Variety (February 1923)

BURLESQUE CINCINNATI'S MAYOR REVOKES PEOPLE'S LICENSE; MUTUAL HOUSE "Mischief Makers" Performance Stopped Friday— * Mayor Says Management Advised to "Clean Up" Shows—People's Had Been Doing Good Business Cincinnati, Feb. 21. Basing his action on a complaint by the Law and Order Committee of the Cincinnati Federation of . Churches, which charged the Peo- ple's with giving shows described as "vulgar. Indecent and Immoral;" Mayor Carrel Friday last revoked the playing permit of the house. No performance was given Friday night, and the house was also dark Saturday. The performances objected to by the Church Federation were those given by the Mutual Burlesque 'As- sociation shows, which have been playing the People's for th e last couple of months. Mayor Carrel's closing order for the People's came after a number of Inspections of the Mutual shows had been made by the Mayor's secre- tary, Newbold L. Plerson, the latter acting in the capacity of official censor of theatricals for Cincinnati. The attraction last week at the People's was Tom Sullivan's "Mis- chief Makers." Mayor Carrel's rev- ocation of the People's playing li- cense (or permit, as it is termed in Cincinnati) followed the summoning of Joe Jermon, the manager of the People's, to a conference with the Board of Control of the city (the latter corresponding to the Board of Aldermen in other cities), *ith City Solicitor Saul Zielonka attend- ing as representative of Cincinnati's legal interests. Jermon maintained the Mutual shows presented at the People'3 were no more liable to cen- sorship than the average musical comedy shows playing In the legit houses. The city officials disagreed with Jermon's viewpoint. Mayor Carrel issued a statement In which he said the management had been warned some time ago to "clean up" the Mutual shows play- ing there or official action would follow. Jermon, in reply, said none of the orders to clean up had come to his attention. Mayor Carrel about three months aero stopped the showing of "The Rubicon" in Cincinnati, likewise an in the case of the People's, the Mayor revoking the license of the Cox Theatre, where "The Rubicon" was playing. The banning of "The Rubicon' came after one perform- ance. Jermon is a brother of John G. Jermon (Jacobs & Jermon), an of- ficial (member of the Board of Di- rectors) of ihe Columbia Amusement Co. John G. Jermon is said to be a stockholder in the Mutual to a considerable extent. The People's is said to have been doing a very good business with the Mutual shows. The Olympic is the Columbia wheel house in Cincinnati. R. K. llynicka, treasurer of the Col- umbia Amusement Co., wields strong political influence in Cincinnati. It has been stated by Columbia people that the powers in the Col- umbia burl sque organization were not particularly keen towards John G. Jermon's Mutual wheel interests. Another condition, that supported the belief the People's closing might have a political connection is that the People's is owned by Thomas J. ♦footer. Democratic leader of Cin- cinnati. At the office of the Mutual Bur- lesque association Wednesday it was ■tated the People's would reopen again Thursday, K*b. 22, with Mu- tual burlesque, a wire to that ef- fect having been received from Billy Vail. Vail is said to have the Peo- ' Die's on a leasing arrangement with the owner, Thomas J. Nocter. FIRE PANIC AVERTED AT COLONIAL, CLEVELAND Two Quick-Witted Girl Ushers Checked Rush—1,800 Peo- ple in House—None Hurt Cleveland, Feb. 21. As the orchestra at the Colonial was tuning up preparatory to the overture preceding the evening per- formance of Jack Reid's "Record Breakers" Sunday night 4L fire started in the women's rest room on the second floor and, spreading rapidly, did $2,000 damage before placed under control. The fire, starting at 8:10 or thereabouts, found the Colonial with a sell-out audience of 1,800 people. • The—presence of mind of a couple of girl ushers, Minnie Nesbitt and Hazel Steninger, prevented what might have been one of.the %orst theatre panics in historyi. Each of the ushers contributed to keeping the situation in hand. Miss Nesbitt discovered.the fire and Miss Stenin- »ger assisted materially jn quieting the crowd. Frank C. Drew, manager of the Colonial, took personal charge of the panic-allaying squad. Standing on a chair in the auditorium, he succeeded in quieting the entire house, getting every one out with- out the slightest injury. The emp- tying of the house was accomplished in a remarkably brief space of time. The fire meanwhile, through the efforts of the firemen, was confined to the front of the building, destroy- ing the rest room, located directly over the canopy in front of the lobby, and doing considerable dam- | age to the marquee. The lobby was also damaged. After the fire had been extin- guished a number of the audience who had been watching the work of the firemen filed back into the house about 9 p. in. and, seating them- selves, prepared to see the show. The performance had to be called off necessarily because of several of the "Record Breakers" having left the Colonial in the belief that the fire would prevent the Sunday night show. The Colonial Is controlled by Campbell & Drew and is th regu- lar Columbia wheel stand in Cleve- land. Checks for performances dur- ing the week were issued tot ticket holders for the called-off Sunday night show at the Colonial. The house gave its performance Monday matinee. Thursday, February -122, 1923 BASTABLE-FIRE MYSTERY Syracuse Authorities Investigating. Rescued Man Wanted. THE SOLDIER OF FORTUNE Veteran of Seven Wars and ths Shub'srt Vaudeville Circuit— (GIVE ME THE WARS) America's Most Famous After- Dinner Speaker, CHAUNCEY M. DEPEW America's Most Humorous After- Dinner Speaker, WILL ROGERS America's Most Unusual After- Dlnner Speaker, CAPT. IRVING O'HAY Syracuse, N. T., Feb. 21. One of the questions now before the committee appointed to investi- gate the Bastable Are, which cost three lives and destroyed property worth over $1,500,000, is who was the man a fireman brought down a ladder from the third floor about 20 minutes after all the others had either been carried our pr had jumped from the building. ' During the excitement, when six persons were forced to jump from high windows, the Incident created no suspicion, but now, as the nays- tery of the origin of the blaze in : creases and an incendiarism theory is under official investigation, the last man's escape is considered cf importance. The committee appointed by the Mayor to investigate the conflagra- tion met at the City Hall today. Several sessions will follow each week, with the meetings to be open to the public. YOUNG BUTLER, 24, SUED FOR DIVORCE Representative AL SANDERS Romax Building, New York VERY HEAVY BUSINESS FORCES OUT BURLESQUE Aliens Advance Brand New Cause at Ithaca, N. Y.—Hurt Firm's Other House GAYETY, ST. LOUIS, AGAIN LEADS WHEEL $11,500 with "Scandals" Last Week—$9,890 for "Beauty Revue" at Columbia, N.Y. Ithaca, N. Y., Feb. 21. The Lyceum, playing the Colum- bia wheel shows for one night a week since November, stopped last week, with the Auditorium, Auburn, N. Y., replacing It. The Columbia shows will play Auburn Mondays, with Elmira and Blnghamton, N. Y., completing the three-day split, and Utica filling in the last half as formerly. The Aliens, a Canadian theatrical firm, control the Lycetrmr Ithaca, also the Majestic in that city. The Majestic plays vaudeville and pic- tures. An unusual angle of the Co- lumbia losing the Ithaca house was the objection said to have been voiced by the Aliens that the Ly- ceum did too much business, tak- ing patronage from the Majestic. WILL H. COHAN'S CLAIM Protests Inclusion in Barney Ger- ard's Bankruptcy Proceedings MUTUAL IN Y0NXERS Yonkcrs, N. Y.. Feb. 21. The Warburton here will play Mu- tual burlesque attractions the last three days of the week, beginning week of Mar^h 12. The policy,the first four da) i of the week will be Independent vande\ Hie. The Warburton played stock un- til several months ago, since which time It has boon dark. It is a 600- scat house on "Warburton avenue, a few blocks abo\e Getty square, the heart of the business section. No burlesque has been seen In Yonkcrs for the past ten years. The Columbia wheel was the last to send Bhow a here. NO DAVE MARION, JR. Dave Marion, p'aying in Worces- ter, Mass., this week denies .there is a Dave Marion, Jr., and has in- structed his office to go after any impostor using his name. As was reported a Dave Marlon, Jr. was rehearsing a tab, the 'Beauty Review," which is the title of Jimmy. Coopers shrw at the Co- lumbia, New York, last week. Cooper Is also incensed against the man using a show title identified with him for years. The burlesque producer, Marion. says he has an only son, Harry, who is traveling witli his father as com- pany manager. A tab under the title of the "Beauty Review" played the last half of last week at the Myrtle. Brooklyn, with Its featured comed- ian billed as Dave Marion Jr. Matt Brody of 245 W. 47th street, New- York, the producer of the tab, claimed when securing tho Myrtle engagement the comedian of the act was tho son of Dave" Marion of burlesque. ., Barney Gerard's attorneys have agreed' to an examination before trial of Gerard as soon as he re- turns to New York, to assist Will H. Cohan in his breach of contract suit against the burlesque producer. Cohan is suing for 20 weeks' guar- antee for the 22-23 season at $175 a week. Gerard is expected back in five weeks. The question whether Cohan's contract "with Gerard personally can be assigned to one c' Gerard's holding companies,''the Unit Pro- ducing Co., Inc., figures in the case. The Cnit Producing corporation filed a voluntary petition in bank-' ruptcy listing Cohan's salary claims as one of the liabilities. It is the company which operated the two Gerard Shubert unit shows. Cohan contends he was not advised by (lerurd of his contract's assignment. Frederick E. Goldsmith is actipg for the actor, and House, Grossman & Vorhaus for Gerard. Irons & damages* "Town Scan dais" topped the Columbia shows, and the Gayety, St. Louis, \shere the "Scandals" was playing the Columbia houses last week, with $11,500, gross. The Gayety, St. Louis, has been consistently at or near the top^Jf the Columbia houses weekly this season, having led the entire circuit several weeks since September. The Columbia, New York, with Jimmie Cooper's "Beauty Revue" took a big leap forward last week with $9,890 Zero cold weather hit some of the matinees at the Colum- bia last week keeping the show from doing $10,000. The previous week .the Columbia, New York, got $8,155 with the "Big Jamboree," and the week before $8,317 with "Step Lively Girls." The business of the Cooper show at'the Columbia carries out the viewpoint held regarding the Columbia by burlesque people, that it will do business with a good show, and if the show is off the box office is proportionately affected. The Dave Marion show at the Casino, Boston, did $8,300 and the Frank Finney show at the Gayety, Boston, $7,800, the Casino beating the Gayety for the second succes- sive week. The* worst business on the Columbia circuit was at the Grant, Worcester, Mass., last week where the "American Girls" did $2,400. Hurtig & Seamon's, New York, with'Gerard's "Follies of the i Day" had a big week with $9,400. The Bronx with "Broadway Flap- pers" did $6,500; Brooklyn Casino with "Big Jamboree" got.$7,050 and the Yorkeville with Mollie Williams jumped ahead a bit with $5,000 on the week. The Orpheum, raterscn, N. J., with "Lets Go'' got $1,475; Majes- tic, Jersey City, with "Mimic World," $3,375. The Columbia, Chicago, with Al Reeves did $5,490. The starting of Lent with Ash Wednesday in the middle of the week hurt the business generally on the Columbia circuit in common with other show business, but the Lincoln's birthday holiday Monday helped considerably to counteract the effect of the natural falling off due to the arrival of Lent. With the closing of the Park mu- sic hall with stock burlesque and Names Jessie Wright, Core- spondent—Alleges Pajama Party In St. Louis . St. Louis, Feb. 21. Edward Lancaster Butler, son of the late James J. Butler who died in 1917, has been sued for divorce by his v.ifo who charged non-sup- port and names Jessie Wright, of the "Echoes of Broadway," a for- mer Shubert a>nit show, as cores- pendent in her petition. Butler, who is about 24, was served with th» papers in the action at the Beers hotel here yesterday. di At the time of the death of Mrs* Rose Mary Butler, the boy's mother, on December 29, it was reported the son was the sole heir to an es- tate the value of which was esti- mated around $500,000. The mother's will provided that the estate should be held in trust for her son and that no issue of his marriage to Nellie Greenwood Butler should par- ticipate in the benefits therefrom. At the time of the marriage of young ,ButleY to his wife .in 1920 she was a member of the burlesque com- pany playing the Standard theatre here. The elder Butler was at one tii president of the Empire Circuit (burlesque) and in addition to con- trolling a number of shows, ha owned the Standard, St. Louis, and the Century, Kansas City. Tha Ho- tel Edward, Kansas City, is also a Butler property. At the time of tha father's death his estate was valued at approximately $1,000,000. Young Butler was called to this city frcm the road where he was managing tho "Echoes of Broadway" unit, his sole theatrical venture, by the illness of his mother during De- cember. The show at the time lost the date at the Central, New York, and Butler closed the attraction. Mrs. Butler in her complaint al- leges that her husband maintained rooms at a New York hotel where he entertained chorus girls and that while "Echoes" was playing To- ronto, he gave a pajama party with himself und Jesbie Wright playing the principal roles, that later in St. Louis ait the Mission Inn he openly proclaimed his love for Miss Wright and crowned her "Queen of the Butler Estate" at a party which co5t him $300 for liquor. She also charges her letters to him at his home in St. Louis were opened by one "Jimmy" Bruem. whom the pe- tition calls "The King's Jester." FRANK FINNEY REVUE (COLUMBIA BURLESQUE) Mollie MeSwecney Hel^n McClaln Nifty' Ifnppg Earl Mosaman Swlfty Flopps Ray Vance Shun* L, Ix>ng- Edw. C. Jordan June Flappers Betty Fuller Tad Poale .Billy Harria A. B. Uoode .......<l<o. Bartlett Tim MeSweeney Frank Finney Mra. Tad Poale Mabel Mr*'loud Iraa Di>clltUe Ameta l'ynes UNDERSTUDY GOOD DOCTOR St. Louis, Feb. 21. "Iliekey" Le Van, with "Town Scandals" at the Gayety last week, was taken ill and the property man was given his part. According to report "props" played it so well that Le Van became better immediately after the substitute initial per- formance. FINDS AGAINST A. B. A. Former Judge Henry J. Lecombe appointed special master to take testimony in the American Bur- lesque Association bankruptcy, has filed his report, finding that the A. B. A. did commit various acts of bankruptcy. An involuntary peti- tion was filed against the burlesque association which the A. B. A. con- tested vigorously on the ground it is still solvent. The next step Is for the referee to confirm the report and act for or against a recommendation adjudi- cating the A. B. Ai bankrupt. Tho Frank Finney Bevue on its showing at the Ct umbia this week is a decidedly entertaining bur- lesque show that can easily be rated as good. But 'twas noi always so, forsooth! Yea, verily, it was not, for when the show was caught at the beginning of the season at the Casino, Brooklyn, it was a pretty tiresome opera. There were a num- ber of things the matter with it— so many it looked^like the toughest kind of a job to pull it out of the trance it seemed to be In. Therefore Jack Singer, who be- came the show's manager some two months ago, must be credited with having accomplished a remartcable feat Infringing about the changes that remade this show into its present good shape. Incidentally it must be added tha: Mr. Singer re- ceived the full co-operation neces- the virtual lapse of any effective j, 8a ry in the job of revising the Fin- drawing power of the Shubert unit attractions at the Central, the bur- lesque men are watching to see if the Columbia shows any decided box office improvement. Those two houses" have been considered as <luke warm opposition to the Col- umbia's, New York, attractions. : ^ BURLESQUE ROUTES WILL BE FOUND OX PAGE Thirty-four in This l*auc GT. NORTHERN^ REPORTED Chicago, Feh. 21. Gossip insists that the deal for the Columbia burlesq-ue attractions to play the Grear Northern theatre next season is hot! Since the Columbia was taken over by A. H. Woods it leaves the Columbia without, a loop theatre. The Great Northern has about 1.400 s^ats, two entrances, is splen- didly located for burlesque and in the downtown section, which is an \ , ney show from Frank Finney—that on the word of Mr. Singer, who con- cedes it would have been a much tougher job without such co-opera- tion. But it goes to prove what an experienced burlesque producer like Singer can do. The whole show has been tightened , up. Whore there were dull spots laughs have replaced them. Where the show dragged—it doesn't, and where it became Bketchy with a long-winded plot ex- positions, it shows a punchy bit or brief comedy scene that makes all the difference in the world. Finney himself, always quaintly humorous, by cutting *»nd Hashing his own scenes, lias reduced the ■tuft to the real important gravy that gets 'em from the minute Fin- ney steps into view until the finale. Betty Fuller, Helen McClaln, Mabel McCloud and Ameta l'ynes aro all new women principals added since the show started the season. An- other addition is Mossman and Vance, a two-man dancing team. ,i i .(Coptinued on page i) • •' 1. ' „ . . «'* . • i c .