Variety (Sep 1928)

53 flew Season CaUs for Many Negro Players with the new season b<ar<;ly un- 4er way, sta-ge employment lor JJegTO players In New York is al- ready large. Vaudeville has given more attention than usual to col- ored turns . this season and seems Inclined tp play "production" turns. Burlesque is off colored shows and the Mutual is opposed to play- Jug mixed shows. The new Majestic theatrical cir- cuit, now booking the ,T. p. B. A. houses and other Negro theatres', has lined up a lot of new shows In addition to some stand-bys of other years. I^ew York. Itself is using many oblpred thespians. "Goin* Home," at the Hudson, for Its fifth week, employs 14 Negroes on the stage as well as the colored musical outfit, Ljghtfoot's Sextette, •which plays between acts. "Just a Minute," a new show now outside New York but hea.ded for Broadway, has 25 colored players, Including 12 chorines. The show also has Sonny Thomas' band. "Americana," a new edition un- der way, has 10 Negroes.. In the new Mclntyre and Heath Bhow there will be a mixed cast, with a dozen or more colored people. vElack Belt," the new Al Lewis all-colored show,, will give work to quite a number of the race, while two other productions, "Burnt Toast" and "Poor Nigger!" will engage -Negroes for mixed casts. "Pgrgy," now in its second en- gagement at the Republic, but taking to the road soon, has 30 Negroes. "Show Boat," "in addition to its white principals, employs 45 col- ored- people. Lew Le.slie's "Blackbirds" has. an all-colored arra.y of 60 people. It 'Is at the Liberty, In its 20th week. ILL AND INJURED The Throe Brox Sisters withdrew from Sid Graunian's prolog at the Chine.so thoatre, Hollywood, duo to the illness of thoir mother in Vic- toria. The girls left for Victoria. DcVere Cliikl.s, -Pioneer Film Co. stunt man, hurt while filming the Mormon picture, "The Exodus," re- covering. He was felled by an : air- plane propeller. Doan and M.ahoney will resume their Lqcav circuit tour this week, interrupted three weeks ago when. Miss Mahoney siifCored a' nervous breakdown. The act dissolves after completion, of eight weeks remain- ing oh their Loew route. Mrs. Lew.'Lewls, wife of the first comici with "Stop Along" (Mutual) 111 in a- Wllkes-Barre,. Pa., hospital. Harold Ford, lead in "Ship Ahoy," vaude. act (Orpheum circuit) is in St. Francis ilpspital, San Francisco, after-, accidentally . shooting, himself in the hand while cleaning a re- volver. Infection from the powder burns has Ford in• a bad way., Mme. Fabij'ini, former grand opera and vaude artist, . who has bPen seriously. Ill at Kattfikill Bay on Lake George, noticeably , irn- proved. Florence Roberts, playing in "Tommy" at the Alcazar, San Fran- ci.sco seized with laryngiti.s Sunday evening (Sept... 16) and forced, to retire. Dorothy Lamar , played the role without a rehearsal. Rose Perfect, of "Scandals;" to lOdmund A. Reider, manager- of the Mayfiovver hotel, New .York. Sally Eilers, 1928 W.ampas baby star, announced her engagement to William Hawks, brother of Kenneth and How'ard Hawks, film directors. Karl Dane, picture actor, has been secretly married to Thais Valdemar, Russian dancer, since May 4, records and friends disclosed on Sept. 12. The ceremony was at Santa Ana. The legal names of both were used. Dane's name Is Riasmus Karl The- kelsen Gottlieb, and his wife's name was Thais Walkonski. James Fort Forsyth of Variety's Chicago office to Phyllis Jean Twichell, non-professional, Sept. 14 in CTlilcago. Sumner Crosby, La:guna Beach Shows in Rehearsal •The Common Sin" (Shu- berts). "Hide and Seek" (Willard Mack). "Straight Through the Door" (\Vm. Hodge). "Americana" (J. P. McEvoy). "Jingles" (C. B. Dillingham). "Animal Crackers" (Sam H. Harris). "The Dark Mirror" (Lenox Hill Players). "The Royal. Family" (Shu- berts); "Girl Trouble" (Richard Herndon). "The Jealous .Moon (Brady & .Wiman). .' "The Last Fling" (Rosalie Stewart). "Five o'clock Girl" (Philip Goodman); "Faust" (Theatre Guild). "Silent House," road (Shu- berts). art colony writer and editor of the Laguna colony weekly, to Ada Flisher of Van Niiys, Gal., Sept. 11 at Cahuenga Pa;rk, hear Hollywood. Crosby has been married twice before. Virginia Bradford (film) to Ccdric Belfrage, fan magazine writer and correspondent for sever.il British film publications, at Tia Juaiia, Mexico, Sept. 12, Helen Starr, writer for Fawcett Publications, to Lieut. Lisle Heni- fin, U. S. N., at En.senada, Baja Cal., September 11. Pennsy's New Scenery- Cars Named for Stars Pennsylvania Railroad company Is having special cars built for car- rying theatrical scenery and will name them, like Pullman's, after great stage stars. Among them will be "John Drew," "Edwin Booth," "Shylock" and "Caruso." New scenery cars are entirely of steel, 70 feet long, and a special feature Is the absence of all metal projections inside. A special end door has been .provided, making them convenient for handling long scenery and laxge. set pieces. CROSS MY HEART (C^mtituu'd from i)ago 52) nuuib(.'r, landuii,', surrly. Thoir only otho'r appoai-.'inoo was for a s?innl;ir duty with "1/niy Whippom-Nvili." whicli wa.s matlo cxoollont pro- duotioii' numlior. Working .'it two pianos on tlu' .^tago at the oponini', of tho soootul ;icl wore lOdgar Fair- child aiul Ralpli Kaingor. Thoir re- cording orohostrn \v;is on tlio .stago in tlio cafo .si'oMO aiul ;il.so workod in the pit, l-!ob Cilliort and Ai'vil Avory, spo- cialty dahocr.'^. won ]ilo.nty with adagio work. HiU-ry IOvaii.>i with oc- cenirlo stopping f^ot somothing. Kui^omblo nunibci'K playod .ho litt|o part in tho jion'ornKinoo, to be ox- poclod from Ijo'o, The score migiit hnvo tvirnod out to more • advaniago had tho. show a real voice but nono (vf tlio 'prin- cipals displayod (ino, .• V It i.^ s.ild tlKU tlio tiokot n.gonoios bought liboriilly for tlio slmw on tlio Ptroiurth of tho out <if town report.^, riiey may oan-y "Cross \ry IToarl'.'. along for a niodorato iioriod but othorwi.so it did. not imi)ro.s.«i a^^'. strong enough to stand lu) against I^r(iad.way r<.vinpotition. ' . Ihcr; spcjit his n.^cont yi-.n"< in Smnh Aiiioi'ioa, iiiiiii'i.n. Il< i-.-ii;is the uiiMiuiry of a cortain liloinh'. 'To anyhody who hiis .-^iii-iii ;ii;v time in Soulli Aiiioi'iv'.t, tlif iil<-,i i>i' lii-i:iL, truo to a Mondo is pri-iio.-;ii-i'uus i. aiul lio oonios li.u k to chiiiii lior.. llo stojis into fin aiuios-phiM'o of iniitri- nuuiial disoord and i'oiit<-.si. l!ui ho is a bird iliat ovavi s a .cut(.u;>- and .a woman U'ioiido pr< icrn-d) ;tiid is willing to i;.unlilo. Tiio .i;ino is about to bo ohuokod out- of lior toa-rooiii boo.-uiso slie can't iiay tho i-ont. AVhoii ho oiTors to marry her, ."he s;iy's a wifo should have a salary, an indoiioinh^nt st.itus, and "sloop out" las tlio colored maids advorti.<50); he agi-oo.s for the- time .l)oin.g~bPoauso ho is hlondc- drunl\, but liitor ho wants to c.nnool Olio of tho few privflotjos. niuinly whoro said blonde inny ropose the body. Kofore said opu.s is ovor .she liiids tho proper jilaoc to pai-l< (-orinis and- o.'Uoii.sibly evorytliiii.g is li biir su(>-- ooss—r.oxoopt tho play. Tl's a onto sliinv. It won't pri by— ■ hut still ruto. . About tlvo weeks, to 1>o spoolio. I.nit. SeHOOL STARTS This Thing Called Love r.Ttt.i-rson Mc.Nui win Hurl<i\ st.-iKcl tliipTfi- )>y Sh;irriior inc KlHutt. SiMit. 1 Hai-ry nei-lriinil... Florenco nor.lijinil. Ann >riu-vln. Duinaj-v. Dully Oan-ctt. .... Ki-od Oari'Olt...... Tli-p PoUlTiP Mi.ss Alvarez.. . .. Xwiilb Do AVI I... Marie. ( |iri j-i'tits !i Jiia.v by IC.l- by lloNvaril I.ind^'iiyi ."^K- anil Swcol; at 11)0 M:ix- T. ^:t..10 top. . .Mnlonlni .Duncan .; v. .,lulli>ttc Day ....... . . . .Violet 1 lemlni; . i .,1. .11.. llreweri- ,.... liiith (Tarland ,.. .. ....... , Hruoe 101ini\re ......... .-.Mlniir AVal.son ICnlf Ilnmany Iloiuy 'Whtttcindi-o ..losephlne Lewi.-) One of thos(> things. Not good. Not bad. J U.St .so-so! The age-old thonio, relations , bo- twcen nu'n and \Yonu'n, moaning ho-^ twecn a man aiid a -woniJin. And so few have the privilege of knowing what that's all about. (Trade paper reporter stutT.) This is a'new IroatnK-nt of old- style stuff, what used to be called.a "problem play."' Tlio problem be- ing—"How can a inan and woman be married and happy?" Tlic prob- lem today is, "How can a m.an and woman be married at all?".' Patterson McNutt is a sophisti- cated producer. And here he has assembled nuite a oast with a fair book, replete with wisecracks. Every second speech is a laugh. So is the play. The hero is the he-guy Who h.as (Continued from pa.u'(> 1). eontago. in .<;ome.inslanoos over 25 per cont... Xo pi'eijar.'itf(ms ajipo.-ir to have boon ninde to stand off tln> doploted revenue. ■ Tlierc was nothing es- pe'eiaily enticing for the children ftir th.at week, to induce the parents to take the kids to th pii lure sliow at night. IjOSs of children's nia.tinoe trade i.s eus(otn:irlly ovortHune in the sec- ond Aveek to a large extent and fully, reeovered in tho tliird v,eck. U'S NATIONAL TlEUP (Continued, from page 1) can thread a needle, will be pro- vided with neck, hip and anlilo dl-' mensions .of their favorite 11 favo- rites. I'^tiVthcr dope ^they will have to glean from the screen when a U picture comes to town. So enthusiastic is the nianufac- lurer ho is glng to produce a fea-' turctte on fashions to which irni- versal has promised a contribution of .500 feet. CONCERNING THE WHOLE THEATRICAL PROFESSION How Much Is Your e Worth?? Your Personal Effects, Theatrical Wardrobe, Suitcases and Trunk Are Worth $2.50 per Hundred to Protect Against Loss, Theft, Pilferage, Fire and Damage While in Transit, in Your Hotel Room or in the Theatre Dressing Room. Whether you are on Tour or Playing a Metropolitan Engagement ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE SPECIALIST IN THEATRICAL INSURANCE proved himself a friend who knows the actor's needs and conditions when, he secured for the Entire Profession the only Responsible Insurance Company willing to take the great risk of insuring the actors, company managers and musicians, theatrical and personal effects against all kinds of loss and damage. Through Mr. Kemp the first world-wide Floater Policies are now available to all actors, giving them protection everywhere. Hundreds in the Profession Have Taken Advantage of This Trunk and Baggage Policy—Why Not You? SERVICE ON YOUR POLICIES Consult Mr. Kemp on your insurance requirements as you would consult your doctor about-your health. He will advise you of the types and amount of insur- ance suited to your needs and give you service on them when you need it. r • JTKAK OtT. >1IX I.\;_A?^ M.\n. OllJ'jm _ _ JOHN J. KEMP 551 Fifth Ave., New York City Phorte: Murray Hill 7838-9 PLEASE SEND ME information regarding your Trunk and Baggage Policy- Specialist in Theatrical Insurance 551 FIFTH AVE. (Corner 45th St.), NEW YORK CITY PHONE MURRAY HILL 7838-9 Permanent Home Address Amount of Policy $. < Premium $. Send Check or Money Order