Variety (March 1924)

VARIETV BURLESQU Wednesday, March 5. 1984 EMPIRE, BROOKLYN, LED THE COLUMBIA WHEEL LAST WEEK Did $9,594, Hi^h Since House Opened—Mollie Will- iams Did $8,100 in Cleveland, Over $2,000 Above Average The Kniiiiro, Hiiiokl,\n, f<.i Mir fust time tins .«e;<s(iii h;is tin- Columbia tup not. ln>r :.i.st >m<1;. C"doj)fi's It« \ ui' tticre ii'.l i tilv liijiljcd liic ciM'i ■ I'M; •.rok<' <\'-v\ lioiise ii'4i>iil fo; I'lii Kmiiirc. Hnmk- :wi, .-liirc :■ (ijiPiinl. with tlt,r,94, 'riie pri'vii'iK u<'el< ilifc "nfconl Hi f.iUiis" Bill $7, .".no at tlif Kiiipiit. The Ci)limili.;i. N'l'W Yoik, List woek j;iit $fl,L'On with "Jlippity Hop" Week lic'fori; ("(liDnih.a iliil l!l,S(Ki with 'Wine, Wuiiiaii ami ^^oll.;. ' Cajcty, JSti-ihurj-'h. w.is alii'.ii even uii fiu- >•■••..uil uiiii tlio t'oimii- bi.i, Xtw 'i'o.'k, ;.i^t wiM'k I'l!!'-- lJllI•^:h Ki'tlins .11.'1,nil I'.M'CO a'-- >. Willi "'riiiipt.i I ii.i:- ' U'l I'k liflorc l'ittsliir^;li j;<il $1ii;imi v. J ll 'i'Lun S'-aii(lals." <;.j.V(ty, liostini, last Will: kh! $•1,000 With -I'llilil)!*' Hlililili.' Wii . Iiofore (iajeiy, Itustnii, v,.ih Kiii- ll.IlK Willi ' 'liil JlO.OOd. l.'a.-iiiiii liiistmi. list Will, w.ilij ■ l,i'f.« Cn" pot alio'.it $S,(Min. W'ri i, j iDi'fore 'Jlippity Jloji,' J3,i:.'.i, Kiiipire, .N«wa 1;. ia.st witk w;!li ■ llostoniaiLs' K<»t $7,800. W ' ik I . - fore Newark with ■■Qiitetis of J'aris" Kol about $10,000. The ("asino, I'hilailelphia, had a rniinl lucaking week for the house lant week with "Fdllics of the Day'' ^rtliiii, $.S.300, Die ')i:-.st non-holida\ week tlii.M season. Week before Casino, l'h:i,i<Iel]ihi.i. pot $11,000 with ■fcSlitliiiK'' Jtilly Wat.non. -■ The Coliiinbia, Clevi land, also }i>t In the rerord lireakinp el.ass last week with Mollie .Williams pettinp JS.IOO. Miss ,Wiiliani.s' publicity < impaiffn for the postal employt-s Avaq-e increase and hotter c-nditions ifsuiled in the Cleveland letter i.ir- lieis holditip a street p.irade in her lionor, ,\Iiss Williams bcinp pre- sented with a lovini,' iiip hy Ihi- IMislal eniplii,\fs who attoiidid tie Cnlinnlii.i in a bu.ly Thiir.sday iiij;lil. .lust what an $S.000 pros.s humus for 'h.- Coliinibia, Clivel.nid, may be il- liistratiHl by the fact of most of the shows beinp !iirl;\- to L-et $H.'iOO am! less previously this .season. The Week before the Coluinbia, Cleve- 'and, Willi 'fl.ulio Cirls" did $r..:iOii, including Washington's Jiirtlulay. London .Tiul Haniilioii, C.inad.i. .split wi'ek, $:'i,700 l;i-: wik wiih ".Ml In 7''lin." Week befoi e, ■■.\I,;/,My Sluii's" pot $4.niin. J'alai-e, llalliiiune. la^l \ve<k. ?«.fM)0 with •■.Sli.lil.;;" W.ll-iill. Week before, I'alare, li.ill imore, wiiji l)a\e .M.irii.in'.t .show, $10,000. Olynipic, t'hiiMpo, la^t week, with ■•Clmckles," $0,700. \\"e. K bi:oi... < ilMiipic, Chi, JS..S0O Willi ■•.'^il.. Slocklnp.s lli'vue. ■ Star and Carter, Chicauo. :.rt week, with 'Silk Stoi-kiiijjs Ueviie." did $9,000. W.el; brfore. vvilli ".lir/ Timi," Star ai;ii Caiter, Cliicipo, ^■ot $7,."00. Miners Ttronx. \< w Ynk. i.ist week, W.lh I >,l';i inir AloUnil," $.'i.M)0. AS'eek liii.iic, Hon Tons," at Hronx, $C,rino. Olyniiiic, Ciiicir.!i;iti. !:,■.■; week. $7.00(1 wilh •ll.iMiy Co l.iiiky." Week lielore, '■St(p'(.'! |;,'' ai Cin- cinnati, nbout $l>,HoO. Huriip & Seninon's, New Yoil.: I.-ist week. $.".S0O with "yiier.n-^ of I'aris." \Veek befm-... $n.!i:';i wi:li Cooper's Itf\ lie. Oriihi'iiin, I'aierson. l,i»t week, wilh "It. cord lii eaki'r-,' $4,100 Week before. $4,700. at Pa:ii-on, wilh "Hostojians.'' Krni)ire, Toronto, last week, $."000 v\ith ".Monkey Shines." Wri k bc- foie. Torohio, not reportiil. WARM BATTLE IN ROCHESTER The invasion of Hoehcsier, N. Y.. liv the Mulii.il wheel, which b.m bi en pkiyinj; the Corinihian lore has resulted In the Columbi.i is. siiinc; oidei.s to tho in.Uuoei.s ic bi;i the town exicisiv , ;v. Tm ItJ l^ollll'ill.irV plai'.J I Me H.'U'CIV Itocli. kill Sinci t!i.. Corw.ioi.iii slartn] t):e (;..\-iy'.s b,i,.i;.i;--s h.i-- ilrolilicii i.pii . li.ilily. The billiinr orih r nniks ;lie Dr..' lime In .--even or »i;:)it yiij.- lije c,,. I'llnbia has 'ised any i liinu: more ilKm « niiniiniiii) of ii.ioir in Kmlii-'ii' Howe and Reeves on Mutual .s.iiji Howe, who hud a Co- lumbi.i show for upwards of L'O years, is sLited for a .Mu- tual 'how for next season. A\ Kceves also i.s yienciled in for a .Mut'.ia!, after 20 years of tr.ivelinp over the Columbia route. CENSORSHIP ANNOYS BURLESQUE SOMEWHAT Different Towns on Columbia Wheel Watch Burlesque Thru "Dirty" B'way Plays Hii: lesqne .shows are havinp their own troubles with olIKi.il censor- ship ihi- se.-ison. In Toronto is .i strict loml c»n- soiship to pass that l.as been ton- siderably less strinpent in past sea- sons. I'rovidence is anothe'r city that has the censor husr b.adly. A police ser- peaiit reviews the burlesi|iie shows every Monday .Tfternoon and wields the axe pencrously. Recently the I'ldvideiice <<ipper ordered out a comed.v scene done by a Columbia whi el ( (imic for the last 10 years th.'it no one had ever takin excep- tion to. lioston has b.\d censorship for a number of years, but the luoducers have no <-oiniilaint to make .ibout i it, the censorsiii|i rulings beiiiK in- 1 tellii;ent and re.ison.i lib', the pro- • luccis say. Uociiester has as strict a censor- siiiji as any city on the Columbia circuit, Censorslrip conditions are not onerous in any of the hip cities other than those mentioned, but the sni.iller bur.us pencraKy are inclined to rem.ike show business as f.ir .is burl. si|ue Is concerned. While liurlesfiue is as i Iea"n, if not cle.mer than mfi=t aimiseaieiits. tho horde of dirty' IJro.idv.ay shows, bo;h musical and lepit, this se.isoii h.is focused attention on burli-.^ijiie, the burlesijue men feel, ami the condition is reil.vied in the .idiviiy o:' the sm.ill town einsoi-, lefoini orp.iiiiz.-itions. ere. COUPLE FOUND IN ROOM; DAVID BROWN DIES Police Say Overdoses of Mor- phine Cause—Bessie Reymo in Critical Condition lluir.ilo, March 4, I'.i\id r.iown. 30 jears old, of liulTalo, and a burlesque ;ictor with the ■•r><imlon Cayetv tiirls," died in a Itocliester hospital after beinp found iincoiiscioiis in a hotel room there with llessle Iteynio, 1,S, also of J.uffalo. lloth were victims of an overdose of morphine, aciordinp to the police. The cirl is in a crilical condiiion .and her recovery is doubtful. The pair were members of the same com- pany, of which r.rowns wife is tiltso a member. The company is playlnp Wilkes - li.irre, J>a., this week rii.wh's remains were leiuiiied to liull.ilo for burial. Tom Howard Rc-Sisned Tom How.ikI has been re-sipiud liy tin IJdhimians. loc, :ind will ,'ia\i- I'.e chief i.'omedy rolp in the i Mili Mi ii u ii il id l ii i in > i f "Creinw i uh \'il!,l:'e Koiliis." SUSAN TOMPKINS MONS. EDMOND QUERY I'rnm ttio Huftulo I'rt-ss. reli. iifith, 1924: ".VtnitliiT ftrHt-cIa^.-l fi';»lure i» tho nf- fiiiiiK of SUiiin 'I'liiiuiKMis. an aicum- lili.'teil viiiliiiistf, an.I Mmiii. Kilmiimt, l''ii II' h jiiiiiii.yt, wtio prejuTit an artisfic .ot Kiiil a <leii>tlilful pruKriun. in wtuch .\IisH 1'iiin|il«iii.s iiiavH itu' Si'hijlterl- Wiiht'lni.j '.\\ia Maria' wilh lu-^ciim** iiitie. i.ii.l MiiiT< l-Jilnninit ilis.-losi-ii lint' ti-i-liiik-al iTotii leni-.v (111 Ins (ilnnu nuni- t,ii-s "— i^i'uruT- tTiMulrcr. Tlili «<-fk (Miireli 3), Slipii'd, Toronto. Nf\t wrok t.Marrh t>>. rrinceHH, MontrMtl. Direction ALF T. WILTON, Aisociatc FRED B. MACK Western. CHAS. CROWL Columbia's Closing Date The olllclal eloHlnp date of the Columbia shows this year will be April 2!). There may be Rrtme supple- nicnl.iry time jilayed, that de- peniliiiK on conditions around .May 1. COLUMBIA PRODUCERS ON MIXED SHOWS Meeting Friday — Several Pendinq Matters Coming Up NEWARK BURLESQUE IN 3-SIDED TAflCLE Regular Houses Announcing Elaborate Stock Burlesque After Regular Season A meetinK of the Columbia Bur- lesque lYoducer.s' Association ha.s been set for Friday, M.arcli 7, at 11 a. m.. at the IJurlesque Club. The producers will formulate pl.ins for next season and t;ike up several matters pemiini; for some time. Amonp; the latter it- said to be the subject of colored and white per- formers in the s.'ime show. Com- jiiaints are said to have been tiled with the Troducers' Association re- ^hrdins; the mixture of colors In the Cohmibi.i shows this season, and a move is expected by one faction cailin.LC for the association to es- t.ibllsh a rule that would have the shows either all colored or all white, a I'd with the present plan of mixed shows abolished. This move may meet with fitronjr opposition from two or more pro- ducers who h.ive h.'id considerable success with the mixed shows this season. MUTUAL TO PLAY SHOWS ON NEW BASIS Plans for Next Season Specify New Guarantee and Per- centage Arrangement Newark, X. J. March 4. Tho local burlesque w;ix here Is entering on a. new phase. Miner's Kmpire intends to open a summer sto<-k, alternatinK weekly with a simihir stock at the Orpheum, I'at- erson. Pitch company will have four comedians, two piima Uuiinas, and mtiny chorus pirls. The I.,yric (.Mulualt, will also run stock with 10 [irincii'als and choris- ters. If possible a flve-whefl cir- cuit of neaiby houses will tie formed. tiut at any rate a stock will hold forth at the Lyric. Both these stocks ore obviously aimed at the Stranil, with its vaude- ville-bitrUs-que policy. The Kmpire has been hurt some and the Lyric a trood d'^al by the Strand. The Stiaiiil, like the I-yrlc, is not mnkinc; any great money. The show-down for the new policy will prtibably come next month when It is understood tlie tirft periinl of the le.ise exiiires. If renewed, it is stated that the rent Coes from $X00 to $1.000., As the li'.abians, from whom the house is leased, are In- tei-esied in the venture, this jumj) will perh.ips, not prove an insuper- nhiu obstacle. 'HOLLYWOOD FOLLIES' MAY BE SUMMER SHOW Reported Having Best Chance at Present for Columbia's Hot Weather Run "Hollywood Kollie*," one of the Hurtle & tseamon strinpr of live Co- lumbia shows, is reported as liav- ing the lead at present as a. sum- mer show possibility for the Co- lumbi.i, New York. With tho national Democratic convention slated for June, the Columbia summer run proposition shaiies as a defiirable plum next summer. The "Hollywood" show has Marty Collins and Jack Pillard featured and Is rated as ranking well up with the top-notchers. Bayes for Interstate April 6 Dallas, M\rch^. Nora Hayes will st.irt her Inter- st.-ite Circuit tour April 6 at $3,000 weekly. All her terms have been met ex- cept the re<iuest for chaiifte of open- In^- day at the first theatre. Rockwell and Fox Splitting Los Ancteles, March 4, Ceorge Uockwcll and AI Fox, iil ly- ing the Orpheum circuit, will split upoi. completing their time In about ei^ht weeks. l?oth members of the team jilan to do singles. It has been practically decided tho Mutual Burlestiue AssocUitioti will play their showe on a guaran- tee and percentage arrangement next season as against the present system of the house guaranteeing the show* a stated sum. The Mutuals. this and last season, hive been getting $1,300 from the houses, with the show operator guaranteed $200 weekly for his bit. The arrangement calls for the show to expend $1,100 for sii'aries of the troupe. That idea was all right when the Mutual started, the show operators • IS a rule having little or no capital. The house giiar.-intee assured the show of traveling over the circuit with financial security. As the flist eeason's business was not very big the arr.angement w.i.s satisfactory .ill .around. This se.ison, however, several -Mutual shows develoiicd uiKxpe'tid dr.iwing power. The s.inie applies to a number of the .Mutual houses. The Cnrrick, St. Loiii.s, for instance, litis been running along at $7,000 ;i> $S,000 sincp .N'oveniber, with holi- day weeks better. The sliows re- ceived the same $1.S00 guar.Tiitee no I latter what the ^usiness totaled. An arrangement of this kind was obviously in favor of the hou.se owners. When .a house owner con- troUeil a show, or shows, the fact of the ehow only receiving $1,300 didn't make so much difference. But with a show operator con- trolling no house, or houses, it worked out quite differently. Two or three of the Mutual houses have instituted percentage plans In addition to the $1,300 guar- antee since the current season started,! The new plan will call for .ill of the houses to give the show the same $1 300 gu.irantee or bitter, hut with a jiercentage elid- ing scale split that will give the show operators a real break In the way of potential profits. The percentage and guarantee plan, It Is expeited, next season will raise the grade of the Mutual shows. The Mutual has decided to go after burlesque "name" comics, having been conducting negotia- tions with several of the topnotch Columbia stars to he:id shows oa the Mutual wheel next sea.son. I. H. Herk, who went Into the Mutu.al as president around Christ- mas time, after the circuit had gone through a seties of internal squab- bles that threatened to wreck It, is credited with devising the guaran- tee and percentage plan for next season. Details will be announced shoitly. Mildred Harris' Return Miiili li; Is the d.ite set for the ■I' i::m of .Mildred Harris (former .\Ii - Ch.iiles Cli.ipliii/ to Miude- Vi.ie. Biliy K. Wells stands .Tlmost pat with this year's edition of "Bubble Bubble," holding' over most of the comedy scenes of l.ist year's book, but impioviiig where ch.inges were insi ru'il tliiom,'h .added speed, Tlie burlesque is fast, litppy, color- ful, well produced .ind spli lulid'y cast. The show gets under wa.v on hiirh, and never lets iiji. Abe Ueyn- filils does his well-liked Hebrew througlioiil, never tjeroming tire- some, and ably assisted by Jack Kuquay, the second comedian, .and Florence Mills, the piim.i dfuina, back in burlesque after several seasons' absence. .Miss Mills has the same Commandlng presence ot yore, and (Continued on page 33) BURNS AND PADEN'S TAB. Curlev Burns and Howard Paden, formerly with the "Homy Bunch" t.ib conipany, will begin to whip a new show Into sli,ipe to enter I'ooria, III., .March 11 for summer stock The "Honey Bunch" closed last week, and will not be reorg iiilzed, BURLESQUE CHANGES Bilie l;:\,ins, "l-'ollies of the l).i,-.-." Boyce and ];v;uis, t>lidinii Uiliy Watson's Show. Alice Joyce In Vaude The latest picture star to enter the ranks of vaude is Alice Joyce. Kdgar Allan Woolf is writing the sketch. Miss Joyce h;is siient most of her theatrical career In pictures ILL AND INJURED Lew Weed oper.ileii upon at Itoosevelt Hospital Thursday for an infected arm. Due to the Illness of Rlan.^he Creightnn (The Creightons), the act had to cancel the Grand, St. Louis, last week. They are at B.ittic Creek, Mich., where Miss Creigliton Is re- cuperating. An ailment which has caused her suffering for over a year has com- pelled Henrietta Bryon (.Mrs. Ttar- ney Kag.in) to retire from "i^ally. Irene and .Mary" to under^'i) tre.lt- ment. -tal—Woods Keith booker, re turned to his de.sk this week after a two wt-eks' absence, due to Ill- ness. John UucUer (Kuc'.<er and Terrin) has recovered from an opera I Ion performed in Los Angeles and will shortly return to vaudeville. "STEALING" Producers on Columbia Charge Rul* Broken Despite .an agreement entered into at the beginning of the season to the effect Columbia producers would not try to ''steal" principals from each other, producers are complain- ing the rule is being flagrantly broken. The sgreement in effect says the producers will not start negotiationi with a performer who is under con- tract with another Columbi.a pro- ducer. The Producers' Association is to ■appoint ;i i-ommittee to look into the comjiiaints and suggest a remedy that will make the rule fool-proof. PAINTED SIGNS The Columbia Amusement Co. Is using outdoor painted sign advertis- ing for its houses fo.- the first time since the circuit started. IJtho- gr.iphs have been the only type of billing used for outdoor display stuff heretofore. Kor a Bt.arter the t^olumbia has six piintid 24-shcet size sinns be- tween Jersey City and Washington, each carrying the names of the Ca- sino, Philadelphia, stnii Palace, Bal- tiniitie, and the phrase "Columbia Burlesque." San Diego Openings " .San Diego, .March 4. The n<'w l'.inla;;es theatre here will be opened .March 10, according to present plans, with the new H.il- boa, ,1 picture hou.-e. .'-litcil to begin ciicratlons slioitly after.