Variety (January 1922)

t VARIETY'S CHICAGO OFFICE Friday, January 20, 1922 Chicago STATE-LAKE THEATRE BUILDING 9 HELD, WITH NO MORE BOOKINGS EAST Nat Kalcheim Recalled to Sam Kahl's Chicago Office Booking Mid-West from New York Again Is Proven Fallacy—Off From Now On FLYING BIRD'S WIFE fcourt Gives Chief Clear Title After Divorce Tangle Chicago, Jan. W. Nat Kalcheim has returned to Chicago, and will not go to New York as the representative of the Western Vaudeville-Keith West- ern books in the east. He was Jointly paid 1> V both offices, but henceforth will be employed by the W. V. If. A., in Sam Kahl's Chicago department. Booking the mid-west in New York has thus again, and pet*hap.} Anally, been proven a fallacy. It has long been the hope and plan of "Tink" Humphrey and John J. Nash to have all contracts made in Chi- cago, exclusively. The Kalcheim experiment verified their argument. Of the acts sent out by Kalcheim less than half were retained beyond the minimum pay-or-play period signed by Kalcheim. In some in- stances the acts did not even play out their minimum time, but were paid off and released. Chicago has long claimed to be a field of its own. It has been proven repeatedly the amusement tastes of the middle west are very- different from those of the east. Acts of merit that have succeeded in the Chicago territory have been total flops east, and vice versa. It was thought that by sending a Chi- cago man east, ho would retain and represent the home ideas, but it didn't work out that way. In Nfw York even Chicagoans get the New York spirit, it seems, and judge by what is around them rather than what is behind them. The associated Chicago offices will have no direct representative in New York from now on. The appointment of Kalcheim gives the Orpheum. Jr.. circuit two bookers, the other being Willie Herger. Both of these bookers are working under the direct supervision of Sam Kahl, who is the general booking manager for the Orpheum, Jr., circuit. ' INSIDE STUFF Chicago, Jan. 18. Chief Edward Flying Bird, Sioux Indian circus rider, obtained a clear title to his wife. Emma I-add Wish- art Flying Bird, in the Superior Court, from Judge McDonald. At the same time Chieftainess Flying Bird, on her part, was freed as to all doubt concerning the status of her marriages. A decree annuling her marriage to T. W. Wishart in Cleveland in 1890 was handed down when evidence was produced that she married Wishart at that time under the mis- taken notion that F. fl. I«idd, her first husband, had secured a di- vorce. Her present marriage was an out- come of a circus performance on the 101 Haneh, where Mrs., Flying Bird was also a performer. DANGER OF STRIKE AVERTED WITH OPERATORS'VICTORY With 100 Organization and Local Law Aiding Union Might Have Won Hands Down—Wage Increases •Total More Than $65,000 Yearly JOE'S SURE WAY Niemeyer Marries Dancing Partner in Chicago WANT B. & K. FEATURES F. &. R. Negotiate for Chicago Offerings ON VAUDEVILLE A follow-up happened in the General Pisano matter, as reported in this department of Variety last week. It then related how Pisano had secured an adjustment of his Shubert vaudeville contract, after con- sulting the A. A. F., of which he was a member, and receiving no as- sistance from it. Pisano says he was not advised by Harry Mountford to consult the Equity's attorney, but that he sought the Equity attorney who handled the Pisano matter as an independent case. Piasno not belonging to Equity but to the vaudeville branch of the Four A.'s. The Equity attorney charged Pisano $30 for arranging everything, in- cluding a cash payment of $130 to the sharp-shooter, besides giving him a contract for 13 consecutive weeks to settle the former 20-in-24 weeks contract Piasno held. Pisano thought the Equity's attorney's fee extremely reasonable, and has paid it, though he first requested Mountford, representing the A. A. F., to pay that $30 bill charge on the ground the A. A. F. providing no attorney for its members, as it should, might at least pay the necessary legal expense it was obligated to take up, if made by another lawyer. Mountford expostulated and thundered, saying he had told a firm of law- yers Pisano had called upon (and walked out upon because the firm would not make a specific charge) to go ahead with Pisano's matter. This lead to blows between Pisano and Mountford, with Pisano on the winning end. After Pisano had paid the Equity's attorney, he received a bLi from the Mountford Arm of lawyers for $468, for ''services rendered," without any detailed item. Pisano knew of no services rendered him b;, the firm, had not authorized it, and contrarily had told the firm he did not want if to act for him, he says. Chicago, Jan. 13. Finkelstein & Rubin, who have controlled the theatre and motion picture situation in Minneapolis and St. Paul, were here last week con- sulting with Balaban & Katz with reference to having the picture presentations made in the latter's houses here taken to their theatres in the Middle Northwest intact. In addition to the presentations they also desired that B. & K. send on the special features used with the presentation. At the present tim» eight weeks are used by B. & K. for their presentation specialties and should they accept the F. &. K. proposition four more weeks will be added. * Chicago, Jan. 18. Joe N'emeyer, at the Apollo last week, visited the marriage license bureau to obtain a license to wed Margaret Davles, 18, appearing with him in his act. ^Thev were later married in the City Hall. Niemeyer told the officials at the marriage court that he felt the only way to hold a good dancing partner was to marry her. He said that he had had five partners previously—Gloria Fay, Nina Payne, Billle Allen, Jes- sica Brown, Elsie Bordon—all for- saking him for the matrimonial voyage. BEBAN'S $17,000 Paid Him by Balaban & Katz for Three Weeks and Three Days Chicago, Jan. 18. George Beban. who appeared here with his original company from Los Angeles in conjunction with his pic- ture "The Sign of the Rose," re- ceived $17,000 for three weeks and three days of appearances in Bala- ban & Katz houses. The cast whieh Beban brought here enacted the "Rose Shop" scene while the pic- ture was being shown, a fade out of the picture being made while the actors in the flesh went through the scene. Jack Osterman had an "Osterman Clown Night" at the N V. A. Tues- day. Young Osterman, the son of J. J. Rosenthal and Katheryn Os- terman, put the show together. One of the skits was "His Father Did That." Jacks father, Jake, was there and heard it The description of the skit is quite funny, to those who know the father and son and also know the son is somewhat sensitive over the theatrical popularity of his parents. The son has done remarkably as a single act in vaude- ville, all on his own, but Jake can't overcome his natural publicity in- clinations, with the consequences young Jack has received much of Plenty and good publicity. That is why they named the kidding skit "His Father Did That." Ono of the bits in it was the backdoor keeper ••king who had the No. 1 dressing. "That Osterman kid," was the •newer. "Oh. yes," tho doorman replied, "You can bet his father did that Otherwise he would be climbing four flights of stairs twice a day." No thought has been given by the Shuberts to the end of their vaude- ville season, they say. Those houses not remaining open over the summer will end the season according to the weather and business. Unless vaude- ville decidedly picks up and in faster tempo than it has done so far, a general early closing is looked for. "While many vaudeville managers now believe they may be able to run into May, if not through that month, April closings will surprise no_onc. The Shuberts agree that is about how it stands with their houses, also. They are giving contracts accord- ingly. The Shuberts have men playing some acts of late without con- tracts beyond the current weeks, playing them from week to week, and finding that to work out nicely, they claim. The first 18 weeks of the original Shubert contract for 20 have run off. leaving possibly 10 to 12 weeks more of what they may call their regular season. While reported the Shuberts have been issuing 10-in-12 weeks contracts for the second (Continued on page 10) "THI3 SIDE OF PARIS" MOULIN ROUGE CAFE ▲LDBRT BOUCIIB. Manage* HODKINS WITH CARRELL? Chicago, Jan. 18. Charles Richard Hodkins, eastern representative for Alexander Pan- tages, with headquarters here and in charge of the local office since the resignation of Jimmie O'Neil, is said to be leaving the Pantages forces to affiliate with Charles L». Carrell, the "Woolworth" vaudeville agent of the middle west. Hodkins is contemplating extending the Carrell agency to the south, where Hodkins controlled a number of theatre bookings prior to the time they were taken over by the Marcus Locw circuit. Hodkins feels that he can regain these houses and add them to the Carrell string. AT AMERICAN HOSPITAL Chicago. Jan. 18. Harry Earles (Circus) operated on for hernia. Kathlyn Swift (Swift and Dale) operated on for tumor. Martin Johanson (musician) ope- rated on for appendicitis. Fay Chapman (Frank Rich's Re- view) operated on for appendicitis. Dollie Day, Cacsarean section operation, girl. Mrs. I. I. Stary, Bonita theatre, abdominal operation; doing well. Hope Maynard (•'Margie*) ope- rated on for tumor. Marjorie Smith (Harrison Dean show) operated on for tumor; doing well. Ed Walker, advertisting man for Blackstone theatre, rheumatism; improving. Agnes Wir.cman (Harrison Dean show) under medical care. Mrs. Joe Rome (Rome and Gaud) under observation, nervous break- down; left improved. Gypsy Myers (vaudeville) ope. rated on for tumor; left cured. Miss Callies, grand opera singer, under medical care; improving. PEFPLE BARRED Chicago, Jan. 18. T. Dwlght Pepple, a local inde- pendent producer, who has been supplying both the YV. V. M. A. and Western Keith Vaudeville circuit with acts for several years, has been denied the booking privilege on both exchanges. Mrs. Bessie Gollings Disappears Chicago. Jan. 18. Mrs. Besyie Gollings, 22 years old, cashier of a loop theatre, is tofejng sought by the local police following her failure to return to h&r'nomc Monday. Mrs. Gollings, whose husband is in New York city, was last seen at the theatre Sunday, accord in- t<» i e!a- tives. Apollo Permits Smoking Chicago, Jan. 18. Shubort's Apollo, local vaudeville house, now permits smoking on the mczzinine floor. The seats on this floor arc scaled at tho same price as the orchestra. Chicago, Jan. 18. Danger of a tie-up of movie theatres was removed when Thomas E. Maloy, business agent of tho Motion Picture Operators' union, signed a new agreement with the Allied Amusements association and the Motion Picture Theatre Own- ers' association. As a result of the new agreement motion picture oper- ators will receive wage increases totaling more than $65,000 a year. The new agreement which averts probability of a strike provides for an increase in pay of all operators in the city receiving less than $7G or $80 a week. In loop theatres operators are to get a minimum of $80 a week. The old minimum was $66.65 a week. Many receive more than $80 a week, the pay being based on the seating capacity of the house. In nouses outside of the loop the new minimum is $75 a week. The old scale was $49.50. It was also agreed six hours should constitute a day's work.^tn some of the theatres operators worked eight hours. Under tho new arrangement a week's work is set at not more than 42 hours. Unions Asked 15 Per Cent. Prior to the settlement the unions had asked for a 15 per cent, increase in wages. Tho owners at the same time Issued an ultimatum that un- less the unions signed the old wage scale without increase in wage that 05 per cent of the small theatro owners in the city would be forced to close their houses. After a number of conferences be- tween Maloy, Thomas Reynolds, president of tho union, and Peter Schacffer and Nate Ascher, repre- r,cnting the owners, the compromise scale of wages was agreed upon. The only houses in which the scale did not take the upward tilt were the de luxe houses such as the Ti- voli, Stratford. Howard, Senate, Broadway Strand, Central Park and Kiviera, where the scale will remain at $75 a week. Had the matter come to an issue and a strike been called the unions would have had the upper hand here, for they were organized 100 per cent., white the owners were no* thoroughly organized, and accord- ing to a city ordinance no one but a licensed operator can enter a mo- tion picture booth, and to obtain this the applicant must pass an ex- amination before a board which has # among its personnel members of th«> picture operators' union. Advice by Franeine Larrimors Chicago, Jan. 18. Franeine Larrimore, star of "Nice People" at the Cort, is conducting a column in the Evening American and giving advico to girls with an aspiration for a theatrical career. QUIGLEY PUBLISHING MUSIC Chicago, Jan. 18. Thomas J. Quigley, for many yeurs in charge of the professional offices here for M. Witmark A Sons, has embarked in the music publish- ing business on his own hook. Quig- ley is vice-president and general manager, with J. Louis Guyon func- tioning as president and Ben Caret- son as secretary. Requisition Ted Snow Chicago, Jan. IS. Governor Lem Small, at Spring** field, issued a requisition for tho THE LEADING CAFE AND RESTAURANT IN CHICAGO return of Ted Snow, a cabaret mi... fPefhettl ami itaviuli Our Specialty Servton u i.i carte ah Hears, under arrest at Dayton* O., and i THE DANSANT DAILY Tabu- jf hote from a to 9. ilieh class efitertalnmeal end darn in*: Ml closing time. UNIVERSAL SCENIC ARTIST STUDIOS "Tlin Cholro Studios of the Select Prenlc Buyr" "The Scenery Was Half of the Nuceess of Our Hhov\ The Hermit ond Crowe of Northwestern University Uxtends a Unanimous Vote of Highest Appreciation." By D. W. MILLS, President OMB OF TIIK RTAOBCBAgTKBg rKODlTTlONS. Bin Stute Luke 111.1*.. J'hone iirurlmm 1776. CHICAGO F.. I». I.AIISKN. MOK., AHT DIRECTOR 18 EAST ?2d STREET IKE BLOOM'S OPPOSITE 0 T ATiorj TWO BEAUTIFUL DANCE FLOORS 4M SOI Til WAHASII AVKNI R II \UIMSOS t*S!l FRIARS INN WABASH and VAN BUREN Miprt'tnc i;nlertii'inn«rit —1> \M'IM«. After the TlMHtrr. YUJt Thin "LAND OF BOHEMIA" Wli-r.. ("...ml l-Vllows Ort To-i'thr. IteMUurnnt U Stl lSO Ke«rr»u«lon I'hmie a la (arte. WaJmnIi H«»l> Special table d'hote dinner at all hours wanted in connection with the pasa mil: of ■ worthless check on Edith Robinson, at Rockford, on Aug.; oo. GLENN BURT HURT Chicago, Jan. IS, , Glenn Hurt the Western Keith l>ooker hero, Is at home, ;«s ti •• re- suit of an automobile accident* His condition has not been re- ported, but it l* not believed to be critical. IVIID-NITE FROLIC - HE VUE — POUR DIFFERENT CHAPTERS « hap. i» v> r. m. m otinri. i '. .«• P. W, <<i < hup. i ■<" \. M. n VMtlllK NH.III \Uli\|«IMl. <(»V vf \ I |{ \M sKKVK » V l.\ < HIT I \» f-» \T I.I II iy> rimp. .' in \. m IANC |\«. - w ioi i: ok w no BERT KELLY'S RED LANTERN RESTAURANT NOW I.CH'ATGI'i IN "ft: N'BW Jl<>\<r: AT 431 RUSH STREET 3 Blocks South of Virginia Hotel. 0 Blocks from State-Lake Theatre. CHICAGO BERT KELLY (Himself) With His Old Combination That Made the College Inn Famous