Variety (September 1923)

i^Tburtday, September IS, 192S IPMIW.' V A RIET r XT ■jr'--'V:N' INSIDE STUFF , ON I.BGIT Two of the Zelgfeld stria who ahare an apartment on West Tlat atreet Mine mtehty near breaking up the happy home laat week all over a UtUe Pomer»lil»n klyl, Klven to one by a "b^K butter and egg man.^ After the atrenuoua Saturday evening show and a auptwr party following U the, other fin arrived at the apartment and when ready to retire went aearoh- Ing In vain for a snappy pajama outnt apeclally made and only received that day. Clothes cloaeta, drawers and other likely places were examined but there wa« no algn of the Korgeous rainment de coucher until lodging under the bed the dop "Bacon" (so called because he haa an affinity named "Liver") woa discovered sound asleep on the tattered remnants of what bad been Anna'a dream paraphernalia. "Bacon" had eaten a fair portion of It. n A amall diamond clasp which Anna had Inserted In the nlghtwaar was also among the missing and the natural Inference was that Bacon bad Inside Information on It. Anrna grabbed "Bacon" and In spite of Fay's graphically expressed ob- leotipns (with unkind allusions to the- ancestry of both "Bacon" and A4mi) the latter poured the best part of a large bottle of castor oil Into •Qaoon,' tied him to a lej of the piano. Yflth the cla'p finally recovered the girls have kUsed and made up a^gain but the Incident came mighty close to being "a broken home." Hi Iff Frazee will spend (50,000 on refitting the Lyric, New Tork, when It passes to his control at the end of the season, experta estimating it will east that much to bring <he houae up to date. Fraxee bought the Lyric two years ago but the Shuberts continue to operate It under a leasehold. fhose Interested In producing "The Irish Jew," a play which attracted atttntlon In Ireland, are having a time finding a director to stage It. Three well known directors are known to have turned down offers of the assign- ment, all feeling the play might hurt their 'standing, none discerning a way to work it out along American lines. One director failed to finish reading the script. He quit on reaching a line where the lead, a Jew, began a sentence with: "We Irish." Qulpk thinking on the part of Irving Berlin Is credited with saving one of tm most costly scenes In the third edition of the "Music Box Revue" whl^ Is due to open Thursday of next week. The number Is ''City of PrjRns," which has a Japanese scene on which something over $20,000 is said to have been expended. Because of the disastrous earthquake in Japan the lively song number accompanying was r^ognlzed as Inappropriate and It was first decided to discard, the entire Idea. Berlin believed the scene could be saved by changing the number. He set about writing a new l}-ric to the song which he completed In a day aiid the "Dreams" episode will have its original spot on the program. It's a big question as to whether It has become necessary for Flo Zlagfeld to build a new "Follies" for the Amsterdam, New Tork, and not to big a query whether the current "Follies" there could not have remained through the new scaFon, making It a two-season run. « The answer Is probably found In Zlegfeld's belief "the road" Is looking for the annual pilgrimage of "The Follies," and he cannot afford tq with- hold It from the hinterland for another season. Last season the absence of the "Follies" In the cities it regularly played previously every year gave other large musical productions a better cliance In the country than they had before enjoyed. Zlegfeld probably doesn't want any other musliial attraction be made standard branded as his "Follies" is. which a second open season might do for one or more *t the others. A conflict has arisen beTween the Charles Dillingham office and P. B. O. .(leture people over the question as to which haa the priority on the title fttit Lullaby." DilUngniam has a new play by Bdward Knoblauch called Thm Lullaby" which opened last week at Hartford, and which la due In New Tork this week. The film concern haa a picture atarrlng Jane Novak by the aame title, ktarted It Is claimed alx tnonths ago by the F. B O. The matter, haa gone as far as an exchange of letters from 4he at- torneys of both parties, each side asserting It will use the title, with both bbjecting to the other'a uae of It "The Jolly Roger" although rated having no chance t« land at the National may turn out a good thing for Carroll McComaa, ita feminine Isad. As a personal publicity stunt a special drawing was made of the hovel turban worn by Miss McComaa. When it was submitted to a iatUinery trade publication the artist was referred to a manufacturer. An offer to make the turban as novelty headgear was made with the proposal to call It the "Jolly Roger" and place the "hats" on aale throughout the tountry waa accepted. The turban haa been patented and Miss McComas ia to receive a royalty on all sales. . The Sam Bemard-WiUlam Collier revue being produced by Charles DlllInghAm continues its title of "Nlftiea" regardless of a burlesque •how called "Nifties of 1923" which recently played the Columbia. The •tars maintain they hold a prior right to the term because of coining it while working together in the first "Music Box Revue." So far no action kts resulted against the burlesque show. It had been planned to rename the Vuiton, which is to house the revue, the "Fuiv-Shop," but that has ■Ma discarded. . !«♦ Kugel la business manager for "The Crooked Square," acting for t(r*. H. B. Harris, but at the same time retains other show interests, laoluding "Sun Up." Kugel was formerly with the late Henry B. Harris 6ftce as representative for eight years. . Tunla F. Dean, company manager of "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary", Md a card printed with one side bearing his picture and the reverse aide Mating "Tunia Dean manager for David Balaaeo preaentlng Mra. Fiske, •»o.. etc." ^These cards were displayed last week In an out of town theatre and ••tela and were available to the public if they chose to take th-m. .'redbrick E. aoldsmlth, the attorney, haa returned to New Tork after t»o mdnths or the West Coast. Mr. Ooldsmith confirms the report he «HIed a deer while away but denies It waa an accidental shot. He also Mnflrmed the'-eport he liked the coast so well he remained there four *»«ks longer than Intended. Freddie says he will confirm anything or •nybody connected with the co.ist. Arnold Daly Is offering to man.T.gers, with no encouragement to date, a Way entitled "Don Juan's I^ast NlRht," as a starring vehicle for hirasulf. "• •ays It is the greatest play of its style ever conceived. _ElsIe Pergu.ton will not npp'-ar in New York in "The Wheel" although •he toured with the show all last season and the attraction was a money ■Jjalter for-Mnrc Klaw. Mi»s Ferguson Is mentioned to star In "The Outsider." an English play which William Harris. Jr., will produce. Billie tAUrka has also been named for the role. Robert C. Benchley, dramatic reviewer for "Life." who debuts an a profeiinional In the third "Music Box Uevue" next week, protested re^-ontly to Will Morri«Fey over the n«e nf his material in "New(omers," the .short Uved Morrl.-Rpy revue. The Renrhlay bit w.as the "appoal for fund.t" Which was u.sed i,y Krank Gafiy In "Newcomers." It wa.s fir.tt done in {*• ■■45era," „ne of Last sca-ion's failures which had a number of newspaper "umoristH as the chief contributors of material. The Benchley matter »•• considered one of the hem bits In the show. He telegraphed Mor- riaaar la protest when "Newoomera" opened out of town, but the bit waa rotained. alao l>elng in the ahow during ita two weeka at the Ambaaaador, New Tork. Morrlssey was In the "4ters." He claimed some rights because of alleged aalary du«, but th« recorda ahowvd MOrrtaiey WM P«i4 M W*re the othara Itt the "(ftera." „ i, i The lease on the large electric aign at 4Tth atreet and Broadway facing Longaoro Squaro will ahortly ozplra. It haa been used for the past year for Zlegfeld's "Folllea" at a ooat of $1,000 waekly. To protect himaelf 2.l0Kfeld took a lea.<ie on the painted board underneath the eloctrlo aIgn, the coat of the board also being reported to be $1,000 weekly. Zlegfeld haa aub-letted the board to Wllmer & Vincent who are using it for "Helen of Troy, N. T." running at the Selwyn. The salary of Dorothy Neville, prima donna of '"Vanltlea," at th« Earl Carroll was not raised aa reported. She la receiving $100 weekly aa called for In her original contract. Carroll clalma be baa a run of the play contract with the songstress with a damage clause in the event of her dismissal and similar provision protecting the management. Miss Neville's contract was not changed when "Vanities" switched to a "100 per cent. E:quity" baala prior to the ahow's opening, Equity atatlng It had no deaire to jasi up the contract because of the mutual protective clause. Hlaa Neville is reported joining the new "Greenwich Village Follies," but It la underatood Equity favora Carroll In the controvcray which reaulted from the "Village" show otter. Paul Wllatach la shortly returning from his annual trip kbroild. The former advance agent has abandoned playwrlghtlng and Is devoting his ■time to book-authoring, yet "Sweet Clover," one of bla dramas, la earn- ing him about $1,S00' annually through stock usage. Wllstaoh la well off nnanolally, having built a fortune out of tha eam- Inga aa agent of Richard Manafield, the only attraction |ia waa ever aasO'^ elated with In that capacity. He succeeded Channlng Pollock aa dramatic critic on a Waahlngton dally, and Mansfield'a attention waa drawn by a blurb written by the young critic to whom he offered the Job of agentlng. Wllatach refused a $100 weekly offer, having learned of the star'a quick temper and the chances of being flrod. But he took a chance at $1S0 weekly and started aavlng moat of the aalasy, figuring he might take the air any tlm*. WiUtach remained with Manafield 10 yeara, and when the atar died he quit working for managera, l^ut wrote a book on t^anafleld, which went into five edltlogs, and. In addition to those earnlnga, made a number of fortunate atock Investments. Wllstach was one of the first agents to receive a peroentag* over bla salary, and hia arrangement with Manafield called for'10 per cent, over a groa* of $10,000. Hia weekly aalary In that way frequently amounted to aa much as $350. His brother, Frank Wllatach, now preas repreaenta- llve for Sam H. Hairls, also had a percentage arrangement. When ahead of Viola Allen, Frank received 10 per cent over $t,000 groas. So rapidly has tha ballet achool of the Biaatman School of Mttsto at Rochester, N. T., leaped Into popularity that plana for Ita housing liave again been changed to provide for expansion. A few months ago an nouncement was made that an additional story would be added to the rear wing of the school proper to provide a aultable studio, the preaant studio being far too amall. Now these plana have been abandenad and work Is being rushed on a new building which will also Include a garage ilnd one of the largest stage scenery studios In the country. John Corbin, critic of the New York ''Times," has declared himself "oft" musical shows for thia season and will review only dritmas and comedies. He told fqends he sees so few musicals that ho doesn't know which are good and which are t>ad. Musicals frequently open against dramas on Uie same evenings and it is a rule for first string critics to cover the ^on-* musicals. ■ George S. Kaufman, dramatic editor of, the "Times," Is the' second strfng critic. He Is said to be guessing what to do about reviewing the new "Music Box Revue" because of an sttt written by him for the show. It is called "If Men Played Carida as Women Do." Vera Colburn and Haul Donnelly, show girls In "Scandals." mixed It up at the Qlobe stage entrance after a night performance recently. The cause turned out to be aatomi, atandard commodity In all delicatessen shops. For some time various girls In the ahow have been bringing snacks back stage, each girl In the group taking turns In buying the eats. It appears either Vera or Hasel did not get her share and that started an argument. ' Karl Carroll, who turned gob for a couple of weeka and swabbed decks on the Leviathan for a lark, started meditating on the return trip from Southaqnpton. He thouglit of managers announcing plana tor tha new season whereaa his sola ambition was to get back boma and take a bath. Earl said the trip was just a change of paoe. Sir John Martin Harvey will make hia appearanoa in New Tork during November. Fallz laraan la writing a aerlaa of articles on real eatate for tlie "Saturday Evening Poat" and aeveral liavo already bean priptod. One ifl^ w. s fi< v,.^. 'o ealty values in Ph " i*e'. hi.. ■ 'lere Ishkan waa a sensational figure in real estate prior to bla entrance in New Tofk and bis participation in theatrical projects. Other artlclea treat of New Tork, Atlantic City and Long Seach. Franklo Meyera, formerly treasurer of tiM Liberty, New Tork, la a general Insurance broker. Although he started In insuranco in February last In th» first six months he has written nearly half a.million In life policies and aeveral timea ranked third in the list of agents for the State Mutual of Mass. "Dover to dizle," wlilch Lew Lealle expects to produce over here aa • duplicate Of the tiondon ahow of almllar name, will iiave Ita performance in two colors, white and black, with colored performera for tha dark section. S. Jay Kaufman la aald to have bought an interest In the show. The spn of the late Henry Rosen, the Insurance man. Is reported the financial sponsor for Qua Edwards' new "Sunbonnet Sue" production. Rosen Is about 15. Ha Inherited about all bla father's estate. A blonde vamn. Internationally known and now on Broadway, (s reported tc be at the other end of a vamping attack at present with the situation while foreign to her In the past, apparently thoroughly enjoyable. Har vamper la reported a chorus man In the same show with a country home, a new car and a bank account connected with the story. .^ Irene Castle and her former husband, Robert Treman, together with Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Bradford (the Jatter a sister of the dancer) of Saranac Lake. N. Y., were at the camp last week where the Tremans spent their honeymoon. It's Meacham Lake, about 30 miles from Saranac. Treman Is reported In.flsting he Is still very much In love with his wife and the camp's visit is said tu have been a sort of a test for him, wth no result reported. As a result of action taken by the Baltimore Theatre Munagera' Assoeia- llon. the downtown office of Albaugh's ticket agency has been left out in the cold as far as tickets for attroctirins at Ford'n. the Auditorium. Maryland, I'alace and Lyceum are concerned. The Aibaugh agency ha.i been Helling tickets for these houses for the past 25 years. The theatres fiiriiKrly split half the house with the ticket office. The tlioairn ticket brokers handling buys for the houses jshere there In no return privilege have evolved a scheme to try fo ilumplheir PxceHs seats. In one of the theatres during the last ten dxys 'hey were dlH- coverod taking advantage of the good nature of the hnx nme<. si.iIT (Continued on page 23) '7B0UCS" CLOSED (Continued from paga II) $»,iI3 witii $1,718 ot,lhat Saturttey night Labor Day night it playod to about $2,t00 and Tuesday night, $l,(K>0. The slump came in follow- ing an Interview by Mayor Moors publlahed in the dalllea in which the mayor said, in part: Mayor Moors'a Remarka "Thia rotten stuff will not be per- mitted In the higher class theatre^ ''' with their alleged 'property rights/ any more than it wUl be in tb* > 'f other class theatres, where 'propor^*^; ty righta' are not ao influential. "The Shuberta and othara ars thus given notice once and (or all. Philadelphia doea not want their rotten ahowa and they wil| not be protected here." Above the Shubert theatre la a big aign exploiting tha nomination of the next candidate tor mayor ovar hare and it ia not Moore, but that ia not t>elleved to have entered Into the mayor'a revocation of tha Sam 8. Shubert Memorial theatre; it iii thought locally the reflaotton of the "Artista and Models* ahow at the Shubert, New Tork, brought about the Philadelphia inspection and upheaval. Arthur Pearaon, tha company manager, left the show laat ITrlday. Before leaving town Ted Lewis stated he would ahortly resame tba tour, but would have no one inter- ested in it iMit himself. Lewis placsd hia personal loss to data at $105,000. Saturday an attachment for a amall amount waa placed agalnat tha "Frolic" by a New Tork oostumer. Lewis la reported owing tnit iittio money on the production, having paid everyone in cash upon delivery and aettled In tuH with the ahoWs people Saturday. The Equity repreaenUtive whea / here. It la aald, bealdea preauading the people to waive the two weeks' notice, also vainly endeavored to in- duce them to out their salary. Friday and Saturday ware event- ful daya In the existence of Ted Lewis' "Frollca." Ooldie * Oumm, New Tork attor- neys for Ager, Tellan A Bornataln. «rf^ the publlshera of tha muslo, and p«r- sonal attorneys (or Tad Lewia, went to Philadelphia. Another battery o« lawyers followed, in Kandlar A Qold- steln, who represent Arthur Paarton and Ada Lewia (Mra. Ted Lavla). Between both legal firms an at- .^ tachment which 6rooka-Mahleu, qoa- / turners, levied an the ahow waa ad- . justed. The plana for a reorganiaa- . tlon of the oompai^r to aend tbe^ ahow out again were also formu- lated. Pearson's 'and Lewis' diverse opin- ions on the policies of.the ahow were straightened out by Pearson with- drawing from the show entirely for a nominal consideration. The Lowis' decided to post a closing noUos, which brouglft Oeorga Trimble from Equity to the acana.' The avalanche of obstacles Is bs- He^ to be just oiva of the iMd "break*" any show might enoounter. The revocation of the theatre's U- cenae led people to believe the piece was closed, when, as a matter of fact, lyt Injunctive writ to reatraln Interference allowed tha houae to remain open for the entirs weak. The produetion la d«em«d a goo4 piece of property. Some of the actora in New Tork this week stated they had not re- ceived their laat week's salary in full up to Monday of thia week. TOfiONTO UBSEB WAT-^-^ Toronto, Sept. II. After playing 10 waeka In Mon- treal, the Canadian company of "Able'a Irish Rose" opened an in- definite engagement at the Qraad- here Monday. The Uptown opened thia week with Jack Nor worth In "Honsymoon House." Next week tiie Vaugtai Olaser Ptatrers wUl return to the. Uptown after spending the summer In Cleveland and Detroit^ They played here all last aeaaon. . The Shuberta' "Captain Briquet" with William Faveraham and Bmlly Stevena will have Its premiere at the Royal Alexandra Sept IT. "Nobody's Business," the new comedy by Quy Bolton and Frank Mandel, which waa given a stock tryout by the McLaughlin Playera, Cleveland, will be recast for a Broadway presentation by Hotiart- McLaughiin. Charles H, Preston haa been ap- pointed manager of the Grand. 8t Louis, succeeding W. H,. Qilea, who Is retiring. The Australian Baltos will sail Is October from San Frauclaoo foi their homo In Au.ttralia. 'i rkr-^^^s-li ^