Variety (October 1924)

C'W^dnesdajr, October 1, 1924 ..^.. ■-,.,■.-..■ vlU^l&WiJLi: '■^T: VARIETY 'AMA'mjRNiGHr'mcKUsr rJN CQMPETIN€ AGENCIES /' '■r^ .:■ l-i AH Ring«rt In S^iali Time VaTudeirille Renewal— ^'• Three Big Agencies Contn^ 'Xemon AcU*' and Other* f. r.<- ny Ij- Th« renewal of the ^Kmateur blsht" erase In amall time vaudevUle and picture hoasea and the attend- ant croppIniT up of aceikdea ape- c^Wffing in booking tbeae eatertain* toi»f\fM has prompted competition to wax that a "black liet" baa been e0|4|t>U8bed by the big three In thla line, refualng to book contestants worklps out of other ofticea. 7^ tmateur nighta are practl- caUJc .routined and have few. bona flde conteatanta from the neighbor- hotpid- Moat of the participants have been aspiring «vaudeviUian8 anzioua to.^quire stage legs via the ama- teur ' nights and occasionally small t^ax^^ acts hard put for ready cash through.lack of employment. Cpmedy acts and "lemon acta," th» latter being paid to be ridiculed and manhandled, have been so few and far between that agents have bMta; snapping them up and work- ins them as continuously as possible lnv«rder te keep competitors from weaning them away. Whea the above system did not work out well the acU were noti- fied that If they wanted empioyr ment ^out of one office they would have to aUck to that office ezchi- •Ivelr and would be iftven no more work if found appearing for com- petltora. NKKEb EDDIE ROSS •'ftlackface" Eddie Rou wias the complainant, in the Weat Side Court reaterday against Iaat>el Camithers. 17, of 329 West 19th street. Ross otjarfed her with stealing hiajwqnet ddiA'talning $97 and some pawn tickets. Itoas stated he met the girl at the Side Show in Greenwich Village and remained with her for acme time, after whlQh she accompanied liim to his home at 269 West 71st atreet. After she left his aparFment bo discovered that his wallet waa missing.. Miss Carruthers waa arrested yes- terday morning by Detective Thomas Conkllng, of the West 68th Street lltatlon, and arraigned in the West $ide Court; held in $1,000 ball for haarlng on Friday before Magistrate McKlniry. LUBUNER-TRINZ (JirmD RIVAL ORCUIT Contract Without Time Limit b7 L. & T. for Acts Chicago, Sept. SO. Lubllner ft Trins, controlling Ave picture theatres against Balaban & Katz's tluree, are outbidding the latter for super-preeentations by of- fering acts more work. Lubllaer & Trinz offer a suitable attraction an unlimited number of we^ to be played Iq their five houses. A contract is las«Md to alt maalcal, alnging and dancing turns, making it Uncomfortabla for Bala- ban & Kats to sacure recognised attractions. ^ Another advantage Lubllner tt Trlns have over the B. K. houses Is that only three shows a day pre- ^U In the other houses, while four shows dally and five Sunday are given In the B. * S. theatres. The presentation policy has been recently Inserted In the L. * T. houses and bids fair to be stiff competition for Balaban &_Kats In as far as securing materia Is con- cerned. ULLIAN NORWOOD Now playing Keith Circuit, ap- pearing thla week (Sept. 29) Qor- don'a Washington St. Theatre, Bos- ton, Mass., Is half of the Howard and Norwood act. - Miss Norwood is the daughter of Daisy Norwood, the channing "serio comic." Daisy waa married to Wil- liam S. Clark, of burlesque fame. Ulllan is the image of Daisy. COAST MANAGER WII¥S DIVORCE SUITASKINGOVER50%OFWEAL1H Califoi^ Laws Allows Wife One-half, but She Wants More—^Belieyes She Can Secure It— Complaint WUl Allege Infidelity DISCROADSHOW TEAK 'Bouni) nr a. c. Atlantic City, Sept. 80. Once more all-year-round vaude- Mle la to be tried in AtlanUo City. 6. W. Toth, Philadelphia oapitalUt, l«une of the Savoy, has purchased the Park for $136,000. After altera- tlona the theatre will houae three ahowi a day of four acta of vaude- ▼Ule and a picture. .-. BABY PEOOT ABB ACT ' Baby Peggy, the youthVuI picture itar, now without a contract since Sol Ijesser failed to renew the one she had with hkn, may make per- aonal appearances or play vaude- Tille if the matter of salary is agreed «Q>on. Charlie Morrison Is Peggy's vaude- ville representative. , BUBCHILL BOOKIHO COAST Chicago. Sept SO. Tommy BurchlU Is booking man- iiger for the Association's new Coast fcircult. KABRI/LOES ^ Rae Slegel private secretary to Henry ChesterHeld at the N. V, A., to David E. Radtson, a pharmacist, Sept. 22, In New York. Jack Davis (Brownhtg and Davis), to Oene Ennor (Oene and Min nette), June 20, Portland, Ore. A summer marriage, kept i w^cret, has been^ announced by Jamea Kater, chautauqua magician, who married Grace McNett, form- erly with the Ward Waters Co.. musical lyceum and ch&utauqua act. Fay Tunis, with "Past Steppers" (Columbia), to Don Bailey, property man with same show. Cedar Rap- td«. Sept. 20. HABBT BROOXS AS1B8TXD Harry Brooks, the minstrel, S4> of 327 West 45th atreet, was arretted Tuesday morning at 46th atreet and Eighth avenue by Detective George Feriruson of West 47th Street police station t>n a charge of desertion. His wife. Jennie Brooks, preferred the charge, alleging that the min- strel had left her two years ago while she was living at Dedham, He waa arraigned la the West Side court and held in $1,000 baU for further examination on Friday. Brooks denies that he has deserted his wife, but that his professional engagements call him away from home. FBXD HABD WITH WmOH Fred Hand, manager of the Joe Hart productions, is now located In the office of Alf T. Wilton in the Palace theatre building. Carrie De Mar and Hand will do considerable producing for vaudeville this season. What la regarded as a sort of vaudeville show on the concert idea is being used by eight Victor rec- ord artista, namely. Henry Burr, BlUy Murray, Rudy Wledoeft, Frank Croxton, ^ Monroe Silver. Albert Campbell, Frank Banta and John Meyer. At present the eight men have been playing dates in the West, and may be booked for an eastern vaudeville tour.« Their present en- gagements have been booked Inde- pendently by Oppenheimer. The program comprises story-tell- Ing, specialities, songs, trios, quartet selections and Jass. A. & H. FRISCO HOUSE Announces Largest Theatra 1^ Coast City Ptayinfl Vaitdevilla Saiv^ Francisco, Sept. SO. An important real estate deal was recorded here last week which Indicates ^at San Francisco Is due for another theatre. The property is located at Twelmth and Market streets, formerly known as t{ke "cir- cus lot," and was sold to Ackerman & Harris fW 1125,000. Irving Ackerman gave out a state- ment that his firm Is contemplating the erection of a new theatre build- ing which will have a seating capac- ity larger than any now here. As the Golden Gate can hold S.OOO this means that it will be an Immense structure. Ackerman smc* the plans are to operate it as «ne of a chain to bouse Ackerman & Harris vaude- ville out of Chicago, tbrongh the Northwest to the Pacific Coast. The firm now owns and oparatea IS houses and declare It has booking contracts with 60 others. BRISK COMPETITION BRINGS BOOKING CUTWITH independent; Bookers Force Acts to Take Cut Salary in Certain Houses—One Booker Wmking on Percentage of Extra Gross f ^ ■'■^f^ :: .««- EXOAOEHENTS Jane Richardson, for "Topsy and Bva," Chicago. Heated compoUtioo among inde- pendent bookers has precipitated a slashing of booking fees and cuts In other directions to Una up available houses. The new arrangement la working well for theatre owners but not so good for the talent booked, since the latter are t>elng "chiseled" to make up the deficit. In several spots where bualneias has been exceptionally bad the bookers have characterised these theatres as cut houses, after the fashion of the standard circuits, and are making the acts play at a cut to get the other time on the books •f the oflloe. Even under the arrangement sev- eral bookers are reported to be get- ting a better break than ever through having the house hand a flat sum for.the bills and their ability to buy good acts at rock bottom with promises of making up the cut In the other houses. Some agents are also working on a bonus plan with the theatre men in lieu of the five percent booking fee. The agent books In the regular show VM If the buRlneaa goes over a cer-i tain figure he shares In the In- creased gross. One agent, operating along these lines since the season opened, claims It is better than the booking fee from all angles. AUMONY CLAIM AND JEWISH . HOLIDAYS Skinner Steered Wrong— Wife and Sheriff Waiting A "home town" appearance may be the desired goal of many a small time turn, but it proved anything but advantageous for Oene Skinner, colored comic, and member of Skinner and Moore, who wera to have graced the blU at the Supreme, Brooklyn, Monday. They wera billed as "neighborhood boys." -t Oene would have kept his engage- ment had he not been Intercepted at the stage door when reporting for rehearsal, and led to the hooaa-cow on a civil warrant, alleging the ao- tor is jtn arrears of alimony to ISM. His pairtner went on at the matlnaa as a single, and had hopes of having Oena released on a bond for the night show, but couldn't seem to dig up an amenable bondsman to post the required fl.OOO that Skin- ner's nhnble feet would not mar- athon htm out of Jurisdiction. Oene admitted he walked out on his marital d^fUcultles over a year ago. He thought It was by mutual consent until a friend told him he was being nicked for $10 weekly alimony. He had not ventured into New Tork since, and wouldn't have come In now If he hadn't miscalcu- lated. A lawyer friend told him that a civil arrest was not j>ermi8Sible on Sundays or holidays, and his agent assured him that Monday and Tuesday were holidays (omittias t« explain them as Jewish hoUdays), which left him only one day to take a chance on being found. His former spouse thought faster, and when she saw Gene's moniker up in heavy billing last week rushed to the Domeatio Relatione Court and the latter attended to the rest. Gene's t>artner did his bast >to forestall the humiliation of the neighborhood audience In learning the truth, by claiming Skinner had met with a severe attack of laryn- gitis, but many out front knew It was "UwitU" that was deUinIng Bugeaa.- JOE COOPER SUSPENDED Loaw'a Booking Office Misinfermad by Agent 3o% Cooper. Loew vaudeville agent, was suspended indeflnltaly this week from all booking priv- ileges In the Loew booking office for misrepresentation and non-de- livery of an act which Cooper had claimed ownership of. The act, "Seminary Mary," la the former turn of Clark and Bergman and was booked to open on the Loew Circuit Oct. 6 after Cooper had Informed the Loew bodkera he (Cooper) owned the act and was paying royalty to Clark and Berg- maft for It. Meanwhile the act booked Itself with the Pantages Circuit, follow ing which Cooper Is reported as having retracted his clalni of own ership. San Francisco, Sept. SO. Over 50 per cent, of her husband's wealth wUl be demanded by the wife of a wealthy circuit owner who realdea on the coast Just how much the wife wIU ask the court to grant her upon the successful conclusion of the dtvorce action she contemplates shortly instituting la' unknown. It is eald that that angle Is the only preventive ^t present to an action being Immediately brought, with the wifk to allege her husband RuUty of Infidelity. Her lawyera 'have been confer- ring on the matter of aoouring over the equal division of property rights permitted by the Uws of CaUfomU In divorce actlona. The wlfa Is now stated to hold three or four the- atres on the circuit in her own name, presents from her husband. There Is no centaln line of the present worth of tha.uanager. It U variously estimated.' HU theatri- cal propertlea ara Intarlookad and mortgaged, with aomo aald to also have a bUinket mort|;aca iipoa t|iem in addition. Ha la papiiaarly avp- poaad to be mora than ordlnarUy wall oC aoeordiar to tha- waalth aUndarOa of the show bualnaaa. .^ha wua to teld to have often aUtod aha "bad the gooda" on her huabaad. KEITH'S XEETIHa The Keith managers and bookers held their second meeting last week In the Palace Theatre Building. The out \)f^ town managers were sum moned by J. J. Murdock In con fomnaitce wUh the new booking get together poUcy 'Installed in ttie JCelth office. The meetings will continue from time to time through- out the season, dependent .upvn.the booking conditions. HOUSES OPENING The Dudlar theatra (pietm^s). Koxbwy, lOaa.. opaaed flnnday, with Harry L Wasaaraaa aa man- ager. The Dudley. Roabury. Maas.. re- opened Sunday with Harry L Ww- serman In charge. He waa ooa- nected with tha Bada In Roxbiiry. for IJ yeara. "Tho Covered Wagon" s thu week^ faattire, but start- vlfle * **" ^^^ ''*" **• *•"<>•' Tha new Palaaeay, located withUi a few blocks of Loew'a Mancay, wow York, added vaudavUla bUls to lU picture programa laat week playing four acts each half booked through A. A B. Dow, the Circle. South Norwalk; Conn.. Is pUylng five acU of vaudevUle on a spUt weak. Formerly played plctvrea. v»jf«« Tha Sunday concert Mils M Werba's. Brooklyn, comprtalng eight acts of yaudavllio. ara being booked through the Dow Agency. KeKhs Syracuaa,*Temple. Roches- ter and Keith's Grand Rapids opened their regular Vaudeville seasons Sunday. Sept. M. All three are big-time stands. The Harlem opera house to now known as Loawls Harlem, and opened Ita straight flhn policy Sept. •»• Tha Waahlagtoa Square, Qnlncy, IlL, instead of running continuous vaudeville, started two shows dally. Sept. 26, with the eaceptlon of three shows a day on weel^ ends. Tha house to on tha Pantages Circuit. Haaal Dawn-lddia Suaafl Turn A new vaudeTllla turn wlU hold Haaal Dawa and Eddie Bosxell, both featured in" recent Broadway closed muslcala. •-"■■■-"' -^■•* ILL IVD nUDBXD. lioa Frances (Frances and Hume) underwent an operation In Canton. C. Sapt f 1. ^ A. H. BeU (Musical Belto) Is hi the City Hospital, Buffalo. FrancU X. Donegaa, ordered away for a reat by hto physician. }s at • Front street. Saranao Lake, N. Y. Babette Raymond (Dugan and Raymond), who was severely In- jured in an auto accident, to able to be out and TO^nd again. Ow- ing to her slow Mcovery. Tommy Dugan (her boahand) has made no plans for the raaumption of tthelr stag. work. Chester Cohn. connected with the Fetst office. (Thtcago. underwent an operation for appendlcitu at the North ChVcago Hospital. Carl Carmen has recovered firom hU recent Illness and rejoined "l^he College Revue." Joe Darcw.. yvi^t, who net with an auto axxldei^t last week and was compelled to cancel tha first half at the Broadway, baa ratiovered and V»1U re».u.m« »m vjt,ii4f,)Jhat^^,i^yo /•