Variety (Sep 1935)

30 VARIETY PICT E S Wednesday^ September 4, 1935 Variety House Reviews EMBASSY, N. Y. (Continued from pagre 17) to thl3 country's protest to Russia about what Amerlbah radicals said In Moscow about America. As de- livered by Pathe this clip with pointed comment stirred the audi- ence at the Embassy. Patlie goes far In taking sides and expressing its own views. Mention of Russian famines was made with assurance that America wanted none of that. Pathe went to its library for clips of Industrial strife in this country and blamed this all on the 'reds,' making no mention of the reasons men strike or that non-comniunls- tlc trade unionists are also Involved. Congress ; as adjourned, but it Isn't heavily covered on the Emb Bcreen by Par. Again a Congres- sional session is pictured and again Washington shots, this time the Government printing office and document rooms coming under the lenses, but nothing direct in action on adjournment except Sen. Robin- eon, who briefly notes the ' impor- tant bills passed this year. Canada's New Deal, under the social credit plan, with William Eberhardt the new boss of Alberta, attracted Pathe. Eberhardt makes an im- pressive if not a Hollywood type of screen personality. Sir Malcolm Ckmpbell Is here to try for a new speed record; the fleet Is concentrated at San Diego; Pope Plus' summer gardens get pictured; Allison-Van Ryan tennis match Is caught; Fred Perry meets Helen Vinson on her return from abroad; a couple ships crash in the North Sea and are pictured in their bat- tered condition later; Premier La- val's daughter marries a descendant of Lafayette; the Prince ot "Wales takes a swim; big shipment of furs arrive from Alaska; a radio expo-, eitlon building In Berlin burns, etc., etc. Various races, and, of course, another rodeo are also oh the bill. It will some day be a; relief to get rid of rodeos. Teddy ■ Bergman, Pathe's come- dian, and Lew Lehr, Fox funster, provide the laughs on the current ehow. Lehr funnies up the escape of monks from Buck's compound out on Long Island. Vei'y furiny, also, Is his dialectic remarks about Bom6 shoe-bill storks at a zoo. With a couple acres doing stunts on a building ledge, Bergman does a stuttering routine that tlcltles the risibilities. A colored Elks parade In Washington and couples com- peting In a New York ballroom con- test also raise laughs. 'Going Places' (U), a travelog ehort, only filler. Char. hoofing, greater effort might have been made to present entertainment of other type on the stage. There 13 no oral comedy at all. As acts, those presented are standard, tried and true-blue. Rob- bins Trio, girl and two men.skaters, start thlng.s rolling. Longer than most turns of sort, and just about as good as happen along these times. Roy Smeck deuces and mighty well. Refused encore, probably under or- ders from front. Does his usual spe- cialties on banjo guitar and ufte. Barto and Mann give out theJr usual eccentric hoofing, which Is the ex- treme 'long and short of it' due to their contrasting statures. Adair and Richards, dance flash, closes. Name duo start off with an overlong and woefully slow waltz number. Then a small unbilled girl romps on for some ok rhythmic tapping, followed by the male pianist, %vlio sMps down front to one while travelers rustle closed for full set shifting. The pianist hauls with him a mike and does some uncer- tain and not very provacative sing- ing of 'Alone Together.' Then re- treats and curtains fold back for closing chore by the team. It Is, ct!rtalnly, an unusually staged rou- tine for what is basically adagio stuff. ' Both are togged in skimpies, work very fast and adroitly. Lend- ing the routine much added effec- tiveness is a large circular medal- lion made of light material which girl grips and waves while her part- ner swings her around, it's an ex- cellent touch. First show played to packed crowd that utilized every inch of standing room. Outside, serpentined for a block,, stood 700 people who had bought stubs but had to be locked out. Scharper, FOX, B'KLYN If the house stays on the black Bide of the ledger this week the fredit goes to the stage fare. Al- though nothing sensational trans- Bp.rcs, It's the kind of show that birlds in a de luxe nabe via the tal'.ied about method. Even the line eii'Is appeal. After the house dancers, nicely ccstumed, do some routine strut- tin-, Roye and Maye open the show pri:;er. They offer little novelty Wit'.i their familiar Harlcmesque hocrmg (the first half of their act). Jor i Paige, impersonator, follo^vs Iml.o.ting several luminaries. The mi:--li'-abused Mae West included Bho is received warmly. Next on the menu is Adelaide Hall, with her pipes in good shape Her seplan accompanist doing a Bolo with a single/ mitt on the piano gets as much response as any. Following house's custom man age:--^nt has injected preceding werl-v'i winner of the local tyro con'it-t into the show. Jackie Gill man almost steals the show with his mimicry. Kid has lots of stage prercr.ce. Roye and Maye on re peat with their ballroomery. Smart spotting keeps this stage offering rolling. Jack Pepper's gang is the house tearer-downer. Uke plunkcr and his two assistants, gal and stooge most impressive on bill. Their in anitics provoke many belly laughs, Line appears again in gold colonial frocks, and not too long, which helps. Just a breaker. Three Jacksons, muscle men, do an assortment of dlfflcult aero batics. Poses assumed and feats rot at all along usual lines. Each succeeding bit clicks because of difference from hackneyed tricks The one hour show, m.c.'d by Billy Keaton, who is not around much. Is entertaining. House now has no competlsh, being only spot in downtown Brooklyn with show on board. Healthy house on last show Friday night. 'Keeper of the Bees' (Monogram) on screen. HIPP, BALTIMORE Baltimore, Sept. 1 •Top Hat' (Radio) opened today (Sunday) and house chucked out all trailers and the newsreel, then clipped the vaude to four acts that ran 35 minutes in toto. Speed is satisfactory and the turns presents varied routines, bu' PARAMOUNT, L. A. Los Angeles, Aug. 29. Plenty of audience appeal in this week's Fanchon & Marco stage show. No names that mean any- thing, but as an adjunct to Para- mount's 'Annapolis, Farewell,' It's first rate^ fodder. Opening per- formance a bit drawnout, but easily be overcome. Ted Clare, recently from the east. Is featured and does right well, but remained for the Norman Thomas colored quintet, and Chick Pills, a member of (Claire's en- tourage, to grab off the applause honors, , Even Rube Wolf, house maestro, clicks with a cornet solo, expertly rendered,- and the. Fanchonettes do a couple of routines that are par ticularly effective. Opening sequence has stage set to represent deck of a war cruiser, symbolic of the screen feature, with band garbed in natty sailor attire and the Fanchonettes as middle onettes doing a hornpipe and tap routine cleverly executed. Dolores, Ande and .Marti, com edy ballroom and adagio trio, pro- vide a lot of lafts. Girl is very supple and Is tossed around by the pair of male associates for some excellent results. The act scores heavily in the early spot. Wolf follows with his cornet solo first he has done in some weeks and it is highly appreciated. Claire prefaces his act by distributing lollypops to the kids, roses to the femmes and drags out a beer keg, ostensibly for the males. He in troduces Mary Hagerman,. a torch type, of singer, who pleases, with Claire then going into a lot of gags, Chick Fills, youthful warbler, also with the Claire act, brought on for some fine impersonations, plus a well deserved encore. Young- ster has a swell pair of pipes, knows how to handle them and ought to get places. Claire does a dope number and winds up with a neat- bit of tap ping. Thomas Quintet provided the class of the bill, their versatility drawing them merited approbation For finale Fanchonettes start with a mirror effect routine and then into a quick change garbed in half white, other half in flaming red, for some nifty gyrations. Also on screen. Paramount news and 'Short Goes South' (Par) com- edy. Trade about average for open- ing day. Edica. Hollywood, Sept. 3. Hearings started today (Tuesday) before trial board of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Hollywood Local, No. 40, of some 40 members charged with disloyalty to the union as result of asserted ac- tivities on behalf of new vertical union. National Association of Cinema Craftsmen. Men involved faced penalties from fines to expulsion from the union. If ousted, they are virtually barred from doing any electrical work In major studios, which have working agreement with the IBEW, expiring next March. NACC is new name for reorgan- ized National Association of Amer- ican Employees, whose officers re- signed a week ago after being In- formed by studio spokesmen that producers believed the new group in conflict with' existing' labor out- fits. NACC wants organization of stu- dio workers from camerameri down to laborers in one group to demand collective bargaining under Wagner Labor BUI in oppoeitlon to A. F. L. unions, including the IBEW. National, Louisville Louisville, Aug. 30 Stage entertainment makes its re- turn to this town after a. long ab- sence, bankrolled by a group o Nashville theatre ihen. House-has been open-shut Innumerable times in past two years Theatre opened Thursday night (29) with much ceremony, speeches, telegrams, etc., and continuous vaudfilm policy will be pursued with change of bill on Fridays Shows are booked from New York by William Morris office (Lawrence J. Golde). Opening presentation is titled 'Broadway Showboat Revue,' and has chorus. of 12 girls trooping down aisle to stage, costumed in red military uniforms, beating drums to tune of 'Showboat.' Douglas Lea vitt of Leavitt and Lockwood m.'c's Alameda Theatre W San Francisco, Sept. 3. "War is declared* in Alameda, city of 30,000, just across the bay from Frisco and residented largely by commuters who work In metropolis. First gun was announcement of Al Levin and George Oppen that, backed by Sol Lesser and Louis Liirle, they would build a 1,000- seater, to be called the Vogue. This makes them only competition of Alameda, operated by Nasser Bros., who have had town to themselves for many years. Nassers immedi- ately retaliated -with announcement that they would unshutter their Strand, dark for three years. Strand cost $200,000 to b'ulld, and Nassers win put 130,000 into remodeling.and new equipment. Oppen has been inactive in .thea- tre field for some time, having been engaged in art photography since dissolution of now defunct firm of Ackerman & Harris. Principal product to be. shown at new Vogue will be 20th Century-Fox. STUDIO JUICERS UP ON DISLOYALTY CHARGE Halperins Start First Of 12 Indies at Mascot Hollywood, Sept. 3. Edward and Victor Halperln an- nounce increase of their original schedule of eight Academy pictures to 12 for the coming season. First is being readied at Mascot studio for Victor Halperln's direc- tion. Tarn, 'Storni In Their Hearts,' is being scripted by Richard Car- roll, who will also act as ^tory ed- itor on th6 rest. -Second, 'Revolt of the Zombies,' sequel to Halperins' .;■ White Zom- biep,' is being prepared by Howard Higgln, with negotiations, on to star Bela Lugosl. Halperins have recently added to their distrib outlets Pathe Pictures, Ltd., of London, covering 300 the- atres in Great Britain. B'hamBiz Birmingham, Sept. 3. Business seems to be settled be- tween the RItz and the Alabama playing 'Broadway Gondolier' and 'Dante's Inferno,' respectively. Both houses have done a good job of ex- ploitation, with Rltz trying to sell the picture along 'Frankenstein' lines. Estimates for This Week Alabama (WIlby) (2,800; 30-36- 40)—'Broadway Gondolier' (WB). Apt to get a nice $6,600. Last week, 'China Seas' (MG) good at $7,100. Ritx (WIlby) (1,600; 30-35-40) — 'Dante's Inferno' (Pox) $3,600, good. Last week, 'Alice Adams' (RKO) in the neighborhood of $2,500, light. Strand (WIlby) (800; 26) 'Nit- wits' (RKO). Wheeler and Woolsey getting $1,900. Last week, 'Murder Men' (MG), $2,100, moderately good. Empire (Acme) (1,100; 26) — 'Orchids to Tou' (Fox). Pretty good at $2,900. Last week, 'Mystery Women' (Fox), $2,400, fair. Broad A'er Moves Up Hollywood, Sept. 3. 'The Sun Never Sets,' a tale of the British Empire, has been moved ahead on Unlversal's schedule, and will be handled by David Diamond following Karloft's 'Bluebeard.' Story is by Jerry Horwln and Artiiur Fltz-RIchard. 110011' TASN rOB CBOSBY Hollywood, Sept. 3. Paramount has purchased 'Turn Oft the Moon,' Pictorial Review story by Mildred Harrington. Bing Crosby will be starred. two of the acts are of the dancing ^, . , , ■ort The pic being chock-ful of| the revue, and immediately Ingra-bill tiates himself with the* audience. Showboat Idea is not followed, either in' stage set or routine, although Leavitt does his work in yachting outfit throughout. Buddy and Claire Green, youthful dance pair, make a brace of appear ances, registering solidly. Wilfred Dubois does standt^rd juggling rou- tine -^Ith tennis balls, glass ot wine, etc., to mild returns, while hefty femme called 'Tlnky' dashes in and out for mild chuckles. Gene Allen, elongated youngster, also on inter mittently with intention of garner- ing laughs, but clicks best when he goes into a straight rendition ot 'Without a Song,' being recalled for encore when he unlooses a good top note. ■ Laugh sock furnished by Kirk and Lawrence with their 'horse laughs' routine. Man and woman in cow- boy outfits, snagging plenty of guf- faws with patter and movements of the prop horses. Leavitt and Lockwood make three appearances together during the show, first In deaf gal at the ball game bit, then a Mae West bur lesque, and winding up with a com edy ventriloquist routine, contrib uting much to the pacing of the revue. Harry Anger, producer, assembled a line of 12 young, attractive, and accomplished dancers, who appear in several routines to good effect. Leavitt winds up proceedings with curtain speech, to the eflTect that Louisville Is fortunate to again have stage entertainment, and leaving as a thought for patrons that live tal- ent spends at least 76% of salary locally, for meals, hotels, etc., and deserves support. 'Brewster's Millions' (UA) the feature, with Universal newsreel and color cartoon to round out the Wiede. BUFFALO (Continued from page 10) 500. Last week. 'China Seas' (MG), a^rong at $17,600; Hipp (Shea) (2,400: 25-40)— 'China Seas' (MG). Switched from the Buffalo. and may get $6,000. Last week, 'Smilln' Through' (MG) $6,000. Great Lakes (Shea) (3,400; 25- 40)—'Anna Karenlna' (MG). Prob- ably around $8,000. Last week, 'Bright Lights' (WB) held up well for $7,000. Century (Shea) (3,400; 26)— 'Here Comes Cookie' (Par) and 'Hopalong Cassldy' (Par). Same as usual for an estimated $6i000. Last week, 'Dressed to Thrill' (Fox) and 'Born to Gamble' (Liberty) down to $4,600. Lafayette (Ind.) (3.400; 25)— 'Love Me Forever' (Col). Got the town going to the tune of about $13,000. Last week. 'Air Hawks' (Col) and 'After the Dance' (Col), $5,000. is JENSEN'S SISTBIB CO. A new distributing company being formed by Emil Jensen. Jensen, In the picture business for 16 years as pix company repre- sentative and as an exhibitor, plans to represent a group .of Independent producers. NEW COAST TBANSCBIPTEBS Hollywood, Sept. 3. Richard Well, Igor Kornady and Winifred Jones Hershman have or- ganized a transcription company. First discs will be 23 episodes of 'Tales of the ^Foreign Legion.' Behind the Keys (Continued from page 23) which is owned by the Price family, will continue as directing head. Grattan Johnson, assistant man- ager of Warners Strand, Akron, to manager of Warner theatre in Portsmouth, O. Ray S. Wallace, general manager of the Trl Theatres, Inc., announces that Columbia, Alliance, O., dark all summer, will reopen Sept. 1. Wallace also directs the Morrison and Strand. St. Louis, Two largest picture theatres In Belleville, 111., Lincoln and Wash- ington, were leased to Zenith Amus. Co. of Chicago for 10 years. Permit issued to wreck old King's theatre, dark several years. Erected about 26 years ago. Minneapolis. After a lew weeks at Mort H. Singer's Orpheum theatre here. Jack Hurford has accepted an offer to return to the Fox, Detroit. Bill Spears succeeds Hurford here. 3-DAY ANNUAL CONVENnONOF F. P.^CAN. Toronto. Sept. 3. With the three-day annual con- vention of Famous Players-Ca- nadian ending here Labor Day and climaxed by a turnout at the Rouge Hills country club, some 200 the- atre managers from coast to coast were returning today to their homes. Highlight of the meeting was the report by N. L. Nathanson, P. p._ Can. prez regarding the first year's success of the profit sharing plan which he Inaugurated July 31, 1934. Nathanson and J. J. Pltzglbbons, director of theatre operations, spoke enthusiastically about the scheme and promised its continuance. Under this sharing plan, approxi- mately $26,000 was distributed among managers as bonuses in ad- dition to salary. Set up is as follows: Company first determined "what proportion, on a percentage basis each man- ager's salary amounted to In re- lation to admissions for the twelve months preceding Sept. 1, 1934. Agreement then was to pay each manager, as additional remunera- tion, the same percentage of the amount by which the admissions were Increased during the sub- sequent twelve months' period over the total admissions for the pre- vious year. As further, aid to managers. Famous Players also abandoned the budget control system, particularly with regard ^ to advertising ap- propriations. This being left to the judgment of the Individual manager but some' check being exercised to control unreasonable increases, especially In miscellaneous and other controllable expenditure. PT-Can Audit Department how sends out monthly statements show- ing managers by what amounts controllable expenditures were being' exceeded or reduced and, conversely, showing the Increase or decrease in. the gross. As the months passed, managers were appraised of their periodic standings In the profit- sharing plan. Irrespective of operations, mana- ger's salary is not touched under the plan.. His bonus being based on percentage of the increase in gross. In some ceises, managers recelvingf bonus cheques lost on operations but shares in gross profits because admission figures were up. Ampli- fying this managers sharing plan la N. L, Nathanson's group Insurance plan whereby all managers are provided with a $5,000 insurance policy, premiums on which are paid by Famous Players. Nathanson made a hurried dash from Europe to address the 200 managers arriving here in time'for the opening day of th'e 'three day session. Other' speakers included Fltzgibbons, Clarence Robson, east- ern division supervisor; R. W. Bol-. stad, comptroller; T. J. Bragg, sec* treas.; James Nairn, publicity direc- tor. Much of the time was put In in screening product of the major pro- ducers, 17 features being unreeled in addition to numerous shorts, AuUiary meetings are scheduled as follows: All FP-Can managers east of Calgary will gather In Win- nipeg on Sept. 16 to be addressed by Nathanson, Fltzgibbons and R. W. Bolstad; similar meeting will be held In Calgary for the Afberta ter- ritory men on Sept. 19; regional meeting for coast men will be held in Vancouver. It's June at Metro Hollywood, Sept. 3. Ray June, finishing term stretch with the Samuel Goldwyn organlza* tlon, signed contract as a camera* man at Metro. First assignment Is on 'RlfC Raft,' Spencer Tracy-Jean Harlow produc- tion being directed by J. Walter Ruben. From 'Freckles' to 'Baldpate' Hollywood, Sept. 3. Edward Kllly and William Ham- ilton, who got their* directorial break with Radio's 'Freckles,' get 'Seven Keys to Baldpate' as their second assignment. William Sistrom produces, with Gene Raymond starred.