Variety (March 1921)

PRICE 20 CENTS > » > I fc >■ v».«> \> .» ,-v..-,»■> >i\V, -• Published Weekly at 164 West 46th St., New York, N. T., by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription $7. Single copies. 20 cents. Entered as second class matter December 22. 1905. at the Post Office at New York. N. Y., under the Act of March 3. 1879. VOL. LXn. No. 2 NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1921 . 48 PAGES T. M. A. TO SHUT DOWN SHOWS KEITH PROTECTS PALACE FROM NEARBY SMALL TIME Cancels Dancers Playing for 55-Cent Scale at Ameri- can Week Before Date at Palace—Philadelphia Engagement Allowed to Stand. Ruloff and Rulowa, the Russian dancers, who were booked into the Palace, New York city, the week of March 7, were notified Friday by the Keith office that the Palace en- gagement had been cancelled. The cancellation followed a series of incidents involving the Loew and Fox circuits, with a final appear to the V. M. P. A. for a ruling. The facts Wding up to the controversy are as follows: Ruloff and Rulowa were playing out three and a half weeks for Wil- liam Fox. Before the time had ex- pired the dancers told Edgar Allen they had to jump to Chicago to ad- Just a legal matter. Allen agreed to pick up the balance of the time later. The action of the Keith people was understood to be based on the difference in admission scales, the proximity of the Loew house and the dates of the two engagements, and does not apply as a precedent covering any broad principle of con- flict between the two Interests in- volved. Horowitz & Krause, the Loew agents, offered the turn to Loew for the American the last half of last week, beginning Thursday, Feb. 24, the act accepting verbally but not signing contracts. Paul Durand, Keith agent, mean- while had booked the turn into the Palace the week of March 7 with Keith's, Philadelphia, preceding. The Keith oflce, learning of the American engagement, informed the turn they would lose the Pal- ace. The dancers thereupon tried to get Edgar Allen of the Fox office to take over_fch.c Loew .bockinp. as they (Ruloff and Rulowa) had been informed that the Fox engagement wouldn't conflict with the March 7 week. Allen informed them it was a matter to be taken up with the V. M. P. A. The T,oow office hearing that the dancers were looking for an "out" from the American, protested to Pat Casey and informed him Of their verbal contract, asking that the act be held to the American booking. After the usual Investigation Casey informed the act they would have t < play the Anv riean, Which they did, with the Palace cancella- tion following their opening at ihe Loew house. The dancers play Keith's Philadelphia, this week (Feb. IS), laying off the week of March 7, following which they be- gin a 20-week tour of the Loew circuit. POLICE SHORN OF ALL CAFE POWER IF Chicago Judge Says Eating Places Are Immune. Chicago, March 2. In a drastic ruling granting an injunction permitting Colosimo's famous night-life cabaret-restaurant to reopen, a local court wiped out all police power of regulating res- taurants, holding that only the state pure food authorities had any jurisdiction, and then only on pub- lic health grounds. The order killed $100,000 annually in restau- rant license fees, besides. This goes so far as to take from the cops the right to say at what hour a restaurant must close and whether or not, or under what cir- cumstances, it may or may not have music, entertainment and dancing. The decision states that prohibition took from the authorities the right to regulate, that right having grown out of licensed sale of liquor; if prohibition is violated that must be treated after the offense, like any other crime. Favorable Vote by A. E. A. on "Equity Shop" to Bring About Immediate Cessation of Activities— Pop Price Men Had In- tended to Play Out Sea- son—To Cast With All Non-Equitys Next Season. JEWISH THEATRE IN DISTRESS; WARNS OF TLOSED SHOT PLAN VOTE RESULT MARCH 6 TO REVIVE ROGERS BROS. Frank Mackey May Play Opposite Comedian. Max Rogers, of the old team of Rogers Bros., plans to revive the team name r.gain in a modern vau- deville specialty but patterned in form somewhat along the lines of the former Rogers Bros, double. Frank Mackey has been men- tioned as the straight of the pro- posed revival of the Rogers Bros. turn. It was stated at the headquarters of the Touring Managers' sso lion this week that the members of that organization would immedi- ately close down their shows now or tho road for .ho balance of the .season should the Actors' Equity Association vote affirmatively on the "Equity Shop" question, the (polling of which was concluded at 6 p. ra. Monday. The road managers had at first intended to play out the current season, planning to replace all of the Equity members in their com- panies wherever contractual ar- rangements would permit with non- Equity players. The part of the plan calling for non-Equity players will \i retain- ed if the "Equity Shop" becomes effective, but according to an offi- cial ot the T. M. A. it was thought advisable to abandon all further production until next season, and likewise to call in all of the shows now out, inasmuch as the replacing of Equity members with non- . rtOTitrys at tire present irme-woxihi involve considerable work in re- (Continued on page 2) Yiddish Enterprise Handicapped by Hebrew Unions* Restrictions—"Uptown Managers Will Face Same Trouble/' Says Official. OLD WRANGLE HALTS "BEN HUR" TOUR AGAIN Erlanger and Klaw Still Odds Over Property. at MAKING "MECCA." Reformer* Best Press Agents of Spectacle Chicago, March 2. The reformers came lustily to the support of "Mecca" this work, Issu- ing statements worth $10 nn agate line regarding tlie nudity and tin- lure of the Bacchanalian scenes. To make it good and sweet, Ihere was .1 public hearing, duly and fully re- ported, and then decision was »>OSt- poind. GEORGETTE AND MAMMA. Boston Rumor Says They Will Ap- pear Together. BOstOA, March 2. The Keith people claim that some time this month Ceorge Cohan's daughter, Georgette, and her mother will appear together at their local hOUSO. Tho marriage of Miss Cohan in the South has been Riven pl enty of publicity by tho loeal papers who have not yet finished printing pic- tures of the couple in different poses. "Ben Hur," which was to have been put on by Marc Klaw, bu J -ri- der the K. & E. name, has been called off. This is the second time the show has been started thlr. sea- son and then discontinued. Karly in the fall A. L,. Krlangor had tho piece well in rehearsal, when sud- denly the company was paid two weeks' salary and dismissed. Last month Mr. Klaw east •: play and had it jndor rehearsal. Monday it was l-a/ned the show- had been ordered stopped gain. Differences between the two form*.* partners are responsible for he failure of tho show to reach the boards for the first time in 20 yea» li is understood tha* one desired to save the valuable picture rights of "Ben Hur," which will revert to the estate of General Wallace, along with the stage lights, but the o* was indifferent .and was inclined permit the whole property to pass unless he is able t-i secure certain concessions. The contract with the estate calls for a minimum of around 70 performances each sea- son. Negotiations between Klaw & Erlanger anent the "Ben Hur" show were conducted by their attorneys. HIT OF "TOM" PUZZLES. Boston, Marrh 2. Boston has a puzzle In the theatri- cal game. What particular Influ- ence is responsible for the surpris- ing success of "Uncle '.'otn's Cabin"? This show opened at the Arling- ton, a stock house, here a week ago and did so well tho opening week that it is held over for the second week, with capacity houses ruling. G. A. Chenet, manager of tho house, admits ho can't explain tho thing and nobody else seems to be able to. Tom Moore, "Tailor-Made Man" Log Angeles, March 2. Directly Tom Moore returns from Honolulu, Goldwyn Will start work on the plcturisTng of "A TallOr Made Man," with Monro In the stellar rolo, all pi' parations hav- ing been made for the production. It is reported tqe Jewish Art Theatre Will give its final perform-% aaee about yie end of April. Tho gossip in the Yiddish theatrical circles hinges on the question once more: "Car. art be made to pay and the theatres conform to the demands made up It by the closed sho.j prin- ciple of Hebrew Actors' Union?" A similur question put to the management of the Jewish Art Theatre found response only in a formal statement, in which a warn- ing is sounded to '['roadway man- agers." Tho statement reads: "Tendencies within tho activities of actors' or- ganizations point to ultimate condi- tions uptown such as exist today in the Jewish Theatre. "Jewish managers must accept these conditions as facts that havo to ho dealt with and Broadway man- agers will have to do likewise w*ion they are confronted with them." A hope is held out that tho Jewish Art Theatre will continue next season, if was ascertained from the management, although tho lease was taken over by Maruco Schwartz, who will conduct tho theatre under his own management. The new lessee has taken a two- year lease with an Option of U more. Schwartz's acquisition of the Madi- son Square enterprise is the result of dissension between his partner and himself. His partner Is Mis. Max H. Wilr.er, tho wife of the Wil- ner of Wilner & Romberg. She had a 67 per cent, interest in the stock (Continued on page 3) ZIEGFELD SIGNS DWISES The Innis Bros, who were forced to cancel the Palace. New York, a few weeks ago after the Tuesday night performance on account of the illness of one of the brothers, have signed with Florenz Zlegfeld for the show at tho New Amsterdam Hoof. Tho comedians had been offered a next season route by the Keith offli ••. Manhattan Deal Closed. Fortune Gallo, managing director of the San Carlo Opera Co., who also handles the tour of Pavlowa. and who also loaned Mrs. Oscar Ilammerstoln $150,0(1, had prac- tically concluded ab details with Mrs Hammerstelfl for the purchase Of tho Manhattan Opera House on Wodnei day. It Is understood the papers nro being drawn by the lawyers and the transfer; j* expected momentarily