Variety (December 1925)

*'i Wednesday. December 28. 1W5 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY ORPHEUM CIRCUIT B(K)KSAa FOR 3 YEARS-DWT ASK KEITH'S 3insle Woman's Rapid Booking—Keith Bookers Delaying Until Meeting—First Time for Or- pheum's Independent Action For the first time without con- ■uUlng the afflllated Keith offlnlals the Orpheum Circuit laat week ginned up an act for three yeara. The turn waa Jenn Joyson, sin- gle woman, who opened at the H«imiUon, New York, Monday. She wa« seen by an Orpheum booker Wednesday and signed for thre* years Thiiraday, considered a record booklnp. The girl la a newcomer to vaude- Tllle hailing from Newburg, N. Y. She had previously • played two weeks in Keith-booked houses with ae consecutive booklnps offered as htr salary had not been set through the regular channels, which means the act after a break-In period Is submitted to the bookers at a meet- tng. The precedent established due to the slowness of thla method has been for the Orpheum bookers to first ascertain the Intentions of the ESastem bookers before lifting an act out of the Eastern houses. 20 CLOSED FOR WEEK At least 20 Independent small timers closed this week due to the pre-holiday slump In busi- ness. Most of the closed houses are in the Metropolitan subtirban sections. ORPHEUM CIRCUIT SUED FOR $100,000; BREACH Cabaret Owners Aliene Con- tracted Ad Withheld from Palace, Chicago, Program Mrs. Kohl's Vic Not Holding Ui>—2d Choice Chicago, Dec. 22. It U reported Mrs. Caroline Ij. Kohl la thinking of unloading the Vic theater after two seasons of trying to operate It as a vaudeville hotise. When the Vic had only the Un- eeln to compete witfi. all was serene, but since becoming hemmed f« by the Dlveraoy on ona side and the Riviera on the other the Vic has be«n treated dke a step-child by the booking office. It la understood that desilte Mrs. Kohl is one of the Ovpheum vice presidents and the third or fourth largest Individual stockholder, the Orpheum crowd Is anxious for her to relinquish her private enterprises. They have made a rule that no act may play the Vic until'it hi^ first been submitted to Sam Kahl and the Orpheum Jr. bookers. In other word."«, the Tlo gets what la left over. On top of this the Lincoln, Dlver- ■ey and Riviera have first choice on all the best acts for nothing. It la understood that Mrs. Kohl has lost heavily on the Vic and la growing reluctant to throw more money after bad. Bee Jackson Judging and Dancing at Keith's Palace Cleveland, Dec. 22. A local talent Charleston Con- test is being staged at the Palace this week by John Royal with Bee Jackson, Charleston dancer, acting as the sole Judge of the winner. A local band has been boq^ked and accompanies for the volunteer dancers. Mlsa Jackson la also do- ing her specialty on the program In addition to picking the winners. If the stunt catches on it will be tried out In other Keith houses in the East Chicago, Dec. 22. Ch.irglng that the adverti.sement mentioning Van and Schenck who were then uiiix^urins at the llondez- vous cabaret, was withheld from the Palace theatre program, throu;;li Van and Schenck being a vaudeville lieadline act, LUlerman & Uothchild h;ive commenced a damage action for $100,000 aj-'alnst the Paluce Pub- lisliiii;;- Company, Orpheum Circuit ;ind Mort Singer. The Rendezvous says It holdy a contract for two yeara for the back page of the Palace proi^ram; that throu(;li the withdrawal of their ad- vertisement, the cabaret lost busi- ness and money during the term of Van and Sehenck's engagement. Billy Sunday's Schedule Wllllamsport, Pa_ Dec. 2S. Jan. 3 and at Blnghamton, N. Y., will be the start of the Evanglellst Billy Sunday's 1926 campaign. Other campaigns so far laid out for the new year are at Cape Gardeau. Mo.: Monrovia, Calif., and Ashland, Ore. Sunday usually baa a program of five campaigna a year. He sp^nt six weeks In Williamsporl and preached four sermons the final day. It was announced (and not thla paper's estimate), that Sunday got $18,500 the last week of the local stay, representing his offerins. Funny Mix-Up The City, Irvington, N. J., open.s Friday wlLh its bills booked through Walter Plimmer Instead of Jack LIndcr as previously announced. Plimmer gets the house through Linder having to pasfe It up on ac- count of booking the Star In the same town, which la a twe-day stand, whereas the City will play a split week policy. When Llnder okayed the house he thought it was in Irvington. N. Y. When posters later advertised "Lln- der's Vaudeville," the Star manage- ment wanted to know why he was booking the opposition house. To make it more complicated, the new house la being directed by Rob- ert Sterling,' formerly a field man for Linder, who will have Ben Har- rison associated. The Union Rules In one of the ie^it rioa.luay I'.ealrob a atage hand has lici-a vviJi the same firm for U years. He was lately lnstru-l.<i to rc.iuce liLs men by two. Re- Iil;, ing the show could not be lianiJli'd if two men were re- rnovt^l, the following morning !:■• ri'i-eived a two wteUs imtice uf (lisniissai. I'ri senting the farts to his •union (.N'o. 1). the theatre was irii.rmcil that th<-re coiiM be no n-iiiirtion of the crow and the Ti.>; ii-e to the stasc lianil vtould havt' to be withdrawn—tliat he wa.s there for the remalndtr of this season. At the olllce of No. 1. no In- formation would be given out layond the statement that "everything has been adjusted sati.sfaclorily—there will be no reduction of the crew.' PMAGES N. Y. HOUSES AND OTHERS Expansion Plans Take in East and Sobth—N. Y. Headquarters Farber Sisters Again Following their marriages and years away from the stage, Irene and Constance Farber have author- Iced Alf T. Wilton to negotiate for their return together to vaudeville. Before marrying each of the Far- mer girls appeared with a show. CHAS. ALTHOFF AS LEGIT Chas. Althoft will open in a stocjt try-out of Henry Burton's "Do Unto Others" In Indianapolis next Au- gust. tf- Althoft has Just completed a tour •f the I'antagea Circuit and opens •n a return engagement . Burton Is an Indianapolis newspaper man. 11 FUU WEEKS (Continued from page 6) the "cut" schedule and putting the houses over the top. The "cuts," born of expediency, like the poor, will always be around In the opinion of vaudeville men. Artists have grown ao used to them they no longer believe they can register any unified disapproval and have no organization capable of ex- pressing their reactions. Many vaudeville experts argue that the practice, which seemingly and on the surface has made big money for Its sponsors, has also ^ullt up its own opposition and ,*olp8 to promote own big time plc- ^ree through discouraging thou- %nds of acts and causing them to Vk other circuits and fields. The Ynt stampede to the picture ^ Is pointed to as proof of thiii Won, with cabaret engagements Tempted In lieu of the cutting lyHfem. . ^, ; j Grace Fisher in London Grace Plsher has been engaged for the London production of "Kid Boots." due soon. She will handle the role originated by Kthelyn Terry. Leslie Hanson, the English come- dian, who will have Eddie Cantor's role and who came over to see Can- tor's performance returned from Chicago last week and sailed for England. Miss F^lsher In private life is the wife of Ballard Macdonald. They h^ve been of late Involved in mar- ital litigation, with Macdonald or- dered by the court to pay alimony. Doubling on *'Lifts'' C. K. Y. as "Single" Clara Kimball Young Is shelving her act, "The Adorable Wife," and will become a new single under di- rection of Harry Weber. Although not generally known. the screen star possesses a trained voice. ZOUP WELSH Am) NED NORTON M recent vaudeville two-act are Harry. "Zoup" Welsh, shortly re- turned from EIngland, and Ned (Clothes) Norton. Mr. Welsh is the comedian and Mr. Norton the straight man of the combination. ILL AND INJUBED W. M. Taylor, elderly screen and stage actor is in the General Hos- pital. Los Angeles, in a serious con- dition, suffering from hernia. Tay- lor was taken to the hospital after collapsing on the sidewalk. Mrs. Isham Jones Is III in Chicago with a bad cold contracted on the return voyage from London. Mrs- Irene Castle McTvaughlln un- derwent a minor operation last week in St. Luke's Honpltal. Chicago. Grace Merritt is at her home. 206 West 67th street. New York, re- covering from a severe operation performed at the Lenox Hill Hospi- tal. Ernie Erdman, in charge of the band and orchestra department for Leo Fe St. Chicago office, has been confined In a hospital for several weeks with nervous breakdowm. A vaudeville producer la con- templaLing a tab act, "The Freshman." which will have a college football motif and will carry a futuristic football film scene with "Red Change" as the hero in a 193S acrimmage. The use of the "Freshman" title for a vaudeville tab in view of the Harold Lloyd film, and the play on the Grange name (used as "Change") may Invite attention. Boston 4 Wins Contest Flop as Business Getter The Knickerbocker Club Quartet of P.tiston won the Kt-iUi Nntion;xl Quartet Contest at the llii)i>o Irome, New York, SHtur-::ay niKlil. defeat- ing the Great I^akes Criteiion Quar- tet of Cleveland in a cU)se finish .ifter a final week of eliminations. The contest had been going on since October in a few cities, with the local winners meeting at the Hippodrome laat week. The winners will be routed In the houses where the sone finals were held, and in addition receive a ca*h prir.e of $100 from the Massachu- setts zone. > The finals resulted In the Adel- phlans, Brooklyn, deroating the Rigoletto Four. Bronx; I eo Quartet, Manhattan, defeated Adelphlana; Leo defeated Genesee-Roche."<ter; I'ennsylvania—Philadelphia defeat- ed Leo QuarteL The winning four include Norman Arnold, Roy Harlow. Walter Kidder and A. Cameron Steels, with Robert Nichols at the piano. The victory was helped by the showmanship of Bart Gnady. mana; Hoston, who help their routine of songs and In the presentation. The contest Is credited with prov- ing a very mild busliieHs-gelter in some sections. At the Hippodrome it failed to Increase the gro.ss. The New York PantaRes Circuit office, moved to the Bethlehem building, will become the main of- fice of the oiriuit under the now expansion plans of Alexander I'ant- anes. The cireuit will announce the name of t)io New York City house whi"h will play I'antages vaudeville within a f< w dayn. A deal la al.so bcinsr clo.sed for u Cliioago house, another in New ()rlt\ins. I'an vaude- ville will play Warner Hriis.% Clevel.and, and lias invaded Texas, playing Dallas and Fort Worth wi h hou.sea announced for San Antonie and Houston. Denver has returned to the Pant- ages Circuit and, beginning Jan. S, will take the road shows for a full week going west and coming east, closing up an open week and adding a week to the tour. The publicity and billing will be handled from the New York office In future instead of from Chieai^a. Ed Milne and K. C. Bostick will be in charge of the New York olfice, with Bob Burns and ^Iss Cohen as assistants. Itostlek ^s the former Pantugea Northwestern represeuta- tlvo. Art LaVeme Arrested After Hailed as Hero San Francisco, Dec. 22. Arthur LaVeme, an Itinerant professional dancer who was re- ported fatally shot when he at- tempted to Intercept a bandit In Sacramento last week, and who was publicly regaled as a hero for his action, was placed under ar- rest In a ho.spltal in that city, when it was apparent that he would re- cover. Los Angeles police charge that LaVerne was Implicated In a robbery there a month ago. LaVerne was play Ins la the Senator. Sacramento Los Angeles. Dec. 22. Charged with placing a sleeping potion in the drink of a prominent physician In Los Angeles and then robbing him of Jewelry In a down- town hotel. Arthur Ambrose, pro- fessionally known as Arthur La- Verne. Charleston dancer, was ar- rested pn a request of the Loa Angeles police. LaVerne was also known here as Arthur LaPorle. After he had given the potion to the physician he escaped from the hotel by removing the hinges from a rear exit. Shaker Shakes Hubby Thelma Carlton, ehlmmy shaker, finally shook' off her marital ties to Francis J. Burns, also a performer, when a final decree was granted her In Chicago. Miss Carlton alleged non-support Sheridan Sq. Playing Pop, with Film-Splitting Pittsburgh. Dec. 22. The Sheridan Square theatre^ probably the most popular in th* nager of Keith's. *""''^' Liberty district, has changed ed^the four select| P"J'fy- I" addition to vaudevll'.e it is now showing a feature picture. The new policy has five acts, fea- ture picture and entire bill changed twl<-c weekly. In the past the Sheridan Square played only short movie subjects with its stage pro- gram. „ A new pipe organ Is soon to be installed. It will furnish music for both screen and stage attractions alon.sr with the house orchestra. J. O. Huoley Is manager. Houses Opening The City, Hoboken, N. J., will play four acts of vaudeville on Saturdays and Sundays beginning this week. The shows will be booked by Jack Llnder. MIXING 'EM UP A new vaudeville ael is In rehear- sal In New York which will com- prise a Japanese Jiu JiLsu expert and (Jharlestoner. an IrLsh-It.'iilan girl (Frances Gray) and a German boy, dancer and prodigy pianl.st. The trio will feature International songs and dancesi. each topping a sperinlty with a "Charleston." Opera at Palace, Cleveland Chicago Opera will play the Pal- ace, Cleveland, the week of Feb. I. The opera passed up the People's Auditorium with a Heating capacity of 10,000. due to Us size, according to report. The usual Keith vaudeville bill will be passed up for the week. Wrecked Office for $300 Galveston, Tex., Dec. 22. Yeggmen wrecked the ofilce of the Martini theatre Sunilay night, obtaining $300. Theatre plays In- ter.state Circuit vaudcvillu two days weekly; pictures and rotd shows remainder of week. Colored Dancers Picked Up, Told to Hop East San Francisco. Doc. 22. Trice and Butler, colored dancer* who wlldoatfed to the coast, were up In police court as pickpocket suspects. They obtained their re- lease by performing a dance routine before the court, who ordered them to hop right back east, when they told htm they had danced their way here from New York. Olga Cook Married Olga Cook, prima donna with The Student Prince" nt the Great Northern, Chle.igo, Dec. 15 to O. Keith Line, owner of H-vera. riding aeo'lcmies in Chirair'). Mrs. Line will retire from the ^tngp. Flash Act Producer* Fred Martin and Paul Poole have effected a producing partnership and will sponsor several new nash acts. The first will be a six-people tab, featuring Hughte and Charlotte MABRIAGES David Murray to Hi'da Lee. danc- ing team, in San Franrlaco, Dec. 13. Mr. Murray is sta^o director at the Grenada, during the absence of Jack rorlinglon In the east. Rube Wolf, orchc.stra leader at the Boulevard. I.rf>s Angeles, to Sunny Perry, dancer, at Beverly mils, Cal., Dec. 1.1. Peggy White, appearing In pres- entations at the U. F. A. theatre. Berlin. Germany, to yMcxander Omansky (ballet master) Dec. 1 in Porlln. Gladys Hight (dancing teacher) to Winton Kelley (radio expert) In Chicago. Dec. 20. Dorothy DeVore, film actress, to A. W. M.Tther. executive of the Con- solidated Theatres, of Honolulu, in San Franclstvs Deo. VH. ....... TWO REPORTERS SEPARATE .San l''rancl;)ro, Dec. 22. Theresa FitzgerallT! local reporter, was given a divorce from Eddi* I'Mtzgeraid, agent at Pantages, also on a local dally. The union resulted In great mental suffering on the part of Mrs. Fitzgerald, the evidcnc* shows, so the courts untied the knot to relieve her mind. No alimony was asked or awarded. Western Revue on Interstate Mossman-Turner Revue opens a tour of the Inler.st.'vte Circuit at New Orleans, /an. 10. The act Is being brought Kant by the M. 3. Bentharn office. It haa appeared in Cecil Do Mille pictures and In the West coast mi>- tion plcnire hou.ses. JN AND OUT RosaHe Claire lias I' ft the cast of the "(IrcenwU'h F">!:ic3." ('!)!( ago. Her work Is divided between th« Dtiftll ainers. . '. < ' ■ • -■ '^ • it