Variety (November 1921)

Friday* November 25, 1981 VAUDEVILLE ORPHEUM DROPS 8 OVERNIGHT TOUCHING NEW LOW PRICE, 141-2 I Officer* Profess Ignorance of Reason—Vote „ Dividend Next Month—Rett of Market indicates Tax Sales—Famous Steady The jolt of the week In the amuse- ■tat stocks was the crash of leum overnight from 18 to 14%, [A ghare below its previous bottom t%%. This movement came sud- on Wednesday on the swift (Continued on page 89) RENAULT'S DISPLAY • txhibits $10,000 Worth of Qowns in Shubert Theatres QUESTION OF TITLES IN SHUBERT OFFICES Chicago, Nov. 23. Francis Renault, female imper- sonator, in giving a fashion parade At all of the Shubert theatres he Is appearing in. He shows his $10,000 worth of gowns and costumes to the | women after the matinee perfor- mance. This week he is doing it at the Apollo, Nov. 2& (Friday). The daily papers are giving con- siderable apace to the stunt. WOULDN'T PLAT THREE The Shuberts were offered the U. 3. theatre, Hoboken, for vaude- ville this week, but turned down the house when the owners de- manded the shows be played three times a day during the week and four times Saturday and Sunday. Following the Shubert refusal to book the house it was switched to Walter Pllmmcr for a pop vaude- ville policy. XEENEyS, NEWARK, 0PP0SISH The Loew Issued an order this week declaring Keeney's, Newark, N. J., opposition to the new Loew's State there, which opens Monday With vaudeville. Both houses are located within a few blocks of each other. Keeney's, Brooklyn, is also de- clared opposition to Loew's Metro- politan, Brooklyn. 15 YEARS AGO (•elno Random Items from Variety dated Nov. 25, 1906) James J. Butler, president of the Snptre Circuit (Western Burlesque Wheel) In an interview declared that Ida company stood ready to consider * proposition to buy the assets of the Columbia Amusement Co. (East- ern Wheel), but no proposal of com- promise would be entertained. Pay- ment, he said, would be made either in Empire stock or cash. Mr. Butler was commenting upon a con- ference held previously between L. Isiwrence Weber of the Columbia, and Harry Martell of the Empire. Weber's plan was to merge the two Apposing circuits, Columbia to aban- don its stands in Cleveland, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Detroit, Kansas City and Albany, and the Empire to ac- cept all the Eastern Wheel shows. Martell had put thia proposition up to President Butler just before the quarterly meeting In Cincinnati of the Empire directors, but Mr. Butler declined, he said, to put it before the board. Lee Shubert Explains Opera- tion of Vaudeville—No "General" Anything There Is no "general" anything in their vaudeville offices, said Lee Shubert this week in explaining the operative and physical mechanism of the Shubert vaudeville. Arthur Klein had not been distjrbed. said Mr. Shubert, in any way through the activities of Kd L. Bloom on the vaudeville end. Mr. Klein, added Mr. Shubert, continues discharging all of the duties he had been doing since the circuit opened, and before, while Mr. Bloom had taken up mat- ters requiring attention that have come into that office of late. The question of "general" author- ity came up following lust week's Variety, which published a story- Bloom h ' been appointed general manager ,. * the Shubert Vaudeville circuit, with Klein to devote his at- tention in future more to the rout- ing books, considered in vaudeville the most important part of a circuit. Klein is said to ha\*e vehemently protested to Lee Shubert against the "general manager" as applied to Bloom. Klein charged it belit- tled his connection with the Shu- bert circuit. Through Klein's pro- test, a statement as related above was requested of Lee Shubert. Bloom, who has been passive in the matter of position In Shubert vaudevlle since connecting with it, said there was no controversy over any on^'s standing. "I am general manager of the Winter Garden, Cen- tury, and the Al Jolson Theatrical Company. That's all the general managership I am aware of. As far as the vaudeville is concerned, our entire organization is behind it We are all working for it, and in everything pertaining to our vaude- ville, as tar as I know, Lee Shubert Is the boss.** STAB TBYOTJTIH MINNEAPOLIS Minneapolis, Nov. 23. Reports here to the effect that Nora Bayes and Marie Dressier will play the Finklestein & Rubin Pal- ace, which has been the center of conflicting reports since the opening of the Junior Orpheum's Hennepin. According to the story. It is planned to play the two stars on a program which will include feature pictures. Should they prove a "draw" at the Palace a trip over the P. A R houses now housing travel* lng attractions is assured. This is believed to be preliminary to the placing of the Palace In the Shubert vaudeville agency for book- ings. The Uingllng circus closed In Arkansas, but there were still eight big top shows on tour in Texas, namely Barnum & Bailey, Ben Wal- lace, Sells-Floto, Pawnee Bill, tho Klckelplate. Robinson and Hagen- beck. (Most of the shows closed their 1921 seasons between the middle and the end of October, although the Sells-Floto outfit re- mained oiit in the Lone S'Mr Stat*» until a week ngo.) John \V. Considinc. Chris O. Brown, William J. O'llricn and Frank iniester were re -fleeted Officers of the International Co. in Chicago and it became known that Brown was financially interested in the concern. Mortime- M. Theis'a -Win.-- Woman and Souk," which had made an unusual impression on the West- ern Whe l out of town, was due at the Circle. New York, in a few weeks. The company had lately taken over that house and was (Continued on page C> EXPECT 'TATTY'S" ACQUITTAL San Francisco, Nov. 25. It Is expected that the Roscoe Ar- buckle case will be in the hands of the jury here not later than Monday of next week. The State's two most important witnesses, Alice Blake and Zey Prevost, pave testimony that In the main favored tho de- fendant. It is the consensus of opinion here Arbuckle will be acquitted of the charges against him> CONEY ISLAND NOW GOOD Henderson'*, Coney Island, this week installed a 10-piece orchestra, which doubles i hi lnrnKr t. rich * quota. The business at this house even during the out of season period necessitated the booking of bigger bills. Coin-y Island now boasts an SO,000 winter popi. .i. u. .. hleli ae- e<» inh' for the lb nl< sen business. FIELDS-AILS MARRIED? Sally l-'ieltls is t'j.mted .is ha\in«; been secretly man nil in Koscoc Ails this week. Mi. Ails was popularly supposed to be ine husband of l-Wn Tanguay ami Aliss Ki« Ids was re- ported as man-lid io ('barley Con way. 1 LONDON VARIETY CIRCUITS AMALGAMATE: CUTS OUT BIDDING DARBY BROWN of BROWN and BARROWS in their new comedy "THE LOVE BOOK" By Wilbur Mack. A Hit at the Columbia Theatre, New York, Sunday (Nov. 16). Direction: AARON KE88LER BEE PALMER OUT OF DEMPSEY SHOW Had Been with Show Five Weeks—Not Suited? Butte, Mont., Nov. 23. The closinK of the Jack Dempsey show in its local engagement at the Pant ages house here last Saturday night marked the discontinuance of Bee Palmer as a feature attraction with the heavyweight champion on his tour of the west. Miss Palmer has been with the show for five weeks. Keports on her act from Wlnnepeg and Minne- ai>olis havo been to the effect that she had no particular appeal for the audiences in those centres. At the Pantages offices in New York It was stated thai iiom....; . yarding the discontinuance of Bee Palmer was known except that she waa no longer with the Dempsey show; that she had asked to be re- lieved of her contract because if Illness and pending legal actions in Chicago which require her presence there. Miss Palmer, according to Walter Keefe, held no contract with the Pantages circuit for a tour of that time. Her contract was with Jack Kearns, manager for Dempsey, and under that she was playing the time as part of the Dempsey show which was organized by the manager of the champion. Unofficially it was statel that Miss Palmer had missed a number of per- fctinances in various towns along the tour. She had pleaded illness on several occasions and hai not put in an appearance on other occas- sions when the company was ex- pected -to appear three and four times a day in some of the towns. The Dempsey show is said to have played to almost $14,000 gross on the week in Minneapolis and a little over $12,000 in Wlnnepeg. The managerial report from the latter town did not state Miss Palmer had missed any perform- ances but that her act did not par- ticularly appeal to tho audience. She was presenting three numbers and her shimmle dance to the ac- companiment of a pianist e Halls and Gulliver Circuit Togethi Takes in 26 Halls— Stoll's and Moss Empires Not in Combine ACTORS'SOCIETY BARS BAD DANCING N. V. A. Notifies Members and Guests of Objectionable Dances — Suspension for Violation MUSICAL CHIR0S Samuel Finkelstein, who retires as president of Mutual Musical Pro- tective Union. Jan. 1, 1922, will, thereafter, devote himself prin- cipally to his former side occupation of chiropractic practitioner. Jos. N. Weber, president of the American Federation of Musicians, is also a chiropractic and rated as a leader of that branch of healing. Weber has conducted a chiropractic Hnnitorlum for several months past, with headquarters in one of the Times Square thentrieal buildings. BEDINI BACK. JUGGLING Jean Bed In I, burlesque producer, will return to vaudeville shortly as an act, playing the Miubert time with his jupscling turn. Bex Storey will assist Bedini. l'edlnl broke the turn in recently with one of his t'oi iiht Columbia ul.ecl shows, wit ii tie- S-nihrrt offer ■ •.' .1 route lollop iii^; It's Never Too Late Mrs. .Terry J.eu<uM<i TS ye.*rs of i'-", wis granted a -.luoree recently irom Mr. Leadfonl, 7 J \ears old. at Hannibal, Mo. 'i •«» '.(.ead fords are me grnndparecc •>(" • IM;< Icle lice" lid wards. The National Vaudeville Artists has placed a ban on the modern dances, making it a suspension in- fraction of the rules to perform any of the objectional feats of terpshlcore at any of the N. V. A. dancea held at the clubhouse weekly. Cards naming the dances object- ed to, such eu, the "Chicago." "Scan- dal" and other muscle-moving rou- tines, are distributed among the members and guests. The first In- fraction brings a warning and the second by a member draws indef- inite suspension from the organ- isation. This la the first time on record an artists' organisation has taken the lead in a movement of this kind. —*—.—__ • BETTER TO GRAND RAPIDS The Pennsylvania train leaving Cincinnati for a rand Rapids at 11:40 p. m. makes connections at Richmond with train leaving that point at 2:50 a. m., arriving Grand Rapids 11:55 a. m. This train ope- rates a through sleeping car from Jacksonville, Fla,, to Mackinaw City. The unsold space Is wired to the Cincinnati office each evening. London, Nor. 21. Variety Theatres, Consolidate*, better knowu to the profession m "The Syndicate Halls," with aa au- thorised capital of 260,000 pound*, has been amalgamated with tho London Theatres), of Varieties (Oul- lhrer Circuit), tho latter with an au- thorised capital of 600.000 pounds. The si-called ."amalgamation" So generally believed to be merely a co- operative booking agreement be- tween Walter Payne and Joseph Davis, of the Syndicate Halls, and Charles Gulliver, managing director of the I* T. V M controlling 2« musio halls in and around London. There remains but Sir Oswald Stoll, with the Coliseum, Shepherd a Bush and Wood Green Empire, as the only London houses on the Stoll Circuit, and R. H. Gillespie, managing direc- tor of Moss Empires, with Flneebury Park and New Cross Empires pre- senting vaudeville in the metropolis. The new arrangement probably pretends a further absence of com- petitive bidding for artists. DULL IN DIVORCER Chicago, Nov. 28. Another slack week In the divorce courts. Only two professional cou- ples have had their matrimonial knots spliced. A divorce waa granted Jack Ful- ton (Fulton and Burt) from Georgia Howard, violinist, on the grounds of desertion In the Circuit Court No- vember 12. A decree was also grant- ed Helen Huber from George Huber on ' he same grounds in the Superior Court by Judge Dennis Sullivan, November It. Ben H. Ehrlich acted aa attorney for the complainants in both suits. ^ «* t'vV-c* vi* JANE and KATHERINE LEE Still speeding patrons to the box office on the Orpheum Circuit This (Nov. 21) Is their second week in San Francisco—-next week (Nov. 28), Oakland will greet them. "The Baby Grands" are having a grand time. KEITH'S FAIRBANKS Vaudeville Circuit Books "Three Musketeers" for Tour "The Three Musketeers" has been booked by the Keith office for a feature of the split week Keith and Moss houses. The Fairbanks feat- ure was reported last week aa hav- ing been booked for the Marcus Loew houses in Creator New York. ft 1* presumed that the Keith ."»nd Mosa bookers will follow the esiab llshed precedent of dropp'ng several acts from their vaudeville bills on account of the length of the picture. MATTHEWS IN HOSPITAL Sherrie Matthews has been at the Mlsericordia Hospital on Kast 86th street. New Vork. for several month*, attended by 1/r. J. Willis Arne.v. Mr. Matthews la suffering from a broken hip, hit ha.« recov- ered of late, though still conhued. Matthews years otfo was a partner of Harry Bulger, the two at that time forming one of t>ie beM \oovn of variety pairs. TOO VERNACULAR Chicsgo Judge Mskes Chorus Girl Translate Complaint Chicago, Nov. LM. Judge W. R. Fotser in the Chicago avenue police court is not "hep'' te the lingo of chorus girls. As a re- sult he became all tangled up when three girls of the theatre attempted to state their differences to him la the vernacular of the theatre. Helen Cay, who appeared against Margery Vaughn and Alice Big low, chorus girls, told the court: "I am a nimble hoofer and these beauties are Jealous of me. I do the 'Cincin- nati' and 'Frisco' better than they can. When they found they w^re Koin? to get the atr and i was to keep tho end down they got peeved. One of them biffs me in the face and the other pulls a handful of my hair. Then they rolls mo in the gutter." "Hold on," said the judge. '*. don't understand." Miss Cay trans- lated the dialog and Jrd«e 1 •'< tzer sent them all home, J