Variety (August 1922)

VAUDEVILLE Friday, August 4, 1922 de=a= OGHT '^TATE-LAKT WEEKS PLAYING FOUR TIMES DAILY Question Arises in Chicago If Acts Can Be Induced to Play Over Three Times Daily on Route—Or- pheum Circuit's Junior Booker Trying, 'Tis Said Chicat'u, Aug. 2. Eight of the Orpheum circuit)* Junior theatres in the middle west, 80 far Inid out, are to play the State-Lake policy with a four-time daily performance plan. The inten- tion, it i.« reported, to have the six acts in each house (except Grand, St. LouiP, where there will be nine turns to a bill) play in each of the four performances, whereas the State-Lake policy at the source of its creation, the local State-Lake theatre, calls upon the turns to do but three shows in a four-perform- ance daily program. It l3 said Sam Kahl. who will handle all the Orpheum's bookings from this center, believes he can induce acts to take up the policy of the theatres booked for. It has provoked some discus-^ion among other bookers and agents. Agents will be asked to try to persuade their acts to take the four-a-day route. There seems to be a divided opinion whether acts will consent with the majority leaning toward the idea the xicts* stand will be negative. The eight weeks are composed of the Majestic, Chicago; Falace, Mil- waukee; Main Street, Kansas City; Palace, New Orleans; < J rand and Rialto (2), St. Louis; Des Moines, and Minneapolis. The "State Lake policy" requires nine acts on a bill. Seven of the acts appear at three consecutive performances. Two acts are left out of each "show." Each act does but three shows. The six acts "saved" from the three shows ap- pear in the fourth with one other. This means that one act does four shows a day the others three. The four-a-day policy now bein^^ Installed will require that each act on the bill do four shows a day. The number of acts will be cut down to six, thereby, cutting the cost of the bills, it was stated at the New York office of the Orpheum circuit. ASTORIA NOT SHUBERTS'—YET Although reported as an addition to the Shubcrt vaudeville cireuit for next 8ea.son, the Astoria (Astoria, L. I.) has not been definitely se- cured by the Shuberts. Negotiations have beeil on for some time. The house holds a booking con- tract with Fally Markus, the inde- pendent agent, which terminates May 30, 1923, with Markus receiving R stipulated amount each week for booking the house. The Shubert deal would not affect the Markus contract, which will be carried out regardless of any new booking connection. Mike Glynn, who eontrols the house, has been out of town for several days, with the power to sign the agreement with the Shuberts vested in Markus. This had not been accomplished up to Wednesday. DYCKMAN BACK TO OWNER The Dyckman, 207th street and Sherman avenue in the Tyckman section of New York City, will be returned to John Jernioii (Jacobs Hi Jermon) Jan. 3, 1923. The house has been operated by B. S. Moss, who leased it from Jermon and tried varying policies In It, running from pop vaudeville tc straight pictures. It is a one-floor house and pronounced unsuitable for vaudeville through acoustics and location of the stage. - Jacob* & Jermon are Columbia burlesque wheel producers, but the house will not play Columbia .shows as lumored. SUMMERTIME POIMS CONTINUED BY KEITH'S Some Midwestern Formei Big Timers Reported to Be Held to Pop Policy The three New York City Keith big timers, Alhambra, Colonial and Royal, are due to open about Labor Day. The Colonial and Royal are to start the season as two-a-day stands, although it ia understood that a change of policy is likely for either house if business war- rants. The Alhambra, 126th street and 7th avenue, may start the season as a small time house, taking tl.e for- mer pop bills from the Harlem opera house around the corner, which gees to the Shuberts for their vaudeville units at the expiration of the Keith lease. The Alhambra has been a big time week since its erection. It is a small capacity house which has lately been a "cut" week, the "cut" being necessary to keep the policy big time. Tiie small capacity ""and the reduction in prices which would be installed with the small time policy mean that the house will eventually play stj^aig'ht pictures. The Koith people are credited with having acquired a site on ]25th street for the erection of a new large capacity house in which the big time Keith bills will be played. Several of the Keith middle- Western houses are scheduled to reopen this month. Keith's, Colum- bus, Ohio, big time, will reopen Aug. 28 with the usual big time Keith bills. The Empress, Grand Rapids, another big time Keith stand, reopens Sept. 3. The Colo- nial, Erie, Pa., reopens Sept. 4 with Keith vaudeville three times dally. The policy of Keith's, Dayton, Ohio, which switched to tbree-a- day during the hot fipell, and the 105th Street, Cleveland, which also installed thrice daily vaudeville, mtiy remain unchanged. Arthur Blondell of the Keith office will book the Columbus. Grand Rapids, Erie and Dayton houses as before. KEENEY OUT OF NEWARK Newark, N. J., Aug. 2. "When the Shuberts take over Keeney's Keeney vaudeville will come to^n end as far as Newark is concerned. Keeney did not get the Strand, which will reopen in Sep- tember with pictures. Keeney's vaudeville has beeii a fixture in Newark for years and has been unfailingly profitable. ORPHEUM, JR., HOUSES Davenport, la.. Aug. 2. The Columbia will continue to play split Orpheum, Jr., bills. About five legitimate attractions will be played the coming year. The house was previously reported as going to a legitimate policy .the first half of the week. AT.PV.MAPT.F. AND KEITH'S The Keith interests have entered into negotiations for the renting of the Albemarle, Brooklyn. The house is controlled by the Barr Brothers, who leased it for the past two sea- sons to "William Fox. Fox played pop vaudeville, but later switched to a straight picture policy. The Albemarle la a neighborhood house situated In the FJatbush sec- tion of Brooklyn, but a few bloc>fl fronr Keith's Flatbusb. Evansville, Ind., Aug. 2. The Grand, which p.ayed the Or- pluum, Jr., vaudevkHe bills up to last March,-when it went into stock, wjll continue that policy the coming eeaf^on.. ^';L"Sli!^.2II SHUBERT PERCENTAGE 80-20 BUILDING CODE BOARD •'■■*'r"*** ■ .«»vmjii.imvmj w t.v FOR VAUDEVILLE UNITS Vaudeville, Legit and Film Will Have Voice in Fram- ing Rules Albany, N. Y., Aug. 2. All brancjies of the show busi- ness will be represented in the new committee Just named b> the New York State Department of Labor to propose rules and regulations re- lating to theatres and other places of public assembly, according to the announcement made public today by Henry D. Sayer, State Industrial Commissioner. The committee is to be known as the Advisory Committee on Places of Public Assembly and is created in accordance with chapter 405 of the Laws of 1922. The theatrical interests are repre- sented by: International Theatrical Associa- tion—Harry G. Sommers, manager. Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York—James J. Walker, general counsel. Actors Equity Association—Frank Gillmore. International Alliance of Theatri- cal Stage Employes and Motion Picture Operators—Charles C. Shay, international president. Vaudeville Managers' Protective Association—Pat Casey. State Hotel Men's Association— Elmore C. Green, president, Iroquois hotel, Buffalo. The committee has a membership of 24 in which are represented all interests affected by the new law such as the principal cities of the state, architects, state police, labor, casualty and surety insurance, fire underwriters, iron and steel trades and illuminating enfe.neers. The general committee has al- ready appointed sub-committees which are at work on the formula- tion of the regulat^ons. Sharing Terms Ranging from 50-50 Up—Thretf Houses Only at 50-50—Shows Get Big End o( Gross—Average Weekly Cast of Units, $5,000 1 3-A-DAY ALL OVER INTERSTATE QRCUIT Six Weeks in Southwest Adopts New Policy Generally QUESTION RAISE? Managers Won't Seriously Accept Stags Hands' Demands New Orleans. Aug. 2. Local managers re£u.se to accept seriously the demands of the stage hands and operators for an increase in salary. The managers say the workers forgot to thinit about con- ditions. The musicians are agreeable to signing fox next season at their present scale. CLEVELAND HIP POLICY Chicago, Aug. 2. The "State-Lake Policy" will start at the Cleveland Hippodrome when reopening. Tink Humphrey of the Western Keith office here will have the Hip on his books this season, with Glen Burt doing the booking. The Interstate circuit, with six weeks located in the southwest and booked through the Keith offlce, will switch next season from the two-a-day big-time vaudeville policy it has followed for the last decade to a three-a-day perform- ance plan all over the circuit. The action of the Interstate follows on the announcement last week of the Orpheum circuit of its small-time in the west. Heretofore the Interstate houses have played three-a-day in some of its stands on Saturdays and Sun- days, but the rest of the week a two-a-day schedule existed. Ar- thur Denman is the representative of the Interstate circuit In New York, with booking headquarters in the Keith office. The Interstate towns comprise four full weeks and two weeks of splits—six "^eeks in all. The full week stands are at Fort Worth. Dallas, San Antonio and Houston, all in Texas. The two split^weeks are Wichita, Kan,, and Little Rock, Ark., and Tulsa, Okla., and Okla- homa City, Okla. It is likely that the change from the former big-time to a three-a- day for the Interstate will result in a rearrangement of the bookings for the houses for next season. A number of'*.' g-time acts that have already been booked for the time would have the privilege of can- cellation if not caring to do three- a-day through the Keith contracts holding a clause which permits manager or actor to cancel in the event of a policy change in a house after a booking has been entered into. The Keith people would also have the privilege through the clause In question w cancelling any acts deemed too expensive for houses playing a three-a-day style of show. Aldine, Wrlmington, Sold The Aldine, Wilmington, Del., has been purchased by Topkiss & Ginns, owners of the Queen theatre in the same city. No policy has been announced for the house by the new owners. FOX'S I. I. SPLIT The Lynbrook, a new 3,100-seat house Just erected, will be a Fox vaudeville stand and split with Fox's Jamaica, beginning next month. The house will play six or more acts and the Fox feature pic- tures. Edgar Allen of the Fox office will supply the vaudeville bills. The Lynbrook is about eight miles from the Jamaica. Decatur, 111., Aug. 2. The Empre.«;S, which played Or- pheum, Jr., split week bills up to February, will play pictures and one day of vaudeville the coming season, according to pre.sent plans. ACKERMAN & HARRIS HOUSES BOOKED ONLY FROM COAST No Booking Connection or Personal Representatives Outside San Francisco—Chicago Agents Submit- ting Acts—Split Time May Become Full Weeks The sharing terms agreed upon b^ the Afllliated producers who will operate the Shubert "units' next season and the houses of the vaude^ ville circuit run from 50-50 to 80-20j the house taking the short end. Only three theatres on the circuit are receiving the even split peri centage, the majority operating on a 60-40 arrangement, the house taking the latter. • The large percentage for the pro* ductions in some of the houses were considered necessary on account of the weekly operating expenses ot the units, said to.average close ta $5,000 weekly. On a 50-50 arrange* ment this would necessitate ahous^ doing $10,000 On the week before the producer could break even. The small capacity of several of the houses, with the propo.sed $1 top admsision scale, necessitated the increased percentages. The Central, New York, is in this category, having but 900 seats. The Central, at Broadway and 47tb street, is expected to be one of the exceptions to the general scale, andi will probably start the season at $1.50 top, same as charged by Shu« bcrt vaudeville at the Winter Gar- den last season. The Shubert vaudeville route was slightly altered this week. It was decided to play Utica the first halt and Syracuse the last half, instead of the reverse. A Sunday perform- ance will be given in Syracuse. SCARCE COMEDY ACTS Small Time Cannot Account foi» Sudden Lack of Supply This Week Early in the week the small time booking agencies in New York wer< puzzled; they could not account for the sudden shortage in comedy acts. No explanation came forth. While the demand was not Intense for quantity, the available supply foip the moment did not meet it. I.' »! GEO. C. DAVIS IN HOSPITAI George C. Davis is at the S^a Vie^ Hospital, Staten Island, N. Y. It if a New York city institution. Davit was first sent to the Riverside Hos- pital, North Brother Island, but tM tubercular patients were obliged to leave when the Riverside was giveri over for children. Davis was in vaudeville for many, years 'doing a monolog. His threat- ened illness interfered with engager ments and he became a familiar fig* ure in Times square until a feW weeks ago, when his condition ob- liged him to seek a city sanitarium. Few patients at these institutions have funds, required for smokes, newspapers, stationery and stamps, i Any of Davis' friends desiring to send small amounts in currency should do so through registered let- ter, addressed to him at Sea Vie^ HospiUl, Staten Island, New YorlC City. South Bend, Ind., Aug. 2. A new house recently completed here will be called tlje Orpheum and play the Junior Orpheum bills the coming season. The old Orpheum will run pictures. The new house was rented from the builders by the Orpheum people at a yearly rental of $40,000 and 50 per cent, of the profits. San Francif^co, Aug. ?.. The pre^ent plan of Ackerman '& Harris is to book their own houses from their own office in this city. That is officially announced by Ir- ving Ackwrnan and Sam Harris. There will be no booking connec- tion made nor will they have a per- sonal representative outside thin city either in Chicago or New York. Chicago agents have been and will continue to submit acts for the A. id H. houses, with selections to be n.ude by the firm at this point. The first Ackerman & Harris own bill, following the return of the for- mer .oew coast circuit to them, will open Aug. 6 at Seattle. Bills will then follow into all of the A. & H. theatres as the final Loew booked road show vacates the houses. The A. & H. theatres at Seattle an'' Portland continue as full week stands on the circuit. Some split weeks on the'A. & H. route may be- come full weeks. The A. & H. house at Salt Lake is dropping vaudeville, with the Monte Carter musical stock company of 30 people going in there during September. Ackerman & Harris have faith that they will secure a full supply of material for their houses. Some of this will come from their own pro- duced girl acts, and the firm will also maintain stock people for sketches, besides engaging musical comedy tabloids. HOUSE? OPENING The Davis, Pittsburgh, reopenl Aug. 28 with Keith big time vaude- ville. Opera House, York, Pa., Aug. l^ with Keith-booked vaudeville. The State St., Trenton, reopenl with vaudeville Monday, playing ^ split week policy booked by Harr/ Padden of the Amalgamated. Tb*; State is the first of the Amalga- mated houses closed for the sum' mer to announce an opeiiing dal« The Strand, Bayonne, un<ler management of Nat Smith, retur: to a split week vaudeville P**''*^. commencing Sept. 4, pl''^>''"^_,"»J acts, each half booked by F*''^ Maskus. The house has been piay , Ing pictures during the summer