Variety (March 1924)

PRICE 20 CENTS ruliliahpd WceKIy at 15< West 4Cth 6'.., Now York, N. T., by Variety, Inc. Annual Bubscription 17. Sinsle copl»a JO centa. Enter»il as «»conit claw matter December IS, 190S. at the Post Ottice at New Vork, N. Y.. under the Act o( March i. H7». VOL. LXXIV. No. 5 NEW YORK CITY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1924 48 PAGES RADIO MENACES PUBLISHERS MANY-SIDED PROPOSITIONS INVOLVED IN "ACTORS' STTUKE" May Place Erlanger-Shubert Factions in Former At- titudes—Shuberts' Objectives Reasoned Out — Equity's Conservatives "Choked Off" M inagoilil (innniiltecs tlil.s woe!: vrill .itarl afrt'frli on n .solutimi of the Kquity probiem. A sort oC intliins Ji;iil: .■ir.d fonh of i.lo.-is and i>l,iiis contain tl'.e KoiHia! ihcor.i.' a settle- mem wi!l be made ami a strike aveiieil. J^iuh a rcsul: i.-; far from asfsuit'iV One of llie stiaiiHcst ob.staclos m:\\ turn otit to I'o tliat of the stilit in tlio I'rodlKM;;" JN(anas'/rs' Ai.sooia- tion. Til" "roiijHi robins" are r>!<?JRP'' asaiiiiU clo.«eJ sln>i» and tliere art- proiluccds listi-d on the yliubert side who fee! ju.sl :is keen!., al)out it, but tlie.v are opposed to anytliins sponsored by Krlanger, just aa there are men standing witli tiie latter who are distrustful of any nu've made by the Shul)erts. Tlie Kniiity nialtor, therefore. lias • n angle tliat brings back the o;d fihubctls'KrI.cnerer f.olinfr. An atlemiit will be madt- V< r( imito <«''>niiiiu< I on liai^e 44 i CHICAGO FILM HOUSE USING VAUDEVILLE LUTE JOHNSON'S *SHEEP' PLAYED BY WHITESIDE 60-Year Old Denver Newspa-j per Man Went Through Spe- | cial Harvard Course Honvfi'. Jlar.-li IS. WaII;<T Wliifside will jirosent the preiiiiero of "Siipep." a play Written by I.ute Johnson. l>.-nver aew.spaper man, at the lirnadwav, Thursday (.March iOi. .tMliiiKon «ias been for many years a re.si- ^ent of IXnver. and is \vidfl.\ l.nown lor I'.is new.spapor work. An interfstiiii; thini; in coni.ir - tion with the autlior of -.Siieep" is I'lat lie i.s more tlian C1 years old. and has been writing i.Iay.= for years. Two years afio he took the «ramatic Pi>r< iai c,.ur.>e at Har- vard T'niversit.v, at an ago when niOKt men are ploki!:K a .soft .spot >n vhich to .<!p<.iid a pcaeeful old ^St. nospite his years and w.a'.th- H COSTUMES Who Will make your lext ones? Ttiose who have bought fro-" us BRCOKS-MAHIEU "■.i!'li:i» -1 ,■ ;...s 1 l',.i,r,, tH.Y.Iiiy -1^' l.OCO Co'-.tumcs for Rertai Balaban & Katz's Central Park for First Time—Always Straight Pictures Chicago, Marcii IS. l''iie ao;« on Tiiursday. I'ridax and Saturday and sis acts on Sun- day Is to be a n?\T policy at Kala- ban & Kat7.'9 Central park, the houfce wi.ere the firm practically started. Sis rows of seats have been t"rn out down front wViere a slape Is l>?ing btitlt. The houie ha-" I'Cver played an.\ - thing: but atralsht pictures wiih an occ.aslona'. presentation. The fir?.; half will retnain on the straight screen program. I'ur tl e la.1t Inlf the scale wU! be raised fom 20 tci 55 cents. "WISE GUY" OR 'BOOB"? Florence Reed Finishes With Wood Stock After a Week Wa.sliinyton, Manii 18. I'ii'ieiae need Ins cancelled her t-'.OiK'-a-woe!; contract witli Leon- ard Wood, Jr., and his .stoclc com- pany here at the Pre.'-idciil. "Lul- laby" wa° bein?; i>l.'i>ed, and i!i five day.s (tie rl'^co drew j:i.;t(i(t. The contr.'ict was to have poi.e three woel:.<!. and at the time it was an- nounced Wood ^aid it would in'ove one of t .vo things, that l.e wis either tli" wise-t .stock manau;'! i". (.aplivity or just a boo!>. 'i'.ike your pick. HEADLINED IN TRENCH (lii'-aijo, M.i,, 1, i N \ ei ne iSiil., wiio o<Kavi/ed Irs o«n orclusn-1 here ai.d buiil iiji a repiit.atior for d.tnco music that 1^1 hia\ to enonj;li f.inie to jii.tify hcad- Kiiiiif: ;«t the Cliicaijo Talacc, Is now lilayirjij f-ecord violin in th ■ r.'^ii^.-ir orchestra at the Si-'.v.;. !■. .i* t!. ■ r' yu'ii t i ul 'ii .Hut'e. BECOME A Vim ISSUE TO Paying Talent Most Impor- tant ' Now — Mills* New Angle on Situation—A. F. of M. Convention in May Will Take in Prob- lem — Effect on Good Catalog RADIO COMMUNICATION DAMN FOOLS OUT FOR NOTORIETY" BUFFALO'S MAYOR ON K. K. K.'S Local Officials Pay Little Heed to Klan** Demand Sunday Performances Be Stopped—Chief Says Theatres Open With Permission K di.. Duller Than Usual (.'hi.- itV, M .- I ■■ .i>niM T' 1 h ol I'-o s'lOV s SM' tii-i lii:-.t i» I '.Im 'a i.i.'i^T Hadio if in iti iiifai. cy but is m.i .so tiny tin infai.c that it iii't evi- dent it will grow aiid grow and not prove a inomei'.tary fad. That is why the nuisi'; publisher.s look for- ward to somethirg radical in radio'a development as applied to their own enterpri.se. Ju.st what It is cannot be determined just yet. The general conclu.slon. how'vcr. is that radin will either have to reimburse the in- du^•try liaial.soinely or the music husinc.-is will become iion-exl.ste:.*. Saul Jf. I'.ornstein, the Irving Ber- lin. Inc executive, .sizes it up tluir- oiilmly when he .siys: "We had one of the greatest popular catalogs In the mu.sic busi.ne.ss the l.t-st quarter if I s.'ty so iiiy. r-lf, ainl jet we lo.st money as far as the I''e'.)n:arv royalty ."^tateiiirnts Wcie coii.-.'! iied. V.'liy'." 1 ibiii't unow "I'm nt>l so s'.i''- lailit. is to Idim", (C'oiitiriued on page 42> Picture Circuit's Agency ivtn I'rar.ci^cn. Mii.ii !< We.it Coast Theatres, Inc.. Is no>v maiii'.iitiii.g l'» own vaudeiillt booking agency t.i supply acLs for the various hoM.ses on tlo' I'aiili'" t'o.'i«'. M )» ( i'i>' ■■» lloAe is in cii.irge of tlie odlce with l.iMil- <|ii irlers in I.n.s .Xngea's CHURCH PLAYERS PAY ROYALTY ON PLAYS Universalist Church of Law- rence, Mass., Sets Prece- dent—Big Attendance Lawreme, At;.ss .M.a.li H. f-etting a precerlcn' in Ii.awre'ioe, M i.''s , cluuch frifert.ainmonl.s ar.d being the lirnt in tlo- counliy to take .such stei>.s, the ^•ll.renll.l ("hib of the I'niversalist Church actually piik.-d two play.s fur their annii.tl pre.sf r.tation.s which demand d the paying of royaltio.s. Th.c l-'iorentia Ciub i,ri-senfed "Xhc Hevcrei'.d I'eter Krico, bache- lor" ar:d "I'inMe Jimmy" by IV'iiiah ^Vil.son and Zona CJra.v. respectIveiy. f)nly a few month.s ago "Suppiessed Desir'-j," Iv Husan Clap.'l'., w.is elvrn. The arnin; pi "sei.'.atinr.a di"W tlie largest g.atheiing seen for a gfM.nlly lumber of ye.ars a* .a little theatre play and the club pioved the advi.sabili'y of chancing the hra;\(I even if i iiy,t''(|i'.i .n • di- manibd. 'I'lie (.(st.i of botii pl.i."s w.': " II 'intinu' ,1 'Ml i> age 4 ■ Kuffalo, March 1*. The ICu KIuK Klan today R»rvM 1 '>ticc on Mayor Schw.ib. Chief of I'niice Zimmerman. and l'"rank IVrrv, man.-.ger of the Cayt'/, that all .Siiiidiiy .i^hows were in violation of the tily ttatute.i, charglner that the .alliged \lii!ationa are m.\de witl'. th« authorization and iinJer tiie pri.teciinn of the city aulhoritie*. 'i'he chief i.s.sued a .statement the llif-alris have permission for Sun • nay conceits and that the I iw i.t noJ being ladalesl. while Mayor i^.-hwaO went on record a.s ."aying Ituffalo be iiin without ii.torf.-renc.- tiie Klansmcn, whom he said liiiiii li..,Is looking for Poto- will from are ' I i"ty. A!l tit. 11 Iheatii'.i h>'i 0 without fvcep. o:h(r than the legitim.it- hoio-es h.ive I n Minnfng opi'n on Sunda\ without hindr.anee ar.d nni.-', lo th • gratKieation nf the ra'.vs. PICTURE BOOKING CUTS OUT TWO ACTS EQUITY AND CHICAGO II I: Kquity, s.ay.s a .slrlke is exiriir.'Iy iiiiliiiel.v, but Ivniily will Imv ac ■ ess, it a .strike .should <■ onu', to tlie fidlMWing house.s, wimli are <laim<'d .as pl'''dneil: <iari.el,-, Si'lv.yn. .Xpoilo, I..a Sille. A'lclphi, CenU.tl, (ii.it No.-iheia., .s>". inb-itakfi'. I'l ince.is. I'l lyh'i'.i.-'- aid W.ir''ii:gliK lUa!. •Hunchback" in 9'/2 Reels in Keith-Booked Houses— Running 2 Hours " ACTOR-CONGRESSMAN'S | NEW WRINKLE-LAW Representative Connery of Mass. Filling In Open Tin^e at Capital -f I I'nrk >. .\i: '.r tl.i. K'lth-Moi-i fl; -atM- .\< *■ Vo:k : (ring playing .six a<-t:s (•li;.a;;o, March U. 1 cgillai ly, will Xilay four eaeti l;aK M'lim. loril ii.iinsei for j (,t r-.r-xt week. Ihrougli the booking of th" "lliir.f I'.Im •!: of Notre i>.nii'" picture. The hou^.'S playing <:»,eii v. IH [il.iv Itvo, f.f,-., two b"Mig dro|.pid 1H e.Mi, i,.,.t.aTr.-, T'l" "iliiM-hbacl:" will r'ln nil!" ai .1 t !nlf j.-.-ia. J' was in I:; reels .it lU" A't d'..( li ^• the l«io.o!w,iy run '" In tie- rivi.-i-d f oi m tin- 'ifiuich- I I..1 !. ' e ill run neiirl;, two hour* fji I till' \ .1 inhv illf liouses. -W- i ii Mloi i i — M I I -U foh.in's Gi i;,,| 11,111 :.-. Kla.i;, I'liI Illiiioi-, «ili i,'rn.iiM d.irl:. THEODORE KOSIOFF \l) . ,11' 1 ) i. , ' ..!■.■ ollji I . , - IMPERIAL R'JSSJAN BALLET SCHOOL \'. ■.:: .11. .1. Co.':'.e';, i , ;. f .in. a.-lor b'lt c'lrr'I'tly .> Cmn i -^i! fiorn Ma...s i.'t.'isett , v.i'l. :i .s-■'. « t!iu Hi!J M..ki- g !••> - "'Ml V.:; <. •■■ ur".'..-' \M>i l.in.T I'oni . - IN 1 l{\\« I»« O ItK \M II: 466 Grary Street Main Stitdios, Los Angclcj j 'j >!.• 1. ,u i! I 1 (