Variety (April 1922)

Friday, April 7, 1922 VAUDEVILLE i I i i GOLDWYIfS BEHAVIOR PUZZLES; FAMOUS PLAYERS' OBSTACLE Speculative Attention Drawn Away from Film Stock by Faster Moving Issues—Looks Like Jockeying to Bring Out Goldwyn—Loew Disappointing leacT Goldwyn continued to leaa In f was doslpnod to accumulate stock sneculativ« Interest amongr the I'or P^'rmanont holding or rrorely to amusement group this week. Trad- f^just loans, its in.r|)oso appears to amufcemtiit t>ii/ui j^^^,^ ^^^^^^^ accompli.sheci. Dealings ing continued in the same huge dropped from an average above volume, but there was no wide price movement such as would or- dinarily come about in transactions haps the pool is waiting for some constructive development upon wliich to base the start of an ag- gressive campaign. The numman' of trariEactions March 31 to A[>ril ^ incluKive are n« follows: STOCK EXCHANGE Tliursflay- Sales High.Low.Last. Cht;. Pum. nay.-T... r.r.(H» SO 7H% 80 +1% \.'<'\v. \nv 1300 l.Vi !.-» 15 — % Urpheuni UHM l»i ll»«i 1U>4 —% I'.otiion sold uQo Orpheurn at lO'blilO^*. Friday — Fain. l'1ay.-L,...11100 81U 80«/i 80% + % Do. pf r.(M) \K, 04 y4«.i +\ Ix)ew. Inc 11(M> l.Vi l.-.li ^^1V^ 4- Vb Orpheum 800 1U\ 18^, in«i .. Hoston Bold lUri Orpheum at 18%4rll)',i. Saturday— Fam. I'luy.-T... 2100 SI l>o. pf 30<) U4^n L.M sv. Inc 800 I.V4 Orpheum 800 ll> M«>n(1ay— P'ani. riay.-L . .12.'.00 RP.; Do. pf 100 UVh I.oew. Inc 210<» ):,% Onihfum 500 lit' J Tuesday- Fain. riay.-L...n.-oo sr; Do pf 3tM) '.U'H T.( ,Mv Inc LMiili I.-.'i Orph'um 10(10 )M-.j Hn.-itcn s-old Orpheum at I'J. Weiliif'sday— Fam. riay.-L... fOOO 80'^ Tr»-; Do pf r»()0 :t»'i 1>4 r.oew. Ino KNiO l.'i't l.'i <.)rpheuni -«'0 IVs, ih'ij THE CURB Sales.HiRh I.ow.I.ast. Chg. 7'S 801; 1.-. 8()-y» 04 "h i:.'h 1H\ 1.-. 18 80>4 D4»-i l.-.'i 18^4 81'4 1)4 >4 1:.';, 80 !I4 l.-,»i I8ii J»4»* l.-.'4 1»>* - % +1 - >i - '4 t % - V» Tliur.t^day— CJol.Iwyn 10400 Fridiy — Goldwyn 14000 Saiiirday— r.oUJwvn lOSOO Llrlfltth rOO Mondax — G"l(i\vyn r.900 Tuesday— Cioldwyn 7800 Wedn-'sday - C.oldwyn I'OO «"T« 74 4',4 7 7 C»i 0^4 4li en 7 4U 7 C% 0% •i- Vi - % + H - Vi "WONT RESIGN"—BECK Orpheum Head Emphatic in Denial He Will Quit April 13 2.000 shares a day to around 500. The pool \\hieh was reported in Loew appears to be mnrkinff time. of such size. It is to be remembered j l>robahly with the rest of the list at that in the last three weeks close J hfiilint: point, the lime was lookerl upon 175.000 shares have changed j upon as inauspiciou.'^. At any rate hands and In that time the price j the stock has-been sluKgi.sh. al- has advanced only from around 5 thcuph firm at better than Ifj Per to the current quotation of 7. Held Under Wraps The obvious Inference Is that prices are Ijplng held in check by some strong Interest which Is anx- ious to draw out stock at low prices by holding down prices to dis- courage old holders who have been looking for a brisk advance at this time. The suspicion is that much of the tremendous turnover represents "washing" transactions—sales and purchases which run around in circles without materially changing the actual ownership of the stock. This week a formal statement was given out for publication that Goldwyn had issued a notice to holders of Its two-year 8 per cent, convertible gold notes that it will exercise its privilege (subject to the rights of conversion on or before April 28) of redeeming 1250,000 face of this obligation. Re- demption will take plane May S at a price of 101 and Interest to that date. Holders of the notes were re- quested to present them at the trust department of the Chase Na- tional Bank. The numbers called run from No. 2 to No. 1496 of the $1,000 denomination and from No. 2 to No. 496 of the $500 face, and from No. 1 to No. 404 of the $100 notes. Strangely enough the annoimce- ment caused not even a flurry in the trading on the New York cuijb, although it would appear that this constructive action to cancel an obligation would put the company In a highly favorable light. No mention was made In the published statement as to how this payment would be financed. It is presumed among traders that the publication of the financial Bur^'ey duo any time now will be the signal for an aggressive move forward, the declaration of Inten- tion regarding the redemption of the notes being a preliminary maneuver. Famous Sticks Around 81 Famous players got Into new high Tuesday of nearly 82 since Its dip to 77^, but was off at the close to •round its old level under 81 and dropped to 79^ Wednesday. The Famous IMaycra pool seems to be having Us own dimcultlcs these days of rollicking million-share Bessions and advancing prices. It ■ticks stubbornly below 81 in spite of daily turnovers obove 10,000 ■hares, days during which there Is constant evidence of determined pool support. The truth of tho matter seems to be that the market, meaning the In and out speculative community. Is tired of theatrical stocks and Is turning its attention to other spots In the li.st where the tieker player Is getting a run for his money. Famous Players In spite of big dealings has scarcely moved Ave points Kinee the first of the year, ^hile stocks like Studebaker and jne other sensational performers have jumped 30, or so. If the pool <^ould .sliove Famous Players up past 81 to within range of its prev- ious liij;h of 83, there might bo enough promise of action to attract a following, but to date every time tho tock pushed through 81 profit- tal<iMg and nhort Bwamrud the rise. 1'ie Fame situation seems to surround Loew and Orpheum. The bujing in the latter stock whieh ^'arned it to L'O lust weel; appears to have subsided and tho price has PHJIA HOUSES SHIFT BOOKINGS: CHANGING FROM POP TO STOCK Nixon-Nirdlinger't Theatres Go to Amalgamated Books, While Sablosky & McGuirk Stands Take On Stock May 1 AL WOHLMAN in "THE GRADUATE" TOURING OUIMUUTJM CIIICI'IT. Direction: LEW COLDER sellitiif ha\e Martin Beck, president of tho Or- pheum circuit, returned to Now York this week and denied that he had resigned or contemplated re- signing as liead of tho Orpheum circuit. Tho story published to the effect that Mr. Beck had tendered his resignation to become effective April 13 at the next directors' meet- ing of the Orpheum stockholders was denied emphatically by Mr. Beck, who branded the rumor as a figment of the imagination. The rumors of Beck's resignation followed closely after the adjourning of the last stockholders' meeting in Chicago, where It was said that Mru. Kohl's faction were opposed to the present management of the Or- pheum and that only the interven- tion of E. F. Albee prevented a show-down at that time. PAN PUBLISHER FINED George J. Wetzel Convicted on Charge of Circulating Indecent Matter George J. Wetzel, play broker, partner in the otagelorc Publish- ing Co. and publisher of "Kosener'.s Pan," was fined $250 In Special Sessions last Friday charged with publishing an indecent magazine. Issue No. 3 is the allcgvl Indecent issue. Justices Freschl, Edwards and Herbert, who had reserved de- cision for one week in order to read ihe publication for the purpose or adjudicating the charge, released Wetzel on probation until April 7. when he must pay the line or serve a jail sentence of 30 day.s. J. S. Sumner, of the Society for the Suppression of Vice, preferred tlie charge. Wetzel's attorney. Max Greenberger, who immediately moved for a new trial, had offered to bring George M. Rosencr (vaude- ville) into New York to testify as to the meaning of tho offending articles, but the court held that the vaudcvillian-author's testimony would be incompetent. SMALL TIME AGISNTS SEEK PROTEaiON Claim They Are Squeezed By Big Time Men in Agency Small time vaudeville agents In tho Keith Exchange claim they are being slowly disenfranchised by the surplus of big time material that Is being offered to the Family Depart- ment by the big time agents. The fifth fioor, or small time agents, are not allowed on the big time floor unless a booking man- ager sends for them. This Is claimed to work out as a hardship for when a small time agent de- velops an act to the point where It begins to interest the big time broker, a big time agent U8ua:iy steps In and explains to the act that It Is high time they secured themselves a bier time representa- tive. The usual result is that the small time agent loses the turn after breaking It In i nd digging It up out of the small time houses. It Is expected that an appeal to tho Keith officials to d^ Iso some system whereby an agort who dis- covers and develops a new turn will be protected and will be made an exception as rerards the big time franchise when the act is ready to play tho big tim-^ houses. ^'SAWING" EXPOSE SUIT Richmond, Va., April 5. Horace Goldin, inventor of the "Sawing a Woman In Half Illusion, at the close of his engagement at B. F, Keith's I..yric, declared he had Instructed his attorneys to bring action for damages against every publication which had followed tho New York World In its expose of the trick apparatus used In the illusion. The table employed by Goldin In his Illusion Is a mechan- ical device on which ho holds pat- ent rights, duly registered at Wash- ington. Separate suits, he said, would be pressed against all "publications that carried the expose. ENTER STARS OF "MARV HdkTry Carroll and Anna Wheaton to Continue in Vaudeville James K. Marshall and Edna Moore, co-stars of "Mary," will de- vote their summer activities to vaudeville, having been procured for the two-a-days by M. S. IJentham. They will offer a sketch titled, "Broadway." Bentham also effected the reunion of Harry Carroll ani Anna Wheaton this week for a continuation of their vaudevlllo tour. Carroll had prepared to offer his act over the Cri)heum circuit, while Miss Wheaton had accepted an engage- ment for a production. During the execution of a trick, Albert Le Groh (3 L.e Qrohs) fell and broke his right ankle. A physician said that he would be laid up at least several monthB. NEW STAND "TO SHOW" The Iloosevelt In West Hoboken will be utilized by the Keith office as a break-in house instor 1 of the Courtland, situated a block away, whirh has been taken out of the Keith office. Acts desiring a chance to "break in" or "yhow" will be booked into tlie Boo.-^evelt on Saturday and Sundays of each week. The Roose- velt i.s a modern largo caj»aeity, erected at a cost of $ir)O,000. It has been playing Keifh vaudeville for some time but suffered from the Courtland opposition,- where the break-In acts were advertised as Keitli vaudeville, and secured at a nominal cost. L!: rased gradually to 18^. Whatever inspired the bull drive, whether it Watch for FRANK V/VN HOVEN'S . _BIG ADV., WeeJr^iur Naxt I Al rii 17. Five-Year Contract Georglo Price has been signed by tlie Sliulierts' to a f-oven-year con- tract. Priee has l.een i»Ii\ing Shu- l)ert vamlevilie all season. The comedian and his wife will accom- pany J. J. Shubert on a pleasure trip to i:uroi)e, t».e i)arty having book.^d passage on Olympic, COOKE and VALDARE "JUST LIVELY STEPPERS" CHARACTER DANCERS (X'entrlques) Direction: JO PAIGE SMITH The NIxon-Nlrdllnger houses. Nixon, Philadelphia, and Maryland, Hagerstown. will be booked through the Amalgamated Booking Office, beginning next month. Thj Amal- gamated Is the Independent booking agency that supplies the bills Xor the Sablosky & McGuirk houses in Pennsylvania. It formerly booked the B. F. Moss houses before Most affiliated with the Keith Exchange. The two houses are booked by Frank Wolf, Sr., through the I'elth Exchange. The Nixon Is situat d about a mile from the Crosskeys, Philadelphia, a Sablosky 8c Mc- Guirk house. The proximity of the houses is bcliovod to have Inspired the new booking arrangement. Philadelphia, April 5. The Broadway and the Crosskeys, two of the Sablosky ft McGuirk vaudeville atrins here, will go into stock May 1. Both theatres are booked out of the Amalgamated office. Reports of a general closing down May 1 of the Independent houses In Philadelphia was current in New York this week. That was denied by managers visiting New York for booking Tuesday. The rumor was that the price of feature pictures was considered too high and the only manner in which the contracts could be evaded was the closing of the split-week houses and possibly reopening them under another pol- icy. Tabs for one or two houses were anticipated for the summer, it was said. At the Amalgamated of- fice it was denied there was any basis to the reports or that there was an agreement between the Philadelphia vaudeville houses. The Stanley company, which controls most of the vaudeville picture fea- ture bookings, is interested in a number of the houses mentioned. FILM HOUSES SEEK ACTS San Francisco, April 6. The Majestic theatre in the Mis- sion district, which has been play- ing pictures, is including vaudeville acts on the program, booking them independently. Other picture houses In this district are considering fol- lowing suit, in order to meet the opposition. Also, the smaller picture theatres In the downtown district that have asked 20 cents for admission are now pasting big three sheets In front of their doors announcing the price will be 10 cents. Including war tax. AMATEUR NERVE A female Impersonator, claiming to hall from Bethlehem, Pa., has been making the runds of the pro- ducing offices gar'ued In a fonna:? outfit, with skirts, silk stockings, a long cape and all the rest. He visited Eddie Darling, Arthur Klein, Jcnio Jacobs and a number of others this week, managing to obtain audiences with each, after which he announced he was a man, adding that he wished to enter the show businods but had no previou4 experience. SPEED DEMON ACT Eddie Hearn, hero of numerous automobile races, is coming to vaudeville with a novelty In the form of a circular metal globe In whieh he will tear around in a spe- cially built small racing car, en- deavoring to top 100 miles an hour. The gl(d»e will be 30 feet in diam- eter and tho car ncre.".s;irily small. Hearn will nice in the coming national event at Indianapolis, afti r which ho will play the Keith time. Harry \N'eber arranged the produc- tii^n. Fire Claims Settled The (laims of Pert and I.otfie \\ ilton, I-.»'S (Iravettas. Renaid and \S t'sl and Jack Goldio, against the Morris Express company, 1:0" West l')th .«<treet,- Now York, wer<j**cttled I ist week. Their property ' was (lumagod when a transfer truck took fire, the loss amounting it w