Variety (December 1925)

r . "'^■ST"' ""■' '■'''"*■'. A r.rw,- VARIETY Wednesday, December 30, 1925. 'RCUND M SdUARE 8lct Machines Payino Overhead The quarter slot mariunt's are back In the speakeasies. This time with • vengeance. These contrap'.lons, the percentage of which tun usually be fixed by the house lo suit, are arranged In most of the places on a tOc. kickback per doMpr In one place, the machines are takini,' in an average of $6JP nightly, paying the entire overhead and expenses. There Is a heavy penalty for running the machines. If caught, a Jail •entence usually fohowo but the speakeasy men figure that they're In trouble anyway If they get caught and that a little more trouble wont Offset the amount of money the machines can take In. Few of the places rent them, as was formerly the custom, the understanding being that they are sold outright lor $175. Those working In the square now are quarter machines. Wise guys watch the come-ons Iti^e four or. five dollars an.l then begin |)laylng, figuring the "breaks" come around at a stated lime and that if they can | figure Uiat time by clo^e observation, ihey have a chance. Barbers' Price List Gambling House Doorman Bought $10,003 Car A traveler recently returning from the French Kiverla relates an oc- currence while he was looking on, ouislde of a gambling casino. A young man (Kuropean), drove up in a new roadster, of a brand selling for (10,- #00, and much more on this side. He left the car standing and entered the place. Losing all of his money and pledging what jewelry he had •n him. he came outside, calling out: "Who will buy this car from me for $1,5007*' (Using francs Instead.) No one answered, until the doorman of a neightoring casino stepped •ver. "You want to sell for all time for $1,S00?" he asked. '•Tes, certainly," anpwcred the youth. ''Wait a mJnute," said the doorman, returning to his own casino, going Inside and coming out with the money. He handed It to tho' boy and drove the car away. To avert a strike recently the boss hnrbers of .Vew York entered Into convention and or- ganized. A new scale applic- able to all the members was put Into force, with the work- ing barbers taking a share of ibe lni-r«'ases to better their Incomes and ease up their com- pl.-ilnts. In the new scale as below the only Increases are for shav- ing, 5c. tacked on, and hair cuts, 10c. Barbering Prices Shave 25 Hair cut 60 Massage 50 Clay pack 1.00 Shampoo 50 Oil shampoo 80 Tonic 80 Friars' Flying Squadron Out For Fund Annually as the New York "American's" Xmas Fund Is building up, the Plying Squadron c' the Friars place their ertorta behind It. Last week the Squadron composed of some of 'he he«it known Friars and professionals visited the various night clubs, selling tickets for thr Fund's benefit Bun.Iny evening. To give the purchasers added value, members of the siuad performed on the floors. It was the sort of •XI Impromtu e(how worth double the price of the tickets, by Itself. Ji'ad 8u£picious Persons—10 Days . / Thomas Flannagan. 24, cashier, 151 West 82d street, and Michael Etefano, SO, salesman. 176 Hudson avenue, Brooklyn, were sentenced to the workhouse for 10 Jays each. They were arrested In the New Garden at the •Bike'" races. Detectives Barry, McNulty and Wright of the Pick- pocket squad at headquarters saw the pair In the Garden. The detectives declared that both iijve police records. Under a new enactment, persons of this type with criminal records In large gatherings without having business there can be arrested. The two were taken out of the building. They pleaded that tbey were Just watching the races. "Walk Up a Flight" Monroe in Bankruptcy The Monroe clothes shop corporation, operating the "walk up" scheme, bas filed a petition >n bankruptcy In .New York. At first the Monroe clothing shops did a landofllce b^uslness but keen competition and hign rentals (or shop rooms recently forced them turn thetbuslness ever to the creditors under a trusteeship. The liabilities are about $350,000 and the assets upward to $100,000, according to report' Corner Santas not so Plentiful It appears each year that the number of street comer Santa Clauses •a impersonated by either members of the Salvation Army or the Volun- teers of America become fewer and fewer. Whether the stock of red outfits and white whl8i<er8 has become scarcer or the "there ain't no Bnnta Claus" belief becoming more predominant isn't established, yet this year sees fewer of the phoney Santas. ZABELLE THALL Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Thall One of Uie future premier bal- lerinas. Studying under the direction of Cecil Jean l'>arnett of the Chicago Musical College. I Cofs on Lookout for Stolen Cars The Times square cops, especially members of the traffic squad that cover the side streets where many ears are parked, are on the lookout for stolen cars. A vaudevilllan. with a ear bearing a Connecticut license, drove his machine up alongside the New York theatre, 45th street side, locked the car and went into one of the ofT.ces for a few minutes. He had barely disappeared than a big cop stepped up to the machine. He made a thorough Inspection, even raising tlie hood. When the owner relumed, it took somo minutes establishing a satisfactory alibi. The cop said he h.ii several stolon cars of last year's models on his "look out list." He saul that It was the usual trick for a thief to drive a stolen car right up under the T. 8. police' noses, thinking thereby •usplclon would be quicker allayed. "Your Broadway and Mine" Walter Winchell may yet pay toll lor giving away Broadway to others •nd himself. "Your }Jroadway and Mine" Is the heading of his daily column on "The Graphic." Walter picked it and he likes It. Though Walter is something of a poet during the night club hours, his title doesn't rhyme. Looking iaa though "The Graphic" had sorta wasted Itself upon the Atlantic City Beauty Contest near-sensation, the Macafadden paper Is Biar..Ing out this week upon a crusade against Broadway, mid-secllon. It's wicked, the papei* claims, and Jimmy Walker must have told ihcm that, for It's a live piece of news. How wicked "The Graphic" will detail later. To find ^ut, however, the p^per had better send a reporter that knows all about it. Meanwhile Mr. Wmchell Intends to hang onto to his share of Broad- way but he Isn't so certain his readers will accept the other half he so g ncrously offers every day but Sunday. "Show Girl's Delight" Away for 12 Years A term of 12 years in State's Prison was Imposed on George Small. 3!i. alleged master mind of a gang of Jewelry thieves, who, through his extensive spending abil- ity along Broadway gained the title of "The Show fllrl's Delight." Small had pleaded guilty to robbery In the second degree before Judge Al- len In General Sessions. He gave his home aildress as Roxbury. Mass. On .Miirch 30 last Small with three companions held up at the point of revolvers the members of the Jew elry firm of Sohel A Kalekk. In their ofilces At 49 Maiden lane. A half dozen ciistiimers. men and women, were also victims of the gang. After binding and gaRglng everyone pres- ent, the thieves made off with $60,- 000 In unset diamonds. Two week.s later one of the erooks was arrested and through his confession Small was later caughL According to the police. Small be- came a prominent figure In cabaret and theatrlc.nl circles In the "White Mfiht DlHtrlct." especially after he had made a big haul. The police say It was customary for him to "throw" a bin banquet for a half dozen girls from different shows, and present each one with a handsome tilft. probably obtained In a robbery. It was the result of this generosity that gained hlni the sobriquet of the •Show Girls' DellghL" ^ LhL Ai^D UvJilBiJ) Airs, living CJuiiiniings, Known on _^ the stage as Kuth Si. Clair, is 111 •1 the i^ollywood (Calif.) Hospital. t/^, fo.lowing an operation. . he surgeons assert onc is on the » ad to recover". Bert Bertrand is at the Hcaly Hotel. Boston, recovering from an Injured leg. He fell upon the Ice •nd may have to have his foot in • plaster cast for several weeks. Jchnny Collins Sells Out Johnny Collins, former Keith booking man has sold his Tralnln ; CsTp at Summit. N. J., to John J. Kl-'o'-on. Collin* left for Florida last week. Jane Urban After Divorc K. C. Hay and Feed Man San Francisco, Dec. 27. Jane Urban, footllght favorite un- til her marriage to i'hlllip J. Lj nde. hay and feed man of Kansas City, In 1918. Is talking over the possi- bilities of <l|vorce as a result of her discovering an allf>4ed love nest m.ilntulned by her spouse. Police refused her demand for a warrant for the arrest of the husband, for the reason the evidence w;ii dforned In.KijfTlf if-rit for a criminal fharK»> Miss frbnn SRserfed ihrit Bhe oh- rainerl entrance, with dct«>ttivcs, to the hotel rend*'Zvous, though thf hofel manager denied l^er admis- sion. Shadow Ford Returns Shadow Ford (Shadow and Mc- Neil) has returned 'to New York, after some months abroad. HOW "VARIETT HAPPSID An accident coupled with ignor- ance brought "Variety" Into exist- ence. In 1905 Irving J. Lewis of "The Morning Telegraph" fired a reporter for Incompetency. Mr. Lewis told him the cause fo» his discharge. The reporter In a no- tice on a new sketch played by .Mrs. Stuart Itobson at Proctor's oSth Street Theatre had mentioned the sketch was N. O. Irv reproached the reporter by firing hlih, saying that he should have known Mrs. Robson had given "The Telegraph" an adver- tising contract for $-50. But Irv had failed to pin the contract on the assignment. And the reporter suggesed to Irv that since the sketch was N. G.. that might make the contract N. G., too, as Mrs. Robson wouldn't advertise what she couldn't plaj^. Irving did not like the sugges- tion. He sounded as though it had been agreed when the advertising contract was signed and accepted that "The Telegraph" should decide upon the value of Mrs. Robson's sketch. Left Flat Hired and fired by a newspaper man of Mr. Lewis' hard-earned and established standing, the re- porter concluded It would be use- less to seek other newspaper em- ployment In New York City—and he didn't have enough carfdre to go mywhere else. In 1905 the leading theatrical papers were "The New York Clip- per." "The Dran^j^tic Mirror," "The Dramatic News," "The Billboard" and "The Morning Telegrophr" Search as he would, the fired re- porter could not find a "Variety." He thought there should be a "Variety." Thai's where ignorance entered. Acknowledged incompetent as a reporter, he reached a decision to make himself ridiculous through be- coming a pisbllsher. There didn't seem anything else to do. He couldn't do anything el.so excepting perhaps to keep books. But his father after a bu5;lne«s rs- sociatlon with his son had informed the son that he could get a Ikiut bookkeeper at $12 a week. With a wife and child, the reporter made • up his mind that three'peop'e could not decently starve on tl''. Bo a publisher he b^amc. In- tending to place "Variety" on (lie theatrical market among the crowd of papers already overcrowding It, No one went wild upon hearing of the scheme. . Sometimes the silence sounded as terrible as the plan. But the reporter arranged for everything—excepting a bank- roll. That was Important. When- ever he met a friend he was meet- ing a creditor. Borrowing new money became an impossible prob- * lem. As an amateur publlnher he was a more amateurish financier. He couldn't make new friends fast enough to borrow new money to get out a new paper. Easy E-d?rcer The reporter bad picked a father- in-law who thought the easiest way to get rid of a fellow after a touch was to endorse a note for him. That was the answer when the son-in-law broached coin. His near-parent wanted to know how much and the young man said $".500, under the Impres.s^on the ^ world didn't hold any more and (Continued on page COS) FORUM Chicago, Dec. 22. Editor Variety: tn Variety's review of Adelaide Hughes' act, Johnny Hughes is given credit fur staging. Review states she has surrounded herself with six versatile musicians who open as male chorus looking for a musical comedy girl. If you will look up your review of Alma .NeKson's act, week Sept. 24, 1923, Alhambra, New York, you will note we used musicians as chorus, singing song In reference to Miss .N'eilson's entrance, giving Johnny Hughes credit for staging. The Idea was ';oncelved by me and explained to .Mr. Hughc^. All he did was to put the chorus steps together, for which I paid him his price in cash. Evan If he had conceived the Idea and sold It to me, don't see how he could dellberaf^ly lift the Idea bod- ily. This Is one of the nost delib- erate lifts I have ever heard of. Don B. Ely, (Ugr, Alma Nellsofi Co.) — MAHEIAGLS Dorothy Devore, screen actress under contract to W^arner Brothers, to A. W. Mather, a Honolulu tlie- air. . 'icer. at San Francisco Dec. 18. It Is said that when Mrs Mather conclii s h"r contract with Warner Brothers she will retire from the screen and go to Honolulu to live. Joan London daughter of Jack I,.ondon, late novelist, by his first marriage, was wedded to Chas. .Mal- amuth, short story writer, in San Francisco, Dec. 18. Miss London was married before snd divorced. ENGAGEMENTS Blllle .Mayo has Joined Ben .Marlu^ act, "Apples." ' Janeral Johnson. "Nanette." BmTHS Mr. and Mrs. Louis Lee Airms, at their home In Pasadena, Cal.. Deo. 18. son. The mother Is Mae .Marsh, stage and screen actfoss while the father Is a former New York news- paper man. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Lang, daugh- ter, Dec. 15. " Mother wa.s Gladye Kellon, formerly oX the Three Kel- tons. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Fox, at I^os Angels, Dec. 23, daughter. The father Is the picture director, with First National. Mr. and M:r^ rtalph Ilanklnson, at their home In New York, Dec. 24, daugliter. The mother was Jose- phine Jordan, of the Jordan Si:;tcra. The father is In outdoor amuse- ments, connected with the Wlrtb and Ham id ofiTice. Mr. and Mrs. Norman Sper, at ihe Hollywood Hospital. Dec. 12, son. The mother was formerly Winona Winter (vaudeville), while the father Is a press agent. JUDG1V:ENT3 Abe I. Feinberg; G, Lyon;' $1,314.44. Same; $737.66. Pat Somerset; O'Brien, Malevln- sky & Drlscoll; $1,625.50. Edit:i Day (Somerset): Same; $2,625.60. Leroy Scott; J. Corbett by gdn.; $101.50. PROBABLE HGHT WINNERS AND PROPER ODDS By JACK CONWAY FRIDAY, JAN. 1 MADISON SQUARE GARDEN CONTeSTANTS WINNER Odd: Roland Todd v». Oavs Shade Shade 9.5 W. Harmon v». Nate Goldman Harmon 6-0 Sammy Baker v«. Tommy Freeman. D.-<ker even YaUe Ol<un v«. George Man ley Okun 8-v • Selections: 436—Winners. :27—Losers, 6C—Drawa, 48 liMiriMMHiarilMiii EMIL BOREO "THE INTERNATIONAL STAR" Conveys his good wishes to his many friends here and abroad. %