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

32 The Billboard MARCH 22, 1924 Musgrove Here From Antipodes To Sign Acts for New Combine Williamson-Tate Amalgamation With Combined Capital of $25,000,000 Aims To Be Big Time of Australia—American Artistes in Demand EW YORK, March 16.—Jack Musgrove, formerly booking manager of Harry Musgrove’s Tivoli Circuit, Australia, arrived in New York this week to make booking arrangements and line up acts for the recently organized J. C. Williamson Vaudeville Circuit, Ltd., which is to be the bigtime vaudeville outfit of Australia. Included in this combine besides the Williamson interests are the J. and N. Tait theaters and South African Theaters, Ltd., with a combined capital of more than $25,000,000. As general booking agent and director of the new Australian vaudeville venture, Jack Musgrove has inaugurated the policy of the biggest and best in international vaudeville. For the commencement of their vaudeville enterprise the Williamson-Tait interests assigned the Theater Royal in Sydney and the Theater Royal in Melbourne HIPPODROME CLAIMS MILLION New York, March 15.—The Hippodrome, which passed its twelfth week Saturday, claims to have played to a million persons since its start under the Keith banner, N. V. A. PAID $114,000 FOR BENEFITS IN 1923 New York, March 15.—The National Vaudeville Artistes, Inc., paid out $54,000 in death benefits during 1923, it was revealed this week. To needy or financially embarrassed members it advanced $60,000 for the same period, The N. V. A, announces that it is now maintaining about 150 charity cases, either aged or indigent artistes, incapable of self-support. During the past month (February) $6,050 went for this purpose, WINNERS IN UNKNOWN SONGWRITERS’ CONTEST York, March 15.—Pan! Specht, musical of the Hotel Aiamac Orchestra, aned the winners in hie nnknown songwriters’ New director noune contest conducted by radio this week. More than two thousand manuscripts were entered in the contest which closed March 1 Mrs, Roslyn Clephane and Menlo Mayfield, of this city, were awarded first prize for a novelty song, entitled “Oo! Yon Lulu!" Hetfield, of Prooklyn, for ‘‘Roads of Happin The third prize was awarded to Norman Sheldon and Oliver Baldwyn, of Astoria, L. L, for “Dream Man"’, and the fourth and fifth prizes went to James Gallaty, of London, England, and Wilfred Trayer, of London, Canada. Mrs. H. J. ess’’. to the presentation of vaudeville shows. The combine controls theaters in every city in Australia and New Zealand, and a number of these will be converted from legitimate houses to vaudeville theaters as the demand for this brand of entertainment grows. In addition to playing an act from four : to five weeks in each house, the Williamson Circuit will be in a position to offer each turn from thirteen to eighteen weeks on the South African circuit. Wants Only Big-Time Acts Musgrove said that he had no intention of establishing his own branch in New York, but » his booking arrangements with one ger agencies here. Standard acts of all descriptions, but of the best, he eaid, would be booked thru these offices. The theater business, particularly vaude (223 W. 46TH STREET, NEW YORK: ‘city, ORCHESTRAS ATTENTION ‘COLORADO’ — WALTZ BALLAD. ‘THAT'S A LOT ore BUNK’ comeer (Fox TROT. ORCHESTRA cLus $2.00 a Year for All Hits. —_}: ville, reported Musgrove is enjoying unpre cedented prosperity in Australia and New Zealand and the outlook seems still more promising. There is a great demand for American performers among the Anzacs and the American makeup of the vaudeville bill, eight acts with @ dumb act opening and closing, is the vogue. ee eee TITTLE ALADAAAASAASAADADAAAAAAAAAASAASAAAAAAAARAAAAAAAAAAAEAE AAA eee MIACAHUA However, the salaries of performers have not increased perceptibly during the year, Musgrove said, due in a great measure to the competition in England, where the actors’ unemployment situation remains unchanged. The Australian vaudeville theater has made great strides during the past year or two in staging the acts, following the American style. closely The jazz band, Musgrove said, is just com The Brazilian Wire Walking Sensation of the Century The only woman in the world who walks on a wire without the aid of pole, umbrella or balancing object. sense of this much-abused term. A superb artiste in every ng into its own in Australia and New Zealand, with the rage for American jazz music making itself particularly felt in the vaudeville theaters. Musgrove expects to spend at least six weeks in New York, looking the amusement ground over and signing contracts. ALBEE DISAPPROVES ACTORS GOING INTO AUDIENCE OOO SOOOs 55 555555544555555555S9559SSSSSSS SSS SSS SSS SESS SSOP SSOP SOS OSS SOOT OO SSCS SOT e! New York, March 15.—E. F. Albee looked Management over the Palace show this week, upon arrivIsidore Ortega. ing from Florida. He expressed disapproval Permanent of the fishing number in the Ned Wayburn Honeymoon Cruise act, in which the chorisAddress, ters troop thru the audience. 546 Howard “I believe in restricting the performance Avenue, to the stage,’’ Mr. Albee said, “Of course, there are exceptions where actors are preNew Haven, sumably volunteers from the audiente. Even Conn. then I’m against performers engaging patrons ip conversation or calling attention to them. ‘For actors to advise patrons leaving the theater that good acts will follow, that there may be later trains, also is inappropriate. The audience pays to come and go when they please and not to be made the butt of stage comments, “The performets of the stage are always the magnet. Atmosphere in scenic and Direction Alf. T. Wilton, B. F. Keith Palace Theater Building, New York, N. Y. lighting effecte adds and so does fine music. Yet they are only incidental,’’ added the head ef the Keith Circuit, probably recalling the contrary contention made by counsel for Max Hart. t H 9 OOO5S5555554555555 555555 SSS SSS SSSSSSS OE SSS SH SSS SSS OOP OOO OOD CS MIACAHUA “Verily Her Equal Does Not Exist” She Stands Unchallenged Closes four weeks of outstanding success at B. F. KEITH'S NEW YORK SESPEPESES SESS SES EES SOE SEO SOOO OOOO PO Oe OOOO See eee eee ee e855 555545554554555554555495545555545555S4SS SSS S0 5554 OSS SSS * HIPPODROME, Saturday, March 22, to be immediately followed by ; AT LIBERTY---EiLEEN THOMAS engagements at Keith’s Riverside, Alhambra, Royal Theaters, New York, % Ingenuce, Second Business. Height, 5 ft., 3; weight, <eith’s . ate " 3 110; age, 28. All essentials. Piamo Specialties. and Keith’s Orpheum Theater, Brooklyn ; Equity” Double. Address care P. @. Box 115, Mec lawocro, I % 000 60000504500005005000000 040004 SIITITTTTTITITTTTITTITTIT TTI sssssssssssssseesssssssstee GRAND JURY DEFERS BLUE LAW ACTIONS Jersey City Theaters Continue Sunday Operations Same as Other Businesses Jersey Oity, N. J.. March 15.—The Hudson County Grand Jury, charged by Justice Minturn with enforcing the Sabbath laws of 125 years ago, returned no indictments this week and the seventeen theaters of Jersey City will continue to keep thelr doors open on Sunday as thes have for the past two months. Burdened with lists of approximately 10,0) violators of the archaic blue laws, compiled by the police last Sunday, the Grand Jury made a presentment to Justice Minturn yesterday declaring, in substance, that it had been decided to file no indictments until the whole situation had been thoroly investigated, deeming it unfair to indict anyone at this time. The Grand Jury informed Justice Minturn {n the presentment that thus far it had considered no evidence except the testimony of severa! clergymen against Jersey City theater owners, and that it would be unjust to take any action until evidence in all the violations had been duly investigated The presentment also referred to the blue Sunday probe as a ‘‘tremendous task", and definitely indicated that the Grand Jury does not propose to indict the theatrical men and allow thousands of other so-called lawbreakers to go scot free, Justice Minturn has warned the jurors that their term would end April 1 and unless they acted by that time another Grand Jury must be charged with the task. It is still thought, however, that no indictments will ever be returned. The presentment handed up yesterday follows: “The December term of the Grand Jury, 1923, desires to bring to the attention of the court the situation with respect to the violations of the Vice and Immorality Act of this State. “Agreeable to the instructions contained in the charge made by Your Honor respecting the violations of this ancient act, there was presented to the Grand Jury some testimony with respect to alleged violations in the city of Jersey City by theaters. No evidence whatsoever has yet been presented as to any violations of the act im any other respect or ip any other municipality save Jersey City alone. “We are mindful of the instructions given us in this matter by Your Honor when you called our attention to the fact that shoe stores, clothing stores, drug stores, grocery stores, confectionery and. refreshment stores, bootblack establishments, private amusement parks and concert halls were open in violation of the law and that none of these lawbreakers bas more excuse or justification for violating the law than another. “We desire to bring to Your Honor’s attention that we have summoned before us the chiefs of police of all the municipalities in Hudson County and that the investigation and presentment of these violations of the Vice and Immorality Act, ag suggested in Your Honor’s charge, is a tremendous task. Until we conclude our labors on an entire investigation of this matter, treating the whole Sunday violations as one investigation, we deem it fair not to present at this time any one, particularly citizens of one city and one business, when the act is more honored in the breach than in the observance in all the municipalities of this county.”’ $1,000 is offered by Cosmopolis Press, publishers of “Crucibles of Crime’, by Joseph F. Fishman, for the best play, scenario or story adaptable into a play and scenario, on the American Jalil as a force in the creating of criminals and the fostering of crime. Judges: John Golden, Carl Van Doren, Minnie Maddern Fiske, Dr. George W. Kirchwey, Ludwig Lewisohn, Ida Clyde Clark and Jesse Lasky. “Crucibles of Crime’ covers this subject fully. Tt will be loaned FREW by the publishers on receipt of deposit of $2.10 (cost plus postage). $2 will be refunded If book is returned In good condition within three weeks. FULL CONTEST PARTICULARS FROM COSMOPOLIS PRESS, Pub. 257 West 7ist Street, NEW YORK.