Variety (March 1921)

on VAUDEVILLE ■ Friday, March 25, 1921 CON'S 'TOMATO' SUPPED PHONY DEAL UP-STATE Had to Fight "Dwarf" Jones, Two Judges, Referee and Manager's Wife—K. O'd Albany, March 23. Dear] Chick: Tomato and me arc tlilnkin of hirin a room in some quiet hotel and cuttin each others throats. We have been Ret tin such bad breakH for the last coupla months we're both convinced the other Is poison or jinxed. I made a match hero for the kid with a sap called "Dwarf" Jones, who cant fight any better than your sister and aceordln to all the dope 1b the softest kind of a set-up for any good puncher. This Jones is as wide open as a barn door and dont know his right hand from his left, but little did I know I was matchin my murderer to fight Jones, the referee, the two judges and the club owner's wife. It seems Jones blew into this burg un- known and was lucky enough to K. O. a local boy in the first round. The promoter's wife takes a shine to the kid and although the big guy knows the kid cant fight a lick, his wife insists he give him plenty of work and all the other odds that go with the lease. Well we walk right into this ar- rangement without knowln a thing about the lay out. But to get down to business. They finally get in the ring. I took an extra good look at Jones' bandages, and sure enough all he had under tfee tape w-.:: a penny between each knuckle. They havent thought of that since John L. was a lightweight. I told Jones to turn his dough over to the club treasurer, and after peekin beneath his stool and not findin an auto- matic, I said M let er go," they cant pull nothin now but drop the roof or turn out the lights if my bird is winnin. Tomato went right out to stop this bird as soon as possible, for I was leary that we werent out of the woods yet. Believe me brother I was double right. In the third round Tomato copped this tramp on the jaw and down he went. The referee dont start no count and I start to climb in the ring when To- mato waves me back. The ref. is talkin to him and I hear a gee in Jones corner ycllln "fowl*" I didnt think theyre was a human bean who didnt see the punch right smack on the button as clean as a new undershirt, but I'll smoke a herring if that guy wasnt bawlin •Tomato" out and warnin him not to hit low. He kept up the monolog while Jones seconds were sprinklin him with water and throwin stuff in his pan 'till they finally brung him to in time to get up behind Tomato who was arguln with the guesser. Jones seein Tomatoes back turned pulled one from out of his shoe tops and dropped my meal ticket right before my eyes. Can you picture that close'up? I was afraid to throw any aqua or I would have been dis- qualified for that's what they were layin for, and Tomato looked as though he wouldnt be up in time for breakfast unless somebody lifted him, but he's got plenty of guts. Jesse James started to count over him and I'm afraid he'll give him a fast one so I start yellin "fowl" and arguln about disqualifying Jones. Ho shipped a couple of numbers but luckily my onion is back on his pins before ten. He's awful weak but ready for anyth-ng. Jones dives at him and huts him over the eye cuttin a gash you could put your hand into. The ref. paid no attention and when the guy in the gong box. piped Tomatos legs wobblin he let the round go 7 min- utes. Between the rounds I worked like a mnniac over the kid and had him in prolty good shape for the opining of the next. 1 knew he could take Jones any time now barrin accidents so i sent him out to cop in a punch. lie. tore into Jones and in less than half a min- ute dropped him for a count of four with a right ho<>k that didnt travel more than six inches. Jones come up weak and rolling his head. To- i mato stepped back and measured him with a right that tore his head near off and he started to sink like a punctured balloon. On the way down he took a punch at Tomato which was as low as the bottom of the ocean and down they went in a heap both out as cold as mackeral. The referee paid no attention to tho screams of the crowd about "foul" but picks Jones up off the floor and holdin him up under one ORPHEUM CUTS PRICES. Reduce* One-half for New House in New Orleans. New Orleans, March Itt. The new Orpheum has reduced its matinee prico to 50 cents top, M against $1 formerly charged. The ljge seats, for which there has been no demand, are sealed below the orchestra price. Last week all of the vaudeville houses here were off in business. Loew's dropped $1,000 under its normal; Palace (Orpheum), $2,000, and Pantages, $3,000. TIME FOR TRY-OUTS. Two Given Immediate Time, After Trial. The percentage of try-outs with marketable material and ability is increasing, according to Sol Levoy. Monday night at the Harlem opera house two of the five try-outs were booked for the last half of the week by Lawrence Goldie, of the Keith office. Rokomo, who has been appearing at all the metropolitan houses, played the Harlem house as a try- out several months ago, and was booked into the Palace the follow- ing week. PLIMMER COMPLAINT DISMISSED BY BUREAU BERNSTEIN SAULS AGAIN. Freeman Bernstein and his wife, May Ward, returned to New York on the Aquitania last Friday, sail- ing again on the same boat Tues- day. Bernstein is going to Roumania, after reaching England. Aboard the Aquitania Were 15 yearlings shipped by Bernstein, for sale in the foreign countries. . Miss Ward may resume her vaudeville engagements while on the other side. After appearing in London Miss Ward received time, with Glasgow, Scotland, the start. Preferring a sight of Taris. Miss Ward joined her husband there in- stead. CONLEY'S DIVORCE ACTION. I Pittsburgh, March 23. An action for divorce, charging desertion and infidelity,' naming Naomi Ray as co-respondent, has been instituted by Etta Belt Conlcy against Harry J. Conlcy. Mrs. Conley lives at 105 Jackson street, Pittsburgh. She alleges Miss Ray succeeded her in her husbands vaudeville playlet, "At'the Cross Roads" two years ago. arm, counts Tomato out before my eyes. If you dont believe me read the Albany papers. So help me Genieve I'm goitj to rematch them and have Tomato plant a gat in his tightfl with a maxim silencer and croak this egg. Remember what I told you. Your old partner, t'O/i. Charges Brought by Grisman & Sterling Quashed. ... The . complaint filed against the Walter J. Piimmer Agency. Inc., by Grisman & Sterling several weeks ago, was dismissed by the License Bureau last week. Deputy License Commissioner Geraghty, who pre- sided at the hearing in the Piimmer matter, in announcing the dismissal of the complaint, stated in effect in a communication to Grisman & Sterling that after careful consid- eration of the evidence presented he did not find any ground for action by the License Department. Two complaints were filed by Grisman & Sterling. One was that the Walter J. Piimmer Agency, Inc., was acting as an agent without a license, it being alleged by Grisman Sz Sterling, according to the latter, that the license was in the indi- vidual name of Walter J. Piimmer. Grisman, of Grisman & Sterling, as- serts he called up the License Bu- reau several weeks ago and was in- formed the Piimmer license was an individual matter. An examination of the record at tho hearing proved that the Piimmer license has been in the name of the Walter J. Piim- mer Agency, Inc., since May 1. last, and is still listed in that way. The other complaint, which was to the effect that Walter J. Piim- mer had personally guaranteed the salary of an act called the "Rain- 1k>w Cocktail" for three days at the Regent, Rome, N. Y., and that when the act got there the house was closed, Grisman & Sterling were not permitted to present, the Li- cense Bureau holding it was outside its jusisdiction. Sam Grisman, of Grisman & Sterling, stated this week the firm would bring a civil action against Piimmer to recover the $337 alleged to be due as salary for the "Rain- bow Cocktail" date at the Regent, Rome, basing their action on the claim that Piimmer had guaranteed the salary involved. LOEW CANCELS THREE. Acts Miss Shows, Lose Reet of Season. An epidemic of missing shows, which broke out in different Loew theatres last week resulted In three acts losing the balance of their routes by cancellation from the Loew office. The turns affected were Conway and Pieids, Jen* 'Heaiey, mb!e singly and Garry Owen, another male single. Conway and Fields were off the bill at the Delancey Street house after Wednesday. Healey missed out at the Lincoln Square Wednesday, while Garry Owen reported sick at the American Thursday night. TALMADGE ENGAGEMENT BROKEN. Report on Coast Natalie Talmadge Declared Against Buster Keaton. Los Angeles, March 23. It's reported Natalie Talmadge has broken her engagement to wed Buster Keaton, with no reason assigned. The engagement was announced a month ago. Miss Talmadge is a sister of Norma and Constance. Keaton is the film comedian. MILTON'S DAUGHTER'S VOICE. According to Denver musical sharps, Lou Milton, 14-year-old daughter of Frank Milton, the lat- ter formerly of Milton and De Long Sisters (vaudeville), has the highest voice on record. In a test recently Miss Milton reached "F," an octave and a half above high "C." The highest known record hereto- fore is that of Robert Murray, a 12- year-old boy soprano, whose record of "C," an octave above high "C," surprised a committee' of Metro- politan opera house singers present at the test. The little Milton girl is to be trained for the operatic stage. HERBERT BROOKS RETIRING. Herbert Brooks, card manipulator, retires from the stage, following his engagement at the State-Lake, Chi- cago, week of May 15, after a ca- reer of more than 20 years as a vaudeville act. Brooke will locate In Los Angeles and devote himself to the profes- sion of scientific photography. BERTHA BELMORE'S ACT. An act has been formed by Bertha Belmore and George Hare. Both were with "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath." Miss Belmore Is English, and ap- peared in the English halls as half of the turn known as the Belmore Sisters. She has not played vaude- ville since arriving over here. BUSTER SANTOS A BRIDE Buster Santos, the "heavyweight*' member of the team of Santos and Hayes, now appearing in a revue headed by themselves, was married Feb. 15 at Youngstown, O., to Claude B. Sloan, Pittsburgh busi- ness man. SUN'S DAUGHTER ILL. Springfield, O., March 23. The 19-year-old daughter of Gus Sun is critically ill here. She was operated on Monday. Mr. Sun can- celled a trip to New York, where he planned to attend the V. M. P. A. dinner. Signed by Fay. Fay has signed the following for his summer show which goes into rehearsal next week: Gretchen Eastman and Co., Four Ushers, Buck and Hubbies (on a loaning ar- rangement with Nat Nazzaro). - The longest route given any act in America for future bookings la the one handed to WILLIAM SULLY GENEVIEVE HOUGHTON in "CALF LOVE," by Andy Rice This talented pair are no* ploying the Keith houses In and around New Yoik and are alraailii »n..l. i over the Kiith and Oipln urn Circuits till June, 1923. f ' - : ^ U •»'i.''."\\ »<>uUd KENT WALKED OUT; SHEA ASKS $5,000 Billing Wrong and Arm Broken, Actor Replies. Joseph E. Shea has begun suit for fft.ooo damages In the Supremo Court against William Kent, allege lng breach of a written contract in that Kent had agreed to do a double act with Anna Held, Jr„ which Shea produced, but walked out for the purpose of doing two acta instead of one. as he is doing at present in vaudeville. Kent Jointly offers a single turn on each bill besides ap- pearing in a musical production, "Bubbles," sponsored by C. B. Mad* Cock. He is at the Royal, New York, this week. Shea, through his counsel, Harry Saks Hechhelmer, avers Kent had signed to do an act with Miss Held for the life of the act. Kent's attorneys, Davis & Davis, will interpose a defense generally denying the allegations on the ground the agreement was to the effect their client's name would be billed in equal size type with Miss Held'a, which stipulation was breached from the first day they "broke in," it is claimed. Also that Miss Held was incapacitated phys- ically, because of a broken arm. and that the V. M. P. A. had allowed Kent to continue other bookings. Regarding Kent's present single act' which he calls "Shivers," K. K. Albee is negotiating for a settle- ment of a claim by Andy Rice, f tho vaudeville author. Rice said he had written an act for Kent which., he called "Moonshine Honeymoon," bujt, later cancelled the commission, with. Rice returning the major portion of an advance royalty. Kent had specified that he desired a "drunk" role (which character he is person- ating in his present act). Rice's grievance is that Kent was also using some of the lines and business of the act he was to have written for him. fc According to Mr. Rice, he is wait-* ing to hear from Mr. Albee on the matter, the Keith executive Is turn; waiting for a reply from Kent to t letter on the situation. MISS LEVEY'S 4 WEEKS. Ethel Levey has been booked for four additional weeks on the Keith time before returning to London, where she is scheduled to enter a revue this summer. Miss Levey's extra time starts April 4, at the Hamilton, with the Riverside, Alhambra and Palace, New York, to follow in rotation. "HOME TALENT" ACT. ML Vernon, N. Y., March 23. Designed as a special "home tab* ent" attraction, the Dorothy Magna Dancers, comprising 15 chlldrt and headed by Miss Magna, all res- idents of this city, are headlining at Proctor's for the lirst hai f of this week. The act is billed heavily 01 a. Mount Vernon attraction. SIGN PAULINE FREDERICK (Continued from page 1) turn in to Broadway was written by Thomas Grant Springer and Le Roy Clemens. They turned it out and were paid for it in three weeks' time. Along with Leon Cordon, the two wrote "The Poppy God." which went for a six weeks' run In stock in Baltimore last summer and will be tried out this spring by the Selwyns. The latest proffer to Miss Tick- ford and Fairbanks is said to huve been made tentatively by W. Somer- set Maughm, the English playwright, lately in Hollywood studying pic- ture technique, along with a lot of other literati. Mr. Maughm is re- ported to have seen in the recent visit of the couple to England op- portunity for one of his Pimply considered rocial documents with the naive sweetness and light neces- sary for commercial purposes fined to the two American char* acters to be created by the stars. GARDEN SWIMMING POOL (Continued from page I.) boxing contest at the GanTen before the changes go into effect. Kiek- ard may build an outdoor arena, in the vicinity of New York, to take care of the fights. At the conclu- sion of the swimming season each year the pool will be boarded over. The pool, which will be of concrete, will not interfere with the pi. tying of the circus or any of the .itliletlc events held in tho spring, fall or wlrttcr seasons, ■^■H