Variety (October 1922)

1« LEGIXJMATE Friday, October 6, 1922 SHOWS IN N. Y. AND COMMENT Figures estimated and comment point to some attractions being auccessful, while the same gross accredited to others might suggest mediocrity or loss. The variance is explained in the difference in house capacities, with the varying overhead. Also tho size of cast, with consequent difference in necessary gross for profit. Variance in business necessary for musical attraction as against dramatic play is also considered. "Abie's Irish Rose," Rri>ublic i^Olh wc'<>k). lias made moriry sinco oiH'ninK; expt^cted to sti'^k through fall, (iets break in cut raicH by virtue of freak |3 top, with win- dow Kale lively. •*Banco," Uitz (3(1 week). ChanctK of this adaptation from French for moderate run. Draw mostly on lower lloor. First week's grose 15.600. "Better Times," Hippodrome (oth week. Big house got benefit of Jewish holiday Monday, with all houses similarly bonelited. Bank- ers convention also flRured later in week. Business claimed to be fCOOi) *'Blossom Time,** Jolsons (49th week). Moved up from the Am- bassador Monday and will prob- ably remain another three or four weeks. Brady's "The Insect," to be known in London as "And ad Infinitum," named for late In month. "Blossom Time ' got $10,- 500 lant week. *«CapUin Applejack," Cort (4l8t week). Sam H. Harris winning holdover comedy. Showed class by climbing to much better than $10,000 weekly throughout Sep- tember. Last week bit under that mark, takings around $9,700. •'Cat and Canary," National (35th week). Another holdover that has made money right along. Be- ing put on In London next month and one company on tour here. Adcanced somewhat last week when about $8,800 In. "Chauve-Souris," Century Roof (36th week). Nikita Balieff's troupe under MorrisGest's handling has been doing so well, even against new attractions, that present bill could remain indefinitely. New- show going on next Tuesday night. Promises to be more of a production than the preceding two programs and will doubtless again draw Broadway'.^ spotlight and class. Final week's draw re- ported as strong as first. ♦'Daffy Dill," Apollo (7th week). An- other two weeks for Frank Tinney show, which will be sent to road. Business looked' so good at first that show figured to stick to holi- days. Newer musicals probably hurt. $13,000 last week. "One Exciting Night." film, due Oct. 21. "Dolly Jordon," Daly's 63d St (1st week). House debuts as a pro- duction theatre, with e<iuipment up to regulation standard. "Dolly," costume drama, under direction of B. Idcn Payne. Opened Tuesday. ••East of Suez," Eltinge (3d week). New heavy draw drama that ought to keep Woods house pop- ulous for many months, Last week first full week when strong gross of $11,800 credited. "East Side, West Side," Nora Bayes - (8th week). Begt takings since moving from Playhouse, takings nearly $4,500 last week. Show spending freely In extra advertis- ing, with no sign of profit with such outlay. "Evergreen Lady," Punch and Judy (Ist week). David Wallace enters as producer with this new play slated for premiere next week, but moved ahead to Saturday (tomor- row night). "Follies," New Amsterdam (18th week). Broadway's undisputed leader (Hip excepted). Last week variation of about $700. which hardly counts against remarkable gross pace; takings were $36,100. Current week with holiday and conventions should give it capa- city. "Fools Errant," Maxine Elliott (7th week). Accounted smart play, but one which has not been able to build. Weekly business has been slotted under $5,000 for several weeks. Reported going out after next week. "Greenwich Village Follies," Shu- bert (4th week). Better than $27,000 last week. Best pace for "Village Follies" series and for house. Looks set for big business through fall. Scheduled to remain until first of year. "Her Temporary Kusband," Frazee <«th week). TJettIng support of cut rates, with no call in agen- cies. Attractioji liked by class of patrons drawn. "Hunky Dory," Klaw (Dth weeek). Final week for "real imported Scotch" comedy brought over in- tact by Marc Klaw. .Show was accorded fair mention, but could not attract better than mediocre business. There is to be a per- formance Monday night next, houso being sold out to party. House dark after that. "It's a Boy," Sam Harris <2(1 wk). Brokcrn complained Ihl?* hardest ticket nmong buys to dlRpo^!^» of. Management in taking back lialf agency tickets ^;trengtlTfned box olfico by preventing cut rate dump. Late last week bupincss went to $l,li00 on night, and hope now. •'Kempy," Belmont (2l8t week). Bet- ter pace rec^^ntly gives promtse of 3^ "MUSIC BOX REVUE" ALL SET IN BOSTON continuance through fall. T*ast week's busine.'^.s better than $6.(>00 and $1,000 jump indicated for this week. Capacity here between $8,- 000 an<l $9,000. "Kiki," Bela.sco (45th week). New dramas recently brought to Broad- way have not dented great bu.si- nesH of Bclasoo holdover. Call re- mains .strong and box ufllco sale big. $15,000 weekly. **La Tendresse,'* Empire (2d week) RevlewH were mixed and takings immediately following not big. Business on the week, however. was about $12,000, and attraction should draw, its stars, Henry Mil- ler and Ruth Chatterton. counting. "Lady in Ermine," Ambas.«^ador (Ist week). Sh'ibertg produced this operetta which had Eleanor Paint- er in the lead at try-out and now has Wilda Bennett. Attraction is known in London as "The Lady of the Rose.' "Loyalties," Gaiety (2d week). First of Charles Dillingham's properties secured abroad. Authored by Eng- land's Galsworthy, greeted by re- viewers as one of finest of his works and best play of season to date. Opened Wednesday night last week. "Wolly Darling," Liberty (6th week). This musijal show dlsplay.s stead- ily Increasing busipess. La.'-t week • Jump of $1,400. with gross nearly $14,000. Should jump materially from now on If to land for run. "On the Stairs," Playhouse (2d w(?ek). Started mildly, but picked up during week with about $5,000 grossed. Show running more smoothly than at premiere. Noth- ing certain about stay. "Orange Blossoms," Fulton (3d week). Second week beat first's gross; takings last week about $19,000. House can do over $22,- 000 on week. Matinees little off. but bettered by lower scale for afternoons. Night trade capacity. "Partners Again," Selwyn (23d week). Solwyn's comedy wonder will continue until middle of No- vember. Going to Chicago. Prom- ise of continuation through fall somewhat disappointing, but show still making money. Last week about $11,500. "Passing Show of 1922," Wint.r (har- den (3(1 week). Revision of ad- mission scale, with top price now $3.50 ought to give attraction some advantage In battle of business among high priced mu«:icals. Busi- ness fairly good; under normal Garden pace for early in run. '^Revue Russe," Booth (1st week). Imported from Paris by Shuberts. Russian specialty company. Scaled at $550 top. adapting "Chauve- Souris" price Idea. Premiere Thursday. "Rose Bernd," Longacre (2d week). Arthur Hopkins' production with Ethel Barrymore starring off to strong start. No matinee first W'ednesday, but nearly $13,300 drawn in six performances. $3 top. Can get $19,000 at scale on week. "Sally, Irene and Mary," Casino (5th week). Still tops $2.50 musical shows, but went off again last week, when little undor $16,500 grossed. Combination title doubt- less figured in exceptional busi- ness at start, but attraction should settle for run. San Carlo Opera, Century (3d week). Corking business from start. First week's taking better than $29,000, with about same draw last week. Another week to go. House will later get "Hltchy-Koo." "Scandals," Globe (6th week). White show has not been clo.se to ca- pacity since opening week or two. Stuff enough to command smart business. Last week takings nearly $21,000. "Shore Leave," Lyceum (9t!i week). Satisfactory draw right along, and although not smash counts with new season's successes. Over $11,- 000 last week. "So This Is London," Hudson (6th week). George Cohan has real winner. Agencies reported it best call of non-musicals last week and It is "In." Takings last wc«>k $16.- 000, with capacity registered nightly. "Spite Corner," Little (2d week). John Guldens latest sn»all-lown comedy drew favorable notices and oupht to connect for a real run. First week's pare around $7,000. House of llmite«i caiiarlty, with about $9,000 pos.sible at $2.50 top. "That Day," Bijou (1st week). Rich- ard H«Mndi»n H fir.st offrriDg of the IH'W h'< if^ nil. 'I'l i< >1 n'j" . .' I .summer ami sl.itcd fc;i j:. ;.;ii..,;. I'lay is one of series promised by Belmont Rcp( rtorv Co. "The Awful Thing," II. nry :Millcr (3d week). Bu.vinesH .'jfconl v.ctk but few liuiulrcd diffcrni <• from first, when around $14,Otto int.ilfd. Lowi-r floor sold out foui- w^« ks' in advance and attraction li'ok.'- "in." "The Endless Chain," Geo. M. Cohan Opened to Capacity with Heavy Advance Sale—Man- tell at Opera House Boston. Oct. 4. The "Music Box Revue" slid gracefully Into the Colonial on Mon- day to take up the work of "Sally," that had Just vacated after a great money-making run, and from the indications at the start the nej^r ar- rival is goinfl to continue the record of the Ziegfeld show. The house was sold out for the opening sev- eral days in advance, but what is more important the house is sold out as far as the floor is concerned for a couple of weeks in advance, and there isn't a chance of a weak spot developing for some time. The show is good for a substan- tial run to big business because of the New York "rep" it carries. The Colonial is the best house in town for it and everything should work to the benefit of the new show. With the above exception the town has the same attractions, and business Is still excellent. In a couple of Instances there are signs of a letdown, but they also are natural. "Tangerine" is said to have broken to about $16,000 weekly gross, a figure which still allows a good profit for the show but which means that it will soon depart from the Shubert to make room for an- other attraction. "Rese of Stam- boul" is booked for tho house. One of the surprises was the busi- ness of Robert Mantell with his Shakespearean rep at the Boston opera house.' The first week the show grossed about $12,500 and this was a surprise, and a gratifying one. The show is making money because of the large attendance of students and is being widely booiSted by the BAD WEEK IN CHICAGO DROPPED GROSSES BADLY Jolson's Show Held to Complete Capacity at $38,000—Some Houses Dropped $4,000 Below Previous Week—Bad Theatre Weather educational Interests. Tho second week should be as good if not bet- ter, as it is the last. "Spice of 1922 ' being due into the house then. So far "The Bat." "Shuffle Along" and "Little Nellie Kelly" have re- tained all the strength of the past and seem to be In better'condition. Estimates for last week: "Music Box Revue" (Colonial. 1st week). Opened to capacity. "Shuffle Along" (Selwyn, 10th week). No sign of weakness despite booking Into Arlingtoft of another colored show. "Oh. Joy," at $1 top. ''Little Nellie Kelly" (Tremont. 10th week). Strong as ever, with gross of about $22,000 last week. Should run well up to end of year. "The Bat" (Wilbur, 5th week). Did bit better than $17,000 last week, which means capacity up and down stairs with house accommo- dating some standees. Could do much bigger gross is house were larger. Still .-clllng eight weeks in advance. "Tangerine" (Shubert, 5th week). Time limited. Business off some last week; reported gross around $16,000. "Thurston" (Plymouth, 3d week). Not pulling very hard. About $6,000 for week. "Oh, Joy" (Arlington, 2d week). Fair business at $1 top first week. Colored show. t PHUlirS BAD SEASON'S START BROUGHT OUT FEW FAVORITES 'Taradise Alley'* in Storehouse—Four Openings Next Week^"Hitchy Koo" Among Them— "Sally" -Is the Lone Hope for Turn in Tide Philadelphia, Oct. 4. With Sally ' at the Forrest this week local managers are hoping for a change in the extended period of bad business which has marked the present season. The slump has shown few favor- ites, and musical shows as well as heavy dramas liave fallen by the wayside. "Orange Blossoms," In its (5th week). Final week, show going to road. Succeeding attrac- tion "Queen of Hearts," with Nora Bayes, next week. "The Exciters," Tlmts Square (2d week). Last week first full eight performance period. Takings bullded with good trade Saturday. Extra advertising helped; gross about $5,000. « "The Gingham Girl," Earl Carroll (6th week). Taken out of cut rates, where small allotment was made for first five weeks. Takings >. between $14,000 and $15,000. Mak- ing nice weekly profit and is well spoken of, with run indicated. "The Monster," 39th Street (9th week). In $6,000 division laft week. Drama which arrived early. Brisk trade may be drawn when weather is cooler. "The Old Soak," Plymouth (7th week). No reason why this one should not stick for season. Its bootlegger angle appears to have struck popular humor. Business last week $13,000; while that is under early September weeks, show started current week with best Monday to date, "The Torch Beerere," Vanderbllt (6th week). Satire hailed as sure winner. Business to date has not been exceptional, but probably Is profitable. Around $8,000. "Thin Ice," Comedy (1st week). Brought In on short notice and added to last week's premieres, first performance last Saturday. Opening moved up to dodge this wMM'k's heavy arrival list. "Whispering Wires," 49th St. (Otii week). One of earliest arrivals. Mystery play that has enjoyed profitable business from start and ought to stick. Last week $8,000. "Why Men Leave Home," Morosco (4th week). Pulled fair business to date. I..ast week takings be- tween $R.000 and $9,000. Extra advertising bought to give sh<»w every advantage*. Has chance to climb into five-figure, division. "Yankee Princess," Knickerbor kcr • Ist week). First off«^rlng f»f sea- son by A. E. Erlangcr. A<fupta- tion r.f foreign work. Originally was to have played Tremont. Bos- ton. i»rior to Broadway, hut suc- ce.^s of "Little .Vrllie Kelly' cau—l i»witch. Oppnrd .Monday. second week at the Garrick; "Spice of 1922," at the Forrest, and the tyvo shows at the Walnut are the only ones that have shown a thing to dale, and even they had no wind- falls. Last week was a repetition of those gone before. Carle Carlton's latest musical comedy. "Paradise Alley,'* slumped so frightfully at the Shubert it was taken off Saturday and put on the shelf, leaving the house dark for a week rather than go on with it. Carlton is reported to have lost about $23,000 on this ven- ture, which, with one exception, wjis panned by the critics. Even at that sur|»ise was shown at the closing of the house at this time of year. To show that it wasn't just a case of a poor show getting deservedly bad business, "Dulcy," highly touted elsewhere, has failed to go across at the Broad, though the flop in this case has not been go pronounced as elsewhere. In fact, for the theatre's usual two weeks' run "Dulcy" would have made mpney, but last week (its third) it failed to break even, and this week Is likely to be worse still. "Pomeroy's Past," the new Clare Kummer play, did not fare so well at the Garrick. Miserable business has marked this play ever since the opening night, and desperate at- tempts have been made by author and producer to bolster it up. Heavy papering failed to help matters, and the gross last week was the poorest this house has had in a long time, "Marjolaine." although enthuslas- (Continued on page 34) Chicago, Oct. 4. The strategy of the local house managers in disposing of their tickets to the scalpers was the only thing which saved the currcni at- tractions last week from swooping under with the Ideal out-door the- atre weather but otherwise de* structive climate for the grosses. * Two shows. Al Jolson In "Bombo" at the Apollo and Ed Wynn's "Per- fect Fool" at the Illinois,* were strong enough to withstand the smashing turn of events which de- veloped with the beginning of the week. These shows are pl-aying to as big a gross as the houses will stand with the present top prices. But the drawing power r,f the two stars are bigger inducements than anything else. At no time during the week was there any spurt in business to war- rant a comeback or a bright outlook for the big days of the week, Wednesday. Friday and Saturday and Sunday nights. There was .^n even pace of slow intak#»« at every box office, while the scalper? were hollering. They cut-ra*e.1 their tickets, but to no avail, and then had employes peddling them in front of most of the shows, an 1 even at as low prices as 50 cents for a $3.30 seat. For the box offices it was a drop down week, while for the scalpers it was a ruinou.=«. slashing, cut-throat. Internal warfare. The passes on the Jolson ami Wynn shows were held to as low an amount as was possible, with the result that Jolson put $38,000 In real money into the mitts of the Shu- berts. The Wynn show Ktood up well in comparison, but even ih^t money-getter had to content Hself with a drop in business, though not very much. In some Instances- the grosses were clipped $4,000 on the week. "Good Morning Dearie." credited with getting a top price of $4.40. lowered the gross to $17,000. $4,000 below its previous week's intake. Even the old standby. "Lightnin*." slipped to $16,000. a drop of $1,000 against an Increase of last week over the week before pf $2,000. "To the I^idies." "Dover Road ' and "The Circle'' were the shows which were able to pick up In business against the drops of the others. It looked as though where the big shows and some of the smaller ones were drop- ping patronage, these attractions benefited to about an equal extent, (Continued on page 34) Won't FRiSCO WISE Pay Top Money for Poor Shows San Francisco, Oct. 4. The west coast theatre-going pub- lic is off of mediocre attraction^ fed to them at advance prices. In spite of the fact that general business conditions are on the boom the pub- lic refuses to part with its money for shows that are only fair. "Be Careful Dearie," which moved Into the Curran for a third week here, will clo.se Saturday. "Nice People* also closes Saturday. "The Lady and the Tramp,'* a coast product; Is doing a whale of a business at $1 top in the tanks. L.A^BETTER Cooler Weather Helps—"Mike An- gelo" at Mason Ix)S Angeles, Oct. 4. Leo Carrillo, in ".Mike Angclo." opened to a i)acl;ed house at the Mason Monday. The star enjoys trfmendou.s popularity lure, for- merly his home. A big two a eeks Is looked f<»r, although the jiiay is far from being a wc<rid-lioatcr. The pkce is scheduled to go to Now York ;>nd open at the Booth! N«'v I'"'. I'eforo that time the \\\i)i'iji < .1 ;, w liJLh is now .qtpear- ing in tho piece, will be surplunte,! hy another cf.nipany to sujiport the ."-tar for Broadway. Cooler weather has ha«l tho ef- fect of inrreai<in?T tho box office re- ceipts Jiere ;.l)out r.O per cent., with the heach rehori.s falling off in pro- portion. • - : f.> .> CINCINNATI SHOWS THIS WEEK Cincinnati. Oct. 4. A Shubert show. "The Hotel Mouse," starring Frances White and Taylor Holmes, opened at the Grand Opera Hou.se, tho local Erlanger theatre, and was accorded unan- imous praise by the critics. The Cox Is dark this week and will reopen next week with "Just Married." featuring Vivian Martin, former movie star, and Lynne Over- man. Jack Reid's "Carnival of l'\in" was pronounced the best unit show at the Shubert theatre. Cox the- atre is dark becau.«o "Anna ChriKtie." .-supposed to play there; will be S( nt into the Graii«i. which has nearly twice the coating ca«*, pacity. »14,000 FOR MITZI IN N. 0. .__ ^.\i\V Orl..iiii.J I >v| 4 Mitzi In "L;idv Kijiy' will play to better than $14,0(10 at tl»e Tulane this week. The .';how lercmblos a llroa^wajr production. It Is one of III*?: fe^t Henry W. S.iVi.^T" ha-* ."«>nt to the n;ad. "f.;uly Billy' J.i hcmkd for the Coast. . , ' V .." > \