Variety (January 1922)

18 LEGITIMATE Friday, January 13, 1922 i Renaissance, early in the 16th cen- tury. The authors inject a note in the program which reads: "In writing *Benvenuto' there has been no at- tempt to preserve the chronological order of events as set down in Cel- lini's memoirs, but rather to catch the spirit and personality of the great goldsmith and sculptor who lived in a time when art was a pas- sion and murder a pastime." The play has Buro appeal. It holds interest throughout after starting slowly. Inasmuch as this single week engagement at the Al- cazar was the premiere, there is reason to bcllevo tho authors will brush up the opening and also a poor closing before presenting the play on the legitimate stage. As the play stand?, it should be a win- ner. The first act opens with a group of players singing and making merry, mere pictorial stuff. As the first curtain draws near, the dra- matic action becomes stronger and stronger until ine climax, which has Benvenuto in a spirited fight against four swordsmen. From this point on until half of the closing chapter there is much action, some senti- ment and touches of good comedy •from the hero. The llnish, however, is slow. Benvenuto is a dashing young Italian sculptor and goldsmith of handsome face. He takes what he desires and follows his own sweet will, even though he arouses the wrath of Cosimo De Medici, Duke of Florence. His love for Felicia, ward of the Duke, and his hate for Count Stroxxl, the meanest man in Italy, to whom Felicia would have been wed but for Benvenuto's in- terference, give the hero many spirited adventures. The killing of Giovanni, Benvenuto's brother, by Ramano, a giant bravo of Count Strozzl's guard, adds interest to the plot and allows Benvenuto to avenge his brother's death. The climax is reached when Romano ar- rives in the workshop of Benvenuto to kill the latter, who is weak from days of labor and worry, but is him- self killed by the intended vi:tim, and in place of adding discourage- ment to Benvenuto, who "as but three hours to cast his statue of Perseus or face death, helps the sculptor, who uses the brass shields of the guard for metal. Louis Bennlson's work as .ben- venuto was excellent. He played every c ;ene with vigor, doing well as the rushing gallant protector of Felicia and again as the goldsmith who never knew what it meant to fail. Bennlson as always makes a fine commanding stage figure. As the play really has but one impor- tant character, Bennlson has wide scope for acting. Gladys George, regular leading woman at the Alcazar, made Felicia I stand orft as well as possible, al- though the pi»rt is of minor impor- tance until the closing chapter, when she appears in boys' clothing and has a few Interesting scenes. Charles Yulo as Count Strozzi had the second most important part and filled it exceptionally well. Ben Erway as Giovanni, although ^only in for the first act, wins from the start Frank K. Wallace made a convincing duke. Romano was done in masterly style by Richard C. Allan, who is well suited for this type. Benvenuto's apprentice was well played by William Tripp, the Alcazar Juvenile. Hugh Knox, Alcazar director, has a minor part in the cast, along with Frederick Green, the stage manager. Burnaby suddenly remembers a pound he lent Stanley Holloway. He demands Its return in a harsh whisper. Despite the attempts of tho rest of the company to pacify the disputants they nearly come to blows, whilo Chllds still tries to hand over his "Last Shot" amid in- describable chaoF Tho end comes when the entire company leave the stage to collect evidence as to the alleged loan from the box office, leaving the reciter in a state of collapHe, almost inarticulate, but still struggling to do his job. "My Lady's Eyes" is quite a good, well-handled skit on a certain type of pluy, but unfortunately no revue or light entertainment seems com- plete without something on the same lines. In the rest of the long program, which comes to an end when a photographer tries to get a picture of the company with a faulty flashlight apparatus, but only succeeds in turning them into a negro minstrel troupe, Phyllis Monkman, Davy Burnaby, Gilbert Childs, Babs Valerie (a lazy ;-oung lady this, whose chief Job seems to bo to sit round and watch other people work), Stanley Holloway, Melville Gideon, Laddie Cliff, the stage manager and the orchestra (with a partiality for playing "Put and Take' when they should be discoursing sweet music) do yeoman service. The success of this second edition was never in doubt for a moment. Gore. NEWS OF THE DAILIES • The Nellie Revell is writing a feature story three times weekly for the New York Evening Mail. Mail's announcement read: "If you had been flat on your back for three years in a hospi- tal, and even then did not have all the hopes you might that things might be different, could you still smile and joke, and see all the humor of every- thing? Perhaps .iot, but Nellie Revell, called the bravest woman in the world by those who know her, can do these things, and is writing a three- times-a-week feature for you, beginning tomorrow, on this page in the Evening Mail." fc THE CO-OPTIMISTS ^p (Second Edition) London, Dec. 20. The second edition of the enter- tainment provided by Laddie Cliff and his comrades at the famous Cambridge Circus house is, if pos- sible, even better than the first. Many of the old numbers are re- tained, and even prosperity has not altered the happy-go-lucky fellow- ship existing among the company or the wonderfully intimate feeling which unites the players to their audience. The Co-Optimist motto is still "One for all—All for one." The show is the nearest thing to the great days of Pells: ier's "Follies" London has ever seen, although many other managements have at- tempted to achieve success in that direction. Of the old numbers the grand ''spectacular" semi-finale "Camden Tow.." by Betty Chester and the "Very Pull" company is still a re- markable bit of burlesque, while the same artist still scores heavily in "Sea Fever." Gilbert Chllds sings of the roast beef of old England, tho dripping and the grlsel as elo- quently as ever, and Laddie Cliff presents the negro melodies of which his audience never seems to tire, while Melvlllo Gideon and Phyllis Monkman still hand out their own peculiar ideas on amatory fidelity. Miss Monkman dances as well as ever. The new things, adapted for Xmas or any other season, include many vocal numbers and dances, and a front of tho houso "stunt" which is even more hilarious than tho old one. In this Gilbert Childs essays a strong dramatic poem, "The Last Shot." All goes well for about half a dozen lines; then LA POSSESSION Paris, Dec. 30. Leon Volterra presented the new four-act piece by Henry Batallle at the Theatre de Paris Just in time to catch the Xmas holidays. While being a great work, it is not his best. As usual, Bataille's charac- ters are not sympathetic, excepting perhaps the young student Max. "La Possession" might be also en- titled "The Desire." Jessy is a girl of 21, whose great- est concern is' to live in luxury, and her mother, almost ruined by bad speculations, does not disguise her approval when the daughter decides to become the mistress of the rich Duke de Chavres. Jessy is a sort of deml-virgin, willing to sell her- self to the man who will pay the price. But she passionately loves Max, the companion of her child- hood, with whom f"ie has carried on a flirtation during the past few years. Max tries to prevent his sweetheart's departure. When he learns she has gone to Paris in the duke's car he follows to the resi- dence of the duke and prevails on her to leave. In this he is aided by the duke's son. Serge, opposed to his father's love intrigues. So Max and Jessy go south and have a good time, existing on the proceeds of gambling until the luck runs out, when Jessy is constrained, unknown to her plover, to accept money from Serge for favors re- ceived. Max discovers the truth, and In a violent temper declares he will live correctly, if modestly (the poor but honest business), there- upon ordering Jessy to get ready to quit the hotel with him. But the girl, while adoring Max, elopes with Serge for the sake of the money, and in despair Max shoots himself. In the fourth act (same set as first, but mid-winter) Jessy returns home from the youth's funeral and has a fit of the blues. Both the duke and his son call to express condolence, evidently having a sort of longing to possess the distressed creature. The former succeeds, for Jessy listlessly consents to sojourn in his lonely villa to nurse her grief. Thus we see her ride away again In the duke's automobile, to the gratification of the mother. Yvonne de Bray is strong as the luxury blessed Jessy, and much of the success of this drama depends on her interpretation of the role. Mile. Sylvle made good in the small part of a lady addicted to drugs and who serves as a hyphen be- tween Jessy and Serge during the sojourn of the characters at Monte Carlo, when Max unconsciously lives on the ill-earn.d gains of hlj mistress. The other roles are well sustained. This latest effort of Henry Batallle is a success and will attract fashionable crowds to the Theatre de Paris. Needless to say, Leon Volterra has mounted the work In the finest style. Kendrrw. An indictment charging failure to file proper tax returns resulted in lines being imposed upon several ticket speculators of the Broadway district. Tho "specs" pleaded guilty before Judge John C. Knox in the Federal District Court, who refused tho prison sentence asked for by Assistant United States Attorney P. J. McCoy because of the pleas. The Judge stated a second offense would send the defendants to jail. The fines imposed were: M. Suss- man and Tyson & Bros., $200 each; Broadway Theatre Ticket Office, Equity Ticket Office, New York secured. The controversy came to a head when the members of the Motion Picture Operators' Union demanded a 15 per cent, increase in wages. The managers claim they have been the target for the labor unions and business agents gener- ally. i George Neiman will erect a pict- ure theatre in New Rochelle, N. Y., having a seating capacity of 1,200. alarm, with the firemen dispersing the crowd by turning a hose on them. The Fire Department win probably investigate other east sid« picture theatres of the type, which have no firemen detailed to them, as a result of the incident. Students of New York University will present "Thank You" * in the same theatre in which that piece is now playing Monday afternoon. Feb. 6, the proceeds to go to the university's endowment fund. John Golden, producer of "Thank You," will defray the, expenses of the spe- cial performance. The New York "V r orld," Jan. 5, slipped one over on the rest of the dallies by carrying a front page article stating that Postmaster Gen- eral Will H. Hays had accepted the three-year contract offered him by the picture industry, going on to say that Hays had signed his signa- ture to the agreement more than a week previously and would make public his decision Jan. 14 at a con- ference to be held in Washington, a folio-/-up item, under a Wash- Theatre Library, Arrow Theatre ington date line, the "World" had Ticket Office, J. S. Neuman and Louis each. Jacobs, Leo Cohen, $400 Dorothy Jardon was rescued from the third floor of a building on West 45th street when a blaze broke out on the first floor, bringing fire ap- paratus to the. scene. Miss Jardon was in the offices of the Sam Fox Music Publishing Co. at the time and was trapped by the smoke until firemen led her down the stairs. it the acceptance by Hays of the screen proposition strengthens the impression a lack of harmony ex- ists between him and Attorney Gen- eral Daugherty. Also that "inside" Information reported one or the other of the men was scheduled to resign from the Cabinet within the near future. The Mayor of Lowell, Mass., has decreed that all theatres will bo closed between • and 8.15 o'clock Sunday evenings, stating that he wished the theatre shut during the period so that churchgoers would have the opportunity of attending Sunday evening services. Previously all amusement places In the city had been giving continuous Sunday performances. " Klaw & Erlanger have started suit against Alf Hyman's estate to recover $300,000. The case is the result of the former partners having come to the financial assistance of the en- terprise.! of the late Charles Froh- man following his death when the Lusitanla was sunk. Mr. Hayman was at that time associated with Frohman. .Edward Goodman, formerly di- rector of the Washington Square Players, will become a producing manager, with his initial effort the taking over of the Greenwich Vil- lage theatre for John Galsworthy's "The Pigeon." The play was pre- sented here a few years ago by Wlnthrop Ames. A new corporation, headed by Louis Schneider, has taken over the East Side theatre at Second avenue and 1st street. At a meeting of picture theatre managers 4* Paris it was brought to light that unless taxes are de- creased every cinema house in France may have to close within the next six months. French picture theatres are at present subject to three taxes—state, municipal and for the support of the poor in the smaller towns. It was said that the combined taxes represented more than 60 per cent, of the receipts, and unless drastic measures were taken the whole French cinema in- dustry would be jeopardized. Nego- tiations are now under way between the theatre owners and the govern- ment and municipal authorities to seek a remedy to the situation. In lieu of the many misunder- standings which have arisen over the theatre tax the International Theatre Association has pointed out that the 10 per cent, tax on tickets remains the same. An impersonation of Christ has been permitted, for the first time, on an English stage with the pro- duction in London of the symbolic play, "Advent." Several plays, in the past, were refused licenses be- cause they Included Christ as one of the characters. Moving pictures are said to have had no small part in the leniency the censors demon- strated on this point. Mary Lygo, formerly a Zlegfeld "Follies" girl, has brought suit against Gordon C. Thorne for $100,- 000 on a charge of breach of prom- ise and has filed another action Nora Morgan. professionally against the defendant's mother for known as Nora Howard, and who slander for another $100,000. Both was a member of "Chu Chin Chow," suits were filed in the Superior was married to Gonuoske Komai, a Court at Chicago. Miss Lygo has Following Justice Wagner's de- cision last Saturday denying Max D. Steuer's motion for a re-argu- ment of the A. H. Woods Theatre Co., Inc., suit against John F< Gil- christ, the attorney stated he will carry the matter to the Appellate Division. Earlier last week the plaintiffs motion for an injunction to restrain License Commissioner Gilchrist from revoking the license of the Eltinge theatre, where "The Demi-Virgin" •- Jjoldlng forth, was (Continued on page 29) Japanese poet, in London. Mrs. Madge Hart, wife of Max Hart, vaudeville agent, has filed a new suit for separation and alimony through her attorney, Harry 8. Hechhelmer, stipulating that she be paid the sum of $1,000 weekly. In previous actions Mrs. Hart alleged that she was responsible for the foundation of his fortune, which in papers filed in the Supreme Court, she says, amounts to $750,000, and established his business on Broad- way. The Harts were married In 1905. fully recovered from her second at- tempt at suicide. M. 0. H. DARK Revivals 8top in 8econd Week- Johnson Film Alto Cancels After a poor second week's busi- ness of "revivals," Lewis '. Wolfe, who had the Manhattan opera house for four weeks, discontinued the project. The house grossed $$,000 the first week with "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and after the Tuesday night performance for tho second week, with "In Old Kentucky" showing, the houso was ordered "dark" for tho balance of ue four weeks. Cut rates, rebate tickets, "two for one" tickets and paper were unsuccessful in drawing substantial attendance. A Jack Jo:.nson feature picture, supposed to open at the Manhattan Sunday, was also cancelled. The house awaits the Chicago Opera Co., opening Jan. 28. Marguerite Clayton, film actress, has filed suit against thePathe Ex- change and George B. :3eitz, Inc., for $50,000 for injuries received during a rescue scene which was being "shot." Miss Clayton alleges she received a disfigurement of the face which will greatly reduce her earning capacity. A theatrical company has been incorporated in Columbus, O., by five men for $100,000. The incor- porators are: Attorney A. A. George, S. E. Lind, F. W. Davis and Grover George, of Zanesvllle, and E. F. Felton, of Cleveland. The company is under the name of Mysteries Pro- duction, and will operate and man- age theatrical plays and perform- ances pertaining to illusion and novelty attractions. Pat. F. Liddy, who has been en- gaged in the theatrical business around Charleston, W. Va., for about seven years, will become manager of the Poll house In Waterburyt Conn. A new plan for handling New York's increasing traffic problem has been set forth by Dr. John F. Harriss, Special Deputy Police Com- missioner, who is responsible for the light signals which are now placed along Fifth avenue and in Times square. The plan calls for the Installing of more powerful lights along Fourth avenue, from 34th to 110th street on Broadway and on the Sixth avenue elevated structures between 23d and 59th streets, with the control station situated at Times square. The Bronx will also receive a set of the light control signals. The installa- tion of the lights will be made week by week with the final equipment permitting of a traffic dictator, seated in the middle of the city, controlling all pedestrians and ve- hicles along Manhattan's most crowded streets. It will take two or three months to install the com- plete system. Ralph Holmes, for eight years dramatic editor of the Detroit "Journal," has Joined the staff of the Detroit "Times" in the same capacity. He will also have charge of the screen department of that paper. Houdini, Walter Neal, Palace manager, and Walter Klngsley, who handles the publicity for the Palace, were summoned to appear In court accused of blocking traffic. Hou- dlni earned $1,000 for the K. of C. in escaping from a straitjacket while suspended by. the heels in front of the Palace theatre Thurs- day morning. Fire was discovered during the matinee at Proctor's Fifth Avenue on Friday afternoon, but was ex- tinguished without alarming the audience. Tho blaze was in the paint room at the rear of the the- atre. Managers of picture houses In Chicago will attempt to force the "open shop" policy by closing half the houses Jan. 11, with the others running under a vaudeville policy until non-union operators can be Alice Brady was forced from the cast of "Drifting," at the Playhouse theatre, following the Friday even- ing performance, due to an attack of appendicitis. Through arrange- ments made by W. A. Brady with the Selwyns, Florence Reed was se- cured to fill Miss Brady's role, the piece resuming at the Wednesday matinee. LEGIT ITEMS Nat Roth has been delegated by the Shuberts to manage "Lillom" on tour. While the attraction is playing the subway time, Frank Wilstach is handling the publicity, but it is understood Helen Hoerle will handle it on the road. E. C. Ranck, formerly connected with the Brooklyn Eagle, and more lately of the editorial staff of the Herald, has been added to the New York publicity staff of the Shuberts as assistant to Claude Greneker. Sim Williams' "Mutt and Jeff" Is slated to close In Peoria, 111.. Jan. 15. "Behind the Mask," the Ku Klux Klan play, closed in Montreal Saturday. Blaney's Stelnway, As- toria, L. I., will close Saturday in* definitely and his Orpheum, New* ark, has been dark a week. "The Great Broxopp," which closed at the Punch and Judy Sat- urday, will be sent on tour opening on the Subway circuit. An interest in the piece has been taken by A. L. Erlanger, it having been controlled during the New York run entirely by Iden Payne. "Cornered" ends Its road tour Sat- urday in Atlanta. Madge Kennedy has been appearing as the star. Oliver Morosco is organizing a company for a musical version of "Maggie Pepper." The Shuberts have placed In re- hearsal "A Regular Girl," in which Cecil Lean and Cleo May-field are to be starred. The libretto is by Sigmund Romberg. Charles Dillingham will install a smoking-room exclusively for the use of women. The saloon is at the Globe, with Its premier Monday night. Sunday concerts will be once more installed in the opera house at Lor- raine, O., and will be continued If the public support them. The house plays burlesque one night weekly, the shows coming from the Ameri- can wheel. The Waco, a small theatre on the east side of New York, got into the headlines of the New York dailies through a fight starting outside the house in the c. >wd which was wait- ing to be admitted, and the false cry of "Fire!" going through the audi- ence inside, which nearly resulted In a panic Some one turned In an Melville B. Raymond, who has been directing the tours of Guy Bates Post In "The Masquerader," has signed with Arthur Hopkins to handle the road tour of Lionel Bar- rymorc ("The Claw"). "What Every Girl Knows," under management of O. E. Wee, closed Saturday in Rutland, Vt. "Tho Girl from Greenwich Village," owned by Gus Hill, closes Saturday. The piece originally started its road tour under the title of "Boob McXutt" Corse Pay ton and Edna May Spooner aro to do a co-starring tour of the small towns. The opening dato is Jan. 20 at Easton, Pa., with "Over the Hills to the Poor House" as their vehicle. The old meller was revived a little over a year ago by the stock company at the 14th St. theatre at the time that the picture of the same title was being shown by Fox. The Payton-Spooner com- bination believe that there has boon sufficient Interest roused by <'»•> picture to warrant them presenting the play In the one-nlgliters. \