Variety (August 1925)

'".-■'«r' 'y,>'^i>*rw . -.f^, ■*'!'.■' VARIETY Weifne-sSTay, Xugrusf 5, 1925 Rewritten neWB itenw which have appeared within the week in the NEWS FROM HE DAILIES Daily Papere of NEW YORK V CHICAGO ^ COAST This fl«p«rtm«ni ecrtUiiM r«v^itUn tli«atric«l new* it«ms m publMMd diirln« th« w««fc in th* daily paiMra of N«w Yoric, ClilMfle and tiM PacHle Cout^ Variety talcaa no.«r«dit for thoao now* itomai aaoh and avary ana haa iMon rawriltan from a daily papar. NEW YORK I- Now Torlc, Auv. 4. iCathryn Ray of "Viuutlaa" ap- peared in West Side court last weak and swore out a warrant oharglns that L«wi8 Richards* former valet for Franic Tinney, had stolen three braicelets, valued at 19400, from her apartment last fall. Ataooat at the same time Richards '*as bolnc ana)«ned In a Rochester, N. T^ court charred with the theft after Al Qamble, actor iuid friend of Miss Ray's, reoognised him In that city and referred him to the local police. Richards pleaded not guilty. .. Mary Sills, recently of "Rose- ~Marie," has obtained an Interlocu- tory decree of divorce from EM win H. Knopf, producer and brother of Alfred A. Knopf, publisher. Following the report of Doris Keane's intention of divorcing Basil Sydney in London, there followed the news of a proposed marriage of Mary £Ulis and Sydney. Oulda Bergere, actress and fonaar Wife of Oeorge Fltsmanrica. will marry Basil Rathbose. KngUab actor, it la announced. People" In September. Cyril Maude wiU bead the east. At a meeting at the Hotel Astor last week I. B. Chad wick asked members of the Independent Motion Picture Association, of which he Is president, to reklst, at any sacrifice, 'what he termed an attempt by Wall Street to make the production, dis- tribution and exhibition of Alms the ▼ehicle of stock rigging and exploi- tation. An amended eomplaint' in the •ult bronght last January by Mary Miles Minter for an accoyntlng of the money she earned and her mother administered, was filed in Los Angeles Supreme Court last week. In her amended bill Miss Minter alleges her mother Mrs. Charlottle Shelby, received Ix excess of |S60,000 from the old American Film Company for services Miss Minter says she rendered that con- cern while in her 'teens and approx- imately tMO,000 from the Famous Players-LASky Corporation. Mrs. Qulnevere Sinclair Oonid, who, years ago, left a Broadway chorus to live with the late George \i. Oould for 10 years prior to the death of his wife, has become the brMe of George St. John Broderlck, Viscount Dunsford. Mrs. Oould was the «iaughtar of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Sinclair af North Dakota and upon coming to . Mew York joined the chorus of a 1^ Broadway show, there meeting and n- failing in love with the late Oeorge ; J. Qonld. who was then married to ^ Bdlth Klngdon. They lived together '.: Illegitimately for 10 years, in that ^tlme having three children. Upon ;" the death of his wife in l»i2 Oould . legally married Miss Sinclair. Pre- ^ VlouB to his death in France some- i time later Gould acknowledged the paternity of the three children and aettled 14,000,000 upon them. Viscount Dunsford, the new hus- band of Mrs. Oould, was formerly ■tarried to Peggy Rush, actress. Lydla Lopokova, Rnasian dancer, and Prof. John M. Keyv ^ famous ': aconomist, will marry. It has been |x announced. v p: Supreme Court Justk:e Churchill I has ordered several statements S^ atrieken out of Cornelius Vanderbilt t^j Whitney's answer to the second breach of promise suit recently filed "^by Eva Burrows Fontaine, dancer, r Who alleges be 1b the father of her V aon. Among the strlck^.. phrases ;' •re denials "false and scandalous" of : allegations by the dancer and Whlt- ;; »ey's charges that her suit is in the :r aature of blackmail. '.' According to Justice Churchill's ^'decision Whitney cannot den'- that ','he is the father of Miss Fontaine's .^•on and neither can she accuse him af Jt. The issues are limited to a ,-.,«trict breach of promise of marriage. Dowllng and AnhaK have begim Casting for Caesar Dunn's "The Lit- tle American."—Hope Hr mpton has aigned a Shnbert contract.—An early Shubert production will be Monckton Hoffe's "Crookt . Friday." —"Land of Romance," by Percy Weinrlch and Raymond Peck will be produced by John Meehan In Sep- tember.—The musical version of •The Fortime Hunter" will soon open as "The City Chap" with *Skeets" Gallagher in the lead.— A. L. Ek-Ianger is to produce Mar- tin Flavin's "Service for Two."— "Walter C. Jordon will produce Cath- arine Chisolm Cushing's "Marge". With Lillian Foster in the leading role.—Singe ^'atterson will return to the American stage in Ralph Grave's "South Sea Love."—Charles Dilling- luim and A. H. Woods will produce JItehaaX Arlen's "These Charming Anna Beach, IS. of Woodside, li. L, was run down and killed last Thursday night by Wllda Bennett's motor car. The machine was be- ing driven by Charles C. Frey, who was hekl on a charge of technical homicide. He waa Uter releaaed un- der |2,M0 bail. ^ ^ . « , Miss Bennett and Albert Barrin- ger, who said he was an advertla Ing man of Asbury Park, were in the car with Frey at the time of the accident Miaa Beach, who waa In a sidecar of a motorcycle when hit, was alive when picked up, but died later of a fractured skulL Some time ago Frey's wife, Mrs. Katherlne Frey, of LouisvlUe. Ky. brought suit ag&lnst Wllda Bennett for alienation of Frey's affeetlona. asking $100,000. The caaa waa later dlamlssed. Mrs. Henel Gorman, suing for di- vorce in Brooklyn Supreme Cuurt 1^^ week, aamed Blanche Oreen, cabaret entertainer, aa co-respond- ent. The Federal Padlock Court, Judge A. N. Hand presiding, resumed busi- ness Ust Thursday with iZ cases on the calendar. The U. S. district at- torney's office has on hand "convict- ing" evidence in about 2,000 cases, according to Assistant U. 8. Attor- ney Caabin. Dr. Charles H. Wilen, known as the "dentist sheik" in the Edward W. Browning divorce suit, is now the defendant in a $100,000 breach of promise suit brought by Benee Sheppard, film actress. Miss Sheppard, who, In private life is Rene* Shapiro, charges that after a proposal of marriage Wllen took advantage of her youth and forced his attentions upon her. Miss Sheppard, now 1», waa 1$ when she met Wllen. Judge Julian Mack, hi the United States Federal Court last week, ruled that the script of "The Octo- pus," from which play "The OoHUa is charged with being taken, must be produced as evidence within 10 days. This was the initial appearance of the plagarlsm suit brought by Harry B. Humphrey, author of "The Octopus," against Ralph Spence. au- thor of "The Gorilla." William FaVersham and Edith Campbell Walker are married and living at the Faversham home in Huntington, I* L This caused much comment In a dally paper, as the new Mrs. Faversham was the wife of Harry J. Walker and was not known to have secured a di- vorce. The Favershams' were mar- ried July 20 and the mystery seems to lay In the statement of Walker, who, on July 26, Is said to have de- nied that he or his wife were eoek- Ing a divorce. Faversham told reporters there was nothing to clear up, that be and Edith CampbaH Walker are mar- ried and that he had no statmnent to make. Reporters could not lo- cMe Walker. According to reports from Paris Leonora Hughes, who last February left her dancing partner, Maurice, to marry Carlos Basualdo, Argen- tine millionaire, is seeking a di- vorce. Wbile police and the missing per sons bureau were searching for Dorothy Neville, prima donna In last year's "Oreenwich Village Fol- lies," after her mother reported her missing from home since last Wed- nesday, friends said that Miss Neville and Thomas Hugo Moore, with whom she does a vaudeville act, were married that day. Miss Neville and" Moore, billed as Nolan and Mack, ended a week engagement at the Halsey theatre, Brooklyn, Sunday. When asked to confirm the mar- riage story Miss Neville declined. Tom Moore's $61,000 suit against several Beverly Hills property own- ers was dismissed last week when Superior Court Judge Monroe granted a motion for nonsuit. Two years ago the film star was driving in the dark when his ma- chine ran into an open culvert on the property of the defendants. Moore was Injured and later clytjtred the property owners with negligence. Benny Leonard, actor and pugil- ist, was arrested and fined $10 for speeding in Ridgefield Park. N. J., Sunday. Armed with crowbars and axes, a squadron of 12 prohibition agents started out Friday night on the latest attack the dry department has launched against liquor selling places of New York. Tha raiders first stopped at the Broadway Club, west 62d street, whore they found $600 worth of Uquor and arreatad Bdward McDermott, alleged prop- rietor, and two alleged waltera. From there the sqoad proceeded to the Paramount Chi^ weat Mth street, where another $M« Worth of Uquor was found and the agento arrested Paul Derwln and James Allen, supposed owners of the place. Supreme Court JoaUea 1^ ordered Florena S. Kolb. of "Sky High." to Increase his alimony to a former wife from $20 to $60. Kolb pleaded that he has-a aeoond wife to support and that -.Sky High" ihight doae any war'v, tha company having received teni ulve notice. Mrs. Kolb told the ooui-t she was receiving $20 a week when her hus- band was making $76 the week in vaudeville and that he is now mak- ing from $S75 to $400 weekly. At the close of arguments in Suffolk Court, Boston, where Mrs. Ida May Blankenburg of Tulsa, Okla., claimed a share in the estate of Lotta Crabtree, which left $3,009,- OOO to variona philanthropies, aay- ing that she is the unknown daugh- ter of tha late actreaa. Judge Priest ordered Mrs. Blankenburg and her brother. John W. Crabtree, to ap- pear Tuesday (Aug. 4) to show cause why they should not be ad- judged In contempt for perjury com- mitted by them at the hearing. Judge Priest said that the case of Mrs. Blankenburg was "pock- marked with fraud." Mrs. Blanken- burg and her brother were ordered to furnish $1,000 ball each. David Smiley, vaudeville actor, was exonerated at police head- quarters, Baltimore, where he was taken after having been accused of being Philip Knox Knapp. who is wanted In Hempstead, L. I., for murder. His - finger prints did not tally with Knapp's. Smiley is said to tally in every particular to Knapp except for finger prints. "Oh, Mama," wtth AHce Brady, will open at the Playhouse Aug. 18. The Carter-Arkatov Production's first piece, "Oh, Wall Street," will be placed in rehearsal this week. Caating haa begun for Earl Carroll's "HoWs tha King." Joe Cook wiU be In the lead. "The Revenue Man," by Charles I^ Henkin and under the dlrecton of Edwin Maxwell, will open this month. "Cackling Hens," by Miller and Lyles, has been ac- cepted by George White and will open late this fall. The show will have an all-white cast The New York company of "What Price Qlory?." headed by Louis Wolbeim, will be a feature of the American Legion's national convention to be held at Omaha week of Oct 6. Channing PoUock'a "The Enemy" will open in Detroit Oct 4 for a three -weeks engagement. It will then come to New York. Pay Bainter and John Wray will have the leading rolee. CHICAGO Chicago. Aug. 4. The usual week-end crime wave hit two movie houses, according to Monday's papers. The Bandbox on Madison street waa touched for its day's receipts amounting to $260, while the Melba on Halatead street lost $300. Raymond Hitchcock is penciled to succeed "The Lady Next Door" at the Cort on August 16. His opus will be "Servtee for Husbands," by Charles Bates Hunter. On the same Sunday Chicago's dramatic scribes will have to choose between three openings, "Mercenary Mary" coming In at the Garrick and Claiborne Fos- ter in "The Patsy" at the LaSalle. After being slated for the Shu- beri-Olympio and then replaced by "The Love Song," it seems that "Rlquette" will have its American debut in Chicago after all. It is mentioned for September 6 at the Apollo. Blossom O'Bryan, daughter of a local attorney, who has under- studied Elisabeth Carmlchael in "'The Gorilla" all summer, got her chance when Miss Carmlchael con- tracted laryngitis. As "The Gorilla" Is full of hysterical sreams, one hundred percent vocal chords are absolutely necessary <n the leading lady. Chicago's Civic Theatre has flopped and $16,000 has been returned to donors. The venture failed when Mrs. Edith Rockefeller McCormick. its originator, refused to under- write a hous« guarantee for a loop tlieatra. PACIFIC COAST Lioa Angeles, Aug. 4. Edna Pvrvlanca. nrni actreaa. has left for New York and will embark for Europe within the next few weeka. Miaa Purvlance atated the purpose of the trip was for pleasure and business. Mrs. Viola Irene Lerche bronght anlt for dtyoroe againat her hoaband, Albert O. Lerohe, film director, on the grounds be refuses to work. Mrs. Lerche listed their community prop- erty at $46,000 and asked her htui- band be restrained from disposing of his property. The Lerche's have one aon. Jean Swartz, song writer, has ar- rived froT' the east, and will make his future home ti Beverly Hills, Dr. Alexander Irvin* playwright and ax-pastor, was seriously injured when he fell down the shaft of a sidewalk lift The accident occurred in Santa Barbara, where Irvine is living. After what appears to have been a lovers' quarrel over the telephone, Mrs. Dorothy Farrar, 24, picture act- ress, attempted suicide by taking poison. Previous to Mrs. Farrar's act, a heated phone conversation came from her apartment according to neighbors. A woman's voice was heard to say, "I once loved you, but It is too late now and everything is over." Later someone called the apartment house manager and asked If Mrs. Farrar had done what she had threatened to do. Shortly after this a man called at the house and assisted in summoning mc "Icsil aid for Mrs. Farrar, then quickly disap-' peared. The police are attempting to check up on this element of the case, since the mysterious one is suspected of having been on the other end of the line when the act- ress was phoning. Mrs. Farrar has not as yet made any explanation of her actions other than to say "I was Just lonesome and tlred.- At the hospital the authorities said her condition was serious, but that she would recover. That her former husband, John C. Howard, has been bothering her haa been charged by Ora Carew, film and stage star, in a complaint made to Acting District Attorney Burton Fltts. The district attorney notified Howard that if he as much as spoke to Miss Carew again he would be placed under a peace bond. After a partial ' tearing on a mo- tion for a new trial of the suit In- volving the use of Charlie Chaplin's costume on the screen, Superior Court Judge Hartley Shaw ruled that the notice of motion to vacate judgment was legally insufficient and gave the attorneys for Charles Amador and the Western Features Production, Inc., until Aug. $ to amend their notices and again make their motion for a new triaL for divorce had made it difficult for him to make a living. Charles Wuers, former managing director for Loew houses here, haa been appointed managing director of the Criterion. Albert Knott. C5, employed In pro« log to "Gold Rush" at Grauman'a ISgyptian. Los Angeles, was run down by an automobile last week on Wllshire boulevard. Right arm fractured and internal injuries sus- tained, but condition is not regarded as serious. Max Richards, vaudeville agent, opened strong last Friday at tha Big Oaks-Country Club and showed three other agents—John Blllsbary, Bubs Bagle and Jack Gardner—how golf should be played. Max wal- loped the pill with neatness and pre« clalon. Jack Gardner, his partlculai; rival, lurked modestly in the back<4 ground while the gallery cheered tbd sensational work of Richards. By the fifth hole the plaudits ol* the multitude and the sudden and unaccustomed "success" unnerved Max. He began to pull his drives and to slice the ball like a fanner hoeing weeds. Then Gardner camo to the fK>nt and, with the steady pace of the reliable turtle, outdis- tanced the brilliant but unsnstAined rabbit. The final score in favor of Gardner is suppressed In the name of charity. Beyerstedt Bros, and Hodge ira erecting a theatre In Winona, Minn.^ seaUng 1,876. The theatre will play road anything. IT. S. District Court Judge rujnes has taken under advisement the tes- timony In the suit of E. E. Parra- more, Jr., against Mack Sennett for $26,000 damages and an accounting growing out of Sennett's production of "Yukon Jake." Testimony in the case was heard for several days with Parramore alleging that he is the author of "The Ballade of Yukon Jake" and that Sennett unlawfully used the copyright {natter from this in his production. Though in America, Constance Talmadge is a Greek by marriage, and to again become a native of "Uncle Sam" was compelled to ap- pear at the Naturalisation Bureau «. ***„•, ''•'■ citizenship restored. Miss Talmadge lost her citizenship When she married John Pialoglou New York tobacco man. who was a hliruimi**'*' "* "^°" ^^^ divorced Charm Ian K. London, widow of Jack London, will assist Ralph Ince in the making of "The Sea Wolf" for the screen. Eyvlnd Sarle, 9-year-old son of Ferdinand PInney Sarle, artist and motion picture director, is recover- ing from infantile paralysis. Earle lost another son from this disease. Mile. Henrietta Dallett has re- signed her position of costume de- signer and wardrobe mistress at the C, B. DeMille studios. Mile. Dallett had been out once before but re- turned. Lee Moran, ncre^ comedian, was granted permission by Judge Gates In the Superior Court to reduce temporary alimony payments to his wife, Mrs. Esther M^rnn, from $100 to $26 a week. Moran said the pub- his wife's suit Edwin Carewe has decided on 'Joanna" as his next directorial ef- fort for First National. "Joanna" was written by H. L. Gates, and tha screen adaptation will be by LoW Leeson. Edward Sorg, 40, pleaded guilty to a charge of disturbing the peace and was sentenced to 30 days in ths city jail by Police Judge Richard- son following his arrest as'a kid- nap suspect in a case Involvime Ruth Mix, 12-year-old daughter of Tom Mix. Sorg, salesman, said he wanted Ruth to meet his stepdaughter, Margery Sorg, 8in«e the two glrM had been playmates at one time. A surprise pariy was to have been arranged, bringing the two together again. Ruth's mother, Mrs. Oliv* Mix, stated her suspicions were aroused when Sorg called at her home and Invite^ Ruth to go driv- ing. She notified the police and the arrest followed. A kidnap com- plaint was not issued, aa no overt act had been«committed. Three screen actors were seriously injured, two of them perhaps fatallyt when they were buried under strug« gllng and kicking horses after their mounts stumbled during the filming of a scene for William Pox Produc- tion near Chatsworth. The men arS Harry Woods, 84, who is hurt inter- nally and is said to have a fractured spine. He is expected to die. Emery Boggs, 82, and W..T. Sherman, 88. Boggs has an arm fractured in two places, while Sherman's neck Is said to be broken. His injury Is also ex- pected to be fatal. The men are at the Dickey and Cass Emergency Hospital in Hollywood. Claiming breach of contract ^,^22 ard Abrahams, motion picture flhn laboratory technical expert, filed suit In the Superior Court against the Consolidated Film Industries. Inc., for $50,000. The complaint as* sorts that Abrahams entered into a contract with the defendants Feb. 2t 1926, where he was to act as tech- nical expert of the defendant's Lo« Angeles plant for a period of flvs years at a salary of $10,000 a year. On May « he was discharged, in vio- lation of the contract, without cause. Frank Williams, 23, of Los An* geles. suspected of having robbed the Raymond theatre safe at Pasa- dena, has been apprehended. Will-' Hams has Iminicated Ray E. Cour«er» also of Los Angeles, in the robbery. Mrs. Virginia Chanslor, wife of Harold Chanslor, musician at a Cul-' ver City roadhouse, has filed a dl" vorce complaint. She charges that Chanslor said he was tired of her and, after taking her back to her mother, made the statement that "he didn't want her any more." Mrs. Beverly Baird, picture stunt woman, Is seriously thinking ci making a hospital her permanent mall address. Mrs. BaIrd waa in a hospital for seven weeks following injuries sustained in a picture, and she had been out of bed but a short time when she fell oft a street car.