Variety (December 1925)

Wednesday, December 30, 1925 VARIETY !! Rf AND CONCERTTOURING! By PAUL VVHITEMAN "Eh, (ftft up!" ■ "Shut up!" "Get up!" "Wliat time Is Itr* "Oh. 4:30 or 80." \ ' "What'.s the townr* "Damflno." Jiinriiy OHlesple epeaklnff. He revor Hleepa. And If It Isn't Jimmy tell'ng me to pot up, It's: "Listen, PauL Now, don't pick up a grouoh. That train will be rlKht •lonK." "Well, what tirfte 1« It nowT" "Only 2:15. You'll get a good Bleop." Anil there you are—that's my good Klf(i|. from 2:30 until 4:39, on •nd off. P.ut It's on and off trains. It'.s dark when I get Into a town and It'K darker when I'm leaving. Every Home a Dance Hall Davenport, la., Dec. 28. AjMithy of the lowans toward the Charleston molted this month and within the last few weeks the state has apparently gone Charleston mad. The fad Is sweeping Into every little hamlet with local stepper.«i doing their stuff and all sorts of prize contests whooping the dance along. Meanwhile the Cedar Rapids scare that the vibrations of the dance night break down the dance halla has only added fuel to the fire and every homo Is a dancing school, with plenty of steppers slyly strutting a step or two in public. Dance hall managers though are some concerned about the whole affair, it's cutting two ways on attendance. The crowd educated to one-step and trot haters to appear old-fashtoned and fears It will at- tract pcofflng nttpnllon among the frisky steppers and won't learn the new one, while others object to l.arkcd shins after a night's pranc- ing. MR. HENRY KENDALL Lead with Miss Irene Bordoni in "NAUGHTY CINDERELLA" at the Lyceum, New York Cf)ncerttouring never lets you get a flash at the bright side. Oiiw In a whllp, when I can re- main awake, I drive through the burtr to look at the blllin,^. Then Jin-.niy doesn't peep for the rest of the day. The billing Is all in the bill room. Inquisitive Hotel Clerk I'm the happiest guy In the world tvhen walking up to the hotel desk and registering to have the clerk mention: "Oh, yes, Mr. Whlteman; glad you're here. What are you doing in town?" And me splitting two or three ways on the extras, Including ad- vertising and billing. At last, when I do strike a real bed. I feel so happy I can't sleep lor hugging It And the boyst Don't ask 'em! One night while we were playing, the piccolo pulled a blue one and all the boys started to yawn. They thought It was the 4:30 whistle. Ye.s, Indeody, I'm wild over con- certtouring. Wants to Be Thin An afli'rnoon somewhere and at hlght elsewhere, or all day going somewhere and at night leaving there. If It would only get me thin. I hopped onto this travelling Jaunt because a guy said I would worry enough off to make It worth While. I thought he was kidding. He wasn't kidding. About worrying. But fell down on the weight losing. You fellows who kick about work- ing In one spot! You haven't a kick. Come touring with me. For a real kick. All right, Jimmy, but don't show me that route. Yorke, Special Rep H. lOmerson Yorke has been ap- pointed special district representa- tive for the eastern phonograph dl- vi.'^ion of the IJrunswick-Balke-Col- IcnUer Co., his district (;oinprlsing New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston branches. Yorke's new appointment will en- tall his functioning on all admini- strative and general sales policies applicable to branch and dealer. Mr. Yorke has been sales promo- tion manager for Brunswick, oper- ating out of New York and his pro- motion Is a result of his accom- plishments in putting over the new Brunswick Panatrope talking ma- chines with the dealers. The phon- ograph executive Is well known to the music publishers and the In- dustry at large, having formerly been mechanical manager for M. Wltmark & Sons following which he amilated with B-B-C. Yorke reported to the Chicago headquarters, Dec. 28, for a special session with the home office. A Panning Hostess A questlcn of cafe ethics, of Interest to calaret performers, is best Illustrated in the case of a hoste.'^s in a baseuient eabarut in New York. The other eve- ning she panned her boss, who operates and clowns In the cafe, her audience being a newspaperman. That, of course, made no dif- ference In view of the wise relation between the two but If the hostess goes through the same routine with a lay patron. Just for the sake of conversa- tion, she should not be sur- prised If the ctistomer never returned and It thus reacts on the house's draw, al.so her po.sslblo continued employment. It so happens In thin cjise that the performer who.se clowning she deprecated is conceded funny by the laymen and even the "wise" ones, when stewed, and are thus unable to Judge one way or another with any certainty. To her, be- cause of the obvious deduction about familiarity breeding con- tempt, the performer was an awful pain, at least so she said. INSIDE ON NIGHT LIFE Miner-Doyle orchestra, a travel- ing hand be.st known in the New England territory, U to make a Victor record test. Porter B. Potts' orchestra Is now playing at the Hotel Van Curler, Schenocfady, N. V. Charles Kerr ai.J his orche.stra have opened at the Little Club, Chi- cago, and may alternate with the Villa Venice. Ktrr came from Chi to New York to open the new ill- fated Pal Masque in the Hotel Clar- Idge. sv.'ili-hing to the Monte Carlo thereafter for a brief engagement. CHI-N. Y. IINK-UP Chicago will have an opportunity of Unking with the WEAF chain from New York according to new arrangements whereby WON and WLIB will bo hooked-up to broad- cast programs via the WEAF net- work. WON (World's Greatest Newspa- per) Is the Chi "Tribune" station and WLIB is the "Liberty" weekly station. RADIO PLAY DEC. 29 The GImbel Brother.s" station. WGBS radio prize play will be Initially produced Dec. 29. The Provlncetown Players will enact "Sue 'Em" which was selected as an ideal ether script because of Its chief dependence on the gripping dialog and t^e absence of "busi- ness" that cannot be transmitted via radio sounds. WHITEMAN'S SELL-OUTS That Paul Whlteman's second concert aX Carne.^le Hall, New York, New Year's night is nearly sold out, assumes greater aij^niti- eance with the radio opposition that ni^ht by John McCormaek and Mme. Boris offerings from WJZ, New York, and a national hook-up of radio stations. McCormaek and Bori will keep plenty of music lovers at the home around the ra- dio. Last year's audience, when the Victor Talking Machine Co. of- fered its Internationally famous artists, was estimated at 8.000.000 people per contract. The Victor Co. is resuming a se- ries of special broadcastings Jan. 1 and is starting oft with McCor- maek and Borl, switching stations from WEAF to WJZ, the latter the Radio Corp. of America broadcast central, which will be in relay with KYW. Chicago; KDKA, Pittsburg; WBZ, Springfield, Mass.; WGY, Schenectady, and WRC. Washing- ton. The concert marks the anni- versary of the first Victor concert via radio. Whlteman sold out for last night's (Tuesday) concert, the specs grab- bing more than their share of avail- able tickets. Two veterans of the Paul White- man orchestra sever connections with the band this year. Frank Sie...;rl3t goes to the Oriole orches- tra, Chicago, right after the White- man concerts at Carnegie Hall, New York, this week, and Roy Maxon. the trombone player, will go with Whlteman to the coast but drop oft In Kansas City on the way back and connect up In Chicago. Teddy Bartel. considered a ''find," is a new trumpet player with Whlteman's organization. Bartel's l)rior afflliations are unimportant, hence his being a genuine "find" In beln? able to step into the ultra band. Walter Holzhause, a Kan- sas City trumpet player, succeeds Siegrist. KMOX—NEW ST. L. STATION SL Louis, Dec. 28. KMOX, St. Louis' new station, went on the air ofllcially Dec 24. Sevente<'n business houses have underwritten KMOX. including Skourns Brothers Enterprises. Hotel Mayfair and the "Globe-Democrat" among others. Nate Caldwell, form- erly of WBBM, Chicago, will be an- nouncer. WEBH TAKEN OVEE •ripo, Dee. 28. "The Herald-Exanilner" has tiiken over the station formerly operated by the Chicago "Evening Post" In oonjunctlon with the Edgcwater Beach hotel. The same call letters of WRP.H will be employed. Louis Seamen in Canton, O. Canton. O., Doc. ;;8. Louis Seanion, Cliicago ballroom man.'iger. Is resident m.anager of the Land o' Dance, new ballroom here, Seamon succeeds Paul Kemery, manager of ihe ballroom ulace its opening late in October. With the Influx of so many caba- rets, one wonders where the back- ing for these new enterprises gener- ally comes from, how they hope to exist, how they operate, where their draw comes from, and to what ele- ment each new place hopes to make an appeal. A survey of the situation gener- ally finds a bootlegger as the usual Ethiopian In the lumber-heap. The element of vanity figures with the 'legger who Is thus placed in power to make social distinctions that never before were accorded him. His mazuma Is the open sesame to a charmed circle, the romance of the bright lights generally figuring somewhere in the psychology. Then there la the promoter, the chap with the oily tonjue. knowl- edge of what It's all about and a wining alder and abettor to help- ing spend the angel'a antl-Volstead capital. The "dame" angle, like everything else In this civilised world which generally becomes uncivilized and barbaric wherever skirts are con- cerned. Is. of course, the fulcrum of It all. Give a wise dam a crack at a sap and the chump Is putty In the frail's not so frail hands. The newest wrinkle of giving the edne of gals from current musical comeffy productions because of their stage-door following Is a well worked-out stunt In the smart- er places. These girls not only at- tract fellow-choristers from the Broadway productions, but have an arrangement for "steering" and chock percentages, guaged scien- tifically. How to Join If you should care to Join the ranks of the cafe entrepreneurs, here Is the ritual: Get the bankroll, whether much or little, but get the mark. Get a smart headw.alter who has a good mailing list. That's all ner check. Thus on the average |2.2S dinner "two bits" thereof Is tha kickback In addition to the usual percentage arrangement on th« kitchen dispensaries. Payment for Contesaiona The cloakroom Is always rented out. and generally averages $5,000 a year to the house. A }100 weekly Income from the cloakroom is tha minimum. The house cou'.d never operate Its coatroom. for the simple i reason one cannot ring up tips on the cash register. The concession- aire has the same trouble, but en- trusting It to a relative generally insures little depreciation Jn income, which usually averages $250 to $300 weekly. To offset that. In the event of padlock, bankruptcy of the ven- ture, act of God or other premature cause for closing, the concessionaire Is out of luck. The concession fee Is always paid in advance, and a pinch or closing nullifies the value of the concession. It cannot t>« counterbalanced. This accounts for the sometimes "raw" ogling by the coatroom gals at the size of the tips. A dime tipper for a Ud Is sneered at and a two-bit gratuity fetches a grudging "thank you"—sometimes. On top of these concessions Is that of the retirement rooms. Some of the popular cafes exact $75 and )100 a month from the operators; other* let It go us an even break, the care- takers to render services in cleaning the premises. Some even pay the attendants and allow them to pocket all tips. ^ To complete the actual function* *! Ing of the place, the help Is easily obtained. One dollar a day for the waiters Is the wage; the tips take care of them otherwise. The tips, even at the average 15 per cent, which la a "respectable" gratuity— only a chump pays more—figure up Importantly with a couple of tables generally declares Itself in for an additional 12^ per cent of the din- Hotel Men Freed Washington. Dec. 28. A Jury In the local Criminal Court acquitted two employees of one of the local hotels as not guilty of conspiring to violate the prohibition laws. The two employees, one In ehargo of the dining rooms and llie other a head waiter, were arrested after dry agents, posing as wealthy busi- nessmen, are said to have hC'ld a lavish banquet at the hotel. They charged that the two now freed had provided and perved them liquor, to which It was answered that same was not purcha.sed hut merely served. The court. Instructing the Jury. pointed out that the men could not Ni convicted of conspiracy, even If the sale of liquor was proven, iinloss It was Khown that the sale wcs m^de through "consort and acrre^rrient." This exponslvely staged flop on thf part of the ProhlMtlon Agents fo.st the Government rlose to $1,000 for the party alone. ^ 4 LA PETITE MARGUERITE (GUIRAN AND MARGUERITE REVUE) The Gulran and Marguerite Revue opened at Coral Gables, Florida, Dec. ',21, for a run. Then back to the Krlvoliti<>» CItih, New York, a return engagement. The revue opened cold at the Mosqtio, Newark, and had to decline a holdover offer for three weeks du<' to prior bookings. Kevue conceived, staged and pro<luced by La Petite Marguerite. Baltroont Now Skating Rink Akron, O., Dec. 28. Rainbow Gardens, for several months conducted aa a dance hall, has been converted Into a roller rink. Thomas O. Gibson Is manager. that recommends the hendwalter. The choicer the mailing list the f-niart'T he is rati.'d. In return for all this he is payrolle<l at J75 weekly, and whatever else he can get is nobody's business, be- .sldes often the percentage on the "selling." The actual functioning of the cafe as a restaurant propo-iiitlon requires the introduction of a kitchen cun- ce.=3loiiaire. The latter gradually bullils his own kitchen, and for the privilege of doing business kicks back <!& p»»r ct>nt of the food i:iklng.<i, to the house also [>aying one-halt of the laundry bill. In a<l(llllon aflcn the kitchen concessionaire j>ays one- lialf the waiters' sal iry, besides pay- ing for the kifitifn crew. The house has full control of all takings with their own checker to supervise the outgo from the kilelK n to con- sumer. This Za per rent in on top of the eoijvfTts, which nre fh'* house's entirely. At the dinner sessions when (he couvert does not obtain, the huii.o a night, con.sldcring that the calcu- lation Includes a percentage on tha cover charKes, for which no services are rendered other than the check- er's stamping of the rlork to Im- pre.M the sad news on the tabs. Tha Floor Show Then comes the show. Formerly revue producers gambled on the i:over charges, and if the place pulled business It wasn't su'h a good break for the house. The newest tendency for producer and manage- ment Is a flat we' kly sum for tha entertainment. The prodtieer not only stages, eonrelve.s and producea the show, but al.so furnishes cos- tumes and all acccs^orle.'^, so thai the unit corner lii^.o the safe ready for prosi iitation. On the '.lelllnK" end the inclina- tion 1.^ to behave a.s much as pos- s'hliv The cafes are ImpreHsed with he fr.->r that Uuelcn»^'H get 'em In the Jorii^ run. Whatever Buckrrr's system tn.iy be. whether he la on • (Cotitintie'l on page 2t»8) ^