Variety (June 1922)

Friday, June 9, 1| DESERTION OF CHICAGO'S "LOOP" TRACED TO DANCE PLACES LUMINOUS PAINT IDEA JUMPED INTO DEARIE' 15,000 Nightly Dancing on North and South Sides— £0,000 a Night on Week-ends—Loop Managers Fail to Analyze Absence of Box Office Sale Chicago, June 7. On the extended querying now going on among Ihe loop theatre managers as to what has completely somersaulted the type of individ- uals who proceed to the box office windows of loop theatres within half an hour of curtain time and make cash purchases, and what has totally made absent the giggling young couples, who in the recent yesteryear have made merry the atmosphere of the loop before and after theatre performances, Variety has gone out and found facts in a very perilous situation for future welfare of loop legit managers. At this time the loop managers, at least some of them, may be passing off the concerned querying with altogether too light a vein of thought and consideration but, just as sure as this is (tie seventh day of June, a new situation has arisen in Chicago that is bound to extend detrimental, if not wholly disas- trous, effects to the Saturday ana Sunday night receipts at loop the- atres. With the week-end capacity trade slipping—and it has' been slipping for more than five months —tho^egit theatre managers in the loop will have to look around for the reason for it. Variety has found that Chicago's entertainment is for- saking the loop by leaps n.nd bounds, establishing itself, instead, in the areas known as the North and South sides. To some who are commenting up- on the utter "deadness" of the loop streets the moment curtain time is reached, and particularly after the theatre, when the usual merry throngs are missing at downtown cafe.", with those who do go to the theatres making a bee line for either the North or South sides, the solu- tion of the new change of night life for Chicago merrymakers is now Visible, and the wisest of showmen claim it behooves theatre owners to unite and consider the rapidly changing conditions with more seri- ousness. There are those who have finan- cial interests in loop theatres, who are not residents of Chicago, who come here and realize Chicago is in the loop. That's a badly mis- taken idea. At one time it was the truth. But times have changed and Chicago centres of amusement have changed with them . Two mammoth dance halls, with their elaborate double offerings of extra inducements for the visitors. are the whole cause of the merry throngs forsaking the loop. In the whirl of modern day improvements and the double dish of entertain- ment the visitors find in these un- believably arrayed dance halls, the youthful Chicago public, not to mention the older class, drawn more closely together with the younger set these days because of various crazes springing up in the younger class which, naturally, the older folks want to observe, and do at- tend to get an eyefull, has switched to a new road for the expenditure of entertainment money. The road to the loop isn't as crowded a.; it was, and unless something is done to give opposition to the new direc- tion of entertainment for the loop theatres, Chicago isn't going to have the usual number of long-run plays. If the statistician will produce the rapidity with which plays in Chi- cago have had their runs cut short for the past year and one-half, per- haps the findings of Variety will be studied. It is a struggle to gel a ten weeks' run in Chicago now and, while it is true certain shows do hold the oldtime runs, the number that flop before the eighth or ninth week is reached conclusively prove that there is a new era of theatrical atmosphere hereabouts. So important have these dance halls become that the wisest of loop theatre owners have started an investigation, calling in the License Board officers at City Hall to as- certain the fairness of the license tax that are made for various sorts of entertainment privileges in Chi- cago. It is said the owners of entertain- ment spots in the north and south sides 4 are getting away with "mur- der" in the matter of assessments, and the wrath of the loop theatre managers, who are taxed beyond what conditions now prove they can cover financially successful, is grad- ually rising so speedily that a good clash is expected this summer in the endeavors of the respective parties to battle for their rights. City Hall authorities expect it and are prepared for it. The outcoming is apt to com- pletely revise the center of Chicago's amusements and thoroughly encour- aged the Shuberts to go in stronger for the idea of erecting a new legit- imate theatre on the North Side, with its population of 800,000. A taxi ride, such as the Variety man made last night to such places as Dreamland, 1761 Van Buren street; Arcadia, 4450 Broadway; Guyon's Paradise, 124 N. Crawford street; Hunting House, 4616 N. Clark and 4823 N. Kenzie streets; Vista Gardens, 824 B. 47th street; Palisades, 120 N. Crawford; Merry Garden. 644 Cottage Grave, and Driscoll'8 Dreamland, 3829 W. Mad- ison street, quickly tells what ails the new conditions of night merri- ment in the loop district. The crowds at all these places indicated a night before a holiday trade, but it (Continued on page 21) CONGRESSMAN HERRICK REFUSES TO BACK SHOW $20,000 "Angel" Proposition Passed Up—Alleged Barter for Alienation Suit OPPOSITION STOCKS Belasco Players Open with Leads from Gnrrick Stock "Washington, D. C, June 7. The new Pclasco Players at the Shubert Belasco opened Sunday night to a capacity house in Sacha Guitry's "Sleeping Partners." Karlc Koxo and Wanda Lyon, former leads of the Uarrick Theatre stock, art heading this organization. The opening bill gives Mr. Foxe a "near monolog," which he handles excep- tionally well. Will lis Clark appears as the hus- band, while Jay Strong, last season here with the (Jarriek Players, ap- pears as the servant. All give capable performances Lumsden Hare directed the piece, while Wil- liam Schaefe, Jr., is the scenic artist. Arthujr Leslie Smith, who is pre- senting the company, was treasurer of Mutual Productions, and this company is what mii'ht be termed an "upshot" of the inner misun- derstandings of the business heads of the first company. Next week the company is doing "The Ouija Hoard," to be followed by "Getting Gertie's Garter." It is the intention of Mr. Smith to pi« sent New York successes that have never been seen locally. HERNDON'S REVUE Opening "Pinwheel" at Carroll New Names to Broadway Richard Herndon will have two new attractions uader his manage- ment. First to appear will be "Pin- wheel," designed along revue lines, which will open at the Earl Carroll theatre Monday. Michio Itow, Jap- anese dance star, will be featured. The show will be made up of 20 dance numbers, songs and comedy, with a company of 36 players. In the show in addition are names new to Broadway, including Mar- guerite Agneil, Anita Kntcrs, Rosa- lyn Fuller. Margaret Pettit, Valecia Sorec, B«nla Gluckoff. Zoltan Hecht, Yugi Itow, Sarat La Hin and Yasuhl Wuriu. "That Day" a new drama by Louis Anspacher has also been secured by Herndon. It will be tried out dur- ing July. NEW STARR SHOW AT LYCEUM "Shore Ix'ave," the new starring vehicle for Frances Stair produced by David Belasco, is scheduled to open August 5 at the Lyceum, New York. Th company appeared two w« out f town in the piece and hat, b» < n disbanded until the New York opening. Manuel Herrick, Congressman from Oklahoma, who has broken into the pagee of the dailies be- cause of his self conducted beauty contest and an alleged breach of promise suit for $50,000, has again caused considerable interest. This time th* lady, Anna Nuebel, it is stated, called at his office in the House Office Building and offered to drop her breach of promise suit if the Congressman would invest $20,000 in a play in which she would be starred, named "Paradise Alley." The Congressman stated he not only refused to donate the money, but that he feafed no legal action on the part of Miss Nuebel. He states he has been taken for a hick Congressman and that the suit against him which has caused so much publicity has never even been filed and that he and his attorney had made a thorough search of the court records of New York and could find nothing. At a recent in- terview Congressman Herrick had the son of another Congressman concealed behind a book case and with the result that he presented a sworn copy of the conversation that took place between the lady and himself. The Congressman stated that the interview ended in this manner: "Furthermore, I want to inform you that you thought you could slander a hick Congressman with impunity just because he happened to be a farmer, but if necessary I will teach you that I am not a hick Congress- man after all, and that I know New York about as well as you do. I have been there and retained Ull- man & Hunting, and I will further- more inform you that I know more about your past than you have any idea. I know enough about you to raise the hair on your head, as you are in the habit of saying, but I will be guided by circumstances. It will be according to whether you stop this monkey business or not." Since a number of ^interviews have appeared in the local press as emanating from the Congressman, he has practically refused to talk, the interviews being the instiga- tors of a great deal of mirth. In a typewritten statement he said that, actuated by her manager, Carl Helm of New York City, the plan of financing the show was submit- ted. The Congressman Is emphatic that he will not marry the actress; that she doesn't want to marry him, Just wants his money, but, on the other hand, Miss Nuebel states: "Yes, after all that has been said and done in the newspapers and the harsh things that have been said about me, I am still willing to marry him, and if he were to say the word that ceremony would be performed tomorrow." She also said that the Congressman's "am- bitions" and her own conflicted in- asmuch as he wants to live in Okla- homa with her, whereas she de- sired him to go on the stage with her. "More monkey business" is the manner in which Congressman Her- rick styles the whole affair. Placed Last Friday, Just Ahead "Follies" Opening— Geo. Choos Complains * The sudden appearance of the luminous paint costume idea in "Good Morning, Dearie" last Friday was the subject of complaint this week of George Choos, who secured the rights from Sauvage, a Parisian inventor. The novelty is made one of the features of the new "Follies," Choos having turned it over to F. Ziegfeld on a royalty basis calling for the payment of $400 weekly to Choos. The latter inserted a state- ment about the matter in this issue of Variety. Choos stated that C. B. Dilling- ham did secure the privilege of using the luminous paint before he purchased the rights from Sauvage, but complained that it was not until the eve of the "Follies" premiere that the idea was placed in "Dearie." Two costumes with the special preparation are shown in the "Kalua" number. In the lace num- ber for the "Follies" there are 60 costumes with the luminous paint. The cost of the scene is placed at $30,000. Dillingham and Ziegfeld are part- ners with Erlanger in the control of the New Amsterdam and other theatres, the trio ateo being jointly concerned in productions, of which the "Follies" is said to be one. Some time ago Dillingham stated that Ziegfeld just could not stop trying to wean artists away from other managers. Ziegfeld made no reply other than "Charlie is kid- ding,'* and has made no comment regarding the insertion of the nov- elty into "Dearie." The luminous paint idea was first shown in the "Music Box Revue," Sauvage also being the designer of it. OLIVE THOMAS' ES' MAY REACH $26,1 Mostly Realized by Auction Sale—Frank Carter's Estate, $14,000 TWO YEARS FOR MILLER Chorus Man and Stage Manager Convicted of Bigamy and Perjury DITRICHSTEIN CLOSING San Francisco, June 7. Leo Ditrlchstein, who is appear- ing in a series of plays at the Cen- tury here, will close his tour in San Francisco at the end of the present engagement. "The Unloved Wife," which played a week at the Orpheum, Oakland, and drew $4,200, closed last week in Sacramento. Pauline Frederick With Mother Ogdensburg. N. Y., June 7. Recovering from a slight opera- tion undergone in a New York hos- pital, Pauline Frederick has re- turned here, her home town, to spend the summer with her mother Her husband. Dr. Charles Ruther- ford, will later Join his wife here. Toronto, June 7. Cay nor R. Miller was sentenced to two years in the Kingston (Can.) penitentiary by Magistrate Jones June 2 in the local police court. Miller had been chorus man and stage manager with "And Very Nice, Too," playing here several weeks ago, when Miller, registered at the Arlington Hotel as George Miller,*married 16-year-old Thelma Budd, daughter of the hotel's pro- prietress. His conviction for bigamy fol- lowed testimony showing Miller had married Mrs. Perseus A. Web- ster in 1918 in New York. The per- jury charge was through Miller stating the girl's age as 18 when making application for the marriage license. Miller, in his defense, said his wife had left him after the first six months of their wedded life and he had asked a frienJ. to procure a divorce for him in Illinois. As it was easy, Miller said, to secure a divorce in that State, he thought his friend had properly attended to it, although hearing nothing further about the divorce matter. The minister who married the couple in this city was scathingly denounced by Mrs. Budd after the trial, as the girl's appearance indi- cated she could not be over 16. "SCANDALS" CLOSING? George White is reported closing his "Scandals" at St. Paul next Thursday, and unless a change of plans is made the show will be brought back to New York. "Scan- dals" was routed to the coast. Busi- ness has been reported off in the week Standi of the mid-west, but business in the one-nighters was quoted from $2,000 to $3,000 nightly. White has produced "Scandals" as a summer revue for the past three seasons. Recently he an- nounced he would not put on a new production until the first of the year. ICE BALLET IN MEXICO CITY Jaek Mason, the producer, is pre- paring an ice skating ballet which will he headed by Charlotte, and will go to Mexico City shortly for an ex- tended engagement. The ice ballet will utilize a com- position similar to real ice, but not having the latter'* melting quali- ties. The ballet will appear in the principal bull ring of MeslCQ City. Schedules showing the assets and liabilities of the estate of Olive Thomas, who died of mercurial poi 8 , oning in the American Hospital Paris, France, Sept. 10, 1920, havj been filed with the State Tax Com- mission, and are expected to be made public shortly. The actress, the wife ot Jack Pickford and divorced from Ber. nard Krug Thomas in 1915, left no will. With the consent of her hu«. band; Lourene Van Kirk, her mother; and James Michael Duffy and William Leroy Duffy, brothers the Surrogate's Court appointed' Nathan Burkan, the attorney, ad- ministrator of the estate. Pickford is reported as having as. signed his one-half intirest in the estate to his wife's mother. This i« said to have been done to eliminate family friction. Nov. 22, 1920, at a public sale conducted by Samuel Marx, an auc- tioneer and appraiser, $26,921 wai realized upon Miss Thomas' per. sonal effects, said to have been al. most her entire estate, the sales and what they brought being as fol. lows: Cadillac automobile, $5,000; Jew. elry case, $13; seal ring, $7; silver snake ring, $4.50; beaded bag, with sapphire clasp, $32.50; lot of as- sorted pieces; $11; jade ornament, $42.50; band bracelet, $50; twisted gold ribbon bracelet, $26; Jade necklace, brilliant clasp, $185; 14k gold cigaret case, $50; gold chain, $22.50; gold and platinum cigaret case, $250; gold cigaret case with gold chain, $650; 14k gold mesh bag with sapphire, $225; gold cigaret case, set with emeralds, $170; gold toilet set, 20 pieces (bought by Ma- bel Normand), $1,425, and a long pearl and sapphire necklace, $875. A diamond pearl brooch and sapphire pin, $500; monogram set, $30; platinum arrow pin, 40 bril- liants, $100; pearl necklace, with 1M pearls and diamond clasp, $2,500; Pearl and sapphire bracelet, $300; diamond necklace, 100 brilliants, $2,600; crystal cigaret case, $80; diamond and sapphire bracelet, >rith 200 diamonds, $3,100; sapphire and pearl ring, with tWo pearls, $110; platinum ring, with single peari $200; cluster ring, with 21 brib Hants, $40; American button pearl ring, $650; platinum set with star sapphire, $425, and American bronze pearl ring with brilliants, $375. Platinum diamond ring, about 10 carats, $3,050; chest of silver ta- bleware, 167 pieces, $825; velvet skirt and waist, $15; velvet drej*, $37.50; velvet dress and blouse, $55; velvet dre*s and blouse, $40; velvet dress a..d velvet coat, $47.50; *r« ange velvet evening wrap, fur #ol« lar, $110; Maroon velvet coat trimmed with blue lynx, $80; • stone marten stole, $325; black vel- vet coat, with Fisher collar and cuffs, $60; blue velvet wrap, trimmed with ermine, $180; cloth coat with muekrat lining, $70; Hud« son seal coatee, with belt, $75; stone marten scarf and pair of stone marten cuffs, $65; long sable coat, $1,800; cocoa mat. $12, and small frame, $25. An action was filed June 25, 1W1. against Miss Thomas' estate by tbl executors of the Daniel Neuman W tate for $9,472 alleged due ir fur« niching her apartment. The larg- est item on the list was $1,874 for a bedroom suite. The deceased is also survived W a stepsister, Harriet Van Kirk. eight years old. The engagement of Jack rickford to marry Marilyn Miller appearing in "Sally" has been announced. Mia* Miller is the widow of Frank Car- ter, who was killed in an autorno* bile accident May 9, 1920. Carter died intestate leaving (excluding $25,000 in life insurance, payable to his widow and mother) an estate of $14,163.73, out o" which, accord- ing to an accounting tiled in th * Surrogate's Court, Miss iMiller re- ceived $5,894.95. ••■ » »pt»mber. Hiish has managed the I'avlo** tours for a number of season* *"* season the Russian dnnc< star'*' 1 tour the Orient