Variety (December 1925)

Wednesday, December 30, 1925 VARIETY 15 yXniETY \ Tr«da Mark Regiatcrad '■ PHbUsh*^ Werkif by VARIETY. Im. film* Silverman. Previdunt 114 W«M 4*tb 8tre«t Naw Tork Cttj 8UBSCKIPTION: Abdwu 11 roralcn •• WacU Copiaa It Canu yoL liXXXI No. 7 Happy N«w Y*arl SO YEARS AGO {From "Clipper") Three showa in town had settled iflowa for lone runs; the Jarrett and Palmer production of "Julius Caesar" at the liooth. "Pique" at Daly's Fifth Avenue, and "Rose lilchel" at the Union Square. Mme. Jaiiauschek had just pulled a terrible flop In Au»lralla. while Rlstort was gettinj? away to great t'Uslness. Junauachek and her man- agoment had trouble which evcnt- .ually wound up by her suing him. Sol Smith RuHsell was touring in 2ils rustic dramas an«l had the ISer- Ser Family ot Swiss BelhliiKGrs as the specialty act to All In tlie waits l>etween curtain. He was coming Into the Olympic, New York, for a run. Jan. 15. 1876. Jo« Jefferson was playing with tnarked success in London, where *Rlp Van Winkle" was the play and th« Princess the theatre. This Eu- ropean venture was an unusual thing, aa few American players crossed the water and achieved anything of a success. Jefferson. however, went across with a bang and duplicated his New York bus- ln( A circus agent, advertising for a Job either ahead of a show or with IC claimed to know all the news- paper men in Canada, and boasted that he had been to Halifax and "Windsor seven times. Harrigan and H&rt wera on their first starring tour and advertised that business was beyond the wlld- ast expectations; that the theatres Weren't la/ge enough to hold the crowds. Besides playing their mu- sical sketches, the famous team ap- peared in the three-act drama. "The ZX>yle Brothers." Magic lanters (sterpoptieon ma- iehines) were In general use. and several shows were out with the new device as the attraction. The trouble seemed to be the inability to get Buflicient slides and cards of Various subjects. An idea of theatre rentals on the road &0 years ago was given in an advertisement from Toledo, where the town's best opora house rent- ed for $100 nightly for one night; 985 nightly for two niprhts; and if taken for the week of six nights, $65 nightly. These rates were brand Hew and represented an increas over th« former prices. 15 YEARS AGO (From Variety and "CUpper^ Al Jolson had been signed for his first ensaireincnt abroad, the Palace, I>ondon. having booked him through the Marlnelli olJlccs for four weeks. VARinrS 20TH ANNIVERSARY The rise of the movie industry Was reflected in building n^ures trom St. Louis for 1910. In that B66 day stretch, 51 new houses went up. most of them movies but two legits, the Shubort and the Princess. Anna Held turned down an offer by William Alorris to appear in ▲merioa. May Yoho was one of the first Vaudeville acts to play a picture house, en^.-iRed for the Gem, St. uls. for the first week of 1911. Oscar Lornlno, who now does a "nut" act, was l>!lling himself as the protean violinist. ;ind iniitatini; the masters of the instrument. . . . All charges brought by the White Rats against the United Booking Office were dismissed after the hear- ings before the CommlsHloner of Li- censes. . . . Al Kaufman, the "heavy- weight fighter, was under Barney Oerard's management and was seek- ing a scrap with Jack .rohn.<(on for the tltlpi. . . . "Naughty Marietta," the big musical J^it of its day, was Variety at 20—It's a laugh. How big a laugh and why never could be thoroughly understood by anyone but the writer. Variety at 1 was a laugh, at 2 also; and at B, 10 or now—atwaya. In earlier years it was thought remarkable how Variety st.iggered from one year to another. We thought it if no one else did. Couldn't explain it; couldn't analyze It. No logical reason or cause. Yet hera we are at 20! Lucky, Boy! But still It's so. In pravious Anniversary numbers some explanation has been attempted to tell why we are hire again. Sort of a gaggy story each tima. Told nothing. Nothing to toll. We don't know. In tha first issue of Variety printed, on Dec 5, 1906, was an editorial announcement of the policy Variety had set out to follow. If anyone read it they must have thought it was the bunk. It wasn't, but a theory. That announcement of policy will be reprinted in Variety's 25th Anni- versary number if there is one at that time. However, that thaory or policy has been followed In Variety, more strictly adhered to the last 10 years than during the first 10 years. But the theory or policy has had little actually to do in bringing Variety to lu 20th year. It worked in another way. And how! Listen, Following a policy that seemed to mean but little to the general reader of this paper, appeared to mean a great deal to others. They didn't like Variety or Its policy. So they advertl.sed us, by action, by voice and by publicity—all of them, and they include the Keith Circuit, Klaw & Erlan- ger, the Shuberts, Pantages Circuit, White Rats, Kqulty, and now the N. V. A. Some of them didn't like us twice or more. And there may have been others. The Keith Circuit tried to run all of the theatrical papers. Look at 'em! Klaw & Erlanger ran "The Telegraph." The Shuberts are running their own paper. The White Rats fought us because they wanted to run "Tne PerformetT Passed out! Equity must have disliked us because we tried tonelp the actors in the 1919 strike. And now the N. V. A. has a paper of its own used as a personal publicity organ for the Master of the N. V. A., which it or he wants to promote. "The Clipper." "The Dramatic Mirror," "The Dramatic News"—find 'em! And the others! Or go down the list of picture trade papers. At tha present time apparently opposed to Variety are the Shuberts and Keith's (with Orpheu'n circuit included). With the others we now seem to again ba on a peaceful footing, thank Heavens, and hope we will ao continue. / . . Anyway that'a our story—if Variety haa reached any position aa a theatrical paper it haa been pushed into it by the very people who wanted to destroy us. It's a reason and it's a pip. The United States was forced into a success somewhat on the same principle. It nearly breka us more than once, but we're ready to chance going broke again. The boys who are going to run this paper in time to come, if there should be a Va.-iaty to run, are going to run it their own way or there won't bo any Variety. That's a promise, standing aa good today aa it did 16 years ago. And now we owe more money than wa did 16 years ago. Thanks, though, for tha 20th—to the readers and supporters of Variety. Ttiat la from the heart. Thanks also to Its enemies. AUTHORS AND PRODUCERS The lack of vision on the part of the producing managers as regards submerging petty differences and individual gains, for the common weal of the legit theatre business, is something to wonder about Tha picture people have their Will Hays. Despite the Intense inter- rivalry in that Industry, the fact remains that anything for the common good of the film producers and di.stributors Is paramount as regards the functioning of the Hays organization. In tha playwrights' controversy with the producers, the pettiness of It all does not compare with the real is.sue of presenting a solid front as regards the produclnriT Interests. There la no unison of organization. When a William Favershsm returns from the road complaining that the picture Interests havj garnered the former road 8tand.^ the Icglt does not take heed as to the whyfore of the road being "shot." Road business is not to l>e sneered at. Tha picture people have cornered the available road stands so that only today the big mu.slcals can do trade in not so choice locations. Why doesn't the legit give a thought to this situation for the common good? Why fret ov.3r comparatively petty details. As regards the authors, a concerted front in dealing with the play- wrights would be mutually beneflcii.1. Show an author that his claim to all rights is preposterous and financially unsound. A play. If the story were strong enough, might bring $5,000 from the picture people as an original script. Knhanced by a legit production so that it becomes a public property. It Is worth six times that or more. The author then receives $15,000 for nis end. reported to have grosaed $27,000 during Christmas week at the New York lliealre. a gn-at sym in tho.'x (lays. On the other hand. "Madame Sherry" was also a riotous success and a .No. 3 hIiow. which cost $7,000 to equip, returned the Investment after three performances in the provinces. . . . Tom MC^autchton was playing in "Tho Sprnig Maid" and his "Three Trees" recitation had become such a success that the I>roducers of the show, Werba & liOuscher, purchased the right? from tho author in Engl.-\nd. Fannie Brlce had Just beffun to .spring Into protnlnence. gaining first notice by her singing of "Lovie Joe," In the "Follies of 1910" for Zlcgfeld. The Kew Tear was otherwise eventful because Freeman Bernsleln, then a celebrated agent and man- a;,-er, puixha.siJ a ticket for the American, whore ho had booked Joe Sullivan at $.'>00 weekly. Fret-nian, with becoming mode.-uy, deolartd it was the first time he had ever paid for a ticket and for luck they handed him M 13. . A revl'w of Will I'.ogors* new act was In Variety, reviewed by Daah and th« description revealed that Will was doing more roping than talk nnd In.stead of his current line "All I know Is whit I see in the Ii.'ipers." he used, "I've been using tlii.ijunk for "o long that .nooncr or later I thought you'd get wise to me so I went out and dug up a .'lllle new stiirr with whieh to bunk you for a fe-,r more years." LET'S im FIOJT For over a month tha Keith and Orpheum circuits have been trying to prevoke a flxht with Vfirieiv. Ai:d we don't want to iK'ht. Funny, too, in a way, since we have bw-n f^rt. d to iij;ht «o mucli of the show buslni-sSk About 13 years ago the Keith oirice picked a fl^.ht with Variety becausa It then wanted to promote an oi>posltlon theatrical paper. Now it wanta to further its own house orf,':in, culled tlHuirlcal. To advance that paper If possible the Keith am. Orpheuin p.v.jVe with the Oriihoum people led by the Keith people, would like to see Variety start a crusade against them, so that they. In their peculiar and accuototued style, could piaca the blame upon Variety, as the defense to oblige their vaudeville acts and agents to advertise in their own organ. Tha usual course of theatrical circuits in nnt.igonlsm to Variety has been to do their underhanded work under cover with Variety left nothlngf but Its open pages. In that way the theatrical intere.sts always have al- leged that Variety was tho instigator. It's a very common trick but deceives many. Variety doesn't vvnnt to fight with the Keith or Orpheum circuits. Variety doesn't want to break hearts as the twilight of life settles down upon them. We don't want to injure big time vuuUeville as It now la exlstfng through uncovering the big time situation, nor the people con- cerned In It. Big time vaudeville cun't stand It and tho big time direc- tors at lea."?t should be able to perceive that much. Any man fortnnata enough to have assumed a high even if false position In his heyday should not want to have tli.at thattered. In or outside of tho bIiow business. We don't want to battle with bl« time vaudeville—such as It la—ws don't want to fight—\ audevillo. r But if we must, we must. It's simply the question now, as 13 years ago, whether a theatrical paper In America can reni.i'n free and independent, unhnmp'MHHl within tha trade; whether It shall be a newKi>aper or a piece of cheese. We ask big time vaudeville to let us alone In our pursuit of tha theatrical newspaper business, and to let us pujrsue our own course, to reach the fate that we may make by ourselves and only by ourselves, but If the big time peoplj believe they can shape our course or fate, and Insist upon doing so, let them go to it—now and humedlately. Wo don't want to fight, but we are willing to fight back. And that means In fighting back we will find It proper and necessary to attempt to disarm our enemies, to reveal the manner of individuals and Institutlbns fighting us, to expose how they fight us and how they haya fought (and usually crushed) all who dared defend themselves against injustice, greed and monopolistic arrogance. And then again the Kelth-AIbce coterie that now appears to so closely envelop the present controlling group of the Orpheum Circuit may not like the way or manner in which Variety publishes stories, reports or opinions of their vaudeville. Th.at Is something else once more, and has happened before with tho Keith-Albee ofllces. They are In the show business and subject to publicity by reason of it; thoy seek publicity for themselves in every conceivable way, yet seemingly are of the belief that what Uie profession niay bo tr;ule.-internally Interested in is none of ths profession's business, although the profession is making it possible for the Kcith-AJbee theatres to remain open with vaudevi'.le. But please reflect, big time, before starting anything. Let's pass out in tranquility. And don't forget that the very attack on Variety you now have started to make is a part of the uncovering, since it is a confession that ( 'ter all nothing changes. There have been enough broken hearts and spirits strewn upon Ul« pathway of big time vaudeville to datu. Pause I QUESTIONS FOR THE. ORPHEUM CIRCUIT In Chicago the local office of the Ori)heum Cinnilt and the Association agency two or three weeks nK", nctin>; under InHtriietions from the New York headquarters, barred Variety representatives from those offices. It is known tiiat the headijuju-tcrs of tlie Oiplieum Circuit In New York a'ra taking their Instructions In this matter from the Keith people. If not direct, by the customary "intimation." Doesn't the Orpheum Circuit administration. i>B It In at present, if It Intends to try to prevent the trade pre.'s from printing news or reports or commenting upon its theatrical business, think that It should with- draw Its stock from the New York Stock Exchange? Can the Orpheum Circuit want to have Its stock purchased by the gen- eral public, as it Is offered through the Kxchanne, and c(jtidui't meanwhila a secret theatrical business? That may not sound so nice to lay people. Corporations with stock listed should remember their stockholders. Aa admlui.slration of a corporation with stock* list<d should be a bit mora careful about barring a trade paper. There may be Orpheum stockhold- ers who know little of the Keith Albeo intrigue and care less. Even a fortune teller knows that. . ; , ': The Players Workshop, Cleveland, an (establishment for amateurs, again Is under the (iireetlon of K. lOlmo Ix)we. The first production, opi'tilng Nov. 11, was "A iJoll's House." "Outward Bound" will be tho next produf'tlon at the Play House, one of Cleveland's amateur centera. "Heartbreak House," the current attraction, will close next week at whieh time "Outward Round" will replace IC The University of California Little theatre presented "The Ad- mirable Crlchton" ns Its third bill of the season, giving an Indiffer- ent performance. In other seasons this group of players were powerful contenders for little theatre honor'.. Pa.sadena Community I'lay< rs, at their theatre In Pasadena, C<1. hav<-1 been presenting fi^r the l^r.st t;ni'-' In America "The .Main 'ftiiiig," byj N. M. Yevreynov, a Russian comedy with an idei not dissimilar to "Tha Passing of tho Tliird Floor Back.* fJeorge l'"lsher, from pictures, is the lead. It is sTld tho New York Theatre Guild will also maks this production later In th* season. Students of the University oC .Southern California presented PI- nero's "Kik h mt.d roltatje" at the Bovard Auditorium, Nov. 4L Those apiiearing were Dorothy Taff, Lena Wall.er, Web.-*tor Ilulnca, Lena Kreedtnan, John Atwlll, Koliert itatd*!. Followinr the Tyler plan for ths .Sheridan revivals the Homewood r'i..y:!io/> of Johns Hopkins' TJni- ver^l'y Is •prreediiig Its production ■ .f Karsi'iar's "The Btaux Strata- gem,'* with a lecture on "Restora* tlon Drama," bv Dr. Rriie.qt P. Kuhl, prifi^Hor of Ki.yll.'ih at Coueher Coll'-ge.