Variety (June 1925)

I if t:^- '<""■ VARIETY -.«fW*-««iwjr(,t y. •:.-i.;i-(?^5i;»^-^-- LEGITIMATE y^ii'iiMiaij^--!^vsiy^lilut^^^tfmiit^' W«dnMcby. Jwic 17» 1985 .1 ti^ i. t^v. ^ SHOWS IN N. Y. AND COMMENT Flfurvs MtimaUd and eoimriMtt point to Mm* attraction* boing auccosBful, whilo tho Bam* gross aooroditod to othara mloht ausOMt madloerity or losa. Tha varlanea Is axplainad in tha diffaraiioa in Hous* eapaclttas, «/Ith tha varying ovarKaad. Also tha oix« off oast. with eonsaquant diffaranoa in nacassary grata for profit. Varianea in businass nacassary for musical attraetian aa. against drsmatia play ia also considarad. r "Abia's Irish Rosa," Republic (161st week). Last week saw normal June weather, but Broadway failed to recovec from shock of first week's hot wave; in n>any< cases betterment comparatively trivial; "Able" about 19.000, sum- - mer pace for run-leader. •'Alema of tha South Saas,"* Lyric <9th week). Improved more than most otheiH, I;i."»t week soinR to nearly W.OOT, $2,000 more than in hot week. "Bachelors' Brida*," Cort (4th week). May be keeping this one on to attract picture producers; . one of lowest gross shoWs cur- .- rent; better than previous wee)c, but estimated less than |1,500. *Caaaar and Cleopatra," Guild The- atre (10th week). Question If Guild attraction will b« able to run through summer; affected considerably, though eiomewhat better last week at |7.3<W); earlier presentation might have afforded It run. fCharlay'a Aunt," Dalys «3d St. (4th week). During not week business reported around $500; show now commonwealth; im- provement last week and players hopeful; bouse said to. get first $1,C00, with split thereafter. "Daaira Under the Elms." George M. Cohan (32d week). Picked up somewhat last week with pace claimed around 16,000; dees not look like summer attraction, but Inexpensive to operate. ■ ''Follies," New Amsterdam (52d week). Celebrates year's run Sat- urday, and next week several ne^ numbers due to be Inserted for "summer edition"; comedy strength ought to qend it Into fall; last week $27,000. "Garrick Qaiaties," Oarrlck (2d week). Although first offered for special performances, now regu- larly presented and attractlng*at- tention; last week reported get- ting $6,400 with profit made; players on co-operative basis. *^s Zat So7" Chanin's 46th Street (24th week). Climbed somewhat, though, like others, nO full re- covery from low ni.ani; takings about $12,S00, which, with "The Dove," was best money last week (seven performances). '•Koaher Kitty Kelly," Times Square <l8t week). Only Broadway pre- miere this week (others are "En- gaged," at 52d Street, and "Grand Street Folliee.' Neighbor- hood Playhouse); classed^as mu- sical farce; opened Monday. •Lady Be Good," Liberty (29th week). Musicals appeared to ■have picked up In better measure than others; takings for tfiis one up about $4,000, with count around 117.000. "Ladiea of tho Evening," Lyceum <2eth week). Final week. "The Harem" dropped out suddenly Saturday and this, one follows suit soon; between $5,000 and 11,000, negligible. "Louie the 14th," Cosmopolitan (16th week). Probably recorded best Improvement last week, "|K>ing from $18,000 to nearly $26,000. •Lucky Sambo," Colonial. Closed suddenly Saturday at end first week; drew fair notices and mod- erate business, with no money to pay off, even though colored show of small operating cost. •Warcenary Mary," Longacre (10th week). Hitting four figures anost night performances last week, with indicated takings $9,000. "My Girl," Vanderbilt (30th week). Aims to run through July, though trade Indicates enga«ement nearly over; estimated at $6,500 last week, no better than even break. •Rose-Marie," Imperial (42d week). Picked up about $3,50<> over pace of first hot wave week, count go- ing to $29,500; while^ander nor- mal up to June 1, this figure best on Broadway. •Student .Prince," Jolson'n (Mth week). Picked up here, too, but considerable off form displayed tliroughout spt-lng; last week es- timated not over $18.0t)0; wan playing to $10,000 more. •Sjiy High," Casino (16th week). Moved here Moiifiay from Winter Garden, now used for rehearjwls of "^ new "Artists and Models." due to open next week. "Sky High" im- proved but little last week; about $11,000. •Spooita," 48th St (3d week). Opened at bad time when torrid spell startedr second week- bet- ter, gross being quoted at $3,700; show now co-operative after dlf- flcwlty m paying salarles-;-clalnis for last week pending. •TaJI Me More," Gaiety (10th week). Went on se^ en-performance basis, Wedne.sday matinee eliminated; face of this musical e.itimuted 7,000 to $8,000; maybe even break. •Tho Bride Retires,": Natlonnl (6fh week). Improve<1 more fhtfh 50 percent over first we*»k In .lane laat Peek's courtt $6;5fl!o, Indleat- liSg better trade Irt tirt'rAten: '■*' pa "Th< Last week $3,000 or more better than previous week, which placed gross between $12,000 and $13,000; ar with best non-musicals, he Fall Guy," Kltinge (15th week). Somewhat better, but pace any- thing but strong at $6,Q00 last week; show on seven-perform- ance basis. rXha Firebrand," Morosco (36th week). Liable to end engagement Saturday; business UM week $4,700; previous week $3,400. "The Gorilla," Selwyn (8th week). Improvement here at>out 60 per- cent last week over prefVlouo week, takings bettering $8,000; laugh show should hold this fiace or better it from now on. "Tha Harem," Belasco. Closed Sat- urday, Belusco ending engagement without notice; hard hit by hot weather and no better than $5,000 last<Jweek; ran 28 weeks. "The Poor Nut," Henry Miller (Sth week). With agency support counting h«avily„ this .comedy success picked up handily and claimed having beaten $10,000 last "The Right to Love." Wallack's (2d week). Does not appear to.have much chance; flrtft week did not reach $2,000; producer trying' to secure better terms, but continu- ance doubtful. "The Show-Off," Playhouse (7 2d week). Final week; comedy smash last season and held to profitable business throughout second - sea- son; heat wave finally affected it. "They Knew What They Wantad," Klaw (30th week). Went to near- ly $8,000 last jveek, comparatively as good an improvement as the others; expected to remain well into summer. "What Price Glory," Plymouth (42d week). With takings at $7,500 last week, war play's trade was $3,000 better than torrid webjk which started June; made money and engagement still indefinite. "White Cargo," 39th Street (86th week). Doubtful if holdover drama will remain' more than ''another week. Last week less than $3,000. "White Collars," Sam H. Harris (17th week). Estimated around $3,000; Anne {fichols Intends keep- ing show going through aummer.1 with Improvement hoped for; should be made good for road. Outside Times Sq.—Little 'Theatres "Grand Street Follies" (second edition) opens Thursday at Neigh- borhood Playhouse: "BnKaged" opens same night at 52d Street; "Love for Love" closes Saturday at Greenwich Village. Shows In R«k0*rMl «Tha Knoak-Ouf* (Cortla * DaTonpori), Rita. •Tha School Miatraaa" (Sav- age * Woods), Eltlnga. •Vanities" (Barl Carroll), Carroll. •Davlla** (WlllUm A. Brady), Playhouse. •AM Wa*» (John Ha»ry Hears), National. •Paaaionato Prince" (Carl Reed). Lyric •Love Loaaona^ (Richard Herndon), Belmont. HEAT SCORCHES LOOP HOUSES GROSSES Average Gain Last Wedc but Wallop with Open- ing This One $24,000 FOR IIOSE- KARIE" IN BOSTON Boston, June 16. The weather Is the controlling factor. Last week, with cool weath- er prevailing, the three houses now open picked up about $1,000 each more at the box office than the week before. At the start of this week it did not look very encouraging for the local shows, as the heat had swung back again and the week is split up by a holiday on Wednesday. This holiday will mean nothing to the theatre tlnless there is an exception- ally l>ad weather break. The local situation remains the same as far as attractions go, the three musicals, "No, No, Nanette," "RoS€TMarle" and "Topsy and Eva," still running, with nothing booked for opening In the immediate fu- ture in the town. Last Weelt'a Estimataa •No, No, Nanette"—Tremont (7th week). Picked up after week that was off, doing about $23,000. •Rose-Marie"' - Shubert (10th week). About $24,000 last Week. "Topsy and Eva"—Colonial (7th week). Did better than $15,000. '^^■A:'>'T»ir Chicago, June 16. Torrid weather still prevails, but in the sales of last week there was an averaga $1,800 gross gain (or most of tha shows over the lurevious week. 1^1^' Because of the freaky cool si>ell that struck town Wednesday and Thursday, record _ humidity has started off the sales this week at lower figures than anything during the present siege of sweltering at- mosphere. Tha heat pauralyxed the records that "The Green Hat" piled up at the Selwyn for the first eight weeks. Last week Arlen's piece did slightly under $11,000. an improvement of nearly $8,000 over the week before. The 'Woods offices anonunce "The Green Hat" will move to the Adel- pbi June 27, leaving the Selwyn at this writing without an attraction. A return of "Topsy and Eva" is mentioned. . Matinee trade allows "Rose- Marie" to hold a good average, de- spite off-aales Monday and Tues- day. At present "Rose-Marie" is leading the town. "Artists and Models" gives promise of ascending when weather conditions become normal. "The Gorilla" haan't been able to match the trade of the premiere week, although last week the gross went close to $8,000, an Improvement of nearly $2,000. "The Gorilla' Is a show that ahowmen In town predict will go to higher llgnrea with nor- mal weather conditions. Last Week'a Estimataa "Green Hat." $11,000. "Artists and Models," $17,000. "Student Prince," $18,000. "Rose-Marie." $19,000. "Lady Next Door." $6,300. "Spooks," $SJ>00. "Is Zat So?" $7,000. "Gorilla," $8,000. "June Days," $10,000. —' "Just Married." $4,000. Lasses White's minstrel show re- opens Aug. 12 at tha Fairbanks, Springfield. O. For three con- secutive seaaons White has as- sembled his troupe there. L A. GROSSES Los Angeles, June 16. With the Shrlncr's Conclave oVer, the populace of Los Angeles decided they wanted to rest up last week and sort of shunned the downtown lej^it houses. KIsle Ferguson in "The Grand Duchess and the Floor Walter," at the Biltmore, had a very poor week, getting $13,000. "The Last Warn- ing," opening for four weeks at the Morosco, started off with a first week total of $6,900. Maud Fnltcn In "The Big Top" at the Majestic had a fair second week, doing $5,800, whil. Jack NorwortlL, in his second week Jii "Honwymdon House" at the Orangf I Grove, only managed to draw $4,900. which i<i neither profitable to hoii.se •The Dove," Emi.lrt (19th'^eek'J. *«" A^'^.-iMion. Maleyinsky Phy Expert M. L. Malevinsky of O'Brien, Malevinsky A Drlscoll, theatri- cal attorneys, had his book, "The Science of Playwrlght- ing" accepted for immediate publication by Brentano's within 48 hours after submis- sion to the book publishers. It will be on the market by Oct. 1 and will be a $5 volume of over 350 pages. Mr. Malevinsky. because of his thorough Insight on the show business through acting as counsel for important clients like Cohan, Harris, the Plckfords. Fairlcanks, Hop- kins, Berlin. Barthelmess, Mary Hay, Anne Nichols, et al., was drawn Into the play- wrlghting situation particu- larly as regards plagiarism actions which gave birth to Malevinsky'a now famous "piny formula." This formula is the basis of the barrister's treatise. Mr. Malevinsky is also work- ing orva play for fall pro (hictipn. PliOARBN DEOaOM (Coatlauad firom p^fiWf. ating the new tblncs are always among the community, but ar« not seen. It takes a man with a sharp eye to diacovar tho n«vr peraonaHty. to bring It np to a bt«li paint. Mid to sea thai the cooununity ahould aee the value of the new personality, of the new mind. So when the man In our case—when the man discovers the new personality, he has a gift to discover it. The first thing Is to aronse Interest among a few groups of people in the new personality, especially with men with money who can back the personality and bring It on the surface of the market, no matter what it is. is it a new dress or a new coat, or new music, or a new fashion, or a new film star, no matter what it is. when it can be traded, it can be commercialised, it can be utilised aa a new value in the general market. The Court: Chiefly for tha pur- pose of making money? The Witness: Not only chiefly, but even if it can l>e utillxed. Only Look for Money Tho Court: I say ^iefly for the purpose of making money, or for contributing to the - world art or something of that sort? The Witness: This small group of financiers only look for money. The man behind it haa the artistic eye, but he already convinces the financier that art, real art, is money. Now, the next step is that small group of people and this man who discovered the personality, muat convince the public—the great mass —that this Ic a necessary thing (or common life. , This Is done by the psychological experiment, by the psychological idea of boosting things. The form of psychology, especially in American life is, "U it is good for you. it Is good for me." The great masses are blindly following this rule: If it Is good for Mr. Smith, it is good for I4r. Meyer. If it is good for you, it must be good for me. Uaing this psychological for- mula or rule, the personality starts to develop Its own power, ahd so It Is In the thought represented by a human soul, coming Into the trade and bringing money, bringing suc- cess, tor a small group of people, who ure utilizing this art, better to say who are buying this thing, and for herself. So this is the third step, when this personality Is opened, already she Is acknowledged, just as Nazlm- ova was greeted aa a new Idea which brings money and success and glory, and which ia acknowledged by everybody, the idea being that if Nazlmova is good for you so she is good for me. The next step ia. in our caae, it ia the girl. The person 'Ay will be never stopped until he or she is united with the man who picked her out, who brought her to the surface, who showed her the way to happi- ness, who first pointed out to her "Tou are a personality! Believe in yourself and I will make other peo- ple believe In you." Personality and Love Personality is always generous in the mind, because that is person- ality, and it will never rest until it will unite with this man. Of course. In the case of young people, and it Is here young people, it is a matter of love. The personality is going to help win and to give love t:> this man with the sharp eye, and If the man Is In trouble, she will help him out through her own power, because now she Is the great mind, and this man, if as usually happens. If he is pushed aside, she will bring him out with the power that she has got from the hands of this man. So this has happened, that natu- rally they must love each other be- cause they are suitable to each other. It Is not simply an occasion that they are married. They must be married for trouble. T e troubles are always here, because it Is so hard that this man who points out the personality will be pushed out, because he Is not a great business man. Ha is always thlnkin? about art, and nls mind is occupied with great Ideas. It Is very easy to cheat him, but the great girl which he made great helps him out, and they are coming together. This Is the Idea of my play. I do not find any Instance In lit- erature or drama where such a theme for a play has appeared. The same Idea Is clearly In the mind of Defendant Bolton In "Polly Pre- ferred," which is the story of an- other young girl whose personality was commercialized, as was Ne- vada's, exciept in a somewhat differ- ent fashion. Many similar expres- sions appear in both productions un- der consideration and after taking into account the fact that defendants kept plaintiff's play so long, from time to time indicated his apprecia- tion of its merits and shortly after produced "Polly Preferred." I can- not escape the conclusion that, per- haps unconsciously, defendant took the theme for his play after he hnd read "Personality" and received the suggestion therefrom. I have said "unconsciously" with a purpose, for Mr. Bolton testified durlnp: the tri il and impressed me ns careful and conscientious, as he was apparently a gentleman of cul- ture, education and reflnement. I BUT TWO SBOWS REMAIN OPER Df PHILAinPIDA ''Nanetife^ Iffay Go to July 4-i Walnut Str^Vs Musical Held In Without Date PhlladeliAila. June 16. The cooler weather last week pulled up tha leglt grosses consld^ arably, but did not deter the man* agers, except in one case, from their' previously formed decisions in favor' of closing. The result Is two house*; are now open. The one attraction that had about; made up ita mind to call it a run, but which was held in for an indefi* nite period because o( the cooler- weather, was "When Tou Smile," tho musical at the Walnut. "The Mud Turtle." in the process of fixing and "readying" for a New York opening in the early fall, wasn't worrying much about its business at the Adelphl. In the two weeks. It ia hardly likely this cork« ing piece of theatrical property totaled $7,000. General Qood Seaaon In retrospect, this has been a good season in PhiUy. fall and early, winter losses having been offset by spring bonanzas. Moat houses had one attraction which pulled them across to the right side of the led- ger. At the Lyric, it was "Dixie to Broadway," at the Shubert, "The Student Prince" and at the Garrick, which, however, had a fine season throughout. It was "Nanette," which put across the big fireworks. Th» Broad had ita best season in sev- eral years, and the Chestnut made out very well with popular-prtced seats. "The Forrest went through In Its usual swimming style, but the Walnut, except for "Simon Called Peter" and "Sally, Irene and Mary" was disappointing. They also made their best money with low-scale shows. The Adelphl got better than an even break. Estimataa for Last Week » ' . "No, No, Nanette"—(Garrick. 16th week). Slight come-back, but lucky if it touched 'U9.000. Stop-clause un- derstood at $14,000, which should keep Frazee ahow in until July 4. Advance sale now negligible. "When You Smila"—(Walnut. 3d week). Cooler weather helped, and decision to close Saturday changed at last minute. Beury musical show is hardly likely to last another fort- night, if that. "The Student Prince" closed at the Shubert Saturday after 12 very good weeks. Even on get-away claimed to beat stop clause by sub« stantlal figure. Around $15,000. At- lantlc City July 1. ' "Tha Mud Turtle" closed two weeks' stay at Adelphl Saturday, hardly grossing $7,000 for fortnight. To open in New York early in falL Very well considered here. I SHUBERTS ACQUIRE 3D HOUSE IN DETROIT Take 86-Year Lfase on Or pheum—Another Soon Detroit, June 16. Arrangements have been com- pleted whereby the Shuberts will take over the Orpheum, which they will open as a legit house In August. It was devoted to vaudeville for many years, but has been dark ra* cently. The Shuberts are paying $300,000 for an 86-year lease on the property. It is their intention to use this house for run shows and that "Abie's Irish Rose" will be moved In from the Garrick when that lat- ter house opens Its season. This gives them three houses in Detroit now and a fourth will come under their control as soon as it is built on the site of the Commerce Building. E. D. Stair conducted the Orpheum negotiations for the Shu- berts. 'sir prefer to base my ji. Icrnient en an unconscious plagiarism rather than upon a deliberate and wilful j.lracy. This is immo, erlal, however, so far as plaintiff's rights are concerned. 1 find that he is entitled to the relief sought and I c^irect a decree accord- •' Ingly. A master wli". be appointed, jj If a reference to take proof of dam-., ■" age on an accounting Is required, who will be named in the decree to ^ be entered hereon. '' \ (Signed) Edwin I^ Go tin. i U. 8. £>. .T. t" t«