Variety (January 1925)

FW* r^ '*"*«''«^ "nv Kj Wednesday, January 21, 192S TIMES SQUARE VARIETY 11 iOMEN IN CHINK PLACES LAND \ CHUMPS Police Cleaning Out Fe- male Hanger»-on—Were Encouraged in Traffic Members of the Special Service Squad of the Police Department h%f» begun waglnv a campaign inift female hangers-on recently iltted to park themselves in fiesei restaurants In tb« . Tlpies ire district. \he heavy competition among the ik jil^ces on Broadway and the streets has prompte<jl several ^hcoyr.4ge the hangers-on to give thcj places a busy atmosphere and aij» to fraternize with stag parties ai^ lotheiwise act as dancing partners, although not on the pay- ilnother angle is i planted cnecU ontth^ gltli> taole which is worked oyA-tJhe nightly The girls danc«. irfllh tha customeir Wbicn Invltjd to.-Join, the) party they'bring tni eh^ck) along and of course make a bl,mC to pay It with the "John" gi^bb ng It and settimg it. If the chuml) doesn't work fast enoJ<;h the gJrVs money is refunded later. Sometimes the check is redeshie-l eight or ten times in an evening, aqbordlng to the rush of buslriess. !0evpral 6f the place* have been under_ observation for several days bjT^the police with the showdown coming when the Special Service men cleaned out the hangers-on with an admonition that unless proprietors discouraged'mixing In- stead jof promoting It, arrests would ba^ade. TOie squad Is still making nightly toors to see that their instructions have been carried out and thus far 09. arrests have been made. JOHN COX COLLAPSES John Cox, 60, Teteran actor, last playing as an extra man in "The Miracle." collapsed hi the Grand Central depot just a» he aU«bted from a train after a long trip from Cteveland. He was removed to Ballevue Hospital. Just before taken away h« asked that Morris Qest be Botlfled. Mr. Oest ordered the aged man be •ent to a ho«pltal In Cleveland when token HI and hi* elxpenses defrayed. Bis salary was continued during his Ulneu. The actor Unproved and ex- pressed the desire to return to New York. His transportation waj iKiid by QesL Doctors at Bellevue state I that <hey thought the long trip was too taiuch foT Co«. CAB'S Ae£ AHS MILEA6E Gailla-d T. Boag and Ollda Gray ftold John H. Crosby a Bearcat model Stutz automobile May 6, 192t for $1,0(^0 on the representation - it was only two years old and had only covered 800 miles. When Crosby brought suit to recover $1,200 dam- ages, b^ alleged"tbe car was a 1018 model, in poor condition and had cov^ed considerably over 800 miles. Last week Crosby took Judgment by default in th* City Court for |1,2D0, both defendants having filed answers but not defending at trial. Miss Gray and her husband (Boag) kre at present in Miami. '»■ K0TE8 •h«rr has succeeded Marcel Deutsch as head of the cou- jiOB an4-«:vploitatlon department of the Public Service Ticket Office (Joe Leblang's), havir^ assumed his new duties last week. Sherr had formerly been with the Leblang qg- ganixatlon bat resigned a year ago to start a ticket bureau of his own. Coleman Brothers, who formerly operated the Lafayette, New Torn, for a number of years, are building a new theatre at Elizabeth, N. J., ■eating S,600. It will play vaude- ville and pictures. K H. Blank, Des Moines, theatre magnate, has become sole owner of the i«Wa building in Des Moines. Dsar'born, Mich., Is to have a new theatre seating 1.700. with a vaude- vllle-plctMce policy. ., ,,•.,..,,,, French Horn Player's CroM-word Puzzle DAPHNE'S SLEEP Cross-word puzzle craze seems to have seized averybody. In street cars, elevated trains, courts and every conceivable place. Even in jails now you can see prisoners less inter- ested In what their attorneys are going to charge them, but absorbed in the little puzzles that they work upon so in- tently. Never has anyone dreamed members of orchestras have been "taken over." If the leader of the* orchestra knew how he was being cheated. How the musical artists have lost their c arms for their art. From the balcony box of a Broadway theatre the other night and seeing the French horn player studying the little ck^ssword puszle he had on top of his musical ndtes, it seemed he was playing to the notes of the pussle from the strains that issued from his horn. When his leader would look over, whether in pain or sus- picion, Mr. French Horn deftly remoyed the little puzzle from ' on top of fate notes. As a new melody was started out would come puzzle from Its hiding place and again the weird strains from tbe French horn. Many In the audience thought that it was his job to burlesque, but they weren't in the balcony, nor was the leader. BOGUS nRE ASSN. The second arfest In connection with what the detectives of West 47th street station say Is a fake or- ganization was of Vincent Burke, 214 Warren street, Jersey City. He was arraigned before Magistrate Levine In West Side Court and fined f25 or five days in the workhouse. Not having the funds, be went to Welftu-e Island. Burke was arrested by Detective Joha Coleman, of the West 47th street station, who was called to the studio by one of the executive^ of tbe Fox studios at Tenth ^venue and 16th street. Burke Is alleged to have presented a letter purport- ing to bear the name of "Wallie Dunbar" and having a shield with the name of "Firemen's Associa- tion." He f tated that the "Firemen's As- sociation" was having an entertain- ment at a Brooklyn danoa. hall. Tickets were marked $1.60. The Foi: people wefe skeptKsil aild sum- moned the police. According to Col«nlan there ts no such organization as the "Fire- men's Association." Father Leonard Sailing The Actor's Chapel of St Mal- acby's Church was jammed with theatre folk last Sunday to bid farewell to tbe pastor. Rev. Father Edward Leonard, leaving for Rome this Saturday. Father Leonard will be accom- panied by tbe Rev. Father Francis P. Duffy (old OOth chaplain), now pastor of Holy Cross Church on West 42d street. Several other pre- lates are making the journey. Father Leonard stated that he was uncertain when he would return and Jocosely remarked that it all de- pended upon his "booking agent." He added that if he made a "big hit" bis engagement might be extensive. The priests, of course, will visit the Holy Pontiff and other Euro- pean cities. Many actors, writers and other professional people will be at the pier Saturday to wish the clergy- men a bon voyage. SEISHAN MADE GOOD Louis Seidman. 40, broker, of 127 Powell street, Brooklyn, who told the detectives of the West 68th street station he was managing di- rector of the Mobile Music Festival Association, Mobile, Ala., was dis- charged in West Side Court by Magistrate Levine on the charge of passing worthless checks. Seidman was arrested by Detective Joseph Maloney and Cornelius Manning In a restaurant at 68th street and Broadway on the complaint of F. M. Blunk, stopping nt the Endlcott Hotel. He alleged Seidman owed him 1150 on a worthless check. The case was dropped In court when the detectives stated that Soldman hac( j^^^ good the money. Daphns Dwan, bobbed-hairsd blonde, living at 87 West 5«tb street, screen actress, will have to sleep while a fur lining machine thunders against her bedroom wall or she will have to move her sleeping quartern to another room. So ruled Magistrate Levins in West Side Court. Miss Dwin sum- moned the head of the furriers of H. H. Hornbpck, S9 West i6ili street, to West Side Court, charging her repose was considerably dis- turbed as a result of the poundin? of the machine that rever'oerated in her room. Daphne charged that as an actress she was compelled to sleep until at least 10 In the forenoon* She statel that the machine began at 7 a. m The noises are excruciating, she said. She appealed to the furriers, but the machine was nevef moved. "I have a long lease, and If T move I will be sued," she said. "I must have some sleep." That court said that he felt very socry, but her case was purely a civil matter. Sh* left the court vowing to.get some sleep. Judge Leyine's Luncheon Magistrate Max S. Levine, In West Side Court, will be the guest of the Cheese Club at the Tavern in West 46th street today (Wednesday), An invitation was extended to the Judge by Nell Kingsley and Harry Hershfleld, president of the club. Magistrate Levine Is expected to give a short talk on the work in police courts. Magistrate Levine is a strong fav- orite among theatrical folk. His ac- ceptance of the invitation has .caused most of the members to an- nounce their intention of attending the luncheon. CAHTOS'S BENEHT SUMMONS Eddie Cantor, star of "Kid Boots." will appear before Magistrate Simp- son in Yorkville Court on Jan. 29, to answer a summons served on him on a charge of violation of the Sab- bath law. Eddie was "given a ticket" by Sergeant O'Brien, East 22nd street station, following a basketball game and dance in Modi- Son Square Garden, the proceeds of which went to Cantor's East Side Camp Fund. The police contend that because Cantor handled some of the tickets and is as responsible as those who arranged the game and the players. For that reason they gave him and three others summonses. The game was not Interfered with by the police, who waited until it t)ad been finished. Cantor contends the game and dance were held for a charitable purpose and that therefore he and the others cannot be prosecuted under the Sabbath Act. CHARLES STANLEY CLEABED Charles Stanley, 25, who said be was ^.n usher at the Empire the- atre and was arrected on a charge of burglary, was exonerated when he was arraigned before Magistrate Ober wager In West Side Court. Stanley was arrested with John Crossen, 825 West 86th street. When the case was called the de- tectives said be had learned that Stanley had nothing to do with the crime. 8th Ave.—in 10 Years Eighth avenue, as a boule- vard, is the prediction of 10 years hence. The expansion of theatre building close to and beyond the avenue is one in- dication. More Important per- haps is the development of that thoroughfare pending in the neighborhood of 60th street. The new Madison Square Garden work is on, the raz- ing of the old car barn ex- tending from 49th to 60th street now being in progress. That improvement is expected to be followed with considerabl» changing of present structures nearby. On the east side of 8th ave- nue between 48th and 49lh streets, a hotel in combination with a theatre is planned. Tenants In the block are re- ported having received notice to vacate. The completion dat? for the hotel and theatre Is approximately the same as for the new Garden—October next. FROM MAIN STREET TO BlAY This business of distinguishing Main Street (and that includes Broad street, Philadelphia, as well as Washington street, in Easton, Maryland) is all wrong at the start. For Broadway itself Is nothing more or less than that grand climax of Main Streets which wind through America, from Houston to Mil- waukee, and from Kennebunkport, Maine, to Seattle, Washington. But that Isn't what it meant. The idea here is to disassociate Broad- way from Main Street and set the New York thoroughfare apart as an entity and then group the others and make a comparison between the two—theatrically speaking. Theatrical Main Street There are several angles to the- atrical M.iln Street and tjieatrlcal Broadway. It may be that the nearest Main street In Punxataw- ney. Pa., gets to approximating a theatrical thoroughfare is when some turk on the road makes an overnight visit in the hope of get- ting away with $1,000 (or less) be- fore the natives can And out how bad the show is oi was. And In Main Street, Salisbury. Md., it may be that the ierrible turks which travel that section would be more than satisfied with 1300. Down In those parts a tent rep show playing "Uncle Hi's Naughty Niece" one night and "The Eternal Magdalene" the next usually holds a troupe that works more for art's sake than for mone^—or. to be honest, they work more In the antic- ipation of eventually getting money than for the dough they do receive every now and then. The Big Main Streets But those are the minor Main Streets. Figure the* big ones. Broad and Chestnut in Phllly; Howard and Baltimore in Baltimore; Market In Wilmington; Tremont and Adams In Boston; State, Clark and Ran- dolph in Chicago; Granby and Main In Norfolk, etc. Those are the theatrical Main Streets struck annually by the hundred or so trav- eling troupes that go to the sticks bravely at the start of the season and come back at the end usually a little worse for wear—but some- times with their books free from red Ink; There are many papers in the road districts that give a show a great notice if it takes a certain amount of advertising. That notice is guaranteed and is put through— with a certain number of people reading it and probably fooled. There are other papers run by men, who because of either personal or busi- ness relations, are loathe to give some of the bad showt their just deserts. Consequently, many a turkey Is a pheasant for the benefit of the mugs who believe all tbsy read In the dallies. Changes for the Road '^ Casts aresn't what they should be when the road tours begin. Many of the minor managers cut and slice. Often the leads working for $360 or so get heavily billed to make up for the salary. Cumbersome props are left behind in New York. Where the Broadway audiences saw the villain choke tho heroine on an Empire period davenport they see the same stunt later on a flimsy affair with a reed back and seat. They see painted doors where in New York they'were of mahogany, and they'also see musical comedies with 11 musicians playing a score that should have at least 18 to make it sound like music. But they pay their $2.60 and |S. On the other hand, the theatrical manager has a decided kick. He takes a show into a town like Bos- ton and meets there one newspaper with a 11.50 line advertising rate. He meets another that won't handle his publicity unless he gives it (and the circulation is trivial) the same quantity of advertising as the big sheets. At another office he meets an up-stage dramatic editor who hangs a sign on his door tbat "ad- vance men need not call to inquire my health—I am well." and in still another place he runs Into a prop- osition that he is almost forced to accept—that of advertising In every suburban paper around Boston. High Prices Out of Town In almost every town on the road the theatrical ad rates are as high as the traffic will bear, and in not a few instances the big papers for- bid the use of blackface type. Insist- ing that Ilghtface contour be used instead—so as not to spoil their make-up. The high price is still on, however. The manager also bucks up against the old-fashioned sheets which believe nothing connected with theatricals has merit, forget- ting that the average citizen still regards the stage with the same glamor which the editor probably once held. The public, reading the national magazines which describe the glories of the various Broadway produc- tions, is skeptical of ever seeing such stuff on {heir home town stages. They have l>een fooled time '' and again by promises and by elab- orate presf stories, and the man- agers have (to even matters up) been fooled by getting probably 16,500 on the week In a big city stand, when he probably had a sal- ary list of $5,000 with ia iptislcal show. So they're both sore—thS managers at some spots on the road and most of the road with certain,, managers. •' • Not Dumb, Either >^^^ These are the conditions on that portion of Main Street beyond New York. It isn't such a dumb sec- tion, either. The only difference is ' that where the Broadway' sports oome downtown to have a riotous evening at some cabaret gyp joint with |25 champagne, the Main Street sport can have just as flne a time on corn whisky at |S a quart.. It's all a matter of taste, and all ' the mugs areq't on the out-of-town Main Streets—look at the |t tops in New York. Biak. 'tabaret Gang" Broken Up It Is the belief^ around Times square that the members of the "cabaret gang" that has caused so much trouble this winter has been put out of commission through the arrest of Richard Lubey, 23, 245 S- Amsterdam avenue, identified as the man who robbed Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Rosenberg in their hallway apartment, 827 Park avenue. Tho haul was $20,000 in Jewelry. Two other members have been under arrest and are awaiting trial. This gang received its "cabaret gang" sobriquet from Its m<rthods of following victims from supper clubs to their homes and robbing them. CBAP SHOOTEBS DISCHAEOED , Magistrate Maf 8. Levine In West Side Court, dismissed com- plaints of disorderly conduct pre- ferred against 77 men "who had t>een arrested by detectives of the Special Service Division In raids on crap game. The magistrate dismissed the complaints after the detectives said they were unable to identify any of the men who had been guilty o^ making noise. The first place visited by the po- lice was at 128 West 54th street. Here they arrested 16 men whom they said virere engaged In a crap game on the second floor of the building. The detectives then went to 259 West 64tb street, in the large' room that Larry Fay had his Follies, they found tl men grouped around shooting dice. Firs Quickly Put Out About 60 guests in the Hotel King James at 1S7 West 46th street. wer« routed from their beds early the .other morning when a Are was dis- covered in a linen closet 'in the basement of the building. Smoke filled the lobby and basement. It was quickly extinguished. Scpiare's Meeting Phce Times square has a meeting place de luxe now on the upper approach of the B M. T. sub- way station upder the Brokaw building, which has bridged the gap left vacant through the closing of Ligget's in tbe Times building. The spacious approach is equipped with benches. A con- cessionaire says he's wiling to rent camp chair privilege to accommodate the overflow standees. a**.