Variety (April 1926)

RADIO VARIETY 43 RADIO RAMBUNGS (Occ^iUmal comment on hroadcntt arti$t8 «• jfickfd up fr^m $tm4 to iim^ l>etween we^, wUl U included in thit dtpartmenty. 1 Vlnctfit LopM is piugsiner too many of th9 same typ« of songs recularly- While a «r©at pluK ob iiously ^« music men, ho l„ iaopardlslnff hla radlor popularity {^uffh "laying on" the same num- bers too much. Lopes is one of th most prollflc radio artists, perform InB six times \ week from 4 to „ D m. from the Ritx-Carlton hotel, where he plays for tea dances. In addition, Liopes broadcasts three nifhts a week direct from the Casa Lopes, and any sameness in pro £ram !■ easily noticed. Hit new Simahlne Trio are a good Tocal bet to augment his tnstru- nental offerings, although it la via the vocalisation that the plugging becomes apparent Vaughn De Leath, the original Badio Girl, made her radio come- back Sunday night via WMCA as part of the MayoUan ESntertainers, plugging the Mayo Radio Corp.. manufacturers of B-batteries. Miss DeLeath, a broadcasting pioneer, has been legit and concert touring ef late, and away from the "mike." Her vocalizing remains the same pleasing crooning style of singing, exacting all the niceties of a pop ditty. Somebody aln^t doing right by Koss Gorman arid his orchestra fronr the Monte Carlo restaurant, broad* casting by direct wise through WEAF. Ross does not do bis owi^ announcing and is therefore de- pendent on the WEAF ai|onuncer to properly herald him. The latter takes it for-granted that everybody knows Gorman's hour and only re- minds himself to mention the lead- er's name when the spirit moves him. Instead, the song titles and the cafe get considerable mention. It must be remembered that, un- like Lopez and Bcrnie, whose voices alone are trade-marks and their identifications, since they do their own announcements. Gorman has not the advi^ntagc of this, and mnst depend on his being heralded. How- ever, Gorman is building up a cork- ing "ether billing" for himself via the laughing saxophone. The WJZ announcer still remains somewhat of. a pain in the neck with his affected ritzy style of acting extra "refined." His sohprous nasal twang 4nd the foreign modulation In announcing the Hotel Commodore ensemble's Classical selections are so much grief to the average radio fan. The Commodore ensemtrte,^ de- spite this, is the same ultra musical aggregation. Roemer's Homers, plugging the Roemer furniture house via WMCA, makes sure of its name'and addre-as through havlnjr the announcer spell both out aod.a|raIn repeat it. They manage to^iiame up a pleasant pro- gram. xiiiL wo the plug is ta pe for* given. WMCA, the Hotel McAlpin sU- tlon. incidentally. Is garnering a flock of commercial accounts, with the night clubs and cabarets not the least of them. They have cut Into the WINN'S business, as with the Parody and other cafes. WMCA probably ha^ the advantage of a larger suburl^an circulation, reach- ing out Into the other boroughs out- side of Manhattan In clearer fashion thaa WHN. whlch^ formerly found certain parts of Brooklyn a "dead center," but is now penetrating, al- though not particularly strong. Speaking of Improved transmls- ylon, GimUel Brothers' WGBS with Its removal to Astoria. L. I., as a transmitting source, is now muchly improved In range. A session of Mai Hallett's crack dance band from the Arcadia ball room proved that. C Nugent and Ruth Nugent with an excerpt from the Nugents' nop, "The Trouper," were a delight- lui pair via WOR Saturday night. •t'Jenty of wise lanicuage is contained m the script, and It made ono Won- oer as to Its failure to click. The ^xcerpt listened particularly well, ^he play should be given another chance. famous for Ills Dr. Fu-Manchu" and other Oriental mystery stories, was a delightful entry from W£IAK Saturday night It sure sounded like a big night at Sophie Tucker's Playgiound Bun- day, Judging by WHN's transmls- Hfon. Discounting the ambitious an- nouncements, the noise bespoke of healthy couvert charges. The Eddie Elitins band does not choose Its songs as best It might, doing too much new material,' in- stead of favoring the familiar pro- duction and pops. After all. their radio contribution is a sort of free ad and come-on for the night club. Too much of the 30 minutes is also ^sted by needless announcements, permitting only some six or seven numbers, with the rest spent ia lau- datory plugging of the place. WAHG's Saturday midnight pro- grams are always pleasing. Jack Goldstein's piano accordion eontri- bution clicked among others. AbeL Radio Tenor Secures London Cal^aret Date Jack Smith, -the whispering barytone" of radio and Victor rec- ord fame, sails April 30 on the Le- viathan to open May 8 at the new Princess cabaret. London, where he will double with vaudeville to an aggregate incon»e of nearly $1,000 a week. In America Smith Jumped Into the $900 class as a picture house single. T. D. Kemp, Jr., of Batchelor & Kemp, Smith's agents, is going across with the entertainer to set the Paris contracts and also ar- range matters for Cliff Edwards and Ted Trevor and Dlna Harris, who are also being handled by the same agents. "Ukulele Ike" Edwards Is being o^ered to the picture bouses at $2,000 by Batchelor A Kemp, he having just closed with Ziegfeld's "Palm Beach Nights" in Florida. RE AND THERE The ArcadteB ordMstra of Logan, Utah, will leave in July for a 60- day trip to the Orient as the ship's orchestra on one eC the new ocean liners of the Admiral Oriental line. Wilbum Wilson ia leader of the or- chestra. Bdgar . Dowell. colored composer and plaulist, who ha« aitpeared with a number of leading bands, has or- ganized his own orchestra of eight men. Ralph Jackson's "N'.ghthnwkR" closed at the Madrid, Philadelphia, last Saturday night. Leonette Ball is the new Miss Jass in Alex Hyde's Berlin vs. Liszt act, this week at the River- side, New Tork. Bobbins-Engel, Inc., will publish Dr. Hugo Rieseofeld's specially com- posed score for Unlversal's "Flam- ing F^ntier" picture. Roger Wolfe Kahn and his Victor orchestra havo two college proms slated for this month. April 9, Kahn plays St. Vincent's College and the l<th at the Ivy Ball of the Univer- sity oC Pennsylvania. J. Frank Terry and his Chicago Nightingales come Into the Land o' Dance, Canton. C. starting April 6, and will be the first coIorA band to play the new baUroona. It fol- lows In \he Black and Ck>ld Seren- aders, which have been ovrrent at the new dance palaee two weeks. Sammy Stnolin and his Radio or- chestra are at Moonlight ballroom, Meyers Lake Park, Canton, follow- ing In Marion McCay and his or- chestra. The Royal Swedish Navy Band Is now touring this country. Captain Erik Hoegberg is directing. Gaff's SfeHon Starts WMSG, the new Madison Square Garden nuUo statldn, opened for- n^ally UOAday nfght. irlth lui Im- posing Insugtiral bill of potltlcaj notables from Mayor Walker down. Joseph Bernhardt Is In charge of the station which will be a "com- mercial'^ proposition, selling time at 1500 an hour. J. W. Neff Is studio director and chief announcer. Sax Rohmer, the English author. ALF T. WILTON TNCORt»ORATF.D Itth Bryant MtT-t t»flS BROADWAY, NEW TORK DANCE ORCHESTRAS ChMffBff Dallf Weekly Or for PemiMiient Fnrasemrnts Any Time — Anywhere Gene Dabney SiErfyrited Los Angeles, Apr!! C. Gene Dabney, orchestra leader and sex soloist, has been killed, burled and mourned by a nu;nber of friends in the east, according to telegrams of condolence and other expressions of sympathy sent his wife by musicians around New York. Gene, himself, was unaware of the fact until the flood of wires began arriving. He is attempting to cor- rec* the rumor. Dabney has completed a tour of the state as soloist in picture houses and ballrooms. Daring the Gov't WaHhlngton, April C. Another radio broadcasting sta- tion has jumped Its wave lenpth and Is asking Uncle Ram what ho is golnr to do about It. The Shreveport station^ KWKH. has jumped overboard right In the midst of the court action pending agalnbt WJAZ for the same offense. It is believed here that the De- partment of Commerce will take no action until after the decision In the WJAZ case has been handed down. Tom Brannon and his Seven Aces have signed for another six months at the Hotel Peabody, Memphis. This makes a minimum contract of 10 months for the band at the southern hostelry. Marvfai Lee, representing the Milton Weil Music Co., is in New York on a month's stay. INSIDE S1TIFF Dizon-Laae. Inc., music publish- ers, have leaiied the entire buUdlng at S12 Pine street, SL Louis, and win move intb the new quarters June I. Dixon-Lane will thereby consolidate the various departments of the Ann into one location, in- stead of the two of the presenL Anthony Gonslli and his Dorplans, a local otchestra, are now playing, at the Asta_ Ilto^unLnt; tlchenectady. where Belltngor's brcbesira formeir- ly held forth. They are broadcast- ing through StaUon WGY. which has a direct wire Into the restau- rant. On Mu8ic Busse Sailed on Time Henry Bus^e got off to Europe with the Piiul Whitonian orchestra March tl without mishap although legal trotiMe was anticipated through the "hot" trumpet player's alimony oblli;Atlons to Mrs. Klenor Lyman Busse whom he married en a "dare" last year followliiK an all-nlKht session in a night club. Busae came to \:onsc-tousne9.s to find hlms<»?f a Benedict, the ensuing procoodingiv costing him a monthly .I'^scssment of $200 plus $600 counsel fees for whfrh amounts he has been in arrears for several months. Reports of a contempt process order being in abeyance for service Just before sailing had the bandman worricil as to huw he would encape a possible incarceration In thn alimony club. A t»9iln\oniil farewell dinner was tendered Paul Whlteman on tho eve of hia RaUlnR. which was attended by over 70 people from all walks of the show business. Feist Ads Do Travel Through Iho Now Tork "Herald Tribune" reprinting a lyric of a Feist song advertised in Variety, a laugh was started by Leo Feist which reached Variety and went back to Pelst. The Feist song advertising in Variety has been frequently commented upon by writers in the dailies, who most often picked up some title as funny to a lay. With the "Herald Tribune," however, reprinting tho entire lyric, crediting Feist and gratuitously published a paid for ad- vertisement as its source, Leo Feist, himself, thought it worth while calling it to the attention of E. G. F. Bltner. Bitoer thought well of it too. He enclosed the clipping in a letter sending It to Variety, possibly under the impression Variety would go into a rave over the merit of itself ai an advertlsUig medium, thereby giving Feist another free ad from Variety. But someone In Variety's office when receiving the Bltner letter, agrsed with Mr. Bltner and told him so as he returned the clipping without Variety mentioning it Mr. Bltner appears to have caught the angle right away. He sent Variety's letter and the clipping to Phil Kombeiser. tho Feist professional manager. suggeeUng that Phil, after reading, forward Variety's letter to Mr. Feist Probably Mr. Kornlielser did that Verne Buck's pilfieultles Verne Buck who was brought from San Francisco to Los Angeles tc- be featured at the head of a musical organisation at tho Metropolitan, is said to hkve bad a rather hard row to travel. Buck did not get off to the start he anticipated due to the fact that tho exploitation and publicity waa beyond his production depth. As he went along it is said, he showed very little improvement, with the management offerlng^ varloua alibis regarding his Inability to "click" in the manner that, they had promised the public. The most recent alibi offered, is said to be that the musicians union are endeavoring to Impede Buck's progress, as he was not a local boy. It Is said that the management did not like the actions of several members of the orchestra toward Buck, with the result' that one player, who had been given a six month contract, was given a $500 bonus to waiver the balance of the working period. It Is understood that others were al.so bought off, with endeavors now to perfect the orchestra Buck la leading to high musical standard without friction or jealousy. Carl Rupp*8 Grand Plug Carl Rupp, Cne of the most popular nf tho score of band leaders now operating' in and about Cleveland, O., is attikining considerable national prominence as a composer. His "Arizona Stars" was a seller of con- siderable' proportions last season, apd perhaps hia most successful number. : Last week he displayed Ingenuity In giving his newest number, "Can You Imagine That" considerable newspaper pifbllcity through a unique stunt The song Involves twins, so Rupp arranged a tie-up with the Cleve- land "Press" Involving a contest for the mojst nearly identical pair of twins. Over fifty pairs of the duets arrlveJ at his "Twin Party" which was staged at the Hotel HoUenden, where Rupp's band is entrenched, and a team of girls was selected as the prize winner. £>ach of those present received an autographed copy of Rupp's new number and it was generously plugged throughout the evening and In the dsRy paper. The twins were of all ages, but the cash prize offered by Rupp went to a pair of young and attraetlve girls. Waraers Discontinoe WBPI COLORED 4 AKD VAUDE. As a result of Its radio success, the Queen City Four, all New Ro- chelle. N. T., colored boys, Clarence and Tommy Brown. Charles Sim- mons and "Toby Scott, may go Into | vaudeville. The boys first started on local apprarances and then sang via WOBS with the vaude proposition resultant. The Warner Brothers have dis- continued their WBPI broadca.«ftlng station In the Warner theatre, NeW Tork, but will continue the studio as a remote control, and hereafter broadcast through a powerful radio station of national circulation. The low wave-length allotted by the government, weak transmission and other handicapping technical facilities limited the Warner Droth- ers*rearhlng but a small perc(>ntaf;e of the desired circulation and not proving popular with the radio artists because of the meagre area covered. The Warners are negotiating with a number of powerful broadcasting stations, WEAF being a possible hook-up. The Capitol theatre broad- casts through WEAF every Sunday night. Heretofore the Warners, when known as the Piccadilly the- atre, utilized the WGBS service be- fore acquiring their own station, which was formerly WAAM, Newark. TO EXPIAIN DHL BILL Paul f>p«'cht )\fi.H prevail«*d (jn Sen- ator Dill to corn>« to New York April 9 and talk on his radio bill. Tho .',2d Stre« t th<',»tre ;it 2.?0 p. m. will be the Krone of th'' addr'^ss. Gimbert Invitation For the first time since the radio stations have been hroadcastlni^ Gimbel Brothers are the first In with a broadrast Invitation for the pub- lic to visit the studio on the eighth floor of th<» store an<l see how it operates. Oinihfis control Station WCJB.S. Thoy have a ulans encased record- ing Ptatlon with Ktorc vIsItnr.M l«ok- inp through the gio.«JS at the bro.ul- ca-'tors. Society's Biggest iHebm" The American Society of Com- I>oseni, Authors and Publishers will out a royalty melon April IP that is expected to top everything here- tofore. Income from broaden sting, license fees and other royalties for the use of copyrighted music, eccounta for the large dividend. The exact amount la not known, the A. S. C. A. P. ofllclals being In Washington this week on the Dill bill hearings. The previous high mark was $60,000. Deadheading Govt. WaHhlngton, April 6. It Is going to cost the Army Motion IMcture Service with Its 94 theatres along with the other amusement undertakings of the War Department but 91 annually to use all numbers listed by th«.- American Society of Composors, Authors and Publishers. Secretary of War Davis made this announce- ment through ofTlc.ial channels. Xhe $1 fee covers all activities of the Wjir Department. Sam and Henry on Discs Charles J. Correll and Freeman F. Gosden. alias Sam and Henry of WON and WMB, Chlcngo. radio fame, have become Victor record art iaiM. They make their debut with the two FelHt song hits, "lA»t's Talk About My Bweetif;" and "All I Want to Do." 8teux City Dance Place Sold Kloux City. Ia.. April «. R C. Knnpp has trtk"n po«irto«»Hion of Xhf. Ko<>t Gat<l»>n, dan •itjj;. Thf-mas Archer was tho former ow ner. Held; No Bail Troy, N. T., April «. George Haupt, 28, musician, ar- rested here recently when the police allege they caught him attempting to break into a garage, will not play any engagements for some time to come. County Judge James F. Brearton has refused to admit him to hall. The judge bases this al- most unprecedented action on the fact that Haupt had a revolver and burglar's tools in his posses- son when apprehended. The mtJHlolan will have to con- tent himself with being a guest of the sheriff until the grand jury acts on his case. He has served time In a reformatory and whs tried for the murder of a Stivie trooper, being ac- quitted on the latter charge. EX-JUDGE FUBUSHINQ * Forrest 8. Chilton, a former up- state judge. Is now music publiHh- Ing as Elllot-Chllton ft Co.. Inc., with Philip Elliot as buHlness asso- ciate. Chilton has been fooling around In vaudeville on the producing end hertofore. HAROLD LEONARD Wrrrtor mt hl« Brvnawfclc ll«K>erdlnff Orrbc«(r» at th« Hotel U'sldorf-A*- t«rto. Krw York, I* another atrllar Attrnrtlon pluirKln<V ond fAPtur'n^ RohhlnR-Ifingvl'a puMlratlorta. Hnrold I^riuird la one of tho %VRAF md'o •inn* and one of uur mauy well< wlnhnra f«aturlns our Uls Pour: -WHO'S WHO ARE YOUT" "JIQ WALK** "CAMILLE" "FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE" Robbins-Engely Inc. 7M Il«iv4>nlh Ar^., Ni«w York Vity 9