Variety (November 1922)

Friday, November 24, 181M legitimate: 11 OF 20 FOREIGN PLAYS ON BmY: 3 BIG HITS; REST MEDIOCRE ■>/■ N J'ear Importations Would Overshadow Native Works Groundless—Maugham's ''Rain'' Leads in De- mand—^Week Sees Drop Broadway's productions of foreigrn origin have featured the fall list, 20 in all in that claaaiflcatlon. At the opening of the season there was considerable conjecture whether the "Invasion" would greatly transgress on the popularity of the native product. A survey of the Imported plays, however, indicates that a dis- tinct majority fall into the groove of mediocrity which is axiomatic of American phows. Three of the foreign plays are among the business leaders on Broadwayr at least one is really of American plajrwrighting. That Is "Rain," the demand leader of the non-musicals. The piece was taken from a short story by W. Somerset Maughm by two Americans and fashioned into a drama after the English author had passed up its and Judy and "Banco" i)^ent Into storage from the Riti last Saturday. This week will be the finale for "On the Btalrs" at Daly's 83d Street, and "Molly Darling" at the Globe. Next week will be the last for "Cat and Canary" at the National which will get "Fashions for Me" Dec. 4. "To Love" will leave the Bijou too next week with "Lristenlng In" succeed- ing. Next week's new presentations will be "The Painted Flapper" at the RitE, "The Bunch and Judy" at the Globe, ''The Bootleggers" at the 39th Street and "Liza" & colored show at Daly's. Two distinct flops are on the card. "Hospitality" the second Equity Players try at the 48th Street could not get 1^000 for the first week. while "Virtue" a drama that came BOSTON ON RECORD AGAINST TICKET SPECS 3K SRC AUGUSTIN DUNCAN TAKES ROLE IN SHOW Playing Opposite Sam Mann in ^'Give and Take"—Late Stage Director Council Refers to Mayor, Who Turns It Over to Corpora- tion Counsel "Give and Take," to open Nov. 30 for Its first performances at' Scran- ton, Pa., will have Augustin Dun- can and Sam Mann in the lea^ng roles of the comedy, with its prin- cipal comedians taking German dialect parts, written by Aaron Hoffman. Mr. Duncan succeeded Sam Sldman in the rehearsals of the play. Mr. Duncan until last week was stage director for thd Equity P»ay- era at the 48th Sti-^ef. He staged "Malvaloca" that ran six weeks to a loss and the Equity's current fiop play, "Hospitality," for which a suc- cessor had been chosen before it ended its first week last Saturday. dramatic possibilitlep. The- other* to the Bayea late last week on the two of the imported dramatic lead- verge of stopping Saturday last and ers are "Loyalties" and "KIki." The will disappear this Saturday. latter is a holdover from last season. and that applies also to "Chauve- Sourls" and "Blossom Time." which pair completes the established suc- censes from abroad still in the going. Of the balance "The Lady in Er- mine" appears one of the best, while "The Yankee Princess" Is doing fair but not big business?. "R. U. R." und "The World We Live In" (in- sect comedy) are novelties with profipects. Foreign plays not clickini; ex- ceptionally to date or at best made a flash showing are "Rose Bemd," "East of Suea," "La ^Tendresse," "Springtime of Youth." The Ro- mantio Age.'* "Six Characters In Search of an Author," "The Love Child." "To Love," "Banco" (which closed Saturday) and "Malvaloca," a distinct failure. "So This Is London" at the Hud- son leads the non-musical Hat with a steady weekly margin, it grossing nearly 116,000 again last week. "Rain" was an overcapacity draw at Elliott, Its first week totaling nearly $14,8000. "Kiki" and "Loy- alties" stand in the order named, the former still doing around $15,000. This Is its 52 week. "The Fool" is one of Broadway's best sellers. For Its fourth week the takings were neaTly $13,500. Monday the busi- ness wan $1,800, just tripling the draw for the opening night a month ago. "Merton of the Movies" was close to $13,000 at the Cort and looks in for a run. "Seventh Heaven" climbed to $10,000 and ought to stick. "TI.e Old Soak" holds to substantial and profitable business, with last week grossing better than $12,200. There was a post-election drop ': along Broadway last week, but the new hits went to big money. "Little ■ Nellie Kelly" lived up to all advance prediction and had a clean-out trade by Thursday for a first week's gross of nearly $21,000. The demand for the Cohan musical piece is on a par ' with anything in town, with agencies calling for over their allotments, •'The Music Box Revue" is getting capacity trade for all performances, brokers asking for addition tickets there also. Last week It pressed 129,400. Zlegfeld's "Follies" con- tinues to top the list in actual gross, with $33,000 in last week. The "Greenwich Village Follies" holds on strongly, with n little under $23,000 la.qt week. "Hamlet" which opened Thursday of last week at the Sam H. Harrln drew much attention. John Barry- more was accorded splendid notices and the attraction pulled heavily. No agency aid was sought and the brokers were not aHottcd tickets until Tuoi-day night. The taking.-* for the first three days (four per- formances) was clc..««e to $11,000 and the piece is regarded ns sure of big buslnes.s for a time. The ho.x ofWce -is onn of the llveli«Kt on Broadway and steady buying in advance a fea- ture. • The Comedy Fr.'inrais with Mme. Sorel at the 3»lh Street was a sur- prise money gettrr. For the first week the gross was ')V<r $1C,R00 thr> record for the house. The takinT. were made possible by a $5 top. Th show was on f^r two 'wcck.s n goes on tour after Saturday. The "I9ers" stopped at the Tunc- The be.st business on the subway circuit was drawn by a small stand "Irene" company which got $14,200 at the Broad Street, Newark. "The Bat" in its second week again aroused the Bronx by getting $12,000 at the Oepra house. "The Monster" did much better at the Majestic. Brooklyn, than on Broadway, beat- ing $10,000 last week. 'The Hotol Moiiie" drew a little under $9,000 at the Riveria. while "Mister An- tonio," at the <kIontauk, Brooklyn, got about $7,000. Buys and Cuts lncrea«« The list of buys had one attrac- tion added this week while the cut rates mounted with the addition of five new attractions, bringing the (Continued on page 1$) $5,000 TO VACATE Colored Show's Manager Secures 63d Street from Shea Boston. Nov. 22. The Boston City Council has gone on record as saying that something should be done about ticket spec- ulators In this city. They have re- ferred their sentiments to Mayor Curley and he coincides. The city officials find themselves up against it to find a way to stamp out the ticket speculating, which is carried on here in an outlaw fashion. from the sidewalks and from door- ways for the most part. The matter has been referred to the Corporation Counsel. It is probable the present screech against the speculators is not due so much for their activities in re- gard to the theatres as is It to the football games. About this time j _ Sam Harris Protects every year somebody discovers tickets to the Harvard game can be obtained in large quantities from speculators at a high price and makes a yell. "On the Stairs" will be withdrawn from Daly's 63d Street Saturday and the house Monday will aga'n berth a colored show. It is called "Liy-.d," first presented at the I.,afay- ctte under the title of 'Don Bon Buddy, Jr." The principal song number is "Liza." Albert Davis, who is said to con- trol the new colored show, secured Dab's through an arrangement with Joseph Shea, producer of "On the Stairs." Davis is said to have paid Shea $5,000 to end the engagement of the drama thi.s week. Shea stated part of the money had been turned over to him by Davis. "On the Stairs" will lay off next week and is expected to play sub- way time starting Dec. 4. with Chi- cago booked for the holiday*. FOX LEAVINO 44TH DARK William Fox will relinquish the 44th Street at the end of th« week, although he has the house under a rental until Jan. 6. Rent up to that date is said to have been paid in advance. The Fox picture "The Village Blacksmith" is the attraction hav- ing opened several weeks ago. Its business was reported to be under $1,500 weekly of late. The 44th Street will return to the legitimate Jan. 8 when the Moscow Art Theatre will begin an engage- ment. CHICAGO BOOKHTGS^ Chlcajjo, Nov. 22. "Spice of 922," expected at the Great Northern, will come to th'- Studebaker Dec. 3, act:ordfng to re- vised plans, following Harry Lauder at the Michljjan avenue hour»e. "Greenwich Village Folli. i" wli: succeed George Arllss at the Gieal Northern. Oli."? .'^►.intur v\ili brim; ilia revival of "Ait^'ifr Anion =o" to Powers Dec. 11, and Frances Stru r in "Shore Leave" will arrive Dec. 25 "OH, LOOK" OPEJnNG San Fian^i.'ico, Kov. ??. Nat Goldstein's production. "'Oh. '^olc." featuring Harry ]''ox, \h to in in the sninll town.s Nov. I'T nnd 11 come into the Curran here Dec 17., , •'.. r-.' ■ ■■■ V .-, • "VIRTUE" FAILS Lasts Week Longer Than Expected at Bayet The Bayes wiM lose its "Virtue" Saturday. The piece opened last Thursday and was to hav«f st'^pped Saturday Monday night's perform- ance at the roof theatre wan In doubt until t o'clock, an Equity CHI'S (MF SPEC LOSING $5,000$8,000 WEEKLY Business Dull—Premiums Up Harris Protc Cylinder Love" '49ERS" DISAPPOINTS; GOES TO STOREHOUSE representative then stepping In to protect the players in the matter ; she only nets hiUf of what ia cleared ..Chicago. Nov. S2. The ticket agent business became so dull In Chicago last week Mrs. Florence Couthoui. "queen of the scalpers," charged a 60-cent pre- mium on all tickets aold with a view of meeting losses. This gave her a proflt of 76 cents and |1 on each ticket sold. When Mrs. Couthoui raises the box-office price on tickets she gets in some Instances the entire raise, while when she has the price ad* vanced and so printed on the tickets of salaries. That the cast of "Virtue" Is as sured two weeks' salary in part or by this actloiL Business has been off to such an extent in Chicago recently that Mrs. whole worked out curi«»URly. The | Couthoui has been reported to be show management was called on to j dropping from $6,0041 to IS.0OO a put up a bond with E'Viity or post a sum to the amount of $l.:.00. "Virtue" played a we**k in New Enp:!and. The manager nt th«» end of the week explained the necessity of posting the monoy and arlvise-' the players he could not pay sal- aries. As.sured the money had been j deposited with Equity, the cast as reed. 1 office price, but .succeeded in cii When i>ayday rolled around again last Saturday the ghost again failed to walk and it looked like curtains' for the show Monday it d"ve!oi)ed the show had .«>-^ld $1,000 of tickets to the cut rates an<l the house is said to have advanced an additional $.'00 .so that' last wcck'.s salaries could be paid. The rent of the Bayes had been paid in advance and the house agreed to continu- ance, but whether salaries for the third week would be earned was problematic. Businuss was reported at a minimum. "Virtue" was written by a Louis- ville attorney, said to be Everett Moses, also known a-. William Everett. The Hayes was supposed to have been rented for six yrcoxa at $6,000 for the bare walls, but the amount of rent ported was not known. ■__ ■ • week. There is an ordinance In Chicago that a ticket agency cannot do busi- ness d rect with a theatre and charge an advance over the box- but Mrs. Couthoui has Ircumventlng It. The tickets for the "Music Box Revue" are being sold by her agents ) at a 27-cent advance, but before she : could secure them It is said Sam II. ! Harris made her continue her buy on "Six Cylinder Love." which she rontimplated lap.sing. "Banco" Also Curled Up Sat- urday—"Painted Flap- per" Next at RiU Two sudden withdrawals from Broadway to the storehouse were made Saturday when the "4Ser8" stopped at the Punch and Judy, and "Banco" nt the RiU, both houses go- ing dark. The failure of the "49er8" was a disappointment. Amon^ its 14 author-contributors was consid- ered the flower of young American satirists and newspaper columnists. The Attraction got off to a disad- vantage. Its sponsors expected a "break" from the critics invited for the first performance, but the scribes rather savagely reviewed the attempt at a new kind of revue.• The passing of the "4fer8" leaves "Chauve-Souris" again In the field as the only type of entertainment withi a "conferencier" or humorous commentator on the events of the show.. Some excellent playlets and bits were In the "49ers." Ths ad- mission scale at $6 for the first week was a mistake, but the amallness of the Punch and Judy forced the high price. The show could break even on an $11,000 gross, but never got within half that sura. The sec- ond and final week had the scale at $3 top. Little special publicity was attempted, and the show faced op- eration at a loss. "Banco," which was produced by William Harris, lasted nine weeks. The manager refused to send the attraction on tour except if give;! a booking either In Chicago or Boa- ton. With no houses available un*^ til the first of the year, the produc- tion was stored. Harris has with- drawn all his attractk)na from tho road this season with the exception of "Abraham Lincoln," bad business being the cause. His newest pro- duction. "TPhs Pointed FUpper." which has been tuning up for sev- eral weeks. Is due at the RIts n«ial week. .A PINCHED^ KISSING Russisns Entbraes In Native Styis —Did $3,200 en Bslte. Wssk ELTINGE CLOSES SHOW "The Elusive Lady." starring Julian Eliinge, closed at 5?tamford. Conn., Nov 15 The attraction was due into New York next month but ran into poor busine^ts in most of the R'anJ.s Out of the .seven weeks tho show j«1o><mI It had but one win- ning wcfk The K\Uiii;o fho'A figures a loss of alnjo.Kj jr.o.oao. It iM said thr at- traction Ui^ li.'r.dl«"ip|)ed by h«:»vy op4'ratii'g expvMise. ADA M. WEEKS' SUITS JOINED Ada Mae Weeks* New York Su- preme Court and City Court suits against John Cort have been con- solidated by court order. The for- mer action is for $25,000 damages and an Injunctive order to restrain Cort from infiuencing co-members of the P. M. A. from employing Miss Weeks' theatrical services. The City Court suit is a salary claim for three weeks at $400 a week arising from Cort's "Jim Jam Jenui" show. Miss Weeks charges she was forced to leave the "Jems" cast be- cause of the manager's abusive tac- tics. Cort generally denies through Alfred Bccl(man of House. Gross- man A Vorhaus. *'LIGHTHIir ** SILEirT Chicago, Nov. 2$. T.Iphtn!n'" did not play the Blaclc- Rtcine Sunday night, and the house remained dark Monday and Tues- day. Memorial services were held for Frank Bacon at the Blackfftone hotel Wednesday morning. riAY rOK WM. HALLIGAN A .^'r.'nc'ht < otji« d'- l.s hf^in*; viit ten by Djrpon Runyon and Dua- ITaer fur Willi-i n H,.:!:>>.'in to sl;ir In. .\o ntl" nor prc'durer ha.s beon selc '.rd for t!i pie-e. hut It i.^ said Tx.'w C^o!*!'-. rh' vaudeville ,T?^«^nt. wi!4 h f* in»» T f : '> r « < ! W th e prtwlttrtton ITal'Ij^n t,s .M>\v ttppe.'inng In a letch in vau(tc\'jllo. "Savi'du^t (iirr Is C'rcut Story "Tl". S-.-..^ui» fJirl' l.s the t;i!.- a ne/.' n.iisical pLiy to' be pl.'t-" ! liroduc!! ft :^hoir]y. It d'-n.'x \N'i'h •i' : MS til Tfio C. R Ink ;ind Irving Ilibo con irihuted 1 Hi*- tu and score. II WADE MORTON MARBIES New Orleans, Nov. 22. Wa<ie Morton today In this city married Mme. Jean Arnold, playing on the Keith's southern vaudeville circuit. Mr. Morton is ahead of "The Cat and Canary." Maria KousnezofT, who brought the "Revue Russe" from Paris un- der a 20-week contract with the Shuberts. agreed to a settlement with the managers last week before the show closed in Baltimore. Mme. Kousnezoff is reported having re- ceived an offer to Join the Chl«igo Opera company and vaudeville is also mentioned. The contract for the show provided for the weekly guarantee of $3,200 for the company, with Mme. Kousnezoff also receiv- ing 10 per cent, of the gross. The terms of settlement called for the Shuberts taking care of the com- pany, and the players will either be used or sent back to Paris. - Baltimore pad less attention to the "Ilevue Russe" than did either New York or Chicago. The opening night at the Auditorium last week drew $1,200 and the total gross for the week was less than $3,000. In Chicago the first week was around $e,000 and the second about $7,000. It is said $10,000 weekly was neces- sary for the show to break even. Saturday evening In Baltimore the stage director-conferecler. Bolesaw- skl. whose name Is said to be Rich- ard Srxednlckl. and Gregoni Rntofl were hauled off to the police station. An ofllcer thought tho men were fighting and called for a patrol wagon. It was blue in color, and one of the Russians described It as a tax!. There was no trouble be- tween the pair. They merely em- braced each other snd exchanged kisses on the neck, a native cus- tom. No one in the bunch could ex- plain matters to the magistrate, who declared he did not know what it was all about and fined the men a dollar each, ^lus coffts of $1.45.. "Scarlet Sable** in Stock Chicago, Nov. 22. A ni'w p'uy which l.^ temporarily cjillf-d "S. :..r!et Sable" will bo pro- dufjcil al the National, now playing •-foili, Noine time bcrore tho hoi - days. It Is a Primrose and Ke!tcr- liif production, and the firm expc t to play If f)ver the Ham«> route thai "Why Wives Go Wrong" has found successful. • S CRUIK8HANK WITH SHUBERTS Frank Crulkshank who resigned from the Shubert forces recently to act as representative for "Robin Hood," the Fairbanks picture, is again back with the Shuberts. Tho contract with Fairbanks Is .'iaid tQ have called for an excep- tional salary, with $100.0C0 men- tioned for the period of the conti.xct. It was reported a brother of F;»ir- banks objected to the exploitation methods used In Chicago by Crtilk- shank, who is said to have d's- trihutod many "two for one*' tickcf? for the attraction at Cohan's Gr.md. Cruik.shank Is said to liave ac- cepted $1,000 to cancel his contract with Fairbanks.