Variety (Aug 1936)

62 VARrETT T 9 O O US Rooseveh^nghlin^^ Wedueeday, August 19, 1936. ) iim iji 111,1 ■•" I Cleveland, Aug. 18, President ^posevelt's cdiirtesy visit through . Gret^t jjakes Expo last ^week (14) topped: til of' the centennial fair'i'- biggest events up to date, boosting attendance to a new Fififlay: high "of 35,014 and helping it" reach a record-breaking weekly gate figure of 29^1,159. ■ • • ' r Cliief • executive toured througih lakefroht grounds in great styte,. es- corted by enough civic oflicijds to al- most" ymk De'Witt'S floating Aidmir-. alt^ Clubr Where be' was- lunch6d;. IVtaMcfe' -SpitalnSrls • ork; still takfef boiiirs,. '-riaulf: of being pickfed- to* plftf t<>r: gU^ddgfed fiiricheop.; ' ; R(>l}sevelt ;gave 'sideshow conc'esV. sionaiires a brtak^ by>idUng;ithr6\ig!h the- irtidwayj, .\ Waiving ;to '.Graham> niidgets. arid-ittfipecting'^the. Korticui-. tviral. gardeia' whUe [taking- 6 21-gun. salute from -ian.ianriy Jcorps.^ Expo also-: y;e^. given'some .syreet plUgs in a spieech by Pr^sldient ivht> congratur late^-^tQAvn; ^yl^g it was orie>.bf ;this. beat.of 'three be had: seen in i93B, that' lt showed things in country are better..--• ..: . v ■■ • Reciord' ■attehdaiicQ for . •rtredt. got more support throu'fei d , visit toy' Father' Cbiighllny .during- - convention • of jus 14'^tiohat union fot'Social'Jus- tice hiereC. Coiu^hUri's presfehce-witl^^ loUowfeirs'Wt y-' hi$Wt b.o'. mark'than Rottg.e%lt/ 156;0(K) fot 1^ (15')/|ttiL0.iigli a Gehe'rjtl.jNIotorls em^ ployees* picnii^ On Ssiirie'was partly responsible/ ^, ' . r . Badioliand : feature in civic-audi' torium wf^ brought out of tli^ semi- divAj)S by HudJ Vallee's twd-day en; gagement'bn Aiig. iOrli. ..ytUlee got paid i>I<tri^'hut ball; which has itdi^: gate.^dirfew H^SZ in two days." Rudy did only two performances a day. Yet it was'worth it cbnsideiriug, a deluge Of f^ont-page'.publicity he! directed toward J. sponsored ' tadiO "' exhibits. Irene "J^icRer, 'Singing Lady/is rie\v guestar: Rooked; into Hadipland'-for . currerit^weiBk.'.''.;'!: ... • : Talk .that <i'^.jtatHers 'm ' Its;.; dr; L, E.; into next: siiinmc^^^ bp^kwg" it'next-June'a¥ Cl^c;^ is still m tHie,iid6i stag^^.i S^venio^ eight 'ljig exhibrtprs Voluntaiily.' jjp- . prOached - Liritt4n ; ,;I^lBkey;.. e. '.-m:;-^ -^sburidine iiirai, out in ■iibMiBiiitiies'/of ^ ' a :b,fld-Toyer^ Nothing come of it'tb .ds^te^ ' ''. " ■ ' . Cjuestion of nudity'isn't bothering, . cb'iicessibhnaif es (or the . -public): as . much'-as. the "prbblemvof >drufamtag up- n^0^e^ biz, - iPeep-shows' ate ' al- loAved!,to. let gals.'wear asNUttle as thay want, just as long as they don't besmirch city's rep. That, gives .'em quite a bit ;ot;leew.ay, particularly in . the Trerich .(Jfisitoo'S brasSierele3s. re- ■ vues.,'■ ; = ■ Gflsirio-s'r tbip'■ strJpHiah'cer, Toto,- was gi.yeh her'notice a week .ago on .. short notice. Although she had-been hogging., troht-page: columns ■ with • freak Stunts put'across by; .Gardner- Wilson', ah astitte piia. Who imitates .Ned' Alvord, even" her dance; wear- •ing-bnly a silk bat, a swagger cahe . and smile didn't . drA-w the expected : crq\vds, . . .' . . •', ■ : ;-What hurt, the spot's managers, MUce Spefciale drid Phil'Gordon^' was that cricks 'gave.'her' scanty, costumes scant attention. -Bernard Bros, and " Duiralt 'Sisters got all th^ ' rave notice?" for. their. sophisticated- dance sfltttes,- leaiving chief nudist oyt in- the cold. Toto got even with'man- agemnt for her short notice-by going, prime-donna. She'■walked: out six days in ad-vahce. Chbitus. of; .fifteen strippers - are, pinch-hittihg ■ until a rteW wriggle-'queen with mOte per- sonality is dug" up,-" . ' " ' .'Flfoht Page,' wbferb Dillinger'g dad did a quick brodie,: doing: 'much better now under (ieorige "Young's wing as 'Rhumba/ glorifying haU-a- dozen - .mild' tease > acts. Young's •Spook Street', and. lOlympia,! another sex show, are two of the better coiners. Buddy Maschke, oiie-time , husband of singing Helen Morgan; clicking again since transforming his fi*9sted "'Hollywood Secrets'.of movie stand-ins into an -out-and-out cafe; Aggie .Appeal -. X^inooln Dlqkey is now capitalizing all the fair tricks known to- yanlc in Cl;eat.Xial(es r.uralites before the har- vesting season begins. Farm Week Is- being tried out - now,- -with con- . testa to. pick, healthiest farm hoy and. girl>-;fityle shows, etc, Most novel angle, js a '^rodtic^ Day,* "new varia'; tion on the bairter nightfi« v^hen the cralikeF-barret boys. can;' exoh^ngfe iftrm or garden products for .tickets.. Purely7 an exploitation stunt, as stuff is turned over to charity.. -. Flood of . .eipo , visitors • and " Coughlin conventioneers last' week crowds'the- town so much that hotel beds were worth their .weight in gold. -K^eth Meahsj manager RKO ■Palad^ 'iigam had- .to install beds-in dressing rooms for entertainer^'ivho forgot to wire for .reservations. " Since convention people are-first tafcWi care .of;/by. hotels; the 'exp^> tradW .ha$ ben ■ forced . to sleep',, hi tourist camps) private- homes..ain^ evenv in -tUrkish bath- houses.- Whfit the-town. needs- if -it. keeps .boomingi^ ^pirding to> the* c^hl^nmsd .officials; is i three. Qi^ folic, hew hotels;' \': B^Lt PARK Ath't- vOmaba -lioses western .P^rk- Throngb I -'■ '^'i-I'-Dikiistrtons'Flre ■ R. B/s three I^ay Stay . St Louis,'Aug. 1^ For the first time in many years, Ringling B.r.b.s.>Bamum ^ ^B^ey circus is. going to make ai stpp' of mOr^"than two.,days in this. burg. Outfit reaches -to-vm (21) and -will remain imtil (23) inclusive, for long- est stay ' iia years. Kingshighivay blvd...and Southwest avenue, 'one of biggest lot^ in town, will be'stamp- ing ground for Sh6Vr< ) ; Suggest 15, .- bmaha, Aug.-| 18.*, / .Western Leagup Ball "Paric at jFliC; teenth and Vinton streets., was. com- pletely destroyed', by" fire of unde- termined ori£^ early- Friday ■ (14). Park --was the present/home of the . ^Robin Hoodsj' local entry - hi, "the Western. Leaisfue; who' have'^'befeii" backed by. a beer - miahufacturinS p^ant. and who have- been leading •the leaigue.Loss of - the park pre^ selnts ' Owner Larry; Harlan and Manager : Hand'"SeVereid with . a serious problem, of an arena, in which to finish the. season, - Some.,rumors Council. BJuff^.'.-pa^k- may.- be .itsed, biit no definite-annbuncement made yet.l . • "'; ■. ■.-. , •• - -. Wooden , stands at the Park •jwe?e. prOpprty of 3. J.- Ostrotidc who-'hpd' them • partially- covered by .liiSur'*' dc^ce.' Stands^ a scorie Or more, jfears old liave, been • standing - since-^iVrk wjas Imown-as -Rourke Park in '4ii>:S of baseball's greatest • here* : '.'->^: • • „ . . 'EijOlas, Aug.- ilB. '/ ; Billy Rose's*,Ft. ■•Worth 'Frontier .CJeitte'i^nal sign'.has finally • bee'n erected on {he buildllig^ opposite the i^t6, of-the Texas- CentehniaV'expo hfere, , It. is. 160 feet long and .'fi5 feet high, but of little value to date- biecause the letter colors don't at- tract and "it is'unlit at night. • . • Permit grantiid for sign'^to .ci.ty Of Ftw :Worth • stit)Uiated:> expenditure of $10,006:. '-.Robert Mo^es, >.park commissioner ofi :New York,'.has'.suggested a com- bination Exhibition'haU and theatre fot New York's 1939,fair, 'The stetS •wbuld-be ^-ranged on^the 3^0bf bver the exhibition'tboms •and' look- out oyer an artificial lakfir'to. the-stage. - : "'Plan' suggests making, this Si"re ception hall. where honor ' guests, idch the President/ could be 'ih- ttioduced. According to: lus plans, the ^ampitheatre-would, seat 15,1)00 The cost "of the project was estimiited as $1,400,000 and'ah additional $100,- 600 ■would be included for the cOst Of ;the -state's exhibits, a tbtaT appro- priation of "$1,500,000. -Tliis wOuld provide ian ^butstandihg exhibit,' a dignified and impressive-structure bf permanent character-." which- would house the exhibits gnd at the - same time. provide a.* setting tor 'outdoor operas," concerts. and! Operettas. '■ Suggestion was made^in a lettei: to the ; New York State_World's: fair cpmmission .-which' metJast- Week for the first time at'the.Biltniore hotel in N. 'Y, .Senator John J. Dunnigan -v^as ^ebtied chairman, Assembl>niah H'fithsrt . '-.Brownfell, _ vice-'chaii^an and .^Senator Josfeph-D.' Nunan, Jf, secretary?' ■ ■. . ' .' . i Asseihblymah Moffej: suggested a museiun of science under the juris-^ d;ction cii -the; Siate. Depti of Educa tiOn and73Harbld.,j. Oi;G0nheU ?ug i^ested-a..-medical:!mm Biggest Bam .. . Sah Francisco;: Aug--18. .^ ; Governor Frank F.- Merriam-. oit California 'and other st^te and city officials took part, in the dedicatory ceremonies for the (Jrand National" -Lives'tbclc Exposition building heie today. . ■ ' ■■ ;'•'■••-■' . ■ Erected ;here at a cost of appro?:- imately .$2,600,000, the jstructure, is believed to be the largest of its Icirid in /the wbrldi - It V js being financed by-.the federal- government. State of California, San Mateo and . Sah Francisco counties. New Dirt Track Portsmouth, O,, Aug. 18. , Scioto county fair -grounds' new half-mile - dirt race track at nearby Lucasville will get its fii-st'trial when crack auto drivers from the middle- West'- aiid central states compete in the • .50t;lap • Portsmouth = Sweepstakes Aug. 23. - ' - ! Inauguration of the. track, said to be one-.of the bfest in the statCir will come as. a climax-to the Sciotp coun- ty fiiir, opening. Aug.- .18" and, contin- uing a week. ■ BACK FBOU THE SOUTH • Schenectady, N. Y., Aug. 18. , - Luckyr Teter's Hell priversi troupe of crash and stunt- performers, played their -first■ New York State; date-'(last -week) at the Albany^ Schenectiady CbUnty - Fair in Alta- mont. Had be6n - in the south for three y6ars. Gave> -three perform- ances in the Philadelphia Stadium before■ flUing -the Altamont engage- ment As a build-up. for liie latter, Tetot aired/ Ove'r 'WGY.-.- There was' othei: broadcasting,--by." entertainers 'at 'the ■fair. ■ -.- - JASlfiS L, WEKP James L. Weed, ior .20 years hi charge. o< Kelth-AHbee and later .]^Q, interests hi I|s|yton, died Aug. 14 .in Dayton, Ohio. . . '■''>• ■ . "While In hi? teens he served, as' captain, of swpefi>un»er?u:les for trav- eling legitimate troupes at the Grand Opera house, then, became advance man for.John Robinsoh'is circus and AJ Ci Fields mbstrels. .' , . His first: house ; was the. Grand opera house in Didianapolis, under Anderson and' Ziegler. . Then In Louisville' he "wfes manager off-two; abuses, the Mary, Anderson and to' National. He went to 'Dayton' May' 25; 1916, ais manager ,of B. .P. Kejth mterests,' then installed 'as two^a-dajr vaudevillis" in th6 Colonial theatre, ' , Surviving aire his widow," Emma C. Weed, and two sisters. • ' ' ^ . .leonAbd .LOliB' • teonard Lone,' 42, died in. Holly- wood, Aug. IS, of pneumonia. , He had . been a stage manager of the .Theatr.6 CSuild productions, his l8(st service in this ciipacity bemg.the production of 'Call It "ft Day,* which he had been slated to take out the" co'ming season. .' He had served in a; similar capacity' in'tlie Lunt ^ro diictions. ' " ■ ' About three months" ago. he Was but. for "two" weeks.' with' £kn attack oiE illness, and following :the .close Of .thfe season he suffered a. niervpus. collapse and- went, ti>. Hollywood to live with' a brother. The remains were' cremated in •Hollywbod. Viiit RevifivDs' (Continued frbni page "58) .' -■ ■■' .. ■ Bob. Eastoh.. Second femme works .well into some nonsense. .- ; Three; Sailors' are oh again heict- to-closing with' another socko tiim, ^d entire-cOmpatay is on for lavish- lly-set .fihale.. Charles . Hapold did a nice . job .with the tynes and- lyRics, as did Chester Hale, ensembles; Mme Bertha, costmhes; Kaj 'Velden, scenes, and - John Hickey, production super- visor. . . • , .. 1 Like" the production, -biz was hot- dha.at first show ;caught J'riday eve liing; .Pic is 'Piccadilly, Jim' .(MG) : -.":' '■ ■•: ■.:.■,.; ■;:': ^ . ■ Pete, ' iMianni Merry-QQ.-Eound ■.' •V (CAPITOL,'ATLANTA) . " • ■ ' Atlanta", ■ Ga.;, Aiig. 14. Cap's - manager,.. Earle ■ Holden, reached down into America's tropical playspot for-his stage offering this .time, grabbin,?. off all, the star acts from " the Merry-Go-Round, Miami liite spot .Unit assumed title of 'Miami Merry-Go-Round' and pre- sented credi^ble show as an entity, ; BUly Purl, -handles m.c. spot on show- in addition to having.completfe' charge. o£ imit, which WUi go on tour following Atla.nta ■ .engagement Wanda DawsOn takes care of'the sinpin.? assignment and -scores. Gal really has a «Ood voicej .mixes it- with smart Selection ,of tunes, plus bub- bling nersonality. • - -' Audience- ate--up Joe Kovpr's rubber-legged dance and' his comic impersonation of Mae West taking a bathi DeloreS and Stoy manage to .set by with their adagi > offerm^;- bu; . Dorothy. Hinson, a personable blonde who can make her feet tap a fast tune.-clicks easily, " ' ; ; Madie DaVis.- after having been on hospital shelf for'a-year due to.,an automobile accident, is making strong comeback as an acro. dancer in this unit Show's,novelty, centers in per- son bf Jimmi^ Edmondson, ex-news- oaper reporter. Offered as- trvout. ex-news .ferret went oVer so .weU lie will be kept with umt' He possesses uncanny ability of soelling words backwards faster than he-can negoti- ate 'Ihem. frontward. Once featti.ted In Bob Rioley's' 'Believe It or Not' cartoons. Edmondson - talked Purl into pi-Hng him a whirl and' proved- hot at first show. He works solo in front of mike, with audience feeding him Words. Still a trifle nervous, but additional, api^earimces will give, his act-polish it needs. " .., ■ ..Unit parries-no orchestra. ' ' ■• Pic this' week-' Is- 'High 'Tension'" <20th-Fox>. from Europe, His latest, ^bnipositibii was adopted,by the Tbwnsend old. age pension clubs as their official mai;cb.'' autvlvihg^ is his wife', ■ khown ia •yaude as Maii^me" "Vera, mystic , . JQBN HELD, SB. . . Funeral services .were , conducted Aug, 17- in iSalt' Lake Ci^.. for J^^.,'. Heidi . Sr., 73, for. more .than. Bd J years leader • of. public park band;': concerts and!-father of John Held, Jr., cartoonist. " ■ ■■ .. ..... ; Held,-who died Aug, 15, of a .heart • attackj .was ,.^own -throughout thte. ; Westi as--a .qornetist and writer, of niahy marches:and.ballads. -.Besidjea... his.Vwidowi,-he .is '^rylyed . by thi^ee * , sons, ..twb^ daughters, a brotlier-anft: sister,;.' .'•',... .. ■ • . : "WllLlAM; a; .WEBB .;■ Wllhain A; Webb,- 58; general ihan-; agifer of the Texas Ceritehnial Ex^tf^ -" Sitlohi.died of heart attktk Aug.^tli/. "Talcing'office in .October, .li935,'he •-. biuUt' the: expo Ih nine ^mbnths ajid - operated it two months. Former high oftieial; pf M.-iEC-T, • knd other railroad^, he had been- '. conunissibher of railroads for Soiith' '' Australia.'. WAL'TEB FBA^k SCHOENECK "'Walier Frank Schoeheck, 54, died in the Englewood Hospital, Chicago, August 14, from 'complications.caus^ by diabetes. . .-; '..;. :- .; As 'Uncle Bob* he had been brOad*. casting children's - programs irom Chicago stations for last: 13 yefirs: His 'Curb-is. the" Limit' club,-which tie organized in conjunctibn With his programs. had a. mernbership of 800,000 yourijgster^ . " : He is survived; by his Widow, Lola -Fisher^ Schoeheck. Funeral services were held in Chicago, Aug. 17. '.' ^ . PEEOT C.'LOWE - .- Percy, Lowe,. 56, property man fOr 35". years, fell 'dead' Friday .'(W-K \yhile. on duty, at stage entrance of Loew's'Capital (Loew's Fox), Wash- ington, D." C. '• '. Born in Washington, Lowe started out as' city fireman, switehing to stage in 1900. , He joined Fox staff on ppehlng bf. theatre here,' before Which' hp ,was \nth'. (jphan-Harris road shows. : Survived by his widow, Mrs. Helen Lowe; four hrothers, and a'sister. PETEB It. GOBEL ; Peter Rj G}pbel,.82, for more than • 46 years'ideoftified With theatres in.. Zanesvllle, O:; iihd a director bf the. Brown Theatrical Co.', .operating .sev- eral houses there, died Aug.' d at .his .hbrne in ZanesvUle after a lingering llln^ssJ . • His widow,-two brothers and three sisters survive. -, Fuiieral services ' and .burial locally... " ":■■ .BETTY,OE SALES' BYBEE' , : Bbtty i)e Sales Byb'ee, ■wife of Dn ' 'V^incent^.Bybeei died in Richihond, ' Va',, Aug. 13. ■ • ;. . ' Had .starred with stbck and miiisi< . caV cbn^edy.. companies^ as Betty De ' Sales, retiring'after marriage. Last '! appearances hiere as leading vocalist '- iti Jiinmie Hodges company playing thfr bid Colonial; . ■ Interment in Norfolk. ' ROSE VAN CAMP Mrs. Rose Rinker. Sl, knO'wn pro- fessionally as Rose Van CJamp, fatal- ly injured following, a quarrel in a Detroit, Mich., rooming hpUse. she conducted,' Aug. 9, was buried in Greehlawn cemetery, Columbus, O., following funeral services there. She formerly played On the stage in the United . States and Europe, She was a tormer member of the Empire istoclc company popular at the. turn o£ the century.. She also was a member of the' old Grand stock company. - EMILE TOSSO Emile Tbssb, =60, former leader of the orchestra at the old Grand Opera house and for 25 years leader at the Orpheum theatre in • NeW Orleans, die.d Thursday (13) after illness of several months.' ' As a' chi:<I he. was a musical prodigy and played in the violin sec- tion of the old- French Opera House and remainied with the.group for six years. Surviving are his widow, a daughter,, a Son and a brother. JOHN B. O'BRIEN John B.'O'Brien, 51,. picture direc- tor in silent days,' died in Los An- geles, Aug. 15, after operation and loiig illness. • After long st.nge acting career he took lip megaphone for, Essahay Co. and reputedly turned out first five reel feature made in this country, 'Life of Buffalo Bill.' Deceased was assistant to D. W. Griffith on 'Birth of a Nation,! .. Widow survives. Burial was in Los Angeles, Aug. 17. DON PABKEB . Don Parker,''37," "Orchestra leader and composer, died ot a heart attack Aug. 13 in Santa Barbara,, Col. He had been a feakaphone soloist with ; '-many'bands an^i' recently returned SIB. HENBY.^ Ai-LYXTON ' ;:Sir Henry A'. 'Lyttohl'M^ died ia', London-Aug: 15. He -was a veferah , Savoyard, playing fbr nearly 40 years qhiefly in th^ works bf Gilbert and • Sullivan. : t ." He appeared in New York in'18w . as. the Diike of ..Plaza Toro in 'The '. Gondbliers'.and'appeared here,ag{i>h in 'l929'and made a Canadian tour in . 1'927V He was" Ijmghted in 1.930. . FEED W. BEETS.ON, SB, : Fred W. Beetson, ;Sr., father of '' Fred W.-Beetson, executive secretary,' of-the Motion Picture Producers and " Distributors on the Coast, died Aug. 12 in Hollywood. ." ' . '' ' - Beetson wiis'born in New York, City and is Survived by the picture, exec and another son, Frank C,,' o(\ Lbs Angeles.. BTBON H. BABNETT Byron H. Barnett, 69, died Aug., l3 . in Los Angeles. For many years he . was a theatre Operator in Fort Wayne, Ind., being associated there ' with the late Frank E, Stouder at the Lyric and Palace theatres. . . ■ .. When he retired several years agbi. - he moved west. EDWABD LEWIS ' Edward Lewis,. 65, for. more than ' 15 years the fat man with circuses;, died. Aug. 13 in Eaton'Rapids, Mich*- He at one time weighed 575 pounds*' , but dwindled to 300 at death. Funeral services Aug. 15. in Eatod Rapids. . THOMAS J.. MULQUEENY Thomas J. Mulqueeny, 44„ manager. and director of the Alton, lU. MiiniC:'. ipal band, collapsed and died in his automobile last week while return- ing from a concert given at Wood Rivter, IlL ! LOU McDEBMOTT Lou McDermott, 42, picture and' radio producer, died suddenly in San Francisco Aug. 11. Details in the radio section. Mrs. Ella Grapewln, 76, step- mother of Charlie- (Srapewin, stage and motion picture character actor, died at the home of a daughter Av.S> 9-at Akron, O., after a lingering lU- ness. ..■•'..-- Father, .72,. ot-Eddie Silton, agent died Aug. 14 ui Hollywood,