Variety (Nov 1927)

Wedh«tday, N^vtndiir 2, 1927 Jquity weighs own casting ^ agency as cure for abuses Afs'n Office Would Open Way for Charges of Favor- itUm—^^temative b List of Fair and Unfair AcenciM--Aim 1# to Corroct Ovordiarging LEGITIMATE VARIETY 47 i. aome ttm« Bquity baa been working en a plan to •liminate the A^uMi eharf«4 Mrainst > eaati^s ^ftllts. BV^tnl such plans were placed before the Council, but in ^gtfli caaa referred back for further consideration. In substance, it has been proposed that Equity form Its own casting office. But with a con- siderable percentage of legitimate ^tore belny^vnengaced tbrotlsh the season, such an experiment was con- sidered dangerous. It might lay £quity open to charges of favorlt- The abuses complained of relate principally to the exaction of 10 per cent of the salaries for the run of tbe play* the law a oaatlRg agent is permitted to charge five per cent for the first 10 weeks. The agents have been able to Ignore this provision by dassinv themselves as personal representatives and busi- ness managers. Several agencies re- quire players to sign slips to that effect. There seems to be no com- plaint on the part of the higher paid artists, the exactions being a burden on low salaried players. ''Unfair" List Proposed During the suit of Walter Bach- ellor against the Locust Sisters, won by the latter, Justus Sheflleld, of Equity's counsel, is reputed to have stated that EJquity would organize a casting clearance ofllce for its mem- 'hsn and thereby wipe out all dra- matic agencies. However, Equity is plainly loath to enter a field that would be sure to be accompanied by iHiany controversies and complaints from members. Not all apents are included In Equity's plan for a clean-up. Sev- entl are known to be reasonable and "fair in handling players on the basis of personal representatives, secur- ing them Important engagements at ^Creased salaries. At least one such agency is guaranteeing his feature players 20 or more weeks per •eason. As an alternative to the casting agency, Equity is reported to form- ulate a list of "good" and "bad" casting agents, instructingr as to which ones they must not do busi- ness with. MAaOONS RECONCILED; m THE DECK" SOON Mrs, Mac Ostensible Backer, Louie Being Banned by Equity San Francisco, Nov. 1. "Hit the Deck." produced by Lil- lian Albertsbn (Mrs. Louis O. Mac- loon), with a full Bquit:^ cast, is announced to follow 'The Greater Xecker" at the T^urie. With the Macloons having buried the hatchet as far as their matri- monial alfairs are concerned, Mac- loon under Eciuity ban and his wife okayed by that organization, and with the certainty among local showmen that Macloon will be the actual producer, the wise ones here- abouts are ^sking "How does he do it?" The new musldki ts slated W edM here before it Is given In Los An- geles, and will probably have only one or tw^o tryouts nights in ad- vance. ■ Cin D0ES$14,000 Pox's City, new on the Subway circuit, has done satisfactory busi- ness. The first meller is in this week. "loth Avenue." "The Student Prince" did $11,000 on the first week of the new house policy. "The Jazz Singer" (George Jessel) topped "The Prince" and did $14,000. The third week was "Bye Bye Bonnie," with Fritzi 6cheff and Frances White, but the 14th streeters couldn't see it and the show did around $6,000. Thurs- ton, the magician, was ih last week, doing fairly. The City Is managed by Milton Harris, formerly attached to dif- ferent Broadway houses. *Toor Nut" and Amateur Star Stick on Road Syracuse, N. Y., Nov 1. "The Poor Nut." sfiit out by the Better Plays Extension Bureau this fall with Horace Michael, young local actor, in the title role, will finish its route of one-nights up- itSite about the middle of this tnonth and then head south. The show, outfitted with new scenery. Is booked for split week and week stands south of the Ma- eon and Dixon line. So far, the show has plnycd to cxc< Ilont busi- ness, drawing capacity in towns Without road attractions lor sev- •ral years. Clark Rolling Mis Own Los Ang<le.s, Nov. 1. Kdward Clark, writer and pro- duc.>r. will take over tho Holly- Wood Vine Street for ilic produc- tion of a series of original plays. The first of these "Helatlons," American romedy-drama by Clark, Will be put on Nov. 12. Zieggy-White in Pittsb'gh; George's Shnbert Bookings Pittsburgh, Not. 1; Switching by George White from Erlanger bookings to the Shuberts puts his "Scandals" into Thanks- givin g week opposition ' Willi Flo Ziegfeld. When White's "Manhattan Mary- opened here Labor Day in the Nixon (Erlanger) it was expected his "Scandals" would come to that house as usual. The Nixon, how- ever, for years has been the Thanksgiving plum of Ziegfeld "Follies," but that show's Broadway prosperity this season holds it back, so Ziegfeld has arranged to open "Show Boat** here week of Nov. 21. White's answer to thla is "Scan- dals" at the Alvin. White's switch In road book- ings for ".Scandals" from the Erlanger to the Shubert ofUce, la understood to be because of the better terms ofl'ered by the IQiu- berts. The reputed increase gives White a five per cent, raise in sharing per- centage. That White Offered to main with the Erlanger oflflce un- der the same conditions was Inti- mated, A. L. Erlanger rejecting the proposition. An increasO til '^^irms would have necessitated the assent of others interested., in out Of town Erlanger tlieatres. . ;„ ''Scandals" Was booked ^Si^the season by the Erlanger office, but the contracts call for a two weeks' concellation clause. "Scandals" •witcbea to the Shubert IiMm in Kansas City next week. A report is that White will also book his current "Manhattan Mary" through the Shuberts next season. The Shuberts have an aprrccment for the three Selwyn houses on 42d street which provides for attrac- tions playlnflT those houses to be booked out of town by the Shuberts. Wliite, in leasing the Apollo, how- ever, kept the choice of such book- ings to himself. Victor Leighton, who resigned nn booking manager for Erlanger last season, is inter- ested in the Apollo lease with White. V . Shows in Rehearsal "People Don't Do Such Things" (Jones * Green). "Sins of Uia Father^ (James Osborne). The Banshee** (Banshee, Inc.). "The Stairs" (Throckmorton, Light A Rook more). "Spring 8100" (George L. Miller). Tin ioldieri* (lioon Oor- don). "Show Boat*' (Florenz Zies- feld). ^Happy** (Murray Phillips). "Girl from Ohitda" (Edward Everett). "The Studio Girl" cShu- berts). "The Royal Family** (Jed Harris). • "Bluffing It*' (Mary Forrest). "Tia Juana** (Kllbom Gor- don). "Good News'* (ChlcaKO Co.- Schwab * Mandel). AMERICAN MUSIC KEYNOTE OF FOREIGN INVASION OF MUSICALS Berlin Is Last Stronghold to Surrender—Lack of Crealivo Talent Abroad—Tourists and Bands Educated Continent After London ?AREE" CASHES IN ON CRUSADE Sell-Out After Church People Protest Reyua : / i Ban Francisco, N0¥. 1. TlMf'> oteiiwil'- l i wi l a 'tried'.' wiau^- osaifoAy to •toip^/ff^O^'. Ba^M" la soveiii vftilor t««raii» Mweeii h#re and Loi AsagtlUi J^^^^ house transformer was INie^Wli otlt* and it was generaUy balMiPid ft waa not an accident. Church workers went to tho American theatre with Bibles for every chorus girl, and several in- dignation meetings wik^^hii^ Vn» agitation resulted in a sell^oilt by 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Sell-outs were also registered in Sacrament* and Stockton follo#- ing reform agitation against tVie re- vue. West Coast Theatres, Inc., bought "Gay Paree " for $15,000 on tbd woali atnd iroioed ftS.tOO. "Crime''-^^*Nymph" Close Two attractions, "Crime" and "The Constant Nymph," which had suc- cessful en^^.is-'*^nunts on Broadwny last season, aie heiiig called in from the road. ~ **Crlmt»'^— r]n>iPB St ths—niv»» lf' .*^.'itur<l.iy. It has played 40 ron- .*<eciitive weeks since last February, averaging from |12,000 to $13,000. but lost money, save for part of the New Yoi lc en?i» tr*^ nu nt. "Tho Const.I nt Nynipli.'' afl«r two bad we* ks In Philadelphia and T'iltst>uru'h. hip b<en tnkm off. The 1 show cancelled a 3^' weeks' route. Portland, Ore., Nov. 1. Daring posters for "Gay Paree" aroused tho oitiBeiia of Bugona, Ore., and resulted in the Eugene Ministerial Association adopting a resolution opposing the presenta- tion of the revue at the Holtgr theatre. The matter was referred to Mayor Williamson, who elicited from the house manager assurance that nothing •ItMOatHPO 'Urould be shown upon the stage. Eugene is the site of the Univer- sity of Oregon and "has k popula- tion of 20,000. "Gaj IParee" Is booked for Nov. 10. JUDGE DROPS CHORINE'S COMMON-LAW WIFE PLEA Mrs. Ann Cowans Wanted Share of Late.Alfonse liorgan's Fortune Cleveland, Nov. 1. Pro)>ate Judge Adams has dis- missed tlie ca«e brought by Mrs. Ann Cowans, former Ziegfeld chor- us girl, against the heirs of Alfonso H. Morgan, of the Morgan Utho- grapli Comp^tny, by whi*li she hoped to obtain recognition as Morgan's common-law wife and step into the widow's share of the millionaire's fortune. Judge Adams, in throwing the OM* >M «oikrt. said he *^ooiild |M9tI believe a word Mrs. Cowans saiid.**^ Mrs. Cowans was formerly the wife of "Stubby ' Gordon, saxo- pihOBO player in Phil Spltalhy's lo- cal Jazz band. testimony was introduced to M^w that Mrs. Cowans had lived with Morgan in his summer home in Cleveland, in hotels in Florida, Pittsburgh and Montreal, and that the lithograph man, em occasion, had Introduced her aa "Mrs. Mor- gan." The defense BUUlo no denial of this testimony. v Hotel registM wero txhlhlted by the Morgan hO^ni to prove that the former chorus girl had registero*! at the local Winton hotel under the natno of Mm Oordito during a period in which she alleged she was Morgan's common-law wife. Judge Adams rebuked the defense lawyeiw far '^soliilr behind the back** of the glrl'.s attorney and paying $5,000 to Alfonse Morgan's chauf- feur with the implication that tho money had bfott'tiafd to buy Mrs. Cowan's sisnaturo to' |k: release agreement. 99 Coast-to-Chi Booking For Frisco Maryland 8an Francisco, KoV^ 1; "My Maryland," coast-produced by the Shuberts, will bo taken into Chicago following a short local en- gagement. The operetta has ba i in a flop In Los Angeles and 5?an Fran- cisco. In Chlca^iQi the trfiupfi..jKUl be recaat. ■ The shortened engagemf>nt of "My Maryland"' brings Mitzl's show, "The Madcap," Into the Curran a week earlier for a Nov. 14 opening. MRS. INSULL'S LINEUP / wm Do Quild Scripts at etude- bakar, ilaftina Nov. 14 WEBE& LEAVES ''BONNIE" L. Lawrence Weber has relin- quished his Interest in "F'y»', lionnie," control of the show pass- ing to John R. Armstrong at the end of the week in Cincinnati. Arm.strong, a builder, was a si- lent partner in the enterprise, being reported similarly interested in other attractions from time to time. With the change In own^-rsliip, con- tracts are being renewed over Arin- strong's signature. L,L TREAS.' BENEFIT Los Angeles, Nov. 1. Los AnK« l*^'.s th»'.itr#» trcrt'-ui' r- held their first benefit perfHrmrtrM*- Oct. 29 at the Mayan theatre, net- ting a little better than |2,0oo. lUiy I'erry, i)reHiderit of the er<.r;iiiizn- tion, states tliis auHiunt will be put into a relief fund to aid m^'mhery. Sid Grauman was dlreei<'r-t'« n- f rril of th^ p' r forni'in'"''. v. ith about 1 40 p«rXoriucrs appearing. Chicago, Nov. ^. Mrs. Siimuel Insull's itepertfdrc Theatre Company will try a second aefeaon at the Studebaker, begin- ning Nov. 14 and following com- pletion of the The.'itre (Juild s oc<'U- pancy of the house. A series of six pli^ya i» plaiinad, Bhaw'a "Heart- break House" leading off. Though the fluild departs Nov. 12, a suggestion of its pruwence will remain throuth an arranirement whereby GTiild manuscripts will be used excluslvdy. Mrs. Insull's personnel, which has been bonded with Equity for approximately $10,000, will Include a number of legit "names." liobert Warwick, John Carmody, John Kline, Richard Carlyle, William InK^rsoll. Jf)hn Willard, I.,e8ter Chambers, Lulu Mac Hubbard, Anno Morrlaon. Bthlynne Bradford and Helen Strickland are an- nounced as alrrady in. Mrs. Insull, star of her own company last year, will appear from time to time. Priestly Morrison has been en- gaged as director. The r< p company's first season was not a successful one. It held on for about three months, to And the expected heavy i»lay from the "Gold Coast" (Michigan Ave.) did not materialise. Coninuous dearth of creative tiUent hoa accomplished something American producers baya never before been able to do. It ts thO theatrical Invasion of Berlin and other Kuropean capitals with American-created musical come- dies. Formerly smug and self-satisfied In its own theatrical accomplish- ments atid its own creative genius among libretU.sts and compoeera, Herlin would neS'er consider Amer- ican musical revues and comedies, iiuioli les.M Klve up an advance roy- ally to American producers and authors. The past couple of years with the prcs.sure bcctMuitig accute, the continental managers, includ- ing those in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Spain, England. Denmark, etc.. but particularly those in the Tuetonic territories, opened negotiations for Amerleaa operetta and musical aueeaaaaa* Tho hitch lies fn the financial ••• curlty and advance royalty. Impasse Broken • After some Intensive Vork by tho Dreyfuss brothers of Harms, Inc., International music ptiblishers of musical succosscs, and Hans Bartsch, the international play broker, the impasse previously ag- isting was broken. Itecognitiun of America's stage authors la thua /made In eompil- mentary fashion considering that for many years th% continent deemed ita Lehars, Strausses and Kalmanns aa the epitdme of oper- etta composition genius. The Shu* bert.s' intensive propriam of import- ing and producing foreign farce and musical scripts furthered tho foreign maaalpwa' theory tbat America was hunvry for craatlra material. Mr. Dreyfuss, of Harms, Inc., analyses It that the war deve l o pe d a wealth of talent among the Americans so that tho Continent may ultimately look to the United Statet tor everythlnv tbeaftrlaal. Already American muslo Is Pta* ferred tho world over. The tourists and the itinerant bands and performers have edu- cated Berlin and Paris, as they did I.,f)ndon, to the charms of Ameri- can music, be it Jazz or operetta airs. But American Jazs suprem- acy paved the way for this moro Importniit move in the inffrnatlon- i^l theatrical producing markoC ^Speakeasy's' Extra Weeks Because of Film Rights Owint,' tf) a. chiU'-*^ in th*- s... </i the lilni rights f<ir '.Speakeasy" to Fox, the legit show has to round out another two weeks on Broad- w;iy, to mak*' a total of six. K^Ttipff ^^'t ndav ni^ht tho."« members of the company choosing Fokae Suriajr Duong For Cbarit; Legal Magistrato T?rod»ky In West Side Court ruled a Sunday performance is legal If the proceeds are d'etotOd to charity. The ruling was made Mhen Vera Fokina nnd Michel Po- klnc, dancers, app<;ured on sum- monaea. Policeman Oalligan, West Itth street station, testified that he was sent to the Century theatre to wit- ness a performance and served summonses on the dancers and Herm.an Fuchs, manager, and Solo- mon liurok. The policeman described varioua parts of the performance, partimi* larly the dances perf')rTncd In by Mnie, Foklna and Fokinc. He de- .scribed a Cleopatra dance. Hurok testified that the performance waa given In behalf of tho nsonhurst Onnmunity House and the [iroceeds were to be given to that organiza- tion for charitable work. u to r'nviin did so on the common- wealth pl.'in, the cast and crew di- viding proJit.s. "Speakea.«»y" opf-ned nt lh#» Manx- field and moved to the w.il'l"tf ;ifter f V ft w'•) ♦'. It i"^ uti'i'M -t'n.d I ! ox paid IC.O'jO foi lh«' fi'ia litbtsi. Happy's*' Equity Bond Ilehearsals of "Happy" Murray r'liilllp.s* musical wre resumed when jser-iji ity w i.M posted at hVjulty covering two we< k.««' salary for the * h/iHW. — — T))> pi in< IpaN. like Jn ffUi* r Mur- ray rhillip'j venttjres, uv* in on a baring basis, whi< li make.s .security for them unnecessary. "Happy" <'r>' n«» In St iroford, <"..nn . Si-v 1!. r> iv )]\ur. .Vcw X'ork ' Ivsu 'A C* li.j ialt r. j