Variety (September 1924)

VARIETY VAUto¥VUtE *\ ' •••'■ * < ■ . Wednesday, September 3, 1884 STRIKE ORDERED ON PANTAGES CIRCUIT BY MUSICIANS' UNION Road Call Sent Out for Entire Pantages Circuit— First Date of September 1 Extended—Settlement May Be Reached Word reaching New York that • road call had been issued by the American Federation of Musicians and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage « Employes -and Motion Picture Operators on all houses controlled and operated by Alexander Pantages, was confirmed by -ecutlves at both A F. of M. an* Alliance headquarters. President Joseph Weber, of the A. F. of M., issued a call effective Sept. 1. Wlth/tsertaln sections de- sirous of effecting a settlement re- sulted in Mr. Weber modifying the call, giving Sept. 8 as the final road call date. President Canavan Informed a Variety representative that the stagehands and operators were en- tirely in sympathy with tbe move- ment against Pantages. •The trouble started In Seattle over a labor wage dispute with the Musicians' union there making an emphatic stand which resulted in Pantages refusing to give In to their demands. . There was a "belief In New York Tuesday that tbe Pantages matter would be cleared up M the matter has been taken up with the Vaude- ville Managers* Protective Associa- tion of which Pantages Is a mem- ber. Denver, Sept S. The Pantages house here is not affected by the strike, should one occur next Monday. This is the local sense of opinion through Pantages having no financial in- terest In the local Em press (Pan), merely booking the Pantages acts in here. Conditions pointed to a walkout In sympathy with Seattle unions when a cancellation of the original order for the Empress musicians to walk out under official A. F. of M. direction was sent here by Presi- dent Weber of the Federation. The Empress here is owned solely by F. O. Bonflls and the es- tate of the late H. H. Tammen of the Denver "Post** F. J. Liebold, secretary of local mfislcla.is' union, is looking after the musicians' rights here. Weber's wire declared the local Empress was not considered as a Pantages house STRIKE SETHEMENTS LORNER GIRLS Now playing B. F. Keith's Palace, New York. Direction, HARRY FITZGERALD Associate, DANNY COLLINS ~~ PULLMANV^UKCHABQE St. Paul, Sept. 2. The fight by the salesmen's asso- ciations to remove the BO per cent. surcharge on Pullmans reopened last week here before the Interstate Commerce Commission. The mileage problem has been on* of tbe National Council of .Traveling Salesmen's Associations' prime Interests and, if successful. its benefits wlU apply to actors and others who must travel regularly for business reason only. > Eleventh hour setlements of dif- ferences between managers and stage hands, picture operators and musicians, averted strikes in Bos- ton, . Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa, Cincinnati, Newark, Rochester and 8chnectady en Labor Day. Working compromises exist In Indianapolis, Louisville and Philadelphia, where conferences are pointing to a com- plete adjustment of all stage work- ers and musicians' demands. Operators Agree In Boston Both the stage hands local (11) and musicians' union (») had sent executives to New York, where they had come to an understanding with Boston managers in the office of J. J. Murdbek (Keith office). The picture operators (182) cams on for a conference, but were unable to effect a settlement On their return to the Hub, the operators finally •greed along the lines of the other . unions and the entire labor situa- tion An Boston clarified on the eve of Labor Day. Montreal Cleared Up Musicians of Montreal received Increases, but not at the original amounts demanded. At the Prin- cess they asked for $11 and got $7. They wanted $1$ at the Gaiety and received $7. The Imperial demand was fll and the award was $5. Loew's wanted $11 and accepted $5. At the Palace and Capitol, where Increases were demanded,. a $2.50 grant was made. At His Majesty $• was demanded and $6 was awarded. Newark Everything In Newark nears a complete settlement The stage stands' local (21) sent a commit- tee, headed by Dan Cassldy and Business Agent Slattery, to New Yoyk Saturday afternoon and, ac- companied by President William Canavan of the International Alli- ance, held a satisfactory conference in the Murdoch offices. One of tbe vaudeville houses in JJfswark controlled by the Pan- Sages offices demanded a certain condition which the unions there refused to grant. It is the rule for a six-act show to have six men, five acts, five and so on. The Pan wanted five men for a six-act bill. Ottawa * Whan tbe operators 1 union (267), Ottawa, was unable to come to any satisfactory agreement with the managers, President Canavan as- signed Traveling Representative Harry Sherman to Jump up there ovtr the week-end to straighten things out Sherman- wired Alli- ance headquarters, *J|ew York, Mon- day the differences had been ad- Justed satisfactorily. Buffalo . -s" reported well satisfied. The musi- cians, who applied for a raise of $9.60 per man, were given a $6 In- crease. Tbe operators received an increase of S per cent, amounting to an Increase of about $4 for the head operators and $1 for the assis- tants. The stage hands, who put in a bid for an increase of $• per man, capitulated at $*• The new scales are reported to be equitable and compare favorably with those in vogue in other cities. Indianapolis Little remains to be adjusted in Indianapolis, where the operators (104) have already entered into a new contractual agreement with the managers. The stagehands body ($0) hi In conference with managerial representation, and announcement-is expected hourly of an adjustment Meanwhile the theatre will operate (Continued on page $4) ACTS AT FLOWER SHOW Pasadena, CaL, Sept 2. The Pasadena Fall Flower Show, one of the biggest events of its kind on the West Coast will be held Oct. 23-26 at the Hotel Maryland. Vaudeville acts will be one of the features of the occasion, with five numbers scheduled to be used. EDDIE TOT'S ANNUAL New Rochelle, N. Y„ Sept S. The annual benefit tor St Jo- seph's Cburch of New Rochelle, N. Y, was held Sunday by Eddie Foy and family in Loew's theatre. Lester Allen and "Bugs" Baer acted as Joint masters of ceremo- nies. The bill Included Johnny Dooley, Jules Saranoff, Chuck Reis- ner, and Dinky Dean, Healy and Cross, Louise Hart, McCarthy Sis- ters, Bob Murphy, Grace and Ed- die Parks, Frank Fay, Foy Family. ILL AND INJURED Owing to an accident to Frances Fay (Fay and Rock), an engage- ment with a new Broadway musical show has been canceled. Miss Fay is slowly recovering from her in- juries. Jack Potsdar. quite 111 for a long time, returned to his office this week. Murray and Allen. will resume their Keith and Orpheum tour at the Majestic, Milwaukee, Sept. 7. The team were forced to cancel the last six weeks due to the illness of Mur- ray. Betty Lane (Murray and Lane) Is at the Missouri Baptist Sanita- rium, St. Louis, recovering from pneumonia. Jack Tanquay is confined to Bellevue Hospital, New York, and Issues a request that his friends call to see him. He will be found In Ward 4. INCORPORATIONS Albany, Sept. 2. ZiegfeJd Continental Stars, Inc., New York; theatrical, motion pic- tures; 100 shares ' non par value; Marlon L. Elkln, Lillian I. Fink, Anne Elchel. (Attorney, Nathan Borkan, 1461 Broadway.) O e nt er P roeess, I no. New York; motion pictures; $100,000; H. J.Ren- dlch, F. J. Rendlch, William F. Qulg- ley. (Attorney, B. A. Scott Jr., 2$ West 4Sd st) Morion Productions, Inc., New York; theatres, motion pictures; $1,000; H. A. Bloomberg, Irving Frn- kel, Ida Shumnla (Attorney. William Kaufman, 1422 Broadway.) Perlman Pianos, Inc, New York; manufacture pianos $100,000; R. F. Haas, Email Y. Perlman, Mae Fried- berg. (Attorney, M. C. Chek, $$ Park row.) Wina Novelty Candy Co., Inc, Brooklyn; $10,000; Richard Cross. Llbby Rehm, Louis Cross. (Attor- ney, Benjamin Feldman, 11$ Nassau street) Scharhao Incorporated, Brooklyn; hotel, theatre and picture proprie- tors; $10,000; Marlon K. Scharhag. Fred C. Williams, Everett D. Carl- son. (Attorney, John O. Hlnes. $$1 Fulton street Brooklyn.) Laboratory of Theatre Arts, Inc., Rochester; experimental theatrical work; $600; Mae E. Soble, Rita F. Stein, Margaret Coyne Kiem. (At- torneys, • O'Brien 4b McSweeney, 701 Wilder Bldg, Rochester. N. Y.) 8Udiurn Pictures, Inc., New York; pictures; $20,000; MaxweU Piatt, Samuel C. Piatt, Max Cohen. (At- torney, H. M. Goldsblatt, 1140 Broad- way.) Souvenir Programs, Inc, New York; print and publish programs and sbuvenlrs; $6,000; Percy Heill- ger, W. B. F. Rogers, E. H. Kunen. (Attorney, Samuel Rogers, West 66th street) Kager Productions, Inc, New York; pictures; $26,000; Charles Rush, H. D. Coughlln, Jennie Katz. (Attorney, Charles Rush, 141 Broad- Advertising Campaign in Variety To Build Up Brand New Circuit . -^- The Chicago to coast vaudeville circuit, in formation by the West- ern Vaudeville Managers' Association of Chicago, is virtually an assured success. It's a brand new circuit as It Is a new thought, with both parented by Charles B- Bray, general manager of the* asso- ciation. - ' — Advertising was the Bray Idea to get quick actlojj to establish the circuit He rejected Variety. He started a campaign. To leave no doubt as to the success or failure, no paper but Variety has been used to date. Mr. Bray started the association's advertising about six week ago, using a double page spread in Variety weekly. His contract is for that double center for 10 weeks and during the 10th week (Sept 22) Variety is to*issue a Western Number to incorporate all of the features of western vaudeville as represented by the asso- ciation. Mr. Bray rightfully Judged that his plan would be worked out either way by Sept 28. . Bray's Follow-up Mr. Bray followed up the advertising by making personal visits at the'big western points. He also advertised his stops and stated his objects. When reaching those points the association's general man- ager found his plans were known. They could only have preceded him through Variety. It's the first time on the theatrical record where a circuit manager ever utilised a trade paper to build up a booked circuit, or to procure wholesale and new bookings as Bray has done. Variety always has claimed Its usefulness as an advertising medium in the show business. Booking offices and circuit managers heretofore believed the only way they could add bookings was through "field men" or personal solicitation, often taking months of time and much money to secure lesser results than so far Charles E. Bray has accomplished within six weeks. Within 15 days from the time of Bray's first advertisement for the association in Variety, outlining his proposal, he aecelved a group of eight theatres on the Pacific Coast, belonging to one of the strongest picture chains out there, telling him that any time the association started its coast circuit to Include those houses on its Callfornlan end. That was a quick result $,000 miles away, for until Variety carried the first association advertisement, not a line or word had been sent out by Bray. Variety Taking No Credit Variety doesn't discount the high standing of the Western Vaude- ville Managers' Association and) its unrivalled affiliation, tbe Orpheum Circuit nor does Variety Intend in this to make any claim for credit of any kind in the happy ending of the Bray plan. Variety merely wants to bring out that It was the medium tor Bray, the Associa- tion and the Orpheum Circuit and as that returned to the promoters of the new circuit exactly what they wanted Variety to do, as worked out by Mr. Bray and Hal Halperln, of Variety's Chicago office. Variety carried their advertisements where they wanted them to go; it became their advance agent the booking agent and the salesman. Variety as a theatrical paper is theatricals* biggest clearing house, were it used for that purpose. Variety's Western Number will be published Sept. 24. It win carry the anonunoements of those closely associated with all of western vaudeville and many of those who believe that Chicago Is the logical vaudeville center of the United States. The Orpheum and the Association have given many stars to the theatre. They have graduated many to headline spots la vaudeville and musical comedy besides other fields; there's always an affec- tionate regard retained for the place that gives anyone a start Variety Is greatly pleased by the Bray experiment, and as pleased that Charles E. Bray personally mads his selection of this paper. There is not a more widely traveled executive of the theatre than the same Bray; he has been all over this country and all over the world, not once, but often. There is no one who could have had a better or direct line on the possibilities of Variety as an advertising medium for any branch of the show business. Western Number at Old Rates • /. Variety will carry other business In the issue Of its Western Num- ber and at the rates prevailing before the announced Increase of advertising rates of this Issue dated as of Sept 1. That Is in ac- cordance with the Bray plan with the Bray rates based upon the rates then prevailing. What Variety can do for the manager It can do for the actor—if there is merit to your plan or act advertise it and in Variety. By making Variety your exclusive medium, you reduce the cost of pub- licity to the minimum. Variety covers the field, you need no other medium. . - Tbe annual controversy between the local theatre managers and the, stage and siuslclans' unions was *^ 0 ^ ^{n^f* 5^, LINDEE-WALTERS AFFILIATE An affiliation was effected last week between the Jack Linder Agency of New York and the Louis Walters Exchange of • Boston whereby each will represent the other In their respective territory tk har Theatre Corporation, New York; theatrical, f pictures; 1,000 shares no par value; A. L.*E/langer, Sam H. Harris, A. Levy. (Attorney, Joseph P. Bickerton, Jr., $14 West 42d street.) CERTIFICATE OF STATEMENT Albany. Sept 2. Certificate of statement and des- ignation has been filed at Albany by Synchronized Pictures. Inc., Wil- mington, Delaware, Richard H. Hat- field, president Corporation will engage in motion picture business ar 1 radio broadcasting. New York office is 1420 Union street, Brooklyn. Wllllm J. Schmidt, 2 Rector street is attorney for the corporation. settled this /week, with both nts. > i J; HOUSE OPENINGS The B. S. Moss Castle theatre. Long Beach, L. I., will remain open until Oct. 1, playing photoplay fea- tures. George Hollo way will man- age the house. The Capitol, Union Hill, N. J, STOCK SHOWS PROFITABLE (Continued from page 1) lng a success of a plan which calls for neither stage hands nor mu- sicians, and which employs a huge radio in place of the latter. "The Green Room Players." now in their eighth week at the Plaza, have been so successful with a pro- gram of one-set plays that they are opening a second company this .week at tbe Casino, and even with everyone being in Equity. The stagehands are unable to find a way to edge In the houses. F. Haven MacQuarrie and Earl MacQuarrie are responsible for the scheme. They had been operating a school of acting In conjunction with a dramatic agency when the idea* was born. A deal with Irving Linesby brought them the Plaza, now occupied on a sharing basis. With no scenery to be changed and no musicians to pay, prices of $0 cents and $1 were decided upon. Thousands of passes were distrib- uted among the masses. With a 16 cent "courtesy tax" on each ducat, $0 cents came in to the b. o. on a pair. In this way about $900 was Seallaed the first week, but the sec- nd saw virtual capacity at real K^viuiev$el&o^lc'taS. **1 frTe^tofiarepaid'ho'sataV^Wl! get a benefit weekly, usually the proceeds of the Saturday matinee. The first four plays were obtained, from local dramatists, hence no royalty. That made all of the re- ceipts "gravy." o Now the actors are working on salary and prosperity is hovering around the theatre. (■ Casino Starts 8ama Plsn out Th/ Casino starts this week as 4 co-operative coinpany, and "Seven Keys to Baldpate" is the first MIL Here, too, the radio occupies the or- chestra pit and tbe actors are building and painting the sets. Each actor holds two contracts, one from Equity calling for a minimum of $1 weekly, and a separate pact which calls for a share of the prof- its. The Casino company Includes Richard Allen, Ivy Merton, Anoya McNulty, Barbara Lucas, Fred Church, N. Anthony Jgaker, Rupert Drum and Dorothy Cluer. Although walking delegates from both the musicians and stagehands locals have been drawn out by these enterprises, Theodore Hale, local Equity attorney, has counseled the players that they are entirely within their rights in going ahead in the m'afmeY eWployeU 1 .' " ' ! '" ' " - • J