Variety (June 1921)

!5iay, June 3, 1921 .VAUDEVILLE KEITH FAMILY DEPT. SUMMER LIST SMALLEST IN HISTORY Elimination of Vaudeville in Ma ^y Houses Hereto- fore Open in Warm Weather—Straight Pictures as a Stop-Gap. Less than a dozen weeks of book- Inffl win remain in the Keith fami- ly department after the next two weeks with further shrinking s through houses closing expected by the booking men. \ This is the smallest number of OUR OWN NEWS WEEKLY. BY O. M. SAMUEL. WORCESTER, MASS.—With the approach of summer airdromes begin to sprout throughout the land, Lee 0 UPSTATE TEAMS FRAME EACH OTHER KEITH'S AND JAMES Murdock Goes to Columbus Follow- ing R*c«iv«r«hip bouses remaining open through the j n, Perrin, the saucy manager of, iummer in the history of the Keith | the Dew Drop Inn. uses lawn mower j «*^®' j to remove earth's carpet from his aisles. Perrin announces he will give the "bird" to birdmen who park over his place during perform- ances. office. 1 Fcr the first time Proctor's Al- ^tmny and Troy will drop vajdevllle ♦ver the summer. The Albany house closes this Satu.ady night, frith the Proctor house following a week later. Pictures may be the |K>t weather policy. LONDON, ENG.—One hundred *' Feiber & Shea's Colonial. Akron, »"*! thirty-six red nose comedians ^''O., placed. In the Keith pop depart-' **eturn frOm America on the "Stick .anent a few weeks ago on Billy De- laney's book will close next week. Akron, which was a boom town dur- ing the war, lias thousands of un- employed since the recent depression which forced the Colonial to darken tor the first time. The Hippodrome, McKeesport, Pa.. jmd Robinson Grand, Clarksburg, W. Va., both closing this week, will l«ave Delaney with three weeks for the summer. The other booking Wen are affected in a like proportion With more closings anticipated. 1 Last summer the Keith family department could lay out about 30 weeks for an act, with mos* of th t houses staying open all summer to a profit. emania" without their red noses. ALLAYUP, MINN.—Eight million resin boards are destroyed when new resin-soled shoes are adopted by the Associated Acrobats of America. In his annual address, Bert Breathehard, president of the^' organization, becomes so wrought up over salaries, he throws his handlcerchief in the air through force of habit. WASHINGTON, D.« C—Army and Navy Departments are reported thinking of restricting the appear- ance of zouave acts in the belief they are a disparaging force, con- tributing to and aiding and abetting in the development of flat feet. •^ BARNES UNDER KNIFE t Seattle. June 1. cmCAGO, ILL.—CJreat surprise Al. G. Barnes, the circus man, was j^ occasioned at the offices of the mt Columbus SaniUrium last week . ^y^gt^^n Vaudeville Managers' As- •for a few days where he underwent soclation when Australian wood- ' mn operation on his throat. choppers refuse to play a ^ Barnes came on ahead of "ils cir- ^v^eek. CUs from Loa Angeles in his private J car and placed himself in the hands of Dr. Maimon Samuels. Thr opera- split lion was entirely successful. NEW ACTS Joe Rolloy, of the recently dis- solved team of Gallapher and Rol- ley, is back in vaudeville with a partner. The straight man is a for- mer Indianapolis stock actor. Ed GallaKher is reported about tr team up with Al Shean. Tommy Gordon, in a new vaude- ville production with 12 people, which Carlton Hoagland is staging. Harry Carroll wrote the music, Ballard McDonald the lyrics and Edgar Allen Woolf the book. Al Piantadosi (IMantadosl and Walton), songwriter, has framed a new double with Buddy Walker. Bert Walton Is doing a single on the Loew time at present. (Harry Fitzgerald.) E. A. Well and John J. Rei.sler have formed the R. & W. Produc- tions Co. for the purpose of pro- ducing one-act playlets for vaude- ville. The first of the new combine will be "Midnight." by Kenneth Keith, featuring Molly Mdntyre. Herbert Peabody and Gene Met- fcalfe. In skit. Sam Shannon, who is part owner of "Honey Girl," is again produring vaudeville acts and has taken an ofllce In the Loew Annex building. The first turn to be put on is John Elliott, formerly of the Elliott Brothers, who will be assisted by four plils in a dancing act. Special material will be supplied by Al Von ' Tilzer and Neville Fleeson. Jack McGowan. Joe Nlomeyer and Ella Sinclair, all formerly of "Mary." have framed a turn (Rose & Curtis). Frances and DcMar, singing sketch, three people. Tyler Brooks and Hr'.cn Colton, ~ dance A^\. Charles Adams (Avon Comedy Four) with Fid Gordon. Eddie and 'Margaret Kolly in "Traffic Talks," by John Hyman. George Shelton, tramp comedian, from burlesque. ILL AND INJURED Blossom Scclc}' \v'as injured on the stage of the OrplKum. Los An- geles. Monday afternoon l:iHt v.eok. The accident occurred just before she made her entrance, the star falling from a low pl:itforin and cutting a gash in her leg. Site went through her performanee and after- Wards several stitehcs were taken in the \\onnd. LOS ANGELES. CAL—Motion picture directors avow they arc go- ing td*omit for a time at least scenes of the heroine coming across in the steerage, the accustomed fiash of lower New York and the free-for- all fight in the all-night cabaret. They also add the super-productions of the future will not necessarily contain "supers." MARBLEHEAD, MASS.—Morvu- mcnt erected to "William Tell" and "Poet and Peasant" by xylophonlsts of the world is unveiled. Many sculptors insist that it cannot be beat. O S T E R M O O R. RUSSIA.—The ten-thousand troupe of Russian dancers leaves for our shores on tho good ship "Vodka," carrying 800 tons of refused razor blades in ballast. The dancers are told they may under stress remove their beards. HOP ABOUT, CAL—Another school of classical dancing makes Its bow to the golden west. Lucy Robes in suitable commemoration reads a poem of her own called, "Stars from Strips Forever." IN AND OUT ^ertierc Morton <lropI"'d ""^ ^f '''♦' hill at thi' Mi'tropoiitan, h'.rooklyn. Monday, due to tlie death of his Ji»ther. Sunday, in Phila«l"lphi,'i. pave and Lillian substituted. JUDGMENTS. The following judgments have been filed In the County Clerk's office the past week. The first name Is that of the judgment debtor; judgment creditor and amount follow: Filmart Laboratories, Inc.; G. C. Geiwe-rt. J1.53..S0, .. . Hamilton E. iUynolds (New York English Oi)era Association); B. M- ONeill; $492.r,0. Philip Katz; A. M. Kraus; $2.r)20.79. Dodge & Castle. Inc.; Di Salvo Bros.. Inc.; $241.23. Joe M:i\wel!; W. Torman; $2.11 ?0. Reed Albee; Finchley, Inc.; $524.3S. Joseph Letora; Houghton Miffiin Co.; $l.'i4.70. Mar\voo«l Producing Co., Inc.; Hiekson. Inc.: $C..:;r.7.S:». I'rsula E. Rogers; llovvai d Gow ns. Inc.; $1.7t)l»..".4. Attachments. Union Film Co.. Inc.; I'.tnjnmin Berk; $2.20;'.06. Bankruptcy Petition. A voluntary petition was fil»-d by Corse Pa\-ton. 127 West 4:id street; iialdlities. $0,000; no assets. Satisfied Judgments. Frederick I Seek and Selnia C.oll- nik; Finrmoiint l ilm Cori* ; ;'jll>.'.9; M;iy 9, l!»2l. Con's Rubber* "Apples" Stood Off by Dead Ones. Syracuse, June 1. Dear Chick: We just come back from Jersey City where we dropped four in a row. I found out the last day what was wrong, but as "Dutch" Damrau was back of it I couldn't beef be- cause he got hep to my rubber ball racket up here. You know the Jersey City club are a bad last and the only reason they won't finish ninth is because this Is an eight-club league. We tore into them to mop up, for we are neck and neck with Toronto for the lead, but the best we got was to get out of town without any of my inflelders gettin' wounded. We couldn't hit a ball out of the infield and I was afraid to slip any rubber apples in for fear Dutch would holler. After.the first game I called the gang together In the hotel and read the riot act to them, but the followin' day it was Just as bad. They would go up to the plate and pop up little fly balls that you could stick In your vest pocket or hit a grounder right at somebody. I was goln' nuts on the bench, but It didn't do no good, so I had to take my medicine. The last day I started Wally Nolan who has been beatin' every- thing in the league all season. Up to that day all he had to do to stop those birds was to throw his glove out in the box and they would roll over and play dead. Their pitcher was *a big string with a fast ball that iK^ouldn't knock your hat off, but do you think we got any runs off him? We did not. They lucked in a run in the fifth innin* and we went into the ninth one run behind, for we had none. I got desperate in the ninth, so I grabbed a bat and told Whalen to take the air for I would hit for him. I stood up at the plate and let this tramp throw over a couple that were as big as the night boat to Albany. After taking two and gettin' him In the hole I picked on one as straight as a string and tore mto it so hard I nearly wrenched my back. It plopped up Just back of second base. The second sacker stuck it fn his pocket and the game was over. I tumbled right away, but, as I said before, what could I do? I hunted Dutch up that night at his hotel and asked him man to man to tip me off what they had pulled on us. He finally told me and we promised to lay off each other's ball club for the rest of the season. They done Just the opposite to what I pulled with the rubber balls. Instead of their pitcher Ic-avln' a fast ball for my pitcher to use on their hitters they had some apples that were as dead as dancin' mats and they used them on our bunch while we were at bat. My saps couldn't get them out of the Infield naturally. When they got the side out they would leave a regulation ball in the box for our pitcher to work with which gave them their odds and fixed things pretty. The only way they could lose was for us both to play a 0 to 0 tie, for it was a pipe that we couldn't score with those cauliflowers they were throwin' us to hit at in ten thousand years. Damrau said he figured we owed them four games for me swltchln' pills up here on them and that he had doped out the revenge. He claimed no one was in on It but him and the pitcher, so we have made an agreement that every- thing goes against all the other clubs In the league, but we are tw lay off each oiher, and can't beef no matter If one club wins a hun- dred games in a row against the rest. Cuthbert and Algy are pesterin' me to death to put the rubber balls back in as they can't get any home runs without them. The ball their usin' this season is a little faster tli;rn it was last, but it Is still a good healtliy smack to get them out of these parks in this league. Most of the lots was laid out on prairies. The fences s'-em to be a mile ofT Id like to M't*- Kelly and Ruth blast in' at s^nte of the.se fences In- sH-iid itf that ri>jht field stand just back of fiist base at the l*o!o grounds. Si>me of those homers wotjidn't make our right flelderH turn their backs. ,. 'i'ake (Tire of .\<>urse1f. Vour pal, Con Chicago, June 1. Following the news that re- ceivership proceeding!! had been filed against the Jameu Building Co. and Billy James principal stock- holder In the enterprise controlling the Broadway and New James the- atres. Columbus, J. J. Murdock, of the Keith otiice, arrived in Colum- bus. Murdock's visit is significant and has started rumors to the effect the Keith people are after the Broad- way, which formerly played Gue Sun vaudeville. Kobert Beck, representing both the principal creditors, stated his belief that the James enterprises are solvent, and says his companies will help refinance Ihem gladly. The receiver is Richard Patton, president of the National Bank of Commerce, Columbus. The known liabilities are $705,000 In a mortgage held by the American Bond and Mortgage Co.. and about $300 due the Longacre Engineering and Con- struction Co. This Is In addition to local and overhead debts. IN N. Y. BOOKING 25 WEEKS FOR W. V. M. A. SYRACUSE WEDBINa LICENSE. Syracuse, June 1. Domlnick Frank D'Amore and Ethel M. Cook, at Keith's this week In "A Vaudeville Surprise," sprung a genuine surprise Tuesday by paying a visit to the City Clerk's ofUce. Not until a reporter dropped around Wednesday did it leak out that the two had secured a wedding license. D'Amore gave his age as 27. His home is in.New York. Miss Cook ad- mitted 28, gave her occupation as a costumer and claimed the Onondaga as her home. D'Amore is known professionally as Franklyn D'Amore. He appears this week with Charles Douglas and Ernestine Cam. Not a Keith at- tache nor another professional would admit any knowledge of the newest romance to burst Into bloom at the Real playhouse, but there was a deep rooted suspicion that the Miss Cook could be Identified as the fem- inine member of the "Surprise" trio. Kalcheim Offers Blankets Spreading Over 27 Weeks Nat Kalcheim, who arrived in New York last week to represent the Western Vaudeville Manager** Association and B. F. Keith's Western, has started to issue blan- ket contracts for the coming sea- son, giving a twenty-flve weeks* route, to bo plaj-ed in twenty-seven, with two cut weeks included. Ths time is all west of Indianapolis and east of Kansas City, going north to Milwaukee, and south as far as St. Louis. This comprises the best thne booked out of the Western of- fices, but for the medium-priced acts there are many more weeks running further (>outti and west, which would easily carry an act for a full season. Western agents now in the Blast are being favored in the matter of these blankets and acts which they have under signature are being looked at first by Kalcheim. Eastern representatives who hav« acts desiring the Middle West tim» will not be barred from doing busi- ness with the Western office, al- though they will be forced to plac« thO acts through some Weatem agent. PARK BREAKS BECOBD Columbia Park, the North Bergea resort, on the site of the olA Schuetzen Park near Hoboken, haA 88.000 admissions in the three d&y% including Memorial Day. TiM it acres within the enclosure is la two counties, and any sort of a wheel device goes. They have put up prizes of household utensils for tho thrifty Jersey housewife, instead of the dolls and teddybears,. and did a landofnce business. Bartel's wild animal show is ono of the main attractions, tho concera moving its whole winter quarters over from Rutherford and adding VeVlecita's Leopards and other caga acts. FRED ASTAIRE ADELE ASTAIRF THIRD SKASON WITH MR. CHA8. B. DILLINGHAM PLACED BY US AND UNDER OUR EXCLUSIVE DIRECTION. ED DAVIDOW & RUFUS LeMAIRE, 1493 Brosdwsy, New York City. Burns and Frabito No More. Burns and Frabito, the Italian tf-am, have dissolved partnership. Burns has teamed with Steve Freda, who has been doing a single on the I^ocw time. HOUSE CLOSING The Palace, South Norwalk, Conn., will dlKcontlnue vaudeville after this week. The Cerald, Philadelphia, closed last week. Rol»ins«in>, f^rand. W. Va., closes May 30. The Knickerbocker, Philadelphia. Saturday. The Strand. Bayonnc, Saturday. Tho Hijour, Bangor, Me., closed May 28. The I'nItPd States, IToboken. N .T.. ha.s diH< onttiiued vaudeville for tlio summer. •/ lIipi>o(liomo, Poftsvllle. Pa., Jun«' 11. Alhambrii. Plilladelpliia, expect- ed to close Juno 19. Majostic. Dallas. May 30.—Pan- t.'.Ko.s, Dalla.s, June 28. Loow's Indianapolis, closed May 21. On Loew's western time Walla Walla has diMcontiniied for the waini weather months. The Loew liouses In Logans|»ort. In<l.. and Lafayette, Ind . are closing n»'x» \v»'«'k. Tho Kni«korbf»cker, Philadelphia cU»sos this week. IN BERLIN. (Continued from page 4) with Emil Jannlngs In the title role. Tho cast Includes Hllde Woerner, Werner Kraus. Ed, v. Wintersteln. Friedrich Kuohne, Charlotte Ander. Ferd. v. Altcn: diroctor, DImltrl liuchowetzkl. May 4. Nelson theatre: Throe one-acters "Shaw's "Anajan.ska," with Kitty Aschenljach; •'The Wilde Man." with Louis Tausstein; "Colum- bine's Falthlossness," by Ralph Benatzki. Early part of May. i-iarh^ut^r^ i The Oberammergau Passion Plajr eiari..suurg. ^.jjj ^^ ^^^^^^ agdiit ih tho duw:tter of 1922. Friedrich Whilhelm theatre: Opening of the summer season Majr IB. with "The Little Olrl of Yester- day," by OkonhowskI; music by Will Solnberg. Cast: Lilly Flohr, Lotte Knobat. Richard Senius. Theatre dog Westens: Opening of the summer reason under the direc- tion of Richard Treu with "Gay Again Tomorrow"; libretto by Wll- holm Jaroby: music by Heinz Levin. N0U03 Volkos theatre: "The Wed- ding Journey." a farce by Erich Oo.storlu'ld. Ca.«?t: fJertrud Kamit/.. Tilda Standke, Friedrich lioebe, Krirh Pabst. Kammorspiolo: Arthur Schnitz- itTft "I'rofossor r.erntiardl." State Opoia House: Lea Riech's oiMTotto, "The Orass Widow" ( .*->trohwltv.'), middle of July. Volksbuohiif; "The Po.i.sant as .Millioualre," hy P'ordlnand Ray- mond, with rjulflo IlortzfelcTln tho liile role; diioclor, Jurgon Fehling.