Variety (April 1923)

ft.. I i '•, V ly *s^.- VAUDEVILLE ii..t Thursday, April 5, 1923 ^c at-. EXPECTED PROCEEDS FROM N. V. A. BENEFIT WEEK Collections xn Theatres—Percentage ot 0>'oss— Thursday Matinee Gross Entirely—Profits from N. V. A. Balls 4 About >21'5,000 may bo ronlized /or tho .Sick and BMicfit Fuml of tho National VaudcviJle Artists through the N. V. A. week now be- ing celebrated in all of the houses of tho Vaudeville Managers' Pro- tective Association. About 19,000 was grossed by the two balls held Tuesday night of this week at Arcadia Hall, and the 23d Regiment Armory, Brooklyn. The ball at Terrace Garden Dance I'alace, Manhattan, tomorrow (Fri- day) is expected to get $5,000. The total will be swelled by the entire receipts of the Thursday matinees (today) at all of the Keith and allied houses. The souvenir program is expected to prov© another large source of revenue. J. J. Muroek, Keith's gen- era] manager, has donated a prize of $50(^ for the most attractive page, open to advertisers and the artist who prepare the copy. Tho collections frofti the audi- ences V hich have been proceeding nil weok, together with a percentage of the entire week's receipts, will bring the fund up to the above amount. Balls in Greater New York, IjOs Angeles, Baltimore, Philadel- phia, Louisville, Pittsh-urgh, Newark, Cleveland, Rochester and Cincinnati, together with a whole week bazaar nt I?altlmore will help swell the total to the new high water mark. MUSIC ROYAin laaoN' THIS QUARTER $57,000 $200,000 or More Expected Annually and Steadily by 'American. Society , A general spurt in show business at the box offlce is reflected in the first quarterly dividend to be de- clared this week by the members of the American Society of Com- posers, Authors and Publishers. A royalty "melon" of $57,000 will be apportioned, this increase being ac- counted for because of the picture theatre, dance hall and cabaret oyrners meeting their music tax obligations promptly and not pleading poor business, as often cxf- curred last summer. The American Society's flividends have been increasing with each' succeeding quarter, with the out- look that a $200/000 annual (Tivision will be 0\e rule rather than the ex- ception. Income from the radio broadcasting stations is counted on to tilt it, besides.. MISS ETHEL REA * ". Prima Donna with .; C. B. MADDOCKS / • I y «'THE SON DODGER" i * Booked Solid. I. H. HERK TESTIFIES IN UNIT BANKRUPTCY Turns Over All Assets to Re- ceiver—Stock Shares of Doubtful Value >. FREAKS IN SHANLErS 8tor« Show Prepo««€l for Porm«r Restaurant Plans were underway this week .JFor the installation of a freak and novelty show In the former Shanley restaurant In the Putnam building with a vaudeville agent interested in the project. The premises were recently va- cated by the restaurant, following bankruptcy proceedings. The prop- erty is owned by Famous Play- ers-I^A^ky which plans to erect a theatre In the rear with the former restaurant used as an entrance jind lobby. Work on the theatre will not start for two months during which time the location may be given over to the show promoter. The scheme is a continuous per- formance with freak and novelty acts making up th« bill following the style of former store shows. Due to the large seating capacity of ihe place, which also includes a stage, mor^ ^ostly acts may be used than were employed in the former small shows of the same na- ture. It is plrtnned to yse several ballyhoo acts along Broadway for advertising purposes. , ^ . The show will be the flrst of its kind in New York since the clos- ing of the freak sideshow which oc- cupied a store adjoining the Auto- mat on Broadway a few years ago. INQUISITIVE CAT Locked in Trunk Traveled With Act ACTRESS' MARRIAGE "STEPPING STONE?" Chicago, April 4. Fred J.in.sen, stage man.iger of the Orpheum at Qulncy, 111., received a telegram from Neil Mack, of Mack •nd Velmar, the other day which read: "Cat arrives nine tonight American Express, letter follows explaining." This was not a code telegram tipping off the arrival of prewar Scotch or anything of that kind but a bona fide message re- £arding a cat. "Nosey," the house cat at the Oniheum in Qulncy, is well known to vaudeville folks playing that way. The bin which plays that house Kenerally moves to Galesburg. When Mack and. Velmar and other acts playing there left early in the morning of March 22 (1.17 a. m.) they arrived at Galesburg at 4 a. m. The folks went to bed and reported at 11, gave in their baggage checks, and when Neil Mark opened his trunk, out Jumped "'Nosey." Mabel McCane Sued by Victor E. Murray for Divorce — Extravagance Charged BOUGHS BEAT UP MANAGEB New Orleans, April 4. Rodney Toupi", assistant manager of I.oews Cre.scent, was brutally as.saultcd by two ruffians in the lobby of the theatre Salurday aft- ernoon. The hooilhmis were disturbing everybody in the audience while seated In 4^ stage box. Toups called down and asked them to be les.s noisy. They, insulted him loudly. He called an officer of the theatre and had them ejected. Upon arriving outside and while his back was turned they beat him up. Cincinnati, April 4. Mabel McCane has been sued for divoi'ce by Victor E. Murray, son of the lato Samuel Murray, founder of the American Playing Card Co. Mr. Murray says in his complaint Miss McCane was too extravagant for his means, neglected him gen- erally and refuses to make a home for him. It is also stated by Murray his wife regarded their marriage as "a help, convenience and stepping stone," while it is further stated Miss McCane told his mother, "You had better kept Victor in Cincin- nati; he is no good to me," and that Mabel refused to live In Cin- cinnati beifause "it is too small a town." Miss McCane's former husband was Joe Howard, also in vaude- ville, where Miss McCane often has appeared. GRAUMAN'S SIX WEEKS The large coa^t pulure hou.ses have developed into- sr-rious o]>posi- tioa to the western v.iuilo\ iile cir- cuits. The Grauman string: is «ifrrrinK acts f'ix weeks, with "nann^s' iitul heiulliners being approached. MONTGOMERY NICKED FOR $50 Marshall Montgomery (.Smith), the ventroloquist, has been 'nicked" for 150 a week temporary alimony and |25p counsel fees to :js!eist his wife, Mrs. Mabel Smith, ta proceed with her suit for separ.it*^ mnin- tenance. Mrs. Smith askrd for. $150 a week, alleging her husband earns 115,000 annually. Justice May in tho NV.v York Supreme Court decided the i.«jsue. The first general examination in the bankruptcy proceedings against I. H. Herk and E. Tliomas Beatty was held last week before Seaman Miller, referee, at 2 R^tor street, New York. Herk alone was ex.- amined with further hearings bound over until tomorrow (Fri- day). Herk's assets as disclosed on ex- amination consisted entirely of various shares of stock in various theatrical enterprises, mostly of questionable value. These include shares in the Amalgamated Bur- lesque Enterprises, 10 shares In the American Burlesque Association, stock In minor individual produc- tion ventures. Other assets are his interest as a stockholder in the suit of the American Burlesque As- sociation against the Columbia Amusement Co. for $500,000 dam- ages for conspiracy. Herk has assigned all this stock to the receiver for the benefit of his creditors, Including the Herman Timberg unit, "Frolics of 1923," which played the Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, last week on a guar- antee from the house to the cast, the actors agreeing to waive salary claims from the week urec'eding until a time when they can be liquidated. The receiver Journeyed to Philadelphia last week to see the show and determine Its value. ThIS is the only unit remaining of the four Herk & Beatty produced. Kendler & Goldstein represented Herk at the examination. Beatty has not as yet been called to the stand. Herk's schedules In bankruptcy will be filed late this week. The attorneys have found that their Initial rough estimate of over $500,000 liabilities has been doubled by virtue of the fact Herk has affixe(! his signature as co-guaran- tor of a number of theatre leases by the Affiliated Theatres Corpom- tion. The Aarious leases which have from three to five years to run until exi)iration provide for unex- pired rentals ranging from $150,000 to $250,000 each, which Herk, as co-guarantor, must acknowledge in his sche<lule of liabilities. NEW REVENUE BOSS FOR SHOW DISTRia Chas. W. Anderson in Charge Above 23d St.—Reports for Income Tax Must Be Filed Monday Charles W. Anderson opened his offices as Collector of Internal Revenue for the 3rd Dis- trict, New York, in the Fiske build- ing at 57th street. Mr. Anderson's district embraces the entire city above 23rd street and reaching to the Bronx. It vir- tually takes in all theatres except- ing those on 14th street and below 23rd. Many of the theatrical men ac- customed to filing their Income tax statements at the Custom House seemed to feel at sea over the change. Theatrical attorneys stated that if ap attorney has an office downtown or below 23rd street, it would be sufficient to send the tax statement through him, to be filed at the Custom House as heretofore. Mr. Anderson, who is a Negro, was formerly also a Collector of Internal Revenue. He Is a Republican, of much prominence in New York. Horwitz's Second Setback Arthur J. llftrwitz, the I^ocw pgent, received another setback l?- lore Justice Bijur In the New York •Supreme Coint, tho jurist refusing to modify th*^ $200 Kniporary ali- mony award in fnvur of Mrs. IMytli*' Ijivingston-Horwitz. Jlorwitz was prnnted his motion for a reargument of the alimony in the divon'o suit Mrs. Horwitz has pending. The court ajfain held Horwitz must con- fine paying $L'00 wrf kly and $1,000 counsel fees. In addition a $10 toll for coatn was taxed onto the agent's account. LIghtner Marriage Annulled Chicago, April 4. The marriage of "Winifred Reeves (Winnie Lghtnor) and William I. Harold, her orchestr.i leader at the time (April 27, 1921), was ann'ille*! >)y Judge Thoipas J. I^>nch.* A certified copy of her divorce decr«'0 from Rit-hard Pyle, an af^tor, on April If), lUL'l, was produced as evidence. It was slated th.it Miss LiKhtner's se»'ond marriage brought brief happiness; the pair separated a f»'\V days after the ceremony was performed. Attorufy William 1'. A<l»r filed the petition in behalf ol Mina l^jght- »e r. Frances White on Locw Circuit I'VancoH White with a pianist opens Monday for Loew at the State, Cleveland, for a full w< ek as an .added attraction. The booking was arranged through the William Mori is office. SHAKESPEARE BY RADIO (Continued from page 1) It Is figured the attraction must gross $15,000 weekly to break even. Augustus Thfrtiias, who has b<c-n the hading spirit in the fonnation of the American National Theatre, has invited the critics of Vhe metropolitan dailies to be his guests at luncheon tomorrow (Friday). At that time the objects of the move- ment will be clearly dpflnod. Thon.^h much space has been devoted\to the idefx there appears to be some con- fusion among newspapermen as to spirit of the pr<»ject and the princi- pal fe.'iture which Is not to produce for long runs but to permit the at- tractions to tour throughout the country. The Friars will hold a Frolic Sunday night (April 8) at the Monastery for members and male guests. Dinner will be served at $2 per cover for members and $5 for guesta "GOD OF VENGEANCE" OIIT (Continued from page 1) Mulqueen Tuesday, was jKJstponed for 10 days. Weinberger who is an attorney, succeeded in obtaining the stay. The Sholem Asch drama, how- ever, will leave the Apollo at tho end of next week. Notice to vacate the theatre was given the manage- ment by the Selwyns Saturday, after tho business had c1roi)p*d under the istop limit of $10,000 for two suc- cessive weeks. The drop in attend- ance was noted two weeks ago, when business failed to reach $9,000. I>ast week the decre.i.«e was even more marked, the total not reaching $6,500. Weinberger, in light of the post- ponement of the court action, en- deavored to arr.angc for a continua- tion at the Apollo but the house had already been committed for another attraction, reported as "How Come." The latter is a colored show which guaranteed tlic Selwyns for a month, for either the Apollo or Selwyn. j The lattor house will get "Within j Four Walls' Ai>ril 16, the same dat<> (set for the entrance of the colorerl troupe. * f "The God of Vengeance" will ser\ another Broadway theatre, but it i? doTibtful if a booking can be mn<I' definite even though another hoir^o is offered tlie attrariion, until t!i" charge against the players and man- agement is decided in court. Monday (Kastor) ..fternoon n holiday matinee was given at tho Apollo, the taking.M reaching $1,100. Tho "Vengeance"' management ac- cepted that as a f-ign business would show a come-baek this week to the former money-making pace. Part of the matinee trade wa.s credited to an overflow from "The Fool" next door and to the absence nf other matinees on 42d street. AaOR AnACHES Ul AT LAST PEftFORMANI Nat Nazzaro Holds Up Lasj Show Until Back Salary _. II Paid '^^ ^ t i The last performance of the Shi bert vaudeville unit, "Frolics 1922," was held up for an hour an attachment on the orchestra nia^ sic served by Nat Nazarro at tl Chestnut Street Opera House, Phlifi adelphia. last Saturday night, wJ the house was in tumult. Thp house officials, had wind the intended serving of the wrH and had locked all doors back st Nazarro, however, bought foi seats—two for his lawyers and t\ for the deputy sheriffs." * They ei tercd the house five minutes befc curtain time and confiscated all thi music on-the mufiic rack^. Everybody adjourned back st< following, where the argumet lasted all evening and was particle pated In by Herman Felnberg. fe4a ture of "Frolics"; Han-y Roi company manager; Leonard Blum« berg, Shubert head at Philadelphia;] Nazari'o and his ,lawyers and tl house manager. In addition to attaching the mil sic. Nazarro attached Feinbei violin, some settings and c< tumes. Nazarro held up the curtain ul he and all members of the compai were paid back wjtges due. "Frolics of 1922" was produce by ^I. H. Herk and E. Thomi Beatty for the Shubert unit clrcul^J It being one of the,few survivon^ It closed for the season at tl Chestnut Street Opera House. HAT'S AMBITION (Continued from page 1) he would like to win the RepuV^ lican nomination for Governor ol Indiana, his home State, for tlM^ 1924 campaign, taking oflflce la January, 1925). Hays' contract' v/ith the Producers and Distribut^i ors does not expire until March.' 1925, but It is not believed he will; remain for the full term. \ Whatever the members of th#1 organization think of the enter- prise, there is a general belief in- the trade that Hays himself is non#; too well pleased with its progress.' Organizing a nultitude of conflict-:; ing interests and personalities ha^ been a super-job and results hav«i been less than Hays hoped for. ^ It is coming tabe the view of tlM^ trade that the organization lii merely marking time. An example is the matter of the Selznick bank* ruptcy and the subsequent wran that has done th« commercial standing of the industry no good^ The interests associated under Hays' leadership would easily ,b# capable of 'taking over a tottering business of one of its members a^d ^ accomplishing its liquidation w)th | a minimum of friction and disturb- | ance.' The picture business is alw&JTf negotiating for capital and tM Selznick incident stands as an o1»« stacle to satisfactory dealings with conservative bankers, who are In- clined to frown upon film loan$il anyway. This slam at the prestlif*^ of the screen could have beeik| avoided, according to the film mAil quoted, If the Hays associated 1)1* terests had taken hold before th» affair went too far. Now the Selz- nick . proposal for a comproml««i^ with creditors is 100 cents on tht dollar, in the form of unendorsift and unsecured notes payable two years hence. It may be accepted. Anything so obvious as an a|l- produrer alliance to stabilize th« industry has never be^n broached for the reason that the producert are apparently as incapable ol^j PToing to that length of co-opera tion to make the scheme feasibU The producers and distributors a>tJ no more capable of concerted ac-? tion for their mutual tenelit than, are the exhibitors, whose failure t»< mov| ;.s a body is constantly belo#| snr^eri'd at by the produeors. f It is this situation that is be- lieved- to have determinf^d Hays to seek a way out from his pre.'^ent connection if the right condition ari.ses. - . ^ An Essex car was stolen from the Devito Band while the act waa play-- ing an engagment at Mofs' JelTer- .<;on, New York, last week. The robbery occurred Satuixlay night while the act was absent from th« house. The car was parked outside of the stage entrance. ♦. ■'.«•■ ^ —■