Variety (July 1923)

J^nlur^:!^^'^'^^ EDITORIAL 11 Trad* ICark Rtfflfltarea i^dPaMtabed WmU/ by VASUBTT. Im. f 81m* Silverman, Pr**d*«t * '^ V JM W*ak 4<tli 8tr**t M*w York City 8UB8CRIUTION: jLnnoal IT I Foreign "■•• SiDgl* Copl*a.......^ SO Cent* yOLu LXXL *K?,::-:»»r No. I Aiiiioiiiicement Sent Oat For Change in ""Clipper'' ' The following announcement was sent out to the press thia week on the change in the di- rection and policy of the "Clipper"; Th« New York "Clippep," the oldest theatrical journal in America* has been taken over by the interests controlling ''Variety.'* :.• ;,..■»(.■ i .sirwj.'rt Under the new direction "The Clipper" will be the only paper in this country solely devoted to outdoor amusements^ revert- ing to its policy of open air entertainments and sports dur- ing the Civil War, when it v/as the single theatiical sheet in the field. Of late years ""The Clipper** has given more atten- tion to the drama and vaude- ville. 'H'he Clipper** is in its sev- enty-first year, second only in longevity in the theatrical trade to ''The Era" of England, eighty-six years old. "Variety" is in its eighteenth year and a general theatrical weekly. The "Dramatic News" and "Dramatic Mirror," both of established standing in their respective days, suspended some time ago. Xi -' The Levy Bros., extensive Brook- lyn, N. Y., realtors, who control the Bedford theatre in Brooklyn, Atate iherc is no intention of having the Ijoew people operate the house. It |a currently under Fox management and, despite its drawing from a nice residential section, has been iioldlng up rather well the i>aflt few |iot weeks. ■ '■ Arthur Ash (professionally Ash- ley) atlll remains involved in court tangles in his marital troubles with Mrs. Bertha Ash. She n.ade a mo- tion this week to punish him for contempt for failure to pay accrued alimony totaling about $1,000. Ash ^on the motion on the ground he ;waa not served. MISS BARRYMORE, EQUITY AND "SUNDAYS" The reappearance of EJthel Barrymore in vaudeville and at Keith's Palace, New York, this week, has been^the cause of many Intersecting discussions bf vaudeviUlans as well as le'gits. Eiias M. Loew, owner of several !New Bngland theatres, has pur- chased the remaining stock in the Capital Amusement Co. in Central iBquare, Lynn, Mass. He plans pop Taudeville, beginning I/abor Day. Charles Li. Benson will be manager. The house Is now in charge of tieorge Corbett. Lawrence Goldie, booker of the iProctor houses in the Keith office, left last week for a two weeks' va- cation. Mary Murphy will handle the Proctor books meanwhile. ;Wayne Christie, as.sistant to Johnny Collins, the Keith bofoker, returned to his desk this week, after a two weeks' vacation in Atlantic City. The Aerdrome opened at Beach, New York, seating erected and owned by O. H. Five acts of vaudeville suppl the Walter Plimmer office 1 feature picture (split week) policy. Only one night Hh given, no matinees. ^th ^00, Rapp. led by and a is the ow is ^ Mario Gambardella, husband and formerly partner of Irene Trovette (Gambardella and Trevetto) Bailed July 7 for Italy. Ho open.s at La _- Scala Grand Opera theatre, Milan. In October. Minn Trevotte is now doing a single turn on the Loew Circuit. The John R. Van Arnam's Krin- ■ fltrols have boon routfd over the New England one -night stands for the remainder of the summer. The Silnatrel organization will rofucn to .. vaudeville in the full. prosenUng a . tabloid mlnatri 1 show, opening Soi)t. 3 at Koifhs, XV?rU^nd, Maine,,.,vi { An angle taking fa tbe "f^unday" agitation by Equity la not the least of the discussions. Miss Barrymore is a vice-president of £>iuity and permitted the moral support her name might lend in that position to all of the propaganda Equity advanced for the actor to have one day of rest weekly. OstensHt>ly\ all Equity officers agreed the attitude of their or- ganisation on that subject met with their approval. Yet Miss Barrymore in accepting a vaudeville contract must have Known since she often has played in the same vaudevflle that the big time with ita 14 performances weekly means two shows daily including Sunday. Vaudeville playere are not concerning thmselves with the E2quity mat- ter as it connects Miss Barrymore, but they do stop to Inquire why it Is a legitimate star of the magnitude of Ethel Barrymore, after Miss Barry- more has spent a full season under legitimate management and contract In that division, should,. Immediately upon the conclusion of her legit season, seek more stag3 work during the hot term, thereby of a necessity usurping the place in vaudeville someone el.se could occupy with a more moral string to It, especially if a standard twice-daily attraction. The vaudevilliant go beyond that and aim criticism at the big time vaudeville managements; they ask why it is they are continuously be- eeeched, Instructed and preached to, to "get a new act," to "keep their material up to date," to "change their act," to "do something new" if they wish to keep abreast of the fast changing vaudeville px'oceasion, while Miss Barrymore seems ever welcome to vaudeville when she has nothing e!se theatrically to do and always with the same act, Barrie's "Twelve- Pound Look?" . ».'•- ' ■ The Barrymore-Sunday playing though In vaudeville, say the legits, Is npt to break down all IQquity's reasons why there should be a day of rest for the actor. If an actress of the Barrymore standing after an arduous season In studying for and appearing in new plays, still prefers to continue to work In the hottest sea.son and seven days a week, what chance would there be before a legislative committee to convince its members that actors must have one day of rest out of every seven? And the le^s inquire how many other officers or members of the Equity and its Council would work seven days or as many times daily as they pleased if they had the chance, in season or out, in winter or summer? They appear to be^lieve there wouldn't be a dissenter. And they sum It up at the finish that the Sunday stuff is apple sauce as far as Equity is concerned, its arguments and its reason; that £>iuity talks to talk, to hold Interest, but when any influential member of the organisation does as he or she pleases, Equity is most discreetly silent. i INSIDE STUFF ON VAlTDEVrLLE All the mechanical records for the score of "Wildflower" wore released May 1, following a compromise between the small and large disc makeri*. The latter desired to include the releases In their catalogues, while the cheaper mj^kers are always ready to market records almost Immediately. It, therefore, happened that discs selling all the way from 10 cents to f 5 cents were placed on ;sale at the same time. That resulted In a sharp drop In the sales of "Wildflower" sheet music. The composers of the score rate the Brunswick record as the best, criticising the Whiteman Intrepretatlon as being away off. A royalty of 2 cents a record attains, regardless of the retail price. . The unreliable small time vaudeville agent too often does damage to the up and,up agent, besides damaging the circuit the If-responsl'ble is seeking to represent. The most recent instance i.s of an agent approaching a big time single, agreeing upon a figure and about to book it with a small Ume circuit when the single sent word more had been offered by another agent for the same time. Investigation disclosed the other agent, without authority or consulta- tion, had offered the act $150 a week more than the first agent. Whereas every one had been satisfied In the first place and with the first offer, the interference of the Intruding agent with his impossible salary. Jammed up the entire booking. It's Just another reason why the small time booking agencies should make a consistent effort to clean up their list of agents. Capt. Irving O'Hay and ISddle Carr departed from New York Monday in their Ford flof»to hobo all of New England. Capt. O'Hay left New York In the knowledge he must be at Fairmount, W. Va.. Aug. 23 to de- liver a speech before the bankers of that town. Variety has assumed the safe return of the travelers from any point. Leo Wood, executive secretary of The Songwriters, is doing some ex- cellent missionary work for the organization. Particularly m regards some of the radical songsmlths who have got "in bad" with the various publishers. Wood has been the means of effecting a better mutual understanding and has adjusted their differences. One songsmlth, a thoughtless, out- spoken i^dical has overstepped the limits to such an extent tne publishers would have naught to do with him In business matters, despite his ad- mitted composing ability. The writer found himself up against It lately to such an extent that the organization Interceded with financial assistance. Wood subsequently smoothed the way for the writer in the matter of song placements. Se^ipral small time gucta that had signed long time agreements with Arthur Horwitz guaranteeing them so many weeks a season, probably tore up the agreements when hearing how Horwits had given up his business to leave town in order not to pay alimony to his wife, if for ro other reason.s. That will probably do more to bring to the attention of vaudeville artists the irresponsible contracts thoy are drawn into than anything else could have done. Horwitz tied up the acta and moat likely held them to their agreement with him, whatever that was. It's certain Horwitz wouldn't get the worst of it, while at the same time Horwitz was boasting he was Judgment-proof, meaning no one could collect from him. It's most peculiar how vaudevillians embark on something they do not Investigate. Vaudevillians naturally, since they are their own act and therefore their own show without actual per.sonal manngoment beyond an agent, as a rule, must abide by their own Jud^jmonL They often have noed of expert counsel in the show business, buf. ipidf^ntly feel ti mid or reluotant to seek advice. '' ~ Pat Ca.sey, for instance, of the Vaudovillo Mun^gors' Protective Asso- .-iiation, knows as much about vaudeville, its circuits, managor.s and :igonts as any one could C»sey novcr has refused to givo his counsel, gratis, whenever requoat<^d. Variety is quilo curtain "Mr. Casey would frankly and properly kIvisc artists what liis judgment in yn my proiK>ai- tlon submitted to him. . , . Any of the trained n.^v^rapnpcr men on Variety's st#ff will do the .«»fimo thing, gratis and willingly, in person or by mail. There's n^ibody.w^^'s on the level in vaudeville that gi^vea a damn about theae irreft{M>n.HU>;e tryppers or crooks in vaudeville or any other branch of the buslnf^ss. Any of ua jf Ul toll>iwt>o4y aJUl we knofa %bu(AV4Uein oJi any Urae. . , , THE STYLISH SIDE ^■/ BY PAM For a rotund little person Crete Ardlne movea about with surprising agility. At the Palace this week In a dancing story by Neville Plceson and Albert Von Tilzer, she and her partners assuredly work hard. This act has quite an element of charm and novelty to it. Miss Ardlne'a clothes are good and the black sequin and rhinestone gown particularly becom- ing. Miss Ardine very graciously threw a rose from her bouquet to the leader at the close of the tiirn. They dance a vicious Apache number with record swiftness. Fluerette Joeffrle, billed the "Miniature Prima Donna" is quite the re- verse in stature. At least she looks to be quite tall from the audience. While her voles Is trained to the nth degree It U of thin quality. She is a pretty girl and looks well In a dress of varl-colored silver brocade. In direct contrast to the singer In coloring is her accompanist, much on the Lina Cavaiiera type and not programed. Two young fellows of extraordinarily comely appearance were one of the comedy hits of the bill, Crafts and Haley. Their clothea are very well cut and conservative in style. Mr. Haley talks just like George Cohan. They were guilty of a few ancient puns. They each posaesa Ane volcea. Ethel Barrymore Is looking girlish these days. A grey dress made in narrow pleats with small pearl buttons running the full length front and back suited her. Ena Shannon looked sweet and demure In a white satin court dress trimmed in crystal. Barrie's Is a happy playlet faift.the star. Miss Barrymore's reception was as genuine as ever. 1^ Vincent Lopez Is again at the Palace this week with a alighl||f changed routine. He also made a change in his clothes which was far the better. The playing of "Carmen" is splendid. That and "Ragging Uie Scales" are the best of his repertoire. The ad for the Pennsylvania ^o^el through the opening drop should be paid for if It isn't. A blond violiniat looks lonely among all of those brunets. The comedy of the two saxophone players is even funnier this week. Mr. Lopes la certainly enterprising. Two new dropa and a new tableaux for the holdover. The red velvet liouse drop needs dusting. Elaine Hammerstein Is looking regally beautiful this week at the Strand in "Rupert of Hentsau." One very attractive gown is of aU over designed material trimmed with dark fur. It la a decidedly queenly model. Bert Lytell plays the two R«udolps with dash and treani the costumes of the period well. The long shots in this picture seem to have been taken at too great a distance. Whoever the woman Is who posed for the First National's "Trilby'* ad (s, she is to be complimented on her shapeir lega and tootslea. If ah* «hows them to the same advantage in the picture as she does in the ad, <hey are worth the price of admission. Dolly Kay at Loew'a State the first half has a pleasing personality arid showed a gown to advantage. She wore a lovely shade of peach georgette. brilliant studded. Miss Kay has a quality of voice that recalls Sophie Tucker and a similar way of working. Very good looking la the long rop« Of pearls, the only noticeable Jewelry she wears. An exceptionally good globe balancing act was contributed to the Loeif bill by the Four Vllerows. The girls looked cute in aalnu>a. colored rompers. It Is sensible dressing for this kind of act. Warman and Mack looked neat In light trousers and sack coaU. A little variation in their routine would help. Both boVs have excellent enunciation. Bann and Mallen are doing one of the old Savoy and Brennan austa. The man playing Savoy character gives a perfect imitation of the orig- inal, but does not wear clothes as well a» his predeceaaor. The black shoes and stockings do not go well with the first costume. The green and j-«llow are not attractive or well-made. The combiaatioa ia ugly. A woman through smuggling her Pekinese pup Into one of the Times square theatres almost caused a panic. The pup got wandering beneath the seats and another woman seated nearby, thought the man sitting next to her was taking undue liberties. She screamed so loudly and long she brought all the ushors to her assistance. The man In question was about to be turned over to an officer when the dog was discovered. This episode caused much amusement.' • • . ' . « *« « .t*»77« A unique overture is being offered by the orchestra leader at the State. The idea is to represen*; famous men in song. Caruso Is recalled by show- ing a victrola on the stage. One of the cockalios in the lobby decided to make it a duet, and gave a very consistent knowledge of melody. Though reported to b*? a democratic people. It Is to be doubted If we have reached the depths to such an extent as to submit to being hustled along and "Hurry on, next please," by some employe stationed at the rail of a boxofflce. The raucuous "How many, please?" was avldonce enough of the mismanagement of the theatre. The famous member of the Augian family, Edna, is still wielding the scrubbing brush. A yellow velvet gown is mildly becoming to Miss Aug. A capable tenor Is slightly throaty in a certain registe.- that might have been due to the weather. Miss Aug has a most realistic accent. The Creole Fashion Plate Is null and void. If he were really a woman he would have had some Job to even get in the chorus of a traveling show. What is remarkable In a man passing for a girl with the aid of lights, cosmetics and ofher optical illusions? Unlike Julian Ellinge, he is not even a comely type. The "Plate's" black and aoarlet Apache costume was a stirring contrast and quite the best of the wardrobe. Although Cordelia Hager was not billed, ahe was thoroughly recognis- able, and looks scarcely older than when last beheld with George Aun.Mn (Continued on page 19) CABARETS Another roadhouse to feel the of- { feet of prohibition Is the Blossom Heath Inn at Lynbrook, L. I., on the Merrick road. The resort hoe been unable to meet its obligations of late, with the national prohibition amendment said to be the cause. Three creditors filed an involuntary petition in bankruptcy against the holding corporation last week. The creditors and their claims are A. .Silz, Inc.. $1,387; Charles H. Nolte. Inc., $2,350. and Clarke & Hutchen- son, Inc., $2,298. Louis J. Cafltellano and Harry J, Su.ssklnd have been appointed receivers in $&,000 bond. .Su.sskind 18 financially interested in the inn. "Golden Inn/ a thirst p.arlor nox» to the Friars Club was raided the tbird timo l.iHt week. The; fod'jral men made the pipeh. ;xnd they wer<' Anything but gentle about it- TJk; plaro^ apecializoj on beer, siid to be .'^on>owhat over the one hilf of onp por ceht regulation. It j.s likrly there would have b'^^n^^io int'-rrup- tio^ to btJi^nes.s. h;^'l 'Ik* i(;<'iit.s not easily discovered a quart of whiskey behind the bar. "Golden Inn' iA one of many "open" places spotted throughout the city. Usually the front of the place is empty but be- hind a partition there are regular bars, somewhat like those in the "good old days." Beer sells at 25 cents a glsiss which provides a profit of clean-up proportions until the revenue men arrive. Al Martini is at the Deal Inn. Deal Beach, N. J., with a ffin-pie*** orchestra, , ■ . Simone Mantis has opened again oT llit^ ArcT.io, A«bury I'ark, with 13 mvn in.slead of Win uaual 24. Joe Gibson and hi.s orchestra are at the Hoffman Inn on the Merrick ro.id, I..oMg Inland. A combination of the "Tickler." Virginia Ilool" and other park "li'lea" JcAcribeH the senHAtion of a moKir ride over a stretch qf roadf (U-u'iiJiKHnl en iv^g«..pO)b.«».^