Inside facts of stage and screen (October 25, 1930)

OCT. 25, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE SEVEN BELOW BELT HANDED OUT TO PICTURES SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.— Another below the belt week for picture houses. Only one or two outstanding things on the whole street and they were no big shakes as profit takers. Norma Talmadge in “DuBarry, Woman of Passion” was screened at Publix’s California and drew but $11,000, giving way at the end of the week to “The Virtuous Sin.” Pictures, previously, have stayed 14 days or more. Chevalier in “Playboy of Paris” wasn’t what he used to be at Pub- lix’s St. Francis. Where he ran for several months in “Innocents of Paris,” this film piece found him doing but $12,000 at the end of the week. When he closes, and that will be soon, the house goes dark, with rumors indicating a new Pub- lix house about to arise on this site. Paramount struck an average level on Horace Heidt and band- well known locally — and Par’s “Heads Up,” $18,000 being the in- Orpheum has Pathe’s “Her Man” and that too stayed but one week with $8000 the figure. Amos V Andy open Friday and then busi- ness should top all else in town. Warfield took about the most sat- isfactory figure on the whole street, that $22,000 on Fox’s “Up the River,” which completed a second week and then is to be followed by “The Big Trail.” Fox, with “Scotland Yard,” was okay at $37,000, aided by a Fan- chon and Marco Idea and Walt Roesner as concert orchestra con- ductor. Embassy had "Maybe It’s Love” and $7500 was the best it could do. SHIVERS STRIKE S. F. GOLF LINKS SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29. — Coming of chilly nights is taking big nicks in the business of outdoor pee wee golf courses, with all the pellet chasing customers flocking to the newer and more elaborate in- door links. One indoor place has girl caddies! and serves breakfast. - - CLIFFORD DIES SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23 — George G. Clifford, old-time pub- licity and amusement man of San F'rancisco. died in Hamilton City this week. STUDIO of DANCING 577 Geary St. San Francisco Franklin 2562 Acrobatic, Stage, Tap, Rhythm, Ballet and Ballroom Dancing ROUTINES FOR THEATRICAL PEOPLE Private Lessons by Appointment Children’s Classes Saturday at 11 Young People’s Classes, Eves., 8 to 11. FOREVER FREE FROM UNSIGHTLY HAIR A few pleasant RAY-0 treat- ments removes superfluous hair permanently. No sensation whatever in the treat- ment and the hair will never return. Write for booklet or come in for free and confidential consultation. Ray-O System 802 Anglo-Bank Bldg. 830 Market Phone SUtter 4714 SAN FRANCISCO SPOTLIGHTS Sam Pechner, Fox house mgr., had a birthday. . . Dad Cunning- ham, dancing with Bob Robinson at the Golden Gate, first played here in 1872 at the old Wigwam . . . he was formerly a member of the knockabout act, Brutal Brothers . . . and despite his 74 years wears a beret. . . Inside Facts’ San Francisco office is all dolled up ... new walls, new floors, new polish on the furni- ture . . . drop in and geeve a look. .. Gene Granger taking on a soda. . . Bob Gilmour and A1 Bergren have something on each other . . . so neither is volunteering any “inside facts” for Spotlights . . . except that Gilmour broke his specs the other night. . . Eddie Janis stops in his mad rush down the street to plug a tune . . for the best fish dinner in town we recommend the new and colorful Bernstein’s. . . Charlie Koer- ner did not appear at the Para- mount all week. . . Bob Robison, he of high pressure salesmanship, exhausted after four shows, a stunt with a cameraman and a benefit performance . . . the day after we had wondered about it. . . Tiny Epperson was caught two Market street trolleys and BOTH cars were able to pass . . . barely touching the rotund Tiny. . . Ripley that one ,if you can. . . Gerda Lundberg in a “back to Oakland” movement . . . after a Night Owl program on Kay . . tee . . a . . bee. Connie and Natalie wearing out the halls in the Kress build- ing. . . . June CollyeH was in town just long enough for two appearances at the Paramount on Monday . . . and a brief bow in a fashion show at the Hotel St. Francis for tea. . . Will Rogers drove up to get an ad- vance peep at “Lightnin’ ”, . . . did you know that Bob Roberts KTAB’s manager, is a reformed radio crooner ... or is he re- formed? .... Larry Yoel is inviting all his friends to a dinner . . . comes a let- ter from Los Angeles and Ken Whitmer . . . and he’s just nut;s. a bout p alifornia’s climate . ... the, jjang is still laughing about the typographical error that made Dick ! Spier’s name “Dick Spider”. . . The John Wayne who is! starred in Fox’s “Big Trail” is none other than Duke Morrison, former U.S.C. football hero .... the latest gag for magazine solicitors, male or fe- male, is that they’re trying to win an aviation course . . . it’s been worked on us three times this week .... and this is, only Mon- day M Graff chinning in the a Fox lobby with Herman Kersken. 7 . . Chevalier fs not repeating his previous successes at the St. Fran- cis in “Playboy of Paris.”. . . . FAMOUS LIES OF SHOW BUSINESS: “I can probably book you next week.” GOLDTREE PLAYS 15 IN NEW SHOW SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29. — Sid Goldtree is all set for a next Wednesday night opening of “Ex- Mistress” at his upstairs Green Street Theatre with a cast of 15 more than the Green Street has ever played. Cast includes Greta Grandstedt, Belle Foster, Ray Edmunds, Jean Maison, Ari Lorenz, Blair Kent, Hugh Metcalf, Adin Wilson, Larry Cook, Wallace Middleton, Gerald Heather, Gudy Swanson and Peggy Tomson. “A LITTLE SMILE” Words and Music by GEO. B. L. BRAUN (A Fox Trot Sensation) CONCORD PUBLISHING CO. 1179 Market St. San Francisco DANCE ART SANDALS “Nature’s Fit” The only sandals made that fit the arch. Children’s, $1.25. Misses, $1.50. Choice of Black, Tan, Gray Suede, Elk Soles. SPECIAL LOW PRICES ON QUANTITY ORDERS Manufactured Exclusively by DANCE ART SHOE CO. Theatrical Footwear Headquarters WARFIELD THEATRE BLDG. SAN FRANCISCO Publix Reported Planning House On Francis Site SAN FRANCISCO, Oct.., 23.— When the present Chevalier opus, “Playboy of Paris,” folds at Pub- lix’s St. Francis that house will close and, it is reported, Publix will soon begin construction of a class picture house, destined to be heavy opposition to the 5,000 seat Fox, currently grabbing the local theatre limelight. For a number of months the St. Francis site has been in the minds of Paramount Publix for an ace theatre. Plans were even announced. But to date this is the first action taken toward that end. St. Francis is ill one of the choicest spots of the town, being but one or two blocks from the shopping district, and within easy reach of every part of San Fran- cisco, which has a street car sys- tem that pours all its lines onto Market street. Publix has two other houses, the Paramount and California, both of them first runs. California gets the first choice of the Paramount, First National and United Artists screen product, while the Paramount, with stage shows as an added attraction, gets second crack at the films. The St. Francis has had third choice and many weeks hasn’t done so well. Three Openings Scatter Crowds SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. 23.— Three openings on Monday night held the initial crowd to a minimum at all houses, although Pauline Frederick, in a return engagement on “The Chimson Hour” at the Curran, did the neatest first night business of the lot. Dorothy Burgess in "Bird of Flame’, at the Geary' and “Death Takes a Holiday” at the Columbia drew but fair notices from the pa- pers and aren’t expected to smash any records. Duffy houses continued strongly their second week, finding $65000 in the Alcazar till for Dale Winter and Henry Duffy in “Michael and Mary,” and $7100 for Bert Lytell in “Brothers” at the President. “Stepping Sisters” is to follow Michael and Mary” next week, when that play moves to the Ful- ton in Oakland. “Brothers” is still satisfactory. Sid Goldtree opens “Ex-istress” on October 29 at his Green Street theatre. V- T. 4 " "TINY IN OPERATION SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.— Tiny Epperson, m.c. at Coffee Dan’s, at a hospital this week, where physicians took away his tonsils. VERY SPECIAL Guaranteed Permanent Wave \ Wave you can care for yourself. Only at Mode- art is this ex- clusive wave obtainable. A bargain offer no woman can a f fo r d to miss. 20 years' e x p e r ie nee, and remember Complete including shampoo & set. Small additional charge for long hair. there is no substitute for experience. Marcel Wave, 75c. Medicated Shampoo, ncluding finger wave, SI. MODEART Permanent Wave Studio 007 Market St., at Sixth, Entire 2nd Floor Telephone HEmlcck 6873 Open 9 to 9 with or without appt. SAN FRANCISCO Oakland Pickups OAKLAND, Oct. 23.—Up until late Tuesday night Dufwin opera- tors were debating whether or not to close their legit house, which they have been operating for the past few months to fair business. Notice was posted last week for the stock company cast and musi- cians, and it was considered possi- ble that the house might darken on Saturday when the current play, “It’s a Boy,” was to end. ♦ * * Fox previewed its Will Rogers picture, “Lightnin’,” at the Fox Grand Lake last week, with Rogers, Winfield Sheehan and other Fox execs in attendance. General com- ment on the flicker was good. * * * H. Gamble and R. Gamble, for- merly with Vanessi’s dancing act on the Orpheum time, have opened a perfume and cosmetic shop on Fif- teenth street under the name of Gamble Shop. * * * ■ Efforts on the part of Charlie Hayden to transfer his walkathon activities from San Diego to Oak- land were quashed when members of the Oakland Theatre Managers’ Club appeared before the city coun- cil and requested that Hayden’s per- mit be revoked. FILLMORE DIRECTS FOR DUFFY SHOWS SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.— Russell Fillmore has arrived from New York to direct Duffy produc- tions at the Alcazar and President theatres. Fillmore’s first vehicle will be “Stepping Sisters,” which follows “Michael and Mary” at the Alcazar. Fillmore has previously been as- sociated with David Belasco and Charles Frohman and has had his own organizations in Birmingham and Rochester. ROBT. ACKERMAN DIES SAN FRANCISCO, October 23. Robert Ackerman, dramatist and writer, and son of the late Sigmund Ackerman, succumbed to heart dis- ease at his home Monday night after staging an amateur burlesque performance for the Argonaut Club. He was a cousin of Irving Acker- man of Ackerman & Harris. MAY OPEN TAB SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23. — Roy Reid and Charles Ormsby, former manager and assistant man- ager of the Strand, Long Beach, were both here with Jack Russell this week looking over the local field, with the idea of placing a musical tab show. BLOOM STRICKEN SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23. — Just a half hour before he was to sing on KFRC’s Jamboree, Abe Bloom was stricken with appendici- tis and was removed to hospital. He is the local representative for Irving Berlin. STAGES ‘VANYA’ SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.— Reginald Travers is staging “Uncle Vanya,” Theatre Guild production, at his tiny theatre in the exclusive Fairmont hotel, opening Thursday night. He will play it three nights weekly for the ensuing three weeks. GENE GRANGER IN SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.— Gene Granger is in as featured vo- calist at the Lido, North Beach night spot. She succeeds Era Briggs, who left for Vancouver to join Donald Peck’s musical com- edy troupe. EXTRA ACTS BOOKED FOR S. F. 0RPH SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.— For the first time in months RKO has booked added attractions into the Golden Gate, starting when Dan O’Brien, tenor with Dobbie’s Gang over KPO, was spotted in as a single, doing only two num- bers. Eddie Quillan opens this week for a seven-day stand, and other names may possibly be booked in as occasion demands. There’s noth- ing permanent about keeping up added bookings, says Jack Gross, divisional RKO head. Augmented acts at the RKO, Los Angeles, have proved a big box of- fice aid, Dobbsie’s Gang two weeks ago, and Bill Sharpie’s Gang last week—both radio names—pulling in additional coin. Gate, only vaude house in town, is doing a consistently good busi- ness in this, a city that had patron- ized vaude ever since the Orpheum Circuit started here years ago. CALLS IT A DAY SAN FRANCISCO, October 23. Smoky Bill LaFay has descended from Golden Gate flag pole after being perched there for 77 days, coming down in an unhealthy con- dition. Smoky Bill figured on get- ting an advertiser to sponsor his endurance feat, but had no luck, and since the Gate paid him no money, all Bill got out of it was free rent. “BIRD OF FLAME” FAILS TO FLARE SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23. — Belasco and Curran, in association with Lou Wiswell, opened “Bird of Flame” with Dorothy Burgess at the Geary Monday night, but didn’t click so heavily with the critics of first nighters. After several changes in cast in Santa Barbara current lineup now reads: Miss Burgess, Bramwell Fletcher, Robert Frazer, Renee MacReady, Mattie Edwards, Bur- dell Jacobs, Robert Homans, Ray- mond Lawrence, Bruno Barnabe, Evelyn Humes, Jimmy Burtis, Douglas Carter, Luccie Maysha, A1 Roberts, Robert Keith, and a num- ber of Hawaiians. STAN MAC LEWEE OPENS GUILD RUN SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23. — Players Guild, headed by Stanley MacLewee, opened the season at the Players Guild Theatre this week, starting off to better business than previous seasons. “The Would-Be Gentleman,” directed by Everett Glass, was the initial piece. Cast was headed by Frederick Blanchard, and included Lowden Adams, Theron Orr, Wardell Jen- nings, Earle Sanderson, Raoul Pause, Stephan Prescott, Rey De- marest, Matt O’Brien, Gilbert Jones, Clarence Fagerstrom, Minetta El- len, Patricia Craig, Helen Conrad and Evelyn Reeves. ASSISTANT BEATEN SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23. — Climaxing various events that have centered around Nasser Brothers and their independent theatres was the beating of Charles Taylor, as- sistant manager of T. & D. Jr. Following an attempted bombing at Nassers’ Alhambra, T. & D. Jr. officials turned the entire affair ov- er to the grand jury, which body is beginning an investigation. HIRSCH - ARNOLD BALLET MISTRESSES created and costumed all dance numbers now en tour Fox Circuit with F. & M.’s “Brunettes” Idea. STUDIO—545 SUTTER ST. SAN FRANCISCO 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, Manager