Variety (Sep 1928)

62 VARIETY Wednesday, September 19, 1928 VARIEmiOSANGELESOFFICE ARTHUR UNGAR in Charge Xoew's State Bldg., Suite 1221-22 707 So. Broadway, Trinity 3711-3712 LOS ANGELES Professionala hav« the free use of Variety's Lot Angetes Offiee for information. Mail may be addressed care Variety, Loew's State BIdg., Suite 1221-22, Los Angeles. It will be held subject to call or forwarded, or adver- tised in Variety's Letter Lis^ Orpheum After a severe slump of the pre- vious week, the menu, at the Or- pl^eum last week proved much bet- ter. That despite the note of trag- edy injected by the sketch in which Margaret Anglin appeared. Laughs pervaded the entire bill, with this one exception. The opening and closing turns were a bit soft, but the balance of the acts were well upl to par^:. ■ . Wulff and Jerome, eccentric gyrii- pasts, opened the show, one doing good high bar stuff, the other in a Marceline rig, furnishing mild com- edy of tlie old semi-acrobatic scShopl. Jay Velle, songster, proved a sur- prise, following his entrance, which didn't promise much. But when, he reaohed the piano he only needed to .■warble one song to got the houa'e. He shoAyed an exceptionally clear, and pleasing tenor and combined it •with a personality, that has that all-too-rare quality, the ability .to quickly establish friendly intimacy with the'audience; with an absolute lack of affectation. He even put over a flag-waving, sob war song , that wowed. Rodrigo and Lila, dancers, on next, offered the novelty of t^v'o Spanish hoofers; accompanied by a Russian Balala,ika orchestra, but it proved a good combination. The couple adagioed, tangoed and Apached in pleasing style, but a versatile member of the orchestra, who played a balalaika, did some good 'Russian dancing and sang the Volga boatmen's song Jn .a deep, resonant bass almost copped the honors .from the dancing pair. Mary Hayries dgain panicked. She held over and while her. material wa.sn't as good—admitting ia short- age from the stage—she was still . good enouffh to be one of the best turns oh the bill. . Miss Anglin's "Smatry's Party," . by George Kelly, Is a curious thing. Its title is bad, misleading and not particularly applicable. Sketch ends "With Miss Anglin alone on the stage, weeping bitterly. Her repression under" stress is magnificent. Betty Barlow, as the bride, , is good in her brash cdmmoness, but Harry Moore as the pseudo-son and Mary Gildea as the maid can best be mentioned simply as also In the cast. After the news reel intermission. Bailey and Barnum returned the mob to laughter with their black face antics. Bailey's lazy banjoing and Barnum's vigorous singing go Ing. over. Their pattei!' wasn't so hot, but it was passable and nobody complained. Bill Dooley, vodihff a bit, ' while . the Christie Film studio, where he Is under screen contract, are dor mant, had next to shut, with a comic turn In ,gob costume that wias bettor than the usxial run here. He danced a bit, did a Will Rogers with a lariat and told some stories. As a decoration he had a sparkling, miss in Marguerite Calova, \Vho also danopd, sometimes alone, sometimes with Dooley, no marvel, but so easy to look it didn't matter. , The Six Blue Demons, whirlwind tumbling act, closed. vacuum cleaner stunt, Wliole act panicked. Gray Family, four girls and two boys, had the. third spot. Had novel opening, one of boys and two girls coming on speaking lines as though to begin a dramatic sketch, After two minutes of this,' ending .with boy shooting' one of girls,, who top- ples with a scream, rest of troupe danced out and chorused that- it wag all a gag. , Then went into a scries, of dances by ones, twOs and threes. Kept whole turh moving at' a high speed and all showed plenty of ability. "Telephone Troubles" came next. It's an old act, hei-e before, showing the exchange opertator at right while four perspiring folks try to untangle their reippective conversations. Old stuff, but the mob loved it. Pantages Only five acts at. the Pan last week .but the quality was there Plenty of variety. Karl Fegan and his Jazz Band, as sistod by the Buroffs, dancers, top pod the bill and went over big Fegan's orchestra has 10 pieces, arid is. so well balanced and so .con ducted that size didn'.t mean any thing. Buroffs extremely graceful covple whose dancing scored. - Connie, .Leona and Zippy opened the bill with a. comedy and trick turn; over satisfactorily. •' \ Kdison and Gregory in a musical novelty act carried the comedy angle even further. They wore trick cos tumes and played melodies oh what ever they happened to pick up around the stage, clihiaxirig with a Sawin, Bernic© Elliott, Graves and Allen Sears. Henry R. iSymonds Is writing for Ken Maynard of Rogers productions a tale of San Francisco waterfront and the Texas border. No title yet. Fred Newmeyer has been signed by Fox to direct. E, D. Leshln, former unit busi- ness managier for. Paramount, .who has just returned ;from an e-xtehded trip to'the Orient, has joined Fox as assistant director to Howard Hawkes. Louise Dresser will make her bow n talking pictures in Dolores Cos- tello's next Warner- Brothers Vita- phone production, "Madonna >-.of Avenue A." Michael Curtiz will di- ■ect. . Production to begin about Sept. 20. : . Frank Tuttle has Joined the ranks of film directors who play in their o^yn pictures. He played a bit for one day In. his current film, "His Private Life," for Paramount. "New Orleans-' will be Reginald Barker's next picture for Tiffany- Stahl. Ricafdo Gortez and Alma Bennett head cast. Story by John Francis Natteford. Employes of William Fox to the number of 60 headed by Ben Jack- sen have signed a letter addressed to their employer thanking him for building at an expense of over $250;- 000 an, air conditioning plant at Fox Hills. Temperature in the sound stages will be maintained at an even level of 67 degrees at all hours and seasons, . Louis B. Mayer, film, producer, and Sid Grauman, theatre owner, are leading the, drive in the film colony for the $4,000,000 building fund of Loyola Univorsity, Catholic, of Los Angeles. Both are. members of tlie central cominittee, the organIz9.tion assigned to bring in the largd In- dividual subscriptions. Their spe- cial duties in the drive require them to call on studio heads,, individual actors and actresses and directors on behalf of the fund. Both are close friends of Father Joseph Sul livan, president of Loyola. Due to crowding circumstances such as necessity of returning a borrowed player and being a couple of days behind schedule, D. W. Grif flth. making "The Love Song" at United Artists, put in 22 hours Sat- urday, day and night. The day be gan at 9 a. m. and ended at 5:45 a. m. The-call was at the time posted for 9 o'clock Sunday morn ing. The schedule now is on the "good" side. ■William Hbrsley is building for lease by . Cinema Studio Supply Company, structui'e 50 by 135 ad- joining the present quai-ters of the company. It avIII be a single story with foundation for two floors iahd serve as a machine shop. Gerald Griffin, Irish tenor, and Ullls and Clark, vode team, made Vltaphone shorts. Henry Kolker was engaged to di- rect "Sensation," by Rita Kissin first production of Theatre Mart novy little theatre movement in Hollywood,' opening late in Sep tember, "Running Wild," all-colored revue at the Mason, closed Sept. 15 after only two weeks of scheduled four weeks' engagement. Show went to San Diego for four days and then to San Francisco to open at the Co- lumbia Sept. 30. "The Play's the Thing," with Guy Bates Post, comes to the Mason Oct. 15. . Paul Guertzman, 15-, former Paris photographer's helper^ brought to Hollywood from France by Jesse L, Lasky, played ffls first film part, a small bit in "His Private Life." Complete cast of "The Squall,' Belasco-Butler legit . production opening at the Eolaseo; Sept. 24, in eludes Dorothy Burgess, Frederick Burt, Charles Brokaw, Bertha Mann Hugh Kidder, Grace Hajfle^ Lillian YOUR TRUNK B YOUR HOM^^ lliivb biillt ft Ffnl little homo for vow In tlie NJK\V STAK. It has those little nioettefi nml hixurIo\is fitinont8 which mnko H. & purtlcu- Inrly favored by the profession. OPEN TOP CLOSED TOP A .choice of four color solcrtlons In' DuPont leather AntHli. Oti« key oi^enitrs nil locks, both Inside nnd outside. HARTMANN, OSHKOSH^ MENDEL, INNOVATION AT GREATLY REDUCED PRICES 1,000 USED TRUNKS of all descriptions at a SACRjFICE Chorus, Wardrobe, Scenery,'Prop Trunks—New and Used We Do Itopuirliie Write for Ciitalo;; SAMUEL NATHANS Inc. 568 Seventh Avenue (Bet, 40th-41$t) New/ York City 80LK AGKNTS FOR K. & M. TRUNKS IN THE HAST PHONKS tONtJACRK 6197—PENNSYLVANIA 9004 Taylor E. P. King, general rrianager of Ocean Park amusement pier, . an- nounces pier will be extended 400 feet to accommodate a now chute- the-chiites, for which a 125-foot tower will be 'built,^ and to provide for fi.shing and excursion boat land- ings. Construction to be finished in April, 1929. Gilbert Emery, author of "Tar- nish," has arrived in Hollywood to assl.st in the production of his play by Dixie McCoy at the Hollywood Music Box. Opening scheduled for Sept. 25. Duane Thompson, screen actress, has been added to the cast of the stage production. ."The Shannons of Broadway" will be the next Henry Duffy production at the El Capitan, Hollywood, open ing Sept. 23, and succeeding "The Baby Gyclonfe," current there. ; Lu ciUe Webster Gleason, wife of James Gleason, author of "The Shannons," has been signed to ap pear In her original part of Emma Shannon. The second annual picnic of the Paramount Studio Club was held Sunday, Sept 16, at Avalon, Cata- llna Island. More than 1,000 em ployes of the studio and their friends attended. Robert McWade, stage and screen actor, has signed with Henry Duffy to play leading part in revival of "Daddies," which will play over the Duffy west coast circuit. In the cast with McWade will be Gayrte Whit man, Charles Coleman, William Lloyd, Earl Lee, Frank Darieji. Doris Phillips, Ann McKay, Zita Moulton, Zeflle Tilbury ajid the Lougheeds, triplets. Leona Lane, film, extra. In a series of two-reelers at F. B. O., has been placed. under long-term con- tract by Paramount. Elsie Allen, winner of the special beauty contest staged by Universal at Atlantic City, has been signed to a six months' contract by U. Wallace Beery, aviating film ac tor, has annexed another plane. He has purchased a six-passengor Travel-Air cabin monoplane, equipped with a 425-horscpower Wasp motor. It Is eriuipped for night flying, and Is said to^lVave cost $18,500. Jules Fiirthman, with Paramount for two yeaVs as a scenarist,. will remain with the company, to dp at least two more pictures. Paramount has exercised ian op- tion on Lothar Mendes, who just completed tW9 pictures for it. He Is to direct four more. Frank Brandow, Paramount stu dio superintendent, when he. re turned from New York brought with him amended plans for the com- pany's west coast sound stage. The otitsidc measurement of 140 by. 280 of the first draft has been changed to 200 by 220. I. E. Chadwick Is converting a space 40 by 50 feet in dimensions in his studio for sound purposes. He plans to have the job completed in December. George^Bfernard^'^SlraWs-^ ^hc Devil's Disciple" opened a 12-day engagement at the Pasadena Com niunity Playhouse Sept. 18, witli Irving Pichel as Dick Dudgeon. Frank Evans, Keith agent, is herr for a month's vacation. Pauline-Garon, Marie Turner Goi don, Mattio Edwards and Fan TJourke added to the cast of "Tar- nish," the Gilbert Emery play which Dixie McCoy will produce Sept. 25 as her first offering under her newly acquired leas© on the Hollywood Music Box. ; '"The . Royal Family," Belasco- Butler production, had Its first coast public showing at Santa Barbara on Sept 13, then going to San Fran- cisco at the Ciirran Sept 17. After five weeks there, it. comes Into the Belasc.o, Los Angeles, for an indefi- nite stay. Georges Ricou, director of the Paris (France) Opera ComlqUe, will bring leading singers of that thea- tre to California next January for a tour of the principal cities of the state. Raymond L. Schrock Is writing 'The Gob," in which William Haines will be starred by M-G. . EVe Southern Is to be starred In 'The Girl Who Came Back." James Flood will direct for T-S. Attcv completing his contract with First National Charlie Murray will begin 14 weeks for West Coast The- atres, heading the Fanchon and Marco idea "Hats," opening at Loew's State Sept. 28. Wesley Ruggles, who will direct the next Mary Philbin picture for Universal, is now working on an original story for It with Paul Schofield. Fred Mackie will play the male lead. Irene Rich is In New York for a month's .vacation. Theodore E. Dick.son, for several years set dresser at Patho (DeMille) studio has been appointed service manager for Pathe, succeeding Will- iam House. He will have general supervision of, costumes, properties, decoration of sets and all else of physical side of. Pathe. productions except architectural design, building and construction. "The Captive" caused nightly ar- rests of the entire cast, several court actions and finally a complete ban of the piece In this city, when an at- tempt was made to present It in English some months ago. Los Angeles residents who wanted to see the play and understand Spanish were due to have their chance Sept. 18, as the perversion drama was scheduled to bd pre- sented by the Fabregas Spanish repertoire company at the Capltoi theatre here. Either the authorities didn't mind its presentation In a foreign language or were unaware that "La Prisionera," the Spanish title of the drama, by which it was advertised, was the play upon which they had frowned. No advance ef- fort was made' to bar the perform- ance, nor was there any indication that the presentation would be stopped. BOSTON D. W.. liailuy, formerly assistant to H. T. Parker, dramatic critic and editor of the Transcript, is now director of publications for Harvard University. E. F; Mclvin of the Trianscript city staff stepped into his position, doing movies,and sec ond string. Parker, abroad all sum mer, returns this month. The Kelth-Albce Boston had local headliners for a short spell. They created plenty of interest. George MacKinnon, columnist with a fol- lowing, on the Advertiser (Ilearst tab) did a Bob Benchley, deiiverihg a monolog that caught on nicely. Plenty of advertising on Hearst de- livery wagons helped biU the town Br.igglotti Si^5tors, Francesca and Gloria, always a draw, headed an other bill with a company of their Bragglotti-Denishawn dancers. (The girls conduct the J.")enishawn school here, to Avhich ail tlie society sub debs flock.) The act got raVe no ticcs from every paper. . . Charles Bowman, along with his duties in the press department of the local Shubert office,, will this .season manage the Plymouth The- atre as well. Anne Ford, dri\matic editor of tlu Boston Herald for four yoar.s, re- turned to the office from the hos- pital where she underwent an op- eration for appendicitis, to find the former night city editor, William E. Gi'eonough, permanently at the dra- matic desk. =Along^j\vit-h-.=-=dramatIc=^-.jediterjQl duties, Greenough will cover- tha movies as well as conduct the dally movie column, formerly run by Charllne Davenport who also got through this summer. Philip Hale Is the Herald dramatic and music critic. The Shuberts have bI^ houses here this season. They have ha.rdly found the need of five in the past>- the Boston Opera House being dark most of the time. Their sixth ac- quisition Is the old Keith's on Tre- mont street which will have to be all done over before ready for Shu- bert iise. This house as well as the Tremont theatre (K. & E.) have been dark Since June, presenting a dreary appearance for this part of Boston's Main Stem- At present Is looks as though Bos- ton proper will have no stock this season. Publlx .has taken over the Keith-Albee St. James, , the former stock house, and wired It There are only two resident companies in this town now. Cllve's at the Copr ley goes In for popular successes but keeps them there for a run. Henry Jewett calls his repertory at the Repertory theatre. The plays usually stay there at least two weeks. Boston has a small edition of: "The New Yorker" called "The Bostonian'' which has an increasing circulation. It celebrates its first anniversary this month. Katharine Crosby, local short story writer. Is the editor. Local Intellectuals let loose. For. a while city hall ofllclals were w^orrled by swell "in the know" articles on Boston politics by someone signing themselves "Bonjamin Russell.'" George Brinton Beal, dramatic edi- tor of the Post, contributes ■ Inter- esting theatrical copy. In case you were wondering whether "names" meant anything on the road. At a party the other evening, Leslie Howard's name was mentioned: "Oh, yes. I know who he Is. His brother, Willie, Is the funny one, isn't he?" This from a Hahvahd "grad" and a theatregoer. For the Scrap Book Press agents might like to stick this in their scrap books. The line- up for critics and editors oii the Boston papers this year is as fol- lows: . Transcript—H. T. Parker, dra- matic critic and editor; B. F, Mel- vin, picture editor. Herald—-Philip Hale, dramatic critic; W. H.. Greenough, dramatic editor and picture editor. Traveler—Katharine Lyons, dra- matic editor and critic; Helen Ea.gar, picture editor. AtTierican—Nick Young, dramatic editor and critic; Leo GafCney, pic- ture editor. Advertiser—^E. F. Harklns, dra- matic editor, and critic.; Gordon Hillm.m, picture editor. Globe—Charles Howard, dramatic editor and critic; Marjorie Adams; picture editor. Post — E. H. Crosby,' dramatic critic; George Brinton Beal, dra-| matic editor; Prunella Hall, plctur^ editor. All the m. p. editors In Boston, of course, are the movie critics as well. There was some tallc of Publix taking over the Kelth-Albee St. James, but this rumor was put at rest when the announcement came that stock was to be once more housed in this .up-town theater. "A Free Soul" is the, fir.st attraction currently. John Warner and Maria:n Grant are the "leads." Guerrini & Co. Tha L«a(ilni] and Largest ACCORDEON ■ FACTORY. In the United .StatM Tlie ■ only Foclorf tliat. miikes any cof of Rccds—made by ■ hand, 277-279 Columbus . Avenue 8an Francisco, Cal. Krco Catalosuci MOST ORIGINATE COFFEE SHOP in the Goldon Went Carl—MULLER'S—Lill "TWO OLD TIMERS" Direct from Train or Theatr« Tod Are Welcome 724 So. 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