Variety (November 1924)

No«*«nabcr 3, 1M4 VAUDEVILLE ■'^Ki|»*".^WIV VARIETY ACTORS USE SUMT WEEKLY IN PANTACES'GAMBLING SLOT MACHINE I I I IHm^^ ii> Hallway Outside DrcMing Rooms at Pan- tagesy Portland^ Ore.—Cigar Store Attachment Run by Sons of Theatre's Manager—^Machine Hays 25c Bets and PrcMnises $5 Retwn, if They Win—They ^dom Win—Boy Performer Lost $24 SaTed Up for Suit of Clothes—New Way to Make Actors' Idle Time Cost Them Plenty I FoqtUnd. Or«., Nov. S. 'timnn tlte Mton who play for jU«nB4i*i' Paataces complete the i^t ensacemeitts at 7''^<>'''*'i' '^^ yancoaver. th«(y come to hla' house ^Dtre, which pajr* full oalary. The IKtomi are happy at the rid* here on the train because they feel that tliey are comlag Into their own and <^l depart for the next stop with i^ full weelt's salary, whether that lie a fttll week or not. Then when they arrive here they are greeted hy Manager Johnson. He tells thera how glad he la to see them. alsA that every comfort and facility one ivould desire la a theatre la at their SIspoaal durins the stay. ': Just what every comfort and fa- Mllty la the actors as yet have not found out. But fhey have learned Verx. much to their sorrow that the (hcility which Manager Johnson has heen tallOng about might t« a gam- iUlng slot machine. Or at least those who have played the house and lost on the machine think so. Mr. Johnson has not told the^ actors that he has placed this ma- chine In the hallway outside of the iflreaslng rooms there as a facilify jar comfort. Some advance the jttiought that ^ofaaao'n figures that Uiey might want something to do Mnreen shows, especially when fliey have to remain In the bouse, tti case four turns are to be done in ia day. They feel that the house maaagemsRt.' mad probably «w«n the head of tke eh^nlt, are so In- terested in their welfare and com- fort that they do not believe it wrong to permit a gambling device to be placed la the houae, so that if the actarB ara aporttaifly in- cUned their IncUnattona In that di- rection are aatlsfled. This machina la not the piker kind which reaulres a nickel or dime to play. Actoni carry Quarters, and ■o tha machine has slg$s which hold the Quarltors. (6 for 25« •' On the opening day the acton are too ^usy rehearsing and waiting their turn to go on to pay any at- tention to the machine. However, they see it as they go from their dressing rooms to the stage. Then when they return some get close to It and Investigate. They find that for an investment of a quarter they might win tS all at one time. That sounds good to some. Oettlng a lit- tle spare time, they decide to have a bit of recreation. But they only have paper money or possibly sil- ver dollars. They want change and Inquire where to get it. The stage hands are obliging enough to say that It can be gotten In the cigar store, reached hy going a half flight of stairs from the dressing room floor and then through a wall which has been specially cut through to allow the actors to get their smokes and change without going to the street. It is one of the Comforts provided for the perform- ers at this house. Cigar Store Connection This cigar store Is a business es- tablishment where change is read- ily given by the Johnson Brothers, who operate the store and are sons of the theatre manager. Very genial chaps. They inquire when an actor asks for change more than once how his luck has been. When h^ replies In the negotlve. they hold out solace by saying, "Just try it again, you .»re bound to hit." To show ihey want to see the actors happy the Johnson boys are most obliging to accommodate them when the machine should stick and fall to pay off. They go in, look at the machine, make proper adjustment of it, t^nd, bet- ter than tiiat, pay off the amount of the winnings the player was en- titled to when the slot stuck. "That Is service," and what the house management wants the performers shoDld have. Ualian Tenor Lost |66 About four weeks ago an Italian tenor, headlining one of the Pan- tages rood shows, and who at one time was an oner a singer, played the house. He bumped against the slot machine and having a hit of sporting instinct decided to Cry his tuck. Luck for him that week did not mean much, with the result that when be departed his salary was $6S less than it might have been had he kept away from the ma- chine. About two weeks ago there waa a dancing *ci playing the house— five youths and a girl. AD week long one of Oie boys would pass the (Continued on page 54) Agents Change Name Hark and Joe Levy, the Loew agents, tiare changed (heir names to Msrk and Joe Leddy. The change followed the ar- rival of Mike Levy of Chicago, who was granted a Loew (ran- ehiee and moved next door to the Mark and Joe offlcea. Mike Levy says it waa the only ofllce available and that he will move just tts coon aw a vacancy occara, but the Levy jrothers decided that ihean- whtle the proximity was func- tioning and near-sighted acts might wander into the wrong ofllce. BEATTY'S ASS'N HOUSE San Jose Tlieatre Man Opening Casino, Friseo, With Vawdeville INDEPENDENTS EAST CAN'T moMm Second Attempt Also Meets with Failure Due to Lack of Interest Another attempt to organise In- dapeodaat vattderlUa In tba east, as haa been sucoeesfully done la the west, has gone by the boards through lack of interest and sup- I>ort. Organisers who have at- templM to get the independents t4)gether have thrown up the sponge, certain the eastern Inde- Itendents prefer going It alone. Last aommor a serious attempt was launched and received mod- erate support. lAst week another attempt was made to get all listed independenCi together if for no other reason than to have the or- ganisation's plans outlined to them. The meeting was to have been held at an hour convenient to all. Only a handful of bookers appeared. SUIT OVER ACT San Franci.co, Nov. t. James Beatty, owner and oper- ator of the American. Liberty and Hippodrome theatres in San Jose, CaL, an picture houses, is to In- vade the vaudeville fleM in San Francisco beginning next month. Beatty has acquired the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association (Chicago) franchise, and will take over the Casino here this month. Beatty will operate the Casino as a combination vaadevllle and pic- ture theatre. In association with Iglugene Em- mlck of Bmmick A McNeill, local theatre operators, there is a report that Beatty is negotiating for the Lurie, Oakland, planning to instnil the W. V. M. A. vaudeville in the eastbay house. Evelyn* SherHII Starts Against Bert Rose Action LONGDISTANCE FLOWERS Probably the long distance flower- over-the-footllghts contribution ever to the American stage occurred last week at the N«w York Hippodrome. Takka Takka and Toga-Taro, dancers from Java, made their American d«hut at the Hippodrome on Monday of the week. Flowers In bunches commenced to arrive at th« theatre. The two foreigners could not understand their source, since they thought themselves tm- known over here. Show people see- ing the flowers jtass over the foot- lights believed the house manage- ment was extending the floral glad hand. One of the cards bore the name of a prominent citisen of Java, deliv- ered by a New York florist In- quiry at the florist's disclosed It had been commissioned by a correspond- ing houae of Putch-Holland con- nections, extending to Java, to make the Hippodrome delivery on the opening date. Java ia half way around the world from New York. Another of the flowery gift* waa ordered from abroad, but not ao t§x away, while a couple of the basket* had been sent by Americans the foreign couple bad met oi> the boat coming over. One of the Americans lives at Dayton, O., and wired the order for flowers to New York. Evelyn SherriU, dancer, has in- stituted a civil action against Bert Rose, former partner, for an ac- counting in her share of royalties in a production act, "Dance Mania," In which she alleges she holds a 60 per cent. Interest. Miss SherrUl had formerly ap- peared with Rose in the act, but left it on account ot illness several monthj ago. According to her com- plaint, she defrayed half of the ex- penses in purchasing material and scenery. Upon her withdrawal she gave Rose permission to use the act with the understanding that she was to be reimbursed by receiving half the proflts. She claims the act has worked steadily, but she has received nothing on account. Rose was served in the aclion this week. REPORT EINOSLET MARRIED Walter J. Kingsley, press a«ent for the Greater New York Keith houses, was reported yesterday mar- ried to a chorister of the Ziegfeld "Follies." Efforts at a confirmation were in vain. Loew's Combinatimi Pass For Dempsey Engagement Loew** press ofllce sent' out a combination pass for Monday's opening of three i>erformances of Jack Dempsey at State, N. Y. The pass entitled tba newspapermen to seats in the front row of the State, with the front row made a news- paper section all day through the Slate not selling reserved seats. The other half of the ticket was a detachable stub, permitting the bearer to go back stage ta the State to eee or interview the champion. Terry Turner, the Loew's press man who sent out the passes, asked the newspaper men receiving them if not using the tickets not to give them to anyone else. DOROTHY BERKE (Premier Ballerina) Now in my second season McVieker's, Chicago My dancing partner BORIS PETROFP (Ballet Master) WHIT FUING IN "FEAR" FOR MART NASH An Blaine Stern sketch, "Fear,' will be headed by Mary Nash when she shortly appears in vaudeville under the direction of Lewis & Gor- don. Mme. Bertha Kalish Is also under the Arm's direction for vaudeville, "but with no playlet as yet selected , for her. Los Angeles, Nov. S. Will Morrissey, who forsook New York to act as master of ceremonies at the Orange Grove for Harry Car- roll's "PIcklBga," is going to be a producer of picttire comedies. Just why Will is going to do this he does not say. Bettveen per- formances and personal appear- ances at local cabarets Will is go- ins to begin the making of come- dies that will make Lloyd, Keaton and the other film comics ginger VP a bit. Morrissey has rented the Charles Ray atudios, where he says there is plenty of scenery and property to start off without a tremendous overhead. His flrst endeavor will be a series of two-reelers, starring Midgle Miller and Sid Smith. . As yet Will has not found a di- rector, but nevertheless will begin shooting next Monday. Morrissey will provide the scenarios and if caught in a pinch may direct and crank the camera also, besides play- ing bits too. HARRISONS DIVORCED Wife Believed Herself Second Bern- hardi—Hubby Differed and Said So Los Angeles, Nor. S. Mildred Harrison was evidently born to the stage. Ten years ago she married James T. Harrison. At that time she was playing In small time vaudeville and, according to her husband, who brought suit for divorce on the grounds of deser- tion, she was glad to get a home. She stated she was through with the stage for good. Last spring came the call of the theatre. She told Harrison she be- lieved If she returned she would become a second Bernhardt. He thought dlflferently and told her so. One day Harrison came home, i<yind bis wife gone, and a letter oa the dining room table. Judga H. A. HolUer felt that was enough evidence for a decree and granted It to Harrlaon. Juliette Dika Left Bill; Wouldn't Open Show Jnltett* Dika walked oft «f the bill at the Fifth Avenue, New York, last Thorsday night, refusing to sub- mit to a rearrangement, which would have had her opening the show. Miss Dika was No, 4 at tbe opening matinee. The booking was in ^be nature of a "showing" for the prima donna, following her recent return from Europe. HOUSES OPENING The New Getaway, Little Falls, N. Y., management Robert Wagner, Is playing a three-act split week vaudeville show booked by John E. Coutta. The North AVenue, New Rochelle, is now playing flve acta on the last half, with picture the flrst half. The Circle, Manchester, Conn., operating with pictures Is now playing flve acts (Dow) on the last half. The Bristol. Bristol, Conn., is now playing flve acts on each half (Dow). Frank Shea, owner of the Worces- ter, Worcester, Mass., will shortly Inaugurate Sunday night concerts In his house, which plays legit attrac- tions through the week. L CANTOR GOT SUMMONS FOR DULEVmNSl ■>' "We want otir trunk," chirped the Duley twins, "l want my dresses and fixtures," boomed Lew Cantor, waxing hot under the collar. That's the argument Magistrate Renaud had to referee in West Side Court ycatorday (Monday). Well, boys, it an grew out of the predicament of a man with an aoC but no trunk and a pair of lovely dancing maidens wHh a trunk b«t no act. ^i Lew Cantor, who tries to elevatift vaudeville with dancing acts, found himself in tbe above clrcumstanceg a few weeks ago, and the Duleyk, with a trunk, seeing his predlca<< ment, jumped into the breach with their steamer trunk. They went furthef than that; they took th^ star parta in Lew's little skit and danced their way Into the hearts of the Brooklynltes with their sprightly efforts three times dally. ,^' It was lovely. Overything waa fine except the weekly box office re- turns. It became so bad that 8af^ urday nights were a regular shoclc, not only because of the bath, but because of the wan and weary coni- dition ot the pay envelope. Law Reaehad Daeisipn Finally Lew deoldcd that the thing was not as good as his flrst enthusiasm had led him to believe; At the same time the girls reached the same decision. So they called the whole thing off and decided to build up a new act. Accordingly, all the scenery, manuacrlpta, flxturee and stage trappings were packed into the trunk of the Duley slstera and taken to Shelley's Express Co. That's when the fun started. The girls, having been exiled from Brooklyn long enough, wanted their trunk. They wanted to feast thelv eyes again on the sights of Broad* way. So Cora went to Shelley's and got tl^e trunk. She packed the rest of her belongings with Lew's stage property and moved to her brand new 74th street apartment. Next day Lew went to S^eHey's to gwt his dresses and things and found <1iat the giria had taken the. trunk. That's when he got mad. He saw the Judge and armed himself with a summons charging the twins with unlawfully withholding his prop- erty. Canter Ceeled Off In due time the case was called. Cantor, who had by this time cooled off, felt considerably put out when the lovely maidens cast reproachful gisnees his way. However, he told his story to the Judge and then the girls had their say. Certainly the trunk was theirs, and. Just aa sure, the dresses be- longed to Lew. What to do? Lew had no trunk to pack the dresses in and the girls refused to give him their one and only piece of baggage. Finally it was decided that Lew was to get the dresses anyway, to carry them away in his pockets or wrapped in newspapers. "We didn't want his old costumes and scenery," exclaimed the girls. "They were more of a bother In otur trunk than out." Magistrate Renaad. after having arrived at this aolution, dismisecd the summons. TOHHHT COOK'S YER8I0V Editor Variety: We wish to deny the story in last week's Variety In which it stated Johnny Cook (Hawthorne and Cook) was arrested for Imperson- ating an officer after he had shown a motorcycle policeman a po-llce badge given by the New Rochelle Police Department. The facta are these: The flrst halt of the week of July 7, while playing the Fifth Avenue, New York, we pfayed a flremen's benefit downtown. Returning in Maurice Diamond's car, we were stopped by a motorcycle cop, who wanted to arrest us for speeding. We tried to explain, but he wouldn't listen until I showed the badge. He looked It over, asked us a lot of questions, and then let us go. This Is the only version of the badge Incident which we know any- thing about. The story must have been garbled In transport through someone's sense of humor. Sincerely, iohnny Cook.