Variety (July 1923)

VAUDEVILLE Thurtday, July 19, 1923 1 mTH^RPHEll BAM«NG EDICT FOR ENURE PANTAGES aRCUIT Miles Houses Included— Acts Playing Time Last Sea- son Ordered Off Available List— Most Sweeping Order The Keith and Orphoum Cii' uits have declared the entire Pantiiges and affllated circuits (Miles) oppo- sition and instructed their amenta to remove acta that have played the Pan time the past seaaon from the "acts available" Hat. This action follows closely the entrance of Pantagres Into Toronto and Hamilton, and the taking over by the Keith people of the Temples. Detroit and Rochester, as Keith properties. The Miles houses, which are booked through the Pantages office, wer« not before included In any ban issued by Keith or O^heum. The Miles houses In Detroit and Cleve- land are Included In the "opposition" olassiflcation placed on the entire Pantages Circuit. Some time ago the Keith people declared Indianapolis and Toledo "opposition" but afterwards routed acts that had played the Pan Cir- cuit if they passed up Indianapolis and Toledo. The latest ruling af- fects the entire circuit and is the most (^weeping edict against Pan- tages ever Issued by the combined Keith and Orpheum Circuits, Pantages Is in opposition to the Keith Circuit In Toronto, Toledo, rndlanapolis, Hamilton, Columbus, Detroit, Rocltester and Cleveland. Rumors that Pantages has been Reeking an eastern connection with a view to further eastern booking affiliations Is said to have also in- fluenced the Keith edict. The Orpheum Circuit has for years made It a rule not to book an act that had played the Pantages Circuit for the Orpheum tour in less than two years afterward on ac- count of proximity of houses. SINGER DUE EAST Orpheum's Coast Rsprssentative Advocates Adnnission Increase. SEED & AUSTIN CALLED ON TO PAY DAMAGES I>os Angeles, July 13. Harry Singer, Orpheum Circuit's Western manager, whose activities out this way were largely respon- sible for the big spurt in business in the* California houses of the cir- cuit, will leave for a^trlp East next month. Singer will visit the North- west theatres en route. He will have several matters of Importance to lay before the Orpheum heads, among which will be the advisabil- ity of raising the prices of the se- nior houses. Singer believes patrons will stand for an, additional 50 cents, which will raise It to 12.20 Saturday, Sun- day and holidays. The large number of tickets han- dled by speculators, who seem to be imablc to supply the demand for choice seats, with the 60-cent pre- mium eagerly pai4 by patrons, is the basic reason for considering the increase. The Oakland house will discon- tinue the three shows Saturdays, giving two performances dally, ex- cept Sunday, when three will pre- vail. The prices will be slightly tilted. The Oakland house is en- joying the most prosperous business of its career. Sophie Tucker East Over Orpheum San Francisco, July 18. The Orpheum circuit has engaged Sophie Tucker and she will sLart ea«t over that circuit. MAE and ROSE WILTON B. S MOSS' BROADWAY. NEW YORlv. THIS WEEK (JULY 1«). BOOKED FOR ENGLAND OPENING IN AUGUST CT" SUBSTITUTED ACT Tacoma, July 18. When William Hedley, son of Jack Hedley, of lledley and Co., over the Pantages time with "Moon- light," was .suddenly taken 111 and sent to the hospital following the matinee performance J-uly 9, the other acta on the bill got together and staged a number for the night performance to take the place of — 'Moonlight' tha t was a genuine treat. Young Hedley went through the afternoon show with a temperature of 101. The house physicians sent - him to the hospital Immediately after -he performance, where he will be confined wi^h his fever for A couplo of weeks or more. On the bill with the Hedleys were Herman Ulla and Minerva Clark, "A Night In Spain." Jack Strouse and Yvette and her New York f^yn- copatort. PAN HOUSES REOPENING The Pantages houses In Denver and Kansas City, now daik, will reopen July 30 and Aug 4. A new house in Des Moines is to be added to the route July 28. Des Moines is to follow Chicago on the Pan time. It will be opened by a new bill, playing out to thfl coast, taking the house.«i east of Des Moines on the way back. LYDIATT STANDS WELL Calgary, July 18. Jack Lydiatf, for several years manager of the Pantages, left this week for Vancouver to manage the Orpheum there. He was given a luncheon by the Calgary board of trade and a rousing farewell. The mayor of Calgary personally t«legrnphed the mayor of A'anccuver. setting I.ydiatt in right. Defaulted Agreement on Roy- alty and Advertising—Action Started by Al Friend Dave Seed (Seed and Austin) last Friday was reading Variety's ac- count of a contemplated action by Al Friend (Friend and Downing) against the team for Infringement of the "vegetable routine," when he was served wittv, a summons In a 14,000 damage suit Instituted by Friend. The service was made at Proctor's Fifth Avenue, New York, where Seed and his partner, Ralph Austin, played the latter half of last week. Friend Is not suing for an Injunc- tion out of deference to the Keith circuit, feeling the granting of a writ might create trouble In book- ings. Friend's attorney, B. J. Rabin, of Greenbaum, Wolff & Ernst, In preparing the complaint which will be served later. Is basing his dam- ages on Seed and Austin using the "vegetable* 'bit for two years, claim- ing an average of 40 weeks a year. PYiend Is asking royalty due hlra at the rate of 150 weekly, which he will turn over to the N. V. A. sick and benef\^ fund. Friend claims to have originated the bit 17 years ago. Subsequently the Klein Brothers and Seed and Austin Included It In their turns. Friend absolves the Kleins, admit- ting having ceded them special per- mission before the matter came up before the N. V. A. The Kleins and Seed and Austin, both admitting Friend's priority at the N. V. A. hearing, agreed to in- sert a page advertisement in Va- riety to that effect. Seed and Aus- tin also agreed to remit a weekly royalty (the amount was not speci- fied at the time) to Friend, which Friend agreed to donate to the N. V. A. fund. Friend states that Seed and Austin altered the advertising plan and caused an impression that both they (Seed and Austin) and the Klein Brothers were to pay a week- ly royalty. Friend states only Seed and Austin were to remit. ACKERMAN & HARRIS GOING IN FOR REAL mm INVESIMENTS :-:::x-- V. » ■"! WILTON'S GUESS Agent Figured Exact on Diarfionds —Now Hava Keith Route The Four Diamonds have been sii^ned for two years by the Keith office. Alf Wilton executed the route this week. Immediately following the Is- suing of the route Mr. "Wilton ordered 1,000 copies of the adver- tisements he had inserted In Variety prior to the appearance of the Dia- monds in the metropolis. He will send them brn.idnast. The Diamonds are a family^'danc- ing act composed of three brothers and the elder brother's wife. The act came Into New York practically unknown. Wilton has been conducting an advertising campaign through Va- riety's "Bills Next AVeek" columns and Immediately Inserted an ad headed "Watch this space for next week's announcement." The fol- lowing advertisement mentioned the Diamonds and asked that the space be watched for four weeks. The agent called the turn to a dot. In four weeks the act had been booked Into Keith's Palace, New York. After the Palace engagement they were routed for two years by the Keith people. 20^H0USE CIRCUIT Romm A Waiters Start New Book- ing Partnership Harry A. Romm, New York Inde- pendent vaudeville agent, and Louis E. Walters, booking a chain of New England independent vaudeville houses, out of Boston, have forrAed a partnership for the organization of a new Independent circuit In the East. ■■ -■;,.,,:- Romm will retire from the agency field and open a New York offlce for the new concern, of which he will be in charge, booking the shows for all of its houses. The new firm will start with 20 hounes mostly in New England, find will retain a Boston offlce to keep in close contact with that ter- ritory. The Romm agency business has been presented to Harry Romm's brother, I^onard, who has l)€en as- sociated with the office for tome ' time. Recent Successful InvestmenU by Coast Firm—Di* viding Time Between Two Cities—3€veral A. ^ H. Theatres Pass to T. ft D. * T. M. A. OFFICERS Chai. W. Leake of Toronto, Presi- dent—Frisco Next • Minneapolis, July 18. Charles W. Leake of Toronto, was elected grand president of the The- atrical Mutual Association at the closing scBlon of the international convention here. San Francisco waa selected as the 1925 meeting place. One of the most important things accomplished by the convention waa the Inauguration of a plan which will provide a permanent fund for the disabled or aged members of the association. It was also voted to launch an international member- ship campaign during th* next few months. Approximately 150 delegates rep- resenting practically every state In the union and province in Canada were present when the convention opened Tuesday. Entertainment features Included a program staged by St. Paul T. M. A's, automobile rides as guests of Zuhrah Shrine, and a visit to the aerial exposition at the Speedway flying field. Officers elected with President Leake included: William C. Duerr- ler, Newark, first grand vlce-presl- den; A. J. Skaaren, New Orleans, second grand vice-president; Walter J. Maconnahey, F'hiladelphia, third grand vice-president; Walter li^ul- vlhlU, New York, fourth grand vice- president, and C. C. Chandler, Cleveland, fifth grand vice-presi- dent; William A. Bauer, Pittsburg, J. J. Qulgley, Cincinnati, and'Chas. R. Wells, Minneapolis, were chosen to serve as a committee on law, ap- peals and ^levances. Other offi- cers chosen were David L. Donald- son, Buffalo, grand secretary-treas- urer; John P. Schmid, Philadelphia, grand chaplain; trustees, W. E. Baxter, Jersey City,. A. E. Byrne, Chicago, Harry V. Floyd, London, Ont., Ike Marks, San Francisco, C. N. Munsen', Minneapolis; Isadore Friedman, Cleveland, grand mar- shal, and Harry Ettling, San Fran- cisco, grand tiler. Los Angeles, July 18. Irving Ackerman. Sam Harris and Charles Brown came down from San Francisco for a couple of 4^ys last week. They did not tak,e ov#r Grauman's Million Dollar Theatrji^ due to its Vocation not being favor- able to their vaudeville policy. Ackerman ft Harris have dlspo.sed of several of their theatres, recengy and are interesting themselves hi real estate. The success of rec«l)t Investments made localfy has them considering locating here or dividing their time between this city and San Francisco and go into the real estate Investments on a larger scale. Ackerman ft Harris have disposed of the State, Sacramento, to Fred Oelsha, present lessee of the Clunle. He will take possession Sept. 1. The present policy of the Clunle Is play* Ing road shows, and it is the split week house for the Orpheum acts. The first attraction in the Stats under the Geisha banner will be Jane Cowl as Juliet. Other houses reported to have been disposed of are the State, Oak- land; Hippodrome. Fresno; States Stockton. 'All the houses are i*e-. ported to have gone under the T. A D., Jr., banner, who will continue : the same policy, playing A. A H.v vaudeville, with special attention to the picture part of the program.,' They are already In possession of the Hip, Sa(?ramento. PAUL ALLEN ECHO A ', M Judgment Recorded, of $250 froni A. a B. bow . e i NEW ACTS Arthur West (Gruber and West) and Mae Relly, two-act. Margaret Devore and Hal Shee- han, comedy skit. Bill Frawlcy (Frawley and Louise) and Irene Delroy (Patrlcola and Delmar), two-act. Marion Blake and Boys, singing and dancing. Bert Capman (Miller and Cap- man) and Fred McCarthy, two-act. Miller is seriously ill. Direction Ralph Farnum. Ben Marks (Marks and Wilson), •UBsisted by Eleanor Pick. Jack Hanley and Co. (four peo- ple), including Lillian Hall and "Shorty" (formerly with W. C. Fields). >. Al Ritz (La Vine and Ritz), single. Irving Gellerg at piano. Maurice La Mar and Betty Rich- mond and Co., Including Paul Sis- tors and Phil Morris Syncopators. Bernlce and Du Vol, singing and dancing. James Clemmons and Madison, two-act (Los Angeles). Buddy Walsh and Marie Austin, who separated six months ago on account of the Illness of Miss Aus- tin, are reunited and will appear again next season In a singing and talking comedy act. IN AND OUT Mayo, Leslie and Co. out of the 23d street the last half of last week through Murray Leslie's Illness from sore throat. The Exposition Jubilee Four out of the American, New York, first half, because of Illness, replaced by HIghtower and Jones. The Indictment against Paul Allen on grand larceny charges is again recalled this week with the entry of a $225.20 Judgment by Abraham M. Bush against Al and Belle Dow, who operate the A. ft B. Dow theatrical booking agency in the Gaiety the- atre building. Bush, who authored and produced a comedy sketch, sued the Dows on the ground he advanced $200 to Al- len in order to secure bookings for the act. Allen is alleged to have been manager for the Dows, and had his name on the door to that effect. Allen accepted the $200, for which he was to furnish 4h^ weeks' book- ings for Bush, which were never forthcoming. LOEWS FULTON CLOSED First Time in Many Years—Will Reopen in September Loew'a Fulton, playing pop vaude- ville and pictures has closed for the season. The closing this eummer marks the first time. J. K. EMMET MANAGING STATE J. K. Emmet has been appointed manager of Locw's State, New York, succeeding Joe Vogel, recently resigned to become general manager of the Interstate Circuit. Emmet \intll six months ago was an actor, his last appearance being at the same State in a dramatic sketch. The assistant managers at tho State will be Frank Gallagher and George Mclnnls. Joe Vogel left New York Monday to assume his duties in connection with the operation of the Inter- state. He was one of the youngest managers on the Loew Circuit. ^^H ORPHEUM'S MGS. CHANGES Chicago, July 18. So far the only changes an-_ nounced in the managerial staff of the Orpheum Circuit for next sea- son are the switching of George Sackett from the Hennepin at Minneapolis to replace Jack Ray- mond as manager of the Orpheum, Los Angeles, and the naming of Prank Phelps as manager of the HennejJln at Minneapolis. Rasonond leaves the circuit ;ifter a connection of 20 ycors.