Variety (April 1926)

TIRES OF DODGING SHERIFFS BURLESQUE VAMiSTY Offers Dealy $10,000 to Setde $35,090 Claim—In fi. Y. Only on Sundays Oil* HUl must b« getting tired of ^jim§ hid© and seek with the ^trtS. He htka offered 110.000 to fettle the Judgment which now to- lalg IS5.000, including Interest and ^Qgts which James J. Dealy holds ggalnst him, with an order for his aiTMt for failure to pay also await- ing proper service. Hill has heen beating the law by eomlng Into his Columbia thratre building office. New York, on Sun- days and remaining on his Mon- mouth County (N. J.) estate the r«et of the week to sidestep giving up the 16 g's. Hill is rated a mil- lionaire. He is immune here from elvil arrest on the Sabbath. Dealy. now an artist's representa- tive lost the sight of one eye be- cause of a faulty prop pi«tol in one of Hill's "Mutt and Jeff" troupe* which was the cause of the accident and enforced his profe.«»Blonal re- tirement He was given a verdict for damages but can't collect. Akron llieatre Fight • Goes to Higher Courts V Akron, O., April IS. Judg^eott D. Kenfield last week dlsmissea the temporary injunction against the 9ity forbidding the car- rying out of the closing order re- cently issued by Safety Director Carter against the Miles Royal the- atre, playing Mutual burlesque. The petition for a permanent injunction was Ulso dismissed. Indecent shows was the basis of the closing order, the theatre man- agement getting a restraining order until the case' could be argued be- fore Judge KenHeld. Mayor RyboH announoErU that al- though the season closed Saturday no more performances would be per- mitted for that week. Police stood guard at the theatre Wednesday to prevent the house fcom opening. The case will be carried to the Court of Appeals theatre attorneys aver. Howe^s Pleasure Beach Sara Howe, burlesque comedian and producer has purchased a tract of land at Edgemere, L. I., which he will convert into an amusomcnt resort for the coming summer. The property is on the water front, will have a private bathing beach and accommodations for 150 batliera. A dance pavillion, rides, funmak- ing devices will be among its other features. The new resort will he captioned Sam Howe's Pleasure Beach BRINGING UP FATHER (COLUMBIA) Jlgg* Mahoney... P«^tA Caf1«y Maffsie Beatrice . Ilarlowe Dlntr Moore Jtmmie Conrnir* Ku^enla Mendozn >'I(Jrence Naomi Kitty Mahoney HuHtcr P«rTy Patsy Moor« WiUluin PoUant Sandy McPhernbn To<j Bam'tl Captain James Rooney St)>ve McKenna John !;\ve«ney BURLESQUE ROUTES COLUMBIA CIBCUir (April 19) Bathing Beauties—Empire, New- ark. Brinoiag Up Father—Orpheum, Paterson. Fashion Parade—10. Geneva; 20, Auburn; SI, Oswego: 22-24, Colonial, Utlca. Flappart of 19^—8tar and Garter, Chicago. Folliea of Dajr—Palace. Baltimore. QoMon Crook—19-21, Van Curler, Bchenectady; 22-24, Capitol, Albany. Happy Hooligan—Gayety, BulTalo. Lsfs Oo—Olympic, Cincinnati. Lueky Sambo—Gayety. Detroit. Model* and Thrills — Km pi re, Brooklyn. . Powder Puff Revue—Gayety, Bos- Rarin' to Qo—Gayety. Pittsburgh. Roynolds'i Abo* Roundoro—Casino, Seven •Eleven—Casino. Boston. Stop On It—Hurtlg & Seamen's, Kew York. Tilk of the Town—Empire, Provi- lence. White and Black Revue—Colum- bia, New York.. Wine, Women and Song—Kmplre, Voledo. MUTUAL CIRCUIT Band Box Revue—19-21, Cfrand O. H., Hamilton; 22-24. Grand O. H.. Ix>ndon. Bashful Babies — Broadway, In- dianapolis. Cunningham, E., and Girls—Gay- ety. Baltimore. French Models—Empress, Cincin- nati. [J*ppy Hours—Lyric, Dayton. Hey Ho—Howard. Boston. Hollywood Scandals — Playhouse, «asalo. ^otiy Totsy—Corinthian. Roches- J<«ndy Kido—Garrlck. St. Louis. Kuties—Trocadero, VhW- •delphla. Laffin' Thru—L. O. i-a Mo^t, Jack—L. O. Moonlight Maids—G.i'rden, Buffalo. woulin Rouge Girls — Gayety, wooklyn. ^^wahty Nifties—Academy. Pitts- Jed Hut—Empress, St. Paul, •niilet and Kissee — Mutual, Washington. Jpeod Girls—Gayety. Milwaukee. op-.dy Steppers—19. Allentown: SILk 21. WilUamsport; 22, Bunbury. 23-24, Heading, Pa. . •J»P Along—State. Pawtnrket. ml ? ""'^^'y Girls—Star, Brooklyn. woisn Sweets—Gayety. Loul.svine. •Jppters—Olympic, New York, ^irnij Bang Reevue—Cadillac, De- ^h»H of Girls—State, Springfield. Sadie Banks With Skit Sadie Bnnks. comedienne with v*.^"^ f (Mutual) will return to ▼audevilie at Loew's Ave. B. New th- K Love." a skit from 21 show opening April • ^reo in support. This is the Gus Hill contribution to the amusement world that had a "forced" run'of two weeks at the Lyric, New York, last season. Ifa Just a.s much of a turk now an it was then despite It has been doing buslne.ss on the Columbia Circuit and is reported as among the first l(i money-getters. Any drawing ability must be credited to the title and George Mc- Manus* cartoon strip, which has been running for years. The pa- trons at this house, who turned out In healthy numbers, lured, no doubt, by visions of a comedy on a par with his comic strip genesis, failed to laugh at the mass of ancient wheezes and medlclne.s and mud show bits that were plastered all over the two acts. The trio carryin|f the principal burden are Pete Curley (Jiggs), Beatrice Harlowe (Maggie) and .Tlmmie Connors (Dinty). All three are capable players but lal>oring hopelessly under a blanket of an- tiquity that includes such bon mots as "He can't be shot at sunrise; he don't get up that early"; "Which is correct, I am a fool?" and such bits as tearing the linen to indicate the tearing of Jlggs' pants while he is impersonating Pan in a grotesque costume. The constant "quarrel«" of Jlggs and his consort are funny only in spots, and then are due to the intel- ligent playing of the two and not to the material, which is consistently old. unfunny and reminiscent. Very few standard blta of hokum have been overlooked in assembling the book, which is credited to Nat Leroy. which sounds like a phoney. The old seasickness gag is over- worked by Maggie in one scene, and nnother old-timer is the "wi«e pills" bit, abandoned by stock burlesque shows as too far fetched to be funny. Specialties were a monolog by Beatrice Harl'iwe on "m'xrriage." that included about all of the re- leased gags ever heartl on the sub- ject; an old-faahloned song-and- dance routine by Sweeney and Rooney. and one or two others so colorless they failed to replHter on memory. The show Is costumed In the most economical manner of the Gus Hill period, although it was taken off for a week to be Jazzed up In this de- partment early in the season, and includes an average chorus that is about the only average thing in it. "Bringing Tip Fatl^^'r" won t help the Columbia circuit very much, re- gardless of the business it does this season. t)n repeat bookings It wouldn't draw files, judging by the number of walkouts during the two acts and in a house where the audi- ence isn't any too hard to please. It's a tough spot for the shows be- hind the HIU atrocity. Con. Jimmie Cooper Certain Among those to be awarded Co- lumbia burlesque franchises next season. Jimmie Cooper is the only producer decided upon to date. It was stated at Columbia headquar- ters. Cooper will operate two shows, a new black and white which he will head personally, and take over the "Powder Puff Revue*" produced by the late Arthur Pearson. JEAN VEBNON WINS $2,200 George W, Rife must pay Jean Vernon the $2,200 judgment award- ed the actress on a breach of con^ tract clalo). plus Interest and costs, according to a decision in St. Louis denying the burlesque manager's motion to set aside the verdict and order a new trial. Miss Vernon was in Rife's "Take a Look" show (Columbia wheel) and was willing to settle at one time for fl.OOO. COMIC IN HUIT QUITS George Broadhurst, featured comic, "Powder Puff Frolic" (Col- umbia), quit the show in Washing- ton last week after reported differ- ences with Jimmy Cooper, who Is taking over operation of the former Pearson unit next season. Walter (Boob) McManus was ru.shed on from New York and will All Broadhursts' shoea for the re- mainder of the season. LONDON AS IT LOOKS (Continued from page 3) ?SL"'"r>^^'^ TltheradKe does not care for acting In plays like down m m'" ''''''' Shakospeaf.. 11^/1;..!:' act^e;HH ; . 1. V f * Y'"" ^''''' r.me.nbor that the hlT i"'^^"'" anvihing. to o.d.r. at a few luM:r « nntlre. In Ashes, this although the play was actiiallv runninK at the time. As ^e wa.s draw np her .salary for playlnp in "A^hv^r surely her job was to act, and not to complain about It. ^ j " The Man Who Wae Through •7 have iKtid off all my debU now, except 2.000." James Pernord riigan said to ine last week. Pagan's Shakespearean ventures at the Court theatre coat hln» a lot of money. The son of a brilliant Dublin doctor, who was Knighted for his pains, Fagan is a man of great |»ersonal charm, with a real love of the theatre and considerable powers as an author. But all that could not make Shakespeare a paying proposition. He had such a bad time tt.at he sold most of his household treasures to pay his debts; then he struggled on. Since then, he has run plays at Oxford: now. he has found Sean O'Casey. "Juno and the I'aycock" and "Tlie Plough and the Stais," which, altogether, will wipe away all Pagan's troublcH. "Some people were very nice about the money;" he said to me. "otliers were not. The ones who were not, were, generally, the cues who did not want it" Join MInsky Stock Leon De Voe and Tlllle Ward were added last week to Mlnsky'a burlesque stock at the National Winter Garden, New York. LAW AND 'CHARLESTON' A. t*S SUMMEB STOCK Atlantic City, April 13. Summer burlesque stock will be installed at the Savoy here at the close of the Mutual season next week. Manager Howard will as- j^emble his company from Mutual organizations. Tho new policy gets under way April 25. Another Summer Stock MinnrapnlLs, April ' 13. Harry Hlr.sch. house inruui^'i r. an- nounces burlfsqu*' sdx k w A) be in- .•^talled at thp (I.'.yfty f..)',,v, i.Mi: tip- rejTular Miitiutl whoel doasnn iaic in April. (Continued from paga 1) New York Supreme Court. She was not so certain what to do about the libel action against thla paper. Rita mentioned that maybe she will dis- continue the libel suit If Variety stops "panning" her. The girl would not believe that Variety haa been merely reportlni: about and not "panning" her. Neither would Miss Rose tell the name of the Brooklyn cabaret where she is at present engaged. Her mother might hear about It, snld Rita, as her mother Uvea In Brooklyn and she doesn't want her to know about the cabaret. Miss Rose had prepared her ar- gument and briefs in the appeal, ordinarily the work of an admitted attorney. She appeared familiar with legal terms and presented her argument to the court for a retrial In perfect rhra.^cs. Some time ago Rita was awarded a verdict of 15.000 against Mont- gomeiy before Justice Benedict In Brooklyn. In Montgomery's subse- quent appeal the decision was re- ver.sed. Following a new trial was ordered, occurring before Justice Lewis, who held in Montgomery's favor. Rita contended she Is due a new trial on a point of law, charging an act of perjury on the part of Mont- gomery's counsel in a previous trial. The alleged wrongful statement hsd to do with the attorney's testimony of having met Rita on a New York Central train on the morning she testified she had not been outside of New York. Says. She's a Mother Rita contends that she Is the mother of a child by Jack Clendon. Rita has s iod Ciendon a number of limes, for broach of promise mostly. It Is her plen that when walking on the streets the slurs made against her name by Montgomery made her how her head in shame. This she told tho court. Among other things. Montgomery is uIUklmI to have called Rita "a very bad girl." Also that "she had been friendly with other men be- sides Jaok" (Clendon). Montuom- ciy is also alleged to have said that iiita, bt ing "altogothcr no good, (hsorKanizrd and c<jrrupted every show flho has wor k' d in." Kita, as a cliorus h.'u* boen In ^. vcf.'il Jiroadway proiliictlons. Rita's Anirtalt M.a^ r.'vbfc is now a lover of anl- The Tory and the Socialist Miles Malloson. who joined up early in the war, came back to Eng- land a violent I'acinst. He Joined the Socialist Party, and now or- ganizes dramatic performances up and down the country. Ue married a daughter of the Countens Annesley. and spent his odd time writing attacks on society as it is. these In the form of plays. To show you how liberal-minded England Is. I need only say that a brilliant play of his. once called "Conflict." which attacks conditions as they are, is being staged, next week, by Sir Alfred Butt« a Con- servative M. P. In New York, a man like Miles Malleson would be a sort of outcast, because of his political views. Here, he is Just the same as everybody else—the Prince r' Wab Steve Donoghue, Cophle Tucke-* or Michael Arlen. By the way, I have not heard Michael Arlen's name mentioned by any- one for weeks. He must write another dirty play like "The Green Uat,** or we shall forget him. I do hope ho has not gone back to Armenia. Sunday Prohibitien Bunk If the present Home Secretary, Sir William Joyson-Hicks, were not an Evangelical churchman, they would not be able to "put over him** the thing? they do. He told the House of Commons. last night, that the Iiord Chamberlain was going to regulate Sunday performances! The trouble, of course, la all over "Wet Paint" which was played on Sunday night privately, with the result that the "Daily Mall" said It should ba called **Myd.'^ If It had been passed by the Censor, as. normally It might hara bacn, tha "Dally Mall." which la very cowardly over aV^s productions— Rothermers himself financed "Polly." so he cannot rery well sUte rival shows—would probably have applauded It Then Commander Kenworthy. an M. P. who likes his name in the papers, asked tho Home Secretary a question. The result Is the threat- ened regulation. A Few Blunt Questions Now, as the Censor once banned "Mrs. Warren's Profession,* which is now publicly performed, I must ask what harm was done, when It was privately produced. As the Censor has now passed •nNTaate." I must ask what harm its performance did, one Sunday night, after the Censot had stupidly banned it. As "Ghosts" and "Damaged Qooda are now licensed—in fact they were staged during the war to stop disease— I must ask what harm their private performances did, when the Censor did not like them. You could go on with these cases Indeflnltely. The Second Earl The ftrst Earl Cromer was a great empire builder. The second Earl Cromer, now Lord Chamberlain, passed a dirty American pUy called -White Cargo," which made fun of our administration of ths West- Coast. Insulted It, lied about It, was antl-Engllsh. contemptible. He should therefore be removed from office. His conduct Is always con- tradicting itself. ^ w w Why should he want to stop "Wet Paint* on Sunday, when he 1^ passed "Scotch Mist" and "Rain" for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday? He couldn't answer that—If you asked him. Archie Selwyn Dares Them All Archie Selwyn was really so angry with those naughty 111 dramatists. American and English, who said they wanted to keep their hold over the moving picture rights of their plays and so formed a Guild. "There Is not one of those follows who writes a success." Archie said to me. • Channing Pollock, who wrote "The Fool." will be surprised to hear thla Avery Hopwood, who is another signatory, Somerset Maugham, Hartley Manners. Eugene O'Neill—all these will wonder what Archie means. « "Business Is so bad, owing to the high cost of actors, iheatfes. royalties and sUge hands that not one play la 40 makes a dolUir on Broadway," said Archie. "Unless you can make a deal with a movie man, and get Heaven help me anyway. nials. Upon receiving the $6,000 verdict pgainst Montgomery and be- fore sho got the cash Rita an- nounced, reaching the dallies there- by, that the money would go to the 6. P. C. A. Rita, having lost it, vatits the five grand junt the same, although It Is not known whether the dogs and cats will get it. Rita's love for animals is explained by her in the Fonse that having lost all affection for human bf'ing.s, she has turned to canines. "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT" (Continued from paafe 1) wYirrc'm a mother adminlHterH poiHon to h»r son, a convirhM! mur- derer, r.'ither th;in h;ive him enduro tho hellish mental torluro of count- ing the minntf s whm hlH llf*- Is to hf* Hnuffed out by biw Plm «<n1>- bctiucntly fliriija liie Uieory lluit since she had given the boy life none had a better right to take it. The play under its former title ran for three years in Swed'^n some yo.irs ago. Arvld Paulsen, actor, had seen It over there and acquired the American rights and also made the adaptation. EEOPENIHO $100,000 ACTION Krcd IrwIu H $100,000 damage "fult Mgainst the Columbia Arnusement Co., p. ndin;^ for Horn«- time and i>er- iniltfd to lapse by Irwin, h.is been onUred restored to the ,^upreme Court calmdar for fjill trial. This is on ron'lltlrm Irwin srrvc the blJI of particulars he haH Ixcn o:i!rr»<l to nie for the hrn» Ilt of the Coluni- Ijia's l/iform ili'»n. Irwlii alh'KCH ho \va« i)romlHrd n Columbia wlieel ]«<<,:.;u.: !r :> hisc. mid the fnl1t:r<' fT 1 t .( i:v..ny to i:o thr«.ui.'li with iL t<,st iiiin $100,000 ^ in liuan«.ial