Variety (Dec 1934)

(Fifth of d ttrUn on ^nite N/« In ihe $rlMHp<a cttiet of the V. B.J iBaofc in thin reporter'* dimly Mmembered childhodd/ Tillase ; 6£ Wampum, ?a,; tbe: farmers for ' Biilei around: used fb liit %hat "was J^morouBly lealled . the : Main Stem - once a we^ no more, no less. That was Saturday night, , when the i-week'« Tittles were put in and a '.«ou^e of ohaklit'iBodas and a pltch- ; ^ would round: out a hot time: In :the old town that nigrht. The popu- lation of Wainiipmn was and: still is ' too; metrbpolttan Pittsburgh iion- trlbntes 1,^00;000 aoUtB to tlie 120 tailltons of "these United States, but l>ittsburgh is essentially an oyer- V tized'W'amjkim. ■ i For Plttabui»h, thromfh prohibi- tion and ho'vy: repeal, remains strict- ly a Saturday night, town. It's the iilght the boya and girls vgb out to .«pend wliat .they've managed to ac- oumulate thrbujgh' a slx-nlght period of radio listerilng. The end Of pro-, blbitlbn' . has . naturally.^ brought about ah increase In buBiiiesB, but It'iB a Saturday night increase and, with lew; eKoeptioiis^ thel ' town's night life through the week is prac- tically hull and void. •. This si iielped any by ; the strlngpnt liquors law$ Of Pennsylvania, i whlcli .bbihpel the '•OeBBatibn bf alcoholic - hostilities bn the dot .at 2 t^in. and at midnight on Saturday until 7 avni. Monday ihornlngi T9ie penalty la loss of a . 12,000 bond and the revocation of license, tatter wduld be fatal for any itltery and the boys are talcing —asrJew-chances--ajMpo8Blble . ■ ■ fotera...-'- There's another trade factor .that so far the cafe operators, have been ' unable to eliminate, and that's the practice of toting one's own, : It's ' Ostimated that at least half of the . oustomere do~*lt;: Just last -week, aitery and hotel owners niet to fix a certain corkage charge per per- son for those who go in for Just «et-ups, but no action has yet been taken. It's eTcpected to come before Kew Tear's Eve: anyway, the night of the year When everytoody mops - _What^inight croWd there is^Jeft "liere has bonBlstenl^Iy paMed.up the hofeis for the smaller spots, Just as they ; have done, lii the past. Only the .William Peinn gets a nightly dance pliay at Its Chatterbox and •remains one of the few sites here to still inflictva coyer charge,-12.20 Ser couple. Wiidle all other :places Ish out big shows and minimum' oheck -tariffs, this hotel, catering atrl'ctly to the bhUM and inbney orowd, has -pothing on tap but a . band, at the moment Paul ,Peridar- .▼is', and with : drinkiB the stiffest iprlced In town^ ' Of the established hiterieiB, the Plaza stm seems to be getting more than its share of the loose coin^ Operated by John Magglnottl, for- mer waiter; Etzi Covato, who leads the band there,. and an' unnamed ttiird partner, it was the first spot to come out'w*ith big floor shows a voouple of seasons ago and with the . advent of repeal: the habit re- ■l9g!lBed._3aift NlxQn> Toi^t-Cxmforti!a local night club industry, reducing the field to a few places, where everything will be hufiky-dory once trade does pjck up. In the past new night clubs used to appear at the rate of two a week aiid fold a fort- night later. Now, With a |2i000 bond to put up and |600 additional for the liguor license, the boys aren't sb ready to take a chance. That^ll help the legltlrfiate spots this New Year's Eve, and they're counting on that, since every year the greatest up- risings in the cafe field hav« taken place around this time of the s'ectson. While volume of' trade hasn't picked up materially, the takings have, with checks 'way above their ordinary average. ^ This has per- mitted spots to splurge. bh talent, bringing In name acts bccaslonally and surrounding them with pt^eseh- tatiohs that of ton eclipse tiiose :ln the deliize movie houses. Five, years ago a name act In a nltery here was unheard of; today Ifs quite com- mon.:: ■ : Until a couple of weekS'ago town hais escaped the massive dance garr dens so popular elsewhere. .But now Sportsmen's Enterprises, have taken over . old Motor Square Garden^ sports arena, redecorated it to the tune Of '|2O;0OO, and can atcommo- date around 3,000 dancers. Spot sOi'ves only beer. • There!s a door charge of BOb pet person, and It's getting ia play. from tl^ jniddle classesi Operators are bringing, in name bands, but it's open only bh Week-eilds.' y Because, after all Is said and done, Pittsburg' remains Brst, last ■ aiid •always a Saturday: night town—a big, overgrown Wajaipuni. ■ : ;0pot, goes on and on, with no fire- works but turning a steady profit. In the last couple of monthg the Vcene lias.^bfeen obhslderably brtght- ♦ned by ■ the^ re turn of two j^well- Khown. night club operators here-in the past. One is Eddie Klein, who 10 years ago had a gold mine in the old Garden Inn In East; Lilberty. ■ Recently lie -took -Over the Tent Club, above Duquesne GardehV fnanged the liathe to the 400 Club, Installed a big show, and has thus far made something of an .Impres-: Bloh. ^The•other Is Joe Hlller. once manager ot.the Show Boat In Its halcyon days^ .Hfi's back at a new BPPt, the Music, Box, ,a .new nitery and not a revamped bne, and'has a clientele of his own. . '. •- RestaumntB have all made a dent Most Played on Air To famiUaa^ tht^^ t^ thetunetiMMiofkth«pkrurw*A New York, th9 foiioictnff 4a the Uatino of the aoiiga moat f^avad ; on- th« .: crQt9-eountrv netMHrrka\: last weeki jn nlatlw irtahdinff, aceordino *o, tha ■nwmber of combined pluga on "WEAFi WJZ. -WABO and WMOA. Object of My Affection It's June In January : Winter Wonderland :^ Dancing witti My Shadow Hands'... ,:8tay :8we«i'as Ypu Are '. Santa'o Coniing to .Town :'Cbntineinltal' y : An Invitation, to Dance FoMow My Secret; Hurt :/ Pop Goes Your Heart An Earful of f^iisib ; : . -Am' I' to., fSlame?'^ :; Where Smoke*: There's Fire Be Still My Heartv .: What Difforeiieo Day Made You'rb the.Top ' ■ All Through tho Nioht Because Oneo Upon T^ime . Mr. and Mr*, la the Name Out in Cold Again . ^ ; Believe it> Beloved Flirtation Walk ^ ' t Woke Up Too Soon - ^ . .Alabama Take Number frein.1\ to iO . A Needle In Haystaok; I'm Growing: Foiider of Yoii : Pi". 8»--l; Love, Yeu'-. You aind Night and Music : Love :1s Just Araiind - Corner . With Eyery Breath I Takb , : TUNERS SCORE DOUBLE Gilbert and Bernar Land Numbers -TT——-7T--in-8eparatr^Pi v"':;: .'tohdop/:pec.'J4. Al Oobdbeart, Maurice .Slgler and Al . Hbffmim • whom_ Cimipbell-Con- nelly Impbrted frOni: jQlmuslcal songwriting haVe had their contracts extended: until next May.... . Gaumont'i.Britlsh: has payrolled the three American tunesmlths and given them further assignments. Ill Hoiididi D(^^ Holly wood, Dec.'«4. V Jay tniidden iond band sailed Saturday (22) aboard the President Hoover for Honolulu; Combo: opens New Tear'* Eye in the new baU- room at Young's hotel. Inaugurating thV'vdnter seajgbn on the Islandis. Advent of "the Whldden .band to Honolulu Is expected to bring a rush of other name bands and tal- ent to Hawaiian hite spots. .■ Pendleton Re-elected li. A; Musicians Prez . . Los Angeles;! Deo. 24.; ! , Frank b. Pendleton bias been re- elected prefiident of mu&iclans' lobal 47; A. F. of M. defeating his only Opponent, George; D. McMaster, by a vote of 729 to' 187. Max Sturgia had no opposition to succeed him- self as vice-president. TTelther did :Fred W. Forbes, recording secre- tary. and Cliff Wenster. business Holljrwbod, be. 24.- li. Wolfe ^Gilbert and Felix Ber- nar have clicked fbr a iiecond sale to .pictures in .a :,week. Pair Jiavc closed with RKO Radio, for their number, 'Tou. Opened My Eyes,' whlcli will be featured In the Wheeler iond '^[polsey pic, 'Murder in Tin Pan Alley/ Fey/ days previously they scribed 'Becky Sharp,', which Pioneer grabbed for Its pic bf thait name. 5 NAME BANDS Wni HAY BALTO AUTO SHOW Baltlmoibf I>ec. 24. Thls_year's Aitt o Show, s p onsor ed by t he Maryland'Automobile Tra^ii Association, skeded for Jan. 21-26 at the iFItth Regiment Armory here, is being primed ^0 be most iayish motor-merchandising effort ever tried In Balto. ' Five name baadi have been itiked ib, secured from Columbia Artists* Bureau. Eeich crew will play single nite and. will come ' to the Order named:. 3Paul Whiteman; . Isham Jones, joe Haymes, Ted Black and Freddie Mch. They w«^^ bought -fr om CBS at $10,000 for alL No 'Other entertainment .'beinff arranged and there will bo no dancing. Door admlsh will be exaoted;. Airto Show will be first event Held ln_.jre,cbnBtrttCt»a-._ArmOry,-jKhicli- wos destroyed by flames two years ago and rebuilt at a cost of ^ $1,600,- ooo. o-: ■ Black Cat, N.Y^ Reopening Willi Be^ Harry: and Jack Flnkelsteln re- open ^the .Black Cat In .Greenwich Village Dec. 87. FLOOR SHOWS OUT Carteri Cleve., Gblno in for Name 'Bands-Only .Cleveland, Dec. 24. , ;Ani9bn Weeiis': ork was brought in by Carter hotel to reopen its Rain- bow room, one of town's class spots, and is aet for- tv^'o weeks. Yinceht Lopez tentatively slated to lOllbw. ,!Hotel Is reversing its last year's pbllcy, which Included a chorus- line and expensive revue. No floor show :thi8 'Season, arid only" oilier enter- tainment biitslde of Week's; band is Al Bannen'sCbntiiientalFptir, which is going to Miami alter the new .year.: .... . The 'iilue ticket,' i^rhich represents the more radical element , in the or^ iianizatlon, won a sweeping victory last week ln,_the first annual elec- tion held by't he New York mujsl- lim*?ani«snr802, since being grant- ed local autonomy; Ballot cQunt-up found every one of the currerit.offl- ders out; with the saVne applying to the • exeoutiveu ; and trial boards. Practically all the: latter sought election' on the 'yellow ticket/ New electees take office Jan. 8. Voted into (rffice , last week were William" Fineberg, vice-president; Jacob Rosenberg, secretary; Harry Siiber,, treasurer; -Richard IMcCahn, Samuel Siiber, Wlillam Alex Con- way,. Jr., Anthony Mullerl, David Fre?di Winiam_I.a«idner,.. Robert Sterne, Louis Sperandel land: George Konkly, members of the executive board; and Bmll G. Balzer, Max L. Arons, George Schectpr, Edward HOm, C. G. McGibney, Sidney Feld- maii, Frank (Jazz) Garlsto, Albert Modlano, Pete L. Petriizello, memr hers of the trial board.: : McCa nn . an d Ro senberg r^coived. the appointments as dejegates to the Americian .Federation of Musician^' convention. ^^ Edward 'Canavan remains jpreal- dent lor another year and. si half. When the A.: F. of M. convention last summer voted 802-local autonomy it stipulated that Caiiavan, an ap-' pointee Of Interpatiohal Prepildent JOsepih N. "Weber, retain hlia ofllco fOr two years. Speed ]Dp Pop Releases • ±ioilywood7'Dec. '2'4r" . A record pressing plant 'tor American Record company _ and Brunswick Phonograph. Is . being iconstructed at ihe rear of the Se- ward' street plibit of j-ConsoIidated Film Laboratories, ^ New building, will house coast • quarters of bpili American Record and Brunswlcki which: are subsidi- aries of. COnsplldat^d Film/ Indus- tries. Execs figure tb have all ooast recordings made for the Brunswick label pressed in the new i plant and PiabllBhihg trade as represented in the Music. /Publishers' Protective. Asaociatlon has, decided to ask"iihe chain Etorbs to deter shutting down any more sheet, music counters until a study had been made of the legal questions involving the creation of a central shipping sorvlcb for - the- syndicates. At a ineetiJig of leading publishers last week John jOt. Paine, : MPeA xhairbian, was delegated to. niake the inquiry, and reliy tlie re- quest, to the chain nicii. ; Palne's asBlgnrnfent^ entails flnd- Ihs piit which publlshei's have set- tlement agreements •^^^ Max Mayer, Jobber, which, bar theni frpm central distributing alliaTjces and whether they could participate in a wafehpuslng .service for chain Stores. ■ Mayer's, agrteementis with • bine loading publishers, obta,Ined during- the. trial Of.: his : conspiracy suit last, sprlbg, .haye' until April to;go.. r in- the fivent..the Mdycr situation caii/ not be legally Tintariglecl, Piliie has been authorized to "urge the^,! sxindicateS; to bear ^aVpng .with the industry and keep their counters' going until April. : Though sonie publishers strongly favor a bontral shipping eenfice as demanded .by the .chaihsi otfiers take the view that the less of syn- dicate business would be made up for by' an incveaso Of /sales «!mong indie ■ retailers and that special shipping serylce or no; Bpecial ship-, ping servicey "the chalhs will main- tain, : as •. always, a . shoot muislo counter as long as It shows a' profit. IHSMISSAL iSKE&IN COHAN COPYtaCHT SUIT Counsel for the Rlchmpnd-Mayer Music do. and Robblhs Music vGorp.- last week sought to obtain from Justice • Walsh in the Kow york. I^Supreme. Court a TdisDiissal of the. suit tlfat "! George M. ' Cohan' had brought in .connebtion,: with . his claim to the Fred A. Mlil.s catalog. Defendants' lawyers argued that the state'court haid no juirlqdictldn oyer copyright matters, and' that Jf the action was predicated on ;a vio- lation of contract Cbhan had no case because ho cbuldn't' show an_ agreemeht'~Th'i^lVrng,^ T^^^ Mayer. or Robbihs.. The court re- served. decision on the motlpit for dismissal. ■■ _ In his complaint Cohan , contended the: late Fred /A. Mills, publisher^ had no authority to assign.to Rich- mond-Mayer a .^group of Cohan tunes which Ihcluded 'Give: My Re- gords to Broadway,' 'Little Johnny; Jones' and 'Yankee Dopaie Dandy.' Richihond-Mnyef later disposed, of fhls^catalbg to Rbbblhs." ' Cohan origlhally broiight suit ainst theTtwD~flri3SB In New 'Ifork Federal Court. His bbunsel moved the issue to the. state court after theformer tribunal gi'anted the; RJcitfnjtind-jWaysr.an^^^^ yers' motion for a dismissal, with a . proviso that Cohan be allowed 80 , days in which to file' an amended complaint. . EeM Wqi4 Stagge^ for 576 LA; Musicians Los Angeles, Dec, 24- ■Upwards of 678 of Its unemployed In the legitimate night club chan- tieLs, Every eatery with a booze license has installed a small band. a_ couple of ,pick-me-up acts, and advertise 'dancing and big floor .Show,' naturally dlvertlnig businiess other channels. Another thing Ihat s arisen to plague the cafe busi- ness Is the mushroom growth of .so- called private cTubs, where John Pubr •lio is a, member and can get a drink and a couple Of bars of Beethoven any hour Of the day or night, wquor commission hais lately ■Clamped down On such clubs, ;how^ ever, and cafes are hopeful. ' . One other outgrowth Of repeal Is the exclusive, gambling club, usually located pn the.Outskirts: of the city,: Where they, pay for. drinks,' reason- ably priced. If they Btoy downstairs iX* .'^"'^^ and watch the show, but "It em on the house if willing to cnance the wheel or dicV table. But inese estabHshments are getting cmefly^ a late crowd, since theyVe protected and, can run continuously. .. . Stabilized . " has done nothing else, the return of booze has stablJIzed the representative. Ward Harrington was re-elected financial secretary oyer John J; Seweil;; Board of trustees corbprlsee Clarence SJiaw, George W, Teas- diale and Harry H; Silverman. Dele- gatis ,to Federation convention are J. W. Gillette and Harry Baldwin. Marty Beck's orchestra will head a show; produced by Jack Pomeroy. Sah Antonib-^hbws Sah Antoihlo, Dec.' 24. ' Jimmie Arnold has jstepped out of Blue Steele's band to Organize an ll^piece combo for the Club Royaie, one, of town's numerous niterles. Doris Zemah, Adi^ain and DelPres and Gene Rewdch comppse the' floor show.;. ..■ Shadowiahd holiday floor enter- tainment features Hank the . Mule,, Rose and Ray Lyte, Jordan trip, TVonne and Vernon, bnd Wanda and Collins, and Happy Feltpn band. Daro and Costaj adagio team, were added to Olmos Dinner, club floor show. Ykchters Set in Miami Tacht Club Boys open at Barney Gallant's, Miami. Jan. 16. Veloz and Toland and Shep Fields' / Orches- tra are also featured In the ■ho'rt'.. Quartet, recently, back from Lon- don, made a short for Warners: last week in .Brooklyn anid are being of- fered a term oontract for a series of shbrts. Abe Lastfogel: (William Morris, agency) 'is handling thenri, ' shipped to all states west of the Mississippi, This method, it is ex- pected, WJlii give quicker release on pop numbers in .the west. ■ ENDOS, FARKEIL TO MIAMI Hollywood, bee. 24. Chic -Endbr and Charles Farreli, who blosed at the: .Clover Clubi left here Friday (21) for Detroit where they go into the Detroit A. C.: for two weeks opening Deo. 98; Then go to the Beach and Tennis Club; Miami, .for the remainder- of the Wlntfi-'s season. Cilt Down oh Strauss Bauid iii GM Ca^ ^ ry .'-'' ':' Chicago, Dec. 24, ' After a week of operation under the new 'Hellb Paris, Vienna Hello' show at the Casino tile nitery has decided to cut down oh the Johanri Strauss'.orchestra. ....'. Cutting the roster from 8B men to 'ZO...' members have been placed In local relief project; work rec lay musicians' local 47. Unmarried, members, ■with ho dependentg, work six hours Weekly on these-assign- ^ mentB,;.<;Vv.>' ■ Married members and those with dependents work frond eight to 24. hburs weekly. Pay is at r.ite of TBc per hour. •■' .. RainoQ and Ro8ita^ Busy Hollywood, Dec. 24. Ramon and Roslta, ballroom dancers, are opening in the new Florentine room at the Beverly Wll- shlre hotfl r-in New Tear's Eve. Pair alsrr-eo-lnto Warner's 'Gold- diggers of i688/ . Midwest Bands Switch ■'..y''.': .. Chicago, Dc. 24. r Several switches .in baridfi tlirpugh the midwest, with the various nlte spots getting . set,for tho lieH' year,: Seymour Slnion orchestra goes into, the Hotel Schroederj In Milwaukee; Jimmy Joy band Into St. Paul hotel, St. Paul. Bobby • Sleeker shifts ' Into the Chase hotel,, Louisville; Johnny Johnstone orchestra takes over the rostrum at the Ambassaclor, Kan- ■aa.Clty. .-.