Variety (Nov 1926)

Wednesday, November 3, 1926 LEGITIMATE VARIETY 4? SHOWS IN N. Y. AND GOMHENI FiflurM ••timatod and commant point to aomo atiractiona boing •u«otaaful» whilo tha aama groaa aaoradHad ta athara iniaht augo«st madlaarity ar Iota. Tha varianea ia axptaipad in tha diffaranca in housa eapaoitiaa, with tha varying ovarhaad. Aiao tha aisa aff eaatt with eonsaquant diffaranca in naoaaaary groaa of profit. Varlanaa in businaaa naca«aary for imialaal attrftatiaii aa againat drainatie play ia alto contidarad. Claaaification of attraction* hauaa aapaclty and top price of; tha admiaalon scala givan iMlow. Kay to clattif{6atlon: C (comady); D (drama) i R (ravua); M (mMaloal oamady); F (farapXj O (aparatta). Abia'a Irlah Raaa,* Rapublie (ISId waak) (C-901-12.76). Pre-election alump rieported for moat attrac- tlona with attendance down early this week for same cause; little difference noted In trade of run leadef, "Abie." over $9,000. •Amarlaana*" BMrnont (I4tli waak) (R-nB-$B'60). Though eased off of late, profltabla businaaa clai|Bad with approximate irroaa' arewid $12,000. ■An American Tragedy,** Longacre (4th week) (D-l,019-$3.85). One of nitoent dramatic productions expected to make run of it; felt dapreaaion last week, but around $18,000. fAt Mra. Beam*»," Garrick (28th week) (C-537-$3.30). Final week: "jUoose Ankles" moves down from Biltmore. although Guild planning new production here some time later; comedy qtuoted at $5,000. •Automn Fire,*^ Xlaw (2d #eek) (D-830-$3.3q). Irish play, hit overseas, faring very badly and likely to be taken off quickly; at- traction Ixyoked for four weeka. "Black Boy," Comedy (5th week) (D-682-$8.30). Not expensive to oper&te; management hopeful of ' moderately successful engage- ment; pace around $6,000. Indi- cationa not promising. "Broadwayt" Broadhurst (7th week) CD-l.il8-$3.85). Question of how many standees for weekly gross to meaaure cloae to $28,90i|} tops not-muaical field - witki^t quae- tion. * • * •Caatlea In the Air,*' Belwyn (fth week) (M-l,0«7-$4.40). Agency buy-off Saturdi^y; scale immedi- ately. rediiee# Irom^ ti.KO in ex- pectation of stronger box office trade; around $22,000 last week. «Ceailfeaa Maritsa," Bhubert (8th week) <O-l,895-$5.50). Holding close to capacity; last week •lightly off. but eatlmatM gross around $30,000; lOoka like real muaical'hlt. *CHaa Ci^a,": QM^ (4th week) (M-1.416-$5^0). Charging $6.60 Saturday night;, same scale ap- plied Monday (election eve); grosses estimated less, but claim- ing $87,000: no doubt about Stone show being capacity draw. *Daiay Mayme,*' Playhouse (2d .week) (CD-879-$3.30). Not bril- liant premiere, but attracting at- tention and agenciea reporting de- mand for tlck€;ts on incrtaaa; first week claimed $10,000. "Fanny," Lyceum (7th week) (C- 957-$3.30). Booked for road Nov. 13; moderate business, $10,000 or less; "Lily Sue" and "Mosart" (with Irene Bordoni) boftll in«P* tioned to follow. "Qentle Gh>aft«rs," Music Box (2d week) (C-l,000-$3.30). Though well regarded out of town, open- ing Oct. 27 not v|>i«liiitUit. »or were notices. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,** Times Square (8th week) (O-t067-$3.86). Not under $24,000 weekly since opening; flgures to run season to big money. •God Loves Us," Maxin© Elliott's (3d week) (D-924-$3.30). Final week, although another house , claimed in sight; Actors' Theatre production not considered money •how and houae offered for other V booking; less than $5,000. "Happy Qo Lucky,*' Liberty (6th '^•ek) (M-1.202-$8.86). Will re- main another week; then due for road; probably aimed for Chi- cago; rated $13,000 to $14,000; J'Twlnkle, Twinkle," due Nov. 16. *Hanry-Behave," Bayes (11th week) (C-890-$3.80). Another week will let this, one out;! claimed $5,000 weekly pace doubtful; mostly cut tates, but attendance light any- how. . Honeymoon Lane," Knickerbocker (7th week) (M-l,042-$3.85). Aver- age weekly trade quoted $21,000 f"* .over: somewhat off laat week ^-»ke most others. ■If I Was Rich," Eltinge (9th week) (C-892-$3.30). Bit better since moving here from Mansfield, but trade only moderate, with esti- mated «alt between $5,000 and ^ $6,000. ' ■lolanthe,** Plymouth (28th week) (O-l,043-$3.30). Few weeks more; during fall average grosses $12,- 000 weekly; off lately at about $10,000. Juarei and Maximilian," Guild (4th week) (D-914-$3.30). One week more will be about all; too ex- pensive for regular showing and ^. little trade o n tetde e< a nb a wip ■ ^ tlons; $10,000. Just Life," Morosco (8th week) (D.893-$3.30). Doing as well hero at Henry Miller's; last week •stfmated $8,000 to $9,000. Katja," 44th St. (Ird week) (M- 4,326-$4.40). First week grosp! ap- proximately $16,000; last week Well under that mark; not much chance'for this musical eomedy that scored in London. "Loose Ankles," Biltmore (12th week) (C-944-$3.S0). Moving to Garrick next week; business proflUble at $9,000; "Old Bill," by Baimafather, foUowa In. ''Leoee Bnda," RiU (let week) (D- 945-$3.30). English drama touted aa good thing, by Dion Tither- edge; preaented by Sam H. Rar- rls; opened Monday; "She Couldn't Say No" closed strongly. $9.000.. ''Lulu Bella,* Belaaco (Sfth week) (D-1.000-98.85). Belasco's dra* matic sensation of last season still among Broadway's big money attractions^ iMIia «r(MM $20,- 000 weekly. ''Naughty Riquette," Cosmopolitan (8th week) (M-1.500-$4.40). About four weeks more; moderate money musical with average business $14,000 to $15,000 weekly; house may get Cecile Sorel, Freooh star, in December. "On Approval,** Gaiety (3rd week) (C-808-$3.30). Very good down- stairs trade, .though new English comedy not recognized aa excep- tional - attraction; ftvlk»>Mcteate pace $12,000. ''Queen High," Ambassador (9th week) (M-l,168-$4.403. Agency de- mand took upward turn and ticket buy extended; over $24,000 two weeks ago and last week about $82«000; verx good for pre-el«c- tHotf. ^ ■ - •■ ■ • •'■'.^ "Scandals,' Apollo (21st week) (R- 1.168-$5.50). Keeps away out in front, with advance selling as strong as ever; leads list in gross and demand; nearly $42,000 again. "Sex," Daly's (28th week) (D-1,173- $3.30). Regarded as dramatic freak; attracting much attention in early weeks and riding to profitable business ever since ex- cept for > abort time In aiimmer; $9,000. "Seed of the Brute," Little (1st week) (D-S30-$3.30). Opened Mon- day under direction of William A. Brady. Jr., aoB DwjMii iMIiM Winman. ' "Sunny," New Amsterdam (69th week) (M - 1,702 - $5.50). Last week's gross around $36,000; un- der normal, but not surprising at this ,stage of run; oiiprht to re- coveir and go through fall. "Sure Fire," Waldorf (3rd week) (C-l,142-$8.30). Looking for new attraction for this new house; , some critics thought show wonder, but last week (flrst full w^eefc) gross not much over $4,000. "The Blonde Sinner," Frolic (17th week) (F-602-$8.S0). Qolng along to moderate money but probably doesn't need much to operate; $5,000 t«-IMMit wltk <Mtt ratea factor. "The Captive," Empire (6th week) (D-l,099-$3.80). So far this adap- tation from French sensational draw; equal to anything in point of demand, with standeet In all performances; $22,200. "The Donovan Affair," Fulton (10th week) (D-913-$3.30). Excellent pace of this mystery play keeping it at profitable pace; last week $10,000; new Beatrice Lillie show planned ior hoiiae around holi- days. "The <3irl Friend," Vanderbllt (85th week) (M-771-$3.85). Work on new musical, "Peggy," started and next here; "Girl Friend" eased off but bettering even break; •probably over $10,000. "The Great Temptations," Winter Garden (35th week) (R-1,498- $5.50). Final week; started like world beater but dropped behind leaders; "Gay Paree" next week. "The Jeweled Tree," 48th Street (5th week) (CD-9«9-$8.80). Final week; show in on guarantee and lost plenty; maybe $3,000 weekly; "The Squall" next week. "The Judge's Husband," 49th Street (6th week) (CD-707-$8.80). Fig- ures estimated have been under pace; William Hodge show rated over $9,000 and should stick through fall. "The Ladder." Mansfield (3rd week) (D-1.097-13 30). Oft to slow start; plugging via extra space ads may help; last week, first full week, bit over $5,000. "The Little Spitfire," Cort (12th week) (CD-l,046-$2.75). May re- main until holidays; though not big, moderately good bu.'^ine.ss at average between $8,000 and $9,000. "The Noose," Hudson (3rd week) /D-l,094-$3.30). Regarded having likely chnncw for run; last week estimated about $12,000, with aganoiaa reporting mmwing dar Presented by Frohman ofllce with Holbrook Blinn in lead; Molnai s "Spoil im Schlaae'* opena tonight (Wednesday). 'The mand ••The Pearl of Great Price," Cen- tury (1st week) (D-2,890-$3.30). ShubcrtH splurpjed on producing Kobert McLaughlin's dramatic spectacle; Opened Monday after fair showing In Prooklyn. "The Play's The Thing," Henry Mil- ler (let week) (CP-f4e-$3.80). Ramblers," Lyric (7th week) (M-1.40«-$5.50). Among big money musicals; pre-electioTi de- pression felt in measure but eroae over $80,000 last week. "The Shanghai Gesture," Chanln's 46th Street (35th week) (D-1.399- $8.85). Strength of this holdovor drama exceptional; resumed after summer layoff with agency busi- ness excellent: eatliiulted tMiiiid $15,000. 'H'he Vagabond King," Casino (59th week) (0-l,447-$3.85). Long run operetta in last month; scale re- duced recently in exi>ectation of livening box office trade, but aliolr about through: $12,000. "The Wild Roae,^ Martin Reck (3rd week) (M-l,089-$5.50). Reported picking up after mild start; last week first full*week with approx- imate gross $19,000, oonaMei^bly under expectations. "The Woman Disputed," Forrest (dtll Ve^) (D-1,600-$3.30). Made ' some money but not exceptional draw; pace ratea it among mod- erately good groaa abowa at 111,- 000 tu $12,000. "They All Want Something," Wal- lack's (4th week) *(C-770-$3.30). Theatre parties advanced gross somewhat last week; between $4,- 000 and $5,000 including eut rates; won't last much longer. "Two Girls Wanted," John Golden (9th week) (C-800-$3.30). lioVed here from Little Monday; new house not finding another attrac- tion; claimed jtfoond |7.(r00 in former house. "Vanities," Earl Carroll (11th week) 'CK-998-$6.60). Always seems to get good trade, though off last week like field; around $26,000. . "We Americans," Sam H* Harris k (3rd week) (C-l,051-$3.30): Looks like moderate .money show; last week at $9,000'^M^t"figure; though ' attraction may stick for timoi no excepti(>nal money expected. "What Every Woman Knows," Bijou (30th week) (C-605-$3.30). Beats $8,000 regularly and indi- cations still point to Barrie re- vival sticking through fall. "White Wings," Booth (4th week) (CD-707-$3.30). Final week; re- viewers lUced this one too, but could not get $5,000; "first Love" with Fay Bainter next week. "Yellow," National (7th week) (D- l,t<4«$3.S0), Now regarded hit; businaaa-IVMiped at almost every performance last week and de- mand steadily growing in agen- ciea; estimated $18,000. Spectal Attractions and Rep Raquel Metier, playing four mat- inees and Sunday nfgbf at Henry Miller's instead of eight perform- ances as last week; scale $5.50. Last week, $11,090. Harry Lauder, at CentOl^f waek, $2.75 top; $32,000. ' ; * Sva ^e QaiMenne in Civic Reper- tory at 14th Street, offering "The Master BuUder^" "S^urday Night" and •Three Sisters.''*. ; . Outside Tihnes Square—Little "The Humble" closed at Green- wlcb Village 3atlirday; "The Lion Tamer" closed Sunday at Neigh- borhood Playhouse, with "The. Little Clay Cart" due Nov. 4; "Ruth" opened Monday, Central Park; "The House of Uasher," Mayfair; "The Straw Hat,^ Laboratory; "Relgen," Triangle; "John Fergvaont" Ckerry Lane. (Copyright, 1926, by V«Hely» Inc.) MUSICALS IN BOSTON "Big toy" $32,000 Last Week—"Stu- dent Prince/^ PUYS ON BROADWAY Boston, NoVi % Business continues fair here for the musicals and the comedies. The others have not been very success- fuli ■ / V- ' •■ Last week was about normal for this time of year. Due to the clos- ing down of the Colonial, which swung over to a Vltaphone picture this week, the Al Jolson show. "Big Boy," did strong business at the Shilbert, ai did the other musical in town, "The Student Prince," in at the Majestic. These are the only twd tamaieala in the eity. This week the Tremont also goes out of the rkhk of thp legitimate theatres, f'na Clare in ' "The lAmt of Mrs. Cheyney" departs. "Reau Oeste" comes in. Indefinite stay. Laat Week'a Ettimatea. ' The ^atay,^ Wilbur (let week). Opened at thli house Monday night after acveral weeks of Orant Mit- chell la •«<>ne of the Family.'* flS,- 000. "The Butter and Egg Man,"* Ply- mouth (2d week). Caught en IMtly well last week. $12,000. "The Wisdom Tooth" HoUis (2d week). Proving very fair. Qroaa for first week. $10,000. "Big Boy," Shubert (last week). Has been a big money maker here with gross for last week. $32,000. "The Student Prince," Majestic (last Week). For a return engage- ment this .show baa done exception- ally well. $30,000. "Love !na Mist," Park (1st week) Opened h^re after a few weeks of very fair husinesa with "Craig's Wife." $8,000. (CopyrlgMr 10M» by Variety, Inc.) GENTLE GRAFTERS Compily In throe a^'ta bjr Ow«n Davis, pre- »*nt»'.l at the MusU' Box. CU^t. 27, by Sam H. U.irrH: staged by Sam Forrest. <'<>ra Hluke Charlotte ilmnvlllf M iry Doyle l-ut liu- Swirs I'-lIen .....*•...• I.i;ine (.'.irr»'ra Delivery Man........ \v ^ally •....Katharine AIex.in>ler Jim Merriok ..llori^an WhIUh*; Dkk Cameron Uobart Koith Kitty l)i)>U«.., «.••..,..Helen Lackaye Jerry L)i>yle Charles Kinnedv k*nn Ml riunf.. (Juy NIohols Tom Murtop Chiirlos Hit< hie Billy Dejiter.. William Davia 9pbe(ta..•*.•••••••*..**«...Fra«l VS. Btrons Philadelphia critics raved over "The Shelf." It lasted a month on Broadway. •'Gentle Grafters" wa.s equally well regarded out of town but indications arc not Cavorable for it doing much better. Owen Davis wrote Tientle Graft- ers" and li»» thought it a ne'\t plnro of work. No doubt it is. Mr. Duvis* summation of his own plays are curiously the reverse of the box ofllco verdict—ills best written works rarely got the money wtiile the others have been generally auc- cesses. 'XSentle Grafters** should be sin- gular instead of plural because the play ia the story of a well-reared girl of the gold digger type Who Is different in that she, well, is "loo cold." Her "st^ge" mother is a grafter, too. but there ia nothing gentle about that bimbo. The pair have worked themselves up from 14th street to a Fifth ave- nue apartment, owing evoi'ybody and paying no one untU faced with exposure via court action. Sally has carefully evaded accept- ing the generoya proffers of her wealthy employer. Inaiatent she isn't that kind of girl. Her a. k. com- panion never figured Sally would turn out to be a chilly kind of a flapper. Her code is conveyed in the line: "There ia nothing, ao an-; noying In this world aa to live with a virtuous woman." But Sally falls and Jim Merrick, her boss, ia the chap. It happens after the phoney mother frames the psychological moment, a time when Sally ia led to think that I>Sek Cam. eron, whom she loves, kjui beeome engaged to another girl. Mr. Davta* chief point In hi* new play appears to be that a girl of this type will fall under similar drcum* stanpcs and at a particular point Tllat is not clearly established ill the dialog nor ia it convincing. "Gentle Graf teri*' reaohei no ttra^ matic heights nor does Its humor evoke much laughter. That per.- hapa la' Why it' doea hot llgiirta to land. The development of the final act la a bit of excellent craftsman- ehlp. Sally tells her auppoaed flanee Jim spent the night with her. She expected Dick to turn fn»m her then and he does. Then oft ahe tirots With two other fellows who do not suspect Sally is anything but a nice little gQ§d-tlmer. Katherino Alexander, who for several seasons haa attcact^d atten- tion by her cl^er aetihg. ia "mada" by "Gentle Grafters." It was said fh-st night excitement tempered her premiere performance and that thereafter she gave a finer one. But Miaa Alexander's playing even uir- Jer" ttie reputed handicap was enough to indicate the promise of a brilliant career. She certainly was charming when cuddled in a big chair, peering wtmr ad naturally over the side. The aupportlng east looked com- petent In the main but Miss Alex- ander had ao many aides the play MMBied all here. Morgan Wallace aa Merrick was authentic, though Robert Keith as Sally's fiance was not such a good choicow In the cast is Liane Carrera, Anna Hold's daughter, and her French maid dialect waa, Of eeuraa, the right stuff. A short life and not ao mairy for .. -I . DAISY MAYME Rosalie St«wart pr«^Mta Oaorn Kaily's thre«-act comedy. •Uged if iM aaikor. o|>«nina Oct. 20. 1926^ Rtith Penner •.;lla4«a Ran Mra Laura Kenner Alaia Kraaar Mra. Oily Kipas Josaphlfie Hvll CHS Mcttinf^er Carlton Brlckart May Philllpn Madye Evans Dalay Mayrne PluTikett Jr«s1« lIuNley Charlie Hnyder Fraak Koffati Mr. Piiooa...•«•..••....•«.•••■. 'iW/itii Fortified with the reputation olt George Kelly as the author of "Craig's Wife" (1925 Pulitzer prize play) and **The Show-Off." among other things, "Daisy Mayme" prob- ably was enhanced with a certain aura of optimistic anticipation that com7n.Tnd<d a little more respect and serious attention than it mer- ited. Whilo a Sf^archlng character study, digging deep and not inef- fectually into the existence of the average small-town middle-class American households, there is not e nough drsma a n d e nt e rtainm e nt ried sisters suddenly become inter- ested in his welfare and resent the intrusion of the tltl<' player who is brought onto the scene as the com- panlon of the 17-year-oId orphan. May Phillipa. l>aisy Mayme is rather a blatant, banal and ostentatious personage who acts at times in keeping with the chorus-girl suggestion of her cognomen. Her overly familiarity with folks whom she immediately adilressea by their Christian namea may be an individual characterisa- tion, but for general consumption it might not strike the responsive^ sympathetic note the author may liave intended. However, that detail, while an In- congruity, is not so much to the point as the genorul motif. It sIaows ivelly again us a faithful delineator of dramatic character, but nothing ht>v(ui.l th;»t. It rortainly (1i->os not advance him any. and lie has bia. past performances brhlnd htaS tJi' his greatest claims to fame. Kelly's "Show-OfT" possessed a certain human and humorous ap- peal that made it box-otflce proof. Ditto for "The Torch Bearers' and its satire on the amatetir theatrical enijrepreneurs. Ditto to acme ex- tent in "CJraig's Wife." where the conflicting elements made for ft Oir* tain dramatic suspense. * /- **Oalsy Mayme." stripped of Its character studies, is rather obvious. The attraction between the adolea- cent girl and her mature mentor is a discernible means toward a .similar attraction between the Woman and the girl's guardian, re^ suiting In the latter offrrlng matri- mony as one reason to keep her near the girl. The casting Is superh. Next to Jessie Busley in the title role, Roy Pant as Mr. Filoon. a 91-year-old crony, and Josephine Hull as Mrs. Oily Kipax stood out. Madge Evans, the Baby Peggy of yesteryear's Bio- graph and Vitagraph film produc- tions, la now grown up and has al* ready essayed mature parts oppo- site Barthelmess in "Classmates" and elsewhere. A charming little- lady, her 17 years disclose a natural untrained voice that flta the part nicelsr. t Bhe le winaomo and eertate to command attention in legit with maturer development hiatrtjpnic^lr^ and phyalcally. As to "Daisy Mnyme's box office chancer it does not mean much bev yond ' a moderate run. Figuring against this estimate is the smidl cast of eight, the one aet .nroduc*. tion and comparatively trivial o«pr« hend. As a play it might not rate 80 much, but the Kelly creative con- nection, the technicalities on XmuMi and terms, etc., should aee this w$ into the money class. • iL5eL SEED or THE BRUTB William A. Brady. Jr., and Dwisht Daare Wiman pr«Mnt a n^w drama sliasd aad written ty Knowlea P:ntrlkln. dtl UKtilltte' Theatre. Nov. 1. mt (M.aO tsM^ ^ ^* Utsla • -tovntfeiB...., .'tllllia VaefliB (UiWltt Roberta.. Robert Am«a. Uafe Btntton...'. Claude Coopar Molly Chrr Adcle Carplas tlohn Rolwrte Donn Cook Anne Kmereon Roberts Doris Rankin Ilarbara Davla Jane Heymour Judfft EmersoB. David Ola^ford David Carr..'.. t»'« *,, .♦,Harold KLMotl Matthew carr.»..*'*(«v«*'«*i-«''«g|data SbMll' In the entire proceedings to m*'rit murh fiupi)ort from amusement- scf'Iiing playgoers. Cliff .NTottinfr»r Is a typical Ro- tarian type of "go-getting, upright husiness man" who has not thought of romanre and matriinony Jkm-.'im/T of otijer ties and attendant obll- gallona. Mettinger*n gelfish mar- Monday evening, on 68th street, a theatre named after John Gtol^tt, built as a monument to the living dLsclple of clean plays, opened; at the same moment. In the Uttle the- atre, of which the same John Golden is one of the lessees and operatora. there opened "Seed of the Urute, a play that for bald and shocking profanity, salaciousness and ob- scenity, outranka mny^ of tk* iMli ones in town. A prolog starts with a youth roughly ordering out of his barn a village "slut" (one of the mild epi- thets) after they have discussed with dirty detail an all-night amour elaewhere and ahe la begging him to take her there again; he tosaee her to one of the cheap-trash bojM. of the locality, to whom she goea rather than, as she says, take the proposition her sister made her ia a letter to go to Peoria and enter a house of prostitution (only in this piece they don't call it that—they always call It an unprintal)lo word). Snarling, in comes a niarrled wo- man. He beats down her virtuoua Veshitahce, seizes her, fights for the physfcjll rights of the male who clutches the woman he wants, and as the curtain drops he Is locking up tho bam "for the night" as he announces. Therefrom we skip 20 years. He has married the village heiress, the beat blood hereabouts. They have a son. But he Is a studlouH, sedate boy. nothing like his father, Who now dominate.^ the country and haa In his grip the bijoflegg^rs, red- light women and grafters (those are refined names for them, not the on^« often used in tho script) and wants his aon to follow in hla trafika Hia wife adores a weary, subdwrd, bullied woman. The son wants none of bin father's buBineSa, methoda or spirit. fom^'M now the ffon of Molly Cnrr, the married woman wiio whh locked In the barn all night with the mow- 'em-down f«lJow. He looks and a< tn Jii.st like that bird and nothing l^ke bis meek» aanctimonloua, avp*