Variety (Oct 1933)

VAUDEVILLE Tuesday, October 31, 1933 Commissidner on i;Dows Nerret & McCabe Don't Like Jews SolQtnan's tiicensei Comnilssloner LevIn(B of New ■?ork has asked the Gorpora^ tion Coun^ei ifor kn oplhion on the employmentt agency r^^ulatlon re- quiring yaude hookers to ascertain thie solvency of theatres before send- ing them acts.. TPhe Cpmirilssipner declares that an afflrmatiye ruling will aid hini in his fight against indie bookers who send flcts put "of to\vri to be strande'd pr,pa,ld off short. The legal opinion was requested by the Coiiiniissioner following, last week's ■ hearing com- plaint^: I>QW ofllce. It is-Gommissipner Levlne's opin- that the statutes compel all bookers tp have .certified confirma- tion Of theatres* ability to pay off, along with two reliable .references; file at all iimes; without which referericfes a theatre c«l;nnot be sup- Cash and Carry Date TwQ^act last Week grabbed a date, which it needed vety badly, about 100 miles out of New York. They didn't have the means to get th^re and the one abt on thd bill owning a car didn't ht^ve room. But they played the date. They hitch-hiked... Xios Angeles, Oct> 30. Fred Soloinan's dance hail rcr Ppens this week as 'The Bowery.' Spot was the first penny diince. eni- porium in L. A.f arid has carried Soloman's name foir i& years. New. policy hip a. floor show of .10 acts In addition to regular dance periods. 25 ACTS IWYlNGFRra Stanley Gets 128,000 Willi A&A, but Goes Straight Fix Heard tlie Rumor BoUe Dpw, on the witness stand* advised the Gpmmissionep that she has heard aboiit such a- laW, but that as far as; shisi knows nobpdy ^t. Her testimony high- lighted the. hearing on the complaint of Nerret and McCabe, two-man act, that charged they were paid off short at Nate Bobbins' Bltz theatre, Syracuse, «n .a booking through the Dow .office. This complaint and tho^e frOih*'other acts on the same bill are being pressed by the. Thea- trical Demipcratic League. Mrs. Dow riied the Gommissioner by declaring Nerret and McCabe's cpmplalrtt* against the Dow office was due to their prejudice .'against the Jews.' The Commiasioner ver bally spanked her for that state ment. .Counter-testimony in the Dows' behalf was given by Dyer and Duffy. Nerret and McCabe, whp have been in the business for 26 years stated the Syracuse booking was ar^ ranged fPr them through the Dows by Mack Brown. The Cpmmlssioner askied Belle Dow: for the whereabouts of prown's office. •His office Is in his Aat,' a&ld Belle Although Amos ' Andy hung uijj a. new .h6us6 record iri their Jlnal stage .show -last -weeic,: Warnets' Stanley, Philadeli^hia,, went straight pix regardless!. House was hurt- ing W-B^s Earle too much, besides not doing well enough for itself on ah average. Earle keeps its vaude. Amos 'n' Andy grossed $28,800, breaking Barbara. Stanwyck's pre- vious high of three weeks ago. Just under. $22,000. Shea Shifts Vaude hto Hipp from Gt Lakes Buffalo, Oct. 30. Believing the Hipp to be. better suited to a regular vaudeville polr Icy, Mike Shea, Saturday (28), moved vaude over from the Great ijalces -v^hlch a couple of months ago,. on reopening, brought a com blnation policy, back to this key. Great Lakes w:ill' be used for strongest first run product sharing product with the Buffalo, the de luxe house in the Shiea string. Scattered Stage Show Pates in N. Carolina dered a subpoena for~^TOwn. for the expressed ptirpPse of determin- ing why anybody 'so Irresponsible as to be without iah office can have the right to ship aqtors out of town without assurance that they will be psLld:' " ~ . ~ * Commissioner Levlne says he's go- ing after the indie booking field in a determined effort to clean it up. Next booker due for a hearing Is Abe Feinberg, with another hearing on the, Dows also ion the calendar. W & V Reading Vaud Readlhg, Pa., Oct. 30. Floyd Stoker, long identified with vaudeville, wlli manage the Capitol, large Wilmer & Vincent house here closed for about half a year, will play vaudfilm. The stage has been enlarged and the orthestra pit relocatied to pet- p)it larger stage; shows. Frank L 'Diefenderfer will ponduct a new or^ cliestra assembled; for the house. BALLROOM'S 10 ACTS Changes Policy Name and F&M s Circuit Idea as Direct Hove For Development of Stage Policies $600 Bill, $50,000 Drop Lbs Angeles, Octw 30. Los Angeles, L. A., .recently takeii back by William Fox* has added 10 acts of vaude to Its Straight ;pictures, retailing both for 2$e top. Stage budget for the 10 acts weekly is $600. When the $600 stage show ends, down Comes a $60,000 hand embroidered housei cuti- San, Francisco, Oct. 30. Twenty-five'^ vaude ttcts are ;play'- ing in FrlSGP every week nowi That's more than since pre-talker days, and does riot includet a dozen or more specialty acts, working with bands, nor does'it include weekend dates or out-of-tpwn fltuff;; Such a " plenitude of work iia driving the bookers fi-antlc, but no more so thati the managers Who are apt to find an act frbrti the op-^ position's last Wfielt!a.lJilL-_-— . One thing the repeating of acts has done, brought but- the ingenu- ity of managers and bookers; One week they play a tumbling act as Ginsberg's Arabians; two >yeeks later they put a Spanish shawl on em and bill 'em as Gorizale's Casr tiliahs. , ; But this windfall of iPcal dates is tliat it still ' hasn't rklsed sal- aries. Usual budget for a complete bill around here Is $1.0po: That mijsht pay. for five and usually, dp'es. , 'Warfleld: and. Orpheum, both booked by Fanchoh & Marco, al thou|;h they ' are. opposition houses, hiave biggest budget. Each uses three or four aLcts weekly, in addi tipn to singers, trios, instrumental soloists .who work with the Rpesner and . Wolf stage bands. Also i>ook the Peggy O'Nelil-produced stage shows at Fox El Capitan' ln the Mission district where three acts i^ the accepted^ RKO Golden Gate plaiys five turns while Heldt stage band uses an average of four specialties. Bert Levey books 10 acts Into the Fox under new policy put in this week; also five Into Irving Acker niaii's Casino Saturdays and Sundays. )etroit Downtown and Fox Revise Policies Under PooGng Set-Dp RKO is taking the stage shoWs out of its Downtown, IDetrblt... aiid shifting them to Fox under" the pooling and operating ar- rangement between the two houses, titere. Downtown' -straieht* pictures. Detroit situ- ation- will about a change for the Fox also. This house, now; playing bl moderate priced preisen- tatlon pblicy, will switch to the name' shows, and percentage units •Which the Downtown has h^bn using. Ghsmge takes, place Nov.. , with the Fox 'getting the Carroll •Vani- ties' tab that week. All Fpx shbws, set Independently up tp .now, yriW be boked thrbugh the RKO pfflce In New York. Charlotte, N- C, Oct^ . The vaudeville crowd. Is bonibard.- Ing North Carolina picture houses and getting some good bookings. All Baba and his 'Ghost Show' SPLIT U£ANS 2 SHOWS San Fitocisco, Oct.* .cvii ^»ua aim »io wi.vov F'ox-West". Coast has its nabor ■have-^ates-Kit-^ha*lott6-and-JIigluJiaQd~M-.SaE^^ Back Bay*8 Vaude Boston, Oct. 30. cieorge" Giles swings vaude into his Uptown Friday (3) Giles has hired Charlie Hoctor and band, for- merly Lord's Day (Sunday) feature ac Loew's State. Giles will use five acts with the bond. Booking through Arthur Fish.er in : New York. Point, giving midnight shows fea turing a seance. Irving Lewis Scandals played the State, Winston-Salem. 'Flashes of 1933,' with the Sulli- van ^sisters, played the Colonial at. Winsfbh-Salenr.-—- — : - - Soilib Chllds and 'Moulin Rouge .Night Club Revue,' with Bart Cahlll, played Greensboro and Raleigh last Week. The Globe . Trott0TS preceded them in both Greensboro, and Raleigh. Don Lanihg and his 'Sllyer' Slipper Revue' was. back, in this state for a second Sunday hiidhlght show-at the Carolina,- Ciiarlotte; 'Scandal,' with negro talent, played a midnight show at Winston- Salem. •' Jack Ferdie and his 'Happy Daze,' musical show, with Sid White as master of ceremonies and the Kret- low Cocktail girls, have two days at Winston-Salem. 'De Glpry Road,' musical, played a return at Goldsbpro. Fred Richards and .ills , <5o.mpany of Blue Ridge mountain harmony singers and; musicians . heiv'e ' siome booking in' the istate policy for this stanza only. Fear ing 'Turn Back the Clock' wouldn't hold up, circuit holding it for three, putting in 'Mary Stevens for re- maining four, returning then tp regular full week. _ _Split=Jip _meansj_jextia_ work^ prbdiicing the fiitage show for Peggy O'Neill and Jay Brbwer, m.c. Radi Act in Vaud The Funnyboners, from the air, thrbugh Joe Hoffman, go vaude for a week (3) at the Fox, Phlladelk>hla risGb FoXf Fri. San ii'rancisco, Oct. 30. with inauguration of 10 acts of vaude and flrst-run feature film, Joe Leo and Henry Goldenburg have sent the Fox into Friday open- ings instead of Saturday. Last week, with Ted FIoRito's band, was cut to six .days. Friday_opBn.in^s mean house has to buc]^ Warfield, Orpfieam and.Jfox El Capitan ivith stage, fihows. EUBIN BOWS OUT 'rancisco, Oct. 30 Benny Rubin ha^ boWed out of the Oakland dine and dancie. em porium bearing hia name, leaving the owncr-arigel to run ..it alone ^^iibln.^=^aticlUng^^—j!,coynJ^^Mr^ though, for-his Monday, night hour on Don Lce-CBS network for Shell Oil. Piccoli's Two Stanzas Los Angeles, Oct. 30, • 'Plccoli' marionettes, which close at the UA Nov. 6, will go to San Franci.scb for a week at the War- field Nov. 10 and one at the Fox, Qakland, the following stanza. Troupe draws $3,500 per. Fratiklin on His Own Ottawa, Oct. 30; Joe Franklin, of Ottawa:, former general manager of. RKO 'theatre in Canada, is building a theatre cir cult of his own. With three theatres already under his wing. Franklin is building a fourth at Dal-tmouthi N. S., tp seat 1,000. This win be known as the 'Dundas.' Franklin's Trans-Lux plans for Canada are in abeyance for the present. McCooey's Son Agenting Everett Mcdppey, youngest son of John ■ H. McCooey, Dbmocratic IggggrWBfggk lyh, la going in t o th e agency business in New York, Associated with him will be Ralph Lane and George Morrison. Latter is Charlie Morrison's. brptKer. Office will handle night clubs mostly. First concerted move towkrds recreating the stage talent ...ranks and the development of the vaude and stage show fields in over two. years is coming by way of Fanchbn & Marco. P. &' M. "plians to. start a new 'A' circuit devbted to vaude and stage* shows with a guaranteed playiiig timei ' irhis. new circuit will be known as F. & M. Theatres, Inc. Marco niay head 'thei new unit with Harry'Arthur as the operating head. Will include Jack Partington and Lpuis Cohen. Cohieh, will be. In charge of the realty end. The circuit when set will com- prise, theatres which F. & M. will operate directly or through partner^ ships. It will be independent of all other Fanchbn & Marcb companiea or subslds (although affiliated by naihe) and strictly a theatre operat- Ing cbmpany. Chain Connections Certain of the partnerships and locationsy may- be chain affiliated.. Some situations this wa,y are under F. & M. control already. Others are to be sought in cities and towns which are not in coippetltlon to ex- istlng chains. Included in this category are those spots which F. & M. a,lready:. Is operating, in Los Angeles, San Franclscb, lienVer,- Salt Lake, -St. Louis and New\j^rk. Additional houses are under «Dhsider.atibn in San Diego, pakltlhd, . Portland, Seattle and other spots?^, ■ ^—^.^ Single Films and Vaitln Top Duals in Ottawa' Ottawa, Oct. 30. . Two stages are now In use in the Canadian capital. Road companies tourlQg Famous Players' houses iii Eastern Canada are being booked Into the Capitol for three days. The Rideau theatre is present- ing vaudeville In conjunction. with films, the screen prbgram haivlng been cut from two to one .feature for the addition of stage acts. In- creased business has resulted. MORTON) FABES BE'TEAM Martha Morton and Eddie Parks are resuming tiielr v.aude partner ship, dissolved last year. Miss Mortpri's ttiiarriage and re- tirement split the acts, Ousted Alb^BC Manager Says He Ha tract for Job or Fare Back to Cleve* ; the departure cSt whpse brother H?. B, Franklin from iilip shortly followed by his dismissal Irbm the Albee, Brppklyn, wants a settlement on the con.tract he says RKO gave him when his brother was the boss. Tne contract extends until January, 1934, he says, and It guarantees him transporla- tioh for himself and family back to Cleveland in the event of his em- ,plo ymen t_.t.e^rmtnating.ib^^^ It has, he was nbtiflCd last week', eo he wants, that-carfare of else. While managing only orte thbatfb, the Albee, Franklin onicijilly held the title of division manager. He w as also the only RKO theatre em- plcyeo with a contract, and with a contract guaranteeing no interfer- ence frdjn above with his manage- ment. When Division Martn^er McDonald stepped In last week, bringing with him Manager Harry Weiss, on top o£ Franklin, getting his notice, ranklih advised RKO that he considered 't 'interference, besides Ijeing a' hreach of his cpn-r tract,, and that that .entitles hini to the carfare or else. Franklin's leaving the Albee has more effect on other people than the ordinary departure of a house manager. Along ith Franklin, a whole, stage producing staff got its notice, including a staff producer, Aiexrtncler Oumansky, whom l?rank- lln .imported irom ,O_hj0 .to stage Shea Switches Vaud Great Lakes to Hipp* Buffalo, Oct. 30. Vaudeville was switch ed from She^^ "Great X'ake¥lo'SRea*s°HIpp- Saturday, with the Lakes again be- cbmlng a run house for features. The Hipp played vaudfilm .for 10 years until a switch took vaudeville to the Century two years ago. The Lakes has a_larger_seating_capacity and will bpen its new policy with Mae West's 'I'm No Angel,' follow- ing with 'FoPtlight Parade.' At the same time house managers wete changed, Edwatd Murphy going to the Hipp from the Lakes and John Carr to the Lakes from the Hipp. ABA Revision Actors' Betterment Association, to conform With requirements of its newly acquired A. F. of L- charter will adopt a new set. of by-laws and elect a new Blate. of officers, this, week. By-laws' passage and setting of a date for the election take place at a board' of governoi-sr meeting tonight (Tuesday), No change of name is contem- plated by tiie actors' organizatipn, but. a minor change will.' drop. Inc. from the fyll title. presentations at tlTe Albee. "These presentations replaced one act on the Aibee's .regulixr vaude bills. Whether Oumansky pot a contract from J. J., like J. J got one from H'. B., not known. Charleij McDoriaia, metropolitan division manager for RKO, has transferred Harry Weiss from the Oollseum, New York, to the Albee, Brooklyn. Weiss formerly handled the. spot for the company before J. J. Franklin was brought east. TRACY STiBS FOE MOEGAN Arthur Tracy stepped into HelCn Morgan's spot on the current Loew's State, New York, bill when the plaino sitter withdrew after open- ing day (Friday), due to- her voice trouble. . . ^ ^ ^ "^Misi;" Mbrg^^ t"""tiTer= opening day. Ibees in Auto Mishap Lincoln. Oct. 30. Four Ibec sisters of Minneapolis, making a jump from here to Los Angeles , by motor, barely escaped serious injury when their automo- bile was ditched. All were severely cut about the hands and face.