Variety (Mar 1928)

Wednesday, March 21, 1928 77 VARIEirSLOSANGELESOFFlCE ARTHUR UNGAR in Charge Ioew'8 State Bldg., Snite 1221-22 707 So. Broadway, Trinity 3711.3712 Professionals have the free use of Variety's Los Angeles Office for information. Mail may be addressed care Variety, L.oevv's State. ^Idg., Suite 1221-£2, Lbs Angeleik. It will be held subject to call or forwarded, or adver- tised in Variety's L6ttor List.' .. All around comedy bills, as a rule have not been mucli in eyidenca at the Orpheum in the past. Neither have been the regulavis in to-vi'h. Sunday night it was something cl.sc again. The house came near break- ing a couple of recoircls in.attend- arice. Not much behind capacity. . .Jacli Benny, in his .second Week,' was m. of c. Beiiny was here. for a three-week stretch last year, and if it were .left, to. Others h« would still be there; Here< is one. comic in the business who never tires an au- . dience. An ad-Ubbist of no 'mean proportions, Benny walks, through a show Avithout shghtest. sigfi of ex- ertion.- He had plenty of competi- tion. Botw^een Gharlolte Greenwood jjutting them in convulsions with the bath tub incident- and Lupino Lane fpUowing and succeeding fn breaking 'etn up again, ..Benny had to step on it fast... He did, .though, and came out in front. Second week for Miss Greenwood and stronger than the first ' . Right behind Ava.s 'Carl .McCul- tough, who clickt>d handily. Aniong his gags the gh'l in thg telephone booth story was best and .several vocal numbers were 'well done.. Some more comedy in the form of a sketch delivered in rhyme was dished put. by Harltfhd .Tucker, who V/.QS last seen- on th6 legit, stage around the-<?oast, Frances Nord- strom wrote the skit. Its hokum good and Marie Walcamp dolls if up to soliie Qxteht. * liUplnO Lane opened intermish with hl.s .standard "drunk" bit and followed it up with a series of blackouts perpe^trated in (excellent fashion. Lane is doing a short frolic in vaude during the shutdown of the educational studio. Too b.-id for vaude as Lane has a corking act and strictly feature -stuff. TSarle Baldwin is collaborator with Lane' on the material. The klckoff of all is a. spicy skit with the'"about to become a Father" punch for a blackout. Capable cast includes Violet Blythe, .Flbrehcd Oberle, Doris McMahen and "Wallace Lu- pine. Show running overtime so Jack Benhy made. i.t short, but sviTeet, in his own spiot, next to olos-. Ing. ■■. • J ■ - \ ■ " Barto and Mann made it a perfect .wind-up cutting up and holding the mob tight. - The "deuce" was fllled with Car-, dini, ,?5leight-o*-hahd performer^ Thi.9 guy pulls card tricks with ifloved hands and try to put the finger' on him. He got a rise from the poker players with his. deft ■manipulations. Openers wei-e the Tom Davles Trio, flash motor- cyclists, and good. With shows like this one, the Or- pheum may yet i-evive some of the \. old and dusty +raditlon6 of .straight vaude and still linger in. the riow .^elefit few two-a-day class. The newly installed orche.stra at Pantages is becoming a conspicuous thing in the house. Though only seven piece combo, directed by Cliff Webster, it sounds big without be- ing brassy and.yet retains full mu- sical value.- The overture before the-show is getting over nicely and different from what has been the usual and the custoniers like it.^ Trade brisk last Monday aftex-- noon last week, but not much above average. Agnes Ayers (screen) got top billing, but doubtful whether she drew miich. Miss A>'res is pre- seiiting a melodramatic skit, not ' particularly impressive and in line AVith many others of the .saine sort. For a kickoff she stops her stage play :and engages in an argument with a plant in' the audience sitp- ^.-posed-to be?a-"dramatic critic^^'-who. .Ivalks out on her. , The. aii.dience went for the ^rag in all earnestness, evei^ going, as far as applauding Guerrini & Co. TK» Leadina and Lartest ACCOROION FACTORY in th« Ualted Slate» The onlJ Factory ' Imt makes any iet 't Itecds — made by ii.ind. ■ 277-27ft Columbus Av«nua Sari Francisco. Cal. Free CaUloguea MOST ORIGI?fAIi COFFEE SHOP' in the Golden West Carl—MULLER'S—Lill "TWO OLD TIMERS" Direct.from Ttaln or Theatre • Yon Are Welcome ^724.S6t=Hill St.r Lo8-Angele» Mi-ss Ayres' outburst at the pseudo critic;: Her as.-iistlrig cast'i.s iivor- age. • .. For TiO . apparent reason Jim Burke, (Burke and. DvVrkin), mastt/r of cerembnized tho bill. It didn't need it in the first place and again Burke would well confine his ac- tivities to his regular act. The two- act, although a cut and dried affair of song, dttnco and ehatterj.. gets by okay.. Burke at all times has a fendenoy to overdo. In HuiSton Ray the show found a class pianist who is a phowmun. as well. Ray tickles the ivories in all branches of the .art, decidedly strong'on the x;lassrcal end. Marion and Dale, mixed colored dancers, were fast in the "deuce" with !Dale giving an indigo exhibition of tap- ping, He does most of the dancing while the gal, a high yalleiv doll, fakes a good maiiy steps. Fridkin and. Rhoda, a<^agio team, \yere on the closing end .with a fla.s^i dance revtie. Fridkin uf^es two girl.s and handles ffoth eyiially as well. Fran- pes. .Cole i.s . the-other dancer, while Paul Jones atlds materially to the turn on the vioUn.- v Three Blanks opened with good juggling aiid balajice stuff. "Sharp-shooters"- . (Fox) and Aesop's Fables on screen." ;. .Joe Montrose, formerly hu.'^iness manager and press agent at the Moroisco, is now functioning in the sanie capacity for Arthui* F. Smith at the Fi&ueroa.PlajOiouse. J'e^n Armand, previously handling publicity for latter house, will act as assistant'.to Montrose; Shei'ry's restau'i-ant in New York Is to' have, a duplicate in Hollywood. Rbbert Sherry is here arrangiiig for the opening of the place which will be conducted. along .the same lines a.s the one in New York. Moiite (Tarter, ,re.signod as vjco-^ preeident of the ' O, ..M. S. Amuse- ments, Inc. ( Orange iGrovc theatre). Cart<?i" sold his interests to K. M. Scovilie and Sidney Miller. Cliff Nazzai'o, former pictun-e house stage band leader, i.s now- master of ceremonies at Harrj-'^'Iilr ler's Lafayette ca-fev Miller has also booked in' Frank Garis to con(3uct» (?6ncert orchestra recitals on Sunday nights, featuring bpei-atic vocalisfs. Universal has purchased the screen rights to "Sutter's Gold," novel by ; Blaise Ciendrar.s of the :early gold rush days of northern California. Jean, Hersholt will lead. It . will be .filmed mostly in Gra.ss Valley, locale of story. E. J. Montaigne is pr'eparing the adaptation Bartlett Cormack, former Chicago newspaperman, author of "The Racket," is now on the. coast work- ing with Lewis Milestone and How- ard *Emmett Rogers in preparing a screen treatment that will serve as Thomas Meighdn's first Ca'ddo-iPar- amoilnt productipn. ■ Picture is scheduled to start 'this week, with Louis Wolheim irt support. Women's auxiliary to thi. Troup- ers, social, order of veteran profes- !5ionals, will give a ball at the Holly- wood Masonic temple March 31. Proceeds will go toward establish- ihg a fund for renting and furni-sh- ing suitable club quarters. Fir.'St National sales office is at- tempting to revive sales on Harry Langdon's "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp," picture in towns where the runners entered_in Jhe C; C^Pyle^ cross- country biinron derby are going" thrciUgh. The story of the Langdon picture is somewhat similar to that of Pyle's cro.s.s.-country race/ Belmont, heretofore operating wi4h stock shows, went dark for two weeks and will reopen under a new policy. Ruth Helen Davis, lessee of the house, announces regular dra- hiat-ic productions.. First will be ''Unmarried Mothers," new play by Mi.ss Davi.s. -The Ritz (West Coast Thoatres), used mainly for 'film previews, is now playing vaudeville Saturday nights. Doc Howe is booking. The Peggy Hope-Harry Miller fracas, .started when both former principals in the Coa.st "Sunny' .show, maide it a free, for all on the stage of the Mayan, will probably wind up without legal entangle- ments. Although a bench warrant wa.s issued for Miller when' he failed to appear for tho scheduled trial on ^oinV'^ battery-ohargeSi-nO:.---£urth.er=- act Ion is anticipated as far as Mins Hope is conoorned. The charge kgain.st the peanut-sizeti cohiedien'iie was di.sniissed in 'court ,a.t'a .socohd hcarinig after Mill<?r again was iiot present , to pro^40Cl'u.e his. end of the arf.'unif.'nt. . Ranieon Ronu-o, s»7en.vx io writi r-. has.Avritten a.hew .play,"RhapsoOy," which will be producod by A group »f picture people at the Beaux Arts thwtre with Alma Rubens as one of the leads, with. Shirley CHara!.Mar.-, tha Mattox and Romeo in the 'jast. Capitol, Long Beach, £orm(rly a West Coa.st hoiitic runnihg straight piettn-e.s, has- b^'Oh leased' to the .iJal.- tcin Eros, for musical tabloids. Ballyh.ooingin front of Main stv*><n iln-atrc'S is oil'u-ially taboo frovh npw' on. J'Udge (Tarlos Hardy in .supi-rior coiii-t refu.sed to con.sider the iippeal of Carei". M. Lipps and Jaok-.Katlhg. .convicted .in a lower ooint on ;i charge of coipducting a bnilyhoo in. front of their Dreamland th'fatre, 529 . South . Main street... • The appeal contended there was insufficient evidence to support the verdict and errors in admis.sions of testimony. Judge Hardy affirmed the conviction. ■ ''. U • has ptirohased . a number " of Gi A. Henty book.s for Newton House, 16 -year r old we.S'tern .,. star. Jeanriette Loff-ad(ied •"M.'in Made Woman'ifor Pathe De Miile. I'aul .Stein directing^ - Jess e Lasky no w hafi- a 'private golf in^ti'Uclor for his excUislve use. Apparently Lasliy wiaa .not .satisfled with the local talent obtainable, f6l^ he engaged James A. Dionaldsoh, golf pro of the Fennimore Country Club,. White Plains, N. Y., and brought him oh the coast. George Hill, M-G-M director, is en route to. Europe with a camera- man to make stock shots. oj[ various locations abroad for pictures on next Sfason's program. Hill will be away two months and upon hi.s return will-ttirect "The Bugle Sound'' for M-G-M. ■ ■ - ,Fied Newmeyer will, direct "The Woiin Turn.s" .for U. :Onginal by Ward Russell, Wairner - Brothers re-signed Har-^ vey Gate*^'. as scenario writer for another year. ■ - First Division Distributors pur- chased the . screen rights, to "The Mocking Cavalier," by C. F. Heallox; "The Pink Pearl." by - Paul St. OJeorge, and "The Comeback," by Raymond Wells. Louis Wolheim and John Darrow have been engaged 'for the support- ing cast of Thomas Meighan in "The Racket." Lewis .Milestone will di- rect for Caddo, to be. reVr-aijed by Uiiited Artists. Fr.incis Agnew, picture editor of the N<?w York 'iMorriliig Telegraph" and who bns been a staff writer at the Fox studios, is now titling, fqr that (loncern.. Her first picture was "Love Hun- gry," starring Lois Moran. ' Eddie N.ugent, property boy . for the past year with M-G-:M, is .on a long-term contract by this conipany to act in pictures. His first part will be a feature roio in ""Ehe Danc- ing Girli" directed by Hari:>- Beau- mont for M-G-M. FANCHON ana MARCO COSTUME C^^ Designers and Creators of Special Sfio-w Girl and Chorus Costumes for many of the motion picture producers and all Fanchon and Marco West Coast presentations. These costumes for rent to respon- sible musical stock and tab show companies at reasonable prices. FANCHON and MARCO COSTUME CO. '43 So, Olive Street LOS ANGELES, CALIF. Venice Amusement and Business Menl3 .A.=sn.-has-picked- the-follow.r ing directors for the yefir: Harry Marler; Will Rattray, C. L. Langley, R, E. Bedford. W. D. Noi-dholt, J. C. Gilbert; H. Neaglo. Q. E. Wileman, Charles P. Ma.son, Thoma.s Thnrlow, Thomas ,Reid, Albert.T.. l'"abel, H. H- Pizzini, H. H. Hargrave, Bernard Bender, Tommy Jacobs, H. J. Allen, C. J. Daly, II. "Wi Woodard. William A. Flynn. H. Hertel, Leo Freed "and IL Palkei. loaded .three of. their, hogsos Jn. the Lo.s Ang<'les tiMTitory, two of whir-h, wore ilo.sC>d- to . )mle.pc;ndfc;n.t.'.man-. at'ers. . The .California, dark for about a year, ha.s been leased to Mori is Fitzer. former Syi"«'i'-^"'^> ?>f. '^Xr- hilntor. The hovi.scf seating. 1.800. wiir oporaio with .second and tlnrd run pictures- on the semi-weekly i.'hangV policy. .Also • leafred. the \''yrmp'nt.; at. Vei.nipnt, and 'VvVnon av'c?nues, to Jolin ^\v>anJ . This hbuso is. .a neighborliood venture, .stating <.)00. .. . ■ The third house, a-liso .<^losod, goes to Williu'r Cuslniiiln who op'^-'rates a . uui.'-ii.'al, stock com))any. . Tln^- housf^' is thr> I'iisadPiia m i'y^adfiiii and s^ats ],:?O0; . A>her,~ Ismail & •l^tigi^rt,; VV tia-o pi'o.diioers, who di.s\solyed, will con- tinue/to funOtion fis .1 firm. . ■ TlU'ir: first v.esumed joint i>VO(m< - tiOn- will be ill iirese'nfing Fainiie' Brii^i' j n tlio. A' i t;»phone. pi<• t ure '*My' Maii,*^ rolca.^-ed : V.y. Wavnf Broth<-rs. . . ' : . W'ilsoh MixJU'r has oonip.ler.-d-thf .script. of.. ."Tl.ii.' . Ot'oan. <.;raf.ter,s'' winch (?addo are Uising a.s a st.'ir- rlng productioii for Lotiis Wolheim. Mizpef. i's also w^^rking on an orig- inal story which will be a produc-^ uioh for Rayniond GrifRth and Wol- heim. Both pictures to b<^ .directed )\y Lewis ^lilestorie. J; J,. Parker! with We.st Coa.st in the operatioirbf hoiises-in the Port- hind territory, i.s. here conferring with H. B. Frailklin and United Artists • Theatres regarding the erection of a 1,200-,seat theatre oh the site of the Majestic, Portland. < .The hou!?(? will be a threerstbry aff.Tir with W C, U A and Parker having equal interests. It will be the long run house of the, city..'. ■ ■■. Olive ^^c-ll has been: engagetl for. a pai't in "The Captive," coming to the Mayan-March 21. Tiffany-Slahl will make "Boauii- ful,. but Dumb" from uiy oiiginaV story by Viola Brothers Shore. The .story \va3 suggested. . froiti Miss .Shore's' r<^cent series, appearing: in "Liberty." ■ Rena Vale, local hosiery saU-s girl- working from hou.He to hou.se, re- cleive.d a check for $3,.600, as a ,fe- ward for winning the Paramount- Photoplay Magazine idea content in which 40,000 other amateur writers participat(?d. •Title of story submitted by Miss ■yale is "Swag," based on undcp- xvorld ' character.s who move from Itlie'^Broia'away ciCnybn'fp ^he 'wide" iopeii spaces of the west in which I she writes .with authority for hav- ing been reared in the- state of iArizon.a. - This is her .first. r^cwg- nition for literary ,efforts after hav- ing tried' for several ye.trsf with nothipg but rejection sMps up- to; this time. Miss Vale is the wife of Dick Evans, art editorial writer on the.Los Angelen "Herald.'' Runners up in this contest are Thomas J, Mannix, of Los Angeles, and Lucile Hayntim, of Redondo Boat-h. Mannix ree'cives $100' -whilp Lul'ile Haynum gets $250. , Sam Saxe haji Joseph Henabery to direct two' plcttires for Gtrtham. 'His first will be "Hell Ship Broil- son" by Norrnah S. Parker, with "U. .S. ►Smith" follbwing. . Joe no^k started production of "A "Million for Love'" foi* Sterling, with liober.t.F.-Hill.directing.. Cast Includes. Mary Carr, Reed Howe.s, . joeephinf^ Dunn, Lee Shumway, Lew Sargfnt, Jack Rich, Frank !.Bakf-r and ALfred Fisheiv - Story by Peggy Ofuldi.«i. Cast of thf "Captive." opening at Tho Mayan March 21, includes Ann D.avis and^Cehricth Thomson, leads; Olive Tell. Lawrence Gratit, Marian Sutherland, Charles Miller, Fred Wallace, . H'-Ke^e Hay and., .Rf?al Mur^^al. 1 John F. Natteford is writing adaptation and: continuity for "Prowlei-s of the Sia," from Jack London's story . for Tiffany-.Stahl. Jo.Jm Aduin directing. M-G-M i.s. giving ,"That Cfrtahi Young Man" its annual du.sting off by taking it from the shelf for necessary doctoring to make it ac- cf-p.tabie for release. The. picture Was. made a toiiple of year-s ago by .Hobart Hfnley, with Ralnon Novarro ..starred. It w;is intendi'd to: be an adaptation Of Koy lloniihau's ."Bellamy; The Magnificent," bu.t the . coniplecod picture liekl. so little rolatipn to the novel that M-^G-M sold the si-reeh rights to ' Paramotvnt for $75,000, Willi PnraniDunt making a, picture from it vnider the. title of "A Gen- tleman ' of I*avia" starring. Adolphe. Alenjou. , ' But ''That Certain Young Man'* .'Mris .shelved when it was' found to contain ii story theme unfit for r,e.- lea'?;i.'. . At in.tervals,. it was handed to various .^uvjcr'v'isors and direc- tor.s on the .M-G-M lot with rc- q^l'^^ts for siiRgostIoh.s: as to how it cnUtd 1)0--jiiade prescnta.ble for di.mriliution.. Many, solutions, were offOnnl; ti. few director!? shot addi- tional .sf-i.-noi;; but no.nc proved. i:at- tsfactory. . ■ ■ ■ ' - Kohort -Z. Lt'i)navd' is.-now- doctor-' ing • tip. the ' picture, .with instruc- tinij.s to rcvivihp tlie i^tory and re- make'jv.- mui-h of .the plcixiro as will be nec'-ssary to. pvit it in shape for rolea.se. The conipany hopii.s to re- coup ti-.i'ir investment of '.approxir. niatoly. $:'00.000 through Leonard's wui'k on the., pew story.-vor.sioh, ' Walker Whiteside is appearing in "The Hindii" this week at the Ma.son; He did "S.ikur.a"' last week, with the. current hi.s final wef>k in; toWn. In "Hinflu" are Franc Hale, Esther Belle,' liolen Harrtison; Paul Mc- Grath, Fi'ank Tiender.son and I-?ichard Ranier. ■ . Tod .Browning is bafk. at the M- G-M .studios after vacationing in Europe for several months. Supporting Henry B. Walthall in "Speakeasy" '(.^tage) "iat the Orange -Grove"; a're Ralph' EmeTson,-^ Violet Palmer, Jimihie Guilfoyle, Minna Ferry> Redman, Helen Carlj'le and Alice Keating.. Paramount replaces Richard Ar- Uh in the current Esther Ral.ston picture with Gary Copper. . Arlen did not start and was pulled out of the cast,: as he had been pr«.>viously assigned the lead' opposite Clara Bow in "Ladie.s of the .Mob.,'.' .The iatter jjietui'e vfHA, moved lip on the production sched-' ule. ', Mai St. Glair is assigned to tlirect Emil Jaaiijings in the latter's next Pairamount. St. Clair is at- present directing Lew Cody and Aileen Pringle at M-G-M. He will go back to Paramount immediately upon its eonrfpletlpn. John Darrow, in a prominent role in-'.'Hell's Angels" for..CaddQ,.is:..taeT.. ing rt^tained by this company to ■ play .support with Thomas Meighan in "Tho Racket," being directed Isy Lexvis-Milcstong, .Shirley Palmer has a " five-year optional - contract -with Tiffahy- Stahl. Her first ^wlll be a featured role in "Marriage of Tomorrow," original, by Jtuymond L.- Schrock, to be directed ^y Phil Rosen. A German G'otha plane, engaged by Howard Hughes to take part in "Hell's Angels," now in production for United Artlst.s, 'arrived on the Coast after flying from New York under pilot of Capt. Roscoe Turner and his wife. It required seven fi'F ARY Theatre. San Franctsco Matinees Wed. and Sat. tllJ-JAN^ ArnKRTSQJ^lS^ rrodnctloB "BURLESQUE" with BESSIE LOVE ARTnvn F. .SMITH TreicBts EXCESS BAGGAGE'' By John McGowan ■ Dircctecf by nnlph W. Bell FCAturinr; KOHERT WOOI.SBY NOW I'LAYING Figuet-oa Playhouse, Los Angeles riione Va, 7344 Hari*y Sliannon signed for the male lead in "From 'Hell Came-a Woman," to be produced by Joseph Schildkraut at the Hollywood. Play- hou.se April 8. . ' Pola Negri will build a new apai-t- ment hotel on Mariposa street, V-- twg^n""Sevpnth'=an^ -Eighth . - Edouard Raauello will hn-vo thf j male h-ad oppo.site Hedwig.'i Kei<;h(-r : in the .stage produ-ition of "rt'i<':h^l," at the Belmont for two spcroial ma; i^ ne«s March 28 and 31. r Edgar Lewis will dir^'Ct "S^-'tonnv Waters'' for Tiffany-Siahl. P.'vc .Southern'a.s.signed to play I'ad.' - WeSv Coaft Th'-i.'.rc^ -have un-I NOTE NEW ADDRESS PAUL TAU^IG FOR Steamship y^cc.omodationz, Arranoed on All Lines at Lowest Rates - ForeiKri Kxoh.inKe AIbo 'I'uk'nn <jar« of, ItnuKht ami Sold ', .Oldest Agency in U. S. Specializing on Theatrical Travel '. KirnOl'ICAN C<)NKE<;TJ0.N.S— r.««HUB<;. Tnken .Cure of Both Wnj» TIMES SQUARE TRAVEL BUREAU PAUL TAUSIG & SON Management Seventh Ave. & 40th St^—times Square trust Co.— NEW YORK