Variety (Feb 1929)

Wednesday, February 20, 1929 TIMES SQUARE VARIETY 59 Stories by Jack Conway From 1920, onward, Jack Conway wrote a series of stories appearing i.i Variety, Mo8t^y the stories dealt with baseball and prjre fights, ' laJers and pugs. This series is reprinted weekly. Story below appeared fn Variety of September, 1920. NTG and Flamm About To End Partnership CON WING mum' nwo of Mob Blew In" and Land Fool-Proof Guy Akron, Sept.. 4. Dear Chick: . Two of the nib'b bl6w in here last week with a brand new shake and put It In one of the natives for fi tt y e 1' a n d; They repre-. sehted them^ B e i V e s a a chemists and put UP at the best hotel, let- ting the clerk In on the info tliey had dis- .c 0 V e r e d a chemical that would posi- tively elimi- nate shaving. The clerk,; who Is a first cousin of that bulle- tin board in Times Square, _ immediately cracked to' all the chair lizards and it was all over town in no time. : One of the local Sherlocks.hopped right on them and told them If they tried to peddle any stock in this town he would stock them in the boob and throw the key away. They cum right back and said they was only passln' through and were not sellin' stoclt. . They then offered to give the dick a practical demonstra lion and he agreed. One of th6 g\ays walked out on the sidewalk and grabbed a stiff who needed a shave worse than I need ball players. He took this derelict up to' the room and smeared his pan up with a greenish looking prieparation, and after the guy wiped off his face on a towel he didn't have . any more iiair 6n.lt than the nine ball The copper weiit away convinced, but warned them again about ped dlin' any stocks cialmin' the town had been on Are ever since the war with phoney promoters. In about two hours they got the rise they "were looking for. The manufacturer of the Blam 'Bafety Razot and Soaps called up and asked the boy^ if they would Btep but to his Joint which occupies febout a mile of territory on_the north side of town. They replied that they would be' pleased to. They, went out to this bird's place and he immediately got down to the meat He explained their kind of an in- vention would put the razor and "Boap graft out of business, but also expressed grave doubts that they had any such stuff perfected. They agreed to a test and he sent one of the servants out to dig up some guy that needed a shave. In a. few minutes the flunky cum in with a Bap who looked like the ftfst cousin 'of Lenine. Thqy demo'nstrated and to make a long story longer the finale was , them selling Kid 'Blam the formula. - "He-hadritr-analyzed the next day and it was the works, but by that time the boys were on the cushions homeward bound with enough jack in the right breetch to allow them to winter in Palm Beach* They had the first subject pllanted and, of course, the guy's house, sur- rounded with plants, They rounded up these guys, anticipating just such a phone call and after gettln' each one of their yegs shaved they made them up with phoney whiskers and beards. Of course they gambled that Blam's servant would pick one of their phoneys, otherwise the scheme ,was off.. But they had enough lo'ng haired subjects in the neighborhood ^to make it fifty to one he would walk Into one of theirs. It just goes to prove ^hat as fast as one guy gets a hold of some jack tliere's always a flock of eggs sittin" up late drinkin' coff6e tryin' to figure out a way to take it away fool proof, but naturally believed ■whfit he Saw with his own eyes and was'taken. My ostriches are still bowling alonfj in fourth place and I guess ■w-e still finish .in the. first division^ Cuthbert is .still macing the apple and the other half of the act Isn't a bad infielder either. I think their framin" .some kind of an act for the Avinter, for I ^atch them rehearsing dance stieps and stuff every once In a while. \, ' Oiithbert was ruled off for three days last week for kiddin* one of the umps, but it was worth it to see this big sap . handled right. He- missed a third strike on: CUthie and th6 latter ran to' the bench and grabbed some things he had In a bundle, He ran ^ut to the plate and before the ump was hep to w^ha.t was cbmin* off, my outfielder had stuck a pair of .blue goggles on him, put a flock of lead, pencils in his duke and hiing a sign on him, "I Am Blind." It coat him fifty i)ucks, but 1 got the club to' pay it and it was worth it. Your old. pal,, Con. HIT CHAUFFEUR—$25 Harnett and Friends Messed Up in > : : Speakieasy ■ Gerald Harnett, 40, claim man- ager for the National Surety Com pany and living- at 225 West End Avenue, was fined ?25 pr. five days for punching a taxi chauffeur. Har- riett paid. Harnett and two friends had been at a speak in the district: They left to go home. One pf Harnett coria- panlons remiained ■ at the speak Fearing for his friend's safety, Har- nett returned to fake him away. Harnett stated he rnet with frigid treatment arid feared. lie was to be as^ault^di He directed the chauf- feur to drive him to the Beach Street police station. Harnett's companion was giving contrary directions, said the chauf feur. The cab was proceeding north on Broadway when Harnett punch t ed the chauffeur. Unusual House Dick to Protect Park Centra Women Accuse Each Other—One Is Held Not to . be caught with another Rothstein case is the Park. Cen- tral's reason for taking on a new house dick. This, gentleman, one Keys, is described as haying se- cretly serviced in tlie Capitol, dur- ing the Wilson and . Harding re- gimes. MOre . money for house detecting than has ever been doled out by any Manhattan hotel is being paid Keys, the 56th street hostelry, de- clares. But Keys' is not an ordinary dick. Already, hotel executives say, he has hustled out fiirtatious dames which the hotel sadly admits one time flourished. Nils T. Granlund (NTCJ) and Donald Plamm are not clicking in their recent radio afniiation under NTG Enterprises, Inc. The corpo- ration is to be dissolved. While no argunient has riesiilted, Granlund'a extensive nlte club production ac- tivities, along With his yaudeviiie acts, have minimized his radio asso- ciations. NTG resigned from Loew's to ex- tend his scopis. It was the direct result of Nicholas M. Schenck> as executive head of the coriipany, ob.- jecting •. to Granny's nlte cliib notoriety and general, concerh with the late hour joy caves. Granlund drifted into the nlte club field through his WHN (Loew's Station) .announcements, and the capping climax of the federal procedure against Granlund, who Is out on a .1,000 bond for alleged ".aiding and abetting" in liquor violations; caused Schenck to issue an .ultimatum . to Granlund. He figured Loew's cQuld not suffer publicity of such: illegal association through one of its .as- sociates arid decided Granlund niust either devote hirtiself to Loew's as exploitation nian and quondam radio announcer or stick to the riite club racket entirely, Granlund chose the racket. The afllliation with WMCA, owned by Flanini, resulted, thie latter fig- ured NTG a good name for ether- izing in connection with landirtg riite club accounts for commercial hours, but aside from a few special bariquets which NTG announced as a paid feature, Granlund has been devoting little time to WMCA. Sticking to Revues Graniund also counted . On doing a Broadway colunin for King Feat- ures syndication. That flopped as did Granny's Intferitions to . devote himself to. considerable ma.gazirie writing on matters Broadw;ay and theatrical. Instead, NTG's chief concern has been with his riite club revueis, which he produces on a flat figure. ... NTG is also taking his "kids" to more private parties and. benefits "but holding out for dough for the youngsters, a policy he always ad- hered to, never getting a cut; for kidding the girls Into doing their stuff gratis. ^ . Loew's had been taking a per sorfSl interest in NTG, who was one of Marcus .Loew's favorites. After the founder's deathj unknown to Granlund, they had been saving part of NTG'S salary, which was part of an increase, so that when Granlund left he got about $2,500 from the firm w^lch he knew noth- ing about.. MIAMI By Sam Kopp After, hearing testimony In tho case Of Mrs. Ariel to-. De Witt, bru- net, 30, whose home is in Norfolk, Va., and residing at 535 West Itnd avenue, arraigned on the charge of . stealing a diainond ring valued at $2,400 that fell frC>in the finger of a realtor in the IMzzy Club, 14C West- 56th . street. i)iT;\gistriUe Mo- Kinory announced . tluvt someone was telling .an untruth.. He held the Southern brunot. for trial in. General Sessions. •. .- Arthur' .Is'ewmari, wealthy . con- tractor; and roaUtu- of 125 West 43rd street, said he had hoon at the Dizzy Club with . a party of friends. Airs. DoWitt was at an- other table withMrs. Leah polin, 24, .haf model, of the- Marie Antoi- nette Hotel, and two men. . Mrs. Delin, the .pi-osecutor's wit- ness, stated: that she saw tlve rins fall from the linger of Nownian, Slie acidcd that Mrs. DeAVitt picked it up and showed It to her in the ladies' room. "Look what I found," slio quoted; Mr.< DeWitt said. "I then saw Mrs, DeW.itt place the diamond ring in her stocking,^' said Mrs. Delia. She said she met Mrs., DoWitt at. Connie's Inn- in Harlem. From there they went to the Dizzy Club, she testified. . When the los.swas discovered, Mrs.; DeWitt and Mrs. Delin witli their friends were at a nearby res- taurant. An bincial of the Dizzy Club learried where they had gone The cluli official stated he had been told that one of the giris had picked up the ring. Contradictions v The party was located and Mrs DeWitt handed over her purse to be searched. She then went to the washrooni. Emergirig she ac companled the club official back to the club where a matron searched her. The ring, was not on her. Mrs. Delin volunteered to be searched at the club but the rlrig could not be found. Mrs. DeWitt told the. court that she had seen Mrs. Delin pick up the ring and hide It In her; stocking. That was when the judge concluded someone was monkeying with truth. Mrs. DeWitt was bailed out by Jiririmy Graf, surety bondsman When held she glared at Mrs. Delin Miami Reaoh, Feb. 15. Tlokots for the Friars Kri>lii' at the Oiymplo, >Ha'mi, Fob. 26, are hrinping ?50 for tho first tour rows and box seats are gmng a fast clip, with.Indicatipns.tho sin.^le pcrforin- ahoo will be a sellout. ■ Joe. Cillck i.s here in adyailoe to- soothe the nativi.^s. and dbolded to cut in two-local charities for a share ■ of the gross. Ariidng the Frulioliors . li.stoa to appear are Al .lolsoti. Wiilio Collier, Janios j; Coi'bett,. Walter Kelly* Goorgo -NVhite, Lou HoUz. George Prioo, W. C. Fields, Walter Catlett,; (U'orge Olson, Ted Lewis, .Harry Ro- ;sonllKU. HiiiAS I?aer., Harry Hirsch- fielii, . joo Frisco, .Tan»os Sloriica, .Tark .Lait,! l^ud' Fisher and j.ack Denip.sey. This li.^t is exported to he eonsidcrably added to by those coming down on-' the Jim Corbett .special foi- the .Siuirkoy-Strlhling; nieloo. Most of those -nan-iod .above arc already here and. working to put tho show over in big league style. ■ 13oi-t liihr's VSoriie fun, hey, kid," is the most popular. : expression among the Broadwii5-' jnob that hangs out around - the .Honey i?laza pools dally. "I don't know from nothin' " Is also; gettirig' a big play, along with, "Woil, up and at 'em.'*; The latteiv is Used rnost frequently when glasses .are clinked during the cocktail hour.' John Golden has discovered a Florida cracker whom he is tout- ing as' another Will Itogers. Has also taken an interest in the Burtori-Gari-ett stock at the Tem- ple theatre after witnessing a per-, formarice there of "Turn to th« Right;" . Hangouts Showf.olks hia.Ve made the Rpriey Plaza their headquarters this sea- son. Miami Beach life radiates from there. Yachtsmen favor the Fla- niingo, pololsts the King .Cple and golfers the Nautilus. /I.(ast named three are Carl Fisher enterprises. Three dog tracks are. runnlngr along smoothly, dnawing good I crowds nightly, operating on an oral system with the money on the line In an envelope; paying bfl: on mutuel systerii also in envelopes. Palm Beach ''Wine Tonics" Stopped Los Angeles, Feb. 19. ' City of Glendale (suburb) has followed lead of Long Beach in pro- hibiting sale of wine tonics that test more than one-half of one per cent alcoholic content. Numerous drug stores here and in the nearby towns hayejbe^n scH- ing various \^'wlnes" and' wine" ton- ics, with the buyers reporting they carried a hefty wallop. Several of the brarids are openly advertised as "wines." Reisler People Guilty Mrs. Minnie Reisler; 52,. of 2764 Crescent avenue, and Mrs. Gertrude Kloman, 20, of 1469 Chester avenue, Bronx, wife and daughter of John Reisler, former fight manager and promoter, known as "John the Bar- ber," pleaded guilty to shoplifting in Special Sessions and were each sentenced to 10 days in the work- house. . ■. They had been arrested in Saks' on Jan. 9 for stealing a coat worth ?35. New Park Casino in May Sid Solomon, gen, mgn for the corporation holding the cityls lease -to the Casino' resta;urant in Central Park, will probably open it as an all-new resort during May. Altera- tions now taking place can not be completed before that time. The Park's Casino for nine years had C. F. Zittel as its conductor. He was reciently eased out. N. Y. to P. B. Jean Goldkette. Dr. Jerome Wagner. GABBY, BUT OKE Althougii Arthur Caesar's fox passes in Hollywood are reported numerous by returning scouts, yet his job Is good, for some time.. Winnie Shochan I» reported to have told anxious frlomls li-^re that Taesar was a bit yabby. even for the Fox lot, but is earning his iloimli. , .Palm Beach, Feb; 17. Palm Beach having turned rest cure this season. It Is more than, likely to be the stopping-off place of the Broadwayltes prior to their re turn, north, At least,. shopkeepers arc hoping that will be the case. Miami is 'way in" front of last sea .son, but Palm. Beach is far behind the business peak reached last year. Although the resort hotels are coriifortably filled, tho real spend- ers are elsewhere. Propose Law to Ban Home Brew Materials Mirineapblls, Feb, 19. A bill has heen introduced Into the state legislature designed to end the manufacture of home hrew in Minnesota,. It outlaws . the sale, manufacture and possession of rhalt arid malt liquors and, thus, put out pf business the. numerous malt stores In the Twin Cities. The measure provides a $300 fine, a 90- day sentence or both ats the pen altles. Any person may file a complaint with the attorney-general or any county attorney charging that a person has a stock of malt extract in his po.<j3ession. A court then would issue an order directing Its .seizure. Lewd Photo, Charge William C. Otterson, 27, clerk, 1333 Evorgrf-en avenue, Plalnfifeld, N. J., was held in $n00 bail for trial in .spf-cial Sessions by Magistrate Mc- Kiiiiry in West Side Court, on a pharse of selling lewd pictures, a luunbor of copies of a German mag- azine called Kamera and Palett' wi-ro Pci/pd from r)ttopson's' news stnnd. Miami Beach's main stem looka more like Broadway and 42nd street every day, and will continue that way for at least the next two weeks, according to Indications.. Lou Hoitz grabbed about five geea at the race track arid shimmy table hi.s first day in town, but has given It ail back. Annual. Klwanls benefit for un derprivileged children at the Para mount Wednesday night will have Gebrgle price as nri.c. Others listed to appear are Louise Groody, Doro thy Dalton, Blllie Burke, John Emerson, Murray Smith, Ernie Hoist's orchestra and a flock: of local talent Tickets bring $10 and $15, B;bxea :$2:50" to $2,i000v • Havana Loses Out With everything here;wide open, horses, dogs, jai alal, bars, beaches, a dozen night xjlubs and almost as many game rooms, Havana is riot getting the .same play it enjoyed last year. Basil. Woon, p.a. for Havana, camo over last week to find out what was holding back the crowds. Embassy Ciub, under dii-oction of Frank Ford, is just about the most popular night life resort here, pack- ing them in with a big floor show. I. Mlller'is shoe shop here, under personal attention of the founder;of the theatrical shoe house, is ^ doing the biggest nicrcantile business of Its class here. Shop,: establiHhed . only last sea son, is now better than teri grand ahead of gross at this time laistycar A^-^ullman car.-attached, to the fastest train between New York and Miami is named . "Times Square." Jerome Kern's yacht now In nbrlda waters is called, "Show Boat." In Miami Mr. and Mrsi Jacob Fabian Mr. and Mrs. Walter Reade Julius Cohen Charles Hertzman Joe Kelt Mr, and Mrs. Barney Gerard Mr. arid Mrs. Bert Kalmar Barney Balaban Mr. and Mrs, Stanley Sharpe Mr. and Mrs. M. S. Bentham Ben Hecht ■^Clrarlc?-MeArthTir==--^^- Joe Levy Mr. and Mrs. Dave lie.ntiett Frank Kconey . Gertrude Lawrence Krnest Byfleld Frankie James Girls in Sun I'"'lo Ward, Jean Murray, Martha Mackay and Wanda Stephenson, all of Carroll's "Vanities" are aniong the bathing :beautlcs sunnlrig them- selves dally at the Rorrian Pools. Marie Mu.selle, recently in "Animal Crackers," arid Virginia Ray, ex- "Scandals" looker,; also vacationing. Frances Shelley joins the show at the Deauvine tonight. Helen Groody and Wally Grisharii have been added to the show at the Roman Pools Casino. Others there are Minor and Root, dancers, and a Meyer DavU orchestra under direction of Jo« Itaymond. ^Apology "Frees-Jay—Walker= Miami to N. Juiiilli Andorson Y. After an apology In West Sid» I Court, Miss Margaret Frey, 29, 240 Riverside drive',' was discharged br Magistrate McKiniry. Miss Frey was arrested Feb. 4 ,'it Broadway and 45th street after \nhc had insi.sted upon crossing the street whfn the lights were against 1 her.