Variety (Feb 1927)

44 VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wednesday, Ptbniary I; IMf PALM BEACH r • Helen Lewta and her Melody Weavers are on the Hotel Ainplii- trlte, iloatinK hotel anchored in lAke Werth. It's a converted naval irMsef. Promoters of the marine hotel ;irft planning to anchor off ItOnt; Island this summer. Fox News had a camera man here three daifS takint shots of ■ocial. literal* alld theatrical celebrities.;. ' Jed Harris is readying "Spread Saile." melodrama dealing with the Mexican situation, authored by George Brooks, former Herald Tribune reporter, and Walter P. filaUr Oeorffe Abbott, who doc- tored "Broadway," the producer's current Broadway smash, is now working on tba book. Production Will be la liarch, the preliminary detalle being rushed because of the Itaielliiesa of the plot Blele Janis appeared at the flrst of a series of concerts at the New Palm Beach Hotel roof, sponsored by Mrs. Francis W. B. Walton. Miss Jftlde did her character sketches and imitations before a small house, many of those who had subscribed for the series of six concerts, pay- tag fltt fer * pftir of seats, sUying away because of a heavy rainstorm. The show waa guaranteed $1,500. W. C. Fields made a personal ap- pearance at the Beaux Arts Thurs- day night in connection with his pic- ture, "The Potters." He recalled the ttaMF lie liwi gettlBg $18 a week, fol. lowing it by gagging. He paid that much here for a cheese sandwich and thought nothing of it. Among those who attended the •pening of "The Auctioneer" Sun- day under the new split-week policy and cut srale at tho Tarauiount were Aduli»li ZnUor. Sam Katz, Lem Stewart. I'red .MetzU r, Harry Marx and L. J. Furman, all from Publlx Theatres* home office. All but two who had been attend- ing the district corif<eiillon at Miami leave here Wednesday for New Or- leans to attend the opening of the Saenger picture theatre Friday, Feb. 4. It will be the flrst Publlx house in that section <>f the coun- try and opens with a Fublix unit show. Lamped on the Breakers Beach this week were Sam Harris. Edgar Selwyn, Leo Shubert, Marcus Loew, Joe Leblang, Louis B. Mayer, Will- iam Klein. Jack Loeb, George Nlco- lai, Lewis Bernstein, Willard Mack. Lou Teller. W. C. Fisher. Klsie Janis and her mother, Arthur Hammer- stein, Anita lioos, John Emerson, Jed Harris. Herman r. Shumlln, Skeets Gallagher, Max Hart, Harry Fender, George Piantodosi and the Yacht Club Boys. Joe Leblang. cut rate king, swings a mean niblick, reaching the semi- nnal round in the third flight of the Lake Worth Tournament on the Palm Beach Golf Club course. He was eliminated by A. L. Slocum of Chicago, three up and two to play. Joe evidently was Joahing when he told some of the newspaper boys he was a dub at the Scotch game. Irving Berlin and his family re- turned here Thursday to occupy ttie villa he has rented for the season. The house, hidden behind much tropical growth, has a studio In a tower» with a clear view of the lake and ocean. Here Irving plans to start work shortly on a new "Music Box Review." Mm. UwuM HtU Up Despite ly Coodit^^ Minneapolis, Feb. !• Due principally to the agricul- tural situation, general buatness c onditions are bad. There has been an almost record-breaking stretch of sub-iero weather and radio eoiO* petition has become Increasingly Htiffer for the theatres. Yet there is no inkling of these adverse fac- tors in local box-office atatementa to date for 1927. Since the first of the year the Metropolitan has had three attrac- tions, every one doing profltable business. 'Beau Geate" (film) did $11,000; "Rose Marie" (repeat), about $20,000, and "The Green Hat," last week, around $15,000. January business at the State, the only loop presentation house, has been running from $12,000 to $16,000 weekly: Hennepln-Orpheum grosses have been in the same neighborhood; the Shubert (Bain- bridge dramatic stock) is going along nicely at $5,000 to $8,000^ and the Palace (McCall-Bridge musical comedy tubs) did not have a single losing week in January. The Strand, another loop movie house, also had a profltable month, and Pantages (vaudeville) boasted one of the biggest Januaries in recent years. All this comes on the heele of a terrific slump which hit the rialto In November and continued until after Christmas. HERMDOV JUDOMEHT In 1925, Richard Herndon bor- rowed $10,000 from the Century Play Co. and only returned $1,346.58. The balance was sued for and judgment for $9,458.71 has been entered against Hemdon by Hei- mann & Rubien. lll.l.. J.ff/.V.V.V • '(^^v • • »£av ••••••••• ■ • •jik • •••••••••••••••• > ««•*•*••••••••••••■•« ••••••••••••- ■•••••••••■•••a Other Sale Prices $7.85 to$13.85 Former Prices $10 to f22.50 ^ ^ PLENTY of styles to choose from! Daytime and eve* ning models in oxfordsi operas^ straps and step4ns! Materials as modish as they are many! Variety, indeed! And the other important reason why the January sale is attracting such ^ attention is genuine, suhstan^ tial Value! .HOSIERYr Q4t ^markable Eductions *135 «155 formerly fl jSS *■ fimmtrty $IM I. MILLER Show folk's Shoeshop BROADWAY at 46tli OPEN UNTIL 9 P. M. 6 SHOWS OUT A half doaen plays are oft the list, two suddenly disappearing from Broadway Saturday. This week's closings include the special showing of the Guitrys in French, the visitors having played six weeks with about an even break for the management "Americana/* produced by Rich- ard HemdoA, leaves the BelmoBt after 27 weeka. It atftrted aa a summer revue but held on well into the new season, getting around 115,000 for a time and averaging 112,000, which is ^ood for small house. "Sam Abramovitch/' presented by Anne Nichols, was withdrawn from the National after two weelcs to very light buslnesa. •*8AM ABRAMOVITCH" Opened Jan. 19. Drew unani- mous bad notices. Wooltcott (World) deemed it "glum and windy*' and Dale (American) wrote "tryingly tedieua and deliberately dull." Variety (Rutll)jMitfI ^Uil^r oonvineing." • "The Galloping Sheik," independ- ently presented at the Cort, was taken off iat the end of the tMrd week. Opened under name of "An Arabian Nightmare." Cut rates carried it to over $6,500 last week, but that waa not enougli to Induce another house to book It "THE GALLOPING SHEIK" Opened Jan. 10. Ignored by first line erities, with the Timee predietlfig^ run. Variety (Lait) saidr ^ for cut-ratee." "The Little Spitflre," presented by W. F. Whitbeck, leaves the Klaw for the road after a good run of 25 wooks, played principally at the Cort. Trade was moderate through- out, averaging between |8,000 and |9,0tt0. which pace It approximated last week. 'THE LITTLE SPITFIRE" Opened Aug. 16. Mantle (News) liked it, but Dale (American) was draaHe wiHi "a very bad play.** Variety (Ibee) said: "r/ill operate at moder«le grMaea." "Where's Your Husband?" pre- sented at the Greenwich Village, was taken oft last Saturday after playing two weeka. **Beyond the Horizon" will leave the Bijou this Saturday, but may awitch to an- other theatre. I Chicago Opera, $\3f^ At Boston Opening Boston, Fdb. i. A gross of $13,000 was represented last night at the premiere of the Chicago Opera, the start of a two weeks' engagement. It 4i expected the total groaa tor tlie i^irlbd will reach $200,000. "Aida" was sung last niglit with Charles Marahall In the leading role through the fllnesa of Aro l dd f lila do. ACTORS' FUND HELP BY MAT. EVERY Zm W'K Equity Council Accept Gill* more's Substitute Plan—^ Some INgrs. Have Agreed New plana for materially aidintf in aupportlng the Actors' Fund hMwm been worked out by Frank OUlmore. They are expected to replace th« Idea of a silver collection from Equity members and a percentage on admission passes. In substance the new Idea Is that each Broadway attraction playing 20 weeks would play an extra.mat* Inee for which the actora would not receive compensation. Such a plan would have both manager and actor participating, the proceeds minus the neceaaary expenses auoh ag wagea for stagehands and musi- cians. The proposition would mean that such extra matinees would oc- cur every 20th week during a kintf run. While in part the plan would de- clare the public In on aiding the Fund, audiences would be assured of getting good ▼alue for their money, since It is assumed that any play running: 20 weeks or more la exceptional. VIM new plan haa been suggeatet to several leading managers, wh» agreed to co-operate. It was also enthualastically okayed by the Act* or«* riMid'a egeeuUT* committee. Kquity's Council accepted the idea as a real way out. Before It can be Anally formu lated the p lan will hm piaeed belore^B(|aifyT aiefiton la a general meeting: set for next month, when a nominating com- mittee to select officers and coun* clllors for next Mnaen will kec Ko g in . It Is believed a favorable vote wtU quickly adopt the new plan. It is possible the idea will not beecne effdetive niilll nest MMen» though If the managers agree there may be special Fund matinees ^iven by Broadway leaders in April and May. Stocks and repi #111 not be held to any set program In aid oC the Fund, but if any such organiza- tions desire to participate they may do so In thelf cwn way. The authors' angle has not hestt fully considered. It is proposed, however, that royalties for any such special performsln^es be devoted t6 an authors* beniedbtat fund. SUNDAY NIGHT BALLET Natacha Nattova, dancer, has started production of "Campu- aanna," a ballet drama-critf4tt% with story by William Barry and. music by Charles Previn, who is to wield the baton at the new Roxy theatre; "Campusanna*^ is a story of eoU lege life. The ballet Is to be presented only on Sunday nights^ PIUNCESS, WICHITA, DOOMED Wichita, Kans., Feb. 1. Princess. Wichita, Kans., Is to bs demolished. With Its pas.slnp the only legit house left here will be the Craw- ford. It lias been dark niiMift Sit ^ig Get By Smbocribing "V'aricly" now rc-aclie^ an address in aii^ hul the largest cities before it is on tlie new^sit^nfls. {v;'^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ i ^ If "Variety" is wanted it the earliest and weekly, the surest way is to suhstrihe. Subscription yearly ; I''ortMj;n $8. 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