Inside facts of stage and screen (February 21, 1931)

Saturday, February 21, 1931 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Page Seven CUT-IN ON PICTURE HOUSE BOXOFFIGES BAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19- Film palaces that started out aus- piciously at the beginning of the week slipped when Lent and rain made a dual bow on Wednesday, Radio’s “Cimarron” held up ex- ceptionally well for its second week at the Orpheum with an estimated gross . of $25,000. Looks good for two more stanzas and then “Millie” follows, Constance Bennett in Metro’s “Easiest Way” was okay for the Fox which house, also featuring Walt Roesner’s concert orchestra, drew' approximately $37,000. “Don’t Bet On Women” next. Par’s “Royal Family of Broad- way ’ was in the Paramount for a week with Jan Rubini’s concert orchestra, this combination drawing a fair $17,500 and followed by “Lit- tle Caesar.” California doubled billed “Right of Way” and “White Hell of Pitz Palu” the former drawing sound rappings from the critics and the latter getting much praise. Ten thousand the gate. Warfield with M-G-M’s “Great Meadows” and Rube Wolf on stage heading Fanchon and Mar- co’s “Top o’ the World’’ Idea with Will King as an added draw, pulled in its lowest figure since in- ception of the new policj r , $20,000. Fox’g “Seas Beneath” now holds the screen. Deuce and final -week of “Sit Tight” did a satisfactory $10,000 for Warner Bros, with “River’s End” now in. FAIR OPENING SAN. FRANCISCO, Feb. 19 — , Larry Cook and Bruce Payne opened fairly well with their , stock company at their neighborhood house, the Gaiety, formerly the Players’ Guild. Company mem- bers include Alma Cronin, Charles Gregg,'Anne Merville, Diane Hol- liday and Philiip Stearns. Cook . is director. “The Worm Will Turn’ was the opening show. TO DOLL UP HOUSES SAN JOSE, Feb. 19.—Fox West Coast will spend some $50,000 in dolling up the California and Mis- sion theatres, majority of the ex- penditure going to the Mission, where extensive remodeling and renovations will be done. Cali- fornia will rate a new magniscopic screen and other improvements. Art Miller is in charge of both houses. CLAIM BACK PAY SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 59.— John Law grabbed Arthur Hock- well this week when members of a minstrel troupe which Hockwell managed around Bakersfield issued a claim for hack wages alleged due them. Hockwell posted money with the Labor Commission and was. released. 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 NEAR ALL THEATRES Polk and Turk Sts. San Francisco Phone Ordway 1404 “You’ll Meet Your Friends There” Market Street Gleanings SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.—Cimmaron-ites staged a show and party at the Roof Garden the other night . . . attended by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gross . . . Johnny Burke without his doughboy outfit . . . Dave and Ruth Tribe . . . Ellis Levey . . . Uzia Bermani , . . Mike Garrity . . . the Buss McClellands . . . Emil Umann . . . Don Summers . . . and the show put on for an ab- solute capacity house was given by Harold Ames and George Scheller and the Cim prologue vocal- ists ... a trip afterwarsd to Rex Glissman’s swell litle spot, the Foreign Club, where one can get the best in sandwiches, etc. . . . and listen to some okay entertainment. ... The Don Jenningses have an addition to the family, a lusty young babe . . . the Henry War- ner marriage has phift after just a few weeks . . . the city wouldn’t permit a certain speakeasy to go through with its scheduled opening one night last week because the plumbing wasn’t up to specifications . . . there are letters in the San Francisco office of Inside Facts for Marvel Ma- son, Dale Jackson, Bertha Finch and Paul Gas- coigne . . . Walt Roesner finally found the boat he wanted . . . it’s the Alma R., in honor of his wife and is one of the sweetest scows around heah . . . Jim Evans, Northwestern outdoor showman, was prowling about the village this week . . . Claude Sweeten and Walt Sullivan pony golfing in par . . . oh, yeah? . . . Bert Nauss being waylaid by Harold Wenzler while en route to a typical exec conference . . .Jim Foley and Bob Drady framing a new agit on some unsuspecting victim . . . Jack Gross pays double for his cigars now and then . . . Red Floyd o.o’ing the Market street traffic . . . Lloyd Yoder, Bruce Quisenberry and Louise Landis quiz and answer each other on NBC’s new art- ists’ bureau . . . who should be a visitor from Hollywood but Bud Murray . . . producer, terp- sichorean maestro and fellow columnist of note. ... up to eagle eye the Orph prologue . . . and thanks for them there kind words in your “fn Hollywood Now” column, Bud . . . you're, a great guy, too . . . Terence Wolohan is absent from -the sax chair in his brother John’s El Patio band with a slight illness that is confining him to his home for a short time . . . Auto Show gross dropped 43% below last year, but all dealers were more satisfied with chariot sales . . . Joe Solomon following the fire wagons . . . Gene McCormick giving a singing, lesson at the wrong time . . . Rube Wolf and Will King doing the reminiscence act in front of the Warfield . . . those new RKO usher’s uni- forms . . . shades of Barnum and Bailey . . . Sleepytime Clem Kennedy shopping for a good show to crash on a Sunday . . . Rollon Parker and Harold Peary B/Ging their sixth cup of Jamoka . . . Try to sell the idea that “Bali” does . . . “Nudity is' purity” . . . have you heard the "Moooo ’ story? . . . Don Hurd up to his cars, in work on Mondays and Thursdays . . . Oliver Germino making- his daily city hall call in the interest of civic improvements . . . get a load of the eastern marquee of Warner Bros, on the current picture, “Sit Tight” . . . Neil Schettler buying an apple . . . Lewis Lacey on the phone . . . Paul Crowley ditto . . . Peggy O’Neill and Gen Welch taking in the Warfield . . . Bert Catley was in bed a week with the flu . . . Herman Kersken is all enthused over the Fox’s new prologues . . . Eddie Bodell, Fox stage doorman, reading "Rabelais” between shows . . . George Riley has a bad cold . . . Nelson Clifford and Marie Marion, Lew Serbin, Kather- ine Hill and Jay Perry Silvey viewing the “Bali” opening . . . Sid Goldtree is going back among the Chicago gunmen soon . . . Rufus Blair is still paying for some of those Yuletide telegrams he sent out. . . . Jesters’ Club gave Dr. William Hawkins a tes- timonial dinner the other night ... . attended by A. M. Bowles, Morgan Walsh, Armand Cohn, Jack Wolf, Jack Dillon, Charlie Muehlman, Earl Cohn, Dick Spier, Bob Harvey, Jan Clausing, Dutch Reimer, Charlie Mclnerny, Mickey Mc- Donnell, Elmer Hanks, George Roesch, George Blumenthal, Max Morris, Mike Naify, George McCann, Bob McNeill, the Nassers, Jack Myers, Harry Michaels, Grover Parsons, Carl Milton, Bill Citron, Harold Joeber, Herman Wobber, Irving Sinclair, Louie Greenfield, J. J. Patridge, A1 Hixon, Newt Levy, Mel Hulling, Phi Wein- stein, Tom Van Osten, Art Miller, A1 Wars- hauer, Julius Godeau, Mike Coyne, George Riley, Rufe Blair, Asa Collins, Charlie Thall, Ken Hod- kinson, Louie Reichert and others. . . . ‘ZEE ZEE’ EAST SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Sid Goldtree is planning a Chicago invasion with his farce comedy, “Easy for Zee Zee,” with which he attracted nationwide attention about a year ago when the piece played his Green Street theatre here. Present plans call for an April 5 opening at A1 Woods’ theatre, the Adclphi. Goldtree is seeking a fem lead for the show which will have the balance of its cast. as- sembled in New York. Hugh Metcalf will go from here to direct the show. Goldtree him- self will leave here about March 15 to work with Frank Perley on the opening. Goldtree is also thinking of re- viving the production for his. local Green Street, probably using much of his former cast. QUITS IDEA SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Dissatisfied with his billing. Jack Pepper turned in his notice to Frnachon and Marco while play- ing the Warfield last week and will drop out of the “Top of the World” Idea after the Seattle Paramount. Pepper will then leave for Toronto where he will again take up the m. c. reins he for- merly held at the Imperial there, TO HAVE BENEFIT SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Theatrical Mutual Association, No. 2, will stage its annual benefit per- formance for the sick and charity fund on March 10. MOVES OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19- Bob Gilmour has moved his pub- licity desk into the Warfield and also continues as exploitation di- rector for that house and the Fox. McCOWN ’’dancing 1 577 Geary St. San Francisco Franklin 2562 Acrol'atic, Stage, Tap, F.-hythm, Ballet and Ballroom Dancing Eoutiries for the Theatrical People Private Lessons by Appointment Children’s Classes Saturday, 11 Young People’s Clases, Eves., 8 to 11 Tangle Over F.&M* Vaude Acts* Status SAN JOSE, Feb. 19—Stage shows were nearly out of the Fox California this week when Manager Art Miller and the I. A. T. S. E. tangled over classification of Fanchon and Marcos newly inaugurated vaudeville units. Stage hands declared the vaude units didn’t come under the head of presentations and as such seven instead of four men were required on stage. Miller threatened to jerk the shows completely and the stage crew saw the error. House plays F. & M. Ideas half the week and Peggy O’Neill’s .Merrymakers Revue the other half. LABS BUSY SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Irving Auerbach has lined up a lot of commercial film work for his local laboratories. He’s jising Jack Coakley’s orchsetra for syn- chronizing and the Multicolor pro- cess for color work. EDWARD WOOD DIES SAN FRANCISCO, Feb, 19.— Edward Wood, Billboard represen- tative here for the past six years, passed away this week after a heart attack. Wood, about 55 years old, left a wife and son. KIDDIES REHEARSING SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Pearl Hickman is rehearsing some hundred kiddies for her new revue, which she will show at the Oak- land Elks’ Club soon before play- ing summer dates. Reginald Denny has been signed on a new long-term contract by M-G-M. 10 SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Silver Slipper Cafe, closed for two weeks,'has been taken over by Gus Oliva and “Doc” Pucinelli who will reopen it soon. and operate it as another of the city’s night spots. Oliva, with several of his brothers, owns the Roof Garden Cafe while Pucinelli is a bail bond broker and is associated with Oliva in a number of enterprises, Opening date isn t set, but it will probably be some time In March. Board of Trade, closed the spot recently when the creditors weren’t paid off. PROHIS IN RAIDS SiTISTS SERVICE BE S. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Federal prohis swooped down on a flock of night spots and whis- perlows. during the past week, raid- ing, among other places, Robert's and the Fior d’ltalia. Agents ar- rested Wilford Roberts, part owner of the former spot, on charges of providing set-ups, this being the second set-up charge against the place. FOX PRODUCER SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19.— Anthony Nelle has been imported from the New York Roxy to act as ballet master and producer 7or the Fox. He will work with Wait Roesner and Herman Kersken in the creation of weekly stage and musical flashes, similar to those produced at the Roxy. Downyflake Shop “Just Wonderful Food” , At Popular Prices Headquarters for the Profession 2 Doors East Warfield Theatre 97S Market St., San Farncisco ESTELLE REID STUDIO Special Limited Course in New Movement of the Danse Art - i86 Geary St. Phone PPospect 0812 SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19- Pacific Division of National Broad- casting Co., under Don E. Gilman, will begin operation of an NBC Artists Service within the next few weeks, constituting one of the out- standing forward steps taken by Western radio in the past several months. Bruce Quisenberry has been sent out frpm New York to take over organization and conducting of this new department which is similar to the Eastern artists’ management bureaus conducted by NBC and CBS. Quisenbetry was formerly sales manager for the William Mor- ris agency and only recently re- turned from accompanying Will Rogers on a trip for the Red Cross. Three Purposes Aim of the NBC Artists' Service is three-fold: to uncover and devel- op new talent for radio; to book or- chestras into hotels and clubs; to* book radio artists for personal ap- pearances, either in vaude, presen- tations or concert. Bureau will be operated by NBC as a separate and distinct organization, working with, artists on the usual agency com- mission basis. According to Quisenberry the Eastern radio field is in need of new and capable talent to replace some of the present crop and one of his first duties will be to scout up and groom personalities for the broadcasting field. Aerial life of the average arlist is short, says Quisenberry, and it’s necessary to replace the slipping ones. Follow Eastern Plan In the East NBC is managing al number of hands and orchestras and has placed them in hotels, clubs and cafes and is also remote con- troling them with a view of build- ing up their draw before making a commercial radio feature of their,. The same plan wifl he followed on the Coast where Quisenberry be- lieves some of the country’s best musical groups arc to be found. The booking; of radio peonle for personal appearances in vaude, pre- sentations or concerts has not al- ways worked out well because of many radioists’ incapability along these lines. Another of Quisen- berrv’s jobs will be to develop peo- ple for this purpose. For National Play Once this department gets func- tioning it is expected NBC will shoot a lot more programs all the way to the Eastern coast. Current- ly there are but two Eastern pro- grams originating on the Coast and they are studio hours. No Coast ad- vertiser had vet bought time here for national broadcasting. Organization of an artists’ bu- reau by Western radio stations has been discussed often hyt NBC is the first to crack into this field. Radio is one industry vet to be in- vaded by the hosts of agents and representatives that characterize other branches of show business. Mary Astor's next Radio vehicle will be 100 percent technicolor. making PICTOGRAPHS of CLAUDE SWEETEN and his GOLDEN GATE R-K-O-Iians and many others this week to write an ad. JAY PERRY SILVEY Inside Facts—San Francisco iWWWVt- HIRSCH-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