Variety (Jul 1937)

Wednesday, July 28, 1937 VAUDE^NITE CLUBS>^BURLESQUE VARIETY 49 BKLYN BDRLYS ¥AMPIN"TIL READY Five former burley, houses In Brooklyn whose bps had been •watching the far from noble experi- ment of New York houses in transi- tion to so-called vaude under tag of •Follies* have, decided to remain "shuttered for summer, reopening, if 'at all, around Labor Day. . . Houses involved are - , Minsky's Brooklyn, Star and Century, ope- rated by the Raymonds; Oxford, Schwartz house, and the Casino (re- juvenated De Kalb), operated by Sam Briskman. Quintet were okayed • for license, when word went out to the New York houses, and three of the group—Century, Star and Ox- ford were practically set to open this ■ .yn^eek—but this sudden shuttering of the Gaiety and Republic, New York, scared them off. Ops are marking time figuring something may be done to ease off the drastic La Guardia- Moss throttle when new season gets around. Phil Harris Band/ Hold-Over Acts, At Dallas Expo With Phil Harris' crew current for six weeks, having opened Saturday " (24), and Benny Goodman going in . for 10 days immediately following, "the Pan-Amerigan Casino, in Dallas . is set- for music. practically .till the end of the run of the Greater Texas- j Pan-American Exposition, Cine more \ name band is being sought to round out the musical end. For the last six weeks of the expo, the Casino will practically repeat .its opening floorshow. Repeating ^a.ct§ will include Bprrah Mihevitch's ^band sans Minevitch, who sticks on ih6 Coaist, and StaH Kavanaugh. ' JOan Davis, if picture' .commit- *ments permit, will go into the - Casino' August 21. Diamond Boys • and' Florence and Alvarez, dance .team, will be included in this show. VAUDE ACTS WHOOP UP G-E CONVENTION Curtis & Allen agency lined up three different vaude layouts for as many one-niters during the current gales convention of General Electric In the Thousand Islands. Included among acts are Walter Walters, Fred Zimbalist, • Beale St. Boys, Frank Radcliffe, Selden and Endler, 4 Buds, Sunshine Sammy, Sleepy Williams, Martin Barnett, Don Ricardo, Charles Masters, 3 Lunatricks and Tausha and Hammed. Performances were staged Sunday (25), Monday, and the windup is carded for tonight (Wed.). Frank Cooper of the C; & A. agency accom- panied troupe to stage the shows. TAPS FOR COPS BUI Robinson Scrams Pay Date for Benefit Show Detroit, Jiily 27. Bill Robinson, who promised police he would appear at their annual field day," is reported having cancelled vaude appearance in Atlanta last week so he could participate in the yearly event at Navin Field Satur- day (24). Others who took part In show, which drew about 35,000 persons and netted the police benefit association $100,000, were Vincent, Lopez and orch, and Three Stooges, current at Fox theatres. Kay Parsons and Nitery Sued for Song Infring. The Paull-Pioneer Music Corp. and the Edwin B. Marks Music Corp. filed an infringement suit yesterday (Tuesday) in the federal court, N. Y., against Jimmie Dwyer, who oper- ates the Sawdust Trail, nitery, and one of his entertainers, Kay Parsons. Action involves 5,00O copies of the old-time songs, 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart,' 'Sidewalks of New York* and 'In the Good Old Sum- mertime,' which defendants are al- leged to have distributed for adver- tising purposes without plaintiffs' okay. Suit asks $250 for each infringe- ment by Miss Parsons and $1 for each copy distributed. Cabin Kids' 1-Nighters Cabin Kids, now with Billy Rose's show at Ft Worth, come east in mid- September. Will one-night toward New York, where they're slated for Educational shorts.- Martin Wagner, of the Morris of- fice agenting. NO COIN; BED ¥ BOARD PAYOFF Several beer joints studding the side streets of the Times Square sec- tor who went tall miUinery a couple of weeks ago and Installed floor shows'of a sort have not paid off since opening week. Performers have taken pay stop- page gracefully, without squawks, and are sticking around probably because they have no place else to go. One of the spots has a fui^iisli^. room house on the side and has been domiciling its entertainers and chow- ing theni as - well it the pseudo- nitery. Others are also grubstaking the perfoirmers with promise to make it up when biz improves. So every- body's happy but the landlords. RUDNICK BANKRUPT, OWES $73,772; ASSETS 0 Max Rudnick, theatrical producer, operator of the Eltinge, N. Y., filed a voluntary, petition in bankruptcy in U. S. District Court, N. Y.', Saturday (24), listing liabilities at $73,772 and no assets except $21,000 on exempted insurance. . . . ; Among creditors named by Rud- nick is the Manning Amusement Co. for $30,000 on a lease of the Shubert Theatre, Phila. Other debts includ:e $990 to the Four Square Holding Co. (Republic, N. Y.); Harry Sherman, ex-president of the inotion picture ops Local 306, on a note for $142; H. Herk, .$150, and . $1,250 to Charles Hertsig.. Several of Rudnick's creditors are reported as having crowded him several weeks ago, which probably precipitated the. voluntary filing. Upon reopening of the Eltllige, N. Y., two weeks ago, Rudnick is said to have been financed by outside inter- ests, with latest being that Abe Minsky and I. H. Herk after folding the Gaiety, N. Y., staked Rudqick to carry on at the Eltinge. BURLY FLOPS, AFA DUES DEDUCTIONS, DELAYED PAYOFFS-JUST JOLLY MOMENTS SHEP HEDS, TED LEWIS RETURN-BOOKED IN Pin Pittsburgh, July 27. As result of their showings here in face of heat and general business conditions, both Shep Fields and Ted Lewis have been booked for return engagements at Stanley, WB deluxer, in October. Bands hit between $24,- 000 and $25,000 here on a week, about $7,000 better than average warm weather biz. Flesh bookings for Stanley still pretty sparse between now and early fall,"so Harry Kalmirie, zone mana- ger for circuit here, has gone to New York for a week to try and fill in the schedule. Latest attraction set is Jackie Coogan' and his band unit week of Sept. 17. House expects to go right along with regular presentation policy and no labor difficulties, like those of last year, which interrupted pol- icy foi: several months, expected. Musicians still have a year to- go after Sept. 1, when pay goes up 10% T>fa'their current deal. • ~ Chi Agents Going Foir Golf in Big Way; Nuthin' Else to Do 4 Agents Battling Over 7 Colored Acts in N. Y. Reopening of Minsky's Oriental, N. Y., last week with sepia show policy precipitated what looked like a battle of the agents. Four 10%ers were booking the seven acts inter woven in the show. BiUy Sharp, Feet Edson, Sam Stiefel and Saul Leslie all claimed exclusive boot ing privileges on the shows. It gave an idea of what's left of show biz around N. Y. Friars in the Black Friars National Association, Inc., an offshoot of the former Friars Club have completed plans for expansion of its clubrooms alongside Edison hotel, N. Y. Eddie Miller, treasurer, reports that the Friars is out of the red for first time in years. New group was organized several months ago and now has a. member ship of 200. Col. Jay C. Flippen is abbott and Bobby Clark, dean. in TRYING VAUDE AGAIN Akron, O., July 27 Palace theatres here and Youngstown, which have not had stage shows for several weeks will get a vaude bill the week Of Aug. 6. Henry Armetta and California Col legians will head a four-act show that will split between the two houses. Chicago, July 27. Success of their joint cooperative golf tournament held at the Bon-Air Country Club last Thursday (22) has the vaudeville agents and bookers here planning to make it a monthly affair. Jack. Kalcheim, who headed Thursday's event, has been put In charge of the next one, which is planned.for August, and to be held at another course. Every agent and booker contributed $3 for the day's, pjiay, to be used for prizes and incidental- expenses! Warren Jones walked off with the first prize with a score of 90, Roy Bruder got second, Nat Kalcheim third, and, Al Borde. fourth, with Sam Bramsoh taking the booby prizej 137 strokes. . Tournament was attended 'by 42 agents and bookers, • most of whom swatted the ball. Max Turner, Sam Bramson, Sam Roberts, Charlie Hogan, Dave and Harry Balaban, Dick Bergen,. Warren Jones, Al Borde, Nate Piatt, Louie Lipstone, Roy Bruder, Eddie Elkort, Jack and Nat Kalcheim, Marty White, Sammy Clark, Sam Kahl, Lou Reinheimer, Aaron Jones; Jr.; Bill^ Diamond, BUly Snyder, .Billy White, Will Singer, Benny Feidman, Tom Burchill and son, Don Leeds, Marty Schwartz, Ed Sligh, Billy Rankin, Anton Scibilia, George Howe, and Sylvan Goldfinger. Hectic Things 'n' Stuff Attendant to N. Y. Burlesk's Revivals (and Quick Expirations)—Chinese Act Pinched) Payoffs Stalled, Sunday Shortages, Bum Biz, Etc. See Forum This Week Veteran advances a number of interesting slants on burles- que and what first popularized it. In the Forum this week'on page 63, Saratoga Nags Draw De Luxe Floor Line-Dps present racing, season at Saratoga, N. Y., is turning into a field day for Music Corp. of America bookings, Agency has set the entire show at the Arrowhead Inn, including Xavier Cugat orch, Gracie Barrle, Rodney McLennan and Veloz and Yolanda, MCA deal at Piping Rock, at the same resort, placed Vincent Lopez and Rufe Davis.' Fddie'Elkins and Ramon and Renita are at Riley's. Several other offices iiave spotted acts in the resort's niteries. Manie Sacks did the"MCA booking. ACTS INCOGNITO IN N. Y. BURLEYS Vaude acts playing the reformed hurleys seem to peg them clandestine dates, since they are not urging house billing or announcements, and in many instances are not using their act names. Hiding.. identity gag is said to be occasioned because of the rock-bot- tom remuneration acts are receiving, they don't want to have some one fiash the low price contracts when they ask for better coin from better spots. Lewis-Turek's Units Jack Lewis, formerly with Billy Rose, and Sol Turek, have formed a vaude producing partnership. Duo will' produce several units, first of which will be titled 'Main Street to. Broadway,' currently in process of casting. Pair al6Q. hav<^ legit production ambitions, ^-ij,- 4A s Gives AFA Jurisdiction in N. Y. s Whitewashed Burley Houses-2 Left Jurisdictional row between Bur- lesque Artists Association and Ameri- can .'Federation of Actors as to which has jurisdiction over the sapolioed burley houses was decided in favor of latter last week by unanimous vote of the Four A's. Ruling characterized the shows vaude despite girly build-ups and in some casfs retention of burlesque comics and other burlesque perform- ers. Decision gives AFA full control of situation to exclusion of BAA, which formerly held contracts with houses involved in policy change. With the decision. Four A's also in- corporated scathing denunciation of the burley house operators in per- mitting shows to degenerate to such a stage as to warrant official atten- tion and subsequent obliteration, . While admitting the loss of the New Yorlc houses wa^ to be re- gretted, Thomas Phillips, president of the BAA, said his organization would abide by the decision. Ralph Whitehead, executive sec of AFA, advocated 'closed shop' for all houses. However, BAA members In good standing will not be nicked customary initiation fee, but will have tp kick in with dues ^hen play- ing the houses, arid if they want to straddle AFA and their own organi- zation it is okay-all around. Phillips called a meeting of his group at the Union Church Audi- torium Friday (23) midnight,to ex- plain the New York situation after having previously been notified of the Four A's decision. The vaude classification also abrogates BAA control of chorus, with latter going to Chorus Equity, since AFA has no chorus branch. Chorus Equity mulled the matter over the weekend and on Monday (26) announced a $25 weekly scale for 28 performances and 1/14 for Saturday midnights, Or other extra performances. Equity's edict means $1 weekly tilt for the house girls. Musicians and stagehands unions will continue to play ball with the two houses currently open, Apollo, and Eltinge, invoking the former burlesque policy scale despite re- classification as vaude. Both may fold Thursday (29). Deispite hourly denials, Billy Min- sky's Republic, N. Y., folded abruptly after. Thursday nite's show (22), be- ings the second casualty among re- opened burley houses making a stab at vaude policies, following closely upon the shutdown of the Gayety, N, Y., previous Sunday (18). Orien- tal folded last night (Tuesday), ' With scanty takings . of the week insufficient to meet the payroll for a time it looked like no pay-oiT and both back stage and the Republic's alley resounded with wails from choristers and acts. But the ops had gone out to dig up deficit of the pay- roll and a backstage Paul Revere made the rounds of coffee-pots and other nocturnal spots to round up the bunch for payoff at 2 a.m. Upon checking up on their re- muneration both acts and line girls found they had been shorted the ex- tra coin for the midnight perform- ance la^t -Satwfday. They howled a lot but took no further action, prob- ably reconciling themselves that th'e short payoff was better than no pay- off at all, « ' . To add further to the merriment of a chaotic evening,, two burly,gend- armes'mooched in for the last show and grabbed the Shanghai Wugh W'a troupe, Chinese .novelty act, on a charge of permitting unlawful per- formance of a minor with act. Act employs 10 year old boy. Someone smuggled the kid out of the theatre before the cops could grab him. This precipitated a burn-up and" instead of issuing summonses, which is the usual prpce;dure, tlxey arrested Wugh Wa. Latter reposed irt the pbkey until his agent, William Shilling, ar- ranged bail Friday afternoon (23). ■ Presence of the cops was relayed to the Weinstocks and the house manager, upstairs,. but instead of coming down they flcramnled and it was this absence, at- close of the show, that led all to believe they'd been left on the lot. ■ • . Pueo and. 'Extras' Another rumpus among the acts at payoff was the American Federa- tion of Actors' nick from the weekly stipend and other 'extras'.deducted in addition to no extra pay for Sat- urday midnite show. Don Zelaya's envelope was $51 shy, not counting previous deductions of agent's com- mission and social security tap. In explanation, act was told that $31 had been handed ovet to the AFA for back dues in exchange for per- mission to Zelaya to play the date, and the other $20 nick was for use of piano for his act. Zelaya 'burned' on this, claiming manaieement was supposed to furnish a piano .under terms of his-contract. When he had showed up for rehearsal the opening day of the show, and a^ked for the plpno, management had told him there was hone in the house and asked where they could get one. Zelaya stated the Harmon would loan one, gratis, but they would make a charge of haulage both ways. Harmon's bill was $20 and Zelaya was nicked for it. When querying about the $31 AFA tap he was told he had signed a promissory note be- fbre being allowed to open. He knew he signed a promise to pay, but not in a single ive'ek. Anthony and Rogers, another standard act, were likewise tapped for practically half their salary for AFA back dues. When this got noised around it made it tougher than ever for those now open burley houses to line up new bills, due to the arbitrary AFA procedure and other things. With the demise of Oriental, Gaiety and Republic there remains but two of the former burley houses in oper- ation In N. Y. The Apollo is holding over the Ann Corio-topped show for a second week. The Eltinge, across the street on 42d has shaved the operating nut $800 weekly and has installed a nev^ show, but despite the pruning and fixing both houses are expected to fold tomorrow (Thursday). LOCUSTS EEUNITE Locust Sisters, who dissolved some time ago, have reunited and cur- rently ethering over WOR. Harmony trio set for one of Leon- ard jSillman's musicals next season.