Variety (July 1923)

■•rt.*"-- , ^r. . 'A. i I Thursday, Jul/ !•» !•*• LEGITIMATE ir STOCKS '<*■, '.?... "Pinafore" f« thl» week pre- •ented by John J. Carlln, In assocla- tKm with John Pollock and Harry ViLB Hoven at CfirUn'a Arena. Baltimore, with De Wolf Hopper. ISftUIe Keith? Herbert Wateroua. and Arthur Cunningham heading the cast InJtIal production of the ten-week summer season. Here Is a record for the De Wolf Hopper Company, which has be^ playing Gilbert and Sullivan opera on the road since last summer and which is pow back to Its home town, Baltimore, where the company wa« organized last year and where It flayed ten weeks after coming in for but three. Hopper is the Dick Dead Eye of the percmiial classic. Arthur Cun- ningham the Right Honorable Sir Joseph Porter, S. K. C. B., Hc^* bert Waterous the Bill Bobstay, Sallie Keith the Josephine, Iletiry Kelly the captain, Arthur Geary the Ralph Rackstraw, Winifred Anglin a« the H^be and Jean Her-, bert the Buttercup, all aided by •Winifred Anglin as the midship- mite. ''It is a good company throughout and next week will be boosted by ^he addition of a much-toute'^ con- tralto. Anne Jago. ..With Hopper really In his sphere as the comedian of the operas and with tj»e finest male support Imaginable, this >pera is made a^ thing of much joy. The feminine contingent, too, is conspicuously ,worthy, headed by Miss Keith and Miss Anglin, both of whom have had much experience in the light opera work. Of necessity a. Stock company be- cause of Itn, extensive repertoire the company is all the more remark- able, putting on a show one night after rehearsing morning and af- ternoon for the nei^t week's per- formance, for, at the present time, "Firefly," "Prince of Pilsen." and •everal others are in the ofllng. The orchestra is stiir under the direction of Max Fichhnndler, who trained the company last year, and Hopper also supervises many of the production details. Ohio win be played and then the company will gradually work Ita way east finally playing ^ngacre- menta in Pennsylvania and New York. Thirty people are carried in- cluding Luella Pullen (Mr«. Walter Perclval). James Lawlor, Johnnie O'Nell, and Jack WUllama. repre- sentative^ Negbtlatlbns did not materialise whereby the Vaughan Glaser stock would play a summer engagement at the Shubert-Detrolt. Glaser lost over |6,000 In the four weeks at Or- chestra hall, but figured he could get It back by playing a theatre more centrally located. David Ned- erlander * states the house will re- main closed, until the latter part of August. SPECIAL STOCK PLAT WITH GUEST STARS Tommy Martelle, Female Im- personator, and Own Play Starts Vogue BEDSIDE CHATS By NELLIf REVELL —■ ■ *■ Maude Pealy Is so successful at Klizabeth, N. J., it is strongly rum- ored in Newark that she won't re- turn, but will continue In the neigh- boring city. Elizabeth has been without legitimate so long that it Is just wild ove- the Fealy stock, and the Proctor peopje are giving her thorough publicity.' But despite all rrnnors it will be pretty safe to look for Miss Fealy in Newark next fall. Botl^ the leading man and woman at the Harder-Hall stock at Bay- onne, N. J., arc newcomers this year. The man is Roger Pryor, son of the famous bandmaster, who has re- ceived very vorable criticiim for his work. The female lead is Blanche Wilcox, seea formerly in Woods and Bratiy road attractions but new to stock. -.+--. iUMMER STOCK RECORD IN WEST, 16,900 GROSS The Harder-Hall Stock Coi^pany haa taken over part of the Trent Flayers of Trenton, N. J., opening June J6 at the Keith theatre. New Brunswick. In "Why Men Leave Home." As an added feature, women from the Bclasco road com- pany of this show have been added to the cast. The regular company includes Howard Hall, Allyn Gillyn. Donald KlrJcrMarion Hall, Virginia Duncan and Ch^xles Ward, manager. Excellent business is reported. Charles Buggies ended at the Al- cazar, San Francisco, last week in "The Nervous Wreck" by Owen Davli^ It waa first tried out in Ij* j Angeles at Wilkes' Majestic. Wilkes la reported considering "Wreck" In afflllation with Sam H. Harris for New York. In Jts present shape the comedy is a laugh getter but decidedly crude in spots. With the rewriting of certain scenes it would have a main alley chance. Ruggles •cored heavily In it. The Chicago Stock closed its eummer engagenient in Lewiston, Me., last week with the company moved intact to Lakemont Park, Altoona. Pa., to open next Monday, replacing the Vogel-Miller musical stock. The Rosskam company will take to tlio road for a repertoire aeaaon ef week stands the' latter part of August, including among its bills "Nice People," "Getting Gertie's Garter" and "Six Cylinder Dove." Members of the Blaney stock, which closed at the Gotham, Brook- lyn, N. Y., several weeks ago, will appear In a sketch at the Bu.«jh- wlck next week in an all-Brooklyn oIlL The stock players appearing for the week in vau(':ville are Al- bert Vees, Frances Gregg, Bon Mc- Quarrie and Elizabeth Valde In a vehicle entitled "Elevating a Lover." The boat during June is blamed for forcing many stocks to close, expecting to continue well into the eummer. Five weeks ago there were nearly 100 stock companies on the list for the entire country. Ap- proximately, 25 per cent, wore heat Victims, the list for this week total- ing 75 companies. In stock circles, however, that is considered a good average numLor, being within (Ivo companies of the total last summer. _The Billy Allen Musical Stock Co. opens July 28 at th© Majostic, Jack«on, Mich. Fair dates through The Orpheum Players, With Norma Phillips leading lady, lasted only three weeks in Montreal The com- pany did not get any support from the public, and took a bad flop. The management booked in "Abie's Irish Hose" and cleaned up. The show is now in its fourth weelc an<)i still going along nicely. Lou Jacobs, who will produce comic opera at .^he Auditorium, Oakland, opening li^ October, Is in Lof Angeles ''>r principals. Jacobs secured the approval of the civic authorities of Oakland and the suc- cess of the show is already asstired by advance subscription of reason tickets. The Bonstelle Players are offering "The Widow Shannon" at the Gar- rlck this week, which is intended as a vehicle for Grace George next sea- son. Miss Bonstelle will remain in Detrit the balance of the summer s^son. She expects to produce a half dozen new plays. Mrs. Lyiig Hoyt (Julia Hbyt),the society amateur, hsui Joined the Stuart Walker Stock. Indiana! oils, and will first appear July 23. She will play a minor part In "Peter Ibbetson,^ in which McKay Morris, as visiting star, will assume the title role. Tommy Martelle, the female Im- personator, la out of the vauderille and burlesque indefinitely. He la Just completing a year in stock, where he Is acknowledged the big- gest card offered in that field in years. Martelle has been playing a week each In the' varlaus stock houses Is a visitinc star and has drawn from $6,000 ^$12,000 in each stand. Martelle wa« booked in con- Junction with "The Gay Young Bride," a pirce especially written for him, but which has never been seen outside th^ stock houses. Next season the impersonator will repeat, appearing, however, in an- other play now being • written for him. Last week he played <the Al- hambra (New York), and two weeks ago played the Palace. Hartford, as the guest star of the Poll stock, the engagement drawing close to capacity for a gross of nearly |12,- 000. Martelles bookings with the "Pride"' piece call for salary and percentage. The system of special plays for stock win likely be extended next season. One stock broker is seek- ing an Irish tenor for a special at- traction being readied. My cub (meaning by that my daughter) has returned home after It days in New York, and once again I am Indebted to my friends for their kindness la making her vacation a success. It is true that it would have been a success Just for her to have seen me and noted my improvement because that was what she had come for; but the entertainment i>art of her visit was provided by the theatre tickets, lunches and automobile rides arranged for by my friends, and considerably supplementied our hap* piness. And if she carries the same glowing reports back to Indianapolis that she did to me, the attractions of Sam H. Harris, Channing Pollock, C. B. Dillingham, John Golden, George Tyler and Fie Zlegfeld will need ver/ little professional press-agenting In that town. "Every one in Maine eats salmon and lobsters on the Fourth of July, CO I am sending you some by express," wired Eddie SuUlvan. who, when he isn't annoying the fish'up near Portland. Me., is managing the Orpheum In St Louis. After teaching Thie of the lobsters how to take a Joke, I divided the other one with the nurses. But the ealmon wae served the following ^ay at the dinner which my daughter and I ate together. I thank you, Eddie, my daughter thanks you and my nurses thank you. I'm not so sure about my doctor's thanks. The fact that doctors disagree Is too well known to cause much excite* ment any more, but there is still a laugh in It. During the 9steopaths' convention recently, one osteopath asserted to an interviewer that It was crlmiBftl for women to wear corsets. At Just about the same moment a man osteopath In another convention ante-room was telling an "Bveninir Mall" reporter that all man would benefit by wearing corsets. And the interviews appeared on the street at the same time,;: i suggest a compromise—put 'em all In a cast ' ' .1. Y'- Elitch Gardens Got It With "Rose Briar"—Good Plays and Company Do Business The Fassett dramatic stock at Macauley's. Louisville, again has a new leading lady, Phoebe Foster. She succeeds Florence Martin, with the company but two weeks. Miss Martin filled the vacancy loft open by'Kathleen Comegys. Three plays to be released .for stock this year by Harder-Hall are "The Fisherman's Daughter," by William Gillette. "The Slave Girl," by Leonard B. Parker, and "That Gal o* Howard's," by Joseph Lebrandt / • Cccile Didier will b^ the leading woman with the French stock, which will open in the fall at the Orpheum, Montreal. Mile. Didier Is an "ex- pensionnaire" at the Odeon, the sec- ond official theatre of France. Arthur Scelig, formerly in part- nership with Harpy Wcntworth as motion picture agertts. Is now as.so- ciated with Bruce Smith, musical comedy and stock agents. Jcanette Connor has left the Proc- tor Players in Troy, N. Y., and will start rehearsals soon in a legitimate production to be staged in New York next fall. "A .Stitch in Time" Is the current bin at the Majostic for the Wood- ward IMayers. After this week the company will take a four weeks' vacation. Ann Austin has returned to the stage .She is at i>resent playing Denver. July IL What is claimed to be the big- gest week ever grossed by a summer stock company in the west is re- ported by the management of thb Elitch Gardens Players for the open- ing week, featuring Violet Heming and Ernest Glendinnlng in "Rose Briar." "The gross was within |100 of $7,000, with a seating capacity un- der 1.800. The second week. "The Faithful Heart," was not so heavy, but is attributed to the fact that a drama was substituted for a comedy. The outlook for the season is re- garded as .particularly bright The growth of the stock company idea at Elitch's has been interesting to watch In Its development It was first revived fou/ wars^a^o; Elitch's In past years iiavlng played some of the country's greatest stars. A conference between John 1». Mulvi- hill,' president of the Gardens com- pany; Frank B. White, dramatic critic of ttt9 Denver "Post," and sev- eral other Interested persons re- sulted In a determination to invade Broadway for talent Rollo Lloyd was secured to direct. This was considered an ambitious undertaking In itself. The entire company was selected within two days. The first season was something of a filvver owing to a mild street ear strike. A loss was chalked up. The showing under the circumstances was sufficiently encouraging to war- rant another trial. Another com- pany was. engaged the following summer, and this time a real car strike, through which Denver was advertised all over the country as a shambles because of several serious riots resulting In the death of a number of strikers and strikebreak- ers, hit the show business an awful wallop. In spite of this handicap, however, the venture showed a small net profit Manager Mulvlhlll deter- mined to try again. Last summer was profltabla Moreover, the excellence of com- pany, scenery and productions was building up a prestige. The Gar- dens theatre was getting a clientele that knew they would never witness anything not worth while at th# Gardens. This year It is evident that the (Continued on page 19) leads in the Kurts stock company. Bethlehem, I"a. This story Is credited to both'Frank Mclntyrit and Bide Dudley, f cribbed I't from Blllle Taylor: An actor came home late. His wifo naet him at the. door with blood In her eye. At his "Warn matter, dearie?^ she exploded with. "This Is 'whas a matter.' When the tallof brought back your suit this afternoon, I found this In your pocket" She extended a piece of •paper with "Evelyn, 20-10 Fit«roy" on it . . "Let's see," said the actor.; "Where was I the last time I had that suit on? Oh, yes, I remember. I was out at the track. Why. sweet stuff, that should be perfectly plain to you. Evelyn ii the nama of a horse. Twenly-ten |s the odds—twenty to ten, and Fitsroy la the name of the Jockey." 'Torgive ftae, dear," said the wife, "I'm awful sorry I doubted you.*^ And everytning was lovely. < The next night he got hoiike rather late. To his. "Are you all right dear?" there was ho answer. He started to undress in the dark, whistling to himself, and finally walked Into ih» bed room. "Anything come up while I ^as out. petr' he asked. **Nothlng;** answered his better half, "except your horse called you up.'* But The season pass for Nick Schenck's Palisades Park makes me wlak I could take advantage of his kindness. I'm getting thred of a|iootln# the chutes In my rubber-tired pushcart. If I could only get across to the "Pride of the Hudson" ^ could have a lot of fun, for I think th^wheels of my "Baby Buick".would Just fit the tracks of the roUer-coastlp thera. Just think of havlng'one'a private roller-coaster car. Tom Martelle has finished tS weeks of a continuous 128 weeks of vlsitinj,- stock starring. The Burns-Kasper Players at the Maryland thoatro, Cumberland. Md., closed June 30. due to poor business.! Hiram Johnson Is expected back from Europe, and they have Invited me to attend the banquet In honor of the "Coast Defender." Probably they included me because they heard of my promise never to maks another after-dinner talk—as long as there are any delicacies In sight But this Is one banque. I'll have to pass up. and Mr. Johnson Isn't going to get to the White House over my dead appetite. * •-'■■■ *■■.■. ■ If you heard a big comiiiotlon on the corner of Broadway and 47th fitreet one afternoon this Week and thought It-was the police reserves quelling a riot or a premature unsafe and Insane celebration of the FouHh of July or an afternoon tea of the Steam Riverters' Union or a greeting being tendered the K. K. K. by the Y. M. H. A., you Were wrong. It- was merely what was happening to Tom German, who had Just emerged from the Palace theatre carrying a tennis racket Any one who Is at all acquainted with Tom knows that he Is much more at home with an eight-horse stake-and-chain wagon than he Is with a tennis racket. ' The center of the storm area explained the disturbance to me In this way. Mrs. Gorman had left her tennis racket to be restrung, and Tom, adoring husband,that he is, roiunteei^d to get It and bring It home. His campaign would have b^en successful, but for one mistake. He forgot to rush from the cover of the sporting goods store Into a waiting taxi with the blinds drawn. Initead. he elected to stroll nonchalantly up v " Broadway, swinging tha racket by the handle, and dreaming of the days back in Peoria. And then on the corner of 47th street he met Pat Casey. Well—Juet write your own third act. Harry Hirschfield (Abie, the agent) and Frank Hughes post-card ms that they are "way up near the Canadian border.'* And from ihh writing it Is bbvlous ^hlch side of the border. ^ Frank Vreeland, whose brilliant column Illuminates the theatrical pages of Mr. Munsey's papers, fills in his spare time by Writing poems, r caught this One in "New York Amusements." It was called "The Lifs Guard's Lament," and Is Just another proof that the grass In our neighbor's pasture is always so much tastier than that in our own. Who would have thought that the bronzed young man In the life-saver's suit. idolized by batliing beauties and looked yp to by snutil boys, felt like this about it: ^ "You think That It's grand Just to J"cscue a dame? ^ Say, you doift know the half of It, bo. •' ^ v Each one that you pull in, you Just gottor tame^ ■ ' * " %' '^ Then they're sore when you handle 'em so. When they're drownin' they struggle an' claw up Life savers l'>ok handsome, when not savin' lives. Them lizzies ain't drownm'—they're Just off their base^ But they couldn't take on worse. If they had hivea They holler an' squawk an' hanx onto your car, •". ? They cling to your nose till it's bent * When a girl li) a one-piece is frantic with fea r. You simply can't save 'em—an' still be a gent. your face- Make believe a girl's pretty when' blue 'round the gitlfl^ Make believe she don't need a good biff. Say, the medals we get when we rescue them pills. Are for not letUn' go an' Just knockin' em stiff. Then their fat momme'rs ask why we'lei 'cm go out One gal I'd saved, squo.iled because I'd lost her beact And one guy said I hnK^eil his wife —gave me a clout. Where the hell can you find any romance In thatr*