Variety (September 1924)

• 18 VARIETY „ - w LEGITIMATE Wednesday, jfeeptember 3, 1924 OLIVER MOROSCO PRODUCING AS PARTNER WITH SHUBERTS _ Making Six Productions This Season—Headquarters Shubert Offices—Shuberts Need More At- m tractions Oliver Morosco has entered In a producing arrangement with the Shuberts wherein they will finance him In the presentation of six new play* during 11X4-26. Moroaco will have a desk in the Shubert executive oflloe«, not .as an employe, but a partner In the productions which he will make, his position being rather that of an affiliated producer. It la explained the deal was made because the Shuberts are In need of more attractions for their theatres than their own production depart ment will turn out. The assumption is that fewer new producers are In evidence than other seasons. The Shuberts will probably have a controlling financial Interest In the Monaco attractions. In the past two years or since the Incorporation of the Moroaco Holding Co., Oliver Moroaco has attempted several pro- ductions, which because of the han- dicaps of outside money hacking, failed to land. Moroaco la preparing for suit against August J an sen, Ben Leven, the Moroaco Holding Co., and others, asking $1,000,000 on the grounds of fraud. la the recent proceedings, which resulted In the indictment of half a dosen officers of the Moroaco Holding Company -by a Federal Grand Jury, Moroaco accepted Im- munity and appeared as a witness against the defendants. He will be a government witness when the charges are tried. In the accounts of the Indictments by the New York dallies, ft was gen- erally reported (and presumably on information furnished by the Fed- eral District Attorney's office) that Oliver Moroaco had been "wiped oat" through casting his fortune and proper t ies with the Morosco Holding Company, a pure promo- tion which took over the Morosco properties and traded upon bis well- known theatrical name. Other reasons may have contrib- uted to Morocco's loss of fortune, but that Oliver, himself, was an- other victim of the Morosco Holding Company the insiders of the theat- rical trade always have understood. BRISBANE SEVEN YEARS MORE AS "JOURNAL" ED. In Speech He Claims Credit for Making "Fortune Hunter" and Barrymore SHUBERTS' COPLEY Former Stock HousS in Boston for Musicals The Shuberts have landed the Copley Theatre, Boaton, through a leasing agreement Just signed with the Copley owner, M. Douglas Flat- tery. The Boston house has been the home of the Henry Jewett Reper- toire company for the past eight years. The Shuberts plan to send in a musical show 'about Sept. if. Stage Costumes Burned on Coast San Faanclsco, Sept. 2. Fire which destroyed the work- shop of Frank Atkins, theatrical producer In Berkeley, CaL, last week, resulted In the loss of 800 theatrical costumes, nine drops and other valuable stage properties. The loss was estimated at $6,500. Arthur Brisbane, editor of W. R. Hearst's "Evening Journal," has seven years more of newspaper work ahead of him and then retire- ment and a long, long rest. That was one of the statements made by the editor at a luncheon last week, when he said that he had lust signed a contract calling for his services for seven years more as editor of the "Evening Journal." At the same time, he took the credit for putting John SBarrymore on the map and also for the success of "The Fortune Hunter" through having written an advertisement of s page for the play when It wasn't doing' any business and the first night the page, which cost Klaw and Erlanger $1,000, appeared, the box-office receipts Jumped the amount of the cost. MISS SAXT0N GIVES NOTICE Leaving "Passing Show"—Girl Ambitious to Be Acting Ingenue Before the "Pasaing Show" lett Atlantic City, Marie Saxton banded in her notice. She will open with the ahow at the Winter Garden to- night (Wednesday) and leave It Sept. II. •» Miss Saxton waa reported having gotten over In songs and dances, and nothing In connection with the Shubert management displeased her, but the young woman la said to have ambitions toward more straightaway ingenue playing. While rehearsing with the "Passing Show," she received an offer from "The Top Hole,? but had to de- cline it owing to her Shubert eon- tract. — Miss Saxton was with the run of "Battling Buttler" In New York last season and attracted favorable attention there. » "WHITE CARGO" AT C0RT Another 'Strong" Drama Scheduled for House Chicago, Sept. S. Another strong drama la to fol- low the current one, "Wages for Women," into the local Cort. It wiU be "White Cargo" from the 63rd Street, New York. With "White Cargo" at the Cort, it will start that house as a home for the strenuous play, and should give the theatre a chance to get some profit. JANET OF FRANCE There's a bally fine girl don't yer . know. Makes a blooming big 'IT In the show, I could tell at a "glance" that this JANET OF "FRANCE," Is a ripping good "actreea," What Oh. —THE HINGLISH CRITIC MONTREAL ACTRESS ACCUSED BY GIRL-WIFE Miss LaPlant Alleged to Have Fled with Husband—Wife Deserted in R.R. Station CRITICAL DIGEST Opinions of the metropolitan critics on the new legitimate pro- ductions. Published weekly in Variety ss a guide to the reliability of the critical judgment on plays expressed by the reviewers on the dailies. The opinion will be repeated when a play closes on Broadway after a long or short run with the critics to he box-scored at inter- vale, rated by percentage en their judgment as recorded. Pige Only one flrat-etrlng reviewer present; ManUe ("News") failed to be oonvinced. The remaining news- papermen Hked this Initial John Golden piece, although the "Evening World" dodged a definite statement. Havoc One of the five Monday night openings and catching a majority of the varsity scribes. "American" (Dale) and "Post" (Anderson) la- beled It as okay, but the "Evening World" (Osborne) and "Brooklyn Eagle" (Pollack) remained skepti- cal Much of the comment mixed. Nerves The second of th« two war play fxemlerea ■ Labor ' Day ' hight In- termediately received. "Evening World." "Mirror" and "Telegram - Mail" liked It, with "World "(Broun). "Sun-Globe' (Woollcott) and "Post" offsetting with doubtful wordings. Chocolate Dandies Approved almost ^unanimously. with practically every paper draw- ing comparisons between this entry and "Shuffle Along." "Post," -termed it "the cream" of all colored shows, while "Bulletin" predicted it would be here for months. Top Hole Straightaway raves for the chorua, which some heralded as the best dancing group ever on Broadway. ■Herald," "Times," "World" and "Evening World" far from enthusi- astic as to the show itself, although others favorably impressed. Lawrence, Mass. k Sept. 2. . Accusing Lillian LaPlant, Mon- treal actress, as the woman with whom her ex-Canadian war veteran husband eloped here, Mrs. Paulina (Roy) Payant of 452 Notre Dame street, Montreal, has petitioned the Vocal police tor assistance. The de- serted wife, a pretty, bobbed-haired girl of It, was found huddled In a seat at the North station here 12 hours after her husband left her to purchase clgarets. The girl was still hoping that her ex-soldier hubby wouldjreturn. She told the police he refused to give her 10 cents to purchase reading material when be left to buy the clgarets. In her story to authorities the child-wife stated she married Pay- ant in Three Rivers (Canada) six months ago after a brief courtship of three weeks. The couple were on their way, supposedly, to Penn- sylvania, . where Payant told his wife he had obtained employment. The trip waa being mads In a new Bulck touring ear purchased for the occasion. Mis* LaPlant, described as a striking blonde actress, la accused by the deserted wife of meeting her husband here by prearrangement. Following the marriage six months sgo, Mrs. Payant said, she went to live In a Montreal apart- ment house with her husband. The actress was also an occupant of the apartment house! the girl-wife said. Mrs. Payant told the police that she believes her husoand and the blonde actress became enamoured of each other. The deserted girl became Indig- nant only when she' spoke of the actress wearing the clothes so re- cently purchased by her husband as a bridal present. 11 demand that he at least re- turn the clothes," the wife said. "He took all of my wardrobe with him when he left" A public subscription was taken up by Interested parties to provide funds for the stranded gh-L * HUSSEY AS "IZZY" Retiree aa Vaudeville's Champ Dialectician Jimmy Hussey will succeed Frank Walbridge in "lazy," due at the Broadhurst next week becausa of the cast change. Hussey explained his withdrawal from vaudeville in the same style his friend Johnny Dundee re- nounced the featherweight boxing championship, saying he resigned his title as Yiddish dialect champ of vaudeville. Jimmy said he could not make the weight, mean- ing the bookers demurred at fixing hla salary at the figure he deemed right. CONGRESSMAN BLOOM BACK Congressman Sol Bloom returned Labor Day oil the "Leviathan" from, his length visit abroad. " " ' "' PotLsck! Horace Braham. well-known legit actor, recently went to his home in England In order that s parental estate of 1260,000 might be transferred to him. On his way back, aboard the Aqultanla, the newly rich actor' was In the ship's pool and watted off with the winning card, which brought him an additional $2,000. COHAN'S LIFE STORY IS EXPENSIVE FROM TRIE" Offered as Serial to Sunday Editors—Costs $5,000 for All George M. Cohan's life story, titled "My 20 Years on Broadway," la now being offered to., the news- papers of the country by the ChU cago Tribune Syndicate at one of the highest prices ever asked for a syndicated article of its type. * In cRles approximating 750,000 the -price asked is $100 per pago, which runs into $6,000 annually for the feature. It Is listed to run a year, but one Sunday editor of a paper that pays heavy sugar for its feature stuff said that considering the fact that Cohan was or might again be In the show-business soon, the whole thing took on too much of a press agenty aspect to pay money for. That the "Trlb" is offering the material direct to the Sunday editors blows up the story that It would be first run In "Liberty," the "Trlb's"* weekly magasine. FRITH SCHEFF TO SING IN "NANETTE" IN N. t. 2 NEW HOUSES ON 42D STREET? Hearst Holds One Sit©— Selwyns Have Option on Other There are possibilities for the building of two legitimate theatres on West 42nd street during the com- ing theatrical year. One site is on the north side of the block, between Seventh and Eighth, avenues, the property being west of the Selwyn theatre and reported owned by W. R. Hearst. The other site is the southwest corner of Eighth avenue at 42nd street. For some reason the corner prop- erty has attracted the Interest of two managers. Lee Shubert Is said to have desired ownership, but an option which extends for another year 4s held by Arch Selwyn. Shubert found that out when he Went after the parcel. It has been Intimated the corner, if turned Into a theatre by Selwyn, might have Flo Zlegfeld equally Interested. FRITZ LEBER AGAIN TAKING OUT CLASSICS Hopkins Paid Last Season's Salary, but Didn't Use Shakespearean Star Prima Donna Signed Last Week—Broadway Re- appearance ». Fritsl Scheff has been signed for the New York run of "No, No, Na- nette," which Is dus In town in October, but which la Just now In the middle of a highly prosperous Chicago run. This will mar!: Miss Scheffs re- appearance in. a Broadway legit vehicle for.about the first time in five years At that time she re- vived "MUe. Modiste,'' but did not hit Broadway with It. SAVAGE'S LINEUP "Lollipop" opens its road tour Sept. S at Hudson, N. Y., with Ada May and most of the original cast In the lineup. The other Henry W. Savage musical, "The Magic Ring," with Mltzl, opens the day following In Allentown, Pa. Savage has two productions lined up for this season, both straight plays One is "Lass o' Laughter," a Scotch piece, and the other an Italian play by Nlcodeml, the rights to which were' secured last week. In addition Savage has two Franz Lehar operettas, which are as yet unproduced. ■ . Lois Scott-Mulford Dies of Broken Heart Los Angeles, Sept. 2. Mrs. Alfred A. Mulford, former Zlegfeld "Follies" girl and profes- sionally known as Lois Scott, died of a broken heart in the Hollywood Hospital exactly one month after her husband's death. Burial took place Saturday In Hollywood Cemetery. The couple were married last March? with Mulford meeting a tragic death during an automobile race at San Jose. BRANDEIS ROAD CALL OFF • The road call on the Brandels, Omaha, in effect at the order Of the I. A. T. S. E. since the middle of last May, has finally been lifted. The Omaha union ls # No. 42. The Brandels is a combination house. t. . v J . — "Mazie Buck" Will Be Produced "Mazle Buck," drama, will see production this season under the Independent Theatre. Inc., banner. Roland "Oliver Is tne author.' lTr ' Frits Lelber, after a year of com- parative Inactivity, will again take his Shakespearean repertoire to the road, playing the entire coun- try in the week, three-night and one-night stands, from New York territory to the coast. •Last year Lelber was under con- tract to Arthur Hopkins to do Eu- gene O'Neill's "The Fountain," but that production never came about. Instead Hopkins paid him salary for the contract period. Lelber did a pp ea r , however, m the flop produc- tion of "Two Strangers From No- where. Homer Drake will be ahead with the Lelber troupe. "GRAPHIC" 500-LINE RATE Macfadden'a New Evening Paper Staring Around Sept. 15 Bernarr Macfadden'a "Evening Graphic" will start around Sept 15. It has set s theatrical advertising rat* of 10 cents s Use, with a-six- line minimum. Walter Winchell, who Is to be dramatic editor of the paper, will also supervise its theatrical adver- tising- department DONALDSON A D. E. Don Donaldson Is now officiating as dramatic editor of the "Evening Telegram," one of the posts left vacant by the drowning of Robert Gilbert Welsh In Bermuda, Gilbert OAbriel, who took the Welsh position, at first was the d.e. and the critic, but is now confining his activities to criticism. TASHMAN-LOWE WEDDING Los Angeles, Sept. 2. Lily an Tashman and Edmund Lowe, well known on stage and screen, are scheduled to become man and wife during the current month. The couple have had a long standing friendship and at present are working in the local studios. TICKET BROKER'S PARTNER Chicago, Sept, i. Jack Horowlts, one of tbe most prominent ticket brokers in -Chi- cago, has sold a half interest in his business to a politician who Is said to have a great deal of influence with the theatres. Horowlts now controls two stands, but Intends to expand this season. Carrie Reynolds' Temperament Carrie Reynolds left "Plain Jane" last week for alleged temperament. Estclle Penning went Into the show this week. Lester Cole, juvenile, withdrawn from the cast on Saturday to re- tarn to vaudeville, Eric Titus suc- ceeding.' ' " '• «