Variety (Apr 1927)

TAGE SCREEN TIMES SQ. csms PubUstietf Weekly at 154 West 4fitli St., New York, N. T., hj Varteij, Inc. Aftnual «ubacrlptlon. |T. SinfU copien. !• ewiU. Krttered aa second class matter December tt, at tk« Post OSm mt M«w Toik. M. T.. ond«r tli« »el of March t, ItTt. OL. LXXXYU. No. 1 NEW YORK Cmr. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 20.1927 64 PAGES SWAMPING iOYEZ! YOU CANT WISH A WILD MVA ON THIS COURT l^itice Ford Refuses to Rule on Temperamental i fTrinia Donna Who Signed 2 Contracts—^What's Supreme Court Compared to a Musical Lady? A $60 a week Spanish prima Minft whom two managements talm for the Alhambra and Apollo |Matr«8, both on 125th street. New Tork, and playing stock burlesque. I (Continued on pa«re 29) irOUNG PEOPLE DECENT, £T 'EM DANCE SUNDAY' leformers Given Wallop by Minn. Senate—Killed Pro- posed Restrictive Law Minneapolis, April 19. Blue law advocates and reform- rs In Minnesota suffered a crush- defeat when the state senate <y so to 29 killed a proposed law 1^ abolish public dances Sunday. Replylnir to Senator Frank A. >ay of Fairmont, one of the iMMure's sponsors, who asserted lunday dances are degrading and k»moralizing youth, Senator Mc- Jubrey of Moorhead expressed sur> M«« that Senator Day would ad- Alt that there are such younir wopto in his community. '*Th© youngs people In our section r% decent, and I don't want a bill Ike that passed to take away what Lttltt pleasure they have." said l«iator McCubrey. Hotsy-Totsie's Hit Business Is entirely shot in the peakeasies and hotsy-totsies of ?ime» Square. Proprietors can't figure the whys or the drop. Most of the off-busi- •ess.*; ■particularly walloped pop *** instead of the take Ti- ^gs have gotten so bad in pre- 'lOMUy profitable stands that many iwaera are officiating behind the ykff ,to hold down the overhead. ^ Browning's ^'Romance'' Tim "romanro" of Edward (Dad- y) Browning and Frances (Peaches) Irownlnff has been dramatised for pe Metropolitan stafire, Sanford E. Jtanton, producer. "Hold On" is the working title, is being cast and groes into re- •'ftrHal noxt week. Roland Oliver, author. REFUSED $1,000 BILL Eddie Jackson in a Times Square night club refused to accept a one-thousand dollar bill last Thursday as his por- tion of the $3,000 weekly sal- ary for Durante, Jackson and Clayton. E>ldle said no big salary should be paid in such a small way; he wanted all fives In a bundle. Mr. Jackson is the young man who, when a girl said she thought he was a Lothario, replied: *1V9 not so. I've never been In a Jail in my life.** Chai^ Setded Federal^ Tax aaim for $1,000,000 Washington, April 19. Charlie Chaplin has settled his taT controversy with the Govern- ment at a cost to the picture co- median of close to 11,000,000, it is reported. • This settlement gives Chaplin a clear slate on all Government claims from 1917 to 1924, both In- clusive. Disputed, taxes centered around 1917 and 1918 and Ihvolved certain contracts with Sidney Chaplin wherein the brother was said to be a partner. Charlie Chaplin had posted close to $700,000 in Liberty Bonds at the beginning of the litigation. e BEST BLOCKS- FOB MOVIEIONE MAY DEVEOP. NO LEGIT PLIiy 70 Lesrit Theatres in New York, but Broadway from 42iid to 53rd Street WiU&- out One—Top Locations of World—Best Known Two Theatres with Super Pictures — Paramount, America's Lead Publicity Building, in Sector, with Capitol Another ""Sei'' and Chicago Despite the conviction of the pro- ducers, author and players of "Sex" upon the charge of giving an indo- cent performance in New York James Timoney, one of the pro- ducers, is contemplating taking the same play under its original title into Chicago. Timoney is reported to be of the opinion he can "clean up" the play I nd "fix" sulllclently in* Chicago to obtain a premiere showing, there- after handling the script as the exigencies of the situation may de- mand. Inquiries have been made within the week by Timoney as to a pos- sible Loop theatro obtaiaabla. 83 "SPECIALS" '27-'28 IN TALKING NEWS WEEKLY Not a single legitimate play is in a theatre on the west side of and on Broadway between 42d and 53d streets, the best theatre location in the world. In the Times Square section are 70 legit theatres and on the blocks of the Broadway's west side be- tween the streets mentioned nine theatres, without a single one play- ing a play. All play pictures ex- (Continued on page 40) FEW LONG HAIR GAI^ ON COAST Scarcity of Tresses Great for Wig Makers Los Angeles, April 19. Though Hollywood is flooded with picture extras and atmosphere people, according to reports kept in the office of the Central Casting Corporation, If a call were made for 50 girls with long hair, It could not be filled. Where |ong hair is needed, it has been necessary to use wigs. It was also learned, in looking (Continued on page 4t) levitski in Fib House; 15,000 Weekly for Pianist Mlscha Levltekt, concert pianist, is boosted in for three weeks at $5,000 Si^eek at the Roxy, opening May 1. It marks Levitzki's last New Torit appearance for 2*4 years. S. L. Rothafel Is also negotiating with Frits Kreisler for a booking at mammoth picture house. l4tw\tMkl Will play a standard concerto with the Roiy's 110-ptece orchestra. > Hideaway SliaTot Bootleg barber shops operating in Times Square on Sundays. The tap is 60 cents for a shave and 2G cents for a shine. The scrape and shine occur behind lowered curtains or shades. Chinese Coolies Attack American Caneraaei Follow-up reports state that the American cameramen '"sliooting^ the uprising in China for the new1>- *reels are having a tough time oC It. O. T. Rucker, for Pathe, and James Seeback, Fox, hiad to be rescued by Cantonese soldiers when S^t upon by a mob. In this instance the Yankee iMis mechanics were robbed, stoned and beaten with bamboo poles before the military got to them,' Seeback losing his Bell & Howell camera in the mejee and Rucker having the lens of his machine stolen. The skirmish took place at Yn Yuen Road and the Shanghal- Hangchow Railway when an sngry mob of Cantonese sympatlilaecf started the rumpus as the news- men were setting up their cameras (Continued on page 42) $115,000 P^Yr.ior Sign P. D. C. is paying $115,000 for its signs on the Gaiety, New York, under lease, for Cecil B. DeMllte's "King of Kings." The picture concern Is paying $72,000 for the corner space, that closing up two floors of the Gaiety building, also |18,0M to maintain the signs, with the other $25,000, its cost. "Kings" opened last night (Tues- day)' before an inrltatton andfenotw P. D. C. is reported paying a rental averaging^ $2,700 weekly for the theatre, holding a two-year op- tion, upon the expiration 0t Its 60-day tenancy commencing April 16. This is believed to be the nutst reasonable rent, considering house and location, received fMr any Broadway theatre within recent years, ( Subdued reports continue te cir- onlate assstwihis dgiiiilfiiuto ■with Fox's Ifovietone. OnO of the latest, ' but unconfirmed, is that Allan Dwan is to take over the en* tire plitiSeftl mmmm m^ 'Wmm (CtintiMMS ^a page '49i :^ ^ $7,000 BRIBE TO GET FACE NEAR PRINCE'S Wife of Hollywood Comedian Got in Wiiii' Group But Hor Faoe Too (ftoit to Hit IN^ tiot Angelss, April If.' For the privilege of getting her face in a group picture with the Prince of Wales, at the time of the English heii^» iPHSt-. ts floutlisfii California several years ago, the first wife of a Hollywood plctyre comedian paid $7,000 to the photog- rapher. The story leaked out when Com- mander W. B. I^ake of the BritiHh royal navy, attached to the prince's staff at the XXwM, iKi^imv^^ on (Contianed on ms w^^l r^t I I ■ Regular Picture Staff Director Reported for Assifn- ' P. ment of Talker»-7^Str«^ NoiiM Pick out Ititer f eron co on Toeu Largo Loan Record Chicago, April 19. The proceeds of . the J10,600,00S bond-sale througfi Cawivnee Citehi & Co. «r this city for liOew's, Inc., was accomplished In record . tjl|B(i for a theatrical transaction* - V It was ce«ttt>lsttoi 1^ ifaitttreiiy morning and the full amount turned over to Loew's. The show firm Is said to have obtained the large amonnt very cheaply. 17-Year-Old Organist Probably the youngest profes* slonal organiit In the world la Henrietta Kamern. 17. at the Rid, a t Bread war sad 163d street. New York. She Is *'sliowlng*' today, Thars- day and Friday, <l(»ing "Rhapaodle nrBiue** «h| las. organr— BROOKS THE NAMC YOU GO BY WHEN YOU GO TO {^\;y COSTUMES OOWNS A !S l> l'^ IF OK MS 1437 S WAY. 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