The Billboard 1921-10-15: Vol 33 Iss 42 (1921-10-15)

ee ee ee =m a HE oe ” reer robe tae St The Billboard OCTOBER 15, 1921 MOTION PICTURE ACTORS PREFERRED CREDITORS Los Angeles Referee in Bankruptcy So Decides—Decision of Interest to All Branches of Theatrical World Sew York, Oct. 10.—The lation auneunced today Actors’ Equity Assethat ther Los Angeles representative had informed them that Judge Force Parker, sitting as referee in bankruptcy iu the case of the Master Pictures Corporation, in Tos Angeles, had handed down a decision to the offect t t actors j motion pictures were pielerred creditors of a bankrupted concern ja be Sule sense as Stage bands, carpenters, ‘ameia ™m und o er Torms of labor em) lk syed he muahing of plore is This ig a reversal of a deciren banded down some eight or ten land in the Federal District New York, in whih he beld that an Were “un que and = extracrdi Classified as labor, bankruptey pro he Labor Prior Lien Law of New veurs age hy Judge (our dha nites seEPlices ne coulg Dot he or claim in a Judge Parker says that even tho an actor's services are unijue and extracrdinary he dag falury the same as Judze Varker also assistant directors should nte and might be however, he said, is different, and ed creditor. this have a prior cluim fer his ether laborers in this fleld. said that d rectors and be Classified as Wents allowed jwior « mi, tau tue case of a general manager w that he Was net Equity & pPrecer believes that decis.on, being handed down in what is the Slm capital of this sountry, farreaching effect not enly in the motion picture field, but also jn the tueater os a whole. It eved that the deprecedent in similar l'ratt, a member of the Equity attorney in devoted much time to this cause, and are considered as being mainly instrumental im getting Judge Parker to adopt the view which he did, “CHIC” SALE PARTY AT ASTOR HOTEL It is not often: that an wth the host absent, but was the on the evening of October 6 when Exceptional ctures Corporation offered a private showing of the feature, “‘Tlis Nibs,” made by Sale. The stur was unable to person, detained by h's should have a is bel ‘ision will be quoted as a bawkruptey cases Jack hyquity, and Duke Stone, Los Angeles, actor gives a party such case latest Chie” be present in t barles being professional work in Grand Rapids. A lengthy telegram expressing his regrets and desire to be with the company was flashed upon the ereeh. Before the showing occurred in the Grand Ball Koom of the Astor Hotel, New York, the invited of 4 conntry store, guests Were treated to an people dressed in chin whiskers and straw hats, and pretty maids in sunbennets and gingham gowns offering ‘anned goods, and crackers for sale. This humoroug feature, which was arrgnged as sort of prelude to the picture, was a replica of the grocery store shown in many scenes in “His Nibs,”’ the film in which Mr. Sale is being starred. The orchestra which supplied the music for the guests also furnished a novelty, for the musicians were likewise garbed in overalls, bandanna handkerchiefs and farm imitation overal's, cheese ers hats. When the lights were suddenly flashed, rr vealing the men before their instrumeuts, Jond handclapping was heard and much laughter, shewing that the assembled the inuovation. The ushers young girls with flowing hair, who wore nnets and pink gingham gowns. The enlire atmesphere reflected the spirit of the picmaking a very original presentation. Many prominent theatrical and screen celebri“His Nibs!’ is reviewed in of The Billboard. fuests were pleased with were sunt ture, ties Were present another part 1OWA CONVENTION OCT. 19-20 The M YP. T. O. will held a meeting at the Chamberlin Hotel at Des Moines, Ia., October 19-20. when the Iowa Unit of that organization meets in convention. SENATOR WALKER IMPROVING Many friends of the brilliant and energetic eretor, James Walker, will be glad to learn ¢hat he ig rapifly recovering from the operation which confined him to the hospital for the past few weeks. “DANGEROUS CURVES AHEAD” (Continued from page >) seriously ill on the very night of ter debut into the social set, and the husband upbraids her for attempting to leave. Angered at his insinuations she goes to the dinner re formal _ t plan. Catalog SMR Paani sam ee | FREE. Show rything. Write today. edith ftias Moving Picture Co, 25% coS50* per day 9.7828 ©. Dearborn St..Chienge eoption, only. to suffer from the twinges of ‘ ‘ich drive her home in ‘a hysterical econ thet Hut her coming at the opportune ’ saves’ the ‘child’s life. The ugree fo trast each other and find with’ their clildren. All the little homedics of Mife -have been incorporated) in the theré t a lack of veung haw ’ WT } mess peewee: theatricalis~ma “which moles the atmosphere perfecUy human-oand highiy entertain ng le calling every .incident it seems a§ if nothing but the most. mirth-preveking qualitees have formed. the story Seme scenes only have been tempered with pathes, As an. exposition of the trinis and tribmlitions which Deset a normal, good-hearted and doving couple = this picture can be recommended os a masterpiece of its kind Helene Chadwick, in all the various moods ewlled for. by. the intricasies of the role of Phoebe, acted with perfect ease. She looked positively fetching in an evening gown and exquisite headdress. [er efforts responded to those of Richard Dix, who gave a manly and netdral portrayal of the Nushand, Here is an exaiople of perfect team work. A vers sbort cast, compos: 4 of James Neill, Fdythe Chapman and handsome Kate Laster, filled in m'nor roles. We do say without hesitation that the direction, lighting and continuity were faultless, SUITABILITY thie pieture everywhere, ENTERTAINMENT VALUE One hundred per cent, BROADWAY PRODUCERS TAKE DRAMATIC CRITICS TO TASK (Continued from page 6) mouth advertising is usually what does the trick, In other words, if the people who come to see a play during its first week are impressed with. it, the critic can accomplish little tu harm it, altho his particular reaction to it may determine the course of a few faithful followers, who, as likely as not. will go see the play once it has settled down for a run, if only to satisfy their curiosity about its success, Show Wife,’ Contenreceived *Binebeard’#w Eighth bears out my “The history of I think, tions, more or less The ir New Haven, where the ciil what ther called its tures, gave everybody the idea that they were delightfully risque. Even the critics were taken in by out-of-town reports, with the result that several of them found the play unexpectedly dull. cr at least =~ expressed themselves, In spite of the lukewarm reception given the pliy, the public bas been flocking to itand today it ranks as one of the ‘few outstanding hits of the present sea unfortunate publicitr it authorities objecteg to salacious Tea to see something son, simply because the great body of theatergoers who’ hate seen it and have not been Gisappointed by an absence of shocking epi fodes “As have recommended it to their friends. for the critics themselves, I think they sre more than a credit to the plays that are presenteg here. Ther are mostly young men, progressive. and receptive to any innovation Cesigned to provide the theater With greater scope and brenéth, and I think that they are recognize merit as they are*to expose fanlts,’’ And Mr. Pemberton, year has won-.an in the ranks of epoke ag follows: “Dramatic erities of a play only to temporarity check its course one Way or the other by exceptional praise or the other excreme, but ther cannot make a success of a play whic the average playgoer will reject or a failure of another which has a popular appeal, no matter how much space they devote to its virtues or voces. “LT very seriously doubt whether the critics are at all responsible for the exceptionally bad start the present geason has had. The reason probably com@g much closer to the qnuality of this year's productions and the long spelt of hot weather which kept a great mang theatergeers frem_ the long enough to discourage producers who had found the going too rough to warrant the taking of any further ehances. “The records of ‘The Pero’ and ‘The Detour’ are only two examples of many that indicate the meavnre of the influence. For it is equally true that the many failures tnac as quick to who within one short important place for himself America’s ablest producers, fute uiiy influence the ultimate this extent—ther theaters critics’ nave occurred this sexson are not due to the pannings they received from the «ities hut hecause these plays failed to impress their first audiences.” M. M. P. U. OFFICERS Are Reinstated by Court Order—Resume Offices This Week New York, Oct. 10.—Samuel Finkelstein, former president of the Musicians’ Mutual Protective Union; William A. Dooley, former secretary of the same organization, and Anthony Mulieri, former director, all of whom had been ousted from the ranks"of the M. M. i’. VU. by the present board of directors, were reinstated last week by a dec ision handed down by Judge Wasservogel, in the Supreme Court. It was the expulsion of these officers more than six months ago which began the long struggle between conservative and radical members of tien, Which was finally ousted Awerjean Federation of Muvix rnational *tesident Joseph N. Weber, who later granted a local charter to a new Lawal KO? this organizaTrom the ns by Inte union, known as Wasservogel’s Mulieri week, when the \ccording to Judge decison Pinkelstein, Dooley and their lite this decision will be signed, ouly a verbal dum having been made last week With the election of officers of the M MP. U. supposed to take place next week it sidered almost certain that the reinstated mem bers will be re-elected to their old posts, which means that the M. M. P. 0. will actually serve as a sort of subsidiary organization toe the new local, whose membership includes alme-t the entire membership of the M. M. P. U. CABLES FROM LONDON TOWN (Continued from page 17) will resume former offices Temorane the expenses are more moderate. The rent of the hall, which includes the laying of the dance floor, will only come to $4,000, and there is no need to give any guarantee to any firm of caterers. The ball will take place on Thursday evening. November 3, and, taking everything into consideration, it is expected that the success will financially equal that of last year. The sms re is $10.50, which includes sup per, but @l drink and wines will cost extra. As the drink restriction is now off things shonld be more human, tho, truth to tell, there was ample and to spare in the many boxes and loges last year. Ask Mervrn McPherson—he's the pressman for Grossmith & Malone, who always keeps his promises. Eh! “DIFF’RENT” HAILED AS A MASTERPIECE Eugene O'Neill's two-act play, “Diff'rent,"* produced at the Everyman Theater, Hampstead, October 4, is hailed as a masterpiece. Cadell as Harridan, Leslie J. Banks as Benny and Milton Rosmer as Caleb score in the principal characters MOZART’S LOST BALLET A season of intimate ballet will open at the Kingsway Theater October 13, and one of the big noises will be a ballet by Mozart entitled “Les Petits Riens,"” which they say has been lost for nigh on eighty years. Chevalier Noverre describes jt in a book printed and circulated privately, as his grandfather produced same at the Opera House in Paris. Professor Grimm produced the ballet in question in 1778, and it is from the piano score that the ballet is being remodeled. The English version will be called “Three Little Trifles." In addition to this ballet Russell Thorndike will be responsible for the production of a new one-act play, with additional dances by Miss Wilson. “MY LADY DRESS” TAKES FLOP IN VIENNA It is safe to say that Knoblock'’s recent association with Charlie Chaplin this side has given him greater publicity in England than all his play successes put together. Recently was produced at the Carl Theater in Vienna his ‘‘My Lady’s Dress.” It got the “bird’’ because an andacious but enterprising firm of fur merchants (and there are many there) tried to convert the play into a huge advertisement ‘for its goods. When the auditors realized to what use the theater, play and themselves had heen put they rioted for all they were worth. The cops were called in and chucked out the disturbers, but the riot went on till am. The play closed that night. “THE TANGO QUEEN” Criticisms from Vienna show that Franz Lehar’s latest musical comedy has not the vim and go of his “‘Merry Widow.”’ It Is plaving at the Apollo Theater, and some of our English eritics on a visit for the theatrical fair have written harshly about it. No dovbt “I Promise’ Ticks will see something in it and try and produce it on this side. Jean Anything ex-enemy alien attracts Hicks muchly. And to think of that “T Promise’ stunt: “I promige never to trade, speak or do anything for, with or by a German or enemy again.’’ These are not the exact words, bot they carry the punk stuff which Hicks so glibly handed out during the war—and now Hicks has been greatly instrumental in introducing ex-enemy plays since the armistice. Cochran could have done it—he had the whole batch offered him. Cochran said he wouldn't, and to his eternal credit he didn't, and from what I can understand of him he will not truckle with the Hun, Austrian or Czecho-Slovak. Good luck to him and more power to his enterprises ROME'S OPERA TOO COSTLY America is the only country. which supports opera. Londen cannot, Paris has to subsidize its opera house and even then there is a yearly deficit. Now Rome looke like having to cut out its principal season thig fall and winter. The Costanzi Opera Mouse, which is the equivalent ofeour Covent Garden or your Metropolitan Opera Honse in New York City, and, incidente ally, is managed by a capable and cleyebusiness woman, Signora Emma* Carelli, will re main closed this season. She says that the cox: o? producing opera is so high that unless the chorus and orchestra are prepared to discuss the question of a reduction of their salaries she cannot go on with the season since it would invelve a heavy loss. Altho last season saw the production of Mascagni’s brilliant “Little Marat jt was run at a dead Joss in Spite of the high prices charged. The Italian Orchestra Tnion does not at all approve of the idea of smaller salaries, so unless there be some other Way out there will be no first-clads opera in tome, Nevertheless there are always in Rome two or three smalter theaters which play oper. all the year around. But why and oh, why, does the good lady want to cut down the chorus and the orchestra? What about the fabulously Paid Surely they are the better able to stand a cut, as rates im Italy have never erred on the side of generosity for the underdogs. THE MOVIES GETTING ALL POWERFUL Pheatrical folk must seriously consider the position. Whether it is from lack of attention to the publie wants, ancomfortable arrangements as regards seating or antiquated management, the fact remains many towns are losing their theaters, which are being bought out by the movie magnates. Take Manchester, for instance. The Theater Royal is a picture honse, across the street the Galety Theater is now a picture house, and one block below that the Tivoli Theater has just been sold to a cinema syndicate. Three picture houses made out of theatrical houses. True, the Tivoll (the old ‘‘Folly’’) was an outof date house, and has only accommodated revues on « sharing basis, but it certainly helped a lot of shows over the stile of a week out The dressing room accommedation had of late been under severe condemnation by the A. A, and it is possible that their insistence of altera tions has had something to do in the matter of inducing to sell to the movies. Further the ‘lass of show was mediocre and the probability that not one touring manager In twenty visiting the house ever paid the regulation A. A. min! mum. So the passing of it may be a blessing in disguise. It is also announced that the T. R Ilanley will most probably go over to the pictures next year. Charles Bulmer, the manager. business proposition, In giving theatrical shows he has If the people don't nt these good shows—well it’s up to them. prince pals? eoys it is just a s patrons bi first-class recently lost $2,000 a week. ¥ NEW YORK PROPERTY OF CHICAGO OPERA ATTACHED BY BEN ATWELL (Continued from page 5) lizht interesting revelations concerning the apmointment of Miss Garden to her present pozsttion and the sudden and informal resicnation of Mme. Ganna Walska, which js said to have resulted in the forced resignations Cino Marinuzzi es director and Herbert Johnson ?s buvinegs director, It is also reported that un attempt will be made to show that Miss Garden, was appointed directress only becatise the Bdhrd of Directors conlq not get anyoue else in the emergency created to fill the posi tion. tefuting the charge of Atwell’s Incompeten bis attorney cites the fact that he had twent) years* experience in connection with operat: and musical enterprises, which includes im portant connections with the most prominen managers and theaters in the world Representatives of the Chicago Opera Con puny Said teday that, since their company's ses von here did not begin until Janwary, the at tachment of su scription lists at this time did not mean much, EASTERN OHIO THEATERS SUFFER WORST SLUMP IN THEIR HISTORY (Continued from page 5) Mugic Hall, where the Mnusie Hall Player® Nave been holding forth for the past five weeks is also taking a warning from declining busi ness, and it ig intimated that thie house wi!! close within 2 very short time. The Ohio Theater in Clevelang is now biddinc frr Akron patronage, advertising its comine uttractions in the local papers, Fiber & Shea's Park Theater at Youngstow: {s thru for the season, clos’ng Saturday nigh! All) Columbia Wheel burlesque shows booke! hove been canceled All big attractions sched uled for early showing there also have canceled jn the New York offices, Manager Rernard Kearney will go to Akron, where h will assist in managing the Colonial Vaudevil!: Theater, the only Fiber & Shea holding which in an effort to keep above board, is playing It» bills seven, instead of s'x, days a week. Patron age at the Youngstown house has been tl poorest of the three Fiber & Shéa houses, 1% cording to those in charge. At Canton the Grand Opera House was slated to close with last week's picture offering, bu' t has been decided to try out stock for a while and the Panline Mae Lean Players will open there tonight, continuing as long as the patron age will warrant their stay. To edrtail ex penses the ten-piece orchestra, which has been a feature at this house for many years, has been dispensed with and the house personnel re duced. However, the Canton house bas topped business over Akron and Youngstown for Fiber & Shea and still it bas not been any too good for this city. Picture houses seem to be doing a fairly good business in the three towns, and with the legit imate opposition out of the way business for them should be greatly stimulated. Industrial conditions are reported better thruout the district, but the people positively will not let go of their money for amusement of thig sort, theater men claim, a a eee on me See oe es @ 6 ee