Variety (Jan 1933)

Tuetsday, January 31, 1933 TIMES SQIIAIIE-SPORTS VARIEtY 57 Tm TeDing Yon By Jack Osterman Dade County Sheriff Clamps Lid Down, Miami Gay Spots Socked, Trim Shows —— . BUT AMERICAN... .BUT WHAT TO USB FOR MONEY? Th» Yankee Doodle Dandy In these days of unemployment along comes George Cohan with a play without Intermission making It impossible for the folks in the rest rooms to make a quarter. Inciden- tally, we loved Oeorge and his phil- osophy In 'Pigeons and People.' It's a great logic—^providing you've got Cohan's money. Oh, Doctor Doc liUbln, a dentist with a sense of humor, has a pal who will soon get a high-class job in Washing- ton. 'Why don't you get me a Job in the internal revenue department?' Doc asked him. The Democrat re- plied, "What does a dentist know about collecting money?' And Lubin ups and says 'Don't be silly, col- lecting money is just like pulling teeth.' Thrifty Things are so tough we read where Harry Liauder will save his annual U. S. A. Farewell Tour this year. It would have been his eighth. Show Business And who y.-ould ever think the day would come when you would see this billing In front of a the- atre, Mary Garden and the Mills Brothers. Out of the Bulbs Speaking of billing, :'.ow a days If you're in a flop your name re- mains in lights weeks after. Evi- dently if they can't pay oCC the ac- tors, they can't pay off the electri- cians either. Dietrich Quick Wallinaford That Marlene Dietrich gag of wearing men's clothes is a new racket If It clicks, gals will prob- ably be ordering dresses' with two pairs of pants. Appropriate The music publisher's theme song should be, "Here It Is Monday and I've Still Got My Office.' Minute Review The Noel Coward opening was sensational with mounted police giving a 'Ben-Hur' atmosphere to the front of the house. Coward and Lunt with their one Fontainne of Youth are swell. He gives you a great design for living, but doesn't tell you, if you followed his advice, how long you would live. Depression Qag No. 48573 Arthur (also of Club Richman) Brown knows a guy who is so broke he Is on another fellow's last legs. Capital News An authentic report from Wash- ington informs there is a movement on foot to prohibit stage portrayals of tab newspaper reporters. Maybe Odd Mclntjrre will get a chance to be the love interest yet. Precaution Harry Hershfleld advised us the other night not to use too many gestures while making a speech. He said he talked at a political dinner last Friday and has a terrible habit of pointing. The rext day three judges resigned. By Way of Punishment And since your columnist has been broadcasting from the Club Richman, the wife tells the baby, 'Be a good girl or I'll tune in on your father.' By Way of Retort Walter Winch ell reports that very few people stand up when they play our national anthem, yet at 'Caval- cade' the entire audience rises when they play 'God Save the King.' Dear W. W. . . . It's played at the end of the picture—they can't stay in there all night. Ostermania Julius Spector opening new ticket agency... .with only three phones probably one each for Lunt, Fontanne and Coward.... Wait'll you hear Koehler and Ar- len's new 'Stormy Weather'... .Bert Lahr thinks It's a DOGone frame- up RKO bills Leon Errol as Rub- ber-XjCgs himself... .We know places that could be billed, Rubber- checks Themselves... .It's getting so now the way they distinguish the two is by saying 'I'm going to the 36c Roxy....Mike Durso, • Para- mount's sheik trombonist, is having picture tests these days... .Well, anything can happen... .And we understand the Rlch-DeRuyter So- ciety Orchestra originally played in Feltman's....Hot Dog, society!.... ARB YOU READING? St Paul's Tioneer Press' Underwrites Auto Show St. Paul, Jan. 30. With prospect of no auto show for St. Paul, 'Pioneer-Press Dis- patch' underwrote project for 10 grand then pushed show, with full- page ads and columns of news copy. Auto show to run full week, 4 to 11, with local merchants presenting style show as added feature Tues- day (7), parading live models. In teeth of ballyhoo over revival of live music with Lou Breese and his band of local 'musicians to re- lieve unemployment, at Paramount, 'Pioneer Press' goes outside and hires Paul Specht's 14-plece orches- tra. Admission to auto show, 40 cents, dancing included. All profits to loc^l Community Chest. Joke of the town is the 'News,' 'P.P.-D.' opposish rar, which is frantically plugging show as a play for advertising, but automobile men,, grateful to P.P.-D., are concentrat- ing their paid space in show's 10- grand sponsor. Nevada Anti-Gamblii^ BiB Blocked TiU '34 Reno, Jan. 30. With Thomas Carroll, Las Vegas real estate'^dealer and exponent of wide open gambling, In charge of the public morals committee of the Nevada assembly, there's small chance for the antl-gambling law, presented by Initiative petition, be- ing enacted Into a law at this ses- sion. Carroll has the initiative bill locked up In his desk and it will probably stay there. That means that the Nevada voters will decide by ballot In November, 1934, whether they want gambling and how much. One Pres. to Another Washington, Jan. 30. From an incoming vice-pres. to a stage pres. was the gesture by Speaker John N. Garner to William Gaxton at a dinner tendered the fat- ter by the former Sunday evening. Gaxton Is the 'Wintergreen' elect- ed to the White House, nightly In 'Of Thee I Sing.' Show Is here for the week. Wedding Ballyhoo Gets Promotor in Law Jam Providence, Jan. 30. A dance marathon In Pawtucket, which has been in operation since early last November, was abruptly ended Thursday (26) when police ended the affair following com- plaints of clergy. Sam Lewis, operator of the mara- thon was arrested on a charge of tending to corrupt youth. He was released In $400 ball. There were 16 couples on the floor when police stopped the show. The 16 were survivors of the 56 couples who started out to win $2,000 prize. The marathon went on unnoticed by the police for weeks. Lewis got ambitious and decided to stage a public wedding of two of the participants. He ballyhooed the wedding over the air, and in the newspapers, with the result there were plenty of complaints from church people. William J. Manlon, 22, a jockey, of 65 Bartner avenue, St. Louis, Mo., and Martha Pearl Slack, 21, a fac- tory worker of Bayonne, N. J., two marathoners, obtained a license to wed at Pawtucket City Hall, but tho wedding was called off. Welcome Off Reno Mat Reno, Jan. 30. The flaming arch that graces Reno's main street announcing to the world that 'Reno, the Biggest Little City In the World,' has a wide open welcome for all comers Is not going to flame any more. By order of the city council the current has been switched off to cut down operatlni? expenses and the arch's welcome is now dark. Rubbing Out Bad Debts A class nite club recently changing hands discouraged the new owners through the light att,endance Immediately following^ Investigation re- vealed to the management that outstanding accounts on the club's books were keeping most of the members ...tray. The new owners hope they have solved the business diffi- culty by writing letters to the members of an entire new man- agement that knows nothing about old debts, with every- thing free and clear from scratch. WATSON IN UPSET SHADES LA BARBA By JACK PULASKI A boy from Blighty known flstlc- ally as Seaman Watson brought curses on his head from the wise guys who make the betting prices on fights and who layed four to one that Fidel La Barba would defeat him. Seaman, who if he was a sailor was probably bus boy on a liner, caus"ed the biggest upset of the season at the Garden last Fri- day (27) by winning the decision. How he scored more points than Fidel was rather a puzzle to many at ringside and especially the sports writers who touted La Barba as a cinch winner. Fidel subbed for Kid Chocolate who got into passport trouble at Key West and was sent back to Havana. Watson was off his pins no less than six times and for no apparent reason. Looked like he had rub- ber ankles. Three times he slipped or was dropped In the first round, bounding up immediately, however. Seaman sampled the canvas in the second, third and sixth sessions. Apparently he got his land-legs after that and remained perpen- dicular. The win was a break for Charley Harvey who has stood for plenty of kidding because of those hori- zontal British boxers he insisted on importing. Harvey Is now lame. He gimped up the steps with the aid of a cane to advise Watson at every rest period. After the de- cision Joe Humphries remarked: 'Well It looks like England Is go- ing to pay the war debt after all.* Watson smacked La Barba around plenty in the latter part of the 12 round event. They say he has a good punch, but although Fidel ab- sorbed several hard right slams he did not appear to be In trouble at any time. That goes for the' Sea- man too. His next bout will prob- ably be the deferred Chocolate scrap and the sailor being a wing- ing sort of fighter, that match for the championship should be inter- esting. It will be for the feather- weight title (126 pounds). Early this week Watson threatened to sail back and resume his job as barkeep in a pub. Semi-final brought on Benny Bass the Philly socker and Sid Lampe of Jersey. Latter looked as rugged as Benny, but he went out like a light early in round two. One of Benny's specials—a left hook to the button—turned the switch. Sid's dome hit the floor so hard that he was doubly kayoed. A little tragedy occurred at the Hollywood, Jan. 30. If and when tho beer bill Is finally passed, coast brewers are planning to distribute several hun- dred thousand bottles of free beer in a house to house canvass for steady customers. Brewers will all have to start from scratch, so they figure tho free beer as their best angle for sales In making the public con- scious of tlifir particular brands. Another angle is that the brewers feel It will be necessary to educate the public in beer drinking. Being away from it for 14 years may have weaned tho former beer drinking populace from the amber brew. Whntting the appetites with a mug Of free beer may bring back memo- LEGAL N. Y. BETTING UP Mutuels for Revenue Proposed in State Assembly Albany, Jan. 30. Declaring that $68,000,000 was bet last year on horse racing. Assembly- man William Breitenbach, Brooklyn Democrat, introduced a bill legaliz- ing pari-mutuel betting In all New York state race tracks. He esti- mates that the state could net an annual revenue of t25,000,000 from the machines. 'It is Just as sound to urge 'betting for tales' as 'beer for taxes,' said the Assemblyman. Keeping USC Football Take (fT Miffs DaSies Los Angeles, Jan. 30. Local dailies are burning at the University of Southern California since the officials of the institution have for the first time consistently refused to issue any information covering the gate receipts for the past season's football games. USC officials contend that any statements as to the amount of money made would be harmful to the school, taking the stand that the public believes there are millions made in Inter-scholastic football, while in reality the profit is small. Another reason, according to the papers, but not admitted by Uni- versity officials, is that If the profits were large, the institution might have a difficult time raising funds. Known fact that the past sea- son's pigskin battles were on the red side until the Notre Dame game at the tail end of the season. This contest played to 110,000, the coun- try's record for last season. Gate of around $350,000 put the season wall In the black. However, the New Tear's Day game at Pas&dena against Pittsburg knocked consider- able off the profit side, but still per- mitted USC to finish the season with a surplus. Sufficient profit was made on last season's athletic events at USC to insure the continuance of all sports for another year. Several of the larger universities have found it necessary to limit athletics due to lack of funds. finale of a preliminary between Al Roth and Jerry Mazza. Neither had ever lost a bout Jerry was ahead on points when In the fifth round. Roth landed a straight right to the chin and only the bell saved Mazza. His handlers foolishly permitted Jerry to answer the sixth round bell. He was quickly dropped and lost consciousness, being carried out like a sack of flour. He was removed to Polyclinic hospital with a brain concussion. The kid called for his mother, who had been dead a year. Rather good house, best attend- ance at the Garden in quite a spell. Looks like another good card this Friday (3) when Tony Canzoneri and Billy Townsend mix It 'up. Not a title bout. ries and a revived taste for lager. If this can be accomplished through the medium of the give-away pints, brewers feel that the investment will repay them well. In California, some 38 breweries are standing by awaiting the pass- ing of tho bill. No telling when boor will be legal, but the brewers have high hopes. Not so with the grape growers who feci that their cause has been lost for the time being unless the Democratic administration will make good its campaign promlsoa. To thorn any kind of wine free or bought is far distant. Lot;allzing of wine would Incroaso the returns to California grape growers some $:iO,000,000 yearly. Miami, Jan. 30. Sheriff Dan Hardie dealt a solid uppercut to night life business here this week when he announced, In effect, no gambling and a general clean-up in Dade county. Hardest hit were the Embassy club, Ira's Supper club, Bouche's Villa Venice, the Floridian hotel, Palm Island club, all of which have, heretofore, depended upon their casinos to get oft the floor show and kitchen nut. All these clubs are running, but gaming, if any, is surreptitious, and the overhead has been pared by putting on modest shows. The Floridian, hopeful that the newly elected sheriff would either do nothing or be lenient, opened with a bang-up show headed by Lou Holtz and dropped to second, rate when the pronouncement came. Bouche brought in an elaborate, sexy show, but admits he'll have to take it on the chin, hoping, how- ever, to prepare a cast which will repay him at his Chicago club next summer. Palm Island has the Yacht Club boys and a dance team; Ira's prob- ably is keeping in the black with a good cuisine and neat floor show and Ford's Embassy likely will be a feeder for the Deauville Yacht club casino at Hollywood across the hospitable Broward county line. Despite gambling situation, how- ever, Miami has been a gainer, from an amusement standpoint, by the depression. Palm Beach Is almost a deserted village, while the wealthy who pre- viously homed there, are practlslnc^ comparative thrift by residence here. New clubs, obviously opened for their casinoes, in Broward county include Rigaud's at Hallandale Beach, just over the line and George Carter's Casa Grand, also at Hal- landale. Rigaud's advertises supper and a show, Carter's place adver- tises nothing except by word of mouth. Prices at all resorts. Including hotels, are lower than since the boom. The Doherty-owned Miami Bllt- more and Roney Plaza hotels both have reported business 20% or more over last season; the Fisher hotels at the Beach also claim more eruests, more revenue. Hialeah pari-mutuel takes are over last season, and attendiance is claimed to be 30% greater than In 1932. $16.50 Bargain Rate For Mexican Divorce Mexican City, Jan. 26. Bargain dlvcrce tariffs are under consideration at an emergency ses- sion of the Chihuahua state legis- lature, presumably as a means of boosting biz for the commonwealth. Scions are figuring on amending divorce law to fix equivalent of $16.60 as a state fee for gaining freedom from matrimonial bonds. Cludad Juarez, across the river from El Paso, Tex., is Chihuahua's chief spot for divorce seeking Americans. ' State announces that 1,200 divorce decrees were granted by its courts last year. Silver Issue in Colo. Denver, Jan. 30. The buy-an-ounce-of-silver move- ment is causing gray hairs for own- ers of gasoline vending machines. Ounce pieces of silver, exactly the size of a silver dollar, are being sold three for a dollar, and are be- ing found in servc-yuurself gas pumps. Because the slugs are silver they pass through an electric protection device In the pumps which prevents slugs of iron and other metals from boinp used. Oil man complained to tho secret service, but they ap- parently can do nothing, as the slug.s do not apparently violate the counterfeiting law. The legislature may remove, the nuisance, however. A law has been introdiicod making the automatie gus pumps unlawful. Free Lager for Thirsty, if— Coast Brewers Plan House-to-House Give- Away of Pints When Law Is Changed