Variety (July 1922)

■" TDITORIALS ^AniETY Trad* Mark R«fflater»d rablUhed Weekly by VABIETT. Ine. Slme Sllvermatt. President 114 West 4Sth Street New York City SUBSCRIPTION: Annual IT I Porel»n........ .$1 Single Coplee tO CenU VOL. LXVIL ^mj^ypp^tC No. 7 Nellie Revel! was nominated for one of the 12 greatest American women in a letter sent the New York "Times" by E. W. Row of Branchville, N. J. The "Times" tlie Sunday previously had carried sev- eral liats of a dozen each, com- piled ISy different men as their thoices for the 12 greatest. Mr. Kove mentioned that none of the women named in the "Times" story Tiad been a mother. One paragraph in his rather lengthy letter read: "Yet my Information regarding Miss Revell's remarkable life his- tory and fight Sgainst distressing odds for a return to health lias been conveyed by the public press, eo I assume her profc-ssional affilia- tloris are not a complete barrier to public consideration of her case. According to what I have read— she was born hn a cir::us car. mar rl^d young and became .'early, support! \\\o daughters w newspapers and as a theatrical press Veprcsentative, and during her long and painful confinement in a hos- ''t>Ital with .<<pine trouble continues to write articles on a pad acro.^s )ier chest while lying rigid on the flat of h^r back—she hns done and ^Is doing wotK which furni.shes r\n 'Ennobling example to humanity and is In every way a ICBltim i*-e nomi- nee, in my humble opinion.' n a c:r::us car. mar- d became a wklow ing and educ^ing while she work^ on Joe Browning, the vaudevillian- author. has brought suit for breach of contract and back royalties due against Howard Langford and Anna Fredericks (Langford and Freder- icks, vaudeville). Browning was to receive $25 weekly for Pome mate- rial he wrote for the act to be used In "The Modiste Shop" skit. The act's defense, through F. E. Gold- smith, is that they were not to pay royalty If the material is unsatis- factory. They used it for a time and paid royalty, but later discon- tinued it, they claim. Else Ryan, who Is .sailing for Europe next Wednesday, will again appear in vaudeville, starting in the fall. She recently purchased the dramatic rights to "The Chap Up- stairs," a Roland Pertwee story that appeared in the "Saturday Evening Post," and will fashion it into a playlet for her own use. Last sea- son Miss Ryan was featured with ber playlet. "Peg for Short." Alan Brooks was playing in Dub- lin last week during the turbulent times In that city. Brook--^ had many narrow escapes. Ho radioed the mention of his experiences to friends in New York, after returning Sunday to London. Gerard Park, Conn., has as sum- mer guests The Geralds. Tlie Ziras, Overholt and Young. Hinkle and May, Baggot and ^Shrldon, Helen Moretti, Bert and Be^ty Ross. Berry and lionnie and Haney and Morgan. Roginald Stewart has been ap- pointed musical director of the Hart House theatre at Toronto (Uni- versity of Toronto). Hf will a.ssist »n pit ducing operas next season. June Mills and William Fnnes havo fi'»iled fnitn IOrii;ian(l for South Africa, to play the African Thealfes hallH. Jos. M. Norcross was SI Jwly r>. He i.H With one pf the ol-l-timci s' acts in vaud.-ville.. THE DANGER OF "DOPES" no^Jn'l'^K^.* "••'' ^"^ "^"^'" °^ '^""K"' without a single theatrical con- nection believes more victims may be found among the «how people tr.an other classes or professions, may be explained by saying that pro- fessionals are more easy of approach. It is high time, however, that the people of the stage and screen steer clear of the "dopes." For. sooner or later, these drug addicts that also secure a drug supply sufficient to sell from, will lead their associates into trouble as they always have In the past. It IS true anywhere, but !« mostly known amon^ show people as preva- lent on the coast and in the east. The drug users and sellers, whether working alone or in pairs, ingratiate themselves into the friendiv circles of professionals, pursue their investigations with much discretion and finally find an outlet for their smuggled drugs. This outlet is often in- creased through the drug traffickers obtaining new "cu.stomer.s." The additions are made to the circle by entreaty and promises of "good times." Slowly but surely follows the faet»»ning of the habit upon an innocent, lured on by the leeches to extend their nefarious "business" operation.s. Another reason why the dopes try to lure the show peoi.le is the im- pression abroad ttat the show people won't tell. The drug sellers think they may more safely traffic with them. There is also a commercial reason for soliciting new victims. Sellers of drugs obtain more profit from beginners. They have no other place to go, are afraid to go else- where and cling to the original source of supply until case-hardened or wised up by the older users. The older habits know what drugs are worth, several places where they may be purchased, and will play no favorites. Until the people of the st.ige or screen will cast off these parasites, refus^e them admi.'?iion into their homes or to their acquaintance, it may be expected that every now and then the drug sellers will cause trouble. The sellers are usually charged up all of the time, they quarrel over the profit when working in pairs (such as the woman iiser who sells to the women and the man user who sells to the men) fighting; over the i'plit of thp prof.t, one arousing the other of holding out, for these devis have little u.^e for each other excepting to gouge one another out of money or drug«. .' : '■ said Miss Budd played the remaining four days of the ent^agement with- out an accomiKinist, and when returning for the special bill, had Biily GMCrith aC the piano. One version of how the engagem<'nt was broken Is that Norman startf»d to tell Miss Budd how to operate Iwr act next «oasf»n. Mi.^s Budd replied she had been in vaudeville long enough to understand her act; in fact, she was there before Norman came to that field, and tiiat wh»u they were married, each should run their act to suit themselves withotit interference from the other. Norman is .said to have walkeil away .»t this, but within five minutes phoned his fiancee to Inform her he had decided they would be unable toget along together and they had bett(»r call off the engagement. Norman was required to give a bond in the bread, of promlfie suit through being a non-resident of N»»w York. Tl.3 Budd-Norman wedding engagement started with Its announcement a great deal of talk among vaudevillians. with each of the parties having their partisans. At one time, when it was report«^d tbt» moihors of earh of the young people had influenced th«'ir children toward the broken engagement. Mrs. I^udd vehemently denied it, and was substantiated by her daughter. Mrs. Budd said she ha«l looked after her tiaughtor on and off the stage for 17 year«. but when she became engaged was only too glnd to know that Ruth would have a man she loved to thereafter look out for luT. Mrs. Itudd said the labor of a woman combatting all «tap[e troubles for that length of time, wl\ile promoting her daug' •**»* as a theatrical attraction, entitled her to a rest she gladly foresaw when Ruth became engaged. Norman's mother, as far as known, made no public statement concerning her alleged connection. Miyfi Budd is a very good looking pleasant young girl and a female gymnast who haa worked herself up among the leaders in her stage classification. The remains of William Rock were removed last week from Philadel- phia, where he died in a hospital while undergoing an operation for can- cer of the stomach, to Bowling Green. Ky., his native city. Mrs. Rock (Helen Ebey) is said to have tried to dissuade her husband from accept- ing the Philadelphia vaudeville engagement, pleading with him to taku a rest. Roch insisted. It Is reported the decetised had about 160.000 iii life ini^urance, which will go to the widow and a sister of the deceaAeid. A boat tipping over last Thursday afternoon at the wharf landing on Lake Nipumuc, near Milford. Mass., •threw the four occupants into the ■ water. They were Mrs. Uo.ie New- -man. mother of Mrs. Al Dow, also In the boat, as were her father-in- law, Hyman Kerner. and Miss Shir- ley of Shirley and Sherwood (vaudeville). Mrs. Dow was the only swimmer of the party. After aiding the others to the landing she recovered the boat, which had drifted into the lake. The watej; was 15 feet deep wliere the acci- dent occurred. The federal authorities seem intent on detecting drug smuggling, but all the doives .^jay it keeps right on. In large quantity and in simple man- | ner. Two complaint.^ are reported lately lodged against a couf)le of dope sellers and users in the east without attention paid to either from the surface facts. Each of the complainants was a wife who charged the dope .«eller.v with'b ad!ng h^r husbftnd into the habit.. Plushaiids have also complained it i.s said, against the woman of the pair, staling their wivfs became addicted ^ druys tiuough the efforts of the couple. r- This couple .are said to have brought $65,000 worth of smuggl:>d drugs into this Qjiuitiy when last returning here from one of their "Oriental" trips. The woman especially was the principal smuggler. She is .said to have had the drugs hidden in toy balloons in her hair, in toilet articles and bottles, but brought the most m through cutting out the center of Looks, scaling ui) the outside page«. leaving a few loose pages on top and boticm. and filling in th*» center with the drugs. With opium, heroin and cocaine selling at from $600 to $1,000 a pound. It does not require an immen.se quantity to reach $65,000. Smuggling doesn't appear to be, so dinicult when a couple of dopes can do it regularly and boast abou it after getting home. How town or county oflllclals fail to hear abou them .seems peculilar. One of the Shubert vaudeville unit producers who split his fran'^hiso with a burlesque producer, may not go through with the unit show. It is said other Shubert producers are negotiating with him to take over the franchi.se. The original holder Is reported to have accepted It without Intent to personally produce. He caHed-in th«i""btirl<»sfi»»eman,- told him the franchi«e could go three ways, the holder reserving one- third for himself without Investment or attention, the producer to have one-third for putting on the show, and the financial man the burle.Mque producer was to secure to back the venture, the other one-third. It didn't work out as easily as it was laid out. Jack Clifford's camp in the Adirondacks is to be made Into a health resort. Dr. Harry F>rnfl. the chiropractic, is to be Interostrd with Clifford In the venture. The camp is situated on the shore of the farthest north, of the state's lakes. A sandy, beach makes bathing attractive. The property, which Clifford has owned for the last 22 years, in thickly wooded, there being 2,000.000 feet of lumber on the land. The carnp house cost $60,000 to build. A veranda completely circles the house and measures 11 laps to the mile. 1" V. Drug caters can't di.-gui.se themselves. They become known quickly becau.se they have the habit. Let them ply their trade elsewhere. Keep them away from show ijcople. and then show people may reasonably be assured that their little harmle.-^s friendly gatherings won't become .sub- ject to newai>aper notoriety through these damnable dopes. INSIDE STUFF TOMMY'S TATTLES By THOMAS J. GRAY Open air show business in the cast is now on Its way to a bankrupl'ii grave. Can't blame It on prohibition. Just the opposite. Country is too "wet." It has its bright side. They don't have to worry about water for \\\f\ 'Old Mill." Most parts of every amusomont park look liko the "Old Mill" most of thf- time. I ON VAUDEVILLE While it Is reported the Keith ofllce has received more returned con- tracts for acts for next season within the past week than previously, the acts signing are those not asked to cut salary. Meantime the Orpheum circuit, it is said, has been .securing a large quantity of acts for next season, offering the acts for the western travel what they re- ceived last season on the eastern big tirtie. The Shubert vaudeville unit producers have also been signing acts to a considerable extent in view of what they need, figuring 30 or 35 shows calling for about five acta each. For the feature turns some of the Shubert producers seem quite liberal, from the stories, of what acts are receiving by them. In each instance it has been more than the Hg time offered. The asking price by acts from the Shubert producers and the regular big time is different, the Shubert producer receiving a tilt in salary quotation by the act. The engagement of the Courtney Sisters (Fay and Florence) for the Davidow & LeMaire-Geo. Jessel Shubert unit brings about a curious eltuation. incited, it is .said, by young Mr. Je.ssel. He was lately divorced by Florence Courtney, after a : cries of conferences and meetings. Jessel wanted to be agreeable to his wife and when she Insisted upon a divorce he—asi^nted. Mrs. Jessel appeared to mo.st scrlou.«?ly object to her husbandSibseriling himself at the club too frequently. Jessel said it was hi»-^laxatlon, but that didn't get over. The engagement of the CdtTrtneys (with jazz band at $1,600 a week) with the Jessel show is reported to have been made upon Jessel's recommendation. In the unit show Fay Courtney, the older and larger sister, will appear in blackface, the fir.st time Fay has con.sented to u.so cork. Two more weeks of the same kind of weather and It will not bo nece.'-sary for any mayor to b^r an outdoor show. They will be all in. Paddle wheel men are thinking of giving umbrellas and rain coats away for prizes. Then again anyone who hasn't both would never thinlc of starting for the park. Ja.pano«o ball rolling games arc now using Iron balls. Wooden V\\\\.\ float too easily. Ferris whopls are being fitted up with life preservers and .sets of o im. Lifeboats will take the place of fire pails. Scenic railway cars are to be equipped with wireless outfits. In c.ise the cars float away they will be able to keep in touch with them. Fortune tellers and palm readers are hit hardest of all. The ruin washes away all their props. Thf*re Is a big demand for seal acts to play on the outdoor «t«ge. Park owners are telling their orchestras to play only one song, "Asleep In the Deep." "Row, Row, Row" Is second choice. Mo«t popular dance step seems to be the "Dip. Judge T^andls boliovos the basrb.all players should make as many home runs as possible, and he also thinks some ought to run home more. The judge l.s a high-priced lecturer. Tfo's going to play his part rl';ht, no matter what happeiiH. Will Hays Is going to lecture the picture people also. Hope he t»Mls some of those Hollywood boys how funny they look In puttees. Mr. Hays r**alizes that his position, like the picture business, Is idill in its infancy. When every bjusiness and profession has its own i»<'r«onal and private N'cturer, it's g ^»g to do a whole lot toward encouraging .slf^^'p. The Empress, Cincinnati. M d.ir'.c. after trying p.ip vaudevilb-. follow- ing burlesque In season. The Palher Really Corporation, which controls the Harlem O. H. property, together with the Ai»ollo, adjoining on 120lh Ktreet. in under- stood to have driven a bard d-al with the Shuberts before they would sign on the dotted line making the Harlem O. H. one of the stands for Shubert vaudeville the coming .'^cason. The unit .shows will play the house on a percentage, but the owners will not kave a franchise on the wheil for a show. M »x Spicg'-I. who negotiated the deal for the AlfiJiated Theatres Corporation, may have the franchise which would have been allotted to the house. Bryan Foy's suit af^tin.s (Jallagher and Sliean over the "Mister" .son : will not be settled out of court, nor have Foy's attorneys heard anything about it. tl.'-y s.iy. The argument on the injunction was seh'Minh.d f(.r he.iring before Judge .Mayer \\\ the Federal District Court yestorday (Thuisday). It is reported Jack .Mills. Inc. the publisher of '.Mr Oal- l.igher and Mr. Shean." is at)out to is.-^ti". or ha.s issund, a new edition of the .-.orig on which i:ry,an l"oy , name i.s rn-tUioned as co-author. Tl.e $;'•<►,000 hieieh of proniiso suit Inouglit list Week by I'.iMi Hidd ;!gain.«>l K.iryl .Normm <'The Cf^ole Fa.^hion I»la»e") cause'l an I'eni from r.altimore anent (he broken engagement of the "couple. i:otli .ire in vaudevdie aMd b>«th were it the .Maryl.md. I'.ilnmore. a f»-.v we-k^^igr, (Misci nud«l returning therejor the sp>-(i:il ie(|ieH t bill later), y^"'" . (lre..snig rooms lao<Mi each oihcrr Wh.-n they^irsT met. a.-i .Misi In Id emerged from her room, an argument en.,ued. It is sai I I.e. .M.nlon, Miss :Judd s pianist, liided with Norman during the argument, ii la al«o V Wli..f.i .rll t!:e .^lijotin' for? U.-e . l.ft'.- more blarney, boys. To show how gentle show businesc^ around New York Is becoming, tlp-re ha^iiit l)'»en a woman sawed In half around here for at least a eo'i;»'.e of wek.s. It's funny lio-.v poji-il ir .ome indoor sportj* become. Trivwlr returning from the .south says \hc colored poi>uI.ition in most of fb :se "b«»low th" M asoo -1 >ixc n line" states a'l bani( around the rad- io id stations waiting for managet>, t* tak" (tiem 'o Nf^w York with sMtii" aII -'•(>|()rfd vlif)w. Ifrv rrtTTTn.*^ tt mr - f or so me o rw* fo-wHI .sotTg-ft»r IiH.tnd;