Variety (July 1924)

FRAI^ UNNEY ASSURES WOMEN OF FREEPORT THEY ARE SAFE Makes Decided Hit with Speech at Lights' Dinner to Leo Carrillo Sunday Night—Lights' Election of Officers HeM More than SOO, Including members and friends, attended the dinner in honor of Leo Carrillo, given at the Lights' Clubhouse, Freeport, L. I. Sunday night, in honor of the ac- tor's return from a successful sea- son on the coast. Carrillo is presi- dent of the society. Julius Tannen was toastmaster and handled the chair in his usually glib manner. It remained for Frank Tinnsy to cop the comedy honors with a smart speech. TInney opened by address- ing the assemblage, "As Your honor, ladles and gentleman of the jury," but checked himself by stating he had been in and out of court so much lately the legal Influence was getting the best of him. Hia only other reference to the Imogene Wilson affair was a closing declaration in which he assured all the ladles present he had been cured, and that none of the girls need have the slightest reason to be bfraid of him in the futin-e. He also said he had been playing to cold audiences while the courtroom appearances' lasted and he was mighty glad It was all over. Tinney was given a great ovation by those present when introduced by Tannen. PYanlc agreed it 'was the greatest vindication bestowed upon him since the Grand Jury threw his case out last week. Tannen then read several tele- gram of regrets for non-appearance. A shore dinner was served, followed by a vaudeville show and dancing. Carrillo left New York for Clsve- Iai>d Monday, where he is to appear in a number of revivals in stock at the Ohio. . At the regular annual meeting of the Lights Club, Sunday, the fol- lowing were elected: Leo Carrilo, angel; Charles Mid- dleton. vice; George Barry, treas- urer; Sam Somers, secretary; Charles J. Freeman, chairman of house committee, and Walter Clin- ton, chairman of entertainment committee. S. HICKS' BROADSIDE Launchss Attack Against Jewish Managers Upon Australian Arrival $56,000 ROYALTY MELON IS CREEPING BACK Small Time Performers Pay- ing Double Rates in Hotels Owned by Managers Tlie American Society of Com- po.sei's. Authors and Publishers will declare its second quarterly royalty melon July 10. From indications it will easily be }56,000, the same as the first quarter, the record sum divided among the publisher and compo.ser members of the orBaniza- tlon. The reports from the A. S. C. A. P.'s branch ofllcea is holding up the exact computation of the total with the likelihood it may ex- ceed $56,000. The music business is now at Its ebb, a usual thing considciinB tlip month and season, and the iniome from this source is always wel- comed at this time. MOBRIS' SARANAO BENEFIT Sar.anac, July 1. Willi.im Morris will put on his annual summer benodt show July 4. Amr)ng the volunteers are Harry I^ox and I'catrlce Curtis, Dave liernle and liand, Walter C. Kelly. Ruby Xormn and Clarence Sonna. .VToran and Wiser. Hol)l).v Watson, The Vandt-rhilts, Jane and Kath- erine Lee, Val and Krnle .Stanton, and Joe R. Brown. LAUFINIS' OWN SHOW The Laiiipinl.*' will sail from Vancouver July 30 with 'heir own show for a tour of Australia and the Orient. QEARLIE HIDDLETON RETIBES Charlie .Mirtdltfcn (MIddleton and Spe'ln .lyni) f.n-' rrtiiod from the show lius-ijrss. iind is in real est-ite d«velopnr)ent In Freeport, L. 1. S:'dney, June 5. Seymour Hicks, here from l>on- don to play at the Grand in "The Man in Dress Clothes," under the Fuller-Ward management, began his stay here by launching an at- tack on Jewish theatrical managers. "They are putting on things purely and simply to make money, I do not conceive that to be, by any means, the whole object of the theatre," said Hicks, and further as- serted the English stage is now suf- fering because it is in the hands of the speculative, alien Jew. Many Jewish citizens "found it impossible" to attend the reception tendered to Hicks by the Lord Mayor of Sydney. MRS. GARRY OWEN IS PREPARING FOR DIVORCE Establishes Residence In New Jersey—Married Two Years Regina Alexander, vaudeville ac- tress, who in private life Is Mrs. Garry Owen, has established a resi- dence in New Jersey for the pur- pose of bringing divorce proceed- ings against her actor husband. She will allege cruelty and deser- tion. Miss Alexander met Owen while appearing on the same bill at Poll's, Hartford, Conn., two years ago. After a courtship lasting a week, the couple were married and she retired from the stage. According to Miss Alexander, she and her husband lived together for about six months and have been sepa- rated ever since. She also claims that she has never received any support fro.n the actor since he left her and has been solely dependent upon her parents. Recently she accepted a position as hostess at an Atlantic City re- sort, but expects to resume her stage work after obtaining a decree. Until recently, Owen was featured in "Compliments of the Season." At present he is reported rehearsing an act with Mike Bernard as partner VENTEILOQUIST FINED $10 Lawrence Wade, ventriloquist, left $10 in the police court at Jamaica, L. I. Wade was riding with several friends on a crowded car. Women and children predominated. Wade, to amuse his friends, began using his ventriloqiii.ll powers. Imitating a baby's cry meant nothing. Half the kids on the car were b.awllng. But when Wade gave a perfect Imitation of a woman's agonizing cries for help, the motorman leaned on the hrakra. The passeni?ers wni-p in dis- may. Arthur .VlcOraw, spoi id dtlli er of the Brooklyn and -Quoons Itailroad Company, ran up and, on loarnlng that W.ide was amusing; his friends, pl.aced the entertainer under arrest. LOEW HOME ROBBED The fact that the resilience of .Marcus Locw, 300 West End ave- nue, was entered and robbed, be- came known when detectives m.ade the rounds of pawnshops seeking some wiluable fur pieces belonging to Mrs. Locw. The ijiirEl.irs en- tered through a door left carelessly open. The extent of the robbery is not known. Mr. I.oew Is traveling in Kurope and it is understood that Mrs. Loew Is with him. GLADYS GREEN'S DIVORCE Gladys Green, vaudeville, has se- cured a divorce from Harry L. Guy, not)-professional. The couple had been married about a year. YandeyiDe Week Gone London, July 1. The Hippodrome, Brighton, one of th« largest and most profitable of theatres of the Variety Controlling Circuit, la reported to be committed to a policy of legitimate attractions commencing Jan. 1 next. This removes one of the best vaudeville weeks for perform- ers in this country. CONVENTION ECHOES MIDGETS HUNGTOGETHER WITH LAMPPOSrS AID On Street In Peoria When Tor- nado Struck — Slightly Bruised by Flying Objects Chicago, July 1. The only possible humor arising from the destructive tornado Satur- day night in Eaatern Ohio was pro- vided by Irvlng's Imp'trial Midgets, 26, at Peoria. After finishing the engagement at the Palace there, the midgets, on their way to the station to leave for ChicagOi stopped In a lunch place to eat. As they left the eat- ery, the tornado struck. The midgets Joined hands and the 25 in a row hung on, Vlth the first ueing a lamppost for an anchor. One or two were struck by flying objects, but none was seriously In- jured. "WARRANT" FOR LOPEZ You Can Arrest 'Em for Damaging Property in Shamokin Shamokin, Pa., July 1. Vincent Lopez, playing here on his contract tour was met with a delegation from the American Legion armed with a warrant for U.o orchestra leader's arrest on a charge of having damaged the local legion hall when the orchestra gave a concert there a year ago. The damage is said to have oc- curred through the _ dragging of heavy trunks containing the instru- ments down the marble stairs which chipped and cracked several of the steps. When confronted Lopez claimed it was the first he had heard about it and agreed to settle the damage claim. The warrant was not exe- cuted. LoiKJz is winding up his concert tour shortly to Join the cast of the new "Greenwich Village Follies." Ben Ami Readying Sl<etch Ben Ami, legit actor. Is planning a flyer in vaudeville for the sum- mer in a new dramatic playlet without title as yet. Two others will appear In his support. The act goes into rehearsal next week. Baby Peggy was the only one of the stage and screen celebs now ac- tive who homed in on the first page of the New York daUles. The Ilttla picture star was quietly ushered into Madison Square Garden and remained under cover for the moat part until the demonstration tor Governor Bmith was startad on Thursday. Then Baby Peggy waa shoved Into a front place of the parade and the result was that the newspaper men took cognizancjt of her presence. Friday, whan John W. Davis was nominated by West Virginia, Mrs. Isetta Jewel Brown, a former ac- tress, who took a prominent part In the last Democratic convention, seconded the Davis nomination In a pretty little speech punctuated by two little stories, one of which she had used at the San Francisco convention. All the special staff writers of the papers gave her a lot of credit for her appearance, he.- stories and abovo all things the "showmanship" she used. That alone was a big tribute to the once populaf actress. The band at the Garden, like the band in Frisco, played "You Beautiful Doll" after Mrs. Brown's address. Along Broadway Saturday after- noon a buxom young lady skipped blithely passing out buttons to passers-by. From all sides persons stepped up expecting to receive an Al Smith button. Instead was a grinning likeness of a screen comedian, with the line al>ove "Vote for Johnny Hines," while below the picture was "The Speed Spook." A sidelight convention parade fizzled out somewhere Friday when the Tom Brown saxophonists ar- rived at the Penn Station. It rained so hard there was no attempt at a planned reception and parade. Later It was decided to start a pro- caaslon from ttia strand thea^ with Baby Peggy as one of the ftaJ turea. the parade headed by x2 Brown and his saxos. This nw also petered out. There was ^ parade. " Bong pluggera working the »«, yentlon didn't get much ohanoaj get any of their numbers aci owing to the constant uproar, and band music when there' no speaking. An enthusiastic song plugger to get one of the convention to play a certain number while lections were played Satu, morning but the leader saiC band would be lucky If they on their feet after playing pieces they have played a ( times or more since the noi tlons started. Charles B. Lawler, the bll composer, who wrote the popgfi song, "The Sidewalks of York," which is having the gre est local play in its history, ,| cclved special mention when porters. tried to dig up a copy the song Friday. . A "Times" man went to Al Sn headquarters but there wasn't single copy there and no around who knew all of the lyrfa The scril>e finally interviwed L«| lor at his home, 217 West It street, who gave him all the det as to how the song came to. written. In the story lAwlor said he tS.pOO which he split with J«a W. Blake, who helped him put. words together. He also said tie Gllson sang it for the first tt at Miner's Bowei^. Lawlor said the song was wr after a wild night at one oi ley Murphy's Anawanda sessions in Second avenue. Lawlor is in vaudeville with daughter, Alice Lawlor, in a sket^ wi-itten by Paul Gerard Smithr 'S Veterans' WorU Tour London, July 1. The Veterans of Variety will leave Kngland in August foir a world's tour embracing Aus- tralia, New Zealand, South Africa and America. BLACKS DIVOBCED Shirley E. Black has been granted an interlocutory decree of divorce from her husband, Johnny S. Black, songwriter and vaudeville perform- er and widely known as the co- composer of "Dardanella." Mrs. Black was her husband's vaudeville partner. Black and Dardanella (the wife). The decree went by default. The husband was notified by pub- lication. The wife alleged misconduct on the part of her husband with an unidentifled woman. LINDA Featured with HARRY CARROLL RKVL'E. Orpheum Circuit ' ^une 29, July 8, IS and 20, Orpheum, San Frahcinco -1= GILBERT'S RE-MARRIAC IS DULY CELEBRA1 Friends Give Songwriter Ser Off Before Rejoining Former Wife When is a bachelor dinner not / bachelor dinner? Last night, ing a few minutes before midnlgB at the Hotel Pennsylvania, L Wolf* Gilbert, the song\/riter, was tendersA a dinner by 200 of his friends in cele* bratlon of his re-marrlage to MiM, Kate Wolfe Gilbert, who dlvorcei the songsmlth last winter. Vincent Lopes. Jack Horn, jA*k Bobbins, "Taps" of Feist's aaA Bemle Foyer of Berlin's, had th* affair in charge. "G. V. F." SPECIAL CLAUSE ^ All contracts being issued for tl* sixth annual edition of "GreenwKli Village Follies" contain a separate vaudeville clause which gives Bo- hemians, Inc., the exclusive optioa on the vaudeville services of the players after the "Follies" closes its regular season. The clause is said to have beetf precipitated through the current season's controversy over the far^» ing out of several acts to the twO-«» day. ., VAUDE "SHOW OFF" EDITIOlW Despite the success of Stewart and French as legit producers th* firm will a!8o continue to be activt in the vaudeville field next season, > The present line-up includes t«<| companies of "The Torch Heartrs," two vaude editions of "The ShoW Off" and another new skit from it% pen of George Kelly. , | "FLORODOBA" ON SCSElIff l..unii<'n. .(illy !• *' .Sidney .Mori..n is rii iii,;r and prei)arinK to make a scrten mV sion of the musical comedy "i''lorO- dora" for Astra-National. ,.4 . ^^ Sketch for Jennie Moscoviti <* Jennie .Vli.scovitz. the ,fewl* actress, last season with "I'r.tneff Again," will enter vaudeville in Jewish conjedy by Ted ^^acI'<■''"• a A' '(.I.'':":- f 'i'rV?"^- '.'/l*-^' «'(n'"' i ■m''^^^.