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

The Billboard MARCH 22, 1924 (COMMUNICATIONS TO OLR NEW YORK OFFICES) PRODUCING MANAGERS OF MUTUAL CIRCUIT PLEASED Better Terms for Next Season Preassure Better Burlesque New York, March 13.—In response to a call Bent out by the Mutual Burlesque Association to franchise-holding producing managers operating shows on the Mutual Circuit there was a gathering of the clan in the executive offices of the M. B, A. Monday. President I. H. Herk and the board of directors met the incoming producers in a friendly manner and when the meeting was called to order everyone present was all attention. Mr. Herk outlined the plans for operating shows over the Mutua) Circuit next sea:on. During the current season twenty-three franehises have been granted for the operation hows and all but three have been renewed. ree that dropped include one of Tom n’s, one of Matt Kolb’s and one of Jess Mr. Sullivan still holds a franchise ext season, making twenty of the old ‘ses in operation for next season jent Herk first stated that the houses cuarantee to the weekly $1,°0° thirty per cent of the gross over and » the average gross done by the individual es during the present season. is guarantee calls for the franchise-holding and producing manager to make an initial investment of £500 to cover the first payment on two and three drops of scenery and 128 costumes, supplemented by a weekly payment to the M. B. A. of $100 to care for the balance of the price of and costumes, hich become the sole property of manager at the close of the theory that he can sell the enderable on the + shows sets purchase scenery the producing season, on the tire equipment and initial investment of £500 and the $100 weekly paid to the M. B. A. This makes a logical and practical investment for the producer. After having the terms ratified by each and every franchise-holding producing manager President Herk called individual attention to realize cor several clauses in new franchises that specify that any performer receiving a franchise must appear in person as a performer in the show, also that producing managers must submit the mames of their principal comies to the M. B. A. for endorsement and in the event that the M. B. A. does not them as being qualified for a Mutual show, that they are not in the event that a comic ducing manager does not } ments of the M. B. A. that the M. B. A. reserves the right to order }is contract canceled and fill the vacancy with a comic to be selected by the M. B. A Another clause in the franchise calls for the employment of agents for which each show will pay into the M. B. A. $10 weekly as a part maintenance fund, the agents to work along plans laid out by President Herk. The plan calls »¢ several high-class agents to act as business wil) make a circuit of the M. B. A. and use advertising the shows, endorse Each agent ve cities booked by " in‘tiative in boosters. fi his own curing added attractions, special nights and, in fact, any and everything that a progressive nd thoroly experienced publicity propsgandist eon and will do to increase patronage. To hetter check the capabilities and work of the will be moved so that none will nain on one circuit. President Herk was emphatic in his demand nts, they leaner and cleverer burlesque over the Mutnal Cireuit for next season. Some of the producers who spoke out of turn in commend ing their shows erk referred to views of their show confidential heard in various cities were nonplussed when Mr theatrical journalistic res, supplementing them with reports on seen and and what the producers heard from Herk will |! remembered for a long time to come, and if the individual managers of cannot manage they will be replaced by others who can and will. Heretofore President Herk has depended on shows, as companies officials of the M. B. A., house managers and producing managers for his information relative to the operation of houses and shows, but in the future he will employ several secret censors who will report to him personally relative to the operations of houses, shows and the conduct of those employed in houses and shows on the Mutual Circuit. Having made clear to present franchise-holding and producing managers that their franchises were granted for next season and giving them a gi'mpse of the designs for scenery and costumes, to be selected by them later for their shows for next season, the twenty producers were sent on their way rejoicing, With twenty oldtimers holding franchises for next season and with options on more than the twenty houses already under lease to the M. B. A., President Herk and the board of directors are now considering applications for new franchises from Al Reeves, Pat White, Max Fields, Sam Howe, Billy Gilbert, Frank Harcourt and others, with a view of closing options the M. B, A. now bolds on new houses subject to their leasing for Mutual Burlesque, and as quickly as the franchises are granied the leases on houses will be signed. Let it be said to the credit of the M. B. A., the house managers and the producing managers, they were all of one accord that choristers cannot be expected to live in decency, convenience and comfort on twenty-five dollars a week and they have ratified the plan of President Herk to pay all cherus girls a minimum of thirty dollars a week and in exceptional cases of talent, ability and work in specialties or scenes more than thirty, That I. H. Herk is fast becoming a radical along logical and practical lines was made man‘fest by a remark he made in the presence of the board of directors of the M. B. A. and the franchise-holding and producing man:gers that caused one and all to sit up and take notice and comment. In the course of tke conversat on Pres'dent Herk said he is strongly in favor of Mutual shows being produced by others than those affiliated with the Mutual Burlesque Association and lessees of theaters. In other words he advocates that all officers of the Mutual Burlesque Association and lessees of houses playing Mutual shows turn in their franchises for the operation of shows and grant those franchises to producers who have no affiliation with the Mutual Burlesque Association or houses on the Mutual Circuit. While no action was taken on his remarks it gives much food for thought. I. H. Herk has at last come out in the open as the dominating spirit that will control the future of the Mutual Burlesque Association and the houses and shows booked by that association, and it’s now up to each and everyone allied in any way whatsoever with burlesque to give him the support he fully merits. NELSE. EX-SOLDIERS THANKFUL FOR FREE SHOW IN CINCINNATI During the engagement of ‘Grown-Up Babies’ (Band Box Revue) Company at the Empress Theater, Cincinnati, last week William Hatzig, vice-commander of Corporal Clem A. Beckman Fost No. 349, American Legion, headed a grovp of twenty-five ex-soldiers, who are patients at the Government Hospital, Fort Thomas, Ky., to a matinee of the Mutual Wheel show as guests of Blackie Lantz, house manager. Later in the week Mitty DeVere, principal comedian with the show, received a letter from Mr. Hatzig, written in behalf of the other men, stating: ‘That little sketch, ‘The French Cafe’, certainly brought memories back to most of us, especially your character of a doughboy being inspected by the captain, much ap and your performance was very ALICE TURNER A breezy little ingenue-soubret, who is makirg cood in ‘Breezy Times’, a Columbia Burlesque Company. rreciated by us and helps to refresh the public’s memory. Our best wishes to you and other members of the company and we hope you have a prosperous season. Blackie Lantz, manager of the Empress, is the disabled men’s friend and never refuses them anything.” Names of several of the visiting ‘‘vets’’ Were used in the ‘‘French Cafe” scene to their surprise and kept their curiosity aroused until being ‘‘wised up’’ by the vice-commander several days later, ACADEMY STOCK DOING WELL Eddie “Bozo” Fox Is Produced and Comedian at Buffalo Theater Buffalo, March 14.—Eddie ‘‘Bozo"’ Fox, producing comedian at the Academy Theater, is presenting for his followers a clean, classy and clever musical comedy show this week under the title of ‘Main Street Follies’’. It is a fast show, consisting of two acts and nine scenes, inter.ningled with several vaudeville specialties. The scenery is deserving of special mention, unique lighting effects being used on all drops of silks and satins. Ray Rottach, juvenile, and Marge Miller, soubret, have left the cast to accept a vaudeville tour, opening in New York next week. This team has won a host of friends in this city. Rose Gordon, who joined Sunday to fill the soubret part, is well known in Buffalo, having appeared here twice last season with Mutual attractions. Last Saturday night, after the show, the entire cast was motored to play an @ngagement for Odd Fellows, thru the National Vaudeville Exchange, at the Elmwood Music Hall. Several thousand members were present and all voted that it was the best entertainment they witnessed outside a theater. The show ran without a hitch and was well received, because of the largeness of the hall. Producer Fox eliminated almost all of the talk and supplied numbers and specialties fast and furious. To say that the stock company is a grand sucecess at the Academy would be putting it mildly. Business has gone to capacity with a positive turnaway business on Friday (Amateur Night), Saturday and Sunday. The house is scaled at ten, twenty and thirty cents at matinees and ten, thirty-five and fifty cents at night. Al Sherry and Jake Lavene are the sole owners. CLYDE GRIFFITH. Jack Tobias, in charge of the refreshment branch of the Mattfeldt-Columbia Company at the Olympic Theater, Cincinnati, is doing a flourishing business this season with ‘Main Street Frolics’’, prize Universal Theaters Concession Company package, proving a leader in the candy line, ALICE TURNER One of the Most Versatile IngenueSoubrets in Burlesque Some thirty odd years ago J. Allen Turner Was on the road to become a talented and able sculptor. His work attracted much attention of those practicing the art in Brooklyn. But Artist Turner became inspired with theatricalism and, not feeling the call much as designing, turned his the molding of scenic sets In the years that followed he built a reputation for his work that has gained recognition thruout the country. With his love for the stage not altogether satisfied he decided that his baby daughter, Alice, should become an actress. From infancy Alice was schooled in the art of acting and, being an apt pupil of a devoted father and mother, was fully prepared at the age of six years to make her debut in a dramatic stoc! presentation of ‘‘Miles of Ruin’® with Franklin Munnell at White Plains, N. Y., in a child role that called for the study of sixteen sides. And this remarable kiddie was letter perfect in her opening performance. Her acting ability led her into the movies with the old Thanhauser Film Company in boy parts. She later appeared with Annette Kellerman in the Fox picture, “‘Daughter of God’’. As a juvenile movie actress Miss Turner found sufficient time for an academic education that included music and dancing and which led her into Mack Sennett’s ‘Bathing Beautix Graduating from the latter she led a danci number with six girls in “‘Yankee Doodle in Serlin’’, and at the close of her engagement embarked for Cuba where she became a dancing instructor for other juveniles appearing at the Palace entertainments of President Menocal, After a year an a half in Cuba Miss Turner returned to New York to appear for Ralph Ince in ‘“‘Wet Gold", Williamson's under-sea picture, Like many others at the time Miss Turner sought fame and fortune in a Shubert unit show with Monroe and Fisher, as an ingenne and, like some more, then went into vaudeville and later as a soubret with the Charles Waldron and Frank Finney Show in Burlesque. Then came another turn in vaudeville in an act titled Turner-Mossman-Vance, which played extensive bookings until Mr. Vance retired, the act continuing as Turner and Mossman until they were engaged for another turn in burlesque in “‘Breezy Times’, where Miss Turner is the soubret and Mr. Mossman the juvenile, both doing a singing and dancing specialty. ef acting as talents toward Their work was fully reviewed in our last issue. Verily Miss Turner is an actress of versatility. NELSE. CHATTER FROM CLEVELAND Joe Mack, well-known advance agent, was called to his home in Rochester, N. Y., February 26 by the death of his baby. Jack Staib, of the Star cast, has signed with Sim Williams for next season. ‘ryan Wolf and Nora Neel are new additions to the Star. Eddie Keifer expects to leave for Chicago within the next week, and Ray Puget is looking for another singing leader to take his place. Bobby Brown, Bert Newell, Flozari, Genevieve Phillips and Josef Mehler, manager of the Rockwood Entertainers, motored to East Liverpool, 0., to put on their second show for the Eagles of that city March 1. W. M. Carey had charge of affairs for the lodge and the Crown Concer! Orchestra furnished the music, Elsie Stien wa too ill to attend. Adele DeVere of the Star chorus suffered a painful accident the oth day, falling downstairs and breaking her nos She is at present in a hosptal, FLO ROCKWOOD. Louls Maratskey, theatrical promoter and jeweler to the profession, who does most of his business from a table in the St. Regis, has attracted much attention lately by his attention to a pretty little boy who everybody took to be his grandson until Loule modestly admitted that the little fellow was the son of a leading actor in “Kid Boots’’. Louis’ daughter, Lillian Carhard, who is well known to the profession, has been confined to her home for some time due to Illness, | oe nm a eo Se et a of