Variety (February 1923)

" Thursday, February 22, 1923 AUDEVILLE 1 KEITH'S ADDS TWO VAUDEVILLE CHAINS TO ITS CIRCUIT AND BOOKING OFFICE - • Moore-Wiggins Templet, Detroit and Rochester, Leased by E. F. Albee for Long Term—Stanley Com- pany's Vaudeville Houses (Sablosky & McGuirk'*) Merged With Keith's Philadelphia Theatres, Ex- . cepting Big Time Keith's There—Albee President of New Corporation Which Will Erect Theatre on Bingham Hotel Site—New Keith's is New : York, Boston, Brooklyn and Detroit ' - ..Announcement has been issued of 13. F. Albee acquiring by lease the Moore & Wiggins' Temple theatres playing big time vaudeville booked by Keith's at Detroit and Rochester, with the announcement stating also # that the Keith's Philadelphia thea- tres excepting the big time Keith's there, will Be merged with the thea- tres playing vaudeville in the lists of the Stanley Company of America houses. Among the latter are the vaudeville houses of the Sablosky & McGuirk circuit, also other theatres probably that may move with the Stanley housese when the latter %pnss Into the Keith's booking ofllces Each of the deals 13 fastly im- portant to big and pop time vaude- ville. The acquisition of the Stanley theatres comes under the latter clas- sification. In Philadelphia the Sab- losky & McGuirk theatres are the Alleghany, Broadway, Globe, Cros3 Keys and Alhambra, with the Tow- ers, Camden, N. J. (Just across the . river.) Among the Keith's Phila- delphia houses in the merger will be the Grand Opera house, now op- erated by Keith's in association with Fred Nixon-NirdHnger. Securing the Temples as additions to the Keith's direct big time vaude- ville theatres may be the forerun- ner of an all big time vaudeville Keith circuit in the east. This was hinted at in Variety's Inside Stuff on Vaudeville in last week's issue. The only other independently own- ed big timers in the east are the M. Shea houses at Buffalo and Toronto, the Canadian Circuit, the Harry Davis (Davis) theatre at Pittsburgh and the Fred Schanbcrger (Maryland) house, Baltimore, all of which, however, are booked through Keith's. In connection with procuring the Temples on a long term lease it Is announced E. F. Albee will build replicas of the magnificent and new Keith's 'Palace, Cleveland, in four other cities, among which Detroit Is Included. The other towns men- tioned are New York, Boston and Brooklyn. A new Keith's for Brook- lyn was previously announced. The Moore & Wiggins theatres have been among the big time group booked through Keith's since vaude- ville became an institution under l = the Keith-Albee guidance. E. W. Wiggins retired from active man- agement some years ago and with the passing of the Temples to Keith's, James H. Moore will also ' retire, both made wealthy through their big time vaudeville ventures. A controlling company for the merged Philadelphia theatres Is to be .ailed the Greater Philadelphia Amusement Co., with E. F. Albee, president. Its executives and gen- eral managers will be Abe Sab- losky and James McGuirk. along with Harry T. Jordan, the Keith's general representative for Philadel- phia. The corporation will take up and complete the "erection of tl * new theatre and office building in- tended for the site of the Bingham hotel In Phllly. Jules Mastbaum, president of the Stanley Co., will be an officer as well of the new corporation. Mr. Mastbaum, who left last .veek for two months Inspection of the Holly- wood studios, Is largely interested In the Famous Players, but noth- ing is said as to any closer picture affiliation between Keith's and the Stanley people, although the an- nouncement does state the Stanley Company's picture theatres wllf be conducted independently as at pres- ent. It is mentioned the new Brook- lyn vaudeville house is to be named the E. F. Albee theatre, as was the new house Mr. Albee opened In Providence a fe\v years ago, these being the only two big timers on the direct Keith's Circuit not carry- ing the title of "Keith's." During this season Keith's has se- cured many former "outside" or in- dependently-booked theatres for Its routing sheets and with the annex- ation of the Sablosky & McGuirk theatres, about the only Important small time circuit in the east out- side of Keith's office, is the Loew Circuit, although there is a large number of small time houses east, mostly detached In ownership. There is no accepted big time vaudeville in the east not booked through the Keith's office. In the west the big time is the Orpheum Circuit, affiliated with Keith's book- ings. ALIENATION SUIT ORDER Mrs. Mac Dermott's Action Against Stella Qilmore Transferred The alienation of affections suit by Mrs. Miriam Nesbit MacDer- mott against Stella Helen Gilmore (vaudeville) has "been ordered trans- ferred for trial from Westchester county to New York county. The separation suit by Mrs MacDermott against Marc MacDermott, picture nnd vaudevil'e actor, was previously similarly ordered. The Westchester county justices in both instances decided the principals' residences brought them within the New York county Jurisdiction: Miss Gilmore appeared in vaude- ville at one time in an act written by Mac Dermott. v Mrs. MacDermott is suing Miss Gilmore for $20,000 damages. The latter posted a $2,500 bond following her arrest on Mrs. MacDermott's instigation. MacDermott was also arrested at one tim" and incarcerated in the "alimony club" for a short while. EVELYN T WICE PINCHED Charged With Disorderly Conduct. Bail Set MAUDE FULTON'S ACT Returning to Vaudeville in Comedy Dramatic Sketch ; Maude Fulton, whose legitimate starring venture "The Humming Bird," written by her, closed at the Ritz, Saturday (Feb. 17) will enter vaudeville shortly with a sketch. The playlet will be of a comedy- dramatic nature and includes a d nee interpolation by her. Miss Fulton formed with the late Billy Rock, the team of Rock and Fulton, a feature turn for. a number of years up to its dissolution about 10 years ago. The Pat Casey office is handling Miss Fulton's vaudeville business. Atlantic City, Feb. SI. For the second time within a month, Evelyn Nesbit was served with a warrant for disorderly con- duct, after two detectives had searched the entire beach front be- fore they finally locftted Miss Nes- bit and placed her under arrest The warrant was issued by Re- corder Corio when she failed to an- swer to her name when called in court Evelyn had been arrested on Sunday morning after an altercation in the Palais Royal cabaret with an unknown physician, in which it is charged she struck^him in the face. The fight started to take large pro- portions when the police arrived and Miss Nesbit was placed under arrest She posted $10 ball for her appearance before the recorder the following morning, and did not ap- pear. When no response was made to her name the recorder declared his intention of-prosecuting the charge, anil set her ball at $200. LOCAL NEWS NOTES Those who were luckey enough to be around the court house pump Sunday afternoon about IP.M. saw Mint Newsbaum drive his new spanking nice pair of strawberry roans thru town. Mint got the team thru a swap with Casper Crump of Beaver township, and if what we're hearln' ain't false, Casper skuned right good. CHARLES ALTHOFF Direction EDW. 8. KELLER NEWSPAPERS SYNDICATE GALLAGHER-SHEAN SONG Verses on Topicaf Subjects to Run as Comedy Feature MISSED CHI FOR 20TH TIME When Stella Wlrth wai attacked with Influenza a. Detroit last Sat- urday, May Wlrth and the Wlrth Family act were compelled to can- cel the Palace, Chicago, this week and are laying off in Detroit. The Wlrths have ne er played Chicago in vaudeville. Though booked there 20 times, their appearance has been continuously delayed because of ill- ness or route changes. Next week the Wlrths will ap- pear In St. Louis and will be again billed for a Chicago date In three weeks. \ • • SHURA RULOWA .' PREMIERE RUSSIAN DANSEUSE ' j( Now ploying B. F. Keith Eastern Time. What the Critics say: ^- , • ' ••Wonderful dancing, beautiful costumes nnd rich stage »tings won favor for Shura Rulowa nnd her ballet."—SPOKANE CHItOMCLL. "Rulowa herself gives an artistic exhibition of the light fantastic art h as Is seldom seen on the vaudeville stage." -TACOMA TIMES. No better Russian ballet act has ever been shown here. It's as good ts Pavlowa's."—HEADING NEWS. "Fokine himself, were he handling a road ballet, would be dchglued with the performance."—ALLENTOWN CALL. ^ Personal Representative! NORMAN JEFFERIES SMALL TABLOID COMPANIES SUSPECTED OF SMUGGLING Customs and Secret Service Thoroughly Searching American Citizens in Canada—One Company Held Up for Five Hours St. John, N. B., Feb, II. Traveling tab companies ere sus- pected of smuggling drugs over the international line from Canada to the United States. The United States secret service has taken cognizance of the situation on the Maine and New Brunswick border, it being alleged that some mem- bers of the tab organizaffcms have been acting as drug carriers from St. John and Halifax to Boston and New York city. * A thorough search Is now being made of all luggage-and baggage of knoWh members of tab companies and this rule has been widened in scope to lnc-ude members of all traveling btage organizations. The customs agents have been ordo«-*M to make minute. searches of lugguge. shipping and "trinity bags. Women a*c mainly unJer suspicion, it being the theory that the males who are instrumental *h smuggling the co- caine and morphine Into the United States via the Maine and New Brunswick frontier, are handing the drugs to the females because o f the 1< sser risk. Customs agent.- have been known to succumb to th« blandishment! of female tab troup- ers, and the search of the luggaiv W\ uld he but a formality. One company was held up Co five hours at St. John, before beln allowed to cross the border despite all were American citizens and car- ried proof of citizenship Mean- while the secret service agents kept the wires hot to New York city endeavoring to ascertain if mem- bers of the troupe were known to the servloe as smugglers of nar- cotics. Descriptions were sent over the wires. Owing to the Immense volume of drug smuggling through the ports of St. John and Halifax this winter, the Maine and New Brunswick bor- der has been utilized by drug smug- glers to cross Into the United States. Owing to the very large number of tab companies that have been tour- ing the maritime provinces this win- ter, there having been no less than 3."> organizations In the course of the winter thus far, the customs agents have become suspicious and held the opinion that the companies were but a blind to cover extensive drug smuggling Into the United States. Some of the companies would be' out three weeks in the maritime provinces when they wotUd cross he line back into Maine then In an- ■ it her week or two would cross -:aln Into Canadian territory. Sov- al n.en known to the secret serv- o »gents as drug smugglers have • n in the tab troupes, but al- • lougn suhjected to search no drugs ere found on their persons or In their baggage. The "Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Shcan" song is to be syndicated through a string of dallies through- out the country* The newspapers will carry a couple or more verses dally or weekly according to the service taken, with the verses treating of current topical, political and economic* events. The instance* or popular songs being syndicated in the dallies are rare, but few having reached that stage of popularity. "Mr. Dooley" by Billy Jerome and Jean Schwart *. was used as a basis for parodying news in the dallies a score of years ago, and ons or two others have been handled similarly. The syndi- cating of a pop song in the man- ner "Gallagher and Sheen" is to be handled, after the fashion of a car- * toon, column, etc.', marks a new de- velopment in the pop song writing field. Like practically every other song of sensational Importance, the "Gal- lagher and Shean" verses precipi- tated a lawsuit wherein Bryan Foy, son of Eddie Foy, brought action claiming part-authorship of the number and demanding a third In- terest In the royalties. It is prac- tically conceded that Foy suggested the "mister" Idea of addressing each by name, but that has been done before with "Mr. Dooley" and "Mr. Duffy and Mr. Sweeny." Duffy and Sweeny ,a vaudeville team, also have a suit pending against Gal- lagher and Shean claiming infringe- ment of trade-mark. The song has been a surprising money-maker, although it started off merely as a restricted number. Jack Mills, Inc., which publishes the number, did not think much of Its chances on the "mechanicals"— rolls and records—and surrendered full record and roll revenue to the actors and also gave them a royalty on the sheet music sales. Both ways the number is proving a sen- sation and has maintained that pace conslsten ly for several months, which will probably last as long as Gallagher and Shean are with the Zlegfeld "Follies." TABLEAUX BOOKED By Stanley Co. In Picture Houses- First Tims Outside of "Follies" The Ben All. Haggtn tableaux from the Zlegfeld "Follies of 1922" have been booked for a, series of engagements in plcturs houses, opening at the Stanley, Philadel- phia, Feb. 28. The booking marks the first time the Heggin tableaux have played in any type of per- formance other than the "Follies." The booking also sets a new rec- ord as regards the expense of a picture strengthened the tableaux being reported as receiving a four figure salary for their picture .house bookings.