Variety (October 1925)

p Wednesday October 7. 1925 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY NIGHT LIFE OF THE WORLD (Seventh in Variety's series of Night Life in the Principal cities of the world.) hi CHICAGO By JACK LAIT Writing of the lUKht life of Chi- cago, in 1925' after having for so many yeara written its annal.s and lt« high spots and its depths, is as pathetic an assignment as Inditing the obituary of a friend. Time was, and not so long ago, ,i tlwt Chicago had perhaps the most ■ picturesque and colorful night life •n the globe, which seems para- ,. doxlral for a mid-western, young, fishing commercial center; but it „,i» true. „ Chicago flashed the tirst "caba- ., ret" in America; Chicago started ,ii, the metropolitan dancing craze •'which still dominates the high- • Jinks cutting-up of the rest of the world; Chicago had the first floor revue on earth; Chicago, with the most sinister and yet the most at- " mosphfrlc "line" on the continent .. when vice was legal, still had the knack of m-iintalnlng night life ;,. which was buoyant and merry and i giddy apart from the scarlet and ' black of Its segregated sins. <.,. Those were the days of Dave Lewinsohn and his "Congress," Where Kae Samuels and Terry Sherman cavorted; of Tom Cha- i. males and his downst.iirs cafe a I^Wock away, where Patrlcola and Kranz and WbUe ruled; of Ike -'Bloom's "Freiberg's" when it was * At Its height, the most famous drop-in in the world; of George Stiver's at Dearborn and Clark, of Smiley Corbett's across the street, of "Sim" "Weinman's around the corner, of Miks Fi'ltzel's "Arsonla" "down Madison street. Of these Mike and Ike alone, survive. In Fritzel's West Side place he discovered such talent as Bee Palmer, Glida Gray, Gene Greene. In Bloom's started a string of future luminaries. - South Side's Back Rooms. And there were the near-South- Rlre back rooms, where such as BUI Halligan, Bob Adams, Bernle Adler, Gus Chandler. Baby-doll, Irving Foster, used to work the tables and pass the tin pan. Fred- die Train, who hung himself when he found the times were pa.s.sing him by, . ran the foremost place; ftoy Jones, Harry Cuskk, Bob —Orey^ Ge o r ge Little, were among his competitors. At Roy Jones' Casino the 'irst Tex.is Tommy (ftnd Jack Jarrott danced it) was ever danced to a big town audl- . ence, and all "America flocked there; at the internationally famed _ Buxhaum's, nearby^ the new type of cafe-dancing was first Indulged In by patrons—yea, and with a col- ored orchestra, "hot" and Jazzy— back in 1910. Then there were the smart re- eorts-the College Inn with Mau- rl<e; Uector'a with the Castles: and Bonnie Glass, Mae 'Murray. Vera Maxwell, Willace McCutch- eon, the Hyson.^ (then the Helsens) and Chicagoana coming and going. Ice-skating followed as a novelty. Then Abe Franks sprung a revue floor-show at the North American, a seven-night sensation, the fir.st In tlie world. Alont; State street near the loop were the joints for the butter-and- egg men and cattle buyers of tb.it period- the States and such gaudy tinseled table d'hote re.sort.s; and the Winter Garden; and Terrace pnrdf^n; .some of these still flour- |«h. but the tang is out of them— they're just i-esfauranfs now. From cliampagne to l)eor—literal antl ffgiirative— the worFd had nntliin^ In night life that Chicago ajil not offer. The town lived at night. It wa.s known fVom coast to coast that Chclago was the play- ground for swift, snappy, keen ^^ amiiKonient while the quietlv dis- posed .slopt the Kood repose of re- «Pectal)!(. ihtimps. The Zip Is Out. And—now? ^V.'il. Chicago is still a clfv of jnore than rt,000,000, and in .such a P<»l.ul:,ii„n ,i„.rp „,)„ niw,jy3 he a ♦"P-f 'nd and .in oiitiot for a few an- jni'it'rt spiriis. But the zip and re- r"""' ''i^ve s..,.,„.rt out of my be- *'^«'d (,!,! home burg. I have been ► tf.,;iii;iiio 1 on prige «0) DORIS R«IN AND a^E. BESSON. CO-STARS A vaudeville playet now m re- hearsal will feature Madame Be.s- son and Duris Rankin as co-.sta'"s. It is "H>w Do You Know?" by Harry Wagstaft Ciril-ble. Lewis & (.{ordon are producing. The support will include Captain Malcolm Mortimer. the British actor and stage director whom MI.ss Rankin married last year after divorcing Lionel Barrymore. and Edward Poynter. It will be Miss Rankin's metro- politan vaudeville debut. Mme. Besson appeared last year in George Kelly's "Smarty's Party." 58 YEARS FOR FOX AND WARD PARTNERSHIP Minstrel Team Formed in 1867—Charles M. Atkin- son, Original Member, Philadelphia, Oct. 6. Charles M. Atkins. 76, who died Sept. 29 at the Hotel "San Remo. New York City, where he had lived since 1906, Was buried Oct. 2 in the Masonic plot of Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mr. AtklQS was a wealthy art dealer. Bom in the west he Joined Joseph E. Fox Jan. 1, 1867, In a min- strel act which was immediately en- gaged for Wilson's Minstrels at the Fifth and Pine streets theatre in St. Louis. Among the other members of the company were J. K. Emmett. "Happy Cal" Wagner and Dela- hanty and Hengler. The pa.-tnershlp of Fox and, At- kins lasted 11 months, dissolved by the withdrawal of Mr. Atkins to en- gage In his occupation as a bank- note engraver, and subsequently as a well-known artist. His place In the mlnstel act was taken by William H. Ward, being the founding of a partnership which has continued to the present day and which Is still filling en- gagements. Fox and Ward thus, in the point of service, <are the old- est artists on the American stage and, doubtless, in -he history of the profession. They are now In their 58th year of a consecutive, unbroken partner- ship and In sending their felicita- lion.!* to their fellow-players they add that they have no thought of retiring for some years to come. Couldn't' "Shave a Bit" One of tlie booking man- agers on the W. V. M. A. floor in Chi<ago whenever he wants an.act to cut says for them to ".shave a little bit." After playing the House of D;ivid l?and a couple of weeks he sent the same message to it With the response sent back that no matter, how small a shave they took It would ruin the act. THE MORRISES SPLIT William, Sr., Goes Abroad and Junior Hops Down to Florida The William Morrises, senior and junior, sudtlen'y left New York for widely divergent points last Sat- urday. Senior sailed for Europe and Junior Joined the Increasing horde In Florida. Young Morris' trip is aimed for the placing of at- tractions in a number of new cafes in the boom state. Morris, senior, will attend to the sea.son's booking for the Kit Kat Club, London, which will offer sev- eral American bands. He will also Arrange for the English presenta- tion of the "Girrick Gaieties." While the revue is regarded strictly .\merican, P^ngllshmen who saw the show figure It has a good chance ■ibro.id. PAT SOMERSET BROKE; IRENE PAWNS GEMS Skeets Gallagher Obtains Court's Permission to Serve Wife by Publication EUGENIA WEBB'S LOSS FROM REVERSE VERDICT Her Mother May Go to Court —Colored Newspaper Con- ducted Contest The recent beauty contest at Ja- maica, L. I., under the au.spices of the Jamaica 'Enterprise," colored newspaper, did not pan out as the conductors had planned. Instead the decision of the Judges brought forth such strenuous clamoring from sections of the colored crowd that Jammed Polish hall for the out- come that the Judges withdrew their choice and announced that the crowd would pick a winner in- stead. ,, The judges had Bob'Cted Eugenia Webb, one of Jamaica's social lead- ers, but on the recall and tlie ver- dict of the crowd, another woman was chosen. It 1.1 reported that Mr.s. Webb, mother of the first ficlected "beauty" is going to seek court as- sistance in having th*doi'lslon of the original Judgos stand. The prize at stake, as announced, was a $50 diamond rin,-;. Anthony Richard Gall.agher, bet ter known as "Skeets," now with "The City Chap." has been granted an order to serve his wife. Bertha Irene Martin Gallagher, by publica tion In the divorce suit naming Pat Somerset corespondent. Th* Som- erset-Gallagher affair has been common knowledge In Hollywood, where Somerset is now m.iking pic- tures and where Mrs. Gallagher is located. The divorce suit was started sev- eral weeks ago after Gallagher had been put to unusual trouble to -secure evidence. It being unlawful under the California state law for anybody to Invade another's home for evidentiary purposes. Somerset came to attention In the Edith Day-Carle Carlton marital imbroglio, the English actor later marrying Miss Day. O'Brien, Malevlnsky A Driscoll, acting for "Skeet.s" Gallagher, for- merly represented the Day-Somer- set faction, but .are now suing them for legal services rendered at the time Somerset was facing deporta- tion charges following the Carlton- Day litigations involving Somerset. Los Angeles, Oct. 8. Since the story of ".Skeets" Gal- lagher suing his wife, Irene Martin, for divorce. It has come out that Pat Somerset, the corespondent, Is around here broke most of the time, with Mrs. .Martin having pawned all her pawnable jewelry. Somerset gets a day's work now and then a« a ylcture actor, wit.h- (Uit beiag under contract or ti&ving steady work. ' " Mrs. Martin Is said to have lately changed her re-sidence to keep down Iicr expenses. .She Is not under en- gagement as far as known. Marriage Forms New Act Matrimony has dissolved another standard combination. Harry Anger (.^nger and Pack- ard) married Mary l''air last Sat- urday in New York City, dissolving ills former f>artnfrshlp so that his bride and he could continue as a vaudeville team as well as a marll.il one. The marriage wis tlie culmina- tion of II stage romance dating liai k two vears ago when the couple met when Miss Fair was engnged for ".Sh'>, Him and Her," a production of whh h Anger was the produi-f-r. CHARLES ALTHOFF LONG BEACH "PKHSS-TELE- GRAM'—"Charles AlthofT, with his magic liddle, is tremendously funny." SALT LAKE 'TRIBUNE'— "Charles Althoff. the Yankee n<'id- dler,' it may be said, got the biggest hand of the evening." OGDR.V "STANDARD EXAM- INER"—'The greatest favor of the whole show is showered \ipon Charles Althoff, the Yankee Fid- dler." Direction, Alexander Pantages 4 PET JOKES COST 1 WIFE Mrs. H. M. Burgess Could Not Stand Them PALS FOR 38 YRS. LEW HAWKINS LOSES WIFE Mrs. Hawkins Invalid for 23 Years, but Constant Companion of Husband Chicago, Oct. «. H. M. Burgess, an actor, became letter perfect In four Jokes. They have cost him his wife. He told and retold them, says Mrs. Rurgess, wherever he went, and she was usually around. Into court went Mrs. Burgess, complaining of cruelty. "I used to grit my teeth when he told those Jokes." said Mrs. I'.ur- gess during her testimony. "What were the Jokes?" asked the judge. "One of tliem beg.an," answered the wife, "like this: Once there were two Irishmen. I'at and Mike " "That's enough—decree granted," .said the court. Mrs. Lew Hawkins died at her home in New York October 2. She had been an invalid 23 years. The Hawkins were married 38 years. & wedded relationship that i.s an epic of theatricals. Though not a i)rofcssionaI Mrs. Hawkins was a familiar figure in hundreds of vaudeville theatres as Lew Hawkins carried his wife wherever he played despite her being a helpless cripple. Mrs. Hawkins sustained a injury to her spine that was 'incurable. obliKint; her to be niovt'd in a wheel chair. The monolugist and his wife were pals, so much so she was happy to make the weekly vaudeville Jumps with him. It was never too much trouble for the actor. Wherever ha went his wife and the wheel chair went along. During the war when travel was more ditllcult. Mrs. Haw- kins remained at homo and although she did not again travel, the couple were as close together as ever. It was the Irony of things that Hawk^s was appearing out of the city when his wife died. He hurried back from St. Louis Saturday, ar- riviuK several hours after she had pa.Hsed on. MRS. BEN TURPIN DIES; BEN DEVOTED TO HER DENIES "FRAME-UP"; WIFE ASKS ALIMONY Divorce Suit and Counter-ac- tion Year Off—Two Co- respondents htemed Arthur Sllber. the Pantages' vaudeville, agent, denies that his wife, Eva North (Sllberberg) did not avail herself of the oppor- tunity to ask for alimony as w«»!l as counsel fees. Court records show that Miss North asked for $300 weekly and J2.500 coun.sel fees of which Justice Wasservogel de- nied the alimony and awarded $r.00 counsel fees, payable in two efjual Instalments. .Since no alimony Is being paid, other tlian the counsel fees, there is no necessity for a trial prefer- ence. The divorce .action by .Silber against Miss .North, and the latter's countcrsuil against her husb.and. will not be reached for trial until a.nQ_tly?c. year or so. The delay Is made>nece.st«iry t hrougit. the. «fri»wd - cd condition of the New York Su- preme Court c.al'-nd.ar. In his .affidavits Sllber denies ,any charges of a "frame-up," slating that his relations with Moiiyn Audree were strictly . impersonal .ariil wholly of a business nature. Miss North's allecied "frame" In- volves Pelham I.,ynton. a mutual friend of the litiganis, who Is n.imeil (o respondent by the .agent. The wife in turn names Miss Aud- ree. BEE PALMER'S BREAKDOWN^ P.eo Palmer is reporlc-d ill in C!hic;i^jo, sufferiiiK from a n<'rviius lireakdown and In a .s.inltoriuni. Miss Palmer rdayed the ICmlLu^y. Atlatillc (Mly, this sumiiirr when- she closed soon after her op. nintr AI Sie»,'el. her hushaiiil. is iNo le ported In Chicago. Film Comedian Spent Nearly Year at feedside of Invalid— Left Studio for Home Mrs. Carrie Le Mieux-Turpln. 44, former actress and wife of Ben Turpin, screen comedian, died at her home in Hollywood, Cal., Oct. 1. Mrs. Turpin had been an invalid for more than a year following a stroke of paralysis at that time, having had three others prior to her death. Turiiln has been ,at her bed- side constantly from e.arly last I>0" cember, forsaking his work at the Sennett studios. Mrs. Turpin was a native of Quebec, Canada. Tho couple were married In Chicago 17 years ago, with Mrs. Turpin for sometime afterw.anl working on the statje ;ind screen with her husband. Besides her husband, a fjither and brother living In Michigan survive. Funeral services Were held her« at the Church of the 151esse<l j^acr.i- ment. Oct. ^, with burial In Porest Lawn Cemetery. "MISS GOLDEN BROWN" Josephine Leggett Named Winnei- In Contest Josephine I,eKp;ett, of "Shuffle Along," was returned the victor a.n "Miss Ciolden P.rown of America" in the contest held by the '^Jolden Brown cJiemical Co.. In its National flolden Brown Beauty campaign from Its Memphis offices. Miss I„e),'getl received as first honors a Hu(1sSn.^ofl'WSftd her ^y_,-, pehse.H jialJI'for M rrlfi fn tfif flrs't annual flolden Brown Beauty fete In Atlantic City. Oct. 9-10. .Heath'.s Illness Halts Road Show Tour Lancaster. I'a., ^>ct. 6 "Trumping the A'e," staged bjr Dan Ciuinlan with Mcliilyro and Heath iti their farewell lour, came 10 an abrupt hilt here when .Mr. Ilcnth u.'i.s suddenly taken ill. Mr. Heath li.i.s been in poor heilih for .some t'iine but remained with' the show until ordered to dl.si'ontinu* by his t'h,\ si'i.an. T)ie matiagemenf of the Lan» <;isler idayhoii.so iil;j.sed to permit the II-e 'if .'in under.sfii ly, m.akingr it fiei'e.s H.iry to disinl.'iM a l,iri»e au* lieriee. Iji until Us iHsb.Midm»»nt, "I'l iiiMi'r ; the Ace' had beoB .!(■ 1 U iln,' llig, '