Variety (Aug 1930)

PARAMOUNT, N. Y. New Torkj Aug. 16. T#'a In th« bag tor the Paramount *».iB «elc unless the feature, "AfiV- ^JSwoman" (Par), with Ruth 5S^tterton and Clive Brook, mlsoes. SS that won't happen, general SSS^o? balance of show, including and box office appeal of the Stur^a title, should bring the buel- **SSure show Is "Garden of Girls, -itiTtwo vaude acts, Billy Glason Infl Bob. Bob and Bobby, saving the «»trude Fisher and Olive Slbr ffiv are the others featured, one i^irklae In an outstanding way with -airob^tlo specialty, the other ^th songs In the prima donna '"^ason does most of his routine from vaude in addition to two bits iiith a girl and a sort of m. c. in GonneoUon with Fred Evans' dance routines and the Bobs act. Latter iring their Juggling and comedy to Piibllz practically intact, also, and J^re nicely, the dog carried helping considerably. _ . This unit was . staged by Boria Petroff, w** usually leans to flash. He has done that here in a big way, with another. kind, of nkg-vrevin^ flnlab,'besides march music for a dance rouMne by the 25 Evans girls, leading into the finale aiidrthe low- ering of a piece of scenery resem- bling Sam's eagle emblem.' , , In Bi>'ofs the Petroff unlt.iaxjonsld- erably slow, but to make for that is the color. Opening s<;ene la a real costume splash. Dave RubinofI is in the pit, this week conducting "Chanson. Russe," Bussian numbers, topped effectively by "Overture of 1812." Rubinote con- ducts as though he Is getting ready to go through an acrobatic .routine, but that seems to b^ what makes him popular here, plus his violin. Jesse <;rawford's organ recital Is a little different, with .the idea of a tour^from New England to^ Mexico. It's built around "Down the River o;C Golden Dreams." i. Paramount News, usual, trailers and a biieif model display of new gowns and furs from a dept. stbrie, but ho 6ound shorts. The-fur bit, probably 100 feet in length, l8 spotted as part of the newsreel, with trailers in there, also. Business Friday night excellent. Char. LOEWS STATE, L. A- Los Angeles, Aug. 14. Again the State is left with the only . picture house . stage show downtown. Warners' bowrput gives the F. & M. ishows a solo field, , at least until the Paramount makes good on its promise of "flesh.'' Meanwhile the Units at the State continue to flourish,: and figure in the general grosses compiled pretty consistently in the hou^. y^T^e F. & M. trademark, hanging fo,T; . years on the. Seventh and Broadway, cor- ner, iEittriicta a certain eleiiiiant' of amusement goers week In-week but. Primarily Fahchon '& i Marco are the selling point, not the type or calibre of the shows. Although the producers have 'turned out some pretty, neat and substantial presen- tations, consistency in picture house routines Is not so easy when it's figured on a 62 week basis. Cur- rent revival of "Gobs Of Joy" may be overlooked as repetition. . This same idea, with the major principals in It, was originally put,o^t over a year ago. at the time FiEirichon and Marco Invaded thb east. Of all the F. &. M. units sent east, this one was perhaps the best thought of and made the biggest impression around New York. In this year's edition, Pat "West retains position as m. c. and chief entertainer, while Scotty 'Weston and Dolly Kramer, the midget, are the other holdovers. Rest are new. Stacked up against the original show; this one falls short'through lack of variety. It's one long danc- ing spree without a letup. Again, there are only six girls- and five boys In line compared to . twice that number in last year'j unit! Other- 'wise the sets, lighting ieltect's and general flash ar-e all theife, even to the flnale of the booihlng' guns on board the battle ship, And the stars and stripes forevef, hurrah. Hoofing marathon > starts, right at «ie beginning with a Frenteh and British naval cycle pf steps brlng- •ng put the ensemhle and Weston, Who haa been an F. & M! ' standby jor years. Weston cohtliiuea to leg u alone until the miniature Miss •Kramer relieves him by some clown- »Jg and more steppihi^ . with Pat west. More dancology is forthcom- jng from Kfary Treen, a spindle- legged girl with a slight slant on comedy, and Wanda Allam, blonde toe worker. West interrupts for a tf^winutes with some chatter, un- loading gags which surprisingly «»ant hit the customers when caught. ^<"' full measure and rounding fiUi *be terpsichorean Idea, Rena ana Rathburn slide out a double eccentric routine. Not bad, but lost in the maze of all the hoofing ahead, comedy punch is supplied by .Three Jolly Tars, with the f routines of knockabout comedy performed by the Three <>f Sr,f' t^'s act isn't a lift on ine Three Sailors, who were in last year's "Sketch Book," theri it must .if,..?/* optical illusion. As close a "upHcate as this one Is hasn't been seen around In years. And with all that It's only the material that gets overi Nothing original or individ- ual in the three boys. Running 60 minutes, this unit can be clipped dowu when it hits the trail. West's handling of the show and specialties will get it across on its way back east. Chances are some changes will be made around Chicago, which could build the show to larger proportions. Increase in the chorus wouldn't hurt Fox and Hearst newsreels carried the short end on this program with "Common Clay" (Fox) the feature. Biz strong on the last show Thursday. Span. CAPITOL, WEW YORK New York. Aug. 17. , .Tex Guinan's first appearance here might not hs^ve been the last had the Night Club Queen had the opportunity of witnessing the Ches- ter Hale girlies do the act which her own subqueenies ■ attempted. Not a gasp In the house when the Hale girls. Just before the finale in the "Navajo" presentation, started entering in white jplumage. a little less and a little more with each subsequent entry. That seemed the angle, plus their papitolian grace, the now a lot of fiizz and then the little. When It ^ot down to the "llttl^est," . she had considerable headgear but hot much more around the mid-section than did the quee'nie Which caused Tex to ask the boys the murder question. , As the Hale girls did it the flnale drew applause for artistry, for the huge ensemble of silver and white, previously having been treated-with red mestrum jloods from the wings. One novelty whioh -won approba- tion immediately was the cowgirl horse make-up. A few of the dancers appeared earlier In black sombrerpjs '.of exaggerated widths Then came the cithers with prop houses worked into their uniform. Races, .with a pop gun in the pit starting things, drew, many laughs. The ballet, iqcldentally opened the iBhow. against an Indian blanket idea drop., It plosed in full with canyon scenery. , In the course of things, .Frank Shields did his lasso and balancing act. First on.a large, ball, then a ladder. Chief Eagle Feather went through an Indian gyraUon. His white buckskin was the most Inter estlng, also the horse which he flashed on the stage before curtain. Caperton and Biddle, adaglolsts, synchronized nicely. The boy Is noticeably thin across the shoulders .and this hurts the composite sym- metry, despite his demonstration of having all the grips in' strong hands. Billed as 'a flVe-mlhutes special Radaelll, tenor; tried the aria from "Pagliaccl." Singer' couldn't seem to open In the ^aipper register. As the result the tonality that should be robxistq Was . thinnest Reiidl- tlon seitlBiactory to an average Capitol audience. YasHa Buncfhuk Is'weekly proving himself a stylist for showmanship. Regular attendees kre getting on to that big blalr^ which must dose most of YasHk's' mielodiies. It Is in again this 'Week with the'overture he calls "Paradci of the Great Com- posers." Orchestra work, ad usual, is one of the most meritorious items on the bill. Short subjects. NeWsreels. Fea- ture: "Way Out Westr (Metro). Waly. CAPITOL^ CHICAGO Chicago, Aug. 16. Ten young women scuttling back and forth in aboi^t as neat .a rou- tine of acrobatic^ and straight danc- ing as has been seen here for a long spell, were the leaders in the Fanchon & Marco's "Smiles Idea." They didn't cop everything but they always pleased and kept the unit running smoothly. Walter .Bradburg. second, with polite dancing, followed by Seymour and Corncob, hoke and musical that got a rousing hand from a packed house. Dorothy Neville, with a sweet so- prano voice, should take it a little easier in high. Otherwise big. Chorus helped her.' Closing spo.t, Charles Wilson in a straight ,hoke number, over strongl.. Assisted by a capable young chap whp helps much and known as "and company," "Blushing Rrides" (Metro) fea- tured. Hold out in the lobby for supper show. Unusukl business. Loop. Russe Film O. K.'d "Storm Ovier Asia," a 8,S00-foot silent, made In Russia, was okayed by the New York Board of Censor- ship. The film, held by Amkino, had been held up until certain changes were made. It goes Into the Cameo, New York, within a few weeks. It will be sound-synchronized. Time Out for Golf Hollywood, Aug. 19. Georgie Stoll, orchestra leader of Loew's State, has secured a leave of absence to participate in the Na- tional Amateur Golf tournament to be held in Philadelphia from Sept 2 to 27. Stoll rejoins Knncbon & Maroo when he returnsi EMBASSY (Newsreel) Rioting In. Bombay with native and European police charging the crowds of Insurgents, and shots of Capt. Hawks' transcontinental rec- ord flight share headlines on the current week's bili Remainder of the clips of -sports personalities, celebrations and human interest stuff. Revolt in India against British rule is spre^ over tfartie' clips, open- ing the 45-minute show. Cameras got the crowd/s being worked into a frenzy by their leaders and close- ups.of cops going Into action with tl^elr clubsi mowing down the more unruly rioters. Landing of Capt. Hawks after breaking Lindbergh's cross-country record by about two houtrs, is spot news stuff. Flyer shows becoming modesty in telling' of his accom- plishment Shipwreck Kelly down from his perch after 60 days atop a flag, pole In Atlantic City delivers himself of the usual set speech. Capt Wilkins preparing to reach the North Pole Via' submarine dis- cussing his plans graphically. Laugh' spots, well spaced out, are the logging fodeo In the water; ex- erclseis on a' bathing beach with fat women &nd ' California kiddles getting their usual Satutday tub- bing. One mother with her eye on a Hollywood 'studio' and high hopes In'her heart'comments, "he's a good actor. Ish't he?" . The' bathing • beauty contest at Galveston 'hks scenes of the pag- eant with the girl as "Miss United States" crow'iied and making the fisual dumbbell speech- expected: "I'm sp thrilled 'and I know I'm one of the happiest girls Ip the world," Undei^ ' politics is Seniator Fess, new chairman of the Republican Party; Secretary • of Agriculture Hyde on relief of drought condi- tions, and th& Canadian cabinet, recently elected. President Hoover figrures person- ally, with a windy speech by the spoke^an, for a troop '^ot District of Columbia Boy Scouts. Out of th(§ 29 clips, 16 were Fox Movietone and the balance Hearst Metrotone. Biz good Monday night ORIENTAL, CHICAGO , . Chlca|;o. AuGT. 15. . ./ -Although etveryoBe Is convinced the day of the freak attraction Is past Publix^lB, ft K. Is Btln trying to push *eim In. Now Ajnn Perry and Mike Gouvas, marathon danc ersj Give' thp ixair feature bllUhg on libe stage sbow, expecting; them to drawi the pair draws a quar' ter|lt will be their own. At their appearance at the first show Fri- day the crowd wailted five ihlnutes, then started to lam. It was only through Harry Rose telling them to wait for the production finish' that some of the,, crowd were in- duced to stick around. The presentation.Is all Rose, with the m.c' all over the stag^ In an effort to sell, a generally weak show. Labeled "Bphemlaii . Nights," with a cabaret background. For the .flr^MS minutes It looked like -the entire 6h0w was going to be delivered, by the 12 girl chorus, the • band and ih.c. The chorus danced, the band played and the m.c clowned. However, the flrst act finally reached the dtage with a weak dancin|r routine. The hoof- ers, Byron and Byron, had a tough time the first show, failing to get together with the orchestra and missing on their own routine, es- pecially the lockstep work, which was ragged. The outstanding satisfaction of the afternoon was contributed by the; ^Two Daveys, man and woman, Jugglers. -The man's ^Juggling got over exceptionally well at this house, and his chatter, especially hlsi ad lib 'talk- with the m.c.,- got the only comedy there w^s. Rose followed lirlth ai production number, caned "Lady bf the Cigarette"; singing a song and smoking various brands of 'weedB. Aftei:- waiting two weeks, with all publicity on the pair already cold, the production department drags in the Marathon hoofers. No less than brutal. They do a drag across the floor. Miss Gerry Is supposed to sing. Realizing her weak pipes, the producer tried to give her a break by using a microphone attachment It didn't help. After Miss Gerry warbled a few flat notes, Gouvas jabbers a cpnple of words In Greek, while Rose sweated to ease the sit- uation with a laugh. It waa a tight spot; meaningless and utterly un- called for. With the production budget slashed to the bone, it is impossible to excuse this worse than waste of coin. Closing number was a parody on "Singing a Song to the Stars," with the stars meaning Broadway names. "Way Out West" (M-G) feature. Orchestra overture, five Fox silent news clips, "Dizzy Dishes'.' cartoon and an organlog by Preston Sellers, just returned to the house, com- pleted the entertatament. Business good. Loop. News From the Dailies This department contains rewritten theatrical news items as pub* liahed during the week in the daily papers of New-York, Chicago, San Francisco, Hollywood and London. Variety takes no credit for these news items; each has been.rewritten from a daily paper. LONDON An Edgar Wallace musical is the probable successor to "The Three Muskateers" which leaves Drury Lane Aug. 30. Baliol Holloway Is taking a West End theatre in the fall for Shake- spearean productions. Zangwill's "King of Schnorrers". has been dramatised and comes to London in the fall. G. Arnold, for over 30 years b. o. manager of the St. James', who left recently, waj, in an auto acci- dent in which his wife was killed. He is in a critical cohdltlon. Julian WyMe Is producing "Nippy," musical by Arthur Wimperls and Austin Melford, with Binnie Hale In lead. Wylie has further signed up three more pieces; "The Good Compan- ions," musical version of Priestley's novel adapted by the author; "Jack and Jill" by Weston, Lee, and IBdgar, and The Speed Girl" by Evadne Price. NEW YORK Henry Stillman engaged to stage "With Privileges," which Hyman Adler will produce. Four members of a company pro- ducing "Ten ,Nights in a Barroom" at Madison, C.ohn. have attached, the whiskey glasses, bar . and equip,- ment. Sheriff's keeper sat in the box office the night of Aug.. 13 while the audience watched the perform- ance. Attachment was filed by Sam Wren. Isabel Carson, Doris Wblle- hpuse and Stuut Woodbury,. Pf the caist, whp took the action to gu<i.ran- tee payment of the SlOO a week which the four complained was due' them.. June Mitchell, former actress, is co-owner of the Tom Thumb Golf course at Caldwell, N. J., and plays the course In par. Arthur Hopkins' 'Torch Song," by Kenyon Nicholson, opens at the Plymouth, 'Ai^g. 27. Marguerlta Sylva engaged for "Luana." sharing the room with a- blond lady, not named. Theatrical Artists' Representatives^ Association, permit-holding repre- sentatives in the Actors' Equity, passed a resolution to the effect that members of the organization will not be permitted to give pubho auditions of the artists they have under contract All auditions are to be pilvate. Audrey Bakei*,- showgirl, married hy, "proxy" to Ernest T. Sherry, non-pro, was reported considering a |30,0(K> suit against a rich Ja maica < -plaiyboy (unnamed)' - for bruises Infli&ted on her during an auto ride that ended In MIsa Baker walking home. Miss Baker, now at Texas GuInan'Sf. road bouse, denied to. reporters that- she went out with the) Individual mentioned. Tex ad- mitted the details. She stated that the playboy had been a free spender in her place for a long time and & fortnight ego offered to. drive Miss Baker heme. The latter went with him. During, the ride, the story goes,. the - man .became ^oo freely demonstrative in his attentions and after a slight tussle. Miss Baker got put and walked. She hied her- self over to a photographer and had photos taken of her bruises. George Jean Nathan, who re- turned from Europe last week, re- vealed bis opinion of the approach- ing marriage of his bosom friend, H. L. Mencken, by stating "You know, as a man gets older, his capacity for foolishness feets greater. The greatest surprise of all Is that Mencken picked out a good looking woman." A dispatch from Paris reports that Feodor Chaliapln has a contract to sing In pictures for Gaumont- France Film Company. Robert F. Keating, former actor, has been named by Jerome Sweeney as corespondent In the tatter's di- vorce case against his wife. Sweeney charged that Keating admitted occupying an apartment -with Mrs. Sweeney in .West. New 'Torl^ N.. J., for one year, lAter, after separat-<' ing from Mrs. Sweeney, Keating wajs . said . to have. revealed whereabouts to Sweeney, who went to her honie during her absence and took their two children away with him. Keating declared it was his wife and not him that went -with Sweeney to get the children, stating they wormed the address out of him In a speakeasy. "They even got me to sign a confession" he said, "which I thought was my wife's separation agreement." He denied that there was any truth to the stories of "love neats." Amelia Phillips, former actress and nurse to Aaron Unger, wealthy candy manufacturer who died in her apartment in Philadelphia Aug. 10, did not appear at funeral services arranged by his widow. Mlsa Phillips, accused by the widow of holding Unger "captive" during hl9 Illness, had arranged funeral ser- vices In Philadelphia when Mrs. Unger appeared with a court orders to hold the services in New York City,..and Miss PhlDIps was forced to relinquish the bo^y. Unger's rel- atives stated thiEly would contest his Will, ini which he cut off . his wife y^tb leaving Miss PhllUpSa » large share of hi^ l^ge estate. Will . refers to her fib "my devoted frleiia ' who I Int^'nd to marry," . , , .Grace Brinkley, of "Flying Hlgb,'^ away with an attack of laryngltlau has resumed- her role. • John Muccio, chorus man, de-^ clared he would go to Nashville to • be present at the hearing of his Si'es divorce action against, him*. Hi^ bnde. the former. Paula Campv bell, society girl p^. Nashvllle,^^ filed - an aotloii against him in her townl July. . 6, chai^gihg inhuman treati* mept. TjHal will he hpld In: Oct. Faperd-w.ere served by publlcatibdi* TmrTT.^^T'^ •j^ charges against Will Morrlssey. 40, stage and night ♦i^P .,cSnie'*'an..,pf defrauding thfl Hotel i;,^Ivedere of $79.62 caused thq dismissal,of the caue by Maglstiata Jesse Silbermian In ^est Side Coiirt,^^ Paddy Roche, 72. a Broadway bii; shot and spender In the old daysL was found dead pf heart dlseasa' In his room at .the Hotel BresUn. Roche flourished iii the old days o4 the Teiiderloih. His Rpssmore Hot^I - Mkt :42d and Rrbadway was as well - known as Roche himself.' Two years after she filed suit against her husband, Robert M. Foreman, non-pro^ Pear 101 bridge Foreman, circus bareback rider, was finally awarded her decree laot week and $35 a week alimony. Witneuses relat^-d how they found Foreman in the Hotel Somerset. New York City, two years ago, in his pajamas and Belle OlskI, show girl. Is heartx broken but- doesn't know who brpktf - It J^^She hopes to get 160.000 of his ca^ti 'tot her' broken heart If Shei' ever leame bis Idefatlty. last Jan-« - uaity, iK^hen In "iErifty MllHori Frenchmen," tfie was introduced tflj' a. .chap who was ci^JIed' Ted HarrlSb' .^e: proppsed to Her In March. A yreHk later-she-iiccepted.' Date foQ ' the Wedding Was. set for June 7j- :^heti Ran^Is suddenly told hkr he had to leave on -k bnsinesB' trlp- for, Europe. He said he was head' of the Rita Perfumery Company. 2014 East 7th street, Miss Olski aei- sorted. Two. weeks later he sailed. A little lateij In the week a glrf; friend told her she had seen him' on . Broadway. That same after-; noon, she declared, Harris phoned her and said he was married,and had a child. She remembered tl^f license number of the car and « check showed it belonged to Hyman Hu^bschamm, head of the Rltz Per.^. fumery Company,' so she had hlul served with a compl^nt in a $60,004! breach Of promise. action,' Huebschamm . latei* appeared at her attpmeyls office. Mljjs Olskl got a look at him and said It was not her Ted. Process servers are now; armed with photographs of H^ri^ and attempting to locate hini. . ' ' ' '' ' * ' 'Reiservation of seats for shows Id New York «Slty bjr but-Of-tdwiT th^-c atregoers, as annotinced by tbfii League of New .'Vork Theatres la' Its f plan for'operating'ai system og seljing tickets by wire became ef-> fective the past, week .When thrf PpstAl TelegrAph Issued ah . brdei; placing about 2;000 of the cpm-i pany^s . offices at. thU- dlpppsal pC, the league as it's agents.' Only tiri 'ch^stra seats will b« available iilii aei* the plan. ^ Helen Kane was -testralned 'in IC- ' Y, Supreme CouH from touching ■ recent $40,000 deposit made by hM'"- in the Plaza. Trust Companj^ and alleged to have been given her b^ a "big dress and cloak man." MliM Kane is now playing In the mlddl^ west According to MlUon WelB« man, attorney for the creditors otf*i the Bond Dress Company, 470 7tlii avenue, a process server has beeiil sent on to bring her back here tO' tell of the alleged gift and what she knows of the present financial status of the drees concern. Murray J. Posner, member of the firm, U charged by Welsman with havinef given her the $40,000 on Aug. 4 and , also $10,000 last June. It has been revealed Miss Kan^ is married and her husband, Jott Knne, sells dresses In a 14th street store. They were married in 1021^ (Continued on page 71)