Variety (Nov 1928)

48 VARIETY Installment Buying Gels Girl Prison Sentence .'be an' acti'i'ss liviii:; L'r,s- -Jlivvr-' . side dl"ivo./\V:is Sl llll'lVi i'.r ti) 1' in the VV'orUliiHiso "ny- .Si>>'< ia! St-s- sions. .She-li;id- hoi-u found i^uilty- Nov.- 5 oC sccroUnR niort^iiivcd. property and; h:i(l' licon in the Jef- ferson Market .pi iKon s'ni'V. ■ According to Alfred K. Spoorl ;;.mahngcr■ for.. I'aiil (; Mehlin and Sons, of-509 fiili' avenue.Miss IttMd contracted wiili ilirm for a Siein- v\-ay .piano (in instiillinonis on Dec, 6, •1024. Slie disappeared .Tuly'S."?, .1926, leavinf,''a;.l.>alan(?e of $270. July 2 she was arreat-vl liy .Detective Jamos .Walsh, of llie,' \Vest OS.Ui . street station. .. Accprdinpr to the. pi.l'ice she ad- '. mitted having .S'>!.d the pianor . WARNERS BANK DEAL . (Connnu';d-.froni pat;o 3> .. Will operate- li.s a ■■-.opiuate unit. As ''■ for the S.taniv.v. 11. ...VI.. said Irying Rosshoim lias be-i-n .signed for a term: of years to fa net ion a^3 ..its. president,- Ho • w i'l. iiave an active . as.sistant. ; Warner .lei't the iriipros- sion that. the se<Mth.l iiv comnjand. will have the bi(v s,iy-so in man-, aeenient of thea tr.Cii;. •>Vai-ner was ei. d off hy his law- yer on the subject of th'o .cheaper, talker, now eri-dited a.s a reality by respon.''ible source!- in and out of his own. coiiipany. ai't'-'i-' .^ayin.5: ."\Vc cannot put out an.- tin-r machine. Om* contract witlv Western Klectri.c forbids It." The Parry Company From other soui-oes came word that many ^^:ar^,oritos . are byying lip Martin Parry (Jo. stock, now ""around 15. A deal on for the largest of the . Parry factories in which to manufacture this 500 talker was credited as responsible for the buys. The Pany interostsmanufactured commercial bodies for Ford until the niew model came in. " When asked about Parry Warner looked surprised and the lawyer sat up. "What are t.'icy?' I never heard of theni. This • ertainly the place to get the news!" , On RCA-K-eth,' Kuhsky \ind etc., etc., Warner said: ; "Oh, other pcoi)le talk to us, yes. Biit it is just talk." The lawyer Krunted when told of reports frqnv authoritative Warner offices that the use of the word Vitaphone In Canada is claimed the exclusive property of the Baldwin Radio Co., Ltd,,, while Warner had ■ nothing to say; The Canadian nriatter, it came, to light yesterday, arose when N\..L. Nathanson published matter that Par's above border houses would be Vitaphohcd and the Haldwin people informed him he-was oiit of 'luck on the word. The Canadian company claims that It purchased the title from- a company bearing it which incorporated In l^elaware and never actively functioned. In answer to. the (lueriesi of two ro.pi-.csen.la lives .which Xathan.'ion sent to New York Western IClectric told them to use the title re^";ardless of- legal lhreal«. Their conleiilion, according to reports, will bo that -non-use. of the. .title , i.uade. it. nojv: existent- ii.ntU pickeil ()\it by the Warners. ABSOFW AL10F F. N. (Continued from, page 5). ordeVa from Warner'.s .cxoc-iUivc- All departments will, be reduced tM skeleton formation, just sulUcient enudoyoOs belhg relain(>d in each to show, by the reibrd that F.- N. is still an individual company. Boothby in Charge .FnnctLonint;- as oxecuLive oHieer of First National,: in a- capiuiily originally tei-med president, will be Warren Hoothby.'The iatler during ^the past two monlliM has i)raclieally \ad that job- on Madison !LV(>nue, being i'\ N.'s contact with the War- ners during the many conferences. IJoolhby's rise in the . last few monilis has been n-ielcoric, com- """iltciWTi'iTr'wlTe^ the . trcatfurership . upon the forced exodus of Sam. Spring, A mo ng ".'til e" h ii^ge'v" UvSwUi lVi-i}Vr Ot- First National tin-re is Utile worry of chiinws, Ned Deiiinet is :tnr other who ii.as been .assured, of tii(> continuance of hii-" post as sal(>s chief, althougb, like th<» others, lu^ will lie a suhordinat'^ to Warners' chief in that department. Sam Mor-. All First National's executives uho weri' ri>o<;ivlng- what the eom- paiiy admits as ••really high sala- rie.'v' are no loiigt-r with the com- |i;in,v, it is pointed out. At .the same time .some of th-.- big hoys in K. N. feel that the m:iller of•.sala- ries will ])*' re.-uljusli'd .under the jji \y regime. Thv.V li.^'ui:'' that Wur- n- riles have. alw;iy.< l).-fn low in ilie .enve.lopo : duo . to th'-'ir . st.atu.s of other years. wliili> I.-'i'rMt National eiii.p'lo'yed a .ureater ij!-i..''pe!.^jty. The readjustment, they .eali iilat«, will be one which wil! enable jnost of theni 10. retain tln-ir present incomes and .whic'h \vili hfnetlt Warneritos. •ailier 'than tlu-mselvcs. , I'Mrst Natioiial, .as soon ixn. mov- •;ng' d;fy bceurs, AV.ill use the trade- niiu'k Vitaphone (HI all. of its talker. :rl(.':ises, it has bce.n pr.'ictically de- cided. The several floors wliich it oc- •i.ipies on .Afadi.'ton i;>;"nuc and,-J6th street block will be sid)let for the remaining, term of I'Mi'st Nittlonal's (ive-year lease. F. N. is p.aying a "cntal of $.•»").000 n year. . .. In connection with the Stanlcj stockholders it in how learned that tliey were notifM'tl to deposit their sharoM with the New York Trust Company hefore'Oct. 30 if t;hey de- sired to liartieipate in the pool. On that date 700.000 shares, were de- jiosited and their holders were noti- lied to attend the meeting to ratify Wai;hei- control 30 days later. Of the 200,000 who ignored the notice many have since' made application .to. .enter their stock, but .have hoen promptly turned down by the War^- nor.<5, it. is claimed. TIMES SQUARE Wednesday, November 21, 1928 Chatter in Loop ^NS!E LEADER REQUIRED (Continued from page 27) to have faith in theni and the other (Mitinii.stlc lingo u.sed when go- ing after something for nothing. So far Hays has offered nothing to the ptire indies that would incline them to believe that Will or Charlie had gone nuts over theni on the level. Pure indies do not Include the chain machine men at ' Toronto, while pete Woodhull is the shining example of the Pottijohn idea of a pure indie. Sapiro's Error Sapirb rhade the error of believ- ing he could do in one year for the India exhibs what thty had been unable to do. for themselves in 20 years. ■' When the grocers and delicatesseri merchantg were pushed out of the picture exhibition business some years ago, supplanted by keener men who" developed into exhibition showmen, of one. two or srnall cir- cuit of houses, the chance for the indie exhib to get together and re- main organized forMnutual prot6c- t.ioh presented itself. Then and often after. They got' together in meetings, especially at conventions, aTid then made deals to get first runs for next season, to beat the other fellow, also an indie and in the same city. Or most of the local or'stage exhib leaders got a rake off on the film he purchased or a rebate or a first run or something for thi'owing his induence the distributor's or chain's way. And the- exhib, pure and who may have been on the level, got the worst of it; is still getting.tlieworst of it and is now confionted with a very serious period in his oxhihi- lion cxisteivce. Credit to Will Hays Sapiro threw up his hands after more iiitimateiy actiuainted with the indie oxhibs. r.ut the indie exhibs- always threw up .their own hsinds. Which explains the, big producers, (li.'^trihulor.s and (.'hains controlling ih(> picture business at present, do- si)ito' the FiMleral Trade Commiii- sion, the Depai-fment of Justice and many other of those little things that might (Tome up now and th(ni. , r.ut giving Will liay.s, personalty, full credit I'm- having niuch to do with placing tlnr American film in- dustry whei-e if is. today, through his iirotectioii. and diplomatic, work for it, more so [lei'haps in jireyious year.s . when Ik.-' was niore greatly needed, for at present- the picture business h;is groMii too big for any one man to handle. Chicago. Nov, 19. Al Slefi'es was .at the; Stephens JJ>ai4^--ii£ffi4iiartiop.-Uiis-.inonth.;^^ IS known thiit'for .'i long .time it h;ts been his idea to get ;i big nimn^ tied up..,with the ..Vliied States .lO.xhibitr iirs, ipdie uroinV. ■ , • The Allied, itieludini; Texas and Michigan. Was generally conimnni- e;ited with hy Stoffi\s while here, i'reviously they triivl to get the Il- linois cxhihs into lIuMi- comljinp, but have been tinned (Imvii by tli' leader, Jack Miller, who is friendly to the Hays org;inI«atlon. McKINLEY SQUARE (BRONX) (Vaude-Stock) .-. Yiddish vod:0-vil. as.it-is allu(h';! to north of IStith. has came to th- llronix. In the Jh-onix . vaudeVill-- has come to be synonymous will: aiL-ikevii/.; The Shake v.it'/es,^: jv. Shakes, as arfectionat(^l.y r(iferred. to by admirer.s and untohi.numbers of friends; have bi^t recently migrate.J from thie Bowery, whore they ti:ii!d to set up ppposillon to . Max .Clabel with a. cut-rate legit stock policy. ■ In. the iironix the Shakes have no. oppo.sition but thenisclves, ,..-fc5i hoe the in.ceptlon of the-business many diverse kinds . of vaude^ville have arisen to' haras.s the critic,'bore th>j sophisticate, annoy the souse an i amu,s9 the mulfitudinous, hard- working ma.s.ses. But for'sheer'ludicrous crudeiiesii, for bald, unvarnished effrontery- t() good ta.ste and good - sense; for broad, barbaric, numicry of talent, tlie,Shakes ure elected to an elevat od .Jiichc in the show business by virtiie of their ..unchallengeable su-- pi-emacy. The Shakes are Nina and Jacob, married and living togetlier as an example to other. mc.mbers of the profession. Each is a classic, worthy Of caging and preserving.. Nina shakes a nifty, sbriiewha: heavy leg and exhibits r. mean set of fi'illy bloomers. Ker forte is her voice. After swinging a leg to tht- right, a leg. to-the left, and two re- peats, .she calls it a nigh'- .and sing^ti .She. sings repeatedly and samelessly In the Broriix she's a riot, with as: many- as 100 customers at 35 cents 25 for children, on good nights Other nights, not so hot. Nina is what is known as a culti- vated songstress. She has cultivat- ed a code consisting' of "Wah-wah - wall" and "Oi-oi-oi,'-' singing' every- thing to the same tune and the same, code language. When not engaged in this "she warns the' girls -hot .to ,give in, hands out .advice to the love- lorn, and earns her money, in othei devious ways. Finally, in desp.iera- tioh, she sings' "Sonny Boy,!' in English, in a harsh, shrill, creaky voice. To teach Jolson a lesson she adds a dr.a.matic interpretation to the number, the ;pnly intelligible sentence in the effort hclng M never knew what music was." Yet, withal, and -without anything, the female Shake is the star of the show, spotted next to closing and getting the mazda exploitation. She goes on and on and on endlessly, wah-wah-ing and lecturing in mur- derous monotone. In the end she bows off like a trained horse, feet crossed and head nodding.. Somewhere oh the lineup an old acquaintnace, last seen and reviewed in Libby's Baths music hall, pops up in the person of David Meyrp- witz, eminept Yiddish coinposer, song-writer, adtor, author, manager, mud-sUrigger, : ^oup-eater, nut- cracker, and etc., to repeat some of the credits given him in the billing. Meyrowitz makes his bow to the Bronix in a new, sparkling comedy drama not titled biit built around a theme best expressed as 'Where Iss Our Matzoh?" It is a deep, pene- trating study of the wily Passover knaj-del, its life, habits and after effects. For the information of those bar- barians unaware of the existence of the knaydely it is a soft, gooy com- position rnade of something or other usually eaten diiring Passover as a symbol of penitbhcci or rejoicing Maybe that'ij unnecessary, if incor- rect. Meyrowitz is endowed with all of the characteristics of -the greater trouper, the superfine interpreter of -tlie di\i.ma. 1 le-work-s w 1th his--heart his eye.s alight with the fiery sparkle of the zc-alot. as a, man who lives for art alone, W'h.at he cannot say he Whistles., What he cannot whistle- he hums. It is unfortunate that one of sii(>h- extraordinary nbility should be so haridicappcd by fate;. Willie sad ^,it is heverth,e,ieRs t,ru,o tliat the eminent author-compo.ser 'a etoi-r manager-songwriter, etc., also! affiicted with a H.-'p. 'Between llsp.s- and whistles he: sounds like low c(^medy concertina imperson.*xtor on a Vitaphone talkei".. This is believed to - he the first Yiddish stock vaudeville show in existence. Half of the pro,gram, is stock, the Shakes dividing time be- tween the hox ofTicp'and the stage. The.balance of the acts merely list- less vocalists and hoofers, fill the e;irly part of the evening. Another novelty is a .^hort .sketch in three nct,"^. This also simmiis to hi' new—at any rale, enterprising—ad- vance in vaudeville. It takes siiperl gall, unlimited confidenco and n.nv- ei'-f-i 11 .s.l 10-W jna nsh 1 p.. 10. spl l ce,_.i. ,th ree.-_ act sketch into a vaurievirie"hil] an.i .snc(^e.ssfully. Aside from these ,grot<,',si-iiie iha-- ('^'Tties. the Shakos prescMit a sfrilvih;: iiiiioviitioii in sliii,w. bnsi-iie.qs, 'Wiilv- oirt comiietition in the I'ronix. )ir(d)- ably no olher .show of its kiiiil in New York, thry .are htiildiiig ii" conipeti(ii-)n for th''ins(>lves thr<Mi!'''- their own efforts. ■T'",V(M^y customer w.i'Ics out ;i co'mpetitor, spread in--- iinf.ivor;il»le cnmnn^nt. ^r;lyhe its ." new kind of show business designed to kill the talkers. Mori. INACCURATE BIOGRAPHIES Arthur. G. Sheekman Art (Shrimp) Sheekman is :col- umnlst on the Chicago Joiirnai. writing under "IJttlo .About. Kvery- ihing." He. ihou-,'ht the title up his-. self.. ■ .'■ . liefore that Shrimp wjis picture critic for the same rag, eating off the , p.a.'s and; thinking things be- hind their bapks. Other than ac- quiring a nifty^ celery movement an<l the ability to carry on a con- versation with a . picture! star. Sheekman realized little from hlo environment. The utter humility of it struck himwhcn he fell asleep during a Clara Bow necking sliot.- so he moved into the editorial de- partment with a raise in pay and an office. . Besides pasting Contributions in his column while smoking a good cigar, Sheekmafi as.sists in writing those things under the box cpntain- ing , subscription rates, such as "Ptjlitics and Crime" and "Grin-ie and Politics" and "Let's Have That Subway." He may be writing a play, tooi hut tha;f .isn't ne%ys. ; When lie, was 14 Slheokman start- ed raising a hioustache. It's pretty good. ■ ■ ; ■ Loop darlv all day one day, prompting such terrible gags ,a.i "It's been Wednesday for two davs now." A thealro cashier squawks that Variety has a punk habit Of call- ing treasurers "cashiers," A former vaudevillian now in the drinking business is handing out address cards to show people with his name down as "accomniodator." Ralph Weinberg,' 8 years, old and the smallest student in Morgan I'ark Military Academy, came put of his first football scrimnriage wita a broken leg. I-ic\s the son of Mr, and. Mrs. Billy Weinberg of the United Booking agency, and a jojr . but a care. Bloodthirsty real estate men were overheard estimating how lonju; it will be before the Divcrsey thea.tre, now playing bUrle.sque, becomes, a garage. - Art Sheekman, Journal columnist, has started writing phoney biog- raphies like this column's, only hot as good, Thre^ former Herald-Examiner men are.in the 13. ,k. publicity oflice —Ernie Rapplcy, 'pave Lipton and .fohn -Josephs. Paul Ash presented a loving cup to the Paul Ash girls club at a fareweil dinner last week in th.a: Movie Grill. Such a; sadness, NEVV YORK THEATRES WILL ROGERS (Pinch-Hitting for Fred Stone) and DOROTHY STONE in A Rousifii; Musical Comedy "THREE CHEERS" M ADC TUKA., li'y & 46 St IlLUQC jl^t,,,, \v«l. & Silt. The Smartest Play In Town HIGH^ROAD A Comcd> by Frederick Lonsdale FULTON^" ■''^ 30. Muta. Wo(l.-,3ttL Ill :i83(K-latJoo Willi E. IjHy- t?oelz MIIOIP DHV Th.. 45th St. W. of nlUolLr DUA Brdway—Eves. 8:30 Tiiiur.«(lay anil Saturday Matiriees, 2:30 IRENE BORDONI in "PARIS" A MUSICOMEDY . >ith IrvinB Aarrin.son'a "THE COMMANDERS" 'TUisi iJtdles and Gentlemen, ' Is a Play."—St. John Ervine. "World." NIGHT HOSTESS By rhlllp Dunning:. Stagred by Wlnclicll Smith. Produced by'John Golden MAKTIN BECK THEA.. 46 St. & 8 Avo- B.ves. 8:40. Matinees Wed. and Sat.. ^:40 "7iCf»CCI n Then., 51 St.. 6 Av. .CICUrCLU Mats. Tliurs.. Sat. "SHOW BOAT" Nornm Terris. Hownrd Mursh, Kva Tuck, Samniy >Vhlto. Helen Mor^nn. Edna May Oliver nnd CICAKI.ES WIJTNINGER I YD IP 42(1 St., W(5st of B'way L I nil/ Mats. TllUna. & SAT. DENNIS KING in KT^lnr 3 MUSKETEERS VIvienne Seoal, Lesttr Allen. Vivl- enne Osborne. Jos. Macaulay. Regi- nald Owen. Harriet Hoctor, John Clark and Yvonne O'Arle 348 I{osor\'ed Seats $1 at Uox Office CAPITOL B'way & Cist St, MidnlfflU ricluies MiBiitly n.3f SEE! V MARION i WIOjIAM HEAR! 5 DAVIES | HAINES ajid IG biggest ai.-irs in Iloltywotu-. 'Weill's'pV^u^'e SHOW PEOPLE ••A jAta Hollil.-iy." a Uevne wltii nitz Bros., Hurry Rose, Mildred Lii Sajle. Walt IU>e,'.iur, : ("apltoUiins, 40 Clicatcr Hale (lirlg, Georjc Dowoj WnslilriBion in Mi'tw-M(ivielonc. Capitol GrMicl On^li., Dnvld Mendoza conducting, featuring Wlllio Ilobyn nnd Sylvia Millir. MARK STRAND ^TTh^Tr^^et* MiONJGHt SHOW NIGHTLY AT 11.30 2ND WEEK 10.50 A, m. :^ 35c First Time at Popular Prices Second 100% AU Talking Picture Warner Hroa. Vi taphone ScTi';al:on. THE TERROR with Muy McAvoy, Ixjulse I'-ar.fUda. l/ovvara Urerctt Hortoii, Alec FrancU EARL CARROLL Sf..Thl'.*sl'.%*£i W. C. FIELDS Grcnteet Kevue EARL CARROLL VANITIES . with RAY DOOT.TEY—.lOK FRISCO nOkOTIlY KNAl'P and ."iO n.K.lDTIES VINCENT I>OPEZ (IIImMolf) Se His BAND IDE COOK 'RAIN OR SHINE' COHAN Sii Til., ivv & 4^ St,. v:\s. 8.."%n W(^l. and. Sat, 2:3D .Theatre Gtilld r,rodiietlons_ 7TH AVE. Sk BOTH ST. Direction of S. Lr. Ilbtliafel - (Hoxy) SEU' IIRAK! AVin, li'ox Prcsenta in Sound K RED DANCE "Guns"—First Time Boxy Symphony Oroheitni-— Choru* of 75—"Variete Husso" Spectacle, wltn 32 Roxyetles—Ballet Corps—Balalaika Orchestra FOX MOVIETONE NEWS See - NOW - Hear ON WARNKK BROS VITAPIIONK All-Talkino Picture WARNER Bros. Thea BnOADWAY and 52nd .ST. HHDNITK ,SnO\V SAT. 11:45 AL J 0L$ON sINGING FOOL Winter Garden^^Stts?. BOTH miows TWICE DAILY ' 8:45-»:4n BXTRA 6 o'clock Show Sl.^T..'&•. ■'srN... -=--G UI bD--T-H EAT-R E— "\Vc!;l uUtiil St. Hvo.s. .sliarp. ■MiU.s, Tliura,. a,nd .S;it.,. 2 ;at) Sllarp. Kuffcnc O'Ni'lirH pliiy STRANGE INTERLUDE John Golden Thea., W. 58th. i:V K.S. ON'LY. r. SIIAKl'. DiiuiiT InU'rmi.'i.'iloii 7:10 to 9 NEW. EAST. 5M IE(WAYtr28fST. I IADIE5AFTS. \ THUBS. to SAT., NOV. 22 to 24 N. Y. Giants Ba'-cball Stars ANDY COHEN and FRANCIS (SHANTY) HOGA»* . IN PERSON Dorothy M.irknill and Jack Mulhall In "WATERFRONT" Staflp Show JOE DARCY ,„,e STOP. LOOK & LISTEN REVUE --ELMZABfeTH -BBICE-&-BO*S.^ phOlO—"WATERFRONT ' With Dorothy Mackalll _and Jack Mulhall. ••"THI8-'«,000.O0p- THEATJJE. Being Completed ' - Finishing Touthee Underwiy FOUR MODERN LODGE ROOM* NOW RENTING Stan"! Show TOM CAREY AND HIS IRISH SERENADERS „ GUS FAY in "Sncck Inii p„(,to-"WATERFRpNT' With Dorothy Markji^ll and Jack Mulhall SUPREME VAUDEVILLE-PICTUBES All Theatre*, NOON U H-U« Pnc«i