Inside facts of stage and screen (May 3, 1930)

PAGE TWELVE Facts 9 Echoes From Melody Land By JACK B. TENNEY The show goes on. The old clowns pass into the wings and dis- appear, but new ones continually take their places. The songs of yesterday have been rearranged and are being sung by new voices to revamped melodies. Boop-a- doop is only a late model of a phrase of a few years ago. The lines of musty melodramas have been recouched to fit the times. The show goes on—it will always go on. Each curtain is but a short intermission . . . New scenes . . . new faces! Where are the favorites of yester- year? Where are the clowns who made us laugh . . . the singers who touched our hearts . . . the heroes and heroines who moved us for the moment to dreams come true? Gone . . . forever passed into the mist of memory, never to return. What of them, these old entertainers, after the grease-paint has been removed for the last time? One tried to come back, pitifully. . . . Years ago she thrilled from the wings to thunderous applause and graciously she took encore after encore. Then she was young, vi- vacious, and she could sing. That was yesterday. Adversity, poverty and age—that is today. . . . She had a bad spot. She followed youth in an abbreviated costume— a young girl with a baby face and an irritating voice. She finished her song to a pained ripple of ap- plause, followed by strange silence. The spotlight onlv revealed the ravages of years that lurked be- neath the rouge; threw into bold relief the pitiful figure of an old woman. . . . The last curtain for her. . . . The N. V. A. does not forget, though the public responds to new faces and the favorites of the mo- ment. There is always hope while we remember. . The dance halls at Long Beach, m order to build up business, have adopted a novel method that prom- ises to work out contrary to the plans and desires of the various managements. Three of the ball- rooms are staging Free Dance nights._ Each ballroom devotes the best night of the nearest competi- tive ballroom to free dancing. The Silver Spray, Bennet’s and the Tourist ballrooms are the three emporiums of dance now engaged in this unusual racket. At the present it is rumored that other places may adopt the idea. The customers, needless to say, are get- ting quite a wallop out of it and are arranging their dancing to fol- low the free nights. If the ball- rooms get around to the point where six consecutive free nights may be the thing, the dance ad- dicts of Long Beach will soon re- fuse to pay for the privilege at any time. * * * Bennett’s _ Crystal Roof at Long Beach is evidently suffering acutely from bad biz. James Fye, with a seven-piece nonunion orchestra, has just opened there. * * * The A. B. W. Club, Mexicali, is sporting a heavy floor show featur- ing Mae Atwood and her Holly- wood Revue. De Lara and Lolita, famous Apache team, are the starred specialty. Cora Walsh, the singing accordion player, is being well received with her blues num- bers. * * * Tommy Thomas, trumpet, is tak- ing a five-piece orchestra to Pres- cott, Arizona, for the summer. * * * Steve White, saxist, has joined Glen Bucey’s aggregation at the Pom Pom. Glen’s lineup now in- cludes Ellis David Bryant, sax; Tommy Balderas and Jean James, piano; Leo Hagan, trumpet; Bill Alexander, banjo and guitar; Russ Harrison, trombone, and Glen Bucey, drums. * * * Vernon Leftwich is in San Fran- cisco to cooperate with Carlton Kelsey in arranging the music for “Hi There,” opening at Erlanger’s Columbia Theatre. FIORITO BAND GALA OPENING SAN FRANCISCO, May 1.— Hotel Mark Flopkins, swank Nob Hill hostelry, had a gala opening last night for Ted Fiorito and his band, coming into the hotel for an eight week engagement during the absence of Anson Weeks and his orchestra, who are at the Hotel Roosevelt, New York. Both are Music Corporation of America bands. The Fiorito group, coming from Edge water Beach, Chicago, fea- tures Dusty Roades, comedian, playing him up big. Fiorito, Vic- tor recording artist, is the writer of Laugh, Clown, Laugh,” “King Fo J „ a Day” and “I’m Sorry, Sally. SONG OFFICE OPENING AT WARNERS BUILDING , DeSylva, Brown and Henderson join the new “Tin Pan Alley” in the Warner Brothers Hollywood Theatre building. Benny Berman, Los Angeles representative for the past three years, will be located in new offices, in Hollywood by the . end of this week, moving from present quarters in the Majestic Iheatre building on Broadway Witmark and Harms already have Hollywood offices in the Warner building. Song Leaders MAYNARD BAIRD SIGNED Maynard Baird and his Orches- tra, featured for the past year at the Andrew Jackson Hotel, Knox- ville, Tenn., is now being managed by the Music Corporation of Amer- ica. Baird and his Orchestra will be featured on prominent spots of the M. C. A. circuit in the north during the summer season, return- ing to the Andrew Jackson Hotel in the fall. ARCHER WITH HARMS _ Jack Archer, who recently re- signed as S. F. representative for Witmark and Sons, is in town and is now connected with the Harms office, which is in charge of Art Mehlinger. LIBRARIAN IS DAD Zebe Mann, librarian with the Loew’s State Orchestra here, is the proud dad of a nine-and-one-half- pound baby boy. SMITH IN HOSPITAL . Td Smith, business representa- tive of the local musicians’ union was forced . to enter the Angeles Hospital this week for a several weeks’ rest, the result of over work. LOS ANGELES Another generally quiet week in song sheet sales, so far as quan- tity is concerned, but marked by a general shuffling around of best sellers and the sudden leap into the lead by the Paul Whiteman picture number, “It Happened In Monterey.” This number slipped into the rearguard of the best ten last week, but this week nosed out “Springtime in the Rockies” for first honors by a very narrow mar- gin. Here is the rating: 1. “It Happened In Monterey” —Feist. 2. “Springtime in the Rockies” —Villa Moret. 3 “Happy Days”—Ager, Yellen and Bornstein. 4. “When the Little Red Roses” —-DeSylva, Brown and Hender- son. 5. “Under a Texas Moon”— Remick. 6. “Should I?”—Robbins. 7. Stein Song”—Carl Fischer. 8., “When I’m Looking At You”—Robbins. 9. “I Never Dreamt” — Santly Bros. 10. “Sing, You Sinners”—Fam- ous. closel y behind are: 1 he Moon Is Low,” ^Cryin* For the Carolines,” “I’ll Sing You All My Love Songs” and “Woman in the Shoe.” Recordings T H Happened In Monterey” —All recordings. * Z C ° tta 8 e For Sale”—Vic- tor (Callee). lee 3 ) " Stein Son g” — Victor (Val- 4 “The Moon Is Low”—Co lumbia (Ukulele Ike). 5 “Sunny Side of the Street”- Columbia (Ted Lewis). 6. “Sing, You Sinners” —Vic tor. 7. “Ten Cents a Dance”—Vic- tor. . 8 - “Happy Days” —All record- ings. 9. “11:30 Saturday Night Brunswick (Burtnett). 1°. “Thank You, Father Columbia. CROSS OPENING BRANCH OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO, May 1.— S. L. Cross, head of the music publishing house bearing his name, was here this week from Seattle headquarters and named Newton S. Kelly general sales manager of the concern. Immediately after his appoint- ment Kelly got hot on Eddie Pea- body, who is featuring the two Cross numbers “Rockabye to Sleep in Dixie” and “Tonight” at the Fox this week and secured a tie- up with the Kress store for a full window display and a personal ap- pearance of Peabody at the nickel and dime emporium. Kelly formerly represented Rob- bins here. He has his headquarters at his previous Fell street loca- tion. BRENON RETURNING Herbert Brenon is on his way home from Europe after ten weeks of story-hunting. He bought a Danish play while in Copenhagen, which may be produced as his next Radio Picture. George Olsen And Hi* Musical Organization continue to make toes tingle and bodies sway at the popular George Olsen’s Revue Club in Culver City with the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Robbins Hits "Should I” “When I’m Looking At You” SAN FRANCISCO After several weeks of hovering near the fist, “Sing, You Sinners” L raC fn- a mt ° ?’- e first ten - jumping t0 , Position. “Stein Song” and Springtime in the Rockies” still were first and second. Here are the first ten: Co L “Stein Song” —Radio Music ^ “Springtime in the Rockies” —Villa Moret. 3. Sing, You Sinners”—Fam- ous. 4. “Happy Days” —Ager, Yel- len and Bornstein. r ., S - . “Danger In Your Eyes Chene”—Berlin. y ' 7 J S ,f ow ”-Robbins. 7. With You”—Berlin. bins. 6 IS the Ni ght” —Rob- Lo,i"3fiU ! c »« 10. “Cottage For Sale” — De Sylva, Brown and Henderson. 1 “c* • Heoonfings Victor. S ° ng “ Rud y Vallee, 2- “With You”—All. 3. “Danger In Your Eyes”— a rry „ Rlch man, Brunswick. 4. Moon Is Low”—All. the Nie ' U ”- : 6. ‘‘Should I?”—All. —All “ Sprinfrtime in Rockies” .8. “Happy Days”—Johnny Mar- vin, Victor. 9. “Where t h e Little Red Roses Grow”—All. rev”' p Tt , ^ pened in Monte- rey —Paul Whiteman, Columbia. TEAM ARRIVES HERE Blair and Thornton, who recent- ly completed a Publix tour, arrived here and may open for Fanchon and Marco. JANIS RECOVERING Eddy Janis, -who represents the famous Music Corporation on the coast, with offices in Los Angeles, was rushed from the train, to the St. Francis Hospital in San Fran- cisco last week for a hurried ap- penditicitis operation. Eddy’s wife, Rene, made a hurried trip to San rrancisco to be with him. He’s reported well on the way to re- covery. BERNIE ROUTE PLAN Despite a number of reports to the contrary, the current western tour pi the Ben Bernie Band is being handled exclusively by the Music Corporation of America. After completing engagements here, including one at the Montmarte, Hollywood Cafe, starting this week, Bernie will play east on a route to be arranged by the M. C. A. organization. BANDSTERS VISIT SAN FRANCISCO, May 1.— A. P. Manning becomes musical supervisor on the coast for Pub- lix, beginning his duties this week. Borris Morros, id charge of that chain’s musical activities, made the appointment. Manning will work out of the coast headquarters which are lo- cated in the Paramount Theatre here. Morros is expected back this week from the Northwest where he has been looking over the Pub- lix houses, making changes in the musical policies and personnels. NEW MUSIC REP SAN FRANCISCO, May 1.— Karan Dunn Song Co. has ap- pointed Mrs. Beulah Raye Allender representative in Seattle. The Karan Dunn Co. has on the press “Angelita” and “From the Be- hind the Clouds.” M. C. A. SIGNS CRAIG Francis Craig and his Orchestra, featured at the Andrew Jackson Hotel, Nashville, Tenn., has been signed up exclusively by the M. C. A. Roy Mack’s Desertland Trouba- dours, a ten-piece band from the Elks Plaza Ballroom, Miami, Ari- zona, is enjoying a brief vacation in Los Angeles and Hollywood this week. They play three nights a week in the ballroom and fill the rest of the week at the small surrounding towns. VICTOR RECORD CLUB The Victor Record people have just inaugurated a “Record-of-the- Month” club, through which the record chosen by a committee as the best production for the coming month is sent to members in ad- vance of release date. TAIT’S BIZ SPURTS RUDOLPH N. SCHRAEGER PREMIER ORGANIST Chinese Theatre, Hollywood INDEFINITE WM. (Billy) KNOX SOLO ORGANIST Fox Oakland Theatre SAN FRANCISCO, May 1.— With Jack Coakley and his or- chestra and Henry Warner, vocal soloist, as the drawing cards, busi- ness, has taken a nice spurt for Tait s-at-the-Beach, class night spot on the Great Highway. jay I3K0WLK MASTER-OF-CEREMONIES FOX EL CAPITAN SAN FRANCISCO “A LITTLE SMILE” Words and Music by GEO. B. L. BRAUN (A Fox Trot Sensation) CONCORD PUBLISHING CO. 1179 Market St. San Francisco WILL PRIOR CONDUCTOR NEW STATE THEATRE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA YOU’LL BE DELIGHTED WHEN YOU HEAR “BONITA” An Appealing Fox Trot Ballad The Song Beautiful “WHEN THE LOVELY DAY IS ENDED’’ PUBLICATIONS Kress Bldg. San Francisco HENKEL MUSICAL CONDUCTOR PRESENTATION and DIRECTOR CIVIC THEATRE Auckland, New Zealand - : - Stage Band of 20 Pit Orchestra of 30 MISS EDDIE JAYE “THAT MOANIN’ MAMA” (MANAGEMENT OF LOU DAVIS) PERSONALITY BLUES SINGER NOW AT TOLTEC CAFE, JUAREZ, MEXICO SHE DON’T SHOUT ’EM-SHE SINGS ’EM ASK JOE AND CHESTER AT THE CAFE