Variety (Sep 1928)

88 VARIETY OUTDO O R S Wednesday, September 26, 1928 DancehaD Mad Cities (Continued-from pa-Ko I > hostossoH, for once tlio dance-li.-ill. is getting a In-oak. \Vith or. witluiut the publicity break, even the so- called "honiea of refined dant'ing" (upon which slogan somcV institu-r tions pride tlK'ms('lvos) h-iido strict- ly. on, the clinch cUurition. ■ A- current survey ,oi; the Main Stem oroop Joints Is a revelation. The cianCe styles have changed, the people have changed and the at- mosphere has changed, but the taxi- dance system still goes on. The more successful mooch-places still knock off- those jitney fares per tbr'ee-minute dance. . What a ratiket it is. The changfe of pace has been gotten down to a science. No longer do the bands routine their own pi'ograms. They must schedule their stuff per man- agerial instructions to include so niany . waltzes periodically, now more than ever and credited to the pictuve theme song popularity. Then so mahy "hot" numbers, then a "cboler-off'- in a more dignified fox- trot for the sriiooth performers, etc. It's an ultra-scientific . system to keep the gals and pals in right pilch for return dances. When Chumps Click No one no longer can becorrc ac- quainted in just a couple of da.ncea; If the chumps click with each Qther, it means an evening's session until . closing. With the C!harleston craze frowned upon now even by the peas- ants, the floor men' cool their heels more or less and needn't use their warning "clickers" as much as be- fore. The technique accordingly is ultra-torrid. More genuine appreciation mani- fested nowadays In a truly artistic hoch-cha-cha type of torso-tosser as she's handled by her partner. The gals shake everything but their tonsils. Where Messrs. Von Sternberg, Lubitsch, et al., .-would comie in'handy ■with their camera- crankers ■would be to record on cel- luloid some of the divine expres- sions on the dames as they eye-roll in eni'^iptured transfiguration. When those "niean" musicians give out a "Some of These Days, You'll Miss Me Honey" or the new "Pour or Five Times,'' with Its un- BUbtle lyric insli^uatlons, all they gotta do to make. Pi'ohibitlon a complete success is to induce the thirsty ones into the same state of mind tha,t the 85c dance-hounds are In at the. moment Whyfore of .Draw. A melting pot of people, the dance-hall is a cauldron, of emo- tions. It reduces to a common de- nominator all that fall under its ■spell and the wiles of the caca- phony. It defies physical tranquil- ity and on this, not unlike the whyr fore of the burlesque draw, relies thC' d;inct'-hull for ils box-orficc yuccos.s. TI>o jjooplo have (■•haii^od. The floo)' men in the "himio.s of refined dancing" officiate ohirfly In sin- gling' oiit the hoodlunif* . fi'om the comparatiycly polite niidille-class, although a party dn\ss and a Jazz suit fool everybody and everything. The "grease balls" are the oho.s' ab- soliitoly declasse. Tho KhcMks and the shebas otherwise can . make steppee all'they want. - . The "engaged" couples and the very ncwlyweds slick by each other and are a bit of more serious mien. For. the main, however, tho kibit- zing railbirds in the observation ringside are the appreciative atidi- ence ..for the new hot mama some sheik has dragged into ' the joint, and the latter doe.s straight for the \veisenheimers in building up the frail for the hptsy-totsy cxhibi.sh. Much that didn't go before Is okay now, almost anywhere; with little offlcii.l censul'e. Floor System Floor men are diplomatic .souls. Their instructions are not-to dis- courage- trade if the custorners get a bit over-enthusiastic in ti^eir terp-Itude, and with great leniency they turn their backs on much. Be- sides, the b-ys and girls are hep to the system. The far corners and the outer- fringes away from the ringside are. the best pati'oUed and so, with utmost unconcern, they Just go to it right under the glare of the overhead llghtig and in full view of whoever cares to be entertained by fancy legmania. Voting A. K,'s Every, shift of attendance holds soriie one or two shining lights of aesthetic exhibitionists, ■who prac- tice up on. their gestures, grace and routines right out loud in front of eyeryb dy and without a couvert charge. That makes the evening perfoct and a wow for anybody who can appreciate it. The silver and gold slippered hostesses are discernible even with- out their marks or the A. K.'s they tote around, at so much per tote and tips for extra attention. The routines between the sexes are the same :.s they have been since the Big Apple Kp. If It's a quick click, it's quick bow-out. If it's dubious, the gals seem to be a bit more h?vd-to-get in general, stalling for another session oh their next night out, and even holding out on phone numbers. Nothing Individual about 'em; system Is uniform. Circulate around for an hour and the earfuls will paralyze you, whether or not you want to tune-In on the broad- ct^sting of the date-cm-up line. If anybody's lonesome on Broad- way, they hetter coach up on their ballroomology. ADAM'S APPLE (Continued from page 27) but there's nothing new from be- ginning to end. Just ftfty-fifty; a second feature for the first-run houses. Monty has saved up for 10 years to get m.irrled, and then the girl's mother announces she .,IS; .coming, with them on their honeymoon. On the boat to Europe Monty gets the, once-over from a vamp, which: brings her husband after his blood. First in Paris and then In London, the rest Is concerned with attempts to get rid t)f mother and dodge the jealous husband. Ends with the girl being kidnapised in eri-oc .by a- gang Monty hires to frisk the old lady, and the' attempts to re.scue her. After which they return to Aniierica, mother agreeing to leave them alone. Shots in PaxlR show all the. usiial features—-Eiffel Tower, Louvre and . HO on. Angle Is rapid driving of Paris taxi showing them around. Of course there's the usual cabaret sequences without which, no film made In this co.untry is complete. London stuff of sight-seeing by horde cab well done, with fog get- ting thicker till they can see noth- ing. Also parapet and window- swinging stuff up to American average, with not much doubling. "^"]VIonty--Banks=-pull3--all-=his^^a.tuft and works fast. The girl, Gillian Dean, Isn't so good. Not over- beautlful on the screen and no pep. The picture Is stolen by Lena HalUday as the mother. She gets aa many laughs as Banks and Is, actually, a better actor. Sequences in "which she tastes champagne for the first time and gets lit sind gay are as good of their kind as any- thing can be. Whei-e there are Banks fane and where they like comedy of this type It will go well over. But it is not a contribution to picture-making, either here or in America. Frat. CLEARING THE TRAIL Unl venial production ftnd ■rnleajie directed by Charles Alalsiie from the story by 'Hcave.s Uaston. Starring Hoot. Olbspn. Dorothy G-ulllver featured. .\t I/oew's New York on double f<>ature proRrain, Sei>t, HI. Running time, over 50 mins. U-gual western. Plenty of horses, tiie typical bar, ranch hpiise, com- edy cook and w girl. Story Is of the boy who comes back to the possession of his father's ranch, seized by a pair of naughty men in high boots who killed tlie old man; Boy hits grown up to be a terror with rop as con- siderable fighter. He enters the camp as an assistant cook and then rounds up hla boys for the final gun battle. Not bad and Gibson is reputed to have quite a following with the the kids In certain jscctiuns. Afort. THE OLYMPIC HERO ■ . Jttmos P. Lyonn production featuring Charley I'addock, Rrlcjascd,. by Corn Kx- ch.'inKC, state's rights. Story written and. dlreoti'd i)y U. W. Neill. Tltlea by 'WaUer Weoins. I'hotoprruphy by .(''oxoii Dean. In ea.<)t: Julanne .Idhn.sU.in, Dun Slii;irt, Harvey Clai'k, (;rawtord Kent and .liu k .S<-l\vyn. At Running" time, (!0 jtiina. ^ ' " - Park on Shoestring, Now Worth Money A park that was built on a gallon of gas and 60c in cash by J. J. McCarthy (deceased) and B. F. McMahon Ls Grand View Park at Singac, N. J. With the .season Just clo.sed the park has almost liquidated every cent of indebtedness. The park was built oh credit. Through It all McMahon stiick and now his park is worth a lot of money. The two "Macs" started the park on a shoestring In 1923, After having the site with lumr ber ordered, etc,, they had a gallon of gas for their machine and 6Qc in cash. It is a New Jersey community park that depends on auto and bus trade for its gate. McMahon last week turned the park over to the; Niorth Jersey Fair for six days. 101 Ranch Off Road It's reported In New York that the Miller Brother^ have decided to discontinue their 101 Ra,nch Wild West as a road show. ' It is said that they have can- celed southern time for the show and will disband it Oct, 1. CIRCUS 101 Ranch Sept. 26, Abilene, Tex.; 27, Wich- ita Falls; ,-28, Gainesville; 29, Shawnee, Okla;; 30, Marland.. Hagenbeck-Wallace . Sept. 26-29. Tulsa, Okla. John Robinson's Sept. 26, Fayetteville, N. C; 27, Rockingham: 28, Columbia, S. C.; 29, Spartanburg; Oct. 1, Salis- bury, N, C. Sells Floto Sept. 26-30, Los Angeles, Calif. LOHMULLEE'S SPECTACLE Bernhard Lohmuller, technical di- rector for Earl Carroll, Is going home to San AntOnio, Tex., for the first time In 20 years. He has been engaged to stage a spectacle there for the American Legion conven- tion. Lohmuller goes by boat next Sun- day. Dates are Oct. 7-12. ' This quickie was shown in some of the larger houses in the key cities with Charley Paddock, the sprinter, making personal appear- ances. With the Olympics over plus Paddock's bad showing in the games It means little alone but might .serve to round out a fair double bill. Little or no story, and the comedy .sequences, u.sed to p;id, are of th».>. CARNIVALS (For current .week (Sept 24) when not otherwise indicated). . Alabama Am. Co., Waynesboro, Miss. Alamo, (Fair) Lamesa, Tex. Barker Am. Co., (Fair) Browns- ville, Tenn- . Barlow's, (Fair) Purvis, Miss.; 1, Decatur. Barnhart, Mac7, (Fair) Hutchin- son, Minn. Bee Am. Co., No'sy^ata, Okla. Benton Am. Co., Brookston, Ind.; 1, Dewitt, Ark, ' \ . . Bernardl Expo., (Fair) York, Neb. . Braun & Kelso, Blessing, Tex. Brodbeck Ana. Co., Unlontown, Kan. Brodbeck Bros., Haven, Kan. Brown & Dyer, (Fair) Ehfleld, N. C. Bruce Greater. Ashboro, N. C. Bunts Am., (Fair) Jonesville, Va. old Seniiett vintage. Paddock ia no comedian. Like most film stories with a col- lege background this one is badly handled. Newsrcel' shots of the 1924 Olympics are about the. best, thing in the flickerl Weems' titles leave much to be desired, and a belching bit, employed by a comedy assist- ant coach, just doesn't belong. Within Prison Walls B. B. Stparnn production. .Jteleased' by Oxford Film Exchange, state's rights. Di- rected by Sidney Olcott. Screen atory by Basil Dickey, adapted from story "The Right Way," by Thomas Mott Oabpma. Tammny 'Y'oung only known player In cast. At Colunibufi, New Tork, one day, Sept. ]3, as half double bill. Running tline, OO mlns. Thomas Mott Osborne's theories of prison reform serve as the basis of this flicker, tho screen adapter taking few liberties with the original yam by tho former warden of Sing Sing, As such it might be classified as an educational, .and a fairly good one. Story traces the crime history of a son of the slums who serves sev- iiral ftrgtchos and encounters the oVd-tithO bf ufaT pil3on'"hietH(^ turning each time to his old ways when released. The Mutual Welfare League finally brings about his ref ormation. Tammany Young aa a snow bird gunman has the fattest role he has ever had, and handles It neatly. Film will pass muster In the dally changers on double bill, especially If accompanying picture Is not too serious in nature. Obituary JULIAN PASCAL .Julian Pascal, 61, composer and pianist, father of Ernest Pascal, playwright, dropped de.^d from hearf attnck at his Los Angoles home, Sept. .19, Born in Barbadoes, British West Indies, Pascar became internationally famous. For fifteen years had resided In Loig Angeles. Survived by two sons, Ernest and Gordon of New York Cityj and. two. daughters, Mrs. Doris Holley of New York City and El.sa Pascal of Paris, France. FORBES HEERMANS Forbes Heei-mans, dramatist and novelist, long an invalid, died in Syracuse, N. Y., last week, a sud- den heart attack proving fatal. He was unmiarried. Among the plays to cohie from his pen were "^Love by Induction," "The Silent Wit- ness," "Between Two Foes,'' "The Vagabond," "Jess, of the Bar Z Ranch," "Down the Santa Fe Trail." His last novel, "The Rancho of the Twelve Apostles," was t>ublished this year. It was Mr. Heermahs who edited Central States, (Fklr) Newcastle, Pa.; 1, Dublin, Ga. , Cetlin & Wilson, (Fair) Lexing- ton, N. C; 1, Shipman, Va. Coe Bros., (Fair) Valparaiso, Ihd. ; 1, Columbia, .Tenn. •Coleman BroS;, Norwiph, Conn. . Copper State & Glen Miller, (Fair) Floydada,. Tex. ... Cotton States, (Fair) Beardon, Ark. Craft's Greater; (Fair) Riverside, Cal. . Dixieland, (Fair) Hugo, Okla. Dodson's World's Fair, Yazoo City, Miss.... Dodson's Expo., Coffeyville, Miss. • Edge-water Am. Co., WytheviUe, Va. Fairly, Noble Co., (Fair) Fayette- ville, Ark. Flanders, C. G., (Fair) New Eng- land, N. D. . Foley & Burk, (Fair) Fresno, Cal. Folk, Carl J., Mt. Morris, Mich. Gloth's. Greater, Varina, Va.; 1, Amelia.. Grky, Roy, No. 2, (Fair) Clarks- viUe, Tex. - r~- ' ■ ' Greenburg Am. Co., (Fair) Dodge City, Kan. Gruberg, Max, (Fair) Drakes Hame's, Bill H., No. 2, (Fair) Com- merce, Tex. Harris Expo., (Fair) Jamestown, Tehnw : Henry, Lew, Mariette, Mich. Heinz Bros., Louisiana, Mo. Hill, Hugh W., (Fair) Gunters- ville Ala; Hill, Hugh W., No. 2, Madison,' (ja. Isler Greater, (Fair) Abilene, Kan. Jones, Johnny J., (Fair) Hopkins- ville, Ky. Ketchum's, K. F., Oakland, Md. Krayse Greater, (Fair) Newman, Ga.; '1, Dawson, Ga. LaMance's Attractions, Marietta, Ga. Landes, J. L., Belolt, Kan. Laughlln, J. W„ (Fair) Okolona, Miss,; 1, Wynn, Ark. Latllp, Capt,, (Fair) Clay, W. Va. Leggette, C. R., (Fair) DeQueen, Ark. ' LIppa Am. Co., Pontlac, Mich. Lynch, Bill,. Bridgewater, Can. McClellan, Coffeyville, Kan. McGregor, Donald, (Fair) Pales- tine, Tex. . McMahon, T. W., (Fair) Wahoo, Neb; Martin & Noe, St. ClaIr, Mo. Miller, Ralph R., (Fair) Sheridan, Ark. - ^ Miller's Midway, (Fair) Warren, Ark. Mississippi Valley, (Fair) RIson, Ark. Morris & Castle, (Fair) Oklahoma. City. / Miirphy, D. D., (Fair) Birming- ham. Naill, C. W., Linden, Tex. Nelson Bros., (Fair), Cloyls, N. M. Oliver, Chas. M. Am. Co., Collins- vllle. 111. Page. J. J., (Fair) Asheville, N. C; 1, Rutherfordton, N. C. Pearson, C. E., Bement, III. Quality Novelty, Bedford, Va, Reiss, Nat, (Fair) Shelby, N. C. Rice Bros., (Fair) Athens, Ala.; 1, Ilartselle. Rice-Dorman, (Fair) Seguin, Tex. Rock City, Metier, Ga. Rogers Am. Co., (Fair) Forkville, Mis.s. Rubin & Cherry, (Fair) Trenton, N. J. Sheesley Greater, Suffolk, Va. Six, Harry J., Bowling Green, O. ---Sm i th;= Otis L,T =SGrantQn,_i?a.^.^--L=, Stone. W. T., Willlamston, N. C. Straycr Ant. Co., (Fair) Hamburg, Ark. Wade, W. G., Warsaw, Ind. Western Am. Co., Prestonburg, Ky. Williams, Ben, Woodstock, Can. Wortham's :World'3 Best. (Fair) Tulsa, Okla. Zeiger, C. (Fair) Emmett, Idaho. and prepared TOdward Noyos West- cott'a "David Harum'" for. publica- tion after its author's death. Only a sister survives. MYRTLE VALSTED Myrtle Chrhstine Valsted, 18,. screen actress, "Miss Chicago" in 1927, died Septemher 19 in Holly- wood hospital, L. A., following an appendlcits operation. Miss Valsted went to Hollywood last Janxiary for picture work and had made a good start when strick- en. Her parents, now residing in tlollywood, survive. HOWARD TALBOT Howard Talbot, 63, popular com- poser, died near London Sept. 12. . His most notable musical com- edies were "A Chinese Honey- moon," "Monte Carlo," "The Belle of Brittany," "The White Chrysah- IN APPRECIATION To our many friend* „fop their kindly remembrance and condolence TOM WATERS themum," "The Three Kisses" and In conjunction with Lionel Monck- ton. "The Mousme" • and "The Ar- cadians." With Paul Rubens he also did "The Blue Moon" and "Three Little Maids.". SEDLEY BROWN Sedley Brown, 72, stage director, playwright and author, died Sept. 19, In Los Angeles. Mr. Brown was formerly, the husband of Henrietta Grossman (Mrs. Miaurice Campbell),, now the wif^ of federiil prohibition director for New York City. Brown's most recent stage con- nection was direction of a stock In Denver. He Is survived by a twin brother, J. Edwin Brown, actor, and a sister, Alice Brown. Interment In Hollywood cemetery. ANTHONY PIERI Anthony Plerl, 52, .vaudeville clown, committed suicide in Chlca- la memory of a dear boy d.nd a sood friend ARTHUR HAGGERTY DORA and WINNIE CRISP and MOTHER go Sept. 20. A news account of his death appears elsew^herO In this Issue. Stricken with spinal meningitis following an operation on the nose and throat, with pneumonia finally developing, Mrs. Frances Carring- ton, assistant movie reviewer on the Syracuse (N. Y.) Herald, died after a 14-day Illness. Tw'o small chil- dren survive. Her husband was killed In auto accident here less than a year ago. Albert Stonehouse, 80, brother of Al G. Barnes, circus owner, propped dead Sept. 20 at the old Barnes circus "win ter quart IN srarMOBY of Our Dear 'Sister MARYREILLY • who'-departed;-from tlils world Sept. 2C, 1927 LOUIS and ADELE COHEN Los Angeles. Stonehouse, at one time, was. an animal trainer. His widow and two daughter* survive. R. B. Appolonsky, one of the old- est Russian actor.s, for. many dec- ades a most favorite member of the Alexandrinsky theatre cast, re- cently died. The Mother of Flo Lewis, vaudo single, following an operation In Now--Yorlc=hospitaLSjeptM.JLS.^=Mi«!?. Lewis was playing Orpheum, Ijos Angeles, at .time of mother's death and was unable to get to Ne'w York in time. DEATHS ABROAD Gabriel Marie, 77, French com- poser and conductor, died suddenly whll(> touring in Spain.