Variety (April 1926)

4 VARIETY WmiSr TDMBUNG DOWN; VAUDEVILLE ON THE REVERSE ''Names" and Attractions Now Give Picture Houses First Consideration—Straight VaudeviUe Happy to Welcome Back Turns—More Salary Outside Tho most logical reafion for the falhire of Btrnlght vaudeville to disciipinc grade acts for playing picture and "opposition" circuits, le that about 90 per cent. Of the cur- retit vaudeville hfadlinera and at- traclions have accepted»thoac book- ings this eeuson, with the big-time anxious and eager to welcome them back to tiie fold to till any open bookings. As a result the Hat of "blacklist- ed" houses by straight vaudeville has shrunk to one in the east, and none In the west, against the former blacklisting of tho entire Pantagea Circuit, most of the picture houses and many of the independent vaude- ville houses. One big-time agent Is a criterion, Hhowing that every heudllner on his list has played picture houses and outEide bookings, reversing the unual procedure by using what re- mained of straight vaudeville to All In on the outside route. v» every instance the act bettered Its fmlary by booking outside, and expressed Itaolf as perfectly satis- fled to abide by whatever conse- quences resulted. * One or two instances of "disci- pline" occured, but most of the "names" found no trouble returning when ready. Now the vaudeville agents are complaining that many of the acts going outside for book- ings notify them they will not re- turn to straight vaudeville at the former salary, but quote their pic- ture House salary. When told that straight vaude- ville plays two shows dally the acts express themselvea as uninterested In anything but the salary. According to the agcnta the next move will be reluctance of acta to play in atralght vaudeville houses In opposition to the picture houses. With the Publlx Units expected to employ acta for 20 or more weeks next aeasun and the Marcus Loew p'-esentatlon circuit of 20 or more weeks, without considering the Ix>ew vaudeville houses; Fox play- ing more presentations than ever, and the Warner Bros.-Pantagea combine, besldea the many Inde pendent plctur'> circuits and the atrea. acts can't be frightened by the former bugaboo of "play for us or get out of the show bUHlness 16 FOSTER GIRLS FROM HIP TO TASSING SHOW Second Foster Replaces Origi- nals in Vaudeville House— Doing 'Web' Act at $1J50 Alan Foster's 16 Hippodrome Girls at the Hippodrome ever since Keith - Albee started vaudeville there, left Sunday, to Join Shuberts' new "Passing Show" In rehearsal with the "Web" act as the Winter Garden's summer attraction. In tholr place at the Hip are an- other 16 Foster Girls, who had been rehearsing a similar routine. They opened Monday. Arthur Klein booked the Foster Girls with the Shuberts on a run of the play contract at $1,750 weekly. 'Variet/ as Bank Guide That the banka and othV^r financial Inatitutlona read Va- riety religiously was brought home to a vaudevlllian by hia bank, a teller remarking about •ome Inaide atuff item which the performer thought would be the laat thins noticed by the financial people. He was informed that. In addition to the theatrical Judg- ments, bankruptcy Itema, etc., they keep track of their per- former and managerial dienta via Variety and are thus given an idea of their success, etc., for business reasons. 6 Rockets, Insulted, Wouldn't Change BiUing Cincinnati, April C. The Six German Rockets threat- ened to quit the bill at Keith's Palace here last week when the manager asked tliem to change their billing to the six French Rockets. The Sextet allege it la the flrst time since the war they have been insulted in any American theatre. They are all German bom and re- fused to hide their identity or to submit to any change in their usual billing. FRED STONFS STATEMENT ACTS ENGAGED FOR VAUDE ATMOSPHERE Lios Angeles. April 6. Because they plan two pictures which will necessitate the use of vaudeville atmosphere. Famous IMaj'ers has signed aevernl well known acts. Urondel and Bert have bepn given a two-year contract; and with the M*»lforcI Troupe of acrobats, Joe Konomo, strotjg man, Fortunello and Cirellino (who quit the Orpheum road show at Omaha) will appoar in a new Floronoe VIdor production, un original Htory by Krnest Vajda. Cllve Brook will ap- pear opposite Mlas Vidor. Among the other acts obtained for other productions ar«» the Slay- man All Blue Devils, the Borkoffs. tho Russian Balalaika orchestra and Hue P]nos. the contortionist. WiD Rogers at $3,500 fw LondoD Night dob Bookings for the Klt-Cat Club and the Piccadilly are set fairly solid up through July, even to the extent that Will Rogera had to be aet back until September before go- ng acroaa for 13.500 a week. That a an unusual salary for a single at- traction in Liondon, although, ac- cording to American standarda. the figure la conaidered exceptionally hrt for the "name." For London, because of the Prince of Wales' friendship for the lariat comedian, the salary Is considered worth- while all around. Although originally planned to import Rogera in mid-July, the pre vioua Ted Lewia band booking which could not be switched, Rogers will go acroaa in the early fall. Addison Fowler and Florenz Ta mara, tho dancers, who start re- hearsing with the "Scandals" next month, are another team in demand at./oss the pond, but'with no open dates until the fall. Rogers la reaching the end of his concert tour over hero this season under tlie management of Charles L. Wagner. He has appeared at around 150 concerts so far. Next Sunday night (April 11) will mark his first appearance as a lone en tertainer for the evening in a New York theatre, at Carnegie. Rogers* metropolitan debut was at the Hotel I'laza. FILM COMEDIES BORROW PEOPLE FROM VAUDE Harry Delf Another for Cantor Comedy Series—Murray Roth Back East Murray Roth, erstwhile conff- writer and for the past four years on the coast as gag and title man with Fox film comedies and latterly with Harry Langdon, Is back in New York. He is writing twin-reel film comedies and gagging for the Lew Cantor comedy productions featuring Donald Kerr (Kerr and Weston). EflTle Weston is In tem- porary retirement, going to Port- land, Ore., to visit with relatlvea and recuperate from an injured leg sustained while danciiii;. Harry Delf, alao from vaudeville, is next to be aponsored in a com- edy series by the same producing unit which is understood to have a favorable releasing hook-up with the Loew theatres. Van and Schenck DoaUing From Cabaret to Pictores Banks Winter and Winona LoH Angeles, April 6. Hanks Winter, song writer and father of Winona Winter, Bcr»>en no tresd, Is expected to arrive hero n^'xt week and mnke his future home with hlH dauglitf^r. C&its Brothers FeAtnrrd In "Artistt and Models'' Paris Edition EkcIUHive ManARcmont £d Davidow A Rafui LeKaire IfM Breadway. Jivm Tork III Rooneyt Can Get $5,< Weekly in Picture Houses Pat Rooney has been offered $5,000 a week by picture theatres for the same act he did last week at the Palace (vaudeville) N«'w York. Mr. Rooney accepted the offer as an appraisal of value, but has reached no de<'lsion over it. ' He is continuing "DaxiKhter of Rosie O'Grady," his road show. Dur- ing June he will play at the KlvierfY at 96th street, going in for two weeks, but running Into the summer at that hou.sc should bu.nlness war- rant. It Is in tho district where the Rooneys live. Lost $1,100 Ring At Planters Hotel r'hioago, April 6. MIh« Murray Oftirrnysnd I^avere) stopped at the Pl,Tnt«>rs Hotel and Is mlnn.s a $1,100 diamond rinjT. In her hurry to make the matinee at i tho l.iri(\»ln tln atri^ .she left tho rinu In her room. A half hour later h» r pnrlner callod the hot»'l from tlio theatre and nskid tho clerk to tak<' the rln^ from the roi»ni and i»lare it in the safe. Tho ilerk reported the ring was missing. As there is a Htute law limiting tho responHlMlity of a hotel to n very nm ill sum the ring Is regarded as a total Ions. Van and Schenck have been booked for several weeks in picture houses which they will double with tho Parody Club' New York. The .singers piny the Strand, Brooklyn, this week (April 5) at $3,500, Bay onne and Union City (split) at $8,750. Stanley. Philadelphia, week of April 26 on percentage, followed by the Strand, New York, the fol lowing week at $4,000. The Stanley, Philadelphia, books through the Keith office. The Keith office refu.sed to raise the team from $2,000 to $2,S00 (their Orphoum Ciixiult salary) and forcec the boys Into the cafe and picture house bookings at $3.B00 as their minimum salary weekly. # L. WOLFE GILBERT'S TOUB Ja. Wolfe Gilbert, the songwriter entertainer, has opened a picture hou.so tour for Lo<'W*a, at the Allen Cleveland, booked through William Morri.«j. Gilbert, in co11al>oration with "Bugs" Bacr and Harry Archer has wriiton a pop song for Feist inc.. publication titled "When I'm With You, I'm Lone.some," based on Haer's famous wheeze. Tl»«! Hearst pap<'rs will give thei '< olyumnl.'?t" a general plug on the .song. A statement signed by Fred Stone, president of the National Vaude- ville Artists, ia being distributed through tlie Vaudeville Managers Prol tectlve Association, to theatres enrolled with the V. M. P. A. The Iptter fiom the V. M. P. A. requeatu the manager of the theatre to "immediately post" the Stone atatement on the call board and alao to aee "that th« others [copies] are distributed where they will do the most good." To My Friends of the National Vaudeville Artists: Our Institution has been attacked for reasons too obvious to mention. You have honored me. by making me the Pr^'sldent of your Chjb. My old asaorinte* of vaudeville are the ones who not only porsuurtod me to accept the post, but who have also given me the greatest help and encouragement during my regime, and Incidentally it is the name old* time guard who has been helped the most by N. V. A. benefactions during the recent year. I accepted the Presidency of your Club gladly on condition that be- cause of my activities on the stage, and my enforced absence from New York during my road seasons, I be relieved of the actual routhie work of the offlce. Had I not had the erreatest respect and confidence In the founder of our organisation and Its officers. I would not have accepted this post, and now lest some of our members read and heed the dl» paraglng remarks referred to. I send you all thla message. Firat, let me call your attention to the fact that our records will show that the artist who goea to New York to make his home at the N. V. A. Club House, at all times is given the precedent over all other guests. Please investigate. There is nothing surreptitious, nothing secretive and nothing every member may not know al>out the running of our Club, but what would be accompll.^hed if ityn full facts were broadcast, except to perhaps humiliate many self-respcoting artists of vaudeville, who laving encountered ill-health, ill-fate or disaster, and who this fund helps quietly and decently without publicity of any kind, and phase remember that for every dollar and cent spent by tho organization, there is a voucher for you all to see. Let me mention a few cases that I know about that we liavt; been fortunate enough to help. I shall name them, not in the order of their mportance as Individuals, but according to the amounts that have heen expended upon them. We have one case which has cost our orRaiiiza- tlon $9,000, one $7,000, one $5,000 and many leaser amounta. Did you ever hear before of a theatrical club spending $9,000 to salvage a human Ife, $7,000 to alleviate the aufferinga of a member whom you poHsibly never heard of. becauae he la one of the lowly, but still our brother. Inatead of having a home for retired or incapacitated members, we give them a weekly allowance of from $20 to $30 a week, ao they may not be restricted In any way. and can lead their own lives as they see lit. And whero did thla money come from. If not from the vaudeville ))ro- fesslon itself, through the benefits they have given every year, and the help they have bespoken from a generous public In its earlier years, our Club w<as far from self-supporting. Thi.^; is shown by our books and the deficit was made up by the vaudeville managers. One of them contributing as high as $26,000 annually from his own pocket, and said nothing about it. Is it not a blessing to know that our branch of the profession has been relieved of the suflferlng. the poverty and the many he'artaches which would result, were it not for this magnanimous action on the part of the National Vaudeville Artists; the Vaudeville Managers' Protective AsHOciatlon, and the artiKts of vaudeville? Is it not a matter of great Importaincc to know that the pro.sent order of things does more for the vaudeville artiets in the way of bettering his working conditions, creating a determination of fair dealing and making it possible for him to tide over evil days (if they come to him or her) than at any time In the history of vaudeville in America? Is it not a fact that we have operating: with us, and for us, the full strength of the vaudeville industry, men of vision, men of action, and most of all, men of unquestioned Integrity and honesty? My season closes May 1st, and I will be in New York aft<^r that, and I cordially invite a Committee of N. V. A, members In good .•standing, representing every branch of the vaudeville profession, to attend meet- ing with me. and Mr. Chesterfield will gladly open our books and prove to that Committee, that every assertion I make here is true. Y< iirs very truly, Fred Stone. Eddie Leonard Considering Road Show Proposition Eddie Leonard has under con- sideration a road show proposition for next season. It has been sub- mitted by one of the independent agents. Contemplated with Leonard's ap- proval Is a comedy script into which will be interwoven a sort of min- .strel lirst part to Include Leonard's vaudeville act, but without the show resembling a minstrel performance otherwise. Leonard, one of the few remain- ing drawing cards with straight vaudeville. Is reported to have ex- pressed a willingness to tour the week, three, two and one-night stands for a couple of seasons or t>o. A decision will be reached .shortly by both interested parties. FROM B'WAY CABARET RIGHT INTO FILM HOUSE Chase LaTcur Only Closing Season C\)ntrary to report. C1uih«' aiifl I,a'l'»tur are not dissolving tlicir vauilt^ville partnership but are clos- in;; th'^1: season at the Mi lropolllan, Krooklyn, this week. If you don't advertise in VARIF.TY don't advertise Mrs. Benjamin on Stage Mrs. Park Benjamin, sister-in-law of the lat*» Enrico Caruso, has been tentatively booked at the nii)po- drome, New York, for next week (April 12). Mrs. Benjamin is a sister of the widow of the tenor. She has been trained vocally for several years al- though not appearing publicly. The Hippodrome management is said to Jiave become interested in the publirity advanta^res of a book- ing which would allow them to stress the name of the late world famous tenor. Carlo and Norma, danrt r.«. < lose at the Silver Slipper (cabaret). New York, April 16, to open a picture house tour at the Branford, Xow- ark, N. J. Jimmy Carr's band, .'Iso from the Silver Slipper, closed Sat- urday at tho cabaret to play ths Stanley Company's picture theatres up until his returning to the At- lantic City Silver Slipper f-.r thS summer. Lieut. Felix Ferdinand.* s Ha . nna orchestra substituteA for <';»r. at the Slipper, New York, coining from Miami. Ferdlnando goi o«f to a bad start down there, wh« n the "Prlns Vladlmar," s^lp rul)aret, capsized in Miami harbor on the eve of its opening. Ferdlnando eventually located elsewhere itt Florida and clicked for the winter seRf|pn. IN PICTURES WITH BAND .Iani«\M Santrey .md Helen Nor- ton, and a riiipino band, open their n»'W act at tlio (.Irand (picturew). T'iltsburgli. April 12. Th»- team is from blK tlino vaudeville, although liaving playrd as a doublo in pic- tures for some wcekn before aug- menting thoir nrw act. "Poodles" Hannaforc In B'way Productions "Poodles" Hannaford, at $1.5^0 • week, has been engaged to appear in Shubert productions under a 2-year contract. Arthur Klein made the pla( t nient following his retirement from the Keitii-Albee agency as a vaudeviH* agent. The IIauu.ift)rd enK<AKenMnt, ift" eluding bis mnipany will oi'innunc* following the endinp of Poortles* present circus tour with th*- S?ellfl- Floto fihow. HEADING COLORED SHOW Miller and Lyh-.^. who .L.^imI with While's "Svan.lul.-." .h p 1'> »" ' ^ al-colori;d hIiow bring rci'-lic l N*»w York for a sjimtnfr run Broadway. OD