Variety (October 1925)

Wednesday, October 21, 1985 LEGITIMATE VARIETY Breaks Poll's Sunday Record—"48 Zat 8o7" Repeats at |11,00O— ARLISS' $18,000"*'""'''°°°°"**'"- STIRS PHILLY BUT BIZ OFF Stone Show Disappoints on Return—"Firebrand" Under $7,000 Philadelphia. I'a., Oct. ^0. Bulne.s.'" continued •"off" In all the legit hou.se.s laHt week with the .same two exceptions noted last week. Both of these, however, were not up to previous marks. The town's one wonder was George Arllss" "Old Rngllsh,' which, In ItB third week at the Walnut, drew enough to give It only a little under $60,000 for the three weeks. That is considered amazing In view Of the general had bu.sine.S8 here. The other show which continued to draw was "Ro.se-.Marie." But this operetta, in it.s fifth week at the Shubert, wm^ reported almost $5,000 under its pace of two weeks ago. There is now .some doubt In many minds as to whether it can remain until the holidMv.s as originally planned. Some rainy nlKht.s liiift lat-t week and nobody escaped. The Kcneral exodus to New Haven for the Penn- Tale gnme may have hurt too. but a big game was held here. La- fayette-Colgate, and Saturday was not noticeably oflf. "Stepping Stones," which opened a return engagement at the Forrest, was a particular dl.sappolntment in view of the- wonderful business of last year. Starting with a Monday night gross of less 'than $i!.000 the Btone show was lucky to gross around $18,000. Downtalrs, at some performances, the attendance was actually pitiful as compared to the Standing room last season. "The Flrebranti" completed a dis- appointing four weeks at the Lyric. This' show is not a cheap produc- tion, even with Schildkraut out, and It is very doubtful if they got away ■with an even break here. The crlt- Ica said ose Kuben .was as good if not better than Schildkraut, but the public didn't come. "Silence" tumbled sharply in Its third week at the Adelphi but prob.-^bly turned in a profit both ways. It was another case of a good show suffering from a general slump. "The Love Song." originally planned for three weeks and cut to two, showed a small gain due to the sudden curtailment of the run. "Antonla," given splendid notices nf the Garrlck,- picked up downstair? but remained weak upstairs. "The Dove," In Its second week at the Broad, drew about an even break. Three Openings This week This week saw tjjree openings, and one of them got real money. That was "Artists and Models," opening to cap.aSlty at the Chestnut. Much of the interest can be attributed to the desire to get to the show before the censors cut It, and It is the general opinion that It will not hold the opening pace. It was originally planned as a month's booking, but that is now cut to three weeks. The other two openings were sore- ly In need of the papering given them. "Dancing Mothers" at the Lyric had the help of a Hroadway tep. but opened only miUlly. It is ^in for four weeks, which seems a long time for a show of this Ulna, ■^olf at the Door." a tryout, was papered In Tholt>sale fashion, but fcad fl little real money downstair.*;. fbe reviews were mixed, but not **t^pmely fl.ittering. and the show's Chances look doubtful. It is in for two weeks. Next Monday has four openings here, including the premiere of School for .Scandal" (Tyler produc- tlion). Much work hns been done anionR 3Cki)ols. colleges and clubs atidiiUerfisT is hlgh.j„ lt"cr-ini'ij In for 3aF*\,jv«>i!jf f.tnyKi^'JVhe. H^tiwflio^ Pome int.0 the. Forrest forjjft similar i»ertnrt. "Alofna of fhe^Sfrm^TD^as" arrives at the AV.ilnut for a run (probably a month) and "The Fall Ouy." with Tniex, bows into the Adelphi for three or four weeks. Estimates of Last Week: nose-Marie" (Shubert, Gtli week), "ropppd a liltlo more la.st week with J2r>,noO quoted. Sti:i fine profit out sllppinp c.Tiise of some woiry. Old English" (Walnut. 1th week). Surprise sensation of f.ill season. Last week, its third, beat $lS.ono *nd promi.^es to do n,t least ^tJ.OOO this Wf'.'k, which will niciin better .2 *JJ.000 in four weeks' vi.^lt. 'Stepping Stones" (Korre.«!t, 2n 1 ^Pfk). i>ii,' dIs.Tppoinftnent on this return "nxageinent. ll.xrdl\ rcar'icl ♦iB.flOO after being c.ii)icitv last W i nter Washington. Oct. 20. "Artists and Models" did smartLv at Poll's and in the 'doing' smashed the Sunday night record of the hou.se. The "A. & M." $5,603..''.0 on that nigh: topped the opening figure rung up by Al Jolson. Part of thii Sunday takings Is creditable to the belief that got around to the effec; tWKfthe nudity would cease to be such after the opening performance. However, llie Shuber: show playel out the wetk without a comi)lalnt. For a show to get business a» the Belasco comes under the head of "news" here. Not necessarily because of the house but because of the manner in which its booking., are handled. It gets tryouts weei< after week throughout the season. "Is Zat So?" on its second week, go some regular nioney. Lowell Sherman demonstrated at the National what a star alone can pull. His new i)lay, "The Passion- ate Prince." was pronounced a "Uud" but Sherman, himself, dr'frw a good $2,00U above the usual takings for a new venuire. Estimates for Last Week "Artists and Models" (2nd edi- tion) (Polls (—Came close to get- ting $30,000. "The Passionate Prince" (Lowell Sherman) (National)—The $5,000 realized Is credited entirely to th'; star. "Is Zat So?" (2nd week) <Bel- asco)—Got altnost an eiiual amount with its first week, $11,000. This Week Belasco — "Desire Under the ICliws"; National—Fourth "Music Box Uevue"; Poll's "My (Jirl." PLAYS ON BROADWAY L. A. Grosses Los Angeles, Oct. 20. "No, No, Nanette," at the Bilt- more. In Its 21st week, drew $14,000 and once more led the town's busi- ness. "New Brooms," which opened at the Morosco last week, got $6,600, wKlle "White Cargo," in Its 13th week, got $6,800 at the Orange Grove. The first week of "Never Say Die" at the M.IJestic totaled $5,800. DAUGHTER OF ROSIE O'GRADY rr'xJueed hy Pat Rooney. co-nlarreiJ with tiU wife, Mitrion Bent (Konnry and Hentl. MuNical <:i>iTio*ly. ehit>orati>d fruin tli.* lliM)iipy and Ilent priKluiUuii-.-nt (vaulf- villf) ".Shnmroclt." Ikink by IMRar Allan Wiioif; lyrin by CIKT Heiw; music liy Jos. SaritNy, staKiiiK started by iJavo ISinnet. who ttliruiitlv li-ft ri'lii'iirsals with .xi.iKinn tlnUlv.l l.y I'nt Ummey. Al Ti'Uera. ItrooUUn. N'. Y.. tlils wi'ck. <'aiiKl>t at lironx Opem lluuuu last wpek. 1'1»> injf riiad diiios and not looking fur Itroulway 0|>pnlii)(. I'ul Iluoney Pal Itoonfy Frank Cort*t {'.'"'>'**, i'','"'J? (SerRl. CaUahan Frank Gardiner Isaac. Aaruns Jiiilcl UrcHe Miki? Nolnn Si'Lavman Jakle Rosenberg Hex Adams Freelance Kd. Kay Custtum'a Inspector nilly DowninBr- Capt. 8. H. Auntanla Pat Ko.jiey, 8d ,..Son of Nolan MHriun Mom Molly McGuIre lld.'n f)'Shia UOMie D'Grady Lldtt Kline Mother Itoonfy Rose Ke!>.>.ner J ""• .t'"^'' ^'*'*" I Mla.1 I'rmim ., .. „„..„i._ 5 Mary OMoUey Martha Vaughn ( Hil.la Sven.skn llclori KlinR Becky HoKi-nl.cTK Muriel ,sirvkor Murl"! Strykcr VIvienne tilenn Vivienne QJ^nn Anita Nlelo I^'i'.''^,^'^''^;^ Gertrude McDonald Gertrude McDonald Debut-.nte!. of All Nations — MLwes Ben- nett. Doty, Smlrnow, Irwin, Uaynes. O'Neal, Hyrne, Armand, Urosks. E.h- mond, Atkins. Nyfleld, Rent, Mlrtel, O'Connor. D>Gras»e and Star. Stewards and Officers — Messrs. Renshaw, Itachman, Wright. Gasnor,, Downing. Reese, Kay, Kuxnio and Oemld. Symiihonists — Andy Byrne. Conductor. John Bachman. Douglas Wrlffht, Jack Smoko. Judd Reene, Bert Henshaw. Richard Toinson, Wm. Downing, KJ Kay, A. Casner, Win. Anger. Street Specs in Chicago Bring About Their Arrests Chicago, Oct. 20. Ten street speculators were ar- rested. Many of th^m were com- pelled to spend the night In *Jall, drawing a fine the following day. The majority of the street specs have offlcea on Randolph street, but merely maintain them as a place to keep their stock, transacting all of their business in front of the vari- ous loop theatres. At the late hour they even go so far as to call people from the. the- atre lobby offering a slight reduc- tion under the box office price. Sev- eral of the managers have threat- ened to cut them off through the public comphilning that the theatres are co-operating with the specs. One of the specs was arrested on compl.Tlnt of a citizen who informed the judge that aside from sticking him with $7.70 for a $4.40 ticket he also misrepresented Its location. The spec was obliged to reimburse the purchaser. The police have threatened to clean them out by revoking their license. 'MIRACLE'S" ADVANCE Record Sale -'or Boston—Railroads Will Run Specials Iloston, Oct. 20. Up to last Saturday night the advance sale of "The Miracle" had reached the record breaking figure of $42,000. The .show Is not due into the Boston Opera House until Oct. 28. It will stay b' re ri>r five «i»ks \('ith tKe bdus^ sVsilfi%eit 49^^ evenings and $2.7B for ffia^iistfm.^ Good publicity plugging hns been given the spectacle with the rail- roads, for the first time In ."iO years, making arrangements to run special trains to take care of the out-of- town patrons. "Silence" (Adelphia, ,41h week). Melo(lr.'in\a h.is not done busiiie.is it "hould have with fine notices and star's popularity lieie. Tnder $9,000 last week bv conslder.tTde margin. Firebrand" (Lyric, 4th week). A flop, with considerable under $7,000 la.«l week. "Artists and Models" (rhe=tiiut. I.st week). Monday opening r.ipie- ity, with Kt.tiidlng moin. H«r<lly figures to iii.iiiii.'tin that pare. .Stay <-ut from four to lime weeks. "Love Song" (('li".-<tinit. 2d nml final weel.). Only $i:j.ono. Very b.id. "Anton ia" (C.Trrick). riilmed $S 500 on .slrength Of dr.tvn«il.Tlrs (•u.^^iness. "The Dove" (Rruad. Srd week) Has not done ((Uite ;is well as liop'-l but dainieil .-iroiinil $11..''00. Ciood t5'ain .'itid proliaM> ".itisfietn- ■ A new Irish star—Pat Rooney. There's nothing In sight against him and I'at Rooney looks set for a big leap In his leglt lead debut toward road starring popularity with his present show. Pat goes beyond In performance what other IrUsh stars had to depend upon, singing. Pat sings, but he can dance and how! while he Is a natural light comedian who gains laughs without slapstick. If the Rooney show will keep off of Broadway and be satisfied with the road for a couple of seasons, Pat Rooney will be as popular ai popular prices on the road as Hooney and Bent have been In vaudeville. While this show and its star could make Broadway, they don't need Broadway. Last week at the Bronx Opera House Rooney took a couple of box office records, for the Wednesday matinee $873, and for the Voek, $12,- 800, at $1.65 top. That gross never has been equalled there at the scale. Friday night the ropes were up be- hind the orchestra rail with Satur- day's matinee and night completely sold out. Why monkey with Broad- way? The show only has been out about five weeks. Taken from the Rooney and Bent vaudeville production, "Shamrock," the same author, Ed- gar Allan Woolf nicely padded It into two and one-half hours of good II around entertainment. Backed by Pat's uncle, Thomas Bent, there is no one outside of the family In on the production and Pat's own family is all In the show. Marlon Bent Is co-starred with Pat, and Patsy, 3d, Is there as a crack little performer all on his own at hl.i age. 17. It's a sentimental and stage high light to see I'at, Jr., imitate his father dancing on the same stag© and with his father watching his boy, also his mother, who inter re- pents a portion of the Imitation with her son. That probably has no parallel upon the American stage. Many fathers have had their Sons or daughters with thom upon the sage but "none doing a dance iniitation, with the nearest approach to that among several children, the Kddle Foys. Plenty of openings for press work with this show, from Pat Rooney, the great and first, to the present two generations, while the present J'at Rooney likely will be. ci;! dited -as ^.Binnadf^ at^tfhS^^'^ctta '*blWJa». dnni-ers, for, he I.i a step tapping d.ineer, thelilnd that re.aKy dances. He has m'oJvcd all of his step.s,,hls (.•ipping Is prettily perfect and his legomania d.-wnclng fipells perfect gr;iro for a man. No cheap show nor cheap produc- tion. Mr. Bent who Is not a show- man for bii.'slne.s.s, did not hold in Pat bur allowed him to follow his own jtld^-rnent. In fact the show could ea.'ily be cut down several liundre<l doll.irs weekly on the pay roll. There are 16 chorus glrl.s, 4 kuI .«pe- clrilty clan(ers, and a chorus of H b"ys. the l.itter recniit'd fnun the stage orchestra formed by Andy I'.i'yne, the? show's inu.'<ic.il cf)nduefor. The b.ind does not play in the pit he in ijor poition of the p'-rform- ancft being f a k^n care of by tie- atricai manager, makin;^ ;« ili.tr- aeter out of It .'ind for comedy: I'Yank Corbet, of the former .\\-oin is the jlninile. .'ilso semi-\illian," playing it iie.itly whil.st refulnlng hi.s plea.-^aiit .siiiRing \oice. ;uid Hose Kessuer i« iIoiiiK a comedy wife, and high kii-king when dancing as well as ever she did. Amotit; the women the dancer of the show is Vivienne (ilenn, a girl who can kick forw.ird and back- ward with both feet. Her every move tells of iiractiie and if Mi.ss Cilenn were roiifitn-d for h specialty or given a miniber» to lead if .■<lie has any Idnd of a voice, she wo ild be extremely valuable to this per- formiUK-e, Mi?i.s (".'.enn should have a futuie. A coui)le. of nitty whirlwind dancers are I,:iyuian and Kling, boy .and girl who look as well as they danct'. Tlieiv whirlwind vv'ork is almost a revival and us strong as over in favor. lft*lh take roles, with Mr. Layman doing a fair Jew Muriel Stiyker does her eontortional daiues to appreciation, and Anita N'ieto a Spanish dance of some merit, besides Miss Nieio is a peachy "iniarleston" stepper. An- other "Charleston" dancer of no mean hoofs is (iertruile McDonald, and Miss MeUon.'ild leads one of the most melodious numbers. "Homeward Hound." All of the d.-incing rolls into a big "Charleston " tinale of the llrs* act that got half a doK.-n curtains at the Bronx. That's unusual but proved that the first act besides had greatly pleased. Pat made a sensible speech anc! fine propag also, .saying the Rooneys aimed only to provide wholesome and clean entertainment, that ad mothers and children could enjoy The Rooney show is so clean It could not be cleaner. Not one "hell" even. Pat's boy has quite a little to do and handles himself like the nat- ural performer lils antecedents marked him for. Pat. the father. Is the same Pat, getting set now and within a couple of w^eks wiil probably start to jazz It up. He's ad libbing already. Half of the time Friday night he had the com- pany laughing as well as the pit musicians. When Patsy took his bows after the imitations, he bowed to his father and mother with Pat grimacing back a hitching little bow that was very funny. Marion Bent looks great and plays an important role wlih much ease, playing It really as Marion Bent that makes it all the better. Marlon never was stagey and her natural- ness when performing always has stoed her In good stead. In dress- ing Marion loeks like a million dol- liirs and she is Clothes Exhibit A for two shows. In the title role is Helen O'Shea and she looks It. Besides her com- liness Miss O'Shoa can dance In two or three styles and this atones for any shortcomings in handling dialog, that .she- will Improve as the weeks pass. No one however could look the role of the pretty little colleen better than she. There's a strong "mother" strain, in the story and Lida Kane is the Irish mother in Ireland most pleas- ingly. Its of the lad leaving home coming over as a stowaway to finally win a theatre contract as a dancer at $1,000 a week. There are two acts and many scenes with the waits well filled in. Chorus numbers are neat, one or two quite fnncy. and the girls are attractively dre.sscd. This perfornnnce contains mu- sical comody, revue, v.-iudevllle ancl little bits of pathos. That gives it a wide range, for the running is fa.st, I'.it being too smart a show- man not to know how to snap it on and off, and there Is something do- ing all of the time. At $1.6.') or $'.; and with Pat Rooney, "The Danghter of Rosie O'tirady" is a bargain buy in any town. Kime. .Ulsters Is as follows: Theresa Corey (Spring Byinnton) is in lo»« wttli a young sheet .scrateher. Her old lady cant see the author, hav- ing hand pirked JriieKfried Stronj; (Osgood I'erkins), a minister, for her frail. The author is about five to one to cop when Siegfried pegs 'lim as a hou.Ne tixtuie in a nautch* ery that ho helped raid. Siegfried hollers 'Coppers!" to niainma and slu' and d.iUKliler pay oif on the scribbler (Alien Moore). The girl allows she's engaged to Sieg and Is to go with him to the Congo to save the jigs. Meanwhile the Sisters have been I.'inguishing In the Bastlle, They are finally dlst'harged and ordered out of town on the evening train. Sieg Invites them to his future ni()ther-in-l;iw's house for a final t)awling out. The g.ils arrive five .strong. Camilla Glnsburg (Beatrice Nichols) Is their spokesman. Ca- milla gives them cavh a ballyhoo describing Rose Marie as "just a bum." It seems Camilla la a mar- ried woman who doesn't pet. She was a pal of <me of the gals and was visiting when tlie joint was sloughed. That's her story. The author returns in response to a phoney telegram from his ex's s^rnndmother, a wise-cracking old dame, and is reinstated when he alibis the nautchery visits as for atmosphere. The gals give him a clean bill of health when they ar- rive. The right reverend starts to hop the buck about their future mis- sions in life when Camilla tears ott her hat and asks him if he remem- bers "that night In St. I.<>ui.s." The rev. then takes a run out powdw, emitting loud and raucous squawks. While the clergyman Is soinc- whero oft stage doing a catch-as- catch-can with his complexes the girls blow to make their rattler. ' Camilla comes ba. . to return two dozen spoons one of her mob has playfully mislaid. She tells the gang that the rev. and she had quite a party, but he didn't make the grade through passing out on his second guzzle of champagne. She also breaks the story that she has been putting the shake on Sieg through making him think her kid was his. After the workout with his soul the rev. returns and mimiographs his night with Camilla. He still thinks he helped Rome fall. But the young ^thor dictates the Inside, whence the rev. .mnuunces he 1* washed up on the soul snatchltf racket. The wise-cracking grandma, just a dame with an uplift angle, gives him the right steer when she tips that the girl's mother has a terri- ble yen to help him straighten out the spades. The rev. follows up this base on balls with a sacrifice by proposing and copping her out. The gala hold over from the sec- ond act Into part of the third, an- other base hit for Starling. The rnllMrds were previously trying to figure how Starling could follow up that second act with all those bim- bos dropping comedy wows among the respectables. However, Ca- milla pulled one for the book when she aald she wasn't In the same racket as the girls because there was too much opposition from the good women In town. Grace Connell clicked as a "sis- ter," and Jane Bhort goalcd then with one darb Camilla was ex- plaining that the girls were not to blame, as a man was behind each one's fall from grace. It was when thls-«tount was three and two that Jane piped up, "They're always to blame, the lousy bums." Louise Galloway, as the grand- mother, must have played the I'an Circuit In her youth. Anything this gal didn't know and didn't drop a comedy cra'ek about has never happened. She finally consents to marry Uncle Rodger (William T. H.iycs), an old deaf jasper who thinks the rev. ou<?ht to be playing with Oallas. Spring Bylngton made Theres.T. Corey jumit up and bng, and Carlotta Irwin dittoed with the Faith Corey role. The play Is a humpty dumptr, but with that sure fire second act It has a chance for a respect.al>le stay, show patrons being what they are today. If the fleet were in it would be a pipe, and the traveling salesman will be rewarded If they Kive it a chance. The second act is .1 natural, but can stand the In- lioiise oriliestr.i, Conip.jnJons from other days aie in the U()oney.s' cast, and each of them makes good easily. Kifui!: c.ardlner Is ttfoing an excellent tlie- Hop Info the Booth A. C, and get a load of this Ibiek of prosfles ttik- ing it on the (bin from a sky c b:iiif- fcur. I.ynn i^tailing \h the tontch- inaker who rooked up this sliitidii', which Is In three acts and one S''t. Starling Is nobody's rlnitni'. ii'' has iniilliplied (be (wo boolti-rs in WEAK SISTERS A oome.ly in three act* hy I.yiin .Sl.irllni;. Ti'-wnled by .lid Il.itrli. Al th" ll'.olh. ., Granoma Corey... IxiulHe Galloway Arttmr MKIjHnk Allen Moore Theresa Cor<y -SprlriK Hyln(?toii I.ucy Tleli-n l.caniInK Mrs. Sironfr Minnie Rlanlyu Siegfried Slronic OsKtMv] Perkins I'amllla Glnshurtr lUatrlce NIchola • ■'•nrl .Mureta George Msbel Grace Ct.nnell .•^I'-lla Rowena We.nt Klhid. .» I.Tne Short Hcwe Marie Jane lla\eti li'ssie Ui;tty Fromen ing th« gals eat a nrrn.tl o^.'fh^ ]^>y<;h«(,L: n^ to puU the oldrbiirlesquc table bit Is ~ a mystery/ He's thought of everything else. <'un. LOVELY LADY W.i(;enh:ds * KfOie'r iiro'liKtioii of .feMM I.>n(jh Willi.lUiA* I'lay in tliTce a'*t.H .-md tuo ; •■ric^; siiic.il l>y I'lillln K'Ttipcr; pet- tInijH hy t'leon TtiriH-kini>rtnn. Opened Oct. M lit tiin ilelmont. I^adi'-s of the Kvning' .'ind Ihiovi in Reverend D.ividson Ci-om "Itnin" to rn.'ike It bo.v-ofTk'e proof. Tb'- only thing h" b.is murfed I.k .i Mammy t<ong. The bop tiSoiit fb ■ .' tjnliy I.lntun .Mrs. I.lnitn Mr, T.ln'on rt'-llttt:U- WlilltMge. .Mr.^ Julia lo.'.hlHs.. 1.11' Iflf) r.-lvr . ..Wllll.tm tfanler Mly f!uhilt Ill uco McUat) .. . .Mirl.iDi (iopkina . KlI.H^Iwth Kts'lon . .Xllnn tt" H,irr»tt ,. .'.'harlen News'>m A light trifle with t few bright lines of til'- fiiiiilliir Willisnis epl-- •:r!ii,ilin M'' m I i ooI. H '' veri%> Y f i iio .i.» k'< .-ibd fo.'H'' shrewd ins'glit <m modern youth.s' tcndnieies ftn not in>)!,p for a fu!l ivrnilT'.M i>Hy. ■1.,'jvcly I'Jidy" should h:ivebi-en