Variety (July 1923)

f' •^"^ Wednesday. July 4, •I f -' / VAUDEVILLE' ••''« »--2'..•■-#i:^ .!".*.- A* •' -i/->>^' ,;,Jia^Hl' f FEW ACTS accepung routes FOR NEXT SEASON ON BIG TIME Fewer Routes Accepted in June Than in Preriout Yesrt—^Usual Condition at This Season—Re- duced Salaries Last Season r \>ry few routes are beins ac- cepted for next season by KeiUi acts, according to the aitlsta* rep- resentatives. Fewer route* were returned signed in Ju«e than ever before. v • Th«J trinirainK of 8«-!ar!eR la sr\'id iflo be one reason why the acts are taklns a lonRcr time to consider. lijist reason haw the end of the m'ar-time sularies for vaudcvlMe acts, wluM a retrcnchme;it was ordered all along the line. The vMudevilU' people felt tha the biH" were c(»stinfr too muvh nioney Many houses ft'tciwg un- favorafile Fui'dHy legislation and incrfa^etl (»peratiiiK costs brought pressure to bear toward more cco- ■•mic:il ?liO\v6 without r:itttng the quality of the hills they had fdii- cated the public to want. • This decided the Keith and Or- phenm ]»eople to chop some of th" high raluiies to a more moderate ba- sis. The Independent circuits quick5.v followed i-U!t. Many of the nets that went into the Shubert vaude- ville units wlieii seeking wott: from tho independents afterward well' offtred less money than thoy had ever rC-eehtd before on tlu- small time. According; t(» llup vaudeville pen* pie, acts aie iM'one to take their time about returning routes at this time of th*- year. Talk of long routes from pftjture circuits, etc., 4ncreasc their desire to hold out tmtil the last minute. This condi- tion last season was the cause of the ten-day riile promulgated by ^e Keith • office. The acts were given ten days to accept. Failure to comply removed them from the "acts available" list. TRIZIE FRIOANZA'S SHOW Los Angeles, July 3. Trixie Frigaiuut. supported by six acts from the Orpheum circuit, has organized a road company to play al)out three weeks In towns not touched by the Orpheum in this vicinity. The company this season com- prises Trixie Friganzu, Cervo and Moro. Nick Cogley and Co.. Wilbur and Lyke. Armstrong and I'helps, i'hesay and Pollack. Rooking huH been ar angeil by the >itik!ejohn & Dunn ofTlce. BEDSIDE CHATS Bj NELLIE EEVELL .■♦-f •*."<*• "When in the course of human events" 11 beeame necessary to celebrate one's fourth consecutive Fourth of July in a hospital suite of .one room f.nd washstand, It fa easy to appreciate why our fotrifathers fflkde auch u fuss about liberty. I*, ie worth a good deal of bother. Four years ago on that date I waa still at home and w«« Juat thinking nt playing a mean Trick on my landlord by moving to a hospital. Today I complete my fourth set of holiday: In St. Vincent's and I trust I will be i>ardoned when I .«tate my opinlor tha» the Declaration of Independence is the most inspiring piece of literature ever written. Loew Closing Two Full Weeks l.oc'V.''s fc>trand, Washington, and J..oew's State. Clevoland, will close for the summer July 7. Bott\ are lii.i-weeU stands on the Ijoew clr- ' yit. THi: I'NPAUALLELED AL STRIKER -' ia "Po»ition Is Everything in Lifa" Flocking Hluery street trafne. .M'»ntreal, Que., last week. European toin indefinitely po.sst- poned. Playing llSth consecutive week. Next week (July >). Keith's River- side. xNow York. Week July 1«, Keiths* P.ushwick. Brooklyn. Direction LOUIS 8PIELMANN. On that last Independence Day I spent among my own lares and !»on- .'ttcs. my daughter waa with me, and in an effort to cheer me, she played upon the piano two o.* my favorite songa. One waa "Smllee" and I re- tail so distinctly how amusing was her parody of It, It began. "There are t.c>'s that make me happy, there are boys that make me sad." and the closing line waa. *B«t the boy that meant the moat to me ia a United States Marine." While tho pain has subaided since that July afternoon, mv affection for th'^ marines has not and never will. CABARETS t'. t l5 '*' SPEC ALLEGES ASSAULT Keith's Palace, New York, war on the specs is still on. Sunday night Ruben Weller, one of the sur- viving peculators a few doors from the Palace, demanded the arrest of ) W. H. Genet, a Palace special officer. Weller alleged he had been as- saulted by Genet. The latter was taken to the West 47th street police station. He was arraigned later in Night Court, where the case was adjourned by Magistrate Simpson unltl Friday morning. Weller caused tlie arrest of an- other Palace employe some weeks ago on a similar charge. When the case came up for trial the com- plainant failed to appear. i MARRIAGES Al Gcrrard (MUlcrshlp and Ger- rard) to Helen Borden, June II, in Buffalo. N. Y. The couple appeared in "Mary" at the Knickerbocker theatre. New York. Gerrard was erroneously reported as having ob- tained a license to marry his vaudeville partner, Florrie Miller- khlp. Al Harrison (Freed and Harrison) to Rosa Schmettan (Rose Selden and Brother), June 31. in New York. Ada Hughes (Tiller Dancing Troupe) (Ziegfeld "Follies") and James Farrell, non-professional June 25, in New York. Lillian Concord, now with the Maude Fealy Players at Elizabeth, ^N. J., and J. M. Beach, Los Ansclee mining engineer, June 30, in New York. E. Guy Uorick. in Markle, Ind., for a visit, says he and Jane Stone were lately married. Both are of Rolfe's Revue in vaudeville. Frances Baum of the Orpheum Press Department, New York, and Samuel 1». Llbowitz, non-profes- sional, have set the date of their wedding for Oct. 14. Aubre Rarkwell. leadin.ij wognan tor the Baoklejr Ferguson Produc- .tlons of Ilinghamlon, N. Y.. and James A. McfiHrrily, general super- iiUendent of the Vail Bailout Com- .Pany. werc» niarrieil at iMotitrose. P a n Ju ne t 9. • IN AND OUT Kufk;» «nd Slan'u'.v wer»* tiiriM*^ to open fit the Htp{>odrome, Baiti- roore. Monday, due to the stage b**- 'ng too low for their apparatus <^Aplane and Wells went inlo Hip "how Tuesday. The Tavern, on West 4Slh street, built and conducted by Billy L.a Hifr. is being enl.irgod though but a season old. Th«« dining-room will ext'-nd from 48ih street almost to 47th street, with an enlrati^e on that thoroughfare via the Long- acre hotel. The Tavern, whicn rapidly devel- oped Into one of the most popular cafes in the theatrk'al district, will have an increase of at>out 150 over the present size. The extension will l>e completed in August at an ex- penditure of about $10,000. The Longaera hotel was recently tiriK'n over by a western hotel man. who will Kpend $50,000 for remodel- ing. The new proprletoi* plans tc give the hostelry a new nime. That is In line with a new pollcj', which included "cleaning hou^e." Sixtjr guests were ordered out in one day shortly after the new owner took o^ er the Longacre. Tom Wing, < jicruting a Chinese restaurant as Joy Far on East 14th street. New York, is being sued by Leo Feist, Inc., for infringement of copyright for having played a Feist song, "Crying For You." without llcen.oe. Brown derbies—the kind that sit upon top of your head like a bump On a potato—have taken Atlantic City by storm. Summer and straw hats, notwithstanding, the good citi- zens of the resort are stepping out on the Boardwalk with the tiny billycock browns nestling neatly on the old hair-topped dome. Just as the nation started hunger- ing for banana about a month ago, so now the brown derby wave has started. All because of one Jack White, who mimes and monkey- shines at the Golden Inn. located somewhat back of the Boardwalk. This White waa born comical. His face looks like a Rembrandt done over by Rube Goldberg. A couple of wo;ska ago he started a series of high-toned hysterics when he ap- peared before the slumming parties In his new kelly and wearing a bou- quet of ripe radishes in his buttoiv- hole. Jack White will be reniembert»d by many of the ball fans as the fel- low who used to sit back of third base at the Polo Grounds and stage a rival clown attraction right in the grandstand. He found his >ice and talents at the batting contests, but it remained fOr his new songs and his little brown derby to put him over the batting parties of Monte Carlo on the Atlantic. As a result of his late, but not be- lated, popularity. Jack White Is lit- erally rolling In the old green. But he says he's going to stick to the brown and htl littlo derby will rest atop his profepslonni crest for some years to come. The song whicii Air. Wliile Intro- duced with his amusing top-piece i:§ "You Win the Brown l.>erby." This was written by two modest press agents, Howard Diety, and Ed- die Banns. The new Missouri state "dry law," which went into effeet last week, i>resentf- a number of unusual angles lo the already confusinK qurstion, and those who have beeii trifling with the wet goods are won- dering ju^t where the thing will end. Not only are the boot-leggers, illicit distillers and questionable druggists up again^t a real proposition, with a sliigle mlH-step. if caught, mean- ing a term in the penitentiary, but the owners of "soft-drink" places are facing heavy cost3 to keep wlth- ing the htw. Clauses in the law fnclude a sen- tence of at least two years In the penitentiary for the sale of liquor which causes death, blindness or In- sanity; two years for distilling liquor; two to ffve years for the sale or manufacture of whisky. Formerly a first offense meant a fine only, but the police commis- sioners ha\">e announced tho new state law would be put to a test and vigorously etiforced, and a convic- tion now means a penitentiary sen- tence. On account of this Increased haz- zard a general increase in liquoi prices has been marked up. The new prices, as given are: londed whisky, formerly sold at 75c. a drink, now $1; white corn whiskey, formerly 25c. and 35c., now 50 cents. Colored corn whiskey, formerly sold at S5c. to 50c., now 75c.; beer, formerly 60c. to 60c. a pint, now 75r. a pint. The new law also provides that no soft drink place shall operate with a screen or obstruction, which prevents a view of the place from the sidewalk. This is where the soft drink managers of Kansas City are up against It. There are a large number of such places herein which shops fill the front part of the building, while a long areaway leads to the soft drink place In the rear. This the police department says must be changed immediately. The chief stating: "The law says there must me a free and unob- structed view at all times and under all conditions. Tihs may be a hard- ship bu( we are going to entorce the law." The owners are protesting that It will cost them thousanda of dollars, and put some out of busi- ness completely, to comply, but the police department has spoken. Art Hickman has been appointed assistant to Jamea Woods, who will be the manager at the new Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, scheduled to open October 1. Hickman will be In charge of the amusements, but will not play or lead any of the orchestras. . .\ ,/. ■■:,:■::, ■ ■* • ■.•, Marion Harris opened as a special attraction at the Club Royale. Los Angeles. Sunday. Harold Stern, formerly at the i'aik Avenue hotel, is now playing on th*> Belleclairo Roof; New York. with an orchestra of 10 m-iB* He i« (Continued on page SS> J list ;«.«« vividly do . remember how touchingly she aang and played "I An\ Always Chasing Rainbows." Ever since the first time I heard the melody It has been able to cause queer, shivery thrills up and down my back. Often while "Oh Lot»k." the show In which it was sung, wa.^ play- ine at tiie Vanderbilt. • used to drop in Just for the express purpose of hrnring Harry Fox sinf it. Some times I have wondered ff I am really chasing rainbows. Maybe ?o. But I think T have overtaken that symbol of ho'>© and will soon come to the end with its fable: ireuMures. I know that the pet of gold at the f nd of my rainbow Is really a wealth of friends and barrels Ot apprecia- tion for their kindness. And if next Fourth of July Harry Carroll, the (omposer, can come up to my apartment and play and ting his great song to me I will know that aI last I have caught up with my rainbow. On my First Firecracker lUy in the hospital I was in plaster-of-p.sri- casts and iron braces from my heela to my neck, but t found consolation in the thought of the benefit that Jake Rosenthal was staging in Chicago (hat evening, at the instance of Sam Harris, and of the friends who were going to take part in it. Tlie next I was still in bed, though somewhat itnpr(*ved. and last year ^ tat up for three hours and ate my dinner on my «al>!e and not x>n my ch»»t. This year I will be up for two meals, spend most of the daj' in my chair and walk a little. While I nm still unsbb to cet up or Me down unaided. I ran at least get arourtd and can enjoy some »»f the freedom guaranteed tc all good Americans. My daughter, who hw come from Indiana, will be with me and the dear Sister in charge of my hal has asked her to stay for dinner with me. There may be an incriminating moisture In our eyes as we realise that it IS the firs; meal I have erHen with any member of my family In four >'ears. But we will wink them back guiltily, for the Fourth of July will be a day of hnppinesit, not to bo desecrated by idle tears, and I doubt that any one of the thousand- who will spend the day at Long Beach or Atlantic City oi the other resorts will have o more delightful afternoon than Som toy flrcf raekers were my cub's acknowledgement of the spirit of '76 and last Sunday T had more fvin with them than I could poaslhly have had with -^al oner. They were filled with candy, but the fuses were \ery sincere looking and whenever, through ny open door, I glimpsed ;i bevy of nur:*e Just ar-ived or the floor I I't the fuses of .'. bunch and t(»s;.cd them Inside the circle. The nurses jumped Just as high an<l fcurrled away Just a fast as though the chocolate candy inside had » een pounds of gunpowder. I had meant t try *he same Joke on the oodles of visitors that arrived during the afternoon, but t>efore the.v started coming I had wo:*i out the fuses and I had to content myself with telling about my Joke on the girls who attend me. Of course, I had U*>» :«.iK^ aiiout the room and this time I was more careful than I had been the day the "Tribune" rotogravure picture of me was taken. Then th** fag was upsido down which. 1 have been told, constitutes a signal «»f distress But I am no' in distress. I am happier than I have been In years. So I will hang all the ensigns right side up to signify that "Cod i^ in Heaven and all's rl;;hl with that particular part of the rnlte.l iitates 1 am In." ^ . -^ . '^ '■ ; ■f:- Durlns the four years f l.iy with nothing but (he celling to look.at, T lived more life thaji I have lived In all my prevlou.H existence. I do not question anybody's creed. There Is enough good in any creed If one will live up to its tenets. But thai there is an All-Wise Providence which w«» call God. has been borne Home to me In splendid simplicity. Whether Conan Doyle, Sir Olive.- Lodge or others are right about the Hereafter I know not. Neither do I question Seneca. Plato. Socrates, Aristotle or r.ny others in their philosophy of life. But thi^ I know, that Shake.Hpeare was right when he said. 'There Is a destiny th.it shapes our ends, rouph- hew them as we will." ---'■■■'' - De Wolf Hopjier, .ic-.-ordintf to BUHe Taylor, while playWiTThroUili New England on some one-night stands a short while back, took a stroll around the town In which he happened to be one day. Noting in a shop window some handsome shirting material, he entered and gave on order for half a dozen shirts, to.'d the merchant who he was and left an address for them to be forwarded to. A year or so afterward he was playing throuKh the same Hectlon ng^in and arrived in the same town, this time to appear at a l>eneat for a local military organisation. After the performance he and the late Digby Bell were standing together on the stage where the officers of the "Home Guard" were holding a reception. A man approached weaving a wonderful uniform, with gleaming spurs, tons of shining gold braid and a chestful of medals. "Hello, Mr. Hopper," tald he, "You don't remember me. do you?" "No, old man." said Mr. Hopper, "I'm afraid I don't." "Why," exclaimed the officer, "I made your shirts." "Oh, of course." answered Hopper, and turning to Bell said; "Dlgby. meet my old friend. Major Shirts." DOLLY KAY I.OKW H STATIC. mX WKKK, 4VI.T > DIRBCTION or IRVING YATES A little French girl who was my night nurse until a few weeks ago, be- for she left gave me a copy of her "philosophy of life." a poem sh* had inscribed in a tiny note book which she carried with her at all times. It is an inspiring bit of verse and, in the hope that it will aid someone to keep a stiff upper Up" and go through with their Job—no matter whn* it Is - T pass it on. If you can't be u pine on the top of the hill Be a scrub in the valley—but be The best little scrub by the side o( (iie rill, ■•''••."' Be a bush if you can't be a t ree. , ^ If you can't be a bush be a bit f»r the qfra^s. And fiomo highway, some happier make If you can't ho a mu.skee, then Just be a bass, But the liveliest bass in the laUe. If you can't be a highway, tl.cii jay. »•*» ji if « i If you can't b«> the sun. be a wi.ir; It Isn't by Hire (hat you win or ynt fill: j^s the be.si whatevet you arc