Variety (December 1925)

^^"rfT'i VARIETY VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, December 88, 1825 MERRY CHRISTMAS! By J. C. NUGENT Merry Christmas! How are you all? Not that it matters. Yes, It doea, too. MtToly trying to bo playful. I hope sincerely that you are all very happy. There Is no one living to whom I do not wish all priippr joy. Variety Is so darned conven- tional. Tint's the only reason for using a limiting adjective. How am 1? Fine. Have had a big hit and two surcessful opera- tions this year, one on Wall street and one on tlie sol.ir plexus. Doing an hour a day in the gym and five on the typeuriter. The new play? Itowrlting it, thanks. I think it's getting worse, but it deserves it. The family? firoat. They don't feel abovo me. Of course, they don't feel above 1 >dy. Which cuts down my a\' re. How are all your folks? That's splendid. Tell them you saw me If you can. - Tou cant'? I think you're right. Still, I do get a lot of nice letters and com- plimojits and advice about this column. I ran't take all the advice. I can't do HO many tilings at one time, especially to myself. Changes in Producing I think there will be a lot of chanties in the dramatic producing field before next Christmas. Per- haps some intelligent organized method of salvaging so much of the waste of Immature productions. Perhaps a lengthening of the play run possibilities in some of the larger cities. Including Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Washington. New Tork had notv able runs when it was no larger than some of those. If the spoken drama Is to live It must have some territory. The road has been gone for a long tim<. Meanwhile, cities like Detroit can- not get acquainted with the merit of a play nor prove Its value In one week. The pictures will continue to 'crowd the spoken play, but they will automatically crowd It toward the top. There will be fewer and better plays. But those few will spond to the best and truest of Its kind, be it burlcsfiue, farce, slap- stick or drama. You cant fool them. Tliey Indulge in no essays, .speeches or protests. Their re- sponse Is instinctive and involun- tary. They do not ever kirk. Tliey Just like it or tliey stay away. And what they like is good of its kind, whether we think so or not. If It pretends to be real it must be believable. If It pretends to amuse, It must amuse. In either case It must Interest, and, above all, It must be true, Kven phantasy must be true, with the sweet truth of phantasy, which is why we still believe in Santa Claus. Merry Christmas, New Incorporations New York Mitchell Studio, Manhattan, the- atrical advertising, 100 shares com- mon no par; directors, M. H., Flor- ence lOpslein, L,lllian Selay. Attor- ney, S. S. Bobbe, S< West 44th street. J. M. and L. W. Theatre Corp., Albany, pictures, 100 shares com- mon no par value; directors, H. W. Burmaster. M. M. Pedlow, Albany; M. K. Leonard, Brookview. At- torney, S. F. Hartman. 120 Broad- way, Manhattan. SuMman Theatra Ticket Office, Manhattan, 100 shares common nu par v.alue; directors. Rose Kassel, Isabelle Wel.ss, H. J. Welnsteln. Attorney, F. B. Sanford, 165 Broad- way. M.C. Distributing Co., Manhattan, pictures, capital $25,000; directors, IjOuIs Glisinger, Louise C. Jentes, Ksther Freedman. Attorneys, Jentes & James, 200 Fifth avenue. \^ Excellent Pictures Corp., M.an- hatt^n, pictures, 50 shares common, no par; directors, M. J. and A. S. Krellberg, D. M. Palley. Attorneys, Palley & Zierler, 1440 Broadway. Theatre Presentations, Manhat- tan, capital $20,000; directors. A. RosenfeVl, Leo Sunshine, Thomas A. Kirby. Attorney, Joseph L. Zoetzl, White Plains, New York. The Danger Trail, pictures, ad- vertising, 500 shares common, no par value; directors, Nathan Mes- singer, David J. Brown. Attorney, Francis P. Pace, S2 Broadway. Florida Park Association, Queens County, hotels, pictures; capital. Bet the atandards for picture repro- ! 115,000; directors. Rudolph Gobig, auction. The finer plays need the I ^"d George Seldel, both of Glen NIGHTLIFE - not but luxe (Continued from par* 4) The hotel la closed tlghter'n a chance for a little booze, Brother, the Tlata ia the de edition of scenic splendor, and not perhaps, either. *A surfeit of this If you're a Hong Kong "permanent" It begins to pall after awhile and you yearn for a little action. Everything—But Shades of the Susskinds and the Salvins! If these caterers were only given free rein In^ong Kong 'twould be a veritable gold mine for them. Everything In Its favor—cosmopoli- tan population "dyin' to go" and with the necessary werewithal, but to no avail—the government's agin' It. The Shanghai and Hong Kong hotels company have things sewed up. They con^ol the Hong Kong, Repulse Bay and Peak hotels. Danc- ing, such as it is. In the first two, to the strains of Filipino orchestras. Tariff reasonably modest, but a Jolly party is frowned at by the other clients. Hong Kong takes Its play hour seriously. The grim visage seems much In evidence. Wear the dinner suit or don't go out. The real "times" are bad in the private homes on the "Peak," aa its name denotes; it's the big hill In the center of the town. Very exclusive and quite hotsy totsy. Every once in awhile the Governor General ■ throws a racket at bis Igloo, part way up the hill. To sneeze up here Is worth your life. Mrs. William Astor In her palmiest days of dominant hold over New York society never moved in auch an aura of frigidity. They'd like to loosen up, but don't know how. Ah! but we have the shows. The itinerant stock troupes are very well supiK>rted. Companies from London and Australia the big noise. Ask Tim Frawley—he knows. Kreisler, Hcifctz. Pavlowa and Lauder sell out weeks in advance of their com- ing. • There's no real night life In Hong Kong. We all look forward eagerly to Sunday afternoon to a Hcglra to Macao, i^ Portuguese possession four hours away. There we can buck the fan tan game and play roulette. The visitor to Hong Kong always comes away with awe Inspiring stories aneat the beauty of the place but as for the poor Muzxier who must live there—he says It's •beastly." FORUM The Forum is for show psopla, for eomplalnta or views. ' Letters to the Forum should be limited to 160 words and not dupl]. eated to any other paper. New Tork, Dec. 14. Editor, Variety: In my letter I made an error in the matter of dates. I fear that some of those who are claiming to have originated the Charleston may seize upon the op- portunity to furtlier their own claims. When I stated It was In 1922 that I first discovered the step, I should have said 1923 In the spring. Permit me to apologise for taking up so much time in trying to straighten out this question. EUda Weh\), ) human voice. The finer things in any branch of creative art must live, if >Mily as an inspiration to the lesser. A thing cannot be greater than it's brain, can It? Flood of Capital New combines will undoubtedly change surface values around a good deal in show business. Ab- solutely unprecedented combina- tions of capital are moving down Upon the business. Perhaps it will make the mistake of crippling the goose that lays the golden egg. Artificial fallacies have always done that when trying to overcome a natural law. Horizontal salary cuts In some branches have saved some manage- ments a lot of money on "next week," but the thin?; cut helow its actual drawing value escaped up- ward from them and took Its fol- lowing along. So It did not help next year. The opiwrtunlst policy, the Im- mediately expedient policy, the "next week and to hell with the future" policy, has always been the mistake of any arbitrary or- ganized power. As the men who know better grow older they with- draw from active management. Managers' sons sit In the boxes with the "society" they are trying to break into, and help kid their own shows. Younir and Inexperi- enced "efficiency experts" worm In and show how to "cut the over- head," cutting with it the life of the show's appeal. Patriotism of profession becomes a high sounding thing for banquets and interviews and platinum pal- aces house shows of cheap stock grade. But the spoken drama will live and grow better, and with se- lective systems of greater excel- lence there will be more hits and fewer productions. A Serious Business It is a serious business, my mas- ters. And founded upon the rocU of truth. No comhlnutlons of capi- tal, no unions, no appeals to sala- ciousness, no fake publicity, no trick acting will last, though it may thrive awhile. There Is no critic as unerring as the Inarticulate public. There re- action is Infallible. They re- dal?, L. I., William L. Hauck, West Orange, N. J. Attorney, Robert E. Voffett, R94 Broadway, Brooklyn. Park Lane Theatre Corp., Man- hattan; capital, $20,000; directors, P. H. Rosner, Irene Miller. Astoria, and Rose Kaplan. Attorneys. Kap- lan, Kosman A Streusand, 1640 Broadway. 8t. Cecile Grand Opera Co., Brook- lyn, opera, theatrical; capital, $20,- 000; directors, C. Sodero, Nino Ruisi, Cesare Franco. Attorney, D. J. De Andrea, same address. Schelhoe Realty Co., Manhattan, hotels, theatres; capital. $5,000; R. A. McCourt, James A. Harklns and Samuel S. Tripp. Attorneys, Halli- nan & Uroh, 35 Nassau street. Dissolutions Si>eedway Amusement Co. of Fort George, Manhattan. JeSsy Trimble, Manhattan (formerly Town and Country I'layers). Non-Stock Corporations National Club For Better Movies, Manhattan, proposes to participate I In a national movement for the pro- duction ot artistic and educational motion pictures. Directors, Oscar Schlieff, 600 Kastern Parkway, Brooklyn; Kilzabeth Lerner, 8321 21st avenue. Brooklyn; Lillian Mayer. 783 Beck street; Archie E. Latto. 259 Stone avenue, Brooklyn; Louis Tyroler, Rockvllle Center; Ruby P. Mayer, 110 East lV6th street; Rose Flranzbleau, 101 West 112th street. Attorney, Lyman Hes6, 1440 Broadway. JUDGMENTS Music Lovers Assn., Inc., and Clements De Macchi; A. Aquarlno; $12.1.05. F. F. Proctor Schenectady Theatre Con Inc.; City of N. T.; $49.«2. F. F. Proctor Portehaater Theatra Co., Inc.; same; same. F. F. Proctor New York Theatres Co., Inc.; same; same. F. F. Proctor Troy' Theatre Co^ Inc.; same; same. De Feo Grand Opera Co., Inc.; M. Sylva; $252.95. Gate Cinema Corp.; B. B. A H. Really Corp ; $877.20. Legislative News, Page 2 Commencing with this issue, and during the 69th Congress, ail legislative news or reports appertaining to any part of the show business will be found on page 2 of each issue of Variety. MAHIM Manila! There's a taoss of a dif- ferent wa^on! If there ever was a wide open burg, here is it—plenty. Hotter'n the famed aeven hinges, its climate ia conducive to cabaret life. No prohibition restrictions, even though it's an insular possession of theae deer arid and free United States. Lasy, tropical Manila! With a wealth extradition and romance, is It any wonder the visitor goes goofy when Miss Luna oomea up and l>^evolently beams on all and sundry? Let's atart the night. Manila's working day ends pronto at B o'clock. Zowle! to the Elka Club. A big, spacious, hospitable bang- out. Here the boys gather and re- gala each other whilst sipping cool- ing drinks over a real "homeside" bar. The rendezvous for the stags. Conviviality at its best. Tou be- come acquainted in no time. Cock- tall hour la 7. We hit the breeze shortly after to go back to the hotel and dress for dinner. On our way atop in at the Army and Navy Club. Just next door, and look over the works. Mixed assem- blage, giving an impression of simi- lar sights In our own country clubs of pre-Volstead days. Back to the Manila Hotel. lobby Jammed with tourists and perma- nents. Phew! it's hot. but gettin' cooler. One thing about these trop- ical nights, heat tapers down after sunset and the trade monsoons al- leviate the feeling of depression ex- perienced during the day. On the Water Now for the big shower and a change of clothes. We'll tie on the oats in the hotel, what? Dining room and dance floor right on the water. American destroyers and battleships at anchor in the bay. Tenders and motor boats flitting by show up phosphorus on the wuter and you're entranced. A highly colored jazz band from the States renders corking dance music. The town is dance mad. Officers in the Army and Navy and their wives comprise the bulk of the steppers. The high-class Filipinos doto on dancing and constitute a New York, Dec. 18. In reference to the article on the Times square page of this week's Variety, the case of Cornell and Noda meeting the "Wet Wash Mag- net." The facts are as follows: I went Into the producing busi- ness with A. Rosenfeld last spring. I worked hard and conscientiously to organize a corporation in which I was 60 per cent interested. We engaged Mr. Cornell as our pro- ducer at a salary, producing and booking two shows. Mr. Cornell had been given a script by Harold Orlob, who claimed authorship. To my knowledge, this script was not copyrighted at the time produced by Mr. Cornell. Mr. Orlob later secured an Injunction to prevent It:: opening. The resul was Kosenfeld dis- rupted the corporation and subse- quently I took a portion of the as- sets, to which I r/aa legally en- titled as half owner. Rosenfeld secured a summons. fair percentage of the payee No use quittin' here till midnight or shortly after. Then to Santa. Ana, nice motor drive. Santa Ana claims to have the biggest dance floor in the world. A large wooden structure about as big aa one of our armories. Divided in the center by a lattice work, the ritzy bunch terp on one side and the "ballerinas" or Filipino "host- esses" dance on t'other with their bluejacket and soldier l>oy friends. Wonderful floor. Twenty-five pieces for real Filipino harmony, and when these bozos play a waits— you're gone! They specialize on the old Spanish standbys, "La Oolon- drtno," "Cielito Lindo" and the rest. Just a word for the ballerinas. They're caught on wonderfully to the American style of dancing. Bom dancers, they take to It like a Russian to a uniform. claiming grand larceny. We ap. peared after several adnournmenta in the Magistrate's Court, and fli.ully we were held for the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury dismissed both cases due to lack of evidence, claim- ing we were within our legal rights and there was no intent to defraud Mr. Rosenfeld. We are now about t^ start suit against Mr. Rosenfeld for malicious persecution and an e..ual division of the corporation's assets. Al Koda. St. Louis, Dec 18. Editor Variety: In the Variety a dance team challenges all comers In a regular contest of dancing. It specifies "doing the most atepa without stopping." Not making clear the particular styles ot dancing. (1) Doea it include ballet and acrobatic? (2) The part specified. "Doinr the most steps"; can that be meant the one vho dances the longest time? Example (A) Dances 100 minutes. (B) Dances 70 minutes. "A" dances the longest time, but. In the duration of time he has actually done fewer different steps than "B" who has only danced 7-10 as Ion? aa "A." What U the answer? (3) Docs speed, style, etc. enter Into contest? (4) Who judges contest? Isn't it iMssible to select a few judges and stage the affair in a hall suitable to both contestants and audience, especially a hall where contestants can view each other's work, to register complaint If an attempt at repeating stepa is made. According to the word- ing of challenge, that of course should play an Important part ia contest. Would appreciate if you will mention In a later Issue of Variety when this contest will be held. Tours with oil on my shoes, Waiis McNalh. Lerma Park, Tough Ijerma Park ia the next "stand." Al>out two stratas below Santa Ana and convincingly tough. Patronized chiefly by the enlisted men. Big kick Is watching 'em dance. Breakfast at Tom's Dixie Kitchen In the downtown business section is the grand flnale. Ab>.ut four or five, best time. Akin somewhat to Jack's In New York of bygone days. Tom's Is famous all over the Orient. Great for ham—and. Always packed with a lively crowd. Very bohemian. One of those plano-in-the-corner places, and always a volunteer tc play it° Impromptu quartets and they all dance. Prices are quite, rea-sonable in all placea A Scotch highball sets you back 80 centavos (40 cents) in any of the night places. Taxis are cheaper here tlian any other city. Can be hired as cheap aa two pesos ($1) an hour. Better cars cost more accordingly. Manila has Its "line" on the town outskirts. A "look-see" here calls for heavy damages to the bT. They soak, and heavy. All in all. Manila is charming. Enough life for the most hectic. Has not the glamor of the Orient, rather the lure of the Tropica Wonderful atmosphere—and you've Just gotta go out—it's too hot to stay home. I Editor, Variety: Kindly correct that I glory hi having been the first to have done the original shadow dance. It has been quite a few years aince Variety leave me a notice on aame under another trade name, not the one I am now using. In Variety's review of the "SiUc Stocking Revue" at the Columbia It said: "The other dancing high- lights were the specialty dancing of Billy LaMonte and Armonds Monte. The latter's solo eccen- tric and shadow dancing in which his partner mimics his shadow movements behind a drop." This should read aa done by Em- mett and King, not Billy LaJfont* and Armonde Monte. Then later on it mentions: "Monte stands out at all times with^ his versatile specialties." He has no specialty outside of his clarinet solo, which notice does not men- tion. Emmett and King are hopping and skipping all through the re- vue with a couple of specialties. It may be possible that following ourselves on and oft It might bs confusing. Emmett and Kitiff. P. S.—I do believe Monte wai given credit for my efforts. f Hsrry Rice, of New York, will take charge es manager of the Frank Keeney enterprises at Wil- liamsport. Pa., two picture houses, aa local manager. Milton Forman Is the retiring manager. The next Midnite of the Green Room Clnh will bo given to Paul Whiteinan and Vincent Lopez. New York, Doc. !•• Editor, Variety: In this week's Issue, you mention the Actor's Fund in an article en- titled "A Worthy OrganlzaUon at(^ Christmas." V Your reply to a request for t» l list of the most worthy and needy organizations which will accept voluntary contributions" names the Actors' Fund. All that you say in regard to tha» splen.lid charity Is true, but it seems only fair that a statenient you make later be corrected. lou say the Episcopal. Jewish and Catholic Guilds are also worthy bufej "in a way self-svipporting." The only Income of the Episcoj pal Actors' Guild Is from dues, a year from professionals and^ed from laymen, and from onr ^" / benefit perfornumco. V , ** Hex ford K'-ti'IHcBr Vm Executive Horrr/cv« ^°