Variety (January 1924)

W^' .T^^Wiai^srDiri-- T .■•' >.y ^'« ■ V «r- ^^■'■^B'3Eaw:*ir* '^r »='. V A R i ET'T Y ENGLISH VAUDEVILLE Ltindon, .Tnii. 2. The \auiUvillo situation here 1« nati'iiallv Inipiov.riK. 'I'lie con- .'tuted iulvaiiceil bookint,'" that ex- eH'il for years is clearing ui> and there is every indication that before the current season comes to u c-ldsp thf various circul ; will be In a position to offer nets »;onsPcutiv<' bookings. There are still n few native artists who have contra<ts for tours for several seasonM to come, but their number Is relatively small. But the drty of fancy salaries here is over, and this makes it diflicult for American acts with big reputa- tions at home to secure a route here at anything approximating thoir native caiariea. This is due to the fact that the circuits no longer bid against one another, agreeing upon a salary in j^vance with the un- derstanding it shall not be raisetl without all agreeing upon it. Ad- vanced bookings beyond the lurren' season has been practically abaii- dDned. Only In the va: i ■ ' an act scoring any sjieciaily big hit Is It offered dates for the following soa- Hon, but never beyond that period, lixporlence has taught the book- ing man tluU a foreign act not known to their public will not draw th» first time around. With their limited knowledge of advance boom- ing here, an unknown not will no! draw a big Monday audience. They must depend upon word of mouth advertising to circulate the merits of the offering. By the titne the full value of the performance lias been distributed throughout the city In which the act is playing the week has pasisrd and the attraction lias ntjoved. This does not prevail In I.<ondon, where acts are retained for several weeks, and sometimes for Quite extended runs. Unknown Acts Using the a;-gument that tht> im- ported act is unknown first time arouBd, the bookin:^' men arc loath to pay anything approaoiiing the .'tajarles the artists receive . In their olvn countries, but they are very .lilst about acknowledging values after the act Is played once around and are more than willing to in- cre.Tse the stipend for return en- crntrements, which are freely offered when Ihe merit of.the turn war- rants. The average salnry'nn .\merican ,101 o; n comm.nnd here for an open- inir is approximately »wo-th:rd.<i the money it i-ecelves at home, with a slight increase for a second trip over a circuit, and no limit to the number of inft-eascs it mn com- mand In the event of scoring a liig hit. Season .ifter season such an act can pl.ny here each time at an Increase over the previous season. The ' make good" American act with no big reputation at home and hence comiiianiliiiK up fancy .sil.iiy thtre has a better chance of buiid- lUK up i'a salary in Kngland than in tj»* States. The circuits here can ixttoya to take such an act at u reu- s^able price, put it into a bill that C(^ntains one or two of Its native headllners that draw the people but are pas.'^e, and h.-ive the Im, rt .'d turn car: y Ihe bill through effet- tively. The act. having thus proved its worth, is told frankly that it has a value here and Is offered a modest salary increase to remain or to re- turn at some future time. There is room for an unlimited numi>er of such nets, and the Indications are they will be booked here next sea- son In a considcr.ible quantity. Beit Way to Book The safest way to secure a propei showing here Is to be booked for four, six or eiKht weeks from home. Those unable to do so, an -comln- over "on spec," are absolutely cer- tain, on producing evidence in the form of contr.icts and press notices, of recf'ivinc one or more week." showing at a tlr;* rate hail here. They will be given a sjiot on the liill :ird I'i'ovirtod with every re.nson- able assistance by the manago- mcnts. For the past year there h-s beeft a niarliod tendency on the part of music hall m.anagements to book revueii Into their music halLs. "bis was nece.ssltnte<i by the fact that the native variety talent no longe- draws fxiyins p.atronage and, as wiii readll.v be understood, the plncinp; of an unknown foreign name on top of a bill would be equally Ineffec- tive. The outlook for prosperity here I" excellent. The govrtnment has re- cently voted J2r)0.000,000 for public Improvements, pressure has been brought to bear upon the rallw.iy companies and industrial organiza- tions to expend huge sums UT>( ' their iilants. all the counties are deflnileiy committed to roadv.-ay im- provements, statistics ihow export trade constantly InereoFlng, and be- fore ^ong nncmployment will be re- duced to a minlmcm. Tract«,^ciurnt The British Jioard of Tratle re- turn.'? f.ir- Ootolirr (tliis ancle w-"' written in Pccrmber and the le- luriis for November are not .vr avallnblf^ show that month ntta^ne' the hl'^hest value since Jnnnnry' 1921. for Imports, and e:,-T>orta en- 3oycd the Sfcond best monthly Vfiluo over the s:'me period. Kxaminat(»n of detaPs shows tbr expansion of expert trade was gen- erally rtift;'ihiited over the ma'iu- facturing industries, over two-thirdf* of the Increase lieing rredtcJ to manftfacttire-d goods. During Oc- tober there w.'ts an increase of over $«.600.000 in co.tI exports, while th- greater part of the increased Import values representl" foodstufft. An Incre.-tse of over 185,000,009 of raw materials wus Imported in October, principally cotton, which Indicates u prosperou* condition In the^mlU towns. Another Indication of the proB- perity of Kngland may be gauged from the fact that this year's motor show far gufpasses in attendance and sales anything of the kind ever {ittempted In thia country. The manufacturera^f autemobiieB have Anally discovered- th«*e is r-ore money in ma«a prodliCtioa< ,and smaller proSts per car, and as a re- sult there Is a healthy d-emand for mechanics at the respective tm- torles. The public speech of the Prime Minister in October demanding a high protective tariff for Bngland tndicatej this will be legislated in the immediate future arid have a direct effect upon hofne industriee. There will be a general election to vote on this Issue ea'rly in December. All of which makes fdr a healthy condition in the amusement world. ,. Joto. OLD-TIME CUPPER ADS The old-time Clipper advertise-- ments were wonders in their way. Forceful, humorous, and lilled with human Interest, they formed a dis- tinctive literature that held a ver- nacular style and form whose in- dividualism vied with Its picturesque phraseology. The page reproduced opposite, ' taken at random from a ifopy of Clipper, dated i .pteinber 1, 1894, approximately 30 years ago. gives a general Idea of the type of theatrical advertising in vo^ue ut^tlie time. This style of advertisins inoiden&Hy o. iginared with Clipper and was ideotified with th,-,t publlcalioi ex- clusively up to ]U18 or thereabouts. One thing among several-stands out prominently in the old CJipper ads—the actor of 30 years ago must lia.e been an acoomplls-hed .two- hf nded dvfnker, for the greater part by f.ir of the want ads exiwe'wly slated "No Boozers Need Apply," with similar lines relative to the dal- lying with the cup that cheers In- roi-ming the would-be applicant "'So- liiiety Positively K( ential." "I..u8h- ers Keep Oft" and "If you are an lOlbow-Bender or a Bar-l'ly we don't want you." The expreFsion "Chippy Chasers Save Stumps " was also f/equent In the want ads—meaning !lctur.< with women chasing ^Ifcpcllvitios would not be considered. Chaptsr '1 Br-r-r, It was cold, and the wino whistled through the crack« of the door of Ihe apartment temporarily occupied by the Flying Kneecaps. The wind had no trouble in get- ting ail opening In that house, for old age was its agent and the creaking door had many a crack that no author liad ever written. Br-r-r, it was cold, but Xmas eve. what fould one expect? Br-r-r. End of Ch ipter Chaptsr 2 Slam—it was not the critics re- view, but m.irked the door's action at the et.trunce of Mortimer' Knee- cap. He had Just returned from the agent's. Despite his bedraggled apiiear- ance his vife knew him, for lie wa.- a rei'O'in zed o.oi. Chapter 3 Hello, ll.nty." sasld M..rtlmei-. ],a Belle Mortimer's lips ourleil with scorn. 'Oon't mention honey to mc." .-s.iid she. "You're always tiying to :-ut the lioe on me.'' "Hv.v's our little b.ihy tonishl'."' "Not so good," sighed I^a Belle, "Its ! <i l.i:r; siroe we w.orkod the ohiUl ml-.'^'e.j the exercises .she geti '.vhon you ilr.is I'.er out for a bow." • Damn those agents." gro.vlcd .Mort'inor. Chapter 4 Ja.Idy. (iiar old D.'Khly," sai;. i'ht)ctiix Kueecnj), Mort I.Urr'?? vny chid. "A inoml'.- " >aid .Moi'tlmer. 'L- '.rl'e t: ke ihv l,id up to Ke!?t. and nave it le;.in a new number." •llij:h. MoUimer. let the ba' hn\e l.n s o. t. Its Xrjis eve tin !-l'.i.ti CI t.;i iso.itiie Ue 111 ir tin : ;'t the bii •» 'o'. e ;t- sport.' Ch: p'tr 5 ■ l'.u';i( r.' ' kfd Ih enlx. i^aja cir'J.' oo.ivie*! Km l',e.!e • Vou re Intli risl:t," r;.",r.rr. -fo liirT. Ain't liic p .!« Sinl.i (,'i •.'!•. ai ed I'i '-r j x. ' Ves. ir.y . ii 1;!." .-aid "lio fili.r. "I!oo-h:io ■' U.iv.lcd ti.e « .'. • i;:"., .iluw Vandevilh'i nUMi himini'OUS ronieilionne. who The r.'.moii.s leiiliocii .s |ii:i''i.o i.cital in ."iew Otu'"' ^^'' 'S '" "I'I''ill' '» ."oven other oooi ei s in \' IRENE FRANKLIN I ma 'e u brillioiii deimt «»n ilie conoori pUitfornt. tal ID ."iew Yolk was Kiven al the Times ,Si|nare T1i^mii-i' l.iHt .'^!ii'.i1ii.\ ■ Yorii. laiir iii in niiiR lo again heailline in satlileville. <»*-H—h-— ii..n re—TTT'— :t— yTTT uinn •.liien I ain't g.l no si -k irgs to I .'It ;.' ii;>'."' '1*.' U-; oo.' i Clis.otcr S ! "The I>;'te is ri'^iil. .\l r,; .!■ •. .■•.lunlrd Ka llrlle. 'She .lint not no sl.nkitr.s an. neitiier Jiin't I," '■,^hiit III!.' liark.d .Mo liii- ■'Xnia.s il.ii. I mi'an aiiy.liiiii?. 'I'lri! of llie iiinr (boiiien; liiry don 1 lia'; up liieir ivi>e. do tiiry'.'' The form of Mortimer Kneeca) straightens slowly, while his "ye* I j light up proclaiming the dawn o&r* a new thought. a, "Klggins and fJroundcloth,''x,h«rl' cried. "My baby will have a Xmas.1' We ain't ■got no stockings to hangg^l up, but I still got my tighls." "Police on earth to men of good' stills." shouted La Belle and! lioenix. Chapter 9 . No sooner said than dune. Mortl-| iiier ha-s his H<S.-JI open, and the oislits dangled before the fireplace. 'We must make merry. Mamma," ho said. "Sit down on -my good knee. '\'ou babe, sit on Ihe other; my iiants are baggy .Tnyway. Put, your feet up on the mantlet>,ece. I'll toll you a funny story." '1 don't want to put my feet neat, tiiO tire, papa," ^nld I'hncnix. "\Vh: rot." this fro) 1 La I'olle. "Because I don't like ht)t do-^s. Papa an< besides- ." "\V;.i' for your laugb i' .: inpt," lnlenur!<il ."•■:itimer. Chapter 10 .« IVn^ a-!ln^. • II « thL- phone, d • "t " srid l.a B .o. ■,i. '.'.'n." (Asid< ), I on' m .ih. our agonl. \ ;:iits to Ki-eak to ; . .' ' «T'lio." . echoe.l I'lK Ir in niltter. : I ■ lit you to rl: y a oil tonight." .■.'>; mer paieii; there v.as no I i:n • f ;r thotight; tl>o iiuall'»n de- ' 'r 'uf d mtion. t rnrn he ti.'" i;<> ,n the tights i I d Ri> \ > work.' 1 i i.'ipo'r.t the bill y.. (ierlniy her ■: I'll answer jiimp ng up. !t s filmn^ ." i i-timcr. l|e 1 r i h ;n tiinta ( .'u--; h couldn't m . ) t lat. His shr.uhle ■«. s'lnared. JfJ ,.-■1 U'.i steady voire riii;t into thti jM o-i.cr. \1| "•iothlng d..i:i-.;. Ci iim> ; it s | j| rin.s'nias Kve. 1 oiif't piay a olubMl 1.1 n h irt.s are i iiin|.:».' ~ 'Tiiai.k (Jod." breilhed i-^i Heile. "Ililto." whi perrd I '., enix. ■ I'llrk ' went Ihe rroelver. <