Variety (December 1923)

VARIETY VAUUILVILLI!. Thursday, December 0,1923 MASS. SUNDAY BILL ACTS 1 MUST BE FULLY DESCRIBED I. A. CONVENTION Special M*«ting Voted for It by No. 1 Orders Issued Requiring Keith Office to Get Up Questionnaire—No More Evasive Answers— Dialog Called For Every houw In Mnssaohuvetlj* will be coiniielled to tile with the li- cenHe commissioner. State House, Boston, a brief synopsia and de- Bcription of the acta booked for nil of their Sunday concerts, begin- ning Sunday, Dec. 2, 19:;3. The former doscrlpllons, such a.^ "violin selectlon-i," "comedy talk- ing," "musjcal acts," "comedy musi- cal," "airs and selections," will not be approved. The descriptions must state what songs are to bo sung. What selections are to be played, what Is said In a general way In comedy sketches and talking, etc. Notice was given tliat after the a))ove date, failure iif so bill upon the program any act, pketch or oth- er entertainment will be followed by disapproval of the license appli- cation for that particular bill Sun- day. Any further Infractions will be considered sufflcient cause for the final disapproval of any subse- quent license and program contain- ing vaudeville, for any theatre or person so offending. The Keith office, following the re- ceipt of the ultimatum, got up a questionnaire, which will be sent to all acts booked In Mujsvachusetts for the Sunday concerts. The ques- tionnaire will be utilized to supply the descriptive deflciencies of the dra.^tlc order whioh would other- wise entail vast clerical work and practically mean the creation of a new department to receive de«crlp- tlve matter about every act In vaudeville that may sooner or later play a MaJMachusetts Sunday con- cert. OFF PRODUCTION ACTS; INDEPENDENT BOOKERS "Flashes" N o t Interesting » Small Timers—Expense Too Heavy NO CAR BARN SITE Obstacles to Title on Seventh Ave.- 50-S1it Street Property The car barn of the Broadway and Seventh avenue railroad com- pany, at Seventh avenue and 60th to 51st street will not be converted into an amusement amphitheatre by John Rlngling and E. F. Albee as originally intended. It is understood the showmen gave up the plan after investiga- tiona disclosed opposition from the minority stockholders, who wanted it sold at auction. To obtain a clear title to the prop- erty tremendous litigation would be necessary to unravel the financial intricacies of the property. independent producers are gradu- ally bowing nut on production acts. When the tip went out several weeks ago that both big and sjnall- time circuits were eager for this type of act many of the Indepen- dents placed fl.'ishes In rehear!>al. but few actually accomplished book- ings. Now they are off the (lashes for good, and all times. One independent that lined up four of tli»se production aeta, with only one hitting for time, claims an independent ha.4 Httle chance of placing hisjact-!* unless sending them through an enfranchised agent. The production cost, tlie payroll, the .'.gent's cut, and other Incidental expenses, eat up any possible chance of pront. and more often the pro- duction act is an expcflslve luxury, according to this producer's way of figuring. Another bankroll wrecker is said to be expenses entailed during the show period, when they bar<»ly gel enough to cover expen.ses. He pointed out that If his cast con- tained any standard players he could not Juggle them at will, but would have to pay salaries after the first week, despite whet the act was gettiiLg from the bookers. At a special meeting of the New York local of the stage hands' unl3n, Theatrical Protective Union No. 1, held for the purpose of deciding whether a special convention of the I. A. should be called a vote of 581 was recorded ,for the convention, three against It and three of the 587 members present tailed to vote either way. The proposed special convention of the I. A. voted for by the New York local has for Its objective the clearing up of the }78,0«0 deflclt of the international organization (I. A. T. S. C), alld^ged in an auditor's re- port sent out by I. A. officials sev- eral weeks ago to consist of unac- counted for expenditures of Chas. C. Shay, ex-president of the I. A. The New Tork local believes a spe- cial convention Investigating the alleged deflclt would vindicate Shay, who is a member of the New York local, and who occupied the presi- dency of the parent orgau zation for 14 years. The I. A. executive board forced Shay's resignation In Portland, Oregon. Oct. 1. Shay, requested to appear before the executive board recently to ex-. plain the^fTS.OOO deflcit, did not do so. No action was taken by the board regarding Shay's non-appear- ance, the matter of the deflclt being postponed as regards further inves- tigation until February, when another executive board meeting win be held. The next convention of the I. A ordinarily, unless a special conven- tion is called, will be held in June. It will take a two-thirds vote of the locals to secure a convention before June. CHICAGO AGENCY GROUP ^- TRYING TO CONTROL BOOKINGS Association of Agents Formed—Regulations Made^ Agencies Held Under Threats—^Association and Keith's Western Hear of It KLEIN'S 'WIFE' AQORS GOT $25 AFTER EXTRAS Show Closed with Bang— Klein Managing New Shu- bert House Arthur Kleins "What a 'Wife" closed Saturday with a bang. The attraction had been playing on the "commonwealth" plan the last week. The "extras" were subtracted from the gross before the cast was paid off which netted each player about »2f. Klelh Is to manage the new Shu- bert house on 45th street (Imperial). It Is between the Music Box and Klaw entrances. The house will open Xmas nlgl^ with "Mary Jane McKane." Klein was formerly the booking chief for the defunct Shubert Ad- vanced Vaudeville * circuit. The booking ofnces . have disappeared from their former building on 45th street and the Shubert Advanced Vaudeville sign removed. SCARCITY OF GOOD COMICS NOW BUGHTING SMALL TIME SUNDAY HOURS And Other Orders for Agents B>g-Time BDTTEBTrELD'S FLINT HOUSE |3attle Creek, .Mich , Pec. 5. Building of a 2,0U0 seat theatre In Flint, Mich., was authorized by the Hoard of Directors of the Bijou Theatrical Enterprise company, of which W. S. Butterfleld Is president, at their meeting held here. The directors also voted to have the Majestic. Kalamazoo, remodelled, to lncrea.se the seating capacity from 1,400 to 1,900. Ground for the new house In Flint will be broken In February with the alterations of the Kalamazoo house beginning May 1. Uoth houses are to be completed for the September opening and will play vaudeville and motion pictures. A notice sent around to the Keith agvnt.s by Dayton 'Wegefarlh. Mon- day, .supplementing a previou.^ notice iseuPil Thursday, says in effect tlic practi.se of agents failing to report for duty Sundays must be stopped forthwith. The hours design.ited by AVegc- farth for agents to be in their of- (ices Sundii.vs hereafter are from 11 a. m. to 2 p. m. Also the .ngents must make arrangements to com- municate with their office at 5 ji m Sundays. Tlio |)ievions order to agcnlt" in- struct int; them to report li.icU to their iilliies after the .Monday and Thtnsd.iy matiiiee.s and not call it a day after ciitching the split weelt opening m.its. was also repented in the new edict ffxing agents' hours. Absence Felt—Too Much Imitation Among Small Time Comedians—Dancers, Singers and Chonu Girls Are Plentiful KRONOS' STUNTS Tie Up With Vancouver Daily for Joint Publicity HAPPYLAND RENAMED Dallas, Dec. 5. The Hapi)yland has Men Iea;ed l>y N. A. Carter and will be known as the Lyric. It opened last week with a tab. The Happyland got a black cje recently when alle^red instances of liquor selling were discovered at the theatre. Following charges preferred be- fore the grand Jury, the theatre was allowed to operate only under a heavy bond. Fight Film Announced In K. C. Kansas <'ity, Dec. 5. The Pantages management h.ive announced that the picture of the Dempse^Gibbons fight in Sliiili.\ will be shown here wceU i.f Di-e. 8, J^ Is not known just what will hap- pen, but the I'an ollicers sa.\ the.\ -have shown the pictures in S'. I.ouis nnd do not expect any interference liers. Vancouver, B. C Dec. 5. Kruiios, the strong roan, is the Rr.st theatrical person to break into print on the "Daily 'World" front page here In a number of ye.irs A tie up was arranged by the paper whereby the strong man would do sonic of his feats «f Rtn'Ogth In front of its office during his en- gngempiit at the Orpheum. Kronoa mounted a truck to do his stuff. First he drove five spiltes through a plank with his fist. Then the etrong man showed ■« trick which had their hair standing on ends. He took an iron bar. pre- viously pronounced tough by an Ironworker, and bent it into the .'^haiie of a horseshoe. Hiisiness at the Orpheum was ca- pacity for the bal.ince of the week as the result of Krotios" exhibition. EXPLOITING WILLIAM DUGAN A new producing firm to exploit the writliiKS of William Dug.in. the aiilhiir. hae been formed by Kdilie .Mack, the clothier, and Jerry Mitch- cock, the vaudeville agent. The new llrm will pro<liire vaude- ville Hits and other then'rie.il pro- dui'lions from Dugan's pen. While there never has been an overabundance of vaudeville come- dians, the shortage this season Is particularly noticeable. Everywhere may be heard the plaints of those who might be able to put out double the number of new acts could they locate comics within the price range. Specialty dancers are easily ob- tainable, and at low figures, while singers and chorus girls are nearly as plentiful. But all these arc made, and not born with the goods, and It Is In the latter class comedians aje In- cluded. Some claim tJie desirable comedi- ans are grabbed by big producers, and no one wants the other kind. It Is claimed most blackface co- medians do a Jolson with a touch of Cantor, the "Dutch" copy the mannerisms of Sam Bernard,*the nuts copy one another, and so on. That Is why, when a Joe Cook. Bert Wheeler or Tom Patrlcola comes along with nomething a little new he Is acclaimed to the skies. The laugh shortage seems to Ue general this year. Every one of Broadway's mammoth musical re- vues this season has received one definite criticism. Although the girls, costumes, sets, mechanical Ideas and color have been declared better than ever, or at least up to the st.indard, the comedy «nd most of the comics have been swooped upon by press .ind public. There have been laughs, nut with few ex- ceptions they do little credit to this year's crop of fun.'tcrs or humorous writers. The legitimate does nut need co- medians as badly as the small time, which, without new laugh makers to brighten up Us "miniature musi- cal comedies" and sketches has to depend on the old standbys^ There are some gx>od ones In this latter classification, but the public is look- ing for new Ideas. Three-a-day executives. lament- ing the number of comedian.'! la so wholly out of proportion with the numoer of hoofers and singers, gi** this as one of the main reasons why vaudeville conditions generally are not what they should be in the smallci division. SONGWRITERS TALKING OF TAXING VAUDEVILLE Discussing' Plan to increase Income—Reverse of Pres- ent Conditions Chicago, Dec. 6. A group of local agents want to run the 'Western 'V'audevllle Man- agers' Assn. and the B. F. Keith Western booking office. Patterning their endeavors along ' anarchistic lines, the agents have formed a Union of Artists' Representatives, for the purpose of regulating the business as they see fit and to de- termine who will and win not be recognised on the booking floors. The agents are determined their course is right and have become so serious in their policy of operation they Informed one agency If it did not conform with the rules of the new organization and abide by the decision of Its executive board, the latter wotftld personally see to it .that acts would desert the agency and that they woul^ use their in- fluence In having the agency denied tbe privilege of the two booking floors. Indications point that the career of this new "artists' union" will be as rocky as that of one formed two years ago by a group of independ- ent agents. 'When the "anarchists" here who have decided among themselves to revolutionize vaudeville delivered the ultimatum to the agency it would have to comply with rules and do as told, that agency Immediately tendered Its resignation from the as- sociation. The agency, prior to resigning, consulted with the heads of the W. V. M. A. and Keith Western booking ofnces, Informing them of the conditions imposed by the asso- ciation and wliat Its Intentions wera. As a result of the attitude of the resigning agency, a number of other agents who had the law laid down to them by the new association ar« showing fight. It Is understood that at the next meeting of the new or- ganization a number of withdraw- als will be received. Several of the local agents dur« Ing the past week found it an op- portune time to make a business trip to New York, feeling that it would be an appropriate reason for remaining away from the meetings, where a few seem to be swinging the body. Song writers are seriously dis- cussing a plan to tax vaudeville houses for the popular purbllshed songs used by the acts on the vari- ous bills In and around Greater New York. The move is engendered by the wide swaths cut Into the royalties of the song writers since the advent of "radio." The sheet music and mechanical sales have been slaugh- tered by the popular concerts broad- casted by the radio companies. The plan tinder consideration calls for the taxing of each vaudeville house, the tax to be compiled ac- cording to the capacity and box- office scale of the theatre. The co-operation of the music publishers is said to have been as- sured. The writers, however, feel they can force the music publishers to co-operate In forcing the vaude- ville houses to help restore the in- roads made in revenues by radio. The writers jrgue that for years popular songs have been given to singers gratis In order to facilitate snie« and help put the songs over. The radio has changed all this. If a song becomes a hit, the public, instead of buying a mechanical roll or a copy of the song, hear It broad- cast via the radio and are satisfied The writers feel that they are de- serving of remuneration from the vaudeville houses for supplying the acts with songs that tiic theatre Is the beneficiary of. The Idea Is revolutionary inas- much us the present practice is Just the reverse, the houses feeling; they arc doing The publisher a favo^ when Ihe.v allow his rcpre.qentatlves b.ack- siage to Interview acts. LUBIN ON "CUTS" Loew Chief Warns Agents Against Slashing for Other Tims Jake Lubln, of the Loew offlc% has Issued a warning to all agents booking Loew time that any on* who cuts salaries for other circuits will be suspended from the Loew circuit. The ultimatum is said to be the result of a practice whereby agents book In acts on a no-contract bast* and then accept cuts ranging from $10 upward to keep acts working on the circuit. TRANSFER MAN IN COURT Arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct 'Monday night, a man who said he was Ralph Bayhl, president of the N. 'V. A. Theatrical Transfer Co., was held In »IOO ball for fur- ther examination. The police say he had an altercation with a woman In a hallway at 2M West o5th street, where he w.-is found bleeding from the mouth. He claimed to have been beaten by three men. Helen Coyne and HrnrI French I formerly of "Gingham Girl"), re- tiirnltiK to vaudeville with n dan'in;; l«cU Lafayette Players' Judgment Three Judgment.) for 11,591.50, J1,933.04 and $2,11650 were entered this week in the City Court by Julius Finn, a downtown business man, again.st Robert Levy, Isaac Levy and the I^atayette Players Corp. The actions were on a series of notes for mono!i''« loaned. The I,evys operate the I^afayette theat.e in the Harlem "black bell." Isis, Grand Rapids. Closed Chicago. Dec. 5. The IkIs at fJrand Rapids, which went on Hilly Diamond's l)Oiii<." Oct. 21, ploying four acts a split week, has closed, and it Is announced tb.Tt vaudeville has been discontinued.