Variety (August 1924)

wr Wednesday, August 6, 1924 VAUbEVILLE VARIETY aOCK OF CHICAGO DIVORCES HOLDS ONE UNUSUAL CUMAX Florence Evelyn Holmes Parted From Mate, but '■ Remains With Him Professionally—Eva Shirley Divorces Sam Kessler on Adultery Charge Chicago, August 5. The divorce granted upon the ap- nHcation of Florence Evelyn Holmes, of Holmes and Le Vere, Irom Harry Holmes, Jr., separates the couple matrimonially, but they remain together professionally and «re continuing <8 a team In vaude- Another vaudevllllan securing a divorce here Is Eva Shirley, who charged Sam Kessler with adultery, and the court believed It. Judge Sabath granted Miss Shirley her decree. Kessler had been acting as manager for his wife's act. A couple of plain Chicago dl- orces had Thresa Knight In one. Miss Knight is a chorister with "In- nocent Eyes." She Informed Judge Sullivan that Harry Knight, non- professional, had deserted her. The other case and chorine was that brought by Qreta Johnson, in the front line of "Wlldflower's" ranks. Judge Sullivan listened to her tale of cruelty suffered from another non-professional, Adolph Johnson. Both of the abused young chorus . ladies got their decrees. BARONFS JAM Xew Haven, Conn., Aug. S. Tony Barone, producer of ama- teur acts and shows for local the- atres and organisations, was knoclced flat and bound with wire by Mrs. Mary Codlannl when he entered her home and, It Is alleged, •ttempted to assault her. Barone escaped his bonds and fled before the police had arrived In an- swer to a summons by the woman. The producer was taken into cus- tody some time lates and held In ball of $1,000 on the charg* of at- tsmpted assault. Barone, It Is said, was very at- tentive to Mrs. Codlannl for some time and then suddenly quit. According to a atory In which the ^ice do not place much credence, the woman communicated with fearone by phons and told him to tome to her houae, that sh« had kome Ideas for him In connection Mth his theatrical production ac- Uvities. Th« story says that he >r«nt to her house and that in dem- tastratlng a stunt to him Mrs. Co- iMannl put handcuffs on Baron* and ihen proceeded to beat him up. ORACAREWAND HUSBAND STILL BAHLING Ora Sued for $20,000— John Is Pinched and Alex Mentioned Again r DINING ROOM CIRCUIT Magician and Sevan-Piece Orchss- \ tra Playing Hotels at $1 Top A hew angle In bookings for Vaudeville road attractions has been worked out by Maurice, the Great, >teagtcian. Through a tie-up with the United Hotel Co., which con- trols hotels In the States and Canada, Maurice has booked the Botela to play one, two and three- olght stands in the dining rooms. , The magician does a magic act Including four Illusions, and in Addition carries a seven-piece or- chestra. He charges $1 admission, the lotal receipts going to him, with no split for the hotels, which donate the dining rooms free. To date he has been grossing from $300 to $700 nightly. His overhead Includes his •ssistant, the orchestra and 22 pieces of baggage. Los Angples, Aug. S. The second round of the matrimo- nial tilt between Ora Carew. stage and screen actress, and her hus- band, John C. Howard, took place at Long Beach, where she was play- ing. It resulted in' Miss Carew be- ing served with papers'in a $20,000 action brought by his father, John P. Howard, and the arrest of young Howard for violation of the Wright Act In having liquor in his automo- bile. Since Howard's clash with Alex- ander Pantages and the return of Howard's wife from San Diego, where she played following the trouble, things have been very act- ive. Early In the week Howard, it Is said, trailed Miss Carew from Long Beach to the ofllce of Pan- tages, where she remained a short time and then left. She met her estranged husband on the street. An argument started which resulted in her again appealing to the Dis- trict Attorney for aid. Guards were furnished from that office to watch her for {he balance of the week. Two nights later Howard, accom- panied by two friends, visited the theatre at Long Beach. Upon their arrival Miss Carew's mother notified the management she was in fear Howard had come to kill her daugh- ter while the latter was on the stage. Police, of course, were again called. They searched Howard and his com- panion, and after finding no weap- ons permitted them to return to their seats and witness the show. $20,000 Not* While this was going on a deputy sheriff served Miss Carew with pa- pers in the $20,000 action Just as she was ready to do her act. The action is brought In the'Superior Court on a $20,000 note, which Miss Carew made out In favor of John F. How- ard for the loan of money to finance pictures In January, 1923, shortly af- ter the marriage of the couple. This loan was made Jan. 3, 1923, when Howard brought his bride to visit his parents. The money. It Is said, was used In the making of some pic- tures at San Francisco. Miss Carew, it is reported, Insisted at the time the loan was made that It be a busi- ness transaction, and she signed the notes which her husband Indorsed for her. When Howard left the theatre be was trailed In his machine by two Long Beach detectives, who took him into custody on the State liquor charge on a tip received from the Carew family. It is said. Howard was locked up for several hours un- til $500 cash ball was obtained. His trial on the charge is scheduled for Aug. 9. Miss Carew is scheduled to re- sume her Pantages tour at S;»lt Lake next Saturday. 'HAPPY" MASEFIELD Tuba Player with ACE BRIGODE and HIS 14 VIRGINIANS at the Monte Carlo, New York. "Happy," who is shown here al- most avalanched by the mammoth tuba he masters, has the distinction of playing the heaviest instrument of its kind in the world. Despite its weight, it is finely balanced, haviog been built to order for the tuba tooter. "Happy" tjems literally so. Judg- ing from the dentifrice smile, and he has full reason to be as one of the important instrumentalists with the crack ACE BRIGODE DANCE OR- CHESTRA. VAUPEVnJl TEAM AS CAMPAIGN BOOSTERS ASS'N ANGERED UPON FINDING AaS "CUT FOR INDEPENDENTS Playing Independent Time at Lower Salary Will Cost Reduction on Assn/s Routes—Cannot Fill In Open Time Water Melon Contesto Watermelon contests, mor* or less obsolete as theatre fea- tures, were revived at the Pre- mier, Brooklyn, last week by Corse Payton, who is heading a tabloid stock at that house. Payton produced a tabloid edition of "Uncle Tom" and rang in the melon-eating icon- test at the wind-up. The stunt proved a novelty for Browns- ville and a winner for local pro- duce markets. The winners were awarded watermelons to take home. WONT RELEASE ISSWHm Rowe and Rowe Do Their "Act in One" at Rally's End- Wowing 'em KSS RAYMOND SEEIOTISLY HTI ^ In last week's Variety was an •tem of nn automobile collision at : Freoport, L. I., in which Annette . Itaymond (Dugan and Raymond) |*»s severely Injured. It has de- veloped since that Miss Raymond, J|>o in private life is the wife of J^omas Dugan, was more seriously "«rt than at first reported. Mis? Raymond, removed to RocU- yillo Centre Hospital, suffered a compound fracture of the Jaw and nearly e^'ery tooth In her lower Jaw was Jarred loose or knocked out. ENGAGEHENTS Muriel DeForrest, Gordon Dooley, "The Trial Honeymoon" (Chicago). Hawthorne and Cook ("Vanities "> Miller and Mack ("Vanities'). Dave Chasen ("Vanities"). Eddie Rogers ("Innocent Eyes," Winter Garden). Billy Blythe, dancer ("Belle of Quakertown"). Jane Taylor ("Innocent Eyes, Winter Garden). Jos. Sciiildkraut, "The Firebrand (Schwab. Llverlght & Mandel). Pauline Vincent, 'or "American Revue." Kathlene Martyn. Myra Hampton, Joseph Allen, for "Vanity Fair." Ernest Mack. Peggy Shannon, dancer, "Plain Jone." , . . ^, Alfred Newman, musical director, sixth "Greenwich Village Follies." Exeter, N. H., Aug. 6. And now for the entry of vaude- ville methods In political campaign- ing, to wake the Indifferent voter from his lethargy and Jog him to the polls with a song-and-dance! So avers Stewart Everett Rowe. ad- mirer of things theatrical, who ha« tossed his k»lly into the ring for the Job of prosecutor of Rocking- ham county. His ipost effective campaign work is to be done by the team of Rowe and Rowe—the latter the Mrs.—who will put on their bit In "one" at the end of every rally. As Is often the custom In vauda- vllle circles. Rowe and Row* got oft to a flying -tart in their home town of Kensington — tram tne tr^^olnt of the KenslngtonUn. their act was a wow—and nowit shifts to larger stages for a real 'After a vocal trumpet solo. Mr. Rowe read a poem of h'« »"''»* «" posing a la Kdgar A. a-wt- •»- mied; "When Tou Make Tour Uttle Cross, Remember Rowe.- Then Rowe and Rowe. TOcaB-t and banjolst. entertained with » song patterned on the familiar tune o? I^Sder's, "I Like My Home T^ Best," and bearing the title, "I Hoe My Own Row." The words. Recently I met some friends whose Judgment carries weight, Friends In whom Tve never found a flaw. ^ . I had not Intended then to be a candidate. Meant to step aside and practice law. They were saying Td be a good solicitor— They were saying that I ought to file; They said you can serve us. you ve been honest, tried and true, I said, "All right, I'll beat him by a mile." Chorus So I'm a candidate, I'd like to be solicitor. And 1 have this to state: You'll nnd it's the Job I'm fltted for. And the little votes are calling me As the people's candidate. I'm the man, lifelong Republican, You ought to nominate!" kelleemAn act at hip Annette Kellerman will open at the Hippodrome. New York, Sept. 8 in a new variety turn which will Include the house chorus and eight diving girls. COMEDIANS WITH "VANITIES" Hawthorne and Cook ha -f signed with Earl Carroll for the next "Van- ities," which is now rehearsing. Other comedians for the show are Joe Cook. Miller and Mack, Al K. Hall and Dave Chasen. "Mary Jane McKan«," an Arthur Hammersteln musical, wants Fran- ces White to co-star this season. Miss White is willing and so Is the Keith booking office, excepting that Keith's says there la a little matter of six more weeks for Fran- ces to play In her contracted dates In vaudeville before she should think of entering a production. Miss White Is appearing in Keith's houses at present, now at the Davis, Pittsburgh. If the vaude- ville matter of a few weeks can't be adjusted with "Mary Jane" Miss White may keep on playing vaude- ville until another production offer arrives. It has beep customary for blg- tlme vaudevii* to be lenient In per- mitting its people to Join shows, but the Hammersteln offer to Mls« White struck vaudeville in the mid- dle of the summer when "names" are scarce as headliners, which might be called Frances White's luck. BALDWIN'S SCHEME N. G. Charles Baldwin, 20, salesman, AUmac Hotel, wa« held in $6,000 bail for further examination when arraigned before Magistrate Rytten- berg in West Side Court on a charge of grand larceny preferred by Frank A. Keeney, of the San Remo Hotel, with the larceny of )S1. The story told by the police to Magistrate Ryttenberg was that Baldwin, an acquaintance of Keeney, met Frederick Jackson, an actor, and told him he was trying to get $700 from the manager of the San Remo Hotel and that he had sent a fictitious telegram to the manager, signing Keeney's name, authorizing him to collect the money. Baldwin pursuaded Jackson to pose as Keeney's business manager and col- lect the money. Jackson entered Into the scheme in 80 far a« to trap Baldwin. He Informed the hotel authorities and also the police. Detective Cronln. West 68th street station, was notlHed. When Bald- wlA-and Jackson appeared jit the hotel to collect the money Baldwin was arrested. In the envelope handed over was $51 In marked money. Chicago, Aug. «. A condition arising between the Western Vaudeville Managers' As- sociation and Independent houses in this section has brought anger, It Is ■aid, to the association's heads. Re- port states that instructions have been issued to the association book- ers that any act playing independ- ent time for a lesser salary than the association pays R, shall be re- duced in salary on the association's books to the amount paid by the independent. Included in the instructions is the order that any act holding a con- tract with the Association, Orpheum Circuit or Orpheum, Jr., Circuit and filling In any open time in theatres booked by independent a«ents will be subjected to immediate cancel- lation. Acts Committing Costly Error At the same time, according to the story, the Association bookers were advised to Inform the agents booking through It to Inform theii acts not to accept an outside en- gagement without conomunicatlng with the Association. This order was given. It is said, to prevent act< committing an error for a day ot a week In booking that might de- prive them of a season's work. Assooiratlon'a fleld men have found a stumbling block often of late when conversing with inde- pendent vaudeville managers who are possibilities for Association bookings. The independents ex- hibit a lUt of "Association's acts" with salaries at a lower figure than the Association can quote. Just now with the Association un- der Charles B. Bray Intent upon erecting a Chicago-to-Coast circuit that win be of Invaluable benefit to acts in additional working time, this new phase brought about by acts, though innocently perhaps, caused the abrupt Inatructlona quoted. Points Aimed Against Acts, have been accepting time. It is said, from independent agen- cies at Kansas City, Omaha and St. Louis, besides others, when having a week or so open on their routes around those points. Theso Inde- pendent bookings not alone Inter- fere with the Association and the Orpheum's routing as desired, but they handicap the booking oflSces in the laying out of time. The Association is inclined toward giving artists every consideration and want them to play continuous engagements, but it cannot overlook a brief lapse being flilod in inde- pe.idently, nor can It se* why, it is claimed, that an act should work more cheaply for an Independent for a few days or a week than It agrees to Ptay for the Association or the Orpheums for a full season. At the office of the Association no one would admit any orders or in- structions along these lines have been issued, but it was not denied. Notwithstanding, it may be stated that such orders and instructions are now outstanding among the As- sociation's bookers STOCK HIDEAWAY Keith's-I^ocw's DeaF In Ottawa Houses A pooling of interests Ijetwoen the Loew and Keith Circuits in Ot- tawa (Canada) was effected this week. Locw's, Ottawa, heretofore a picture and vaudeville house, will dl.scontinuc the vaudeville in two weeks, playing pictures, while the Keith houHc (Franklin) will con- tinue with Keith vaudeville. Loew's, Ottawa, has been playing vaudeville and pictures for the past two years. Louisa Lovely on Visit to Mother San FrancLsco. Aug. 5. Luuise Liovely sailed for Au.ttralia on the "Sonoma" to vl.sit her mother. Miss iMvely closed her Orpheum tour two weeks ago. Lewis A Cordon Dig Up New One in Maine Tjcwis & Gordon have found a new tr>out hideaway. It Is located in the wilds of Maine at the Lakewood theatre, Lakewood, Skowhegan. I.Ast week the stock company there tried a new throe qct play by John H. Hymer, develoi>ed from his vaudeville sketch entitled "Maggi-? Taylor—Waitress." The play i.s called simply "Maggie Taylor" and the former vaudeville sketch forms Its third act. The firm will also try out another piece with the stock on Sept. 1. It is tentatively entitled "Jim Dillick" but it may he eventually called "Mr. and Mrs." Hugh Herbert wrote the piece and will go to Maine to btage It. JUSTINE JOHNSTONE IN ACT Justine Johnstone (Mrs. Walter Wanger) will shortly at>pear in Keith vaudeville in a sketch under the direction of Lewis tt Qordon.