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

Page Two INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Saturday, March 21, 1931 Vaude Coming Back Strong In Northwest Outdoor News -By Rube Cohen- SA'N FRANCISCO, March 20.— Neptune Beach at Alameda, is set for a March 21 opening with George Schultz's band supplying the music for the ninth consecutive season. Tanforan race track is opening too, this oil March 26 when a flock of special horse events will be staged. Forty special police officers will be sworn in to handle the 'opening. Phil Sapiro’s band and a big vaude show will be features of the Boat Show at the Civic Auditorium. Livermore Rodeo Association this week named Thomas Norris president of the group and M. G. Callaghan secretary. Rodeo is set for July 3, 4 and 5. Annual California raisin festival wili be held at Fresno May 7. Twentieth annual rodeo, at Salinas has been sat back from Jul}* 20 opening to July 22, running four days. 7 00 RIGHT Of STATE With no stronger box office name than that of Charlie Farrell in its feature picture, Loew’s State rode the bumps during the last stanza to the way down blue tune of only $16,790. The film was “Body and Soul,” with Farrell and the new- comer. Elissa" Landi, heading the cast. Will Hollywood never learn?. On the other hand, Warner Bros, came to bat with a musical picture, . '“Viennese Nights,” and an adven- ture picture, “Captain Applejack” to bolster up figures in both their houses. The former played at the ■ W. B. Hollywood spot for $18,030, and the latter took in $19,500 down- town. RKO’s "Millie” got. away to a neat five-day start of $14,000 at the Orpheum, and the other R.K () house, the RKO, had “Behind Of- fice Doors” to the mediocre returns . of $14,695. Ruth Chattcrt-on’s second week nt the Paramount in “Unfaithful” was just a fair one, following an initial real big frame for the so- phisticated celluloid drama. Fairbanks drew fairly well in his last nine days of “Reaching for the Moon” at the United Artists The- atre. Norma Shearer’s hotly and .wide- ly ' ballyhoocd sexy follow-up to “The Divorcee,” “Strangers May Kiss,” /got a.wav nicely at the Car- Ibay, drawing $20,346 in its first six days. “Trader Horn” continued to pul! them to . the Chinese, garnering $14,2.62. in its eighth week. Pantages had Greta Garbo in “Inspiration” for a $13,469 week, which is good, and the Criterion closed Joan Crawford’s “Dance. Fools, Dance” for a neat $3399 in the last two days. A1K. Hall Is AlK.Hall And That Is That A1 K. Hall, who played the RKO Hilistreet last week, calls to inform us that he wards it widely known that he is the original A1 K. Hall, has been such for the past 35 years, is married to that same wife who is the first and only Mrs: A1 K. Hall, and that they have three charming children. -All of which we already knew. Al, but we don't blame you for the outburst in view of the circumstances. ft seems that Al’s wife, who is in Chicago, wrote him a letter inclosing a clipping from a paper other than Inside Facts, stating “Al K. Hall” is playing the piano and other- wise working over the radio. "Anyone using the name, other than myself, is an im- poster, and I wish you would give me the space in your col- umns to so announce,” Al de- clared. Y du bet, Al. HugheS'Franklin. Stage Show Plans Not Ready For Immediate Action HOS TO BE I THINK ASTOUNDING AS IT MAY SEEM ■ By Frederick Palmer. I am eagerly responsive to all manifestations of life as demon- strated in the motives and subse- quent deeds of individuals; I am vastly more interested in observing the reactions of living organisms to the stimuli of their environment than in criticism of them. I am a good audience for any reasonably able and admirable thea- trical entertainment, using the term theatrical in its broad and catholic sense and thus embracing all and sundry from a Punch-and-Judy pitch to the Olympic Games, in- clusive of silent and noisy screen productions, the enterprise of the speaking stage, circus performances, street fairs, carnivals, burlesque, “little theatres” and so on and on, ad infinitum. No Criticism I offer no gratuitous criticism for the ample reason that criticism is advice made destructive with the twist of reverse English and he who volunteers advice treads one of two paths: he pours his ideas into deaf ears and thus wastes ef- fort or, if the ears he not deaf, he loses the friendship of the hearer. For if the eventualities predicated upon the advice prove tne accuracy of'the advisor the recipient chafes under the thought another knew more than he. If, on the contrary, the advice is fallacious, the advisor automatically becomes a monkey which, in this instance, is an ap- pellation intended to be synony- mous with the more dignified term of false prophet. No Prediction I have offered no criticism of purveyors of theatrical entertain- ment for their elimination of vaude- ville from the field of popular en- tertainment. I assumed that, being close to their jobs and having a sensitive finger on the pulse of the boxoffiee customers, they Uad made the discovery that vaudeville did not pay as highly and steadily as the other forms of amusement chosen to replace it. Repeatedly and consistently, however, I have found screen houses where one or more acts of vaudeville were added to offer fewer empty seats than others. I do not predict the return of vaudeville to its former high es- tate, for the sufficient reason that I do not predict anything. One who had funds in Brother Beese- niyer's Safe 6% enterprise, who voted for Al Smith, and who has placed numerous wagers on horses which started to run at Caliente and which were found later wan- dering aimlessly in the suburbs of Mexico City would be a hell of a kibitzer to call himself a predicter of anything other than that the sun will set at the end of the day. But I sense that if vaudeville does creep back through the . stage entrance it will be well received and resultant- ly profitable to its purveyors. Good Advice I am a good audience for any good entertainment but I have missed vaudeville during its ab- sence. I believe that, being a nor- ma! person, neither radically high- brow nor extremely low-brow, my reactions reflect the reactions of a very large class of the general population. Being of an observing and somewhat discerning nature 1 feel that if I were investing money in a theatre lease at this moment I would be more inclined to bet on the success of a, house showing vaudeville with pictures than on the profitable future of a house showing pictures with no vaude- ville. I doubt if any single branch of theatrical entertainment will ever completely kill or wholly re- place any other form. The screen has not completely taken the place of the stage and it never will. Nothing within the lifetime of those now living will ever com- pletely replace screen entertainment. But the business of providing mass entertainment travels in cycles and there are signs that, in the turn of the wheel, vaudeville of some qual- ity and quantity is “coming up.” Certain Charm With no disrespect or dislike for screen entertainment, for which, as a matter of fact I have profound liking, I think that the living per- former carries a charm and interest that can never be offered on the screen. It lies, to a certain extent, in the element of suspense. A spec- tator in a screen theatre knows for a certainty that each actor is at his best; that each singer is in top voice; that each offering of any kind of specialty is as nearly perfect as possible. For modern spectators are sophisticated and the use of re- takes is well known. In vaudeville, suspense is budded upon the human equation. Is the actor at his best at this particular performance? Will the singer make that high note or break? Will the acrobat land on his feet or break bis damn neck? Will the juggler catch the objects that he has flung into the air or will those objects crash onto the bald pate of the bull-fighter? There is charm in the intimacy between hu- man beings on one side of the foot- lights and other human beings On the other that, regardless of the perfection of pictures, is lacking on the screen, silent or audible. I make no prediction but I have an increasing hunch that vaudeville is coming back in great or small degree, and I shall rejoice as one of what I believe will be a great mass of retoicers if and when it does. PREDICTS MORE WORK Len Mantel!, who is representa- tive here for the Onion Theatres, Ltd., of Australia, and who is in the Bert Levey offices, reports that things look good for many more acts to be hooked from here to Aus- tralia in May and thereafter. Latest booking by Mantell for the over- seas circuit was the Aero Adagio Four. The act sails on April 30 on the Sonoma. TO REOPEN CHINESE The Chinese Cafe on Wilshire Boulevard will reopen March 26 as the “New Club Royale.” It will play a revue to be staged by Bill Meiklejohn, who put on the floor shows at the Pom Pom when that spot was at the height of its fame and drawing power. Bucey’s Hi- Hatters will be the music at tne club. BERNARD ON TRIP Bern Bernard of the RKO offices made a trip to San Francisco Tues- day, returning to L. A. Friday. BREAKING IN ACT m Irving Newhoff, assisted by Joey is rehearsing a comedy-singing act which he will break in here prior to going East with it April 11. MARCO GOES NORTH Marco of Fanchon and Marco left for San Francisco Thursday, to return today (March 20). REID PLANNING SHOW Hal Reid has written a new back- stage show which he intends to pro- duce here as soon as he can find a proper spot. The name of the show is “Cop-Op” and it \yill run at a $1.50 top. It is understood that Bill Sharpies, of radio fame, is consider- ing sponsoring it. Whiteside Top Can’t be Raised In S. F., L* A. Walker Whiteside is discovering that an educated public is hard to uneducate. Whiteside, whom critics rate way up there with the leading American legit stars, played guest star for Henry Duffy both here and in San Francisco. Which was good while it lasted for both Whiteside, who knocked down a neat salary, and the public, who got to sec him for a $1.25 top. But now Whiteside has come to the coast in an Erlanger show, with the top way above $1.25, and an exacting public says they won’t pay the higher top wlieti they could get to see the actor for $1.25 a short time ago. So the Whiteside vehicle took a nosedive in S. F., and consequently Los Angeles has been cut off the route list. THEIR PfflUl Growing reports that Hughes- Franklin were considering adding stage shows to their offerings in the immediate future, were appar- ently definitely set at rest this week by information uncovered by an Inside Facts reporter. It was declared on apparently unimpeachable authority that no such move was under serious con- sideration at the present time, though plans were being perfected for the addition of stage shows in about a year, or at a sooner date if a sudden change in conditions made them imperative. Wants Ceballos It was understood that Howard Hughes is determined to get Larry Ceballos as producer if t’nc H-F circuit puts in the shows. Ceballos has just signed a new and better contract to continue producing for Fanchon and Marco. Prior to this signing, the. story said, Hughes and Ceballos were in conference as to the possibility of putting on H-F shows, and the date of the new F. and M. contract signed by the latter is not in conflict with his possible engagement with H-F later. The Hughes-Franklin interests this week acquired 18 more the- atres with a total seating capacity of over 20,000 bringing them up to the status of fifth largest theatre organization in America. List of Houses The new LI-F houses are ill Washington, Oregon, California, Kansas and Missouri, and repre- sent an investment of over $1,000,- 000 . Included are the Mercy Circuit of 12 houses, Liberty, Capitol, Roxy and Keylorc Grand in Walla Walla, Wn„ Liberty in Pasco, Wn, Liberty in Kenewick, Wn., Liberty in Sunnyside, Wn? Liberty and Victory in Toppenish, Wn.; the Liberty, Granada, and State in La Grande, Ore., the Wahl in Belling- ham, Wn., the Andrews in Olathe, Kansas; the Maywood in Fairmont Station, Kansas City, Mo., the Granada in Independence, Mo., the Belvedere in Pomona, Calif., and the Nomar in Wichita, Kansas. WEIS IS CO-OP “Paris in Spring,” which opened to good business at the Hollywood Playhouse and then moved down- town to the Majestic to a failing box office, closed Wednesday night but was due to reopen today mat- inee (March 21) on a cooperative plan. The action was taken when rep- resentatives of the players, musi- cians and stage hands met with the producers, Louis* O. Macloon and Lillian Albertson Thursday noon. Representing the actors was Perry Askam; the musicians’ representa- tive was Cecil Stewart, orchestra leader; and the stage hands dele- gate was Lew Jenks. The co-op enterprise is planned for a two weeks stand, with ap- proximately 80 people interested in the venture. Macloon and Albertson are gener- ally conceded to be the coast’s smartest producers of musical shows, having put over such hits as “The Desert Song,” “Hit the Deck.” etc. Their closing at the Majestic was taken as another indication of the toll hard times are taking on class shows. In explaining it Mac- loon stated: “In my opinion it is impossible to produce good musical shows at the present time to a profitable re- turn. “The costs have increased ap- proximately $500 a week in the last year, while the admission scale re- mains the. same or is lower.” GRAUMAN CASTING Sid Grauman will cast “Street Scene,” the Elmer Rice play, at the Mayan on Monday morning, March 23, at 10:30. E IN-FLESH PORTLAND, Ore., March 20.— Vaudeville and other in-flesh enter- tainment is very definitely making a comeback in the northwest. Theatre owners and managers who went strong for the all-screen policy when the talkies came in are now just as hot for acts to bring back the patronage they lost when the talkies ceased to be a novelty. Sentiment among the exhibs is that Hollywood doesn’t give a hoot as to what happens to them or to their patronage, and it’s up to them to save themselves. They feel that picture people oversold them on the value of talkies, getting them to ditch their stage shows and- then feeding them anything, mainly vary- ing versions of “Broadway,” “All Quiet” and gangster pictures. If pictures had held up to a higher standard, it is felt that the demand for vaude would not now be so in- sistent. The rub comes in that the theatre men are still paying the higher costs of talkies, as for rental oil the sound apparatus, higher rentals for film, etc., and are now forced to give stage shows as well to gain back the amount of trade they had prior to Vitaphonc. But, whatsoever the reason, the in-flesh trading post is certainly a bull market in the N. W. While the big city houses are taking care of themselves in this regard through re-establishment of shows from the regular circuits, the smaller towns are seeing their inde exhibs rushing to sign up for one, two and three days of vaude from independent agencies. From the looks of things at pres- ent, vaudeville in the northwest will soon be at the high point it held five years ago, insofar as small time is concerned, and acts which have been playing the quick-and- ilirty ham-aad-egg joints are now- dusting off the old acts for the com- ing breaks. mmmm Reports reaching here from New York say that Roxy is in line to be producer for all RKO units, with plans under way to play them in a circuit straight across the country similarly to the manner of now playing F. and M. and Publix units. Roxy recently gave up the thea- tre which he built and which was built up on his name, to take charge of the new gigantic Rocke- feller radio city, which will cost $250,000,000 and will cover several city blocks from Fifth to Sixth ave- nues around Forty-sixth to Fifty- fourth streets, New York. The theatre in the city will be the largest in the world, and will he used for radio and television broadcasting, as well as being suit- able to accommodate thousands of people to witness the programs in person. Gigolo Racket Spreads Like Nobody’s Biz How the Gigolo has hit California! Fallowing a storv in Inside Facts’ last issue teliing how the Jusl-A-Gigolos had tan- goed into the French Room of the Ambassador for a payoff with picture'* stars and social debs, the craze went like wild- fire. The Biitmorc installed a Tango Orchestra last Tuesday, with X. Gesta conducting. They play every evening in the ballroom between dances, and there are Latinized unaccom- panied men also present to dance with those who like their. Gigolos. In addition four calls were received by the Ambassador, either management dr other- wise interested, from San Francisco hotels, quoting In- side Facts, and trying to get the details on how to start the Gigolo racket.