Variety (November 1923)

ri-a«5^F .•,,.(7-5^<r»r»f.jrV"V f' r-'-^VS*;^^ -;■ PRICE 20 CENTS Pnblliked WMkIr at 114 WMt 4tax St., N<tr rork. N. T., by Varictir. Ine. Annual aubMrlptlaa IT. SIncI* eopUa tf eanta. Bntared a« accond olaaa matter Datcmbcr tS. I»M, at tha Pott OOlea at Maw Tork, N. T.. under tk* Aot o( Marek I, IIT*. VOL. LXXn. No. 11 NEW YORK CITY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1923 56 PAGES MML DIKE'S SECLUDED LIFE tF.PROaOR'SFORMERPARTNEH HOLDEN, IN POim'S HELD ;.eft Only Newspaper Clippings Telling of Previous Theatrical Connections—^Too Proud to Beg or Ask for Assistance—^Died at St. John, N. B. t m. John. N. B., Oct. SI. A ■ton* may be erected over the grave of Fred Holden, former vaude- ville partner of F. F. Proctor. The tipdr now re»U in the local Potter's irteld, but may be removed to one 4^ the cemeteries and buried in a lot, to be purchased. Some years ago Fred Holden drifted into St. John. He secured Odd Jobs at painting and laboring work. Then he became unable to irork. He was discovered in a Wiualid cellar rOom. He had not •aten for three days and was ill. Holden was removed to the poor house, remaining there until his death. Numerous clippings and newspaper pictures were then found «U relating to the vaudeville team «t Proctor and Holden. The clip- pings were all Tie left. On Fred HoIden'S epitaph can be truly carved "He was too proud to ^»B." Even when starving in his (Continued from page 9) WHOLESALE CUT RATES TO HELP THE WETTING Syracuse, N. T., Oct. SI. . In an eftorth to bring some good plays here the natives will pay to see the local Drama League with • membership of 1,000. will hold » meetinf; tomorrow with the representatives of the Welting the only legit stand. The Welting has promised the t/eague cut rates for its members In the form of block tickets. In return the I>eague demands It take part In the selection of legiti- mate bboklngs for this city. Kelly's Brief on The Circus Business Through the many and con- tinued requests for the brief by Attorney John M. Kelly in the matter of the inheritance tax on the astata of Alf T. Ringting, publiahed in Variety some months ago, that brief will be reprinted in the Clipper in week- ly installments, starting with this week's issue of the Clipper, out tomorrow. The Kelly brief is conceded to be the most thorough history of the circus business in America •var compiled. Lt CHORUS 6IBIS IN TABS Chicago, Oct. tl. Equity is to make a drive to ^ o%anise the chorus girls In tabloida, wanting to take In the girls instead of letting the A. A. F. have them. Tbia means ISO a week for the chorus girls instead of $2t, • $20, or even tl8 as la paid In •ome tabloids. NAZIMOYA AND SKETCH WTTH FRENCH PLAYERS? Negotiations On to insert "The Unlcnown Lady" Into Grand . Guignol Players Negotiations were on yesterday for Nazlmova and her George Mld- dleton playlet, "The Unknown Lady," to be Interjected Into the Grand Guignol program at the Frolic, atop the Amsiterdam. T^e Selwyns talked it over with Nazimova's representatives Imme- (Contlnued on page 17) MATTER OF GENUINENESS HURTS SISTINE CHOIR Baltimore, Oct. SI. A controversy as to whether or not the Slstlne Choir which is now tour- ing America Is the original choir from the Vatican at Rome Is ruin- ing the troupe's buslneHs, and caus- ing Its management no end of trou- ble in obtaining advantageous pub- licity. Severn! Catholic papers in the country have written articles saying It Is not the real thing. Llke- (Contlnucd from pase 9) NO BOND—NO PLAY Acting on the warning from Kquity that no .salary bond had born filed, the opening of "The Hou.se of Sin," scheduled to oren at Stam- ford, Conn., Monday, was post- poned. The players refused to leave town. The play was wrltton by Lron de Costa and ta foundi-d on th'' House of David band expose. Joseph Grj.sman and Jack Cold- berg were named in back of the show. TRAGEDIENNE LIVES SOLIIAIiY EXISTENCE Spoke to No One for 40 Hour* Before Appearing on Met Stage Monday (fight — Sits for Hour* Gazing O^er Central Park •—Italian Duenna Only Companion—Never Makes Up — The D'Annimzto Tragedy HARRY POWERS "BARS" VARIETY; SAID TOO MUCH ABOUT ILLINOIS ~JKIl^Jk i>ii«l?Ti. GESrS SHOWMANSHIP The private life of Eleonora Duse has always been as broadly dis- cussed as her professional affairs. During her p.esent engagement in New York, Mme. Duse is Hvlng a secluded, almost cloistered, exist- ence. Her apartments at the Ma- jestic Hotel face Central park, and when at home she sits for hours gating out over the facing autumn vista. Mme. Du.^e has one body servant, an Italian duenna, who has been with her for many years as a com- panion. She has no secretary; In truth, she has no need of one, for she is incommunicado to the entire world except her American Impre- sario, Morris Gest, and her person- al manager, Bert Howell. Before the evening performance (Continued on pa^e 17) ORPHEUM'S LOOP HOUSE FOR MUSIC HALL IDEA Chicago. Oct, .II. What may be a forerunner of an announcement the Orpbeum circuit have found a site for a new theatre In the Loop Is the beginning of work In the erection of a 12-8tory structure to replace .the present Palmer house, the headquarters and home of Indoor .and outdoor show- men for the past two generations. The ralmer hou.se covers one of the most valuable building sites in the businchs section of the city with the ground valued at S2,S00,000. II li.as a front.igc of 2D0 feet on State .street running south from Monroe, then runs cast on that thoroughfare (Continued on p.oge 2") LOIS MEREDITH KETURNEO Iioin Meredith, former film st.'ir md last seen with Doris Keane Iri "The Cznrln.i," has returned to New York from a protriicted European vacation and will probably go under the Gilbert Miller banner again. Chicago Manager Didn't Like Story in "Times Sq. Daily"—But Didn't Know "Dramatic Mirror" Had Suspended or "Clipper's" Change of Policy FOm Stars ConuBS h With the eloiing of several of th« larg* picture eonoerna and thf threatened curtailing of pro- duction by oth«r«, a flock of pie- tura start vv«r« being offered to the Keith bookers this week. Regular vauflovilU "names" wore inclined to bo panicky whan tho word was passed, that most of the picture stars were turn- ing eagerly toward vaudavilla as an escape from tho threatened layoffs. EXCHANGE ADVERTISING WTTH HEARST PAPERS Detroit and Baltimore Exhib- itors Have Agreement— Balances in End A "you praise me and I'll praise you" advertising tleup in Baltimore has been effected between the Kxhibitor'a League of that city and the Hearst papers, the "American and "News." The league controls over 00 theatres, including the big ones of the town, and has agreed to flash Hear.'it advertising at each performance in return for a oiz-line free b<1, which will be of boneflt to all the smaller houHes that don't use the newspapers for advertising. The big houses, however, are regular takers of rpace. There la a money consideration (Continued on page S) "Song and Dance Man" May End George M. Colian will not come to Tlroadwtiy in "The Bong and Dance Man." Falling to secure a suitable player for the lend tho show will be taken off after the two weeks' in rhlladclphla which started Mon- day. The show msy b» prMiMiled later In the geason or held over until next year. I'lans called for "Tho Song and r).ance Man" stirreerllng "Two V'el- lows and a Girl" at the V.Tiulerbilt. which house Cohan had first call for bookings. I,yle AndreWH hns hooked In "Tlu' Cam'^l's H.ifk" to ilclnil Nov r,'. 'I'ln latter pleoe in a S''hvyn i>r'>'liiii mi, tho play being liy W. Hi)mrr«M MaUKham. It openeil m W'Mi'r't i Monday, Chicago, Oct II. Variety'* Chicago offloo haa been barred from tho Erlanger-Powero chain of Chicago theatrao, which in- clude the Colonial, J>owen, Illinois and Blackstono, for first night and other courtesies on account of al- leged and assumed Injuries Inflicted on the sensitive feelings of' Harry J, I'owcrs, dean of Chicago theatre managers. In a recent story printed In the Times Squars Dally regarding the failure of Ous Kdwards' "Sun Bon- net Sue" at the Illinois, It was said "the show would have had more than an even break If in a house properly situated." The show' withdrew after two weeks and good notices. Tho wrath of the house of Powers, which Includes Harry J.. Sr„ and his eon. Junior, was provoked to the ex- tent of barring Variety from tho theatres over which they dominate. Powers In an interview practi- cally admitted the Illinois has not been a moneymaker since Klo Zleg- feld decided he would not allow his "Follies" to accept a date there. At the present time, owing to building operations on a site ndjoin- (Contlnued on page 53) John Emerson's Tangle Through John Emerson being president of Kqulty, a manager, srenarist and producer, with- out being a contortionist, actors along Broadway are wondering how he will get out of his latest tangle. Since Emerson was left with all of "Tho Whole Town's Talk- ing" when A. H. Woods wanted to close It, Kmerson's theatrical sUndlng In New York has been established as • manager, but not reported whether of the P. M. A., since his friend, Al, If asked, would admit ho is still running the Emerson-Loos show. Another perplexing point for the Equity members to determine Is how tho president of Kqulty as a manager could ask the memlvri of his .ihow. also mem- bers of Kguity. to cut salary! COSTUMES Who will mal<e your lexl ones? Those who have bought from us BROOKS-MAHIEU ll.li II iwi.T T. I i.SO IViio. N. T. CHjr .^11,000 Costumes for Rental^^