Variety (November 1925)

f^;: Vi(ednesday, November 4, 1925 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY NIGHT LIFE OF THE WORLD nitis •• ^^* eleventh in a aeriet about Niflht Life in the principal of the world.) -—^r-- — SAN FRANCISCO By FRANK WHITBECK ngan FranclBCO—her fault is that iK, U ao hard to leave'" pro- iiunced no leaa a cosmopoll»e than KlDllng three decades ago. Age—she Is 76 years old—has not at.|ed her, nor has tin\e taken !«y from the spirit that Is pecu- auVr her own. Of the trinity- Maw York, Chicago and New Or- leans—beloved of poet.s, Bohemlana and lovers of life—she has changed the least. It is when the sun has gone down In the Paclfle, when the soft cur- Uin of mist has descended, and the lights beckon the ple;i«ure .st-eker to the heady, electric gayety of the Hjj^jto Geary street—the Hue de la Paix promenade of Grant avenue— and the strident charms of Powell street, with its viveurs and mirth- ful femininity, and the Latin region of North Ueach. with its restau- rants, quaint haunts and Joyousness —that she enfolds her e.ssential aelf. . More than elsewhere—save New York—the theatre is the nucleus of the social life. Tradition began the custom, and temperament continued It. Booth, Janauscheck, Modjeska, Belasco, Isadora Duncan. La Lole, Lotta Crabtree, Lola Montez—the picturesque names of the theatre are entwined in the annals of the town. Old Days Blotted Out The Han Francisco of other days —of the days before the flre, the great conflagration that swept away the material San Francisdo blotted out for all time the romance that luul been made possible by the fight- ing men and rollicking women of the days of '49, the men and women who had left behind them a legacy of picturesque history equalled by no other city in these United States. Night life in San Francisco! It is (Ciintinuod on page 8) MAY lilNINGER TAKES FRANK HART TO COURT Claims Stage Partner Struck Her—He Says Hand Slipped ' —Suspended Sentence Gus Kaiui Gives Royalty To Pay Poker ^fjosses At an hour when otherwise thoy iktkould have been at an orchestra tehearsal at a nearby theatre, I^lnlnger and Hart, vaudeville litLin were making an impromptu appearance in the Adams Street Court, Brooklyn, with the former ns complain.ant and the latter as de- fendant. May Leininger and Frank Hart lyid bffen stage partners for five years. According to the complaint. Miss Leinlngor was remon.str.ating with her partner for overindulgence In the cup that cheers, which she has claimed caused many cancolla- tlonfl. During the talk she claims Hart l)ecame abusive and finally struck her after which she had him wre.xtotl. Hart corroborated most of his partner's cliarges with the exccp- tWn of the as.s.-uiU angle, which he explained by saying that he had been drinking and shot out his hand to balance himself. It ,<ilruck his partner. He claimed the b!ow was unintentional and not a hard one. Senlonre was suspended after Miss Lelninger told the magi.Htrate that she did not want Hart .sent to Jail but Tnorely wanted him hound over to koop the peace. Benson and Bassimo Fight Act Cancelled and Split Los Angeles, Nov. 3. TienMon and HaHsim. , who con- '"ludod their engugenunt at IJard's PaHadi-na, had an argument among themspivps after the fln.Tl show. The men commenced fighting, with the result it was necessary to call In the police to quell them. The act has been broken up fol- lowing the cancellation, of the bal- :uior> ,,(• tiieii- I'antagos route. Ous Kah.. was coming into New York on the iiOth Century. So were his wife and mother. That was last week. Ous l:i a song writer, said to have written more hits, etc. Gus is also a poker player, or thinks .so. Gus' self-opinion at poker had cost him $300 by the time the train reached Cleveland. The game was in the same car with his family, the family having adjoining compartments. Said ([lus: "Boys, this is tough. I'm in for three hundred and I haven't but one fifty." "It's all right, Gu.s," they an- swered, 'you don't need money now." "No," he said, "that's all rigiit nnd I am much obliged, but I've got a hunch. "Did you hear anything about 'Holka-l'olka' at the l.iyrlc'.'" he said to a newspaper man in the game. (Mr. Kahn was of the word and mu.slc writing team for that production.) 'Hear it's cold," said the newspaper man. "Sure?" asked C!ua. "Pretty certain." was the reply. "Wait a minute." .said Gus, "and listen." Going into the next compart- ment, Gus said: "Grace, dear, how would you like to buy the royalty on 'Holka-Polka"."' "Oh, Gus, that's lovely. Do you mean it, darling?" "I certainly do," answered Ou.s, and Gus' mother mur- mured, "What a boy." "I hope you geta lot," said Gus. "How much cash have you got with you? $300?" "Just about," replied Mrs. Kahn. "\Vell, give me the three," said Gus, "and we will call it a sale." As Gus counted up the $300 and paid off next door, the poker players heard the mother further exclaim: "What a boy. He should have luck. So good to his folks." Quartets and Beer The singing quartet thing In the vaudeville houses looked like a nop before if started. At the out.sel entrants were hard to secure, .according to reports, and not much interest mani- fest, tli'^re being more street ■"Charleston" dancers nowadays than corner harmonlzers. In the quest for "quartets" to take part in the contest, one of the scouts approached the leader of an amateur four. Asking him if his singing com- jvxnions would enter a contest, the loader, without wanting to know what, where or when, re- plied: "You're sure we will get beer." CHARLES ALTHOFF OMAHA "WORLD HKHALD"— "It is doubtful whether ANY enter- tainer at the World Theatre EVER scored such an applause hit as Althoff's fiddling old man." MEMPHIS "COMMKROIAL AP- PIOAI/'—" will provoke laugh- ter from the MOST SOUR individ- ual." SOtTTH BRND "TRIBUNR"— "FEW ACTS win the favor of an audience as Charles Althoff did at yesterday's performance." Oir., ALEXANDER PANTAGE8 "Holka-Polka" closed at the Lyric, New York, last Saturday. Show People Victims of Milwaukee Hotel Fire Milwaukee, Wis., Nov. 2. Fire, which started in the rooms of carnival people who were guests at the Davidson hotel, theatrical house, caused »35 show people to seek other accomodations for the night and caused losses estimated at $20,000. The blaze, which was discovered shortly before 8 p. m., last Thurs- day, gained headway in a strong breeae and climbed through the walls of the place, literally wiping out the entire upper floor. Personal belongings of actors were lost, the stacro people being at t^.eatres pre- paring for their night p.-rformances. The performance of "Topsy and Kva," at the Davld.soii theatre, next to the hotel, was held up H min- utes to permit the sold out house to bo seated. Fire lines prevented patrons from getting to their seats. All who entered the theatre were .'i.-^sured they wore in no danger from the hotel fire due to the strong flre walls protecting the house. TINNEY-WnSON ECHO An echo of the Imogene Wil.son- Frank "Plnney Imbroglio was Carrie Snead's appearance In the City Court last week to contest her $2,000 claim for assault against Tinney. Kendler & Goldstein, for the come- dian. Interposed aflldavlts that Tin- ney was now In England but prom- ised to produce him in court In December to answer the colored maid's complaint. Miss Snead was Misa Wilson's maid and encountered trouble with Tinney. Lyman Repeating in Chi Abe Lynaan and his orchestra have been booked for a return en- gagement at the Palaoe. Chicago, this week (Nov. 1). A. A H. Return to Spokane Spokane, Nov. 8. Ackerman & Harris have added the local American to their book- ing list and the first A.-H. booked .show opens Nov. 12 This an- nouncement has been made by Ed- ward J Fisher, nort*iwest booker. It has been five years since Ackerman-Harrle vaudeville has been in Spokane. Russell and Hilton Part; Disagree Over Billing Russell and Hilton have split as a team, the contributing cause being reported as a disagreement over billing matter. The couple had been together for three years, billed as Arthur Russell and com- pany, despite Mabel Hilton's ec- centric comedy being as equally important to the turn as Russell's genteel straight, according to Mlaa Hilton. Last season there was some con- troversy between the two over the manner in which the act was then being billed. According to Miss Hilton It was ironed out by Russell promising to give her equal promi- nence this season and later "stall- ing" her, she says, by claiming that a change of billing would place the turn In the category of a new act while the former hilling was fam- iliar through past three years' usage. Russell charged Ma partner's walkout to an outburst of tempera- ment but refused to discuss the billing angle, claiming that that was his business. YOU CANT TELL IN CHICAGO Which Mate Reaches Di- vorce Court First Chicago, Nov. J. Theatrical couples living up.irt and contemplating divorce nctiona In this Mecca of liberty-gainers, might before iWiui, suit. Investigate the record to see if, perchance, their mate h.as been hero ahead. Last week a much-worried actor inter- viewed an attorney regarding a divorce. Before or after separating from his wife the actor fell In love with another lady whom he wished to nuarry. He came to Cliicago ex- pecting much trouble, red tape and expense to• free himself. "llie lawyer with foresight in- quired in the County Building and discovered the wife bad sued and won a divorce sonic months ago and the actor had been freed, unawares. A decree has been granted to Mary Fox, profe; 3lotu»lly May McKay (vaudeville) from Thomas Kdward Fox. The wife does a Scotch act She charged desM-tlon. A 10-year old child, Jesse lodith Cavell Fox, is at school in Scotland. Judge Lewis granted Margie Pennlttl a decree from Itocco Col- ogna. Miss Pennlttl is a principal with "Stolen Sweets" (burle.sque). The husband Is & violinist. Deser- tion charged. COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE SET UP BY C. I WHITEHURSrS "WIDOf JAY GOULD'S WIFE SHARES IN ESTATE Thomas F. Manville, Father, 'Names Mrs. Gould and Brother as Beneficiaries Claire Ulrich Seeks "Widow's Rights" in Estate of Baltimore's Shcwman—Read Marriage Passage in Presence of Girl Friend in New York . Baltimore, Not. 8. The name of Whitehurst, much In the local prints recently due to offers for the Whitehurst string of thea- tres, got into top of the page head- lines again when Claire Ulrich of New York filed suit through local attorneys for a "widow's rights" In the estate of the late Charles B. Whitehurst. This was new to the public. "C. E.," the guiding genius of the big Whitehurst theatre string hav- ing died, presumably, a bachelor. Miss Ulrich—or Mrs. Whitehurst— exhibits a prayer manual signed "Charles and Claire," written on the night of April 9, 1923. According to Miss Ulrich—or Mrs. Whitehurst— they read the "mixed marriage" pas- .sage from the manual in the pres- • nco of a "rrlrl friend" In an apart- ment leased and furnished for her by Mr. Whitehurst at 301 W^est UTth .street. New York. The reason for this procedure, ac- corrllng to Ml.ss Ulrich—or Mrs. Whitehurst—was the difference of riliglous faiths and the maternal i>bJections of the elder Mrs. Whlto- biirst. She admits that she accepted a payment of $11,000 tendered by "Smith, Jones and R^own" for the estate and signed a paper that would compel the world to recognize her as Mrs. Charles K. Whitehurst. She al.^o saya that "P.rown" In- formed her that "tlie Ku Klux Klan would never let her tcsllfy," and [uomiscs startling Information as to the identity of "Smith. Jones and Hrown." Calculating Colored Act A colored act in vaudeville, known as No. 2 act, recelvea a salary of $275 weekly. The act received notice of its next wfcek's booking with the information that its position on the bill would be No. 4. A wire was sent by the turn to the management, saying: "We don't want to play N« 4, we want to play No. 2." A reassuring mes.sage was returned to the act, explaining how much more advantageous the No. 4 spot would be, etc. The act replied: "We are a No. 2 at $275 and while $275 we remain No. S. For No. 4, $400." SMALL POX m BLOOMINOTON Eloomlngton, 111., Nov. 2. All Amuaimcnt places here have been ordered closed because of an epidemic of smallpox. The closing order w.ts isauod Sun- day by the Health Department and will obtain until further notloa. DARLING AT ROYAL Al Darling, former manager of Keith's Royal, is back at the house l<-mporarily assisting J. Klder, re- cently Installed as manager. The house Is also under the supervision of L R. Samuels, former booker of the house in its big time days. Dave Ceehler, who Installed the continuous vauilcvllle Jind pictures policy at the Alhambra, Harlem, was the la.U manager of the Royal, handling both housos for several week:*. MACK REVIVINa "KICK IN" Willard MacJc will re -enter vaude- vllle in Iho original version of the late I'aul Armstrong's 'Kick U>." Mack played It ns a vwudeville sketch before M wfis elaborateil iiilo 91 full length I«"glt attraetion. Under the provisions of the will of Thomas Franklin Manville, known aa the "Asbestos King," L<orraina Manvllle-Gould, wife of Jay Gould, actor, inherits about half of the res- idue of the $30,000,000 estate. Th« will has been filed for probate. Oould met Miss Manville while both were members of "I'lain Jane." A romance developed with th* couple marrying soon after. They were married secretly In New Jer- sey, the first week of last March and spent a two months' honeymoon In Burope, following the closing ot the musical comedy. MIsa Manville la Gould's second wife, hla first having been Fla I^ewls, now appearing in "Rig Boy." Gould secured a divorce several years before he met Miss Manville. He was awarded the custody of their two children, now 12 and 9, both of whom are living with Gould's mother. It was reported about tne time ot Gould's marriage that his father- in-law was anxious for Gould to leave the stage and enter buslnesa life. As a result of this when abroad Gould made arrrtngement to represent the Forehin Press Adver- tising Co. In the United States. Jay Gould's real name is Clara Frank Gould, the .I.-iy being tnken for st.Tge purposes. He met Mlsa I>ewlH In IfllS when both were do- ing a two-act, "Holding the Fort," In vaudeville. Following the dl.**- solutlon of this stage and domestic partnership Gotild npT>enred In sev- eral v.Tudevlllc turns and In musical comedy. Under the provision nf the will Thomas Franklyn M.'inville, Jr., who was disinherited following hla elopment with a "Follies" girl In 1011, receives the remaining half of the estate. One million wns bequeathed t« Iho Fifth Avnlie Hospital; ,"^01.11!* McGlnnIs, a mai.l, $10 000; $25,000 e.ich to the decea.teil secretary .'ind ns?ilstant secrd.nry; nn annuity .ind home to his fntlier; lO.nrtO sh.'ires oC the caplt.Tl stoci: fif the Jobn.«-M in* vllle Co. to be purch.ised .-it h.ilf jirlce by r-i-jplo.vecs, ami to each di- rector, who has been In office 10 vors, $10,000 each. Mr.s. Clnra C. Manville, formed wife, who obtained a divorce In frl.a* ho In 100!). and who filed a. i)"tltlon in bnnkrupf y in 19r7, la not men- tioned In I be will. Mr. M.TinlUe .lleil of heart diseftsai Oct to In his apartment , at th« Hot. I I'l iz.i. New York.