Variety (November 1923)

Thursday. November 1,1923 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY aecond sotLndat. ar* tll»>Miiy two ■onga um4 In "Town SeMdato" of SI recently listed by the Columbia MitboriUea as bein? overdone by Miywh^re from seven to 15 shows on Cbe wheel. So, from a song stand- point, this show la refreshing to the ear. Taken by and large, Arthur Clam- age; the producer, la to be congratu- lated on having gotten together a really distinguished and talented group of principals, a lot of good atuff, fairly good scenery and at- tractive costumes, particularly thos-^ of the principals. A con.siderable jazzing up of the chorus in the flrst act and a general speeding up—with perhaps some eliminations—in the flrst couple of scanditi.s. will produce a peppy presentation throughout. BROADWAY BELLES (MUTUAL WHEEL) iCaat: Billy H:<Kan. Anr* Ta»l>«. Rutli lllieppard, Jean Fox, Date Curris, Art Maj-- fl|^W, Liiirry Clark. tlerc> a Mutual wheo'er any hUid-hoiled burlesque fiin ran «it tbroush without gettins a h>»a(liiclie. Joe Oppcnhelmei- and S.iul Myers present—and this i3 one of .sovcim! MutUiils that the pvosrani lir.o "pro- sent.s" doesn't sussrost the ppr.-or! reading it should bo .is-kcd if he can't take a Joke.- There's liigh-chts.s sct-nety and good-Inokins; Costumeo with a btiiirh of gooU-Iooking chci'istcrs to (iU them. Al.so plenty of comedy—,a good c.ist—and Ann.i Toebe. &ni!brft, who isi featured witli Billy Higii-. the principul comic. Miss Tcielje is an .'is^ct for .Tiy sbow of the musical type, flrne^fu! and brimming over with cavennc she whirls through the sltow like n totnado. r'rrze-wiiiniiiB fioUvc .iii>l a whale of n dancer, she incUide« a forty-carat movement that top.s the shlmmiest ?hlni disclosed in mapy n seflson. Miss Toebe huns up a. 100 pn:- cent, score in leading numbers, one that many a petted damozel of the musical shows ot the roaring .and high-toned forties might be proud to total—for Miss Toebe stoppi^d the show consistently every time she tackled a ntimber—and it's just a trifle harder to stop .=hovvs leading numt>ers at the Olympie than it is on Broadway. That Olympifl bunch know show values and can emit roars of absolute silence about as well as any audience in the world. They nearly broke their arms in .ap- proval of Miss Toebe. however. Ruth Sheppard. the primn. h.as a sweet voice. That's also out of (ho ordinary for a Mutual .ihow. .She Is also strong on form and shined in number leading. Jean Ko.f. ingenue, completed the trio of leading women. A gingery little worker whose quota helped the general enecmble effect materially. All three women leads are red headed, and all arc good lookers. \ Billy Hagan does a nondescript character that has elements o.f "Dutch." "Swede" eccentric and boob, and he made it funny through- out the show. An easy worker who knows his business he shoveled out the hoke and gravy for comedy re- sults that never sagged for a min- ute. Art May field, second comedian, doing tramp with a pleasing sing- ing voice, made a flr.^it rate .is.sistant for Hagan. He did a specialty in the olio that looks a.i if he had been taking a slant at Al Herman, but as the confldentlal stuff is older than Herman it doesn't matter. The spe- cialty landed nicely. Date Curtis made .a nattily attired straight man who has the riorht Idea of dominating the comedians. Good presence and speaking voice, also clear enunciation. tJiny Clark han- dled the bits and contributed several hoofing speclaltios. Most of the material in the show has a long ancestry in show busi- ness, but it's well blended together and competently handled by the principals. Some of it w.is pretty dirty, but then so are some of the fS musical revues—which doesn't square it for the M..tuals. as two wrongs never did make a richt. At the Olympic It's more or les.s neces- sary to spice It up for the customers, however—they've been raised on it— and It's going to be a touKh job ta- pering off. The Olympic did near cipaeity Tuesday night. It doesn't alway.s do that even with the "Amateurs." Must have rotten nrounrt tlirs was a good show. Itrll YIDDISH MUSICAL DRAW - Tiikefs for the "Uoumr»n;an Wed- ding." a Yiddish miiHir.il romedy playing at iheNatioivil the.itre. New York. Hie felling elf;h' "ecUs in ad- vance. This i.< the tir.xl :iim.' in tli.. history nf Yiddish [Iiealiie il i in llii-- country that the adv.iiue imIo has been n> h-javy. Hy Je-..isli critlcfi the play la hailed a** one oi" the hes* muAioal comedies of any kiiui on the boards today ai'd Aaron l/ehe- defl". th» le.iiling ranudiaM. kdi- under I he sobrimiet of t'.if ,Iev, ish UniAN AND H A. U. CENfER AT BUFFALO Temple Closed by Bad Busi- ness«-Factions Will Oppose Each Other Sundays Buffalo, Oct. 31. The battle between the non-uninn JTiddish theatre forces headed by A. Littman and the Hebrew Actors' Union under the leadership ot It. Guskin, i.i continuing unabated in thi.s territory. The Temple theatre In the Jcwi!<h Labor Lyceum, formerly operated by S. Brody. local manager in con- Junction with Littman. has been closed due to lack of business and not by reason of any action on the part of the union as previously cr- roneou.^ly reported. Busir.esa at the house failed to hold up and after considerable dis- sension between the company and the nvmapement the houre was <:i»ed hy mutual consent. In order to block appearances of Uttman's company in Buffalo, the union, under Ouskin, took the Ma- jestic for Sunday, a special com- pany bein,; «ent here from New Voii; tt) fill in the date as the t'nion Standard Theatre Company of To- ronto is fippearing in De'roit for (hat week-end. Littman has secured the Majestic f.ir Nov. 4 and 11 and plans to play his slronscst card, the Jacobuvllz Company, on these two days. It Is understood that the union is at- tempting to engage the Criterion for the ;ame dates and to i>l.iy the To- ronto Standard Theatre Company in direct opposition./ R. Guskin. business managei*of the union, is still In this territory and is making every effort t'S have the local unions refuse patronage to Littman's company. It is Ktsled that the .Tctlon of the unions in To- ronto fostered by Guskin against Llttm.in'.s house, the National, is not as yet decisive and that .a num- ber of of questions on the proposi- tion are to be heard. In Buffalo the fight threatens to be the warmest at any iiAint ot the map inasmuch as both the union and Littman's company will "oi'-'^laying In uptown houses in close proximity to each other on Sunday evenings with the result generally regarded as a tossup. JACK RUSSELL YOKES (Officer Yokes and Don) After visiting his mother in Johan- nesburg. South Africa, arrives No- vember 7 to resume American en- gagements under the direction of K K. Nadcl, ot the Pat Casey Agency. UNION WOULD LIMIT YIDDISH ROAD SHOWS Adopt Plan as Protective Measure Against Strandings LEBLAlWrS MIDNIGHT DINNER FOR AaORS, WITH ZANGWILL At Hotel Afctor, Nov. 10—Professional* of Jewish Faith to Be There—Acquainted with Objects of Jewish Education Association BENEFITS PLANNED FOR HEBREW ACTORS' FUND Committee Appointed Will Designate Theatres Without Conflict of Dates ACTS FOR OUTDOORS New Act notices of turri.s cayshl ■Ih *l»ei Vaudt-vllle hOUJ'es adapt,i)>lc 'rt)r tht outdoor fh-td reviewed week- if in "Clipper" its New A^t^ A committee of six, three from the Hebrew Actors' Union and three representatives ot the Hebrew man- agers, was last week appointed to lay plans looking toward the build- ing ot an old age fund to take care of .aged and Indigent Hebrew per- formers. The legitimate Hebrew theatres of Greater New York agreed to devote the proceeds of one night during the season to this cause. A week will be designated as Actors' Week, during which sev- eral of the houses will hold specLal performances widely advertised In the Hebrew medluni« as actors' benefit shows, the hc.uses being checkerboarded ro that benefits held on the same night wili not conflict. The theatres that have expressed their Willi ipness to co-operate arc the Secon 1 Avenue. National. Peo- ples, Lenox. Thomaflhcfsky, Hehrev,' Art and (he Liberty. The .'ommil- tee al.^o [»iaii» lo raise adJlllon.al funds through donations and in other way.i. The Uc'orew Actors' Union, in order to i>rotect Its meml)ers, hai adopted a -policy ot limiting the number of Yiddish companies play- ing the road. They have found by experience that outside of New York. Chicago, Philadelphia and possibly one or two other towns, the road cities are not large enough to support more than one company. In instances where two Yiddish companies of equal merit have at- tempted to play the same town the experience has been diaastrous to both. . In cayes where a second company is attempted where a flrst is already In existence the union Insists on a bond or other guarantee bein^ l>ogted to protect the members in their 36 weeks' contract against loss. YIDDISH CO. NORTHWEST Jewish Stock Arranged for, With Quest Star Minneapolis, Oct. 31. A long-felt desire for a Jewish stock company in the Twin Cili^ and Duluth will be fulfllled sooitTH. Weisman. manager of Queens. Win- nipeg, has arr.anged with Kinkel- stein & Rul>en to offer Jewtah plays at the Grand, Minneapolis, every l-'riday evening. In St. Paul the company will appear Saturday and Sunday at the Orpheum. Other days of the week will be spent in Duluth. E^ch month a Jewish star will come from New York and play lends with the local comp.any. Joseph Schoengold, in "An Eye for an Eyo" will be the opening at- traction at the Grand Friday. In the permanent company are Sonya GuraAklaia, Minnie Gazanaksl, An- nie Shapiro, Gussio Karp, Abe Karp. J. Oberlander. Emanuel Kusa- man. Alex Llfschltz, Bennie Winkler and Lisa Tuchman. FUND FOR AGED ACTORS Union aid Manaqeri Now Plann.no "Actor's Week The Ililirew A ctors' T'tlon. sit- ting with the Helirew maiiacers or N,nv York (;ity. arranu d to biiilcl up an ' <iM aqe' fund to like rare of the .aged and destlt-ite Hebrew perform.'IN. A rommiitpe '>f flii'-o from e.'ili body was npiioiiile I to formiiIa!c iil.ins. It wa- decided by th- mrina!;e!; that fh'V wniild d'vote lli' n'oeeel. of dti" nii;ht during tli.- :'■ason »fi llie iiind, the date to lie set lit'-r. but iiroliablv toming iliiriiVij a w-ek that 'Will be known .is "Ae'cirs' Week," It i5i estimal'd that nt lea^l 111, OOP will be raised In thla way aloue. UNION TROUBLES Actors to Enlist Aid of Musicians in Newark Controversy The Hebrew Actor.s" Union, through its business manager, 11. Guskin, is attempting to bring pres- sure to bear against the manago- nunt of ihe Orpheum theatre, New- ark, in order to make sure that none but union Viddlsh companies play the t'oiwe fJuskln Is appealing to the .'ta,;e hands and muslrians for .Hiipiiort and states he will prubably receive iTielr co-opcratlon. FIFTH AVE. COJtBO POUCY Tlie Fifth Avenue th atre, at llOtli >;lriet and Kifth avenue. New Vnrk. will oi^en on Nov. 2 as a Jewlsli vaudevlll" hoii.'ie undei the m.m.age- merit of .! i"(jb .'-Gilbert and M. .S>horr. The |irMf;ram wili consist of four .let.H of yiijdisli vuudevllle, tlirfio KiHtiish avi.s and a picture, Hitherto Ihe house !.aa been devoted to pic- tures exclusively. Joe Leblang's dinner to the the- atrical professionals ot Jewish faith to be held at the Hotel Astor at 11.30 Saturday night, Nov. 10, is to have as one of its principal speakers Israel Zangwill, the play- wright. All at the dinner are to be the guest of Sir. Leblang. There i.s a possibility either David Ueiaseo or Daniel Krohman will be the toast- master. A partial list of those invited and bignilled their Intention of be- ing present Includes Solly Ward, Fannie Drice, l*hil Uaker. Arthur West. Nan Ilalpcrin, Kddie Can- tor, Dave Stamper, Al, Uaynrond, Boris Thomashefshy Ludwig Sutz, William Mandel, Sammy White, Eva I'uck. Lester Allen, George White, I'r.ineine lyiirrimore. Sara r.ornard, Qiicenic Smith, Uddle Ilu»- zell, Benny Leonard. Julos Sar- anoff. Buddy Doyle, James H. Car- son, Al. Jolson. Bertha Kaliseh, Jacob Ben-Ami. Alia Nazimova. Lillian Shaw and Israel Zangwill. The purpo.":e of the dinner Is to acquaint Ihe professionals of Jew- ish faith of the purpose of the Jew- ish Edurntlon Association of which Mr. Leblnng is oi.e of the execu- tive members, lit addition to being chairman of the committee wliiti* has staged a drive for the pur.iose of providing 10.000 poor children of New York City of Hebraic extrac- tion with religiou education In their own faith. The propaganda for the drive up t the present has had the effect of bringing a tre- mendous increase to the religious scbools. Inasmuch as It has awak- ened In parents the necessity of a religious as well as a business ed- ucation for their offspring. I'ach one of Ihe children to be educated 'n this manner will mean an ex- pense of $50 yearly, and already over |2r>0.000 has been subscribed to the fund tor the carrying out ot the project. The Jewish Education Associa- tion gives the parents of the chil- dren, that are tr, be made pupils their choice of the teachings of ejther the orthodox, reformed or conservation church ot the Jewish faith. In spe.'iMi'g of the purpose of the drive .Mr. Leblang stild: "A Jew living in our glorious country With the love and beuuly of Judaism must be a good Amer- ican; tliereforc, let us Lake the necessary steps lo Instill in the hearts ot our younger genercation the love and l>eauty of their re- ligion and thereby accomplish a two-fold purpose; making h'im a good Jew and a good, law-abldin.-i American citizen." In addition to the members of the profession that are to be In at- tendance at the dinner a number of the most repre.scntntive Jews of New York, both In social and busi- ness ranks will bo present. The letter of acceptance from Mr, Zangv.'ill received by Mr. Le- blang ycstcrilay said: Hotel Maje^lie, October 31. My Dear .Mr Leblang; Althoiii,'li not usually n. nijilit bird, I an e|il with gratitude your kind invitation to be pres<-nt at your nildiiiglit dinner on .Satur- day. Novenilier 10th. I Indeed hasten ti> an-etit your Invitation, because If ciiines In the nick of time fnr 1 feel sure that Mr.-i Zangwill who a.-rives at miilniKhl today on the Celtic would h.ive prohibited my acceptance, as I am so o\ crwoi keil and Buffer from insurnnia. As it i.^. she will be cenitiilleil Id accept the fait ae- coinfili. .'uil I ,iin Indeed hoping ~to per-iii.iilr tic-r tf. come with rrve If (riil.v 111 iO'ili .after me .anil h,;e Ine hafely lnirne. T'lere ,iie two reasons .about your Invitation that tcrniit tn^ to defy my v. ifc—the first, because you say that various probUm.s uf the stage ivill be discusied. .and the st.igi- I- a sui.Ji ct in which a.': a (Ir.iiii.ui ! I tnl'.e particular In- tCrcsV 1 K ither .that ...Jii fXiftjCt a number of Jcwi.'-^h a'furs .^i !)■ pre.seiit ainl it will be a (leriK'Ii* fill Opportunity o( making tlieir au- qualntance. My second reason is, that tha other object which you outline, viz. "to bring back the religioua sp'rlt into the hearts of our chll- drQii, to teach them respect (or their parents, and to help them become good, law-abiding citi- zens," is in harmony witli the view expressed by me Ik. my much-at- tacked address at Carnegie Hall, and also in a letter which I sent to the recent great dinner of your Assocl.atlon, a letter which, In har- mony with the traditions of the British stage, seems to have been censored. It is obvious from this last fact that my views are not fully In accord with those of your Asso- cllttion—indeed they do not seem to accord with anybody's on any- thing. Hence, your suggestion th.it I- should address those prcnent seems to me indiscreet and as un- wlsj as Dr. Wl.-te's similar sug- g'-stion in the political sphere. Moreover, to ko drastically into the problem of Jewish education would be unfltling at a midnight gathering, which to my mind is al- ways assoclatei' with revelry. Tho most I can do is to say somethlns superficial on the objects you have at heart without using the scal- pel too deeply. It mus'. be re- membered that I nm an artlat and not a rabbi, and for that reaaon i. for no other, I should prefer my main contribution to the even- ing's amusement or depression, to be artistic, and my suKgeatlon is to road to the fellow artists who are my guests, some passages from my work whether in verse or prose, wjiich throw light upon the old Judaism which Is here fading away. These readings can be strung upon some little thread ot talk. That Is. I fear, the best I can do fur you. But if this does not meet with your wishes I shouli) lirefer to be silent, though not tor ths pecuniary reason that f'llence is gold and speech is only silver. With many Ihaidis for your kind invitation. Faithfully yours. fsracl Zangwill. m FOTTEB'S FIELA . ((Continued from page IV cheerless cellar quarters he refused to solicit alms. He had but to ap- peal to the Associated Charities bureau and food, fuel, medicine and clothing would have been sugplled him. Proctor and Holden formed one ot the leading acrobatic acts of the circus aren,a prior to the founding of vaudeville. The team toured most of America and -also appeared in Europe. Soon after the founding of vaudeville Troclor became a man- ager and retired atf a performer. Holden continued as a single act for a time, but the same success did not crown his efforts as in the days of the team. Holden's wife died, after which he suffered a physical breakdown. He retired from the performing ne!d, becoming an odd-Job man here. After spending four years in the poor house, he died and was buried there. During those four years he consistently refused to entertain suggestions that l)e communicate with t'roctor unj ethers, or ask for a benefit. SISTINE CHOIR (Continued from page I) wise It urges Catholics to keep away from It and discourage the attempt at a complete tour by a Lack of pat- ronage Hence Ihe very peojile with whom the rhotr was expeetwJ t»- score Its bii!«'st Int. and likowlES collect mot't uf il-i coin, have been alienated. In I lie .South the "Catho- lle Itevlew" attacked It viciously. The marngen-.eiit of the tour, how- ever, has an imposing list ot rcfer- en''e,i, one from the I'apal Secretary of Slate at It.ime, others from sev- eral arrhhishopa and high Catholic dignitaries. * 'ifhes* lrtf(T» srfl being displayed to the nuwfipapiT eiiitdrs in an cflott to secure titelr support.