Variety (October 1925)

VARIETY VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, October 7, 1925 ABOUT AGENTS AND BOOKINGS Varloty's story anent the elimination of the vaudeville agent has l>een the chief topic of conversation among the artists representa- tives since it aiipeared. One point made by an agent was In relation to the attitude of the head of the largest affiliated circuit. This ofTldal Is known to be anti-agoni but the agents point to the stragetlcal position of his i-lrcuit which la In a position to view acts after they have been illscovprcd and broken in on the K-A Circuit. This circuit, through Its relation to the K-A Circuit, dodges all the usual preliminaries of discovery. Due to the vacillating system now used before a new act's salary Is set In vaudeville and the custom of booking from week to week, it is In a position to sit back until an act plays the lalace or some other big time house, and then step In and route the finished product. If the K-A Circuit eliminated agents this condition would auto- matically disappear. In the opinion of the agents. They dig up the new material and in many cases are responsible for the tip-off to the circuit mentioned on acts that are "breaking In" or "hiding around." The circuit's scouts thus have pre-knowledge on the act and are able to book It Immediately, due to their excellent salary setting system, which guarantees quick action. The same cli'cult could send out Its own emissaries but they would have to Increase their numbers considerably to enable them to cover an equal nmoimt of the territory now covered by the regular agents In their dally rounds. LEVY'S TEXAN TINE Chicago, Oct. «. The Dent Enterprises of Texas turned over to the Bert Levy Circuit houses In the following towns: Amarillo, Wichita Falls, Abillne, Breckenridge, Ranger and Bastland, which take on Levy vaudeville at once. Waco haa been added to the Levy booka aa a full week and Yuma, Ariz., la azpecteC to come in later. MUSICIANS BACK ONWEU^'TERMS POLICY IN PROVIDENCE HURTING OTHER HOUSES Albee's New Local Policy Met by Picture Name Attrac- tions in Opposition Providence, Oct. 6. Opening of continuous vaudeville and pictures from 1 to 11:30 p. m. at the Albee theatre here has cut deeply Into the business of the two other pop houses. The Emery is reported to have been hardest hit during the three weeks of the new Albee policy. Manager Toohey claims, however, his regular customers are coming back and that last week was con- siderable of an improvement over the preceding lead fortnight Fay's theatre has staved off dis- aster by booking picture stars. The Emery has taken the cue and booked Lillian ("Dimples") Walker, former Vitagraph luminary, who goes on the First National lot next month. She heads a company in the skit, "Home's the Thing." LILLIAN BOYER HURT Dropped From Aeroplane at Tren- ton Fair Trenton, N. J., Oct. 6. Lillian Boyer, daredevil avlatrix, will be confined to the McKlnley Hospital for at least a month pend- ing recovery of Injuries from a fall encountered In a drop from an aeroplane last Thursday when parachute balked and sent crashing to the ground. At the hospital It was said she had broken her left hip bone In three places in addition to fractur- ing several ribs. Miss Boyer had been appea''ing as the principal free attraction at the Trenton fair. her her Coast Dancers for 4 Years; Murray and Lee East Lo8 Angeles, Oct. 6. —David Murray and Hilda Lee, ap- pearing on the Pacific coast for the past four years and who will con- clude a 20-week engagement In the Famous Players houses here Oct. '17, will make a trip to New York. The couple have been sensational with their dancing in the prolog of "The Freshman" at the Million Dol- lar, appearing in conjunction with Warlng's Pennsylvanians. Upon the conclusion of "The Freshman" they are to go to the Metropolitan for a two-week farewell, with a special prolog built around them by Milton Feld. Then they will go to Salt Lake, Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and New York. While In New York they will be under the mnnagemenf of William Morris. Law Attaches Act H. Robert Law through his at- torney attached the act of Marion Wilkens and Orchestra, Saturday, at the CO elusion of an engagement at the Olympic, Boston. The com- plaint was dismissed in the Boston court and the act forced to cancel this week as a result. The action of Law occured while the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Association was Investigating the same complaint tiled by Law against the act. Law Is reported to have claimed an Interest In the Wilkens act. Miss Wllkens was formerly employed by Law In another act as were two of the musicians in the Wllkens or- chestra. Another alleged infringe- ment was a "radium" number In the Wilkens act. Short Strike at Norfolk— Only Union Untuc- ceMful Norfolk. Oct. «. Otto Wells, general manager ^f the Jake Wells Amusement Com- pany, has reached an agreement with the musicians employed at the Colonial, Academy, Wells, Norva and Strand theatres and they re- turned to work yesterday. The settlement of a short strike was made after negotiations with union oincials from New York and following Wells' talk with head- quarters men, the strikers' commit- tee renewed negotiations with Wells. After a long conference, they agreed to accept his original proposal in <ull. Under this agreement he Is given a week to place non-union musi- cians now In his employ elsewhere and also retains the right to make Individual contracts with his em- ployes and '.o terminate engage- ments with two weeks' notice. The rate now stands, leader, $65 and the musicians, |4'{,.50. Wells also reserves the right to employ as many or as few men as he desires. The motion picture operators and stage bands, ordered out by their union heads in a sympathy strike, have also returned to work. These men had no sympathy with the musicians' strike and no grievances of their own, according to Mr. Wells. Norfolk to date is the only town where the musicians have not been successful in enforcing their de- mands. NEW THEATRES IN CONSTRUCnON Chicago. (Atlantic, addition and alterations) $350,000. 2924-28 W "hth St. Owner. H. Sihoenstadt & Co., 118 Michigan Ave. Policy not liiveti Chicago. $1,000,000. 1048 Sheridan Uoad. Owners, A»icher Brotliera' 609 S. Wabash Ave. Policy not given. ' Cincinnati. $1,000,000. 420 Vino St. Owner, CIno Theatre Co 1'30 Keith Building. Policy «ot given. ' " Columbus. $90,000. Clt\eland and Oenesee Aves. Owner, 1. O of Tied Men, 1'rlbe No. 48, 2495 Cleveland Ave. Pictures. Easthampton, N. Y. $3.0,000. Owner, Oeorge Lewis, care of architects Ooodwillle & Moran. 56 W. 45th St., N. Y. V. Policy not given. ' Horton, Kant. $20,000. Owner, Marcel Block, Horton. I'oUry given. Kansas City, Mo. $200,000. 47th St. near Millcreek. Owner, Nichols Investment Co., 910 Commerce Building. Pictures. Lsroy, N. Y. $100,000. Main St. Owner, Ralph E. Blouvet. M;iln St, Policy not given. Libartyville, III. $80,000. Owner. Carroll Oridiey, First National lUink, Policy not given. ^ Milwaukas. $600,000. Frawell Ave. between Ivanhoe and Kennilworth • Owner, Mai Investment Co., 425 E. Water St. Pictures. Milyvauke*. (Colonial) $300,000. 15th and Vliet Sts. ^wner. Colonial Amusement Co., 984 Sherman Blvd. Policy not given. New Kensington, Pa. (Remodelled). $30,000. Fifth Ave. Owner, $• Malmovltz, Columbus Amiisement Co., Fifth Ave. Policy not given. New York City. $3,000,000. W. S. Eighth Ave., between &6th and 57th Sts. Owners, P. Zlegfeld and W. K. Hearst. Legitimate. Philadelphia. $250,000. 4700 Franklin Ave. Owner, W. Frelhofer, 20th and Indiana Ave. Capacity, 2,200. Policy not given. Racins, Wis. $350,000. Fifth and Lake Sts. Owner, Rlulto Amuse- ment Co., 1003 Lake Ave., Racine. Policy not given. Woodlawn, Pa. $30,000 FranMln Ave. Owner, Anthony P. Jin. ears of Strand Theatre, Franklin Ave. Pictures. not J. C, HOOFERS CLUB Colored Society Changes Tit's After Official Visit The Vaudeville Comedy Club, Inc.. the rendezevous for colored professionals at 2237 7th avenue. Is no longer operating under that name. It appears that the club was vis- ited by Federal minions looking for evidence of liquor selling with the result the V. C. C. operators de- cided that a change of name was imperative. The club Is now known as the Hoofers' Club. Dell-Weber Marriage Memphis. Oct. 6. Delano Dell, at Pantagee this week, and Carrie Weber (Weber Sisters), playing at the TrI-State fair, were married at the Pan thea- tre yesterday. Rev. W. E. Clark, pastor of the Community church, performed tl\e ceremony. FRANK BENDER FELL 16 FT. Maiden, Mass., Oct. 6. Frank Bender, acrobat (Bender and Armstrong) escaped with slight injuries in a headlong fall from an aerial trapeze during the perform- ance Saturday night at the Strand. Bender miscalculated a toe catch and dropped head down some 15 feet. The fall knocked him uncon- scious. The curtain was rung down and a local physician summoned. After the latter had administered restoratives the acrobat refused fur- ther medical attention claiming that he was all right except suffering from nervous shock. New Rochelle Plans Filed New Rochelle. N. Y., Oct. 6. Plans have been filed with the local department for a $400,000 theatre building, at Main street and Centre avenue, one of the busiest sections. The building is to be erected by the 1925 Realty Corporation, 295 5th avenue, New York. Herbert S. Krapp, 1660 Broadway, Is the archi- tect. The name of the theatrical Interests Involved have not been di- vulged but It Is reported the Keith- Albee people will take over the house on completion. New Rochelle has only one thea- tre of any considerable size, Loew's, .seating around 2,000. The new thea- tre will seat 3,032. VAUDE LEADER IN CABARET The first time a pit orchestrj* leader has been engaged to perform after theatre in a night place is Jerry Friedman's contract for the new Caravan club in Oreenwich Village. Friedman is the regular house conductor at Keith's River- side and with Nick Goldman will head the cafe band. Jane Gray, society woman, and C. A. Newman, known in uptown restaurant circles, are behind the new place, which will have Cecil Cunningham, Rose Stone and other talent booked by N. T. Granlund. Adsis Rowland's Return Adele Rowland Is returning to vaudeville In a singing turn. Miss Rowland will open at Keith's. Washington, within two weeks. Jenny Jacobs booked the come back. Bill Marshall's Club Dept. "Chicago, Oct. 6. '"'" uiiaerthp dlrpcfoFship of Williiim R. Marshall the Club Department of the W. V. M. A. will be r. thri.-uenf il as the "Private Kntertainment l>i- Vision of the Orpheum and As.socia- tlon Vaudeville Circuits." Marshall succeed.^ Boyle Wool- folk, former club head. Harry Boms and Harry Fetferer will be with Mr. Marshall, each having had experi- ence under Woodfolk, "Bill" Marshall Is a former news- paperman and publicity expert who has been In and out of the show bunlncns for 20 years. Boom at Jacksonville From accoiint.s reaching New York the real estate boom In Florida vhas, rciifh?'*' "I' *" '*■" ^^ Jackson- • viile,^ n'*'*r the northern end of the -•^tiite. Illlherlo J;i( k.sonvllle had been looked upon as out of the realty ex- citement zone through the town beiiiK rather chilly in weather, as compared to lis HlstcC cities several hundred miles farther south. Kouns Orpheum-Booked Nellie and Sara Kouns will open next week at the Orphcum, San Francisco, preliminary to a tour of the Orpheum Circuit. Also booked by Alf T. Wilton Is Johnny Burke and for the Orpheum time, starting next week at the Pal- ace, Chlca«ro. Besides his own turn, Mr. Burke will stage an afterpiece ior the road show he is with. NEI^N ANDERSON KILLED Dayton, Oct. 6. Nelson Aniletson, muflcal con- ductor at Keith's here was killed last week when a train struck his stalled auto on the Dixie Highway. The car stopped on the Big Four tracks and Anderson got his sisters and fiance out to safety when they discovered they had overlooked a five year old youngster. Bobbie Trubee. Anderson rescued the child before the train struck him. Jackson Dancers For K.-A. The J. W. Jackson Dancers from the Alhambra. London, wll^ open a tour of the Kelth-AIbee Clronlt The act Includes 12 dancing girls. I. A. ROAD CALLS As a result of the luiibility of .some of the local stagehands, op- erators and musicians utnons throughout some sections of the country to adjust local conditions the official road call ha.s been Issued by the International Alliance, the parent body of the h. h. ,ind m. p, o, locals. Among the biggest cities affected Is San Francisco where the officl.al road call becomes effective Oct. 14, Among the S. F. houses covered by the call are Wigwam, Prinoess- Orpheum, Golden Gate, Pantages, Warfleld, Union Square, Granada and Callfornla-St. Francis. The houses are affected throuxh the trouble Local 162 (picture oper- ators) is having with the theatre managements who have refused to accede to its demands. Local 390 (mixed) Lynilihurg, Va.. having differences with Uio Academy, has the International call effective Oct. 14. The call Is against the Winter- garden and Palace. Jamestown, N* y. where Local 266 (mixed) Is af- fected. All the union stagehands are out at Niagara Falls, N. T. where the Strand. Cataract and BcUevue theatres have declined to adjust differences. A mixed local. No. 121 covers N. F. At Wilmington, Del., the official road call of both the stigchanda, operators and musicians, is tem- porarily withheld pending a settle* ment which may be made this week. At Enid. Okla.. Local 312 (stage- hands) had trouble with the mu- nicipal operators of Convention Hall and although things had ap- parently been agreed upon, the ad'* justment was rescinded apparently as the I. A. has a ro.id call .istalnst It, effective Oct. 19. A road call was placed on the Grand. Burlington, la.. Sept. 26, through Local 385 (mixed) unable to straighten out its confr.'cl.s with the house. Adams and Thomas Go Diflferent Ways Vera Thomas (Adams and Thomas) ha.s left v.audevllle to play the Helen Bolton role In the road company of 'My Girl." Rex Adams has shelved his vaudeville turn In- delinitely. He has signed to direct the new comedy film series wltlr- Don Barclay and Chnrlie Wilkins as the comics. Adams will direct 12 twu-rcclers and two five-reeled featmcs, m.iklnK the .series on the Coast. At present Wilklns Is playinff vau<levlllo In the Loew houses. AUSTRALIAN MUSICAL ACT The Three Australian Italia Hoyt playing jazz with banjo, pl.i hp and drums, arrive on the "Scylhia " Oct 17 for vaudeville appearaticcH first New York dale will be J Bushwick, Brooklyn, Nov. 2. rhcJf t the ALWAYS STOPPING AT THE BEST Week of Sept. 21, next to closing (last but one), Victoria Palace, Ix)ndon, following Ml.ss Klla Shields, who is a terrific hit. Our return engagement, thanks to Mr. Jack Hayman, In four weeks. KIMBERLY and PAGE Ulkirious Laughter, Applause and Speech Stanton's Revue Val and Ernie St.nnton duce a revue turn for the It win include .'<lx girls, donni and straight man. will be produced under direction Wllllatn Morris. . The Stantons lately r.iurneo from London. will pro* bit,- lim* ji prim* The act of