Variety (Aug 1937)

Wednesday, August 25,1937 VAUDE-NITE CLUBS VARIETY 47 Passing of Jim Mclntyre Recalls Early Start of Mclntyre and Heath James T. Mclntyre (he never was other than Jim to his friends and the public alike), was born in Ken- osha, Wis., and early became a candy butcher on the railroad. But the urge to go into show business was strong, and he was presently to be found on Katie Putnam's show after a number of false ^starts in ■which he left Kenosha with various mud shows only to be overtaken and haled hack home. He (jontributed to the concert olio but his chief oc- cupation was selling candy in the audience and it was here that '-e developed his fondness for dialect. As he told it himself when busi- ness slackened he would pick out some likely-looking young Negro and' engage him in conversation, offering him a gift of candy, only to withdraw it and proffer it again un- til he finally made his donation and passed on to another subject. Tour- ing widely through tte south, he developed five different dialects, each individual from the others, but his preferiehce was for that form of speech geiaerall/ spoken in Gfeorgia,. which he adopted for stage use. It was only j[h his" hours of leisure that he entertained his friends .v^ith sam- ples of the other patois he had picked up. He had no.desire to pose as a dialectic expert and found the Geor- gia dialect" ample for his stage needs. He teamed, originally with William Butler, but presently Butler became ill and he doubled with Tom Heath, whose partner also had fallen ill. Together "they, worked out an act, and after various minsttel engage- ments started their pwii Georgia Minstrels, more than 50 years ago. This toured very successfully for several " seasons and the title en- dured up to a few years ago. MeanthAe their specialty devel- oped into' the turn variously known as The Ham Tree,' 'The Georgia Minstrels' and the 'Chickens' act. Each was a slight variant of the other, but all were based on the two central characters of a specious, glib^tongued wise' city Negro Henry and the credulous qountry darkey, Alexander, who had been .lured from his secure berth in ;a livery stable by .the glowing promises of Heath. The character was developed by Mc- lntyre from a stable hand with whom he was associated in one Of his pe- riods of ill luefc and he himself worked as a hostler. , . Toured in Musical Under the title of The Ham Tree' the act Was expanded by Klaw & Erlanger into a musical, which met ■with fair success, but there was not sufficient to the act to spread over an entire evening, and presently they returned to their splecialty. In the 'Chickens' form of the act Mc- lntyre played a wench and in this included one of his funniest bits of business. Heath would ask about the paternity of Mclntyre's imaginary children and Mclntyre -would turn away, muttering to himself. There was no direct answer, but the actor made the pantomime screamingly funny." One of the best-remfembered jokes was about the nian with the platter with a roast of beef 'oozing ^vith gravy.' Heath would tell about it while Mclntyre's jaws fairly drooled and would wind up with 'I asked him for it and he said no. If he had said yes, I'd have had it.' Many of the best gags in the act were, by Mclntyre's own admission, derived from other cork specialists, Willis P. Sweatnam contributing much of the material, - including the remark that it was bad enough to be nit by a tomato, but it hurt worse When they , forgot to take it out of the can. The team made several efforts to Dreak away from the old specialty, one of the most ambitious tries be- ing The Man from Montana,' an old minstrel afterpiece, but audiences flemanded a return to the Minstrels fct and managers booked accord- ingly. Their last public appearance Was n 1929, but they later appeared on L ajr with Rudy Vallee and fre- quently responded to requests to ap- pear at benefits. For a time there was a report "that the partners had not spoken to each oiher offstage for a number of years. ^>iniilar stories have been told of Pract)ca]]y every team of long fiandjng, and there appears to have Dcen no foundation for the report in the case of the burnt cork team. They were pals to the end, and fre- quently visited each other, their homes being not far apart. When the late Percy G. Williams developed Bergen Beach, on Ja- maica Bay, with Adams, the chew- ing gum man, Mclntyre was one of the many professionals who invested in building lots back of the beach concession. When' the growing city stretched out, Mclntyre sold his holdings and bought more land fur- ther out on the island. He is re- ported to have died fairly ■ wealthy. He is survived by an adopted daughter, Maude Martin, wife of a member of the Brooklyn bench.. 7 '; wife, Emma, died.about two years ago. Funeral services \yere held Friday and Interment -was • made in the family plot at JNoyack, L. I. Frank Sfaeaffer, 32, Qctrocttfed By an Accident Frank Sheaffer, 32, comedian and dancer with the Ethel Taylor revue, met instant death last week at Calais, Me., when he contacted a live wire while swimming off the International bridge in that city. Sheaffer and other members of the troupe were takng a pre-show dip in the St Croix river and had been diving off the bridge-which-Gonnccts Calais, Me., and St. Stephens, N. B. Sheaffer was 20 feet above the floor of the bridge and was about to dive when his hand, touched the live wire and was instantly electrocuted. Charles Sheaffer, his brother, re- ceived severe shock in attempting to aid Frank. Latter's remains were shipped to Cleveland for burial. U. S. Customs officers stated they had warned the performers about •the dangers of the live wires which they evidently didn't heed. Taylor revue had several weeks' booking in this territory, having opened at Calais that afternoon .(17). They gave a show that evening minus their former comic. COPS NIX STAGE DEBUT OF HOODLUM'S FRAU McAlester, Okla., Aug. 24. Cancellation of the appearance of Nell Traxler, wife of the notorious Pete Traxler, Southwestern bad man, was made by local theatre management after conferences with Police Chief Tom Abbott who nixed idea of the bandit's wife being^ per- mitted to capitalize on the unsavory record of her husband. Considerable opposish to Mrs. Traxler's plan to address theatre audiences in McAleter reached the' chief of police, who declared that he would use such legal methods as necessary to prevent Mrs. Traxler's appearance. The cancellation fol- lowed. Rubinaff Goes Vaude For 2 Weeb at $6,000 ,; Chicago, Aug. 24, Dave Rubinoff and his fiddle booked into the Fox, Detroit, for a two-week run starting Sept. 3. Price,, $6,000. Booked by Max Halperin, who also booked the Eton Boys into the house for the same two weeks in coopera- tion with Columbia Artists Bureau. Eddy Duchin's Repeat In Chicago at $7,500 Chicago, Aug. 24, Eddy Duchin orchestra has been booked for a return date at the Bala- ban & Katz Chicago by booker Lou Lipstone for the week of Sept. 10. Duchin just completed a week at the Chicago for a smashing $59,000 gross. Price for band will b6 $7,500. However, band also supplies three acts at the price. I Morris Agency Scouts Report Of Unfair Treatment of Acts Akoad BUTTERFIttD'S 9 HOUSES TO PLAY UNITS Flesh for Orph, Memphis Memphi.s, Aug. 24. Orpheum here which has been dark since June 7 reopens Sept. 19 as a vaudfilm .spot with Chalmers Cullins as chief of thealae opera- tion.';. Corporation heading new theatre .setup is the Bluff City Amusement company. . Butterfleld Circuit in Michigan this fall will attempt a regular stage show policy in nine of its houses for the first time in nearly six years. Will start Oct. 1 playing moderate- priced units on a split-week basis, each town getting a production once every two or thiree weeks. Booking of the Butterfied houses will be handled by the Simon Agency in New York. Units will be independ- ently produced. ■ According to present plans, open- ing shows will average around $2,500 weekly in cost. Towns which will play the stage shows include Lansing, Flint, Grand Rapids, Sagi- naw, Ann Arbor,. Pontiac, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor and Muske- gon. Philly Musicians PhiH; Musicians' y Nixes Stagger ^d Philadelphia, Aug. 24. Attempt by Warners to jockey fall vaude sked in nabes has been nixed by Musicians' Local as viola- tion of termer drawn up last De- cember. If the circuit insists on the plan, a 'battle that we are ready for' is promised by A. A. Tomei, Tqbter prexy. Company agreed in contract to spend $176,500 for music this year. It is making no attempt to wiggle out of this. In fact, it has offered to spend $3,700 more than the mini- mum for the privilege of cutting down size of bands from eight to five men and paring number of vaude days per week in some houses. Also wants to forget remaining four or five weeks yet to go in fulfilling min- imum 25 weeks of vaude in each house. Circuit would corhpensate for this shaving of flesh in houses where it isn't earning its nut by increasing number of weeks and number of days per week in profitable spots. Plan submitted Union for such jockeying calls for expenditure of $180,200 for the year. Tomei has turned the digits floor- ward on it, however, he said, be- cause it would help some men at ex- pense of others. Warner execs declare that if they are balked by the Union, it will be better biz to shoo out . flesh alto- gether and pay off the musicians the little that is still due on the $176,500 figure. Tomei said his men would resent any such move, as it would result in their getting paid without working. There could be no picketing, how- ever, he said, because the company would be technically fulfilling its contract. Denny Orch Spotted For 2 Chi Weeks Chicago, Aug. 24. First band to get an out-and-out two-week contract for the Chicago theatre here is Jack Denny, who goes in for that period beginning Friday (27). Closes, at the Drake hotel tonight (Tue.sday), after five solid months in the Silver Forest and Gold Coa.«;t room.«. Sophisticated Ladies are also billed for the two wieks at the Chi. Frances Arms At Steel Pier Frances Arms ha.s been set to head the stage show on the Sleel Pier, At- lantic City, this week-end (28-29). Sam Weisbord. of the Morris of- fice, agenting. Union Tangles Keeping Shows Out of Canton, 0. Canton, O., Aug. 24. No stage shows in sight here for the third consecutive season. Palace, independent and Loew's, only two downtown houses equipped for stage shows, will continue an agreement not to use 'flesh' so long as stage hands and musicians con- tinue to make what they contend are unreasonable demands. Double feature films being used in all eight theatres here continue to gross big and as long as films pack them in it is not likely that stage shows will even be considered. Only one house, the old Grand, is likely to attempt revival of stage show which will be either musical tabs or burlesque. Francis Molloy Sentenced For Francis Molloy, vaude performer, was given an indeterminate work- house sentence in West Side Court, N. v., last week when convicted of intoxication and soliciting alms. Molloy drew the ire of the court which had been inclined to be lenient, by denying any previous ar- rests, but later was confronted with a record of several arrests for in- toxication- and panhandling:- After being held for investigation, prior to sentence, it was also learned Molloy was not destitute, as claimed in jus- tification of the panhandling count, but had been receiving relief as well as additional aid from other outside charities, including churches of the theatrical district. In sentencing him, the court, added that the sentence was niore in hope of reclamation' than punishment and that he would be- liberated when parole commission, were convinced that he was physically and mentally able to take care of himself. Molloy had appeared in several acts with the late Hughle Clark, as well as having done a warbling single both in vaude and niteries. BEN YOST BANKRUPT, $27,086 LIABILITIES Ben Yost, describing himself as 'Actor-artist,' filed a voluntary peti- tion in bankruptcy Saturday (21) in U. S. district court, N. Y., listing liabilities at $27,068, His petition listed no assets. Yost's Varsity 8 is a standard act in vaude and the niteries. The actor's biggest, creditor is his former manager, Frank F. Tracey, of Kansas City, to whorn he owes $21,000. Of this amount $3,000 is for salary and Ipan.s, arid $18,000 for breaching a contract in 1935. Nelson, Hilliard Vauder Prior to Coast Trek bzzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard (Mrs. Nelson) have been booked by the RKO Boston, Boston^ for the week of Sept. 16, after which they will return to the Coast, Miss Hil- liard to continue pictures for RKO. where she recently finished 'Life of the Party.' Miss Hilliard is now in New York, where Nel.son and his orchestra are on the Astor Roof. In October Ncl.son's band, with Miss Hilliard as soloist, will start a .series of broadcasts originating in Hollywood. Reaction of the William Morris 6f- fice to squawks from acts allegedly cut-rated once they.open in Londori is that no such cases exist. As explained by Dick Henry, for* eign booker for the agency, usual .procedure for acts playing English vaude is to receive contracts of at least four weeks, 'cost of round- trip passage being included in the upped salary flgurie. Fees are nor- mally cut after the initial contract period is up, Henry says, arguing that .such practice is just and rea- sonable to both parties. - Idea is that a two-act which gets $300. a week in America needs that much plus the cost of. passage to justify Utking a London date. Round- trip costs an average of around $250 a person, so such an act Is usually paid $425 (85 pounds) a week for a four-week deal. If, after the four- week period is up, the salary Is cut to 60 pounds ($300 a week), Henry Qlaims, the act is still making its nornial American salary, since its passage over and back was all taken care of in the original four-week deal. INT'L CASINO WON'T PREEM UNTIL SEPT. S Slated to premiere tonight (25), the new International Casino on Broadway will formally debut Sept. 8. That's an of ficial'date. As part of the National City Bank's cooperation with the new nitery venture—the bank being also finan- cially involved with Joe Moss, Lou Brecker and George Olsen—it has retained special exploitation coun- sel, Benjamin Sonnenoerg, Park ave- nue publicist, to augment Karl Bern- stein on the regular ballyhoo. A se- ries of special trains from the Wash* ington embassies and legations Will be part of the teeooif 'ceremonies to give the. International Casino ai truly ' 'international^ diplomatic tone, and ' not just a billing for a nitery. The I. C. will maintain a $2.50' minimum iii .(he dasinp* (revue) but ; there are three different restaurants ' attached, to the venture,.'including i ] downstairs cafe for the lUncheori biz, tea- dansants Jn the second floor \ lounge, -besides the nightly ' revues ' for dinner and supper in the" third- floor Casino. - . ■• » BMO Corp.,. representing the Brecker-Moss-Oisen names, operat* ing the IC, has spxfie $400,000. tied up in the new venture so far. Weitman Throws Party Honoring Spitalny Band Bob Weitman, managing director of the Broadway Paramount, hosted Phil Spitalny and his girl-hand last night (Tuesday) after the final .show, in a private dining room of the Hotel Astor. It was a managerial reward for the big biz the Spitalnyites are do- ing St the Par. Femme orchestra is slated for four weeks at this hou.se with 'Artists and Models,' a record summer run, after setting a summer high record on their first week. Y. Frank Freeman, Par theatre v.p., and the General Electric execs (radio sponsors for Spitalny) also attended. Weitman -presented Spitalny with a suitable plaque in commemoration of the event. Flo Baird's Comeback Florence Baird, comedienne end of former vaude duo, Bency and Baird, is readying a comeback nftcr 10 years' relircmcnt. Miss Baird will do a .<;olo son^' cycle, with speci.Tl numbers by Ed- ward KlinE. and is .set lor a Chicago opening Sept. 11. Checking Tax Evaders In Philadelphia Niteries Philadelphia, Aug. 24. Mayor - Wilson ordered police to. I make a thorough check of the city's 3,000 .saloons and niteries to make them comply with the new munici- pal amusement- tax law. All week flatfeet have been haunt- 1 ing the taprooms to see whether the i owners put on (entertainment which would make them liable under the new law. They are then ordered to take out $1 permits and pay a 20'i tax on cover charges plus a 20'i divviy on each check on the amount over the cover charge.