Variety (March 1923)

.*»-.■: ■••■•». . • • • •, " i^ ' ■■ B"^-'.'".-•■ ' *■■ «■»>;,. -j^y" ", , ..11 ' . ■..■ • - "^^ '-, ... '. . Thursday, March 29, 192S ■rV**" "—W»»*'\^.«'i»»*rHt«WMr_'.- '*■; - r^~'-s^ V AT-- .jjb^-r:^ _.-- .r VAUDEVILLE sasaessssz ,tOFFEE AND CAKT CIRCUrrS CUT AaORS FROM $2 TO $1A DAY .\*~ l^owett Scale Yet—"Slabs" Want Shows at $250 Weekly—Mostly Try-Out Acts for $1 Per Person Daily—Maximum Rarely Paid $5 Daily The panic Is on In the coffee and cake circuits. These houses play- ing vaudeville and pictures, mostly try outs, acta anxious to break in, a motley asiortment of acts made up of recruits from the various "Ama- teur Follies," "Amateur Minstrel Shows" that the vaudeville pop houses have been staging as explol- 'tatlon schemes, and morQ than a few standard acts that have lost their hold for some reason or other, up to a few months ago were paid at the rate of $2 a person a day. Now the tariff has boon cut to %1 an actor in a number of the "coffee and cake" agencies, the rule being %2 for teams. $3 for trios, etc. In nddilion to playing for the $1 a day rate the acts are confronted with the po-^sibility cf being closed as in tlie old days on the tUis Sun cir- cuits*. One reason for the $2 rate for actor-s in the coffee and cake houses is the competition of the agents booking that class of ".-labs." On^ agent will secure a house with a contract to put on a show for $230 weekly. Another agent will come along and take the hou.se away with a counter i)roposition to supply the bills for $225 weekly or loss. The $1 a day rate is not the max- imum, some of the colTeo and cakers playing as high as $5 an actor daily, but the number Is very small and the $5 a day thing is the exception rather than the rule. The $1 rate Is the minimum, but the agents book- ing liiH • uffee and caUcriJ now proffer that first instead of the $2 rate ;»3 formerly. The agents' argument is that If an act wants to break in material it doesn't make any difference what the act gets. In the instance of an net playing for the actual money the date returns, the agents argue that something is better than noth- ing. One of the coffee and cake actors pointed out this week, the $l»a day rate for actors is some $15 a day less than the pay of a plasterer, and $17 a day less than that of a brick- layer in good times and at top notch figures. Many of the actors playing the coffee and cake circuits for $1 a day have to do from three to five turns daily, and many frequently jump direct to the large circuits with a regular salary after playing for thrpe or four weeks on the C. & C. lime. All of the coffee and cakers are witliin a trolley ride of the theatri- caJ section of New York City, with a five and ten-cent car fare as the transportation expense. The agents claim they can get as many acts at $1 a day as Ihey formerly did at $2 a day. SHERIFF IN WINGS Arthur AshUy App«ar« in Buffalo Under Ah'mony Guard Buffalo, March 28. Arthur Ashley, appearing at the Lafayette Square last week, played out his week's engagement at that theatre through the courtesy and under the watchful eye of the Sher- iff of Erie Countj. Ashley was taken into custody Friday l)y the minions of the law and is being held until certain back alimony in the payment of which he is in arrears has been made good, and a bond posted to guarantee prompt and certain payment In the future. . .* When the actor In r-yrtaln speeches the end of the week told his audiences that he was sorry to go, but the Sheriff was waiting to take him back to* the jail, which closes rather early, the crowd yelled for more. The truth was that a deputy sat in the wings at each show and then escorted At^hloy back to his cell. .-: Just when the actor will leave the Alimony Club is undecided. MARY HAYNES Keith's, Philadelphia, this week (March 26) Miss Haynes, after an illness of two months, is again at work, re- suming her route at Philadelphia, and thanks all her friends for their kind wishes during her illnoBs. Miss Haynes is under the direction of RALPH G. FARNUM (EDW. 3. KELLER OFFICE) FUNNY LOOKING BENEFIT FDR "SINKING FUND" VEENTINOS TOURING COUNTRY ^ WITH ADVERTISING ADJUNCT Private Car, Several Managers, Band and Contests— ''Sheik" Displeases San Antonio Newspaper Peo- ple—503 Admissions at $2 in Texas City Tuesday GERTRUDE HOFFKAN IN CHI'S CABARET SHOWS Engaged by Ernie Young for -^ Marigold Garden Revue "MAKING MOVIES" ACT WITHDRAWN BY LOEW'S ''Benevolent Actors and Act- resses of America" Give Ball in Frisco Poor Quality of Finished Prod- uct.Discouraged Second Week's Attendance EVA TANGUAY'S GRACIOUS ACT Jackson, Mich., Marcli 28. Tlie engagement of Kva Tanguay ftt tlie Majestic last weelc for $2,500 wa3 terminated by Miss Tanguay Thursday in order to save the man- aK«>m«M)t $1,000, which the star waived. Oil Sunday when Mis.s Tanguay oiK'iu'd tlie draw was tremendous, l-'ollowing came very bad weather, with Miss Tanguay's voluntary offer accepted bv th'- l'OU.««e ow-na; to the iaiiinssible weather conditions. The T.,oPW circuit has discontinued the use of the act known as "Making Amateur Movies,"' following its en- gagement at the State, Newark, N. J., last week. The decision to withdraw the amateur turn, employed in four of the local Loew houses, was due to the poor pictures turned out wilh the amateurs. The making of the film consumes a week, with the showing: of the completed film occuring tho follow- ing week. The Loew people are reported as having been satisfied witli the act during the week the pictures r.re taken but in some of the four houses it has been tried was a satisfactory picture turned out, notwithstanding three-quarters were taken in the Metro studio. The act is reported aa ?odting $1,800 a week to operate It was anticipated it would prove a dra'.v for two weeks at each house. The poor finished product faifcd to at- tract business for the second week. Chicago. March 18. lOrnie Young is going to offer a new show at the Marigold Garden, in Chicago, starting April 9, which he thinks is too Important to call a cabaret revue. It is being referred to by his oflhe as a production. To place this attraction he has let an entire show go three weeks earlier than planned. The new production l» Gertrude Hoffman, on assistant dancer and 16 Tiller Girls, who have been the bulk of a Shubert unit, with Dellaven and Nice and Max Hoffman as musical director. There will be a lot of surprises In connection wilii the new offering at Marigold, iimong them nude pic- tures on the order of All Ben Hag- gin tableaux. DU YRIES FREE Chicagoan V!s!ted By Officers Who Forgot Their Search Warrant Han Francisco. March 28. An organization styled the 'Ben- evolent Actors and Aclressea of America, Inc.," having Us head- quarters In Portland, Ore., andj sponsored here by two "Official Rep- resentatives" named Larry Becker and \V. T. Mallahan staged an en- tertainment and ball In Arcadia pavilion Saturday night, ostensibly for the purpose of raising funds to "go to a sinking fund to assure those In the theatrical profession protection in time of illness or disaster, and in case of death" On the stationary of the organi- zation appears the names of J.ullan Eltince, Kddie "Lcpard," and Harry Fox as members of the "Advisory Board." "Franklin Gllmore" is listed as business manager. It is reported Eitingc was induced to lend his name to the venture un- der a misapprehension and that he since has instructed his attorneys to order his name removed. The representatives of the order stated there were already 1,100 members in the organization, and that 25 were in San Francisco. A request by Variety's repre- sentative for a few of the names was denied. Canvassing among the actors and vaudeville artists in this city failed to reveal a single mem- ber. CJirls armed with tickets to the bull were sent out on the streets and the pasteboards disposed of freely. All of the money ha« been collected by the two "Official Rep- resentatives." ARREST OVER MINORS Tom Linton Uses Them in "Follies" in Massachusetts LYDELL AND MACY'S PLAY I'or next season Lydell and Macy have a play named "David Hig- Kiii"^." written by lion Mu.xson. It will pi'serve the characters of the two pla\er.s as they are at i>reseiit ptf^sented by them in vaudeville. L.ist week it was reported in ^^M•iety. Lydell :ini\ Maey had can- celed ;ti 111,. 23rd Street on the pre- ^i■»^l^< .*<,iturday through reported illuosM ,,r Al Lyd.'ll. Tl»e team had '">( lt|,t><Ml ibe house. It should h«\»- r>ni\ instead Fost«'r T.all and t.'i>Mi|>.i ny. f » VVi.'e Sues Bond Morse Chicago. .M.irtli i:S. T'Ond .Morse has been sued loi- di- %oiM>' ),y .M;,^i,ii« .VIori iMe.\. who is ki'.>\vn in lln> profession as Ma.xine ;i^lilst'a 1. She eli.u-»Tt'S iruelty. ;\skM ••«litn..n.\ an,! ( ustody of a chiid. Tli»' ^U'n I* 1 linit liruu'iht in Detroit. Chicago. March 28. There's no denying that Sam Du VrlcB is free, probably freer than the liquor the officers found in Du Vries" home, along with a still for makiuij more. The officers, however, thought- lessly Invaded .Mr. Du Vries' domicile without a search warrant. Not ex- l»ecting Du Vries to be f\nick.v over a technicality, the officers may not have wanted to w.iste so much time over him, but Du \'iies raised the point on his examination. In most cities it is the common uruh'rstanding that getting caus^ht with a still is worse than having one. Few brag aliout a vi .tory such as Du \'ries seemed, hut he seemed pleHS<Ml over tiu' icsnit. j)ossilil.v because they didn't remove his still. Dti V'fies is still solioitiiiK adver- tising, but no one can be toiind who will say ]\n ever offered them any liftuor uii the .«ide as a bonus fiM" an ai-l. Mosconis in Coast Film Houses The l.oew Cir( uil h.is signed iIk- .Mos'oni I'aniily f r four weeks. ( i)nitn(Micin'4 .Msi.\-5 at the Warfio'.tl. S;ni l"'r:iHcisco. i The d;iti'iiii,' act will )>l.n' nnc wcetc ill l"ii--<(t ;n;d tin-"*- W''<'l\s :t» llie Slai'. l.-t- .\:ig»'Ies; FAY BAINTER'S ACT FROM "EAST IS WEST" KeMh Office Negotiating for Excerpt—Important Turn The Keith office is negotiating with Fay Kaintcr for vaudeville. .Miss IJainter will offer a condensed versioji of "I'ast Is West" with her self self in hei'"role ot "Ming Toy." sup ported b.\- six people. is th*- Hr.-t time that a legi- timate st.'m«- success oT the nrigiii- tti.l" i.f W.St Is West" N'.jih rx star of .Miss Dainter's t.tlihre has l>efn offered or considered in condensed form for vau<leville. The act will rurt about 3«) minutes ,'ind if signed will open at the I'al .'ic. .\cw York, n the nerr future IIIA, .1 I.leak in out of town. New Haven, Conn., March 28. ThomjiP Jy. IJntnn, ATt year^^ oKl, of Linton iJrothers, producr-rs of hometown "Follies" acts for vaude- ville theatres, was arrested in N.'W Haven, March 22, on a fugitive from Justice warrant. I'pon his arraign- ment in city court, Friday, It was revealed that the warrant was frt)m Brocltton. Mass., where he is wanted on a charge of employing minors for theatre work. He g.ive his address as Denver. Linton's case was continued. At the time of his arrest Linton was |)roducing a hometown "Fol- lies" ;«ct, :jt the Palace this week. He and his brother have produced these acts in vaudeville houses in several cities in New Kngland since the first of the year. „ The Massachusetss state law Is understood to bar children under the age of 16 for appearances on the stage, unless certain proce<lin'e is complied with. ATTABOY, TOMMY! .Tames J. Jeffries, former heavy- weight champion of the world, was offered to the Keith and Orpheum bookers this week by Alf T. Wilton. JeflC has a monologue written by Tommy C;ray which he wants to show in the vaudeville houses. Jeffries recently went tlurough bankruptcy and Is reported as anx- ious to restore his vanished balance via vatideville. Tommy Gray, now on the Coast, wrote the talk for the fighter. Jeffries hasn't appeared upon the stage since he camo out of retire- ment to lose his title to Jack John- son. IJefore the fight JefT ma«le a theatrical tour before settling down to hard training for the bout. MARCUS LOEW'S COLD A cold held Marcus Loew in his hotne the early part of the week. It m;i>- (online him to solitaire un- til .Mondav. Mr. ;ind .Mrs. Arthur Loew left .Vew York. Moinlay. for .i trip abroad with tlnir travel to covci- Continental Murope t horrtnghly. Aithur Is M.'ircus' son. ^^_ ADER SURRENDERS Chicago, .Mar< h L'S. I'Mward .1. .\der, formerly a Una rical attorney in Chicago, who has been in London, according to report, has given himself np and will serve hl. H kijvi ' H y t v ir s sentrj u - e at L r nv f n - worth on a r-4i;uge of swindling C'hi cagouns out of $i>(JO.0»)O through itr^>- motion of a <lefunct |)a( king « oi |»or- atlon. I'ei s«»ns who were on lus hojul t » j the extejil of $10,000 were just about ' to loso when Athr showed np San Antonio, March 2$. Mr. and Mrs. Hodolph Valentino appeared here last night at St. An- thony's Roof before 503 paid admis- sions at |2 each. In the afternoon in the same i)lacc they appeared at a tea dansant with 88 citizens pay- ing 13 each to see them. Their tour started March 18 at Kan.sas City. The stars with a band of 11 pieces (comprising th«* show), together with their man- agers, worked rapidly to this point, making it a one-day stand. The Valentinos* tour has taken on the aspect of beiner an advertis- ing adjunct for the Mineralava facial clay, a beautlfler for women. The Valentino attraction Is being billed like a circus by Mineralava men, it Is said, three aets of crews from that concern being connected. . also In advance, propagandiuR Mineralava In the towns and through the shops. The show appears to be operat- ing under two managements, Valen- tino's and Jack Curley's. Valentino is reported under a weekly guar- antee with a percentage of the tak- ings; Curley promoted the tour and started out as Its manager. It was said here last night that after Cur- ley had interested the Mineralava peoiile in the project, the Minera- lava compan.v, owing to the ex- tensiveness of Its campaign In con- nection, has virtually taken over the entire management, subject t© Valentino's original agreement. Show people here upon seeing the scope of the Valentino show with ire adjunct pronounced It the most unique conception In commercial publicity ever put out in this coun- tr.v, with Its possibilities unlimited in the present combination. in connection with beauty and dancing contests simultaneously conducted. Valentino, In presenting a doll's miniature of himself and wife to successful contestants, de- livered a five-minute speech In which "Mineralava" la mentioned about 100 times. The beauty contest Is a feature of the show and trip. It Is advertised a local selection will be made of the town's prettiest girl and that she, with those chosen In other cities, will assemble during the summer at Madison Square CJarden, New York, when Valentino will make a selec- tion from among them for his lead- ing lady for the next moving picture ho may make after the present in- junction against him for that pur- pose expires. Their expenses to New York and return home, to- gether with an escort, will be paitl b.v the Mineralava compatJj'. Last night's contest on beauty. With selections made by a commit- tee, was won by Lucille Bear, while the dancing contest went to Wanda' Wiley and Flsandro Forseck, each of the young people being from the best families In town. Mr, and Mrs, Valentino dani'ed for about five minutes, followed by a speech roasting the "Movie Trust" and praising himself, while another five minutes taken up In the pre- sentation of the cups and dolls to the winners made up the "perform- ance." The miniature dolls look as though the.v cost $25 api««e. The Aigentine Orchestra (carried) played five numbers. The \alentinoH are traveling de luxe in a i>rivate car requiring transi>ortation for 26 be paid. It is named the "Colonial." The local newspapers were invited to send represeritativeH to visit Valentino ut the car yesterday morning at II. Arriving there in a drivir)g rain- st(»rrn they were curtly informed by a r-olored potter Valentino could not be disturbed. As the engagement had been made by the show's ad- vance man and confirmed by wire, I he newspaper- people were wrathy. Among thurn was Mary Carter, the le.ttuJ'' writer on the local •News," the paper which handled the Valen- titni contest publicity. She had to f.ike an interview with Valentino fo r fho — hnmi — puiro 9 C h e g -iMtpfer, thrun^h the sp.iee i( had devoted i»» the contest. No apologies were of- fered for tt»<» di.sapiiointincnt. The Si. Anthony in the I'^ading liolel here. Its niatmA'ement split aO-50 on th# vf '■,-■ )M th* ro»^f Willi the >1 '