Variety (Sep 1928)

38 VARIETY B U R L E S Q 0 E Wednesday, September 5, 1928 Wholesale Columbia Shakeup But Herk, Reade Deny Split Wine, Women and Song Kddie Mo.vd C'hii't crnU; IJobliy follliia. «i>c<iu<I cDtuic Jycfi X,n Km-. ; .I'rlnia .cloiu.ii reKKV Nortuun • i!-i)u.Ti'l Meryl Wilson • • .InKiMUie I'Yiiulc (>■ Uourke..... I .SiralBiii Oon . tiil U(l UT • • -< J U VflJ 1 il? Conflictinff reports a.s to the. Mutual shows beinp withdrawn from the Columbia, jNew York, re- sulted this week ill both I. H. Herk, head of Mutual, and Walter Heade, leasee of the house, niakinp denial that any other policy but Mutual ehows would, go ih there. With Jeromo Rosenberg, Reade-s brother, becoming a.ssociated in the operation of- the Colurhbia . this week, a swarm of dismissals gave the Impression the house might go into stock as soon as the present Mutual contract could be disposed of. it was understood that Jean. Be- dini would become the stock pror ducer when the Mutual shows washed xip. . A. conference between Reade and Herk Monday resulted in both con-, firming the continuation of Mutual Shows there. Runway Leader Out Meanwhile Rosenberg has reor- ganized the back stage and run- way personnel. Isabelle Van and Jean Steele and moat of their IU. S. Buys President, Long White Elep Washington, Sept. .4. Columbia Circuit , has finally un- loaded ilK white elephant, a.s the President theatre has proven to be. IjCw Talbot has a snappy show in the current edition of '-VVine, Woni- t>n and Soiitr" at tlie Columbia, New I'ork, thi.s week. The outfit as to scenery and c6stumes is now. The show is a fast dancing affair with the u.sual blackouts interspersed, mostly familiai-s, but handled ef- feotiveiy, Disregarding the Columbia's ad- ditional build up on traveling at- tractions of two runway soubrets, Isabelle Van and Jeanne Steele, along with their own ensemble of 3 2 to'tl.; .Govermnent. Purchase price ^ -/^^^JSL was ?250,000; the land being wanted I '^'"■et. lalbots opeia for the big Federal building con- struction plan. The purchase price should clicic heavy over the Mutual route. The producer Is particularly for- tunate ih the best line of princi- was $50,575 less than the assessed I pals this reporter has glimpsed In value of the property House is one of great historic in- terest. It stands, on practically 18,- 000 square feet with a 25-;foot front- age on Pennsylvania avenue. Build-' ing also houses the famous old Har- vey's restaurant. , Theatre was btiilt on the site thfvt | also a held the first theatre in Washington, the original structure having been ♦built in 1804. Tills was destroyed by fire in 1820. In 1822 it was re- I built as an assembly hall. From a Mutual since covering burlesque. ISddie Lloyd and Bobby Collins are hardworking comics; J yes La Rue is a personality plus prima 6f splendid voice; Peggy Norman is a soubret, also there with personality and pep, making her equal to the assignment, while Meryl Wilson, ingenue, is sexy trick. Don Gautier, stepping juvenile, a.nd Fratik O'Rourke, straight, round out . the list- iEind are also well placed. "Wiiie, Women and Song" follovv.s the routined revue, formula with plenty of blackouts and numbers spacing as usual. The blackouts, ,1841 to 1843 it served as the city „ regular chorine ensemble got their j. ^nd several inaugural mosjtly tried and true familars, are, hotices this week. In Miss Van's.] ,,^„„ w»ro'hPifi thorp . . | nevertheless, well , spotted and do place will appear Erin Jackson, while Miss Steele is to be sup- balls were held there. i ... . r„,.~„iv .^,^f+«..^. ^^.i. planted by . Ann Clarei, both effec- tive Sept. 10/ Billy Koud goes out. as stage dl-. rector and Raymo'nd Midgely gets the house job on same date. Mike Joyce, manager of the house since the early isummcr, remains! The chorus personnel of the Van grand opera to stock burlesque. RUNWAYS, STOCKS ADD TO CHORINE SHORTAGE Mutual bufles(iue show produccrR, who have boon rehearsing this wo<^k and .la.st, have lioen short of chor- ines and frantic calls were sent out to outside cUlo.'', with Boston mak-. Ing the biffgest return. Calls for ft'ms . at the N. Y. casting olflceft. revealed the fact that what girls had come . through for burlesque work had been immediately shipped off to numerous stock points also calling-for the gals. Some former Mutual girls were seeking stoctc jobs as the stocks in.«?ured them atatiohary work while the Mutual job 'meant traveling. Newer girls were seeking place- ments, as runway workers.'which also meant a permanent stay In the same house. So the gals were put- ting Mutual third on the list. The first week of Mutual bur- lesque in the Columbia, N. Y.. found ihe runway girls led by three dif- ferent leaders. Isabelle Van holding over from the summer ipun.; Jean Steele, formerly of vaude and with other Mutual .shows, a newcomer for the Columbia,, and Buster Sanborn, the last named sticking^ one week and then jumpiiig to ^Detroit for stock work. ' Until fiu-ther notice Misses Van and Stee.l will alternate in leadiiig- the specials on the runway. FIRST UNIT OF MUTUAL OPPOSISH UNDER WAY Irons & damage Do Big with Rotating Stock Idea in Milwaukee More Stock Menace steels llne-iip also changes with opposition to the Mutual Circuit 20 new gals to receive ?40 a week . Joe Hose's Casino, Brooklyn, stock ner. No change in the orchestral got away to reported good returns ■flat. at the start and so did Charles Wal-' With the new Rosenberg plans dron's Boston stock at the Gayety came a change in the Sunday vaude there, operating at the former Col- shows. Starting Sept. 9 they will unibia house. bo coyitlnuous, 10 acts, starting at Warren & Clamage are going 1:30 and continuous to 11, with the stock in Chicago, William Vail is top 85c inistead of. the present 2 operating stock at the. Gayety corporatcd in the. various scenes. The combo makes for plenty of live- ly fun sans, the usual, overplay of smut and get over lesitimatejy. Lloyd is the hard worker 6f the brae© of comics, doing sort of a Tom Howard boob arict present Burlesque stocks are increasing I Pi actlcally in all the comedy scenes. = is tar the better of the twd. A satire on "Talking Pictures" is first part and "The Seminary" In the second were the best of the black- outs. Plenty of w'iggling and exposure stuff from the principal . femincs, esi>ecially the Misses Norman and Wilson, not overlooking Isabelle Van and Jeanne Steele with their usual teasers. The semi-strip stuff shows at $1.50 high, Fally Markus Rochester, and in Syracuse Tom went big, as usual, and had the run- will continue the Sunday bookings. 1 Phillips opened last week at the Other rumors concerned the Hur- Savoy to good returns, tig & Seamoh ApoHo, the old H. & Detroit has three stocks now op- S. 125th Street Music Hall, having eratlve, the Avenue, Palace and Na- a combined Mutual and stock pol- tion. l, with still a fourth, the Broad- Icy. Under the direction of Billy way Strand, scheduled to start SCpt. Minsky (Mlnsky Bros.) it was said | 9, the Mutual shows had been so af- fected by the stock policy, that the former were playing .there under a severe handicap and eventually the Mutual sliows would be Withdrawn. This Herk also denied, declaring that it was definitely understood that the Mutual policy dominated there. At the Apollo a wholesale dis- missal of stock principals and chorines indicated some sort of shake up. < Izzy Hurst has stocks In Philadel- phia, Baltimore and Washington.. Howard Burkhardt, for many years manager Hurtlg & Seamon's Music Hall (125th striaet), ' Now York, is opening a stock in the Majestic, Jersey City, Labor Day. Burlesque Engagenients Babe Healy, soubret, with Na- tional Winter Garden; Paddy Crow loy, juvenile, with Ed Ryan's Mutual Burlesque Co.; Marie De Voe, sou bret, with Gayety, Philadelphia; Flo Rich, soubret, with Gayety JERSEY CITY'S TROUPE Stock burlesque went in as per manent policy at the Majestic, Jer- sey City, this week. Howard Burk- , Alice Burke, soubret, hardt, connected for years with L^^^j^ j^.^^^ Jpj^^^ j^^^ Y^^.^. jj^^.^: Hurtlg and Seamon, is operating. McSorlcy, stralglit, with Colonial, Company includes Eddie Hall, Al Detroit. Farr, Pete Curley, Les Sponslor, Artio Leming May Janese, Ann, ^ j number of previous teasers. Charles Hendricks, Helen Le Roy, Myers. Ruth Madison and EuaK^| "^1^,^*^ ^„ ^^^,,,,nr>^ Mary Walton. Lee Smith, Betty | Aken wkh^Gayet^^^^ •McAllister, Peggy Wilson, Ethel Spears, Harry Jones and Mae John way crieaking under the strain of Miss La Rue handled her numbers neatly, planting an especial wallop in a specialty with ballad and reci- tation that had them winging. Miss Norman was also a clicker with numbers, while . Miss Wilson wa.s also there (a few. AH three. arc talented, arfe lookers and have that quality of '/It" required in a Mu- tual opera. Frank O'Rourke grave the comic|s splendid support as feeder, han- dling lines well and warbling sev- eral.duets with Miss La Rue. Don Gautier sang and danced to good, purpose throughout the show and spotted a neat acroba,tIc in specialty spot. The dozen or more songs inter- spersed wore staged with more than average care in displaying ideas and with ieach having an attractive costume change,, all fresh through this being the season to freshen up the shows scenically and otherwise. The choristers, up to standard In looks, worked hard in the number.^, displaying more earnestness and animation than usual. , Isabelle Van and ensemble, wore the mainstays of the runway, de- 6on. C; Al Pharr and Lee Smith with I Howard Burkhardt's stock at Majes-. tic, Jersey City. BACK TO STOCK Stock burlesque replaces vaudfilm at the Majestic, Jersey City, next inonth. The Majestic, housed burlesque until last season when it. dropped from the Mutual Circuit for yaud film. — Bowery Holds Stock . . Stock burlesque will stick at the I Lipzin, Bowery, New York, Instead of the house reverting to Yiddish drama. The Yiddish season will instead be spotted at the Amphion, Brook- lyn.- . but with Miss Van in revealing feather costume copping the major portion of encores before dropping the cloak. "Wine, Women and Song" is there from all angles for burlesque and thejMutuivl wjiei?!.. If anytjnng "Taibot has surpassed- his previous efforts in this year's edition, 2<;f??>a. COLONIAL'S STOCK, DETROIT Colonial, Deroii, will switch to a burlesque stock policy within two weeks. Current routine is musical tabs. .,^The stodk will be produced by "J&ck Iliibb with tlie house lea.'^ed by the Cohen Bro.s. . ' . cTarew Follows Hexter, Casino Russell Carew has succeeded] Billy. Ilexter as manager of the Casino, Brooklyii. Hexter is reported 8i3 haying walked out after differences with Joe Rose, lessee and operator of the stock burlesque whicli opened there two wcelvs ago. WANTED ! ! GREATEST BOX-OFFICE ATTRACTIONS COLUMBIA SALARY NO OBJECT (JlrlH $.>0 u U'ct'lt—rrinclpalw na Much a.s Tlioy Itritw Apply JEROMif~ROSENBERG Savoy Theatre, 34th St. and Broadway TKXKPffONR ClfU'KKUINitt IPBR Mfttweeii 4 ftnrt 5 o'clock DIVERSEY (Stock Burlesque) (CHICAGO) Chicago, Aug. 29. If a guy and a gal come to burlesque theatre at midnight they're either stewed or broad minded. If they come earlier they may be' shocked but inust not be disgusted. Those are the operating ethiCwS of the largest burlesque house. In this country. With those principles to guide him Aaron J. Jones has started one of the greatest stock burlesque ventures ever attempted. "What a pipe, opening the burley- cuo gag trunks to family audiences Bits with hoards a block long sud- denly become new. A dame with her major points of intercut. nni- ccalod in cloth once more is a dar- -irifr^lflTTBht(T^"Df=^^d^iltry;^Burli^tTe starting all over again. The Dlvcrsey has 3,100 seats, and is located in a northwest noisrtibor hood. It is peddling the seat.<i for CO cents top, offering 60 people in a 75 minute stage show with a fea- ture picture. Its bargain vahu^ is uniUH'stlonablc, and the families will go for it as long as It isn't stM'ved too raw. That's for the three regular shows per day. Every Wednesday, at midnight, it's a different story. For the "Midnight Shambles" Jones brings in extra iiip wavers from the Ri.'ilto and Star, and Garter, also stock burlesque. Top adniitJh jumps to $2, and the gals pull off a few dailies. Besides sha,king on the theatre's two runways they run iip and down the aisles. A few are stripped to. the last legal degree and told to keep still in the interests of art. Rawr skits are.added, and busi- ness becomes plainer. - Opening "Shambles" was mostly invitational, with a fUll house, A regular show also seen had .a full house, with considerable introduc tory. paper. But real money is com- ing in, too. Here's a slant on what Jones is doing for his two types of audi- ences. The regular "Parisian Vaga- bonds" show held skits about a drunk in a cafe, a "sap" husband .who wheeled the baby for his ^wife but collected her pay check weekly, ap iceman who keeled over when a seer told a hubby the father of his wife's child would drop dead if it turned out to be a boy, a prohibition offlcer who tasted drippings from a suitcase containing a dog and pro- nounced it .scotch, and a negro baby with his rear flap unbuttoned .standing outside an outhouse in. Im- personation of the original black bottqpi. Family customers shrieked but didn't squawk,. For the"Shamblos" all skits were blued up a little, a few punch ex- tras were included, threie undress numbers, a hot cooch and a bare front enseinble were added, and the girls ground harder and hit the aisles. The midnight audience shouted at dirt and cried ^or bare gals. The show satisfied both crowd.H. Fred Clark is handling produc- tion, I'otating his shows on a stock circuit consisting of the Rialto, Star and Garter and Diversey. Each unit has 32 travelling girls, but the Diversey retains 1.6 routine chorines In addition, providing basis for real kick and elTecl voutlnes besides the perennial burlesque grind and .shimmy. Opening show was spat tef ed"^'ith ch5ilJs".iinmbT5ra 7eot»De^^^ from revue.s, backed by plenty, of inexpensive scenery. Finale was a buildup minstrel ensemble, taken from "LeMalre's Affairs," Plenty of swell builds in the chorus of 48, and no outright letnons. Ernie "Schultz" Schroeder, chief comic, wowed the fahiUIeS. with a slow Dutch delivery arid .sleepy makeup. Milks his stuff plenty, biit with such class he can. draw foui' laughs on. one srag. Billy "Bumps" Mack, second; Is a good fall guy and also works effectively alone. Frank O'Neill, third comic, had little to do in this show but has carried chief comedy in other stock outfits Among the girls E\"elyn Meyers blonde and built, can cither grind it for the stews 9r look childish for the f;\mili('S, and gets over with both crowds. Frances I'aiks nnd Ruby Pil.grpon are reliablos for both lines .and runw.iy numbers, with 1^1 iss Parks for the boys who likr 'em substantial. Other principals are x^lled.^. Slcndel.=aMd.:-^Gilb.ei=t:=^Mafii straights; Franz Marie Texas and l\iul Wost, vocmI combo, and Lois Frazior, s. and d. Burles(iue looks unusual in a do luxe hou.'fe, surrounded by military ushers; and \ylth pop bringin.g the IwiU and chain ;md oldest kid.along. But it's Romelhitig new for ihe pi<'- ture house crowds, and thi.s Spot has failed with vaude, pictures and prescntatioua. Loop, Milwaukee, Wis., Sept. 4. Formation of a amall burlesque wheel whicli alms to compete with the Mutiial wheel took form here last week with the opening of the Empress by Irons & Clainage. In a statement by. Arthur Clam- age, the firm is haw dickering for six houses with three already con- tracted for. The Empress opened with a seU-6ut and one of the big- gest casts ever put on a-burlesque stage here; Principals ,and choris- ters fell over each other in the wings, crowding the stage and over- flowing the dressing ro.oms.^ According to Clamage, the wheel will embrace Milwaukee, Chicago, Kansas City, Onniaha, St. Loiils and one more town to be picked later. Principals .will be moved about once evei*y six weeks and. the choruses will be stationary. bpening in opposition to tlie Gay- ety (ilutxial) the Clamage show did plenty of damage, chiefly due to the fact that the. head-price top is a. half dollar, a quarter under the Mutual scale. Members of the cast now at the Empress are: RiVy Reed, Billy Mpa- sey, Riiss Trent, Jack Greenm<in, Bobby Whalen, Chubby DrlSdale, Buddy Lavorlce, Mabel White, Toota Brown, Rexlne Dare^ and twenty7Six choristers, Frank Wakefield is pro- ducing. Burlesque Routes | Weeks of Sept. 3 and 10 Jtpst Show In Town—CpliimbUi, Cleve- land; 10. Grand, Akron. Big Hevlow — Knipire, Brooklyn; 10. Trocadero, Plillndelphlu. Kohomlans-TSmplrc, Toledo; 10, Colum- bia, Clcvelanil. : Bowery Burlesqucrs—o.; 10, Empire, Providence. Burlesque Review—CJayety, Mthnoapolls; . 10, Gayety. Milwaukee. Dainty Dolla^StrHnd, WaslilnBton; 10, Academy, Pittsburgh.- nimpUed DurllnBs—T..yrlc,. Newark; 10, 6t:»r, Brooklyn. Flapper Follies—Gayety, Mo.itrcal; 10. Howard, Boston.- French Moetola—Lyceum, . C .:.:mbus; 10, Lyric, D&yton,. ' Frivolities—3-5. L. O.;. C-8, Colonial, . Utioa; 10, Gayeey, Montreal. GlnBcr Girls—Majestlci Albany; 10-12, . L. O.; l.')-15. Colonial. Utica. Grlls From Happyland—State, Spilng- fleld; 10, Grand, Hartford. OlrJs From tire FolUen—Gayety, ScVan- •ti)n:- lO, Gnyoty, Wllkesbarre. Girls In Blue—Mutual, Indianapolis; 10, Garrlnk, St. liOuls. Girls ot the XT. S. A.—Gayety, Boston; 10, Sluto. ■SMrinprdeia. Hello Paree—Academy, Plllsburgli; 10, Lyceum, Columbus. niRh Flyers—Grand, Hartford; 10, Lyric, BrlilKeport. ■ ^ Hindu Belles—Gayety, Baltimore; 10. Slr.md. WasUlnpton. Jazztline Revue—Howard, Boston; , 10; Columbia, N. Y. C. Kuddllnp TCnllos—Bmphe. Providence; 10. Onyoty. Boston. Lftrtin' Thru-Hudson, Schenectady; lo. Mn.ie.<!llc, Albany. Merry "Whirl—Gayety, Kansas City; 10. L. O. , MLschlef Makers — Orpheum, Pnlerson; 10. Hudson, Union City. Moonllpht M:ild3-L. O,; 10, Gayely, Minneapolis. Moulin UoUBC Glrla—H. & 6.. mth St., N. v: C: 10. l: O. . N'ftUKhty Nlftlc.^-Gayoly, LouKsvlllc: 10, Muluni, Indianapolis. ,Nlte Life In Parls-Cadlllac, Dolroll; 10, Empire,. -!Eoledo. -— -■ —;— Nlpht Club Olrls-Irvine PI., N. T. C; 10. .Tamalon. Parisian l-'l.ippera-lO. Lyric. New.irk. Pu.-sH PuMS—L. O.: 10, G.nyety. Buffalo medium Oiicens-C;.-iycty. Milwaukee; 10, Rmpreas, Clrlcapo. ■ ,<» Uccord Tlreukrrs—St.Tr Brooklyn; 10, Orpheum, Pnter.son. . _ n. Red Hols -lOnipresF, ChlonRo; 10, Cu<m- !ac. l>otr(>lt. • .n f?r)clal Mnld.i—Hiifl.snn. Union Cll>'; 10. Trvlnp PI., N; T. C. .^^ „ . .Speed Glil.K-riayely, Buffalo; 10, Hud- son, Schenectady. , , m ■ "porty Widows—Konire.ss, ClnHnnntl:. vi, Ci....-ety. I/iulsvllte. Step AinnK—(iayely. "WIlkesKTrre _ Step Lively tilrls-Garrlck. St. l-ouls. 10. Gayety. Knn.xhs f'lty. Step on .11 ,Lyrlo. Dayton: 10, Ki>i|'r<-»s, Cincinnati. . .f. . Stolen Sweets-Gayety,. BroolOyn; 'O- Gnyetv, Scranton. , ,•„. Sucar Halvlfs-Trocndero, Phllnilpli>i'ia, lf>, Gayety, T.;illlmnre, . ■ Ufjimd llie Tinvn -T/. O.; 10, IT. ys-\\\ St., N, T. r. ^ ,„ I „ Watson's ]»eef TiiisL--L.. O.r 10. Kiup'to. fii-iiriUU n. ■ • ' , Wine. Woman ■& S.vni; — Colninbin, N. Y. C;C'l.vety. V.ronklyn. .nger of Oold.-Jtein Bro.s' Ihciitre in IMttsileld, M.Tss., .becomes ;is.4o- ciMled with the New York Ki'Uh ofhccs. Jack Sanson has resigned as m.m-. agor of the fc?tote, Manclnv'lci'. (Tonn,, to accept a similar po.^t ^v;lh the Princess. Tlartford. Conn. I'l'i Von rilskey Buccceds at Uio fc^tate.