Variety (April 1923)

;'T "?yC.. T*' f;.Tr.'«T»»-!v; ■■•<■.-- 10 •T'.-n-- ".rr" ;•»• ■«(i-/»" EDITORIALS v« Thursday, April 5, 1923 KIETY ■ TrA<3« Mark Peglttcred PubllBhed WMkly bj VARIETY. lae. 6lme Silverman, President 1(4 West 4Ctb Street New York City Annual. . SUBSCnilTION: $7 I Foreign. 18 9A r«in(ti \vu. J^xx. ito ^o 7 154 West IM West 46th 4eth KTATKMKNT OP THK OW.SKRSHir, AIANA(;K.M!:.NT, riK«'LI.ATU)N. KTc:.. IlKQl.'lUKI) HY THK A«'r OK CON- tJRESS. OK Al<;r.ST 1'4. 1!M2. Of Variety, puMished weikly at New York, K. Y . for April 1, 1321. Btftte of N^w Voj1<, I'ounty cf New York. U<fore me, a Notary Public Jn an«1 for the State and I'ounty afor«-fialil. personally appeared Sime Silverman, who, having b«'fu duly sworn, accordinR to law, deposes and says that he Is the edi;or of Variety, and that the following Is. to the best of hts knowledge and belief, a true statement of the ownership, munagcment. etc., of the aforr»*a.d publiiatinri fut the date showil In the above caption, required hy the Act of August 1:4, li>U', enibodie<l in Section 44>'. I'ostal Laws and Hegulations, printed on the reviTso of this form, to wit: 1. That the names and addrrssrs of the ruliiliither, editur, managing editor, and husincss manager, are: J'ublisher—Variety, Inc , itieet. New York city. Kdltor—Sime Silverman, street. New York city. Managing Kdltor—None. Kuslness Manager—None. 2. That the owners are: Variety, Inc., l.%4 West 46th street. New York city. Sime Silverman, 154 West 4flth street, .Mew York tity. Sidney Silverman, 154 West 4Cth atreet. New York city., 3. That the known' bondholders, mort- gagees and other security holders owning (•r holding 1 per cent, or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other sccur* lfie«i. «re: None. 4 That the two paragraphs next above, giving the names of the owners, atockhold- ers and lecurity holders, if any, contain not only the list of 8toci<holdeni and secur- ity holders as tboy appear upon the books of the company, but also, in"^cases where the stockliolder or aecurity bolder appears upon the books of the company as trustee or In any other flduciary relation, the name of the person or corporation for whom such trustee is acting, is given, also that the •aid two paragraphs contain statements embracing affiant's full knowledge and be- lief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security hold- ers who do not appear upon the books of the company as trustees hold stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a bona flde owner; and this affiant has no reason to believe that any other person, association or corporation has any interest, direct or indirect. In the said stock, bonds (T other securities than as so stated by him. 5. That the average number ©f copies of each issue of this publication sold or distributed, through the mails or other- wise, to paid fMbscril}ers during the six months preceding the date shown above is (This information la required from dally publications only.) 'Sime Silverman, Editor. Bwom to and subscribed before ine this ISth day of March. 1823. i-:iizat>eth A. Reilly. Notary PubHc. {My commission cxpirja Muidk 30, 1923.) 15 YEARS AGO (From VarUty Dated April 4, 1908) The Flying Jordnnn came t<\rk ffom th«ir first South Ameikan tour to join tho RinglioK Bros, cir- cus oponinR at the Coliseum, Chi- cago. They were reported to have broken even on the Latin-American venture In spite of prevalence of yellow fever the winter before and Intended to go back the following fall. (The Jordans have made re- pealed trips Into the southern terri- t<*ry ever since and this year it is reported they intend to remain south permanently with their own tops.) ' Ch.'irlle .Sieprist had been woikinpi; with Frank ("Clivers") Oakley, the clown, in vaudeville, but had to quit to fill an engat^f-mf nt with the Sells- Floto show. Sioprist was the only acrobat who did an "unassisted double from the mat." which he per- formed twice a day with Oakley. <Charlie is with the Uarnum show this year at the Garden, being head of one of the return acts which o«> cupies one end of the (Jard(?n in the aerial display. One of the aerial acrobats with the 'bij; show" thi.s year is doing a feat described as a "b.ack and forward in one routine" into a hock catth. It is 8upj)t).s«d to be acct)mplislic<l by working ;i half twister between the two turns Somebody ;i.»-kfd Chat lie to give tl)«- trick a name but he «ould not in- vent one sufficiently des(ripti\c Charlie dof s a double and a half in the air now. but has given up tlu dangerous double off the mat.) The mnnager.s of the smaller cir- cuits allied with the I'. U. O. formed a <'ommittee to interview acta an<l argtie for conces.<=ions. - v ,, _ Periodic ally a s cheme was broached among the Western Bur- les<iue Wheel men to pool all shows. It always had been bjtlkp«l by as the strong: shows regnnled it as a scheme to cut In on the good profits by the weak shows. Tbi«« time tb< proposal was that a pool be formed and all shows that chose could Joii^ (Continued on page 56) THE ACTORS' BIT FOR THE ACTOR Aaron J. Jon«Sf known to thousand* In the show bualneu aa bead of the Chicago firm of Jones, Linick A Schaefer. la treaaurer of the Ameri- can Theatrical Hospital In his home town. He writes Variety as fol- lows: 'Yesterday the Board of Directors had their meeting at the hospital, and after going through the different wards and talking to 22 sick CHARITY patients, all jieople In the ranks of the theatrical and allied amusement professions, it made us feel that the actor who Is prospering fcnouid neip this c.»us«tr. "Vou know the average actor, when he gets sick, says 'Take me to the American Hospital— th.it Is OUR hospital.' But if you really knew the gross amount we have received from actors since the hospital was founded, it would shock you. It fs so little that I am ashamed to put it in figures. "We need money for cur forthcoming yea.r's CHARITY work. Every dollar subscribed Avill go to the destitute and sick in the hospital—none of it for fees, salarie.-*, overhead or anything else. The charity fund goes 10 cluiiity, 100 per cent." Variety gladly gives space to Mr. Jones' appeal. His assurance behind any statement is a sill-edged guarantee of its good faith and truth. Those desirous of sub«?oribing to this excellent cause may address A. J. Jones, treasurer. 25 West Madison street, Chicago, III. WOMEN AND aOTHES In the picturesque and entertaining story "Suaanne," soft skies. Span- ish houses, mantillas, fans and combs create the old world atmosphere that pervaded California in the early days. Forced situations and in- consistencies are endurable when the scenery and leading woman are so pleasing. Mable Xormand is a peon girl in long velvet trousers that flare at the nnkles, short jacket, wide girdle and sombrero. Later when her Identity is discovered she is a bewitching hride in white lace with the usual Spanish accessories. Winifred Bryson is handsome, and her beauty adds to the background, especially at the bull flght when she wears a low cut tight bodice full skirt, long earrings, high Spanish comb with lace mantilla. • Claire Windsor as Leila Morton in "The Little Church Around the Corner" receives her first kiss In a stunning silver mesh evening gown cut low, and with strands of beads as a head dress. In the thrilling scenes of the mine disaster she wears a smart tweed sport suit with a small cloth hat and gay scarf. In the scintillating play "Why Not" Lotus Bobb as the romantic Kvadiie Thompson meets her cx-sweetheart-poet In a neat blue serge made on Straight lines with cape sleeves. In the amusing swoping- husband's scene that carried so much thought beneath its sparkling dialog, she weara a pale yellow taffeta dinner frock with tight waist and long billowy skirt. Lillian Albertson as the practical, proper Mary, is captivating in the before dinner scene In a salmon taffeta frock that showed her plump white shoulders in the tantalizing fashion of the early_nineteenth century. In the last scene—very, charming one showing the affection of the fathers for their respective and thoroughly modern children—she wears n, trig grey and green silk sport suit. Norma Mitchell as the worldly attractive aunt who seems to enjoy life vicariously agrees with the new butler's taste in roses as she wears a grey georgette made on long loose lines with an uneven hem and a short cape. In the divorce discussion she is in a stunning black spangled gown which she carries very well with her graceful carriage and beautifully coiffured grey hair. The beautiful Elsie Mackay in the play of loose ends "The Comedian" at the Lyceum Is a demure, matinee girl in a tan dress and brown turban with a long tulle streamer to add to her femininity. Later when she eats lier husband's breakfast and asks the popular lady killer about "the other girl" he loved, she Is radiant In an orange silk house robe, very long with a graceful cape hanging from shoulder to hem. Miss Mackay has the courage to we.ir the same robe twice—appearing in It after a ^tage lapse of four days—more than the lavish movie queens would dare! Her costume of orange and grey In the rehearsal scene was not par- ticularly smart nor becoming. Sophie Tucker witli her dashing, vital personality, and that inimitable combination of dignity and indiscretion, alights from her car on the .stage of the Palace tliis week, wearing a chic purple hat with an arrow of brilliants wriggling down the front, a moire bow at the back, a long black cape with a chinchilla collar. Under this a smart purple afternoon ilre.'is, the blouse of plain material and the skirt of the popular "King Tut" material, made ankle length and draped up In front, in which Miss Tucker looks amazingly slim. She later appears in a stunning white evening gow n made on straight loose lines and envbroldered with crystals, a band of brilliants with two black paradise feathers form a clever head dress. Elizabeth Brice who hasn't much of a voice, and Is always straining for effects that she doesn t succeed -in achieving, wore a buff colored taffeta with wide flouncing edged with green about the hips. Hilda Wolfus is a handsome Amazon who makes an exceedingly decorative parlor lamp ;is she poses tightly draped in cloth of gold, hold- ing .a golden shade over her head. In her last number Miss Wolfus wears a unique ajid becoming frock of buff colored silk made with a bodice .nnd very long, full skirt embroidered In gold and strewn with pastel flowers. She has bc.iu'.iful chestnut hair worn In a simple fashion that suits her—a vibrant, healthy creature who Is very easy to look at. At the Riverside this week Mignon does her rather shadowy Imper- .sonations, atrociously dressed In a short white frock. Shy Beatrice Curtis (with Harry Fox) had a dainty lavender gown rrffidv with a silk underskirt with chiffon side panels edged with ecru lace. The best of Bessie Clifford's wavering "Art Impressions' Is the riding sctno where she really looks like a live girl on a horse. In the semi- niHbs the effects are awkward and disconnected, due perhaps more to the aitist who de-sigiud her drops than to Miss Clifford. In the delightful and entertaining picture made from the stage fiucess "Crumpy' May McAvoy is the charming flattery-loving Virginia. She is .-^mart in a silk lace afternoon dress over which she weais a long canton crepe cape with self rose quilling forming a becom- ing collar. Another attractive costume Is a light silk frock made with a loos(- basque, the new circular skirt and uneaten hem line. She wore .an exceptionally alluring negligee of heavy satin made on straight princess liiif s with long flowing sleeves falling back from the arms and edged with tiark fur. n.iroKi jjoyd Is a romedifln Of subtlety and tmarfnatftm. His n^^w picture "Safety Las: " .it the Strand thla week is a clever and amusing veliicle for his acting. Mildred Davis, as the girl, wears simple un- pretentious frockH. JSlie was fetching In a trig blue serge suit made with a box coat decorated with em.broidery around the bottom and on tho bell shaped slec\ es, with which she wore a frilly white lace collar and vest and a becoming turban. When dashing to the roof of the store 10 embrace her beau as he flnlehes his breath-taking climb, she wears A dainty white ruffled organdie with a bewitching little maline bonnet I trimmed with bands of fluting. INSIDE STUFF, ON YAUDEYIIXB «^> i-'« A recent criticism on a vaudeville show at the Palace, New York, writ* ten by Jack Lalt for Variety and mentioning one act in particular, its formation, founders, bookings and other things (mostly other things) created some talk In big time circles, especially those big time circles that arc familiar with big time circles. It seemed to divide one big book- li<K ofll'.cc Into facticns, those f'din^ with \ht» story standing about in the ratio of 99 to 1 against It. ThB-mlnute minority's only defense was that Lalt, being an author himself, had accepted an opportunity to express his spleen upon another author. For the information of the minute minority It may be said that five of Variety's critics had been waiting for the very opportunity presenting itself to Lalt. The condition exposed by the story had become notorious. It had been hinted at In other reviews in Variety, but none of the other reviewers could just get the right angle the way it broke for the out and out statement Lait made. Jack Lait suggested the very possibility that happened, that these affected would try for an "out" on the plea of spleen, but if was sug- gested to Lait he take that chance, because the fact was there and noth- ing could stand it off. If there Is any blame to be placed by that minority bunch, place it light upon Variety itself, and at the same time let them all be thankful that this season ha.s passed without Variety printing the other stuff, and which perhaps should have been printed, that they knew of and worried about. But that wasn't connected directly with vaudeville; the other was. And some more thanks from them are due because this inside stuff mentioned was not spread into an editorial. i A popular songwriter, who a decade ago enjoyed an enviable reputation both as a fashion plate and a successful man in his field, has been on' the decline the past several years since his separation from his opera diva wife. Currently he Is attracting more attention than ever because of an unfortunate addiction. He makes the rounds of the music pub- lishers with a brief case crammed full of nascent material that ten ye.irs ago would ha\'e found a market as ready then as it is disinterested now. Some of the fellows from Times square who have lately gone to Holly- v.-ood to remain or linger there but temporarily are: Tommy Gray, Felix Adler, Bill Phlnney, George Perry, Eddie Dillon, Travers Vale, Conway Tearle, Lew Brice, Harry Frazer and John Adolphl. A couple went west to play a few weeks of Orphcum Circuit vaudeville, with the studios their objective after that, whilst others, after dallying around the lots for a few weeks, may return via Orpheum route. The trial for perjury in Rockland County, N. Y.. of Evan Burrowes Fontaine and her mother is due to come up during the May term of court. Each of the women Is out under $5,000 ball. They were Indicted in the "Sonny" Whitney matter wherein Miss Fontaine charged young Whitney with being the father of her son. Miss Fontaine was Indicted under the name of Evan Fontaine-Adair, and her mother as Florence Ames. Adair is the name of Miss Fontaine's deceased sailor-husband, from whom she fiecured an annulment of her marriage. That was revoked in the Fon- taine-Whitney proceedings, and became the basis of the present perjury charge. Kendler & Goldstein, the theatrical attorneys who were called in to represent the Fontaines in the criminal action, have withdrawn, with a Rockland County lawyer substituting. It is evident the Ilannaford Family will be without "Poodle^" this sea- son, the comedian being tied up at the coast making pictures for Joseph Schenck. -Poodles went west with his mother last fall. His contract Is understood to be for two years, though it was supposed a temporary leave of absence would be granted so he could afeain troupe with the Sells-Floto circus. The Hannaford Family with Georgie Hannaford working in I*oodft»s' place is on the Pantages time; and the Sells-Floto circus Is opening its season in Chicago without the riding feature. There is some question about Poodles liking for pictures. One objection voiced was his direction which is In the hands of Fatty Arbuckle. Some of the familiar Arbuckle comedy bits appear not to have appealed to the bare- back star. Jessica Brown was married when 21, to Curll DeWltt Reinhard. March 26, 1918, at Newark, N. J., by the Rev. Chas, J. Smith,* of, the Grace Episcopal Church. They were divorced In Chicago durnig 1919, on the grounds of Incompatibility, according to Miss Brown's mother, Mrs. AN bert W. Starke, of 735 Delaware avenue, a fashionable section of Buffalo^ N. Y. The marriage report arose through the newspaper stories of Jessica's engagement to Lord Northesk of England. Reinhard was a non-professional when he married, a naval contractor and electrical engineer, dealing In radio supplies. Miss Brown whew marrying hira said she was doing so because he was a practical man and It was safe; when explaining her divorce action Miss Brown commented it was unfortunate "but those things do happen." Miss Brown's father was Frederick R. Brown, who' died In Vancouver where Miss Brown was born. Her mother's second husband, Starke, l» connected with the Bethlehem Steel company. A vaudeville actor appearing at a local big time house last week was the recipient of a novel service in a suit for a trades bill. Having left orders not to admit anybody back-stage, the persistent process server bought a Row A orchestra .seat. Upon the defendant's appearances to" do his act, he flung the summons across the footlights. The actors at- torney now contends that is faulty service. '■, ■ ■, > During the pre-season period last summer when the various producers who staged .Shubert vaudeville units were getting their shows together It was the custom to hold meetings to talk thinks over and exchange ideas. ... At one of these meetings the subject of bu»le.sque comedians arose. Arthur Klein is .said to have asserted it would not be a good Idea to have too many burlesque comics on the Shubert vaudeville circuit as It would k>wcr the tone of the circuit, or something to that effect. Particularly ■I discussion came up about a team of comics In a Columbia wlieel .show the previous season. Jack Singer mentioned the team and said he thought of engaging them. The Lander Brothers were the team In ques- tion. Klein reiterated his .stand against burles<iue comics in general, with the result that Singer did not engaged the team for his (Singers) unit. To Singer's surprise when ife looked over the list of people en^.iged by Klein'.s own show "Hello Everybody," the Lander Brothers had been engaged by Klein himself as the thief comics for his (,Klein s) unit show. Singer did not make a protest. 'Zip." the "What is it," has competition in the 'gal.ixy" of freaks pic- .^ided over by Clyde IngalLs at the Rlnglings-Barnum and Bailey circus. Though much younger than the ancient Zip, there are two other * pi" beads,' one a wonjan. Down at .Madison Square Garden the newcomers, who are of the same chocolate hue, ar«^ exhibited together while Zip 1« over with the o!d «tf»n«!-by». Dttring the parwde of freaks around the track at the opening of the show, however, the three egg-heads walk together. One night last week during the parade Zip, In a jealous mood, walloped the woman on the nose and she went "out." it was necessary to carry her off. "Cllquo,"' the Bushman, also sable. Is a real wonder aside from the fact that his hair looks like rope and the curls stretch a couple of feet. The old boy is 69 years of age, has had 17 wives and l« the father of 70 children. He is a born mimJc and has amused offl-ials of the show by hla clever Impersonations.