Variety (Jan 1932)

42 VARIETY TIMES SQUABE Tuesday, Januaiy 26, 1932 News From the Dailies This department contains rtwritlen tVieatrieal news Items as pub> lished during the week In the dally papers of New York, Chleaoo, 6an Francisco, Hollywood and Londonr Variety takes no credit for these news items) each has been rewritten froAn a daily paper. East then done Into English by Wm. Drake, who did 'Grand Hotel' trans- lation. June Knight discharged from a Hartford hospital to take Up re- hearsals with Zlegfeld musical. Mario Thomaslnl haa bought the iUUan rights to 'Cynara.' Wants to play the leading role himself. Milton Wallace, who went into the real - estate business when 'Abie's Irish Bose' finally <tult. Is tago back on the stage In 'Blessed Svent.' Xoe Zelli announces he has bought the rights to 'Sacre Blue,' by Jean Halevy. Daniel Pocile, the Lincoln ot It Booth Had Missed,' has never been on thia stage, but has made lecture appearances. Milton Aborh going to Il.os Ange- les after he launches 'Robin Hood.' Chevalier to stalrt his concert dates here Feb. 11. Plays a week and a half and then a quick road tour and back for his next fliin. Shaw's 'Too True to Be Good' 'finally reaches Theatre Guild, and' how being, read. ' Washington theatre man declares that 90% of adverse theatre legisla- tion c&n be blamed on theatre em- ployees. Solon goes''to the show, doesn't get & seat or the usher tries to boss him,, so he goes home and writes a bin. : ^ Leach Cross, former boxer, takes out . a license to marry HUdegarde Rendenback. A dentist- now. . Penthouse atop Columbia's new- broadcasting , building, raided on Wednesday (20) and some liquor found. An officer of' CBS issued a. statement his co. does hot own the building and' that It had protested the speak. Norma Terriss, who left 'Love Is Air cast, gets two weeks' salary In amicable arrangement with Vincent Toumans. She held a run-of-play contract. Frank Glllmore goes to Palm Beach to recuperate from an opera- tion. Will: start on a Mediterranean cruise Feb.. 8. Spencer Bettelheim asst. treas. of Music Box, received a citation and medal from city of Verdun for his war work.' ' . Murder In a'picture theatre' In Hazleton, Pa., Wednesday (20), caused a panic which permitted Chester P'ermlnsky to escape from the 'Feeley theatre, but he was caught by police. His ;vlctlm was Jos :Pepas. Both laborers. BuUet passed through Pepa's head and slightly wounded a woman. .Earl.'Carroll's uniformed service stail to give a 'military' ball' on March.18. Contemplated hitch ot Peggy Joyce to Johii !> DeRuyter is olL Peggy says society Is all very well, but one cannot dliie pft the social register. Katherlne Cornell to spend her summer In the Tyrol resting and acquiring an Austrian accent-for her part In next season's play, 'Aline. Com.'.' Bxpects to. close her coming tour May 28. Mickey Walker ' In the courts again. This tlm^ the charge .Is as- ^uft. He and Jack KeanlB eire held In $9,000 In a Red Bank court on complaint of Earl Winters, -who charges, them'with' layln'g him cold with a hammer. Winters runs a ' flUtng station and recently was held <ip. 'When Walker ^hd Kearns drove in for ^s early of a morning, the attendant became scared and got a gun. Walker then beaned him. NBC attacking the Interstate Commerce' Coqvml^slon's right to mix In cadlo aJKalts.. Commercial firm 'c6mplaln.ed to ;the commission that WGBB had refus^'servlc^, and the I. C. C. tried to do something about it Elizabeth Mlele, who wrote 'City Haul,' announces that she has been engaged to adapt a Pirandello play for Shuberts. Title, 'The New Colony,' Lawrence Tibbett hurt while sing- ing in 'Peter Ibbetson' at Met op. Silver of broken glass penetrated sole of his shoe and inflicted a deett gash. Louise Lerch, of' Metropolitan opera, announces her engagement to Ponald G. Brien, of Pittsburgh. Sang in the choir there before she went on the stage. Hitch due in July. Prohlbs clean.up the Opera club under the recent Fed decision, tak- ing everything but the walls. Other clubs with elaborate furnishings facing same destruction. Speak props Worried. Washington- announces sharp de- cline In theatre admission taxes for past six months. OK f304,332. Pola Negri in town for some spe cial radio work. Looking well, con elderlng her Illness, but down V 90 pounds. , to Lahgdon Post Introduces in N. x. Asseimbly his bill to abolish state pictures censors. No chance of pass Ing. ). Wm. Sterk, German playwright, arrives to make several productions in that language. Once manager of Irving Place theatre. New York, when that house was. devoted to Gtorman drama. . Louis BIrnbaum, vet. Jewish ac- tor-manager, back from Boston, and may open one of the down- town theatres. Mlscha Elman. will not solo with the Philharmonic this season. Could hot agree on program selections. G^ne Tuhney doing his remlnls- censes for 'Collier's' and says he bos' no ghost writer; Anthony Landl' haled into court for bock alimony by his wife, Alda. He told the court that as a musi- cian he was out of work and had been paying his $26 weekly ali- mony by 'making touches, and the touches were.'getting tougher' to make.' Court told him to go out and hustle harder, or else. > 'Louder and Funnier' now the title of Berlin-Hart musical.. Due at the New Amsterdam Feb. 14. to trial. Painter's daughter was asking $10,000. Held that no con- tract e'xlsted. Harvard university slapped with a tax assessment of $1,400,000 on Keith's theatre. Willed by the late A. Paul Keith to the University and Cardinal O'Connell, Harvard later purchased the Church's share. Dr. Carleton Simon, former Deputy Police Commr., tells the Federation ot Women's Clubs that the pictures never made a criminal yet. Depends on home training, not what they see on the screen, he contends. Evelyii Hoey,. musical comedy, suing Charles of the Ritz, Inc., for bums r.nd loss of. hair sustained when a permanent wave machine got too hot last July while she waia being crimped. Hearing before trial last week. ' ; . . Representatives of dgaret manu- facturers tell Congressional com- mittee that there Is a profit of only $8.76 per thousand, of which the gov't gets $3. Argued that to raise the tajc will also raise prices and drive consumers to rolling their own, as Is now. current in some states. Which would bring down the revenue instead of. increasing It. Machine made fags already show- ing the eftect of state taxation. Marc Connelly working on a new play. Has done nothing since 'Green Pastures.' , . ■'' 'The Night Remembers' bought back from the .Relosco estate. . Frances Goodrich and. Albert Hackett polishing off their new play. Wrote 'Up Pops the Devil.' Married lost week, Peggy AUenby took an ap. op instead of a honey- moon. Went on the table at Roose- velt hosp. Sunday night. 'Town Topics,' temporarily sust pended, enjoined from selling stock to those who figure it the . cheapest way to' suppress a scandal story. Same action as was taken in the cares of the 'Tattler' and 'American Sketch.'. 'Topics' will resume. Preston . Foster, who opened in 'Adam Had Two Sons,' quit after four days to fill a picture date on the Coast. . Jacques' Thlbaud, violinist, ar- rived on the France lost week for a concert' tour' covering three months. Educational pictures occupied much of the time ot the Nat. Board of Review at its annual session last week.. Suggested that the pictures might .be employed to teach new trades to the unemployed. Victor House, lawyer, sues Con- key 'Whitehead, son -of. Coca-Cola family, for $8,180 for defending him when Frances Porter, show girl, sued him for breach of promise after he had caused her to be jailed In Havana 'for sticking hatpins in him, according to his account. - She got back home and asked $600,000 for seduction and breach. House eased the matter, biit now has to sue for his own fees, he says. To make sure of getting it, he plastered one of Whitehead's local bank ac- counts. • Eaby Adele, flve-year old radio star, ottered 12 weeks by Louis K. Sidney, not permitted -to accept as Gerry society 'will not Issue a stage permit. Youngster Is sole support of a family of five, her father being unable to obtain work as a plumber. . Mornlngslde Players of Colombia university, present ia three act play, 'Birth' with the scenes laid In a maternity hospital. ' Authored by Mary M^cDougal Axelson. School for Social Research writes J. D. Rockefeller. .Jr., asking that tho murals in Radio City be painted by native artists. Told that native artists stand 'as good a chance as foreigners, and probably better.' Haskell Brown to put a musical score to 'Charley's Aunt' for Julian Wylle. Kenneth Purlier will do the book: English production which may ilnd Its way over here. Paul Streger gets the rights to •Pariaer Platz 18,' by VJcky Baum. Will be revised by the author and Rood tour of 'Cloudy. With Show- ers' ended in Boston Sat. (23). Amended complaint in Zenatello suit against Lily Pons for commis- sion, reveals that the singer's in- come is around $100,000 a year. He wants 16% for persuading her to come to America and claims a 10 year contract. Suit removed from White' Plains to New York and now c'.ragglng along here. Edith ' Barrett, who recently closed In "Mrs. Moonlight' to. re^- hearse Milne's 'They Don't Mean Any Harm,' played a date at the Doctor's Hospital instead, losing her appendix. Successful, but play will be held over until next season, as it would start too late this Spring. John Rlngllng in the N. Y. Surro- gate's court to determine the ques- tion of his legal residence in the matter of the administration ot his deceased wife's estate. Under the N. Y. law his wife's mother and sister would be entitled to share. In Florida Rlngllng would be solo beneficiary. He claimed Sarasota, his winter quarters, as his legal home. Backed by Mayor Walker, who revealed that he had offered the circus man the Park Commls slonershlp, but Rlngllng was not a citizen. Mayor Hague, of Jersey City, also testified he had sought to claim Rlngllng as a citizen. ' Fifteen men arrested two weeks ago for loitering in Times Sq. dis- trict were freed in the magistrate's court, but immediately rearrested for blocking the sidewalks. This charge was dismissed last week and the men are to talk things over with. Comm. Mulrooney to seek a \yorklng agreement. 'George E. Stone likely to have the lead In 'Sander the Great,' by Ralph Astrofsky, when It Is produced by New Yorker Guild. Not to be con- founded with 'Zander the Great, which played a couple ot years ago. Ganna Walska, nee Anna Enhorn, sued for a painting done by Victor Stem'per, given a' verdict In the sum'cme court'when the case came Congress to consider a blU intro duced by Rep. Dloksteln, of N. Y., Umitlpg admission of alien actors to those who can prove 'dlstln. gulshed merit' and show that American players are not available for that particular part. Richard Wolff, financial advisor to the Chinese govt., went on as a steward In the second act ot 'Ex perlence Unnecessary' Thursday night. His brother, Walter, Is one of the co-stars of the pi-^ductton and tho appearance was merely a lark. Mitchell L. Erlanger in court to tell why he has not paid $28,730 bal- ance due Sedlltz & Van Baarn, in- terior decorators. His explanation that they covered his radiators, and nearly., froze him was so forcefully expressed that the plaintiffs asked that tils 'invidious acerbity' be stricken from the record, but the court ruled he could b^ as acerb as he wished in telling ot bis own home. Miriam Jordan, of 'Cynara* cast, has received her first citizenship^ papers. She has been playing over here since 1927. ■ June Brewster, with the road 'Vanities,' walked without notice. PaderewskI recital for unemployed set Feb. 8 at Mad. Sq. Garden. First time a single artist has ever sought to entertain in suph huge structure Arch Selwyn announce^ that he and Charles Cochran will do 'Caval- cade' at the Met Opera House fol- lowing the singing seaison ;. N. Y. Opera Comlque goes co-op. Three productions still to be made this season.- Sigourney Thayer preparing . to stage 'Bridal Wise,' by Albert Hack- ett. and Frances Goodrich. M&dge Kennedy and Allen Reams for leads. ' ' .'Band Wagon' is using two re- volving stages, extra one being shipped, to next stand. Cannot be moved with show as Installation is too heavy. Dolores Ray' of a B'way nltery asking police protection . from Ed- word-T. J. Kaiser, said to be of Reading, Pa., who writes her love letters. DeForest television station at Passaic destroyed by fire-Jan 22, including W2XCD. the broadcasting plant. Lpss'$60,000. Famous old Brevbort hotel goes chain Feb. 1. Rjaymohd Ortelg ex- plains he was unable to compete with the speaks. Roslta and Ramon winter cruis- ing to Havana with Rafael D'Aleva of EI Patio. Frandne Larrlmore reading plays with the. Idea of starring herself next season. . ' Now it's 'Through the Years' in- steadnjf 'Love Is All.'. Used to be 'Smilln'. Through.' Howard Delghton, . Chas. Ashlev and • Jack Kelly, of Earl Carroll technical staff, doubling In bits in 'Vanities.' Copa pinch Ralph Volght and Martin McCormIck, barkers for Mlhsky's Republic, New York, be- cause they punctuated their remarks by slapping the posterior of a litho- graphed dancer. Judge held there was nothing particularly wrong 'in that and freed them,. Then the cops pinchied again, and-again the men were sprung and the police were told to find a better charge than 'annoying pedestrians.' Pedestrians seemed to enjoy it. Aleograph Co. suing in New Or- leans, for a rehearing of its. suit against Western Electric for patent Infringement. Lost Its appeal to U. S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Ethel Leglnska forming a symph orch of 100 women for concerts at Carnegie Hall Coast Masquers' Club will stage show for benefit of members in financial trouble. Ernest B. Schoedsack, director, returned from India, where he spent six months filming 'Lives of a Ben- gal Lancer' for Paramount. Zasu Pitts has filed suit for di- vorce against Tom Gallery, fight promoter, charging desertion. Peggy Prior von Eltz. actress, weds J. Moncure March in Febru- ary. Jack Holt enters cattle biz with C. E. Green in San- Joaquin Valley. Tom Mix denies betrothal rumors to Mabel Ward. - Kenneth Harlan sued for $642 in back wages by former employees of Pom Pom cafe. Estelle Taylor wearing plaster cast on neck, caused by accident Christmas. Eve. Mary Nolan ordered to pay $45 to -Mrs. Emy Erach, back wages In Miss Nolan's gown shop. Carmel Myers robbed of $20,000 in Jewels at her home by two thugs. Carmellta Geraghty sued for $828 by Mrs. Iniez Cunningham for per- sonal Injury to her son, struck by Miss Geraghty's car. • Mary Miles Mlnter sued for $219 by the Gilbert Stanley Underwood Co. on failure to poy for home dec- orating. : Richard Barllieliness suing T. J, Dunnlgan for $210,760 invested in real estate deals. Douglas ■■Fairbanks was refunded $71,400 by treasury department for o-yer-assessments in 1927-8-9. Peggy Carroll, actress, filed suit against Arnold Morand for divorce charging cruelty. ' Sue Stevens and Mrs. Mary Rath* gett, actresses, arrested on charges ot drunk driving. Mid-West Roy W. Anderson, 48, owner of station KICK of Red Oak, la., com- mltted suicide by shooting himself through the head. He was married three . times, ~ last one only two months ago.. With thi Chi World's Fair Cohi- mission nreetlhg for the ^ first time it was announced that the .big eveni would come off as per schedule. June 1, 1983. Peggy Leaf, dancer, filed a divorce- action against Theodore Kla'sen, manager ot the Piccadilly, Chicago. Charges desertion;. Couple \vere married in 1928, complaint alleges, and Mrs. Klasen was left' In March of '29. ■ Joseph Monnlx, dean' of Mln. neopolls newspapermen. Is seriously 111 there following complications from a cold. Tito Schlpa, opera singer, is leav- ing the Ghl opera to return, to Italy and istart-a chicken ranch. Mrs. Wendell Hall, wife of the playwright and radio troubadour, lost. $100,000 negligence suit agalnat Dr. W. F. Groavenor in (Chicago. McCromlck Mtel, theatrical hos« telry, changed Its name to the Croy* den. .Stlckup at Riviera. Chicago nelghborhooder,' netted $160. Girl cashier fainted. Mae Rothman, dancer, seriously' injured when. struck by a hit-and- run driver in Chicago.. Emergency operation performed at St. Luke's. Fire In Kansas City 'Star' bulld» Ing caused that newspaper $36,000 damage. Included WDAF, pa'i>er's radio station. Encountering stiff opposition from theatre and amusement owners in accepting Chicago's proposed 10% tax on gross receipts, original plan, dratted by Aid. James B. Waller, has been cut to 6%. Reduction Is Contained in amend- ment to the original Issue at Wal- ler's own request. Showmen and sport promoters are still shying clear of the Issue and intend to go on fighting. Australia (Continued from page 17) opened in each state ot common- wealth- . As the nabes only charge 26 cents for a two-feature bill It Is problematical whether the locol lads and lassies will teel like paying a quarter Just to see news clips. Union-Hoyt Fight A very bitter nght is still *aglng between Greater Union Theatres and Hoyts. Latest move Is for the Hoyt management to take yet an- other nabe house from G.U.T., and operate under their banner. A lit- tie while ago Fox -took a nabe house from G.U.T., after a fierce fight. Despite the forming: ot a new com- pany, G.U.T. are fighting hard to make good against great odds. Both organizations. are also ' fighting - for film control, and Hoyts have just made a deal with Warners and Radio for their product to go into their houses. M.G.M. has switched over to G.U.T. after fighting with Hoyts on and off for some time. Paramount is now being shown in all Hoyt theatres. Fullers and Flesh Shows In a recent. interview Sir Ben Fuller said he firmly believed the time not. far distant when a great revival of fiesh-and-blood shows would prevail in this country. Sir Ben said that his company had de- cided to go back into the revue- vaude idea again after some sea- sons in the talker field. Sir Ben based his argument on the fact tliat the majority of events moved in circle^ and that the day of the only average talker was passing and he was of the opinion that only the highest entertainment talker fare could hope to make money In A»s- trallEu Hollywood producers were, much to blame for continuously turning out the same type of pic- ture without a thought to the roiil taste of the public. Sir Ben stated also, that vaudeville, was due toy a comeback providing tho 'Idea was handled properly and a quiolc change of acts was. adhered to.