Variety (Nov 1926)

VARIETY'S LONDON OFf ICE 5 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Sqiiara FORfilGII CAMS ADDRESIL VARIETY, LONDON AUSTRALIA Sydney. Sept 28. •Tlose-Marie" Is In its IRth week and cUU doing turnaway business. It looks as tliough this musideil will run well Into the hot months. Wil- Uamson-Tait are handling the at- timction. •*The Best People" will vacate the Opei*a House soon, making way for "The Sentimental Bloke." an Australian comedy done here a few years ago* "Best People" did but ilt|#^ ft«r^ the theatre belnff too iMgefor a play of this type. *'The Sport of Kings" leaves the Palace shortly after doing but-fair littsineis. The Sydnoy public would have none of "The Mask and the Face" as presented by Renec Kelly and eompany at the Criterion. After one week business dropped and the production was withdrawn. "Brown Stlgar,** by the same company, opened last week for a run of three weeks. The latter piece should do ^ the length of its run. George Parker staged thm PlKf lof Williamson-Tait. a special midnight perforinaBoe at the Tivoli last week. Miss Seymour acted as hostess. Acts playing on the. bill also assisted. Th* puMm * ance went along until 8 a. m. Such business is being done at the Tivoll with the SMitrey met that special after-theatre performances may be given at another theatre. "Lady Be Good" had its premiere at Newcastle last week. The same company playing "Nftnette" in Syd- ney this year presented the Ameri- can musical for Fuller-Ward. After its break-In the show will go to Melbourne for a run. '^hite Cargo" will be presented in Sydney for the third time after Its New Zealand tour. The show has cleaned up for Willteotfoa- Talf ■ ■ Sir Victor "Wilson has been ap- pointed president of the Motion Ptctili'e Distributors* AMOdatioa of Australia for a pfrlod of three yeara. . Business Is absolute capacity at the Tivoll, where Henry Santrey gad his band, together'with Harry and Anna Seymour, are the head- liners. Harry and Anna Seymour oifened seeond ' after Interval and tied up proceedings. Mlsa Seymour Is one of the finest artists in her line seen here for many'a^'mbtm. Bantrey and his band played for a ••olid hour and stopped the show cold. The act, or acts,'can play anywhere In Australia and clean'up. "Aesop's Fables," on the same bill, gained many giggles. Chrlsto and Strand gave a nice exhibition tf dancing. Bluett and Mo pleased with comedy talk and songs. Saler- ae eloaed Intermission with neat Juggling routine. This act would be a good bet for America. Business Is a little off at aees at Fuller's, where the aighf VroUcfi^ are In vogue, business is fairly good. *FroIics" take up the whole show •ad. present' gongg and sketches gibig Bnglish beach show llaea mail "Mid Night The Lee White and Clay Amith are touring the north for E. J. Carroll with their revues. Their claim against Wilfred Cotton has not yet been settled. E. J. Tait, of Williamson-Tait, has booked many attractions for his firm. Maurice Moscovltch will open in "The Fake" very shortly, and "Is Zat Sor* is due-In Mel- and "la That So?" la duo la Mel* feautred. * ' Concert- artists engaged Include Jascha Heifets and singers from Milan. Another season of grand opom will bo presented daring 1127 "White Cargo," after a successful season in Melbourne and Sydney, has gone on tour. Leon Gordon is the featured player. Williamson Tait. MCLBOUUNC "Tell Me More" Is a real hit at Bis Majesty's. The play is under '9^1Uanioon-TAtt management. "Abie's Irish Rose^ Ig in its ninth Week at the PrJi|iceM and sti^ going strongly. Tull#-Wiurd AttraoHon. Leon Gordon Is finishing a long nin with •'WhItie Cargd^ at the Royal. The attraction will tour Mew Zealand. ' WiUiamaon-Talt management. "Katja" opened at the Royal Sept. 18 with Marie Burke and Claude Flemming featured. "Our Lis" is still at the Palace. Acts playing the Tivoli Include fiouthern Revue. Frankie Heath, ikrthar pond. Sadie McDonald. Bagr gett and Sheldon. Arthur and Darling. Prince Sisters. Bijou has Jim Gerald and his re vue. Thecala and Hunting. Dingles. Balma, Lesley £illiott and Storey and Brookes. Harry Green will open at the Athenaeum Sept. 18 in "Nothing WmUkm,** Production under man- agement of K. J. Carroll. Douglas Fairbanlcs In "The Black Mrate*' la the mala attraction at the Capitol. Featured also Is Eddie Borton at the organ. A special prolog .precedes the picture. Majestic is playing "Rose of the World** and "The Mystic." Rene Ifnzw^l Is the featured act Bital Ig goiior ted very good. _ ■ • , Hows from All tiateo Henry Santrey and his band gave Representative hi PARI Si ED. a KENDREW m bio, Ruo Mnt-DMier "For the Term of His Natural Life" (film) Is rapidly nearing com pletioar Bhra Novak: aad George Fischer are showing scenes In no hart, Tasmania, under Norman Dawn's direction. A recent report In Variety stated the picture would H prQbibite<li bejimLJihown abroad. Union Theatrea backing the project, have stated that the film ^ill In no way cast a slur on Australia; that the picture is tnade for entertain ment value and could he shown In any theatre and in any country. Williamson-Tait wHl commence a vaudeville season in Adelaide for a few weeks, playing star acts that have appeared in Melbourne. They are also sending a road show to New Zealand next week, headed by American and Bnglish acts. LONDON AS H LOOKS By UANNEN SWAPPER < CkoMenoe to AKhur Pollock |g a otrange thing. Some months ago, with a view of showlac of Kov York's most aotod oolumnlsto how to writo a tfaoatrlonl column, I started writing for ''Variety.*' Now I read that. In the Brooklyn Daily Elagle." a man called Arthur Pollock, quoting some of my remarks, says, "It Is quite bright for aa I don't know which Mr. Pollock this one Is. Channing Is tho boti space hound I know. Our own William Pollock, a London oolumnisl^ la a dull specimen. In order to test the Brooklyn specimen, I challeaga him, when X roMh Vow Torii, ao X hopo io do hi a fow weOka to debata any theatrical subjoot with me, on any platform he ehoooes to namo. Or I will write against him, or argue against him, just to give him an Idea that Englishmen are really not nearly as stupid as Mr. Pollodi thiaka^thoy nrob Voaron help thia FOUoA M X ever aMMt him la diMil WEE GEORGIE WOOD Oot M, Her Majebty'o Theatre. Aberdeen. Nov. 1, Bmplro Theatre. $>I«rwcastle>on-Tyne. ^" NOt the above Is not me; it is Ar- thur Conquest as "Daphne the Ape" in Maurice Cowan's Musical Show, "King BagB." a par^t fm|>eraofia* tion. Arthur played "Humpty pumpty" at the New Amsterdam, New Tork, SO. year* ago. I play it this coming oeaeoh for Julian Wylie at the IMdaeo Theatre, Man- More Talk About the Theatre Sir Oliver L«odge and Q. K. Chesterton pretended to debate, yooterdayi tfk% gubject Of "Berkeley Square,** written by J. O. Squiro aad a yavatf American journalist, John L. Balderston. « Chesterton hadn't seen the play, however, and was windy and verbose. Sir Oliver Lodge talked metaphysics and was very dreary. Then the usual boria stood ap oad tattMd iNBik. ' . These debates on pliga ara now an anpopaiar footnto^ Of lioadoa't middlebrow drearinesa • . i In spite of it, "Berkeley SqaMre** hos been Improved slneo the produo* tion unta It poiisiesi. In oomo paHs, at leant, real brilliance. Most of it Is distlngulohod. - Tho l>nmn 4aoguo should oortalnly look Into tha matter. . •« ,• •'■ Addrsos: BM/JIM, London, W.CJ Balcqxxy JTuxedos Fari% Oct, St. ThOoo purclimiig boa or orchestra seats for the opera on subscription nights must have full dress (swallow tails) among tholr wnrdrObe aad bo; willing to climb Into same. It's a compulsory edict. Tuxedos are for the balcony, aad any bther o*ato' that' maqr be around. If you aren't In black and whit^ you ^ can't fvon get on the same block. Why the WfiOlO Town Is Talking The way In which the Rothermere press is still boosting "The Whole Town's Talking" has caused wholesale talk among rival managers. !fho Motor Show opens this week, and the only referenoo la^^o *Vronliiir News" to It consisted merely of a boost for the Anita Loos iiureo. *9)afly Mail" joined in next day, with another boost. Then, a day later. In a story about the Shakespeare celebration at Drury Lane, John Deverell, the Anita lioos comedliui, was the only one starred In^thO' *Jtrwhk9' NewiB." When Lord Northcliffe, in his later days, ordered a wholesale boost* Ing of "The Man in Dress Clothes." not even the united circus tricks of an his newspapers could'oompel people to go and see Seymour HIiokg act unlOSsMOiey wanted to. In the case of the Anita Loos faroi^ b00sts4 bfr NorthOlWo's brotheib the samf thing w^l happen. Another theatre will^open in Syd- ney next year. It is to be called the Empire and is Situated opposite the Central depot. American revue and legitimate attraeUons win bo tea- tured. An American producer is being Imported for the a«w . venture, which is undfT the maaagomoat of Rufe Naylpr. Union Theatres, in conjunction with Sir Thomas Coombe, are to erect a mammoth playhouse In the theatre conter of Sydney. The- Carrolls are now invading Sydney with attractions. "The Best People" played at the Opera House for a season and will be followed by "The Sentimental Bloke.** B. J. Carroll has also secured "The Qhoat Train" for playing in Anstraim. nCCADlLLYIirrEL sad IFisturiag )liie WWl«rV QreatesT ArjUstee t isle Amt4paa XwrsstntaUve ,f=^'t M." ♦ Wanted BOss Guilbert to Siiiff Only; Lawsuit Paris, Oct. 26. Yvette Guilbert and her former manager. Alphonse Franck. are at loggerheads and the local courts have a problem to decide. Engaged to play the lead In the musical "Amants Legitimes" in 1924. Yvette caught cold after the premiere and for several days was unable to sing. She therefore hum med or recited her part, which the public did not appreciate. At least so contendk Franck. He blames the former divetter for the short run and he claims 30,000 frs. damages, declaring he engaged the. star to sing and not to recite. Mme. Guilbert has brought an op- posing suit for b reach of contract , claiming 75,000 frs. damages. 25 YEARS AS TAXABLE • • • • . . V . . • Bodrd of Tax Appeals So De- ; cides in Matter of Audi* Washington, ^ov. 2. The Board of Tax Appeals has set 26 years as the life of a theatre bvllding and In ta '.ji^ttis granted the Auditorium Company, of Los Angeles; operating the theatre of that name at the corner of Fifth ^nd'Ollvo streets In 'that otty, the right to deduct four- per cent, of .the original oost of the building for each year. This decision overruled tho Com- missioner of Intemar Revenue, who hod a s s e ss e d the eompany an addi- tMnal $7tt.0S foT tUt for the years 1919, 1920 and 1921. - - In handing down Its decision the board states that the theatre was imnt la itiT sra oost of |ti4.69a. Facing Pershing Square, with values constantly mounting in that district, the land is reported to be valued at nTO.OM. The net return from the theatre property, which Includes stores, etc.. In the same building, reached $15.- 9«8.«2 for 1919, $19,162.11 tor l1l20 and $24,697.96 for 1921. The commissioner, in reviewing the cfm^t granted but tfro and one- half per cent. \b the rate of depre elation, while the board, in raising this rate to four per cent., took into oonsidoralloa Shp 'dlfllettlties In re- modeling mad#neoossary to hoiase tho theatre proper. When tho Prineo Qoos to s Psrty The best story going the rounds concerns a supper party, 8S|A tq been given, not many nights ago, by a famous comedian. Another famous oomedlani arho'arrived very lata—aad li^ta-UAi—Is ported to have said, "Who's your friend sitting by the* plSBb Vtfh .4 dram, and trying to look UkO ths, Br)as» of Walesr' Th^ 'Mnoo's Interest In cheaper^, entertainment Is proved, by the Isqt' that, last ^Iroek, when he went to Andre Chariot's show, hqJiaipBd for tho< nali[itf bf Oie ^u^llajhers o^ "Friendly Ghosts," one of the.?* "I^'Wnt it p; They nearly over at a him. the «fi^»»V' ho w^. Yvette Guilbert won the case when the court stated the actress showed devotion in continuing play Ing when aiiffiirlng from a bad oold, and should have been praised by hor diroetor rather thsa sued; mnsH toul fee sxins Washington, Nov. 2. Though 20-odd ot|icrnationshave cut the $10 vlsii los on passports, it appears that Great Britain Is going to make no such concession The countries already listed have cut this fee' In the majority of In stances to $2. British officials. In holding out blame the U. 8. Government, ac oording to dispatches reaching here due to the fhct that this country will not extend the lowered fee to British Immigrants. Gaby Mentbroose in N. Y. Cabarets Paris, Oct. 2$. Gaby Montbrousa lossl dhrotte* is booked for New Tork oabaret appoamnoos In Jansairy, From Acrobat to Manageiv Billy Merson. becomes an actor-manager in a iew weeks. Not man]^ ^ years sco ho wai aa sorobat ta a ottoaa Now ho Is a yloh man. aad , comedian with sufficient confidence In his own popularity to badl Rlquette," now to be called "My Son John." "Biquette" and "Yvonne* were sent on tour \^ the Italy's manage* ment, so that the better oaoooiitd oomo to,Daly's. "^Vonno** was ohoson« "If 'Biquette' la as great a success as Tvottne" was a failure—and Mer« son has ofiTered to bet William Qi^unt .flilOO It runs 10 months—^It wfll be the Joke of the year.". Not So "Sunny" As June "Sunny." although it must be a success, because of its advance book* ing, is much criticized in expert circles. Americana who have seen It say It does not ootnpnro with the Now York production. Changes have been made. Alfredo's band now plays "Who" with variations—the way the Chinese would play it, etc, and so forth—-this, although (i was already songalugged 28 tinies, accordinflr to the reckoning of an expert accountant. BInnie Hale is not a Marillyn Miller. June, originally cast for the part, would be more suited. Jack Hobbes cannot sing. And tiMre are other criticisms. Giiilberl Coming Orcr'i Is in Taust* Film Yvette Guilbert, who has been doing considerable screen work abroad, is returning to America. FrenOh'slMclallBt has not boon in tho siatoi HI visit later tliftii iMsitm^^^^^^^^^ o<^bliie business with plessuro. ., Mile. Guilbert may make a "per- sonal appearance" here with "Faust," the UFA production. In It she plays A^^JMIgM. v Vaudeville Openings London, Nov. 2. Deify, French pianist, made his London debut at the Holborn Em- piro (vaudeville) l«st. night and pleased. At tho Vlcitorllt Palace (vaude- ville) Buddy Doyle, with AI Slegcl at the piano, got over niocly. Thi.s is Doyle's first English vaudeyillc appearance. H. Siegel came over here with Bee Palmer, they opening at tho Kit Cat OMmtm BOHAOHBIi'S London, Oct. 24. Ronacher's, at one time a leading European music hall, will probably be tumod lato a dqnce pavilion after the ihodel of tho BorfiB Palais 4e SAIUNGS IS (New York to London) Charlap Oulliror and party (Lerla^ thM|>?.... Nov. S (London to Now ToHll* Mr. and Mrs; 8y4 M ow t o is r~~ (Olympic). Nov. 3 (London to New YorkJlg^. Mr. and Mrs. G«»ne Auetin (Paris). Nov. 2 (London to New York), Fred Adams, Mr. and Mrs. Schul«( man, Baby Doris NIrdllngor'- (I^ vlathan). Nov. 2 (London to New York), Irving Aaronson and orchestra, Christine Aaronson (Leviathan). Est. WILLIAM MORRIS AOEMCT. IM.* ara, MORRI8 WM. MORK18. 1560 Broadway, New York THE TIUER SCHOOLS OF OANCINQ ' • Leicester House, ^10-11 Great Newport St., LONDON, W.C. 2 Ttiesraphle AdarrM: TIPTOK8 WKSTRAND LONDON IMractort Mrt« John Tillar