Variety (May 1924)

VARIETY VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, May 7, 1924 '■'m EBEE MIXED IN CONTROVERSY OF LEGIT WARRING FACTIONS Stories in "Times" Carried Statements From Both Sides —Reports of Equity Attempting to Buy Old What Rats American Federation Charter Held by Harry Mountford, but Denied The New York "Times" Monday carried a story containing a Ktate- ment by William A. Brady, clinrninK E. F. Albee has been behind the "round robin" group of legit pro- ducers that bus been hoMlnf; out against the 80-20 Equity agreement consented to by the Shuhert nowly formed combination of ProducinK Managers' Association. There has been no confirmation of the statement In the "Times' story concerning Equity seeking to pur- chase the American Federation of Labor charter issued originally to the White Rats. It is now held un- der the control of Harry Mountford and James W. Fitzpatrick. A story to the effect Equity was endeavor- ing to make the purchase appeared one day last week in the "Times Square Dally." The "Times" story said: BRADY SAYS ALBEE FIGHTS EQUITY PEACE In a Statement, Endorsed by Lee Shubert, He Charges Vaude- ville Interference FEAR OF AN ACTORS' UNION Equity Officials Said to Seek Vaudeville Charter From Fed- eration of Labor Lee Shubert and William A. Brady, leading members of the Producing Managers' Association. charge that outside Influences have been brought to bear upon members of the association to prevent a peaceful general agreement by all the members with Equity for a re- newal of the theatrical contract. The (Continued on page 8) MME. ZORANDA ACT CANCELLED AT 23D ST. Act Fine for "Artists and Models"—Too Fine for Vaudeville Inability of the Hud.Kon Dusters and Chel!<ea riophers to vi.suali/.e the dividing line that rtirCcrcntiiites an artistic endeavor from out-;in(l out naughtiness was given as the reason for the cancelliition of .Mine Zaronda after the matinee sl)i)wii\;^ at Proctors 23il Street .Monday afternoon. Mme. Zoranda was the new liil'ltijf adopted for La lielle Titconili, who has been appearing under the now name abroad and was atlempting .1 come-back in American vaude- ville. Her offering wa.s a full stage singing act of four numbers with costume changes for each, and said changes were m;ide lieliind a trans- parent screen In the re.ir of the stage. Although clothed in strip fleshings, the seeming nudity was too niurh for Mondays audience, according to Manager Huffy, wild nevertheless agiccd tliat it would lie a great feature for ".\rtists and Models." Diiffy sent for Mtnc. Zi.iaiola an.! notilied her that the undress busi- ness in the act was too rlsf|ue for the family atidiences, upon wl.ich Mme. Zoraiid.i agreed to le.ivp the lull with r.iuid and Wilsoti ropl.icing at the night perrorm.'iiue. According to Duffy, several act.-- having this "undia'ssing fealur<'" incorporated have been refused time because of it at the I'roitor iieigli- boriiond houses. FEMININE "ALA BABA" Violinist, 19, Heads Band of Thieves —On Trial I.,os Angeles M.iy R Eleanor Walling, 19, a violini.st, appearing in vaudeNille, went on trl.il at H.-ilicrstickl, .Monday, for the robbery n f tim St att ' Il.i ii k it T. i ft, March 13. The girl has admitted she wa- the head of a b.*nd of thieves, ami piloted the police to the spot wheie the $4,700 stolen had been hidden. Two of her accomplices were cap- tured with her. EDDIE CANTOR EECTED MAYOR OF BROADWAY Will Select Advisory Board and May Hold Inaugural Ball— Won Over 17 Contestants Eddie Cantor, Uroadway's first mayor, is taking his Job serk)usly. Cantor owes hi» election to the Telegram-Mail contest, originated by Walter Winchell. In his first speech, following the notification of his appointment. Mayor Cantor said In part: "Within a year 1 will show that I have done somethln^for the street which has done so much for me," His Honor's first official act was in the form of a suggestion that some of his friends attend a confer- ence with hhn, to decide upon bene- ficial steps the mayor has in mind for the betterment of the Broadway section known as Times Square. Mayor Cantor has not yet an- noun(-ed his cabinet, but he Is go- ing to have one with a board of aldermen, commissioners and all the other trimmings tht.t go to make up a regular city government. It was suggested at first that the mayor should celebrate his election with a beefste.ik, but his supporters in.iy frown down the eating affair for a more dignified banquet, dance and cnteitalnnient. .N'els (Jninlund of the Loew forces came In second in the mayoralty contest, with Walter J. Kingsliy getting the "sliow" money, and Walter Winchell. fourth. The votes polled by the four lead ers were as follows: Eildie Cantor. Hr.4-Jl: N T Oran- lund, IT.Ufi: W.ilter J. Kingsley .'").'J72. and Walter Winchell, 4..S'2.';. McWATTERS-TYSON'S NEW ACT A new girl act, c.illed "C.iddv Cidliam." Is to be placed in lehears.il by .McW.itters and Tyson for the new season's start. It will be along the lines of the |)ro(liiction turns this standanl couide gave to vaudeville l)ef<ire they became .'in attraction as a tcim in "one" and "two." •'SMALL TIMERS" COMEDIES De Haven .and .Nice will begin a .'er'ies of two reel comedies, etitit'.ed •The Sm.ill 'rtiruus" Cut Salary—Not Matter An Independent booker tut* posted the following notice: "Just because you cut aalary to play thia time i« no reaaon why you should cut material. Big time scouta and musical comedy discoverers are con- stantly looking you over. H you don't do your regular act, you are cheating yourself and everybody else." quiring acts to file a script This office hereafter is re- contalnlng their material and has Instructed managers to re- port any "cheating" or "slicing." BURNEY'S BENEFIT Extraordinary Low Cost, With Net of $3,908.74 $353, The extraordiijarlly low cost of operating the benefit for Henry J. lUirney, the blind actor, at the Ca- sino, New York, ..prll 13, was $353. It Included ail expenses with the theatre donated by the Shuberts. A net of $3,908.74 was realized for Mr. Rurney. George Le Maire, who conducted the benefit, salys there are still some accounts for tickets outstanding and he will be obliged for the re- mittances due, in order that his ac- counts may be closed up. LeMaire and Billy B. Van opened Monday with "The Dream Girl" (Shuberts) at Albany, N. Y., writing their roles into the light musical. DUNCAN SISTERS' lUSIC PUBLISHING COMPANY Formed in Chicago—Thirty- seven Numbers on First Catalog Chicago, .May 6. Taking over the lease on the suite formerly occupied by Witmark in the Carrlck bu'iing, the Duncan Sisters h.ave entered the music pub- lishing business here. The firm will be known as the Duncan Sisters Music Publishing Co., and .lohn Conrad, former m.ana- gcr for Witmark, has been appointed as general m.anager. The new firm starts with 37 num- bers. The sisters claim that they have the music and lyrics for two more shows, ,ind if the actors' strike conies on the shows will be produced in Chicago, but if the theatrical sit- uation remains normal they will be sent out to Tom Wilkes on the coast to produce. LANG AND O'NEAL DISSOLVE l..nig and O'Neal dissolved their v.audeville partnership at the (Jrand, Philadelphia. Harry Lang and liernlce Haley (Mrs. Lang), I'^our Haley Sisters), opened on the Keith Southern time last Monday. O'Neal will continue in vaudeville with another comedian. X ^ y-y ter^v MARION MARLOWE "DANSEUSE ORIGINALE" 1 " Prom the K.ast to the West. a.i^p^^'cii.K^^irH^'.;:;;^..^'^"'^ ^^*^" ^-^^-^ ^^ ^- ^-^-^ f-onte Many thanks to NIc ' Watson and Gil" Boag. TWAY BREVmES" INDICTMENTS ON 12 COUNTS FOR FRAUD Scandal Sheet's Publisher, Steve Clow, and Others Must Plead Next Week—B. J. Palmer, Texas Guinan and Lee Shubert Among Those Threat^ ened—Prominent Show People Called Before Grand Jury—Indictment in Full SONG WRITERS' PARTY AGAIN IN WASHINGTON Appeared Yesterday Before House Committee—Carroll Flew Over , Washington, May 6. Earl Carroll hits the front pages of the local dailies again, this time by Hying from Ne v York to Wash- ington in two hours. A special train carrying a contingent from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers to present their side of the controversy in Congress ove.- the proposed changes in the Copyright Act had its roof painted white for Carroll's benefit. He followed the tif.in until safely on his way and then speeded up and landed here wtl' aheac of the others. Carroll vii; fly from here to Chicago, leavIr.K Wednesday morning and planning to make the flight in eight hours. At the National l">resB Club, Mon- day night, a banquet was spread by the A S. C. A. P., with Silvio Hein arranging the details, which brought out practically all of the members of the Senrte Patents Com- mittee, including fcenator Dill, of Washington, who is fast becoming known as the "Protector of Radio." It was Sen.itor Dill that started tlij present fight to change the Copyri.ght Act to benefit the radio broadcasters, and it was this same Senator tliat more recently success- fully fought out the issue with Sen- ator Smout of placing a 10 per cent tax on radio sets. The Senator, al- though in what might be termed the "enemy's camp" from his standpoint, was an interested lis- tener to a program which, with Gene Ijuck, president of the society as toastmaster, included Silvio Heln, Harry Archer. Charles K. Harris, Harry Von Tilzer, Oley Speaks, Ju- lian Witmark, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern. Earl Carroll, Rudolph Frlml, J. McCarthy. Harry Tierney, Victor Herbert. John Phillip Sousa. William Jerome, Percy Wenrlch, Wilmer Janssen. Lew Charles Tobias, Ren Davis, Harry Akst, Con Ctmrad, Raymond Hubbell, Elli* Parker Butler and Nate Leipziz. Each contributed his bit to the entertainment, with such men as E. C. Mills, Nathan Burkan and Au- gustus Thomas "readying their guns' for the fight yesterd.ay before the House committee. In addition to Senator Dill, others present from the pper legislative body includo<I Walsh, of Massachu- setts; Copeland, of New York; Ed- wards of New Jersey, and Stanley, of Kentucky, while the House was represented by Garrett, Oldfield. Nelson (.Minn). Bloom, McLeod, Perkins. Iteid. Allen, Cook. Wefold and Iteed A full account of the hearina will appear in Clipper tomorrow. a»-,S LEADER DISMISSED ."^ian Kr.incisco, May 8. "Dismi.s.-ed for the good of the orchestr.i" is (he cause assigned by .Manager Harry Campbell of the lo- cal Orplieuiii for the departure of K.iyrnotid P.one, its feader for eight ye.irs. Rone declares his dismissal fol- lowed criticism by him of the policy of the Orplieuni. Gabriel Peralta, formerly first violin, has been promoted to the conductor's chair. "COPPERHEAD" FOR~VAUDE A U L -USU I a T liuma»' Civil War plav •Ihe Copperhead," has been con- 'lonsed to one act and Is due to play Keith vaudeville In the East shortly with a cast headed by Em- mett Corrigan. The vaude version week '" ■" '" "" ^^^ ""^^^ 'ast Air Wilton is doing the booking. Bievitles, Inc., Stephen G. Clow publisher of the "Broadway Brevl-' ties," scandal sheet, and Charles 8. Green and Andrew S. Brown, its two advertising solicitors, must en- ter their plea of guilty or not guilty in the U. S. District Court ne« week to an Indictment filed Monday In the U. S. District Court in vio- lation of Section 215 of the U. 8 Criminal Code for using the mails to defraud. The Indictment of the defendants arose from sending letters to B. J Palmer of the Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa, The letter which Is appended makes a bid for advertising from the Palmer School, coupled with a threat to ex- pose the Palmer method of chiro- practic If not complied with. The indictment, on 12 counts, li substantially the same as on the grounds set forth in full, covering count 1. Among those appearing at the hearings before the Grand Jury were Martin Herman, Elsie Jan Is, Elal« Ferguson and Helen Lee Worthirf of the Ziegfeld "Follies." Assistant U. S. Attorney Maxwell S. Mattuck, who handled the prose- cution, has considerable evidence he will present at the trial. The details as concern the Palmer episode are Incorporated In the fol- lowing Indictment: "The grand Jurors for the United States of America, duly empaneled and sworn In the District Court of the United States for the Southern DIstilct of New York, and inquiring for said district upon their oath pre- sent: "That heretofore, to wit, on the 5th day of May, 1921, and continu- ously down to the date of the filing of this Indictment, In the Southern Disttict of New York, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, Ste- phen G. Clow, Andrew S. Brown, Charles S. Green, and Brevitiet, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of New York, hereinafter called the defend- ants, having devised and intending to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud B. J. Palmer, Lee Shubert, Frank B. Masten, Evelyn NeviUab Texas Guinan, Scott's Preparation* Inc.. Dainty Form Corporation, Childs, Inc., and other persons and corporations hereinafter referred to as the victims, and for obtaining from the victims their money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representa- tion . and promises, hereinafter set forth, did for the purpose of exe- cuting such scheme and artifice and attempting so to do, use and cause to be used the malls and Post Oflico establishment of the United State! for the transmission of letters, mag- azines and other writings. "The said scheme devised and In- tended to be devised was that the (Continued on page 38) SPARKS' 3 N. Y. STANDS The Sparks Circus will play threo one-day stands within Greater New York this month, between the 16th and 30th (Decoration Day). One engagement will be in Tomp- klnsvllle (Staten Island); another In Flushing, and a third in Jamaica. The Sparks show later in the summer will play three or four of the summer resort towns on Long Island. THE NOODLES' 25TH San Francisco, May 9- Noodles Fagan and his wife and vaudeville partner, Elsie, while ap- pearing at the local Pantages last week celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and were tendered » party on the stage. The Fagans were presented with * silver bowl and a silver service by their fellow artists. The presenta- tion was made by Ethel Seely. First Orpheum Closes Chicago, May t. The Orpheum, Omaha, closed May I. It is the first of the larger Or- pheum houses to shut down for the summer.