Variety (May 1921)

VAUDEVILLE riday, May 6, 1921 i HIGH TAX ON CIRCUSES AND THEATRES DRAFTED IN BALTO Mayor Broening Directs All Classes Be Included in Piopojed ~ QrdJnarase— $100 Increase Per Per- formance for Three Rings—Other Details. Baltimore, Md., May 4. Mayor Broening yesterday direct- ed the Police and Jail Committee of the City Council to include all traveling shows, special exhibitions, theatres, halls and amusement parka In the new circus tax ordinance. At the last meeting the commit- tee decided to ask the City Solic- itor to prepare a separate ordinance for three-ring circuses with the un- derstanding that the tax for other shows, theatres and amusement parks would be determined later. The Mayor then stepped in and said he would not approve of an ordinance for three-ring circuses, exclusively, and his wishes were complied with. A general ordinance was drafted reported at the Frrst Branch (Continued on page 26) KEITH ADMISSION CUT FOR THE SUMMER ONLY MAY 1st AGENTS Complications for Loew Branch on Moving Day. The Loew agents were having a tough time early in the we,ek when they tried to move into the new Ix>ew Annex. The building was not in a receiving condition and the agents were forced to do their busi- ness wherever they could find an unoccupied spot. One agent set up his desk on the sidewalk in front of the building and was dictating his mail to his stenographer when the up-stage policeman of Broadway interfered. Some- of the agents risked a law suit and remained in their old quarters in the Putnam building. Early in the week a petition was being passed amongst the agents to be signed and was to be pre- sented to the Liocw people asking for a reduction in rent in the Annex. The boys say that the leases were signed when office space around the corners was much higher and they feel th.it they are entitled to pres- ent day prices. Designed as Offset to Busi- ness Depression. A general reduction of admission prices at all the Keith houses Is to be instituted within a few weeks. according to an executive of the Keith Exchange. The reduction will be effective for the summer pe- riod only, and is necessary to off- set business depression throughout the country. This decision follows the notices recently sent out by the Keith of- fice giving two weeks' notice to the musicians and stagehands in the Keith houses. The notices won't be- come effective unless it becomes necessary to close the houses, or change to a picture policy over the summer NEW COSMOS Three Theatre Projects Under One Roof in Washington Washington, D. C, May 4. This city is to have a new vaude- ville theatre embracing three pro- jects under one roof and at a cost of $1,500,000. It is to be known as the New Cosmos and located on the southeast corner of 13th and E streets, northwest. It is to be the new home of the vaudeville now being shown at the Cosmos on Pennslyvania avenue. A. Bruce Brylawski, general manager of the Cosmos make the announcement. John Lamp Assisting John Lamp is now assistant to (Arthur Klein at the Shubert Vaude- vile Exchange office ■ B. P. KEITH'S ROYAL, NEW YORK, WEEK OF APRIL 4 BILLY GLASON JUST SONGS AND SAYINGS" hy Billy Q 1«son and Nenl n'llnni, St;iff Humorist. N. Y. World. Keith'a Jefferson, New STptk, Now (May ii). Keith's Hamilton. New York, Next Week (Mary 9> •t)Jrcction, LEW GOLDER. JOHNSON, BAKER and JOHNSON Just Finished Orpheum Circuit. COMING EAST. Direction, MORRIS A FEIL MORE OHIO BANS ON CARNIVALS PASSED Four More Cities Declare Against Them. Warren, Ohio. May 4. The ban against carnivals con- tinues to tighten in Eastern Ohio, and during the past three days sev- eral other city administrations have issued an edict that no carnivals will be permitted to exhlbite within their corporate limits. Mayor John D. McBride, of this city, Saturday announced he will issue no permits to carnivals this season. A number of civic societies for the advancement of morality have endorsed the ruling of Mayor McBride. This city, Just west of Youngstown, Ohio, has been one of the favorite haunts of carnivalb in recent years. Cuyahoga Falls will not have a carnival this year. The administra- tion has assumed an indifferent at- titude against tented attractions of this kind, and no licenses will be granted. "Owing to the industrial condition which has been prevalent through the winter, it was decided that the absence of carnivals would be better for the community in general," officials said. At New Philadelphia, Ohio, the City Council has passed legislation restricting the carnivals to the out- skirts. They will not be permit- ted to exhibit within 200 feet of a residence, which means that they must seek locations near the sub- urbs. AFTER FOREIGN ACTS Reported Foreigners Favor This Side Now Fred Ward, former European scout i for Charles Dillingham and other legitimate producers, left this country for Europe last week. Ac- cording to one of the Shubert vau- deville staff, Ward has gone abroad in the interests of the new Shubert vaudeville circuit to engage for- eign turns for it. Eddie Darling, chief booker for the Keith circuit, who has been con- valescing from a nervous break- down, is also in Europe. Darling engaged several foreign acts upon his last visit and is expected to do likewise on the present occasion. Americans conversant with condi- tions in the foreign vaudeville field say that European acts are un- usually reasonable and Inclined to- ward American bookings on account of the exchange rate and the effect of the picture invasion of Europe, which is being reflected In the vau- deville halls. HOUSES CLOSING CftelHg dates tor J^mi^r Orphe- ums have been set as follows: Or- pheum, Champaign, 111., June 5; Columbia, Davenport, la., June 5; Majestic, Springfield, May 29; Lin- coln and American, Chicago, Juno 5; Palace, Rockford, June 19; Or- pheum, Madison, June 19; the Empress, Decatur, closed April 23; Orphoum, Salt Lake, June 12; Clu- ini, Sacramento, Cal., May 25; White, Fresno, Cal., May 28; Or- pheum, Lincoln, Neb.. June 4; Or- pheum, Des Moines, la., Juno 4; Orpheum, St. Paul, May 21; Orphe- uni, Duluth, Minn., May 21. F0RKINS AND JO PAIGE SMITH Marty Forkins, former Chicago agent, will become associated with Jo Faige Smith in the future. Jo Paige is ono of the oldest vaudeville agents and has teen with the Keith pooplc since their agency started. ADMISSION REDUCED AT FOX'S AUDUBON y 40 Per Cent. Cut to Come on Fox Circuit, Reported. William Fox's Audubon reduced its prices of admission, lnaugurat- !ng" ar eXfi-te -c£" p.tiinuQir 9Ctat£h cop» siderably In advance of the usual heated term scale. There is a report that the entire Fox Circuit will shortly place in ef- fect a 40 per cent, reduction. The lowering of the prices at the Audubon has been expected in the- atrical circles since the beginning of the current season. The Coliseum, a few blocks above with Keith vaudeville and pictures, and the Hamilton below with Keith big time vaudeville, have made big In- roads into the Audubon patronage all season. A change of policy at the Fox house with a policy modeled some- what after the big Broadway pic- ture houses hasn't proved the rem- edy expected with the announce- ment of the reduction following. Several other Fox houses are re- ported as affected by the opposition and may follow the example of the Audubon over the summer at least. SINGER'S FORECAST. Orpheum General Manager Says Musical Tabs Not Wanted. During his recent trip around the Orpheum Circuit, General Manager Mort Singer made it plain in several interviews that the concern's book- ers will emphasize comedy In their selections for the new season and musical comedy tabloids will be cut down to a minimum. "Musical comedy tabloids are taboo," he said. "These girl acts are through and there probably will not be more than two of them on the Orpheum next season. We intend to specialize in feature comedy acts three or four to a bill. They must be clean. "Smut must go. It will ruin business quicker than anything else. Vulgarity got a start in vaudeville right after the war, but it is going out again. "One reason for the proportion of of vulgar lines," the official adds, "is that vaudeville audiences do not respond the way they did a few years back. The artist who offers a clean joke and does not get a laugh is likely to insert one 'blue' line. If that awakens the audience he tries another. But there is no excuse for the act that is basically vulgar. Nor is there any excuse in the statement that it is what the public wants. It is like dope. If they didn't have It in the first place, they wouldn't need it." ACTS IN PRODUCTIONS Morris and Campbell and Buzzell and Parker, Featured Harry Weber and Herman Becker will Jointly sponsor two new pro- ductions for vaudeville, one featur- ing Morris and Campbell with 10 people and the other featuring Buz- zell and Parker, also with a cast of 10. The Buzzell and Parker turn will be called "A Barnyard Chanticleer." Both are singing and dancing skits. Each will be ready about Aug. 1. JACK ROSE'S LONG ROUTE Jack Rose, the "nut" comic, who played his first Palace, New York, engagement a few weeks ago, has received ono of the longest routes ever issued out of the Orpheum Circuit offices as a result. Rot** will Qgpea on the -Qr.phnum Circuit In August and plays consec- utively until next June. The blanket includes the Junior Orphe- um houses and the Interstate Cir- cuit. He was formerly a comedian with White's "Scandals," later playing considerably in and around Chi- cago before jumping to Now YoYk. STAGE CREW NOTICES PROTECTIVE MEASURE Keith Office Preparing for Possible Summer Policy Change. Two weeks' notice has been given. 4fit\ 4i«0fcJ4iM and sts^o, JftindE..- s£ various Keith, Moss and Proctor houses. The notice was sent out to the theatres affected, via the nous* managers. In a circular notice from the Keith office. The notice doesn't become effec- tive unless business falls off to such an extent that the houses have te close or change to a picture policy over the summer. It was explained at the Keith of- fice that this method had been em- ployed Ui houses where business was showing a decrease that would warrant the closing of the theatre or changing the policy temporarily. If the business holds up or improves the notice won't become effective, but will be continued as long as tha business warrants. One official of the Keith offices when informed that the notices had started a rumor to the effect that up-state labor leaders looked upon the plan as an effort to institute open shop in the Keith controlled theatres, said that such a presump- tion was ridiculous on the face, and that the move was only a pre- cautionary measure to meet condi- tions, especially in theatres lo- cated outside New York city. So far as is known this is the first time that this method has been used in the Keith houses. Three of the houses affected are Proctor's, Albany, Troy and Schenectady, with several of the Moss and Keith string receiving similar notices. FOUR NEW JUNIORS Orpheum Addition's Will Have Capacity of 2,200 Four new Orpheum Junior houses are now being erected to be ready by next fall. The theatres will be the Mainstreet, Kansas City, Gold- den Gate, San Francisco, Hillstreeti Los Angeles and Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. The houses will have an average capacity of 2,200. The New Juniors are being built out of the Orpheum earnings for 1920, which totalled $5 a share on the 549,000 shares after preferred dividends, de- preciation and taxes had been allowed for. A $2 per share annual dividend was paid in 192ft. The Junior Orpheum policy of six acts and a feature picture thrice daily, will be continued in the new links. A new Orpheum theatre fof Omaha is planned for next season the site Is now being negotiated for. CONEY'S PALACE OF JOY Sam Moscovice, the Coney Island concessioner, has been engaged as manager of the newly erected Palace of Joy on Surf avenue, which opens May 13, with one of the largest in- door swimming pools in the east. In addition to the pool the Palace will install a show which will be run on a specially built promenade. The opening bill will include a fashion show and will be changed weekly, the management negotiat- ing with a local vaudeville agency for bookings, it being planned to present acts on the promenade and also aquatic turns which can use the pool which is to be surrounded with benches/ It can be used for water polo matches and swimming events. Show for Irish Relief. Joe Maxwell began a road trip this week to pave the way for his ipecialty show duo to go out late this month as part Of the plan to taise funds for Irish relief. Helen Ware's New Sketch. Helen Ware has a new vaudeville vehicle called "The Recoil," with a east of five. Jim McKOWMI is han- dling the asJ DONERS WALKED— CAME BACK Following the discovery that Clark and Bergman were billed erfcr them srt the CoMjeom MtemtajN Kitty and Ted Doner withdrew from the bill Monday afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Barry filling in for the Doner act at the matinee, by doubling from the Hamilton. The difficulty that had arose from the billing becoming mixed was straightened out during the after- noon, the Doners' name going on the top line of the,lights, follow- ing which they returned to th** Coliseum Monday night and for th*» balance of the three day spilt. MINER'S FLATBUSH OPENS The King's Highway, a vatldevilW and picture house, was opened Au»'<i 27 by the Miner Estate, owners oi the Miner's Eighth Avn. and Mint r'• Bronx. The new house is located in '■' Flatbush section of Brookjvn and scats 2.40P