Variety (August 1925)

■?:;:■ -?*'nvr¥'•T[^^ U VARIETY LEGITIMATE "^'r'W^. <?SS'- rra Vt" Wednesday, August 19, 19S9 SHOWS IN N. Y. AND COMMENT Figure* estimated and comment point to some attractions being •uccesaful, white the same gross accredited to others might suggest mediocrity or lost The variance is exolamed in the difference in house capacitiea, with the varying overhead Also the size of cast, with conseauort difference in necessary gross for profit. Va'-'anoe m business necessary for musical attraction as against dramatic play IS also co.isidered "Abie's Irish Rose," r.eiiublic (170th week. Kven with advent of some new showH Anne Nichols' master- piece still clicking nt pace of nearly $10,000, which almost makes It leader among non-muskals. "Aloma of the South Seas," Lyric (18th week). Picture rights dis- posed of last week to Kamous Players. Incidentally reorganiza- tion of managerial corporation will find Carl Reed no longer as- sociated, he having decided to stop out to devote h's entire time to another production. Last week about 18,700. "A Lucky Break." Cort (2d week). Opened at Cort Aug. 11. Notices were fair and box ofUce return on short week under $4,500. "Artists and Models," Winter Gar- den (9th week. Hitting oa all six and pronounced best of all sum- mer revues now on Broadway. ^ Last week $44,700. "Desfe Under the Elms," Cohan (41st week). Still going along with cut-rate aid sufllcient to make a conllnued stay possll)lc. Last week just little under $8,000. Will rtmuin for several weeks yet and then possibly be moved to a • smalUr h.usc off Broadv\ay. "Follies," New Amsterdam (Cist week). The "t'ollles" are finally to take to the road again. This Bhow Is scheduled to go out about three weeks hence. Lafet week was $37,^0. "Garrjck Gaieties," Garrlck (Uth week). With cut-rate aid this little attraction is still holding Its own at the downtown house and gettln-- a play from the wise ones who seem to like it. Last week around $5,500. "Gay Paree," Shubert (Ist week). Opened last night. "Is Zat So?" Chanin's 46th St. <33d week). There Is no stopping this One seemingly, and the regular matinees were returned to the playing schedule last week. That caught a gross of $11,800 for the •how. •H All Depends," Vanderbllt (2d week). There seems to be little or no chance for this piece which came Into toAvn more or less as a ■top gap at the Vanderbllt be- tween mu.'<iral shows. It opened JMonday night of last week and never seemed to get away from the post as far .aa the box office Is concerned. The take the first week was a little over $4,800. "June Days," Astor (3d week). The notices were bad and the show hasn't a chance with the weather {breaks against It. Last week drew around $8,700 with a $3.30 top scale. Cut rates helped materially to run this tot.il up. "Kosher Kitty Kelly," Times Square (10th week). Got a little under $6,000 I.TSt week, the chances being that it won't ge far Into the new season. "Ladies of the Evening," Lyo<^um (?7th week). After havlnsr played 26 weeks on Bro.Tdway the .■^how closed down the middle of .lune, reopening Monday night for three weeks only. "Lady, Be Good," Liberty (38th week). The ho.nt hit this one last , week, and the take was a little ' under $16,000. but the pior-e will continue n<> long as the cut-rate demand remains as strong as it is at present. "Louie the 11th," (.'osmopolit.in (2r,th wcol<>. I/i.'^t week showed a little drop up on the Circle, with the house t.-ikinf; nioiii $L'2.Rnn. I,con K.roII getting the be^t of the draw here. "Oh. Mama," Pl.'iyhou':e (Iwt week). Opens toni!,'lit. •Rope Marie," Imperial (51st week). Will go along into the new season with the ln("orning buyers all w/intiiiK to .see the piece. Last Week ju.st topped $:i !,000. "Scandals," Apoilo (9th week). Took a little luiilrr I ('..000 l;ist VVtek. the demand in the .'igeneles not being n.« stront; ;is if miirht be for the .-ittraction ■Student Prince," .lolson (3.sih week). This show still getting a good play, with the chiiiLce that It will remain Into October Last -week .showed .i little ovnr $11,000. "Sky High," Casino (25th week). Was to have closed, but a Change in ptms kee;is It In f«)r an Bddition'il three weeks. (Jot n lit- tle I etfer fh.iii $10,000 last week. "Something to Rrag Ahatit" Booth C.'d werk). C - ' ' i ', turn'.l arouud i«ud vv«ul viitiit uut again i on Saturday night, Edgar Selwyn sending out formal announcements of the closing. Never even got a chance to catch Its breath. "Spooks," Daly's 63d St. (12th week). There are .. couple of changes, in the cast this week, but the show c<in go along at this house and make a little proHt at around $4,000, which was about what It got last week. "Spring Fever," .vlaxlne Klllotfs (3d week) This looks like one of the new season's shows that are counted as "la" for the early sea- son at tcast. Took between $10,000 and $11,000 last week, which is go- ing strong, all things considered. "The Bride Retires," National (15th veek). Llla Lee is due to leave the cast .shortly. The show is to rem.iin until something new looms up for the house. Last week a little under «6,000. "The Fall Guy," KItinge (24th week). Without any matinee perform- ances this show has been getting between $5,000 and $6,00(' an al- though the week-end was off last wtek It went over the former fig- ure. "The Family Upstairs" Gaiety (Ist week). Opened Monday nlgV '. "The Gorilla," Selwyn (17th week). Again reported as just a littk over $10,000 last week. Supposed to remain here until November. "The Morning After," Iludsoi. (4th week). Th:.<: clojsert Saturday night after a month without get- ting-busine.ss. l>aat week around $3,700. "The Mud Turtle," Bijou (Ist vireek). Is scheduled to open tomorrow night. "The Poor Nut," 48th St. (17th week). Moved up ftom the Miller at the close of last week. Got Just a little over $9,000 last week. "They Know \^hat They Wanted," Klaw (39th week). Playing to about 50 per cent capacity these hot nights, with cut rates helping on this, fiot in the neighbo ood of 57.800 last week. "What Price Glory," Plymouth (51st week). There have been some cast changes here, but they have not been announced. A little over $7,500 last week. "White Cargo," SOui St. (94. . week) Touched. $4,600 Last week, which Is I good, considering the length of the run. "White Collars," Sam H. Harris (26th week). Didn't hit $5,000 last week, although Lusiness here has been climbing somewhat. "Vanities," Earl Carroll (7th \ ek). The ringside tables are sure-fire sale for this show and that Is the portion of the house that Is get- ting the strongest demand. The balcony Is off. Show got a little under $20,000 la.<«t week. PHILLVS SEASON LOOPS SEASON STARTS Wm 4 STARTS EARLY THIS WEE-TATST CHL fT WITH TWO "Capt. Jinks" Op«ns "Cold"—Two Musicals Ran Through Summer In Full Swing by Labor Day—Hot Weather Opened Current Week — Summer-run Musicals Still Do Big—Matinees Draw Well FRISCO'S GROSSES San Francisco, Aug. 18. Estimates for Last Week Curran—"No; No. Nanette." Sixth week holding up very big. Evenings slipping slightly. $2.60 top. Gross $21,800. Columbia—Frank Keenan In "Smll- In' Danger." First week. $2 top. Took $6,500. Qap-tol—"LightninV" Four b week of present en-ag^ment and .18th week this piece has been d< ne here by three different companies. One more week, establishing record for this town for dramatic attraction. $2 top. Got $8,100. Wilkes- Lcnore T'lric In "Klkl." Fourth !m(l I;ist week. $2 top To- taled $S.r,00 Alcazar—Henry Duffy's "Merron of the Ml vies" production took bad drop second week. First attraction since Duffy's advent here that has not gotten awa;- for run Closed S.-'fiirilay, with "Little Old New >ork" rcpl.icing 1; Sunday. $1.25 top. tf'MO. President—Duffy's "The Best Peo- ple." Ninth week, ,\o si-n of lot-up in drm.'ind. $1 :;5 top. $8,750. DZNIES WOMAN'S AID John (Jack) Rutherford, legit ador, denies that Jo:<ephlne War- wick, of the "No, No, Nannette" coiiip.Miy, contribut>(U linancially and o'lierwisc for his benelit. Miss VV.»rwi<;k Is suing Ruther- ford for $1,877 alleged expended on Rutherford i<>r loans, payments for clothing and furnishings at Frank- lin, Slnton & Co. and other items. All of which Rutlierford denied In ,111 ey;ni\'ii:!t;( n Iv^fme .Iiidtrc .*^h'en- tag in the City Court lust week. Philadelphia, Aug. 18. Something quite unprecedented in local theatres will occur this season when one of the legit houses opens with a new show two weeks before the traditional Labor Day premiere. The theatre is the Chestnut Street opera house, and the attraction, "Captain Jinks," muslcallzed version of Ethel Barrymore's old hit. It will open "cold" Friday (21st) and will stick until Sept. 6. when it will move to New York. "Captain Jinks." a Schwab & Mandel production, was -scheduled for opening ^n Stamford, Conn., with a couple of other brief try-out dates before assaying Broad- way, but the producers decided on the Phllly booking because of the elaborate and cumbersome produc- tion. They frankly admit they are not looking for much In the way of gross, but figure that the two weeks and two days of readying here will do them more good t^--' Jumnlng from one small st^nd to another. Joe Brown, J. Harold Murray and Louise Brown are featured, none prominently. $2.50 top, announced as "Just'half the New York prices." This will glv« the town three rival nuslcal comedies the last half of August. "No, No, Nanette," now in Its 25th week at the Garrlck, con- tinues to do a brisk trade, but must move by the 5th because of a Jam of bookings In the Erlanger head- quarters. "Nanette" goes from here to Pittsburgh, thence to Cincinnati and St. Louis. It will have broken all records here for length of stay with same company and at same theatre. Apparently no cnange In the plan to keep J. P. Beury's musical com- edy, "When You Smile." .it the Wal- it until Sept. 28. although reports of a two-week booking coming In ' n the 7th are still occasionally cir- culating. Business dropped again last week. Matinees continued big. Around $11,000 was claimed—gen- '^rous estimate. "Nanette," by the way, spurted a little, due to curiosity on the (lues- tlon of the new stars (Crumit and Sanderson) taking the place of Lean and Mayfield. Opinions, as to the live merits seemed about 60-50. The Prazee long-stayer reported very little under $19,000, remarkable figure for the season and weather. Labor Da-- Openings Labor Day will have Us usual quota of openings, after all, despite the predictions of those who said that the late opening last fall would become a regular thing. The Forrest and Garrlck are set to get under way on the 7 th and win harbor tryoyts. At the Forrest will be Dillingham's "Sunnv." with Marilyn Miller. "Sunny" Is In for two weeks. The Garrlck. for the same time has "A Night Out," Aarons* English musical comedy production with an all-English cast, but an American libretto and score. The Shuberts did not at first In- tend to open any of their houses Sept 7, but will Jump In with "My Son" at the Lyric (also for two weeks). Sept. 14 "Rose-Marie" (Boston company, It Is understood) opens the Shubert. and "Desire Under the Elms" arrives at the Adelphi. The 21st win find three more tryouts. Including Dillingham's "City Chap." taken from the comedy hit, "The Fortune Hunter," bowing Into the Garrlck; "Spring and Autumn," Carl Reed's Czecho-Slovaklan operetta with Orvllle and Pattl Harrold, Into the Forrest, and a new Sam Harris comedy as yet untitled. Into the Broad, which In not. as previously humored, to get under wav Labor Day. On the same date "The Fire- brand" arrives at the Lyric for a run. Sept. 28 George Arllss In "Old r-^ngllsh" marks the opening of the regular season at the Walnut, and "The Love Song" comes to the Chestnut Street opera house. No announcement Is made of this the- atre's booking between "Captain links" and "The Love vSong." Estimates for Last Week "No, No, Nanette" (Garrlck, 2nth week). Nearlng end of stay, with business better Instead of worse th.an It has been for last month or so. Could undoubtedly stay until Oct. 15. Claimed $19,000 or near It Inst week, "When You Smile" (Walnut, 12fh week). MuslcAl show which has shown promising gain recently dropped slightly last week, clalinlnr about $11,000. Expected to stay un- til Sept. 28. "Captain Jinls" (Clirstnut, 1st week). Opens Friday night for two weeka. "MY CIRL" DID $15,0G0 LAST WEEK IN BOSTON Hardest Months Sees 3 Musi- cals Ail Doing Big Busi- ness in Beantown Boston, Aug. 18. Although this is recognized as one of the hardest months of the year for the theatrical business locally things were not so bad around town last week due, perhaps to the fact that the weather was oft and incle- ment conditions drew unexpected business Into the houses open. Busi- ness continues to be spotty with everything depending on the weather. Vacations, which arc quite general this month, is also figured upon as having a direct ef- fect on the box office receipts. 'Rose-Marie" switched from the Shubert to the Majestic to allow for building reconstruction at the first house did not suffer from the change and dlsplayeti a tendency Just the opposite. It picked up last week and grossed in the neighbor- hood of $21,000. My Girl" In at the Wilbur also had a pretty good week considering the opposition and the season, and is credited with $15,000. "No, No, Nan- etet'" at the Tremont. with the last four weeks announced continues to draw, last week doing better than $20,000. Already announcements are being made for the coming weeks with Eddie Dowling In "The Fall Guy" booked at the Plymouth Monday. After the work is finished at the Shubert. which will be by Labor Day "The Student Prlnr " will open at this house. FILMS IN MUSIC HALLS (Continued from page 3) bridge is a kinema. Forresters was. Bow has been rebuilt so that Its old- est habitues cannot recognize It ex- cept that It stands opposite Bow £hurch. The Paragon, now the Mile End Empire, provides pictures and variety generally, but Is prone to go over to seasons of Yiddish plays at times as It always has done. Harwood's Varieties In PItfleld Street, Hoxton, a music hall, which brought many stars into fame, fin- ished Its career with pictures. Across the river and going south- east the Surrey tried pictures, prob- ably, as a last resource, the South London has remained staunch to vaudeville, and the Elephant .and Castle may have tried to flutter in celluloid in the course of a cheq- uered career, but If It did, kept the news in the district; even the "Old Vic." has known a time when Its actors arrived In tins. The Montpelier after a period of "dud" vaudeville (you bought a glass of beer unless you were fool enough to pay to see a crowd of pupils get the bird) turned to pictures as a means of livelihood. The famous "Star" Bermondsy, runs pictures and turns, and it is notable that only a few months ago a once very famous comedian topped the bill and the management hung out a half century old bill In which he "topped" In the same building. West End Conservative The theatres have been more con- servative at any rate as far as the West End Is concerned. True Drury Lane turned from the paths of strict theatrical rectitude to screen, "Thief of Bagdad" and Covent Garden is quite noted for pictures, having started a "movie" career when Percy Burton presented the Lowell Thomas travelog, "With Allenby In Palestine"; then Walter Wanger tried It, and other enterprising Im- presarios have also utilized the fa- mous opera house for pictures, good, bad, and Indifferent, but generally of the latter calibre. The Winter Garden, once upon a time the "Old Mo," tried a trade show once, but soon tired. Terry's In the Strand fliilshod Its show ca- reer as a kInema, and the Britan- nia Hoxton, whose huge stage and p.intomlmes once vied with Drury I>ane, has long been devoted to the silent stage. The Scala has had Its runs and la to start again within a very few Chicago, Aug. 18. Four openings Inaugurated Chi'« new legit season this week. Two houses (Garrlck and LaSalle) ar« again on the active list. Before an^c other three weeks the new seasoaj will be in full swing, although whll*- some of the managers have an-' nounced opening attractions th4 chances are there will be varied > changes before the season's pre^- mieres become positive. i The feature of this summer's legtt' trade has been the tremendous matU nee business. Complete sell-outs have ruled for the mid-week matt«. nees, while the Saturday matinee takings have been higher than checked during the regular season. Week before last was figured to have been the best total gross week of the summer. A slight decrease was noted last week, because of a fa II-off on Monday and Tuesday nights. , Return of hot, sultry weather deadened the premieres this week. "Patsy" (LaSalle) looks like a ChN cago hit. While openings will creep In, the official season's opening Isn't pro* claimed until Labor Dav week. ■' Last Week's Estimates "Service for Husbands" (Cort, Ist week). Raymond Hitchcock's star., ring vehicle opened Sunday. "Lady- Next Door" credited with 1 weeks. "Mercenary Mary" (Garrlck, Ist week). First of flock of approach-* ing muslr-al pieces. Opened Sun- day. "The Patsy" (LaSille, 1st week). Claiborne Foster's ascent to electrio sign honors with much stress placed on success of "Applesauce." Started " Sunday. "Why Men Leave Home" Central, Ist week). Only legit house that gives Sunday matinee. Gross of $4,000 can keep ils attraction In for long run. "The Student Prince" (Great Northern, 26th week). Enormous profits. Figuring o.. holding piece here until Christmas. Again over $28,000. "Rose-Marie" (Woods, 28lh eek). Only differs In gross from week to week from way trade holds Monday- Tuesday nights. Matinee call re^ mains remarkable. Figured for at least seven weeks more. $26,000. "Topsy and Eva" (Selwyn, 65th week In Chicago, 8th of return en- gagement). Little better than $17.- 000. Stlckij until Sept. 19, when "Tell Me More" comes In. "Artists and Models" (Apollo, 12th week). Last three weeks announced. Slipped back to around $ 5,000. "The Gorilla" (Adelphi. 13th week). Another $8,000 gross brought big profit, assuring piece all-sum- mer run. "Is Zat So?" (Princess, 26th week). Will end engagement In three weeks. Present average gait around $6,500. "Laff That Off" (Harris. 7th week). Built up from very low grosses, hitting gross pace.at pres- ent time $10.?on v.-'-'o T nis Aug. 30. days with the Hun. .Mrs. John Rus- sell feature, "Afraid of Love," one of the most Impertinent bits of self- advertisement ever seen on any screen and, despite bad acting and production, a financial success. His Majesty's Escape Almost by a miracle His Ma- jesty's escaped a picture season re- cently. The Palace, opera house, and once more legit, has had several picture "runs," and, in fact, wa» partly reconstructed by a provincial showman who thought he saw a fortune In the house as a kinema. The Coronet, once an Important suburban house, has long been a kinema, the Kennington wooed for- tune with pictures before becoming vaudi^ville, and the Grand, Fulham, has only recently gone back to drama, and Is not any too certain. One of our latest "little" theatres, devoted to the "high brow" and teaching West End managers what Is good for them, has In Its career been a swimming bath and a film studio; Its next move will probably be as a kinema. The Parkhurst, HoUoway, terminated a career of usefulness as a picture show, and both the Holloway and the Empire Holloway are klnemas. Columns could be written about the theatres and music halls of Britain which have gone over to pictures, and columns more about the kinemas which are closed all over the country, killed by the wealth and progress of the Indus- try they helped to build.