Variety (July 1921)

M, Friday, July 1, 1921 VAUDEVILLE f CARNIVALS' WEEKLY GRIST CONTAINS MANY COMPLAINTS BUCKNER FREED Appears B«for« Grand Jury—Thaft Charga Diamlaaad (Newspapers and Citizens Agree—Harrisburg Tele- graph Calls Carnivals ^Obnoxious Traveling Pests''—Action Elsewhere 4^ This week's carnival newB, sub- piitted to Variety, Includes, amonflT Imndreds of other items of equal pbaracter, the following: Six deputy sheriffs in Wisconsin Sder the leadership of the under- erifT of Milwaukee county rooped down on the L. J. Heth Carnival shows and ordered 14 stands possessing games of chance to discontfnue business. The act followed a conference with the district attorney and the ■herifT after many complaints had |)9en received by citizens who aa- perted that they had lost various «ums of money by playing the , fames at the stands. ,,i Many complaints have also reached the police department that every time a carnival gets to town >ipeople living In the vicinity of the ; grounds occupied by the shows miss othelr milk and some find uncalled- for guests sleeping on the porches. In hallways, etc< CIRCUS AND WILD WEST ON UGinS' GROUNDS July 16, Fred Stone and Leo Carrillo Will Run Party— Election of Officers Tlune "Poverty Party" Given \.\- The manager of the Traver Car- nival Co. awaits the action of the Westchester County (N. Y.) grand 'inry as the result of his arrest for permitting and carrying on an al- leged immoral women's shoW "for men only." He is out under $600 bail. The arrest was made at White Plains, N. Y. ,9) The police of Waverly, N. Y., re- cently closed up a show "for men jioly" and various gambling and lottery devices of the La Grou Car- ^val Co. ■■e'l " Carnivals has. been banned in "Johnstown, N. Y., by the mayor. "Raw stufT' fulled in the past is flven as the reason for this action. The New York Civic League In Its latest bulletin charges that some of the circuses are following in the footsteps of their carnival brethren with shows "for men only." Two circuses fetre named. Carnivals have been driven out of the State of Virginia by a prohibi- tive license fee. The annual circus and wild west show of the Lights Club will be held Saturday, July 16, on the Lights' clubhouse grounds at Free- port, L. I. Fred Stone and Leo Car- rillo will head the party. Last Sunday at the annual elec- tion of officers the regular ticket went through with but a couple of changes as originally reported. The officers elected were: Angel (presdent), George McKay. Vice-president, Harry Von Tilxer. Secretary, N. E. Manwariny. Treasurer, George Barry. Board of ushers (directors): Frank Tinney, Charles Mlddleton, Jean Bedinl. Bert Leighton, Fred Gray, J. B. Isaac, Victor Moore, Herbert Williams, Ben Mulvey, Leo Doherty, Arthur Deagon, Harry Norwood, J. F. Dooley. Thomas Dugan, James P. Conlln, James Diamond, George P. Murphy. Harry Puck. This Saturday night (July 2), the Lights will give a "Big Show," head- ed by Florence Moore and skippered by J. Francis Dooley. Wednesday evening (June 29^ was "Poverty Night," when the members enjoyed themselves in their oldest clothes, worn upon request. The Lights baseball club will play ball Sunday and Monday, starting at 3 p. m., playing the Queensboro Elks Sunday and the Knights of Co- lumbus Monday. Monday also (July 4) there will be a water carnival at the club. STIMULATING BUSINESS Local Talent Impressed for Stages of Mt. Vernon's Theatres. Harrisburg. Pa., closed several attractions of a carnival. The Har- risburg Telegraph called carnivals "obnoxious traveling pests" and de- manded they be denied entrance there again. Washington, Pa., reports that a carnival there was "accompanied by unscrupulous men and low wo- men." Shamokin, Pa., ordered gambling 0tit of a carnival after it opened. Fort Wayne, Ind., has an ordi- nance ousting carnivals. The Eric Times says It approves because "the carnival Is not the sort of thing any decent community should toler- ate." Ann Arbor, Mich, reports Wade and May's shows, beginning as fol- lows: "Nine days of gambling; car- nival with unlawful devices opens; cooch show indecent; cheap attrac- tions merely cloak for real purposes of company.'* On Saturday the feherifT closed the cooch and gamb- ling tents. Cambridge. O., has increased car- nival taxes, hoping to keep them out. Collar Kapids, la., has done the same. New Virginia, la., reports that members of a carnival troupe Jumped their board bills. WaHliifiKton. Ind.. reports that its theatres closed down during the presence of a carnival for the full Week. SpriiiKflold. 111., under head of "One Nuisance Abated." foportH that tho Mayor has barred all car- hivals from the town. It fays: "SlTlnKJiold can no lonK<^r remain in tlie 'oarnival town' class." Momphls, Tcnn., reports it will proliibit carnivals after numerous conii»laints followed a recent one. Ftprest Park, 111., has sherifTa on *u'y nt all time, by demand of the eitlzcna, during a carnival to' en- force no ;:amUllnK: a raid recently fesulud in seizure of 21 slot ma- chines. Forty arrcatfl were made. Amsterdam, N, T., reports a car- Mt Vernon, N. Y., June 29. In an effort to stimulate business which has fallen off greatly due to hot weather and daylight saving, two local theatres are this week resorting to the "local talent" plan. The theatres are the West- chester (stock and Proctor's (split- week vaudeville). At the Westchester, "Penrod" is under production, with a local boy, Eddie O'Reilly, in the leading role, and Adrian Morris, son of William Morris, the actor, also in the cast. Proctor's has an "Opportunity" or "Amateur" week in which local people who have artistic ambitions are ac4M>rded the chance of demon- strating what they feel to be their histronic ability. A prize of $50 is offered, and so far there are 21 entries. The winner will be Judged by the applause received. Last Friday night Proctor's suf- fered a dressing-room loss for the first time. After the performance someone removed four suits of clothes from the rooms occupied by Leo Beers and Irving Brustein. Tha Grand Jury Tuesday refused to consider the charga of grand larceny made against Arthur Buck- ner, the producer, by Miss Billy Wells. The decision was immedi- ately reached by the body after Buckner had appeared in person before it to tell his story. Buckner's appearance wa« upon the advice of Fredlk'ick £3. Goldsmith, the attor- ney, who volunteered to represent Buckner, following the story of the latter's arrest on the theft charge in last week's Variety, in which Buckner appealed for financial and legal aid. Miss Wells had accused Buckner of stealing a diamond ring. Buck- ner claimed she had loaned him the ring to pawn to aid him in sending his revue, intended for Reisen- weber's where It later appeared, to Middletown, N. Y., to break in. At the time Miss Wells was a hostess at Reiscnweber's. Mr. Goldsmith read Buckner's story in last week's Variety and when going downtown to the courts, went over to the Tombs where Buckner was being held for the Grand Jury's action. Before leav- ing Buckner in his cell, Mr. Gold- smith also "staked" him, through the appeal for money Buckner also had made. While in the Tombs, Buckner says that money was scarce. He sold his straw hat for 50 cents. After his dismissal. Bucknar came uptown bareheaded, called on B. F. Albee. got $10 for the visit and then bought another straw hat. Buckner says the hat he sold for 60 cents cost him $3, but that the new one pur- chased Tuesday out of the ten, ex- actly the same hat, but a bargain, cost but II. For the rest of the day Buckner could not decide whether he had been trimmed out of $2 by the first hat seller or whether he had got the best of the Tombs sale for 60 cents. ENGLAND HELPING CANADA TO STAND OFF THE STATES George Dritcoll of Canadian Theatrical Compan/, Engaging Abroad for Canadian Tours—De Coiir> ▼ille to. Produce Revues in Canada MARITIME PROVINCES FIRST TIME ''DARK" All Keith-Booked Houses Are Closed for Summer—New Plans for Reopening TIGHE SUED BY WIFE Edna Leedom Separates From Vaudeville Partners-Wants Divorce Harry TIghe (Tighe and Leedom) has retained Frederick E. Goldsmith to represent him in the divorce pro- ceedings begun against him last week by Edna Le^om-TIghe. Mrs. Tighe waa his partner in vaude- ville up to two weeks ago. The plaintiff names March 13, 1921, the William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh and Mabel Haley aa the time, place and girl concerned In th) alleged Infidelity. Also "di- vers other persons" dating from Nov. 27, 1920, when the Tighes were married in Buffalo. Tighe is paying $12.50 alimony towards the support of his first wife, the ^prmer Loretta F. Tierney to whom he was married Aug. 31, 1904, and who secured a divorce from him last year In the New Ha- ven Superior Court on the ground of desertion. Judge Warner granted her the custody of their then 11- year-old daughter, Eileen. A few months after their mai-- rlage whr^n It was rumored thoy were about to seek a separation, t^ > report was denied by both Mr. Tighe and MI.ss Leedom. Papers were also served on Tl|;he by Miss Lccdum notifying him of suit for the recovery of a Bulck automobile now alleged to be in TIghe's possession and claimed by Miss Leedum as her property. With the closing of the houses at St. Johns. N. B. and Halifax. N. S., June 17. all the theatres lo- cated in the Maritime Provinces, booked through the Keith Exchange, were dark for the summer, for the first time in their history. The rest of the string located at Moncton. N. B., 01asgow» N. S., Grace Bay, N. S.. and Frederkton, N. S., are reported as heavy losers on the season Just past and are con- sidering a general reduction of ad- mission scale and other readjust- ments before the opening of next season. Fred Townley, of the Keith office, who books the houses and is in- terested In them financially, will l^ave New York Monday for a trip over the circuit to apply the remed- ial methods considered necessary. FIGHT BURLESQUE Will Reproduce Battle on Ball Park Diamond Nick Altrock and Al Schacht of the Washington American League Baseball Club are to invade vaude- ville at the close of the season In a two-act, now being written by Tommy Gray. Altrock is famous on big league diamonds as a baseball,clown, with Schacht. a New York boy and one of the club's best pitchers, acting as a foil and assisting the famous old .southpaw in his pantomimic stuff. The pair will pull a reproduction of the Dempsey-Carpentier fight on the Washington Ball Park as it comes off the ticker July 2. The mimicry will be a burlesque with Schacht impersonating Carpentler and Altrock doing Dempsey. VAUDEVILLIANS DISORDERLT Milwaukee. June 29. Two men giving the names of King Faber and Tod Fletcher were arrested here by the police, after It is alleged they created a disturbance In a local restaurant. Both were locked up on charge of drunk and disorderly conduct, and when ar- raigned In court wore fined $15 and costs apiece. Fabor .said that he was with an act at the Junior Orpheum house here called "Off and On," while Fletcher a.s.s«Mtod that he was playlnp In an act with his wife called "90 pounds of Pop." nival there last wrok as lawl'.'.ss and .says "dcMM-nt people were Hliockofl and horrili«'d." The Saginaw. Mich., r()url«'r, after drnianflin^ that carnivalH l)o kopt out of that (li.slrict, ask.s: "Why Ever IVrmit Thom Any IMaro**" Lorain. O., arrested and fined gamblers with the Barkoot showa SENSATIONAL FiyRS Kansas Exhibitors Turn Dowh Riot and Murder Pictures Kansas City, June 29. Reports from Kansas towns say that film Milesmen have been hav- ing hard luck trying to book films of the Tulsa, Okla., race riots, as the exhibitors are not Interested in that class of pictures. Pictures of the Chester murder trial, recently held here, are also being turned down. Irene Castle Is making a series of pictures for Hodkinson release. "A Broadway Bride" is the first JACK ROSE / C;ivir»^; Jiu k Dempsey Final Workout ]\rftyr<* ftio Ftii: I-irht Training Hard for Orpheum Circuit; Opening Aiit;ii.'it i:,. Still Managed by HARRY WEBER London, June 29. A big scheme is on hera to combat America's show supremacy In Ca»« ada.. George DriscplI, moving spirit o< the Trans-Canada Theatres, Ltd., la at the head 6t the movement and la collecting all the big British star% shows and plays possible. Albert de CourvIUe Is to produoa revues, making Ottawa his head« quarters and using such Britisli stars as he can secure. His con- tract with the new concern involvea something like $500,000. It is designed to open in Septem- ber with Marie Lohr In "The Voioa from the Minaret," "Fedora," and a new production to be made hera called "Destiny." Lady Forbaa Robertson (Gertrude Blllott) ia ta go to Canada in November with a repertoire of her former suooessea; Percy Hutchison and company ara bespoken and there Is to be a pro- duction in Canada of "The Llttla Dutch Girl" in December. Othera already fixed Include Bromley Chat- loner in "When Knights Wera Bold," Matheson Lang ia "Carni- val." I The averaca tours ars for SI weeka. with da Counrilla'a produo* tion to be permanent iaatltutlona If successfuL 127 YEARS IN ACT Barney Ferguson, 64» and Qao. Cui»- ningham, 63, Singing and Daneinf The formation of the vaudevlDa act of Barney Ferguson and Georva Cunningham representa 127 yeara. Mr. Ferguson Is 64 and hla partner, 68. They first appeared aa a nawlj formed team last weak la New York, singing, and danclnir> Tha couple were remarked for extraor- dinary agility at their aga. Ferguson is best known as form- erly of Ferguson and Mack; Cun- ningham was of Cunningham and Grant. The new act development hap- pened accidentally, when the twa old-timers teamed for a private en- tertainment, with an Impromtu rou- tine that suggested a continuanca. PEGGY SELLS ALL Miss O'Neil Busy Qirl at Theatrical Garden Party London. June 29. The annual Theatrical Garden Party was a huge success. Peggy O'Neil made a record of 900 pounda selling flowers. She waa also com- pelled to sell anything she had on and could have dispensed with her last Item of wearing apparel, but stopped at a pendant, which brought 4&0 pounds. JACK McPHEBSOH MURDEBED Kansas City, June 29. A man known here aa Jack Mc- Pherson. under which name he ap- peared in vaudeville a couple of years ago. was found murdered In a cottage near this city last Wednes- day. He had been occupying tha cottuf^e with a woman who claima to he his cummon-Iaw wife. She ia under arrest charged with the mur- der. A telegram directlag that tha body be sent to New Albany, Ind., states the murdered man's full name Is Claude McPheraon Woods. KIDS MUST HAVE VACATION The Mayor's Committee in charge of Chief Clerk Lennon has rulod that all "kid" acts be refu.sed li- censes and permits to porform in New York City during July and August, It being that body's Iflfa child pf'rforniers enjoy varatif)ns durln^r the hot months. ' As ;i I (.suit of thi.s the r.«'o Ki.l.i* fliJte at the Hushwh-k. r.rooi Ivri, li.iH Ix'.n canrcllftl. and the K'lnn. .1/ irxl Ilt-rlc roiifc switched :il).,nf. •JERRY" WITH A. HELD, JR. C:iIh<rifK« C'liislDitn CumMuik''* "J'rry" h.ia l)f'(»n condrnscd {<>r \ .'I'ld'vlllr 'ifid in r.o'.v In r -hf ir •-il und'r Joo Mitt's tir'tlon .starring Ariri.'i Held, Jr. It will bavo a cast o' air