Variety (June 1922)

v^T:: a^rs^a^ 10 EDITORIALS -11117 SB Friday, June 2, 1922 ttKJETY Trade Mark Register' 1 !! I'ul li-l..-«i Weekly by VAItll I v. Inc. •Sime Silverman, Frosi«l<Mit 151 West 46th Street New York City HOW LITTLE THEATRE HAS WORKED OUT It was forecasted by Variety Inst season that this season would see an unprecedented number of co-operative theatre ventures. At the time it was not anticipated the theatrical year would be as bad as it turned out. The quick demise of attractions regularly produced made fertile soil for the co-operative attractions, and thi* spring they have been plentifully offered in Broadway theatres. None of this season's projects of that class succeeded. SUBSCRIPTION: Annual $7 I Foreign $8 Singlo C< i ies 20 Cents VOL, I^XVJL 1OT Ho. 2 Tom Kennedy, formerly of Ken- nedy and Burt, has become asso- ciated with Harry Uomm, the inde- pendent agent. The John Sparks Circus opened" a tour of Long Island Monday jn Jamaica. The dispute between the Equity and Producing Managers' Associa- tion as to which organization was responsible for any fee Judge Julian Mack might charge for arbitration services in the "Equity Shop" con- troversy was settled last week by Judge Mack himself announcing no fee was to be charged, hence neither side would have to pay anything. A rest estate auctioneer operating on Long Island has devised the scheme of giving a free show at each of his sales. A large circus tent is erected on the property, in which the performance is given. The bill is made up largely of cir- cus acts. The music is furnished by a 20-piece band. The Weequahick theatre, Newark, N. J., under the management of S. Grey, is playing vaudeville three days weekly, booked by Harry Lor- raine of the Fally Markus office. The State, Beacon, N. T., was purchased last week by the Good- man Brothers from Joseph Kligler and Herman Lees, the new owners taking possession Monday. The transaction was mads through' Jack Linder, the vaudeville agent, who will continue to book the tyst half bills. r he house plays pictures the lirst three days of the week. The Appellate Division last week denied Kitty Letraunik's petition to punish Samuel Letraunik (profes- sionally Senator Franeis Murphy, vaudeville) for contempt of court. She charged he failed to pay (50 weekly alimony under a separate decree, but the upper court held that Mrs. Letraunik Is no longer his wife by virtue of a successful countersuit for annulment. After i i was awarded the alimony on charges of abandonment, Letraunik countersued, alleging fraud. Billy Delaney, Keith booker, re- turned to his desk Monday, after three weeks spent In looking over the houses he books. Leo Carrillo is booked to play four Orpheum weeks on the Pacific coast before he goes into, during August, the new Oliver Morosco production in Los Angeles, the name of which hat: not yet been an- nounced. Arthur Pearson, who ran out on Broadway secretly several weeks ago, picked himself a warm place to get a coat of sunburn. Ho has been fishing in .and around Mobile, Ala., with Ed Walsh, manager of the Lyric there. Pearson is due back Saturday. The Playhouse, Hudson, N. Y., is playing three or four acts of vaude- ville and a picture the last half of the week, three shows daily. CABARET Concurrent wrth the co-operative excursions the Little theatre idea moved steadily forward, winning attention of the professional field mors than before and with an outlook now that makes for permanency. The Little theatre plan is in itself co-operative, a mixture of the budding professional with the professional and the amateur. Tho professional co-operative tries that abounded are still eoming. However, the standing of the players, which appears to mean little, is different from the Little theatre units in the vitally important matter of control or management. The Theatre Guild may be classed as the highest type of Little theatre development. Skilled direction is bringing forth the Provincetown play- house, the Neighborhood playhouse and several ethers. All three organ- izations named have within their control one or more common sense business men. The latter may have first become interested through a love of the drama, but that has not prevented the employment of busi- ness methods. At one time it was believed that art and business won't mix, but the Little theatre exponents arc proving that half a fallacy anyhow. Ths Equity Players, formed of artists in the Actors' Equity Associa- tion, announced last week they had leased the 48th Street theatre for next season; that members attending a meeting had pledged themselves to the amount of $93,000 to back the venture; that the Equity Flayers would conduct the house and productions co-operatively in part; that live productions would be made which, if successful, would be turned over to legitimate managers and that stock would be sold, to outsiders who might be interested in the venture. The Equity Players i» to be a corporation, a business device, not unusual in operating theatres or producing plays. Those who have pledged financial support, which persons the Equity Players term guarantors, may receive stock to the amount of their sub- scriptions. But the statement stated the guarantors would be reimbursed from the first profits of the venture. How this will mix with the sale of stock is not clear unless it is to be implied the guarantors have no thought of profit in mind, whereas an outside investor would look to profits if there were any. More important is the method of management to be used for Equity Players, Ino. The entlro scheme is akin to that of tho Theatre Guild, which for seasons has produced plays at the Garrick and moving the successful ones to Broadway. The handling of most co-operative com- panies! has proven disastrous. It is patent plays selected by most of the co-operative failures have been poor, perhaps because regular managers haws culled the best available. The Theatre Guild showed there were sources of play supply other than ordinary channels. Co-operative productibns have up to now been pretty much scrambled, with too many artists attempting participation in departments of the organization which should be in the lands of persons of business ability. On past performances the success or failure of the Equity Players, mo., is going to depend in part, at least, upon how the venture la handled. INSIDE STUFF ON VAUDEVILLE David Apollon, pianist and mandolin expert with Mabel Ford and last season with tho Ford Sisters turn, hails from. Siberia. He was a Bolshevik refugee. During the war an English musical comedy company touring the Far East traveled as far inland ae Icikutsk to entertain soldiers. While there Apollon begged the entertainers to smuggle him out of th • country. With the players he reached Harbin, China, and there was taken care of for a time by a Swedish merchant. Later he reached Shanghai and finally sailed for America. In addition to his musical ability Apollon is said to be a dancer. In return for their kindness he taught the traveling professionals some of the Far Eastern dance steps. Frank Monroe established a unique record at the Broadway Friday night last. He appeared there in "A Modern Old Timer," a playlet which has given him a strong start in vaudeville after many years on the legitimate stage. At the supper show,, when not over 200 persons were in the house, the act was accorded half a dozen curtains, after which Mr. Monroe appeared before the drop and made a speech. The manager went back stage to tell Monroe that it was the first time in the history of the house that a speech had been earned at a supper show. A procedure to enforce the Tol- stead act by injunction took place in tfte Albany, N. T., district last week when Judge Frank Cooper of the United States court of the North- ern New York district issued an or- der restraining Dominic Rocco and hie son, Frank Rocco, proprietors of the St. James hotel at Saratoga Springs, from illegally selling liquor or in any other way violating the federal prohibition law, until a hearing is conducted la Albany June 1. The writ, unlike the one issued last week closing the Kientx hotel at Slingerlands, does not close the Saratoga hotel, but simply en- joins it from violating ths Volstead act. Judge Cooper will decide at the hearing in Albany whether to make the injunction permanent. It Is the first time the federal officials m the Northern New York district have used this method in the cru- sade against violations of the pro- hibition laws. / Morris Greenwald, Jimmie O'Neill and Clarence W. Morgenstern have formed a combination for the pur- pose of establishing a replica of New York's Plantation at the Green Mill Gardens, Chicago, 111. Greenwald and 0'N.eill are in New York at present looking over the establish- ment as well *s endeavoring to get Kramer and Leighton to head the colored entertainers in the local Plantation, show. An admission charge cuVTSt. will be made. Tho Cafe do Paris at Broadway and 48th street will attempt to breast the summer as a cabaret with a bathing number in addition: to a regular bill. The bathing girhi will make a crowd of 40 in the show, It was intended to remodel the res* taurant into a straight dance resort* A new dance place, to be called Rainbow Palace, is now modeling on the other corner. "Bill" Sill, who is running Sill's Hotel at Broadway and 13th street, Flushing, L. I., is inviting you "to come out in the country and keep cool." The Sill place is just a half hour from Columbus circle by ma- chine over the 59th street bridge, and is on the direct road to Belmont raee track, Douglass Manor, Bay- side, Plandome, Little Neck, Great Neck, Seacliff and Oyster Bay. It is an old fashioned village hotel with space 'or dancing, private dining rooms and good food. Special rates are made for the season for a num- ber of newly furnished rooms that "Bill" is willing to let some of the. "boys" who were his friends, have in the stag section of the house. The Winter Garden, the only eafe in Los Angeles using a complete revue, has installed another new show. This revue consists of the Dancing DeMarrs. Claire Vaughn in song specialties, and Harry Sey- mour in nut comedy songs. Henry Williamson does several solos at the head of the chorus of 12 girls. The show is given twioe nightly. At midnight dancing ends. It runs close to an'hour. Grover Frankle is the producer. Business at the Winter Garden is heavy principally because of the revue. Bert Fiske's orchestra has gone to the Sunset Inn and has been replaced by King Brady's band. The recent report that Morrisons, Rockaway Beach, might not play vaudeville this summer through the noise of an adjacent roller coaster brought out that the Morrison family has leased the theatre, also the park around it, for five years with an option for five more. The new tenant* built the roller coaster at a cost of $75,000. It took In $1,000 the first Sunday open. Morrison's has been a famous summer vaudeville theatre for 30 years, a little more or less. Now it is playing pictures. Fox's theatre at New Britain, Conn., will go into straight pictures June 5. Negotiations are in prog- ress, it Is understood, whereby sev- eral tabloid shows will play at the theatre. Daniel Finn has succeeded Jame3 f-'.iyer as manager of the Olympia, Lynn, Mast. Mr. Sayor resigned to assume charge of the Canobie Lako Hotel at JSHlem, N. IT. Ralph Isen (professionally Oorgo }T. FiSher pf Fisher and Hurst, Vaudeville) was assessed $25 weekly jn tho form < T alimony ho must pay to May Is« n Iseh is suing his wife tot divorce, the latter countering similarly, naming Honey Hurst, his vaudeville partner. He must also pay Kc-ndler & Goldstein, Mrs. Ison's attorneys, $:.")0 counsel fees. Mrs. Isen originally defaulted in answering the plaintiff's allegations because of poor health and strait- ened circumstances, the court Sophie Tucker was singing over here, just before leaving for England, a song with a personal note in the lyric. The singer told what she had done and would do. One of the- catch line gags was to tho effect the Prince of Wales had called upon her and she told the Prince to come back when he was King. Miss Tucwer sang it in London—once—out! One of the smart-managers of a clean carnival couldn't understand complaints coming in, about town folks being trimmed by some of his concessionaires. The manager personally walked around the grounds from 7 in the evening until everything was cloeed for the night, until a relative of his wife gave him the lowdown. Every morning at 10 the owner would go downtown to attend to financial and publicity mat- ters. He had done it for pears, and could be relied upon to be away from the lot for two or three hours. The "come on fellows" and "hanpeors on" would spot prospective victims at night, making a date with them for the next morning around 11. when they would be given a "chance to play for something worth while.'* "This work is very etfldom employed before the final blow-off of the carnival into the next town. It usually occurs either on a Friday or Saturday morning. granting h<r special ha veto reopc i the default. The Strand, Rockvillo Centre, L. I., trected by a lOCOl corporation opens Sunday with pictures. Com- mencing June 8 vaudeville will play tho last half of each week, live acts, booked by Fally Iffjfkua. The house has a seating capacity of 2,000. John Fitzgibbons of Bay Shore, L. I., has leased the Garden, South- ampton, opening this week with pic- tures. A new firm of vaudeville auth< i |g Dorothy Phillips and billy Link, Jr. Larry ¥oell, Billy Hall and Charles Ward are entertaining at the Cap- ital Inn, San Francisco. Alma Gillette is hostess. The resort is conducted by Kid Herman, a for- mer prize fighter. Walter Tyler, former owner of the Pekin and Beaux Arts, famous "Black and Tan" reports in Chicago a decade .ago, who retired from the business long since, is dying at his home on South State street. Tyler was well known in sporting and theatrical circles. Newspapers the country ove* have all carried stories about Youngstown, O., reported to have become one of the few strictly "dry" towns, since its new mayor, George Oles, took oillce lost Janu- ary. The fact is, considerable "wet goods" is still to be had there, much as in any other city, in, the few cabarets, converted saloons, and various private organizations, all of whk:h operate out of reach of the law by dispensing the stuff through an employe or other attache, or In some ether method avoiding the au- thorities. Other reports of the town's- vice cleanup, however, arc largely true. Sines mueh of the vieious element has been ousted, whereas tho town in former yean was a real haven of crime. Wayne Scott and Broadway Syn.» eopators are at the Cafe* La Vis* New York. Tho Club Royafo on West 64th; street has closed: for the season^ Business had dropped away down; there, fn the height ef the season it had been doing overflowing pa^ troniage. One of the Salvin groupy The night before tho Royale closed a liquor arrest was made there. The Ftotilfa restaurant at Sixth" avenue and- 56th street will close this Sunday for the summer. TkeJ Percy Elkeles revue ended its rus{ there Monday. "Stop Along," produced by Arthur; Kretlow and directed by Louis B, Zoeller, opened at the Beaux Artnj New York. In addition to Kretlow* Dixio O'Neill, Agness Purtell, Dolly* King and Martine appear, supported by a chorus of six. Louis Breau wrote it. Crane's Georgian Garden* is tM latest addition to Kansas City's amusement places. A feature wiH 'be the*dining service v.-ith tables on a balcony overlooking the swim- ming pool. Another Innovation is si dining room and dance floor for tho use of bathers' in. costume. A revue now m preparation will open at the Music Box, formerly known as Friar's Inn, Atlantic City, N. X, Saturday, May 27. Principals include Alice Mitchell, Ted Hoff- man, Billy Wirburn, Viola Ifanftjov Jack White, Svn Hale and Peggy Hart, with a chorus of six. Dixie O'Neill is featured in Ar- thur Kretlow's new revue, which* opened lust week at the Beaux Arts* New York, singing "Flapper Blues* and "You'll Be Lonely Too." Gene Dabney's California Orches- tra is at th*> Knickerbocker Grill* New York. The orchestra includes; besides Dabney, saxophonist; Dick Winifree, violinist; Phil Eoutelisj pianist and special arranger; Con Trager, bassoon; Joe Dubin, sax;' Cal Janowitz, banjo and 'cello; Fred Greene, drums. Winifree and Greene came east with Dabney from the coast. "The Review of Syncopation" at Healy's Golden Glades, at 6«tn street, has added Andrne and ITanel Tho Glades has started its summer air cooling system, giving it the edge on warm evenings on nearly all of the Broadway places. An "Old Heme Week" bill will B staged at tho Fordham, New York, the week of Juno 12. Local ama- teur talent Interspersed with regu- lar vaudeville acts will be featured. Contrary to a previous report, no Pittsburgh* cabaret applied f< r a liquor license. Black's Palace Royale and Bongiovanni'i two establish- ments, the Nixon Cafe and Wild- wood Gardens, are again the leaden fii the summer bidding for patron- age, with the only evldeneo of pro- Volstead days in tho customers who bring their own; of these, there Is still a goodly number , With Joe Susskind in ehargC at Murray's on Forty-second street, Dave Weiss has returned to the Blossom Heath Inn. Weiss disposed of his interests in Fontaine Tnn, * short distance away from Blossssl on the Merrick road. Charles Cam- eron, formerly at Churchill's, is now managing Fontaine. Joe Susskind took over Murray's entire establish- ment as his own venture. It Is » big building located near Broad- way, with restaurant downstairs! while the upper portion has many eommnrilrmq living suit* f, Mr. Russkind is said to have eecun «1 the place on very favorable U rmo. J" 9 * about the t.'mo Joe asaimn• ' ehaffi with intention to oversee ihe re- modeling and renovation, his foot became Infected and no was li i U P in one r,f the apartments (or several days. When the original proprieto*. Murray, died, his widow i i said to have been represented In the Mur- ray's management by a i*< !.>tive» Later a receiver- was appointed for the place. To cronr the* matter ulfc Mrs. Murray made a proposal to Joe (Continued on page 17) The May-November Farm all Hartsdale, N. Y., under the direction of Nick Prounis, has started on its summer season, after remaining open during the winter. "Tho' Broadway restaurant in the woods* Is becoming a regular stopping place for the New York motorists who want a nice rido and a good) meal when out in the car. Ths) Farm Is on the White Plains (Jer* omo avpnur) road. Smith? Irre* sistible Eight are the musicians.