Variety (December 1925)

W^nesday, December 23, 1925 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY OEY11 FULL SALARY WEEKS I LEFT ON EASTERN BIG TIME Kemainder Keith's Circuit "Cut Weeks"—Artist* I Without Organization Capable of Expression— Acts Prefer Pictures and Cabarets I, Anxiety of vaudeville acts to se- cure picture house and outside book- ings Is probably explained by a com- pilation of the remaining full sal- M-led weeks, of which there are 11 In the entire Keith Booking Ex- change. These are the Paface, New York; Albee. Brooklyn; Keith's, Philadel- phia; Keith's, Boston; Keith's, Washington; Palace, Cleveland; Keith's, Detroit; Davis, Pittsburgh; Keith's, Cincinnati; Shea's, Buffalo, »nd Princess, Montreal. All of the remaining houses, big and small time, booked by Keith's »recut salaried weeks with the cuts varying from the second salary, con- sidered a mild cut, to the houses wiilch use the "budget system" of booking, considered "amputation" by acts and agents. Where a house Is legitimately los- ing money vaudeville has always recognized the principle of the cut ■•lary to give the theatre a chance to eatabllah Itself or do a comeback. However, none of the Keith's cut ■alary houses in Greater New York bave lost a cent. It Is claimed, dur- ing the past five years. Artiatp Not Organized r An Illustration cited la the Rlver- ■Ide, New York, which has been averaging a yearly profit of $175,000 with business at the house notlce- •l>ljr off as compared to other Keith's theatres. The continuation of the cut salary plan for years has rolled up millions Ib profits for the circuits. The plan also enabled the Keith Circuit to Mctn'e a half Interest in many houses that were losing money when book- ing outside of the "office," Installing (Continued on page 7) CARD PARTIES OF 800 PLAYERS Catholic Churches Hold- ing Games in Canada JOHN BLAKE DISMISSED ON NELUS' CHARGE Two Vaudevillians in Police Court—Blake Alleged Jeal- ousy on Neliis' Part A charge of felonious assault pre- ferred again.st John Blake, 36, 216 West 56th street, vaudeville actor, by Charles Xellls, 218 West 5Gth Street, a dancer In vaudeville, was dismissed when the case was brought before M.nplstrate Levlne In West Side Court. Nellls accused Blake of slashing bla right arm with a knife early Sat- urday morning during an alterca- tion over Nellls' wife. Nellls said he was In his room when hla wife and Blako entered and assumed a love pose. lie said ho objected and St. John. N. B., Dec. 22. C.ird parties are provliifj formid- able oppo.sition for the theatres of many cities and towns in the east- ern provinces. Parochial organiza- tions attached to many of the Cath- olic churches are staging weekly card parties for both sexes. And several of the organizations are also conducting stag card competi- tions. For the mixed gatherings, there are usually six prizes, evenly divided as to sex. ^In St. John seven card parties were staged in one week, five of the mixed type and two stags. It Is nothing uncommon for 800 peopla to attend one of the card parties. The more attractive the prizes, the larger the attendance. One of the organizations is offering expensive prizes at the parties, first prize having a valuation of about $20. In the balance of the parties, however, first prize Is worth not more than $4. Never before haa the card fad tnken such a firm hold on theatre- goers. Whether the fad -will p.eter out before the close of the winter Is a matter for the future ta de- cide. Existing Indications are that the craze will maintain Its-hold'foV most of the winter at least. At the card parties, straight forty- nves prevail. In many Instances, the parties are held In the base- ments of churches, with the clergy- men in charge of the games and receipts. Altars have been removed and hundreds of collapsible chairs and tables made for the new use of what had formerly been chapels. The card parties have been big financial winners, with the theatres paying the freight, and much more profitable than Little Theatre pro- ductions on which the churches and church organizations had relied wholly In the past. Forty-five Is an old Irish game, somewhat similar to the Oerman «6 game. RiCH HAYES "EXPLORING" With "Man Friday" on "Crusoo'a Island" £:.tends Sea-on's Greetings to His Friends in America, England, Africa, Australia and Germany. Now touring OKPIIEUM CIRCUIT Direction H. B. MARINELLI, Ltd. CO-RESPONDENT CALLED; PETIE CASSON'S DIVORCE TRAVELING SALESMAN UNDEY SUSPICIOUS-WIFE LOSES HIM And Ruth Holcomb Will Collect $20 Per Besides— Gladys Bijou Mentioned Bad Manners in Her Request for Freedom—Others with Kicks $35,000 AUMONY SETTLED FOR 10% CASH Arthur Horwitz, with Peace of Mind, May Return East Okey Casson's Appeal to Petie Spurned—No Report-on What ''Winnie" Said Chicago, Deo. 23. Judge Sabath last week grcinted a divorce to Petle Gibson, vaude- vllUan, who charged her husband, Okey Casson (Casson Brothers and Nfarie), was guilty of adultery with a certain actress. According to the story, the co- respondent, not named In the divorce bill, appeared at the Clarendon hotel about a month ago and entered the room of Petio and Okey. Up to "submitting then the wife had not learned of the awerlng that he Is at present unde Chicago, Dec. 22. Arthur .T. Horwit-/., pro.ipering out here for the past two years as an Independent agent, had been plan- ning to return cast, but h.aa been deprived of his visit through matri- monial entanglements. Ilorwltz owed hla former wife (Mildred Livingston) $35,000 back alimony. Several attempts to ad- just proved futile. Laiit week the former spouse softened somewhat and notified her attorneys that she would be Interested In a settlement. Aa her former husband Is a atrlct 10 percenter, the matter was arbi- trated, with the divorcee accepting a settlement In full at 10 per cent of the amount. With that off his mind, Horwltz anticipates Invading New York. The former eastern agent when questioned aa to whom he will do with evaded by an- Cliicago, Dec 22. La.st week's as.Mortment of di- vorces from the docket of Attorney William F. Ader include Ruth Hol- ccmb and Loretta Iluuman. both of the "dreenwlch Village I-'olliea" at the local Apollo. Kuth says Algy, her lesser half, was cruel and abus- ive, a votary of the green-eyed monster. Jealousy, and ridiculously opposed to her being an actress. Ruth tlilnks that the fact Algy w.ia a traveling salesman made him Huspiciotis. The judge awarded Ruth J20 a week alimony. Kuth's show mate, on the other hand, merely says her hu.'<b.and deserted her. The husband la ClL-xrles Haunmn, musical director in a New York theutre. Two female prim-ipals from .Toe Wilton's "Girl Club" (Columbia Wheel) sued. Gladys Bijou cited examples of bad manners toward her by Charles Messenger father of her seven-year-old daughter. Hazel Alger found Gaston BiUiues incon.sidcratei. Both husbands ar« musicians. A decree vrsu^ grante \ to James U. Reynolds from Lioretta ditto. Jamea Is one of the doughboya in "What Price Glory" at the local Stude- baker. Until recently he sold aut»^ mobllefl. SUZEHE MARIE KNEW HUBBY-ASKED FOR CASH transgressions of Okey, but the co-, respondent told her everything frankly, saying the wife hod noi Tights In the case. Okey, meanwhile, la said to have retired to a corner of the room In remorse. He begged his wife to forgive him, blaming his weakness on the lone.someness of a coast tour last summer. The wife refused to forgive, so Okey is reported to have turned to the co-respondent and said: "You want me, don't you, Winnie?" It Is understood the co-respondent has a grown daughter. elded. Horwltz will leave hero Feb. 1, but will maintain his Chicago headquarters, placing Lew West, his present associate, In charge. The Horwltz office Is rated as one of the strongest Independent offlcos In the west. HELEN MENCKEN MAT TRY Helen Mencken may take a try In vaudeville, everything else being agreeable. Her si.tter, Grace Mencken, is Mrs. Wilfrid Clarke, the vaudeville far- ceur's wife. that Blake began to laugh, saying he felt sorry for the husband. The husband expressed his dls- Approval of tlie actions of the pair. Getting up from a chair, he started Walking toward them. A scuffle fol- lowed In which Nellls was slashed on the right arm. It necessitated Mveral stitches from an ambulance surgeon. Detectives Ferguson and Ollroy, West 47th street station, Vere notified and arrested Blake. Blake's Story In court Blake testifled he was passing the Neliis room when Mrs. Neliis Invited him Inside. When Inside, he said Neliis rushed toward ft trunk to got a knife and he tried to stop him. In the struggle for possession of the knife, Blalce said, NellU was cut Blake said he de- fended himf!elf, but was kicked and , punched, as w;i3 Mrs. Nelli.s. }f— Blake denied undue friendliness i between him and Mrs. Nellls and * ftttrlbut<-d Nellls' actions to jeal- ousy. Mrs. Neliis was in court, but Was not called as a witness. LEONARD SETTLED Lanoff Sistera Were Advised by Reporter How to Get Money YEAR 'ROUND XMA3 PRESENT A Subirriptlon to "VARIETY" HoimI II to Your Pripad $7, U. 8. $8, FOREIGN The Lanoff Sisters, Olga and Ivy, of 135 East 60th street, collected |165 due them from a former cabaret proprietor, Thomas Leonard, then conducting the Tla Juana Cafe, at 171st street and Broadway, Monday. They came to the West 47th street police station for advice, asking Lieutenant O'Brien at the desk. They had worked for Leonard In his cafe on upper Broadway with some other girls. When they finished Leonard g.ave the L.annff sisters a check for $165. At the bank Olga was Informed Leonard had no account there. They were out of town until recent- ly. In their search for I^eonard they located him as proprietor of the Criterion Restaurant at 127 West 47th street. Lieut. O'Brien referred the girls to the Detective Bureau there. George I'ergu.son In charge heard their stnry and re- ferred them to the West Side Court for a summons for Leonard. They told him he might disajipear again, but Ferguson said it was a civil action and could only be worked out that way. Hid in Cellar As they were leaving a reporter who heard their story advised them to find the policeman on post, where the restaurant Is located, and pre- fer a charge against Leonard, If he happened to bo In the place when they entered, of passing a worthless 'Variety* as *Bibk* of Dramatic Men Arch Selwyn In New York was dictating a letter to Charles B. Cochran In London. As the New Yorker made suggestions to the Londoner In the matter of bringing over Cochran's current I»ndon revue hit, "Still Dancing," to New York, he added (according to a listener-in, not on Variety's staff): "You had better send over aa advertisement for "Variety.' "You will need "Variety* over hcr«w It's the theatrical bible of every dramatic editor in America." (Thanks, Arch. We don't claim to be a holy, but we pray that we'll make it yet. bible or anything else Variety. check which constitutes grand lar- ceny. When they entered with the officer they immedlatly located Leonard. He at once took It on a run to the coal cellar where the otHcer located him after a search. He was dragged out, taken to the police station, and sent for a friend who described himself as George Perkins, of the Kmplre Hotel, and who paid cash on receipt of the check the girls had never been able to ca.sh at the bank. Nicky Arnstein Out .Milwaukee. Dec. 21. 'Nicky Arnstein Is due here today. He will come here direct from the Federal prison at T>>av(!nworth, to visit his wife, Fannie Brlce, who la appearing this afternoon In a Christmas benefit at the Davidson. She Is with the ".Music Box Rorvue" at the same house this week. Arnstein was at Ixsavenworth on a two-year term. With commuta- tion ott. It expired yesterday. A complaint pending against him on a New Jersey charge of fraud must Mari;uH Lorw Is due In New York hare been squared, since no war-1 today from T.os Angeles. He lifm rant detained Amatete upon leaving I been away for about tlir<>e week.s the prison. land left the coast Saturday. THEFT REPORTED DAILY The Hutts Arrested; Albert Is -^ Roller Skater RochCHter, N. Y., Dec 28. While Mrs. fMHra Hutt, 25, was being arraigned in City Court on a charge of grand larreny ye)5ter<l.'iy, police announced that Albert Hutt, roller skating champion, to r<'tain whose love .she Htole, had been ar- rested in Detroit and would be brought back bore toilay, charged with gr.ind larceny. Mrs. ilutt, police sUite, stole $1,600 from u local dry goods store during tlie last three Christmas sea- sons. Daily reports of her thefts were wired to her husband, to wtiom toll Is unknown. Mrs. Hutt's hearing Is set for Dec. 2tt. She was arrested Sunday at hor home In Buffalo. Made Dancer of Salesman, Then Separated—in Court After Ring Los Angeles, Dec. 22. Suzette Marie Bermudes, dancei^ Is still having her troubles with her husband, Jose Bermudoz, a sales- man until she endeavored to mak* a dancer out of him. Suzette and Jose did not get alonf as dancing partners. They sepa- rated and a divorce suit waa brought by Suzctto. Pending tho trial Jose was Instructed by tho court to turn over certain property belonging to his wife. One article was a diamond ring she had loaned him, which he refused to turn over, so she had him brought before Su- perior Court Judge Oates. Suzette, as she had on other oc- casions, told all her troubles with her husband and how they just couldn't get .along, because he would not work to meet his obligations to her. Jose told the court that he owed a small board bill amounting to about $107 and as security for It tho landlady was holding the ring. Ho said he might borrow the money to pay the bill. Huzctte was a little bit In doubt about his promises, and interrupted and asked the court to have him ttirn the money over to h'-r and she would pay the bllL Otherwise she claimed after Joso got his hands on the ring again .she would never see It The court complied with her wishes, and for the time belny .Sui^etto la snilUng and happy. Colored Stock Actor Away for 4 Months Toronto, Doe. 22. I..conard Johnson has been given four months in Jail for running a dl.sorderly place. He < lalms to have been an acto? In a colored atock company in tho .States; also he has l)een running a (')iarle.ston dance Kcbool hern. MA&CUS LOEW IN TODAY HERMAN BACH JEWELER to I.«tiitvV. Frlnrn', N V A. an4 (IrHin Hiiiin <'lut»« 1540 Broadway, New York I»ru'* Stair Riiltilinc 10"; Theatrical Discount