Variety (August 1923)

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u^TT'- -J.;- .Ki.Tfijt.- -'**»•■•■• .a«''rw?t Thursday, August 2S, 182S ^-^ LEGITIMATE II STOCK TRY-OUT "GYPSY JDT . REPORTED A BlAY PROSPEa GYPSY JIM V,.'" Oakland. Au«. II. '--ff-'. ICrateiT. hitherto associated with ;; the melodrainatic form of theatrical , . «atortainment, made Its appearance '- ta ranance last night at the first '^ ■howinc of "Oypay Jim." by Ulltoo '2'J Oropper and Oscar Hammersteln, Jr., at the Fulton theatre. Robert .'Vt^arwick. appearing here as a guest •tar, with the dramatic stock com- PMBy In support, played the name rftlc. According to the authors, '-Gypsy ' ' Jim" was especially fashioned to fit ..: the histrionic ta!ent of Warwick, and as a result the role wore like a ;;. tight gIo»e. Warwick gave a rat- .^i (ling good performance despite the « few rehearsals, and the play with v ' MMne changes may achieve Broad- ,,; way. It is still in a formative stage. ;, ."Xiypsy Jim" tells the story of a r^ •aelf-maje man who In his deaire to " be philanthropic tries out S new *j^, ACheme. He hires capable lleuten- •_ ants, who seek out worthy families. The financier appears masquerading - as a gypsy and does a Santa Claus. ;v leaving the people helped under the belief that It was through their own talent that they won recognition. M Into the home of the Blakes comes Gypsy Jim. a romantic and •plc- :r., turesque ngure. partly "The Bad 'f Kan" and partly "The PRssing of the Third Floor Back.* Soemia;:ly the elements arc under his apodal control. In order to prove his al- *" leged supernatur\il gifts he rends , mln^s, calls for mysterious knock- ings and causes lights, telephone and other things lo shut on and off. He convinces his subjects that he brings luck, ai^ through their super- \, atitution manages to get them on their feet again. Like Pollyanna, he preaches good cheer, but his preach- { ,inenls are not sugary and tang of common sense. In the end he is '/-- chown in his true salf, marries the (iri and all Is invely, as It should be In romance—even mystery ro- mance. ,^ The play itself needs a bit of ^ doing. The first act Is too talky and ,' the entrance- of the star la badly conceived. Most of the lines are de- livered standing by the players with fi clumsy and stilted effect. The ines themselves need polishing and the climax rearranging. ' The second act Is th% best of the — three, being a swiftly-moving affslr, With plenty of action and some dra- ~i tnatic scenes for the principal figure. _^ere again the climax is followed by an an anti and the curtain falls on a lull. The third act starts badly, but flnlshea In whirlwind fashion with a treat surprise. The tbeme of the play is "F*lth is greater than truth." and the' au- thors hammer their message home in great style. One error of judg- ' ment Is not noticeable, however. In the selection of the character for ' the comedy relief. This Is the mother who has lost her son. She ■ naturally gets sympathy, which de- ., . tracts from the comedy. The com- edy should be given to another char- acter or the last son bit dropped and . come other foundation given for the •tart. This party was delightfully han- dled by Georgle Know) ton. a veteran ,'' in stagecraft, who did all that was humanly possible to make the char- acter human. Her opening scene was nicely done and she scored time and again with her comedy. All together, "Gypsy Jim" Is very featlsfactory and the Fulton Players, headed by Bertha Mann, gave a creditable reading considering that. but three full rehearsals were ar- rived at because of the last-minute changes in the script. With polish- ing of dl.ilog, elimination and tight- ening up of action. "Gypsy Jim" vhould t>e a hit. It Is hokum, but «o was "Abie's Irish Rose,' and like tlie play In comparison it has that appeal that works wonders with the crowd. Manager Jumes J. Hayden, of the '^' Hayden-Casey combine of stock promoters in Brockton and New Bedford, Mass., has announced sev- -. eral of the players who have boon signed to appear with the City the- atre players for the coming reason opening on LalKtr Day, Sept. 3. The list contains the n.imes of Carroll Daley, director, second sea- ■nn; Curl Jackson, second business, fourth season; Henry Croflsen. gen- >i*l buhiiibsa, st'ound Fcastmr Jr-.tTnrc -Stnr TCTnatrrs-^ Arden, second lady, first season Although not officially confirmed It Is believed that Frank J MncDon- ald. last year's man.-iKor will be afrain signed for this-reason. An- other old time faviirlti- who is .said to be returning for his tenth season In this city Is Walter .11. nedoll, vet- eran character actor and former un- derstudy of. Denman Thompson. Manager Hnydon will pass the coming week In New York City picking material In players and plays for this s(^ason. "Dulcy." at Klitch's Gardens, Dert- r«r, -played to aatlsfactorr business, the groaa being well' over M,BM. Uly Cahlll, the leading woman who Joined two weeks ago. Is great as Dulcy. In "Spanish LiOTe" she did not make so good an Impresalon as In her second vehicle. The opening of the Denham stock downtown ^ad no notlceaMe effect upon business itt Blit^'a Appar- ently this Is a'ccounted for by the tact that the fans are doubling up at' both houses, and that two dis- tinct classes of playgoers patronize the two companies. The Klitch Gardens' productions are on -. par with those cf many flrst class road shows, Freshly painted scenery each week helpa Vincent Coleman, film star of "Fascination" with Mae Murray, baa been signed by Manager James JT Hayden, of the City theatre, Brockton (Mass.) Players, as lead- log man for the stock season of 1923-1924. The cast as announced is: Vln- mnt Coleman and Nancy Duncan. Uads; Herbert Clark, Juvenile man; Virginia Richmond, engenue; Wal- ter H. Bedell and Grace Lockwood. characters; Carl Jackson and Jean Arden, second business. No contract has been signed as y«t in relation to the prospective season's stage manage', but the be- lief Is that Frank McDonald will again pilot the dolng^ back stage. Carrol Daly, last year's director, has b4en engaged tot the coming aea- SOD. The Park, Manchester, N. H., for -several seasons Under the manage- ment of Stanley James, will open Labor Day, Sej)t 3, under the man- agement of Edmund V. Phelan. stock manager. Opening attraction, "Lawful Larceny." Mr. Phelan has leased the theatre for the season. WlUard Robertson, stage manager, is the only one connected with the company who is not new to Man- chester. Forest Orr, leading man, and Rita Coakley, leadln^woman. Others are Gordon Mitchell, Aubrey Bosworth, Jack Holmes, Mary Johns, Bdtth Bowers, Sasha Aylorff. Charles Chamourls. John Ravold is director and Russell Senior, scenic artist. Dana Green wfll direct the orchestra. The Carroll Players who had a lengthy and successful stock season at the Opera house, St. John, N. B., for 1922-23, will open tor the 1923-24 season at the same theatre on Aug. 27. Kdna Preston will be leading woman. She played leads for the Carroll Players in Halifax and Bangor. The lease of the Opera house in St. John is now in the hands of the Spencer Amusement Co., a former leasee. It has been dark for six weeks pending the opening of the stock organization. A stock company Is expected to play an indefinite engagement at the Opera house, Moncton, N. B., start- ing' in October. Stock organizations wfn also play Halifax, Sydney, Bangor and St. John. There will likely be two stock organizations in the latter centre, one In the Queen square theatre In addition to the Opera house. The Queen Square theatre Is now being used by a musical tab .' tock. Julia Morton (Mrs. Malcolm Fos- sett> Is out of the cast In her hus- band's etock production of "Johnny Get Your Gun" at McCauIey's, Louisville, t^ls week. Miss Morton commenced to feel the oppressive heat of a long siege in Louisville, last week. Thursday she collapsed during the night performance of "Green Stockings." Hcturnlng, how- ever, she remained throughout the week, but her physician forbade t\yia Morton reappearing this week. Hotel Seellinch. DeWItt Newing. once a press .igont, now a successful playwright, contemplates bringing a stock com- pany to Syracuse. Tt. Y. next spring. Newing Bt(>i>i>ed off there with AugUiitus I'ltou While reluming from Niagara Falls where they went to see the premiere of New- Inn's "Jack O' Hearts," a new l-'iskc O'llara vehicle. Newing declared that he would plan a stock venture next season. .Syracuse had no stock this spring ^nd summer. DENVER STOCK FIGURES WilkM Players Average Cleaa to fllMlOO Each for 3 Weak* Denver. Aug. 23. With "The Bad Man," "The French Doll" and "Why Men Leave Home," The Wilkes Players at the Denham (stock) have done the big- gest three weeks' opening business In the history of the house, accord- ing to Ben Ketcham, house manager. The first week played to near ca- pacity, which meant a gros's of al- most 110,000 (eight night* and three matinees). The second has fallen slightly below the first, the gross being estimated at 18.335. The third week about equalled the figures of the first Theretum cf George Barnes, most popular leading man the Denham has ever had, is held to account for the business, Gladys George is leading woman. That several changes are contem- plated In the personnel of the Wllkea company Is reported. They will not affect the leading people. Incidentally the matinee of Thurs- day, Aug. 16, played to the biggest matinee audience In 13 years. Avery Hopwood's "Why Men Leave Home" was the vehicle. LEGIT ITEJVte Wendell Philips Dodge has been appointed by the Selwyns to handle the Grand Gulgnot, the assignment calling far publicity and company management. The French attrac- tion has been contracted tor a Eea- son of 10 weeks and will be pre- sented atop the New Amsterdam, starting'In October. Dodge was for- merly press representative . for David Belasco, leaving the post to take a fling at producing. Oliver Moroaco's production ot "Dust" will open at Reading. Pa,. Aug. 31. The cast has been te- vised during the past week. It now Includes James Crane. Sclma Paley, Grace Valentine, Ed. Walters, Barney Gllmore, Jamrs Spotts wood, Jennie Lamonte, Douglas Wood,, Herbert Belmore, Georgia Lee Hall and Doris Moore. After a two week road tour it will come Into New York for a run at the Morosco. John Peter Toohey, for maiv years associated with George O. Tyler, who within the last year contributed a scries of Action stories to the Saturday Evening Post, and who also was co-author of a play produced List season, has been appointed general manager for Richard G. Herndon of the Delmont theatre. "The Crimson Glow" will open Its road tour In Scranton, Pa., Sept. 10. The cast Includes Morris Rosen, Helen Trevor, Mabel Tremayne. Arthur Corrigan, Francis Hall, El- mer Tomton, Thomas West and Grace Corcoran. "Chains." from a run In Chicago, is announced as William A. Brady's next production for New York. Re- hearsals of the piece will begin the latter part of next week. "Take a Chance," the Phillips- l3rlob musical comedy, tried out earlier In the 'season, la being groomed for another try. Harry Davis Is now company manager and press agei^t for "Helen of Troy" at the Solwyn, New York, succeeding Arthur J. Levy. Warren W. Lewis, a former ad- vance agent, has been Installed as head of the Shubert road publicity department, operated under the di- rection of Frank Wilstach, who is now with Sam H. Harris. Charley Benner's "Peck's Bad Boy," opened the season at the Hun. Springfield, O., last week. The show has been out only a few days and the performance was rather ragged. Steve Bcrrlan is fcatiA-cd as Old Man Shultz, while Junior l)c Rita is the Coy. R G. Kemmett will produce a musical version of "The Willow Tree" this season, Armand Vcsohey to do the score. Guy liolton wrote the play which ran In 1917 witn Kiiy M:iinlir in the Ic-nl. The iiev.- version will bo st.agcd Ijy Aygyll Campbell. Oliver Bailey may iiii'ri.ii.ie lht> seating rapacity of the..IO'er floor of the Republic, New York, by climin.'ition of the lower lioxos .and alterations In the stage apron. It will permit 100 additienal seats. BEDSIDE CHATS 9jr mans K£Y£IX . ■■--^ 8t Vincent's Hospital, New York. It was Juat an ordinary-looking package, done up in a brown pap*r on\'elope, such aa Mr, P^|Uchard of the White Studio used to aend ma con* tainlng the flaabllghta of my shows. It certainly didn't have an important appearance to anyone else and even my heart didn't flutter aa the aaraa nonchalantly brought It in and deposited it upon the couch. It •eemed not a bit different to her from a hundred other parcels thatrbave come Into my room In the last few years. Some friends were visiting me at Che time, and tor a few mlnutea^I didn't grasp the Import of It all. Then out ot the corner of my aye t glimpsed on the label: "George H. Doran—Proofa" Then I knew the envelope contained the valley proofs of my book—; the story It took me three years to get and another year to write. And my breath began to come and go Juat as it used to do on hrst nights ot the ahows I was lu-eas-agenting. When my visitors had departed I opened the envelope with fingers that trembled strangely. The title page was discovered to my view, upon it In big letters, "Right Oft the Cheat. By Nellie Revell, With aa InUoductloa by.,Irvln 8. Cobb." -1 •1 The proofs of my flr^t book! There they were before my eyes, but some how I couldn't bear to touch (hem. I had the strangest feeling, com I>ounded equally. It seemed, of awe, fear and ecs'aay. An emotion like that, I'm sure, can't come with a seoond book. The only other time I have ever experienced such a glad, aad, choky. Joyous, frightened-to-death feeling was when my flrat baby waa put beslda ma by the nurse and I waa told not to roll on it. My flrat-born baby, my first-born book! So far I haven't touched the bundle ot proofa, nor even looked to a«e bow the first chapter is act up. Somehow I feel that firat I have to get this copy away. • As I turn my eyes to the almost-completed work of tour long years. I «annot help but think of the days when I waa tolling at top speed to get ttie laanuBcrlpt over to the publisher. Sometimes the pain became so acute tnat It was torture to ait up longer. Sometimes my brain seemed dry and shrivelled without an Idea left. Often I got discouraged and It would seem to me that the end of the labor would never heave la alght Mora than once I felt impelled to chuck the whole thine out ot Uie windov; tf quit, to call tt o^. V. •'{'■ - ■"■'"■ >*'^'"^'^w-^" ■.•>''.-vw-v^'.*;'r"*-'i^''> And also I remember how Mr. Stinson, who was helping me to get tha copy In shape, would persuade me to continue, would buek ma up with: "Let's lay It away tor today. You'll feel better tomorr*ir-and then we'll put it through." ^ ' ■" Then I would hang my bead In ahame at tha thoaght that aomeona else believed in me more strongly than I believed la mjraelf. Sa wbaa the book came back today I couldn't help but think how gratehil I should be—and aita—to all of you who have encottra«ed ma and aided me In every way. And to thank God that He sent you to ma and gave mf tha strength to carry on. ^ '| The story, aa I have aald more than once before, parhapa will not '-fi startle the literary world, except by comparison. But it Wtti tell bow r, (,'ood my friends have been to me aad how grateful I am to them. Tbia and another object I had in writing' It, to carry a message ot oheer, to all who are sick or crippled, disheartened jmd discbnsolatek I have at- : tempted to tell them all I learned and accomplished In tha (our years ot I my Illness. That period has mqant more to ma In aharpening my appre- J elation ot friendship and my human understanding than all tha other years .^ of my life. « ■''£ It was the flrst time that I had really a chance to get better aequalntad '| with my frlenda tor in all the rush a^d bustle ot tha newspaper and I theatrical world one gets no opportunity Just to sit and visit Frlendtihip 'S deserves and requires ripening and cultivating, and during my hospital <^ period my Intimacies have come to full bloom, have reached perfect fruition. When I was up and In the abounding health neither they nor I had any Idea of the real depths of friendship, for there was no time to dis- cover them. I do not mean to imply that my friends were of the surface variety, but our communings were limited by the circumstances of our lives to fleeting minutes. But when I needed those friends who had seemed more or leas paasing acquaintances they came to my side and together we have grown to be- lieve many things. Among them not the least Is that no person can be counted unfortunate as long as he possesses—a friend! Frank W. Goodale, now resident manager of Locw's theatre In Ottawa, Canada, and at one time the best of press department aids at Palisades park, the other day became the victim of one of life's little ironies. Frank l>.as had what may easily be termed an Interesting and adventurous life. For teiv years he flew ai> an exhibition aeronaut, several years of that time for Palisades park. His "hops" across the Hudson la those days were good tor a front pa^o story In the New York papers any time and I shudder to think of some of the chances he took lust so I could get a Ijit of publicity out ot it Ha was commissioned a first lieutenant in the balloon B«o»lnn of the jrmy the day war broke out and later waa promoted to captain. Junior aeronaut. Twenty-three months he spent as an instructor In the spherical balloons and the observation balloons, which the fliers knew aa "kites." In thif period ho made many dangerous landings and had wild rides a score of times. He also made the tlrst parachute test for tha government, but In all this playing around between the sky and the ground ha did not suffer a single scratch or broken bone. Afler the war Vfr. Goodale married and rotlrod from the daagerona* life of an aviator. But he forgot to make his peace with Dame Fortune. Several wceks'af^o he and some other friends repaired to the country, and in order to while the time away, began a game ot Ona Old Cat, Involving four men and two women players, a soft rubber ball and a shingle bat. And the first thing Frank did was to fall and break his leg. i m Frank Kahio, who lives In ISvanston, III., but travels fkr and WHe through the states of the middle west, has found a mate tor the subway rider who always sits with his ,eyes on the floor because he hates to see women standing in the aisle. Some time ago Mr. Kahlo spent several weeks In a viriage in South- eastern Ohio and he is willing tn state under oath that the hotel proprietor there was the world's laziest human being. The only work he iierformed in the time my Informant stayed at the hotel was to cross ths street once fur chewing tobacco. On the other hand, his wife stood over a hot range the day long In the .sultry .luly weather, conkinK meals for fifteen to twenty adults. In her spare moments she w.ashed the dishes, made the beds, did ber own wash- ing and Ironing and looked after two small children. One p-artlcularly blazing afternoon aa the landlord and Mr. Kahlo sat' In the bhado of a tree wl'h fhelr chairs tlltcj back igaln.'st the wal'. th» proprietor remrakcd that he had ojt\y been running the hotrt for a few < months, havhig had a barber shop before then. "How do you like the hotel business?" asked Mr. Kahlo. "Wal," said th^ landlord witli a sigh, "1 like it fine, but It's certalaljr hell on the wife." , .3 i •39 -.J