Variety (Jan 1929)

Wednesday, January 9, 1029 LEGITIMATE VARIETY Inside Stnlf-Legit Wlncholl Smith, who has had trouble with his eycs for aovcral yoiir.si recently received a set-back In Monte Carlo, Rivena. An oircVaiion was successful and hl^^ reported much improved., He is ataying at' the Pare Palace with Mrs. Stnlth. Lionel AtwUi, to play a leaiUnf? role in Eavi Carroll's hiusicul, ''l-'lViix-iLa,'" |B prob.'ibly the foremost dramatic actor of. the prjisont day to go Into a musical.' Carroll thought he suited the stralsht dramatic. role. . A'ftcr l«adinp and Mkine It, all Atwlll cared about was a Hola.sco-sized salary. A Movletpne teat for Irene IJoidonl turned out lo be so ■priimi-sing thai Albert Lewis gtalleS in showlrif? it to the star. InstoaU, he sought to tie jier to a contract figurinK shi? would demand nibrV money aftiir sceiri}? It. JIlss Bordonl got the look, however. She wired Winnie Shefihan on the coast, Shechan instructing. Lewis to dl!=iplay ■ tli(« test at tlie. Fox New Xork studio. Miss Bordoril Is said to liavc .set $75,000 as her Movietune .•^alai y. Whether through conditlotis, his own inspiration or nioru likely per- haps a' suggestion from llK; bankers, Lee Shubort has been giving a floftcnlng up exhibition of. late tb. some of the dramatic men .on the Jsfe.w .Tork ^dailies, visiting him by invitation in his oflloois. Leo has been Bpeaking kindly to them, vyhellier the newspaper men cared how be spoke .or not.. Also h&a mentioned the Ingratitude of sdriie people, newspaper men aiuong them, but what fcirm the Ingratittide lobic or what' LeC had done for thtjm. to inyite Ingratitude didn't come o\U. Lee's former routine on dramatic reviewers has been to the effect that where did they come In to critielze his shoWs^ etc, and if they did, why didn't they write good hotices; with the usual advertising tliinp: added of course.; And the whip:—"write 'em liice or out comos-those ads," • When "Angela" was produced five weeks Hgo Leo is.,said to have plaintively inquired thfe next dayi ."Why didn't we get notices. for •Angela' like, the notices for 'WhOopee'".? Someone is reported having had. the nerve to tell Lee because.''Angola'' , wasn't a good show. ; So you see, Lee does rend the nbtices, desiiitc what one and all might • haver s.nld. And. ■Angela" closed Saturday. ' 9 "FaDies" lookers One of .the lobby frames, on tln' New . Am.sterda m roof UlU'V»? the .Ziegfeid >Iidnigl\t Frolic is ourreht; holds pho.los of ninf" of the lookorif? who-.t^p- ^n-ai-.i .1 in tlio-;in:o ..«<hO\v on the ' roof. V'"' liii^i oiie .tiie yloriiier spohsonMlbt<;i"ore the present, voritin'c. .' : ■ V)]^>0>>' \.u (he stand are tliosf of .lo.ssio Hi'od. Martha ;Mans.- flpld, Doli...ros.. Dorothy M.aoi<alli; . Olive;.Thpnvas, IJlilie Dove, .Jaiio .\yinton, Helen Tjeq ■\\'orlhlti.2: and' Jackie T^ogan. • All of tlvo' girl.s e.vc'opf .Tesslo Kood, Do- lorO.'; and Holou Lee AVorthin.!;, niiado thi^ jrradc In ■ plcturos. Misses Mackaill and Dove are how.. First National star,';. M tssos Lo.£ra n and Wiriton are fcatili'od with independo'nt filni. pro(1uoors, while- Pliye Thoinris . and . Mar.tha Manstlcld both rose ,to stardom and . then met tragic death!?.; ' London as It looks (Conlinuod from pa'iro >'n..>inh to say that "two oi the chief viotlms of thi^ gn.< explosion are .Vr. lM-i.«d and Mi'^s Ariolo Ast:ilre, who. are . the stars in 'Funny Kaor.' K.vt'ry day tliat ,thi> Prlnoesx theatre is iib.seil. . they lose ,<^ompthihg in Lho neighborhood of ?5i)U. 1 A<el we will never plav again.' Mr A-^taIre was saying yesterday, 'and T don't boli*'ve w»^ are oven p.T:KV (.ur .<ialari.vs t\-hon there are no pei f..nn.ivio>>>^ It. is uallod an ant' of tJod <m- scuue- tluni;... II the wo.vst thhiLj .thca has ever h.ippened. .Vlth.iUKU wo f-ei •*"V-* wt'liaye^ Uuit.'h-:»b«i.ul-.i.t;. :lt- Is all- jii'i ^iOy^'"' .■"::[::'■.' Not a .Joke to, Londoners J "•'^•"'•wing thai you .are- ahvayis on the side oT the •uiul'ec-dog," wrote Engagements Ina CMulre and Jed ilarris had a controversy in Miss Claire's dressing room iin .Newark, N. J., Tue.sday iilght, last , \vcck. It seem.^ the first In- fonnatioh Miss ,Clair6 had of Harris' Intention to cld.se the new; play came from tiie newspapers. The Newark dallies rapped it badly. Wheiv Harris met'Miss Claire, the latter Is said''to have gone after him for not consulting with the show's star before .deciding to/close. . Then Miss Claire Is said to .have related:a list of her grievances against the Harris nianagement, with Ilarris flnaiiy ben ting, a retreat, and with theishow closing Saturday a.s announced. . The long protracted suit by the estate of George Byj on Oiigley, play- Wtlght, Is probably wound up with the decision by the Appellate Divi- 81011 of the New Yorlt Supreme CbUrt In favor Of the deceii.sed play- .wrlght against Max Ma rein and A. H. Woods. "The. court :e.stabll.shes phglej''a claim as oo-aUthor with M.arcln of the siiecessful Woods mifller Of a di'>cade-ago; ."Cheating Cheaters." The court has ruled that Marclh Is entitled. to $9,721 fo"r services rendered on the play on which he, and Ongiey collaboi ated, Marcin com- pleting It. following the death of Ongiey. The hitter's estate is entitled to $53.}f>0 In royalties less the ?9,721 allowed Marclh for his collaborative services. Whether Marclh or Woods will make good the indebtedness Is to be determined following the formal entry of; the judgment.. The Ongiey estate presumably will' go' after Woods as. the more responsible Judgnient-debtor. "Cheating Cheaters" was a big suceess for Woods., . Marcin .was. the solely accredited author. ' Yours Merrily John; R. Eogers at So rew-role an old one to good effect In Pittsburgh with ''Mary Dtigari." John Is handling that show for Woods, He got out subpqenaia, writing In the names, of all of the lawyers. Judges and court clerks In Pittsburgh, then causing them to be per- Bonally .served. . The gag Is old enough but personally .serving according to name Is hew. . "Just a Minute," a musical presented by Phli Morris and Harry Green closed at the Shubert-Jamalca, a new subway circuit house last Saturday. The fch or us was paid off but about $3,500 Is due the principals. 'Hurtig and Seaman who conduct the._ theatre rah afoul of Equity through the closing.. Equity claims they prbmlsed . to hold tlie receipts but turned the coin oyer to the show management instead. Otherwl.<ie the show would have been forced off earlier. Georgia Socked on Xmas Then Came The Divorce Chicago, Jan. 8. Alleging that her husband con- tinued his punching' tactics, Georgia Maneis, stock actress, .filed suit for divorce right In the midst of the holiday .season, against Adolph Manes, wholesale meat dcaleiv Cruelty -wasn't Mrs. Mahes's only complaint. She said Adolph refused to let her have guests on Christmas, and took a sock at her when she squawked. Bee Langton, of "Lovely Lady,'! ; started suit against Leo . Boyle, ..charging cruelty oh two occa.slon.s. Bee alleges slapplngs and beating,?. Married Oct. 2S, 1926. Cast Change Dorothy, Curtias has supjilanted Ruth Wheeler In the Jack Wil.son. Act, the latter withdrawing on ac- count of Illness. Olive May replacing KfTle fe'hannon 'in "Good Boy." Natalie Kessler has succeeded Dorothy E rown, ■ ''The Squealer." .Clarence Derwcnt will withdraw from "The Three Musketeers" and appear in "Serena Blandish." ==-^WlUlam=Frlend^-liaAJaiiihuied^^^^ liam Bosworth. In "Excecdlhg Small. Olga Cook was replaced by Mary McCoy, and George lioscner by Frank Lalor after "My Maryland" left Chicago. Leads in Yonkors Don Costello and Anne Rogers went in as leads with the dramatic stock at the Warburton, Yonkcra, N. Y., iMt week. Ervine*s Opinion The Morning World's critic, .St. John Krvine, brought over from Lo'ndon to review Broad- way, witnessed one new pro- duction la.st week. He thbught: "CaprJce"—Good. Otto Lederer's Accident - Honolulu, Dec. 20. Stopping off here en route to the Orient, Otto Lederer's .trunk fell and cru.shod him this week. . , He is at a local hospit.'il but will ■be able to resume travel In ahnut; one month- .. Three Legits for Par A trio of legit.*! engaged by Par through Mike Connolly are Charles Ruggles, Lawrence LesUp ami Nor- inan Foster, . They went Into work on the ayn- chronl'/jatlon of"Geptlemen of the Press" this week. Foster Is doing his stage part on the screen. Ramon I Lido Cluli Orchestra, Rosila and Miami, Fla. .Tan Gnrber aiid His Llttlo Club, New-York. ' . Hal rilxon, Club Miradori New York. , Helen • Chahdler, Hed,'\;..- Alexander ; Carr, "The Guinea Pig." ■ •Vanities." William Seabury. "The Marriage Margij, ; Waldrbn. .tiiclle Ralart, Marion Saki, "Polly." Sara Hadeh, •Hot Water.'.' . Hiigh Huntley, . Mayo' Methot, .lacques IVIartin, Bobby Mullin,"All the King's Men.". Joyce Arling, "Jarnegan," Nedda Har.rlgan, lOllen Dorr, Grant Mills, Mary Marble, Reed IBrown, Jr., Vhrginla Wllliam.s, "Merry Andrew." Beatrice Walters,"Angela." . Edward Pawloy, Jane Corcoran, Beulah Bondi. -iStreet Scene." Vioia Sandra, "The Yankee Llt- w'ack." Gi Davidson Clark, Locust Si.s- ters, Giovanni. Gurrlerl, Hazel Forbes, Margai-et Manners, "Fio- rctta." . Jimmy Carr and His Orchestra, Parody Club, New York. William Courtlelgh, "Judas," Claudettc Colbert with "Dynamo." Olga Steck.. Jameis B. Carson, Basil RUysdall, Be.rta Donn, Flayia Acaro, Mariraret Merle, Southwortli Fraser, Frank Otto, Arthur Geary. "Yankee Doodle." "Frankie and Johnnie oh B'way Los Angeles, .Jan. 8. "Frankle and Johnnie," an fii'lginal pjjo;Jack_^KirklarKl, Is reporteil io~ ha\"o"lve(,'h a"f^'TiTlrCa-"bj'"AK^^-GlJd.s= for spring production on Broad way. Kh-Ulund Is the hiisb-u'id of. Xaney Carroll, scret'U ingeiiufi. Robert Ober in Orig. Role Los Ari.^elcs. Jan. 8. Robert Ober is being brought to Culver City from New York by M- G-M to play his original stac^^c role In "White Collars," dialog produc- tfon» AHEAD AND BACK Elliott Stuckel, In Chicago ahead •'Hello Yourself"' (George Choos). John Schenckenberger, manager; Joe. Flynn, ahedd, "Greenwich Vil- lage Follies." William Spaeth, mansyge'r, "First Year of Grace" (Selwyn). Hairy Bryant, handling mana- gerial end two shows, "Hold Everything" and "Trtiasure Girl" (Aarons & Freedlcy). Johnny Glennon, advance; John Weeden, manager; Bozo Snyder r»how. Williain Fields, advance; Sau; Abrahams, manager; '"Rain or Shine" (Boston). Harry Nelmfl, manager; "Lady Fingers." Larry Nolma, manager; "Zeppe- llff ' rJiriimie rooper), - — Henry Ponnypack''r. ahead; Bob livana. back; /'Rose-Marie "(Coast),. Joe Do Milt, back;. Charles IVar- nett, ahvnd; ''Connecticut YariUee." • Howard Smith, manager; "Pro- clous"' nio.'-'ilfe Stewart). . Charleti S.to.wari:, manager; •■Merry Andrew.s'."' Edward a! Blatt has resigned a.< i?enerar manager with , Herrii.'ui vShumliri to enter the producing field on hi.s own Vr'lth "Black B.;lt." (Jf'or(-<'' Hai.^I1l, succe'eds Blatt with Shutrilin. .Mike G'lldri'yer back with;"Lfi'ly Dedlock." Frank Matthews in. ad - vance. All.!"'.' llli.clnptroiu back. "Jar- nepan." .lohn Loc-frictr, . corn.iiuny managrr of "Exceeding; Small." Jefferson Co., Portland, Again Portland, Me., Jan. ». --^AJJ£iihi^JU^j2)^ysi'ie has reort;an- Ized the Jef^.T^■or^^''^av^:T•^='St=R^k= hero with Ha.-vel .Shelton and Helen Lewis as h-uAH. Jonathan ITole Is juvenile, Adel.iidp Kendall, Ingenue, William Evart?;, ' character. Otliers are E-lward Darni-y and Maximo Flood. K. V. Phelaii return:.; as man'iir''.'r, Bennf^tt Fin'h as direc- tor, Illchartl Byrdo stage manajicr, and Edward DeWolfe scenic artist. "Take My Advice" first bill. Although I approve generally; of .my ^orre^ipohdent's letter. I think l!v<vchief blanie atiarh'es to the wrii.-r in the'Daily Mail. . lie-should not isolate a.casual roniark. like, that, made ho dnubt in e.xciteiheni, and print It iis s-olid. soiier oiiin.ioii.' This is one; of the way's that ,Anglo-.\merloan troubles are created'..; , ;,';.. ,'^\'ell. t.o c()n,'lihuc. • ■ Fifteen American Failures t);" Uon-nuisieal i)lays'written by AnWrican.s—-ibis includes "Other Men's Wives'' and "'!! i'ark Lane." written by Waller Hackctt, .an Amer- ican, long resilient In England;—no few.er than 15 lost money, four ihade a ]irollt, while the fate of the rest Is uneertain. - \ Thi.-; does^ not.^ouiid like .(.;ood bu.-^iness for Ameiiea, does It? Yes, it dues, bei'Ltuse, in liios l ea- e:<, they soUV England soinf.'lhing tliat England :WouhV not have bo.uirhl'fi'otn her.self. ■. ',,•■■. The worst failures that .camb frohi .A.ni,enca'were '"ili.ullth in Israel,', in which Sybil Thorudikc acted for less than a rorLnti,'ht; "The Spider," whicii ran: for only-a few weeks, after luuciv, pi:(?liniiiiary slioutlhg;', "Gentlemen I'refer Blondes," which was vulgar ,and effete; "'l^he KarUer," which need, not have been brought Over, really, you kno.w;"Tlie Road to Rome" and "Spread Eagle," the first of whicii .wn,s. ppinpou.sly' vulgar and. the second .of wliicli told us things w<- cpuld not believe; and "TI;e Enen>y,'' which w;is reaMy too good n-'itureilly h:irmles.H for m.oro th.ja passing ridicule. Facts About Yankee Imports. ./'Her Cardboard Lov. r," part English .in origin, was really suece;;sful because of Leslie Howard, although the photographs outside still show ; Tallulah Bank.head in all sorts of position on a bed. "The Slcull" was awful, the' bver-b.obsted "Burlcsiiue" created, ho. nnpresslon, at all;"Baby' Cyclone," which, once had two press agents, could, not. even jsiuecooil with Joseph Coyne. As for "Sauce for the Gander," I thought it would run ia long tli.ie, hilt other people found It more vulgar th.'.in I <lJd. They had. not i-..-ad the original before the Cen.sor had it Cut, ..... "Our Little Wife" was perli.'ips the wor.«t American failure of tiie y^ar. It ran foijr or five nights, and poor Avery Ilopwoctd was? found drowned not very long after tliat. He had gone out of England,, yery quietly, the morning after the fiasco and then we heard nothing of hhn until the tragic news came. ;Wo Are Not as Bad afr You 'The Cocoanuts," which wa'sV an-American- huisical comedy, waa a gigantic frost. It ran only a few nights. So was "Marjolalne," which was. another great failure. So was "Top.sy and Eva," which cost the Dunca.ns $50,000;. iSo wa.<?"WiIl o' the WhlsiVer.q," in which Whispering Jhck Smith appeared and ■^^•hich lost §10,000. So was "Good News," which ran -for four months but lo.st-moneys So was "Lady Mary," the music of which was bought In .America. So was "Blue Eyes," which was composed by Jerome Kern. On the other hand, "Clowns In Clover," which was all-Brltl.sh, except for one American song that wa.s soon cut out^ was an enormous .success. So was. "So This U Love," which was all-British except that the rJ.ngllsh composers had to us6 a faked American name at llrst. So' was "That's a Good Gin," which had American music,' but was Otherwise home-made- Cochran's Year of Grace "This Year of Grace" was the best revue done on this side—Charles and George, Robe.y produced the w'orst—but the most profitable musical comedy now' running l3"Virglnia," which has broken till the records lor the Palace theatre except those of "No, No, Nanette" and which was home-made by the Waller and Clayton comblnathm. Waller wrote some of the music to Clayton's old book, because I nagged them Into trying to make things at home. No, You Must Not Brag Do not be. too joyous, though, about the badness of your plays this year. Some of ours were even wor.se. I will hot boast by mentioning their names, but 1 would like to sum up a dreadful theatrical year by saving that. 18 of the London theatres, apparently lost nioney, 14 ap- parently made money, and the other eight or nine finished about even. Nn^ ncnL .star w'as . discovered. Robins Millar, who . virrote"Thunder. in the' Air,'' seemFtTT TiSVcr-lycen' the-only new, playwclKUt. <j£ .tji.^^^^^ because I rank John van-Druten as belonging; to 1027. " . . Let Us Clench Our Javvs Let lis all fo'ru'et l'J2S and, with our high hats on our heads, our Jaws. - lent lied and our chins looking very llooverlsh, face, the lir.s.t-night perils of 10 2D'. . ■ • r Viave only ciUarrelled- with one.new nniahfig''ment since. 1928 started. ,so there are' more riuarrMs awaiting mo, no! doubt; ''Don't-weaken," tcl'^gr.'Jiihed. Joe Coyne on my la.st birthday,. : A "Merry, Morry" .View .Year "MeiTy Merry," an American mu.«ical play^ threatens me in the near, future, tf I can make a face at William M.olllson. when I pass lilin In the .street, perhaps he won-t ask me to that, except that Molly has a iiard heart and Is sure to do so. . ' As I was walking up the llaymarket yesterday, Nick Adams wlsh/Cd me a Merry Chri.'^lm.'is. 1 turned to Frederick Lonsdale, with whom I: had- jiist lunched. . "There you are, Freddie," I said, "an aeior wished me a merry Christmas. But, he waited till It •vvaa over!" I have received s<-veral cables from American managers. I had over 40 Christmas cards from American nctors .nnd actresses. I had scarcelv ojie OMrd from any Phigllsh actor or actress, and I did hot reeelve one =rrr]n<rr-'i:m=-Uora:^^ actress proml.-'e<l to .«end me a Chi l-trn.'is puddln'g, but she' di'fii'"ii^tt-hd="TfrTi-ft^ could not buv any poison. And. by way of endinir, let me ;:;iy that Ame.ijca sont u.-^ clever new aeires.-;es and aetons la.st vear in the per.-onsof Genevieve Tobin, Edna IJibbr rt, Claire T-ue'^, Mary Newcomb, <'laud.;ft<* Crdbert.-Miriam Seegar and Helen Ford. It sent, u."? b.aek, t'.o, Paul Robe-fon. who created the (treatr.-st succes,'-; of any player who apUf.'ir.-d on tho London stage during the entire year. I began to read "Nigger lieaven" last night. . . . Harltm has noHiing on the Ilayinarket. .