Variety (April 1923)

' vW'i'?'^f^''Wi^"*^fi^' ''•■'■ ' "^V'l '^•TJV-'^r^?^' v." (^'^"'Tr'if •->'r^daf*^-s-7Cfli A'^'^o^^ I OUTDOOR AMUSEMENTS Thiifsaiy. April 6, 1923 SHRINERS' NATIONAL CONCLAVE M!LUON-DOLLAR CELEBRATION 500,000 People Expected at Capital June 5-7—Con- gressional Appropriation—"On to Washington!" Shriners' Cry - , A million-dollar celebration will t>e held in WaHhington June 5-7 un the occasion of the 49th annual con- vention of the Imperial Council, Mystic Shrine. It is planned to be the biggest event ever held by a fraternal order and will outstrip all previous conventions of the high degree Masons. No limit has been set on the Expenditures for enter- tainment, which will be presented in a novel way, the Shriners and the general public sharing the many sight features. Because of that Confess appro- priated 1500,000 towards the celebra- tion. A pageant to cost $150,000 has already been contracted for. It is designed along the lines of a multi- ple series of tableaux. Platforms will b« built for 20 blocks along Penn- sylvania avenue, stretching from the Capitol to the Treasury building. Upon them various Khows and tableaux will be shown. A contract for flrewortcs calls for $35,000. The Shriner organizations in mat.y cities are raising a fund equaling that of the Congressional appropria- tion by means of indoor circuses, and the slogan from all sides is "On to Washington!" Delegations from every Shrine Temple will attend, those from the larger cities compris- Inf? 700 or more. Edgar Snyder, in charge of enter- tainment, was In New York this week making arrangements for feat- ures. Will Rogers was engaged as a speaker for the banquet which will climax the convention. The humor- ist is to bepaid $3,000 for the single appearance. Rogers was demand-J at any price, although he hesitated because of his plans to return to the coast in the event of the "Fol- lies" closing before June. It wi.s aKi*<?ed that he return for the Shrine celebration In that event. An offer was made the Ringlings to bring the circus to the celebra- tion, the price proposed being $20,- 000 a day. That plan, however, was dropped, it being found the Ring- ling-Barnum and Bailey outfit would be too far afield'at the time. It I-s expected the convention will at- tract 500,000 persons, and it is a problom whether the capital will be able to accommodate such a host. CONN. LAW TO REGEATE CARNIVAL TAX CHEATS Bill Approved to Force mediate Payment on Demand • Im- Hartford, Conn., April 4. The now bill for the regulation of the state tax on theatres, as pre- pared by the state lax department, has been approved by the llnance committee. Attractions at agricul- tural falr5?, the proceeds of which are used exclusively for the im- provement and maintenance of such ffiirs, are exempted as are the tick- ets of admission to the fair ground proper. To enable the tax commissioner to forestall evasion of the admission tax law by fly-by-night carnivals, the approved bill gives him the right to demand immediate payment of the tax due the state from the man- ager or operator of such entertain- ments. There have been instances in the last two years, it wa.s re- ported, of carnivals pulling wp stakes and attempting to get away from the slate without settling with the tax commissioner. It is estimated \hat the Connecti- cut rftato tax on amu.sement enter- prises is capable of producing $400,- 000 In revenue. ..': 3i: AWAIT ORDINANCE VOTE Aetten Exp«e(«d mi Mmmin ■•for* M*y 1—Shows Idl* ARTHUR and LYOIA WILSON IN' "SWEETHEARTS A LA CARTE" B7 ALBX. GEKBKR Take this means of thanking Mr. .1. H. Lu-bin for his past kindnesses and again for giving them another tour over the Loew Circuit, starting April 9th. at Loews Baltimore, Md. MARK LEVY, Representative STATE FAIR IN PENNA. LOOKS TO BE ASSURED Bill Introduced and Site Se- lected—Two Years of Planning Public he&rlnff w»» acheduled for thlm week before the Hew Tork Aldermen' on the proposed ordi- nance to change the license fees tor open-air shows from an annual charge to an impost of $100 for each ride at each stand within the city limits and $25 for each concession. It is expected the ordinance will reach a vote before May 1, but until^ it doe« the territory is tied up. A number of carnival men would like to see the matter settled. Among tliem is Ralph Finney, who started Ws season in Brooklyn last year before the end of April, and still has two weeks or so of license terra under his la.st yeai-'e pefmit. Finney's plan is to repeat his stand of last year on the lower East Side of Manhattan, usinj; the space under the Williamsburg bridge for a lot. The Ben Williams shows also are anxioue to have the license matter cleared up in time fbr an early start in Brooklyn. Jack Kline is another possibility. If the new scale of license fees goes Into effect, it Is likely all the carnivals will give up the idea of making stands here. PA. BOARD OF HEALTH BEHIND CARNIVAL .*■? ■** Measure Introduced to Prevent! Carnivals from Exhibiting— Severe Penalties WILLOW PARKAS SEASON Longest Yet—Four Bands Are Engaged for Park "OFF^ WHEEL CHAIRS ESTIMATED PROFITS Printer Sues New Fairyland for $223,000 Co. Ccncessionnairet Afraid Coney lsl> iand Goers Not Luxury Seekers \'o one seems to want the wheel chair privilege for the board walk on Coney Island—that is to say no one wants to pay anything for the privilege. Tha wheel chairs looked good at first, but conces- sionnaires, after figuring ' it out, can's see money In it. One concern in response to bids rnlle^l for by Borough Tresldent Kirgtlman of Brooklyn offered to take the privilege for nothing for a year to try it out. The wheel-taxi thing will proba- bly not be decided for a couple of weeks at least. The i)ossiV)ilities of the wheel taxis, although having been demonstrated for a number of years at Palm Beach and Atlantic City, don't seem to Influence the conccssionnaires. The main obstacle against the chairs making money is .i fear the Coney crowd is not cenerally a chair riding bunch and will not be inclined to spend money for such a "luxury." Kansas City, April 4. George H. Foster, manager of the Gate City Press, a large printing? company of this city, has filed a suit against the new Fairyland Amusement Co., a.sking that he be awarded damages to the amount of $223,071. Foster alleges that in December he entered into an agreemr:it with the company, which' is building a new amusement park here, to use his influence In keeping some of his neighbors In the vicinity of the park site from opposing its loca- tion; that for this service he was to have the exclusive peanut and popconi c, ncesslons for a term of 20 years and $2,000 of the com- pany's stock. Claiming the com- pany has refused to live up to the agreement since the council granted the building permit, he now seeks tTie damages. Mr. Foster states that he bases his claim on a figure of $ll,ld8 a year, which he says Is what the concession is worth. Sam Benjamin, manager of the park company, says that he had no deal- ings with Foster, and that there was no agreement with him. The work on tlie park Is beincr rushed and the promoters, one of whom is the mayor of the city, hope to open the place June 15. Stock has been offered to the publi;^ and it is reported that a great many shares have been sold. Harrisburg, Pa., April 4. Establishment of a Stale Fair and Exposition for Pennsylvania is now practically assured. A bHl ap- propriating $500,000 to the State tVir Commission for the purchase and grading of a site for the fair has been introduced into the Legis- ture by Representative Haines of Bucks county. The bill is said to have the support of a sufllcient number to assure its speedy pas- sago. The plot selected is own^d by a number of interests. With the. White Hill station as a base, the site takes In farms alons jthe Mechanlcsburg pike and back to the Yellow Breeches Creek. The plot has the advantage of entrance from the Carlisle piko and also from the Trlndlc Springs road, which connects directly witli Har- risburg. The ground also has direct con- nections with the Philadelphia & Reading Railway and the Pennsyl- vania Railroad. The lines of the valley railways connects the plot directly from Harrisburg and near by cross-river towns. . Some of the things to be Included in the fair grounds as contaihed in the report of the State Fair Com- mission, which was drawn up after a two years' study of many places and sites are: A half-milo race track, amuse- ment park, amphitheatre, Pennsyl- vania "State building, forestry building, industrial arts building, fine arts building, and al.so build- ings for fish and game, home eco- nomics, l)oys' and girls' club work, stock barns, agriculture, automa- i. biles. dining, horticulture and dairying. ^:..^ ,—., ...._: Philadelphia, April 4. A sure sign of the proximity of the end of the theatre season Is to be found in the first announcement by Willow Grove Park concerning activities during the coming sum- mer. This big . amusement • resort, which has Ueen reported from time to time as being given up by tho Philadelphia Rapid Transit com- pany, which owns It, will open May 12. It is its twenty-eighth season. It$ closing date will be Sept. 16, making 18 weeks. Memorial Day Is generally the park's debut. Despite the lengthened season there will be fewer mu.sical organ- izations playing Willow Grove this summer. Whereas in some past seasons thoie have been as many as six V>ands and or<:'hestras all told, this year there will be only four. Patrick Conway and his band will be the mu.'ical attraction from May 12 U)itil June 9; Victor Hcr- bA-t and his orchestra from June 10 until July 7; Wassill Leps and his orchestra from July 8 to Aug. 4, and John Philip Sousa and his band from Aug. 5 to Sept. 16, mak- ing bIx weeks, which is the longest period Sousa has ever played at the park. Harrisburg, Pa., April 4. "Traveling carnival companieij'' are hereby declared to be detri* mental to the public peace, publlo health and public morals, and are hereby prohibited from operating within this Commonwealth," is a provision of a bill Just introduce4 | in the House of Representatives byjjj Franklin Spencer Edmonds, Phila-'jl delphia. The State Health Department is .1 CIRCUS SELLOUT FIRST WEEK; TURNAWAY MON. back of the measure and apparently believes that its measure will be more effective than the self-im- posed censorship of the companies themselves. The bill defines a traveling car- nival company as "any Itinerant or- ganization or aggregation by what- soever name moving about the country on railroad cars, motor or horse-propelled vehicles, giving performances or exhibitions for pay in one or more tents, wagons or other enclosures, and having with it concessions, such as what are commonly called doll, blanket, knife, Simbrella and Teddy bear racks, games of chance or games of so-cjnied science, and skiM, whether or not all or part of such shows and devices are under sepa- rate ownership or under one man- agement and control." It would be a misdemeanor un- ; der the provisions of the bill for any one to operate such a company in the State, and upon conviction a violator Is subject to a fine ot-^ not less than $100 nor more than - $300, or to undergo Imprisonment for a term of not more than six months for -each offense. Each day a carnival company is operated is a separate offense. The property of companies that violate the law is subject to forfeit to the State, l.'pon conviction of any operator o* ii company, the proiwrty Is to be sold, and Jie proceeds, with any money seized, shall be paid into the .school district witliln which the violation ooouri'ed. " The bill does not app'y to merry- go-rounds, fcrris wheels, whips, scen'c railways, roller coasters and "similar innocent fonns of amuse- ^ mcnt and entertainment, nor to any ^ ilin» rant or traveling circus or j menagerie, except that as to cir- :; cuses it shall expressly apply to j all side show features other than • one main side show owned and op- erated by the circus.* FIGURING B.-B. ROUTE Latest Dope on the Travels Big SHow'tf MAIN'S THREE RINGS By the latest figuring the Ring _ . . »!• Lj. /\ I r- •! A ling-Barnum circus will not get into Friday Night Only 'Failure to ; Boston untll June and win be oorre- 5 pondingly late in mr.kinc: middle 1 Clean Rack—Specula- tors Lose western and RocKy Mouniain tern- ; tory thle year. *; The show goes direct from the Garden to the Washington, r.;ilti-« more and Philadelphia st-inds. After Philadelphia It will probably ^ -- - there ED. WARNER DIES Welt Known Traffic Man Away in Chicago Passes Chicago, April 4. Ed Warner dier last night at the Palmer House aged 44. The deceased was credited with having routed the Muggivan, Bowers and Ballard circuses. He was con- sidered the greatest traflflc mani- pulator In the show business. —r Ijttst season the movements of the Muggivan circuses attracted much attention through the skin and swiftness with which they were ac- complished. At the time curiosity arose as to who was handling the movements with Warner mentioned CIECUS MERGER The merging of (Jcntry Buos. an*! Patterson's Trained Animal Ciru^ is reported with the filing of ap- plication for a new charter in Dela- ware. The Patterson property Is owned by James Patterson and winters in Pasia, Kan. The Patterson outfit has toured exclusively in the west, generally as the main feature of a carnival or- ganization Qontrolled by Patterson. This is the second carnival merger in the carnival field so far this sea- son, the other being the Dauphin and Kline shows which played Long Island s'ands in 1922. Walter Main's Circus, owned by Andrew Downey, opens its season April 7 at Chariottoburg. W. Va. This season Main's will play In three rings, dispensing with the stage between the two rings It had last season. Neither, is the circus now carrying any animal acts. Paper gotten out for tho Main show has but one featured nnmo. the "Wirth Family with May and Phil Wirth. Top admission has been set at 60 cents. It's said the Wirth Family has been engaged for the entire season by Downey. They draw one of the largest salaries paid by any circus. The lJrij;iing Bros.-Barnum-Bai- ley Circus sold out'all performances except Friday niglU of Its first ploy Newark, N. J., turning week's engagement at the Garden, and working through I'mn.syUwniA. The evening performance of Good The route would thus lo:!d back into 5 Friday was off owing to rlligious New York around Bliit'hamton, Kl- ; observances. Saturday evening mira, etc.. into N-^.v r.:vj:land. ajaCj Spanish Fort Opens April 21 New Orleans, April 4. Spanish Fort, the South's large.'^t summer park, opens April 21. Sev- eral new concessions have been add- ed and the projectors expect a ban- ner season, considering that sonth- _ ern staples are selling at peak priors by the Insiders at tho time as the'and prosperity Is very much in evl- likelv one. dence. Fair Grounds Near Bethlehem Work on a plant and fair grounds which will cost 11,500,000 has been started at Ebensberg. Pa., which Is near Bethlehem. Charles M. Schwab is said to be heavily inteiested and plans call for the new project to be among the flncpt fair cstablish- menta In the country. It Is proposed that a Pennsyl- vania state fair be held at Ebens- berg. Heretofore there has been no state event, all fairs in the com- monwealth being classed as inde- pendent. -^ — there was a sell-out, but no turn- away, the Jewish festal observ- ance taking something away from attendance. Althongli the box office was con- fistently cleaned at all but the one show, a number of performances di.sclosod a few emiity scits scat- tered through the house, but men connected with the circus smiled complacently, declaring that the gaps represented tickets ttill in the hands of .speculators, Monday afternoon the effect of the end of I..ent revealed Itself with a rush. The turnaway was estimated at 2,500, and there were scenes of mild disorder around the entrances when adults were trying to explain the situation to clamoring youngsters The Garden holds ai'ound S.oOO for the circus, and it is estimated that at the $3 scale the show^ can do better than 1100,000 on the wcf k. No estimate of the daily overhead or "nut" of the show is available. although the probabilities are that it is In excess of |5,000 a day. thus to P.oston. After Bo.^ton ;lu' iuc-i'mption IH that the show will play back via New Havon, Bridgepor;, Stamford, and north again to Springfield, Pit:: lir-ld. ar.d jhfn<r. h\ck into XcW York and along tho New Yorlt_ Central's main Un? i-uo Schonec*^ tady. Roehcvtor. Syr.-! use, Buffalo and on into the lake cor.ntry, ht aded for the Chicago stand on the I^ake, front. 3 CIRCUS SCENE W NEWS 1 Cliicago, April 4. In PaTnc New.s for tills weeM there are scenes taken at Peru, Ind-i where the circus is getting roadjr for the road. While there seems to be a stutlicfl^ cftort to omit showing the name of the shorv at first. Liter there I«. a wagon di.**playc(l which carries the title "JS^Ms-FloUC! - ,..^ Burt Cc'e will be wih tl^ Ilai^en- beck-WjiUnce circus again the com- ing season, j _^;^.j_ . ; Ernst Schumann Cominfl Over Krnst Schumann, the liu.Reman of Europe, is on hh way to this coun- try. He will join the Barnum- Hailey show, handliuK 30 Liberty horses in one of the rings. :