Variety (May 1921)

PRICE 20 CENTS 4 ■* » >".'*"•>■»' # j» - y ^ - . Published Weekly at 114 W«K 4Mb St.. N«w York, M. T.. by Variety. Inc. Annual subscription |T. 8in*l« ooplea. SO cwnt* Kntared aa second claaa matter Dacaaiber It, 1906, at the Post Offlce at New York, N. T.. under the Aot of March t. ltTt. .VOL. LXII. No. 11 NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1921 48 PAGES BLACK OUTLOOK FOR ROAD EQUITY ASS'N MAKING DRIVE I P. G. STRANDED ON PRODUCER ROBERT SHERMAN THIS YEAR Instructions Issued to Leading Stock Manager of Middle West—Using Agencies as Dues Col- lectors—Hires Non-Equities as Reply. Chicago, May 4. The Actors' Equity Association is concentrating its every strength in a battle against Robert Sherman, the leading stock producer in this territory. Sherman has for years operated Stock in towns in Jollet, Aurora, Elgin, etc., and recently leased the old Orpheum in New Orleans for that brand. Thia spring he organ- ized an 18-people troupe for an un- 4er-canvas tour. Some were A. B. JL's ar.d some not. The local Equity office served him notice that he *iust Equity-ize the non-membera. (Continued on page 4) ONLY CHEAP FILMS WIN Productions Between $50,000 and $150,000 All Losers. "LIGHTNIN'" IN CHICAGO OR 4TH YEAR IN N. Y.? Can Gross More in Western City—Certain to Stay 3 Years on Broadway. Tha picture exhibiting business throughout the country is slumping. One of the biggest producing com- panies, which also controls circuits of houses throughout the United States, shows by its confidential re- ports that the gate receipts are off •n an average of 28 per cent. The South is the worst affected, the gross receipts there being off 40 per cent The reports of the same company also show that none of the special productions that they have been making have made returns on the Winning side of the books. It is only the cheaply made program pictures With a $500 a week star, the gross cost of which is around $35,000, or the tremendously big picture that costs upward of $200,000 that has a combination of three or four ex- traordinary stars, that are making money. Pictures costing between $->0,000 and J150 Oflu are not making any money. "SWEETHEART SHOP 1 ' Reported Chicago's Hit of Last Summer, Will Try Again •Tilghtnin'," the run marvel of Broadway, will probably be sent to Chicago in the fall. It is virtually sure of completing three solid years at the Gaiety by remaining until August. The only time missed since the opening was three and a half weeks' darkness brought about by the actors' strike. The management has been in a quandary over the policy of sending "Lightnln'" on tour or making a try of it on Broad- way for a fourth season. The expectation of increased tak- ings in Chicago over New York, however, and the fact that one com- pany of the play has been on tour for a season, has practically settled the matter. It is figured that "Light- nin* " with Frank Bacon can run a year in Chicago and play to $22,000 weekly—about $7,000 more than in New York where the Gaiety's capa- city is limited. This would mean an item of $350,000 additional gross over what a fourth season in New York would attain. Present plans cull for the number one show to play Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. Some of the city time for next season has already been booked for the Millon Nobles show, which this season toured the south and some of the central u«-( territory. ( • • * .-■• • >■ •• •. —-■■ •• _..__ —.., GOOD AND BAD DANCES — ■■ ■ " Moving Pictures Show in Theatre Poses by Miss Walt. Managers Faced by Un- precedented Conditions —Every Possible Expe- dient for Business Be- ing Planned—General Depression, Labor Cost and Transportation Hurts—Season Over in March; Usually in May. CONEY, WITH SKY-HIGH PRICES, DOESNT KNOW WAR IS OVER Hot Dogs Stick at Ten Cents—Feltman's Shore Din- ner at $2.75—Nothing New in Amusement Line i—Theatre Possible on Dreamland Site. . WHERE MONEY IS "The Sweetheart Shop'" is being readied for another summer run in Chicago. It 1h on the way back from the coast, the current week being its Txth sine*- opening. The coast tour averaged $14,000 weekly. This attraction was a sensation in Chicago last summer where it played 24 weeks and closed to a business pace of $24,000. The rim *ras cut to permit the show to open in \c\v York at the Knickerbocker, where it wns considered a failure Its beet n,o^v ; ( t the latter house was $14,*00. Tho railroads of the country carrying shows over the main and side line routes of the show busi- ness the present season report a bulk gross closing of companies abruptly greater than their books show for a quarter of a century. Ninety per cent, of the sudden closings, according to the railroad records, were strandees, the play- ing companies having to be ad- vanced railroading without cash, but guaranteed. A situation unprecedented in the history of legitimate theatrical business has every producing man- ager of road attractions lined up for presentation on tour next sea- son resorting to every advance ex- pedient that car. be devised to an- ticipate and possibly forestall the (Continued on page 23) WHAT AUTHORS MAKE TAKING PERCENTAGES 4 FEATURED IN "SONNY" Selwyn Play Will Have Names- Lillian Lorraine, One Philadelphia, May 4. The Stanley i« enowing demon- strations this week of 'proper" and "Improper" dancing. In connection with the fuss thai ha* been raised here by reformers and city officios Mayor MOOTS h.is appointed S committee to Investigate sll dance halls, and there has been much talk about the honor- of "kSflfee klatcht •" arid ibe lik«-. The pictures at the Stanley, which have attracted a lot of attention, were pos«d by Marguerite »v ill with a local dancing expert. The BelWynS' play. "Sonny" to go out in the fall, will have four of the players featured in the billing. They are Emma Dunn. Ernest Glen- dinning. Lillian Lorraine and Carl rhmUoi, y ,. Miss Lorraine is still at. Sterns Sanatarium. recovering from her sprained vertabrae, hurt in a fall several weeks ago. Miss Lorraine expects to leave the sanatarium within a month. Mr. Randall, besides engaged for the play by the Belwyns, will be their, dance stagv»" for ;i11 produc- tions. Wises Wm. A. Brady and He Wants $500,000 for Play: William A. Brady is now con- vinced he didn't strike such a shrewd bargain when he sold the film rights of "Way Down East" for $175,000 cash. Brady has now tilt- ed the price for photographing "The Man Who Came Back" to $500,000, for the revival of "The Birth of a Nation" at the Capitol this week brings up the .subject of royalty on picture rights as against an out- right sale. Rev. Thomas Dixon, author of "The Clansman," on which "The Birth" was based, receives 25 per cent, of the gross takings of the Criffith feature and has already taken down considerably over $1,000,000. Charles T. Dazey leased the film rights of "In Old Kentucky" to Louis B. Mayer for $30,000 cash, representing his royalty on the first $200,000 taken in by the pictures, after which he receives 10 per cent. of the gross. The feature has al- ready drawn over $800,000. Blasco Ibanez, author t>f "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," refused all sorts of vast sums for an outright disposal of the film rights to his novel, preferring to accept a nominal sum from Metro as an advance on 10 per cent, of the gross takings. There Is small likelihood of the plcturization gross- ing less than $3,000,000. Conor Island doesn't knew the war is over. Though traditionally not officially open until Decoration Day, all the regulars save Luna Park are already hard at it tryina to sell their motley amusements to their rrowds at wartime prices. Nothing new at the Island this season but the moon. From the east end marked by the Hotel Shelburne clear down to Seagate, it s all stale stuff.' Steeplechase, charging 6Sc. still offering its time-worn combs, with Luna, scaled to open a week from Saturday, holding to the war- time 20c gate with literally nothing new inside other than the oaitrt. A jab at a novelty, reallv new ft* (Continued on page 10) $43,000 BUY What"IV befievecV to bs f H »' htg g» ** t outright "buy" by the ticket brokers for any show that ever went into the George M. Cohan theatre was effected this week for "Two Little Girls in Blue." The arrangement was entered Into before the show opened and the gross purchase netted something like $43,000. LILLIAN GISH STAGE STAR WITH DALY Sister Dorothy to Debut This Summer With James Rennie Lillian Gi.sh will co-star with Ar- nold Daly when the latter opens hiH repertoire theatre at the Greenwich Village with "The Children s Tra- gedy" by Carl Shoner. Lillian CHsh'S latest stage appearance was with Mary Plckford in Belasco's "Good Little Devil." Her sister Dorothy, who has never been on the speaking stage, will try out a play In stock In Canada, this summer, playing opposite her husband. James Renner. now in "Spanish Love." Mr. Daly, who sailed this week for England, will change his bill every month, beginning his season October 20. His players include lot daughter, Blythe Daly. Phillips Y«m^,- S<th*-<r C<w-Ii;-!s -atid.. Wxlf-ffr.. F. Scott. He also hope* to do a pi iv with Joseph Schildkraut. LEW CANTOR NOW IN CHICAGO 1212 Masonic Temple Building CAN SECURE BLANKET CONTRACTS FOR STANDARO ACTS. CAN ALWAYS BREAK YOUR JUMP EAST OR WEST. FOX HOLDING BACK BOOKING YVilliam Fox has decided to hold hack all booking* of his big feature* in the legitimate houses until th<* fall, owing to the poor business pi »• - vailing throughout the country. Hammond for Tribune? Percy Hammoiul, dr.miitic CtUli of the Chicago "Tribune," may hS the New York 'Tribune's" nest dramatic reviewer, succeedin< Hay- wood Broun wh> s ec e d es la the New York "World" editorial StaH •" October.