Variety (February 1923)

VAUDEVILLE Thursday, K, IMS U. S. PUBLISHERS SEEK ROYALTIES ABROAD Francis, Day & Hunter Back Deal te Join French Society __— * John Abbott, executive manager of the British music publishing: house of Francis, Day & HurrteV, re- turned to London ^P the Berengaria Tuesday after cWing contracts with some of the New York music publishers. Including the Hemick Co., Feist, F. J. A. Forster of Chicago and others which may open a new avenue for revenue for every publisher in the business. SINGER SECURES RELEASE Deaf Song Writer in Jail for Ped- dling—Tried and Convicted St. Louis, Feb. 21. Through the intercession of Cy- rcna Van Gordon, Chicago Grand Opera Co., C. Leroy Henderson, deaf, song writer, was released from trio St. Clair county Jail at Belle- ville last week after trial and con- viction. On Feb. 6 Henderson was arrested in East St. Louis for ped- dling song books on the streets without a licence. He was triea in police court and given six months in the Belleville jail. Miss Van Onrdon, working at the Delmonte (pictures), was told about the case. Knowing Henderson and feeling that some mistake had been made, sjje investigated. Later in the week sha succeeded It concerns the French perform lng rights which are collected by the French Society of Authors, | in bringing about the release, of Composers and Publishers, a Henderson on a bond, which Hen- counterpart of our America.! Society of Composers, Authors and Pub- lishers which controls the licensing of music to uance hall", cabarets, picture theatres and all public meeting places where popular and copyrighted music forms part of a program for profit. The French situation differs from the American plan in that sheet music means little abroad. Player pianos are few and far between in French homes. Francis, Day & Hunter have Incorporated under the French laws and established in Paris the pub- lications Francis Day with J. H. Wood in charge and P. Benao, a Frenchman, as professional man- ager. This, it is hoped, will give* the new company entree into the French Authors and Composers society for the purpose of sharing the license revenue. The F. D. ..- H. firm, as authorised agents of some of America's leading publishers, will open a new field for our music men and take charge of collecting any performing rights' fees and royalties due. This plan may become more feasible if a proposed affiliation between the American and French authors-composers' societies is effected. Such arrangement is be- ing currently worked out by B. C, Mills of the Music Publishes* i ro- tecttve Association on behalf of the American music men. derson vas permitted to sign. Ac- cording to the prima donna, the case will probably be dropped. Hender- son departed for Chicago last Sat- urday night to rejoin his wife'and two small, children, who have been destitute since his incarceration. Railroad fare and funds for other necessities were provided by Miss Van Gordon. It is said that Hen- derson wrote several ballad-, that arc being used .by the singer. HENRY ROSENBERG'S WILL About 1600,000 in Personal Property Bequeathed CLARIDCE DANCE PLACE IS LEGALLY INVOLVED SARAH PADDEN Miss Padden Is doing a new ad written by Johnny O'Connor, en- titled "She Takes Tea," and is as- sisted in the presentation of same by Pert Wilcox, Mark Sullivan and Marie Rcalls. The act is now play- ing* the Keith theatres under the Direction of RALPH G. FARNUM (Edw. S. Keller Office) CHILD UP FOR ARSON Clinton, Mass., Feb. ^1. A 12-year-old boy Is under arrest here on the charge of having at- tempted to set fire to the Star after a plght performance 1 st week. The blaze started in the box where the doorman drops the tickets, but was discovered before It had gained hen d way. Philip J. Philbln is manager and owner of the Star. TWO CURTAIN CALLS NOW PALACE'S MT The will of Henry Rosenberg, ret- eran showman, pioneer theatre builder associated with Oscar Ham- mersteln In the development of the earliest Harlem and Bronx theatres, who died Feb. 12. filed for probate last week in the surrogate's court, New York* directs his estate of about $500,000 in personalty, after all debts are paid and a sum of $500 is set aside for the care of his plot, to be divided as follows: — Anna Rosenberg, wife, who died Feb. 10, $10,000, absolutely, and a life interest in the AnuUnder. Her death, prior to that of her husband. cancels these two intended legacies. Louis Rosenberg, brother, of the Grand Union hotel, Saranac Lake, N. Y„ a life interest in $20,000, with the principal at his death to the is- sue o: Walter Reade, formerly Rosenberg, sou of the testator (Henry Rosenberg), who are Walter Reade, Jr., bon: on Dec. 16, 1917, and Susanne Reade, born March 18, 1919.' Lydia Hammersteln, niece, of Ber- lin, Germany, a life interest in $20,- 000, after which the principal is to go to the issue of Walter Reade. Keith's House Permits Any Number of Bows However in "One" Injunction Against Permitting Dancing There—Mosconi's Have $7,100 Invested The Mosconi Brothers proposed dance Innovation planned for the especially constructed second ffttor of the Bioadway-Clarldge and Cadillac hotela haa been indefinitely set back. Jerome Eisner, attorney for G. A. Schulte, the cigar store man, who Is interested In the Cadil- lac operating corporation, secured an Injunction againat the use of the floor for dancing. The restraining order Is so stringent, the space cab- not be leased for any use until'iha action is adjuated by the counts. The Mosconi's put up $7,100 of their own money in the venture. The'In- junction Is against Robert K. Adolph president of the Cadillac company and the Moscouis. It-is alleged the leaae stipu ates there must be no structural changes for ,<«uch purposes. Edward Arlington The remainder of the estate into ' who is Interested in the Caditfac TALLMANS IN DIVORCE Chicago, Feb. 21. Jacqueline Tallman, of Tallman and Kerwin, who appeared at the Rialto last week, has started di- vorce proceedings against Eddie Tallman. who was at the Palace last week as stage carpenter for Bessie Barriscale. The divorce is asked for op charge of <?p crtion. a WILLIE SEGAL IS INSANE Willie Segal, vaudeville actor, was removed to the psychopathic ward of Bellevue hospital Friday for ob- servation as to his mental condi- tion, and was later taken to the Kings Park hospital pronounced insane. Segal was known profess.onally as James of Armstrong and James His partner Armstrong w.is form- eiiy known as Milt Francis. Fran- cis and Segal adopted the Arm- strong and James names upon teaming as blackface coined.ans. Last season the turn played the Shuhert vaudeville circuit. SPICE'S" PHILLY RECORD Philadelphia, Feb. 20. Spice of 19. as Shubert unit, had the biggest opening of the .season at the Chestnut street opera house and broke each suc- cessive record for the lirst six per- formances. The indications were for more than $13,000, about $2,000 above the previous high week. Orchestra Leader's Sleeping Sickness • Ithaca, N. Y., Feb. 21. Hairy P. Putton, orchestra leader in the Crescent, is suffering from sleeping Mckness, which is the third case now listed in this city. FRED RUTH EASTER and HAZELTON AMERICA'S MOST VERSATILE TEAM . Stopping the show with the "Merry Widow," they couldnt go any further than Los Angeles. Why? Sid Gran man 'wouldn't let them. After seeing their final numbers in the "Merry Widow," Sid stated "They era the last word when it comes to dancing," and Immediately secured them under contract. With their names up In lights, they are appearing at • Grauman's Five-Million-Dollar Metropolitan Theatre, Los Under a new rule promulgated by Manager Elmer F. Rogers at Keith's Palace, New York, rtart- ing thi» week, acts on the stage following their performance are al- lowed but two curtain calls. It means that after the^ curtiin de- scends upon the finale, the turn's people may remain behind It Ion? enough for the curtain to be up- lifted twice only. The rule does not prescribe bows or bends before the curtain in "one" if the audience should persist in exprersinuf appre- ciation. That requires the princi- pals from the full stage to walk onto "one" from the entrance. Curtain taking has grown to be a nerve-wracker In vaudeville. Principals of acts and sketches often have stood or moved about awkwardly upon the sta&e "stall- ing" for "another curtain" and as often device* were arranged xn or- der that the curtain operator should not loaf. As a time-saver the rule may also work out, since with the speedy ending of the act behind "one' with'Scant curtains, the stage crew will be enabled to start on its labors immediately .in clearing and se'ting. Ordinarily looked upon as a simple matter where time is con- cerned, the repetition mourns up in actual time lost. * While it io not known whether Mr. Rogers has computed this angle, it is quite well understood among theatre men that In vaudeville wheie there Is a time limit of six and one-quarter hours for musicians to play on their regu-' lar scale, when the performance extends over those hours dividcJ between the two dally shows, .ver- time at double pay commences. For a vaudeville bill to run 10 minutes over the limited time would bring with It a charge of overtime for an hour, making it two hours on the day or four hours at double pay, or 28 hours extra weekly for each musician. The "bows and bends in one" de- veloped so. abnoimally they have been travestied as well as ridiculed by acts, often when the acts poking fun at them have appeared upon the same bills with notorious bow stealers. The bowing thing seems to be a mania with some turns that look upon 'it as an omen of future hope, whether applause warrants or not. Last week In a New York theatre, following the appearance of a single woman who remained In the wings after concluding her act, the lights were down for about a minute through a wait. As they flashed for an instant the name of the succ eding ct. a popular one, the enrnclalor. Slightly through the wait the three equal shares. One as a life Interest for Jerome Rosenberg, son, New York, with the principal at his death ' » his issue, and in default cf such to the issue of Walter I'eade^/ One as a life interest ifoY his widow of his late son, Leo Rosen-> berg, who resides at 100 Clarmont Avenue, New York, with the prin- cipal a*, her death to her issue, and in "default of such, to the Js^ue of Walter Reade. The remaining third share as a life interest to Gertrude Blumberg- Reade, wife of Walter Reade, of Now York, with the principal at her death to her issue Friday, March 2. is the date set by Surrogate Fole> for the proving of the document, executed Feb. 28, \vitnes.se(T"by F. Bateman. of 142 Delacy avenue, Plainfleld, N. J., and J. P. Normauly, of 2 413 Tiebout ave- nue, New York, which names his widow, Anna Rosenberg; his sister, hotel' stated ha was never concerned with the arrangement between Adolph and the dancers and in fact has been opposed to the use of the floor for dancing. Part of the pro- posed dance floor is on the Claridge property and pan on the Cadiii.ic. Arlington is a former showman who has made rapid strides In b,«tel ownership and management. H«» contros the Broadway Claridge alone and also several pther Broad- way hotels and one In Jamaica. Adolph is interested with him in the Flanders. It is said the latter Invested $30,000 in the Flanders and has drawn out $50,000 a year. It had been the Idea to run the Cadillac and Claridge in conjunc- tion. Recently Adolph succeed/ha" In out voting Arlington and took charge. The two bote's have been operated separately since then, the Iron door connecting their lobbies having been closed and bolted. Ar- lington Is seeking to recover his Alice Oppenheim, of 303 West End controlling directorship in the avenue, and George J. Daumann, of 72 Morningside avenue, New York, without bonds, as the executors, di- rects them to pay all inheritance taxes out of the residue, and reads: "I suggest that if at the time of my death I am the holder of shares of stock in the following corpora- tions, to wit, Broadway Theatre Company, of Long Branch; St. James Theatre Company, Inc., and Savoy Theatre Company, Ltd., of Asbury Park, that the stock of the three corporations should be re- tained by them, and In the event of their concluding to sell same that the stock for the three corpor- ations be sold at the same time for one lump sum if possible." Mr. Rosenberg, who was 69 years old, was laid to rest beside the body of his- wife, Anna, a sister of Oscar Ilammerstein, at the Mount Hope cemetery, Westchester, N. Y. He built the first theatre in the Bronx, the Metropolis, and with Oscar Ilammerstein was interested in the management of the Columbus, aft- erward called the 125th street thea- tre. Harlem; th Olympic, after- ward the New York theatre, and the old Victoria. Several years ago be retired from active business and he and Mrs. Rosenberg, the latter who was 67 at the time of her death, spent a great deal of their time In recent years In travel and sight- seeing together. Unit Aids Dance Hall Newark, Feb. 21. Paradise dance hall (formerly the Paramount theatre) opened Satur- day night with a smash. The place was crowded to the doors and had a turnaway. It is being run by Ar- thur Klein and Ray Miller. The lat- ter, with his orchestra, is furnish- ing the music. They are getting 55 cents for women and 85 cents fof men with no charge fc' dancing. Monday night is being billed as pro- fessional night and tonight the Tim- berg company, from Shuberts, are slated to appear. Cadillac, the matter also being In the courts. The Claridge, first called Rector's, has never been a money maker. It broke Rector, the father. A few years ago Boomer, one of the lead- ing New York hotelmen, took It over. Last year ha stepped out stating the place could not com- pete "againat the booze." Arlington has taken the position that a straight dance cafe could not be operated without liquor creeping in and does not desire to have hie hotel under fhe eyea of the state and federal enforcement agents. Arlington said the Claridge could only be made profitable by means of structural changes which the previous tenant was unwilling to undertake. The series of stores on the street lerel were ordered im- mediately by Arlington when tak- ing possession. He has Installed in the hotel an oil burning heating plant, which started operating this week. The new system which cost $14,800, will effect a saving on coal costs of 10 par cent. The modern device Is along the lines used by the trans-Atlantic liners. It Is said the Ritr la the only other hotel In New York nsing the crude oil fuel system. was on Irritated audience started to applaud, where- upon ihe single woman aga^i stepped out Into the light ar\d had jerformed about half a bow amidst the laughter of the house when the lights were suddenly darkened upon her. Mrs. Colvin Allowed $60 Weekly Detroit. Feb. 21. Mrs. Marie Covin was awarded a verdict of $60 weekly alimony agaln.it her husband. James O. Col- vin, of Emmons and Colvin, who for a number of years have been play- ing the first-run, picture houses. She says Colvin makes $150 par week. Drunkenness was the charge. PEGGY MARSH LEGACY Albert L (Bud) Johnson, nephew of Tom L. Johnson, Cleveland's former traction reform mayor, who married Peggy Marsh, the Englisl dancer, In 1921, left an estate not exceeding $500 In personalty and n< will when he died en Jan. t, 'ac- cording to hie widow, Peggy Marsh Johnson, In her application for the appointment mi herself together with his brother. Tern L. Johnson, as administrators ef the property, filed and granted te her by the Sur- rogate's Court, New York, last week. M cCOY SUES TAJTGUAY Loa Angeles, Feb. 21. An action for two weeks' i has been commenced by Harry Mc- Coy against Eva Tanguay. Hs claims the amount following closing, while Misa Tanguay Insists she gave him two weeks' notice. It Is announced Miss Tanguay says she will retire from the stags when reaching here. She owns con- siderable property around the city, mostly ss the fisem eg bmngalows