Variety (June 1924)

^'..•r WeduMdaf . Jmm 11, UM •~"V-' . liEG^TIMATE VARIETY tft f/., CLOSED HOUSES NO AID TO OTHERS: CONVEimON MEANS UnU, ALSO , L««v<no CInom*— KAttsring'a "CMy •tTMt' E4itw<iiig Woods >'. Night Sessions at Conyentioiu Spoil Wltaterer Chance Hieatres Had—Some Shows Last y/cA ftAl Below Gross of Pkvrious Period U there U to be any material benefit to Broadwar from tho De«- ocratic National Convention there i* no indication of it aa ret. '' ' The aerencies expect little.tHisiness ^' irom the political hosts. •}''' I^lght sesaions slated for the con- '^'vention will militate against HmnYCfflasDP ON CnCAGO SHOWS .l! u ' amuseinents, while pre-convention V' crowds have not materialized. One of the biggest ticket brokers ".on Broadway stated that up to jres- '' terdajr two reaervatioa* had baen * made during the convention period, '' 'one automatically cancelled by the •'Equity strike. *'" There is tittle doubt the forced ^''closing of a number of Broadway !*'' hits by the strike has alTocted busi- :'' ncss, as anticipated. Out of town the impression is that all Broadway '' theatres have been closed by the ' actors. That same impression was ' .voiced to an amaxed showman by a New Torker living within less ,, than half a mile of Times Square. Business last week set aside the theory advanced by some managers that the closing of successes would throw business over to the remain- ing attractions. Soma of the noa- nusicals managed to barely beat the gross of the week previous (Dec- oration Day week), while several musicals dropped away off. Lost week's trio of new shows added nothing to the gaiety of the Rialto. "The Fatal Wedding" proved no novelty, and the week's business was away under fS.OOO. "Flossie." a musical comedy seemingly designed ' for cut rate trade, was estimated getting »7.(»0 at the Lyric. "One Ile'lluva Night," announced as the "world's worst show." was taken off hfter the first night at the Sam H. Harris. The houss will ge/t- "Plain Jane" June 23, the show moving over fro mthe New Amsterdam. "I'll Say She Is" Loads Til Say She Is" continues to lead the domand in the agencies. It grossed nearly t!2.000 last week at the Casino and looks set for the euouner. "Keep Koor is also a good agency ticket, but the box office is oft in tha balcony sales, which keeps (Continued on page 35) OefNity Cans on Local Com- panies—Wilkes Balks at Independent Contract smsERT MscoNirar STARS AT BOSTON 0. H. Louis H. Mtidgett Consents to Cancelation of Three-Year Managerial Agreement Chicago, June !•, A deputy of Kqulty made all' shows here with lists of chorus members and ca^a who were not paid up in the association or were non-members. "Artists and Mod- els" had ov«r 30 people as delin- quents or non-member*. They have been given until Saturday to pay up or join. The management of the "Topsy and Eva" abtm were told they would have to sign an independent contract with Bquity. Thos. Wllkea was wired to that effect. His an- swer read that .£Vtuity had prom- ised it would not interfere with his Chicago company until after the. New York situation had been set- tled; that every company and cast was 100 per cent Kquity, and that he cannot see why they should try to make him the goat. The message further stated that Wilkes intended to remain 100 per cent for Ehiuity and advised the management to hold off in signing the independent contract. RING BRINGS INDICTMENT Oesir* That Gift Be Returned Brings Seriou* Charge i •'WAT OUT' AT GAIETT "The Way Out," a drama with a political background, written by Milton Royle. Is aimed for the Gaiety, June JJ. The play has a background of politics. In the company are Beatrice Ter- ry, Purnell Pratt. Bduarde Durant, tierton Churchill and Josephine Royle ing Mules Abroad J Chicago, June 10. Jack Willadseo, manager for 'Topsy and Eva," has bought 400 pit ponies and is shipping them to Bngland because of a shortage of tnules there. J. C. Nugent Leaves Show WllUam Courtleigh has replaced J- C. Nugent in Henry Miller's "So This Is Politics." The opening has been postponed until next Monday Ndw Bedford, Mass., June 10. Josepb Zwetchenbaum. of Taun- ton, and "Dr.".W*l«am W, Wllli*m- floo. of Norton, are under arrest, charged in an Indictment by the Bristol County grand Jury wHh be- ing the prlnolpals In an operation for abortion. Zwetchenbaum gate Anna John- son, a Taunton girl, a diamond rlnc- Anna wo« a "FoIUeir beauty con- teaA. Zwotcbenbaum wanted the ring back and when Anna refused to surrender It Zwwtchenbaum aerred her with a warrant. Anna wont Into court and "told everything." Anna was dlscliarged on the man's com- plaint that she had stolen the rin^. But Anna had said so much the grand Jury sent foe hier, and Ae to?d how she tmd boon Induced to submit to an Illegal operation at the home ot "Dr." Williamson, aleo teUing of her relatione with Zwetchenbaum. The two man w»re then indicted. KING'S DBAKATIC FUMS Burton King, who has Just turned over "The Truth About Women" to the Banner Company, has signed a contract to make two more dra- matic subjects for that concern. King is now in New Tork. and expects to start "shooting" shortly on the second of the Banner pro- ductlonn. Boston, June 10. The three-year contract of Louis H. Mudgett as manager of the Bos- ton opera house has been brolcen at the end of the second year by mutual agreement. The break comes as no surprise In Boston. It was predicted that Mudgett. who won national rec- ognition as manager of Symphony Hall, and as an Independent con- cert and opera booker, would not be able to operate under the local Shubert conditions despite he had signed (he contract only after a specific sUpulation was added to it that he should be entirely fr»e from interference by the local general manager of the Shubert interests. The Boston opera house, which, with the land, could not bo dupli- cated Jor $2,000,000, la reported to have been bought outright three years ago in a complicated real estate deal, by the Shuberts per- sonally for around ${tO,ftOO. It was genenUly supposed to be a white elephant because of its location in the Back Bay, out of the big time loop. Mudgett, operating under petty handicaps, has been maki.ig an uphill flght and was drawing a salary reported at flO,00« a year and a percentage on net profits. This Is believed to be a bigger sal- ary than the Shuberts pay their local general manager. Last winter, when Mudgett was ill for several weeks and his salary was deducted for the period, It was admitted he would "agree" to the breaking of his contract at the end of the second year of the three- year agreement. Mudgett will probably return to concert and opera bookings in the fall. He is rated as having the only real opera following In Bos- ton and has raised subscriptions as high as $300,000 to underwrite local operatic ventures. The annual Shubert discontent started simultaneously with Mud- gett's resignation. Including the lay-off of Prank Hoyt, Joint man- ager of the Shubert and Wilbur theatres, for the Shuberts. The Wilbur is still open and ap- parently good for the best part of the summer with "The Dream Olrl," * real hit. Arthur .Sheldon, local general manager for the Shuberts, is said to be planning to handle the house personally to save ex- penses and is reported to have also laid off the local general auditor, Bdward Fuller, because only two of the Shubert houses are running. 'COMMANDMENTS'' CLOSE Chicago, June 10. "Bast Street." at the Playhouse, will follow "The Ten Command- ments" into the Woods. The pic- ture closes June II. Famous Play- ers dadlaed to exercise the optioa after that date. Ralph T. Ketteriag, autlMT, pro- ducer and backer of "Basy Street." is said to have tho house on a $2,tOt weekly rental, although Famous was paying $2,500 a week. "The TMef vt Bagdad" goes into the Woods Labor Day, with noth- ing else in sight for the interval. SIfCIAL TiCOr OFFHX FOR GONVEimON OAYS ABKUFT aOSnGS MRI UTEST rWAY SflOWS One Night, One and Two- Week Drop-ins—All Leav- ing Are Failures .J Established Near Garden for Convenience by M. P. A.— No Cut-Rate Coupons A special theatre ticket office for the accommodation of delegates to the Democratic National Conveo- tlon will be established near Madi- son Square Garden for the conve- nience of delegates and guests wish- ing to see the shows controlled by the new Managers' Protective As- sociation. The association has appointed Bdgtw Setwyn. Lawrence Weber and W. A. Brady to act as a com- mittee to see that box office prices prevail at the counter which these theatres will maintain further downtown. The theatres concerned tin those still open aad under the control of the M. P. A. Cards will be distributed among the delegates and vbdt&n, on which they may file complaints or place orders. The tickets will not be in the "cut rats" class, so there win be no rivalry there. PLUGGING PA7CH0GUE Miks dynn Believes L. I. Lscals Logical Tryout Tswn Miks Olynn, manager of the Patohogue Theatre, Patchogue, L. I. believes his town Is the k>gical try- out spot for new summer attrac- tions, and has placed the house with Charlie Tennis to book in regular road attractions. Aside from this, Oljrnn Is picking up special attractions for single per- formances. Sousa and his band will play June 21. Paul Whiteman, with an orchestra of 2S, win ptajr ooe day for $2,000. August 24 the first of the road shows of "THo Ten Commandments" goes Into the house for a fuU we^. Between the abrupt closings of last week and this another quintet •f attractions is off the list. There are plenty of shows surely outward bound in addition, however. They are hanging on with hopes of con- vention money and perhaps by the grace of angel backing. AH of the closings detailed ars unquesUoned failures. "One Hel- luva Night" lasted but one night at the Sam H. Harris, while "Tws Strangers From Nowhere," "The Right to Dream" and "The Fatal Wedding" meant nothing to Broad- way. "Two Strangers From Nowhere" stopi>ed at the Bayes after remain- ing nine weeks, playin~ the first flvs weeks at the Punch and Judy. Its average pace was from $2,S00 to $2,0M weekly. The show never had a winning week. It went off sud- denly Saturday. "The Right to Dream" lasted tw« weeks at the Punch and Judy, clos- ing Saturday. « week over time. The gross for neither week beat $1,200 and that was drawn mostly from cut rates. "The Fatal Wedding" wilt sto» [ at the RItz Saturday at the end of | lU second week. Mary Kirkpatrick •. iH reproducing the old melodrama ' figured th0 show had a chancs as : a novelty. After th« first algkt It { fell flat and failed ts get $S.O^ tho first week. "JBlassom Time" was offered for three weeks at Jolson's by the Shu- berts bat the return engagement failed to arouse interest and ths attraction was shelved Saturday. i fOUJES" GDtU OVEN OmCIAL US BAMZS Chicago City Council Upset and Mayor ''Fires'' Com- missioner--$20 Each CRITICAL DIGEST Opinions of the metropolitan critics on tha new legitimate pro- ductions. Published weekly in Variety as a guide to the reliability of ths critical judgment on plays expressed by the reviewers on the dailies. The opinion will be repeated when a play dotes on Broadway after « long or short run with the critics to t>e boxscored at inter- vals, rated by percentage on their judgment as recorded. One Hc'jva Ntght Olio l>erf(>riii.»nc(? witli il lilio.s 'ither kindly lU.^po.-i-M fowar.l thitj t-l>e«r4« Oiuh ttitnii "Miii-lXe- Rrim ■• 'one of the funniest bur- jP'Sque (»vpr nr>nTi 'in Itroi.lw ly" >»,I- [nnu^h others auahfiM th ^ir com- nioiit. „ , Flossie .,,','"'* vorable not r e ^ , Irivint; vulKAr in<l dull Miul-TelegiMtn," "tlie- .somo" 'Amorirnn" held out some hopo for the piece but the boat the "Tim'>n" could n^v wa.t 'of the u.su.il ••lift of aufiim*»r i^Howh." She Stosps to Conquer Wl'U lilcod ind ontliu.siaatic no- lle iM with the exception of the ■riun" (Uathbun). who called it a I)lp.a«ln(f revival " Kline Ferguson .iiid Rrnest Olcndenning ivere aliut- loil top honors of the long juid din- tingui;-ihPd ca.it. PLAT SOLD WITH TIME LDOT Buying the screen rights for Broadway successes, despite terri- torial restrictions and also time limitations, goes on among the big producers, taking options right and left. Famous Flayers-Lasky, In taking over "The Goose Hangs High" from Kdward Childs Carpenter's theatrl- cla enterprise for $30,000 recently, bought the screen rights under the stipulation it could not be shown In pictures anywhere until a year from this June. SHOW GIRL, AGEMTING Edna M. Bryci*. formerly a pro- duction show girl, Ia.1t in "As You Were" and "Hitchy-ICoo." li«,« for- saken the stage to devote hor ni.- tentlon to Uie bu.')ine.'<H ond of ly)Mk- ing talent for mii»iio;il rom"dy. She ii) associated wiiu T'un Rooney, Inc. "Honeymoon" Continuinij I.ook.^ Iiico Jos. M '. m ■; I 1 .ho li.ivc the .show. ■ '11 moon," will kpoi) H tioit for .some timfv givoii indication of proving a prolltablc omv Fr.ink Cruickshaiik li.i.j joined tho Oaites forcci. aa.iigned to -.jio- clal publicity and promotion for 'ho Detroit engagement •'FOLUES" $11 OPEHDia Flo Ziegfeld says $11 will be the top on seats for the "Folller' open- ing and not $22. Ziegfeld says he heard too many squawks last sum- mer to prompt him to repeat ths in- cident. The "Follies" will »paa la At- lantic City, June K, and oom« into the New Amsterdam the 22 or 22, the latter date being the eve of the Democratic National Convention. Last season's regular price, $S.fO, Will again be the nightly "top." EMIUE POLOn n "DELUGE" Chicago, June 10. Melville Raymond's new show. "The Dehige." will have Emllie Polini for its star at the Cort nert week and not PauUne L/ord. It is understood that Ouy Bates Post is backing "The Deluge." which Raymond wiil "wildcat" on the road. "EASY STREET' WITHOirr STAR Chicago. June 10. Mary Newrom'b is with "Easy Street." and wa« starred on the oi>ening, but had her name removed from the front of the hou.se. Mi.s.s Nowcomb Ik now with the rr'rtt of the CAMl in tlie billing under iht; Hliow'a name. •i' riinnins; in Do- UusiMfS.s thoro a .=(iimm'>r run PEOPLE m "MUD" The c-vit for Mud' h xa Walter R'^giii. Helen .Spring. Itolty Aldc-n. Viola Le.ich. Carl Urickert, l*at It.ifferty, Dan Dawson ^nd I-Yink Me.iston. The show will t»e daert(vl by IViRkjM Vroiioh. I Chicago. June 10. No one knows Just how many girls in Ziegfeld's "Follies" ars sporting the attractive gold badges made for fire marshals. Ths list Is long. The City Council Is deeply distressed to leara that the Firs Commissioner who quit orSoe a few days ago was lavish in handing out these badges to the "Follies" girls. The badges cost $20 each, and the "beauties" cant qualify in the fire lines for duty and nobody supposes the glrli intend remaining In the Windy City. The Fire Commis- sioner ran short of badges a few days ago and called on Hizsoner the Mayor without his badge. Hizsoner immediately "fired" the Commish. But that doesn't seem to be the method to get this batch of badges back. Besides, nobody expects that any of the girls will surrender them. HAMMOim EST. WOHT SELL Chicago, June 10. The Hammond estate, owners of th« property upon which rests Cohan's Grand Theatre has turned down the A. !•. Brianger proposition to buy the site, claiming it will only rent. This makes Cohan still the lessee ot the Grand. FRED DOVAGHET'S FAIRVES8 Chicago, June 10. I'Ved Donaghey, the "Tribune"; critic, hat) written a second review of "No, No, Nanette." Am the entire cast of principaU was rlianged since its premiere at the Harris, Donaghey thought It fair to again comment upon tho Hhow. Summer Subscription for VARIETY 3 months, $1.75 Mail neune u^A tAdxtu to VARIETT, 154 West 46th Street^ ^3 New York City.