Variety (Aug 1932)

Tuesday, Augiiet 30, 1!^32' li D E V I L L E VARIETY 31 NEWARK TO GET BACK STAGE SHOWS A 'settlement of the musicians', trouble In Newark Is looked for by . Labor. I?ay. Theatres hope to re- sume stage • shows, Includlnc; those of Paramount, RKO and Warners; . The entire city has been^ without anything on Its stages for sometime: ; First step made In progress of chains toward peace with the pit men is wi^lidi'^'wal by latter of de-| mand lor an «xtra crew to play sup- ,per shows. It's now .a auesiloii ol! ■scale, wltti beUef- that this will not . cause further .impasse as .the result' . of'appointment by. the Newark mu-| aicmen'a local of .a committee of ilve to represent them in future riegotia-! trolls'^' " ■ ; y According to inside, .musiclani? at^ ;tlie:tline of the walkout asked for. an| .liicrease over their scale, which av-; Waged: between |90 and $100 a man; Jn the A Btage~8how theatres, in the l)elief that they were going to " be 'asked to take a big cut. . r MO's 150,000 Bond ' ?«uSBg Healy-Sbabert Contract ArlHtrafion ■ After tl)e. Shuberts threatened to "«nJoln RKO from- playing 'Ted H^aly •following hlg tifl with them, .RKO put up a bond of (60,000 desired by the Shuberts in the, event of ai law suit. by. them against Healy. The Shuberts at the same time -have asked for arbitration of their .diiKerences with Healy before the -American Arbitration - Association. Date will be set later, though Healy and his manager, Paul Dempsey, claim tliere is nothing to arbitrate. .They insist the Shuberts broke : Healy'a contract for his appear- ance, in ^Passing Show' from which he walked.' . Healy opened Satjirday.. at the Palace, Clevela,Ad, ior RKO at $4,-' ' 900 and is bop.ked to .^ollo^ 1° Cin- cinnati aiid Chtcagoi /time with' .Loew has been' discussed without contracts as yet arranged. YAUDE REWSTATEHENT WEST DP to RKO EXECS Lios Angeles; Aug. 29. H. B. Franklin, Phil Reisman, Sfartin Beck, Roxy and Bob Slsk^ iwho arrived here Friday night, went Into a huddle Saturday (27) with <7]ift "Work, Coast division manager, regarding the future Coast policy. Contemplate making Orpheum here 'A' cjauss straight picture house and reopening Hlllstreet with Class <©' attractions. "With the shortlige of pictures this ineems impractical and likely that at a further meeting they will decide Ito reinstate vaude on the entire ■Coast, reopening Orpheum, San Francisco, and possibly taking back Orpheum, San Diego, now operated |>y Foz-'West Coast. LEE KIDS SPLIT WhiEit Memories .' ■ liOB .Angeles, AUg. 29. Idle vaude performers who hang around Various places waiting to be called oh,, in hopes some one will see them and that it will lead to a job, ,are invariably introduced at dance marathons, or \vhateyer the case may be, as follows: 'And next: we'll hear front - You vem^mbcr-^T the'Jr- performances at the Orpheum.' The local Orpheum hasn't played' vaudeville in : almost four years.. HPCOSTIOEW siwSFOR , Loew has .decided, that, If it can, It's going to slip the queen of spades to Piibllx ■ and RKO in Brooklyn. Means to this end will be the run- nlnig; of pictures day and date at the Metropolitan, Brooklyrii with • the Capitol,. N. Y. Met is the Loew vaude spot across the bridge. Pub- lix has its Paramount in Brooklyn and RKO the Albee. In addition to the faster flicker coverage, Loew will also augment its vaude bills with the first big show penciled for Sept. 9. Inaugu- ral stage barrage will Include Mor- ton Downey, Phil Baker, Leon Errol, Alleen Stanley, and Veloz and Yo- landa. This conglomeration in per- sonnel is along the lines of the stage shows with which thl& circuit has 'been blasting at not only the Cap- itol but the Paradise, in the Bronx, as well. . . . ^ The Paradise, which Just recently played its first big stage outlay, will get three or four more of the kind early this fall. - • ... TED HEALY'S STOOGE TROUBLE; ONE WALKS Stooge trouble for Ted Healy may i-csult in legal steps against Shemp; Howard of the trio, Howard. Fine and Howard, who a week ago yiraiked out of the Healy act and threatened to go out to do the same 'ttirte-a-ct he has been doing- for some time with Mull Howard and Larry Fine. Trio had worked alone in vaude before signing a contract with Healy. -According to "Paul Dempsey, Healy's personal manager, suit will be filed for (iCO against Shemp Howard to cover costs of quickly obtaining a hew man -when Howard vamoosed. Another -Howard brother, Jerome, has taken his place for'the time being. . Healy's cotitract with Howard, Fine and Howard calls for $450 a week. Trouble arose over diyislori 6f this moneyj between the three stooges, Shemp Howard demanding more money diirlng' the State, New York, engagenkent two weeks ago. He wanted to walk then but Healy kept him from doing it. ■ When Howard couldn't get satis- factloh-on. more money from Mull Howard and Larry Fine, he made demands on Healy for an increase and was promptly turned down. WITH RENT ON, PALACE 19,500 OUT ON 2 WEEKS In the two, weeks beginning Aug. 14 that the weekly rent went back on the house, the palacis on Broad- way has tgUrned red for $9,600. Last week with Olsen and Johnson on the stage, plus 'American Madness' (Col), although, the house grossed $17,600) a good figure, by compari- son with, past weeks, house lost around $1,600. The week's nut was $19,100, Previous week with 'Congorilla' (Fox) and Bill Robinson on the stage, house grossed under $12,000, losing around $8,000 on the week. The Palace weekly rent is over $4,000. Katharine Step* Aside to Let Jane Solo ■■ Comedienne Lbs Angeles, Aug. 29. .' Jane and Katherine Lee have split as a vaude act. Jane comes 9reflt for top spot in Fanchpn & Marco's tab -Version of 'Whoopee.' Katherine has stepped aiside to give her sister an opportunity as a slnglei IMmedlenhe. Francis X. Bushman, Jr., goes Into the Bert Gordon unit, 'Des- jwrate Sam,' also tab musicaL Oisen-Johnson Upped j To $5,500 by RKO Olsen and Johnson are being ^shed to the middle west folbwing Hhelr. showing currently at the AI- l>ee, Brooklyn. .Their Palace salary last week of $6,200 was boosted to f6,600 for out-of-town showings in- ifeluding the Albee. Olsen and Johnson will show first' at the Palace, Chicago, following the Brooklyn date and then go in for RKO In Cleveland and Kansas City. Following this they play the Inter- state time for the same outfit. 3 KEYS'SHOWING! FOR LOEW AT $1,000,4 WKS First theatre dates for the Three Keys, whom the NBC is building up, are four weeks for Loew- open- ing Sept. 30 at the Capitol, N. Y, Salary is $1,000 a week for the col- oreld trio, but specifically fixed by Rlcluirds & Lenetska, agents, as a 'showing' price. Harry Lenetska has arranged a settlement with WCAU, Philadel- phia, the station which: claimed a prior contract with the Keys, giv- ing that butlet 10% of the net com mlsh due Richards & Lenetska. it's regarded as a settlement for a moral obligation as otherwise it was felt WCAU's. contract wltlv the trio was Invalid through lack of a money consideration. Settlement Is for the life . Of WCAU's claimed agreement with the Keys, two years. Keys auditioned for Swift & Co. for a commercial and turned down $460 a week for three 15-minute sessions, holding out for more money. Trio signed with Brum^- wlck records this week. Carillo's RKO Weeks While Leo Carrillo in Honolulu last week thought he was going to London on Oct. 1,/ his New York agents, Curtis and Allen, know oth- erwise. They've booked him into Denver to open Sept, 22. Seven weeks of RKO follow the Denver date, arrangements being made with the Leo Morrison office on the Coast. CAP HAS NEW $20,000ARRAY "Top money bill at the Capitol will go in Sept. 1 (Thursday) with a: $^,000 investment for stage names as an opening-of*the-season bally. 'Blondlo of the Follies' (M-G) oh the screen. The Jack B^nny-Gebrge Olsen- Ethel Shutta radio period, at $8,000, will top. Jack Pearl at $3,500; Lll- yan I'ashman, $4,000, and Sophie Tucker at $3,500, are .other names. Soph's nabe salary is $2.600. . Radio group was booked by NBC, with Loew to pay the| wire charged when it goes on tour for that cir- cuit, Lyons & Lyons spotted Miss Tashman and Morris office officiated for Miss Tucker. TAB 'SCRAP BOOK' AS 1 HOUR VAUDE SHOW 'Scrap .Book' the 'vaudeville-revue recently presented by Chamberlain Brown at the Ambassador, has been condensed to a vaudeville unit apd opens ■ for RKO Saturday ' at the Prospect, Show's new running time is one hour. It was scheduled to tour in original form playing legit houses. There are 35 people in the unit. 'Book,' which played a bit more than a week at the Ambassador, was given twice daily includlng^ Sun days. It created > a difference of opinion among Equity officers, as to whether it was a revue or vaiide yille. After ordering its members to hand in quitting notice, Equity reversed Itself following protests by those in the cast. The 14 perform ances and Sunday playing schedule was permitted, same .going for 'FoUes Bergere,' which Is due soon, but Equity gave notice that similar shows would not be countenanced. Featured In' the vaude unit show are Ina Hayward, Eddie McKenna, Helen Bertram and Lola Rayellsl Cantor Understudy Gets IVhpopee' Bresdc at Last Los Angeles, Aug. 29, Buddy Doyle, who understudied Eddie Cantor in 'Whoopee' during run. of Zlegfeld musical, but was never given opportunity to play the part, has been engaged by Fanchon iip Marco for the (jantor part In the tab version, now in rehearisal. Jack Rutherford, also In original production, and in the screen ver- sion,' will play his old part. Mel Ruich, ex-m.c. and band lead- er,, goes Into F&^tf'B 'Sally,' Lyla Bliss also in cast,' Francis X. Bushman, Jr., and Bob Shaffer have been added to F&M'.<i oteller tab, 'Desperate Sanu' NBCs Eqianded Stage Plans; Talent Scout Act Stager; Cutting, Cowan Under BiD Evelyn Law Seeks Reno Split from Harry Jans Hollywood, Aug. 29. ; Evelyn Law 13 In- Rend to get a divorce from Harry Jans-(Jans and Whalen). ' ' Couple Mved here for. several years, Mrs. Jans having retired from stage after her marriage. . ' YAUliROAD George Jessel is lining up his ex- ecutive staff for his proposed va- riety road show which will be headed by Norma Talmadge and himself. Couple are currently lilay-. ing for Publlx -with their own tour to follow. Anticipated date, for this launching is during November, meaning any legit intentions by Jessel are off until he sees how this venture comes outr ; • Jessel has obtained Ned Alvord, and two men to work under him, who will go out ahead of troupe, while Louis Epstein and Robert ■Wilford win be back with the show on the managerial end, Jessel's in- tent Is a troiipe of about 45 people Including a group of femme dancers and his own orchestra. Negotiations on the band end include strings out for Horace Heidt and Yascha Bun- chuk's^usslan instrumentalists. MANY IAB0R4AY TRIPS WITH BIG BOAT SHOWS Although there are two short cruises scheduled for the middle of September, this weekend, which spans Labor Day, will end the sea- son of Halifax and Bermuda trips by ocean -liners. Six liners will leave New York Prlday, the largest group of the summer. Indicated that all boats will sail with near capacity passengier lists and all will carry professional entertainers. Four boats will return Tuesday morning, two sailing on six and nine day cruises. Estimated nearly 200 professionals will be carried, Berengaria will have 40 persons in its show which has Harry Hershfield as m.c. Among the artists are Maw Sisters, Blanche and Elliott, Madelyn Kllleen, Steele Sisters, Irene Faery, Samuel Mer- kur. The Georglc's show also with 40 in the show will haVe Bob Car- ney as m.c, the acts including Carolyn NoUe, Eric Titus, Woods Miller, Four Barrymores, Sherr Brothers, Kittle Sisters, Nordstrom Sisters, Zara Lee, Del Faust, Karre, Noyes and Le Baron; The liner St. Louis will have a girl revue, a spe- cial orchestra plus Marie Johanson, Bobby Bernard, Bavarian Troupe and Bell Gannon, The Belgehland which arrives on Friday morning and sails in the afternoon will carry the biggest show. Harry Rose and Ed Lowry are the dual m.c.'s, while the show carries many repeaters, some acts having remained aboard during the summer. They Include Chlgi, Serge Abagoff, Misha Markoff, Lucille V. Siller. Others Include Ted Nash, Llla Baye, Betsy Donner, Edith Rogers, (Sracie Panvlnl, Jack. Neal,. Margot Conway, Wesley Pierce, Hazel Harris, Sylyia Loew. Vivian Duncan^s Band East After Break-In Los Angeles, Aug. 29. 'Vivian Duncan and htr femme band opened Sunday at Warners, Fresno, for four day-s, with the Warner, Santa Barbara, to follow. After the bi'eak-in week b.and goes east, William Morris office han- dling, j Intent on expanding Its etage booking department, NBC Artisia Service is placing Ernest Cutting at the Head of a new taiertt dlscovety divlsloa which will. take Wm aU over the country on his'search. ; Along with this new .talent hunt, NBC is taking Rubey CJowan away from Publlx as an act stager fnd writer of special nnaterlal. It le the intent of George Engles and his aides on general bookings. Bill Mur- rayi Ed Scheulng, Chester Stratton, et al., to create .for. NBC a fully equipped booking,'Btagliig and pro- duction department to service .acta lOb^j,. ,'. - " . ';. .- Assignment of Cutting to the ape- , clal diepartmenl rilieycia" him -of his connection as assistant to Strattota, NBC contact with the RKO booking olllce. Under the revised, orranig*- . niont Cutting will be-in a pbsitlon to- submit his. material direct- to . RKO as a i-epresentative of NBC ex- clusively, and as such be free to-do business entirely on th(? net-work'dfr side of the fence. As the contact between, the iNB,C Artists. Service and the theatre cir- cuit the Strattbn, department, has its salary split between the two RCA subsidiaries, which' state of affairs presumes that the best interests of either side will be equally served -In the sale of NBC acts to RKO. Murray's Idea* Under the artists bureau's re- vised setup Cutting will .be directly beholden to Murray, in charge of the service's popular entertainment di- vision. . . . • Idea, of the NBC Artists Service going in for theatre bookings on -a big scale is. a recent Muri-ay limp- yatlon, following the;-dlscpvefy of the increasing amount of Income being derived from this source. In the drive for this trade Murray, ,a few weeks ago, appointed Ed Scheu- lng, previously head of the net- work's band department, to serve as boQking contact for NBC iacts .with Loew, Fanchon' & Mar^o, Publlx^ Fox and Warners. . Sell Away from RKO NBC sees in the vaudfllm theatres itslbest commercial outlet for talent as ail expansion source, aside from iia own air waves. - - •. ' Ether network -is *actually 'selling more of its talent to Publlx, Loew« Warner, Fox and even Fanchon & Marco than ' RKQ^' ^ Explanation around New York'seems to be that RKO only has the Palace and the Albee, Brooklyn, available. The Prospect, Brooklyn, ; is strictly a break-in spot* Radio attractions can't go further away from the broadcasting studios than Brooklyn or . possibly Jersey City or Newark. For RKO it's-Just thankless detail for an act to break in merely for the Palace and Albee for any real ... money. There's something of a. route for those few who can arrange with their commercial sponsors "to pick them up by remote contro), but tha.t's not consistent - for the aver- age act which may get 1760 and have to pay as much in wire charges. FORGERY CHARGES VS. CH, BLANCHARD. AGENT Los Angeles, Aug, 29. Charles Blanchard, former east- ern vaude agent, who has been opr . erating a film player agency in Beverly Hills, Is to be arraigned to- . day in police court on charges of suspicion of forgery, and issuing checks without sufficient funds. Complaint brought by Bank of America,, whlclt charges he.opened an account there by depositing f700, ^ worth of worthless paper drawn oh eastern banks, and then began is- suing checks made but against his account. ... Also facing charges that he took sums up to tlOO from four wpuld- be picture actresses for Jobs, and failed to produce them, Blanchaifd claimed nioney was for publicity, but couldn't convince state labor commission that he had done any press work. Dorsay^ $1^500 a Week Lfis Angeles, Aug. 29. Fifi Dorsay.goes Into the Para« mount here for one week Sept, 18. Salary set at |1,500,