Variety (Sep 1928)

Wednesday, September 26, 1928 LEGITIMATE VARIETY 49 University Inluence Coining Into Show Business by Way Of Many CoDege Graduates • ——— f < *rhe Influence of the h'lj?ber loarn- inir on the show business may be gShered from a roster of a few names now active in every branch of the theatre. This influx of voung blood with an academic background Is favorably regarded by the oUVschool showman and manager. In many instances, the Send has been for improved standards in the theatre, be it au- thoring or producing. The names mentioned berein are but a handful of casually recalled young people in the theatre. W th- out intention of slight, many will be omitted. . Columbia University seems to ' predominate in numbers and it is also interesting that the classes of 1919 and 1920 produced some of the most brilliant alumni that the great university ever had. All were grouped together. It is readily do ducible that this competitive bril- lisince In undergraduate activities served the very valuable purpose of sharpening the wits of all con- cerned and creating standards pf a calibre beyond the average campus conception of things. The Herbert Fields-Lorenz Hart- Richard Rodgers triumvirate got its start at Columbia, some of their Varsity show material flnding its way Into the "Garrick Gaieties" and other Broadway prodiictiohs in later years. Representing Columbia additlon- ' ally are Oscar Hammersteiii II, Henry Myers, Morrie Ryskirid, Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz, Ray Perkins (latter two compos- ers), Fred Schang, one of the Co- lumbia "Jester's" most brilliant editors and now with F. G. Goppi- cus's Metropolitan Musical Bureau; l^ew Levinson and Phyllis Perlman ("Ups-a-Daisy"), publicists; Rob- ert A, Simon, Max lilncoln Schuster, the publisher, N. T. U. has such noble alumm as Deems Taylor, Reinald Werr^n rath, William Le Baron, Newman L«vy, Paul Sloane, the picture di- rector; Albert I/ewin, Hollywood author-director; M. R. Werner, Max and Nat Hef. Most of the Columbia bunch at tended the Pulitzer School of JournalLsm and almost all came to attention as FPA contributors, later organizing the first club of contribs. Latarence Schwab of Schwab & Mandel halls from Harvard; Arthur Caesar once visited New Haven and claims Yale, and there are many othcr.s. "Ladder''—4 More? "The Ladder," dying ever since it opened two years or so ago; h.Hs another month at the Cort, playing unddr suf- ferance of ia . rental arrange- ment. They ai-e trying to locate its backer, Edgar B. Davis, the big rubber and oU man, who is abroad, with the idea of learning if he wants to close the show sooner. Al Smith's Show Conunittee Will Get Into Action Tonight on WEAF MAE WEST'S UTEST NOT DISTURBED IN BRONX Tlio John Laws lamped Mae West's latest, "Pleasure Man," at the Bronx Opera house last week but oked it. "ThiEit did not stop Carl Reed, the show's producer from re- moving a naughty word and a song This week the show, after doing $9,000 above the river, moves to the Boulevard, Jackson Heights. It's a short carfare jump, and the near- New Yorkers can get a load of it before "Pleasure Man" starts its Biltmore, New York, run Oct, 1. Another of M.ae's brain children is "Hell's Kitchen." James A. Tim oney will shortly start production of it. Tlmoney is Male's personal rep. It is claimed that neither has a piece of "Pleasure Man" other than Mae's royalty as author. That doesn't sound like Mae or. Jim. Another play Mae has written and Is holding out for herself is "Men." She will monkey .with that one after ''Diamond LH" .finishes Its present Broadway ruji. That's another the WestrTimoney combo will probably br. JOEY RAY Now in Earl Carroll's "Vanities." Robert Coleman said in the New York "Mirror"', "Joey Ray, a hand- some Juvenile who shows promise of developing into a first-rate light comedian, is a genuine lind. Keep your eyes on that lad. He'll go a long way." Direction RALPH a FARNUM 1560 BROADWAY 2-F0R4 TOKET SCHEME SELLING $5 SHARES Shuberts Repudiate Mention of Their Name in Prospectus Ervine's Opinions Tlie morning World's:.oriiio, St. John F^-vine, brought over from London to review "Broad- way, witni^ssed three new pror duftions l a s t w «> e k. IT «• thought: "The Big Fight"—Bad. "Cross My Heart"—Bad. "The New Mi on"'—Goo^l. Ziegfeld-U Dispute on 'Sbw Boar with Atlys. Future Plays Legits Go to Pabst*s in Milwaukee Readjustment Milwaukee, Sept. 25. The Pabst here is to replace the Davidson , as Milwaukee's legit house, with "Greenwich Village Fol- lies" booked Sept. 30. The David- son is reported as a future stock house. It was understood that the Pabst was to have played concert attrac- tions booked 'by Margaret Rice, bxit the arrangement between Sherman Brown, the Pabst lease holder, and Miss Rice was called Off. J Possibility, _tbat another |e^it house miffht be opened-Tiere was disclosed when Joe Leo of the Fox- Mldwesco circuit said he was dick- ering with producers to bring their Btage attractions into the Oriental, de luxe neighborhood, now a flop as a picture house. If stage shows can be brought to this house it will be the first neighborhood attempt at k^its in the history of the town. "Fascihatina Devil" is next' by Myron C. Fagan: In rehearsal next Week. Pagan currently has "The Great Power" at the Ritz, New York "Jim Comes Home," by Seth Arnold and J. .F. Robertson, will be given a stock trial at the Ly ceum, Paterson, N.J. "Mimi," American adaptation of "The Red Mill" in Paris two sea- sons ago, next for. Belasco. Because title previously employed for mu- sical over here, Belasco has titled it for central character. "The Call Woman," by Archa Colby Edward Colebrook, producing. Now casting. It's a risque to, with Riverside Drive locale. _ "The House of Connolly," by Paul Green, added to productions of the Theatre Guild this season. The ad- dition brings the Guild's list to eight productions. First is "Faust, In rehearsal. "Art's Champion," a comedy of Greenwich Village by Hazel Shaw, will bow in at the Triangle. Green- wich Village, Oct. 8, sponsored by Grove Productions, Inc. The piece goes in for four weeks preliminary to-tho launching of the new edition of "'Bare Facts." Cast includes Nan Barry, William S Deane, James Murphy,-Madeline Lane, Norma Dineen, Hazel Sherry, Frank Conway and Harold Thorn- PROTECT "MODEtS" TITLE W.ashington, Sept. 25. Shuberts are again defending their title "Artists and Models" here. This time It is the burlesque etock at the Gayety with Ben F. Bernard and Izzy Hirst, named. Last time it was a colored outfit playing the Howard that was stopi>ed from using the name. BurlOKkiue stock carried It "Artist.s' Mudels" In newspaper ad- vextising but'oii the window cards had "it"AftlstsT and'^RTodelia:"" SHUBERT-GLASS MUSICAL, Shuberts will do a mu.^lcal with book by Montjigu"^ Glass. Jack ■ Pearl and C.oorge Bi<-kol win be the comedians. The proposal to ciapitalize a bar- gain price theatre ticket office is set forth in a prospectus which of- fers 25,000 shares, at $5 a share. The proposition Is unique in that it. offers stock on the sale of cheap tickets which have not been issued as yet. ■ • .■ . The scheme Is that of the Asso- ciated Theatre Ticket Service, which has been distributing coupons known as two-fdr-one tickets, to department stores. Industrial plants and shops free, of cost. By. presenting a. coupo"n at the box office of the show named, the holder may obtain two tickets for the price of one. The system is generally employed by attractions Which are either flops or ending runs. For the distribution the ser- vice people receive 10 per cent, of what comes in at the box office through the coupons. The prospectus named a number of -Nvell known producers; also a flock of shows which used the two fdr-one racket last seaso'n. F. L. Ferguson is named as the head of the Associated PflRce; also listed as the Associated Theatre Managers. The Shuberts are named promi nently in the prospectus. At the Shubert office an official questioned the right of Fergu.son to .sell stock on .so'mething he did not own, i. e., tickets for shows, and declared Fer- guson's office was out 4..S far as the Shuberts are concerned. Two shows in Shubert housed which Fer- guson was distributing two-for-ono coupons were reported taltcn ?i.w;iy from him this week. Fergu.so'n explained he was of- fering stock only to those who had used his cheap ticket coupons. "From aecouritj. the prospectus of- fering the sbares for sale was seflr entirely outsldp of the show busi- ness. Los Angeles, iScpt. 25. Universal and Flbrenz Zelgfeld are in a big row over souiid .and dialog on "Show Boat." Universal has movieto-ned dialog and .sound from show but Zleggy repeats his claim that these rights are vested In him, that all. he sold Universal w-ere the picture rights, in turn ba.sed on a hovel. Universal got • jammed similarly on "Broadway" and had to cough up $30,000 t'xtra for dialog rights in addition to $1250,000 for picture rights (title and plot). Edna Fcrber, author of "Show Boat," is hot taking sides between Universal and Ziegfeld. Entire problem is in hands of attorneys in New York, with Universa,! moan- while continuing on the assumption that it will relea.so "Show Bdal" Jan. 1. . The Authors', Actors' and ArlL-'tsV ccunmittoo, plotlg.od to Wiii-k for the candidacy of Al Sniitli, will swing into action tonight ^yhen Irving Berlin, Gone Buck, Jack Hazscard, Edwin Milton Royle and Eddie Dowling take the an- over tho WEAF network for half an hour program, Owen John.swii, director of the commltteo, announced today that his group now consists of 350 mem- bers., .Out of 90 cards placed In one of the theatrjlfal clubs the finst day of the drive /for Smith supporters, 86 came back pledging support to the govornoV, according to Mr. Johnson. A full hour program to be broad- cast next month by the Democratic connmittee will have George M. Cohan, Willie Collier, Raymond Hitchcock and Leon Errol speaking on behalf of the Democratic stand- ard bearer. The following additional actors, managers, playwrights and pro- ducers haye declared for Smith; A If rod K. Anrons Actimed AbduUuh Will Ahorn Irvliu? U^Tlln Hen JJUornle •VVm. A. Hr.idy, Jr Faiinln BrlCO Geno Hiick Kddie Uuzzcll l.iouls Ciilliprn FMdlf> <''antor Waller U .CBtlctt Gcoi'Ke M- Cohftn. Wm. Coni«»r Marc Connelly .Tano Cowl Frank Craven Yvonno l>'Arle naymond Uutjbcll Kupert Tf«p:»iea Jerome Kern . GeovKe Jcssel Ooori?«» S. .Kaufman -Krcderlnk G. Lewis Anita Tjoos .Tohn IVIacCdrmaok llullard Maodonuld "Kenneth MacBOwan Wlllard Mack Helen Maukellar J. P. McEvoy • Frank Mclntyro Patterson MoNult Moran and Mack John Daly Murjihy. Anne Nichols Jont>rsou nc Aneolls, Harold Orlol) Wni. do TjlBnemare Rosamund PIncndt Cast Changes Jack Donahue Kdward DowUng Ruth Draper T>eon Krrol Sam Forreot (Jeorge Gorahwin MarKalo GUlmore .Susan Gla.siicU Alma Gluck ■MontttBUO Gtaas John Goldon Grace GeorBO Channtng Pollock James T. Powers GeorRle Price .Stuart Kolwon, Jr. Edwin MlUon Royle Chlok..Sale Ernestine Schumann? Helnk Edgar flt^lwyn -mnohcll Smkti Liaurence StaTllngs Baall Sydney Reynolds Sisters have stepped out of "Cross My Heart," musical, to join Al Woods' "Fast Life." Latter ^^^^ lo a drama. I Mm^Te Maddcrn Flske A. re. Thomas IS » -onioppQ Catherine Fi-ank Harrlsnn Augustus Thomas Marjorie Wood replaces L.axncrine ^^^^ ^ Harrlncton 5ra"ilon Tynan Calhoun, "The Royal Family.' Mrs. Henry B. Harris Bayard Velller Edna ' Thomas replaces Mario ^^^^^^^^^ ^^rt^.^'%m.^ Young. Morris McKenney, succeeds rrheresa Helburn Alexander AVooUcott •r r-rov "Portrv" Martin Herman J?*^*^ Lloyd Gray, irorty. i Richard Hemdon A. H. Woods Pierre Watkin replaces Charles R^^<,nd Hitchcock Ed. Wynn Mackay. possession" (road). ^ -^'h^^a ttte^Tkl, Elsa Peterson, replaces Ja-n^i ^^^^^ng ji^^^pj Velle, "Rain or Shine." Willie Ho ward Jimmy Spera and Mae iSerpas ■ , stepped out of "Lafflln Thru" last (^J^jpg Liffht OR FtgatO S week to return to vaudeville; Benny 1 Efrem ZImballst Kalnes and Frankle Clark sup planted with the .Mutual show Eira Gorbett closed with ;Joe Rose's stock at the Casino, Brook lyn, last week and opened this week with Minsky's , stock, Apollo, New York. , , . , Margie Morris has« supplanted Chlrkie Welks as soubret wlth"MiS chief Makers", Mutual^ '. Pat McCarthy and Claude Mathis replaced Jimmy Bdva and Phil Hall in "Best Show in Town." Bin McCoy r-eplaced .Toe Rodgers with "Radium Girls", Mutual. son. , ., ■ "Tin Pan Alley" went into re hearsa;i Monday with Lester Loner gan directing; . - . ; "The K Guy," with Noble Burke directing, in rehearsal. Irving Yatos producing. In cast are Constance McKay, Allan Ward, Ralph Murphy and Helen Baxter. Opens at Loew s. New Rochelle, Nv Y., Oct. 4-6. TREASURERS PROSPER Chicago, Sept. 25. The Theatre TreasurerM' Clnb of Chicago will wind up this year with about $20,000, in its treasury, it is roportod. This wide margin of profit givofii the 50 mcniborshiiis nf Tlre-Tn-gani'/.atiim-an^-autoniatifiJmllie: bf $100 oarh. ■ It co.st.s the monibers of w- '-'tH' $20 initiation fee and $10 yr-urly due.". l'-ich member is provided with a $l,O0n insumnce polify U'- .sldcs piirtlrMnat.'ing- In tli" so. ial functions of the club. Equity Ball Nov. 10 pospite previous reports, the an- nual Equity Ball will be held at the Hotel Astor, New York, Nov. 10. Margaret Smith is in charge of arrangements and will stage the "Midnight Jollies." which has.year- ly been the chief entertainment of the affair. BERT LYTEII'S PLAY Los- Angeles, Sept. 213. Bert Lytoll, now working on "The Lone Wolf's Daughter," for Colum- bia, will go to New York to liogln rehenr.sal on "Which," by Jolm H.vn- ry Mf-ai-s. It will be produ'-fd in N'ov(.Ti-iber. Fiske O'Hara^s Musical Opening in Chicago "Molly and Mo," musical starring Fiske O'Hara with Dave Sablotsky spon.'^oring, opons Sept. 27 at Al- bany, N. Y., and goes to Chicago before coming to New York. Among the oast are. B.'irney Fagan, Helen Trevor, Helen Flynn, Natalie and Donnelly -Tlelen Freeman,. Walter Carson, Aidi.s Bartlett and Ardell Cloves. ■ Show is an elaboi-atlon of a vaude unit O'Hara has been ap- pearing in for several weeks. Robbins of Equity't Staff Edward H. Bobbins has been added to Equity's staff as a repre- flf-ntatlve in the New York head- quarters, succeeding the late George W. Howard. Robbins conducted stock com- panies In Toronto for a number of .soa.sons, also appf-arlng in Broad- way productlon.s, and on the Lon- don staRe. Village Group Theatre The Play Mart, 145 West 4th .street. New York, where "Virgin Flappers" had been running, quietly for two woieks, is tempqrarily out through the arrest last week of Jos- eph Figaro, manager, eharged with operating a theatre without license. . Figaro was arrested by Detectlveu Sullivan and Brooks last week when the policemen allege they purchased tickets for the performance. He was arraigned in Jeifferson Market Court and tho case was adjourned until Sept. 28 (P'rlday). Figaro claims the arrest was accomplished through subterfuge, since the .arresting officers displayed membership tickets when buying in, or they would not have been ad- mitted. Figaro dl.'-'i)laycd two mombcrBhip tickets to .support his contention and claimed he would go to the bat with tlie case, claiming his arrest jufit another oppression attempt against the , membership theatre gr'dUps of (Ireenwich Village; Burt-Burchill Split Chicago, Sept. 25. Glen Burt and Tom Burchlll, for- mer bookers with Western Keith and WVMA, granted an agency franchise with the new Keith or- ganization, have separated. Burchlll will continue to operate his agency-here, Burt going to New York as production and booking manager for Harry Rogers Enter- prises. He will also represent Rogers on tho K.-O. booking floor in New York* Harry Ulatt is to bo Rogers' of- fice manager in the east. I>eal. bc- eomC'R effective Oct. 8. GUY BATES POST'S RETURN San FranclKOO, Sept. 2.'i. Ciuy Bntofi Post's fir.'^t Amf-rloan aiipc.iranoe in four year.s is at tli'- Colonial thoatro horc this weok in J "The Play s the Thing." GERMAN THEATRE IN N, Y. Now York City will have a (l('r- ! man thcotro ' thl.v season, even. ; iho'igh the Yorkville theatre l.'-v bo- ';Trfg"d em olKlTf:- d f^=^-- =7- .. Androas Futrmann, uho o<-f'iniled I lhi( Vorkvillf . with <;oriaan I troupe, Iia.s ac'iulrfd tho Yr.rkyillo I C'lf-ino, fornior pictin-(» hou.««>, and I iH Installing a sto.ge for German ] legit producti'-ins., JOE SANTLEY PRODUCING •JoscTih Santl«:y has cuMcludi-d hia four uni'-s for I'ubllx and,, b'-cotnos =a^-l<-^?it^^p)u«l Uf'er.v.^LIi;. li;4veK^h*)^ .>.taf^o, .fo iii.';k(; tlio ch.'aigc; Ivy .«awii-r (.Mrs. Sanlley) will <,-<)ntinue In rnii.^iful.s. S'.'intlr-y lias t\V'» .shtiw-^ .■-•I., ted, the flr.st to be "Tho Idol" and the .second "Nigg<T Rich." r