Variety (July 1923)

VAUDEVILLE Tfiiirsday, July 26, 1023 ACKERMAN & HARRIS NOT RETIR- ING; Wni ADD TO BOOKING OFFICE 2S siuu nuiEits TORN TO PICmES Coast Firm Does Not Want Impreftsion Out It Is Giving Up Vaudeville—^Taking On Outside Booking for First Time . San Francisco, July 25. Ackcrman & Harris do not want the Impression abroad they are re- tiring from the ihow business. To the contrary. Bay the managers, they are enlarging their theatre circuit, also booking offices on the Coast. The story that they had disposed W some of their theatres, together with reports of realty operations by the firm or members of It (Irving Ackerman and Sam Harris) might lead to an erroneous view. Their real estate operations are at pres- ent more extensive than either or both of the partners have indulgcil In previously, while the theatre:- disposed of win remain in the A. & H. Q. booking office. Mr. Ackerman, with Mr. Harris concurring, said to the local "Va- riety" representative: "While In Los Angeles we gave a "Variety" man particulars re- garding disposition of some qt our theatres. It might be Inferred from that story, as we afterward con- cluded, that it was but a prelude to an eventual announcement we wore retiring from the show business. "As that lo far from the fact, we would like to make it positive; also that we are taking on other houses, and will continue to enlarge our theatrical holdings, also our book- ing offices. "We are going to make the book- ing offices a special feature of our business. For the first time since we have played vaudeville we are taking on outside bookings; that is, booking houses not owned by us, ^hlle all of the A. A H. theatres we disposed of will remain in our hooking offices to secure bills. We have a long time booking contract .with each. ORPHEUM BANDS Many Already Playing — Others Opening The Orpheum circuit will be or- chestra and Jazz band heavy during the pomlng season, having already booked over 15^cts of that order. Among those already playing are Ben Bernie and Band, Vincent Lo- pez, Red Caps and Raymond Eagon Band. Others to open by October are Harry Stoddard, Geirs-Doff's Symphonlsts, Billy Sharp's Revue, J. Ro«amond Johnston and Co., the S. S. Leviathan Band, Isham Jones, Benson Orchestra, Aunt J«mlma and Band, George Olsen and Band and Paul Sternberg's Orchestra. The Orpheum houses will ufe pic- tures to advertise forthcoming bills one and two weeks In advance next season. The idea was tried in sev- eral theatres during the past year and proved successful. The advance films will not Consist of the usual trailer exploiting the name and billing of the acts, but will include pictures of each act taken from life. The pictures arc to be prepared hy Floyd Scott, head of the Orpheum^publicity depaij- ment. ^ In a great many cases films will be prepared to exploit shows intact, these to be shown in t^ie Orpheum houses from Winnipeg to Frisco. The first of these films will be shown at the Orpheum, Winnipeg, re- opening Aug. 18. A suit fbr divorce against James Brockman, songwriter, was filed July 19 in Cleveland by Mrs. Yetta Brockman. who charges assault and non-support. Brockman was one of the writers of "I'm Forever Blowing ■UT , ... . - , Bubbles," "i'lning" and "Feather , ^ „ .^ „ , , We are also putting out field | your Nest." He is now in the pub- '""om the Southern Enterprises, Inc Couldn't Stick with Vaudevilte Over Summer—Back to Acts in Season FOUR KINDS OF SHOW AT CASINO, FRISCO, AT 1I1-50 Pictures and stock have replaced vaudeville for the summer in over 25 houses in small towns around New York after futile attempts on the part of the management of these houses to play small time vaudeville throughout the summer. The majority play ^pllt week vaudeville through the season. After trying to continue their act pro- grams through the warm weather, they were compelled to reduce the vaudeville to either one-nights or eliminate acta. During the past few weeks, the following houses have discarded vaudeville in favor of pictures: Strand, Bayonne; Empress, Dan- bury; Rlalto, Poughkeepsie; Broad- way, Nyack; Co.omunlty, Meriden; Strand, Lakewood; Mainstreet, Freehold; Armory, Keyport; Opera house, Newburg; Rlalto, Portches- t«r; Palace. Patchogue; State, Middletown; Majestic, Haverstraw; Monticello, Jersey City; Alpha, Belleville; Linden, Linden: Bay Ridge, Brooklyn; Empire, Rah way; Music Hall, Tarrytown; Rivoli, Rutherford; and the Regent, Kearney. The Roosevelt. Jersey City, is playing stock ^or the sum- mer. With the exception of the Monti- cello, Jersey City, all the above houses were booked by Fally Markus, who will continue to fur- nish them with vaudeville when the season begins In September. In addition to the theatres dis- continuing vauleville many parks throughout New Jersey and Con- necticut have omitted vaudeville from their programs this season. Sugerman has Montgomery House Montgomery, AJa., July 25. Sol M. Sugerman, theatrical man- ager, has leased the Grand and will open early In September with vaudeville three days a week; road shows and pictures the other three days. Sugerman Is taking over the lease men to obtain new business and liheatrea." POSTAL RATE SOUGHT / BY PHOTOGRAPHERS llshing businrt's. which has held it for some time. Performance Runt Foiar Hours, Starting with Pic« tures and Ending with Melodrama—^Vaudeville in Between •"'":;. • "'.■■''/■.■ v"^ ''■%''': SELLING KEENEY'S, B'KLYN Manager Disposing of Theatrical Holdings In line with FranV: Keeney's pol- icy of gradually disposing of his theatrical holdings. Keeney's, Brook- lyn, may be sold shortly. A deal is on now for the house. Keeney dis- posed of httr Newark, N. J., lease last season. The Brooklyn hoyse plays pop vaudeville, booked inde- pendently. The syndicate In negotiation for Keeney's. Brooklyn, la composed of people with large holdings in a com- nvtrclal manufacturing business. The policy of the house will con- tinue as heretofore if the sale goes through. HOUSES OPENING The Majestic, Harrisburg and Opera House, York, (Wilmer & Vin- cent) will reopen with Keith vaude- ville and pictures August 13. The Palace, Rnl Bank, N. J., re- acts) booked by Juhn A. Bobbins, and pictures. The Willis, erecied by the Haring & Blumenthal enterprises, at Willis avenue and 138th street, Bronx, will open In October. The house seats 2,800 and will play r)op vaudeville. No vaudeville booking arrange- ments have been made as yet. Keith's, Jersey City, will reopen Aug. 13. The Bijou. KsLBt Orange, will be booked by Fally Markus beginning Sept. 1. The house will play five acts for last halves only. Strand, Washington, D. C, (booked by Loew), Aug. 12. Winnipeg. July 25. Pantages, Winnipeg, reopens on Aug. «. Annual Convention of Ass'n Elects Clarence Stearns, of Rochester / Washington, July 25. Clarence Stearns, of Rochester, If. y., was elected president of the photographers' Association of Amer- ica during the closing seselons of their convention held in this city last week. Mr. Sterns, who was the first vice-president, succeeds A. H. Dlehl, of Sewlckley, Pa. Other of- ficers elected are William H. Mana- han, of Hlllsboro, N. H., first vice- president; J. H. BrakehiU, Knox- vllle, Tenn., second vice-president, and Alva C. Townscnd, Lincoln, Neb., treasurer. The present secre- tary, S. R. Campbell, Jr., of Wash- ington, holds office until the ap- pointment of a secretary by the new board of directors. This was the forty-first conven- tion of the association and one of the principal topics discussed was methods to prevent discrimination against photographs in the postal regulations. Members of the asso- ciation were called upon to com- municate with the congressmen and senators to secure the admission of photographs under the parcel post regulations. Under the present reg- ulations photogi-aphs weighing un- der five pounds must go as first cla.ss mail. The association has advised that during the next session of congress a bill will be introduced providing for r«'»rcel post privileges ~~ for photograplm. The bill, H enacted Into a law, will ho a bip money saver for vaudeviiliano. as well as other members of the pro- fession. DETROIT ORPHEUM CUTS BILLS Detroit, July 25. Orpheum (Miles) has altered its policy for the .•summer at 1< a.«^T In- stead of trn'there will be five actsi of vaudeville and a picture. Prices also reduced. opened July 23 The <\ouse will play split week vaudeville, (fourl'lTianagement of the Plymouth The- San Francisco, July 25. San Francisco now has what may rightly be termed a novelty at the Casino where fojr different kinds 6t entertainment ar* offered at prices ranging xrom 10 to 50 cer^'ts with no seats reserved. ^^ ■the show runs four hours open- ing with severa reels of film. th«n a musical program by Jack Joy and his jazz orchestra, several acts of vaudeville and next a one-hour musical revue with 16 or 20 "chick- 16t8" in the chorus, and for a wind* up a two-hour melodrama. The opening bill last week com- prised the "Casino Girl,' a singer with a real voice; Darling Sisters in a aonte and dance number; aj*^ clalties by Georgj E. Reed and :^hil Berg; •Frivolity" a tabloid musical revue: Jack Joy and his Synco- pators and "The Crimson Alibi" by a melodrama company of fair abil- ity. The house opened, to crowded houses and /rom the start made seems destined to scor§ a real suc- cess. The policy Is announced under the atrical Enterprises with Richard Wilbur, manager. Q. M. (Broncho Billy) Anderson is reported to be behind the venture and Is much in evidence around the house. E. A. Bondeson is handling the publicity. SHEA-KEITH SHIFT <^ EXPECTED IN BUFF.4L0 1 A ■•1 Toronto Included in Reported Change—SfieaV New Metropolitan Buffalo, N. Y., July 25. Reports regarding future plans of' the Shea Amusement Co., are crys- tallizing. Although no conflrma* tion of the Shea-Keith negotiations has been forthcoming at this end, it Is understood that the deal for ' the taking over of the Court street vaudeville house by the Keith in- terests is nearing consummation. Local showmen figured that the Keith people would erect a new plant here, but the difficulty of adapting the Court Street house for any other purpose makes the con- tinuation of the present policy al- most certain. At the same time and probably as a result, it is said that public announcement of the erection of the new Shea's Metropolitan which has been hanging fire for several years is forthcoming momentarily. Th« site—Main street above Chippewa— Is perhaps the choicest In town. Shea's Met plans call for the last word in picture houses and on its open^g the Hip will probably be given over to second runs arid fam- ily time. The Keith advent here (and prob- ably in Toronto as well' will mark the exit of M. Shea from big time vaudeville in which he was a pioneer and with which he has been identified for three decades. Vhe W KEITH DAINTY MARIE (Marie Meeker) ^ Wc.hly r.rc.itfpt Aerial Cla.*;sic at the World's ForcJiiost Vaudeville Thi'utro luxt week (Julv 30^ S TAI^ACK. NI<:VV Y(JHK. f ^ J, Acd.'iinHd by the props as "The Wnus of the Air," which is really a misnomer, ns Dainty Marie is a "Venus of Xhv t>tngc." Her grrice, h< r carriage, her perfect coiitour, coupled with her pyninastlc feats and singing and dancing ability, comi>riso an unusual combination. Vei-gatility Is rare. Dain4y Marie is versatile but withal poRscs.scs the charm of fcrpinlnlty. ' Recently in the cast of an all-efar Musical Comedy, a daily said: "Dainty Marl*», after di.'pl.'iyiriR gymnas- tic daring, sings and dances as well, if not better, than the singing or dancing fetars." "That was not in New York. PAT CASEY Is sure she would do even better in New York. , JARVIS BOOKING FOR PAN Chicago, July 25. Willard Jarvls has just returned from New York where he completed arrangements with Eddie Milne and Alexander Pantages to book acts from Chicag5 for the Pantages cir- cuit. ■ ,^ - :r.".., ■• -_■;'■- ;:'-j Jarvls has been prndnrlng girt acts for the Pantsiges Circuit for the last ten yeart;. : ^ Rhoda and Crampton's Judgment Khoda nnd Crampton last Dec. 23 were booked through AI Dow, an independent agent, at the Grand. Hartford, Conn., the first half and th«i liri.stol theatre, Bristol, the 1 ist half, for $150 en the week. The team only fulfilled half the engagfmrnt and sued Dow for ths last half* salary. Last'week Khoda and Crampton were awnrdod judRinrnt for $90.30 against the booker on tlie playof* .pay contract.