Variety (March 1925)

16 VARIETY BURLESQUE Wednesday, March 4, 1925 BURLESQUE CENSORING INVITED FROM CITIZENS BY BRONX HOUSE Walter Batcheler, Prospect's Manager, Driven to Extremity Through Newspaper's Attacks — Sug- gests Civic Committee to Pass on Shows For the first time In New York burlesque a - house manager has Invited public censorship. Wal- ter Batcheler, manager. Prospect (Bronx), playing.Mutual shows, has Isbued a public invitation (or a civic comnvittee of (onr. two men and two women or all men or all women. The personnel is imma- terial to the management Batcheler wanta the committee to call at the Proupect any Monday afternoon or evening when a new show comes to the house, view its performance and malce stenographic notes. If any alleged oftenslveness is charged, the committee's report will be considered accordingly. This invitation for public censor- ship follows the recent campaign launched by the "Home News" (an uptown newspaper which issues a dally edition, one for the Bronx and Harlem, also a Sunday paper, which denied its advertising col- umns to the Prospect and Apollo, 12Sth street), and is given with the sanction of the executives at the Mutual offices from its downtown offices. The "Home News" has been noti- fied by Manager Batctialer of his desire to give clean shows and giv- ing it assurance through the public censorship plan. As matters stand "The News" has let up in its direct tight against the Prospect, unless there ia a recurrence of "The Princess Soltaaa" dance which re- cently put the Prospect la wrong wfth the paper. Incidentally the campaign against the Apollo continues, with the up- -•town Cltlxens* Committee, via Its chatarman, F. Palmer Gibson. $ Blast l'2Sth street, having personally gone to the district attorney's office with complaints against performances there. The Apollo matter has been turned over' to .^sistant District Attorney Wallace who has given the committee assurance that the alleged indecent and obscene shows will be stopped. STEPPE SHOW FOR COLUMBIA IN SUMMER SAND BAG ACCIDENT BRINGS $101,429 SUIT Will King Show Girl Claims Permanent Injury—Engaged to "Coffee Dan'* Sheeted for After-Season Run—Rebuke for Gus HiH's Phoney COOCH DANCER ON TRIAL *'Prirfceas Sultana" Accused of Per* forfning Obscene Danoe Arguments were heard Monday before Justice Wagner in the Bronx Supreme Court in the trial of Blsie Lorraine, known professionally as "Princess Sultana." arrested at the Prospect, Bronx (Mutual Whcpl), charged with presenting an "im- raofal and' obscene" dance in the theatre. Jack „ Burke, assistant manager of the house, was arregted at the same time, charged with per- mitting the danse, which is claimed to be against the law. . The Bronx case yraa due for trial last week, but delayed when District Attorney McQeehan was handed an order, signed by Justice Wagner, requesting him to show cause why the defendants should not t>e prose- cuted through Grand Jury indict- ment Instead of being tried in Spe- cial Sessions. The order automati- cally sUyed further action until Monday.*^ Cain & Davenport's "Harry Steppe's Show" has been picked for the summer run nt the Columbia, New York, and will open an indefl- Inlte engagement at the house Sat- urday night. May 2. The/ regular season at the Colum- bia will terminate April 25, with the house remaining dark until the fol- lowing Saturday. The selection of the'Steppc Show waalnade this week by the direc- tors of the Columbia Amusement Company. Sam Scribner, Columbia's general manager, confirmed the choice by telegraph from Florida. Maurice Cain was notified at Kan- sas City, where the attraction is playing currently. The Harry Steppe Show was picked from the 38 shows on the wheel, quite a tribute to its young producers, Cain ft Davenport, and to the cast beaded by Harry Steppe and Harry O'Neal. Steppe and O'Neal returned to burlesque last season, after an absence in vaude- ville, following which they separated for a short period, while O'Neal did a two-act with Harry C<ang. The Steppe Show, can remain at the Columbia until August if bus- iness warrants, the booking being for that length of time. Last sum- mer, "Let's Go" averaged over $10,- 000 weekly at the house for four weeks, getting out to make way for "Hollywood Follies," which had prior arrangementa The announcement of the Steppe Show engagement refutes the in- tentional erroneous story given out by the Oua Hill office to the ettect a Hill produced colored show was to get the summer run. engagement at the Columbia. Hill's proposed production had never been given consideration. BURLESQUE ROUTES ITES I COLUMBIA cnunnT (March »• March 16) Bathing Beauttea—'9 Stamford; .0 Holyoke; 11-14 Springfield, Maas.; 16 Umpire, Providence. •••t Show in Town — 9 Oayety. Montreal: K-18 Empire, Lewis- town; 19-21 Jefferson, Portland, Me. BroMlway by Night — 9 Ca«lno, Boikon: 1* Columbia, New York. CoiiM Alono—> L. O.; 1< Olympic, Chleaco. Cooper, Jimmy—9 Lyceum. Co- lumbus; It Lyric. Dayton. Fast Bleppars —9 Palace. Balti- mott; 16 Qayety, Washington. (Continued on page 62) ' San Francisco. March 8. Ruby Adams, former show girl with the' Will King company, who, on Jan. 10, was injured on the stage of the Strand theatre, has filed suit in the Superior Court seeking |101,- 429.20 damages. Miss Adams filed her suit under her real name of Ruby Boxo, and claims that her career as a stage dancer has been ptrmanentlij^ ter- minated through the injuries re- ceived when a sandbag fell upon her during a performance of the King company. The girl claims that at the time of the accident ?ho was receiving $85 per week, and she further alleges that her spine was broken, several ribs fractured and her lags paralyzed. Mls.s Adams is still in the hospitl. The claim speci- fies $1,429.20 for hospital expenses to date and the $100,000 sought cov- ers g«neral damages. The defendants in the suit arc The New York and San Francisco Amusement Co.. M. L. Markowitz, M. M. and A. M. Lesser, Basil Knoblock, the City Investment Co., and the Black and White Company. The first and second companies are said to be made up of the Lesser interests, and it is believed that the Black and White Company is the corporation name under which Will King operates his business. The Knoblock mentioned is one of the stage mechanics of the Strand crew. An unusual slant on the case is the fact that Ackerman and Har- ris were said to hold the King con- tract And were doing business with Markowitz of the theatre, and yet they are not mentioned in the suit. At the time of the accident Miss Adams was said to be engaged to John Davis, J)etter known as "Cof- fee Dan," proprietor of a famous cafe of that name. Davis declares that he will marry Miss Adams, if she will have him. In spite of her raalme^^onditlon. BURLESQUE REVIEWS STOP AND GO (COLUMBIA) Btnlclit Barton Carr Insenuc •• Jvan Bedini Soubret BtlMl L>« Vr&ux Prima Donna. Anna Uycra ConiMKllan Bob Startaman Dancer , Vaoletta BpeclaUy Brford'i OddUiea Featured Comedian John Barry HILLS DIVORCED San Fi-ancisco, March 3. A divorce has been granted Mildred Markle Hills, member of the Will King company, from Horace Hills on grounds of desertion. S CHARGES AGAMST (WARRICK DROPPED Mrs. Hilla has the custody of the one child. The couple were married here Feb. 17, 1919, and Hills left hte wife and boy in January of 1923. The court awarded the mother $50 weekly for the support of the boy. Hills ia an automobile salesman. John G. Jermon's (Jacobs A Jer- mon) ''Stop and Go," at the Colum- bia, NeW York, last week, qualifies as good burlesque through the strength of the comedy department, dominated by John Barry. It is only an average opera in the other branches. The show is augmented by eight English dancing girts, Krford's Oddi- ties, an aerial specialty, with three girls. The specialty clicks nicely, but the girls seem unhappily placed In the chorus, which is below average in appearance and pep. Barry receives real assistance from Bob Startzman, second comedian, and Burton Carr, stralgiit. Startz- man does eccentric tramp, also a blackface specialty in "one," mailing up in view of the audience, and do- ing a quick change to minstrel attire. Most of the numbers died standing up, which didn't prevent the princi- pals from encoring blithely, applause or no applause. Anna Meyers proved an exception to this, and Barry, Startzman and Carr pulled many encores with a "blues" number, studded with broad topical comedy verses. Ethel De Veaux, a stand- ardized stereotyped soabret, failed to ring the bell all evening. A girl billed as Vco)etta turned in a good acrol>atic contortion dance in one scene aifd a not-ao-good classi- cal one in another. Sbe also ap- peared In bits. The show follows the revue style, with Barry always getting laughs, regardless of material. His dancing is far above ttac average and his talents decidedly of mu.slcat comedy proportions. HIS one fault lies in reading lines carelessly, sometimes slurring the punches and lulling, the kiclc. He makes up for this In a measure by a real knowledge of com- edy values, unction and some of the fuiViiiest extreme wardrol>e worn by an eccantric comedian in seasons. His playing of the "Room 202" scene was a howl, much of the business and dialog appearing and sounding ad Ub. The anecdote idea copped from Chariot's and other revues, in this show entitled "Bugiiouse Fables." didn't mean a thing, except the bits in wliich Barry appeared^. Much -better was "Stop and Go,*! a ridicu- lous bit of nonsense, in whicb the two coinics don traffic cop uniforms and handle the traffic Indicator. A double dance preceded this, in which Startzman registered as a corking hoofer in a comedy double with Barry, The eight English girls, working a la Tiller, had their biggest moment in a stool dance ballet, which was well executed. Their other octet numbers were convention and along the lines now grown familiar since Jean Bedini Introduced the Eiigliah girls to burlesque. "The Play's the Thing," a comedy scene In one, was another good bit for Barry. As the "audience," ha pulled considerable laughter with hia Interruption of the rehearsal. Aa the successful lover In a "vampire" scene, in which he and Startzman were suitors for the prlmii's duke, he was equally funuir. Erford's Oddities; aerial novelty, was nicely spotted in the burlesque and received generous applause. Two of the three girls -work on ladders attached to a device that parallels an aerial merry-go-round. The third girl rides a bicycle contraption which turns the device. A musical bell- ringing: number, while revolving at top speed, made a flash finish for the turn. ^ The lx)ok IS credited to I. R. Ilamp, and, though reminiscent. Is modem. Two full-stage sets stood out, with the rest of average proportions and merit. The absorption by the chorus of most of the specialty people is one of the glaring weaknesses, but the producer may have figured Barry's comedy contribution strong enough to alibi considerable economy in other dircktions. He wasn't so far wrong, at that, for Barry excuses many of the defects and hides most of the shortcomings. Barry's indi- vidual work makes a good comedy show. Con. Das Moines, March 3. The charges of Immorality brought against the Garrick theatre here, on the Mutual Burlesque Cir- cuit, by the women's clubs, have been ignored by the Polk county grand Jury. The theatre, under the management or N. S. Barger, was charged with nude chorus girls and obscene Jokes by the women's clubs, chief of police and the Ku KIux Klan. No record of the inves- tigation was given to the 1924 grand Jury when It made its final recom- mendation before Judge W. O. Bonner, showing that the matter had been ignored. ICarrie H. Dickey. presMent of the women's club, was the leader in the crusade against the house. Stenographers accompanied the women to performances of Joseph Perry's "Bashful Babies" show and took notes. The reports were ac- oompanled^y explaaations and Hn- t«-ppetations by the womed. the county attorney stated. Mutual shows playing th« Oar- rlck have not been ^othered since the grand Jury ignored the charges. HERK'S STATEMENT ON ARTISTS The Mutual Burlesque circuit alleges reports have reached Mutual headquarters that In New York certain producing managers on another circuit have been approaclting stars and featured Mutual artists with offers for next season. The recent publication of the engagement for next season of Mike Sacks, Mutual comedian with the "Speedy Steppers," by Ed Daley, the Columbia pro- ducer, is referred to by the wi- txial executives as a specific in- stance. The report of the en- gagement of Sacks by Daley brought emphatic denial from I. H. Herk, president of the Mu- tual, who claims Sacks was of- fered a three years' contract by Daley at a graduated scale be- ginning at $260 weekly, but re- turned the contracts with a statement he was perfectly sat- isfied with his treatment by the Mutual circuit. Herk's Ststement Mr. Herk's statement fol- lows: While it Is true that a prop- osition was made to Mike Sacks, said Mr. Herk, the offer was declhied. As a matter of fact, contracts were sent to Mr. Sacks calling for his serv- ices for three years at a grad- uated salary commencing at 12(9 per week for the first season with Daley. But these were returned by Mr. Sacks with the statement that he was perfectly satisfied with his ex- perience as a featured player on the Mutual circuit, and had neither reason to make a change nor any desire to do I sup^se it is quite natural that other interests jthould at- tempt to secure leading fea- tured players now with our shows and from the informa- tion that reaches me I am con- vinced that others than Mr. Sacks have been similarly ap- proached. But I have yet to hMr of a single instance where sufch overtures were success- ful. Not only have there been no desertions from our ranks, but I have had repeated assur- ances from our stars and fea- tured players that they shall be glad to ^ntfnue with us next season. The Mutual Burlesque Asso- ciation has been established upon the solid foundation of good will and loyalty. Its suc- cess has been truly amazing, and lias been due to the con^ tinuance and intensity of this feeling. President Herk intimated that - when the plans of Mutual for next season were definitely an- nounced some surp isirsr da- velopnMnts may be expected. BEAUTY PARADERS (Mutual) .ItraiKht Joe Forte Prima Dunna MInolc Bui Ilnrrlaon Ingr«H)ue K.iy Shirley Houbrntte Vclma Dean Prinrlpal Aline Kocera Coniodlan '!.. Hobhy Ryan flltK Bornle Bernard Featured Coinedl.an Hap Fryer Edward F. Rush's "Beauty Par- aders" is a four-letter word meaning not bad burlesque show for the Mutual Circuit. Led by' Hap Fryer, a quiet working, but effective tramp comedian, the show stands out be- cau.se it also includes ono of the l)e8t straight men seen tiiitfreeason on either wheel, Joe Forte. Tils chap sticks up out of the .show like a church steeple. He hn.s everything including appearance and the most elaborate wardrobe seen off the avenue. —- Forte cin actually sell a burlesque audience one of those giii iiuinl>er8 in wliich the choristers make solo entrances as the types referred to in the lyrics. He makes this bit a serious one with 'his delivery, bis unusually Intelligent handling of the girls and rare poise. Forte looks young, but his work argues a long and varied experience as .a trooper. | He is all over the show and doml- . nates every sceno In which he ap- ' pears. Vehna Dean, an unusual soubrette. Is another the scouts will like. She is young, pretty, peppy and has a fair singing voice. She halves the numbers wKh Arllne Rogers, a vet- eran soubrette.' Miss Rogers Is • capable artist of experience, looks 1 well in tights and Quts her num- a bers over Ilkeably. ^ The book follows the old fashioned burlesque trails, holding nothing new in the way of bits or comedy scenes, but being well suited to the two comics. Ryan'does an eccentric/ character which seems to lie *ii evotution of a former dutch. At any ratte, he has the "gurgle" working overtime. Both he and Fryer work with piano deliveries. Fryer builds up his Impression after a mild* half tone start and finishes in high favor. At the Pro.spect the show was pfayed absolutely clean and seemed to please the customers. TUa chorus shimmied moderately, and dashed out upon the runway for many an encore. This bunch will alibi any place where it is necessary to sterilize the dialogue. It seems , to be the answer to oppression and also satisfies the audience. If the ■ girls are not allowed to work heartily - the show doesn't register, but when they do the dialogue can be laundered and get by, particularly at this house. This chorus works as though they loved to, which is the secret of half of the success of the show. They go into pick out numbers on their own accounts and are as peppy as a stable full of yearlings. The i'n*"*, up included about five heavyweights,* but the front line will pass inspec- tion anywhere. "Who's Who," a comedy .sketch with an old idea, was good for solid laughs as handled by Fryer, Harri- son, Rogers, Forte and Ityan, and a woney cKSbglng bit of equally ancient vintage also clicked. Fryer's spe- cialty, a monologue, also nicked neatly. ^ The scenery and costumes seemed ^| above the average Mutual standard, A and were on a par with the other pi high spots of the show. "Beauty -^i Paraders" is far from a wasted eve- Ij ning for anyone and should wind up ^| the season among the leadVrs when 'I grosses are computed. It' 8 a real good old fashioned ^ opera. con.