Variety (Aug 1932)

rARIETT $8 in B. 0. Folds B%ay Show with $40 Star and No Ushers Upstairs :<The Chameleon' did a quick fold at thei Masque, New Tbrk, playlps a slnerle week. It w'as the first non- Equity try In some years, presented by Xiionel Hyman With a ^seml-pro^ fesslonal cast Understood the top salary was $40, but only one player In the'cast was reported paid. First nleht's takings were esti- mated at iXlO, which, was ,top for the week. A performance was scheduled -for the . second. Monday but with-only %li In the box offlce Hyinan decided to shut down rath^ than be ■ obligated -tO; the sttige crew, for the week. Actors salaries did' not figure, since there -was ilo guar- antee to pay them. $19 Treaturer* Two persona on the box bfflce were said to have been put oh at |i? per week eacht There were two ush- ers downstalra and none In the bal- cony, nor. were there any custpmers. tBqulty made no attempt to^etop the show taking th<9 position that unless It cUckedi there was no cause ta Interfere. Had the show gotten agross. the stage hands would have been asked io walk unless the ac- tors Joined !Bquity< :. ' _. ' The players, 'recruited from drar niatio • schools, were warned, - how- ever, that they migbt encoubter' dpiculty If-ev^r applying to Equity for tiembershlp. .That caui^ed siev- e^al orlginall7 in the cast to walk; out. . WKat, No Stufling? Los Angeles, Aug, 1. With a larger number of turkeys in the air than ever before, one shoestrlnger has figured a new way to make a million. He's ■ going to - supply the : cranbeirry sauce. BUT3B00KINGS NAMQ)FOR CHICAGO BUCHANAN^ROBERTI : IN 1^1 if SHOW New Aarona- - & Freedley mu- sical, for which' Oeorg« and Ira Gershwin , are writing book, score and lyrics, -wUl go into rehearsal in October'with Jack Buchanan as tlie star. Show was delayed be- cause of fixing a dfite -when Bu- chanan could leave Ijdndoh. . This wka deflhitely arranged by cattle last week. ■ No title for the production has been selected and casting incom- plete. Among' those tentatively- chosen is Xiyda Itoberti. Qeorge Hale will stage the numbers. Chicago, Aug. 1. Tlie Chicago legit outleok is bleak.: Only three bookings appear even tentatively, set. They are 'Another Language,' for thb Harris about Sept. 3, and 'Reunion in Vienna' for- the Erlanger Sept 6, while the Chi 'Of Tliee I Sing' is not due until October. Dates may be .changed. Looks certain that six or seven theatres will be dark at any given date throughout the new season. Oreat Northern is slated to remain In. perpetual mourning and the Princess and Cort are natural sls- ters-in-crepe. Present calculations, indicate tbait ^the Illinois will be dark. moqt of the time. Rumored', revival of -'Hot Cha' is mentioned for thisi house; Blackstone has - approached the Shuberts for bookings, but latter replied ■ negatively. Tracy Drake must therefore rely upon independ- ent bookings for the house. Hotel man may Iiave little leisure for the theatrical iiobby this season. Adelphi and Playhouse, the two legits without flve-man orchestra clauses, will again have the edge for the smaller uttractlons and oner set operas. Baker's Xlntitled Show : Siaiis Shubert Bacldiisr ;Phil- Baker's ^Laugh It pfP revue fs' on, sans any - Shubert hookup or other hitches, ^ole chanere will be the title, as yet undeterminctd, be- cause of a previous claimant to .T^ugh It Oft;' Pat Ballard, U. of P. alumnus, claims, prior right to a libretto. and score of tliat name which college show he lis trylnjg to sell professionally. So Xejf lined up for the revue are ikldleGarr,' Ethel Barry more Colt, the Four Musketeers (male quar- ter from Abe Lyman's orchestra), Adla Kouzhetzoff and NIcoHna, Barr Hill, baritone .from the Chicago Civic Opera, June and Cherry Preis- ser, and the Abne.r. Twins. 'deorgie Hale will stage the dances. Songs and scenes by Mur- ray, Trivers and Oakland. HOBTON BESIOra UPSTATE William Norton, manager of the Music Box, New'fork, who was un- der observation at Polyclinio hos- l;>ltal where his ailment wa3 diag- nosed as intestinal. congestion; is resting at Lake Lucerne. He is expected back at the ther atre next week.. Lep Solomon and Spencer Bettlehelm are batting for Norton in his absence. OPTIMISTIC Traer, la.^ Aug. 1. Despite that red ink marked the efforts of the little theatre move n\ent in the season just closed, times and not the- movement were to blame, directors . voted. They have made pletns for fall and winter •work which thus far will include three stage play presentations. ' Ray Smith Is president.' McGowan, Staging 'Ballyhoo' Thomas Mitchell has replaced Jack McQowan as stager of the skits for 'Ballyhoo,' revue due for fall opening. Harlan Thompson was offered the .assignment, while in town, but couldn't make It due to a Para- moimt. studio assignment _ MID-WEST Cf4AIN McLaughlin Plannlnfl 1fl>HeuM String for AutunM Cleveland, Aug-.-1. Robert McLaughlin and Sam Man- hdlm, business 'associates, planning a mldwestern stock ° chain of 12 leglt houses getting under -way around Sept 1. -The Ohio will be. the producing heja-dquarters for shows sent out on the circuit ' . Production Lull May Close 3 B. & C. Houses Los Angeles, Auk. !• Belasco & Curran is facing a com- plete shutdown of Ita^ three C0a3t houses, the Belasco Iiere and- the Curran and Geary In San Francisco, through failure to put into rehearsal a production to follow 'Cat and the Fiddle.' B & C will keep tha mu- sical at the Curran only until ina Claire -winds up liere at the Belasco. 'Cynara' closing Saturday (6), at the Blltmore here, goes Inlo the dark Geary, for two weeks. Local producers had planned on Gerhold Davis' 'FootUghts' for the Frisco ace house to follow 'Cat and Fiddle,' but with the Davis show a bloomen B & C is high and dry for an attraction. C(hOp Iroope of 50 Sfoits Bos tbir of lr2 Niters at •Meiry-ao^Round,' Barma« Cor- poration's: co-operative, road revue which -will tour, by bus, la due to open next weelc, at NorwiaHci Conn. Troupe comprises about 50 people and win one and two night it at a $1-$1.60 scale. Three and a half weeks are already booked. Cast is headed by Agnes Ayres, Shanon Day (both from pictures) and Billy Wajrne (formerly of Wayne and Warren, vaude), who is the show's producer.. Score is by Ken Nieholls, who is in tl^p cast, with the skits by Nichols and Wayne. Billy Seabury !■ staging the numbers for a ten girl chorus < and is a cast member. A. femme orchestra of 12, to double between pit and stage, is also on the roster. Other cast principals .are Marie Callahan, Marjorle Loach, Ted Meza and Marena Wolcott Show has had two advance men' out for six weeks and is hiriiig two buses at 126 weekly each which in- cludes drlveris and gasoline. Com- pany will start out through New England and upper New Tork state and may reach Canada and the middle west . — Behind the venture financially are Harry Barth and a Mr, McNicbOls, real estate men from whose names the title of the corporation is de- rived. An unusual clause tn the contracts Issued to the players is a, paragraph which apeoifies that weekly expenditures shall not gO b.eyond |1:;600 weekly, -this including chorus and orchestra salaries as well as stagehands, etc. Up to yes- terday (Monday), the backers ^ad not asked for an adjustment on this stipulation. .. j. , New U. B. 0. Awaits Action in Oct Pending lletdre Lease Settlements JobleM Bredc Wlnbhell Smith, in at hto Farmington, Conn., hoinoie for moat of the past year, calls It a break. •I've been'too busy to mon- key around Broad-wfiy recent- ly,' he -wrote » New . York friend a couple -days ago, 'So I've still got most of my money left' •■ ■■ 18 LEGIT WEEKS IN CAN. 1ST TIMEIOYRS. . TOrontOr Aug. 1. Canada -wlU be open lor legit bookings to a greater extent than any time within the past l-O years. Bookings totaling 18 weeks have been offered by Ernest M. RaWley of Toronto, -who has lined up the theatres. Territory iextends from Toronto to the northwest. A number of theatres mentioned were of the Canadian Paramount string aiid were invol-ved In a government suit .Understood that Rawley thereafter entered into an agreement to supply them -with legit attractions from time to time. McGraw After Pres. San Francisco, Aug. 1; Baldwin McGfaw, ex-EPO drama director, wants to Install a co-op stock company in the Iong-aarl|« ened President and is dickering with unions for concessions. Stage- hands . have given him a definite turndown on his equal shares propo- sltloli, bui musicians will meet this week to donsider it. Winship estate, owner of the President formerly operated by Henry Duffy, is willing to turn the theatre oysr to McGra-w sans rei^t until housei makes money. McGraw would ring up curtain at 7:46 p. m. for a 10 o'clock clos- ing. ^ Chi LegH Coiim. After Concessims from Unions Chicago, Aug. 1. One month before thei present union contracts expire, Chicago's leglt managers haye formed a com- mittee whose slogan Is 'unnecessary theatre orchestras must go.' This refers to the required five man pit orchestras which most of the leglt houses have maintained for years. Cost is $480 per theatre each week. The legit men - also want relief from the: stagehands. In this di- rection they - advocate the flexible crew system of New Tork where the backstage boys Increase in number as shows increase in size. Neither Jimmy Petrlllo, musicians' boss, or'"George Brown, of the stagehands, has been, officially in- formed of these Ideas as yet For- mal notification Is expected within a week. Hollywood, Aug. 1. BUIie Burice concludes work in 'Bill of Divorcements at Radio this Friday (6). She will remain herO two weeks and then leaves for Nevr Tork with the body of her late hus- band, FlOZlegfeld. Miss Burke de- sires a private funeral, but Mayor Walkei' is insistent on a tribute from the city. No decision has been reached as yet Miss Burke states she will read the score of Jerome Kern's operetta, which he -wrote for Zleggy prior to the latter's death, and possibly will produce it herself. Actress declares, she Is undecided .ttbout permitting use of the 'Follies' as a title, feeling that with Zleggy gone the heart of the 'Follies' is no ftiore. It is also likely that Miss Burke may complete affairs of the estate upon the termination of the 'Show- boaf revival and return here for picture work. If Miss Burke decides to go Into production, report Is that A, C. Blu- menthal will probably finance. LA. MUSICAL OOSED BY UNIONS; CAST COLLECTS . Los. Angeles, Aug. 1. . 'Footlltes,' Gerhold baviS' mu-^ BiidH," folded Wednesday (27), half an hour after :the matinee was| to start when musicians and stage- hands, holding 13,116 worth of un- cashable checks refused to render service. Cast and chorus was paid $3,400, two -weeks' salary, out of the bond posted with Equity. About $200 In refunds was made for t^n tmplayed inatinee, ^ Both linions are still waiting, for their money, and Arthur Wenzel, p.a., and Agustin Glassmlre, direc- tor, are in the same fix. Vaa's Rep for Pitt, Plans 4 40c Hats WUy. Pittsburgh, Aug. 1. Deal -whereby 'Ed Vail, former director of George Sharp stock company here, is to take over the Pitt to hpuse a repertory group next season; is expected to be closed in a few days. Vail has been around for weeks arranging financial backing and other details. The Pitt formerly a Shubert property, was, sold at a sheriff's sale some tliiie ago to the insurance company holding the. mortgage. It has been dark for more than a year. Vail Intends, to i;un 10 shows a week, including four matinees at which top will be 40 cents. Eve- nings are to be 91 cents, with a 9-cent tax, permitting customers to escape the government rap. Fears and Anderson Peggy Fears in contemplating a.n- other new show in which to star Judith Anderson. Title of the piece is 'Mletress An- tonio.' COMHEMOBATINa OIJD CAIIF. San Francisco, Aug. 1. A suggestion of the late Emelle Melville was carried out this week when a plaque was Installed in what Is now the J^elephone building, com- memorating the old- California the- atre on Bush street. J. J. Gottlob, Charles Shult and other old-timers were guests at the exercises. ULLT AT BBOASHUEST First .deorge Abbott-Phlll Dun- ning: play, 'Lilly Turner,' goes into the Broadhurst New Tork, Sept, 19. It's the piece previously known as 'Exit,' authored by- the pro- ducers and staged by Abbott The combined Erlanger-Shubect booking enterprlKes opened offices On the eighth floor of the New Amsterdam theatre Aug. 1, but it is believed the new leglt circuit -will not fully function until October be- cause of the mass of detail to be arranged, including deals with out- of-town theatres to be booked. Jules Murry for the Shuberts and Augiistus Pitou for Erlangers have separate offices for the handling of shows for New. Tork. They -will team on the out-of-town bookings. Marcus Helman, whose office is on the same floor, Is head of the .ne-«^ circuit and has the last say In ques- tions to be decided. Circuit's offi- cial title of the Unlteid BQoHing Office,, the same that once applied to the>: Keith vaudeville booking de- . partment Control and booking of a. number qt Broadway theatres, continue t<> be shuffled about because of bank- ing control or foreclosures whlcli forestall definite disposition of the houses at thiia time. Miitloal Houses Two Independent producers of musicals have dickered for leases on the Imperial and Chanln's 46th St., both of which -were properties pf the Shubert Theatre Corpn. The (Continued on page 63) CHARLOTTE FKEL HELD A.LERLANGER'SWnN)W Surrogate O'Brien handed down a ruling .Monday (1) sustaining the contention of Charlotte Flxel, who was once professipnally known as Charlotte Leslay, tiiat Bh"e was the common-law wife of the late A. L. Erla,nger. The case occupied nipst of last winter and the testlnipny: was the most -'.'olumlnous on rec- ord in such cases. It was showii that Erlanger and Miss Flxel. traveled from coast'to coast as man and wife and that they made European trips together at which time they registered as such in various hotels abroad. No 'mention Of Miss Fl±el vta.n made in Erlanger's will. The fight to establish Mlsa^Flxel's status was accompanied by a feud between At- torneys Max D.' Ste-urer as counsel for Miss Flxel, and Isldor Kresel, called In by the estate. Recently Mr. Kresel withdrew, after a re- ported dispute with Judge Mitchell tj. Erlanger after the hearings were completed. The court castigated the defense for its insistence in painting 'a sor- did picture of continued breaching pf the moral la-w' when as a matter of fact there is 'convincing proof . . .of-a union of two sympathetic persons for a time illicit, but be- cause of a barrier in the divorce decree (firlanger's) and not because of a lack of matrimonial intent, a decade of mutual fidelity, unstained ijy even a suggestion of fndlfference " or inconstancy, a blending of two lives., .as are lived by the average husband and wife faithfully devoted to each other.' Miss Flxel- now has the. right to sue for a widow's one-third dower right in the estate, which unless a settlement is made, may bo tied up for years. Indications are that the activities of the Erlanger offlce will be limited until the matter is fin- ished. EDITH KINO IN ELIZ. Newark; Aug. 1. Edith King is heading a new stock company in the Elks' Audi- torium, Ellzabetii. William Faver- sham, whose stock in Montclalr closed last spring, is playing the leads. Others ih the company are Lorna Elliot, Burr tee, William R. Ran- dall, Kirk Brown, James Horn and Walllne Groom. L A. BUTMOBE DABE Los Angeles, Aug. 1. With departure "of 'Cynara' from. the Blltmore, Saturday, (6), hous^ goes dark indefinitely. Not a single leglt show has been pencilled In for the Coast, and un- less an early season Broadway pro- duction - is Jumped here; the Er- langer -house is in for a long idle spell. I