Variety (Nov 1931)

g S S Q U A RE VARIETY 41 t^esdaj, Noyember lO, 193f ^ T I The Avenue Beant Races Give New Patroiis the Works to HoU Trade Nan Britton Noit^ed by Jury in MIMN) libel Actira in Toledo The Beauty Shop b'uslneas, first to be bit by the depression. Is tok- Inff drastic steps to. recover ■ pros- perity. Hard times have reduced Its earnlners anjrwhere from 26 to 60% according to the Ingenuity of the In- diyldnal shop owner. But feminine vanity, most potent of all sales forces. Is drawing back customers who, conservatively estimated, rep- resent to the shop owner, an Income of $B0 per. person. ' The smaller shops, those with un- ImposlDg overheads,, have been able to cut their prices to minimum and provide exceptional bargains In. the beauty trade. Eroadway shopsi as well as those on 14th street and In suburban districts, are offering treatments—formerly priced at $3 ■ and M tojc $1.60 'or less. Holding their former customers with these reduced rates, drawing the trade away from the expensive cosmetic- ians,'the smaller shops are getting by through increasing volume of business. Price cutting Is not possible foe the snootier establishments. Luxuri- ous salons thrive on huge prices. The . more expensive , their- treat- ments, the more desirable are they In feminine eyes. Prices must stay up—and salesmanship be-Increased 100% to keep magnificent beauty parlors from moving to the poor house. New Methods Since they cannot reduce prices, the snootier establishments have completely changed their methods. They throw wide their doors to the most unlmposlng creature and dis- patch Immaculately dressed maids to snatch madame's wraps from her before she; has time to think over the price of a $16 facial. ■ They promise to develop her per- sonality with a coiffure that Is. . created for her aloiie. They bathe her In creams and self-adulation. If Madame Is shopping downtown, 'will she drop In?—not for a facial or anything so mercenery-r-Just to do her phoning from the depths of a costly overstuffed cbalr, or to show the diagnostician her face so that her dear friends will know how she Is faring. A new customer, accustomed to being kicked around In the old days, feels that she has suddenly become aa glamorous as duBarry and pays and pays—even If by Installments, Park Avenue establishments serve tea and cigarettes, proffered on lac- quer trays by quaintly costumed Japanese maids. Others rely on radio and victrola concerts, low and mellow, to soothe the patron into proflt-paytng humor. The Other Side One of the most elaborate salons has a unique method for-,carrylng out the 'American Hairdressers' slogan: 'That which you give over and above wliat you are paid for holds your public' It keeps an index record of Its clients, with a complete summary of treatments and com- ment on progress that makes a patron feel like ai. highly appreciated patient. But on the under side of the card Is a record that the customer never sees. On this card the operator Jots down all the personal Information the customer wiil contribute about herself. At a subsequent treatment the operator need only consult the flies to discover that Mrs. Smith has three children, named James, Helen and Rose, belongs to two country clubs, likes golf and ROnald Cdiman. Conversation flows In these direc- tions, and the customer has a per- fectly delightful time discussing her pet hobbies, Hat and Hair . The .Eugenie hat for a time gave promise of booming the hair dress- ing field but, short-lived. It gave way to the beret which haa a dis- concerting way of covering hair tha,t need not, as a result, be kept in perfect order. The more daring frlsseurs are: pushing the classical head, dress, a .mass of ringlets and intricately placed curls coated with a fine veneer. Ladies who fancy this atrb- cily for evening wear will be slaves to their lialrdressers, as are the Platinum blondes who need constant I'e-touching. ^The trade Is, at the moment, op- timistically looking toward Paris which promises a return of bobbed hair, complicated by wlnd-biown versions and a long bob to which a false piece may be attached for eve- ning Wear. More Destitution At the weekly meeting of the theatrical organizations taking care of the needy at Actors' Fund headquarters, there was a noticeable Increase. In num- ber of cases submitted. Las Vegas' Bank to 5c Chqis and 50c ShiDs • Los Angeles, Nov. 7. Bill Halllgan motored up to Las Vegas, Nev., where Vlollnsky Is dealing bank at one of the numer- ous gambling joints catering to the 3,000 men working on the Boulder Dam. lie wanted to take Violin- sky back to L.' A. with, him, but Vlollnsky. had . had his. ta^te of Hollywood, helping gag the Marx Bros, fllm,. and preferred Xas Vegas. Any of the games will take a 6c bet and chips are il a stack. At the Exchange Club at 4 A. M. Hal- llgan found eight tables still going full, blast OA penny ante with 64 men sleeping on the floor. The local dentist In a town of 6,000 had two. slot machines In his .office for the benefit of local pa- tients. The five or six gambling clubs are paying qhllls 60c an hour. Vlollnsky has been In Las Vegas about five months and seems to like it Though when the Marx Bros, picture came to the local the- atre he did not have the price to find out how much of his work they had left in. MUSICIAN NO KILLER, Fred Di Lorio Freed of Saranac Manslaughter Charge. Saranac Lake, N. T., Nov. 9, Fred Dl lorlo, singer and musician, who was charged with manslaughter on June 14 In connection with the death of William Kiernan, was freed when the Franklin county grand Jury failed to return an Indictment. Dl lorlo. It was claimed, got Into an argument with Kiernan In front of a Saranac restaurant. Kiernan fell and hit his head on a curb stone, which caus6d his death. Hairy Davenport Keeps First Salary for 60 Yrs. .Wliliamsport, Pa., Nov. 9. Harry Davenport, who makes his home In a small borough a few miles from this city. Is celebrating the 60th anniversary' of his stage career. He still has a small leather case which contains his first pay In coins, dated 1871, given by his fa- ttier, Edwin L. Davenport, the great tragedian. The nio^ey amounts to $3.63, his salary for his first performance as Damon's son In 'Damon and Pythias' In the Chestnut Street theatre, Philadelphia. Mr. Davenport has appeared In pictures. His lost picture was 'My Sin.' Dudley's $1000 Ring Chicago, Nov. 9, Edgar Dudley (Dudley and Lor- raine) who left the stage to become an Investigator for the State's at- torney's of flee here, let Swartz Bros., Jewelers, catch up with him in the matter of a diamond ring.' Dudley bought the ring last year for $1,000 but forgot the install- ments. He later left for California and the jewelry company sued. After the court handed down an $800 judgment against the former actor, the ^ing was returned. Dudley sllll isn't around town. Max Service Dallas, Nov. 9. Villa Acuna, Mexico's new radio town and resort, will try for the di- vorce racket, too. Couple of lawyers from Mexico city are working to set a court into the burg. After that,»600 will split the knot In three days; And that's service.. I FURRIER BADLY BRUISED Leo Bemttetn jin Restaurant Mix-up After One in the Morning Leo Bernstein, 46, furrier at 701 7th avenue, and a crowd of young hoodlums In a restaurant In the Mayfalr buUdlng, oh the West 47Ui street side, had a tough battle. Bernstein lives at 652 West 189Ui street. Bernstein got the worst of It. His eyes were bruised, and swollen and so was his entire body. The hood- lums fled, and the proprietor of the restaurant, Louis. Sussman, asked that Bernstein , be arrested. The furrier was taken Into custody by Patrolman Phil Ryan of the West 47th street station. . Ryan stated that Bernstein took a punch at him. And the cop re- taliated. Bernstein . was forcibly token to the West 47th street sta- tion. He. was later bailed out. Sen- ator Feld appeared for the defend- ant Magistrate Brandt In West Side Court suspended: sentence on Bernstein. . ; The row began when Bernstein entered the restaurant and saw a four-year-old girl dancing for the patrons. It was 1: 30 a. m. Bern- stein rebuked the management, and soon the hoodlums started. JBxcitement was In high as a friend of Bernstein's ran for .Ryan. The latter asserted he was greeted with a punch in the mouth by Bern- stein. The latter denied: this. BROUN RAN 3D OF 3 TRYING FOR ALDERMAN ■ Voters in New .York again re- elected a former vaude. agent, Jo- seph R. Smith, as alderman from, the 23d AJdermanlc District. It is the fourth term, for Smith,who lives In the Washington Heights section. Smith received 19,241 votes. Hie op- ponents were J. C. Ohl, republican, and M. Delson, socialist, the former getting 6,441 votes and the latter 2,731. Theatrical people were Interested in the result in the 10th Assembly District where Langdon W. Post was re-elected by nearly 2,000 plu- rality. Mr. Post authored the Wales law amendment at the last leglslar tive session In Albany, which' ex- empts actors from arrest In show ra'Ids. Heywood Broun's try for a seat In the New Tork board of alderman from the 9tii aldermanlc ' district, with Broun as the socialistic nomi- nee, did a poor third, at 1,911 votes. Dennis J. Mahon, democrat, polled 9,333 votes. Martin Baum repub- lican, second with 6,616. Upstate In the Schenectady coun- ty election in the second assembly flght Mrs. Izetta Jewel Miller, dem- ocrat, was defeated by John J. Bur- master, republican, by 600 votes. Mrs. Miller was a former actress and for years a leading woman In stock.' Old Gags, Booze, Unchain Blackface Comic's Wife Chicago, Nov. 9. Stale gags, even from one's own husband. Is more than a woman should' stand for, ruled Judge Sab- bath. In hahdihg Mrs. Georgia Rose a free ticket from Billy Rose, black- face comic. And the gags were pretty bad, according to Mrs. Rose,, who worked with her husband on the. stage for years. Everything was oke in the Rose family while the gags were new, but with the years Rose lost his, sense of humor and took up drinking in- stead, according to testimony.. After that nothing could make Mrs. Rose laugh. She was also awarded cus- tody of their two children. Dempeey Gambles on Show Kansas City, Nov. 9. ' . 'Journal - Post,' in co-operatlon with the American Legion and the Air Corps Reserve Ofncers is spon- .soring a boxing exhibition with Dempsey as the draw, for charity Nov. 18 in convention hall. The paper has guaranteed the local charity fund at least $7,600. The receipts will be split as fol- lows: Legion and Air Corps to re- ceive 6%, with a guarantee of $1,- 000. Dempsey gets 60% of every- thing over $7,600 net. Prices for the show are $1.10, $2.20, $3,16 and $4.99. Latter price was adopted because the fe'deral tax jumps to 25% when the price of licket.s is $6 or over. Stag Fright The , tpughest thing right now aroiind Times Square Is to book a stag affair by femmes. So many arrests ' and. fines have come through the past two years that the particular sources handling such bookings under cover are either out of It entirely or are doing It so se- cretly that authorities are not . : yet wise to tiie exact spots. M. C. Retorns with Local Bride and Is Greeted by 3 Suits Dea Moines, la., Nov. 9. After a long run as m. c. at the Paramount a couple of years tigo, it looked like a happy return" en- gagement here for Jay Mills, espe- cially since lie was returning with a former local society gal as his wife and an Infant son. He received a royal welcome and papers' In three suits, First slap was for $41.46 brought by an Insurance flrm alleging he had failed, to pay the premium taken out on his auto. Gar was seized and Mills walked to and from the theatre. Second suit was by an attorney for $100 for fees claim- ed due hibi in a divorce action In which he represented Mills. Third was for" $37.50 flied by a loan company claiming the amount due'on a revolver purchased. The Paramount was made cus- todian of Mills' personal effects Iii order that lie could fulfill his en- gagement and Wlllard Moore, house manager, had to settle the accounts ill order to square the return en- gagement and gets Mills out of town. CAR WITH 3 WRECKED Clinton Fletcher Driving—Jameseana McMahon Cut Up Providence, Nov, 9. Three members of a theatrical troupe escaped serious injury, here last week whert a machine they were riding in crashed Into a pole near downtown section. Jameseana Mc- Mahon, 22, of KnOxviUe, Tenn., was the more seriously Injured. She was treated in a local hospital for lace- rations about the face and contu- sions. The other two. Miss Avis Andrews, 20, of 2041 6th avenue. New Tork, and Clinton Fletcher, 28, of 2196 7th avenue. New Tork, escaped with minor cuts. Fletcher lost control of the car when he Idoked^out at a pole for a route number. The machine was a complete wreck. The party was on its way from Boston to New Tork. If You RoU 'Em, You Smoke 'Em or Pay Tax Denver, Nov. 9. /Roll your own' cigaret machines being demonstrated at fairs, or other places, come under the class- ification of cigaret factories and must abide by those regulations, ac- cording to Internal revenue bureau. Demonstrators niust register with the collector of internal revenue for each machine In each place where it Is demonstrated.. The o'wners must furnish monthly reports and post bond of hot less than $600, In addition to securing proper tobacco stamps. These regulations do not apply to private Individuals making cigarets for their own consumption, providing the cigarets are neither sold nor given a'way. THE SAILOB BOBS UP Dubuque, Nov, 9. 'City, of Angels bound,' is the way Tom Sharkey, ex-pug of note, put it. He was aboard a special train, consisting of six carluads of race horses, and four cars containing 80 men, en route from Hawthorne, III., to Los Angeles, Horses had been racing at Haw- thorne. Ileadquartcrn for the win- ter in west for various ,st^ble own- ers. Toledo, Nov. 9. Nan Brltton, author of 'th« Piresident's Daughter* lost her $60,- 000 libel case here Friday Ih Fed- eral Court wlien the Jury returned a verdict In favor of C. A. Klunk, seller of 'The Answer,' Marlon, O., defendant . William F. Marsteller, Cleveland, attorney- for Miss Brltton Imme- diately announced the suit would be appealed. The Jury after being charged for an hour by Federal Judge John M. Killits, retired and consulted for an hour, and a half. It Is- understood three ballots were taken. . In charging the Jury Judge KilUts said that It should consider Only the facts and decide the case on weight of evidence only, and that' the Jury was not to be influenced by any- thing which members might think was In the minds of the court aa to the merits of the claims of the contestants. 'The difference of the sexes In- volved in this suit has nothing to do with the merits of the case. The' lawsuit is to be determined with- out any emotion or sense of chiv- alry,' the Judge stated. The court reminded, the jury that the child, Elizabeth Ann was not an Issue, neither was her parentage nor the question of Illegal relations. He declared that nothing In the book, "The President's Daughter* was proof, that the book Itself was In evidence only to prove certain points, and that no verdict should be returned based merely on the grounds that the plaintiff should be Vindicated, Judge KlUits stated that the Is-, siie In the case was whether t^ kuthor of the 'Answer to the Presi- dent's Daughter* was justified In characterizing Mies Brltton as he did in the book. Damages could be arrange() from One cent to any amount the jurors decided fair, if the verdict favored Miss Brltton. Reporters Permitted Several days before the verdict was returned the Judge had barred all newspapermen . and spectators from the room. When counsel was given time to sum the.case up for the jurors, the newspapermen weM> readmitted. Miss Brltton filed suit here four years ago. She was not In the courtroom when the verdict was re- turned. NEW COAST SPEAKS ALMOST RAID-PROOF Glendale, Cal., Nov. 9. Now development In exclueivtt and hard to raid speakeasies belnff evidenced here and In other near- Los Angeles spots are canyon and mountain-side clubs. Club houses are centered In a large section, surrounded by a high fence. If the law should make a call It would have to enter through a gate, up a long winding road bo- fore reaching the club. With a man posted at the gate to sound a sig- nal it v^ould give those In the club five or 10 minutes to get rid of evi- dence. LDbins'35th The J. H. Lubins celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary last week< Loew's booking head was tnarrlM at 21. Leader, Singer Divorcing Atlantic city, Nov. 9. A divorce has been recommended for Margaret. Keever Vesella from Orestes Vesella, band leader, and long a. featured attraction on Board- walk piers. Vesella did not eon- test the suit which was filed Isb Chancery court, Trenton, and re- ferred to Referee Reed of this city. Mrs. Vesella charged desertion. She met the band leader while solo- ist on the Steel Pier In 1924. They were married the same year In Miami. Veselia Is 66, his wife 30. As Margaret Keeyer, she sings >oa station 'vyPG here. Morros Injured Boros Morros, head of Pubiix mu- sic and stage production depart* mcnts, is recuperating from heiad In- juries suffered in a taxi accident I.-i.il week. Gar hit an U pillar. Injuries are not unduly serious.