Variety (February 1926)

||^«diiM<lay. FeDruary ». i '»f^T*"i»i"Mv .wiHHnnr.*^w « i.-^^^.^'i^miT^TF'i T F. P. BOOKING OmCE IN TIMES SQUARE; EARL SAUNDERS NAMED TENTATIVE HEAD Publix Attraction and Acts for Famous and Balaban Sc Katz Theatres Will Be Signed in New Office in New York Theatre Building—Ready in Two Weeks—Herschel Stuart Supervising A booking or^antzation for Pub- lix Theatres will headquarter com- (nencingr In two wceka In th« Fa- mou* Elayers' New York thoatr« bulldinff. Herschel Stuart, In charge of the Publlx's PreBentatlon and Producing Department, will b« In g-eneral supervisory charge. As the first move In recruiting of « Btaff, Earl ("Red") Saunders was engaged this week. His function will be \Q take general charge of the booking end for the time being and to route the unit presentations of the Publix (Famous Players) thea- tres Into the various houses. No Booking Head Yet No booking head has as yet been eelcctcd for the Publix agency, to opera'0 under the supervision of Mr. Stuart other than Saunders, and no outside bookers have been se- lected as regular representatives for the organisation. Several names have been rumored without foundation Jor either. Considerable of the re- ports concerning the Publix book- ing oince personnel has been in- spired propaganda. The removal of the Stuart end of Fubllx to the New York Is the first direct move for the organization of the booking office. So far the Pub- lix presentations have been pro- duced by John Murray Anderson, with a couple of other producers prepairing their own presentations to follow Anderson's or be switched in between TneWi. S(^veral acts have been engaged by Publix but none of the "name" vatic^ up o date. Mostly the, aots havcfBcjJn those required Incidental to the Anderson pro&uclfon or story or ensemble tiirrts for atmosphere and work. Mr. S.iunders was a booker with the Orpheum Circuit's agaqcy in Xew York for seVcral years. H6 ap- parently ilred of the vaudcfvillo'out* look, leaving about four months ago to engage in a commercial line with a relative. Lately Saunders re- turned with the William Morris •agency. **Clarence Craig" Gets 60 Days for Defrauding Cluronco De Patio, actor, who ■claimed to have an engagement with one of the "Student Prince" companies, was sentenced to 60 days in the Workhouse by Ju.ntices in Special Sessions Friday following his plea of guilty to defrauding the Hole! Pennsylvania out of a board bill of |83. De Patle was brought to court from North Brother Island, whore he had been suffering from ■miiUpox. A probation offleer informed the Justices that De Patie used the name of Clarence Craig while on the stage. The actor said his home was originally at St. Catherine's, Ontario. He had letters which indi- cated that his father, a farmer there, had sold live stock to pay bills incurred by his son while the latter was in Buffalo last year. -Xccording to the probation offlcer, De Patle told him that at the time of his arrest, Jan. 5, he had an en- g.'i^oment for a leading part in the "Student Prince" and that he thought he would have been able to pay the hotel bill after the com- pany went on the road. Heretofore, he claimed, he had been In vaude- ville. Eva Fay's Divorce Eva Fay (Mylett), mind reader, will have her divorce from Henry P. Mylett made final this month. Mi's Fay's lawyer was J. W. Fuller Thompson. In Pittsburgh Miss Fay was ira- pliiated last week on Mrs. Kath- ryn I. Brumbaugh's contention that her husband, Russell J. Brum- biuigh, preferred traveling with the niind see" as her manager rather than live with his wife. A divorce in her favor was recommended, deser- tion being alleged. GEORGIE WOOD "Humpty Dumpty" Theatre Royal, Birmingham. Sny- land. Whilst in England have opened persona] shopping department. Can supply Scotch Jokes direct from their native heather, monocles. Tea, Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding, four verse songs, fish and chips, combined rooms, and "Jolo." OLYMPIA MACRl OPEN FOR VAUDE HOUSES Cabaret Singer, Acquitted of Murder, Needs Support— Mgrs. Not Enthusiastic Olympla Maori, cabaret singer, snatched from the shadow of the gallows upon acquittal of a charge of murdering her sweetheart, John Bagnano, is being offered as a freak attraction to New York vaudeville bookers. Some are Interested and have submitted her to several stands with the managers thus far to whom submitted refusing to display en- thusiasm, most figuring that her appearance in their theatres might be resented rather than welcomed by their feminine patrons. Maurice Abbe is representing Olympla in New York and has been negotiating the bookings. The former entertainer is said to have been reduced to dire circum- (Contlnued on page 6) 'Trincess Mary" Is Sent to Asylum Betty Burns, who ways she is a singer and dancer and is known on the stage as "Princess Mary, of Kenmore, Scotland," was commit- ted to the Manhattan State Hospi- tal for the Insane by the Justicos of Special Sessions la.st Thursday. She had been arrested Jan. 6 at 38th street and 8th avenue by Po- liceman Rhrman of Traffic A, who found her waving a revolver from the window of a taxicab. She could not produce a license and could not say why she was fla-Mhing the gun. The Justices a week ago caused her to be sent to Bellevue Hospital for observation. The report result- ing stated the woman was of un- sound mind. The justicos sus- pended sentence on the gun charge and committed her to the a.sylum. LeMAIEE'S SECOND CEEEMOITY Hufus LeMaIre did not appear to be wholly pleased with the civil ceremony be and his bride went through at Greenwich, Conn., last week. Yesterday Mr. and Mra LcMalre were recoupteu with a rollgloufi vfredding at the Temple F.manu-Kl, on 5th avenue. Tommorrow they will go to Palra Beach for a coi»pIe of weeks. Miss Bennett's $2,600 Wllda Bennett and her dane- ing partner, at Keith's Hippo- drome this week, are receltr- ing 12,600 for the week's en- gagement Miss Bennett has been tb« center of publicity oft and on for several weeks. HUSBAND-WIVES' DIVORCE MILL Chicago Still Favorite for Matrimonial Exit ChlcojTO. Feb. S. The divorce Industry continues to flourish In this trading post where you can barter a few hundred dol- lars, some time, and maybe a little worry, in return for a legal docu- ment signed and sealed restoring the status quo of freedom, liberty and uncensored conduct. Unhappy wives and disgruntled husbands still find Chicago a verr oonveaiient exit from matrimony. Among the recent cassn la the courts is that of Loula F. I^andes- man, professionally Penny, of the vaudeville team of Penny, Reed and Boyd. In his bill filed by Attorney Ben Ehrllch. Penny sets forth that on June S, 1920, he married Mary Sattlle, a c))prus girl whom be sub- sequently elevated Into a regular actress with a speaking i>art Mary had no gratitude, her husband states, and on July IS, 192S, a cer- tain bootlegger departed for A^antlc City, and with him went Mary. Mr. Landesraan calls this desertion in his bill. Sam Rodman stood a lot from bis wife but finally decided enough. He exciised her attacking him with a carving knife in 1922, but two years later when she threw add In his face, Sam lost patience. Sophie Van Dreal Wiggly, chorus girl with the Pat Rooney show, "Daughter of Roslo O'Grady." charges cruelty against Joseph Wiggly, non-professlonaL Mrs. Wiggly couldn't live up to her name so far as dodging friend hubby's blows wore concerned, she ch<arges. Faulty Mind Reading Qortrude Noppert Mackey, late of "Kid Boots," waited seven years be- fore charging Frank Mackey, actor, with desertion. Frank took the ozone in 1919. After filing a bill for dlvoro* J. Joseph Clirrord, who does, a paycho- loglcal act in vaudeville^ showed that white he might know a lot about other people's minds he didn't know his own. He had the bill quashed and is back with his wife. Kitty Watson Marries Vaude Cowboy Tenor Los Angeles, Feb. S. Kitty Watson of the Watson Sis- ters, has got married again. After playing for six weeks on the Pan- tages road show with tYank Braid- wood, cowboy tenor, the smaller portion of the Watson combination succumbed to his wooing and was led before Judge Thomas Ambrose In L/OS Angeles, Jan. 28. The groom's name In private life is Francis Charles Tomasou. He is the son of Baron Jereslar Tomasou of I'raguei, Bohemia, and the bride's irame was given as Katherlne Bea- trice Watson of Buffalo, N. Y. They are In Salt Lake City next week, on the same bill. Braldwood, after doing his single, appears In the Watson act—clowning. LAUBA WOOD UAARYING . Miami, Feb. t The "Illustrated Dally T&b" print- ed that the Woods Sisters have ended their local engagement at the Arabian Nights and will return to New York. While North, the report says, Tjaura Wood will wed Louis Suess, a theatrical manager JACK JOYCE STILL IN LUDLOW ST.-ALIMONY Former Wife Demands Ail Moneys Due Her—Joyce's Plea for Liberty Harry Hall, monopede dancer, known professionally as Jack Joyce, continues to repose In duranc-o vile, despite Impassioned plea." of profes- .sional friends and Supreme Court Justice uMalley. Hall Is an un- willing meuiber of the Alimony Club In Ludlow- Street Jail, committed at the liLstigation of Mrs. Doris Hall, from whom he was divorced In Chi- cago last year with the wife obtain- ing tho divorce. Ji'j co was arrested en a civil war- rant throe weeks ago when sched- uled to open at tho I'ala(-c and com- mitted to I^udlow Street until satis- fying all back alimony claims, either throiish payment or bond covering tho amounts due. The actor v rote a letter two wotks ago to Justice OMaliey set- ting forth that his present incarce- ration has abrogated an eight-week onga,senient in vaudeville. He claimed that if relvrased he would be able to secure enough inuney to sat- isfy his alimony obllg-itions, but had no possible chance of doing .so while sojourning at Ludlow. The justice admitted receiving the missive, but has not acted upon It as yet. It he will at all. Mrs. Hall formerly appeared In a sUter act known as the Leslie Twins. It disbanded after her mar- riage, but is now said to be appear- ing at a Now Orleans cabaret. THOMPSON'S JAIL REPEAT Toronto, Feb. I. Peter Thompson, until a year ago eccentric dancer In vaudeville, was sentenced to one year at the Jail farm for housebreaking and having drugs. Thompson had but recently completed a year In tho same instl- tlon on a similar charge. FERNE ROGERS' DR." HUSBAND PHONEY Married After 2 Days- Pinched After 15 Days ' Columbus, O., Feb. 3. Feme Rogers, of musical comedy, suddenly discovered slic had chosen a bad role. Jan. 12 In Columbus she became the wife of "Dr." Roy Bowman, whom she married after a whirlwind courtship on his prom- ise of a six months' honeymoon trip through Europe and a life of ease and luxury. The castle crumbled after Bow- man had been arrested on fraud charges following a complaint lodged against him by the Nell House here. The pair had occupied a suite of rooms iri the hotel until Bowman's failure to pay a bill of $193.88 brought the charges. Miss Rogers was married to Drl Bowman following an acquaint- anceship of two days In which Bow- man told her of his vast wealth. He told her of his valuable business properties In the heart of New York, his lots In Florida, his family Jew- els and of Investments. After the marriage Bowman not only promised the trip abroad, but contracted for a steamship suit*. Surprise Climax Mrs. Bowman was quite frank la admitting that the climax of th« whole affair caught her very mucit by surprise. After the couple wer* married they resided at the Nell House until the show Jumped t» (Continued on page •) PAUCE FEELS HLM OPPOSKH; UNDER CAPAQTY SUNDAY Street Specs Stop Handling Palace Tickets—No Demand—30 Porters and Cleaners Dismissed from Building—Cut Salary for Employes Girls Leave Indianola Indlanola, Ta., Feb. 2. I^eota and Dorothy MuIIIcan', daughters of Dr. and Mrs. I«. A. Mullican of this city, have been taken under tho wide wing of Gus Kdwards. Both are students of music from Simpson College here. They appeared before t)d wards when he was on a mid-western vaudeville tour and recently received a wire to report to him In New York. Chicago Disbars 27 Lawyers in a Week Chicago, Feb. S. Twenty-seven lawyers wore dis- barred here last we«'k, among them five or six who havo catered to theatrical clientele iiicludln^r Philip Sultan, one time atl(jrnoy for the Shubert interosts in Chicago. Actors seeking l<g:il advice In Chicago either as regards divorcee or matters of oblig.iflun, contract, etc., cannot t,-* t.?© careful In choos- ing an attorney. It Is to be borne In mind that the m« re fact tliat a lawyer has an arf|uuint;inco In the profession does not mako him a dcMlrablo confidant of one's affairs. The Chlf-ago ofiice of V'arl.-ty will be glad to give actors th(i benefit of its knowlt'lKO in this ll<'Id. PAVERSHAM'S RETURN William Favensham will re-enter vaudeville. In a .>laylet nnd as.slsted by his wife. Kdlth Cami)btll. It's a J. Hartley Manners' sketch, entitled "The King's Messenger." Alf T. Wilton Is din ft Ing .Mr. Fav- ersham's varlefv tour. The first reaction to the PublH Theatre units at the Rlvuli, th* Joe Plunkctt I'resentatlons at th« Strand, and the stage shows at th* Capitol, New York, on the vaude- vlllo houses, has been at the Pal* ace. New York, to such an extent speculators next door to the I'ahic* automatically^ stopped handling Pal- ace tickets through unprolltablo <le« mand. Sunday night, a sure sell out for about every house In Times Square regardless of the policy, found Kolth's I'alace with unsold reat.s in tho rack after the last spectator had gone into the house. It's the first Sunday night In years of sui^h au occurrence. One significant fact In coniK'c- tlon with the encroachments of the now factor of motion pictures and cntortalninents vivta the dl.-^tnis.Mal Saturday of about 30 porters and cleaners employed In tho I'alaca Theatre and office building. According to report, this Is th« forerunnor to a general redu<-ti<>n of salaries of employes of the Pal- ace. It will 1)0 tlie first time sal- ary rc'lui'tlun has been found ne<.'fs- sary at the l';ilace, although Keith's llil)podroino this season cut salaries of vniployes on two different occur sluiis. At the Hip it is said all of the lUiMor jniploycs "cut" quit their Job.s. Among these was a girl at tho phone switch, cut |3; ticket taker, cut J4, and two en :lnecrs, cut $7 weekly each. The Hip could not cut salaries of Its stage haii'la -or muHi<,'lHitH, tho latter regulated by tin Ion scales. It Is estimated that the wi'(>kly overh.-ad of the Hip Is $24,000. Bc.sliles the regular piriure houK'fl with their 8jC prices, there ;ire three or four spi-cial plcturis dolrur buslni-Hs In Broadway houses, all Kr.iird lower than the Palace's top. Th» I'alice charges $8.30 for its box seats Sunday night. % '\ 1 k .\i %