Variety (July 1924)

«»■ III! iiii|,'-"n.ini^ipM^imH III. |; Wednesday, July ». 19M i'i::i:'E VARIETY MILWAUKEE IHEATRES ENJOYING FAVORABLE HOT WEAHIER BIZ Reserved Seat Vaude for First Time in History During Summer—^Picture Houses Doing Well, and Stock Is Having Best Season COMEDY ACTS TAKEN; OTHER TURNS HELD OFF Keith's Office Own Producer in Washington to See Foreign Importations t' ■ »s' Milwaukee, July 1. ■" For the first time In the history of the city Milwaukee la being treated to reserved seat vaudeville during the summer season, with no reduction of prices. I ' Instead of cl^anglng to continu- loua policy with a subsequent cut In admission, the Palace (Orpheum) Is on Its regular winter schedule 'and the town apparently likes the >dea. as is . shown through the ipjedlum of the box ofl)ce. ' Aided by a cool spring, the Pal- 'aoe this year, has done the most repiarkable business in its history "and is continuing to do exceptlon- ,ally well despite the lateness of the Leason. Evening performances ar« pUiying to capacity as a general rule and, although matineoa have shown a falling off. the drop Is slight. , . The only exception to the re- served scat policy is Saturdays and ..Sundays, when the Palace, as al- ways, maintains continuous vt\ude- ■vllio in order to accommod.ite the croTvds. . The Majestic and Miller, playing •moU time, are on a continuous r>poHcy and doing as well as can be • expected for this time of the year. i-The Miller is being benefited greatly through first run pictures obtained through a deal with Loew. t«nd which the house is adverti;iing Itven heavier than Its vaudeville. The Garrlck, regularly the home "of Steele, is having considerable "•uccess with motion pictures. Grif' '•Bth's "America" played to good- '■houses for two weeks. The Gayety, operated during the ^regular season as a stock burlesque ^liouse by Charles Fox and Joe Krause, is now showing pictures AS is its custom every summer. The Empress, home of Mutual ^burlesque, has been taken over by ■ ICrause for the summer months and also is showing pictures at 10 cents. '■■ The Gayety's burlesque season f'vlll reopen Aug. 20, while the Smpress, In August, rev«rt8 to ^ fienry Goldenberg and Paul Horo- ?, Wltz for burlesque. -' Of the regular movies, Saxe'a Wisconsin, la easily doing the best business In the city. Saxe'a Strand, adjoining the Wisconsin, also la do- ing fairly well. Leo A. Landau's Garden and Ascher'a Merrill both appear to have suffered during the slump, but Landau's Alhambra haa been somewhat more fortunate, al- though business there could be better. The Butterfly la doing Its usual business at reduced prices of ii cents, while Saxe'a Rlalto la doing fair. Playing Ita second consecutive >ear In Milwaukee, the Players' Guild at the Davidson, led by . James Gleason, Robert Armstrong l^and Elisabeth RIsdon, Is enjoying Mhe best season stock has ever had K|b the city. However, the company SiConslsts of high priced talent and .4t is doubtful If Its backers will do more than break aven. BROWN'S 30 SAXOS ON WKi FOR 2 WEEKS Picture House and Production Offers—Eight Women in Band—Two Others "OXTEBSIATE OPENINGS The Interstate Circuit In the •outh has set its opening dates for the new season, with a policy of six acts of vaudeville and a feature picture. The vaudeville, booked by Charles J. Freeman In the New York office, will be Ob the caliber held to by the Interstate last season. L The opening will occur Aug. 17, with Fort Worth as the week stand. JJallas, Houston, San Antonio. Aus- tin, Galveston (all in Texas). New wieans (Orpheum) and Little Rock , Wplit) following weekly in the order named, the Orpheum. New Orleans, reopening Sept. 21. iM-.^'**' Oklahoma City and Wichita .if»n« also open Aug. 17. with the .wmer couple a split week. Wich- .^Fall., plays two days on the j^JWk end. booked by the Interstate. h.:. .. • fti», MARRIAGES » .Ad.lie Uolfe, "Follies." to Cecil »"Pi*n, uc-trolt real estate man. Jie romance began In Atlantic abj;,, 7"^" the ■•Foiliea" opened »bout two wtck.s ago. Tentative contracts have been booked by Tom Brown for hla 30 Saxophonists who opened a two weeks' Broadway engagement Sun- day at the Strand, New York, for the Stanley. Pl-iladelphia. BaUI- more, Washington. Rochester. Buf- falo. Cleveland, St. Louis and Kan- sas City, with a four weeks' return piomlsed i^alaban & Kata In Chi- cago, all picture houses The Brown .juslclans go direct to PhlUy, where they have a fort- night's engagement, but if the band makes the hit expected and offers ptove moTx. alluring it is almost certain that P.rown will jiall the other dates off. Tom Brown has recruited saXo players from all parts of the coun- try, having among his "reliables," Including the Six Brown Brothers (this takes In Tom, who Is handling the comedy In blackface), Billy Markwtth and his saxo players, formerly In vaudeville and with shows. There are eight feminine saxo- phone players with the Brown outfit. Several show producers are ang- ling for the saxo band, with Earl Carroll negotiating with Tom Brown for the musicians as one of the. features with his new "Vani- ties." Comedy acta are being routed as fast aa possible by the Keith Circuit but novelty and flash turns are not and won't be until the bookers have a chance to check up on what Harry Mundorf has signed from Europe. The flash turns in particular are finding It hard to secure routes for next season which has led to much speculation by the producers anent the Keith Circuit going In for pro- ducing on It's own next season, an Innovation long predicted but thought Impractible until the per- nrianent chorus at the Hippodrome caught oi^ so strongly. Acrobatic and novelty acta that have been playing Keith and Or- pheum routes will not be booked until the European artists signed by Mundorf have been seen. KALiZ EXONERATED Hanry Bellit Brought Complaint- Qrand Jury Dismitaes OPEN AIR BILLS Reetirrance in Brooklyn After Many Yaara Brooklyn's first open air vaude- ville In 10 yeara will get under way July 14 at the lining Amphlthe- atra, Irving avenue and Eldert atreet. The site was formerly an ath- letic field, converted Into an open air theatre for the summer. It will play five acts and pictures on a split week basis with one per- formance nightly. Harry Walker win handle the bookings. ' Naw OfHcara for T. P. U. Theatrical Protective Union No. 1 last week Inducted Harry DIgnan and Harry Palmer Into office as businesa agents, a post they for- merly held with the union. Aa a result of the annual election, Wil- liam E. Monroe was elected presi- dent; Edward W. Otto, vice-presi- dent; Ben Forman, treasurer; J. C. McDowell, secretary. The trustees are Joseph Magnolia, Qua Durkin and John Hodgin. HOUSES CLOSINO Two Independent vaudeville houses will close thia week. They ara the Orpheum, Detroit, and Knickerbocker, Philadelphia. I Reported Missing Luclle Wesley, 18, former ticket taker and cashier at Palisade Park, N. J., haa been reported missing to the police In New Jersey and New York. She has not been scon by her relatives since June 18. An alarm has been sent out for the girl. Davis Sent Away George Davis, veteran monologlst. arrested and charged with using profane lanRuape to his wife, was committed by Magistrate Cobb to Blackwcll's Island for three months. $6,700,000 FOR THEATRES The grand larceny charge brought against Arman Kallz by his partner Henry Bellit was dismissed by the Qrand Jury Monday. Kaliz was represented by Harry Saks Heck- helmer. B«nit brought the larceny issue about when Kallz was playing an engagement at Fox's City recently. They were partners in an act "The Bad Man of Cairo" with which Kallz was appearing. Bellit alleged the larceny occurred when Kaliz removed the costumes and scenery from another Fox house to the city after he (Kaliz) had at- tempted to secure an advance In money from the Fox Circuit and had been refused. The Fox people al- leged they would pay no money to any one but Kalis. Bellit then at- tempted to have Kaliz confirm the request to the Fox Circuit and when he refused he caused his arrest. The Vaudeville Managers' Protec- tive Association will hold Bellit re- sponsible for the expense Incurred by the City when Kalis mlaeed the opening night show. TAB SHOW REPLACES SMAU TIME BILLS Republic, Brooklyn, Inaugu- rates Musical—Only Girl Show Across Bridge Totals Cost of 51 Houses Built in First Fiva Months of '24 Albany, July 1. According to statistics on file in the office of the State Department of Labor received from cities of the state which have filed reports of building operations T.rith it, building permits were Issued for 51 amuse- ment enterprises of a total value of over $6,700,000 during the first five months of the year. In New York City, Bronx reports 11 permits with a value of $821,000; Brooklyn, IS permits, $2,145,000; Manhattan, 8 permits, $1,870,000; Queens, 9 permits, $1,547,000. ENGAGEMENTS Jame.s Naulty, for "Greenwich Village Follies." CLAIM AGAINST GLEGG ESTATE Bridgeport. Conn.. July 1. The Probate Court has appointed commissioners to hear claims filed against the estate of the late An- thony Clegg. former New York amusement man, of Stratford. The hearing will take place*July 7. Claims aggregating $237,000 have been filed and the estate Is esti- mated at $100,000. Clrgg Is said to have engaged In financial transactions that were open when he died. If the claims are valid the widow and daughter win lose the entire estate. WHITE INDIANS GOMINa The two "white Indiana" now on their way to New York In care of Richard O. Marah, who headed the Marsh - Darlen expedition through the scarcely known parts of Panama, may be seen In a Broad- way theatre. The Indians, said to be full-blood- ed, with blond hair, blue eyes and fair, skin, also may accompany Marsh on a lecture tour. The party la expected to arrive In the Times Square sector In a week. TABS IN NEWAKE Newark, N. J., July 1, The Hill Street, an independent vaudeville house, will play tabs during the hot weather. The first will be Marshall's Sum mer Revue, renamed the "Conven tion Follies." NEW ACTS The Musical Hunters will present a new act at ^lainfield, N. J., July 7. This Is a Lovelty act with a ra>:io receiving set and an unusually large reproducer. Lewis and Freda BerkofC from last year's "Greenwich Village Follies.' The original cast will support. In- cluding Blakely Thompson, George Clifford, Dorothy Rose and six G. V girls. Kl.sa Stralia, soprano of picture theatres. Is readying a vaudeville act. Brooklyn's 3,500 Seater A theatre for vaudeville anJ mo- tion ijictures will be built at Fliit- l)U5ih anJ Church avenues, Brooklyn, to seat 3,500. Plans have been drawn by Eugene DcVVros, archi- tect. Building sUirts Oiirly in the fall. COWBOY FOUB IN COUBT Edward Lang, head of Lang'a Cowboy Four, vaudeville quartet, was brought before Magistrate Oberwager In' West Side Court to answer a charge of unlawfully with- holding property preferred by Fred Schultz, a member of the quartet. t:chuUz said Lang was withhold- ing a cowboy milt from him. Under questioning S^htilts admitted be had not bought the uniform. Magistrate Oberwager dlsmisaed the case. Musical tabs as a substitute for small time vaudeville is being ex- perimented with this week at the Republic, Brooklyn, Inilependenl vaude house, booked through the Fally Markus ofllce. In lieu of the usual five-act bill the house is ot- fering an abbreviated musical, "Oh, Baby!" which la reported to have done good business on the first two days The tab runs over an hour and la Interpreted by a cast of 35. The additional picture jprogram atrings out the performance to two houra and a half. With local legit and burlesque houses padlocked (or the summer, the Republic Is getting a break through having the only girl show current serosa the bridge. Origi- nally booked in on a three-day ba- sis. It Is being held over for the week. Gartis Vsndarbilt Shelves ftkit Gertrude Vanderbllt has shelved her vaude vehicle, "Gertie," and Is returning to the legit via "Marge," a new comedy that goes Into re- hearsal next week and Is being sponsored by a new producing firm. N. y. A. BALL TEAM The N. V. A. ball team broke even In lU two games last week. Me- chanlcsvllla beat the actora 8-t In a game that was called after the sev- enth inning because of darkneaa. Sunday the N. V. A. team defeated Troy 11-6. To date. thIa season, the team has played in the Twilight League around Philadelphia and travelled through New England and upper New York state meeting with fair Lionel Atwill taaving Lionel Atwill is breaking a alx- year atay in America. He returna to London for a visit. Bailing n^xt Saturday on the Bergenland. CABARETS Some people profess to see the complete "flop" of prohibition In prevailing "quotations" on Scotch whisky. After a lapse of five years, to the day, Scotch whisky (as good as any) la quoted at $13 a case. This Is the price In New York for smart buyers. Prohibition was only a few weeks old, five years ago, when Scotch whisky came and went at $12S to $175 a case, while champagne sold at from $200 up. Just now, cham- p:i.gne can be had for $76 a caae. Gin la held at $25 a case (12 bot- tlea), a corresponding "drop" from 1920. Good Scotch whUky Is selling to- day for Just $8 more than It brought In July, 1919. Previous to prohibi- tion, standard gradea of Scotch sold around $21 a case. In the last five years, Scotch haa gone up 500 per cent In price and dropped until It is about 100 per cent more than In pre-Volstead daya. Beer and ale do not vary. Beer sells at $3E a barrel and ale at $46. The price of light wines has re- mained stationary during the last 12 months, ranging from $40 to $56. Owing to Its etherization, beer la viewed by physlclana as a good' thing to leave alone. It haa been pronounced dangerous, has been proved dangerous, and aa a reault the demand aeems to be falling away. Rye whisky la scarce. Liquor men advise against rye unless the buyer knows absolutely what he la taking. Parcey Elkalaa and John Wagner have bought the Putey B:state at Scarsdale, N. Y., about a mile aouth of White Plains and aome IC miles from New York. The big fhanslon on the property will be made a club house and the property will be named the "400 Country Club." Elkeles and Wagner are intereated in the Club Deauvllle, the first of New York's night clubs. The latter established the 400 Club on 40th street, now extinct. The "100 Coun- try Club" will open about the middle of July. Thomas O'Brien, 32, manaper of a cabaret at 250 West 47th street was given a hearing heforp Mag- istrate Oberwager In We.<?t Sid" Court la.st VVedne^icl.iy nnd ':•—' •>•'. for an adjournment to pKiilueu un] "Important witness" to testify (or him in the matter of an aaanult charge lodged against him by Bertha White, cabaret singer, who sal<^ O'Brien assaulted her in the 47th street cabaret on the opening night, June IS. O'Brien denied atrlking the singer and testified he asked her to leave the place quietly after she had re- fused to aing. He aatd aha turned on him and attempted to attack him with a kitchen knife. Miss White said ahe didn't like the people In the place and quit her Job. New actiona for Injunctions sought by the government against places alleged to be violating the Volatead net are in progress. Among the places named for pad- locking suite are Moore's restaurant, 21$ West 4<th street, and the cafe at 284 West 48th street, while the prohibition agenta are said to have also visited the Colonnades Club at IS East 63rd street. William Moore, James Davenport, William Roglan, James Coane and John Abbott ar* co-defendants In the first action. The Tact Realty Co., John Mc- Guinness and Frank Fannon are co- defendants In the aecond case. An attempt by the management of the Side Show, a new cabaret In Greenwich Village, to stage a bally- hoo on a platform Juat outside the main entrance to the place was frustrated by the police who ar- rived In time to chase the dancing girls, freaks and clowna Indoora with a warning. The manager had overlooked the fact a permit waa necessary, and as a result he must obtain his show license. A Times Square attorney asserts that of his own knowledge the legal machinery In New York of the En- forcement act will not take cogniz- ance of a liquor arrest made with- out a search warrant and where no sale was witnessed. This procedure Is claimed tO' ob- tain whether the arrest is made by a Federal or police offlcer. The point Is said to have arisen In the arrest of a restaurant man In ttie Times Square section, made by an oflicer accompanied by: three othrr«. They"searched the plrtr'e'nnd iiatM/n.i, when .qn* otflcer aliegkl be (Continued on page 44>