Variety (April 1922)

PRICE 20 CENTS i I ■Li.W I fi-f Publiohed Wapklx at 1S4 Weai 46th 8t. New York. N. T., bf Variety, Inc. Annual aubacriptlon %1. Sinfia ee«>iaa It oeata. Entered as aecond claia matter I>eceml>er 2S. 190B. at tha Poat Office at New York. N. T., «adar tha Act oC March t» lift. iVOL. LXVI. No. 7 NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1922 48 PAGES 'f c: 5»=: :v- B'WAY SHOWS CUT SALARIES r SMITH AND DALE QUOTE SHAW TO PROVE THEY'RE ONLY FAffi ]Uni(tue Document in Theatrical Annals Filed in Famous Court Case—Say They're Not Artists and Not Extraordinary—Anybody Could Do It One of the strangest legal docu- ments ever prepared In a case of {theatrical litigation was drawn this !Week by Kendler & Goldstein, attor- neys for Smith and Dale, in a brief to nullify the 4nJunctlon against the Avon Comedy Four Issued on behalf of the Shubcrts, and against which the performers are appealing. In the complaint the Shuberts set foj*th that Smith and Dale were ^artists whose services were unique iind extraordinary, and could not be replaced." This claim almost any act would admit about itself, under almost any circumstances. But Smith and Dale, probably the first time such a protest has ever been •ntered, are swearing to a complete denial of this. They set forth under oath that they are not artists, not unique and not extraordinary, and that they could easily be replaced by any clever professionals with average knaclc for amusing the public. To this end they quote copiously from George Bernard Shaw, who yrote an essay stating that Ameri- can vaudevillians are vulgar people who make audiences laugh by kick- ing one another and throwing fur- niture about and smashing crock- ^ ciy. ®tc. The long excerpt is con- tained In the formal defense. It is further stated that as sing- ers they are of the professional grade of go6d performers, but by »iO means unreplaceable, and that any four men with ordinary theat- rical talents and experience could frame a low comedy burlcHque on a cheap restaurant, introduce the Jnartistic action of throwing food fiu '• ^^<^*'^J"e grotesquely and Ibe hkc, and that, whilo their routine :'.**^^lr own and they have become Wentined with it, they are not unique in that other routines could »e comi)oun(lod liiat would have wiual entertaining merit by men ]vho W(.uUl have equal entertaining ficultios. Arpumvni on .no appeal is slated ror iho latti-r part of this week. (Cintinucd on page 4) KANSAS an RIVALS IN FEATURE CONTEST Wesley Barry Personal Ap- pearance Countered with "Psychic Marvel" Kansjis City, April 5. From the* advertising for this week's current attractions at the "Big Five" picture houses. It looks as though the Newman organiza- tion, which owns tb« Newman, Royal and Twelfth Street, and the Harding Interests, owners of the Liberty and Doric, had started a little war all by them.«»elvea. At the Newman, Wesley Barry Is the nanie attraction and will appear In a short monologue at each perform- ance. In addition to the film. "The World's Champion." The Royal will have a Bebe Daniels pifcturo, "A Game Chicken," also Egbert Van Alstyne and Clem Dacey in a nov- elty musical offering, while the Twelfth Street house is heavily featuring Anita Stewart's film, "A Question of Honor," at 25 cents. To offset Barry and the other features, the Hardings have secured Eugene Dennis, "The Wonder Girl*" of Atchison, Kansas, for the Doric theatre. This girl, but 17 years old, (Continued on .y^BO N. Y. NEWSPAPER RADIO Would Pay Stage Stars for Services With Fre9 Publicity Watch for FRANK VAN HOVEN'S BIG ADV.. Week After Next A big m*'lropolitan morning news- paper and an evening publication are reported arranging wlUi the In- terstate ComnuTce Commi.sslor for licenses to insta" their own broad- casting service stations. Although the news conceri will I no mean.s he a .subsidi.uy feature of the serv- ice, report has it tliat musical pro- grams and other t ntfrtalnment will be a nightly feature. The papers arc coun.lng strong on reciprocating for any Broadway star's gratultouii services with iult- able "space." INAGEiiS SHAVE COSTS 28"^ TO KEEP f EN Reduction of Admittion Prices Is Followed by Sweeping Salary Cuts — Cut Rates a "Life Saver" for Many Attractions •— Only Six of 47 $hows Do- ing Capaiit y COHAN HAS SCORE OF PLAYS; WAITING FOR TIDE TO TURN Business Slump Stopped Preparations for 'The Mis« sion,'' Strong Drama with Elaborate Production- Written by Ethelbert Hales CHURCH OBSERVANCES CONFUSE THEATRES CUT RATES OFFER 30 The ^irilrtlion of show costs in the legitimate field, which has been in process since the first of the year, took a drastic turn this week. On Saturday notices of sal- ary slashing in casts for those at- tractions not already affected were given. Managers declared that Broa<iway theatres could only be kept open into the spring unless the pay rolls were revised d .vnward. Too few fresh attractions are being readied Jor spring, and whether th*^ reduction in running expendi- tures will check *ho growln?; dark list In New York after Easter Is problematic. The salary cutting to a degree (Continued on page 14) LICENSE NECESSARY FOR CHURCH SHOW Vermont Exhibitors Win Pro- test on Films with Admis- sion Charge Burlington, Vt., April 5. Following the presentation of movies in a church in Barre, the movie men of that city bunded to- gether and rai.sed an objection, be- cause the church, while charging an admission foe, was paying no license. The question was brought up be- fore the City Council and it was decided that any church in that city wishing to entertain its audience with muiion pictures muet purcha«^ a city liceoM. j Plan to Start Good Friday Matinees at 3:15 Is Changed ' The Keith ofllco thla week re- scinded an order that was to have set back the matinees of all the Greater New York Keith and Moss houses until 8:16 p. m. Good Friday. A letter from E. F. Albee instruct- ing all local managers to start mat- inees at 8:15 was later cancelled when it was discovered that Good Friday waa also the day for cele- brating the Jewish Passover. The original intention, which would have inaugurated a new cus- tom in the local liousea, was in- spired foUoM^lng a letter from Father Leonard of St. Malachi's, known as the actors' church, 49th street, near 8th avenue, and head- quarters of the Catholic Actors* Guild, to E. F. Albee, asking if it would be consistent for the Keith Office to collaborate with the Guild in showing respect for the hours from 12 coon to 3 p. m. on Good Friday, held sacred b)%the Catholic Church as the hours of agony of Christ on the croM. The Keith people agreed to adopt the suggestion and issued the nec- «>ssary Instructions only to ba later informed that it was also Passover. which would have complicated mat- ters In Greater New York, where thousands of the vaudeville patrons are of Jewish faith. The cancella- tion followed. OPEN 50 YEAR S; CLOSED Shamokin, April 5. The Strand, formerly the O. A. R. Opera House, has been ordered closed by the local authorities, to be entirely remodeled to comply E"^ the Are anfl building laws. The se has been playing Keiti devUle bookad by Billy Dt> ^ The next play In contemplation for production by Ocorg M. Cohan, following "Pretty Nellie Kelly," will be "The Mission," a drama by Ethelbert Hales. It calls for a stu- pendous production, and while not unlike "The Miracle Man" in treat- ment, carries a different theme and style of construction. Likewise, ac- cording to Mr. Cohan, It will be one of the most difficult plays to cast he has ever experimented with. "The Mission" will be produced as soon QM conditions warrant it, Mr. Co- han adding that he would b work- ing on It now, but the current busi- ness status prohibits him from do- ing ; e. "Pretty Nellie Kelly" was to be produced In Boston, May 13, but the opening date was set back a few weeks because of "Sally's" re- moval there from the Ne v Amster- dam. Elizabeth Hint;d, now with "The O'Brien Girl," was selected this week to play the title role. George M. Cohan has purchased between 15 and 20 plays t.nce the first of the 3^ar, all of which will receive consrOeratlon fo.* produc- tion In due time. He als«' has a farce of his own. "The Beautiful Moon," which he was preparing for" the stage just before he retired from business here. Another com- edy from his own p<m will receive early cofislderatlon, but beyond the "Nellie Kelly" production, Cohan will not attempt anything until conditions improve. "Madeleine and the Movies." In which George M. and Georgette ara co-starring, will remain at the Gaiety theatre until aometlme In June, when It will begin Its road tour. Mr. Cohan proposes to re- main In the cast during the city run, and is endeavoring to persuade Gemgette to lead the company on the road, but whether she will do so or nut la problematical at present. OUR NEW VAUDE. DEPT under %n\ei dlrvrtlon of GfriU Sand* Kuh U bii^lrling forth with ■ lot of "draM* liinoTaUout yuu oucM I* kiiuw tboiO. AUir§ for the Theatre 148 Went 40th RtrA^C, N. T. C^ C . . Brooklet No. f C ^ « r « i