Variety (March 1922)

PRICE 20 CENTS PublixhoU WtK'kly at l'.l West 40th St., New Tork. N. T., bjr Variety, Inc. Annual subscription $7. Single oople* 20 c«nt«. Entered aa t-ocund vlnaa ntaucT December 23, 1905, at the Post Onice at New York. N. T.. under the Act of March S, 1879. VOL. LXVI. No. 2 NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1922 48 PAGES BEGINS C^ VAUDEVILLE AND MUSICIANS DECLARE AGAINST RADIOPHONE Keith Office Reported Having Notified Managers Not to Use Radio Service as Attraction—Publicity Not Worth Loss of Patronage The Keith oflloe is paid to have leclarod the Kadiophono opposition id warned acti^ not to give Radlo- lon'' cnnrorts. The vaudeville »plc take tlie position that the new fad porvoM to keep people at kome and away from the theatre •hd may develop Into a serious box •fflce menace. The above facts came to light When the piiMici^y mnn of on ont tt town Keith lioiise was notified to discontinue the practice of ha\ing JCelth nct3 pive Radiophone con- certs which were a weekly feature •f the hou«?e publicity campaign. (Conlimied on page 9) THEATRE'S PLEA TO U. S. TO CUT RAILWAY RATES Managfers Argue for Reduc- tions Before Commerce. Board ^ F TO PERIOO Not Feared Since 1917—Is Significant of Country's Readjustment — Season's End in Sight—Salary Cut- ting in Broadway Attrac- tions—R e a c' t i o n from Holiday ATLANTA'S NEWSPAPER MEN SELECT TOWN'S STOCK CAST Lynch Enterprises Bring Press Representatives to New York—Early Closings South—Two More Stocks Start March 13—Jury of Critics ASH WED. MATS. OFF POST-STANDARD CORRECTS REVIEW Pans ''Experience" Monday Horning—Extols It Tues- day Morning iliig Syracuse. N. Y., March 1. The local Uialto lias been chuck- ag ever since th» Syracuse "Post- Standard" did its double Homer- wilt over its reviews of the film J^perience" at tljc liol^bins-Kckel ineatre last week. The picture opened Sunday. Mon- day morning the "I'ost-Standard" nad the prize panniuff of the season thl^^y^ ^^ ns aAveak siUer among *no nims. Tuesday morning the wtPcra dramatic department con- amed a .second review of the film, Phrased h, fulsome terms, and aymg it • l)rrders on perfection." Bomethii.ff liappened bftween the lr° *r'^»ons. but none of the hhow- «en here know what it was. The ItnA , "^''^"agement disclaimed any Unn^^"^' «'>vlnff no representa- «t. ^^'^''''' '"•'^^o to the "Post- J^ndard' following the roasting Washington, March 1. Tlie thoatiioal managers and pro- ducers as well as circus and carni- val men are making a fight before the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion for reduced railroad fares. R. V. Leighton, representing llie The- atrical Managers* Association, ap- peared yesterday and asked for the restoration of pre-war p^'lces with the party rate of 2Va cents per mile witli the baggMge car privilege. Some sensational charges were made of overcharging bj' the rail- roads and data presented by 3ilr. Leighton to show the curtailment of traN-ti^iig theatrical companies bec;>*f??e oC the excessive rates. lie pointed out that there were but two firms witli productions oiif tliL-- season on the road and th:it t'leso were only conlinuirig due toUlie ex- cci)tionalIy good busincs.'? bgirg ai- tracttd by tlu-m. W. .1. Swnin. a v.i'i /:-.- apjuailnfr for the car owning j;>aii,ijM'rs cl Iravelin? amusr.m«'nt " cnt<rpri.«'s which cnibrare circu.'^^cs and can.i- vals. nskcd for a 20 pf-r i-<nr. re-luc- tion in rat.s with j:n eighL-day ito- parkin;.' tim-.- en privr.tf^ ca!\^ imd asked that a clMigr of 1 i:t $1 a d.;?; ]»e asses.»;rii on »<aggri,';i' (a:-s ruid $2.no per day (.i: passenger t irs for ]>arki!>g o\jr lii'- fit cut. linjil iliao For the first time since the peak of war business following which legitimate theatricals mounted, showmen are afraid of the 40 days of Lent, ushered In Wednesday. Business was so consistently strong from 1917 up to the beginning of the present season that Lent was not regarded as a serious box office deterrent, in fact it was gencirally noticed that the pre-Kaster period was feared less each succeeding sea- son. That it looms up again is (Continued on page 30") PROHIBITION SLEUTHS TALK ABOUT CABARETS Driven Wild by the Prices— Wilder at Cost of Liquor Troy, N.. T.. ^tarcb 1. •'All the cabarets In and around New York are selling liquor, but a little more cautiously than hereto- fore," declared "Honest Izzy" Kin- stein, famous prohibition sleuth, to a Variety representative. "Yes," chimed In Moo Smith, Izzy's W. K. partner, "It's pretty near a 100 per cent proposition with them. The places aro out to got the mont-y in the booze business, but they are very, very leary about getting caught. Knowledge of the epecial tax levies and injunction clauses in (Continued on page 2) When the Lynch Enterpri.ses de- flded to put a stock company in the For.syth, Atlanta, D. Mlchalove. their manuger, brought with him to New York three local i.ewspaper- men, ono^rum each Atlanta pajjer, * to act as u jury in picking the tioupft. The result was the following or- ganization: Clara Joel. William Boyd, Robert Craig. Mary I'arry. Alice Baker, Catherine Givney, Will- iam Melville, Stewart Beobe, Frank- lin Munnell, Francis Franlc. Walter S. Baldwin will manage and dire<t it. This hand-picked company v. ill " open March 20. The Lynch corporation, v lu;h (Continued on pogo 20> OPINION ON RADIO , BY NATHAN BURKAN 'UNLOVED WIFE' AT $1 DOES $1,000 iVlONDAY I'iflsburgli, .^^.l'. > h 1. 'Tii'» Inluveil Wife" ui/vned a three-week engagement at tl:'^' IMtt Mouflay at $1 top. The company Im givinrj twr» performmces daily and rcru hcd 91,000 on tie d.iy M')nday. Thrre fonip.inies of the jiirrc have l»eeM playing the oiu'-night .'•tands. Rivi?;g Hi^ccial mafiufc pr-rfni in.'«n«'f s for r.onifn on!>'. wl.i 'i wi.I u]^'> b (luplo; id In ir, i;. .xcts ic-aihiJiT .V-v.- Vi>r!v <»;" :-. .i >l.<»".v hiiv«' Kiid it wa"-' ov,- of liif \i'Vy f' w ;ift:MOfion-< •■» li.i\t 'lonr .'iriy H'.il bu uTiexH houth t'll- .'•eajon in th- Icglt bouses. ^ FEATURE NUM- 44 ^ ?0a ANY ACT ^') 9^ BEN SCHWARTZ .Ml Mr CO. i;»iH-»'t U'lVAT. NEI? YOKK MISS CASTLE'S THREE Playing to Big Business in Picture i-lousc at Dstroit Detroit, M.irch 1. Ii'^ne Ca.vtle Id giving three per- f<»rmance3 daily here at the Cap- itol, vihich is al.^o showing "French Heel."." the picture with Ml'^s Castle s«;i!r(.'l. The Cipi!f»l i.s a film house of large far»ncify. It I.s naid Miss Ca.'^tle i.s receiving $1,000 for hti Mf't itvi\ ]>er.sonal .Tppfrirance thero tliis wc'lv, exclusive f>f the pictures cost. Jiu.sinesH has been tromen- liou.s. Jt was through th«^ d< mand ti)e m.inagenunt a.sked t'n- dancer to waive her contract I'ight culling for two performances and do ilir»,*i' ifi.stf ad. She as.scntod. Xext week Miss Ca.sthk is to ap- po.ir at the Allen, Cleveland. Siie has refused any engagement fol- lowing the Clev<5and week. Counsel to Decide if Either Performances Are for Profit Nathan Burkan, counsel for th»' American Society of Compos ers. Authors and Publishers, Is prepar- ing a legal opinion In connection with the new radiophone fad. He will interpret the law as to v.h.cthor the broadcasting of music through the ether l."* considered a public per- formance for |)ront, and (lie society will bo guid.d thereby In its futur." relations with the radio companie.i as to question of compensation. Mf'intime the music men are per- mitting tho radio fad to develop. FRANK FAY'S FABLEG niny frt. tlin T«'niiitlJ«> rrifrr- • • tnitiprlntAmntrlrTionlat fr.iuf>'« , , nK.»lfi--Jip''i ■wt'hltiK <l'«ri tli.i iii>!p." Oil yc\ Tlie 1 il.I. 4 i» • wert cnilre^ir ri>^iiirrieii by Hi Lrjjtbing in Aftirr fur the T h e a t re 148 Wtnt «Oih Ktr«>f>t. N. T. C, • . • JJrookhit No. tl • •