Variety (Oct 1936)

Wednesday, October 7, 1936 TDOORI VARIETY 63 Utah Salt Flats Oust Daytona As Worlds Auto Testing Ground Salt Lake City, Oct. 6. ' Assault on' world land speed ^.records on Btonneyille salt fiats is ' UtahV newest big business. Automotive engineers and drivers throughout the world have their • eyes glued on this desert speedway 130 miles west of . Salt Lake City. Since the measured mile record of 301 m.p.h. set here last year by Sir Malcolm Campbell, dare-devil speed- sters have made the course" interna- tionally known. During the past month John Cobb, stubby, race-loving English fur broker whizzed his snub-nosed racer |o : 4r dozen' new 24-hour motorcar records.- Last week; Utah's own Ab Jenkins in his 700-horsepbwer Due- senberg special," recaptured the Eng- lish records^ ' itSS a known fact that the.British, Italian .and,. German governments, unaware: of the imminence of war, . are • • secretly: / constructing super- autos to establish new records. And they're all sold on the Utah racing "'ofjurse^ v ■ i Daytona beach, long considered as the ideal racing course, has lost its laurel's. Florida site is much more hazardous and requires much' more, skill than the Utah salt flats.. As far as concrete highways are con- sidered, they haven't a chance com- pared to the .salt grounds. Tires would-simply go to pieces at terrific speed on concrete. Sir' Malcolm, in recent dispatches, said If he wanted to he could make a few changes on his Bluebird and lift His record to 350 or more.m.p.hi That ..is,, if.'he wanted to. Alb.. Jenkins and his relief driver, 1 Babe Stapp, drove 7;134.082 miles in their. 48-hour grind. Three months ago, the fastest- man' had traveled by auto for 48 hours was 109.04 miles ah hour. A month later English Cap- tain George Eyston averaged 134.34 miles an hour. Jenkins' mark was 148.62 miles, per hour ' It costs about $2,500 to obtain of- ficial A. A. A. timing service. Tele- graph companies have established agencies near site to feed news- papers all over the world with news of events. KSL,^50,000-watt CBS- affiliate at Salt Lake has its mobile short-wave station anchored on track during'a run. A flock of rooming houses, cafes, bars and shop, sub- sequently have sprung up due to the salt flats "racing activity. Circus Managers Meet Berlin, Sept. 27. 'Invitations' were sent out by the Reichsfachschaft Artistik to. all the German circus managers for a round-table conference. Discussion centered aroimd next season's tours to avoid clashes in those districts that are mostly favored, such as Bavaria, the Palatinate and East Prussia. It developed that the Berlin Cir- cus Busclv. owned by Paula' Busch and in reality the former Circus Strassburger, will "be transferred to Vienna, where Paula still owns a permanent stone building. Her local house, not beingjised, will be razed shortly. Another" German circus, Carl Hagenbeck,- goes in November for an extensive tour abroad, start- ing in South America and making Plans to return to Japan where Hagenbeck cashed in'two years ago. Acrobat Hurt Trenton, N. J., Oct. 6. Jerry Martin, doing a trapeze act at the Trenton State Pair, fell "75 jeet to the ground when a guy rope Moke Oct. 3, striking his back on a figging stake. Is in a local hospital "\5 ttitical condition. Martin lives in New Rochelle. R- B:-B. & B. Rainout Dallas, Oct. 6. Heavy rains kept- Ringling Bros, and Barnum-Bailey circus from fill- ing its two-day engagement here &ept 27 and 28. Ground was too wet te hold the stakes. (Continued from page 1) national influences, one of which is analyzed to be a reaction against radio (but to a modest degree) and the other is more concretely a reflex from repeal of the National Prohibi- tion Amendment. With the k.o. of Volsteadism, every crossroads inn became an oasis for a glass of beer and the stronger stuff. This soon brought in the coin operated phono- graphs. Wurlitzer, Mills Novelty Co., Automatic Musical Industries (AMI) and Rokk-Ola are four of the most successful venders of canned music which owe their current boom business directly to the veering away from Volsteadism. Every jerkwater filling station, candy store, blerstube, roadhouse,, dance nail, minor nitery, and the like, has automatic music of one form or another. The live show cost is an obvious hurdle and an impos- sibility under' the hinterland eco- nomic restrictions. But music is necessary, and the radio has been found to be an unsatisfactory com- promise. Gin mills have, been an Influential factor in furthering the swing and hot vogues in dansapation, particu- larly on the cheaper disks, although the No. 1 seller In the liquid filling stations is Fats Waller, on a Victor's 75c catalog. The boys and girls want their music heated when they start to glow alcoholically. Thus, also, almost every company has been inspired to blue-up their^e- leases. The major conservative comr panies keep, themselves 'clean' on the 75c brands, but all have pop priced adjuncts; also multi-labelled brands, whereon the double-enten- dre lyrics, chiefly blues, are featured. That's the stuff that sells. In Holly- wood one firm vends 'em at $1 a copy and, besides the coin opera- tors, it enjoys a large retail biz with the same bunch that: formerly went in for unexpurgated literature and questionable motion pictures. Musclers Step In The record people, .with a touch of sadness, will. also . confide that, the racket boys are how in on the coin- operations. Where the pinball games, candy derricks, and the like have been legislated out as illegal, the muscle bunch which has been, prominent in these pastimes ever since liquor and the like- cramped their style, have lately become at- tracted to the automatic music irfakers. As result, they've 'organ- ized' many a locality and Installed the machines; all of which 1 has boomed the record biz. Competition, in fact, is so keen in some nabes that where the split used to be 50-50 after' the first couple of dollars, it's now as much as 75-25 to the local • outlet, from the first nickel. Most automatic players are on a 5c-per-record basis. The great hinterlands with their WPA funds have further boomed the sundry liquor dispensaries. Each town in the south and west has its bawdy district, and they, too, are automatic music licensees. It's this type of patronage which has boomed the fast and. dirty record trade. Vo- calion's 'Sweet Violets' recording (once a Gladys Bentley vocal trade- mark) has sold 150,000 copies alone, which gives an idea, compared to a topnotch Bing Crosby seller, for ex- ample, which is a wow if going 20,- 000 disks. The record people are frowning on the snappy 'race' (colored artists) records, which usually feature this type of blues, because of the danger it may stifle a very worth-while de- veloping business. In San Diego, for example, local legislation has al- ready clamped down on the auto- matic nickel talking machines be- cause the records got too smutty. By and large, however, the general boom in disks is predicated on the ■livelier dance styles,. although the saucy lyrics Can't be dismissed wholly. DALLAS IN HOMESTRETCH Rained Out, Frozen and Down to a 16,000 Day—But Upping Dallas, Oct 6. Pointing to a row of four consec- utive big-week ends, Texas Centen- nial exposition pulled out of a two- week rough stretch Saturday (3) when attendance grossed 52,148. The string of "bumpy days, which had pushed the gate almost as low as 16,000 on one day, was caused by early rains, an unseasonal norther and slacking of intersectional tourist movements. The villages and 'Caval- cade cf Texas' were rained out Sept., 25 and 26. : Management has gotten wise and changed policy for fall by spdtting its prize special events in mid-week on theory that week ends can care for themselves - . Current week brings Saengerfest and concert of Dallas symphony ork on Monday, anti-aircraft war games Tuesday and Wednesday, free 'circus night' and opening of fair's new show 'Whirligigs' Thursday. Saturday (10). is being touted as biggest day of. expo. Texas and Oklahoma universities' football teams will play .their annual game in Gptton Bowl of fair. Three other jam-up Southwest conference matches will follow on consecutive Saturdays. Bunny Biggs is staging 'Whirli- gigs' for expo in 6,500-seat. amphi- theatre. It is variety show and mu- sical, with cast pieced from Billy Rose's defunct Ft. Worth 'Jumbo,* miscellaneous local talent; and im- ports. Attendance had reached 4,425,929 for first four months. ONE SHOWMAN KILLED; ANOTHER IS AVENGED "MTX HOliE-UP Greenville,. S. C, Oct 8. Tom Mix may. select either Orange- burg, or. Sumter, S. C, for winter quarters for his 157-mptor unit cus. Former film star expects to «rop the canvas for the season Sarjy m Nov. PUTAIXUP UPS Tacoma, Oct 6. Western Washington Fair at Puyal- lup closed Sunday after one of its most< successful years with an at- tendance registered at 280,000, 25,000 more than last'year./ ' .Concessions' in' the grounds ad- vanced prices 5 cents this year over last year, with the total take 40 per cent up. Savannah, Ga., Oct 6. James Dent, 48, North Carolinian and property man with the Tom Mix Circus, which played here Sept. 28, was found dead the next day hear the show grounds. - Police believe he was murdered and robbed, since he had been, paid off the night before and no money was found in his pockets, which had been turned ih side out He had a severe head bruise. ' 1 Police said Dent had quit the'eir cus the day before he was found dead. William Odum, one of three men indicted in Georgetown in connection with the slaying of a carnival em ployee known, only as .'Sandy' • or 'Heavy* near there Nov. 1, 1935, was found guilty of murder Thursday (1) and "was given a life term when the jury recommerided mercy in Supe- rior Court nsparent Woman to Tour Stix After Extended Run at Radio City HAMLET - (Continued from page 57) others in this and previous genera- tions. Gielgud is younger than most; hence he. brings a fiery passion and conviction to a role which .the Ham- lets of the past often approached with gloomy introspection." The grandhephew Of Ellen Terry speaks his lines at a terrific tempo, but his diction is so liquid that not a syllable is missed. A volatile per- sonality, this Hamlet is no moody philosopher feeling sorry for him- self, but a vigorous, albeit often be- wildered man, resolved upon re- venge for his father's murder. Whole production is almost cine- matic in speed, not only in the gen- eral tempo, of the lines, but in the swift changes of the 19 scenes. Mc- Clintic has been prodigal in his ex- penditure and it is doubtful if this production, has ever been. so lavish in the memory of most theatre- goers, although Irving was notable for his'meticulous staging. •■■ A formalized set, with-upper levels and flanking stairways, is the central unit, which is .supplemented in the various scene changes by drapes and set pieces. Mielziner has so designed these as to aid the movement of the lines and "the tempo at which they are played by the several mem- bers, of the cast His sets are strik- ingly .beautiful and are aided by the brilliant colors and fabrics in the costuming. Incidentally, Mielziner has departed from the traditional Elizabethan costuming and adopted the fashions of the Van Dyke period. Also contributing to the'cinematic tempo is the condensation of the Cambridge text without sacrifice of necessary lines. A reading of the unabridged text takes about four and one-half hours; , the McClintic editing ran 185 mins. opening night. Several scenes not usually played on the stage have, however, been included Together with Gielgud, the other members of-the cast, which includes several picture names, are uniformly fine. Judith Anderson makes the Queen a regal figure in voice and manner and scores particularly in that significant bedroom scene when Hamlet accuses his repentant mother of complicity in? the murder of her husband; Lillian Gish, playing ber first-Shakespearian role, gets away from the traditional sweet and child- like Ophelia and gives an honest in- terpretation of a girl'maddened by grief and disillusionment; Arthur Byron, as Polonius, underplays this garrulous character . with ^ne intelli genoe- and shading; Morgan Farle* as Osric - is - particularly, commend- able. .Malcolm .Keen does a mag- nificent Claudius and John Emery an electrifying J^aerifls, both getting their dramatic values with' unerring effect. ■ Imaginative lighting and the use of appropriate music or reedy notes in heralding the Curtain rises all add to the effect , McStay. K. C.'s Jubilesta' Near Even Carnival to Open Muny Auditorium Grosses $100,000—Big Acts and 'Scandals' Kansas City, Oct, 6. KC's-proposed annual fall festival, tagged 'Jubilesta,' which closed its eight-day run Saturday (3), played to 125,000 neople and grossed in neighborhood of $100,000, which is close to a break-even figure and all that was hoped for. Top was 88c, which included admission to exhibits, 'Holy Land' and arena. Top for Geo. White's 'Scandals,' which was set in the music hall, was $2.20. Ball rolling was started with an advance sale of 16,000 bargain tick- ets at $1.10, good for three perform- ances. Jubilesta committee played with the idea of bargain get-ins for some time' before putting them on sale, and now feel that the word-of- mbuth started by these customers was invaluable to show's success. Names set during the week were Ben Bernie and Bob Burns, who were in for first two days, Dave Ru- binoff one day, Veloz and Yolanda one day. Ted Weems* band was in for two days and Buddy Fisher com- bo for the. eight-day run. Costume and dance contests filled out other days. Gauci Bros.' 'Holy Land* exhib was in a week in advance of Jubilesta, and for the two weeks showed. to about 90,000.. Top here was 25c for single admissions, Rublnoff the Highlight . '' Most. successful r from . audience viewpoint was appearances of.Bu- binoff, who directed an orchestra of 60 musicians recruited from the Phil- harmonic group. ■ Bob Burns drew heavy, but wasn't, up to par with his material, which was pretty stale. • The night appearance of Veloz and Yolanda was badly handled when it couldn't be decided whether the dancers should hoof on the stage or floor of the arena. They went on a half hour late. They were skedded for a single night performance, but gave two. The Muehlebach Grill grabbed the dancers for a six-day engagement, which they opened Monday (5). 'Scandals' had near sell-outs each performance. It opened Sunday (27) for seven days, but was held an addi- tional day, closing Sunday (4), giving 10 performances. Brought in at a reported flat rate of $25,000 for seven days. . Facilities of the Muny aud are probably among the best in the coun- try. The main arena seats 14,000, the music hall 2,400 and the little theatre 800. The exhibition hall has three acres of floor space, which was sold out at a reported figure of $33,000. The natives were well pleased with the city's efforts to formally dedicate the new $6,500,000 Muny audi That glass baby, the transparent woman on view in Radio City, is wowing the hinterland visitors to such an extent that officials of the Hall, of Motion Exhibit are holding her over to Jan. 1. She opened Aug. 21 and so' far approximately 95,000 have viewed her' at a IS cent top. Original closing date was set for Nov. After her- New York run, she tours for two years, and then back to Germany, whence she came. Premiere is staged with a flourish, and reflects certain circusy angles which are interesting; Her act goes on every half-hour, with floodlights, barkers and. amplifying system turned on full blast > Explanation lasts around six 'or seven minutes, - but is repeated as some late strollers always, have to be- satisfied or they sulk. Customers who flock in are varied. •. Matrons • are curious- and generally are responsible- for. their husbands buying ducats in the - first place; Men are somewhat bored at the be- ginning, but later become intent as the more intime features are casu=> ally brought out. Newlyweds (and they can be spotted pronto) are com- pletely awed. Flappers giggle but then.decide it's time they let some- thing seep throughr . . Not unlike humans who specialize in the runway strip flash, this speci- men does not tease.: She's just there au naturel and. for the taking. A spieler starts her off,, with an elec- trical hook-up trailing his pointer. First in the upper-story, and then- the locomotion graduated with red lights until all territory is covered. It took'20 years, to assemble the girl. Model is of a 30 : year-old type. Fashioned of cellhorn, ,a tough, substance, she is said to wear well. Arteries and corpuscles are also threade with electric currents, which when tuned on become rather at- tractive. Cotoblnation offsets those, frowns from dowagers who have cjamored around. Upraised arm suggests -a climatic gesture to some dirge-like blues. ' " Officials of the' exhibit, which is a part of the New' York 'Museum.' of. Science an,d ' Industry, have baify- .hooed her neatly. Blow-ups are planted all over the; building; and also out front to. ensnare pedestrian interest. Since opening, many word- of -mouth gags" have made the rounds, and one Broadway booker looked in the first week to see possibilities, of using a treatment of her in a , forthcoming revue. It didn't work out S. H. Camp of Jackson, Mich., ne- gotiated the U. S. debut: Wirth Boys Circus Melbourne, Sept. 8.. Philip Wirth has purchased the entire Ivan Bros.' International Cir- cus and will combine the unit into his own circus. The Ivan show wai' first sponsored by Major Condor, a former boss of the Australian Broad- casting Commission,, but the show went floppo'after a short run, finally closing in Melbourne. Wirth's Circus is currently playing a season in Western Australia and will tour Victoria and N. S. Wales at a later date. Fair Takes Track Circus Routes Week of Oct. 12 i Cole Bfo«, tfnd fteaity 331 Tvto, Xwc, 12; J<l«lJaii<J. 13 (iiIkM only); lit* Kprlnfr. 14: Abilene, 15; ■Jlrownwood, 1C; Tempi*, 17; New Braun- fela, U. San Jose, Oct. 6. George T. Letcher, president of the newly organized Santa Ciara County Fair Association, announced ' last week that he has taken a lease on the famous Mira Mdnte track on the Monterey highway. A 5,000-seat grandstand formerly used at the Belmont, Cal., dog track has been purchased by Letcher. Plans are underway to move tHis by truck to erect it at the Mira Monte track. Polio Stymies Fair Sylvester, Ga., Oct. 6. Spread of poliomyelitis, reaching epidemic proportions, caused medi- cal authorities to postpone Worth County Fair indefinitely, High school football'game was-also called off. , : Schools and local cinema theatra remain open, but authorities-- ar» planning to place ban on show, re* strlctlng patronage to those over lC