Variety (November 1922)

M LEGITIMATE Friday, Wovembcr 17, I919 INSIDE STUFF ON LEGIT Th« three-cornered dispute over the musical producing rights to •XSood Gracious Annabelle," written by Clare Kummer, is still unsettled. Miss Kummer wrote the original comedy, adapted it for musical usage, Inserted new dialog and comiX)Sed the score. Flo Zlcgfeld purchased th« musical rights from the authoress over a year ago, paying $2,000 in advance. The contract provided the piece be produced within six months following the signing of the agreement. Ziogfeld was notlflod the time limit had expired. Last summer Brock Pemberton purchased the musical rights for "Annabelle" and also paid Miss Kummer advance royalty. That resulted in Ziegfeld making claim for the rights under a technicality. He declared the play in total had never been delivered to him. the score not accompanying the script. Miss Kummer stated th* scor* waa in the safe of Harms, Inc., which publi^her Ziegfeld suggested. Arthur Hopkins then inserted a claim on the ground that he produced "Annabelle" originally and waa entitled to consideration, in instances of a play being adapted to musical purposes it has been the custom for the original producer to receive 1 per cent, of the gross, which is split with the original author, In which case *Hopkins would receive a half of 1 par cant, of the gross. Augustus Thomaa ia attempt- ing to straighten out the tangle. . Carl Welzell»aum, a Oerman conductor, brought up in Vienaa. Is now leadtnir tho orchestra for "The Yankee Princess" at the Knickerbocker, New York. Ho rotumed last week from Berlin. The operetta is run- ning thoro and in Vienna, known abroad as *'Die Bajadere." WeixcV- baum attended four performances in Berlin and reports it waa neces- •ary to purchase tickets from speculators. The Greenwich Village theatre is reported getting about |2.000 weekly with **A Fantastlo Fricassee." a Yillage revue, and the attraction ia believed taking a weekly losa Both show and house are under the direction of Marguerite Abbott Barker, who intends an annual revue for tho village houso. The advertisements still carry the legend that George Jean Nathan ''financed it," and the episode of the 60-cent piece lost at tho Brevoort and mentioned in the critic's revue as having been picked up and' diverted to pay for the production of "Fricassee" Is the opening bit of the show. » The putting up in lights of Walter Woolfs name together with Wllda Bennett's In conjunction with the 'Xady in Ermine" at the Ambas-^ador. New York, clinches the premise that the young male lead in being groomed by tho Shuberta for stellar honors. Woolf is proving an undenU able draw with the women at the Ambassador, although Miss Bennett, while perfectly satisfying, lacks the "name" draw of Eleanor Painter, her precodeaaor in the role. Miss Painter walked out of the cast during rohearsala. dissatisfied with the last act, which she wanted rewritten. VVoolTs riaa la surprising his immediate associates in its meteoric progresa, at the same time not affecting his personal deportment. Four years ago Woolf came east unknown and unheralded from Utah and from a "bit** In the 1919 "Passing Show" attracted attention in ''Floro- dora." ''Tho Laat WalU" and this production. How "Tho LAst Warning," the surprise mystery meller hit at the Kiaw, New York, really came Into existence has not yet been recounted, despite the numerous stories of how the "two M<kes"—Mindlin and Qoldroyer—tho youthful ontrepeneurs. put the piece over for a k. o. It really happened last winter when Mary Forrest,-a play broker, con- ceived the idea that Wadsworth Camp's "House of Fear" serial, which ran in a weekly publication several years ago (the periodical is now defunct), would make a good play. Her convictions were strong, even to the extent of calling in Thomas J. Fallon to do the dramatization after she had secured Camp's permission for the attempt. Despite tho fact Fallon was a newcomer as a dramatist, he hand'.cd the subject well, althouprh she had no alternative, since an established stagecraft would havo demanded an advance royalty for the commission. By chance a youniT playwright. Milt Hagen, who has written a play In collaboration with Frank Bacon ("Llghtnjn' "), acquired a two weeks* option in the hope he might secure backing, being close to the Guggenheims. Hagon'a option expired and Mindlin & Goldreyer puUed the trick successfully thereafter, after cutting in about a score of backer.''. Mias Forrest is now- getting 10 per cent, of Fallon's royaltie.s for her efforts. This sounds like a music publisher's blurb, but Is vouched for as actually occurring. Al Jolson at the Apollo, Chicago, where "Bombo" is holding forth, held the curtain at the conclusion of the performance one night last week and announced that although the show proper was •ver, he would hold a rehe.trsal of a new song, and welcomed all those who wished to remain. Working with the orchestra, Jolson rehearsed •Who Cares?" This was more than Jack Yellen, one of the song's writers, expected. He went to Chicago expressly to rehearse Jolson. Following the record business played to by the Yorkville (New York) stock last week, which presented "The Faithful Heart" with Flora Shef- fleM In the cast. Miss Sheffield is proposed as a traveling stock star and it is planned she appear with each stock desiring the play. The drama by Monckton Hoffe closed at the Maxlne Elliott two weeks ago and was turned over to the Yorkville stock. Business last week was over 17,500, which more than doubled the gross the show was able to pull on Broadway. "The Faithful Heart" has not been released for stock generally, but several cities have asked for it and hut ^ requested Miss Sheffield for the engagement. That opened up the field to use the 5'oung actress for stock-star work. She was accorded corking notices for her work by the metropolitan critics, as was the play. Miss Sheffield Is under contract for two years with Max Marcln, who produced it with Frederick Stanhope. Jules Hurtig is also interested and is handling Miss Sheffield and the stock bookings. The attraction is said to have lost about $10,000 during the several weeks it ran, and that sum will probably be recovered from the stock revenue. "The Faithful H«^art" is considered to have no value for pictures, as its story is molded around an illegitimate child. Tho Irish societies In New York carried thejr point In protest against certain combinations of colors on display in "Sally, Irene and Mary" at the Casino, Now York. One of the principals wore a costume that had a red waist with a green skirt. The plaint against this was tho red abovo tho green, while a chorister was discovered wearing a green skirt with a yellow shade in it. The protest was a strong one and the show's management made the requested changes. Eddie Dowling wrote the piece and plays in it No ono in the show had noticed the color combinations before their attentii-n was drawn toward them. ': li.it deer hunting expedition of ti( kct men who wont to Bill McBridt-'s cajiip in the Adirondacks came off as scheduled last week. It was prac- tically the same crowd that bored into the waters off Bayshure last summer and landed a catch of dogfish. There were all kinds of claims about the number of deer bagged, but none in the party was keen about venison this week. Ix)uia Cohn was offered the job of gun-bearer, but turned It. Ho also refused to walk ahead of anyone in the party who had a gun. Liouie got one break. He borrowed Joe Pyle's rifle and tried his luck at a target. Funny thing about it was that he hit It. That saved Lou from a lot o£ "birds." "Abie's Irish Ro.se" pulled a laugh publicity sttint .this week. Little boxes containing "Jews' Harps" were mailed to newspaper men. Some of tho latter didn't know whtit they were, and nobody could play the thinifs. ■.■'■''■''. The metropolitan premiere of "Utile Nellie Kelly." at the Liberty. New York, Monday ovcning. was electric in enthusiasm from players to auditors. Tho opontnc w«« annonncod for a prompt %J.% owrtala, bat thougli tho orchoatim waa la tbo pit on tlmo, it was t.it whos Cluuilo Qobeat onterod with hla baton. Gebest and Maurico da Packh workad o«t tho orohostratlons, and Charllo did got a hand. That was from Gooitrio Cohan. Jr., who was seated In a staffs box with his grandmother and her party. The kid's hand-clapping tickled tho house, and tho Show got off to a laugh before tho band struck up. At tho finals thsrs was such cordial response from the audlonco that George M. Cohan walked on from the wings and very simply expressed his thanks. He never would have appeared had he not felt the first-nighters had received his own "song and dance show" as a smashing success. There was a shower of bouquets from the stage boxes when Cohan appeared. STOCKS Arthur Hopkins' presentation of John Barrymoro in "Hamlet." which was to have opened at the Sam H. Harris last night, made good the prediction the manager had lifted the Shakespearean work away from tradition. In one way. however, Hopkins has taken the original idea of the playwright, for two of the feminine roles are being played by men. Norman Hearn. a youth, said not to have appeared on tho prt>fessionaI stage before, is in the role of the "Playor-Queen." and Richard Skinner appears as the "Mime-Queen." The suggestion that a youth play one of the feminine parts was first made in the columns of the Sunday "Herald" three weeks ago, and caused considerable discussion. It was not known, however, that Hopkins decided to revert to the early English manner of presentation until this week. The role of the Queen is played by Blanche Yurka and the King by Tyrone Power. "Hamlet" is being given in sub- dued llghU. and many of the familiar props to the leading characters are gone. Power enters in hunting attire, not in regal robe and crown, while the First Grave-Digger is minus his pick. In virtually the same way that "The Bat" contended for Broadway and Chicago run honors against "Llghtnin'." the mystery play is cleaning up around the subway circuit. It has been playing two-week engage- ments in the neighborhood houses to the best business of any dramatic attraction for two seasons with the exception of "Llghtnin'," and the show has been booked for another trip around the subway circuit next spring, when it will again play two weeks in each house. At tho Riviera "The Bat" got nearly $27,000 in two weeks. The two weeks' gross at the Montauk was $1,000 better. Last week it made a record at the Bronx opera house by drawing over $14,060. That was only possible by increasing the scale there to %2 top. Other attractions play the Bronx at $1.50 top. Ferris Hartman and Paai dorf aro playlac to big avdls^ZI at their »sw RItoB. Saa Ftaa^ios! formerly Rialto, whero they opsnsd a six months' season some weeks ago. Tho bill last week was "Chimes of Normandy." The company has caught on, apparently, and many of tho patrons of tho old Tivoli of % quarter of a century ago, when Hartman and Steindorf were In ths height of their success aS Saq Francisco favorites, are making the RIvolI a steady weekly habit., A Washington masher came to grief last week when he encountered Eileen Wilson and Ollvo Meehaa, leading woman and ingenue of ths President theatre stock company hi Washington. Stating that It waa her desire to protect other glrli^ Miss Wilson had a warrant swom out for the arrest of Walter Lang- street, the masher In question, whMi resulted in his arrest. ^'^h% tw« ladies were approached oo^ the cor« ner of New York avenue and 14th street and when they would pay no attention to tho advances made hf the man he used profane language^ they said. Miss Wilson claims sha is going to make an example of him. If a press story It was beautifully handled, as the two local evening papers gave it a front page display. There's a story of how a sidewalk ticket spec secured a number of pairs of tickets of the invitation performance Ethel Barrymore, In "Rose Bernd," gave Sunday night at the Longacre. This was a complimentary performance for professionals in the metropolis who themselves are occu- pied in their own productions, thus prohibiting theatre-going. The side- walk spec, however, is said to have disposed of the free ducats to curious- laymen who wished to mingle with the professionals. Be!asco-Warfield's "Merchant of Venice" did not play Wilmington Del., but gave its first performance Tuesday at Ford's. Baltimore. Both the daughters of William Bradley of the Bradley producUon studios, also department head of the Hudson stage crew, are aimed for professional careers. Louise Bradley, the youngest girl, debuted in stock this week, having a role in "Lilies of the Field," which Is the current attraction of the Alhambra Players in Brooklyn. Beatrice Bradley an elder daughter, opened with a show at Atlantic City In the summer.' One of the cleanest of the carnivals recently sent a representative to an up-state New York town to arrange bookings. This show had. been writing its own ticket there for several seasons. The representa- Uve was Informed a local ordinance prohibiting carnivals had been passed since Jast season. Inquiring further he waa Informed the town had been aniious to play one of the largest of the circuses and had ma(>o overtures toward securing the circus as a local attraction. The agent for the circus when interviewed by the town ofllclals said that the circus could not play a town that had been making a practice of booking carnivals. The agent suggested that in tho event that a local ordinance prohibiting carnivals was passed, the circus would accept the date. This was done, and a free lot. free parade permit, free water and other concessions granted the big top outfit. "LISTENING IN" COMES IN Pittsburgh, Nov. 15. "Listening In." a comedy-drama, closed here Saturday, after having been on the road three weeks. The piece is to be recast before making a .second attempt. Showmen connected with the Stanley Theatre Company of Amer- ica, Philadelphia, were the pro- ducers. NEW PRODtJCERS The Harry Delf show. "Moon- beams." will be jointly produced by Mr. Delf and Lew Cantor, new- comers to the Broadway producing ranks. Delf has staged sevcial vaudeville productions, ahso api>eared as a sin- gle turn in the twice daily. Mr. Cantor has been mostly a pro- ducer of tabloids ft>r the small-time vaudeville circuits. LEGIT ITEMS "The Little Kangaroo," which Ned Wayburn is staging for Oliver Mo- rosco, is due on Broadway the mid- dle of December. James T. Powers is starred. Aline McGlll has been added to the cast. "PETEE WESTON" DUE EAST San Francisco, Nov. 15. Thomas Wilkes will produce "Peter We.ston" at the Alcazar next week. This show was formerly called "The Whirlpool" and will have Frank Kecnan in the leading role, supported by the Alcaiar stock players. The show is .sched- uled to go to New York direct. JOLSON STICKS Contrary to report "Bt)rnbo," with Al Jol.-^on, will remain at the Gar- r^ck until the flr.st of the year, at least. It was reported the show would leave the first wu-ek in Dtcemljcr. Jolson has been doing around $37,000 wookly at the Apollo. , . ''Thm Ice'* Cancels Chicago Date Chi?aKo, Nov. IR. "Thin Lee," which was to have been at the IMrtyhouro this wook, was abruptly cxn'M-lled. Nov. 20 "The End of tho World" comes to the Michigan avenue theatre. . Alfred A. Aarons is in charge of tho Gaiety in addition to bis post as general manager for A. L. Erlanger. Aarons took care of the remodeling of the Gaiety during the swnmsr and when the season opened re- placed Charles Burnham as the house manager. The latter has re- tired to his farm in Connecticut Harry Levey, formerly treasurer of the Astor, Is now in charge of the box ofilce of the Bayes. New York. Harry Wilner Is houso man- ager. The entire company and produc- tion of "A Fantastic Fricasseo," which has been running at the Greenwich Village theatre asd is in ltd tenth week, will Journey to Sing Sing next Sunday to play for the Mutual Welfare League. Sadie Burt has been eng.aged for the new Jack Lait musical comedy farce, with its first title "Genevieve," removed. Edwin Parker of Chicago claimed the title for a production Charles Purceli was slated to head, and to be produced In Chicago. The Lait show is to go Into rehearsal next week, opening Xma.s day out- side New York. COAST'S 'NOW AND THEN" San Franf-i.sco. Nov. 16. Kolb and Dill, with their Aaron Ilofrnian comedy "Now and Then," arc r»'heaj-Hlng for tho opening at Grant's I'aaa Nov. 27. Thoy will then play northward Into Seattle for the initial big city stand. The cast iruhidcs May Cloy, Julia Blanc, John Foe. Frank Wallace, Alwyn Lewis. Wilbur CuHhman. Frank Hill in company manager and Tom Hodgeman is head. "Remnant," a story of life In Parts In 1840, by Dario Nlcode and Michael Morton, was the Drama Players offering at the Empress, Kansas City, last week. Theodore Warfleld In the title role had a part which fitted and Arthur Vinton, as Tony was also admirably cast. The pleoa under the direction of Wm. L. Mack was well staged and the entire pro- duction much above the average stock offerings. Those in the cast, in addition to the two principals^ were Alice Mason. E. Garfield Kast, Joseph Stanhope, Mary Hill, Robert Bayley and E^arl Jamison. This week "The Broken Wing." Business Is holding up and the members of the company are securing a follow- ing. ■ ( -■ ; V '^ ■ The Francis Sayles Players hava opened an indefinite engagement at the Opera house. New Castle. Pa* Sayles was with the Pauline Mao< Lean Players. The Associated Stock Players, Ltd.. are In their thirteenth week at the Empress. Vancouver, B. C. C!ara Joel has retired from th* Proctor Players at Harmanus Bleecker Hall. Albany, N. Y. The American Theatre Players of Spokane have done the record stoelc business of the city since opening seven weeks ago. Sarah Truax (Albert) returned to the stage and the company in a special engage- ment and business immediately took on a spurt. James O. Edwards has Joind the stock, renli^cing Edward Elwald. Walter Davis and Jane Drawell have returned to the Woodward Players at the Majestic. Dotrotit Walter Connolly and Nedda Bar* (Continued on page 39) "BOSE BRIAE" OPENING Atlantic City, Nov. 16. "Roso Briar." a new comedy hf Booth Tarklngton, will bo preseatsA here next week by F. Ziegfeld. Jmt with Billie Burke in the titlo rol^ Allan Dinehart. Mrs. Lydlg Hojti Richis Ling and Florence O'DoaU shawn are in support. Victor Herbert wrote the inciden* tal music for the play. ARKANSAS THEATRE BURNEB New Orleans, Nov. II. The Sac'nger theatre at Pine Bluf^ Ark., burned to the ground Satur- day. The houso had been a losing proposition for the past two years and was just beginning to show a profit. The Saenger will bo rebuilt al once. Rehearsing "Qjve and T iko" Ilurtig & Soamon and Max Mar* cin have a new three-act comedy IA rehearsal by Aaron Hoffman called "Give and Take." The show t» •slated to break in out of town about Dec. 1, reaching Broadway at boU* day time. "Sally" at Chicago Jan. 7 Chicago, Nov. 15. "Sally" comes to tho Colonial Jsn. 7, which announcement iiuta an end to tho speculation as to the date ths show is to be scon in Chicago.