps to Denver for a week and then plays Kansas City, St. Louis and Milwaukee, reaching Chicago on April 20 where an engagement starts at the Erlanger Theatre. BUY MAJESTIC SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— Phil Frease and Ellis Levy have purchased the 650 seat Majestic Theatre and are installing Western Electric equipment in preparation for a March 24 opening. DON SMITH SAN FRANCISCO’S FAVORITE TENOR 6th MONTH CASINO THEATRE HOTEL GOVERNOR TURK AT JONES SAN FRANCISCO THE HOME OF ALL THEATRICAL PEOPLE PLAYING SAN FRANCISCO SPECIAL RATES TO PROFESSIONALS JACK WOLFENDEN, Prop. FRANK RATCHFORD, Mgr. SCENERY BY MARTIN STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA