Variety (October 1922)

M>t ■ ^. '^.v.*" w—.--r** ■ , \;u ' ^.'^■•■c«i'; ■;.;;.:;' miT Air. ■ * ■'■• .1, :;j- f»'. LEGITIMATE ''^'*/*^'J*^'^'^^" ' •''''^' i-r*-': " ^%*.-r ■«« Friday, October «), Wot INSIDE STUFF ON LEGIT \ STOCKS ^ Alex WooUcott, In his Initial Sunday (Oct. 15) comment in the New Tork ••Herald." chatted about the field of criticism. He gently booed the reports of the existence of a "ring of critics," mentioning Variety printing the story and the declaration that George M. Cohan spent $50,000 to prove the critics were wrong and he was right about "The Tavern," which made a long run on Broadway last season. "WooUcott's comment | la Interesting but not conclusive as regards Cohan's contention It was necessary for him to enter Into a costly publicity campaign to counter the effects of critical ruck throwing at his plays. He argued It was absurd for Cohan to take the position, because it was not the province of the critic to predict the sirccess or failure financially of a play In light of the many contributing factors, but only to tell of the value dramat- ically of a presentation. The facts remain that both "The Tavern" and Cohan's current offering, "So This Is London I ' were hammered by several critics. The actor-author-producer did spend a young fortune on the former, and kept it in New Tork a season. He started a similar campaign on thtf "London" show, but that recovered more quickly from adverse reviews, and it looks like sane prediction that it too will remain a season on Broadway. Woollcott made no mention of "So This Is London!" having been toaated In certain quarters. • The critic In so many words says the rumors about a *'rlng" Is all bunk. He says the field of reviewers includes persons up to a hoary age. That some grow testy towards each other to the point they don't recognize their fellows at times In tho first night lobbies. That they foregather at other times he readily states, juat as any group of men will, but the chatter is about everything else besides plays, or at least they are men- tioned sparsely. The gatherings, by the way. Include the "little" Satur- day night poker game. That recalls the Joy of several newspapermen who sit in at the draw sessions when they learned Woollcott was getting a boost In salary on the "Herald." Alex is regarded as one of the best "customers" In the game. The more he earns the more he «an l««e. and all the Saturday night regulars are glad he has increased capacity to kick In. Oreta Porter, recently operated on for appendicitis and tonsils, retired as leading woman for the Denham Wilkes players, Denver, leaving for Berkeley, Calif., for a two months' visit with h|r mother. The Den- hum company's new leading woman is Gladys George. Miss George is only 20 years old. Apprehension Is reported from Philadelphia over the ultimate outcome of the new Raymond Hitchcock-Shubert production, "Hitchy Koo," at the Shubert In Philly now, for a hold-over week. The show Is hooked up for about 115.000 a week, with Benny Leonard drawing down $3,000 of that, It Is said, on a 10 weeks' play or pay Shubert contract. The Hitchcock show may go to Baltimore next w^eek. In an effort to whip It In for a Century, New York, showing at $3 or $2.50 top. It probably will bo 41. The show didn't do the business anticipated last w^ek. Leonard Is boxing, having a sparring match with Toung Sullivan.^ He Is also doing a little training routine besides appearing In the finale, where he sings. Leonard has a comedy boxing scene" with Jack Pearl. They say Benny Is all right on the stage, but a line on bis drawing power may not be gotten until he appears in New York. The Roblas Players. Montreal, now have Clairbome Foster as lead, along with Robert W. Craig. Juve- nile, and Jean Tabor, second woman, also new to the company. Carol McMillan, assistant techsxlcal director of Jessie Bonstelle stock company, now playing at the Provi- dence (R. I.) Opera House, has been awarded the first prize of $600 In a play contest recently conducted by the Hollywood Community Theatre In California. The title of her play is "Her Father's Boots." Miss Mc- Millan recently gave up a position at Vassar College to join the Bon- stelle forces. #. Charles H. Rosskam, of Gouver- neur. New York, has Just closed his Chicago stock company at the Mish- ler theatre, Atlanta, after a run of 18 weeks. The stock cwnpany will take to the road, playlifg week stands, with a change of bill daily. "Thre4 Wise Fools," "Up In Mabel's Room." "The Irresistible Flapper." "The Haunted House" and "Smilln* Through" will .comprise the reper- toire. ■ s A new publicity stunt conceived fcy a woman agent has been sold to Sam H. Harris, and the girl is putting it into operation. The entire routine la brief and accomplished over the phone. Working from a list comfortably sure the persoiT to be rung Is married, the agentess calls on the phone: "1b this Mrs. Mllbum?" (Answer, "Yes.") "Congratula- tions!" And when the other end o f the wire expresses amazement or surprise, the concluding line Is: "t*^|r, It's a Boy,' Sam H. Harris Thetftre." The novelty of telephonic plugging may apply to Broadway, though it Is a regular thing with certain classes of sky blue stock "salesmen." who operate by phone entirely In their offices. In fact, the "blue sky" stock people transact selling completely In that fashion. They work the "sucker lists" to the limit and much more successfully than other schemes launched via mail. The use of the mails In the selling of worthless stocks carries with It danger of federal prosecution, but the telephone has not been barred as yet. ■ ^^ . ■.■;:■'•■.■ ■ ■:■/■.:-■.:.... 'l-:/...^ The memlTera of the Equity Players at the 4Sth Stree#ifre said to be playing on a maximum salary of $50 each weekly and one or two per cent of the gross over $6,000. So far. it Is reported none of the members has drawn over the maximum amount. The exception is reported as Jane Cowl, with Miss Cowl deciding she does not want a salary with Equity, altiiough, according to the story, she was on the pay roll with the others for the first two weeks of "Malvaloca." The Equitys no longer beat about the bush in starring Miss Cowl. It waa outwardly done In the Sunday advertisements for the 48th Street play. While the Equity Players selected, and, it was said, had started re- hearsing a tragedy by.Abbie Marchand, to succeed "Malvaloca." this week the announcement was sent out that "Hospitality." by Leon Cunningham, will be the next Ekjudty play. The tragedy Is said to have been a sombre affair, with the players not agreeable to it while rehearsing, /eeling that with the reception accorded "Malvaloca." the Marchand play would be doubly handicapped in following it. M. W. McGee of the Woodward Players. Detroit, has been in New York this week, looking for new people for his stock. The changes will be minor ones. The Woodward Players in St. Louiis laflt week while playing "Smilin' Through" handed each patron when passing out an en- velope containin:? a post-card. On the face of the envelope was a re- quest for the patron, if pleased with the play, to forward the post-card to a friend. The ppst-card stated the writer had greatly enjoyed the piece and suggested the friend see it. It's reportea from St. Louis this week that "Smilin' Through" brought the best gross to date for the Woodwards. BED^E CHATS BT VELLEE KEYELL ♦I ■4 .\ To my way of thinking, the most acutojform of cowardice Is an anonymous letter. It Is my idea of sniping, hitting In the back or beating a handcuffed and shackled crip{>le. If the writer of a recent anonymous letter, who signs herself "A Nurse.** has the courage to send me her address, I shall be glad to reply to her direct. She accuses me of insulting every nurse In the world because I expressed a preference for chorus girls. It was not my Intention to hurt anyone. Nor should I like to be Interpreted as saying or thinking that there are not a great many wonderful nurses In the world, not a few of whom are In this hospital. And I ara very fond of them. The number that visit me. after being changed to other parts of the building or after graduating proves that my friendship ia reciprocated. Last week I printed two articles in the *'B<vening Mail" about the fine nurses in this institution. My remark was not that I valued nurses less, but chorus girls more. And why shouldn't I eulogize chorus girls? They are my people, and r belong to them. The reason that my "Influential friends" don't hlr* chorus girls to take care of me, as she suggests, is because 'nursing la not the avocation of a chorus girl. If it were. I warrant she wouhl da It well. I have never In my years of association with them heard a chorus girl speak unkindly to an old man or woman, or anyone who waa sick or In distress. I regret that I cannot say the same of some nurses I might mention. However, any criticism I may have of nurses is of the individual, and not of the class. » I would not like to have the entire theatrical world judged by a few miscreants, and for that reason I do not want to Indict the whole nursing profession for the shortcomings of some. But the "Indignant nurse" who resented my remarks must concede that I was sportsman enough to sign my name to what I had to say, and that Is more than she Is. The shoe must have pinched her. Any nurse who would write such a letter to a patient disgraces her uniform and her oath, and when she Is afraid to sign her name she confesses her cowardice—- and must cause the spirits of Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell to blush. And what I said about chorus girls two weeks ago still goes—<f only more so. , . Henry Young, treasurer of the Globe, N^w York, has designed a system of steel safes, which have been installed in the box office, giving the theatre what Is believed to be the best protection against the theft or loss of tickets and papers of any house In the country. There are two ticket safes, shallow in construction and provided with a number of special devices. Another safe is for books and data, and is set solidly in the wall. ♦ •.. The clocking System used at the ent^nce of the Wilbur, Bostour went all wrong recently. When "The Bat" opened there, it had been the custom of Percy Sage, the company manager, to aid the ticket taker by opening another door. After the doorman was Instructed to clock all persons entering. Sage discontinued takini; tickets until Jake Rosenthal, the show's agent, volunteered tb clock while Percy collected. Jake started out all right, but forgot himself and started playing with the clock,' with the result that the machine recorded 396 more persons than were in the house. Jake was then advised to stick to agenting. "Abie's Irish Rose," the comedy that Is surprising Broadway by Its run. Is back to a $2.75 top admission. When the show opened at the Fulton, that was the scale; also at the Republic, where it moved late in the summer. During a re(;pnt convention the price was boosted to $3.30, and was continued there for a number of weeks. It was the theory of Julius Harris, the house manager, that the Increased price would arouse curiosity and draw a certain amount of patronage because of that. He contends "Abie's" run has been extended because of the trick. The show's management was responsible for the revision to the former scale. Along Broadway it was figured the attraction was either a dollar top show or a three-dollar affair, but, regardless, It held its own through the summer and is beating out many of the newer productions. The McBrid© ticket agency in inserting a full page advertisement in the "Times" Tuesday created considerable comment along Broadway. The announcement emphasized the agency's inviolate policy of charging no more than 50 cents premium for any attraction, and that that has been the policy since its inception, nearly BO years ago. The McBrldes have been leading up to the page announcement with quarter-page advertise- ments. It is their intention to use about two pages a month.* It is the only 50-cent premium agency to advertise in the dailies, and the brokers state their only object is to increase the volume of business. As yet but one daily has been used. Thomas Wilkes has made several shifts In the personnel of his Alca- zar Steele, San Francisco. Because of requests he has brought back Dudley Ayres as leading man to succeed George Barnes, and also has replaced Fred Durham with Ben Erway. Barnes is going to the Ma- jestic in Los Angeles to be leading man. In making the change Wilkes announced that he 'itended to give his theatre patrons the actors they wanted and would heed requests for changes. ^ • "The Demi-Virgin" broke into the week at Harmanus Bleecker Hall, Albany. N. Y.. of the stock there (Proctor Players), with the stock starting "The Mirage" Tuesday. Two performances were given Mon- day by the "Demi" company, draw- ing $3,248 on the day ($728 at the matinee and $2,520 at night). C_ • The new stock under the direc- tion of Arthur Leslie Smith and Henry Duffy at the Theatre I'resi- dent, Washington, opened Sunday in "East Is West." The company has Eileen Wilson, Mr. Duffy. Guy D'Ennerry, Graham Velsey, Robert Lowe, Duncan Penwarden, Helen Blair, Jane Darwell, Irving Ken- nedy, George Spelvin, George W;ar- ren and Jean Lee. Cecil Owen is director and George Bosel art di- rector and scenic artist. The the- atre Is the old Lyceum, later the Capitol, wherein the American Wheel burlesque attractions were booked. There have been so tnany tragedies among members of the theatrical profession during the past few years. Ehnma Haig. Emma Francis. Betty Rutland, Lillian Lorraine. Dorothy Antel and Mary Moore, all the victims of orthopedic troubles; Molly Fuller, bltud. and Esther Ingham, out In Colorado^ suffering from a breakdown. Emma Haig and Lillian Lorraine have completely recovered. The others are slowly convalescing, excepting Molly Fuller. ■4 It has been hard to visualize these girls ill and helpless-r-girls who were the joy of the theatrical profession: and each with the true spirit of the artist. I hear from them all. They are making a brave fight to get well, accepting gracefully their present roles of Incapacity, proving that.though they are temporarily out of the game they still retain that indomitable courage that brought them from obscurity to success. The next time you don't like your place on the bill, just stop and think of these girls. Perhaps they don't like theirs, either. .5 '■■» Molly Fuller Is very happy In the possession of a watch which belonged to the late Sol Lichtenstein. who also was blind. His widow gave It to Miss Fuller. The watch is most unique in con.Hructlon. A totally blind person can. simply bV pressing a spring, know the exact time, as the releasing of the spring causes the watch to strike, not only the hour but the minute. The Maude Fealy stock in New- ark, N. J., found "All Front and No Back," Mrs. Wallace Irwin's new play, no magnet for business, but succeeded in showing a small profit on the week. Next week they will produce "Welcome Stranger" for the first time in stock. It is under- stood that negotidtions for the Strand are still under way. As matters stand, all depends on the size of her bankroll. Lou English has succeeded Charles Pitt as man- ager. FEATURING lODGIE MILLER Boston. Oct. 18. Midgie Miller remains with "Spice." now at the Boston operr house, and under a new contract that gi^^s Miss' Miller equal fea- turing In .Trll billing with the other featured members of the cast. In the new contract Miss Miller is receiving $350 weekly. This is her first production en- I have missed my movies. Before my eyes became troublesome I saw/ a movie each week. Could lie In bed and enjoy the latest films. I have my own projecting machine. pre!»ented by J. P. Muller and his staff and some more friends. It Is about the size of a suit ease, but will run any picture. All of the motion picture producers have graciously sent their best pictures. And my dear old boss. Nick Schenck. details an operator* Nat Strauss, from Mr. Loew's theatre, to come down and run the moyia for me. Mr. Mitchell, chief operator of the Loew circuit, has been untiring in his efforts to secure the best releases, and any picture I requested was sent. The different exchanges say that N^t Cohen, who acts for Mr. Mitchell in procuring my pictures, is much harder to please about the prints he takes for me than their most fastidious exhibitor Is about his pictures. Young Mr. Strauss gives the same careful attention to the machine, the lamps, the details of putting pn my show, that he would in the booth o^ the finest theatre. Several operators have run down between their own shows to ask me if I w^ould like to have them run off soma certain film which they thought I might like. I saw the fight pictures before they were released in New York. Also saw "Way Down EList." "Dream Street," "The Kid," "The Two Orphans,** Irvin Cobb's "Five Dollar Baby," and all of Marion Davles' new onps. The light walls of my room make a fine screen; no sheet Is required. I can never repay Tom Burnham's many kindnesses, or be out of Nick Schenck's debt for all he is continually doing. And I miss the pictures sadly, and hope to be able to reslime them soon. In the meantime I still have my victrola and my bird. Without them I don't know what I would do. Foremost among the cartoons that contribute toward my enjoyment are the "Winnie Winkle" and "Popular Pests" series in the "Daily News" and the Chicago "Tribune." I mentioned this to Bill Payne, managing edlto^ of the "News." He relayed my message to Brannjer, the artist who orig- inates and draws them. He called on me, and I had.the time of my life when I beheld in him Martin, of the erstwhile vaudeville team of Martin and Fabrlna. How many ©f us thought when he was opening the show in Duluth or Sioux City that in a few years he would be the cartoonist for metropolitan newspapers like the New York "Daily News," the Chi- cago "Tribune" and a large syndicate? You never can tell! Branner pays a very high tribute to George McManu."?, the artist who found him struggling for recognition and helped him to attain it. He tells me that Mrs. Branner, or "Miss Fabrina," as we knew her, has retired from the stage, and that they have a threo-months-old boy. 1 They are telling a good jolie on William Stuart at the N. V. A. Club. Mr. Chesterfield recently apiiroached Mr. Stuart and asked him in no mild termis what he meant by a notation on his desk—"Nellie Revell—a piece of chee.sc." After Mr. Stuart had recovered from a rpsular paroxysn. of laughter, he explained that he had been down to sec mo, and I had said I wanted a piece of cheese for a mousetrap, and that was his memorandum. Last night Mr. and Mrs. Glen Condon brought it down. No one had a knife, so we cut it with the big shears that I use for clipping purpose.^. If the customers at the club don't get any more cheese with their apple pie. they will know that Billic Stuart has made good his promise to send "Nellie Revcll—a piece of cheese." When the story appeared that Mr.^. Babe Rtith had a baby, and that it had been born in b't. Vincent's hospital. 1 asked a nurse what she knew about it. She said it must have come by wireless, because she hadn't ."een anything of it. When I inquired from a house doctor about It, he said the nearest thing he had seen to a stork since he had been here was my canary. gagement. she having gone to tion Is reported the lever through "Spice" from vaudeville. An offer which the new contract was made to appear in a new Goetz produc-with "Spice," ^