Variety (May 1926)

Wednesday, May 5, 192* BURLESQUE VARIETY 35 CHURCH PEOPLE STRIKE AT BURLESQUE STOCK Fox & Krause's Called Vulgar and Indecent—Mayor Orders Investigation Milwaukee, May 4. Demand that the Gayety, Fox & jCrause house, which went Into sum- mtr burlesque "Stock last week, bo dosed by recalling ths license for the house, was made to Mayor Dan- • |ei W. Hoan by a % delegation of church men and women who made charges that the house was "detri- mental to the moral welfare of the city and a detriment to the young people." The demand followed an Inves- tigation by the church committees which brought front-page publicity. Members of the committee paid vis- its to the house on two occasions. Tbey jotted down lines and notes of actions of the people in the cast, banding all of their information to the mayor together with a charge that a prominent Milwaukee offi- cial was Interested financially or otherwise in the house. While the official's name was not made public, It was disclosed to the mayor. According to the report to the mayor the two leading women of the stock company were vulgar. It was charged that one of these wom- en went into the audience, clad in pink silk pajamas, and sat on men's laps, petting them and also engaged in Indecent actions with the men in the cast. It was charged that an- other lead woman conducted her- self indecently with the comedians, who were termed as filthy, vulvar, suggestive and Immoral. In answer to the complaint, the mayor said that ho realized that conditions in the burleHque houses were bad, but that beyond tem- porary* cloan-ups nothing had been done in the past. He demanded that the chief of police Investigate and report to him on what he found, suggesting a more stringent law if the present laws are not stiff enough. Police Found Nothing As a result two police censors were placed in the theatre the night of the complaint and reported that nothing immoral was found in the show. This report was augmented, however, by the moral committee of the churches, who also attended the performance and said that all of the objectionable material had been deleted following the announcement of their visit to the mayor. They said that buck dances had replaced the "cooch" and that the actors had covered their nakedness with tights. The show which drew the fire of the church people was headed by Chuck Wilson and Bennie Moore, comedians; Margie Pennetti and Je38ie MacDonald, soubrets. It was the first of the stock shows at the Gayety this season, and moved last Sunday to Minneapolis, while the Jack LaMont show came In to take Its place. Over-Burlesqued Syracuse, N. Y., May 4. The Savoy will have Mutual wheel productions next season, it Is under- stood here, although no definite an- nouncement has come from Morris Pitzer, who operates the theatre. The house for some weeks has been Playing a combination policy, using musical comedy tabs, booked as "burlesauf." and feature films. During the summer Fitzer is likely to Install stock burlesque. Syracuse may be burlesqued to •>ath next season. With the Mu- tual listed for the Savoy, the Colum- bia is said to be a certainty at the Temple. A third burlesque project w tentatively listed for the Alham- bra, now used as a roller skating «nk. LevinHky, Philadelphia pro- moter, has made an offer for tho Alhambra, after failing to secure tho Crescent. The Phlladelphian con- templates an independent stock house, it i« reported. HITCTJAL'S ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Mutual Burlesque Wheel will be held In June. Drawing of show routes will not occur until July. Savoy, Syracuse, on Mutual Syracuse, J*. Y., May 4. When the Savoy becomes a new Mutual link next season it will be nonaged by its owner. Maurice Fitzer. The house currently plavs mu- "''•»! tfibs and picture*. Fat Choristers It looks as though the Win- ter Garden's new production, "Temptations," produced by the Shuberts, will have a chor- us of fat women, of the Billy Watson type of years ago. The fat chorus lady scheme was recently revived by a nip,ht club, which used four of the hefty gals. From the avoirdu- pois around the Garden there will be a full lino In. the new show. It Is one staging bit the Shu- bets cannot claim they saw in Paris. Option—Sans Contract "Options" are much In burlesque language these days. With the sea- son winding up for both circuits, the usual question Is asked: "Where do you go next season?" and tho answer made by most of the principals is that "option" gag There may be changes in the fun- making forces of the Mutual next season, but most of the comics re- garded worthwhile were put under the "optlm" classification. Several ^nuri'ene aio under con- tract for next 8«ason and a raft of them are not. Unique, Extraordinary," Plea Is Dismissed Minneapolis, May 4. Kenneth Kemper is not "special, unique and extraordinary." His lawyer proved it and the McCall- Brldges stock burlesque company at the Palace lost in its efforts to keep Kemper from leaving. Kemper wan a member of a quar- tet. Ho received a better offer and gave his two weeks' notice. The Judge, after looking at Kemper and listening to his lawyer, Glenn B. Stiles, decided that the actor wasn't so indispensable as McCall- Bridgcs alleged. BURLESQUE ROUTES con III: >IA CIRCUIT May 10 Flappers of 1925—Columbia, New York. Lucky Sambo—Empire, Brooklyn. Rarin' to Go—Empire, Newark. MUTUAL CIRCUIT French Models—Garden, Buffalo. Happy Hours—Star. Brooklyn. Hey Ho—Gayety, Brooklyn. Moonlight Maids—Olympic, New 8tolen Sweets—Empress, Cincin- nati. Whirl of Girls—Lyric, Newark. Whix Bang Revue—Trocadero, Philadelphia. Stock at McKinlcy Sq. The M. and S. Amusement Corp., which controls a number of picture houses throughout the city, ha* as- quired the McKinley square theatre, in the Bronx. It will Inaugurate- a summer burlesque stock policy next week. The tenancy is tenta- tively until Joseph Kessler again takes possession of the house in September for Yiddish attractions, but if the burlesque policy goes over It may be retained into next season. Fred McCloy's Edge Fred MrCloy. manager of the Co- lumbia, New York, claims an edge on nearly all of the old boys of Times square. Fred's daughter. Ruth, mad** him a grandfather last week, with thj arrival of a lusty boy. The mother is Mrs. Ilenry Cold- water, wife of the printer. TURNS FROM BURLESQUE Joe Wilton and Rex Weber have entered vaudeville in a two-act. Harry Steppe, also from burlesque, Is with Owen Martin, L»otta Pearce and Marty Ward. Charles Allen Is handling both turns. First Week Only Fair Minneapolis, May 4. Returns at the Gayety for the first week of stock burlesque were only fair. What gain was made was on the night a wrestling match was added. THE TEMPTERS (MUTUAL) Comedian Ed. Jontnn CN)me.ll«n Art MhvUpM J'riina Donna KMle Itavnor .Scuihret Vvnny ilillk'.tn Straight Hurtnn i"arr Juvenile Hud Hrewcr Ingenue Kuth $ti<>i>|>anl This Mutual opera projected by Williams and Jordan is up to Mu- tual standard from all angles. It is fast, hokey entertainment with Ed. Jordan, doing eccentric hophead of the Lew Kelly tchool, and Art Mayfleld doing hobo, carrying the comedy burden and working well throughout. Burton Carr, straight with, better than average singing voiee, and Bud Brewer, likeable dancing Juvenile, rounds out the male contingent. Strange as it may seem in a show that Is ostensibly framed for the ferns as its big selling feature the males not only carry the bur- den of the opera, but easily out- distance the ferns from a register- ing angle. The possible exception is Peggy Gllligan, soubret, who works hard in her numbers, both on the rostrum and runway, yet lacks that peppy sparkle that has been dis- played by contemporaries in other Mutual outfits. At that, Peg is the best of the lot. Elsie Raynor is a passable prima and Ruth Sheppard is Just another one of those in- genues. Were it not for the comics, espe- cially Jordan and his male assist- ants, the show would have had tough going. The routine bits allotted the comics were the usual burlesque familiars and nothing to brag about from a material standpoint, \ hich made it even a tougher set- ..p for the comics, but they managed to get most of it across for laughs. Jordan's hophead was a gem and a great build-up for "Cokel's Last Rave," a melodramatic bit planted well down in the first stanza that is sure fire for a burlesque audi- ence. The inevitable union suit number was handled in this one as a posing stunt with the comics provoking laughs through their fu- tilo efforts to fraternize with the posing girls. Most of the other skits In both parts have seen service in burleHque outfits of other vintage and are also being used by either Columbia or Mutual shows this season. Among these veterans was the "Breaking Into Jail" bit handled by Mayfleld, wherein the comic commits every- thing this side of murder to break in the hoosegow without avail until he unconsciously expectorates and is accommodated. The 16 chorines are probably the most variegated crew assembled, holding a few passable lookers and others that must have been picked in the dark. Their runway pranc- ing didn't evoke the usual enthusi- asm, save In one number, after which they seemed to have out- wiggled themselves for the rest of the evening. Despite these drawbacks "The Tempters" averages up as good en- tertainment for its type of show. Edba. COMMERCIAL RADIO (Continued from page 1) charge per week per hour of broad- casting each week as compared to a $7,500 Investment for a page in the "Satevepost" speaks for itself Tor comparison. Printer's Ink Vstue Advertising agencies on the other hand do not deprecate radio as an ad medium or fear its inroads on periodical circulation, claiming nothing can take the place of print- er's ink for a vital message and a vivid impression. This has precipitated a new con- dition in turn for a chain like the American Telephone & Telegraph's circuit with WEAF, New York, as the key station. It looks as if by next fall nothing but national hook- up accounts will be accepted. Ra- dio "time" Is pretty well book,- 1 up. Already an Instance of casing out a gratis entry In favor of a paid account has been noticed. With tho inauguraation of an exclusive national hook-up circuit, talent will perforce become considerably more in demand. All Year 'Round An indication of the advertisers' desire to maintain all year round radio representation may bo gath- ered from the following adver- tisers remaining on the air from WEAF through the summer where formerly they signed off for the hot spell. But radio, with Its port- able sets and its recommendations as a time killer and comfort pro- vider, has prompted big advertisers like these to stay on the air throughout the summer: Cold Dust Twins, Happiness Candy Boy?, Ipana Troubadours, Eveready Hour, Rhinola Merrymakers, A. & P. Gyp- sies, Blanche Elizabeth Wade, story teller for the G. R. Kinney Shoe Co., Goodrich Sllvertown Cord Or- chestra, Clicquot Club Eskimos and the Whittall Anglo-PerMans. LONDON AS IT LOOKS (Continued from page 2^ want an easy meeting place. Most of the members, who are quit* innocent, do not understand this. I have never been in tho club in my life; but I do know that, when the prost-iuiion was first announced, the wildest stories went round. There is no smoke without lire. Wanted—A Ltsding Msn When Batil Dean bought "Rain'' for Knglund he started rehearsals without a leading lady. Then, at last, he found Olga Lindo, who was under contract to himself, but whom he had forgotten. She did not repeat the STiccrsB of Jeanne K^gl^4n tl*«-slatea.- Now Dea has started to rehearse "They Knew What They Wanted,** only to Ih± faced with a doctor's certificate from Richard Bennett, say- ing that he cannot come to act his New York part; so Dean tried to find George Gaul, who was in London, or on his way, but without any address. When Dean found him yesterday, Gaul could not take on the part, being due to return for an American tour next month. So rehearsals are going on with poor Tallulah Bankhead—not having a play again yet, but making love speeches to a leading man who doesn't exist. The case of "Ruin," and this other play, gives you an Idea of how short of stars we are. Edns May Still a Bells It was amazing when, In the Savoy hotel, this week, I came across Edna May having supper with her mother, two sisters and brother-in- law, to remember that over 28 years had passed since she first ap- peared in London In "The Belle of New York." By a remarkable coinci- dence there were also feeding, In the same room, George McLellan, who brought the play to London, his wife, Madge Leasing, and his sister- in-law. Mrs. C. M. S. McLellan, widow of the fine fellow who wrote "The Belle." At McLellan's table, was James Oleason and his wife, very proud of his great success in "Is Zat So?" the continued popularity of which disproves the fact that there Is any anti-American feeling in England, never mind what the Shuberts think. Gulliver-Shubort Nontens* You can dismiss, by the way, all that hull nonsense about Charles Gulliver going to New York to buy the Shuberts out, this although an official statement was issued from the Gulliver offices saying so, the day after he sailed. William Cooper, who represents the share holders In the Gaunt- Shubert enterprise, tells me that, if the Shuberts want to sell, they must first offer their shares to Gaunt and himself. Not many months ago the Palladium, which Gulliver controls, was in the market. The real man who buys theatres in England Is A. E. Abrahams, who. starting life as a bill-poster In East London, 30 years ago, has now added the New Oxford to his collection of valuable theatre properties. He seldom appears himself In the public eye. When Leo Shubert arrives in England, the first week In May, some- thing may happen; but "Gulliver's Travels" is the name of a work of fiction. Another British Fiasco There was a big row on the first night of "Riki Tiki," with music from Central Europe, but with an English book and an English com- pany, except that the leading woman is an Australian. A young Dutchman, who is said to be worth over a million dollars, found the money. Tho climax came when the last act consisted chiefly of an elaborate sneer at Trade Unions which were called "frayed onions" In a song. As the Rt. Hon. Tom Shaw, a member of the late Socialist Government, sat In the stalls, and as nearly all the people in the pit and gallery are members of trade unions, I do not wonder that a play, for which a rich Dutchman's money was used to insult English working men was not received with enthusiasm, except of the hostile kind. They said that the row was organized. Certainly the play wasn't. When you went in the theatre, or the first night, they gave away a sort of Jade mascot for luck. It seems very cynical, looking at It now.-* Mine reminds me of Ethel Levey. I am sorry for Leslie Stiles, who produced it. Among bis many dis- asters, since the war, was his being stranded on your side when "Sweet Lavender" failed In Boston. The burning of his wife to death, in front of his eyes, and his father's death, on the eve of the "Rlki-Tiki" produc- tion, were other sad Incidents In a long fight to re-establish himself. Colombia Wheel's Meeting To Ratify Altered Policy The regular monthly meeting of the Columbia Amusement Co. will he held tomorrow (Thursday), at which time action will be taken on the dropping and revocation of the franchises of 11 of last season's producers. Plans for the Installation of the new Columbia policy of mlx^d shows for next season will be per- fected at the saint time. Lew Talbot will operate three i»hows on the Columbia next sea- son. In addition to "Wine, Woman and Song," his regular burlesque show, he will also have "White Cargo" and "The Gorilla." the two legit dramatic plays which will be experimented with. The 11 vacancies will be filled by outside attractions, musical come- <li»s and farces. EBONY FOLLIES" CONTINUE S. H. Dudley's "Ebony Follies." routed by Columbia Burlesque at practically the fag end of the sea- son, presages that Dudley may op- erate the colored show over the Co- lumbia next season or routine a new one. The pier* started out as a straight road attraction. After some on*»- night dates it swung over to the Columbia. Howard end Smith Doing "7-11" Garland Howard and "Speedy" Smith will write the hook for the new edition of Horiig # Seamon's "Seven-Klevw)" lunibia) show ne>: S:-a MO 11. "Lucky Sambo" Is Columbia's Summer Rod Hurtig St Seamon's "Lucky Sambo" will get the summer run at the Columbia, New York follow- ing the season's closing of the house. The house will remain dark five days, reopening Saturday night, May 22, with the summer show. According to current plans, "Sambo" is only booked at the house for two weeks, but the book- ing may be extended if business warrants. 'BLACK AND TAN' DRIVE (Continued from page 1) placo, but he was unable to produce a lie.•nsp. to permit dancing. In court WIKiarns told the justices he had made application for a lieenfj a few days prior. He asserted the place was not used as an ordinary danee hall, but that guests, despite bis protests, insisted on dancing. Ju. ti. o Henry W. Herbert, Moses Ilerrman and William T. Fefherson prescribed the sentence, Justice Herbert saying: "l'laces of this character should be kept closed. We think that the manager of such a place should be sent to prison. In order to show others who are interested In such cafes that they cannot expect leniency when they come into this court. We also recommend that the police keep close watch on all t>ic«ie places."