Variety (Apr 1928)

Wednesday, April 4, 1928 "BLONDESHN LONDON PLEASES SOPHISTKAIES, BUT DOUBTFUL . ■ ■ r Wallace's "Flying Squad" Has Good Chance—"Hap- py Families" Lightweight Satire—Peggy O'Neirs Temperamental Display -liQndon, April S. . . ^Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" la a doubtfuj le&it entrant at cha Prince tt Wales; ft-new.melbd6im.% 'i'l:*; Flying Squad," opened at txolders Acts New to London; Bert Gilbert's Slide . liondon, April Si. lea. Kremer, , In English, German, ■ . , , , ^ J a ^.French and Italian folk songs, Gl-e^ei and looks ,.ood dejrlte flrst p^^^g^ the liking of the Wgh- nlght : backstage difllcultieii, anll ijrow attendance at the Gollseum rHappy Families" rates as.an un- (vaudeville)/ yesterday, likely prospect at the Q theatre. Mort Downey made his debut on mt. A i+- T«„„ «t,x„, «;o„ the same bill, doing five songs to his The Anita Loos show was up- ,^ ♦i.^i own piano accompaniment and the rpariously greieted last night by a satisfaction of the assembly. Dow- Bophlsticated audience wholly fa- hey is doubling into the Gafe An- mlliar with the plot through having glaIs, where he remains eight weeks read the book and attended the Bert Gilbert was moved all over week's pre-relea.se showing of this the Alhambra (vaudeville) schedule Paramount picture at the Plaza, on his initial local showing. . He For soriie unaccountable reason not was originally placed .ninth, then one newspaper critic Inquired why moved to No. 4 for the supper sea the censor should pass this play and - sion, and on the last night perform- without such comment the success ance opened the show. In all these of the show is extremely doubtful. NPositions he passed unnoticed, Piece was well plaved through-[ Myrlo, Desha and Barte, breaking out. Americans in the audience as- Into vaude here for the first time, serted that Edna Hibbard's per.-, are also at the. Alhambra, and scored formance of "Dorothy" was slowed, with their adaig-io work despite the down 50 per cent., for fear the house unsuitability of the house for this would miss her siahg repartee. type of act. ■ ■ . . J Return of the Yacht Club Boys and Peggy O'Neil Appeared .Teddy Brown's band bruoght a ca- Opehlng of Edgar Wallace's "¥ly- paclty attendance to the Cafe de trig Sqiiad" revolved around Peggy parla. The act . now numbers five, O'Neil, starred, mainly because Including Chick Endor, Billy Mann, there was a two-minute stage wait Tommy Purcell, Pete Murphy and before she appeared. Investigation Eddie Ward. They were rapturous developed that she had announced ly received her intontipn of not going on at all. At the Kit Cat, Handersl and Mil Regardless of. the delay, ' the end ilss scored .heavily, but are only In of the show brought 15 curtain calls for a week, as the t^am ha.s out-Of- specchcs and it looks Ij ke a .' big | town engagements, success despite Its numerous de- ficiencies. Plot revolves around di^g smuggling ihtd England with the star the chief smuggler fio apparent reason was given by either the author or management for Miss O'Neil's action last night. Be- lief Is she had a temperamental out WILL MAHONEY The New York "Dally News" said: "Will Mahoney l9 a great comic, and wlth> this' sttwed-off gutta percha comedian ?Take the Air* should have a long flight, Ma- horiey's dancing can be compared only to the dancing of Will Ma- hopey, for he la In a close by him- self. His sideward tumblei acrpss the stag© Is hilarious." • Direction RALPH G. FARNUM, 1560 Broadway *^DECLASSEE" WITHHELD Zoa Akins Declined Tallulah Bank- head's Offer to Produce RAQUEMELLER SHINES IN NEW PARIS REVUE Taking exception to Ilannen Swaffer's report publishod March 28 in Variety that Taliulah Bunk- head decided to fprogp. .procluolng Zoe Akins' "Declassce" in Ijandon because it ''was old fashioned," Miss Akins submits the autographed let- ter of Miiss Bankhcail'a .hianager askihg for rights of the piay, in connection with this stutcmont: New York. March 29. Editor Varietyi One expects Inaccuracies In other papers, but not in "Variety." 'JValriety" really has a conscience. So .1 am enclosing a letter • (from Miss Banklicad's manager), which may; set you straight about a rather serious statement, at once untrue and damaging to a iplay which still remains a good theatrical property, . as Alice Kaiiser, my agent, can testify.. . She and I agreed with Miss Banklicad's management that It was inadvisable to produce "D6- classee," for .her, and my answer was "no," ": Zoe Akins. ("Declassee," Miss Akins added, has never been shown in London and has not been released gen- erally: for stock lii the IT, . S., .ex- cept as playing rights were granted, on Individual appHca- tlori.) "Le Luxe dc Paris" Well Re- ceived at Palace—Other New Attractions 2d Dennis Eadie Flop . ' Paris, April S Raquel Meller Is the stair and the real excuse for the new Palace I revue, "De Liize de Paris," presented Saturday and received with acclaim as might be expected from Its pre liminary advertlslnft. Piece pro- London. April 3. i duced by Henri Varna and up to "Mr. Priestley's Night Out," the scale of elegance us^al In this alleged farce by one of "Punch's" gatabllshmeht conducted . O (magazine) comic writers, showed j^ufrenne. Itself to be about aa funny as trench other ' cast nunes are Gypsy burst and there's a strong chance I ^^rfare. It closed Saturday after :mjpu„ije; Dallo, Pomlea. Drosdoff that she will not remain with the flye nights. Dallset, Irvln Sisters (formed here) show very long. : This la the second flop for Dennis Lj^^j LgHa NicOkska. All the empha Happy Families'^ lis a satire on ^adle within a fortnight at the Ljg course. Is on Ra<iuel modern society life. It made little HQy^uy Impression at. thei Q arid there's an I "Unknown Warrior" moves over extreme doubt If the.attraction will | (poni wyndhams to replace, get anywhere Edgar Wallace's Wife Another Cynical Comedy "What Happened Dec. i" te the curious title of an utterly cynical comedy by Bernard Zlmmer, given at the Comedle des .Champs Elysefes late last week. A provincial magis- trate, believing that his son has "APRON STRINGS" PLAYED - London, April 3^ WW . I "Apron Strings," at the Strand „.„ — Managing His Theatre Sunday for one performance by the seduced a maid servant In the home London April 5 Venturers Society, ia a good drama | during the absence of his _parents Edgar Wallace, who' took over sPlfendW^ohstructed^^witJ Robert Loraine's sublease Of the derlylng sinister comedy ^^^^^ will contlniie his hold on Commercially It's Improbable, but Charlie Whitaker, film man, wrote IL SONNY CLAY DEPORTED FROM AUSTRALIA First All-Colored Band Over Tliere, Leaving It Bad for All Colored Artists ..Ran; Francisco; April 3, Word has been received litre from Australia tolling oC the immediate, deportation of Sonny Clay and his Plantation orchiestra (colored band) because of alleged looseness of morols;- The band boys are I'etum- iii.g oh the ."Slen-a. Thoy opened In January, the first allroolored band ever booked for the Antipodes. Several other col- ored acts were included in the unit and It Is believed they, also, are In- cluded in the deportation edict. Cloao observers of , Australian conditions predict this the end, for some time at least, of coiored acts in that country. It was reporte(^ In Variety last week by cable from. Sydney that coloi-ed musicians in the Sonny Clay orchestara were caught In an orgy with white women '.n Mel- bourne, with the Tlvoll ' Theatres cirpult at once cancelling the band's contract. That the story was cabled to Variety by Ita c rre- spondent indldated a national scan/- dal over the affair. . R A li ef- Fvirt«i Films Names of acts iii the Sonny Clay paiiei I:«V1CIS r urns ,. . unit were and are purposely Paris, April 3. I omitted from the added data on the pictures have been replaced at Clay escapade, to protect innocent the Champs Elyseies by a season of members. It lis unlikely any of the Russian ballets under the. auspices colored artists with the unit were of Mitchell. New attraction stalrted Involved. The cable specifically last Saturday. I named "colored muslclaha." Interruption ot pictures is tempo- rary and showings will be glyen Sundays and as a; : Good Friday special "King of Kings", will be.of- fer.ed. Nemchlnova and Anton Dollh are stars of the ballet. TAYLOR AND GERSHWIN WRITING IN PARIS Viennese Going Home Los Angeles, April 3.; . Marietta Miliner, under contract to Paramount for the past year and who It was eypected would be. fea- tured In one of their productions, did not come through as expected. She contemplates returning to Vienna from whence she came. Apollo. the house until next autumn Wallace has Installed his wife as manager and has two more plays toady for production at the theatre "The Bat" in French BECE UEES SAHARA Paris, April J. Martin Bock and Mrs. Beck are I back in Paris after a Jaunt through gimon. Louis Alllbert. Remain Bou- the Sahara desert. The former Lj^g^^ Martha MOlIot and Luclenne on Dec , 2. sends the youth, Charles, to repent In the attic During his punishment the boy's girl friends raise a ^reat ado In his behalf end flutter around hhn In ap- parent sympathy. But when It Is demonstrated that the seduction charge was entirely false, they lose interest In him and abandon him; the cast are Jouvet, Marcel Two Playwrights Die London, April 3. Two playwrights have died here within the past week. Keble. Howard, 54, author and playwright, succhmbed March 29, and R. C. Carton*- 74,' actor and playwright, died April 1. Paris, April 3. A French version of "The Bat" | American manager declares the des was successfully produced at Lyons | ©rt towna are safer than Broadway, with Pierre Magnler, who waa with Sarah Bernhardt on her last Amer- ■ .n.inTTnw -nnT-MP «on nnn lean tour, playing the principal PAVHION DOING ?20,000 fole •! • j London, April 3 Lincoln Wagenhals -was present An orchestra stalls-for. Cochran;s Byes'!), which .aucceeds.^'-T^^ at the Lyoria premiere and let It hew Pavilion revue are sold until of Mrs. Cheney" at the fashionably he known that he will do .the piece next July. little Theatre Daunou, Show played to $20,000 last week, I a rather favorable reception. A demlmondalne of some elegance Cochran-Brady's Production I with a rich protector, whO Is a sar- in Paris next fall. [ Bogaert. More Stranoe Title* Another newcomer with a strange title la "La Chlenne aux yeux de Pemme" ("Pup with a Woman's Burke-Parker for All-Amer. , . London, April 3. Bui'ke and Piorker: are listed to open at the Chiswick Empire •• July 113, , V The act will also be included oh the All-Amerlcan bill at the Vic- toria Palace (vaude) the following week. Larry Semon in England ■ London, April 3. Larry Semon, screen comic, has been booked for personal appear- ances in the picture liouses here by Harry Foster. Semon is d 'e to open at Blr- Tninghfun In May. T ^^A^^ Ar^-n « I dine packer and with also a glglio London April 8. " ^ a sentimental Road to Rome" will be the first ot ner own. moe- -otnani production C. B. Cochran and Bill young j^chl^^^^^^ refuses to adsoclate with her while she keeps up h*r affairs with the do It; . bollie.-Billie to Milan Paris, April 3. Del lie and Billic have postponed their lour of ispaln for the present and in.'^teatl will go to tlio l-^clen In Milan, under .man;i;;c'ini'nt of Robaldi, They will .leave .probably April IT when the M"iiliii Rouge revue lerminates. • "Spiders'" 2 Weeks More' Tx)ndon, April 3. Run of "The Spider*' haa been ex- tended two weeks at the Winter Garden. Show wa3 originally to have closed March 31, Sayag After Apollo Paris, April 3, "•^= Sriyae^s: negotla tin g-to-take-over- the Apollo, where he propowo.s to .stage vaudeville after the American manner. . .■ Pilcer Goes Camera Paris, April 3. Harry Pilcer has taken an en- gagerrient to appear In pictures, signing-Avith Franco Film Co, ■ ■ other two men. So he departs sadly and tries to forget, but la constant ly reminded of the woman's pet dog, whence the title. Piece Is by Iran Noe and leads are. played by Jane Benouardt, leasee of the house, and Fresney. late of the Comedle Prancalse, On the same bill Is a sketch by I?enrl Duvernols called "Devant la Porte" ("Before the Door"), which ronslsts-^of^conversatlon^between^a husband and a lover In a hospital waiting room while the woman in whom they are concerned is on the operating table. Hu£rt3and is recon eilod to the situation while the woman'B life hangs In the balance but the old enmity breaks out the nilnute a nurse anhouiices that th patlent wlll London Theatre Parking London, April 8. A largo garage la to be erected on site , within a stone's throw of Piccadilly Circus, for the use of theatregoers. The building will hold 1,000 cars, and will have bath- I April" 17 room.<3. dressing.rooms, repair shop.' petrol station and chauffeur's can teen, and wili cost about $650,000. A north country syndicate Is financing the scheme, which will In- clude three others on a snialler scale, all In theatreland. Paris, April S. Deems Taylor la Working here, oa a new opera which he hopes to finish within a year. Several 6f his efforts Including "The King's Henchmen" will be given at a local theatre within a fortnight Ha says ho has received . Inspiration from the 'themes be has heard la ParlSk George Gershwin attended tha first Paris rendition of hla "Rhap-' sody In Blue" , by a French sym- phony • orchestra Saturday night and expressed hlmaelf pleased with the Pasadeloup . Orchestra, He re- ceived an ovation when It waa learned that he . was In the house, and waa called to the stage of the Mogadon He Is writing a new symphony called "An American In Paris." ^ In the party are his brother, Ira, and his wife, and a sister. . . Gershwin plans to remain la Paris a month and a half. Piccadilly Opening April 17 London, April 3, Piccadilly theatre is set to* open -Buchanan Show Not Moving London, April s. Although announcied to go to. the Carlton, It has been decided that Jack Buchanan's show will ^not move to. that house, following the five weeks rim of "Wings,*' tlte pic- ture there. ' Moscow Group in London London, April .8. Moscow Art troupe starts a month's season at the Garrick this Saturday, April 7, With a personnel of 32 players. SAILINGS April 28 (New York to Hamburg) Mr. .and Mrs, M. L. M.alevinsky, (New York). April 21 (New York to London) Sophie Tucker, Ted yhapiro (Levia- than ) T" ^^^^^^=^^^^-^=^-^=^^^^^ April 11 (New York to Pari.s) Fred C. Buck, Bernard A. McDcvItt (De GrasHe).. April 12 (I-K>ndon to New York) Joseph Greenwald (Geo, Wtushlng- ton); April. 3 (London to New York) Paul MoHfl (iLoviatlin n). the TiDer Dancing Schools of America, Inc. 226 West 72d Street, NEW YORK MAHT . IlKAD, I*ro8ldent Phone Enaicott 821G-6 Nfw Clnfl'^M Now Fwrmlng