The Billboard 1924-01-05: Vol 36 Iss 1 (1924-01-05)

The Billboard JANUARY 5, 1924 15,000 PETITIONERS FOR SUNDAY VAUDE. IN JERSEY Country-Wide Reaction Against Reform Element Is Strongly Manifested in Jersey City Fight Against Blue Laws EW YORK, Dec. fested in the fight between the umusements in Je ot City. During the pa week more than “ ive been secured by petition 15,000 signatures the blue-law opponents to a calling upon the Jersey City Theater Owners’ Association to keep its vaudeville and picture places open seven nights a week. The question of ,;whether or not the people of Jersey City are in wholehearted accord with the advocates of the open Sunday, will be threshed out next Sunday night at three mass meet ings to be held in the State, Central and Fulton theaters. Among those who will speak at all three meetings are Congressman Charles F. X. O’Brien and Will Hays, of the movies. These meetings are to precede the opening of the Jersey City theaters to Sunday the atricals on Sunday night, January 13. theaters will be opened that night aS a test to the present biue No admission will be charged, but a co lection will be The on laws. taken up, just the same as is done in the vhurehes The performance will be of a semireligious and semi-educational nature. he opponents of the Sunday blue laws have banded themselves together into what is known as the Sunday League. Thev announce that public sentiment in favor of Sunday theatricals is getting more and more pronounced every day, and back up this announcement with the 15,000 signatures secured in less than one week's time. BIG VAUDEVILLE PROGRAM AT SHRINERS’ ELECTION Boston, Dec. 28.--A pretentious vaudeville show, consisting of fifteen big acts, was part of the program at Mechanics’ Building last night for the entertainment of Aleppo Temple Mystie Shriners, following the annual clect’on of officers. The vaudeville program was arranged by Noble C. Wesley Fraser, of the B. F. Keith Vaudeville Exchange, and consisted of the following acts: Five: V'etleys, European comedy casting; Nerval Brothers, clown comedians; Daly Brothers, head-to-head balancers; Three Jeanettes, acrobatic clowns, performing dogs and pigeons; Adna Ayers, popular song stress; Bristoll’s Ten Educated Horses and Mules, Hap Hazzard and Mary, comedy wire artistes; Willie Hale and Brothers, comedy novelty artistes; Shaw’s Leaping Dogs, Oranto Brothers, La Volerica Trio, dancers; Bob Vender Troupe, European novelty; Augmented Meistersingers and the Four Casting Stars, The show was actually a better one than the mammoth lineup presented at the recent Shrine Circus, due largely to a greater variety of acts and more showmanlike arrangement. Evyerything was under the tion of Stuart Kollins, of the local who is making quite a reputation for himself in line. ORPHEUM MEETING JAN. 4 dire Keith offices this New York, Dec, 31.—The annna!l the stockholders of the Orpheum Circuit 4s scheduled to be held in Chicago on January 4, Usual matters will be gone into by the stockholders, of which a large representa meeting of business tion is expected. There will be no « ection of officers this year in accordance with the bylaws of the corporation, which provide for such elections once in two years. ability a dividend will be declared. In all prob 31.—The wave of reaction to the activities of the soealled reform element which is sweeping the country is strongly mani clergy and the advocates of Sunday ORCHESTRA CONCERN DEFENDably the most pretentious vaudeville act f the ANTS New York, Dee. Printing Corporation is suing Harry A. Yerkes, Inc., orchestra concern, for $235.76 for goods sold and delivered. Abner Greenberg is attor ney for the printing house and filed the action Ruth Thomas, in the Municipal Court, OVERCOME BY GAS, ACTRESS 1S RESCUED BY BOYS New York, Dee. 29.—Li Hippodrome life to the ‘‘lure of the movies for boys. Had they not ‘nibs for bottles, upon which to recover deposit so as to attend a would have met death as a gas fumes, The actress had gone to thc rooming house where she resides a gas heater, from which gas was and she was overcome by the fumes. for milk bottles in bathroom the two boys, hearing no sound within, door and found the actress ur “SEE AMERICA” ACT New York, Dee. 29. engaged to star in former her small milk money ian White, actress in productions, owes two been tress movie show tle me result of escaping bathroom in the There was escaping, Looking janitor’s forced the 1conscions, the -Leo Donnelly has been ~e America First’’, prob scenes and a arrive in New York current season, with of twelve persons. It seven cast will 28.—The Cc. & C. Music for a run at the Keith theaters on January 7. Milton Hocky and Howard J. Green are its producers. Ryan and Ryan are the featured dancing team and the rest of the cast includes Loretta Ahearn, Nellie Lea and the Liberty Quartet. WEDDING BELLS MU; ST RING FOR TWO That's what Jenn; : Can suitor recently whea he asked ‘bn ha a single, she said, There will be no we playing in Paris, unless tlsey ring for Dolly. show re twe. dding bells for the h Ameri3 zka to do dancing teom, now —Wide World. international “NOT ENGAGED—YET” SAYS IRENE FRANKLIN Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 29.—Irene Franklin, appearing this week at the Hennepin Theater, is quoted by a local paper as characterizing as “‘premature’’ the report of her engagement to Alexander I’, Moore, wealthy Pittsburg (Pa.)} peblisher and Ambassador to Spain. Wer reply to the question is given as We are not en gaged—yet.’” Miss Frank!in’s husband, Burton Green, died within the past year Mr. Moore was the husband of the late Lillian Russell, famous stage beauty. GEORGE PROVED ADAPTABLE Chicage, Dec. 28.—Edwin George, whose billing is “A Comedy of Errors’’, suffered from an error at his opening in the Palace Theater, Peoria, Ill., this week, when his trunk did not get in Mr. George used his talents instead of his ‘‘props’’ He included three oranges in his juggling act and got away all right. The audience seemed to think be did wonderfully well, considering. BEAUTY FOR CABARETS New York Dec, 29.—Norma Niblock, the Toronto girl, who won first prize in the Valenting National Beauty Contest held at Madicon Square Garden recently, is to moke a nomber of personal appearances under the drection of Harry Walker, cabaret booker. The present hookings, which include theater and cabarets, are Philadelphia, Reading, Warrleh rg. RPaltimore, Washington and Pitts? urg. VINCENT LOPEZ PLAYS SANTA Dec. 31 New York, Vincent Lopez played Santa Claus to his orchestra last week when he presented each member of the band with ” pin-seal wallet trimmeq with gold Not onty were the wallets appropriate gifts, but inside of each was a crisp one-hundred-dollar bhi. Following the receipt of the cent iry notes Bill Hamilton on behalf of the bows presented lopez a platinum ring containing a r by with Masonle emblem, lopez tried to volee his appreciation of the happy occasion, but found himeelf unable to talk and decided to “say it with music’’, 9,000 INVITED, BUT ONLY 2,500 SEATS Bronx Citizens Take Invites Literally for New Willis Theater Opening New York, Dee. 28.—RBy the theatergoing folks in the Rronx an invitation to attend the opening performance of a new theater fs {n variably | its literal intent. So that when tnagement ef the new Willie Theater th a seating cap ty of 2.500 persons, opened the pl mse’s front portals last night e % ' rt » ¢ the five thousend invitetlon< t out in the bands of an eager patron outsid Then besides the invitation recipients had re t their friends and another two t! ! er-ons were trying to butt their way ?r reinforcements from three precinet stations were summoned and after an hour's ort got the rowd, estimated at ten ty and ler control, and induced the mapment to « ' 1 side door of the theater in add te * front entrance, if it wanted t walls of latter section from being pushed in. The theater, playing five vaudeville acts on the split week and a feature photoplay, {s wned and operated by the Mott Haven Amnaeent Company, a subsidiary of the Consolfdated Amusement Company, which controls ten er theaters of this type In New York City. omas Kashin is manager of the house. Harry liomm is handling the booking of vaudeville. BILL WOULD BAR KIDS FROM JERSEY STAGE Jer City, Dec, 29.—When the New Jersey leg ture convenes next month a bill “te the exploitation of children under six‘ t professional stage’’ will be intro ! ng to officials of the New Jersey ( ! Society. Margaretta Fort, as em't'y woman from Essex County, has been ' 1 to handle the bill in the 1924 House. A similar measure Jast year passed the House ut was defeated in the Senate. This time, however, the bill will have the support of ubs cl women voters thruout the State. The New J Leagne of Women Voters has indorsed the measure, which will carry a@ penalty 1 fine not more than $100 or imprisoament for a term not exceeding one year in the penitentiary, or both, to be imposed upon the guardians or any person who aids the | to appear contrary to the terms of act. The measure does not apply to motion pictures, but “personal appearances’’ jn connection with a film are banned. “SPICE” CO. SUED FOR $1,000 New York, De Company, 28.—The Arman Producing named defendant in an action started against it by Jack Lait, who com. Inc., Is plains that the producers are holding out on him to the extent of $1,000 due for royalties on the musical comedy, ‘‘Spice of 1922", of Which he wrote the book, Frederick E, Goldmith attorney for Lait. William Klein filed notice of appearance for the defendant. The summons was served upon Stanley Sharpe, treasurer of the producing company, by Nat Phillips, persanal representative of the author, Papers were fled in the Third District Muntet pal Court, ANOTHER SUIT AGAINST NAZZARO New York, Dec. 28.—Nat Nuazzaro, actor, Who last summer produced the short-lived colorcd) musical show, ‘Raisin’ Cain’, had another sult added to the Mist already pending against him when Josephine Gray sued him for S70 alleged to be due for salary the week of July 21, 1923 M, Straseman, who i* representing a number of former members of the “Ralsin’ Cain’’ cast secking to collect their salaries, is handling the case for Miss Gray.