Variety (Dec 1939)

VeJnesday, December 13, 1939 VAUDE-NIGHT CLUBS VARIETY 4f PiliDy Vaude At Lowest Level After Carman Drops Shows; WB Picketed Philadelphia, Dec. 12. Vaude In Pliilly, already on its last ]»« with the shuttering of Warner's Earle, took another wallop Friday (8) when the Carman, North Philly indie, dropped stage shows and blos- lomed out as a straight filmer. Car- man stage shows were cancelled when the management of the 2,200- seater and Local 77, American Fed- eration of Musicians, failed to agree on terms for a new contract. George Graves, operator of the Carman accused union officials of being 'arbitrary and short-sighted' when they refused to grant, his re- quest that his contract be cut to 40 weeks, instead of the 52-week stipu- lation ill the termer which expired last week. The union, as in the Warner squabble, stood pat on its demand that the conditions of the old contract be renewed. .Graves contended that he suffered loss of more than $20,000 by being forced to run vaude during the sum- mer months last year. 'I have; been running vaudeville for 12 years and have always lost heavily in the sum- mer,' Graves said; 'Now I'm getting to the bottom of my bankroll and I can't stand any more losses. I asked for 40 weeks, which is the regular vaude- ville season. If business warranted I might have kept musicians on for 49 or even 50 weeks.. All I wanted was to be the arbiter of my own des- tiny.' No-Rcply Graves also said he'd been, shunted between the New York and local offices of the AFM, each passing the buck. 'The Philadelphia office of Ihe union said I would have to get the okay of the national body, while they told me in New York that each local had autonomy and dealt with these matters individually. I asked Joe Weber (Joseph N. Weber, na- tional president of AFM) if they would give me some help to tide me over the summer. Either to let me have a couple of weeks oft—or else allow me to use less men, but I haven't even been given the cour- Icijy of a reply.' Graves said he was satisfied with }nt scale and working condition.s. The Carman employed a crew of 10 men, led by Dino Cortese. The scale was $50-a-week per man; $70 for the leader; $3 additional for an extra Saturday show. Graves said he would probably institute a double feature policy at the Carman as soon as he could line up his product. The house is being picketed along with the Earle and six Warner nabes, which dropped musicians when the Warner-AFIJ termer fin- ished. Warners took space in all the dailies last week explaining its position. 'We are ready to reopen the Earle «s soon as the Musicians Union will sUow us to hire musicians', the ad read. Closing of the Carman left Fay's, In West Philly, as the only house showing vnude here. This is the lowest vaude has ever fallen in this town. War Privifege Kimberly and Page, after B voyage across oh a Dutch boat, have arrived in London. American team, be- cause of business holdings in Eng- land, are among the very few U. S. nationals to get pasisportt Into the war zone lince the outbreak of hostilities. Reported they've already been signed for • vaud* tour, opening in Blackpool. 8-WEEK DEAL FOR UNITS INS.A. An arrangement whereby. Ameri- can vaude units : and. legit shows would play South America, the for- mer under a guarantee of eight weeks with options, has been made between Charles H. Allen, New York agent, and Harry Werber, Buenos Aires showman, presently in-N. Y. Where the vaude units are con- cei-ned. Werber is prepared to place the eight-week guarantees in escrow, plus paying round-trip transporta- tion. Idea is for the units to open in Bueno.s Aires, then play countries other than the Argentine in S. A. The first unit is being sent down in February and each will comprise about 15 people. Possible nitery and radio dates are also included in the contracts, with units spaced to follow each other every four to six weeks from N. Y. On legit, the idea is to secure American scripts — musicals and comedies would be favored—and then build productions around native performers, with occasionally an American name, such as, for ex- ample, Lupe Velcz, who would be able to fit in the Latin setting. Walter Powell's orch has been picked to .wing for the N. Y. World's Fair execs' luncheon at Sherry's Fri- day (15). Citron's 'Crazy Show' Opens Dec. 25 in Buff A 'Crazy Show' unit has been put together by Herman Citron for vaude house appearances. It will open Dec. 25 at Shea's, Toronto. Topped by the Three Sailors; unit includes Goodrich and Nelson, Don Rice, Frank Mazonl 8i Go. and 10 showgirls. MIAMI INFLUX IS UNDERWAY Miami, Dec. 12. Early predictions that Miami would probably have its greatest season this winter are being fulfilled. Each day thousands arrive by auto- mobile, train, bus and plane, while the harbor is rapidly assuming- the appearance of a crowded yacht basin. Miami Beach hotels are, in. the main, already filled with a comfort- able crowd, while reservations for the. remainder of the season have been booked long ago. Already com- plaints on the raising of the tariff at hotels and apartments, along with a few mutteired exclamations on the hike of prices at restaurants, are be- ing heard. Picture theatres ..>re going 'great guns, and Mitchell Wolfson, co-own- er of the Wometco chain and Miami Beach city Councilman, states that every indication points toward a big winter. His chain's Biscayne Plaza, which is the second-largest, theatre in the Greater Miami area and situated at Miami Beach, will be devoted to a name band policy commencing Christmas Day, in addition to its regular picture fare. 3 B way Deluxe Cafe Openings Xmas Wk.; Lew Brown Leases Casa Manana It's Masquers Tarn Hollywood, Dec. 12. Masquers Club is putting on a 10- act vaude show, titled "A Night at the Palace Theatre,' Thursday (14), to entertain the British United Service Club. Britons entertained the Masquers last year with 'A Night at the Palla- dium.' N.Y. AGENTS GET THEIR ASSN. UNDERWAY Friars Host Ben Blue At N.Y. Get-Together First Friars Club Saturday Night affair (9) this year had Ben Blue as guest-of-the-rib and drew a sell- out crowd of .300 to the Edison hotel. New York. Jay C. Flippen was toastmaster. Dais-sitters included Milton- Berle, club's Abbott; Maxie Rosenbloom, Ken Kling, Ted Lewis, Bill Brandell, Benny Baker, Senator Ford and Ben Bernie. Romo Vincent, Coast singer; Eddie Miller and Eddie Davis de- livered the vocals. Blue closed Saturday night in George White's 'Scandals' at the 51st Street (Hollywood) and the Friars gave him a ribbing sendoff for his road lour. New York agents' new organiza- tion on Friday (8), in a second meet- ing at the Edison hotel annex adopted by-laws.'set Up a ischedule of dues and' appointed a governing board of 10 to select and elect- a slate of officers. Governing board consists of Charles J. Freeman (Consolidated Radio Artists), Herman Bernie, Bill Kent, Sam Shayon (Fanchon & Marco), Herman Citron, Harry Kilby, Harry Pincus, Bill Shilling, Maurice Golden and Roger Murrell. I Up to yesterday (Tuesday) they had not decided on a slate of officers, I but latter are expected to be chosen by the end of this week. Dues are low and admittedly only temporary until there's some line on the cost of operating the ARA. Tar- iff is $15 for an agency and $5 for associates, with the latter not having voting privileges. Around 60 agents have already joined the ARA, while many others stated they would join in the im- mediate future. Friday's meeting, however, was. closed to those agents who did not pay dues. A negotiating committee will probably be chosen within the next few days to contact the American Guild of Variety Artists on a work- ing agreement as well as equitable licensing. It was this union's drive to license the talent reps that spurred the agents' organization. I. Robert Broder is counsel for the Artists Representatives Assn. UNCOIN SHOWS AN . APPETITE FOR VAUDE Lincoln, Dec. -12. _ Turnout for Sollle Childs' unit, French Follies, which ran up $2,300 In three days at the Liberty, a very good gross for this town, has How- Md Federer, general manager of the Nebraska Theatres, Inc., very much In vaude mood. Unit was offered •um lor $300 daily flat, but he was Mutious and took 50-50 deal, which wst him more. Natives were so anxious for a look at a stage show, something the •own hasn't had for over two years, mey even paid 35c-55c price.s, a full wc higher than the town has asked ™f a theatre bill in seven years. 'Merer says he's ready to book any "nel^all units of size and quality to this territory. Benefit for Leon Harvey . Columbus, Dec. 12. atrV "'6'^* act in the city of has signified intentions shnT. ^'"^ the Leon Harvey benefit lX.3^"day night (15) at the Knick- ot H, f Harvey, enoe one ' ine top m.c's In .the. midwest, lost in an auto accident last sum- He's been « trouper for 25 years.- For 34 years Variety has served show bu.siness as the leading medium of its news and advertising. Outstanding figures in whatever field of endeavor — as artist, manager, or agent — have gained and held their prominence first through talent and ability; second, by exploiting themselves to their professional associates. Competition demands greater showmanship today than ever before. Advertising forms closing soon for 34th Anniversary Issue USUAL ADVKRTISING RATES PREVAIL Adverlising copy nitty he si'til lo uny Vitrii-ly offue. NEW YORK ISi W»kI 46th St. HOLLYWOOD 1708 No. Vine St. CHICAGO 54 W. Randolph St. LONDON I SI. Martin's PI. Broadway will break out in a rash of deluxe nitery openings during Xmas week. Three spots will debut: one with a new show and mode of operation, another with a new tag and more lavish production and, thirdly, a new venture in an old spot. New venture will be Lew Brown's operation of the Casa Manana, nee the French Casino, and Earl Carroll theatre. Brown signed Wednesday (6) with Haring & Blumenthal, own- ers of the property, and will reopen it Dec. 25 with virtually the same theatre-cabaret policy it had under Billy Rose's banner. Thus far Brown, whose 'Yokel Boy' musical is current at the Majestic, N^ Y., has Veloz and Yolanda, Eddie Garr, Frazee Sisters, Owen McGiveney, Larry Adler and Jerry Cooper set for the initial show. Brown's debut try will be a .straight vaude affair, time being too short for him to prepare a produc- tion by Xmas. He states Haring it Blumenthal are financing the ven- ture, with Brown in complete charge of .shows and production. Casa Ma- nana tag is being retained. On Dec. 28, Nicky Blair will unveil the Ziegfeld Midnight Fi-blic, new tag for the taradise" Restaurant, with .Seymour Felix staging the show and Harold Adamson and Vernon Duke writing the score. Dec. 21 will mark the reopening of the International Casino with Rene Racover staging and Nat Kar- son doing the sets. Russ Morgan's orch and a band headed by Brooks Steele are set for this spot, along with Gene Snyder, of the Radio City Music Hall, as dance stager. The In- ternational's policy will include a no-tipping service, along with other niceties to please the customers. Not exactly in the line of a nitery, but stemming from the cabarets. Is Clifford C. Fischer's 'Folies Bergere,' which debuts Xmas night (25) at the old B. S. Moss' Broadway, latter- ly the Cine-Roma. Policy at this theatre date will be two-a-night and one matinee, 'Folios' playing as a legit revue. The two-a-night idea is a copy of a popular legit policy in London. Takeover of the Casa Manana by Brown puts an end to individual ne- gotiations by Earl Carroll and George White for the spot. Both wanted to operate it as a theatre- cabaret. The Casa a couple of months ago appeared headed for the wreckers, with a taxpayer structure substituting for the theatre on th» 50th street and Seventh avenue site, but certain store and office leases in force restrained that move. Since then Haring & Blumenthal had been looking for someone lo reopen the spot. This won't be Brown's first theatre cabaret venture. He also followed Rose at the Casino de Paree, which, with Yermi Stern as operator, turned in a huge profit for a time during the closing days of prohibition. Later, it faded into the red and folded. EVANS STAGING ICE SHOW FOR ARENA TOUR Chicago, Dec. 12. Fred Evan.s, producer at the Chez ■ Paree, is now staging the ice show imported by Arthur Wirtz and asso- ciates for a nation-wide tour start- ing on Chri.stmas Day. Tagged the i 'European All-Star Ice Revue', show . will open in the Stadium, Indian- apoii.s, and play 10 weeks of key arenas throughout the country. Will play the sume arenas as the Sonja Henie Ice Show, which is also presented under the Wirtz auspices. I Show is in rehearsal in the Chi- I cago Stadium here, which- is also I controlled by the Wirtz interests, '. Miss Honie and her troupe play the , Stadium for 10 days starling Christ- \ mas Day. i I Chi Congress Casino Reopening Dec. 21 Chicago, Dec. 12. Floor show reopening the Congress hotel Casino Dec. 21 includes Marc Ballcro, Candy Candino, Carol King, Frank Flynn, Vickie Allen, Pat Travcrs and Tito Coral. Ted FioRilo's orch will hold the bandstand. Casino relights Dec. 21 after having been dark more than a year.