Variety (Feb 1927)

VARIETY'S LONDON OF91CE 8 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square JOYS AND GLOOMS OF BROADWAY Bh« wa« a chorus girl In Al Jolspn's "Big Boy" comiMiny. and got a Job at the Silver Slipper. Known as the "world's worst slnper," but «ang anyway, ller cuteness and dancing put her over. Went to Chi- cago Willi J Olson's show, sang In a cafo, 4rtft«d to Ban Franclaco, wliert •IM got $250 a week lii movie houses, and now geU |409 a W««k aad 1^ a lilt MlJUM records. Her name is Peggy Sei^ier. Ous Kahn and Isham Jones of Chicago are town. They say that JUi|a» dMat jvroHflc pf ovr aong writers, rectivea |20«*000.a year In roymltlei,'.:,''t':. ' ' A Girl From Texas AU the "lieartaches of Broadway" are not confined to the menibers if th* theatrical profession. A tall, stunning girl wandered into the office of a producer. Wanted a chorus job. She seemed so different the producer waa Interested and she told her story. Came of a well knowh. family in a large Texas city. While mother ' waS securing a <iv(A^ tr6m faCther, a wealthy merchant, they eamtf to Kew York. Funds Hn li)W and they moved to Astoria. The girl secured employment as cashier of a movie theatre while the mother earned a few dollars a week ihaking a house to house canvas to get addresses for a maga- zine. :' The felrl was desperately In need of money, ana the kindly producer giaiVe her some money to. tide her over, arranging for her to-go to work. 3^6*8 one girl at least who doesn't believe every manager in show bwsi- atoi Wlii^^ilnd she reiu^S abont in booka ' ' Fn D C I r* M CABLf, ADDRESS, VARIETY^ LQNDON w 1% £• 1 A' n 2096-3199 Regent Wednesday, February 2, LONDON AS IT LOOKS ' By jHiW^NEN Sy^F^ 1927 Little "Peanuts" has signed to go Banks, of "Castles in tlje Air" and the Frivolity Club, to Lpndon. with the former show. S>h^.leaves next ' An oTlici"^) of the Frenrij Line is negotiating, to talie four American flpis foj fi P^rla ?how and tafe revue. : C - • ^ • A speaker at the recent Jake Lubln dinner at the Friar's Club was introduced as the man who is planning to build the tallest skyscraper in the worlds 72 storiei^ high. Bugs Baer followed him and proposed tlMt t^i lop of it bs eqtilppeA with ; a *'dftvteg "board-for agonM - ' ^ TWe's a Wish! One of those annoying, cloying persons saying goodnight to Texas Guinan. As he made his lingering farewell she said: Wt' ratr^owMPs'elOlrooiitod' I'd like to have >0« sit la my lap.^' BARRIE OLIVER . I/ONDON'S HOT FBIEND ■ "VAlUBTY," sept 16 "The oiitstandiav 'hit vSn London is Barrie Oliver, an engaging player in a yopthful. juvenile role. A' friendly audjlence outdid Itself in a4;>proval when he demonstrated the Chai;leston,Atop a tabV» i^ .tl»e last aot,of 'jnst.a Kfls.'? : V Permanent, address* Variety,St. • ^ MaHin's Plaee* (London - A gorgeous little blonde from the road show of the "Music Box" got a job in a night club as a chorus girl. She became instantly popular but Isit Jor Europe and ber friends lost track of hor. A man wandered Into the club a few nights ago saying she had made a terrific hit in Berlin, a fortune for herself, with a vast apartment. Jewels, chauffeurs, and the world at her feet, and then lost everythiht. She's now on her way ksiiilL.aai- ^iWiPts her old job back, fat the night club chorus. Just 8 Venture Just venturing the opinion that Chester Fredericks, the little dancing marvel of the "Winter Garden, would niakc % jgr^at screen juvenile and pai^lcularly a screen comedian. ; Understand that Gladys Gladd, one of Ziegfeld's most glorified, of "Rio Rita," has scored in a screen teat and will soon get a m9Vie contract, lean Ackorman. of "Scandals,**. Is another who will fol]o# 'ii» the Coot- steps of other chorus girls, including Joan Crawford, Dorothy Sebastian, Blanche Mehaffey, Louise Brookes, and others. Incidentally, two girls li^ the sfme "Scandals" chorus of two years ago, Louise Brool^s and Dorothy Sebastian, have both made good In pictures. BlUie Dove, "ex-FoULes," is another former chorus girl who now has her name in lights. Dorothy Mackaill. who was in Ziegfeld's "Midnight Vrolic,*A la another. One of th.e funniestlhings on Broadway Is a group of W^inter Garden shows girls singing French in a number with Jean Aubert. ^ . A Story of Alice Boulden Two years ago a little Winter Garden chorus girl drifted into a radio Studio to wait for a friend. She met the director, who asked her if she eottld sing. She could. He heard her. The following Saturday afternoon she appeared at Loew's Metropoli- tan, Brooklyn. So frightened she had to start three times before finally •ending the song over. For that she received |5. Tho following Monday in Texas Ouinan's ^horiiS In the El Fey Club, making two salaries. $40 in the Winter Garden chorus and $50 from Tex. She sang "Hard Hearted Hannah," and became famous In a cer- tain small group. Now she's back in the Winter Garden again—with the principals. . Her name Is In electric lights three feet high outside tho thoetra JNio is Alice Boulden. London, Jan. S4. The new musical coniedy, Evelyn Laye's next for the Daniel Mayer Company, is'being adapted by^ Ar- thur Wimperis and Lauri Wylie from ' wl' Hungarian piece, > *TAdy Hamilton." It ha^ been deeded to substituto llotltloQO charaotors for those of Lady Hamilton and Nelson to do awur with tho necessity for keepinc ifarletiy WKhtai htotorical bounda Slnco entering its fourth month at St. Mariln'a "Berkeley Square," which Jed Harris will shortly pro- duce in New York, has broken all previous records. Relnhardt made an offer for tho Gennan rights this week. They Met end How! A waiter In the Frivolity Club Saturday night stooped over to take a ovstoaMiP^S order. The latter was In full evening dress, obviously a successful man of tho world, in middle life. W^alter and guest gazed at each other. Suddenly the guest leaped up, grasped the waiter's hand and said, "My God. it's !" Ho Introduced the waiter to his feminine companion. ^Phoy hiUI' heen sailors together on the U. 8. 8. "Kearsarge" in 1903. Arnold Reuben, who built a saodwich and then a fortune, will conduct a boaoflt in the Liberty Theatre, Feb. 27. The proceeds will go to buy braces for cripples. This is Reuben's pet charity, and each year he raises $25,000 personally. He says thousands of cripples could be cured, or at least be relieved, if it were not neces.sary to buy braces which are no excessively costly. Sir Barry Jackson has arranged for the Kew York production of "tetlbw Saads,'^ tho |U|eif Phill- potts Devonshiro oomodiif^ nfw cur- rent at the Haymarket. An English company will be engaged, and the piece produced in September. This . (dontlnuod on pseo, 12) Unidfidi Aisee, Before Or After Osuha? Los Angeles, Feb. 1. Pained at tho thougrht that the)r pastor might ho o ap osied to harsh weather in her present tour of the Middle West, the Angelus Temple board wired' Afaneo Semple Mc Pherson, asking her to postpone the trip and return back home. The evangelist wired back, "How can I think of myself when so many hearts huncsr for piayor?^ Talking over the radio on Sun day, the mother of Aimee Semple Mcpherson^ Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, charged tho Los Angeles news- papers with a conspiracy to pub llsh only garbled accounts of her daughter's nationwide tour. Mrs. Kennedy said that tho true facts were contained only in news- papers where her daughter had appeared. She felt that the boiled- down accounts reaching the Coast have made it appear that the lady preacher was just saying a lot of funny stuff. VHMy Fears will be prima donna of Rufus Le Maire's 'Affairs." WUma Novak, winner of the Publlx Circuit Charleston Contest. Is in the chorus of "I Told You So." . .. .. \ 4' I.,, , ' ..I j -a LONDON Poelurine the World's QroatosI Artistes A. J. CLARKE ■••I* American ReprMentatlte A8T0R HOTEL. > New York City Americans Abraad Paris, Jan. 2S. In Paris: Abram Golberg, vlolin- iKt; Mesmore Kendall; Geo. Kleine; W. Q. Johnston, "Motion Picture News*'; Paul Bender. Metropolitan Opera: Wm. Zclgler, Jr.; Florence Walton and Leon Leitrim; C. Koche London, Jan. 21. I am afraid my frankness Is unpopular. A few days ago, a London manager prophesied that over 30 pli^s would come off within a month. W^hen I printed his remarks, mahagera aot aiigry. Then, tho other day« when James "VOMto tom that, la his opinion Phonofllms and other Invontlons would kill tho draoia within 20 years. I printed that. Perils of the Future The Society of West End Managers in London Issued a statement that all was well and that there were 24 "established successes.** I wish that I could accept it. Even as I wfite. I hear of the Impending withdrawal of five more plays, making over twenty in all, and I am given terrlbla figures about business. ^ j^^^i^otolUP^Ierstand \\']2y:4he^,theatrical profos(|ton > obt|ootf ta men WM oan vlsualtao the future, wamin/? them, pointing outrHia^erllf, >• * A Lesson From 1918 , When,, fitithe opd of 491^^8,, I warned the dominion premiers then Ja London of the dangers of AWeHcan films do-Ang|lclslug tho ^ttlHi Bm- pire, Britis);! film producers asffalled me Instead of welcoming my a«# sistance. Lord Northcliffe, one of whose four editors L thon waa-Ot^^ed my crusade. >!rhat was the end of British films. . ' . Now, a few weeks ago, tho Imptrlal Oanforenee adopted tho quota sys- ten which I invented in 1W8. They were eight years late. If, instead of denouncing me, the theatre would set Its house in oroen improve the galleries, more programs and cloakrooms free, lower prices and build up homo productions. It could laugh at the film peril. Why ]b)]ame It all on Hannen Swaffer? • ... I ,do not .invejjt the facts. Managers give them .t« me. * augjiernaut of the Super-KInema There aro at present, three eno^ous American owhOd kinemas In tho West End, playing to large audiences. The Astopls,\a^fourth, opsnod a few nights agb. ' In a few days, the Empire will close so that a new American Wuper-kinema can be built on one of the best sites in London! I^sas ooo of tho few wfato joerod at tjie idea of super kinemas succeeding in thb W«St Itatf. I havo changed my mind. No 0ns in Sight I see no managers looming up who can put on British plays, to stem tho Ihvasloa. If I >dld, I would be the first to admit it. When I call tho London managers mere play ^importers, they^ grow angry. Thoy ^oay I knock them, on both sides of the Atlantic. No Yuan Is more frantic'in his praise than 1 am. when it is merited. I am certainly not going ta ilva It; howover, - unless it is deserved. QoHiian toom Now In Sight The American play invasion seems ta be slowing down Just now. la* stead, there is starting a Mittel European boom. I would rathor hdira American products than those from Germany and Vienna. James White has been laughed at as a producer for a long time. Tha fact remains, however, that after seven yokirs at Ditty's, his kee»-1la<* ancial brain can discern what is wrong. He says that star salarlei are too high, that rents are exorbitant, that acting is regarded M ^ means to'social cllmblng->-oh,^a!l sorts Of things. I dTd tiot Invent It, But I know that It Is true. ^ Millions Offered by America A manager who, the other night, had been attacking me for my af^ tltude towards the theatre; went on quite casually to admit that, few weeks ago, an American millionaire offered him a fabulous price for all his places of entertainment, so that they couM be turned Mto picture palaces! If this offer were accepted, the American monopoly might almost be said to be an accomplished fact. ' t > A RoliO Qono It will make Britishers overseas writhe when they hear that the Em- pire is closed down. Although it has seldom paid, since I closed Its promenade, it remained a relic of their youth, during which thousands of them enjoyed their tlotous evenings. It Is a landmark, one of tho last remaining; reminders -of the Joyous nights of prosperous VIetorlaa daya 30 Plays Must Die The slump in the theatres, which wliralmost Inevitably kill SO ^lays within a month. Is expected to last six mohths. England Is going now through a veiy bad time, and theatrical salar|oo cannot stand up. Omaha, Feb. 1. Aimee McPherson drew over $5,- GOO In Omaha in two matinees and two evening sermons, crowding the Advertising-Selling League quar- ters to capacity each time. Tickets at fl.lO top. Loc6l papers made much ado over hor, while the majority of hor H^eaori w«M lai'- pressed. EVELYN LAY£ IN BOLE London, iVBb.'l. Evelyn Laye states she will shortly replace Winnie Melvillo In "Princess Charming." Repressntstive in PARISi ED. G. KENDREW 66 bis. Rue Saint-Didier A rri v i ng T odiy On the incoming "Paris," due to dork today (Wednesday) are Ed- mond Sayag and Jacque Charles, from Paris. Doubling Copyright Cost Washington, Feb. 1. Rep. Albert H. Vestal, chairman of the House Patents Committee, has introduced a bill that, ff passed, will double the cost of the registra- tion of copyrights. Under the Vestal bill, which it is ktated was Introduced at tho re- quest of Thorvald Solberg. Register of Copyrights, the present fee of |1 for registration will become |2, with each additional certificate of registration, now costing SO cents. Increased to $1. Like increases apply to all other functions of the offlco» tho yearly catalog to be boosted from $6 to 110. The motion picture Industry has approved the Vestal bill, to increase the cost of registration of copy- rights. Fulton Brylawski, representing several of the larger companies, stated that approval was gladly given in the hope that the added revenue would Increase the effi- ciency Of the Copyright Office. in French Paris, Jan. 23. Rolf do Msro Is aor^lailng with London for a Pronch edition of "Yvonne." The Theatre des Champs Elysees is proposed as the house. SAIUNGS Feb. 9 (London to New York) BWgcumbe Brighten (Mauretania). Jan. 29 (New York to London), J. J. Madan (Majestic). Jan. 29 (London to New York). Lew llearn (Cedric). Jan. 26 (New York to Paris), Madeleine Massey (Paris). Jsn. 26 (L6imn t6 Jj^W York) , Arch Selwyn (Aquitanla). Tax on AU ' AmuMiHent Stirs Up Kail; Kansas City, Feb. L'.u The "nulsancO^ tax bill sponsored by Governor Baker and providing a 10 per cent, tax on all theatre tick^ ets. as well as those for concerts^ baseball games, athletic contesta and excluding only live stock shows, has been approved by the house revenue committee. This means tbo bill will come up for engrossment this week. The action of the committee waS not a surprise as it was claimed ta bo "hand picked" for the purpose of indorsing the measure. This desplto the united and determined efforts Of large groups of business and pro- fessional men, representatives from the various amusements, labor unions and other organizations. Some of those vitally interested in blocking the bill say it meahs ruin in their respective businesses should it become a law. Heretofore similar lights have been left to the professional amuse- ment manager, but as this bill In- cludes everything and managers'*of lodge halls and municipal auditori- ums, as well as the baseball inter- ests, the auto shows, little theatre organizations and symphony wti> chestras, are getting busy. ' Reports from Jefferson City arei that the bill will fail when It comes to a vote, but the many organlsa* tlons intercRted are not letting up In their watchfulness and will continue their imited opposition. WILLIAM MORRIS aSBlfOT MORRIS 1M0 Broadway, Moaais. ja. New York THE TIllER SCHOOLS OF DANCING Letdester House, 10-11 Great Newport St^ '\ LONDON, W. C. 2 Trlrrraphlo Addrefia: A TIPTOES 1%t£sTRAN1> l.ONDOW Director, Mrs. John Tilleir s