Variety (Aug 1932)

Oafito AOdnaai VAJSms, tMNDON. Ztanpls Iter 6M1-S9U ■ WB^B-Bwr^ V TT w llleat Mebs Lmdon, Ob^ Tyensong/ MOOO, Cajiadty, Oot of 16 London. Auer. 19< Tho heat wave, which is the worst In years for persistency, Is creating rccotd dullness tor West End the- atres. Of 44 houses, only 16 are playlns legit shows/-with a few devoted to. continuous variety and revue. But, despite the fewness of productions, only one out of the 16 Is pla,ylng to capacity; and this Is a stralerht play. .. Meanwhile dog racing tracks are reaping a harvest, and even summer resorts have temporarily stopped their annual ruin moan. Estimates Week Starting Aug. 16 Aldwych -—'Dirty Work? tenhl-? iiates seven-month run Aag. 27, to around $3,500, pretty low, but little lossi This below average riin of farces at this theatre. New play, *ifty-Fifty,' adapted by H. P. Maltby from the French of Louis yei-n^nll and Georges Beer, due iearly Septeml>er. Cast will include Qewcomers in. Matdle Hope and 9forri3 Harvey* ColiMUm.—I'Casanova*. never really got started, aiid has not recovered ft-om the tarlous cast changes, and despite cast of 286 bfein^r reduced by 40, overhead Is still around |16,000; Uahasement- bopeful. end of lieat wave will see revival, . ' Criierion—'Musical Chairs', clos- ing end of Aug. to gpod five months' I'iin, with tragic death of iauthbr' having stimulated recent businesa. Show has not made big money, due to the smallness of theatre, but lis ^till ratdd a« the best thing this lioune has bad In yeaiB. 'Richard of Bordeaux' follows early in .3ep- tem'jer. • ^^CJrury Lane*—'Cavalcade' linger- ing around the $14,000 mairi^ whlcb metins losing. Management trying to. get attraction to follow, and thus far have turned down two mu- sical sbowa,. one by Harbach and Bohlb^ and one by Jerome - Kern. TTnderstood negotiations pending for German musical, 'Silken VenuB* with liouls Dreyfus on the Contl- licnt on ihe lopk out . Hippodrome—'Oiit of the Bottle' lingering' aloner to losses, which somo weejis amount to |2,000, but neyer less tti^in $1,000. Management jopklng for new attraction,, and even .negotlatiner .for continuous revueu - ° His Majesty^t—The Dubarry" do- Il\e iirbund $6,000, which is'not fjw«d, and Stanley Scott now In Germany to make arrangement with Emll ^amiings to come over. Lyric—'Dangerous Comer' started at a, loss,: but h&a now definitely turned the comer, at around $3,500, .T^hioh is slight profit. , New—'Twelfth Nighf revival. In ^odern setting, doing around $3,500, which is profitable, due. to ° email overhead.' Closing September, with Bei-nard Shaw's latest Too True to B^ Good'' replacing. But mahage- nveht not allowed to make this an- Tiounc^ment as Sydney Carroll feels it will hurt bis business. Palace—'Cat and the Fiddle' has ' been consistent money- maker since openincr, but eutCerlng under the lieat, now around $8,000. . Q>.:een's—'Evensong,' season's real emanh, :>laylng to capacity, around $10,000 and figured as even greater hit than 'Barretts of Wimpole Street,' which tan over year. Royalty—'While Parents Sleep' still yielding profit after 250 per^ formances, and even at around $3,<;00 can keep out of the red. St. James'—'Behold We Live' off to bad press, anfjl -looks like Gert- rude liawrence is again faced with a task, but her name coupled with Sir Gerald du Maurier's should draw for a while. Saville^'Tell Her the Truth' started as smash, but for present down to around $7,000, which about even break. Pretty sure to improve with favorable weather. .. .Savoy-rArchie de Bear's 'Savoy Follies' doing around $6,000, which profitable, due to show oh sharing tei'ms, cast taking cut to tide over. Shaftesbury—'Orders Are Orders' ]ugt opened in midst of heat.wave, and despite press is doing only mod- erately. Management not perturbed, figuring, piece wiU niake money as soon as weather breaks. Whitehall—'The Gay Adventtir^' reaching -the end, and definitely closing Sept. 3, with Walter Hackett l)ur;y on new show. CAPACITY AT $20 TOP Lily Pona and Molly Picon Score in Buenos Aires _ Buenos Aires, Aug. 20^ Lily Pons greatest attraction seen hero. Her final concert at Colon Opera House saw every seat taken, 1,000 standing, and 200 extra seats on stage. Seats at $20 top. Lena Swindon, jilted dancer, com- mitted suicide. Did sister act Came from Sngland two years ago, got tangled with Argentine. Blew brains out. . Molly Picon, who came for six weeks, how in her fifth month and. stlU bi^. In Yiddish comedy at Excelsior.. BUOHANANON B'WAY London'Says .Show Has New Ama- terd^m, N. Y> Wnks Otherwise ' London, Aug. 29. . 'STack Buchanan la set to open In New York In a new Q«rshwln musi- cal at the New Amsterdam theatre oh Noy. 14. Same night his pic- ture, 'Tea; Mr. Brown,' will be given XL Broadway presentation. Buchanan Is set for the Aarons & I^«edley inuslcal with Gershwin score planned for about the middle of November. No theatre liaa been set there being at least two other candidates tor the New Amsterdam^ Peggy. Feara' Kem-Hammersteln musical and the Billy Rose show. »Tes, Mr. Brown' (British fit Do- minion) has not yet been looked over In! New Tork, though United Artistii owns th« rights. ■ A previous Buchanan film, ^Maglc Night' (B. & D.) Is due for the Riv- oli about the end of September. Widi Sad Revue and Weak Come ily London Show World London, Aug. 20. Joe Termini at tjtie Palladium week of Aug. 16 'v^as allotted 10 minutes. His full act mliius en- cores, consumes 16 mtns. It com- pelled Joe to Jump Into his comedy immediately. He stopped the show. Jack McLallan, Sarah and Tony, another return from last year, were welcomed back. Perennial 'Mawrua^ Looks like the West Bnd Is in for . a. 'Potash & Pemutter^ revival shortly. Sdward LaurUlard has practically settled to stage 'Business With America,' and has been cabling to Gus Yorke and Robert Leonard to play the leads. Joe Hayman, of Hayman and Franklyn, la now getting a bankroll to do 'Potash' & Perlmutter Detec- tives,' to take to the road , and eventually likely to be staged in London. ——:— Too Much for Apollon Dave Apollon, booked at the Lon-^ don Pavilion for four weeks, asked John Southern to release him after the third week, as the four ahows daily, which nieant a continuoua 12 hours, waa besinnlhg to tell .on him. Southern realized It was undermln- Ing Dave's health and released him. Apollon goes to the sbtath of France for a week to recuperate, and then begins dates .lor Gaumont-Brltlsh picture houses and the Paramount Astorias. Apollon has promised Southern he will return to the jpavllion for at other fortnight lat«r« Sydney Legit Season Has Failures Early Sydney, Aug. 1. Two recent failures were 'The Owod Palry' and 'Happy and Glo- rious' offered by Gabriel Toyno. In tho picture field, too, failures iv'ivo been rather prevalent. 'Pas- Kionate I'lumbcr' and 'Symphony of PIx MUUona' failed to draw and were both olt after one week. 'Ar- sene Lupin' weakened after two •weeks. However, 'Man Who Played God,' 'One Hour With You,' 'The Lost Squadron* and 'Emma,' have •11 had remarkable business. Troupe for Orient Cecil Davis over here lining up talent for tour to the Far EJast 'Com prising Egypt, India, Kenya, East- ern Africa, Rhodesia and South Afriea; Tour last 32 weeks, mostly weekly stands. , Play for Yvonne Amaud Yvonne Amaud, now fully recov ered from serious Illness which has kept her away from the stage for nine months, returns in September in a new comedy at the Globe called 'Will You Love Me Always?' Two U. 8. Acts Score Two acts from' America scored sensational hits at the Palladium Aug. 8. Wilson, Keppel and Betty, and Dixon and 'Pal,' called the best seal act seen here. Gauniont Trims Sail Plenty of shuffling going oh at ^Gaiimont British. First to go is likely to be Ideal Film Renters, G. B. subsidiary in charge of Sam Ro-.vson. Ideal was bought into Gav.mont British when the Ostrers toolc charges as sole difStributors oi! 'Mickey Mousa.' Now that Mickey is handled by United Artists there is nothing left for Ideal. W & F Film Distributors, an- other G. B. subsidlEvry, looks like before long. Gaumont British will have one distributing concei'n, the Gciiniont .Films. rebuilt an exit fron^ the theatre di- rect Into the station will be pro- vided. ' Sbile of the Empire Man actually seated in the XSn- pire picture house the other night durlniT the Bwelterins heat without his coat ■ Waiting at Gretna Greien . Tex Mclieod and Marjorle Tiller tried to get ' majFried at' Gretna Oreen^ Sc6tland,;:ahjl were Informed, they must be resident 21 days. Hackeft'a New Play : Walter Hackett'a 'The Gay Ad- venture' will end a^ . the Whitehall Sept 3. The author has written a new play for his theatre. It will open about the mlddlia of next month. Stage-Screen Coincidence Amalgamated Fllmd Aissociation, Indle, in conjunction with AAFA* producing Flans Lehar's musical, 'Happy-iGo-Lucky,'. .with Marta Egerth, Georgia K. Arthur, Owen Nares, O. B. ..Clarence, Gibb Mc- Laughlin, Wendy Barrle, Alice Je.t- frles, Robert Bale. It Is a coincidence that George K. Arthur was In the film version of 'Ellpps,' while O. B. Clarence was in the 'Stage version. Also that Robert Hale played Madam Lucy in the stage 'Irene' at the Empire in 1919, while Arthur played the same ■role in film version. (Continued from pace 17) Hoyts with 'Trial of Vivlenne Ware.' radio plug assisting. . 'Lost Sauadron' (film) stayed two weeks at the State and 'This Is the Night', is a .winner for the Car- rolls. Stace ishow bid added draw. Set for about four weeks. fn Melbourne In Melbourne W-T opera Is difaw' ln|r well. Dame Sybil Thorndlke playing 'Madame. Plays Nap' for same managotnen' .. Jack Russell and bis. American revue opsned- nicely. - RKO Importations RKO has lined up the following acts for America: Skarlett'a Chim- pamiees, DolinofC and Raya Sisters, Claudia Alba, Giovanni, "Walter and Paul Maningo, George/' Campo, Ike Freedman, Grade Schehck and Co., Mady and Co., Fransky, Mara Ma- rionettes, Klrkwhite and Addison, Cairolo Porto and Parlette, Three Wlore Brothers and Harold and Lo. AH booked by W. W. Passport 'Hay Fever* Revival . 'Hay Fever* is being revived In the West End some time In Novem- ber, with Constance Collier in the role created by Marie Tempest Hip Taps Tube With the reconstruction of the under£p?ound railway at Leicester sqivare, the lounge .at the Hippo- drome will be demolished, and when Pass on New Tax The Motion Picture Exhibitors' associ.itloh in Melbourne has de cided that the new Victorian amuss- ment tax, -which comes into opera tlon this week must be passed on to the publio. . New tax will operate on admis- sions from 8 cents and up to 26 cents. This teieana an extra tax of 2 cents on every ticket sold from 8 to 25 cents. Between 25 sind 60 cents there Is no further Increase, but .on dollar tickets extra tax imposes a burden of 4 cents-with 8 cents' chax-ge on $2 seats. This tax is added to the present amusement tax thiat has been in operation for some years. W.-T. Productions Willlamson-Tait a:nnounce Theo Shell, Viennese, has beeri enga s^ed to appear in'Autumn Crocus.' Same firm will also produce 'Dr. Pygma lion* and 'Hold My Hand' from tho London Gaiety. Madge Elliott and Cyril Richards will have the leads. Pack Russell will open with his revue company , at the Tivbll, Mel- bourne for Frank Nell., The Fullers say they are not Interested in the venture. Russell hails from Amer- ica. Greater TTnloh will turn.State, Sydney, into a weekly change house. Policy has been chopped and change many, times. Hoyts evidently expect big things with 'The Trlal of Vivlenne Ware.' They are* starting their day sessions at 9 a. m. Story was put over the radio network a week ago. Europe's Beacon . Word has reached New York that the diamond market in Antwerp has picked up consid- eraUy In the past few weeks. That's the best indicatloh, ' from a European standpoint, that general business condi- tions are on the upgrade. BIffiACH OF CONTRACT CLAIM VS. D. $. STAR Paris, Aug. 29. DifBculties have arisen over Jean- nette MacDonald's last year's promise to come qveit thU. October for a legit a.ppearance here. She w^ to do. a revival of The Meriry 'VT'Idow' at the: Trtanpn-Lyrlque, with that understood how cancelled by the press of picture" work In BCqllywood. Theatre management has threat- ened suit against Miss MacDonald, Paramount and Bob RUiehle, her bufllnesa manager. News of tk DaiEes . . {Continued from page d9) Bixposltlon wanted to-keep all the sheckels in town for themselves, a judere ruled. Consequently, Rlng- Ung show plays the- Nebraska metropolis today (29). Mrs. .Esther Lowe, 36, shot and killed her business partner,. Clarence Cfroaby. They owned a roadhouse near Joliet HI* Self-defense was given as the motive. Phyllss Chapman, 20, got pinched for being In the society of ia bandit Pbyliss met Fred Spaiks,. also 20, at the Centre and Howe , night club, Chicago. A gas station attendant recognized Sparks as a hbldup gent (i^led the cops, and the cafe girl was lodged in the hoosegow over night Lucius Barnett got oif with $300 in fines on several misdemeanor charges growing out of his. now re- gretted efforts to make a nest egg from publishing the lave letters of Bill Jurges, Cubs shortstop, to, Vir- ginia Vallt, Jurges' front-page shooting sweetheart Further charges will be tried Sept 7. Henry J. Millstone, Chicago plas- tic surgeon known In show busi- ness, was divorced. He beat and kicked h*v on occasions and places too numerous to mention, said the wife. . .London, Aug. 29. ' New season finally got Under way; here, though nothing especially out< standing among the first few plays, 'Tomorrow Will bie Friday' at the Haymarket la a cleverly written comedy lacking aufflclent plot to mean much. Even Marie Tempest's wortc and name won't sustain it long. ■ ■. . •■■ • " " 'Paris In London' at the Comedy is ah apalling revue 'starring Arthur Baskcomb. It's even below the usual provincial standards and hopeless for the West feind. Lucky if it sticks a week.'" ■ ■'' Criiics Tax Fre& Visiting San Fran<ilsco lady had her puree containing $20 and a new dental plate stolen at the Chicago, theatre. Two Richmond, Ind., persons are ,dead of injuries from an accident. Buddy Rogers' limousine .is in- volved. Herman Fisher, film engineer, was cxoneirated of a reckless driving charge in Chicago. Other party re- fused to prosecute. Gladys Kasak, 11, known in Chi- cago radloland as the 'Sunshine GirV died en route to a hospital for an emergency operation. She had sung Bohemian and German folk songs for five years. Canada Indies (Continued from page 17) time, the independent theatre own- ers swear they will play suitable British pictures without compul- sion, and. In this, they emphasize, they are guided by patriotic mo- tives. The new tax has them wor- ried, however, and they point but that Canadians, and no others, will feel the brunt of the so-called spe- cial levy. The latter will not keep out a single American film and it won't bring in any more British films than usual while it will only make it that much more difflcult to do business. The chains can pay any tax that comes along, tho In- dies say, but there Is a limit to the resources6f the nabb' theatre operator. Wbrd has alreadr been teoeiv«d 1 (Cdntlnued from page 1) result of the inquiry of Elbert Sev- erance of tliA'^Chanin theatres who wrote the commissioner as to yarl'< ous phases of the law. In particu- lar the mattet - of tree admissions was gone Into, with the verillcation that all such are taxable, with the exception df the press. Under the date of Aug. It R. M. Estes, Depu- ty Commissioner, ruled: 'Where pewspc^piar .reporters, dra^ niatlc qrltlcsj radio announcers are admitted, free .for the purpose of performing .special duties In connec- tion with the entertainment, and those speciieil duties ore the sole rea- son f br thel;^ presence at the event and for the free admission thereto, such admissions are not subject to tax.' ^ Yet the last paragraph in the first article In 'Regulations 43' of the Treasury Department reads: 'News-■ paper reporters, photographers, telegrraphers, radio announcers, eto., are not exempt frem paying-a-tax equivalent to that paid by others for the same or similar accommodal- 7 tions, even though admitted free, or at reduced fates. Unless they qualify, as bbna fide employees of the man^ agement of the place.' Recently several tlieatre manage- ments announced: that they would assume the tax 'for oHtlcs' tickets and money has been put aside for, such tickets. In the case "of legit theatres, the attraction would havei paid the larg^iT'share of that tazv getting the major share of the re- ceipts. As for. figiit reporters, the promoters have assumed the tax for., 'working . press' tickets.' - Same Is undwstood to have applied to base- ball parks, as rega:rds sports writer^ admitted to tite press box. Picture reviewers, however, have paid the tax in all houses where^ the price exceeds 41 cents. Publica- tions have refunded the tax to the film critics. Newspaper, people are not left free by the new ruling to come and go into places of amusement The exemption extends oidy to the times when ttaiey attend for the precise purpose of reporting an event or re- viewing a show, picture, etc. At all other times they mus't pay tax of 10% on the full value of the ticket unless the price of admission is less than 41 cents.' The ruling comes at a favoriable tlnie. Just prior to the opening of the Broadway season. ^ Managements who have paid any money on tickets use^by newspa- per people are entitled to apply for a refund. that deputations representing the- atre organizations ahd film ex- changes'will concentrate in Ottawa to present strong arguments against the rental tax, and this wllt.be done before Parliament ox>ens. They axe waiting only for the announcement of the date of the session. Meanwhile they still think that the Imperial Economic Conference provided a British film quota law for the whole empire. Government ofllclals have received notification bf the organization of another Ca- nadian film producing project this being a Vancouver, B. C, syndicate headed by Capt J. W. Hohbs, who announces that pictures will be made to qualify under quota re- quirements. Recently Canada Productions, Limited, was organized to use the Ontario Government studio at Trenton, Ontario, for the bame pur- pose, the promoter being J. D. Fletcher, formerly with Famous Players Canadian Corp.