Variety (April 1920)

■•:■; •;- i^'vV:' Piu'.', raLCDUPONTMAYBUP HOTEL ON REISENWEBER SITE I • t ■ [ Has Successfully Acquired an Interest in the Claridge, McAlpin and Waldorf-Astoria—Built .,'■' the Equitable Building—Mammoth Struc- ture Planned for Columbus Circle. Th« Rolaenweber restaurant es- tablishment on Columbus Circle is on tbe verge ot belnsr disposed of to General T. Coleman du Pont The inteAt ot tbe purchaser is to erect a mammoth hotel on th^ site. No oonifideration has been report- eii btii negotiations early in the 'week were actively on, Vlth the outlook at that tUne they would- reaob a successful f^nsumniatioh. The Relsenweber site takes Ui a large plot, fronting on Eighth ave- nue between Fifty-seventh and Fifty-eighth street; w^th a consid- erable frontage on Fifty-eij^th street as well. It contains hotel rooms, grills, cafeteila, and a cou- ple of cabaret or ball rooms besides several banquet rooms; also a rathskeller used for beefsteaks. The du Pont money has gone Into the New York hotel business ot late with General du Pont car- i-ylng holdings in the WaldortvAs- -torld, McAlpin and Clarldge hotels. He also built the Equitable Build- ing. Louis Fischer and John Wagner are the preseift owners and opera- tors of Itelsenweber's, Mr. Fischer is the son-in-law of the original Ketsenweber who retired from bus- iness, some years ago. Fischer & W^tgner have conducte J several styles of entertainment on the va- rious floors of the Relsenweber es- tablishment. It was the scene "of the first Haiwalian , dance when Doraldina created a s'ensatlon with her Hula Hula stepQ. Previously Relgenweber's had been among the' first ot the restaurants to stage a cabaret floor revue, and it always has been on the alert for enter- tailning novelties. With prohibition the main floor down stairs was converted into a cafeteria and baa since become one of New York's night resoi-ts. . The Relsenweber managemcfht . biiilt an extension on Fifty-eighth street a couple of years ago and generally improved the building at a very big outlay, just before tbe prohibition -movement was started and the war time liquor 'edict went into effect This made the per spective dubious for a while, but the restaurant overcame its dilB cultles. Relsenweber's Paradise Room haa batt quite a vogue for a long while. Its hotel suites, made into small two-room apartments with, hotel restaurant service were fre quently occupied by theatrical people. HABK SWM FLATLET TBIES Norfolk, Va.,. April 28. "Se^jjy of Yonkers," a one-act comedy drama by Mark Swan, was tried out at the Academy one night last week. It was presented by Daniel Halifax, stock actor; Joe Sterling, treasurer of the Academy, who has been in burlesque for sev- eral seasons, and Gladys Bryant, an Ingenue of limited experience. The story haa to do with thd re- turn of a college youth to his small town ifiome, bringing i4eas, habits and manners that immediately estranges htm from his father and former sweetheart. Mr. Halifax, as the father, was capable qjid effec- tive, and Mr. Stirling was a typical college youth, but Miss Bryant failed to respond to either the pathos or comedy. She will be re- placed. .The piece has the advantage ot contrast on a bill composed ot the usual singing, dancing and novelty acts, and also has posslbllUles. LEAVES "THEATRE WORLD." The "Theatre World" no longer has John J. O'Connor as editor and president of the operating Jcoihpany controlling the paper, which first published about three months ago. O'Connot' was associated with S. Jay Kaufman in the weekly. Last week Kaufman is said to have purchased JO^Connor's jnajorlty Interest and Kaufman announced he will here after conduct the paper alone. Kaufman's previous newspaper experience was as a column para- erapher on the New York "JSvenhig «lobe.V, ;,.._i SUE FRED WARD FOR $1,100 CHECK DEBT Freeman Makes Accusation— ' Ward Prepares to Defend. Fred Ward is .named defendant in a 4)ilOO suit by Frank Freeman. The coihplaint avers tbe defendant represented he bad a bank account with the Guaranty Trust C-> on tbe strength of which five checks he had made out, totaling 11,100 in all, were cashed by the plaintlft They later proved worthless, the cnar^ OQmtlnues. The defendant, through H. J. & F. B. Goldsmith, has it the debt was incurred in Havana Jan. 18 last in a session with the "gallop- ing dominoes," which he later be- came suspicious over. Hence, on that ground, he Is preparing to de- fend. . r . .- , HELEN HELLER OUT OF BILL. Syracuse, April'28. Keith's bill this Veek lost its headllner, Helen Keller. She was prevented from appearing through her preceptress, Anjie Sullivan Macy, coutractlng pneumonia in To- ronto, where both now are.' In their place on the local pro- gram are Marguerita Sylva, and Morris and Campbell. it is doubtful It Miss Keller will appear next week at Keith's, Boston, as booked, through Miss Sullivan's illness. SONGPLUGGERSTOBE -BARRED BACK STAGE Booking Head Complaint May Lead to This Action. Song pluggers may be barred from the back stages of all the houses controlled by the V. M. P. A. If a complaint recently made by the bookins hesid ot one of tbe western circuits Is acted upon. . The accusation stipulates song pluggers have been representing in- dependent agents who doh't enjoy the >back stage privilege in certain theatres, and that the pluggers have been securing acts for tbe independ- ents, splitting commissions. This condition would mean that an agent would have to obtain more than the legitimate commission foe and would work a hardship and dis- advantage on the individual actor. The condition, according to the charges made, isn't confined to New York alone, but exists in most ot the large booking centers where agents and music flhns abide. The v. M. P. A. has been appealed to and an investigation is antici- pated shortly. ^ IREB BRANT SERIOUS. ' Atlantic city, Vlprll 28. The condition of Fred Brant is serious. He is suffering from kid- ney and heart trouble and Is at a local hospital, removed last week there fifljin the St Charles Hotel. Doctors pronounced late last week that Brant's chances of re- covery were so very slim his rela- tives should be prepared. A day or so later he picked up again, but la very low at present. For inany years Brant has been a booking man In vaudeville at- tached to the Pat Casey Agency in New York. He specialized at one time on Japanese acts. TRAVEILIN6 BILL OVERALLS aUB Claim Initial Organization— Meetings Held Enroute. San Francisco, April 28. One of the travelling road shows on the Loew-Ackerraan & Harris time in the West has organized what they claim is "Amerlca's^First Theatrical Oveiralls Club." The object is tbe usual one, and also takes in possible publicity. Members and. officers are Mer- cedes. Big Chief Overall: Bob Ferns, Little Chief Overall; GeQrge Brown, let Bib; AI Lltt 2d 2tib; Welling Levering, 1st EHbow; '^at- ty Whitestone, 2d Elbow; Big Dix, let Jumper; Fred^AleXr 2d Jumper; Max Alex, 8d Jumper. " The club meets enroute. PHONOGRAPH WANTgANHOUR fe=!r HUB'S CRONAN CASE r MAY RUN FOR HONrHS Contest Over Keith Estate y Promises Long Run. ^ • Boston, April 28. The heiarlngs in the Cronan case, in which the Boston attorney is seeking one-third of the estate left by A. Paul Keith, promise to run throughout the summer, local at- torneys say. About four days weekly are to be devoted to them. The hearing was resimied last week, and attended by some of the Interested parties from New York. None ot the New Yorkers expressed any happiness over the prospect of being in -Boston most ot each week In the hot weather. One wanted to know what he was going to do about his vacation this summer. lEiaHTONB DEALINa IN OIL Frank Leighton, with Dan Fetter hotr, expected to leave this week top the S^outh. where they have acreage leases on property believed to hold oil. Bert Leighton will remain In New York as representative. FEEHSEUL'S BIO TIMER Peeksklll, N. T.. Js to have a big time vaudeville theatre., seating 1,- 800. according to Arthiif Ktetn. who states he has ah Interest in and will control it Th*>Uieatre Js now building, he says. It is to play flrst-claas vaude- vllle^twice dally. Peeksklll is a lovely little city, the most active between Yonkers and Pougbkecpale on the east qlde of the Hudson. ' JUDGE'S WARNINa PBINTEI). I'ho Keith theatres in New York and j^ooklyh are advising their au- diences - ot the recent decision of Magistrate Ten Eyck in the case of James Ryan, who was arrested at the Colonial Tlieatre for throwing pennies on the stage. . The warning has been reprinted In a circular torn', and is distributed with the house programs. The court suspended sentence on ByaU) who was charged with disor- derly conduct In having thrown pen- nies onto the stage from the balcony while dn act was appearing, but in- formed' him that if he was ever brought before the court again he would be sent to the island. RAISE SUNDAY SCALE. The Winter Garden and-the Cen- tury raised the scale last Sunday night from |2,50 to $3.60, that price going for practically all seats on the lower floor. The idea of the boost was the "last appearance" this season of Al Jolson. Tickets given the agencies were printed with the regulal- top, but rubber-stamped at |1 more. Brok- ers sold the tickets al 60 cents over that. One said he "didn't have the heart" to charge more for a Sun- day concert. Street men, however, managed to get fancy prices from last minute patrons. This Bnngr Uie Salaty of Each Man Up b $30 | Day» or $180 Per Week—Scale Now m Force - #^ It $3 an Houi^-Coiitract Calls for SOWeets a Year.* CfllCAGO ARTISTS MEET ON SAME BILL Celebrate Reunion With Windy , City Jazt Keegah and TJdwards, cud O'Rotirke and .^.delphl. former en- tertainers from the Ansonta Cafe In Chicago, were on the same bill for the first time Hiiiice, entering vaudevUls as separate ~ combina- tions, at 125tb Street the last '^alf last week. Margie O'Bourke ie Mrs. Fierce Keegan in private life. Th^y pelebrated.. the reunion by putting on a real Chicago Jazs en^ tertalnment, the girls doublijkg Into the boya' act for the cabaret stunt. Edwards sprinkled the stage with sawdust to get the proper atmos- phere, and they cleaned up a riotous bit next to closing on a long bill. • The booking office, as a result, is considering booking the teams in conjunction for next season. , IN GABDEN'S NEW SHOW. The Shuberts' new show for the Winter Garden to follow the "Pass- ing Show" in about ilve weeks has its principals qalled for next week- It Is being written by Harold Atte- ridge and Bert Grant, but is as yet unnamed. In. the cast will be Brendel and Burt, 'Smith and Austin, DJckerson and Deagon, Walter Brower, Kitty Doner and Tarzan. JUNIOR ORPHEUHS IN THE NORTHWEST Six IIAore to Be Built Next YeaPi Plana have been prepared by the Orpheum Circuit tor the erection ot six new Junior Orpheuma in the Northwestern Territory, In 'addi- tion to the five Juniors already an- nounced. They will be buUt in Seattle, Calgaryr Omaha, Portland, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Con- struction work will begin about January 1, 1921. The Ban Francisco and Los Angeles On)heums are being built. Construction of the Memphis, Minneapolis Md, Kansas City Juniors win begin September 1. All of the" Junior Orpheums will play a policy identical with that- of the State Lake. ^Chicago, tour shoyrs dally at pop^ prices. Billy Watson's Pattrten Housfc .Billy (Beet Trust) Watson has prepared plans for'a hew 3,500 seat theatre which he will biilld in Pat- eraoii, N. J. CohsttuCtion Is Sched- uled to start July 1. The pClIcy will be; pop vaudeville and pictures, "Watson owns this Lyceum, Pater- eon, playing the Columbia wheel shows. . i . Outclassing by tar any of iVi ,, current radical changes being asket'^'r by the Musical Mutual Protective <v| Union tor the season 1920-21, comettJ the demand of the orcheatni||-l players employed In the nttmeronj^;! recording laboratories of phdno^tl graph ' Interests In Greater New I York. -.^ ■ ■ c-i:» '■ ,.^ The wage scale now. in force fi;| {3 ka hour, with a demand tor.|i(,;'| plus-a guarantee of six hours '^-t^ day. This' brings the ■ schedule tt^ each man up to 130 a day or tlSt :li per week. ' ■■ . ■ ':v-'^ DiBcussinjgr the situation, an dciit;;! ecutive of one of the most ini't I portant phonograph concerns, wltS'l laboratories in ''this city, declared J there woirid be no othewway thaaf|ii to accede to, the new demands. ■. y?i It was leameffrom him the mim^^'l her of men employed In these j laboratories varies between.40 and-! 76, attaining sometimes 100. ThiM'd is contiBgent on the exactions made'll by tbe recorillng of diverse arias .of-'is selections. ^ i^ Oh. \t.be basis of 75 men to eacht organization, at $1&0 per week, It brings the toial to $13,500 against., the some number of men at |8 fta ij hour, which equals |9,450. ' .:% The contract, it is ^ther under* | stood, calls tor 60 weeks' in tli* '>j year, but it is not deflnitoly kno^im-j whether the two remaining weekf '^ are included as vacations with or -i without pay. The six-hour a day. i^ contract does hot ' call ^^tor extnf ' time above, rehearsals, 6ut la in« '^ eluded. The time apart from the,': six stipulated hours is "owned" \>f'[i the nxusiclans, and they are free to '^ increase their Incomes, to give Im^.^^ sons,, or employ It in any way thei!,"| see fit. ^ '; fl Wlth^lO recording companies 'Uk':A New York the cost ot produclnff '^ records, merely from the Bttuid<4,^ii point of engaging' the orchestl^ '^ and not inclusive of the cost oE/■!;(!i soloist or Instrumentalist, flgt^d f; with 76 mon br^tgs it to a payroll .'A of 9775,000 yearly tor each coucern. i| In other words. 10 recording coai<«'; - - ■ ■ ■ ' ■} panies will have to pay thehr om chestras on t^is average 17,650,009 . tor the year 1920-21, it they want" ;i to make records. ?g€ NEW BIG TIME REPORTS SIRONS Supporting AJinT'l^ranors. Prominent In the support of Alma Francis when she makes her torth- comlngr appearance in vaudeville in an elaborate musical revue by Ed- gar Allen Woolf, Harry Garroll and Jerome Kern, will be Ralph Ger- nard, her new dancing partner. SHEIDON LEWIS ON STAQE. Henry BelUt has secured Shel- don Lewis, picture star, for a vaudeville tour. Ho will appear in "Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde," and will be assisted by tour people. The act Will open In one of the Keith houses In a few weeks. Sammy Westpn in Netbit Act. .When Evelyn Mesbit appears at the Palace, New York, next week, Sammy Weston will be In the turn. Also Eddie Moran, at th« piano. RAISE GAIETY RENTS. - Tenants in the Gaiet)^ Theatre Building received' notice this jvSek that beginning June 1 the rents would be increased 26 per cent. The last raise was in September, 1919, when a'25 per cent, boost was re- quired. Milton S. Steam Is the agent for the property,'which is leased by the Broadway and Forty- sixth Street Bealty Oo.' Answer one way or the other must be filed by May IB. BEADY FOR EMEBaENCT. New Orleans, April '28. In a heavy rainstorm Monday af- ternoon lightning put the Orpheum in darkness Just prior to the mati- nee. Manager White had 10 large kero- sene lamps, for an emergency and they held the audience for. nearly an hour, while the orchestra played populariLlrs. « Shuberts and Loew as Possh ] biiities Cause Unlimited Talll^ : Unlimited talk in vaudevilM"; circles continues to centre upon ,:; the Shuberts and Loew as big. time ^' possibilities tor next season. In th« . -i ranks, ot: the present big timew ■■■!, among: Its executiyes, not much at* 1 tention is given to the rumors. The ., big-timers ar^ inclined to scout the ;. idea ot competition in thehr line. ^ 7 That Loew frill take to big tlriii | Is a conQrmcd belief among -^^aude^t > vilUans on the theory the Orphemai ;;^ nircuit intends to push its small f^ time plans in the West, which will .'j force the Loew line into the o^hbr | .division for self-protection. .j The Shubertia are reported secure ;); Ing subscriptions from their busl-'J nesB associates for the purpose of | promoting a big time circuit, but ?F whether by themselves or In asso- 'j elation with Loew no one will say. 'j It is said the Shubert Interests are ',x hea'vy holders ot Loew stock and '4 that that bond might bring them ,| together in any big time move, 7I One of the Shubert associates Is -'i Job. Ooldsoll, who Invested with 3 Lee Shubert In Goldwyn (pictures)* ] Goldsoll Is iTeported to have ex* "' pressed a willingness to go in with •: the Shuberts on a vaudeville ^ venture. Producers connected with ;■■: the Shuberts, when asked if they .;< had been' approached to subscribe '] to a vaudevillo movement, replied ' they had not MAE WEST'S NEW ACT. Mae West is to make another trz with a new act opening May 17. The new turn Is by Tommy Gray. &■•;•>••;/;.•>; ,'!i;; ■» ...■.' :yn:•':'.■ /•■:i' i; ■>.,■:■/■:■:■' ■