Inside facts of stage and screen (May 10, 1930)

PAGE TEN INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1930 VANCOUVER, B. C. A. K. MacMartin REPRESENTATIVE 901 Bekins Bldg. NORTHWEST — Division Offices Phone: Capitol 1932 SEATTLE, WASH. Roy Oxman REPRESENTATIVE 5TH AVENUE LEADER OF SEATTLE HOUSES SEATTLE, May 8.—The Fifth Avenue with “High Society Blues,” backed by the F. and M. stage show and Jackie Souders, walked away with the cream of the busi- ness this week to the tune of $17,500. By far the best show for a long time and several grand above its nearest competitor, the Paramount, which had “The Light of the Western Stars.” This one did $12,- 800, disappointing figures for this house. The most consistent box office attraction here for the past few weeks has been “Ingagi,” which held the boards at the Blue Mouse for three weeks to the tune of $30,500 for the twenty-one days. Figures, opening week, $13,000; second week, $10,000, and a slight drop for this, the final week, to $7,500. Across the street at the Music Box the first week of “Hold Everything” took a neat $13,000 for its opening stanza, holding over another week. Hamrick, a consistent money maker here with his two houses, is already plastering the town with perhaps the greatest double attrac- tion to open Thursday. Two Uni- versal pictures, Paul Whiteman’s “King of Jazz” and “All Quiet on the Western Front,” get their northern premiere at these two houses. The Orpheum with Bebe Dan- iels’ “Alias French Gertie,” and a vaude bill headed by Henry San- trey did $11,000, fair enough con- sidering the competition around town. The Fox, with its second week of “Rogue Song,” took a slide to a reported $8,000, about one-half of its first week. The house is in a tough location, with everybody working heavy to drag the cus- tomers over onto Olive street. Owen Sweeten on the stage in his sixteenth week does his share, with Herb Kern, new featured organist, already adding many new ones. The Coliseum, second-run Fox- West Coast, got its usual fair share of drop-in, while the Metro- politan with Billie Dove in “A Notorious Affair,” doing likewise. “Young Man of Manhattan,” now in at the Met and should double the business. Around the dance pavilions, Cole McElroy continues to lead the town. Has the town pretty well tied-up together with John Sav- age’s Trianon ballroom where Jack Crawford opened last week for a short stand before going into the Rose Room. A block of real es- tate separates the two pavilions, with no evidence of unfriendly rrivalry on the surface, but plenty underneath, with both showmen digging up nightly stunts to entice ’em in. “Tiny” Burnett, at the Venetian Gardens, is still grabbing off the heavy dough after sundown with week-ends a sell-out. Neat propo- sition for “Tiny” who has a fol- lowing as long as a breadline on a winter’s day. No competition from anybody, especially so from Vic Meyers’ Club Victor which hit another bad red last week. Coffee Dans’ change of ownership leav- ing Joe Pinnard in sole charge with Sammy Gore, master of cere- monies, grabs off quite a little of the remaining business, which is plenty when catered to. TRAVELING ELEVATOR A traveling elevator, used to convey sound cameras, will be used in filming Radio Pictures’ operetta, “Dixiana.” The elevator, constructed by studio mechanics, will travel 100 feet on an over- head track. Mechanical construc- tion has been synchronized so that the cameras will raise and lower as the elevator proceeds along the track, getting exceptional camera angles. PLAYWRIGHT ARRIVES Marie Baumer, author of “Penny Arcade” and “Town Boy,” stage plays, has arrived in Hollywood from New York and has joined the writing staff at the Paramount studios. Notes Along Fifth Avenue Herb and Mrs. Kern window shopping . . . A1 Franks looking up Rose Smith . . . Carl Wing out plugging a new number . . . Lew Mahan becoming worried about new song hits . . . Dick Buckley with a flashy new suit . . . Jackie Souders in the Fifth Avenue lobby . . . Mel Klee looking for part of the cast . . . Some of the F. and M. “Broadway Venuses” crossing the street escaping Fifth avenue’s heavy traffic . . . Alma Roscoe taking her poodle out for an air- ing . . . Betty Shilton at the con- sole about twelve midnight . . . Harry Mills, pipe and all, up in the Trianon . . . Jimmy Carrier in the Orpheum’s box office . . . Johnny Northern taking it easy for a few hours . . . Harold Weeks worrying about theme songs . . . O’Connor and George Miller talking things over in Para- mount’s lobby, Billy Hartung lis- tening to them . . . Seymour Kail, Paramount theatre’s lobby cartoon- ist .. . Ralph Mayer watching the construction of the new Washing- ton Athletic club . . . Bill Barker up in F. and M. office arranging for a date down south . . . Owen Sweeten and his boys making ap- pearance under the marquee at the Fox in the shape of photographs . . . They look quite natural . . . Emma Jane Epler receiving a package of “Tonight” . . . “Tiny” and Meyer Burnett with Boyd Senter getting out of car . . . Jim Clemmer with the usual scowl on his face . . . Bill Hartung with his big smile . . . Bobby Arm- strong enthusing and rightly on “Young Man of Manhattan” . . . He and Bob Blair checking over the fronts at 1:30 a. m. . . . Chic Cooper winning the nomination as the prettiest blonde . . . Buck Warren ditto as a cowboy and a gentleman . . . Henry Santrey riding in the writer’s Ford . . . and giving drivers instructions . . . and interviewing amateur song writers at the same time . . . Jesse James with his genial dignified as ever . . . and broadcasting from station KRESS . . . and making a . at that . . . Lou Oudeen winning another song plugger’s heart . . . making two score even . . . and still not a chance—now Syl Halperin is home . . . Friend Hagerson with his everlasting smile . . .. going on the air . . . and pleasing quite a few feminnine and one masculine heart . . . Carl Wing working like the dickens as usual . . . A1 Simmons hurrying across the street . . . with a broad S?r m . * * ■ Sammy Green explaining his inspectorship . . . and who he liked, best . . . but omitting whom he didn t . . . Dorothy Potts being mistaken for Norma Shearer . . and Betty Hudson looking like herself . . . and chatting with her ex-press agent . . . Lady Knudson from the Winter Garden stopping for a moment . . . Bud Sommers and his charming wife . . . cheer- ful and considerate after a hard day’s work . . . Paul Schwegler in a new car . . . Five hundred peo- ple at a “sardine dance” given at the Wilsonian . . . Bill McCauley booming up trade for Club Bilroy • • ; Lucille Johnson going to a dentist and complaining about it . . . Ken Stuart out to the ball game . . . Phil Lampkin writing from Portland ... Jim Wilson rushing future fraternity pledges • • • Eleanor Plamondon at the J. G. V. ... Jerry Green and his famous smile out front of his Embassy theatre ... HERBERT DIRECTING Hugh Herbert, writer and di- rector, has been assigned to direct dialogue on Radio Pictures’ first wide-film production, an outdoor railroad drama. He left this week with a company of 100, headed by Louis Wolheim, Jean Arthur and Robert Armstrong to the first lo- cation in Montana. FITZPATRICK HERE James A. FitzPatrick, producer of the Travel Talk Series of short subjects, has arrived in Los An- geles, following a lengthy Pacific Ocean journey. He will leave fot New York May 10. OPENING OP AGAIN SEATTLE, May 8.—John Sav- age, owner of the Butler hotel and lessee of the Trianon ballroom, who brought Jack Crawford and his Victor recording orchestra from Atlantic City to the dance palace, opened his “Rose Room” at the hotel with Crawford and his band as the feature attraction last Wednesday. The hotel was recently padlocked by the federal authorities, but Sav- age fought the injunction through to the higher courts, finally win- ning out. Tex Howard, who barn- stormed the northwest stick during Crawford’s week at the ballroom, returns there Wednesday. SANTREY GIVEN SEATTLE’S KEY S E AT T L E, May 8. — When Henry Santrey rolled into town last .week, he had the honor of ac- cepting the first golden key to the city of Seattle from the hands of Mayor Edwards. The mayor slipped a bug in Santrey’s ear on the surplus of good talent in the city. Henry immediately paved the way for a local audition stunt which brought the natives in droves to the theatre and inci- dentally grabbing off a lot of local press stuff. QUARTET AT RESORT SEATTLE, May 8. — Emma Jane. Epler in charge of the Arcade Music Store for Remick here takes her four-piece band into the Haller Lake community resort next week. The personnel is as follows: Kay Dillon, violin; Francis Krauland, sax and clarinet; Percy Nolan, durms; and Emma Jane Epler, piano and voice. Following the summer engage- ment, the quartet who are well known over local radio stations, will leave on the Northwestern for a tour of Alaskan waters. VANCOUVER By A. K. MacMARTIN An accident to the second nar- rows bridge when a freighter rammed it, knocking a span into the drink, has worked consider- able hardship to two night spots on the North Shore. Vic Foley’s Narrows and the Plantation, both of which depend on their busi- ness from the city proper, will be out of luck for the next 30 days while the bridge is being repaired. Ferry service is too slow for the lovers of whoopee and they re- main on the Vancouver side of the water patronizing the Belmont Cabaret, the Spanish Grill and other local spots. * * * The Winter Garden, on the pier at English Bay, opened for the season Saturday night. Billy Reeves and his Music Masters are booked for the season with danc- ing on tap nightly. * * * Calvin Winter and his band are broadcasting for CNRV, the Ca- nadian National Railway network. This is the first time a Canadian Pacific Coast program has been sent East over the net work. * * * The Del-Roy and Merinoff Dancing Institute staged a dance revue to a good sized house at the Vancouver Theatre May 3. One hundred of their pupils made up the cast. Some snappy hoofing in everything from tap to the classical varieties was on the bill, all numbers pulling strong ap- plause. SONG IS WORTH PLENTY TO HIM SEATTLE, May 8.—Larry De- laney, said to be a California caba- ret entertainer, pleaded guilty to stealing a $1.50 suit case last Satur- day in Judge Wright’s Court. The judge told Larry to prove his vocation and when the latter warbled an Irish ballad he got his freedom after spending eight days in the cooler. FIHS REOPENING FORMER PIN HOUSE SEATLE, May 8.—A1 Franks, for many years one of the leading figures* in musical comedy circles in the northwest, opens the old Pantages theatre on May 15. Franks came here from Portland after a long run at the Capitol theatre and is rehearsing this week preparatory to what is said to be one of the most elaborate affairs to hit this town. The theatre is being entirely renovated, and Franks is figuring to play at a ten, twenty and thirty cent admission. Ed Fisher, north- west booking agent, handled the cast for Franks. LOBBY PLAYING CONTEST TRIED SEATTLE, May 8.—In a tie-up with the Seattle Star, Bill Hartung, manager of the Paramount theatre here, this week started a “lobby entertainment” contest. The idea is the outcome of the successful engagement here of Layne and Gordon, the original lobby entertainers, who, while booked for two weeks, stayed fourteen, and created a demand for this novel type of entertainment. A four-week contract at a mini- mum salary of $50 a week is the legit outcome of the contest. Two acts have already been accepted, one of which is Roy Oxman, local singer and song writer, and the Richardson Twins, dancers, who are already in the current show. NEW DIX PICTURE Richard Dix’s third starring film went into production at RKO stu- dios this week with Geo. Archain- baud directing. Mary Lawlor plays opposite the star. Others in the cast include William Janney, James Neil, Paul Hurst, Matthew Betz, Jimmy Quinn, Eddie Sturgis and Harry Tenbrooke. The story is an original by Barney Sarecky. The adaptation to the screen was made by Wallace Smith. UNSOLICITED INTERVIEWS (With apologies to Harold Bock) WE called on the S. L. CROSS MUSIC CORP. “ROCK-A-BYE TO SLEEP IN DIXIE’’ AND “TONIGHT” OUR BIG SENSATIONAL HITS? GREAT TUJVES !!! THEY CHORUSED AND WE HEARD THE VOICES OF JACKIE SOUDERS COLE McELROY TINY BURNETT LAYNE & GORDON HERMAN KENIN BETTY SHILTON OWEN SWEETEN DWIGHT JOHNSON TEX HOWARD RON and DON MYRTLE STRONG and a HOST OF OTHERS as we headed for the door to fill orders from Friend Hagerson, Lou Oudeen, A1 Simmons, Harold Weeks, Geo. Olsby and a host of other smart music folks who KNOW. CLIMB ON THE BAND WAGON OF HITS!!! SYL CROSS President JEAN ARMAND Vice-President GENE McCORMICK NEWTON KELLY Prof. Manager Sales Manager S. L. CROSS MUSIC CORP • SEATTLE, U. S. A.*