Variety (Aug 1937)

48 VARIETY VAUDE-NITE CLUBS Wednesday, August 25, 1937 Hirst Circuit Signs Closed Shop Deal with AFA, Calls Shows Vaude To Eliminate Former B.A.A. Control Closed shop deal between. Ameri- can Federation of Actors and Izzy Hirst (Independent Assn.), which was signed last Wednesday (18), goes into effect immediately, despite the fact that the chorus girl question is still to be ironed out with Chorus Equity. Pact with the AFA elimi- nates completely the jurisdiction of the Burlesque Artists Assn., which, like the AFAj is chartered by the American Federation of Labor (Four A's), in the Hirst circuit of former burlesk houses and supposedly ushers in another vaude revival in 22 ex-buftip and grind spots. Jurisdiction of the chorus girls in the former IBA houses, which was also held by the BAA till the signa- turing of the AFA pact, is still up in the. air. Chorus Equity's minimum wage for chorines is $35 weekly, while the BAA'S is $26.50. Hirst doesn't want to go over the latter scale and this will probably be ironed out between Dorothy Bryant, head of Chorus Equity, and Hirst this week. ' Deal between the AFA and Hirst was ilroned out last week in a con- ference involving Whitehead, Izzy Hirst and I. Robert Broder, latter counsel for the former hurley chain; P^ct runs for three years, tUl July, 1940, and retains the AFA's estab- lished minimum of $40 per actor, re- gardless of how many people may be in the individual turns.' Pledged to the paiiit thus far are 22 theatres, two of which are pwned directly by Hirst, with the latter posting a $5,000 bond and guaranteeing payment of salaries in all the spots. Among other things the pact pro- vides are paid railroad travel for performers, except in such instances .where it is not feasible and busses or. automobiles are nece$sary; a five- show-per-day maximum, except on those days when the theatres have midnight shows;. differences arising from working conditions or salaries, or both, to be settled by arbitration, with both sides sharing the cost of the latter. Shows will not be called burlesque end will be in the form of vaude tmit productions. Hirst is offering acts 20rweek contracts, figuring on xising three to four variety turns, ■ plus specialties, m.c's, straight men and women in each production. Hirst Circuit Week of Aug. ZZ •Meet the Girls'—Gayety, Baltimore. 'Bozo Snyder's Show'—Gayety, Mil- WauUee. . 'JoUea Bergere'—Rlalto, Chicagro.. 'Foot-Loose Parade'—Casino, Toronto, 'Cupld'a Carnival'—Palace, BuRalo. 'B'rlnky ProUcs'—-Howard, Boston. 'Swlnar High, Shake Low'—Troc, Phila- delphia. ^Hollywood Bandwagon' Set for live Weete - Leddy & Smith, agents, in asso- ciation with Harry Anger, are pro- ducing a unit, 'Hollywood Band- wagon,' which opens at the Para- mount, Springfield, Mass., on Sept. 23. Booked for following successive weeks at Met, Boston; Loew's, Mon- treal; Shea's, Toronto, and the Michi- gan, Detroit. Lineup includes Abbott and Cos- tello. King Twins, Vic and LaMarr, Jean Lorraine, Carolyn Manners, Roy Rogan, line , of 16 girls, and 'Gypsy Rose Leeds.' Latter is a monk doing a mock strip tease. FAY, RAGUND, 6URLEY COMICS, SET IN LEGITS Legit producers are evidently look- ing to burlesque again for the first, time in years for talent with legit possibilities. Result is that the Apol-. lo, 42d street hurley, loses its lead comics to legit next week when Joey Fay, who has been at the house six weeks since reopening, goes with George Abbott's Boston company of 'Room Service,' in which he will have same role Teddy Hart origi- nated with New York company at the Cort. A week later 'Rags' Ragland will desert the erstwhile stripteasierie for a featured spot in Leonard Sillman's 'New Faces of 1937.' , Both Fay and Ragland have been doubling rehearsals with shows at the Apollo. Tooters' Strike Looming In Balto Hostelries Cincy Niteries Primp Up for Autumn Biz Cincinnati, Aug. 24. Arrowhead Inn, suburban nitery casino, reopens Aug. 26 with Harry Candullo's ork and . a floor show. Spot hjis been remodeled and will be operated by Joe Bauer and Sam Nason. Barney Rapp and his New Eng landers are in for an indef stay at Beverly Hills. New talent, which started Tuesday (24), includes Aunt Jiemima,. Milton Douglass, the D'lvons, Jay and Lew Seilfer, Gertrude Briefer and i6 chorines. Reis and Dunn opened Saturday (21) as new. toppers on the Lookout House show, which holds over Clyde Trask's band and the acts of Loyanne and Renard,-Dean-Murphy, Jackson and Blackwell -and !Ruth Laird's Texas Rockets. The THEATRE of the STARS Baltimore, Aug. 24. Looks like fight to finish between local Musical Union and Hotel Men's Association with neither side giving quarter and definite break anticipated Sept. 6th, date set by musicians for acceptance of their ultimatum that local hostelries insert clause in rental agreements with private parties, that only union mu- sicians be employed. Hotel men already employing union combinations and preparing for their regular musical needs for coming season are contacting non union groups and expect to replace affiliated tooters immediately fol- owing walkout. Union has girded itself for a fight, and among other measures, has passed a two per cent assessment and announced a mini- mum fine of $1,000 against any union man remaining on the job after Labor Day. Hotel men, under leadership of Harold Fink, of the Southern Hotel, which is currently employing Lou Becker and his orchestra in the Spanish Villa on the roof of the iQtel, have set up a special employ- ment bureau to supply musical needs of hotels and their tenants and Howard Busick, of the Lord Balti- more Hotel, left this week to engage combination to replace groiip now employed in cocktail lounge of lostelry and another to play in the main dining room for the coming season. Only one hotel, the New Howard, has 'been using non union musicians for the past year with pickets parading in front. BWAY SCANDALS' (GAYETY, BALTIMORE xu Baltimore, Aug, 21. With the band out on the sidewalk playing 'Happy ' Days Are Here Agam' and the Gayety resplendent m new coats of paint inside and out, Baltimore ushered in its season of jurlesque with 'Broadway iScandals' to very good opening biz. On open- ing show caught, audience greeted doings in enthusiastic and vociferous manner. , Built along the lines of a fast mov-. ing revue, but retaining the more salient elements of burlesque, 'Scan- days leans heavily toward variety and talent via several interpolated vaude acts to round out the contri- butions of George Murray and Maxie Furman, featured comics and Nona Martin, stripper who i can read lines capably and come through with a fairly legitimate vocal when called "Pon._ Specialties include Palmer and Frasetta, ballroom and adagio team; Carlton and Miller, boy and girl hoofers; George Beasely, xylo- phonist, and Lee Segal, who does some fair warbling, adequate num- ber leading and an okay whistling specialty. George Bates and Alma Maiben fill out the speaking parts and a youthful looking line of 14, girls who show some training, back HP ,® principals in excellent style. Wardrobe is all new and tastefully designed. Show gets off to breezy pace with line in attractive shorts led by Miss Segal in 'Swing High, Swing Low,' Carlton and Miller rounding it out with a fast hoof and aero challenge. Bob Bates then on to greet Murray and Furman, who make their en- trance from out front. Comics, who work sans grotesque clothes or makeup, score with their laughs without resorting to smut or overly pointed double entendre. Have z legit style of comedy and sell well Precision number by line follows after which Murray, Miss Maiben Bates and Nona Martin do the hen- pecked husband bit with some added gags to good returns. Fast hoof routine by male member of, Carlton and Miller then sets spot for produc- tion number next and very nicely done. To Miss Segal's vocal of 'Whis- pers in the Dark' girls parade on for picture, strong adagio by Palmer and Fraseta and art pose in which lour members o£ the chorus appear sans brassiere.";.' '. ^ Pick up bit by Furman and Miss Maiben follows after which another well staged number, 'Slumming on Park Avenue,' willi Miss Segal, line and Carlton and Miller participating and resulting in a show stopping hand for the dance team. French flirtation, strongly so]d by Murray and Miss Mnrtin, next followed by George Beaslcy in adequale routine of xylophone stuff. Strictly vaude, but nicely spotted and good for real hand. The haunted gold mine with Bates and Furman then gets a work- out after which Miss Segal leads a 'Truckm' number and Furman and Murray essay a comedy song and dance. Amplified announcement brings on Nona Martin, billed as 'The Joan Crawford of Burlesk,' in a somewhat toned-down strip. After a fairly well .wld vocal, Mi?s Mnrtin gives out with .«o»Tie very slrenuouf; bumps and disrobing delirium?;. Gave the boy.«! just enough nnn kept thorn in their scats for the finale that fol- lowed. 'Broadway Scandals' is good, fast entertainment, .■staged in flr.st class manner witliout sacrificing the in- formality and spice neces.sary to bur- lesque. Burm. Qeve Niteries Are Plunging On Shows for Convention Crowds Saranac Lake •By Happy Benway The downtown Actor's colony oh August 15, held memorial services for the late Will Rogers, who passed away two years ago this date. It was held under the auspices of the Good Samaritan Club, Rev. Father' Blais officiating. Geraldinie Farrar Is guest of the Misses Gail Gardner and Ruth l)oing at their camp on Upper St. Regis Lake. Coming and Going: Ben Schaffer back from Big-town io the Will Rogers . . . Henry G. Wunsch to Richmond, Va. . « . Garry Sid- greaves here from N. Y. C. for hos- pital look-see . . . Mrs. John Demp- sey to Boston, Mass. , . . Jake Flaum and Maurice La Vine (N.Y.'C.) here . . . Salvadore Ragone to Brooklyn . .. Mabel Fonda (Juggling Fonda's) here . .. The Buster (Fenway Thea- tre) Holts to Boston, Mass.. . . Marie Bianchi's mother here from N. Y; C. , , CapU Herbert (high-diver) Swift, here ... Monty Fisher, Russ Kelly, Johnny Highland to Saratoga. Stanley (N.Y. Daily News) Brown, here- for a mess of ozoning and rest-up routine, Winged here with M. G. McEvilly (Picture Editor, Daily News) via air-route. Jimmy Highland (brother of Johnny ) • back after a six month tour abroad, takng over the theatri- cal end of the St. Regis here. Al Boerner, manager of the Av- alon, Chicago after a three month siege of ozoning here, now up and around for thdse short downtown exercises, boy should be okay soon. Write to those whom you know In Saranac and elsewhere that are sick. • 15YEARSAG0 • (fr<m» Varirt ttnd Clipper) Warner Oland licked Pathe Ex- change in a suit for $5,000 salary. Had been set for two serials and then let out. Court awarded full sum, plus interest. Getting $1,000 a week then. Extended rims were clogging Broadway film schedules. Valen- tino's 'Blood and Sand' ran three weeks at Rivoli and then went to the Rialto. Later had a run at Loew's New York. Hearst's Cosmopolitan fllms took the N. Y, Criterion for a year. Opened with 'When Knighthood Was in Flower.' Joe Schenck put Constance Tal- madge's 'East is West' on the open market and away from First Na- tional. Pix cost $300,000 plus $90,- 000 to CJonnie for overtime. Harry Rose, back from England, shook the niteries for vaude, making a nice opening at the 5th Ave. Olsen and Johnson at the N. Y. Palace and using almost everyone on the bill to work in the act. William Faversham was the headliner and not so hot. Klein Bros,, at the State, were on at 8 and 10:15. First routine was based on an audience walking in, then switched to an audience walk- ing out for the second show. Clicked both ways. . Warner Bros, touring an advertis- ing truck from coast to coast. Loud- speaker peddled sport results. Famous Players reported a drop of $1,000,000 in income, but the stock bounced up to SOVz. Hit 95 the fol- lowing week. Vaude troupe was touring the middlewest in trucks. Hailed as an history-making stunt. Playing , one and two-nighters. American Circus Corp, (Muggivan- Ballard-Bowers) going after the in- Cleveland, Aug; 24. Hollenden's Vogue Room, only downtown hotel spot to keep going full blast during the dog-days, is in. creasing the size of floor shows due to influx of conventioneers. Pierre and Temple, ballroom' danc- ers, booked in for current fortnight, following Major, Sharp and Minor. New biU also composed of Charles Carrar, juggler; Aurelia Colomo, Mex singer; Jerry and Lita Marsh, song team. Hugo de Paul's orch held over. Construction of a new nitery and cocktail room in rival Statler Hotel, at estimated cost of $230,000, is cause of general stepping up in activity. Rumors persist that Ralph Hitz is negotiating for Cleveland Hotel, with plans of revamping its ultra-con- servative dining room into a swank dance and dine club. Garter Hotel also has soine secret plans involving its now closed Rainbow Room, but not discussing them. Harry Propper's Mayfair (jasino is completely changing its set-up to keep up with the threatened fall competition. Nate Weisenberg, owner, is tossing another $65,000 into a re- modeling program that will trans- form long lobby Into a Hawaiian cocktail garden. Formerly the Ohio legit theatre, it already has cost him something in the neighborhood of $200,000. Blue-prints call for a Southern sandwich stand in foyer besides a 30-foot bar; two new bandstands, one for a Hawaiian orchestra, and a load of coconut trees. Inside lobby to be used as dining, and cocktail room. Elaborate inside auditorium and stage may be made into a Keno emporium, if Weisenberg can get the necessary okay. Up to this season the spot has tried without much success a jpol- icy of high-priced name bands, stage shows and heavy minimimi charges. General idea now is to popularize it with novelties and lower taxes. More Units Dallas, Aug. 24, Jack Maggard and William Kent, producers of the Casino Revue at the Pan-Amer,icah Exposition here, are preparing a couple of imits for fall season. door dates with a three-ring winter show. Nut of $18,000 was too heavy to assure continuous bookings. Show took first money. New Catholic Actors' chapel at St. Mal'achy's church, N. Y., opened. Still the actors' favorite. Keith offifce flirting with amateui's for the local appeal Angle. Latest was amateur minstrels with two pro- fessional end mein. Good for a week in a spot. Once. Ringling show had skipped Chi- cago to beat Hagenbeck-Wallace to the Coast, but Sells-Floto beat, the Ringling trick to the dates. Roadshows were asking an 80-20 split in the one-nighters, and smalt managers couldn't see it. WALSH and PARKER Dresaed by SIDNEY FISHER 75/77, Shaftesbury Avenue PICCADILLY, LONDON, ENG. AGENTS Birthday. Everyday, Convalescent Greeting Carda In Boxed Aasortments Very Liberal Commissions Write for partlcnlnrs DOROTHEA ANTEL 226 West 72nd St. New Vork. N. I. VIRGINIA VAUGHAN Just returned from o. Kuroppan tour playing all lending Theatres. Kolels and Casinos Xotv Apiteiii'lnK' at rAVii.i.oN noxAV, vai.ley stream, i. i. . ,, rri^sentlnir Her Novelty MARIMBA DANCE . , . AdcUegs: c|o Holly wood Restaurant, 48tli St, and Broadway, New York