The Billboard 1924-03-22: Vol 36 Iss 12 (1924-03-22)

e) AAT 2 MARCH 22, 1924 i The Billboard VICTORY FOR M. CHANGE A. F. M. P. U. MAY OF M. OFFICIALS If Reinstatement Suit Is Won New York Organization Officials, ’Tis Said, Plan To Rule Convention of National Body EW YORK, March 16.—Confident against Joe Weber and the American of gaining the decision in their suit Federation of Musicians, officials of the Musica! Mutual Protective Union, it is reported, are planning to storm the national convention at Colorado Springs, Col., the week of May 12 and overthrow the present administration. ties in the suit for reinstatement Attorneys for the contending par in the federation yesterday filed briefs on the legal phases of the case with Supreme Justice Black, who is expected to hand down his decision within a week. The report that the outlawed local would, in the event it won its equity case, bring suit for more than $1,000,000 against the federation on the ground that the alleged conspiracy to keep the M. M. P. U. members out of the national organization had resulted in the loss of that sum collectively, was ridiculed by one of the defendants. He pointed out that the capital of the national organization was $100,000 and that the judgment would have to be collected thru an assessment upon every member of the organization; in other words, from tens of thousands of musicians innocent of the whole affair. An interesting aftermath of the trial was the report this week that hundreds of the 1,400 members suspended by the M. M. P. U. for nonpayment of dues and refusal to pay a «pecial assessment of $3 flocked back to the outlawed union following the report that the fee for reinstatement after the court decision, assuming the M. M. P. U. won, would be raised to $500. Up until then the reinstatement fee was to be $10, The complaint among the M. M. P. U. members recalls an incident that occurred about @ year ago. At the close of his term of office as business manager, for which he received £20,000 q year, Paul Vaccarrelli informed officials of the M. M. P. U. that they ought to try to get together with the officials of Local S02 and the ational body and stop the fighting, sugzesting that they get Joe Schenck to act as mediator. The board of directors of the M. M. P. U., it is said, agreed to the proposal, but at a later meeting, upon the objection of two of its members, the board agreed to disagree with Vaccarrelli and drop the move for reconcilia tion. A meeting was to be held that n'ght and the members of the local free to discuss the proposal. A member of the board of directors, acting on his own hook, called upon one of the union's lawyers that afternoon and induced him to address the meeting that night. The lawyer, led into the hall at the height of the discussion, mounted the platform and exhorted the M. M. P. U. members until the wee hours of the morning to stick to their resolution to fight the case thru the courts, were bound to win eventually. The reconciliation proposal Was consequently quashed. as they The following week the lawyer sent a bill of $2,500 for his services that night, but the board refused it. The bill was subsequently to the official who had called the the notice that if the bill was to be paid the money wae to come out of his pocket and not out of the union's treasury. BRUNSWICK PHONOGRAPH TO USE RADIO RECEIVER New York, March 15 —The Radio Corporation of America authorized the Brunswick Phonograph Company to combine radio rece ving apparatus with talking machines which will be known as Radiola-Branswick to turned lawyer in, with Pay over has phonographs, Singers and other musicians who now prodnce Brunswick records will perform for radie audiences, The Radio Corporation, it is announced, will broadcast from the Brunswick Studios while great musical stars are engaged in making records, 1500 MILES FOR OPERATION Hough Fletcher, 50, vaudeville artiste of Santa Monica, Calif., remembers kindness, He Ware treated at Speers Loxpital, Dayton Ky., near Cineinonti, about Milteeo veares ago and Was 8 pieased with the treatment that when it became necessary for him te undergo a Mejor operation: recently he decided to travel 1,600 miles to the seme tostitution, The operathon was performed several days ago and Mr. Pletcher is recovering. TANAGRA LOSES SUIT New York, March 16.—Federal Judge Goddard this week refused to grant Edward P. Schreyer aud Milton Schreyer in behalf of the Tanagra Corporation of America an injunction restraining the Human Display in Miniature, Inc., Harry A. Meyers, Aaron Baum and Loew's, Inc., from infringing upen and exploiting their alleged patent of the ‘‘Tanagra Theater’’. According to Schreyer petition, Loew's has into an agreement with the other defendants to use the ‘‘Tanagra Theater’’ as a publicity stunt in the lobbies of the Loew houses hereabouts. The idea of the ‘“‘Tanagra Theater’ is to reduce the size ef a performer by a series of mirror reflections. he entered STOLL’S DIVIDENDS Lendon, March 15 (Special Cable to The Billboard).—Sir Oswald Stoll is declaring dividends for the half year ending December 31 on ordinary shares, namely, final dividend at the rate of 25 per cent per annum, making 25 per cent for the year for the Coliseum; Hackney and Shepherd’s Bush, Leicester Palace and Bristol Hippodrome, 10 per cent per annum each; Hippodrome and Ardwick Empire, 5 per cent per anDum. It will be noted that Stoll will have no entanglements with other managements but pursues his own way and pays consistent dividends. ELEPHANTS VISIT N. V. A. New York, March 15.—Andrew Downie's Elephants, the animal feature of the current Hippodrome bill, paid an informal call to the N. V. A. clubhouse week and were received by E. F. Albee. The visit was part of a publicity stunt arranged by the Hipp. management, The elephants later paid their respects to the local Billboard office. MELVIN TO U. &. A. London, March 15 (Special Cable to The board).—George S. Melvin is now on Olympic bound for New York and will at the Orpheum, Brooklyn, March 24. He should merit America’s approval for his softshoe work and characterizations. He is a committeeman of the V, A. F. CLARK AND McCULLOUGH New York, March 15.—Clark and McCullough now appearing with the Music Box show on tour, have been booked to appear at the l’alace Theater the week ef April 28. This wil! mark their first appearance im Keith Vaudeville in some time. this 4 Oe ah b= 2 ae ee ee oe FOUR-A-DAY WORSE THAN PROHIBITION, FOREIGN ARTISTES DECLARE PRLS Phos 28 Sh Rees 3 oe Oe BS Oe » dp lab4) 4b a theaters of Madrid. ville beoker for tha Loew Time, the equilibrists sought an engagement on the x circuit immediately on their arrival. There was nothing open at the time, but on ia the following Saturday, a few minutes befere the opening at Leew’s State, the man3g ager ‘phoned that his openiag act had reported ill, and that he would need another. 3g The Spaniards were netified and by two o'clock had appeared. They retired to their = x dressing room, removed their makenp and costumes and were about to leave the = 3 theater when the stage manager caught them and advised that they had about fifteen 7 oq minutes to get ready for the next shew. Following the second performance they be agiin removed their makeup and were about to leave when the stage manager again x Ps bustied them tack to their room to prepare for the third show. The same “back Stage™’ performance happened following the third performance and withort a bite to > 8 eat the Spaniards, seemingly gay of heart, romped thru the fourth and final show as bg for the day Unlike their American fellow workers, the foreigners bubbled with 3 BY excitement as they left the theater and durried to meet their representative in a x< BS nearby lunchroom. Whilefone figured what their salary would be for the diy, the x bd other spoke enthusiastically of his phenomenal snecess on his first appearance in re Bg America. He uired of the representative of what other foreign act he knew >< bd that hod beer recalled four times in one day by the audience. When informed bad be that all ar‘istes play four performances Saturday and Sunday at Loew's State and 34) C that they had removed their mikeup three times for nothing, even prohibition took 34 EW YORK, March 15.—American vaudeville policies in popular-priced theaters have disillusioned two Spanish eqnilibrists, among recent arrivals from variety According te the story told by J. H. Lubin, chief vaude so + Spanish theaters call for but one second place in their dislikes of things American. daily performance. frsabe PAN., SAN DIEGO, OPENS San Diego. March 15.—San YDiego’s finest vaudeville honse, the new Pantages Theater, was opened this week, with Irving's Imperial Midgets heading the bill The Pantages now gives this city five first-class theaters. The Tan‘ages shows formerly played the Savoy here. That house will adopt a picture policy. The Talboa, a new picture house, also opened this week, V. A. B. F. ANNUAL MEETING London, March 15 (Special Cable to The RBillboard).—The seventeenth annual meeting of the Vv. A. B. F. was beld here March 12. The report showed @ gross income for the past year of $45,275, with a net expenditure of $28,200 p'us management expenses of $6,395. Grateful mention was made of B. PF. Albee’s $5,000 donation. R. H. Gi'losple wag elected president for the third successive year. RAMBEAU SKIT CANCELED Newark, N. J., March 15.—‘“Drums of Fate’’, the A. B. Anson skit in which Marjorie Rambean was to return to the two-a-day, was ordered out by the becking office this week when it was shown at the Palace here, This stery concerned « missionary whe had an affair with a native in Africa. It would appear that the booking interests are placing a taboo on ‘“‘religious’’ skits, Cameroun Geddes, Scotch baritone, for the pest two eears playing in Paramount houses in the West, bas been booked by the Keith Roston office for four weeks at the Majestic Theater, St. Johbas, Newfvundland, TROUBLE OVER ENGLISH ACTS PLAYING MUNICH London, March 15 (Special Cable to The Billboard).—There is trouble at Munich over the Playing there at the present time of Edward Allen's Royal Merry Four as the International Artistens’ Lodge requested all its members to refuse to work with them, but, curiously enough, nobody responded to the strike call. It is also stated that the I. A. L. has now offered Allen his full salary if he will cancel his eneagement and quit Germany, buat this Allen has refused to do, so the situation ig very piquant. Meanwhile Munich has signed up many British acts and managements have made & working arrangement with the Variety Artistes’ Federation officials to use their serviees whenever necessary in okaying advance to performers for their fares or a like necessity. TALKING SEAL BACK AT HIPP. New York, March 15.—Jackie, the talking seal, returned to the Hippodrome show this week, after a fortnight’s absence from the bill as a result of an injury to its fin. The seal injured itself while appearing at a special entertainment for the staff of The New York Times, TYRONE POWER IN VAUDE. New York, March 15.—Tyrone Power !* breaking in a one-act playlet for presentation on the Keith Cireuit. His vehicle is called ‘The Risbop’s Cavdlesticks’’ and is the work of Nor mao McKinunel. Power's supporting company includes David Glassford, Bertha Knight, Ldlam Larke and Gabriel Martin. Sentiment for Equity Vaude. Unisn Growing _—— — Artistes Heartencd by John Emerson’s Charge That E.F. Albee Is Behind Breach With Managers New York, March 15.—The charge made by John Emerson, president of the Actors’ Equity Association, last Sunday, thar E. F. Albee was directly responsible for the failure of the organized players and the managers to come to an agreement on the Equity Shop issue, created a stir in vaudeville circles. The Equity last season adopted a resolution to investigate vandeville conditions with & view to the ultimate unionization of that field. At the time it was generally believed that Equity would use this resolution as a big stick to whip Mr. Albee into lin», his past performance in the Equity strike having convineed them that the head of the Keith Circuit would meddle in the legitimate managers’ affairs this coming June, The Equity survey of vaudeville conditions, which came about as a result of last season's meeting, has been appearing in monthly tnstallments in The Billboard. The latest installment, printed elsewhere in this Issue, deals with the National Vaudeville Artists, Inc., Mr. Albee’s nonunion organization of vaudeville artistes. Artistes feel certain that Equity will now undertake the organization of the vaudeville performers. That is, as soon as it smocths out its difficulties with the managers. And the general opinion is that this wiM occur before June 1. Should the Equity council decide to organize the vaudeville artistes, it wil) launch the movement immediately following that date, it is believed. Despite yessing lettere about improved conditions and the wonders the N. V. A. and Mr. Albee have done for the artistes, there is a strong sentiment among the rank and file for an organization of their own—one patterned along lines similar to those of Equity. This feeling ie growing more marked (daily. NEWS FROM CHINA Shanghai, Feb. 2.—Mise Ties Gerald and T. J. Fenwick are appearing at the Oountry Club and at the Lyceum Theater this month in a series of one-act plays. In January the French elcb presented the comedy, “All of a Sudden Peggy’’. Mrs. Rawson, as Peggy, scored « hit. Two weeks ago the A. D. ©. pur on Barrie’s “Dear Brotus’’ and gave an excellent performance. Janaary also brought Signor Carpi and his opers company to Shanghai. They rendered ‘‘Boheme”’ superbly at the Lyceum. The outstanding January motion picture was Douglas Fairbanks’ “Robin Hood’’. Others seen here were Mae Marsh in ‘The Little ‘Fraid Lady”, Virginia Valli in “A Lady of Quality”, Gareth Hughes in “Sentimental Tommy”, and Sydney Chaplin in “King, Queen and Joker’’. “PERFORMER” DIVIDEND London, March 15 (Special Cable to The Billboard).—At the annual meeting of The Peg former, Ltd., a dividend of five per cent was declared. Monte Bayly, George D’Albert, Seth Egbert and Marriott Edgar were re-elected directors. BILLIE SHAW’S REVUE New York, March 15.—Billie Shaw will head a new revue slated to open March 22 at *he Silver Slipper Supper Club. Miss Shaw will produce and stage the numbers. The cast will number fifteen players. DANCER BEAUTY JUDGE New York, March 15.—Linda, the dancer in Harry Carrol’s revue, was the judge at a beauty contest this week staged in connection with the annual carnival of Soclety of Professional Automobile Engineers. The dancer was able to appear in the act the next day. VOYCE AND BAYLY VISIT PARIS the Tandon, March 15 (Special Cable to The Billboard).—Albert Voyce and Monte Bayly traveled to Paris today to attend the international conference under the auspices of the newspaper Comodea. TANGUAY ON INTERSTATE Dallas, March 16.—Evea Tanguay hes bees booked for a tour of the Interstate Circuit and will open here the week of March 23. She has an Orpheum route to follow. A giance at the Hote] Directory in this isege may save gopsiderable time and iacenveniengs, et — Tle. ». wr sp SARS AB NIA. SE Dinah a