Variety (Apr 1928)

VARIETY V A U D E V I L L E Wednesday, April 18, 1928 Chicago, April 17. : Two reels of isclentlfic film were projected for enlightenment of the court by Attorney Ben Ehrllch in his successful pica for annulment of the marriage of Matjus (Ike) Matina to Margarette Cynthia, both midgets.. Grounds for the a.nnulment were established by Ehrllch by aid of photographs ipertaining to midgets. Following granting of the annul- ment, "Ike" and Cynthia shook hands good naturedly. Their wed- ding in 1926 at Savannah. Ga., was more or less a press gag, being a public affair and . billed as the first marriage of midgets In 56 years. The .previous one was that of Tom Thumb. The usual socko charge had. Its regular inning In the isult for divorce filed by Attorney Phil R. Davis for Ethel DeVore, dancer, against Firank DeVoire, inusieian. Ethel claims Frank climaxed his cruel treat- ment in whamming her deliberately with a saxophone. The DeVorieB were married In February, 1924. More Legal Air Marie Euler, a hip manipulator at the Rial to burlesqiuS emporium, Is HARRY ROGERS Presents CHS*- fm Phil Baker Goes Lit Phil Baker has gone literati, climbing aboard with the others who want to say it in^ print. Mr. Baker's contribution to the libraries of the world or Times Square will be "Thj^ Plillosophy of a Ham." "A ham" is the actor's slang for the other actor. Mr. Baker Is an actor. Whether he will talk about the others or that ham that comes in a bag, 'isn't announced, although it may be brief If the forrrier. since the philosophy of the majority of actors Phn knows Is contained In four, words; "How about next week?" ' s ORCHESTRA A SURE-FIRE HEADLINE ATTRACTION striving through Attorney Leo A Weisskopf to give George Eu\et, non-pro, legal ain Marie says she a:nd George were niarrled In Oc- tober, 1922, and . that things were okay 'Until five months later when hubby returned to his mother with- out saying why. Another chorine, Wlla A. Robert, has asked Phil Davis to get her a divorce from Albert Robert, whom she married a little over two years ago. The suit states Albert decided he couldn't support' a wife a year after he married, and quietly blew into the night for an apparently permanent leave taking. One-more chorine, Merrilyn Wil- son, has filed desertion charges agaipqt Otls Wilson, burlesque per former. Marriage was In 1920 and separation In 1923. Merrilyn dances at the Haymarket theatre regularly. She's represented by Leo Weiss- kopf. Weisskopf has Just secured a divorce for Effle Langlll, now In "Vanities," from Judson Langlll. legit actor, on grounds that Judson deserted her New Year's morn, 1928. after being a fairly reliable husband 18 years. . William Biruhman, theatre eljec trician, secured a divorce through Weisskopf from Marie Bruhmaii, also for desertion. Marriage In AMI, 1919, and separation four years later. Nell Asleep—Lost Jobs San Fraqclsco, April 17. Nell Kelly, for the past five years featured on the coast by Fanchdn & Marco, drew a cancellation on the second last night of her two weeks' engagement at the Warfield, when she missed a performance, through having fallen asleep. A streak of temperament follow- ed the action by the Warfield man agenient, whereupon Nell's three day engagement at the Ca,Ufornia. San. Jose, was also cancelled, but thie matter was adjusted at the last minute and Nell opened in San Jose as per schedule. Adelaide Hughes Corrects |n.VA Speaker's Remarks New York, April 14. Editor Variety: It is most regrettable that Variety and many others placed the con- struction which they did upon Mr. Chesterfield's reference to my late husband during N. V. A. week at the Palace. I,think, my presence on the bill prompted him to refer to Mr. Hughes, and I trust It was his in- tention to refer to him only as one who had given all of his strength and vitality to his art—and not as one who had been a beneficiary of the N. V. A. at an y time. As a matter of fact, Mr. Hughes was not a member of the N, V. A. for some time previous to his death, and would therefore be Ineligible to a:ny favor from that organization even If he had needed it—which he did not; Although Mr. Hughes was Induced by his personal physician on two occasions to go away for test and relaxation, . he was never at aiiy time In aiiy N. y. A. hospital. Fur- thermore, Mr. Hughes did not have tuberculosis at any time during his life and hlc; death was ckused-by a condition far removed from that disease. . If Mr. ^Ghesterfleldi's remarks could be misconstrued, I am sure he would be only too pleased to cor- rect a false Impression—as he knows the only connection that Mr. Hughes had with the N, V. A. was to aid the organization financially and professionally whenever he was called upon. . Adelaide Hughes. PEABODY/MINEVITCH NEARLY MIX rr UP Band Leaders at Seattle's 5th Ave. Held Apart by Her- schel Stuart . (It was mentioned In Variety's review of last week's bill at the Palace, New York, that the N. V. A, spieler there for the hand out col- lecilon referre4 to Johnny Hughes in this wise: to ALL OUR ™ Our Designs and Creations are, always in the lead. Entire settings or single drops. Always pleased to quote you. P, 140 West 39th Street NEW YORK, NEW YORK Wisconsin 0646 BEN CLICK, Maha»er (From Variety, April 11) As befits the' east's only 12.20 music hall, the Palace conducted the N. V. A. solicitation with dig- nity. In asking that patrons do- nate whatever they could afford, the spieler. Monday night ex- plained that "any bill regardless of denomination" would be wel- come. No mention of small change. The big time touch. The spieler was very good. Al- luding to . the poverty of actors, he explained that the actors were poor because they were always giving benefits for other charities. Nothing about cut weeks, lay- offs, or cut salaries. To. drive home his plea for "bills regardless of denomination" the orator mentioned Adelaide Hughes, who had closed Intermis- sion, Adelaide was the spieler's very dear friend, he said. And her former partner, Johnny Hughes, was one of those actors who had been too generous, had Under- mined his health doing benefits, and had died under circumstances which, the Implication was, the N. V. A., had met with its accus- tomed speedy: and unostentatious charity-. z ^„ ..^ . - The team of Adelaide and Hughes was a. standard big time act for years, and Miss Hughes currently with William Holbrook, is offering a new act that con- firms .. once . .more her rightful claim to topnotch honors as an artist. " ' ■ It seemed extrenieily unkind to her for a soap box "patriot" to call public attention to any slight assistance the'N. V. A. may have been to her late partner. But the speech, had probably been "ap- proved," so that's that. Seattle, April 17. .. A ncar^flstlc encounter between Eddie Peabody, band leader at the West Coast Bth Avenue .theatre, and Borrah MlneVitch, headliner on the bill, • was narrowly averted by Herschftl Stuart, division manager' for West Coast Theatres. The argument between the two Is reported to have brought coats off ahdoa call for outside to settle the affair a la Dempsey-Tunney. The controversy between Peabody and Minevitch came about when the latter failed to appear for rehearsal Minevitch, according to reports. In structed one of the hoys In his act to see Peabody on the morning of the rehearsal and give the. band leader all the cues, etc..,^ Inasniuch as he was personally . unable to appear^ Peabody resented the idea of tak !ng orders and cues from; one of Minevitch's boys. As a result he refused to be bothered until Mine vltch himself appeared for rehear- sal. - The boy, It Is said, hurried! back to the hotel where his boss was stopping and explained' the matter. Minevitch rushed over to the the atre burning up. As he was about to hop on Peabody, Mrs. Peabody appeared. She Is understood to have opened up a vocal barage that squelched anything Minevitch wanted to say. Herschel Stuart, back stage at the time, heard the fracas and sepa rated the men as they were about to start. When separated by Stuart, each threatened to walk put If the other we»t on. Stuart was in hot water, as the first afternoon show was scheduled to go on in a few minutes. A nipb lined for a block waited outside to gain admittance It looked like ia deadlock between !the harmonica player and the ban joist for awhile, when OUle Wal lace, organist at the house, sug- gested that in order to avoid further friction the show be divided Into two parts. The plan was that Peabody and his baiid do their stuff first and the Minevitch act follow It was further agreed that when Minevitch did his act on the stage Peabody was to leave and turn the baton over to the house leader while Minevitch was not to appear on the stage or In the wirtgs until actual time for his act to go on Companionate Couple Cancels L. A. Grind Los Angeled, April 17. Jo.sephlne Haldema,rirJulius and her companionate marriage husband, Aubrey Roselle, arrived here froni Kansas City \indcr the impression that they were to appear for Pan- tages. Instead they found them- selves booked for personal appear- ances at Tally's, grind house, where "PMatning Virtue," Miliard'a sei picture, is being shown. Millard wired them, "Made arrangements with Mr. Pantages; you open Los Angeles April 14.'^ The couple played four perform- ances, consulted Attorney Howard B. Hchshey, and at his advice, walked out and notified the sex picture Impresario that they were not coming back. They cla.lmed, further, that Millard had requested them to debate the subject of com- panionate marriage Instead of doing their dancing act which they did for Pantages on a week's engage- ment some time ago in.Kansas City.. Alexander Pantages disclaimed all knowledge of the matter beyond having given Millard the address of the couple. Miss Haldeman-Julius and her boy hubby may appear in a picture Tiffany-Stahl contemplates on the companionate Idea. ■ , I Stage Show for New House Los Angeles, April 17. Daphne Pollard, Harry Kelly and Ray West's orchestra have been I engaged for the. stage presentation lat the new Warner Brothers pic- ture theatre, opening April 26. Larry Ceballos is producing the prolog with 24 girls. This will be Miss Pollard's first appearance on. a stage since leaving vaudeville and going into pictures under con tract to Mack Sennett. The Ray West organlzatlpn has been booked as the pit and stage attraction for the house until July. 1, after which . Irving Aaronson's Commanders are set to come in. Hippodrome, N. Y,, Now Comedy Smash! BILLY MARIE HlBBiTT and HARTMAN Laugh Locaters • Craig Campbell's Swingover Craig Campbell, tenOr, Is the lat- est K-A-O swingover to Loew Cir- cuit. Campbell has been given a complete route over the latter cir- cuit, opening at Loew's Hillside, Jamaica, L. I., this week. Operator's Judgment Reversed Boston,, April 17. The Mussaohusctts Suprenie Court set aside yesterday a. jury award of $12,000 given John J. Sweetman of the Moving Picture J Operators' Union in his suit against ofhccrs and members of local 182 of I that union. A new trial has been ordered by the Supreme Court. The Supreme I Court says that Sweetman can re- cover from some of the defendants I but not from all. HIBBin and HARTMAN with MISS MARIE HARTMAN World's Chanipion Comedienne A Natural Born Connedienne' Who Delivers REAL LOW Com- edy in a High Class Manner N^xt Week, April 23 Richmond, Va. ALTON AND HIS ORTGINAI. NbVBIVmsS AT TIIE WURUTZKR OrpUouni Theatre, Lob Angeles NEW HOTEL ANNAPOLIS Washluston. D. O. sinKie, sn.oo Doable. S-48.00 in the Heart dt Theatre District 11-12 and H Sts. ,v^ i H| i |i| i| i| i | i|i | i| i |i | i |i|i|i|i|i|i|iHi|i|i|i|i|i|iJi| i |i|qM 'l 'l4 i|' IT ITli|i|i|Ni|TITIT|i|i|in'|i|i|Hi|'|i|Hi|i|i|Hi|i|'in'l'l'|i|'|i|ipil^f^^ KEITH-ALBEE CIRCUIT