Inside facts of stage and screen (February 7, 1931)

Saturday, February 7, 1931 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Page Seven Harold J. Bock MANAGER RUBE COHEN Representative SAN FRANCISCO OAKLAND, SAN JOSE, SACRAMENTO KRESS BUILDING 935 Market'St. Phone Douglas 2213 9 SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.— Paramount’s reopening under the Fox West Coast regime was the week’s picture house activity, that theatre running up a record for it- <se1f with Par’s “Morocco” on screen and Jan Rubini holding down the stage with a concert orchestra. Show started out great and held up well, closing the week with an ap- proximate $35,000, about five grand over previous highs. Garbo wasn’t the draw she previ- ously was for the Fox, that house taking only $42,000 for Metro's “In- spiration” with Walt Roesner con- ducting the concert orchestra. “New Moon” is current. Bancroft in “Scandal Sheet” started off higher than a kite for the Warfield but eased down near ending of the week. Rube Wolf on stage with F. and M.’s first vaude unit helping gross, an approximate $27,000. Marion Davies in “Bache- lor Father” is now there. California pulled down $11,000, .temporarily turning second run for “Reducing,” moved down from the Fox. “Kis- met” currently in. Warners’ “Viennese Nights.” was just fair for Warner Bros., doing about $10,000 and lasting only a week. “Sit Tight” holds the screen now. House is sexing up its ads, even giving Winnie Lightner a voluptuous pose in the current ads. Radio's “Beau Ideal” did a very weak $6000 on its second week at the Orpheum while waiting for “Cimarron” with return of stage ■ shows. DANCERS CHANGE SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6 .—A change in featured dancers at Mar- quards has the Three Jays going in this week to replace Don and Rita. ESTELLE REED STUDIO Special Limited Course in " New Movement of the Dance Art i66 Geary St. Phone PRospect 0842 SAN - FRANCISCO Market Street Gleanings SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.—The Roof Garden gets the edge on its competitors by opening with a slam bang floor show ... to the biggest Tuesday night business the place has had in half a year . . . and guests galore ... a gang from KFRC pays tribue to Tommy Harris, a songology expert . . . including the Robert Olsens . . . the Edna O’Keefe and Ronald Graham combination . . . Merle Mat- thews, John Moss, Bill Cowles . . . and the diminutive Mrs. Thomas Harris . . . while Tin Pan Alley is well represented by Bernie Prager and Dick Arnold of Robbins . . . Abe Bloom of Berlin and Bob Cole of Hoollywood Syndicate . . . any number of others watching Dot Ray’s swell floor show and dancing to Val Valente’s keen music between courses of A! Pientti’s food . . . Benay Venuta from KPO . . . Joaquin Garay from the Fox . . . Dave and Ruth Tribe . . . Sam Miller . . .William Bernard Foy . . . the brothers,; Oliva, Gus, Cyl and Dave . . . the guy that says cafe business is lousy isn’t talking about the Roof . . . Mike Marco and Bert Catley ambling down the rialto after watching the miniature opera at the Fox ... by the way, what’s become of Capt. Layne, the show raiding cop, who used to crash the front pages regularly a while back . . . Sam Kramer and Bern Bernard watching the auto show re- hearsal . . . the show’s style director, Peggy Hamilton, fired Harry Golub, the m. c. and aide . . . and did they tell each other a lot of words? . . . much pounding of pianos and hammers . . . while Ethlyne Claire. Mona Rica and Marie Wells hunt for a fourth at bridge . . . and Dot Deane is it . . . Jean Wakefield and John Scott commuting from Oakland . . . Syl Cross participates in brilliant repartee with an acquaintance . . . who should be standing on a street corner but Clyde Lockwood, reading In- side Facts . . . All is excitement at the Orpheum . . . Uzia Bermani elevatoring it to Jack Gross’ offices . . . Emil Umann pores over a press stunt . . . half a hundred musicians, vocalists and stage hands dashing, hither and yon . . . and half a hundred furrowed brows and headaches to keep them com- pany . . . Walt Roesner wants to buy a boat ... it must be neither too small nor to large, neither too slow nor too fast . . . but just in between . . . Stepin Fetchit shuffles into the .office to . smile: a cheery “howdy” . . . and exhibit a perfect set of teeth . . . Don Wilding has the hamlet’s,snazziest top coat designed by himself . . . the flu put A. M. Bowles under and he was absent from his FWC offices for several days . . . Joe Sullivan of Majestic Show Print gets involved in a big business deal . . . we recommend the Embassy Hotel as a swell place to live . . . the Frigidaire’s a big help, too . . . A rainy day in Oakland . . . Frank R. Newman discusses show biz and reminisces a bit . . . while Phil Phillips trots out some mighty slick exploitation stuff he has done for Fox . . . and halt an hour later doubles in brass by announcing a Fox program over KLX . . . Billy Knox involved in a cut throat poker game with the stage crew . . . Nick Sturiale’s augmented band at the Orph sounds swell . . . John Colletti is doing a good job of orchestra conducting at the Fox Oakland during Hermie King’s absence . . . George Ebey explaining the Theatre Guild of the Eastbay . . . Norman Field out of his office . . . Dinty Doyle gone for the day . . . Wood'Soanes not in . . . Lew Osterle nowhere to be found . . . It's hardly possible that these guys, are always .working . . . AT UNION SQUARE SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.—O. M. Lawson has arrived from Mon- tana and is allied with Otto Loch- baum in operation of the Union Square, scheduled to reopen Feb- ruary 20 as a straight flicker house. COHEN IN ISLANDS 1 In all the West you’ll find no theatrical hos- telry so modern, so lux- urious, so reasonable as the ...... EMBASSY HOTEL headquarters for artists of stage and radio FRIGIDAIRE THEATRICAL RATES I NEAR ALL THEATRES Polk and Turk Sts. San Francisco Phone Ordway 1404 “You’ll Meet Your Friends There” SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6 — Joel C. Cohen, bead of the Con- solidated Amusement Co. of Hono- lulu, is spending six weeks in the islands. BACK WITH SHERMAN SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.—Ed Delano is again back with Sher- man Clay as manager of the band and orchestra department. OPENS AT STATES Fight On Room, Paint Out Nos. As Way To End SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.— Mischa Pelz opens Feb. 7 at the States Hof Brail with a seven piece orchestra. SIGN FOR VAUDE NEW YORK. Feb. 6.—Among the new acts and new act combin- ations currently starting for RKO ire Irving Rose and Marion Reese, a song and dance team; Bernie Green and Bess, a comedy act; William Tucker and Douglas Homer, in "Fore and Aft"; Nore- ene and Jimmy, juvenile comedy team; Stanley House and Hank Henry, at the head of a miniature musical comedy called, "After Din- ner"; and the Kenny and Carol Revue. Warner Bros, has signed a new long-term contract with Marilyn Miller. OAKLAND, Feb. 6.—Because Frances White fought over No. 1 dressing room at the San Fran- cisco Golden Gate last week, Will- ard Welch, local Orpheum man- ager, sought to prevent a similar recurrence this week by painting over numbers of the doors when the RKO unit played here. Welch offered one of the ground floor rooms to Miss White and the other to Rosco Ates. Still angry at the San Francisco episode, Miss White retreated to the fourth floor leaving her pianist, Billy Joyce, in the downstairs room. An eastern paper last week car- ried a yarn that Ates had squawked in San Francisco about his room and also about sharing the head- line honors with Frances Williams. Only trouble with the story was that it wasn’t Frances Williams; it was Frances White. And it wasn’t Ates who kicked; it was Miss White. Miss White was out of the show' for a day and a half with a bad throat after the wrangle. Ates, under contract to Radio Pictures, was lent by R. P. for four weeks of RKO vaude on the Coast culminating in Los Angeles. He . worked with his daughter, Dorothy Darling. RICHARDS TRANSFERRED SAN FRANCISCO,- Feb. 6 .— Dave Richards has been transferred from the Warfield to the Califor- nia as assistant manager under Dick Spier. Dick Lucas is now a. m. of the Warfield. VOIGHT DIES SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6 .— Fred W. Voight, former manager of the Fox exchange, died last Sat- urday after a long illness. He re- signed several months ago as local representative for Fox Films and took a trip to Honolulu followed by a protracted rest period. He was 61 years old. MAIZLISH IN S. F. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 5.— Harry Maizlish is in from Holly- wood to exploit the opening of Warners’ "Sit Tight” at the War- ner Theatre. STEAL MACHINES SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6— A couple of tough guys with projec- tionist aspirations walked into the National Theatre Supply Store this -week and took away two projec- tion machines while the store jani- tor was forced to look on. COOPER PROMOTED THREE OPENINGS FEATURE OF WEEK SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.— Three legit openings split the week’s business, majority of it go- ing to “Porgy” at the Geary, which, considering its big cast, isn’t mak- ing any dough at $11,000. “Up Pops the Devil”, next door at the Curran grabbed off an okay $ 10 , 000 . At the Alcazar Henry Duffy and r Hle Whiter are doing “First Year," a figure of $5500 being done on the first week. Mitzi Hajos in “Gypsv Adair” at the Columbia grossed $8000. Green Street has “Hi Diddle Did- dle.” TURNS DOWN JOB SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.— Harry Ettling has turned down the highway commission job offered him by Governor Rolph and will remain here as a theatre deck hand. MUST.. PRAGER IN S. F. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.— Bernie Prager, sales manager for Robbins, was here with Dick Arn- old this week. He preceded by sev- eral weeks Jack Robbins, head of the firm, who is expected soon. P. A. CHANGES SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6.— Reorganization of the RKO bay district publicity department has returned Arvid Erickson to the p. a. desk of the Golden Gate, while Emil Umann remains at the Or- pheum. Ralph Bruenn is at the? Oakland house. Downyflake Shop “Just Wonderful Food” At- Popular Prices Headquarters for the Profession 2 Doors East Warfield Theatre 978 Market St., San Farncisco SEATTLE, Feb. 6.—Joe Cooper, inanager of the Seattle RKO house, has been advanced Jo division pub manager Seattle, Spokane, Port- land and Tacoma. R. H. Zeller comes from L. A. as new house manager. Robert Emmett Keane, Charles Sellon, and John Harron have been signed for “Room and Board" and Anita Louise for “Madame Julie” at RKO. PICTOGRAPHS My PICTOGEAPH business is increasing by leaps and bounds, and I am wondering how all the poor people are. Among the ii- Lustiious names gracing my list this week axe GEORGE <FAT) WENDT. UZIA BERMANI, JOAQUIN GARAY CLAUDE (WEASEL) JOHNSON^ and ; ‘BUSS ‘ ‘ MCCLELLAND. The BERMANI six-sheets that are plastering the city this week for the ORPHEUM were desiarned by my art department and printed by BLANCHARD. HAROLD BCCK suggests that I write a column titled, “Here and There with the Cashiers. TJ Friendship freezes. GUS OLIVA, BILL FOY. JAY BROWER, among the notables at- tending the ROOF GARDEN’S first floor show Tuesday nite. JAY PERRY SILVEY Still Headquartering—Inside Facts San Francisco Office MIESCH ARNOLD BALLET MISTRESSES created and costumed all dance numbers now en tour Fox Circuit with F. & M.’s “Brunettes” Idea STUDIO—545 SUTTER STREET SAN FRANCISCO SALES RENTALS SCENERY COMPLETE STAGE EQUIPMENT J. D. MARTIN STUDIOS PRESENTATION SETTINGS STAGE PRODUCTIONS FABRICS — RIGGING — SCREENS 4110-18 Sunset Boulevard HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA OLympia 1101 THAT FUNNY LITTLE FELLOW JIMMIE JOHNSON “THE HUMAN TOP” Featured in Prologue at Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Thanks to FANCHON and MARCO and LEROY PR1NZ