Variety (August 1925)

VARIETY VAUDEVItLE -.w • I*, ■ 0. EXI'RESS CO. I INFORMATION i V. A. Arranging lor I Bureaus in All Atn. Ex. Offices Abroad Th« National Va«4evill« Artists 1 &▼• arrmncvd with the American ] UpreM CoihiMUiy for the estabUsh- laent o| Jf. ,y. .ii. bureaus In all larts of the world where the com- ] any operates. Special information I uraauB tHU ad viae of the move- ] lents of ships and trains, custom ] 10use requirements, hotel' aocom- 1 aodatfons, and other information ielpful to traveling artists.' B. F. Albee and General Mrnacer I Imall worked out the details of the 1 ervlee which will aifect the 90 main < fflces of the American Bxpress <!ompanr in as many cities of Great "Jrltaln .-vftd the Continent Lid 7T BUbaidiary offlcaa la 1«7 Jorta. • Ouide beoka Issued' br the : I. V. A. will contain railroad tjme ables. b<M« .•ailtiNra, rates of ex- < hange, custome reaulremcnts at ] tort of entry and all necessary In- lormatien. Theee win be at cemman^ of tbe (irtiat abroad and in each foreign office Of the A. K. will be a booth <ir window with the «•&»» "Branch Office of the National Artists of America." Final deUlln of the iilan will be wot-ked out this week at a meeting of the -mB.. the-H. V. A. aRd Oie V. M. P. A. BERT SAVOyS ESTATE! i ASIED FOR $3,00|D Franjc Haley Asks Sum Adi vaneed to ^Hie Marital M ':;:.• ■.,;:::DITtetenb«r:;'v. 11 Som« prlVata mattera of the lat« Bert BaToy (Savoy and Brennaay were dledoeed at a hearing before Surrogate O'Brien last Thursday in a oiaim for fS.OOO by Frank Haley against the late comedian's estate. Mrs: Savoy, his mother, and the sole executor and beneflciary - of an es- tate of about 119,404, Is contestingj the claim. Jay Brennan (now of Breenan and Rogers In "Artists and Models") went down to the Surrogates' Court with Mrs: Savoy to help clear vy th^ matter. i Haley alleges he shared the Savoy and Breenan apartment up until Savoy's untimely death. He claims he advanced the f3,000 as a cash, loan to enable Savoy to settle his marital differences with his wife. Mrs. Bert Savoy had divorced the comedian but> when he later ex- pressed a desire to remarry her, she eued her ex-spouee for brea<^ of promise and heavy damages.- A. settlement for |S,000 was effected, Haley alleges, and ke advanced' the money for that purpose. ' ! Brennan has since resigned as aw executor:of the estate, but testlOedj he. had . no .knowledge of HaJsy^s; ehtim. Hearings were adjourned' until..0.ctui«er.. .: ,-., ; , At tlM JMariM last. week. It.wiis brought out that Savoy's funeril cost $4,000 and Surrogate O'Brien aaade a "wise «rack" Anent its high price, disparagingly mentioning the name of a weil-known funeral par- lor notorious for Itu fancy funeral prices. . , AaLDTERGETSl DAMAGES IN UBECASE «>'Wednet&i3^ Augmt 8. IM9 h-o-v i^'H !>• i>l HOUNNIFREE LEVIATHAN ORCHESTRA ^BTH.R.UW Scenic Artist Claims Owner- ship and Plot to Dis- ?•; TuptTiirn a^'i ■ • . • •: '<'. ' ■ i.i'i- ;;y ft ( . ."■ ..'11- *. ii'V %■•■.,.«,■• The 8. 8. l»evlatan Orchestra, a^ staple vaudevMla hand attraction, is Involved in a Federal Court in-' Junction and $1»0,««0 damage suit *y H. Robert Law, the scenic man, kgaUist'Nelson-Maple, the director of the orchestra, and a resident of Clarkeaburg, W. Va., which accounts tbr-litigation in the U. 8. IMstrkst <iourt. Law sets forth he owns the act; that he bought It from the U. S., Shipping Board which originally sponsored the Leviathan Orchestra through the Paul Whlteman office: that the act lias been averaging (2,000 a week In salary which «a > represented between $7,500 and $10,- [ 000 net profit for Law during the \ IHtst two and a half years. 'X Law objects to Maple, who re-' ^'signed Aug. 2, 1926, attempting to organise a new band and allegedly make use of the Leviathan billing. Law would enjoin Maple from us Ing the act's name and matlolous conspiracy is further charged be- cause Maple's new band wlU In- clude several of his old men from the Law-Leviathan act. The plain- tiff alleges that Maple, as part of the conspiracy, Is inducing the x|ia- •icians to leave the present aet •ad align with Maple so that the latter will have a sales argument In 'Stating he has some of his original men with him. Law considers himself damaged $100,000 Worth and also prays for an Injunction. '■ The Leviathan i^nd was at one time sponsored by Paul Whlteman but this oonneotlen became severed although the Levlathanites off and on made use of Whiteman's name causing the latter to threaten legal proosediags. Comedian Charged Ven- triloquist with "Stoal- ing Stuffs •■",•••.■ London, Jwly IT. ; Ani'erieii: 'to not the only eountnfj tttat '(duffel's from an epl94i(|die oi material "coppiag." but thers 1» ncj known record of sueii a proossdlni^ tesulUng in a terdlet for*^ libel against the sufferer. Wal Laagtry, comedian, was sued for damages for alleged libel by John William Warner, a t«ntrik>- quist, known as "Marcus." Langtry had complained that Jokes Invent- ed by him had been annexed by Warner, and he had written ^ post- oarde to Wkmer aa<tUtetH(ml to<Ui-< ager com: lainlng about It In sucli phrases as, "Doh't yon Mash nndsii your paint every iin^ you. gel sj laugh with my stuff, you oontemp- tlble brain sucker?" and "You dirty, thieving swab; I wish I could take a handful of tour dirty ribb atfd puU tHem out."' Warner charged that as a resulij o( these communications he had; suffered a material loss in earnings and lacerated feelings. The, Jury; seems to have oolncidcd with the| ventriloquist and awiu-ded him » verdict of $1,2S0. STAGE FAMILIES J. Ci HUGENT ' u. Hotkdlal was fk^Md iCrom worry y«stehaay mi*isday) tn West Side Court when Maglaliate WeU dis- mlseed th* jMntmona Issued ««al9St, him «>n belM^lt of Frank iloudlna of; Houdina i^nd Conip.^ny. Neither | Houdins i^ a Representative ap- peared in. couH at the postponed hearing. Itoudina liad ' charged Hbudinl with disorderly conduct in breaking up a portion "of the Houdina com- pany office suite. Houdlni admitted the breakage but claimed Justifica- tion thcough being unable to es- cape from the Houdina office In any other Way. As escaping is Houdlnl'b principal pursuit, the magician al- leged the nieaoif taken by him to leave the Houdina office were In proper form. Houdlni also Is a magician but denied yesterday he had made Hou- dina disappear. "BEAUTY" m PALACE ACT Cleveland, Aug. 4. '' Elsie Connor, 17, mslected as Miss. Cleveland in a eontest conducted' here' last week by the Clevelandj Presa, participated in by 800 girls.i hqiroTed L K« K. Silt M ll ■ I New Haven. Ang. 4. "The Improved Order of the Ka KI11X 'K!laa, Inc., of New Raven,"* b^^.JuM^' 01e4 a kotlfUcata' ot In- yocppratien at Hartford for thepuK<' pose ot getUng i4d of '^ lot mOOC: krooks," aa one of the signers «f the kertlOkate says, that> are trying to' ruQ the parent assoctatton In Kotinektikut. The flrst signer of the applikation is WlllaM D. Warren of this «lty. Ehcptainlng. further the purpose of i the new wrder, Mr. Warren asserted that it takes a stand "without fear of konsequences or reprlssls.'" V-'' "WbdS'we are sUII a part of the! paf«nf \Orgaalutlon," he mid. "wei do not believe that Protesthatism and CathoUcisni should be komhier- kialized." Frank R. Horton, another one of the signers, explained that the new body had been formed as a means of "protektlon In kase of future friktlon or difflkulties." DAN DOWNING AT show, ,, ,., »^«^ T«*. July $1. "They.iM>opJ^n't .hAve fftmqies!*" barked a big vaudeville manager od years ago. "C»^c^ljed. t,^,9 wfek^ to gvbom^ because the baby wm sick!," , J,,. „,_, , ,,, ^^ ,,. i i ' '. ' .... . ^ H* lui^ tbf (•Ugram ot cancell^fion In hla tuMfi, Hacked aa angry idjurvd and oonfi^sed aa a pet iog when It bites a' grape fruit. ^^'* •'Ihit—i heard that the baby wai dying." "Wall, then, what good couM they do!" he said that with scorn. Times have changed. Now, in vaudeville, the unfortunate ones are allowed to go home and p41<r while they are idle—in cases the doct^ blU is paid, too—but there, t^ara. I don't want a week at the Palkce. I Just mentioned the truth to Isad Into my i^bJaot-^Hhe stage family 1 speak of 18 years ago. The baby Mie parents went home to nurse is n#W the prettiest 1^-year-old girl—the very prettiest and loveliest—(get away from niy elbdw. Huth)—thia^well, anyhow, although it cost tba parehth two webks, tliat baby ifot wen. The manager la dead. Tba 'parents' names are^ Hyaaas and Mclntyre. m •} Ml Pamoua Qreupa niere are 9ther stage famUies, all banan. T oa^i^ gpsok famlUai^ of the stage aristocracy, the DreWs and Barrymores, although I kaev the elder Sarrymore quite well, and to know him was a delight. "' • I kaew the elder.Cohana—and^Joeje, the glorious girl whose ehmi still Hngers, although the sweet, kl^d voice has Ion# been still. And I am proud of my aoqnalnt«ncfshlp with th4 Ppys, the MortbhiL the Eatoiis and the Morrises, and the many others of our world inio gftW to It a greater humanity. They were all preud o^ the stage. They didn't want to be "unllkb actors." Thej^ were Aot ashamed of « great profession. Onljr^Ley; didnt see wrhy actors should be necessarily uhlfke people. And pMUg think more ot- their lU children than of anyone's .two weeks or firp years. Parents who are really people do. Children's. Leva But the heart-warming, sacred, eye-dimming thfng Is the great vUflfk loyalty to the parents. Wb have that.^ too. , ~ 'Tor instance, as Interlude, there iV BlUott %nd myself. We write all our plays together. I write the first draught or heroes. The vQhk rewrites It aiid paMes-tt back; Ma^be 20 cbmpIeU draughts are wirittea before production, and ^y then neltner of us know which partlculalr U<^ Is whose. Thus It was with "TCiirtipy," "A Clean.town," "The RkHnjji Son," "The Poor Nut," the coming 'rOunpowder." aiid "'ttie Trotiper." ' Perfeei Callaborstions And ire have never had a dispute. If tl^re Is. anything good lit th|| plays'I claim it. So does he. Why should we quafrel? "Does Ruth do anything toward them.—suggestion and such?" } Oh, you'd be surprised! '^ As to the dear in-laws, I would rather noi blame anything on them. ' . "But your wife? Riith, and BIHott;s n^other. . P^es she help In thtf plays?" / ' ._; ^ ' '.■■/,:. u , Oh, a great deal. S&e bulivsd a coupje of thtm. Don't mlsundeHiim^ me. Despite my affection'for iny (amlly 1 run my' own house.' np scars on my head mean nothing. I merely mean to show that perfect collaboration can only exist i']'^ tw<^ brains are at one ia ^yerjr fchad'a of understancling, because t^'Sf always have beei^ since im was % tadpole and one was a flsU. The Weetntane And now I come to the dearest stage family I Ipjiow—the Westmaas. Did you see little Nydla Westman la "Pigs?" And red-headed Teddi^ la '^Not so Fast." "Family Upstairs," etc,? And LoUta? And Nevll? All star kids around N. T. All under $0. The parents, troupers who strug^^lef with them and for them, through aQ the romantlo sordidness of thd one-night stands and reps and stocks until a f^ .If^Ks ago, the dadd^^ died—Just too soon to see them all 'land. And hew they cared for: th* 111, "heipless mother—on trains—in re«« taurants—at home—everywhere with a solioitude that made you ery. And yesterday she died, poor thing. And the four little kids are alone with her this rainy day—oat af White Plains—and the skies are weeping with them, but they have a world of friends who will try to ease a little the sadness of it all, because they know of the kindness of that manly Teddy and those three sweet girls to the two tired, fond troupers who worked so long and ho|>ed so earnestly for the w^-dOMXTOd gQCoeas that came to their children Jwi am the curtain fell. • if? ^ t'V J j . ; iKcks" Too Wei Known Chicago, Aug. 4. Wdlter Downle, Paul Powell and Allen Summers, durihg the theatri- cal season vaudeville agents, have flopped In their summer cai>aclt7 of private "dicks" at the Hawthorne Race Track and hhve been rehired to Idleness in the loop. It is said the three agents flopped as detectives because everyone knew who they were and even with derby i hats they couldn't sleuth. Another tale of woe from the track is that Jim Leonard (Jim and Sadie Leonard) has acquired a permanent horse-voice to do his activities as a page boy. LAST VARIETY admits I'm good, aa the foHowlnR R«tle« will Like good whiskey (try and ^et It), I improve with aga. VARrKTY. JULY 1. 19251 "In thlfd place Dan DoWnlng in patter and' music literally 8tot»i»cd the shoW, called hack for *hr«*e or four encdros Downing has a world of personalty and his comedy sengs kept the Marion Harris in Cafe Los Angeles, Aug. S. Marion Harris will open as en- tertainer at Harry filler's Cafe La Fayette Aug. 12. Miss Harris was always credited as a good cafe bet around the Coast. Miss Harris recently ■'walked out" of the local Orpheum, dis- pleased with her billing: Rush I^pghes, son of Rupert Hughes, and husband of Marion Harris, has bought a half interest in the Cafe La Fayette, owned by Harry M. Miller. The place, recent- ly opened, is of the better class, and has been drawing a heavy picture patronage. PAN "SCOUT BEATEN Ue *■ ^u^.^' <■::'•:■.■ ■ ■'..■ ,• :l. ti -i-W Disrupter, Says Pomme^ Who Thrashed Hini i Lss Angeles, Aug. 4. Charles Gill, known as a Pantag«« vaudeville scoot, was badly puMi^ melled in a OsUo encounter Frldsjr on the local Pantagei stage W, Fomme (Pomme and Mimi) on thi bin. Pomme claims that Gill, who ha* traveled with his act from Winni- peg to San Francisco, tried to dl«« rupt it by Uklng eight danclnf girls for a turn that Pantages tt producing and will book. The mat* ter came to a head Friday with • heaUd discussion. Pomme thcA administered the thrashing. is on a week's engagement at I house chuckling and applauding . '. . scored a substantial hit" Koith's Falaoo ImMiI ' .'^L.^'*'* f'J Agents aWd ms«ftg*rs. read and profit thereby, • V.^!-' Chsx Chs«e Returns To Vaude. Chaz Chase,, the eccentric single, ♦ho Joined the summer edition of the "Failles,", left the Ziegfeld re- vue Saturday and has returned to Taudevilla. . "Satiricon" for Vaudevillo "Satlrlcon," featuring Countee* Sonla, will be produced this season for Kelth-Albee vaudeville by Ro- salie and Lee Stewart Theodoai Bekefl will stage it. . A cast of 11. three dancers, thref musicians and five singers, will bO included In the music and dance producUons, which will bo In seven ■cansa.