Variety (August 1925)

^ Wednesday, August 26, 1925 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY UNIONS VS. THEATRES '(■■ Cblcaso, Aur. U. -' A ralae will be granted to stage liandB Sept. 6. This has been con- ceded by officials of the Chicago Theatre Managers Association. The amount of the raise U still In dis- pute, but Is to be at least 10 per eent according to report. The minimum wage for the i>ast two Man has been |«0 weekly, f —— i,~ Washington. Aug. IB. >f Tbe first meeting between the gtage hands and the local managers ynM held yesterday morning on the txew wage scale demands of local theatre crews. As the new scale becomes et- Itctive on Sept. X, meetings are to be held dally, alternating between the stage crews and the musicians, ^; until a flnal agreament is reached. The musicians are asking a 10 percent increase. Indianapolis, Aug, IS, The musicians of this city are threatening a walkout Sept. < un- less the new demands for scale and hours are granted. The theatres are protecting themselves by having booked several musloal oomMna- tions which win supply th« aooom- paniment from the stag*.' tiom Angles. Aug. K. Tha understanding her* la that negotiations which have been going on tor two weeks with stage hands, operators and musicians will be con- cluded this week and that the union (Continued on page 6) NO PHOTOS- U NO BOOKING Agents Must Have Okay /; firom K-A Press Dept. The Keith-Albee office has noti- fied all agents that unless the agents bold an okay card from the K-A press department, certifying each act on the list, the agent is forbidden to offer the act to the bookers for time. The press de- partment will only okay an act when enough photographs are on file to carry the act tour weeks In advance. ^ The order was Issued by tbe K-A officials Aug. 20 and marks the cul- mination .of a campaign of B. F. Albee to have acts secure neces- sary photograjjhs for lobby display and publicity. Tbe booking men have been noti- fied not to book any act not In good standing as far as photos are con- cerned, and in each case tbe booker Is to insist upon the agent showtfig the credential. No- exceptions are to be considered, whether the book- ing is as a substitute for a last minute disappointment or not. 111. Child Law Unchanged Chicago. Aug. 25. A recent court ruling was wrongly interpreted by a dally paper as in- dicating it sanctioned the en^ploy- ment on the stage of children under the 14 providing the public schools were not in session at the time of the theatrical appearance. Summer acts with children may meet the Illinois labor laws, as laws have not been changed or modified. DUFFY, TIGHE, LEYTON TIEUP Jimmy Duffy. In "Horrors of 1926." Harry Tlghe and Miss Ley- ton are to be booked jointly on all vaudeville bilU this season. Duffy Is reviving his comedy act with a male quartet and male dancing team included in* the cast. Tighe, In addition to returning to vaudeville in his two-act, will ap- pear with Duffy In an afterpiece, "The Breath of Spring." The com- bination will open on the Poll Cir- cuit in two weeks. L A. HOUSE DROPS VAUDE. Lfoa Angeles, Aug. 25. The Boulevard, new West Coast house at Washington and Vermont avenues, which had a policy of W. y. M. A. vaudeville and Fanchon and Marco presentation splitting the week, is now playing presenta- tions only In conjunction with a picture policy. The vaudeville was withdrawn last Week. New Stage for Vaudeville Chicago, Aug. 25. The Capitol. Davenport. la., de luxe movie house, will install a stage to handle vaudeville bills or road shows. The stage Is expected to be ready for use by Dec. 1. Tbe house owned by the A. H. Blank Bnterprises has a capacity of 3,300 and is the mate of the Fort Armstrong theatre, across the rivet In Rock Island. III., also owned by the Blank company. WORLD'S WEALTHIEST SHOWMAN PAN'S ABYEBTISINO Los Angeles, Aug. 25. Alexander Pantages is no longer featuring vaudeville in his newspa- per advertising. All of the space now taken. 85 per cent., features mo- tion pictures. Vaudeville ts underlined simply as six vaudeville acts in a space covering the balance of the copy. Wayne and Warren in Cort'a Show Wayne and Warren (vaudeville) have been signed by John Cort for a new musical comedy. The team will finish present book- ings. SYLVESTER SCHAFFER Known as the best drawing card in German vaudeville, was lately visiting for one week the Duke of Coburg at his castle. Many former regents were present Mr. Schatfer was awarded the Charles Bdward medal by the King of Bulgaria, a diamond pin with crown by the for- mer Grand Duke Kyrill of Russia, and an order by the former Grand Duke of He.<3sia. SchaCfer was sur- prised how well those gentlemen knew America and even are in- formed about the "Keith's The- atres." All friends coming to Europe this summer are welcome tn Schaffor's house at the Starnberg lake, Bavaria, where he will spend the summer. Orpheum Rejects B. & K.'s Proposed Diversey Policy Chicago, Aug. 25, B. & K., having acquired a one- third interest in the recently opened Dlversey, approached tbe Orpheum Circuit, which operates tbe house, as to having acts do four shows Saturday and Sunday instead of tbe present three. The Orpheum Cir- cuit, having^the last say in the mat- ter, declined to listen to the propo- sition. The B. & K. outfit were badly hurt upon finding they had no lur- isdiction In tbe operation of Or- pheum theatres. WASH.THEATRES BOOSTING EACH OTHER'SHOUSE Local Managers' "Co- operative Marketing"— 10-1 vs. Shuberts Washlnglon.Aug. 26. Washington theatre "co-operative marketing" Is spreading. The la- test to join in plugging his opposi- tion is Leonard Schlosa. manaKT of Glen Ek:ho, the town's outil v amu.sement park. As reported the National, playing a season of summer stock, is carry- ing in its program half p.'iRe ads for both the Earle and the Strand The first named is playing Keith vaudeville (pop), while the Strand has Loew vaudeville. Both also show first run pictures. These houses reciprocate by carrying a like half page in each of their prpgram for the National. Now Scl)lo8.s goes them one better and in his advertising on the theat rlcal pages of the dailies has "If 'Steve don't sell me a ticket to see the National Theatre Players to- night, I'll see you at Glen Echo." All left now are the Shuberts with their two houses. Belasco and Poll's. The local managers are giv- ing odds of 10 to 1 that the Shubcrt won't reciprocate if they have any reason to do so. , Birmingham Becomee Full Week The Lyric. Birmingham, will be- come a full week Sept II. The house will play five acts, booked by Jules Delmar. and pictures. ^It will be the first time the house has played full length films. LASt season It was a split week stand. Bert Meyer* Moves Over ' Los Angeles, Aug. U. Bert Meyers, envployed by Alex- ander Pantages as house and office manager for the past 12 years, has been appointed to succeed Norman Relman as head of the W. V. BC A. booking office in San Francisco. BENEETTS FOR NEGRO ' Negro professionals are flocking to •id Bob Russell who is quite III in a St. Louis hospitaL One benefit. Already held in the Booker T. Wash- ington theatre. St. Louis, netted 1302.35. Another benefit is being ar- ranged by New York colored profes- sionals. Russell is reported as Improving. Ula Sharon Not for Vaude Ula Sharon denies she is con- templating a plunge into vaudeville ^n a dancing turn with Carl Ran- dall. Randall is being offered to the big time bookers by the M. S. Bcn- tham otflce. He will api>ear with *nothor feminine partner. Beyer* Managing Iowa String ^ Chicago, Aug. 26. The Waterloo, Strand and Crystal the.atros, Waterloo. la., owned by •"'•'">1(U Aniusement Co.. will bo Jindcr fi,,. iininiigemeiit of Fred BeyerH thi.s season. Gus Sun vaud- *villf in i,io„i,„ne(i for the VV.iter- •00 theatre on a split week basis. BEN NEE ONE _1^_^ ^^ "ONE IN 400,000,000" . BEN NWK ONE has the distinction of being (he only Chinese single to appear on the better vaudeville circuits, lie played the Keith and Or- pheum theatres for two succcsalve sen sons. At the concliiKlon of his Keith-Orphcum booking. BKN NKK ONK was signed for the Pantage.s circuit and has played for two consecutive seasons for Mr. I'antagos and his ainiiations. At the expiration of his present contract, lUCN NEB ONES will sail for Australia for a tour of the Williamson Circuit. Ltd. The I/OS ANGELES EXPRESS, Aug. 5lh. says: There in no one like him in vaudeville. He delighted the crowd." Paris, Aug. 10. Carlos Sequin is the world's wealthiest showman. His we:ilth is estimated at over $50,000,000. Se- quin is a South American with t.iost of., his theatrical interests in that country. His other interests ex- tend over all of Europe. They are of every kind, nature and description. He has resorts of different de- scriptions on the Rlveria and in Paris and In other gay places and capltols; anyplace where there Is fioating transient money to be got- ten from sight seers. South America saw Sequin's start and it is still there that his show holdings are rolling him In a yearly fortune. In Buenos Aires he has the Casino, seating 3,500 people. A $3 top is charged at the Caslr to see 16 acts, with the highest paid turn $75 a week. The Japanese Gardens, a summer resort, is another mint for Sequin, who holds the drink concessions for himself. They are a huge source ol revenue. Books From ''aria In hlsj Casino shows are Spanish, French and Italian acts with but a meagre supply of American turns. Since the war when Sequin had to depend wholly upon Paris as a source of supply fur bookings, h< practically remained a!oof from New York and did not go outside of Paris when the war ended. While it has been c'.aimec. for many In several countries that they were the richest showmen of the universe, it is conceded here that Carlos Sequin holds the title. Se- quin makes his home in this city. Next to Sequin, according t<. in- formative sources, is John Ringling. the circus man, of America. Ring- ling is estimated by Americans over hero as worth 140,000,000, with the opinion expressed that withl the next 10 yearfs, John Ringling wlU stand at the head of all wealtbjr showmen. Colored Tab for Paris With WiU Marion Cook Caroline Dudley is preparing an all-colored tabloid for presentation at the Champs BIysees, Paris, dur- ing October. It will run about 75 minutes and take up the second part of the BIysees' vaudeville pro- gram. After appearing in Paris the tab may tour the continent. It will be made flexible for rearrangement to a full evening's entertainment. Will Marion Cook is composing the music and Mr. Cook Is to ac- company the show as its orchestral leader. A chorus of eight girls and orchestra of six pieces (males) will be tqclddod in the company of 20. Among the principals «are Jose- phine Baker, Maud Deforrest, Louis Cook-Douglas and Marion Douglas. The Sequin Circuit i)aa~been rep- resented for many years ia New York by Richard PItrot, tbe agent. $5,000 ST. LOUIS ROBBERY St Louia. Aug. as. Robbers raided the office of the Grand opera house yesterday (Mon- day) morning, making obliging James Brennan. the house manager, turn over to them 15,000. The amount represented the re- ceipts of the house for Saturday and Sunday. An escape was made by the ban- dits through the throng of pedes- trians at Sixth and Market streets. Brendel and Burt in Revue Act Brendel and Burt have been added to the cast for (he vaudeville revua of the condensed Shubert unit show, under production by Arthur Klein. "VARIETT ADVERTISING By SENATOR MURPHY It needed approximately 18 years to convince me that advertising was worth the money spent on it, 18 years arguing with persistent ad- vertising salesmen and pseudo pub- licity promoters, but It took only 18 minutes, walking along Broad- way the day my advertisement in "Variety" was published, to assure me that I had been commercially asleep in my profession all during that long period. On thatr short walk no less than 3,000 actors, managers, agents and laymen stopped me to discuss my pow famous "Cross Word Puzzle" advertisement that gave many read- ers a laugh. "Variety" a flnancia! pain and Senator Murphy a million dollars' worth of publicity. In my early stage days, advertis- ing was a luxury I foolishly thought I could not afford. As I progressed professionally I also came to ihe erroneous conclusion that I could get along without ad- vertising. Like many artists I de- cided it wiser to invest the money I mii;ht lioller had spent on ;.dvcr- llslng otherwise. Result of Advertising Gra>Ju;illy I made acquainl.uice.s. of course. LikewiKO I nr>a<le many friends lUit now thai I look hiick at the period, I realize that when- ever I si flick a new theiitre I li;i(! to Introduce niyHilf to the in.in^ii^'.ct, the slafje hands, »ho oUier .irtist.s on the bill, the hotnl rc,i::.i an<l others. When I visited an nt^ency 1 also had mucb explanation to offer. Of course-on return trips this was unnecessary, but the point I want to make clear Is that the Initial visit was that of a total stranger. Now to the RESULT of advertis- ing. After my first and subsequent advertisements were published, all la "Variety," the other people sought me to introduce themselves and thus I was spared the neces- sity, and ofttlmes embarrassment, to explain who I was, what I did, etc Now when I visit a theatre they know who Senator Murphy is and this I attribute solely to the publicity of my "Variety" advertis- ing. My correspondence receives prompt and courteous recognition and from practical obscurity I sud- denly emerged into comparative prominence, through sane, original and properly placed advertising in "Variety." Now 1 am a strict dis- ci|>le of printer's ink, and propose to advoriitie consistently in "Varioly" throuKhout the remainder of my slay in show bUHinuss. My study has taught mc that ad« verliHing properly placed and prop- cryl limed c.innot (itil hut bring re- Hulls a hundredfold worth the ex- (icnrlil j/r(>. "Vjiriety" is uiiiiu<-stioriHlily tlio only me.lium in t)i<- .'iliovv Ixi.siiie.ss tli;il loDclicH ev<i y wlicri'. My iid- vl'e lo hrother itnd M.stci artists is lo , iilvcili.se, .idverllso, advortlsf and ttien advertise.