Variety (Sep 1936)

62 OU IHOOnS ^ BURLESQUE Wednescluf^ September 2, 1936 Slrif Tease within 75fc BiiHesque a K. C. Circus Man Free ■ ' \^ ; , ; fcaiisjas |City^ S6pt," 1. iirivdeyV r^jmagcmont of . If^rrji Hirsch, former, treasurer of Shubert thieatre, 'Wife Empress theatre "will be opened Sepit. "4 ds a unit of tW newly forined ^dependent Burlesctue. wheel. Top>will be 75c. • Ertipress is not air condltioiied and with. Siimlirter Keat usually holding over wai ii^o September, bpening is a problems- Last-burly, venture in Ertpress -was early this summer and lasted , one perfomiance with all '50 custonjers chasing the producer and demanding :a coin ,Tefund. Houston was''aSlso.:oTpen for a week last win- ter;' with'glopper results.- ■ Situation ihere' »s that 'night spots . ptit bn teasfe ■ acts that go- the^ limit in = a' bitirg- Whfete there "isn't • any lihiit.- 'Atid it can- all be'ha* few 'H' 10c beer., .'Consequently -the pbteA- tial burly clientele prefers a' cafe table at the" ringside rather than a . theatre seat -. down ■ front; . i Wheel Wili-^bring.top burley names here' iiscludingv. l&ebrge Broadhursti Frank' X, SlHc, BiJly Watson, • Ann Corio • and Ilinda Wausau. ^ • - ' ■ " J - ;.' Coiinrerifing Site Into PaAittg lot ••; ■ ■-■ ' -Pittsburgh,-Sept; 1.', One o£ Plttsbiurglv'BEldest theatre^, now Itnowh ais the Variety, Ipng. « burlesqiie site; •./ill be. ho more after next month, tyceilnoi building, which 66'/fefsthe; spol;. will ■ oft razed to niiliie' wiy:- for a big-' parking lot In hew '.of flowntttiwi sector. and ;teti- ahts hifiv* already been, given notice .tovfticatfe. 'iliis'Will give Qeorge Jaffe a clear field for'Burlesque this season. Uaffe dispbseil ' bt Variety last season to Indeiwaident Wheel ■ arid" tdok ■over Casino," foiiyrjy ttie Harris; for vaudfliiB. Beginrilng^^howeveri with rebp^hltiifr^t C^hio'middle of. this . month^^ policy wUl gQ .to combination of burieybue knd pictiires oh a grind. Jaffe" -iiad planned going into stock, but; -With disposition of Variety, he'll prbbably iSisEh for the weekly wheel showsi -.'••■ • Variety was originally the Bijou, built- in" lfi7(J '- as ' one of the town's first legit houses. Underwent several ■ changes in .fortune during passing years, but for the last decade has been operated strictly as a burlesque house, one of the few remaining two a-day spots for this type of enter tainment in the country. Casino gets going again about Sept, 1&, with .Ben. Jafle, George Jaffe's son, in charge. Burly Wheel to Include BOflFalQ, Toronto, Diet. Buffalo, Sept. 1. Palace theatre' here will become part of a th"re'e'pcity .route known as the Metropolitan Burlesque Circuit during the coming season. Toronto and Detroit are- also included. The plan will be for a permanent house company with principals ro- tating Civery three .weeks. St Louis Gets 1st Road Burlesque ifi Six Years - — 1 ■ St. Loui§, Se^t. I. • Myron Warburtdn (Bill) Pickens, operator of 'Garrick. theatre, only bturlesque house in town,: has joined Wheeli including Bostlm, !New York, Washington', Chicago and' IjAinneapr ! plis,*ahd, is' readying "hovise for bpen- irig- this month. This season will be first in six years' that traveling units will'play this'house. Heretofore Pickeiii ■ , recruited chorus . from local talent and booked' but-of-toWrt" leads for bne and-tw*'Week stands. *^ ( • • • • Reading House Leased ■ Reading, Pa.,' Sept, 1. Independent -'Burlesque Associa tion has leased the. Capitol theatre, iilOised for neafly a year, except- foi' special dates,, andi will play it two days a week, probably Wednesdays and : Thiu?sdE^s. Opening in Sep-- tember; - - B^fcl^ Burly's *Puais* Double-featui-e pirbgrams in'film houses which virtually surround MinSky's Brooldyn burlesque theatre have forced' this house to bally tK?]r shows as "balrig two-in-'one and. to^ fun continuously at popular prices', Brooklyn burley spot plays wheel shows, with changes weekly, plus its own'array of faves and strip artiste. New line-up virtually constitutes :a ddal bill policy, or at least that is .What the management intends. AIR ItAGES FOR FRISCO . San Francisco, Sept. 1. With a convoy of 40 planes, Mayor Angelo ,J, Bbssi will, fly south to Lbs Angeles this week tp inyite the Na tibnal' Air Baces to come to San Francisco in 1039 . for the Golden Gate International ^Exposition. Decision' to extend the invitation tlirOD^ . Mayor Rossi was' reaiched Wedaeapiay. Ayg- 26. at a luncheon of tlje Iqc^I -Convention and Tourist Bur(i^u,i attended by representatives of bay. district junior chambers oi commerce, and civic bigwigs. A fynd of 100 grand is already, being raised W a guarantee. Blirtesque Reviews w SCANDALS • - Atlanta, GaV; Aug". 29. ' . After idn^-dark-Ibr.-iiearly-'a'year because of a • raid by • - citypolice- women,' blirleslfue Wias resumed' dit the Atlanta' theatfe - here-Friday• nl^t with .the4ippeatiance'x)f:>Br6ad- way. Scandals,''one of several shows to play :theatres. .here, .in Indid-. napoUs, Youngstown;.-.Milwaukee a,nd- Cincinnati ...under,'-management of Eastern. Burlesque, Assbciationi .. . .•:New .Wheel is. headeid -by ■ Jai^- 'Kane, .Indianapolis, - who • was: her^ for pfemiete. ■ '•.'.'" • Show ^ was well .jnounted '-.^nd offeired. pretty new -, cbstumes;,-. bijt was -hot ready for first performance,: Line girls neveir ih unison and. whole production appeared half "baked. - ■ ' Capable people^ are in cast, how- ever. Striopers are ■ red - -headed Louise Keller, assisted ^by Eleanor Roberts, / Aanes- Dean and ='Mildred Davidson. Hal.'Jlathbun and- Homer Meeohum are the .cpmics and offered, usual old stuff, going, back even to •Oyer the River • Charlie,' Pat Mc- Carthy's swell as straight man. . Franki&.Italston produces and- did a pretty good job > considering the lack of time. . Orchestra swell,' eight pieces; led by Charlie Blaum, trumpet, and Mike Segal, violin. . Others piano, trombone, drummer, two saxes and bass violin: . Walter Collins, javenile "and tenor, scored heavily, as did . Charles and Virginia Tiffany with dances. Capacity crowd very boisterous at Opejiinf?. all strips- scorin<? heavily. La ' Keller ■ a coy .disrober. Show promises, to improve during week. REIF^UBLIC, N. Y. The audience was standing in the aisles to see Moe Weinstock's 'Swing Revue.'. At tiie conclusion of the performance the reason was appar- ent. Disregarding the corny inter-, ludes,. the show is tops in filth. The gendarmes have somewhat modified the stripping, but the'dialog Isn't un- der, wi'aps. .• . Costumes, sets.-not uncomely gjrls, and.the.production accoi'ded, admit- tedly the b^st-'in town, are offset by the raw wordage and business, ■ Weinstock seems to have injected a ridicxdous delicacy in the undrap- irie' division. - Covering up' visually, but-IbaVin^ nothing to the imagina- tion oriaUy, is incongruous to say the ledst. Singin*; of Billy Cook and Danny Morton is best ignored. The effort expended and result achieved in this <}ivision is negligible. Comics Max Furman.. Irving Selig, Murray Briscoe are dirty and unfunny. Jane Dobbins in a Godiva dance, covered by a sterlinrt silver wig, covered up prettily for the finale. Of tlv> strip- ners .Tean Caton. Alma Malben, Mabel Francis and Dynamite Dell do only "what "the bluec'oats condone, but Dynamite's antics are quite ex- plosive. Seattle Brushing Up Seattle, Sept. 1. State theatre (Sterling), bur- les.pue house, has closed fpr few weeks. ' - . Undergoing repairs. ... Norfolk, Va., Sept. 1. L. L. Bush, 24, mechanic and -truck - driyer for the " pbxvnie' Brothers circus^ has been cleared .of all responsibility-'In connection with the death of John JMcGann, canvas man with the • . ch-cus who ' died August 21 a few hours after his crushed iJody- was found on tha cir- cus groimds. in Portsmouth, ■ Va. BOOKINGS SET AT K. & FOR ITS FALL JOBILESTA Kansas City, Sei>t,- 1. Plans -have been completed' for KC's proposed annual' fall festival, •JubUesta,' which Will be held Sept. 26 to October 3. The event Will, of- 'fically dedicate the new six and a half mUlion dollar Mimy .aud. Main arena' of the structure seats 14,000, music hall,'2,500 and the little the* atre 700.. '.' - . Bookings, through William Mor- ris, Chicago, and MCA, include; Ben Berme, Bob Bums,' Geo. White's Scandals, -Rubirioff, Veloz and Yo- lando and Ted Weems. Committee is .planning tp book several-more name bands, for one night stands. Top price is . 88c for all attractions with exception of the Scandals,' whose top is $2.20. A style pageant, tagged 'Brides of the Cehtuirar,': a. Holy Land exhibit, a.Tipica ork, a Negro chorus of.1,000 and. a sports' carhival - are ..other draws..-. ;. .-. . William !H. Eisenman is. the manr, aging director, Dr^ Harper H.JSmyth nianager of. events , and Blevins Davis,' recently with the ,stra:5y. hats'. In New England,, handling the. pub;- Ucity* . . ■ ■ .■ ;• BOARD NIXES HAMID' : i«y.qohbiirg'.Itefases .to Let Fair'Man- aiger Come In ... O B IT U A R I S 1, BENE KOVAL Rene Koval, 50, known to the Paris silage for 30"years, died here after,a long illpess. , ', -, Of Russian orlghi, he first ap- peared in Paris before the .war, where his varied talent gained quick recognition.. At that time he .ap- peared in many revues at the old Cluny. After the war he returned to appear with success in revues and operettas. He is best reriienibered for the parts he played in-'Flpssle' and 'Arsene Lupih.' .His last part was in 'Simone est Comme Ca* and, I _ BENBY PADGETT Henry Padgett, 24, radio singer Bt Monroe; La,; died a few minutes after Being stricken suddenly wliiij maldng an announcement His death- was believed due to a heart ^attwk probably caiused by. a blood' which developed af ter an automobUe accident. Burial-was at Mer Rougei La.. Survived by parents. ' ERNEST COX •' ' -Ernest Cox, 59, landlord of tht Plough Inn, Elstreet, England^ • died- there Aug. 18. Deceased was kao^ INMEMQRIAM- ma reus Eoew Sejptember 5tH, 1927 . Lynchburg,. Sept* 1. No go.for .G«oirge; A; Hamid, who- wanted. to. lease the- newly acquired. Interstate . Pair. ■ Groimds from city counciI.y, .Hamid wanted to; open a fair -the. week . pf .Sept. 21,. assur- ing .council it woidd. be 'strictly agricultural', and that no game, joints or rough' shoMrs would be permitted.. ' Offered .10%.'of all receipts pr a- flat rental. - Council, voted & to 2 against., proposal ^ after hearing' op- position from -L. P. Mann, secretary of .Retail Merchants Association, who declared fairs;, .'carry away thou- sands of dollars' needed by the storekeepers. Bye-Bye Blues (Continued from page 1) atre bases its prediction. Good business generally meaiis strong at- tendance at amusements. As New York- city and state has the largest population of any com- monwealth in the country, business conditions there should reflect what is to be expected by show business in the balance of the land; It itiay be that the legit' field will be pro- portionately more benefited since it is principally centered in the me- tropolis, but that should not limit the betterment generally. Upstate Reports With the summer about to expire, the. unqualified reports from up- state resorts are surprisingly en- couraging and are supported by mercantile, betterment rv* the city of New York as well as in ether Em- pire comniunities. Stated that N. Y, resortis are as high as 100% over the pealc summer of 1928, Other spots are admittedly from 50%. to 60% ahead, These re- ports come from those in the laiow, including bankers who are staunchly opposed to the federal admihistra- tion.- As an example one upstate N. Y. resort business last summer had mPre waiters than pinochle players in the resort and the leading hotel figured on closing down indef. This summer it has been difficult to secure any accommodations. At Saratoga the racing season was ad- mittedly the biggest since the start of the depression by a -wide margin, > Mercantile Reports Away from diversions, the trend is just as, undeniable. At Rochester, where leading manufacturers of men's clothing are situated, plants are operating on a 24nhour. basis. At least one leading clothier stated last "week that the output was larger than- any .season in its historjMpiiid it made had hie not takeh ill, he woi^ld have, played in the same theatre again' this, ;fall. . KPval was promoted to Chevalier of' the Legion of Hpnor" last yeah , . DR. P. H. GQEPP Pr. Philip Henry Goepp, musician andi composer, died last Aug. 25 at his home in Philadelphia. He was 72. Natiye 'of New York, Dr. GpePP received his education at schools in Stuttgart and Essigen, Germany, latet istudied at Harvard, and Penn. Was admitted to bar in Philadelphia-, but later .adopted music as profes- sion. Was for many years author-of prb- gram notes of Philadelphia Orches- tra.. Among biff best Imown com- positions . was - an opera, 'The Lost .Prince.' His published works In." eluded 'Annals .of Music in Phila- delphia' and 'Symphonies and their Meanings.' . CATHERINE L. FOBTIEB Catherine Lydia Fortier, 51, died suddenly at Motmt Kiscb, N. 'S'., re- cently while-hostess at an inn. She was formerly private secreteu^ for Grrace Moore, . stage . and screen singing, star; .and for Ernest ScheU- lng,< concert musician. -For several winter seasons she had been hostess at a' Bermuda, hotel. - Interment was at Annapolis Royal, by all' American artists working tit the hear-Lohdon studios and a spi^ cial'room in his 300-yeaf-old' hosi telry was set aside for stars Itmclji ing straight off the set. KARL KABET Karl Karey, 42, former vaudevilii aictor,' died suddenly Sat. (29) at his home, ^-08 40th St',, Long Island, City, N. y. ;Mr. K?irey appeared with Vanesd' and later did a piano single on tlfe Keith 'Circuit. He also founded' the Lido Boys Trib. Survive.<i by widow, mother and two sisters. TlfALTER F. JENSEN Walter F. Jensen, 44, was drowne4 Aug. 30 when he fell from a fishing, boat off Catalina Island, Calif. He was formerly-owner and-op;, erator bf. the Melrose theatre; Los Angeles, but had been inactive lat^« J. W. COVLSXON J. Warren Coulston, president emeritus and one of founders lill Mask and Wig Club of University Pennsylvania, died-Aug. :25 iit hil -home in Philadelphia. 'He 'Was G7« He . was member bf banking firm of Stroud & Coi. HENBT A. F. SCHBOEDEB • ■ Henry A. F. Schroeder, 66, for^ merly auditor and manager of t^e IN LOVING MEMORY. OF WILLIE BERGER MILTON SEPTEMBER «, 1032 ADDIE IRVING N. S, Surviving, are four sisters and one brother. Deceased had traveled extensively in' Europe. GEORGE E. FISHER Geoi'ge E. Fisher,. 75, for 20 years secretai-y and manager of the Chat- ham, N, B., fair, died recently at Woodman's Point, N. B, He had been in ill health for several years, this having necessitated his retirement as the fair official. He is survived by his widow, three married daughters and six grand- children. Funeral and interment were at Fredericton, N. B. Los Angeles Morosco tlaeatre,- died' there Aug. 26 from heart attacks - Survived-by widow, Mrs.-Frances C. Schroeder, BEBNABD SHEREE Bernard Sherek, 77, once a promi- nent vaudeville agent and father of Henry Sherek, the international agent, headquartered in Londoiv died in Berlin Aug. 27. Mother of Joe Case, head of Par- amount studio's scenic departmeiJt,. died in L. A,, Aug, 31. more money in 1936, up to now, than at any other season, even though the product was sold at 10% less than in 1928, In the city bf New York "the gar- ment center, where the bulk of women's wear is made, has been so busy this summer that the oper- ators, have not taken vacations. Manufacturing is later than in for- mer seasonal periods, but that has been so for some time. It is claimed, too, that there has been more gold and jewelry sold since the first of the year than since a similar period in 1926. ^ Bolstering the trend is the even stronger improvement in the com- munications field. Western Union, for one, gave back all salary cuts to employees two weeks ago. Comple- ment got about 25% increase in sal- aries over the level of 1930, when the slices went in. So show business is waiting for autumn. The hits will quickly show how the new season is to be esti- mated and should carry all Broad- way on to better times, quite prob- ably- with the rest of show business. Jerry Froedman's s:ay at the Para- dise restaurant, New York, has been extended to. Feb. 15,. which means thbt the spbt's contemplated iswitch to a name band policy is out. MG Ties Texas Queen ^ Hollywood, Sept i'.' -. Geraldine Robertson, queen of Texas Centennial Exposition, has been 'signed for spot in 'Bpm tP Dance,' at Metro. ■ Getting debut in same flicker 13 Ginger Wyatt, Metro contest winn^ at the 'Fox-MUler house in Wichita. CUEFEW NIXED Camden, N. J., Sept, Irv, Curfew ruling by . Mayor VPP Nieda, under which local .""^JS were forced to silence music alt** 12:30 a, m., was held void last wees by Excise Board. . . ■ Music will be allowed until 2 a. n^, closing hour. Board said ruling Wo never been made into statute. Independent Burlesque Week of Sept. 6 •Baily-Hoo'—Werba's, Brooklyn. 'Knee-Hl Aevue'—Howard. B<'''""W, •Wine. Woman and Sons— 'Beauty Parade'—Qayety, Bnltlmo''' Dizzy Dames'—Gayety, MlnneapOJi* , 'Scan-noUa'—Rlttlto. Clilcaso. •Scan-Tees'—Kepublfc, New ^oW-„,^- .■'Vanlteasers'-KmpresB. Kansas. ww» 'Hindu BellM'^Ttfock ruilntlclpni*.