Variety (February 1924)

Thursday, February 7, 1924 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY ASPIRING AMATEURS FLEECED BY R. N. HOWARD IN CHICAGO Advertised in Daily for Vaudeville Partner—Ac- cepted Many and Appointed Leaving Time—Got $500 or Less From Each Chicago, Feb. «. The Chicago police are seeking R. N. Howard and a woman, said to be' his wife, for defrauding prospective vaudeville partners of over $500. About ten days ago Howard ran an advertisement in the "Tribune" for a vaudeville part- 11."- giving his address as the Van H-'ren Hotel. He received a dozen personal responses and about "5 p'lnu calls. 'Hie first victim was Garen Roh- 11". 21, of 6G33 Aberdeen street. When int"i-rog.ited by Howard the y<""-er man said that he had no prev'ous sfige experience, but that ho was a good piano player. "Croat," replied Howard, "you are Just the man I want as I play the p'ino and accordeon .and my wife, who works In the act with me. p^-ys the saxophone." Howard then told Bohlln he wou'd pay him $50 a week. Then h«. asued Rohlin If ho ould play any sreclalty number. The young Iran replied that he knew "Kitten on the Keys." When Howard heard this he told the young man he w- just the youth he was looking for and he would give him $60 Instead of $50. Howard informed the young man that before he would cTose with him, if he could get the cc->«ent of his parents. Several days later Bohlln. ac- companied by his brother Kugene, vl-ltcd Howard at the hotel. The later was elated In meeting the brother nnd said that as long as Oarin had such nice relatives he would take good care of him. Then Howard Informed the boys that he was going to play 28 weeks on the Pantages Circuit and that lie would leave for San Diego, Cal., last Sat- urday. He explained to Bohlln that as he would be a partner in the act ho would have to pay his own fare nnd as they were to have a drawing room it would amount to $104. This was ngreeable to the youth and an appointment was made for Saturday morning to get the tickets. Howard also promised to take Bohlln to the Pantages of- fice to sign contracts. Sifturday morning Bohlln went to Howard's hotel, but instead of go- ing to the Pantages office in the North American building the two Howards took the youth to the third floor of the Woods theatre building. He left Bohlln and his wife waiting in the ante-room of the third flow while he went In to see his agent. A few minutes later Howard came out and asked the woman for $165 to pay for their tickets. In the presence of Bohlin she handed him a roll of bills. Then he turned to the youth and said, "Let me have youi- $104, too." This was handed over and he re-entered the office. A fevr minutes later he came out and told Bohlln to go home and pack, and meet him at the La Salle depot that night at 11. Accompanied by his family, Bohlln was on hand at that time. He waited until the train that Howard told him they were leaving on pulled out at 12:50 a. m. After waiting an hour longer, the Bohlins made inquiries and found the train did not go to California, but to St. Louis. Bohlln and his brother returned to the hotel to see what was delay- ing Howard and his wife. They found that the couple had checked out at noon. Further Inquiry showed that the couple h«(d ' sent two wardrobe trunks to the Dearborn station and from there they were tarnsferred to the Illinois Central station, and sent to Detroit that afternoon. Following the disappearance of the couple throe other youths ap- peared at the Van Buren hotel say- ing they had been fleeced of amounts ranging from $75 to $160 by Howard on the pretense he would take them on the road with him. One chap he told they would leave for .Denver on Sunday, another they were go- ing to Vancouver and the third that they would open at Los Angeles. He told all that the name of his act was the Melody Trio. Inquiries made in the Woods The- atre building office failed to dis- close any knowledge of the man or NADEL AND SMITH E. K. Leave* Casey Agency and Will Produce E. K. Nadel Is shortly leaving the Pat Casey Agency to give his ex- clusive attention to short or long productions written by Paul Gerard Smith. The association of Smith and N'adel is now centering upon a style summer revue to be presented around May 1. Nadel has been with the Casey Agency for 12 years. Active and enterprising, he evolved several de- partures In handling and exploiting turns and production acts. ' Currently there are over 35 Paul Gerard Smith written acts In vaudeville and productions. This week four Smith skits are being played in New York. - TOMMY GRAY RETURNS WEST Tuesday Tommy Gray started west once again, to Hollywood, with Harold Lloyd In his charge. Gray, the humorist, had been In New York for about 10 days with the picture comedian. Tommy sat in on business conferences, looking very solemn, without laughing or asking for a drink. Tommy's complete count of his part In the conversations waa 87 yesses, 2 noes. Both noes were when Lloyd said, "Tommy shall we go home?" RICE AWARDED $25 WEEKLY Edward LeRoy Rice is entitled to recover $25 weekly from Milton Hockey and Howard J. Green, pro- ducers of "Stars of Yesterday," ac- cording to an Appellate term rul- ing denying the managers' motion for a new trial. A verdict. In Rice's favor for a couple of hundred dol- lars had been previously sus- tained. The amount has since In- creased considerably since the act. One of the "old timers'" cyclo has played conssitently. Rice sued on the ground he originated and conceived the idea, and for his services In casting it and otherwise he was to receive $25 weekly. Hockey & Green con- tested this claim unsuccessfully. 10,000th TIME FOR ACT; MOORE AND UTTLEFIELD "Change Your Act or Back to the Woods" Record Run What Is considered an unparal- leled record for a vaude skit wlirbe achieved this week by Victor Moore and Emma Littlefield who will round out their 10,000th performance of their hokum comedy, "Change Your Act—or Back to the Woods.'* . The players first appeared In this skit 23 years ago at the 125th street. Thoy will round out the 10.000th performance at the Fifth ave. Friday night. $10,000 RECORD WEEK Colonial, Erie, Strikes High with ' Vaudeville Erie, Feb. 6. The Colonial broke all records last week when the gross went to $10,000 for the first time since the house has been playing Keith vaude- ville. The bill ran the Duponts: Bolgcr and Norman; Walsh and Ellis; Bes- sie Barnscale; Williams and Tay- lor; Joe Browning; Reynolds, Done- gan and Co. It Is a full-wcok stand. "NAMES" APPLYING As early as this big time vaude- ville is commencing to receive ap- plications through agents of "names" and acts in productions looking for twice daily time after their shows end the season. Among names reported submitted this week was Irene Bordoni's. LOPEZ INDEF. AT HIP Vincent Lopez's run at the Hip- podrome has been continued indef., with the booking for the Riverside next week cancelled accordingly. This makes It the sixth week for the band with the likelihood of round- ing out eight or nine weeks before it takes to the road Feb. 25 for the first time in its career. A relief orchestra will be installed at the Pennsylvania Hotel mean- time. SHUBERT UNIT ACTS BOOKED The Lander Bros., Harry and Willie, have ^een booked by the Keith Circuit. The Landers were with Jack Singer's Columbia Bur- lesque attraction and later with Arthur Klein'a "Hello, New York," the Shubert vaudeville unit. Harry and Grace Ellsworth, another Shubert unit act, have also been booked by the Keith Circuit. Alf Wilton handled both book- ings. STAGE HAND'S BANKRUPTCY, Maurice Werner, a stagehand, filed a voluntary petition in bank- ruptcy Wednesday In the U. S. Dis- trict Court. His liabilities, four nominal Items for moneys loaned, total $1,548.80. There are no assets. Would Remedy Ticket Sales Providence, Feb. 6. An act to prevent theatres from selling tickets after the seating ca- pacity is exhausted was introduced in the Rhode Island House of Rep- resentatives by Rep. James H. Kirrnan of Providence last week. The bill was sent to the committee on judiciary. The measure further tends to prevent the overcrowding of public haul M well as tlie„'.es. wife. Howard 13 described as being 30 years old, 5 feet in height and weighing about 150 to 160 pounds, and having dark hair and complex- ion. The woman is described as 4 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 110 pounds, having reddish hair and light complexion and about 2:> years of age. The hotel clerks say that Howard stopped at the hotel about four or live years ago and that they believed him to be a theatrical malt. Lieut. Michael Gray of the detective bureau is in. charge of the search for the ' couple, KAHN'S SON (Continued from page 1) it being in the nature of a lark for the scion of the Kahn house. The youngster has been an ardent addict of the saxophone. It was Paul Whlteman's original Intention to Introduce the lad at his forth- coming concert Feb. 12 to illustrate what effect jazz music has had on the younger American element. Otto Kahn incidentally is one of the patrons of the Whlteman'concert Tommy Gott.the "hot" trumpeter of the band will be the business manager of the new orchestra which will have the same personnel as that of the original Arthur Lange band. GOVT RECRUITING ACT, 73 MEN, MAY KEEP ON IN VAUDEVILLE Keith's Makes Proposal—No Pay as Act Through Recruiting Angle—Men Want Something Out of It—Capt. McReynoIdV Discretion DUBUQUE'S DAMAGE SUIT Mabelle McGlinchey After $15,000 for Fractured Arm Dubuque, la., Feb. 8. Mubelle McGlinchey, singer and dancer, of Mabelle and Mack. Is suing the city of Dubuque for $15,- 000. About a year ago she suffered a fractured arm in a fall on an ley sidewalk while on her way to her hotel from the Majestic. Trial of the suit In District Court got under way Friday. "Mack" McGlinchey, Mabelle's husband, showed the court how Mabelle went through her performance before the accident. A doctor explained how the fractured arm,would prevent the Injured actress from using her arm to good advantage In her per- formance. "Counsel for. the actress Is deter- mined to get a large Judgment against the clly, while announce- ment from the city eolicltor's office Indicates that an appeal will be taken in case the city loses the suit. REST ROOM'S BENEFIT The New York Theatrical Rest Room and Emergency Service, which Is a free and voluntary aid and comfort to all thespians at its office. 64 West 47th street. New York, will give a benefit perform- ance Feb. 20 at the Palm Garden. Production and vaudeville people have volunteered their services for the benefit of the rest room. Lillian MacKinnon Is in charge of tho show. LOEWS WHITE PLAINS HOUSE Keith's will discontinue vaude- ville at White Plains, N. Y.. after this week, the house having been purchased over by Myron Sulz- berger so. ie weeks ago at a fore- closure sale. Marcus Loew 's reported as hav- ing leased it and will Install Loew pop vaudeville. DENVER AND SHOWS (Continued from page 1) and "The Fool," which played two weeks Just before, demonstrates Denver to be a good show town when the right attractions come along. Too often, however, this city is handed a second rate company, second-hand scenery and No. 8 coe- tumes. "Blossom Time"' probably could play a return engagement here and get away with another nice gross. So could "The Fool." Leading man in Henry Theatre, New York, now. What Lnit said in VARIETY: outfit, notably Harry Puck." HARRY PUCK W. Savage's "Lollipop,' Boston, Feb. t. The 13th regiment trooper unit, which played the Keith house hero lust week, after opening In ProvJ- dence the week before, comprised 3 men, and an offer has been re- ceived by Capt. . McReynolds. in charge of the unit, for a run at the Hippodrome, followed by a big time routing if he can build the act up to 73 men. The Keith Interests have offered transportation and possibly ex- penses, but no pay for the act on the ground that It Is a government recruiting stunt, using only enlisted men, and Keith is willing to give them a particularly fertile field for this recruiting work. During last week when the unit played here CO recruiting officers were added to the Boston sector to meet eny possible results that might romo from the propaganda. There Is a very definite plan to tie up the entertainment directly with recruiting in any way but to work It Indirectly. The unit as It played Keith's here was offered three-a- day time in Lynn and other cities outside Boston to nil la until the New York Hippodrome date, but the men did not want it. It Is understood the men are not keen on the theatre stunt, claim- ing it to be hard and unpleasant work because of Us abnormal re- quirements of exactness, and that they do not want to go to New York or anywhere else. The real story soems to be that the men think they ought to get something out of it. According to information here, higher government officials have given Capt. McReynolds a free hand to do whatever he likes with the unit and the government will pay the men only as though they were on duty as regular soldiers, bandsmen, etc. at Knickerbocker "There are several true (IikU in the CORPORATIONS Rebecca & Silton, Inc., New York, booking agents for picture actors; 50 shares preferred stock $100 per value; E0 shares common stock non- par value; Edwin Silton, Rebecca Belsky, Abr. I. Smolens. (Attorney, Abr. I. Smolens, 286 Fifth avenue). English Grand Opera Co., Inc., New York; grand opera, pictures: $50,000; George Bltimcnthal, George Hosenberg. Henry Elsbach. (Attor- ney, M. I. Falk, 116 Nassau street.* Rendrew, Inc., New York; the- atrical; $15,000; Herman Levias, BenJ. Sldransky, Ralph Carrion. (Attorney, L. Leveris. 37 Second avenue.) Negro Theatre, Inc., New York; $5,000; Raymond Ot?cil, A. B. Spln- garn, George H. Cllsbee. (Attorney. A. B. Splngarn, 19 West 44th Street). Robert Milton, Inc., New York; theatrical, pictures; 1,000 shares, no par value; D. C. Griffin, Eman Brooks, C. I. Johnson. (Attorneys. Kendall A Herzog, 17 East 42nd street). Jackson Heights Amusement Cor- poration, N. Y. C. Motion pictures, etc.; 100 shares non par value; E. F. Melsler, H. E. Bogdish, H. II. Irwin. Lion Amusement Corporation. N. Y. C. Furnishing amusement, $30,000; L J. Levy, H. H. Katsh. A. H. Brln. Lefferts Amusement Corporation, Brooklyn; theatrical film exchange, etc.; $50,000. Directors: Max Sha- piro, Julius Oulkis, Isaac KatBi Sub- scribers: Theodore Gutman, M. Singer, F. L. Garfunkel. (Attorneys. Levy, Gutman & Goldberg, 277 Broadway.) Edna Productions, Inc., New York; pictures; $JO.0()0. Directors: Ellis Miller, Oscar Guilfoyle. Frank Sullivan. Subscribers: William G I.ovatt, Esther Ettinger, Sylvia Schwarttman, John D. Tippett, Inc., New Yorlt; theatrical pictures: 100 shares non liar value; M. 1). Elkin, Mollle Sallt, Anno Elrhel. (Attorney, Na- than Btirkan, 1151 Broadway.) Certificate Change of Name From Apex Producing Company, New York City, to Boulevard Pro ■ luring Company. (Attorney, Na- than Burkan, 1451 Broadway). Texas Roj il Biurs Literary Club. Sir. Antonio. No capital. Incorporators: c.. .1. Sanders, it. M. Ramsey ami Waller Harris, all of San Antonio,