Variety (Sep 1928)

Wednesday, September 5, 1028 VAUDEVILLE VARIETY S5 Heiman and Gordon Not at Weeidy K-0 Booking Meetings by Request RUBE WOLFS TAPERS' RETURNED BY YEGGS NiBlther Miuc Gordon, general manager of the Orpheum Circuit, or Marcus Heiman, It's president, are present iany more at tlje book- ing meetings held , weekly In the Keith offlces. These meetings are ;*olely attended by E. G. Lauder, William McGatfrey, Arthur Willi and William Howard. McCaffrey Is booking the Palacei, State-Lake and Riviera, Chicago; Palace, New: York; Minneapolis, Omaha;, Kansas City, St. Louis and Boston. Willi, former bookeir of the Palace, New York, is now penciling lor the senior Orpheum houses, from Minneapolis to Winnipeg and to the Coast, Including Denver on the way back; Ben Kutchok books the Junior Orpheum houses. How- ard supervises the bookings of the Keith middle western houses, booked by Wayne Christy, and the George Luke booked houses at Syracuse, Rochi^ster, Toronto, Buffalo, Balti- more and Washington.. Before the'entrance of J. P. Ken- nedy Into Keith as chairman of the board of directors, Gordon and Heiman were aictive at all booking meetings and had considerable to ■ay.about the setting of salaries on acts. In addition, Gordon was in charge of the Orpheum production department, which has since been disbanded. ' . It Is .generally understood that the absence of Heiman and Glordon front the meetings followed a re- quest . from John Ford, Kennedy's representative. Ad Stays Intact After BongerStak Dolen Over Wife New Orleans, Sept 4. Art Boriger, of the iOolen-Bqnger Revue, headlinihg over the Lpew -circuit, has arrived In this city af ter eluding the police in Memphis, where he was being sought as one of the principals in a stabbing af- fray with his partner, Ted Dolen. While the act was playing Mem- phis Bonger discovered Dolen in the hotel room of his wife, Loretta. Ac- cording to police charges, he as- •aulted Dolen with a knife, stab- bing him three times in the ba,ck The charge reldtes the weapon was a bread knife and that both men were drunk. Dolen yjr&a under the care of a physician for severa houi*s, bnt was able to leave for this city. Since arriving hie^e the two men have decided to forget the Incident and the act will continue un- changed. Along with: four other acts booked at Loew's State the current week Is laying off owing to the •trike of musicians and stage hands, While Dolen and* Bonger are per- fectly wllHng to forget their brawl, Memphis jolice authorities have not been so easily allayed and may take the-pair,back for trial MAY WYIfN'S BAD FALL May Wynn, of the original Eng Bah Madcaps* vaude act, was ise- rerely Injured while In Ried Bank, N. J. Miss Wynh opened, the door of a darkened room In-a local hotel and fell. down, two flights of stairs, knocking out her front teeth and breaking a leg. She was removed to a local hospital. n CO IMO BROADWA^i N*!^ TOBK m William Morris CALL BOARD g Httve-booked^Valentine and - Bell two complete world S tonrs, three European tours I in the last seven years. ^ Sailing Friday, He de ^ Prance. o ■ ■ >i CmCAGO: 1111 IiUTL£K BIMO. Trick Name Ann Howe Up as Court Issue Los Angeles, Sept. 4. Elizabeth Page, radio entertainer, known on the. air as Ann Howe, has filed an injunction suit In Los An- geles, directed' against the Kelth- Albee-prpheum Corporation, some others and Miss Mildred Broniiley, who has been tappearing at the Hillstreet theatre here under the name Ann Howe, and seeking to re strain the latter from the use of the name. Miss Page was named Ann Howe some three years ago, the complaint alleges, as a result of an air cam- paign and it is claimed that she at tained national fame over the air in 18 months of touring. It Is charged that Miss Bromley was apparently under her own name in a vode act three years ago and that she did. not f^ssume the name Ann Howe uiitil June, 1927, to profit by Miss Page's publicity. Miss Bromley countered with the asser- tion tha.t the name Ann Howe was given her in 1925 by Chicago news paper men, while she was singing In cafes there. Hearing of the case Is set for Sept. 7, an order haying been issued meanwhile restraining Miss Brom ley from billing herself as "Ann Howe" until decision can be n^ade as to which of the two girls Is en titled to use It. » Cleveland and Cincy Wiring foi- Talkers Cleveland- Sept. 4; Changes In Loew theatre policies go Into effect Sept. 8. The Stillman, pioneer movie pal ace here, will close this week, after 13 years. Its policy of long run, special pictures will go in the Alleti, wired, together with Its manager, P. H. Clary. The theatre, will be converted Into a part, of the adjoin- ing Hotel Startler. Keith's Palace is to be wired to meet talker compe- tition. This change will make the Allen the Loew's ace house, as It has a seating capacity 0|f 8,200. and was wired a mionth ago. "T6mpest," will start Its new policy, to be fol- lowed ^y "Patriot" and "White Shadows." The Allen's present policy of Publlx stage shows and feature films wllf" be taken over by the State, which Is also equipped for Vitaphone."" Loew vaudeville, now playing tho State, will be sent out to a neighborhood theatre, the Park, also to be wired shortly. Another Loew house, the Cameo, joined the talkie parade this week with "State Street Sadie" (War- ners). The local Keith outfit Is also busy. The $1,000,000 Palace will Install some talking device shortly, while it is reported the closed Hippodrome win reopen with talkie policy. take Up'M. C? Ad Offer of $100-r-Mrs. Wolf in on Side Street Night Meeting \ San Francisco, Sept. 4. Sounds like fiction, but s'truth. Hube Wolf, m. «. at Loew's Wtiv- field, advertised in the local dailies after he^ad been atuck up and re- lieved of money and other valu- ablesj, that If the yeggs would re- turn "the papers" he would kick in with another lOO smackers. Rube spent three weeiks In Los Angeles and the day following his return here he wajs summoned to the 'phone. One of the stick-rups was on the other end. lEIe calmly negotiated with Wolf to return the. papers, designating a dark street as the meeting place. R.ube laid off the police and kept the . appointment accompanied by Mrs. Wolf. ' Sure enough, a neatly dressed guy strolled by the ear and then en- gaged Wolf in conversation. "Sure they're no bulls or dicks around ?", he queerled. "Positively no," replied the Rube. "Well, there better not be. Other- wise, w'll start holding court, right here." With that the stranger showed a gun. Finally everything convinced it was okay> the yegg signalled with a handkerchief and from an alley emerged a confederate. He carried a cardboard box, such as suits are delivered In. It contained Wolf's wa.llet, his personal papers, stock certificates, and . other valuable documents. • "Here's the century," said Rube, trying to snnlle aa he said It. "Here's a rose for you," chipped in Mrs. Wolf. "Nclw that Rube has demonstrated he's regular won't you leave him alone hereafter?" .. "We sure will, lady," muttered the yegg. Sounds flighty, but It's on the level. Same Number of Acts on Poli Bills Under Loeb s Bookings for Fox Cincinnati, Sept 4. Keith's, which changed to'a pic- ture -policy early this year, after being a two-a-day hous^ for more than 26 years. Is to be wired. Talk- ers in there late this month. iKelth's and the Capitol will then be the only houses in town offering sound pictures. New season marks the first In years; this. town, has been withoxit twice dally vaude. Albee and the .Palace each do three shows week- days and four on week-ends. PERRIN-KELSEY PRODUCING Adrian S. Perrin and William Kelsey have formed a vaude pro- ducing combine to sponsor produc- tion acts. Their fli^t Is an eight people flash "Just the Type" which shows for Loew next week. Perrin is a former stager of musi- cal shows and is also interested in the Perrin-Rycroft Agency, casters for stock and vaudeville. Perrin wlirretain his interest In the agency with^'tFe^pjrbducinf 11iTe"^^a^^ ture. Kelsey was formerly con- nected with the Shuberts. Paul Denno Dies on Tour; Brain Hemorrhage C6Iuriibu.s, p., Sept. A. iPa.ul Denno, 42, (Scanlon, Denno Brothers and Scanlon) appearing at Loew's Ohio here-with the R. H. Burnside unit;- "Ocoan Blues," died Sunday afternoon (S<?pt.. 2) In a hospitjiil following .a. cerebral hem- orrhage.. Den*d, whose r<?al name was Ren- ault, had played' five shows Satur- day and had not complained of feel- ing ill, according to his brother, Fred, Eight hours after the at- tack Denno was dead. ^ He is survived by his mother, his wife and two children, Paul, Jr., and Amelia, all of Woonsocket, R. I., and his sister, Mrs. Victoria Scan- lon, and brother, Fred, who are with the Burnside unit. Members of the act accompanied the body east but will return west to rejoin the Burnside unit. Donald Bryan's Orpheum Toiir Donald Bryan opened a tour for Orpheum In Winnipeg this week. Harry Dc Cont'd, is at the piano. W. B. Offer Sopliie Tncker $85,000 for Vita Pictare Los Angeles, Sept. 4. Warner Brothers still seeks draw names to star In their Vita pic- tures. Harry -Warner, president of the concern. In New York, has been' negotiating for Sophie Tucker to miake one pictwe with an option of three more. Film company bias offered Soph $86,000 flat for the one picture and the proposition was cabled to her by William Morris. Ma^ybe that's why she's coming back. Mix's 10 Weeks Los Angles, Sept. 4. Following completion of his-next three plotures, about Dec. 1, Tom Mix will make another vaude tbur for Keith-Orpheum. He will play about 10 weeks. Mix has already completed his third picture for FBO, expects to clean up the next trio In as many months. and following the vaude dates, returns to the studio to make six more features for the same firm. Langdon on Stage Harry Langdon opens on a per- centage and guarantee arrangement Sept 20 for West Coast. In Seattle. picture comic will resurrect one of his vaude . sketches. William Morris booked. PATJt BAEEON'S SMASH Albany, N. T., Sept. 4. Paul Barron (Barron and Bar- rett) Was Injured In an auto acci- dent near here last Saturday night- Barron, and friends were return- ing from Saratoga when the acci- dent occurred. . He wras taken to a local hospital where he was treated, for cuts on the face and arms. Ho was then taken to 'the French Hos- pital, New York, for further treat- ment. The first of the vaiide booked bills for the Poll houses by the Fox of- fices in the recently acquired houses play, this week. Tile last of the Kelth-bdoked shows were in . last week, with one house. Palace, . Bridgeport, now operating a stock^ It will run un- disturbed In policy under Fox. Fox riiay book vaude in it later. All of the Poll bills will be booked by Jack -W. Loeb in the New York Fox vaude agency on West 46th street. There will be lio change In vaude policy, of the Poli houses, with the same number of acts being routed on their customary split week status, Mr- Loeb stated. It is Loeb's intention at this time to play no' act on the Fox-Poll time appearing there under the former booking regime for at least a year, Loeb's right hand bower In the Fox-Poll vaude placements will be Phil Bloorh, -who came into the Loeb ofilce following Edgar Allen's de- parture. Chorister and Musician Disappear from Milwaukee Milwaukee, Sept. 4. Simultaneously with the notice to police that Elaine Tamkin, 18, mem ber of the Bebe Barri dancers, who closed at the Wisconsin Saturday night, was missing,, the cops were also, asked to look for one of the orchestra members at the theatre. Girl was gone, bag and baggage, from her hotel room when friends came to call for her. Both the girl and bandsman left notes telling they were going, but didn't Intimate they were together. Accbrdlng to members of the Barri troupe the girl and musician have been con stantly together of late.. . Leon Booking Again Despite previous difilcultles with tiae commissioner of licenses. New York, through alleged conduct of Jin agency without a license, Lawrence Leon Is back in the racket again with 11 houses on his books. ^ Leon was refused an employment agency license upon recent applica- tion, buit claims even this will not cramp his .style as a booker, since all of the houses on his books are controlled by Michael Manos, rat- ing as partner of the agency. Since he figures as an employe, that of booker of the Manos chjiin, X<eon says he's Immune from downtown Intei-ference. Vaudeless Senate, Chicago, Sept. 4. Although the L. & T. ; Senate was to Inaugurate a^elth vaude policy this season, the .house has been completely wired and Is reported ready to use sound film programs with no stage shows. Senate has been a full week stand for Publlx units originating at'the Oriental. Due to opening of the B. & K. Paradise, in the same neigh- borhood, Publlx units will now play the new house due to open Sept. 14. First dates at the Paradise will run eight days. The stage end In- clude Mack Fi!=iher*3 band; ' Ritz Brothers, Karavleff, Lprna .Hpffmajj and about 18 or 20 girls. CEOWI-EAGU: STICK Chicago, Sept. 4; Of the agents with the Assn. who have been let out or are expected to go, Charlie Crowl and .Malcolm Eagle, it is reported, will positively remain, where they are. Crowl and Eagle have gone to "New York where they have lined up a list of new acts. B»Hr=^L«vy==Recovers- Los Angeles, Sept. 4. Bert Levy, vaude cartoonist, under hospital treatment here for eight weeks with ear trouble, has recovered. He expects to resume stage work soon. LEAVING AMALGAMATED Ben W. Bat-nett and Charles Levinson of the booking department of the Amalgamated vaude agency leave that organization and after ►Sept. 15 wlll.be associated with Lo.stor Lee in act productions. Both Levinson and Barnctt have boon with Amalgamated for a num- ber of years.. New Haven, Sept. 4. Fox took over complete control of the Poll circuit last Wednesday when Sylvester, Z. Poll, his general manager,, Louis M. Sagal, and his staff moved out of the Bijou theatre oflBces Into ne,w quarters. AH books, records and accounts were trans- ferred to the .Fox offices In New. York. It Is understood that John Zanft, directing the circuit for FOic, will send a district manager and a real estate maliager to New Haven to open a- district ofRce. S^evera,l changes have been madei A. J. Vanl, Poll's nephew, who han- dled the picture bookings. Is gone and Gordon Righter, manager- of the Springfield house, and George A. Marsh, for 18 years manager of Poll's Capitol, Hartford, have ten- dered their resignations. Harold Hevia, who formerly di- rected Keith's St. James, Boston* succeeds -Marsh. Death Cancels Act Mahler and Dunn were forced to cancel at the Woodrow, Brooklyn, last week due to the sudden death of Irene Dunn's mother in Pltts- bvirgh, Aufj. 29. Fniiikliu and (li-een t-ubstitulcd, K-0 Issues Order To Lay Off Units; Want Slow Change Keith-Orpheum last week Issued orders to all producers and agents to lay off units for the present. Reason Is that bookers report no spots or routes avialable. ^ It Is understood that while the K-O ofllclals look with favor upon the unit type of entertainment, the transition from vaudeville to vaude units Is to be slowly accomplished so as not to disrupt the booking methods now In use. Switch from vaudeville to units on a large scale would require elaboration of the Keith producing department and the bulldlhg up of a complete organiza- tion to handle this form of enter- tainment. With tbe ofllclal openlnc; of the new season "buT a few wel^^ the producers threatened to swamp the bookers with proposed unita acting upon the belief that both the Keith and Orpheum were going to unitize material as fast tm they could secure it. To offset this erroneous Idea, and to protect producers from Investing in pro- ductions whjch stood small chance of securing routes, brought on the lay . off - order. The extent to which the circuits are ready to go in the matter units will be announced when J. Kennedy, J. J. Murdock and Pat Casey return from Europe, Oct. 1. Two more units are under way for Keith-Orpheum. The Herman Tlmberg unit opened at the Palace, Chicago, last Sunday and the Harry . Carroll unit opens thla Thursday. $7,000 IN MILLS FUND - Florence Mills Theatrical Associa- tion, spoh.sorinif the Florence Mllla Memorial Fund, now has over $7,000. Further financial projects are planned to send the total over |10.- 000;