Variety (Sep 1928)

36 VARIETY VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, September 12, 1928 Proctor s 5th Ave., Reopening, Will Start Split Week Bills on Sunday ThiJ Proctor ofllces ui>. to. tin- first of the vvoek had not ilofinilely dc- .cided as to bbokiiiR: a feature i)ic- turo in conjunction u,.h its read- justed Fiftli Avenue bills. "The Fifth Avenue opens Saturday Sept,. IC), but after its. first split week programs arc played, will start Its shows on Sundays Instead of iritonday's. The Thursday mid- week change will remain as for- merly. This is the first time, as far as known, where any Keith booked hou?e in Ne:W York brought a new show into a local house on Sunday. Proctor'ig will start with a bjill of from seven to 10 acts, the number, however, to be fully settled when the film phase is decided. With Billy Quaid. former mau- ager, remaining at the Fabian house, in Passaic, Duke Mills will manage the Fifth Avenue. The Fifth Avenue has been dark fot' redecorating. The admission Will remain the same as it was last season. CARLOS-DELPHI AGAIN Reunion After Two Years Court Trial and Carlos and . Delphi have reunited as a vaude team and will resume their foi"me!r dancing act for a .route over the Pantages Circuit. The team split two years ago WhfT^ Ann Adelphi, engaged to be m'arried at the time, had her part- ner arrested for assault because of allegedly . uncalled for forceful treatmerit in the apache dance number, of their act. ' Sid Carlos was arraigned in the Adams Street Court, iBrodklyn, N, Y., at the time, with the case dis- missed after a hearing. Miss Delphi claimed her partner had tossed her against a proscenium arch, which had not been part of the business of the act. Carlos had several dancing acts testify that it could have been ah accident and the dancer was acquitted. Fox Replaces Vaude; Maybe Temporarily Fox circuit houses In New York, are back to former vaude bills after experimentation oh a combo of stage and sound features. The Academy, .New York, went back to former policy of eight acts this week, as well as pthbr houses of the Fox CIrcliit. The experiment with talkers proved okay with .bills being split with four stage acts and. four oh Movietone. It is figured that Fox went back to vaude bills to keep up-to-date with acts previously contracted; for but will swing back to the half reel-half real combo again later. . Navarro Promptly Let Out When Reporting Late •Milwaulc'ee, Sept.; 11. Nat Nazarro was let out at the Wisconsin without ceremony last week. Nazarro, for six weeXs as m. c, Walked in a half hour late for the Friday show and was immedi- ately dismissed by Eddie Weisfeldt, stage manager. Nazarro's contract still had two weeks to rim when the blow oft came. As' it happened. Monk Wat- son,' Imported from Detroit, was sitting in the house and was called in to Handle the baton. Watson was billed to open when Nazarro closed, but jumped in about two weeks and a day ahead of schedule. No reason for not giving Nazar- ro a chance to . explain was .offered by the house. Managing Poll String Charles Strakoesch, formerly with the Stanley Company in Pitts- burgh, has assumed general man- agement of the New England Fox theatre (Poll) with headquarters in N^w, Haven. Jack Pegler, who handled Poll publicity from New. Haven,, has joined the Hanff-Metzer advertis- ing agency as eastern representa- tive. J, Victor Wilson, manager of the Bijou, New Haven, and Tommy Melghan, 15 years with Poll, located In Wo^-cester, are reported leaving the circuit. James Powers, manager of ' the Bijou and Hyperion, New Ha.ven, also resigned. He becoines associated with the Shine interests of Rochester. Trio Leaving Lyons A general exodus of commissioned agents in the.Lyiins & Lyons office 1b likely to cut the staff to half Its present size in a short time. Following Rufus LeMalre's walk ©lit two weeks ago, three more are about to leave^ They are Roy Mack, Al Nelnlck and Bert Lawrence, the first two having come on from Chi cago to join the agency. Savoy in Chicago Chicago, Sept. 11. Paul Savoy, former froe-lance booker for Pantages at Detroit, has closed the Detroit office and moved to Chicago. He will attempt to build up a circuit of houses for the local Pan ofllce. Nan Elliott will continue as man- ager of the Chicago "ParifffffCS' of' flees. A DANCEE IN VT. MrK. Charles Henry Gray, whose husband is in tli'e bo.v office of the Vanderbilt, New York, returned from vacation flashing a silver cup won in a dance contest. That was held In a place called New London, Vermont. K-0 UNIT PRODUCERS IN TOUGH SPOT AGAIN Hauser Twins' London Date Hauser f wind, with Jack Bloom, gpianlat, sail for London Dec. 20. They will double over from vaude Into the .Kit Cat club. They first play out a Keith route. ILL AND INJURED Muriel Thomas, in vaude with John Sully, out again after tonsil operation in New York. Buzz Barton, 13, With FBO, fell through a false door of a stage s,tudio while filming, suffering a sprained wrist. Llna Basqiiette operated upon for Intestinal malady at- Hollywood Hospital, Sept. 6, Will be cbnfined to hospital for a week. Ruth Taylor, screen actress, ill with Intestinal Influenza compli- cated by colitis. Will be confined to her home for three weeks more. La Rada Day, 17, screen actress, badly burned in a gas explosion In her Hollywood home, is recovering. Harry Hale, 22, booth projection- ist, suffered injuries which may prove fatal Sept. 6. He was thrown from his car in an auto accident in Los Angeles. Fr^ Cummlngs, Coast stage di- rector, was stricken with a heart attack Sept. 3. Complete rest and quiet ordered by physicians. Emory Ettelson, of the Diamond Sun office, is out of the lUihols Ma- sonic hospital after a three weelcs' illness. Paul Malvern, stunt man. In- jured when falling from mast of ship druing scene in "Isle of Lost Men" (Rayart). Recovering at Hollywood Hospital. - -^J3enny ,.Bennett . of. the JVIadis_pn Square Garden box office took his vacation in . sections, concluding with a trip to Detroit, where he fractured his left wrist. He slipped and. fell when going ashore from a speed boat that traveled 60 miles an hour. Fred. Glesea, Sari Francisco legit booking manager, at St, Mary's Hospital,. San Francisco, suffering from a heart attack. His condition is serious, though not critical, Virginia Lee Corbin, In the Holly- wood Community Hoispital with an injured loft hand suffered When a pistol, with which she was toying, accidentally discharged. Kempton Greene, after an illness of three years in Florida, Is con- valescent at the Dunwoody House, Newton Square, Pa. Don Leo and Louise at the Palace, New York, last week, had to leave the bill Saturday night due to the "brHaltdowmof^Mr.Hrjee.^He-was=-re~ moved to the Park West Hospital suffering from anemia. He expects to reopen at Cincinnati, Sunday, Sept 18. Emerson Smith (Cuby and Smith) operated upon for appendicitis In Philadelphia hospital; doing nicely. Several Keith producers are said to be holding the bag and trying desperately to get their production costs back since the edict went out against them. Producers allege that the Keith production department, headed by John Schultz, will produce five or six more units, but that the K-0 officials don't want their producers to go any further until the cir- cuit can find spots. . Feeling in 'K-O official circles . seems to be against too many units. It is thought they ma,y take the edge off the straight vaude bills. Against this the out- side producers point to the business rolled up by Jay Flippen's unit, pro- duced by Majc Hayes but not routed yet, being booked on a week to week basis. The Harry Carrol unit, produced by the 'office, has been routed and a Ken Murray unit is how in course of production with as assured'route. Latter is the next oflflce effort. Office units are produced by the Keitii Acts Corp., a non-profit mak- ing concern and subsidiary of Keith- Orplieum. Corporation was formed to save the circuit th6 usual pro- ducer's profits, Curtailment of pro- ducers was also necessary, according to Keith oflRcials, to Insure the clr- c'iiit spots for names and attrac- tions which would be too hearv>' a^i added expense to place on the same bill with a unit. A six or seven- act bill could play these extra acts if a straight vaude or vaudefilm policy were in effect wher€> a unit would be unable to incorporate the act. Keith Music Depts. Now Important; 35 Houses WiD Use Organ Specialties Agents Must Stick to Keith Floor, Says Ford John J. Ford, of the Keith Circuit, has rescinded hla free-for-all book- ing order. : He has opined that agents should concern themselves chiefly with their own organization. I.e., Keith's, if they would do busi- ness on the floor. , However, the Keith .decision still stands to book ble attractions re- gardless if the circuit wants them badly enough, buying talent from everybody. Split Week Houses Using 10-Point System Chicago, Sept. 11. Sunday - Wednesday openings,- based on the 10-point system, have been installed in Madison, Wis., and Rbckford, Peoria, Galesburg, Deca- tur, Bloomlngton and Qulncy, 111, The 10-polnt system divides a gross into 10 equal portions, with Sunday representing three, Satur- day two and weekdays one apiece. Sunday-Wednesday openings allot equal number of points to last and first-half shows, thus giving each Identical drawing opportunity. This point system was first put in vaude- ville houses by Jules J. Rubens, of Great States. N Y^ Stage Hands May Settle This Week It Is doubtful If the negotiations between the vaudeville managers and the Stagehands, of New York Local No. 1 over .a new scale and working conditions will be amic- ably adjusted before the 6nd..of the week or the first of next.; . One of the mialn things the stage- hands are after is a. mlninlum al- lowance of three hours to putting on a show with the overtime Work bringing about $6.75 to the heads of the departments and $4.50 for the .extras. Under the old contract the vaude stagehands put on the show and took It out, working without any show hour allowance, the present weekly salary being $65. The local s.h. are also in con- ference with the de luxe picture house heads regarding an Increase that wiil amount to at least $8'more on the Weekl This . is equivalent to the legit scale. Labor for Smitti New Tryout House Chicago, Sept. 11. ^ Kelth-Orpheum will discontinue using the American, famous Sam "Kut" Kahl house, for showing pur- poses after next week. Hereafter the Rltz, on the north- west side, will be the tryout spot Tpiayitig eight showing acts every Wednesday at expense money. Write to the ill and injured LAURETTE TATLOE'S SKETCH Laurette Tiaylor, In a new sketch by her husband. Hartley Manners, has been offered to the Keith office for eight weeks. :: . M. S. Benthem office is handling the legit star. While organized labor through the Al. p. of L. has taken a non- partisan political stand, at least 40 organized aflflllated bodies have come oiit for Smith. A labor committee was formed for the furthering of the Smith campaign. It. is headed by George L. Berry, Ihterhatlonal president of tlie Printing Pressmen and Assist- ants. ■.. On the committee are William F. Canavan, president of the Interna-: tional Stagehands and M. P. Oper- ators of the United States and Canada, and Joseph N. . Weber, president of American Federation of Musicians. The active repr'esfsiltation of both Canavan and Weber as Smith work- ers, however, does not commit either of their organizations defi- nitely to either candidate; Poli's Hancock Answer New Haven, Conn., Sept. 11. A plea attacking the legality of the $1,000,000 .suit brought .by Han- cock Company, Inc., against the S. Z. Poll Interests has been entered in the Hartford Superior court by the Poll attorneys. It is claimed' that the Poll Inter- estg and individuals live In New Haven,', and the , suit: should haye been brought here instead of Hart- fordi The plea also asks for. the lifting of the attachment!, laid against tlie Poll holdings by Han- cock. The matter will be heard In Hartford late this, month. INCORPORATIONS Hew York ■ Unlplfono Cori>.. Manhattan, nound and sunod with action; O. E. C.oebel, If. Wal- ter UeynoUls, John O. Donovan, iTiick Jordan, Inc., ManUnttan, theatri- cals; Jaolc Jorilan, Thomas D. Osbourne, Soymoro 1">. Klohon. Amcrtrun Krtund Film Pn>(hictlOn», Jtanhiittan; Anna K. I/Ubbo, Anna Jawsy, Ijoulf) Zlnunprman. Ant;Io-1"tcnwitiona1 Tiny Utironu; I.eo GuzlU, l-'juis Zimnioritian, Irving tjaltz- man. ^CukotrJCujuljlL' Opcrnttiig Co.. Manhat- tan, thealri'.s; GeorBo "Culcor, T^KcTiry, John J. "VVildherp. Atlllluted European l»r«<luoeps, Man- hattan, 4imusonicntR; $5,00U; Samuel .U. Kolomou, Islilur Strcichcr, Atargarct Beycrsdorfer. Tm« .Craft Studios, Manhattan, the- atrical properties; 1100,000; Sainule Rubin, . Joseph S. Klein, Charlotte F. Ilonlir. Bloptioiic Disc Pictures, Manhattan, talldng piRtures: TjOO Guzlk, Irvlnp Saltzmaa and Anna J'assjr. JUDGMENTS Arthur B. Reeve; Lord & Taylor; $138.• ■ . Ocean . Front Hotels Corp., Theo, Schwartzmann and ano.; D. Sher- man; $7,456. Same; same; $2,680! Tangerine Gardens, Inc.; Indep. Indemnity Co.; $336. Wm. Anthony McGuire: Tom Nip; $2,126. ■ N. T. Grankind; K. Stroock; $320. Rush Hughes; Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.; :$I,047. Latz Op. Co.; ■\'acuum Oil Co.; PROCTOR MANAGEES William O'Day of Proctor's 125th Street will manage the circuit's Avenue theatre. Geoi-ge Engel at the 126th Street may succeed O'Day. It's reported that Charles Welch may manage Proctor's new 58th Street, due to open this falU Taking Its cue from the picture houses, the music departments o£ the Keith circuit have now become Important, Milton Schwartzwald, musical conductor and composer, Is In charge of pit Orchestras and Frederick Kinsley, organist at the Hippodrome, confines himself to supervising organ presehtationa. By the middle, of November, 35 to 40 Keith houses will be : using organ slides Jind staging console specialties. Orchestration depar-tment, as re- gards the acts, la concerning itself with the standardization of Instru- mental personnel 60 that each act will have the proper music when it plays a house. Conductors in each house will be responsible for mutilation or marking.of music. . At Less Cost Keith's mitislc division is also undertaking to produce the brches- tratiphs at considerably less than cost, thus insuring conformity to specifications. This Is a Keith service originally, fathered by Major L, E. Thompson, Keith executive, instrumental in getting Schwart- wald and Kinsley Installed In their departments, with John J. Ford, right hand man to Kennedy, back- ing up these executives in every re- spect. New Kenmore theatre in Brook, lyn has both an elevated organ and orchestra pit, with Arlo Hoist at the console and Al Shapiro con- ducting the orchestra of 15. At the new Flushing, in. view of the ex- tremely low water level because of Flushing Bay,, only an elevating organ Is possible. This house open«» in November. New Keith Organists New organists around New Tork In Keith houses are Lilllian Roesch, at the Riverside; Walter Wild, formerly at the Strand, at the Hippo- drome; Walter Anderson at the Madison, Rldgewood section of Brooklyn; N. T.; Paul Brass at the Chester, In the Bronx, Charles Stein, formerly at the Roxy, Is the new baton wielder at the Riverside.. Other orchestra leader changes are slated for. the new season. George Young Resigns Philadelphia, Sept. 11. George Toung, veteran local rep- resentative for Keith, lately handl- ing the Globe,' vaude house. In At- lantic City, has tendered his reslg" nation after 15 years with that or- ganization. Young goes over to' the Stanley Company to manage the hew Met when it opens here Sept. 22. The house will play pictures and pre- sentation. . . Loew's Suburb/Legit Loew's former vaudefilm houses in New Rochelle, N. Y., will play legit productions, the Shuberts booking It starting Sept. 24. It is favorably regarded as a try- out theatre because more acces- sible than others located further up the line and in Connecticut. The •house has been closed since the new Loew's-Keith's pooling deal In New Rochelle where both have brand new houses. Billy Watson's Flash "Music Box Revue," a Henry Bel- lit production featuring "Sliding" Billy Watson, will make Its Keith- Orpheum debut in two weeks at an out of town house. Watson is the veteraii Columbia burlesque comedian and headed his own show. "There are 20 girls in the act. ROSENBERG JOINS WEBER Phil Rosenbierg has joined the Ike Weber ofTiccs to handle the vaude department. Tom Iloward and Weber, under their new agreement, will i)roauce 15 acts .supplied by Howard. ^■-"l<Mr3r-^ndW"=way-^is^-^lv5ep=--Mov^ Ing," headed by George Shclton, for- mer Columbia wheel comic. Piser in Mandel-Rose Office Henry Piser, former Loew agent who lost his franchise, is back In the Mandel-Rose office in the Loew building.