Variety (July 1923)

v^n^ vr^s.-f .*... '^^>»*- lursday, July 26, 1023 VARIETY' '^ •'' \Tl^3' v^■ <-<^": 3S -l>-:'l 15 YEARS AGO (Selected from Variety dated July I't. lifOSj : ; jako Well*. Weber & Rush and others grouped eiKbl liieatica lu the south, and with B. F. Albee and J, J. Murdock Interested, brought them* <«« the United Booking Offices. The WeHs houses had be«n classed as M. Now they would play vaudeville. The consolidation shut out isea from the South for the time. . * . leg»»- r«w ei James J. Corbett opened a saloon on State street two doors from Vatt Buren» Chlcasro. . , . A. J. Clark, special officer of the Fifth Ave- Bue theatre, New York, was installed on the eighth floor of the St. James' building with Instructions to keep the passages between divisions of the U. B. O. clear of loiterers. It was the first uniformed traffic man on the jpb. , •■:■>.''-■ ■• .■ ■..■'.-,.. . :::.■: --■^'■•\'r-' V/^Vv ;v::;.--\' , -v the news was out that Kate £iinore was engaged to marry Sam Wil- liams. . . • Gertie Reynolds, dancer from the Koster & Blal days, tried a come-back at the Tivoli, London, faring not so well. One of the Curzon Sisters fell froir their aerial rigging in Manchester and broke Jier wrist. Frank Gotch, heavyweight champion wrestler, made it known that he yrould follow the illustrious example of Bob Fitzsmnmons and do « dra- »atk! sketch In vaudeville. White City, Chicago, tried a during Innovation. They dressed up a lot of girls In bathing suits and put them -in charge of steering the boats of the chutes. ;» :> Show buslnes.*! was In its annual fit of the blues. Western "family" theatres cut their programs from five to three acts. But they hoped for the beat when mid-August came around. • .. ^ . :•. •^^'''^ The. Salome danco craze was at its peak. As the weather got warmer rival Salome wrigglers took off another veil. Just as further progress was blocked in that direction by the statute of limitations, the fad broke out in another. Julian Eltinge announced quite sobeiiy he would do a Salome dance a~ part of his specialty in the forthcoming Cohan it Harris minstrels. >•. ..• .. v- The Orpheum Theatre and Realty Co. of San Francisco was formed with a capital of $2,500,000 for the purpose of acquiring theatres and other properties in California, Colorado and neighboring states and to deal in liquors, cigars and real estate. « "Diamond Jim" Brady was one of the sights of the town. . . . Billy Reeves took part in a benefit for crippled children at the Polo Grounds and made the hit of his life by wearing "Diamond Jim's" evening clothes during the field events. Billy- was about as thin as "Jim" was fat. ^' Cheap melodramas were dying out, and a lot of people blamed the 1^ methods of Stair & Havlin for killing It. It was reported a group of well ' financed showmen were organizing a circuit to oppose the .S. & H. chain. Raymond Hitchcock, Mabel Hite and Bobby North were principals in « new production called "The Merry-Go-Round," which opened in At- Uintic City and promised to become a Broadway hit. Among the flock of Salome dancers, Maud Allen had gained a good <'.eal of notoriety In England. It was reported Percy O. Williams was negotiating for her American appearance, but the dancer wanted a promise that she would be given a route in $2 houses. . . . Eva Tan- guay sprang the most sensational Salome of them all at the Alhambra. ;. Thirty-flve houses controlled by Sun-Murray went into the Western ' Vaudeville Managers* Association. . . . Bob Fitzsimmons had an alter- cation with E. Clark Waljter, manager of Pantages, Spokane. The lanky one got beaned with a bottle before he could stop Walker. Qus Edwards had a turn called "Kuntry Kids,'' and George Horaans had one he called "Country Boys and Girls," The two had a hot argu- ment about their property rights. They took It to court, and Justice Erlanger declined to issue an Injunction in Ekiwards' behalf. Truly Shattu*k was making a hit abroad. She cabled her agent her lime was filled for a year in foreign circuits and she mould not return f^ within that limit at least. ^' v ,♦'^r. • 7 H. H. Frazee had five musical productions on his list for the coming season. Among the musical shows were "Isle of Spice/' "A Knight for a Day," "The Royal Chef" and "The Flower of the Ranch." John C. Rico (Rice ana Cohen) fell near his summer home, Stannard Beach, Conn., and his wrist was fractured. . . . Maude Earle, sister of 'Virginia Elarl, quit Gus Edwards' "School Days." Maude spelled the name with the final "e," but Virginia dropped the letter because it made a count •f 18. Wheele? Earle was their brother. He later did an act with his wife, but is now In the auto business. " The White Rats proposed to do an agency business, and also threatened ^^ to operate houses on their own. '-' Aug. 3 was appointed as the day for a general conference and some Irtctlon on A. L. Erlanger's proposltien to consolidate all theatrical Interests ^ into one big merger. They had lately sprung the dummy trapeze performer on a kite as an ^ advertising dodge. Tom Miner bought it. (The same old kite racket ; Is being used at the same 42d street corner today.) Jeaa Bodini agreed to catch a turnip dropped from the Metropolitan » tower on a fork held In his teeth. Eedinl and Arthur were booked for an • Indefinite engagement at the Fifth avenue. Usually the team played the Victoria roof all summer. .. Barton and W!s.«»ell took over four of Gus Hill's popular priced shows. ;,'Including "The Shoe Maker," with Lew Wckh. : . Everybody was trying to get a natural color film proces.s. Eclipse an- nounced from Paris they had an improvement. The Lumiere people wore the pioneers in the field. The Coney Island Hippodrome Co. had tried to run a circus under a hufje top on the island, but v.cnt to ?mR«h in a few weeks. Cincinnati people backed the project. The top was said to Fred .Sargont. who pro- ro."ied to use it for a mammoth carnival. The equipment was too cum- ber.qome for uso with a rircu!», where it would have to be pilched and .'■truck dn<iv. . Miller Bnis.' "101 Ranch" was in a railroad wreck in Dickinson. X D.. and two member-j were killed. . . . Tt was reported IVnnk Fillis, .Soutli African drcus man. would come to America to start a hor.se trading busi- ness and riding .icndemy In New York. Revue producers were grabbing vaudeville speoiali'-tH for tlirir summer Fhow.f. 'The Mimic World," new at the Casino, had AKhur McWatters Mid r.rnce Tyi^on, Se>-monr F<^)lx. .^^ain .sdmnn. Frank M;iyiic, Dave Lewis, ^f'arles and Nellie King and GeorKC Monro**, all from the two-a-day. Marry Cor<on Clarke was from fh«» .sam»» division. , . . P. 0. WILLIAMS' FUKLRAL (Continued from page 5) wan born in Baltimore, but came to Brooklyn and settled when young. Always Interested In theatricals, he joined the Amaranth Society of Brooklyn, an amateur dramatic or- ganization. He was rated as a clever amateur actor, hiH heat work being in light comedy. Previous to becoming in- terested in indoor theatricals, Mr. Wllllam.s operated a number of medicine shows, with electric belts and liver pads as the merchandise Hojd via a concert or other foi-m of entertainment. Sold Eioctric Bolts The electric belt business brought considerable wealth, but it was too small a field for WiUiams. who yearned to branch out as a theatri- cal magnate. During his medicine show days Williams did the usual blackface specialties of the "racket." made "openings" and followed the life of the showmen of the period. His first venture in the electric belt and liver pad business was operated with a platform or, as the vernacular of the business describes it. a "high pitch." Later he grew prosperous enough to do business with a tent, with a show of some proportions added to the entertainment end. At first a single musician, a banjo player as a rule, was the whi>le show, with Williams as the sales- man, lecturer and manager. In 1893 the opportunity to enter the show business in a big way ar- rived with Thomas Adams, Jr.. of Adapfis' Tutti Frutti gum fame, fur- nishing a considerable part of the backing for the establishment of Bergen Beach as an outdoor resort. At that time Bergen Beach, a part of the old Bergen homestead property on the nhores of Jamaica Bay, was a mo.«?qulto ridden wilderness. Established Bergon Bosch Williams went to work with char- acteristic energy and soon had the 300 acres which became Bergen Beach (70 acres of which were marsh land) cleared of weeds, etc. A dunce hall, various conce.«isions, rides, l>andstand, pier and all of the accessories of a first class summer resort were built in a couple of month<>. and Bergen Beach became a reality. It prospered for several years, de- spite bad transit facilities. The Ber- gen family, who had owned the property for five generations, re- celvfd $250,000 for it as the result of Williams' enterprise. It was when Mr. Williams (started the Bergen Beach resort that J. J. Maloney, who later became lijs con- fidential secretary, started with Williams as a bookkeeper. The Ca- ,sino was built at Bergen Beach in 1896, and played vaudeville, stock and musical shows. Tlie following year, in 1897, Mr. Williams took over the ©Id Brooklyn mu.«<ic hall in East New York, which liad had a tempestuous career, and succeeded In putting it over as a vaudeville house. The Novelty, an- other old Brooklyn house, that no- body apparently could make a pay- ing venture with a long list of fail- ures back of It, was next acquired. The Novelty, located on Driggs avenue in the WiUIamflburg section, and the brooklyn music hall. In East New York, were operated with vaudeville, Williams Introducing a novel stunt In having both the bills exchange places at each house dur- ing the week, transporting the actors in tally-ho coaches. It was this and similar advertising stunts that put over both houses successfully. Started Bifl Time The Brooklyn music hall Is still standing and called the Gotham, with stock as Its most recent policy. The Novelty is also still operating with the same name it has had for 50 years or more. In 1901, with the financial assist- ance of the Otto Huber Brewing interests, of Brooklyn, Mr. Williams built the Orpheum, Brooklyn. Hyde & Beliman's had been the #»sfnh. lished high class vaudeville house previously to the advent of the Or- pheum over there for some 25 years or more, and the Orpheum was ex- pected to have a pretty hard timf bucking such well-established op- position. The Orplieum, under the WillJ.Tnis management, quickly cauKlit the attention of vaudeville goiiiK Ihookljn. It gr< w in pop- ulariiy over night, with Hyde & Beliman's diminisliing in equal ratio. The Circle, at 59th stre^-t and Co- lumhus circle, was the means of took over the Crescent, which had previously been the Brooklyn Mon- tauk. The Crescent was moved a distance of 600 feet or more, from fls first location, on Fulton street, to the Flatbush extension, an en- gineering feat incidentally that es- tablished a record In view of the diflnculties attached. The Bushwick, Broolilyn, was built In 1910. Mr. Williams also built the Bronx opera house in the uptown section of New York. He also operated vaudeville houses In Boston and Philadelphia. • Sold for $5,000,000 In 1912. the Williams interests were sold to the Keith people for 15,000.000, the Keith Interests tak- ing over all of Williams' Greater New York theatrical properties. The Huber Estate luid. an interest with Wllllamsj. He was a mem1>er of the Brook- lyn lodge of Elka when the lodge numbered but 60 members. Mr. Wil- liams was Exalted Ruler of the Brooklyn Lodge several years ago, and came within a few votes of be- ing elected Grand Exalted Ruler of the order at a- national convention several years ago. A widow, Ida Williams; a son. Harold Williams, 36, survives. Vic- tor Williams, his other son, died In 1913. ^*v.«t JUDGMENTS ALICE LLOTB^ CABLE LATE Variety received Tuesday, after tho services held for Percy G. Will- iams, a cable from Alice Lloyd re- questing a wreath be sent In her name, together with a memorial no- tice for the deceased, which is pub- lished in thin IsRuo. Miss Lloyd's message came fro*--! Nottlnghano, England. She is tour- ing the province."! over there as the star of a revue. the Williams' entry into .Ne\V V^rk «ify ]ty<)\ifv in lOOfT, Later he se- cureil the Colonial, a few blocks fiijihrr pp Broadway at C3d Rfroet. The Alharpbra was next erected as a >.'rw York stand for the Williani.'^' brnnd of vaudeville in 1900. Ho built th^ Grc^npoint, Brook- lyn, Ti H'OS, giving that ff'< Imn its tiifx re.'I thf.itie, and the fame year CHAKLOT-SHUBEBT JAM (Continued from page 1) nullified the value of the material in this country. Chariot asks for an accounting of the profits from the sketch, costs of litigation, and any further damages the court may afllx, in addition to the injunctive writ. Arch Selwyn's letter discloses the Intention to make Chariot's revues annual affairs of several editions each year. It Is provided that the first production should open Mon- day, Dec. 31, 1923, at one of the Selwyns* theatres (probably the Times square) and a second version be produced between April and May, 1924. It is also specilled that Ger- trude Lawrence be signed for the first edition, and Beatrice Lillle for the second, Selwyn further sug- gesting that other players to be signed should Include Joe Coyne, Alfred Lester, Roy Royston. Jack Buchanan, and Herbert Munlnn. The details of the business arrange- ments provide that the show get no less than 60 per cent, of the gross Intake for Its Hhare (better terms if possible), of which Chariot will get one-third. No management fees to be deducted other than $200 weekly for publicity and front-of- the-house management costs. The Selwyns agree to do all the financing and indemnify Chariot against any loss and liabilities. For his 9hare the London impresario Is to bring over the production. In- cluding scenery, stage director, chorus mistress, six male and six female principals, and a chorus of sixteen. The salai-y limit Is not to exceed 15,000 and a Valentine Standard contract form to be used, giiaranteeing the cast a six weeks' minimum. Chariot Is to be paid |50 a day living expenses and his secretary $10 a day, fares to be advanced for both ways by the Selwyns. The company Is to leave London Dec. 15, The contract will be effective as long as the profits in an; one ysar do not fall brinw $20,000. The first season is the only exception. Also each agrees to forfeit 125,000 In tho event of default. OIBL APPEALS TO COM*R (Conti(iue«| from page 5) he would und^r the condition the «alury would he reduced to |3.j for the day. This was done. Following the last perform;»n« e Dow said Iio was re()uested by Miss ^V'ood to "o !»!'t the money fiom tlie manager. Thi--, he naid, he did, and ihat he paid it to .M.ss Wood in the presence of Sam Craig, stage man- ager of the thfatre. Dow asserts that several days aft*»r the play dato tho girl came to his office with a man and paid tiiat Miss Wo<»d Tmrrted th" fi .Iim- ii. r. When \i': icfUf^fi], y:::.i:n Hi. it. .\1,ss Wood w.ih paid for the rngnKement. tlie mun aciompan.vinK ,Ml»s Ford tlueuttned to wreck the Dow olfire. MlfH Wood, who Jives at 1»)96 Bioudway, conllrmrd the Dow Ktatement. and dei lared that r>ow li.id paid li' r I he money fov thi; «n- fragrnient .it tii*- tholi**. .She .«t«fe« (The flrtt nnme U judgment debtorj creditor and amount follow) Joseph Physioc; E. A. Kane; $121.40. Alexander Film Corp.; N. Y. Tel. Co.; 1248.99. Albert Dow; C. Rhoda et al.; 190. SO. Richmond Film Prods., Inc.; L. C. Piglla, Inc.: $682.80. Ed. J. Buss* (Busse Musio House); H. Snyder et nl.; $105.72. Lionel Barrymore; Black, Starr ic Frcst; $3,063.17. Paliaado Pictures Corp.; Kreps is. Nesold. Inc.; $875.70. Satisfied Judgments Nat Bernard; A. Bernard; $169.65; May 11. 1923. Blaney Prod. Co., Inc.; Rivoll Holding Co., Inc.; $2,766.85; June 26, 1121 Loow'a Mth St. Corp.i R. Pritch* ard; $1,684.58; March 29, 1923. INCORPORATIONS Now York Geneva Distribution Corporatiort. Pictures. CapiUl. $20,000. Direc- tors, H. O. Kosch. A. Thompoon. M. Gerst, all of 1540 Broadway. New York city. Conaolidatod Theatrical Costume Co. Capital. $20,000. Directors, AgosUno StIvaneUo. 814 West 44th street. New York city; Alfredo Con- soli, 6711 17th avMiue. Brooklyn, and Joseph Vigglano, 1202 St. John's place, Brooklyn. (Attorney, Nicho- las SelvaggI, 60 Court street. Brook* lyn. N. Y. ^ Rood A Awan Music Publishlna Co., Inc. Caplul. $10,000. Directors, I. L. Broadwyn. William Whynman, Clara Holtxmann, all of 65 Libert/ street. New Yiurk city. Service Scenio Studios, Inc.; Brooklyn. Capital $15,000. Direc- tors, Charles Cohen, John O. Wha- len, Robert Jackson. 427 St. John's place, Brooklyn, N. Y. . Old Masters Studio, Inc. Pictures. Capital, $26,000. Directors, II. F. Turrell, Sag Harbor. N. Y.; Miurioe Workstel. 1468 Bryant avenue. New York city; George B. William.-, 144 Central Park West, New York city. (Attorney. Samuel Welnberge:-. 34^ Madison avenue. New York cuy.) S. 41 A. Amusomont Co., Inc. Pic* tures. Capital stock. $1,200. Dxec* tors, L. H. Baer. 276 Fifth avenue. New York city; Andrew Bc:!anca, 276 Fifth avenue. New Yoi'.i clty^ Morris MinkofT, 12 Old Bro.idway, New York city. (Attorney, Uen)a* min Rich, 276 Fifth avenue. New York city.) Wostorn Amusement Co., Tulsa, Oklahoma. Capital stock, $L'0.000. Incorporators. 8. A. Boorstln. J. D. Johnson and C. L. Balsbury. all of Tulsa. Hopworth Distributing Corpora- tion, Manhattan. Motion pictures; capiUI. $600; directors. H. T. Crai>- fleld, T. F. McMahon and M. Kaui;- man. Plimmer Prodi^stions, In:., Man- hattan. Produce plays; capital, $50,000; directors. W. J. Pllnuner. Jr.. Fred Nevlns and Lillian Perlinf. Zinbern Pictures Corporation, Brooklyn. Realty and motion pie- tures; caplul. $20,000; directors. Joseph Bernstein, E. H. Taussig and N. Jay Schumer. 123 Mth ttroot Corporation. Man- hattan. Realty, theatres and mo- tion pictures: capital, $600; direc- tors. David Blum. B. K. Weil and Matie Hammerstein. Reelab Corporation. Manhattan. Motion pictures; capital, $26,000; directors, M. A. Horowitz, 8, H. Horowlts and Abe Holler. Promier Circuit, Inc., Brooklyn. Realty, theatrical and motion pic- tures; capital, $1,000; directors. Samuel Lesselbaum, Samuel RInsler and Hyman Rachrail. W. and GL Lunch Company, lnc.« Brooklyn. ResUurant keepers and theatre manajrers; capital. $2,600; directors, Herman Oreenb^rg Joo Tabarhnlok and Mildred R. Kaplan. Dooionations Frank Lloyd Productions, ln«- Delaware. Motion pictures; attor- ney, William p. Riiey. 2 Rector street. New York. Burton Holmot Lectures, Inc., Illi- nois. Manufacture motion phtures, etc.; capital, $60,000; attorney. H. M. Pitman, 485 Fifth nvoniK*. .New York. that after the rtrst prrforninme she told all of the girls in tlio act that Ihf-y could roiilJuue tliai day and play the other shows wi'hout pay- ment or that they would have to lay off and rehearse two weeks. She Hays all of the other girls (four), in- cluding MJ»H Ford. asKented. Miss Wood claims that she informed the Kirls that the money she wa!< re- ceiving for the engag* mcnt was Just enough to haul the liagKiKc .nid not enough to cover salarir.s. Tho following three days ih.» a< t played at the Star, .N'ew York (Vox). whf-re It was permanently closed and all of tho girl«(, iiniuding Mips Forrl, paid for Him wofK thev did In that theatre. Ml^» Wood declares that .Mi.s.s Fo (1 <'nnie to h^r at her honi«j and deniandtd pa>ment for the .*^un']ay date. She slate« that she t'lld t/io gill rhfit ell t>he got was •.xpenses from Dow, and that MiKM Ford tlien said. 'If you don't pay nie Dow will," after whioh sh* ;«ft the Wood ai»«ifmrnt.