Variety (July 1924)

■»^ •wt^r^ -pirswBSF :nftm m.i.,A lU'ipi'^iPPIPPW''''^^^ ' ■^':'' ' ■'' VARIETY VAUD^VfttE ii.<.u.i..jtjjfipm «Mj"i n iiii.iPJimmiww •' ^ Wednesday, July 2/l! AIRDOMES PLAYING PRO RATA WITH ACTS BOOKED DIREa SMALL TIME FLASH ACTS ARE IN FOR REVIVAL Agents Not Favoring Pro Rata Houses—Open-Air Houses Not Gambling with Rain—Many Actors Agreeable to Pro Rata Angle Alrdomes and open air vaude- ville theatres are taking no chances on rain hurting their business and are operating with "pro rata" con- tracts when engaging performers, letting the latter gamble with the weather. This "pro rata" Idea has ; ot met With the approval of the bookrrs, •who have removed the places from their books rather than bother with them on this basis. Several dropped this week are booking direct and seem to be getting actors to take the chance. With matinees out and only two shows nightly, at practically the same remuneration the performers have been getting for three shows, the actors or at least many of them are agreeable to the "pro rata" angle. PAN OFFICE KNEW OF EMPRESS CLOSING STAGE HAND SHOOTS GIRL Louis C. Kasa Wounds Step- Daughter and Kilts Himself Los Angeles, July 1. I«uls C. Kasa, 32, stage hand at a local theatre, shot and seriously -wounded Lucille Zolton, 14, his step-daughter, and then sent a bul- let Into his own head, the effects of which be died from at the Re- ceiving hospital. Kasa had trouble with his wife and the daughter came home from school. When he inquired where her mother was, she Informed him she did not know. Then the girl told him that her mother was going to sue for di- vorce. He went Into a rage, drew an automatic, and fired two shots at the girl. Mrs. Kasa, who returned after the shooting, said her husband had been drinking of late and that, after a quarrel two weeks ago, he left the house and had not returned until the time o£ the shooting. Physicians at the Receiving hos- pital say Lucille will recover. House Manager Disputes Statements by Acts—Ar- rived to Find House Closed ^ Denver, July 1. Statements by Pan acts that they were not notifled of the clos- ing of the Empress (Pan) here, learning nothing of -t until they arrived in Denver, only to find the house dark, are refuted by Louis Levand, house manager. "I notifled the Pantages booking circuit office six weeks before clos- ing that the house would be dark except Satu>-days and Sundays, starting June 8; and notiflcation also was given two weeks before abandoning the Saturd&y and Sun- day performances," Levand says. The Empress' opening for the 1924-25 season will take place July 19, instead of Ji;ly 28, as originally planned. It will be the first vaude- ville house to reopen for ther season. SUMMER NOVELTIES Independent Houses Want Them— Swimming Girl with Contest Rastelli Reopens Enrico Rastelli opens in Minne- apolis on the Orpheum time this ireek. W. D. Wcgefarth of the Keith Offices has bought a home at Malba, . U I. William Anthony McGuire left for Chicago Monday night to hasten to the bedside of hi.s mother, Who is critically ill. Independent bookers are vieing with each other during the warm spell to dig up appropriate head- liners for their circuits, preferably a novelty act or something that will lend itself to a publicity splurge- One booker seems to have hit upon a seasonal feature In a swim- ming girl. He is routing her over his chain with a diving contest tie- up. Only girl contestants are eligible as entries, with a different group competing at each perform- ance which provides a girl flash at each show. Underground Tip Starts Pro- ducers Working—Rogers Preparing Six An underground tip hrvlng gone out that the small time circuits will revive the demand for flash acta next season, a number of girl act producers who had quit pro- ducing when the fleld was 'over- crowded will renew production ac- tivities. * Max Rogers, who had been a prolific producer of miniature musi- cals until the ban came along, and then specialized In producing floor shows for cabarets, is at present busying himself with six new flash acts to be staged by Jack Byrne. Henry Bellitt also has several in contemplation. These, however, will aim for big time bookings and, if they miss, will be routed over the Intermediaries. Others who have placed flashes in rehearsal this week are Eli Dawson, Qreen and Storm, Herman Becker and Harry Rogers. Others ^re expected to follow suit as soon as the report of the re- vived demand for the tabloids be- comes generally known. Aa to the present list, each is trying to beat the other to produc- tion, figuring upon getting their acts set before the market is del- uged with flashes. NOT THIS JOHN McGINN Original Repudiates Signatures on Letter in Variety McEvoy's New Comedy J. P. McEvoy, author of "The Pot- ters," has completed a new comedy untitl-d ;.- yet, to be produced next seasop by Uichaid O. Herndon. John McGinn, "The Man of Many Stories," aa he has been known for 2S years In American vaudeville, does not want to be confused with the "John McGinn" signed as the writer of a letter app'^aring in Variety June 11, last. The letter mentioned Sir Joseph Oinzburg and Mike Scott with some humorous references that the original John McGinn, aa a per- former, states he does not care to stand for, more especially as Mr. McGinn says that as far as he knows he is and has been the only John McGinn in the show business. When Variety appeared with the letter, Mr. McGinn was playing in Boston. This week he called at Variety's ofilce and said he believed the letter was signed with his name by a mental defective, but that he had a definite idea of the person who had forged his name and the matter has been placed by him with the postal authorities. MILK FUND GROSS LOW Fights at Stadium $200,000 Beneath Last Year's Figures Receipts from the Milk Fund boxing show at the Yankee Stadium last Thursday night fell far below the gross of last year. The takings were about $180,000 as against t380,000 In 1923. The absence of Paul Bcrlenbach, due to a bad eye, cost the gate about $60,000, it was estimated. About 45,000 people attended the show with many of the |1 seats empty. ETHEL EARL WATERS and DANCER Proctor's Fifth Ave. and Jefferson, New York, This Week (June 30) B. F. Keith's 81st St., New York, Next Week (July 7) America's foremost colored record star and her gifted dapper partner Jn TUNES, TAPS and TOPICS TYPICAL of thoir RACE. Initial New Tork appearances after a sennational record-breaking hit in the West. In a column devoted to Miss Watf rs, who reminded ASHTON STEVENS of Bert WiHIams. Yvettc Guilliert and Fannie Brice, he said: "She is tbe most remarkable woman of her race—had to have radium in her to turn this Rood show Into a back»fro«nd at 10:30." While Mr. Stevens particularly recommends Miss Waters to Morris Gest, it Is no limitation. Enjoying the biggest sale of any recording artist In the West, Mi.ss Waters can no doubt duplicate tlUs record in the East, but for WHOM? Direction George Weedon, Pat Casey Office. 1 : . . ( ■ [ i ■ ♦ , • It 1 f r T t I I I «■:* "i 1 ,' DIPEIlSOlfATOB SENTENCED New Haven, July 1. Harry B. Stedman, Jr., of Hart- ford, who last April impersonated Harry Payne Whitney and circu- lated bad checks aggregating $5,000 hereabouts, has pleaded guilty to forgery and has been sentenced to state's prison for f»om one to two years. Stedman met a girl In a burlesque show at the Hyperion and bought her nice things. The girl had them only a short time, surrendering them to the stores after learning that they had been obtained fraud- ulently. N.Y. HIP AS CYOTS CENTER FOR UPBUeiNG OF BUSI John S. Schultz*s Six Assistants to Pick New F and Newcomers—Several New York Houses Ulkl der Hip Men's Direction PHDirS SUMMER LAY- OUT SHOWS UTTLE OPEN Keith's and Earle Oilty Big Downtown Houses for Vaudeville Philadelphia, July 1. Two more theatres Joined those "closed for the summer" Saturday, three more follow this week. Those dedicated to keys and moth balls last week were the Aldine, where "Beau B.-ummel" ended a four weeks' engagement, and Fay's (vaudeville) in West Philadelphia. The Aldine, since it instituted its policy of long-run, evening-length, specials, with reserved seats and a $1.66 top, has been a real money maker. This week's closings are the Wal- nut, which reopened after being closed a month, with "A Man's Job"; the Forrest, where "The Thief of Bagdad" ends a long engage- ment, and the Grand (Stanley- Keith vaude.) in North Philly. This leaves only the two big downtown vaudeville theatres, Keith's and the Earle, one outlying, variety house, Nlaon in West Phila- delphia, and a limited number of houses devoted solely to pictures. It is probably the tightest shut summer season Philly has had in some time. SWITCH OF POLICIES Vaudeville at Logan, Philly—Pic- tures at Globe Philadelphia, July 2. The Globe, which is closed for the summer, for the first time in 12 years, prior to reopening with "The Covered Wagon," will have its place taken, according to present plans, by the Logan, In the North Phila- delphia section. The Logan, now playing pictures, will switch to full- week big-time vaudeville in Sep- tember. The Globe is being renovated, and already part of the "Covered Wag- on" sign that decorated the front of the Criterion, New York, Is up. Only big pictures at $2 will be played. SMALLPOX UPSTATE Albany, N. Y., July 1. Ten new cases of smallpox were reported from Amsterdam, Indi- cating the prevalence of the disease In this section of the State. Gloversvllle has had an Increase of three cases. Florida, a small town, reports two cases. Syracuse has three cases. The disease is reported to have spread from Gloversvllle and Flor- r t ' .1 it 1 1 t i I '( ILL AND INJURED Jack Potsdam, the Independent vaudeville agent, is at the Devcre Sanitarium, Ozone Park, L. 1., suf- fering with pleurisy. An operation will be performed. Ben Lodge, veteran doorman at Moss' Broadway, New York, is con- fined to his home ill. Lodge is an ex-actor, having appeared In "Pin- afore" In 1879. His most recent engagement was with "Shavings" several seasons ago. Alex Gerber, song and act writer, with Irving Berlin, Inc., has the un- fortunate distinction of being the subject of two major operations at the same time, on the same table. This occurred last Monday at the Post Graduate Hospital, where he was operated on for appendicitis and gallstones. The latest report is that he is resting as easily as might be expected considering the serious nature of both operations. Lottie Wright of Lamonte and Wright, vaudeville, underwent a serious operation at the American Hospital, Chicago, last week. Jack Potsdam, vaudeville agent, who is confined to a sanitarium in Ozone Park, L. I., is to submit to an operation. Mrs. Maurice Barrett has recov- ered from a recent illness. Florence Lee. who was on tour with "Ki Kl," is recovering from a throat and nose operation, performed at Miss Mackle's private hospital by Dr. Arthur B. Duell. Albert Perei (Perez and Mar- guerite) was operated on at St. Luke's Hospital, New York, for ap- pendicitis June 29. New faces and newcomers are U be concentrated upon next seasa in the Keith ofiflce, with the Hippoi drome to be the center of the cyclg The plan will be to develop tO^ newcomers and aid them with coi structlve suggestions playing th( in several New York houses ot than Hip and 81st St., whiei will be under the supervision John Bchultz and Mark Leuscher. Schultz will tour the country thl summer, securing outdoor attra^ ' tlons and novelty acts for the Ri^ podroihe in addition to seeing taO lolds, vaudeville shows and oth«il entertainments where embryo talJ' ent may be hiding beneath bushel. An illustration of the Columbtai methods to be used is the sign' by the Keith Circuit of Boyd Sei ter, the Jazz "blues" muslclaa. Senter is unknown in the east, bat played 40 weeks for Balaban A Katz, remair>lng 16 weeks in th« Chicago theatre. He does a sp«. cialty, playing several dlffereat kinds of instruments and extract^ ing weird "blues" from a kazi saxophone and clarionette. The Keith Circuit has glvi Schultz an organization now nma bering six, who will assist him the booking of several hous« where the Hippodrome policy be installed and also aid in builS ing up the new acts discovered. The success of the HIppodro policy of presentations, method f building an ordinary act up into \ big flash turn by using the peraa nent house chorus of 16 girls aa^ other acquisitions, is expected ti prove revolutionary next seasa when tried out in several addition* Keith houses with the Alhambn and Royal (2), New York, several out-of-town houses rt« ported as on the list. Leuscher and Schultz will In practically given carte olanche to work out their own ideas in tl houses assigned to them. The per^ manent chorus, building up i^ acts, limiting of bows and speecbM new faces and newcomers, are onll a few of the Hip features to used instead of the straigU vaudeville layouts, the shows run* nlng more or less to review pro< portions through the artificial stimulus. Circus and outdoor acts are e* pected to do a come-back and tak< their regular places on the vaude* ville bills from which they havi (been more or less ousted by the Jazz bands and musical turns. The acts after playing the Hippodrome are in demand for some psych<51og« leal reason and the advfertising r«« celved through a Hippodrome en- gagement is an asset when t' other houses are booked following. According to report, at least? eight vaudeville houses will start' off next season with the Hippo*; drome policy. It was succcs.sfull tried at the 81st St., New Yoi the house picking up and dol unusual business at reduced scal*^ when the new method was put lnt» effect. GOT I. 0. U. Jack Singer and Lew Kelly Com- plaind Without Result Jack Singer's tabloid featuring Lew Kelly complained to the Vaude- ville Managers' Protective Associa- tion against the Playhou.se, for* merly the Duchess, Pouphkeepsl* an Independent vaudeville hous* booked by the Waiter riimm* Agency. According to Singer, Kelly's t«» played a half week at the Plf^ house, but when pay night roUet around he. Singer, was tendered •• I. O. U. in lieu of cash. Singer is the former ColumW burlesque producer, last seal" manager of one of Charles "^^ dron's shows. He has hnd L«« Kelly out with a tab since the clc*'! Ing of the burlesque sea.ion. ' tab has been playing vaudevlW houses mostly on percentage. The V. M. P. A., after heai Singer's complaint, notified him had no Jurisdiction over the P house or tabloids.