Variety (January 1924)

VARIETY ■ V? TW7."» ji'j^ "^JT}' ».Ify,"^;.','' ''^ -■]»' ^T5^"'TrtT:n v*itrwi'>^NJt,*7^'ii^n"rr«iB*>-^srwi.:;-' VARIETY "Thtifsday, January 31.1924 OBITUARY JESSIE BOYD Jeaale Boyd (Mrs. Richard Cook), Mio died at her realdence, SOS Third Krenue, New York, Jan. 11, was 62 7MU« of o^e. She was on the stage •B her life. Bhe was at one time m l««idInK serio-comic of the coan- try. Her first Important appearance ira« as a child In 18<9, when she Vlayed Little Eva In- "Uucle Tom's Cabin" at the old Academy of Music, Buffalo. The great Lotta Crabtree played Topsy In the same produc- tion. With her first husband, Dave Oaka, Miss Boyd played for years to tb* Hyde and Bebman stock in Brooklyn, altematlntr between this •how and the London and Miner's ■tock on Uie Bowery. In vaudeville the team Dave Oaks •nd Jeasia Boyd were favorites^ and MM of Jeasle'a most treasured ■letnoriea waa tf>e teajn'a .appear- ance at the Bijou in Boaton, the flrat r«Hrular theatre of the Keith •ircult. Oaka aod Boyd w«-e on f HI I>OVlKO MmOKT Of Oar B«l0T«d a«n IRWIN WECH Wk« M Jaaaaiy Mtk, l*il. ia HI* 14tk Tear, Departed fr«m this Mrth. L«T«« aad Bioaraad kr all who kuw klm. HIS BROKEN HEARTED PARENTS ELSIE and LEW WELCH ttie opening bill of that house and ware complimented for their per- fornHuice by both the late B. F. Xelth and £. F. Albee. The couple had one aon, Dave Oaks, Jr., who la now In vtiudeville. 0he married Dick Cook in 1893. Jessie Boyd made her last ap- pearance on the stage In a three- act (Boyd, Cook and Oaks) in 1!>09, when ahe retired to take care of the home and comforts of her son and kusband. HERBERT C. FRENCH Herbert C. French, known pro- fessionally as Bert French, died Jan. 27, at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital, New London, Conn. He was S3 years of age and a partner of Rosalie Stewart In two current theatrical productions, "Meet the ■Wife" and "The Show Off" (to open In New York next week). French had spent part of last week in Springfield, Mass., fixing the numbers of "The Chiffon Girl." Saturday evening he arrived in New Ixindon shortly before the perform- ance of "The Show Off." After the ■how he dined with the members •f the company and was to have taken a 2 a. m. train for New York, kut complained of feeling 111 and years and also played the principal theatres and music balls of Bnc- land and the continent. A moat lov- able disposition gained him friend- ships wherever he happened to be playing, and being a faithful oor- rejpondcnt he retained many of these friendships through the witty and kindly use of hla (ift aa a letter writer. A wiifiow siirvlve«. Funeral services were held in his home, and he was burled in the MHllngton cemetery yesterday (Jan. 30). JAMES W. WIGHT Dubuque, la., Jan. 80. James Walter Wight, member of the Grand Players, stock company of Davenport, la., who collapsed on Oie atage at an evening perform- ance about two weeks a^^o, died at Mercy hospital, Davenport, Jan. 20. Stomach disorders caused his death, his physician said, Wight came to Davenport In September. He took the part of the butler in'The Acquittal," played by the Grand Players week of Jan. 7, when his sudden illneap oc- curred. He was formerly connected with the Marshall playerBi and toured Iowa for aome time, joining the Grand Players at Davenport. He was born in Arkansas Aug. 13, 1882, where he apent the aarly part of his lifCe On Oct. 12, 1*15. he married Anna Buchda of Du- buque, at Peoria. Ha waa a mem- ber of Equity. Carria B. Lowell Carrie B. Ixiwell (Mrs. Howard Melson) died at the Missouri Bap- tist Sanitorlum at St. Louis, Jan. IS, following an illness of several months, culminating In an opera- tion from which she was unable to recover. Miss Lowell, as she waa professionally known, waa 41 years old and had been active in stock and vaudeville up to about four years ago. ford. Coon. Ha la survived by his wife, professionally known •• Madam Wanda. The fathar «f A. B. Thomas, play- wright, died Jan. 21 In the Brook- line, Mass., Hospital. He was a re- tired Baptist clergyman and a resi- dei)X of Brockton, Mass. INSIDE STUFF LEGIT ^ The aight-week-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl De Lorto (De Lorto and Richards), died Jan. it in Chicago. The father of Vess Ossman (The Oasmans) died Dec. 8 of heart fail- ure at Fairmont, Minn., at the age of S6. The mother of Ruth Wells died of pneumonia in Now York City on Jan. 19. ^ la levlna meaMry of our brotbar PHILIP KAUFMAN Wko departed thle life Jan. 14, lilt Oone, but not forsottea IRVING and JACK KAUFMAN She Is survived by her husband and a sister and burial was held at Kansas City. GOMK, BUT KOT FOBfiOTTEN MRS. F. HUNTER Wbo dICMl February Id, lilt FRANK HUNTER decided to stay over until Sunday. In the morning the producer was In ■uch pain that a physician was •ailed and later he waa removed to the hospital where he died at 1:30 In the afternoon. The remains were brought to New York and the funeral services were held in New York yesterday (Wednesday). Bert French first came Into prominence theatrically when he produced an act at Mammerstein's about 1909 In which he and Alice Els appeared. Miss Els became Mrs. French. She and two children survive. Robert H. Bertram. 44 yeors old, of Bertratii, May and Co., died at hie home in MlUlngton, N. J., Jan. 27, of pleuro-pneumonia. Mr. Bertram was one of the fore- most amateur chess and checker OONE, Birr NOT FOBOPTTIEN JAMES \. COOPER irbo died January !•, 1123 FRANK HUNTER players of the country. He caught a cold Tuesday, called in a doctor Wednesday and the latter ordered him to bed. Thursday the diagnosis waa pneumonia. He grew steadily worse and died Sunday. ' I Hertnaoa; /May tmi lOo.' urere ,a •tandtt-4 naud«\'<n«' act Im- m.irl.v j TH08. A. SHEEHAN Thoa. A. Sheehan, advertlalng agent of Kedib's Palace, New York, since the house waa built, and a veteran billposter, died at his home Jan. 25 from pneumonia. Mr. Shee- han was <4 years old and In his day had worked for the late Augus- tln Daly, E. E. Rice when the lat- ter had "Evangeline," and others equally prominent. He waa with the Keith people for the Mat 16 years. The deceased waa an Elk, member of No. 1, for over 80 years. Ke was a widower. Funeral from his home, £65 West 169th atreet. New York. HARRY WOODWARD Harry Woodward, 46, well known In Brooklyn stock circles, died at his home in Elmhurst, Ia L, Jan 27. Woodward had been a member of the Payton and Spooner stocks and also appeared with the Hal Claren- don Company. He retired from the stage several years ago and at the time of his de.i' , was engaged In the insurance business. He Is survived by his wife, a non- profeesional, a son and two daugh- ters. Mrs. William Bemctsin, wife of the owner of a circuit of theatres IN HEJHOBI.4M Nathaniel C. Goodwin January flat, Kit Requiescat in Paea G. G. G. up New York state, died at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, Jan. 24, follow- ing an operation which she had un- dergone about 10 days before. Sur- viving her are a husband, two sons, Harry and Benjamin, and two daughters. The sons manage the- atres in EUmira, owned bjr thair father. Harry L. Waterhousa, 44, died In Boiiton isin. 19 aa,a result «( paatie motida. Bprlal waa held at Btui' FINE $5 ATTRACTIONS (Continued from page II) business jumped to about $10,000 and the attraction will go on tour. 'The Gift" suddenly expired at the Village Saturday after running four daya. Leaving Saturday is "NelghlKtrs,'* which counts aa one of tha weakest of Ekiuity Players' attempts to date. They will try again at the 48th Street next week with "The Englander." "The New Poor" will withdraw from the Play- house and "The Show Oft" suc- ceeds. Also opening next week are "Fashion," originally put on 'n 1845 and known as 'Xife in New York." It will start Sunday at the Provinceton Playhouse: "Myrtle," first known aa "Duet,"'•which will finally get the little Berkeley open, and "The Wondvful Visit," a joint work of H. O. Wells and St. Johne Ervlne, due at the Lenox Hill late in the week. Subway Circuit Business In the subway circuit ap- peared considerably under normal. The Bronx opera house lead ihe field last week with "Sally, Iifne and Mary" which grossed $12,300; "The Bat" playing the Broad Street, Ifewark, counted next with $11,700; "Polly Preferred" at the Shubert In the «ame stand got about $7,000; "The Laughing Lady" at the Majestic, Brooklyn, drew $11,500; "The CHnging Vine" at the Montauk grossing around $8,000; "Partners Again'' at the Majestic, Jersey City, counted around $7,600, and "Zander the Great" went to nearly $10,000 at tlie Riverla.. Mora Bargalna Than Buys Although the regulars offered ^t out rates were the same In number as the buys that are held by the advance agencies, there were more seats on sale at bargain prices for attractions than wera really listed. A eouple of ahowa waiting until just a eouple of hours prior to cur- tain time before dumping Into the cuts. During last week an arrangement was made for a buy for "The Swan* at the C!ort although that attraction has been one of the distinct hits of the town, the brokera were only re- ceiving regulars on It. Another buy that was arranged Is for "Moon- light" which opened last night at the Longacre, the brokers takinc;. 300 nightly for four weeka with 25 per cent, return. The buy Ust for the current week includes: "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" (Belasco); ''TarnlMh," (Belmont); "Seventh Heaven," (Booth); "Kid Boots," (Carroll); "The Swan," (Cort); "Rain," (Elliott); "Spring Cleaning," (Eltlnge); "Stepping Stonee," (Globe); "Tha Nervous Wreck," (Harris); "The Song and Dance Man," (Hudson); "Mary Jane McKane," (Imperial); "Lolli- pop," (Knickerbocker); "The Rise of Rosle O'Reilly," (Liberty); "Moonlight," (Longacre); "Merry Wives of Gotham," (Miller); "Music Box Revue," (Music Box); "Cyrano do Bergerac," (National); "Follies," (New Amsterdam); "Outward Bound," (Ritz); "Artists and ModelK," (Shubert), and "Chariot's Revue," (Times Sq.). In the cut rates the regulars were: "For All of Ua," (Ambassador); "Sweet Little Devil," (Astor); 'The Dancers," (Broadhurst); "Runnin' Wild," (Colonial); "The Shame Woman," (Comedy): "White Cnrpo," (Daly's): "Spring Cleaning," (Ba- tinge); "The Lady," (Emi)lre); "Neighbors," (48th St.); "The Liv- ing Mask," (44th St.); "Gypsy Jim," (49th St.): "Fedora," (Prazee); "Hurricane," (Frolic); "Mary Jane McKane," (Imperial); "Merry Wives of Gotham," (Miller); "The Other Rose," (Moroaco); "The New Poor,'' (Playhouse); "Roseanne," (Punch); and Judy): "Mister Pitt," (39th St.); "Charlot'a Ravtie," (Times Sq.); aod "Topiaa «< 1»U," (Winter OarAan)* ( ?•»-• ct; ■'■'•' i Mack. stach. (Continued from page IT) "I'm In The Miracle."* "Oh. at the CeiStury," oommented Wm "No," shot back Mack, "at the Republic" Two musical comedies with Imported stara are reported playing to % joint weekly loss of $12,000. The New York dailies reported an attack on Charlie Chaplin in a Holly. A reorganization of Shuffle Along, Inc., has been effected; Milton Qos* dorfer heads the corporation. This was made possible through the ellmla> ation of Sissle and Blake, the composers and lyricists of ''Shuffle Along,", giving the Gosdorfer faction the majority stockholding interest. In ex> change for their release from "Shuffle Along," Slsale and Blake stepped out. The team will appear in and author a new colored revue to ba sponsored by B. C. Whitney. It will not be called "Sissle and Biake'a Shuffles of 1921" a.4 originally intended because- of the confusing title, but probably "Bandanna Days" or "Bandanna Land." Greenlee and Drayton, from vaudeville, will probably assume the Sissle and Blake roles In "Shuffle Alans," which closes in Providence Saturday night, but after rehearsals has a 15 weeks' route laid out for it with a possibility of going to London also. IjOuIs lequith, attorney for Gosdorfer, arranged the reorganisation and is also secretary-treasurer of the cor- poration. Out of the Morosco Holding Company receivership, which announced liabilities of over $700,000 and also assets of more than that amount, there has developed what ia called the Morosco stockholders' committee, with offices in the Morosco Theatre building, New York. The committee, with W. Sparagen secretary, is sending out a prospectus to holders of the Bioc%^ of the Morosco company fiasco, suggesting that they subscribe to a new play producing fund, SO cents a share for the common and $2 a shara for the preferred. There are 100,000 shares of Morosco common outstand. ing and over 12,000 shares of preferred. This would get the "committee" around $74,000 to gamble with on other productions, but the prospectus says that's not dlfilcult, since they might strike a hit like "Rain" or 'The Bat." Again the prospectus says the Morosco Holding Company has a net Income of $150,000 annually through its New York theatres and a acherae for Los Angeles by which any sort of a play put on there will make money for four weeks. Even bad shows make money in that length of time, saya the sueary pamphlet, and It doesn't cost over $1,600 to produce even a flop. i 'The object of. the scheme, says the prospectus, is to run into a hit and secure enough money to settle with the creditors of the Morosco Holding Company. The same scheme may have been tried In the commercial line, of going after the originals for a second time, but it's new in the show business. The back stage doorman on the night shift of a Broadway theatre waa dismissed for intoxication. Several days after being fired he called on the manager and asked for another chance. The man admitted having been drinking and that It was all wrong. In extenuation he stated the two players featured with the show remained 1» the dressing rooms drinking as late as 2 a. m. and that naturally some of the liquor came his way. "The Chiffon Girl," a new musical comedy announced for produc- tion, is said to be "The Bootleggers" in musical form. The drama waa unsuccessfuly presentt;d at the 39th Street last eeaaon. Charlea Cape- hart, the advertising man, was the credited sponsor. A good deal of tha dialog in 'The Bootleggers" was written by Will A. Page, but he Is not mentioned In the authorship of "The Chiffon Girl," though Capehart is named aa the producer. 'The Other Rose," at the Morosco, Impressed first nighters as-probably denatured from the original plot, the play being an adaptation from tha French. In the original it also was rated rather tBin, Only the ending la markedly different. The Parisian version had the elderly father pleading with his daughter, the heroine, not to leave him. The girl then tells her fiance she will never marry until the old boy dies, but "isn't there another way until then." That sort of a curtain waadeemed Inadvisable for this side. Flo Ziegfeld fattened his Western miion batting average considerably during the week, sending two two-baggers across from Palm Beach. One dealt with his deA to Equity (published elsewhere) on the Democratio convention edHlon of the "FolHes," the other was a chiding or hiding a< the New York "American" for praising the girls at Charlot'a Revue. Ha told the "American" It ought to be patriotic and boost Amertctin girls like those in the Tollies," and lay oR invaders from overseas. Ziegfeld forgot to mention that Gertie and Max Hoffman were sailing Wednesday with Zieggy'a 16 girla from "The Follies" for an Invasion of England. With the closing of the A. H. Woods production, "The Road Together," at the Frazee after one performance. Broadway again became a one night stand. This is the fourth time within the history of old-timers that thia has occurred along the old street. The'flrst one of one-nlghters on Broad- way occurred at the old Standard, at 33rd street and Sixth avenue, whera Oimbel's is now located. It was in 1880 that a livery stable keeper by tha name of Brown from Albany decided to invade the drama, and ha pre- sented ''Elfins and Mermaids" at the house for one night only. In about 1898, at the the Fifth Avenue, Henry CHay Miner presented "The Bathing Girl," with book by Rupert Hughes and score by Caverly, which also had but one performance. The most recent was the English company that came to New Toi* and presented 'The London Follies" at Weber and Field's Music hall, and taking the air after the first night. That waa about 1912. Arthur Levey, manager ot "Little M^s Blubeard," known aa the man with the canvas carnation, got a rec^pt for a little joke directed at Freddie McKay, manager of the Empire for Gilbert Miller. Aa Is customary Mr. McKay called the Lyceum by telephone to get the receipts of the Bordoni show Monday. Levey got on the wire and reported takings possible only If the attraction had charged $10 top. A phoney telegram was then framed, supposedly from B. Ray Goetc, producer o< "Bluebeard" who ia in Florida. The meesage aaked that $1,600 be sent by telegraph to him at Palm Beach. Levey acurried about trying to grab the necessary b. r., but could only get h(h hands on a portion. He thought to wire Goetc to that effect. The message was never sent, Levey being informed at the end ot the show that it wtis apple sauce, like his figures. Robert Ames, who Is cast for the lead >ln Vincent lAwrence's forth- coming golf comedy, "Kelley's Vacation," ia one of the leading golf players in the legitimate ranks. He won the Dillingham cup on the Salis- bury course two years ago, beating Broadway's best. Several seaaoni ago Ames was given a handicap rating in the Metropolitan Golf Aeaocl- atlon listing. His hobby is making golf clubs, but regulationa of hit 6(ith atreet apartment call for him tinkering with them In the kitchen only. Lawrence, too, la a golfer of k)arta and waa rated amon|; Boaton'a best when he resided there up until two years afo. At a private affair last week Morris Gest met Ina Claire afid he pro- ceeded to tell her many reasons why she should have a special warmth of feeling for David Belasco, who starred Miss Claire In "Polly With a Paat" and "The Gold Diggers." The actress smiled durinR the dls- eouraa, throughout which she was sitting on bis hat. Mauria-was rub- karing all around, wondering where he had put it. • . • -1» ^ '