Variety (April 1922)

I VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE p A R I F Q 8 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square V^ /\ D Li i:< •:! Friday, April 7, 1922 I 15 GULLIVER ORCHESTRAS OUT; MAY CANCtt PUYERS' DATES Hint That Walkout of Musicians May Give Managers an Escape— Trouble Starts with Refusal of Lead- ers to Take a Cut T.ondon, April 5. All nuisirinns in the music halls eomprisiiig the Gulliver circuit went out oil htrike iIuh week In sym- pafliy with the musical condu tors' protest against a salary cut. Hor- ace SheUlon at the Palladium was the only one not to strike. 15 halls being aff<cicU. The hhows now are only, being accompaniccl by pianists. The strike has hecn t»re\ving for Eomc weeks and. although expected, no efforts were made by the man- agers to forestall It. It is hinted that the managers' unpre|)arcdness furnif«lud the opportunity long awaited to close all mwsi* halls, thereby cancelling all artists* sum- mer contracts because of tiie pro- visional fctrikc clause. •NOUNETTE" RISKY Paris, April 6. At the Little Capucines March 28 wo had a sort of operetta entitled, "Xounette," script by A. Barde and music by Henri Cuvillier. It fared reasonably \\ ell. The action is laid in Venice at the time of the painter Veronese. The «5tory is risque, having to do with the intrigues of courtesanes for the favors of ancient beaux. One of them namf d Rosalba introduces her cousin into fashionable circles and the n»wcomrr adroitly saves herself from moral peril while tecuring rich presents. The prin<^ipal par's are played by Mesdanies M» rimlol and Sonia Alny. Exiane, who was cast for the piece originally, did not appear. CARTONS BRIGHT PLAY London, April 6. "Othor People's Money " by Rob- ert Carton, opened at the Comedy, March 29, to a cordial reception. Leon I^ion is sponsoring this light drawing room comedy. Its dialogue is brilliant, although It would perhaps prove too subtle for America. It depends altogether on smart dialogue lulhor than plot, Although well acted throughout. HIT AT PALACE London, April 6. •'The Co-Optimists," which open- ed at tlie Palace, March 31, Is a vast improvement on previous per- formances at that house. 'Jhe first night audience received the piece with unusual enthusiasm. i JENNIE DOLLY STAYS Jcnr.y Dolly will not sail for abroad April 11 on tlie Aquitania when her .«ister Ilosie leaves, Jennie remaining on this side, possibly be- cause of the litigation begun against her by Kay Comstook, invohing a 15,000 note. GEORGIE BOOKED HERE ^Vee Georgie Wood, English music hall favorite, has been booked over here for 30 weeks by the Marlnelli agency, opening on the^^ Keith time In September. It will be the first trip across for Wood. WINSLOWS SAILING When the "Hesolute," the new ocean pray hound, leaves this |iort May 30 for Hiunburg. two of its passengers will te Jack Curtis, the agent, and Max Winslow, the ex- ploiter of Perlin nielddiev. Mrs. "Winslow will ;tl.-o be jm the parly. The trio will spend a vacation visiting Germany, France and 13ng- land, this being Mr. Winslow s ini- tial tour o\er.«eas. Another Small Playhouse I'iins, Aiinl 5. Th*' new Theatre 3Iad»Ieine. rue de ISurtiie, is b« ing oompb ted and will open under the management of Andr»» Urub' and Treboi-. EkKlfJS SPICY FRENCH COMEDY "Nuit Noce" Amuces Paris—Inti' mate Domestic Situation Paris, April 5. "La .<^econde Xuit Xoce.' a new farce by l»aul P.ilhaud. Maurice Ilennequin and Pierre Veroer. amused .it Palais llo:al March 29. As the title intimates the plot concerns an "affair"' between a di- vorced husband and his former w ife, who has married again. The prin- cipals are Legally, Louvlgny, Du- valles and Templey. Massare and Ellen A.;dree. The plot: A wife, wishing to. marry a young lo , applies to a divorce mill to aid lit-r in" divorcing her unkempt profes.'sor husband. She pays a bogus countess to secure faked evidence of infidelity. The conspirator introduces her own datighter as an earnest student and with doped wine the Innocent pro- fessor becomes compromised. After the divorce the professor changes. He shuns science and bo- comes an inveterate social dallicr. In his rounds of the fashionable re- sorts he meets his former wife. newly married. She grows Jealous of the professor's new women friends and encourages his flirta- tion. At length she grants him a rendezvous on what is her marriage night, d :ping her ne.. husband. These suggestive situations are handled with characteristic Gallic delicacy and are voted amusing. FIELDS FIGHTS "COPY" London, March 25. Mrs. W. C. Fields Is in London at the present time, and is more or less exercised over what she regards as an Infringement on the subway sketch written by her husband for the current seasons Zlcgfeid s "Follies." The alleged Infringement Is used In Harry Day's revue, "Rockets," now running at the Palladium. There is more or less of a resemb- lance between J^Tr. Fields' subway scene In the Follies and "A Metro- politan Tube Station' sk.t in thr Engll.sh presentation. GERALDY^S FOUR PLAYS Paul Geraldy, author of "The Xe*t," now at the 48th Street the- atre. Is scheduled to arrive in this ronnfry from Frnnee within the next fortnight, bringing With him four new French plays upon which Wil- liam A. Brady has first call. Geraldy is recognized as the premier uuihur- producer of Franco. The week -after next a big full page adv.—wait and see it. Owing to my liilly being at the Lane Hos- I»ltal, San Fraiuisco, trying to make a fo(d out of a little cold that tried to pet next to closing on his sy.stem in J'oriland. where it rains a lot, I havent had time to answf^r a lot of letters from nice people th.tt like me and think I'm a nice little boy. I owe a letter to Dad Halev. Ned Xor- worth. Dag Oakland. Helen Ken- netly and Hob Landore, who was In the A<lam-l'etzer one-ring circus with me w lien I had the side show. P. S.— I sjient six of the happiest years of my life in England and love the work over there. It's great. Jirst like In the V. S. A., they make mistakes once in a while when they give licenses to fellows who ought to be in jail and Jet them call them- selves agent.s. and I dont mean (Jeorge llarelay, the king agent of England, and I don't mean little Joe Shoebridge. my other agent. "W^ were a couple of kids over there, never away from each other on a week-end. Watch for my big adv. week after next. All letters for the next two months care of the Continental Hotel, San Francisco. FRANK VAN HOVEN CIGALE REVUE Has Brilliant Eff^t with Girls De- scending Into Audience Paris. April 5. A new revue entitled "Va IDire a Gene.s,* in two acts by Ma- Eddy, was presented at the Cigale' music hall April 1 and scored a distinct success. The feature is a brilliant effect. Swings with girl:: in them are low- ered from the roof into the middle of the auditorium, the girls dre.5i d in fioeks covered with luminous beads or Jewels. T.ie ^ff(.:t is strik- ing antl novel. HOUSE FOR 'CZARINA" London, April 6. Gilbert Miller is completing ne- gotiations for a West End house for Doris Keane. "The Czrrina" is due to open shortly here under Mr. Miller's direction. BOOKED FOR HIP London .April 5. The Long Ta.k Sam troupe, at present touring in England, will .snilKoik to London)" for America about the middle of July, having been signed for the New York Hippodrome show. TAKE LENTEN CUT Cochran Show Goes on Three Weeks at Reduced Salaries London, April 5. Cr*B. Cochran has removed the closing notice i reviously posted at the Pavilion, where "The Fun o' the Fayre" bus been lioliling forth. The principal players -lave agreed to a salary cut for three weeks. The show has been averaging £3,000 on tl:t wteU. SAILINGS May 20—\ alentine and Bell (Ced- ric, >.'«\v York to London). May 17 (New York to Gflmany), Mr.s. Jack Shea. May 13. D. D. H.? and Fred De P.onoy, Marinelli oflice, tor London, ]{« gina, Montreal. May It—Olson and John.son iXew 5. BUWS FIND London, y^pril Sir Alfred Butt will present "Lass o' Laughter" at Queen's. Apnl 29. He saw it when it was tried out in the provinces. "DAUNOy CATCHY I^aris, April 5. "Daunou," an operetta, was given here April 1 and proved a con- spicuous 6u<'ces;. Its music Is catchy and Its plot slight but di- verting. The lyrics are by Wil- lemetz. The story con^eri.s he affairs of impecunious par'^nts wii are s eU- •!g rich marriages for their chil- dren. Montmartre Revived I Paris, April B. May C—The Siddcns (Ilomeri*-. New York to London). May 1 —Ralph Baynl (Hudson. New York to London). April 29~Thc Mabel Ford Revue. ten peopb\ sails for England on the Celtic. The act will play ten weeks in England and two weeks in Paris. Ajiril 25 — Torino (Mauretania, -\(w York to London). April 19—Cha«. McGood, Herman Lenzeii, AVilly P.rust (Minnekahda). April 14 —. W. Adonis (Ordunn. .N'ew York to London). April 11 —Bovzika DoMy (Acqui- lariia. New York to I^ondon). April 11—Alice Pollard of "Pins and Needles' Co. (Aquitania), through T.iusig. April 6 —Two Or.intos (Finland, Antwerp lo New Yorl;). April 6—Mazie Gay, Celia Noble and Nan C. Heme ("IMns an<l Nee- dles"), (Cameronia), booked by Tausi?. ' ^pril 1 (New York to Italy). S. Z. and wife. d -u t^ "'^ hi"" if^"^^^ 2^ ~ ^^^^y ^^^° (Mount LONDON BOXOFHCE TAKIGS DROP TO LENTS LOW EBB Weather, Strikes and General Depression Contribute to Pressure on the Theatre—Matinees Are Badly Off, Nightly Revenue Only JOHN R. STEPS OUT Yours Merrily at 81 Says He's Look- ing for a Wifo London, March 25. - Young John R. Rogers, age 81, is here with his riding crop annoying the public. He Is doing publicity work for Robert Courtneidge and has busted the daily newspaper wide open with a story that he is look- ing for a wife. He has received columns upon columns of free publicity through this scheme, the papers, incidentally, making mention of the fact that Mr. Courtneidge is manager of the Savoy theatre vhere Peggy O'Neil is playing in "Paddy the Next Best Thing.'' AMERICANS IN EUROPE Among visitors to Paris last week were Edward Stair, owner of the Detroit Free Press; G. Harteveld, pianist; Al Page, vaudeville per- former. Paul Swan, the dancer and sculptor. Is returning to New Y'ork this week. Pearl White, who has been at Cannes, is now In Paris rehearsing for the new revue at the Casino de ParLs. She will appear on horse- back on the stage. In a stunt. ANNA HELDS GOODS SOLD J^aris. April 6. The art objects and furniture owned by the late Anna Held are being sold at auction here, the sale opening today. Belgian Tenor Dies Paris, April 5. Jean Note, famous tenor, died in Erussels March 31, aged 62. He collap.sed following an operation for kidney trouble. Note was born In Tournai, Ileljiiun!. SURVEY BLAMES FILM SLUMP ON BLOCK PLAN U. S. Consulates Say Poor Films Are Responsible for Poor Business The Nation;il As.sociation of the Motion Picture Industry has just Is- sued a report on a survey of film condi ions In Great Britain com- piled ty the U. S. Department of Commerce. The report was written by Wilfred G. Eyre, el k of the American Consul General, London. The falling oft In attendance In picture theatres throughout Eng- land is oije of the flr.>it subjects covered. Inferior pictures are held to blame, lilock bookings are also decried as a .system, and the fear of competition of productions made In England need not be feared by the American market. The report Is a lengthy ..ne, cov- ering seven typewritten pages. STARS SUED AGAIN Los Angele.s, April 5. To (he adventures of .Mary Thur- man and .May Collins, picture stars, another episode was added last week when J. L. Sehorndorfer. a former landlord, tiled suit against them for |508 damages. Schorn- dorfer alleges that the defendants rented his premises for |13.j a month and moved out while he was away from the city. I pon his re- turn, the complainant alleges, he found rugs damaged and the cur- tains and furniture staijied and burned, as well as other evidences of n«.glect. Also, he alleg, s. there was some rent duo. In a former action nied the pre- ceding week by a W. S. Barrows, it was also alleged the girls had dam- aged furniture and other house fur- nishings. An expensive automobile belonging to them has been taken over by the sheriff pending the out- come of both guUa, ' Londoti, April S. Local show business is at Its low- est ebb owing to a combination of causes Including the Lenten •ea.son^' weather, strikes and general de« pression. All matinees are decide edly off, yielding very little. The following figures are the esti- mates for the past week of the West End house.\ representing average nightly takings: — AdelphI—"Golden Moth," £160. Apollo—"The WhCicl, £180. Aldwych — "Mixed Marriage,'? £40. Ambassador — 'Curate's Egg,*». £100. Comedy—"Other Peoples ,Wor- ries," opened last week, doing fairly, although Its future Is stiil uncer- tain. Court—"The Silver Box," £«0. Criterion—"Applejohn" is doing cap :Ity, grossing £220 nightly. York's — 'Enchanted Cottagei £40. Daly*s-^"X,ady of Rose" .j draw- ing capacity audiences i.t the rate of £280 nightly. Empire—"Jenny," £200. Garrick—"Man in Dress Clothe" *• £180. Globe—"Truth About Blayds** comes off Saturday night, businest having been very K^ht. Haymarket — "Quality Street" dropped to £130 and is due to close * thin four w'eoks, to be followe<I by "The Dover Road." Hippodrome—"Round the World in Fifty Day.s." £370 rightly, which it capacity. Daily matinees attract less than half. His Majesty's—"Cairo,* £230, which do^s not cover expenocs. Lyric—"Welcome Stranger," £80. Palace — "Co-opiimi.vi.c," in Its third edition is drawing capacity at the rate of £350 nigliily. Playhouse—"Sign on the Door,** showed a material popular depre- ciation, dropping to £170. .^ Princess—The Gilherl & Sullivan comic opera revivals are packing them In, doing £400 nightly. Prince of Wales— A to Z." £230, Queen's—"Faithful Heart," £flO. Savoy—"P.iddy, the Next Best Thing, £150. St. Martin's—"Loyalties" is draw- ing capacity audiences, also £260 nightly. Scala—"Orphans of the Storm,'* the Grimth picture, is doing c«- pj.city twice daily. £250. Strand—"Love Match" is dolcg very poorly on the gate. St. James— Tie Bat." capacity, £260 nightly, averaging £2,160 weekly. Vaudeville—"Pot Lu-k." £110. Winter Garden— Sally ' Is draw- ing £450 nightly, whi^h is absolute capacity. HUNTLEY OFFERED Comedian Wants U. S. Time for Series of Sketches A cable from London to Lewis St Gordon this week asked them to offer the noted English comedian, G. P. Huntley, for vaudeville In this country. Huntley ia desirouj of coming to the Slates to open In about four weeks, bringing with him a company of players who are to present a series of sketches. No price is being fixed, the book- ers being asked to submit an offer. Huntley's last ppt^'irntice here was in the third and last of the "Hitchy- koo" productions,' which was pre- sented at the New Amsterdam, New York, during th^ summer of 1920. He returned abroad after having been with the ehow for about six weeks. WILETTE KERSHAW DRURY LANE JKeatre Royal, LONDON