Variety (Sep 1928)

48 VARIETY L E G I T I M A T E Wedriesday, September 19, 1928 "Entre Nous" Doubtful; Bouncing Checks So Far It is dinibtful ^1' "Kntre Nous," ; with Mollio Williams an<l IJo'/oj Snyder hcadin;? llio. oast, will reach I the boards. . I Hehoarsais sinupt'd jMonday and 1 Andy Wrljrht .dt par.ted for St. liouis, I to dlj? up «i bankroll. It was.stated. WriRht is said to have been cori- cerriod witii another show,. "Down Deep" which cK).sed 'in Brooklyn, X. Y., Saturday and was paid off .Vfonday by Equity, through means of money deposited to guarantee salaries,' , ; . ."TOntre Kous" was; reputed to be. •in all non-Equity cast attraction; lOquIty deputies declared that there were a number of. its members In the show and tlic attraction will not lie permitted to continue, without a.!! the cast Joins,: should its other af- fairs, be straightened out. The salary bond for "Down Deep" was posted with Equity by Harry Trvihff. XV:rig;ht's conrtection • with tlie .show was brought out when checks given by him to Ouy. Brag- don and Gregory . Ratoff bounced back. Both hod V»een engaged to di- rect the show. 4 Frisco Legits Sign San Francisco, Sept. IS. . ' Four. of the .six legit houses In town have made their piece with the local mii.slcians' union, arid liuvo signed the new Contract sub- mitted. They are the .Curran and (.ieary,' the Columbia and the Capi- t.ol. These managers a,re not afflii- i ited with the Allied Amusements, wiiiclr takes in ;practically all the picture and vaud^ houses and, the Henry Duffy theatres. The new musicians' scale pro- vides for .a. wage : increase front $45.50 to $49. per man tor seven performances, with $5 per man for extra porformrtmies. The minimum number of men for legit houses has been cut from ten to eight, so that each house is saving $63 weekly on its musicians' bill. Allied A^huseihcnts and the mu- socians were^ still "deadlocked" as week stiarted. Playwright Adrift , Washington, Sept; 18. With little information obtainable other than that he was a. play-. Wright, R. A. Bernard Merry was found wandering on the streets here. . Taken to the veterans' bureau all Merry could tell them was that he was here to seek a reconciliatioh with his wife, a professional under the name of Gladys Rogers, arid that he liad failed. He is reported to have suffered from shell shock during the World War. Van Buren Goes Fox A. H. Van Buren, the legit stage director, has listened to Winnie Sheehan's talking picture reasoning. He will shortly leave for the Fox lot on the coast, !W a Movietone director. Gardner Jameses Apart I.OS Angele.s, Sept. 18. Gardner James, actor, and Marion Constance Blackton James, scenarist and daufi-htor of J. Stuart Blacktpn, have parted. James is residing alone at the Hollywood A. d. They vyferc married a year ago l{ist Christmas, CAIICELS NEGRO "TUEK" Sail Francisco, Sept. 18. Manager Ralph Pincus of the Columbia went to Los Angeles to personally give th« colored produc- tion, "Ilunnin' Wild," the once over, unfavorable reports hiaying been re- ceived. After the look rincu.s can- celled the engagement. Although the attraction is being .billed in the south as "Miller & Lyle's novelty of . the century,", il; develops that a Miller and Clayton are the producers. Ervine's Opinions St. John Erviiie; the Ijondon critic, and playwright, began Ills duties, with the Now i'ork Morning World last week as guest reviewer. The gist of his opinion was; "The Night Hostess"~go<xr. <'The High fioad"--gorid. "Trapped"- - poor. FUTURE PLAYS Passion Pliay Walks Out oh Success Date St. TjOuIs, Sept; 18. The wheriefdre of the mariner: in which the Freiburg Passion Players suddenly departed from St. Louis' when business \yas getting brisker each performance, remains' a mysr tery. It was Just when It looked like the profitable week's engage- ment at the big outdoor Municipal theatre in Forest park would be ex- tended that the 1)Iow'>-ofC came. A suit for $2,9:J4 may have been the unpleasantness. Only a. few hours before the closing perform- ance of the t'assio.n Play hisre a general denial of charges mad»i in the suit filed against Georg and. Adolph. Fas^nacht, actor-owners of the play, had boen filed. The plain-, tiffs were Patrick Mack and How- ard C. Gol-don, who de.scribed theim- selves as managers and; claimed $800-each for services, Gordon, in addition, seeking to recover $1,124 which he said he had advanced to the company ; for traveling ex- penses. An attorney for Mack and Gor- don said that the two managers b'old programs and managed the financial end of. the production for H. P. Hill, whom they described as a, one-third partner with the Fass- nachts in the production.; It Wjls said Hill had retained . Gordon as treasurer and Mack to sell programs and that Hill had held up the two men's pay. Play onGarbo Los Angeles; Sept. 13. Ludwig Berger, German film di-. rector, has written a play called "Greta," based on the personality and life of Greta Garbo. Berger, who makes a four months' ti-ip to Europe as soon ias he finishes "Sins of the Fathers" for Pai-ariibunt, ex- pects to have the drama produced in Vienna while there. . ' ■ ' VULAGE THEATEE VACATED Harold Meltzer and James Reilly, Greenwich Villaige restaurateurs, who operated the Greenwich Vil- lage theatre as a suria seater for eight weeki^ last season, have al lowed their option on the house to lapse. John Murray Anderson may take .the house as a try-out spot for his "Almanacs," due for production shortly, with the intention of bring ing his intimate revue uptown if it clicks in the Village. CENTRA! ROAD STAND Chicago, Sept. 18. Central theatre, which has been playing some traveling and some stock shows, will open this season strictly as a traveling show house. Management is booking jn any show with possibilities for a run arid especially for legit plays that have left Chicago on a,ccount of be- ing under pres.sure of a heavy "nut,' but might have done business in a smaller house with less expense. ORGANIST IN CAST Ruth Garland makes her first ap- "l[)ea^i®V^re~^on"^Brnadwa^^ Thing Called LovO." Last year she was in "Rope," but was only , heard playlnff the organ from off. stage. /' '— Whiting in New Show Jack Whiting was engaged last week to play opposite Ona Munsori In "Hold Evervthirg" in Philadel- phia, Hagen's Revue Mex . Milt Hagen, song writer and legit producer, has located in MexicO; where he will compose and stage a Mexican edition of "New Yorkers," recaptioning it "Mexicana" for lo- cal purposes. Ilagen is lining up locar talent for his revue venture. ! "The Squalor," by Mark Llnder, ' with Jack Llnder.as producer, went into rehear.sal this %yeelc. The piece opens at Shubert-Toller, Brooklyn, X. Y,, Oct. .8. "Three Cheeps," the Dillingham .show with Dorothy Stone and Will K6gers,.is to open Oct. 1 ut Spring- field, Mass., play Now Hayen for a week and start at the . Globe, New York, Oct. .15. Rogers demands that his . program billing shall not be in larger type: than any other ciist member other than Miss Stone; "The Jungle Flapper," drainatlza- tion of Susan Merriwcather's novel of same- title set for production by Laura Wiick. The liiece is now cast- ing and goes into rehearsal niext week. "Revolt," by Harry Wagstaff Grlbble, presented by William Powell, starts rehearsals this week in New York with Gribble personal- ly directing. The show, opens Oct. 13 at Great N*eck, L. I. The cast includes Ma.i-y Arbenz, Ackland. Powell, Doris Freeman, William Lovejoy arid A; Gi Andrews. "The Command Performance," Herman Shumlin'a initial production on his own, goes irito rehearsal this week.. It opens in New Haven In three vreeks. "A.dventure,"; fay John Wlllard went into reheai^sal last week with Steele Productions sponsoring. Cast Includes . Rorherta Arnold, Harry Southard and John Lytell; "Dim Turning," by Arthur, Rich- . mari; "Best .Man," by Eva Flint and Martha Madisori, and "The First Mrs. Fraser," by St. John Ervlne. are the three plaS'.s Rned up byi Alexander McKaig fOr pro- duction this season. "It Takes a Thief," crook riielo- dram'a listed as the initial effort of Frank RappaportJ goe,s into re- hearsal this week. It opens in thriee weeks at the- Shubei-t, New Haven, Conn. Author Is Walter Bari-y, for- mer probation officer in the Court of General Sessions, New York.- "The Call Woman," by Archa Colby, has been secured for pro- duction . by . Minturn Productions, Inc. Piece is now casting arid due for rehearsal in two weeks. "Jim Comes Back," by Seth Ar- nold and James F. Robertson, will be given a stock trial at the Ly ceum, iPaterson, N. J., Oct. 1". This is preliminary to a Broadway show- ing under auspices of. Seth Arnold. "Murder," by Beulah Pointer and produced by George Lefler, went into rehearsal Sept. lOi Cast in- cliidea Buelah Pointer, Florence Rlttenhouse, Wilhelniina Morris, Richard-Gordon, William J. Kelly, Charles White and, Walter Horton. "Magpies," by Ralph Culllnan, has been secured by Barry McCol- lom. He will launch It in associa- tion with Charles Mulligan. Both were associated in the production of "The Ban$hee" at the 63d Street, New York, last season. "Magpies" is an Irish mystery meller. It will have McCollom heading the cast "The Bull Pen" will have Edwin Maxwell aa producer. Now cast- ing. "Bad Debts," the new Willard Mack show, la in rehearsal. "The Crooks' Convention," dra matization of Arthur Somers Roche's novel of same title, went into rehearsal this week with Lyle t>. Andrews heading. Following this non-musical, Andrews will head a musical, by Herbert Fields, Lorenzo Hart and Richard Rodgers, in association with. Lew Fields, "Old Man's Darling" has reverted to its former title of "The Last Fling" and went Into rehearsal this Aveek as Rosalie Stewart's next legit> It opens In Atlantic City, N. J., Oct. 1. Cast Includes Beaton Churchill,. . Dorothy Hall, . Edwin Nicander, Jea,n Dixon,^'Frank Lyon and Ilka Chase. "The. Jealous Moon,^ fantastic comedy, starring Jane Cowl, went into rehearsal this week with Brady arid Wiman behind. It opens at the Maryland, Baltimore, Oct. 15. Miss Cowl authored the piece in collabora- tion with Theodore Charles. STOCK'S "TRAGEDY" START Dramatic stock wont in last weel< at the Lyceum. Pater.«<on, N. J.,:jvith "An American Tragedy," the open- ing bill. Company is being operated by Seth^^^Atriald^and- includes,-Jx'iurle McVicker. Ada Howard, Kitty Clark, Eunice Hunt, Nellie Gill, Jo-seph Green, Richard Bender, Robert Cro- zler arid Kenneth Burton. New Forrest Home The new Edwin Forrest Ifume, at 4R4!) Park.side avenue. Philadelphia, will open S^"!)!. -7. Bennett Speaking Richard Bennett starring nearby in "Jarnegan" prior to opening'' at tlie Longaere, Now York, next week, is making speeches nightly. It looks as though the provision in his contract not to do so is just a gag. Seems he claims it only- goes for Broadway. ' At times during rehearsals at the Longacrc Bennett appeared in bare feet and nothing but a nightgown, saying it was too tiot to dress, .. . **Niffht Before" Actors Stm Under Ban Charges against the players and the producer of "The Night Before" which studdenly closed in Brooklyn, N. Y., after the .district attorney rdidcd. tho show and arrested th^ company, ai-e still pending-. Wheri the case was called in tlxe magis- trate's court last Wednesday, the hearing' was put over awaiting the disposition of a habeas corpus pro- ceeding,- started, by. Harry Green- berg, attornby fOr Arthur Henry, corauthor and manager of the show. Monday Supreme Court .Justice irt^mphries dismissed the writ and an appeal, was taken. Briefs were ordered filed by Oct; 1. The playeris, in the custody of at- torneys, were, again placed under bail. , The complaint upon which the ar- rests- wore made, w.as made by a clerk In the dIfJtrict attorney's of- fice. In detail are named the sitaa- tionS: and dialog alleged, indecent. Under the contract the producer must defend , the actors when charges of that nature are made. Mrs. En\ily Itolt, Equity, attorney, is representirg the players. The prosecutor contended his case was in with the complaint arid asked that witnesses be cross ex- amined when the case came up be- fore Magistrate Date last week. A1;- torney Greenberg demurred, asking that the evidence . be brought out by the state's witnesses before cro.ss examination. The court ruled in fa.voi; of the district attorney and the habeas corpus action resulted. Dist. Atty. Decidii^ About 'Tront Page" District Attorney Joab H. Baritoij has not as yet made.known his de- cision on the moral qualities of "the Front Page," the newspaper play at the Times Square theatre, but is expected to decide whether or not to prosecute the show some- time this week. the district attorney has received the report of his offlcial play re- viewer, James (jarrett Wallace, arid al.so, it is understood, the opinion oi: a represi^ntative of the Police Department who .al.<k6 visited the show.- It is rumored about the Criminal Courts building that sihould the dis- trict attorney decide the morals of the play should bo cleaned up, ha will not cause a summary arrest and arraignment in the Magistrate's Court, but proceed before the Grand Jury, seeking an indictment against tho.se connected with the play. If this procedure is followed it will be the first time such dra.stic. action has taken place. Conflicting Dancers Ann Howe, engaged by Sammy Lee as a specialty dancer for his "Cross My .Heart" show, will not be with the show when It reaches New York. She opened in Atlantic City, but it seems her dancing con- flicted with that of the featured fem, Doris Eaton. Miss Howe has- returned to New York. Slie has chang'ed her name to Rosalind Saunders. XoquetteV Free 2 Weeks "Coquette" will close for two weeks after its ciirrent engagement at the Shubert-Rivcra, New York, to resume its rOad tour at the Bronx Opera House, New York, Oct. 8. The two weeki5' layoff has bieen- sanctioned by Equity wit)i consent of the cast and through , the show not -taking advantage of permis- sion' to close in pre-Easter week.' IMen Hayes, starred ■ in "Co- quette" will remain Under riianage- ment of Jed Harris and will be starred in a new one after "Co- quette'? folds. Gaige Likes **Bellamy'* Boston, Sept. .18. Crosby Gaige took, a look at "The Bellamy Trial," playing at the. Cop- ley here, and was sold eriough on it to purchase the dramatic rights; Hei will rewrite It fOr Broadway pres- entation. Copley is stock. The Gaige proposition is peculiar in that "Bellamy Trial" has been made into a picture by M-G-M and practically remade for the addition of dialog by the same company. It was originally a novel. ADMITS SHE'S MRS. WHITE Margaret Vanprder Thompson, daughter of F. L. Thompson, jeweler of Moncton, N. B., has let it be known she is Mrs. PJdward L. White. She is a danr.er, who has appeared on the stage during the past three years. She was supposed to go frorri a vacation at her father's home in Moncton to New York for a stage engagement, but instead ■went to Calais, Me., where she was married to Edward L. White, son of j; E. White, dentist arid mer- chant of Shediac, N. B. Wallack's Turned Back Wal lack's. New York, operated under lease to the Cardea Company for the past two scasonst has re- VertTd hack to the Chanin arid Mcis^t'er amt^s^nnen3o61<?d"l3y"tlm" Chanin ofllco. Concerned with the leasing- cor- poration wore Earl (Carroll, H. R. Edrlngton and W. Herbert Adams. The lattei* has been anxious to va- cate the house for some time. Low igross attractions were pro- duced for it, the idea being to stage shows for stock consumption. HORTON'S DOUBIE CONTRACT Los Angeles, Sept. 18. Edward H. Horton has signed a. io^ term contract with Warners. TermiJ provide he will be definitely featured in each picture. Horton will be allowed to con- tinuo hi.«( stage work, evenings and two hiatiriecs each week. Joining Rep Troupe Pldith Barret, now in "The Phan- tom Lover," is to join the Boston Repertory Co. David Newell, of the same show, will join p:thel Barrymore later in the season. Belasco's "Desert" Off '•the Dessert" has been tempo- rarily, if not permanently, aide- tracked-by:=^I:')avid--Belascor^^^-.=^=^ .Inability to secure desired leads is given as the reason. . Title Change Patterson McNutt play, "So This Is Marriage," has changed title to "This Thing Called Ix)ve." It opens at the Maxine Elliot, Sept. 17. Left At Post "Fellow Workers" stranded in re- hearsal when Salvatore Carlos, pro- ducer, waa unable to pOst bond cov- ering cast salaries at Equity. The show had been in rehearsal over a week when Equity stepped in. Carlos had promised to post bond Friday, and when he had not lived up to promise an Equity of- ficial cauued out the company. Carlos claims it will start again next week. "RINGSPE" FOR TALKERS Paramount and First National have been dickering for the screen rights to Gene Buck's "Ringside." Of the two it is said that Para- mount has practically clinched the deal and will turn the play over to George Abbott as his first sound job with the film company. —Abbott—is -co-author, with . Hy Daab arid ted Paramour, of tho play. Miss Frederick's Contract Los Angeles, Sept. 18. ; Pauline .Frederick has been en- gaged by Warners on a two-year contract to begin work in the east on the stage play. "The Imperfect Lady." She 1,1 expected to return to the coast studio about May 1. Youmanses' Suit Ends Chicago, Sept. 18. Superior Judge liindsay has I'e- moved a separate riiaintenance suit, filed against Vincent Youmans by his wife, fi'om the Illinois courts The judge took the action when Youmans paid back alimony amount- ing to $1,650. Kettering Jr. on Job Tom Kettering, son of RulpK Kettering, general western man- ager for A. H. Woods, makes his theatrical debut this season, assist- ing Ra.v Farrar at the box otFu'e of hl.s father's Minturn-Central th"' atre.