Variety (June 1925)

Wednesday, June 3, 19t5 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY t ■,i\ t ,-'. .••t ■»»■■• INSIDE SIVFF am TAUDEVIIU *■•'.-.« ,A N«ir York ouUMf scent who rec«BtIr turned producer with the ma- Jorltr or hie acU accepted by the bis time waa informed that he would ^T6 to aever fata connection with hla agencr. Thla aame agent had t.repreeenUtive In Chlc««o who displayed his name in bold type on the Indow ot hla office, located directly across from the State Lake Build- l^g. The other day the New York producer waa notlHed that he will H^ve to instruct his Chicago representative to erase his name from the Window. These orders were issued by an official of the W. V. M. A. and Orpheum Circuit, whose office is opposite the independent office. The name Is off. A woman booker who has been known for her vamping proclivities whenever necessary to land a new house for her books Is at it again Reports have come to competitors that the booker has been making their theatres and puUing the sob stuff in an attempt to InHuence a switch over to her. So far the trips have been costly and unproductive. jVA vaudeville agent, anxious to collect money due him from a team ptaylng around New York, attached the salary of one of its members while they were playing a house In the Times square vicinity. The act ^tras playing a three-day date for $160, with |7S going to each member. The agent took out an attachment against the salary, the papers costing |C Under the lien law, he is allowed to collect but 10 percent of the aiOary. which meant $7.60, a profit of $1.S0 for all the trouble. 'Cancellations of acta after a single performance by managers of out oC town small time Independent vaudeville houses are becoming so chronic performers thusly treated will hereafter hold the booker responsible, atid, if necessary, seek legal redress to get what is coming to them. Warm weather and bad business have made the managers fussy, with the bookers Inclined to humor the manager through assuming the aittltude that the customers are never wrong and with the performer suffering doubly through the humiliation of cancellation and without remuneration or transportation expenses. The booker generally squares matters with the performer with a line of salve and promises to be tidcen care of elsewhere If the performer signs a release of contract. ' This practise Is entirely unjust to the performers, since their style of act has to be known to the bookers t>efore getting a date. Thtee bookers should protect their talent against the divers politic reasons for which they are generally cancelled rather than for a legitimate cause. The bookers, by humoring managers, are unwittingly making it hard for themselves and eventually will And difficulty in securing material for their bills if this practice should continue. Performers are becoming wised up to the bookers' line of "soothing syrup" when the cancellations crop up, and they are now determined to hold them to their contracts, regardless of whether it precipitates a strain upon friendship between they and the bookers or not. Those that have been regular with these bookers have not profited by their generosity and, consequently, figure they are saps. ^ In the complaint entered by John Sweet and others against Alexander Fantages at Seattle are 70 typewritten pages, carrying general charges of 'mismanagement, etc., in certailn Fantages theatres, as reported in Variety last week. The complainants are minority stockholders. In Seattle, when the action was started, much surprise was expressed at the charge made by Sweet to the effect that he had given Fantages, himself, $6,000 toward a theatre at Ft. Worth without Fantages building the theatre or returning the money within the six years he has held It A direct allegaUon Is in the complaint that Fantages in the theatres Involved in the suit (at Minneapolis, Salt Lake, Memphis and Kansas City) manipulated not alone to wipe out any profit, but to. erect Instead a large deficit which will eventually "freeze out" the minority holders tf Fantages Is not checked. It Ifl charged a "pretended" Indebtedness has been allowed to accumulate against the theatres. The plaintiffs ask the oourt (Federal) for an accounting and also to order Fantages to assume all of the "pretended" Indebtedness personally, thereby reliev- ing the theatres from danger of foreclosure or of judgment. BOSTON'S NEW THEATRE (Continued from pa«e 1) turn. It win be conducted along etittadUble and educational lines. A e^tfter from the Commonwealth ailnwe It to be operated In this TiMwnnr fDbe trustees say the idea U simi- lar to that of the public Ubrariee alM'the art museum and Its relation «e those thaatrea eonduoted for eommerclal purposes win be made the same as the relation between the public libraries and the lending libraries. Henry Jewett, managing director ef the Jewett Repertory Theatre fnite 1»1« to 1»>4. wlU not be In ^large of the new theatre. He will be relieved of all financial connec- 4IMis or the business management 1>tit will act as stage director on a ■alary. He has been acting in an advisory capacity during the erec- tion of the new theatre without recompense, the trustees announce. According to the statement "the pnivose of the corporation, as stated in the articles of Incorpora- tl<^ is to enlighten and educate ttie public concerning the vahie of the Repertory theatre as a vital factor towards the higher develop- ment of dramatic art and to estab- lish a permanent playhouse in Bos- ton where the beat plays of all time may be produced, where competent actors may be afforded an opportu- nity of appearing before the public Ultd«r favorable conditions, and to encourage playwrights and actors In.(the beet traditions of the dram- atip ^profession." '^ About Jewett Ctianges In the stntoment the charges which were hurled at Jewett after the campany closed at the Arlington last season were dwelt on. It was claimed they were without founda- tion and that at no time while the company waa running did Jewett, as was charged, pay himself a large salary while members of the com- pany were underpaid It was pointed out that when the venture closed there appeared on the books en- tries which showed Jewett was owed |1S,S00 for back salary and other claims which debt he waived and cancelled. A claim that he built an expensive home In Newton and lived In aCRu- ence from the profits received from the venture the trustees claim to have been found without basis In fact after an investigation by counsel employed by Equity. The new theatre will be free from taxation upon real and personal property, recognised under the act providing for the organization of charitable educational oorporationa In taking this action It Is pointed out that Massachusetts la the first state to recognize the right of the theatre when conducted in the pub- lic interest, to a place with the li- brary and art museum. It is expected that the theare will cooperate closely with the public school pupils and ether educational institutions in stimulating interest in the spoken drama.. 2Dd WOD WEST (Continued from page 1) tlon recently took over when it closed the Wolfe carnival-circus or- ganisation will be used by this new wild west. Credulity is lent the story through the fact that "Buster" Cronin, for many years a banner solicitor—and often named as manager of several of the company's circuses—la now in Feru engaging people and pre- paring to manage the organization. Since It became apparent the new 101 Ranch show, owned by the Mil- ler Brothers nnd launched by them as a huge gamble could not lose, other showman have looked on the wild west field with envious eyes. The reported now wild west sliow may be on the road In another month or 20 days. By the end of this circus season, It is almost safe to predict, two more wild west shows wilt be touring the States. Latest Photegrsph off FRED STONE Made by STRAUSS PEYTON 29 West B7th 8t.. New York Phone Plazs 2M2 CHI OPERA CO. INTOKEinrS CLEVELAND Establishes Precedent by Renting Palace; Royal Arranges . Cleveland, June 2. The Chicago Opera Company will establish a precedent next season when it goes into Keith's Palace here for a week during next February or March. The date has not been settled, but it will be the occasion of the Chicago troupe's annual visit here. The Palace will l>e rented out- right for that period and no vaude- ville will be played. John F. Royal, manager, completed the arrange- ments today. Annaal Jamboree Sunday The annual Burlesque Club Jam- boree benefit performance will be staged at the Columbia, New York, Sunday evening, June 7. Willie Collier will be master of ceremc nies and the following artists will ap- pear: Avon Comedy Four; Buster West; Healy and Cross; Benny Ruben, Gellls Bros., Buddy Doyle. Miller and Mack. Joe Laurie, Jr., Belle Baker, Alice Lawler, Clark and McCullough, Roma and Dimn, William Frawley and Oeorge Meyer, Rlchy Craig, Jr., Steppe and Martin, Shadow and McNeil, Hal Sherman, Newhoff and Phelps, Frisco, "Bugs" Baer, Bert and Betty Wheeler, Bla- sett and Scott and C^rge Jessel. The proceeds are donated to the sick fund maintained by the club for the benefit of the members. This year $500 will be donated to the Actors' Fund from the receipts and disabled soldiers will be admitted free of charge. Rube Bernstein is in charge of the entertainment committee. The soldiers will be conveyed from near- by government hospltala to the Co- lumbia in automobiles donated by members of the club. E.-0. GOLF TOUXNAMENT The annual Keith-Orpheum Golf Tournament will be held June 8, 9, 10 at the Winged Foot QoU Club, Mamarq;ieck, N. Y. There will be three divisions of 16 players each, the first matches in each fiight to be played on Monday afternoon. Tuesday match play will continue between the winners and losers of each division. Wednesday the finals In each division, both winners and consolation. Ignited States Golf Association rules will govern all play except- ing where especially provided for In loci] rulea as shown In score card. No stymies. In the qualifying round all putts must be holed out. The Oolf Committee consists of J. Henry Walters. A. Frank Jones. I..ee Stewart and Harvey Watklns. secretary. More than fifty entries have been received to date. FEMININE A Still More Modern Woman Isn't love grand on the desert? Those girls out west have their own methods of handling their men. In the land of burning sage, sand and cacti the whimsical, pretty girls insult their men when they love them. "The Desert Flower.' at the Strand this week, says It. There Colleen Moore and Lloyd Hughes have the He and She roles. She inaults him because she wants him to brace up and be a man. She calls him such pithy little names as "quitter, coward, cheat liar'" Wonder why some enterprising picture company does not take a popu. lar vote to determine which role most American girls prefer—that of the Inaulter or the insultee? Here is a point in "The Desert Flower," which was keenly appre- ciated by the Sunday afternoon audience: Three persons (two men and a woman) each claim to having killed a man. The sheriff quizzes them again and receives such answers as "Yea, I shot him"; "I keel heem'- "Don't believe what they tell you. I did It." Finally the puzzled sheriff scratches his head and says. "The dirty skunk! It's a olaln case of suicide!" French and French Running parallel with the old story of .the doughboy who complained that the French people could not understand their own language Is another and newer yarn of a French woman, guest of an American woman, who witnessed a film version of "Sans Gene." and who failed to see In It the famous drama by her countrymen, Vlctorlen Sardou and Emlle Moreaui The point seems to be why did the producers of this film go to so much expense and material trouble to get the French scenery and et fall utterly, as Mademoiselle believes, to catch the subtlety of French thinking, mannerisms, character? To say nothing of deviating from the original play? It was an interesting experiment on the part of this Ar.erlcan woman to take her French friend with her. Who should know Gallia better ttian a Gaul? The first thing which amascd her was the free translation of th« French idiom, "sans gene." Employing much better English than many Anglo-Saxons boast, she sald: "Sans gene,' the Idiom, does not mean 'devil may care.' It conveys the supreme thought of ^unconventlonallty but has nothing to do with a devil. You know how we French are. We utter le dlable' on small provocation. Literally, 'sans gene' is used for carelessness, impudence, sardou a famous washwoman was impudent, eager, ambitious, but the translators pauperize her charm when they call her devil. It lacks the subtle comprehension of the French mind. It Is not true to the French play." A Picture Recalling Youth When we were less than seven, we looked ecstatically forward to the day of triumph when we could prove to doubting grown-ups that the world was really peopled with dangerous brigands lurking behind the lilac bush, and opposing forces of hob-gobllns leering over the edges of the library furniture. But never in our most imaginative flights did we think of anything so fantastic as a lady Robin Hood, who robbed the rich to feed the poor, who lived dangerously, who outwitted the kommisser of police, who revenged her patriotic father's death at the hands of a slacker, and who gloriously, ^Iry-booklshly wound up as the bride of a count, member of the hatfd aristocracy which she had previously fought! Never.' But it was lovely. It was a pity that neither Hans Anderson, nor Grimm, lived long enough to write scenarios for Prlsdlla Dean. "The Crimson Runner," her latest screen melodrama shown at the Colony, containing all these high points, i itght well have immigrated from our little two-room playhouse, whither we retreated from cynical and sinister grown-ups. Prlscilla Dean as "The Crimson Runner" would have fitted In so beautifully with our cosmic scheme of life at seven. Just Plain Dumb Boy, page Elsie Janis, Coleen Moore and a couple of Talraadgee. To: say nothing of a few other pert, snappy-eyed femmes of the films who have amused with dellclously adventurous stories of young boarding- school misses making the world an exciting, dangerous place In which to live. These were the little minxes of sharp-edged mentalities. Their's' were the scenarists who could write. Now, along comes Alice Terry «s a boarding school product In "Any Woman," the film at the Rialto, and, ye gods! But she's dumb! MUs Terry, herself. Is beautiful and poised In the role given her, but the role—ugh! Boy, page another boarding school. , ,., Conceding children In pictures are precocious; still. Isn't it taxins credulity too much to believe that a three-months-old baby boy has cut two teeth, can crawl as. fast as an express subway and even stand up, holding himself to a table? This occurs in "The Price of Pleasure." According to the story, the child could not possibly be more than three or, at the most, four months old. The director chose a baby for the part sweet enough to eat, but whom the women in the audience knew, was older than the role. The little duffer was registering surprise, delight! and recognition of every- one at an age when most youngsters recognize little besides light, fi)od, and their own 10 fingers. Kate Pullman, on the Hippodrome bill this week, is entitled to un- stinted admiration for the game way she returned to the stage Mon- day afternoon after forced to end her solo dance because of a sprained ankle. To. be sure she shielded ]ber aching foot In her soldier dance with Roscoe Alls—but boy! How she grinned and bore Itl -» A Real Reel Romeo 'wouldn't It be gorgeous to ptay In a film like 'The Sporting Venus* and have Rdnald Colman make love? Too many fellows on the screen are trying to be Romeos and can't. Anyhow, it's a good story. Isn't Lew Cody an ideal villain? So dreadfully sure of himself. Always suave, calculating, and never sweet. No wonder Blanche Sweet turned to him only In desperation. She can be so beautifully desperate. For that matter, her Highland Donald was no slouch at being annoyed. '■.' ^ "rrr.^ This occurs in an .ict called "Four-Flushing" at Loew's State. It Is neither satire nor a take-off on how the Stone's Crossing High School would pat on a musical show. As a queue for a song, the pHftty maid says to the man: "Oh, you're a rich society man and I'm only a poor salesgirl!" Walled eagerly to hear her murmor when the song was ended: "Give me bock the papers and 111 'ear up the child," but she Times Sq. Stock MIn.sky Bros., operators of a stock burlesque circuit, which Includes the Apollo In Harlem and National Winter Garden, New York, are re- ported as negotiating for the lease of tlie Times Square Theatre for next season for stock. The MInskys played stock bur- lesque at the Park. Columbu:; Circle, a few seasons afso. The I-nfayette Tlioatre (Harlemv la under r.ew management. Tlie Miii.sl<y.s h.TVP acquired the.lease and' will In.stall vaudeville and pictufbs.