Variety (Mar 1929)

SCREEN ^iRIETYs VOL. XCIV. No. 8 Pnbllahed Weeldr at 1(4 Wot 41th St., N«w Tork. M. T„ %r VrntUAj. Ina Aoniul aabacriptloa. «M. Slncto oopln, t( o«Bt« Bpt>r»d >■ —oond-cU— matter Dccombor tt. %X th» Pet Oao» »t New Tork. N. T.. nodar th» act ot Mwoh I, lITt. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY. MARCH 6, 1929 64 PAGES LEGITS gy s Nfte (M Dead Loss Weekly Runs from $5,000 to $10,000-No Out A matter of pride, In a desire to put over the Zlegfeld MIdnlte Prollc, la probably coatlns Zlggy and hlB aasoolates (DUUngham- Erlanger) In the property, a matter ot from $6,000 to $10,000 weekly. This Is a dead loss. Flgtired out (or talent alone the salary nut Is upwards of $12,000, while the roof at absolute ceipaclty six nights out ot the week (no Sunday shows) cannot exc^ $12,680 in couvers. JSven If Zlggy gets a nice cut on the kitchen which John and f^Hsto are handling there couldnt be enough to pay oft the incidental ' expenses. And, of course, no nlte dab does absolute capacity six days ; ^at ot six: certainly not In a 340- [ .people room. ^/.-f^gnrtng Paul Whiteman at $6,000 pfanly charged oft to the Roof—not { OOimtlng his doubling salary into jVeie. downstairs theatre In "Whoopee" ' —and $2,000 for Maurice Chevalier, f $8,000. Twenty glrla at $60 la $1,200 \ more and six special beauts at $76 '.Adds on another $450; total now :.4l.e60. Charlotte Ay res and her ^liiee adagio partners in a terp act «ie probably getting a grand, mak- ' tag it $10,400. Helen Morgan at $4M; UlUan Roth at $160 to $200: the Duncan Sisters who were there at $1,800. make It plenty heavy for the gross nut. . Zlggy has six men back-stage, stage manager, two managers, Tetry Rotchford and Percy Thomea. quar- tet of page boys who seat the pa- trons (not the waiters or captain), (Continued on page 48) Advocates Passports For Married Couples at Night Minneapolis, March 6. Mrs. Florence Qravdahl, femme candidate for majror, has announced as part ot her platform a modlfled curfew law ttir married people by which husbands and wives will be required to carry matrimonial pass- ports when away from homo at night. Mrs. Gravdahl declares that if she Is elected mayor traffic poUce- inen will be directed to Investigate automobiles containing men and Women and to ari-est on dls«rderly charges the occupants of such ma- chines who do not produce mar- riage certlflcatea, showing they are man and wife, or, in lieu thereof, provide a satisfactory explanation tor their presence together. Same Procerture. she asscrta, would be ^tarried out In the nlprht clubs and ■Motels. Minneapolis St.ir, in an editorial. .^flegeste couples discovered out ■fter sundown could be tagged and ••nt to Mayor Gravdahl for "a -JOod tali<lng to—or something." lb HARLEM'S NEW DANCE A now danco Ims hit Harlem la- beled -Tiglit Lilie ThiH." About the only way negro pro- tesfilon.iln label the new routine is. Ju.st one of those old-time down- nome (South) things." Japan TeHs 'Em Following la an exact copy of a card Issued to English speaking tourists driving through Japan. It la headed, "Rules of the Road In Japan": At the rise of the hand of policeman, stop rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him. When a passenger of the foot hove In sight, tootle the horn; trumpet to him melodi- ously at first. It he stUl ob- stacles your passage, tootle him with vigour and express by word ot the mouth the warnlitg "Hi, Hi." Beware of the wandering horse that he shall not take fright aa you pass him. Do not explode the exhaust box at him. Go soothingly by, or stop by the roadside till he pass away. Give big space to the festive dog that makes sport in the roadway. Avoid entanglement of the dog with your wheel- spokes. Go soothingly on the grease- mud aa there lurk the skid demon. Press the brake of the foot as you roll around the cor- ners to save the collapse and tie-up. Studios Keep Visitors Out Los Angeles, Marcli 6. Witli tiie tourist season at Its height and countiesa vi.iltors be- sieging the picture studios with letters of influence from every source seeking visiting courtesies, the Fox studios as well as other large producing plants are placing a general stop order on all visitors. This order Is so rigid guards are placed at the entrance of each stage, making It Impossible for outsiders to enter without special dispensa- tion from studio executives. Pleasant Tie-nps At Kellii's .VUmoiial (vaudfllm) the comforts of home aro obtain- able, and ertl on tlio hou.sc. Through tie-ups the loc.ni theatre Is serving Old Gold cigarets. Beech- nut coffee and Menthol Life Savers. HEOBO ABT THEATRE Harlem black belt 1ms its first ait theatre. Organization is called Harlem Little Art Theatre CJuiid. which will open tlie Harlem Little Art Theatre around Ai)rll 1. Tlay- house is at 612 Lenox avenue. Whitney and Tutt. colored show- men, aie behind the venture and declaie there will be no color line THEATRES IN RED FOil FIRST TIME Poorest Season in 8 Years Maintains Bad Gait — Houses Continue Dark- Only Sqiash Hits Stood Up Last Week Colored Voodoo Doctors Can K(«p Landlord Away wth a Front Yard NO MORE GUARANTEES Legit business last week on Broadway dropped aa much aa 60 per cent from the gross levels of the previous week, which was high- lighted by Washington's Birthday. It la aeasonal for a slump to occur Immediately after Feb. 22 ^nd has been acute up to March 16, the first federal Income tax date, in other yeara. But for the bualness dec^ne td be aa violent as that ot last week is a record. Only flash hits stood up. Bad weather made things worse. Loud squawks from the brokers. A tip-off on the worst season In eight years is had from the oper- ating loss chalked up by a number of j^roadway theatres. A number -of' theatres are in the red upward ot $30,000 to date alnce Labor Day. Some may recoup with a lucky break In booking. Heretofore legit theatres on Broadway have made money almoat without exception, even with mediocre attractions. Guarantees protected the theatres in past seasons, but never before have there been so many houses untenated and guarantees have not been as prevalent. The theatres had to take a chance along with the producers. It was reported some weeks ago (Continued on page 60) COLLEGE BOYS FORCED INTO PEHICOATS College boys from Columbia Uni- versity are shaving legs, arms and whiskers, preparing to don skirts and shake a hip or two for dear old Alma Mater at the musical extrava- ganza called "Oh, Hector!" which will hold forth at the Waldorf March 6-9. The boys took their flnlahing lesaons in makeup last week from a couple of chorus girls. The collego spirit is such that these lads, some of whom naturally shrink from the Idea of appearing in feminine guise as chorus gals, are prepared to brave the wrath and disdain even of their loved ones. The roll call was Issued and the unlucky ones have to do It. In many instances, it has been learned from hoys who have been affected, girls (Continued on page 66) STRONG FOS ASTROLOOEBS The Broadway mob is giving the astrologers a great break these days. They picked up the faoro- Bcope reading gag fi%m the fashionable east stdera who de- veloped the Togue thla past winter. Aa a result, the as- trologer market Is bulUah at 10 bucks a reading. All-Indian Band Will Tour Vande for R-K-0 Washington, March 6. First tour of an orchestra com- posed entirely of American Indiana was launched here last night a« a feature of the Inaugural charity ball. Gathered together at the U. S. In,- dlan reservation In Oklahoma, com- bination la led by Nasato Shuna- tona, Carlisle graduate and athlete. He is a composer, trombone soloist, dancer and a Pawnee. A Chbc.taw Indian maiden, Princess Palahkl, la the pianist ot the orchestra. She ia a soprano and ia related to the first governor ot the State ot Oklahoma. Featured soloist is Chief Roaring Thunder, a basisi-barltone with some reputation on- an International basis. He waa educated both. here and abroad, studying In various musical conservatories. A Chippewa. There are 16 different trlbA rep- resented in the orchestra. Cherokee nation has a woman tuba player as Its repreaentatlve. Male quartet 'Is also featured, the men doubling on the instruments. Band has been booked by Keith's, opening O. O. H., Philadelphia, last half this week, Hippodrome, New York, to follow. Nite Club Gal Spoofs Earnest Harvard Boys Harvard students have been as- signed to Include night club artists in their interviewing for credit In English. The Harvard Lampoon and Harvard . Crimson, which "cover" Boston theatres, are send- ing reporters to the clubs to secure stories from performers. Phil Johnson and Bill Breck, rep- resenting both papers, were the first scribes to find on their schedule the Club Lido. They interviewed Helen Gray, Broadway night club girl spe- cialty dancer, and the dance team of Tanagra and Leet, favorites in the .Hub city. Miss Gray figured the young men were' "JesfliVff'ftrrd BWve tliewTr plro- ney interview, telling them she was married three times, had four chil- dren and learned to dance in a re- formatory. Later, meeting the man- aging editor ot the Lampoon, she learned the youths were in earnest, and she quickly bad her story re- vised. 1 To be a Harlem Voo^po dootor. la a much better racket tban'being any sort of a downtown fortune tell- . er. Harlem swarms with Voodoo doc- _ tors. In spite of the Tlgllsnce of the ■ police tbe majority of the people In. - Harlem and a good many .outsld* of it .are constantly consultlnp the . witoh doctors and seeklnip the~ aid ; of .their black magic. The Voodoos say they can^. cure t any aliment, foretell. events, give you luck in cards, love, cast flpellB.- over people, take snakes «r oroco- dlles out of your stomach, KlV!^ you charms to keep your' huslwiid at home orkeep ttaei I^ndloril ' from - asking for the. tent,, or. finr .other, thing you want done. -Tlie Toodoo-- oharms are Innumerable. In the perlpr eyei^r. Vo<>do<> .docr tor Is a battle of''ptekled'Ifiiga or. flah which the doptor'clalm^'io.have ' extracted from-the stomBp1i«t (I be-^ wltcbed patient Many dt 'tHe-vice-.: time believe that the Yoodoo- has . aided them in this v.ay, ■ 'i.- When you don't, want-.tbe'landT. : lord to ask for-the rent,'tbe-Tisodoo < gives you a few little' herbs, li'iiey - look .like radishes - and . yon' must'. bury thejn In thevfront yard,-When the landlord Ttklks across, these be becomes "tricked'* «tad forigeita- to ask for the rmt Jf^'thwe'i-noittorti-' yard, the charge. Is, the' sajhe.: It you want your' sv^^^t .to.' come back you are g^Ve'tf Tit :love potion called "goof er .dust"-SprlnWle It on him and he will love^^you forr ' ever. Over enemies the 'X^oodoos will cast evil spelts, bringing ^m to.' destruction. The chumps believe and pay^blgh . <tor ft. They often^belleve thei'- Voo-. doo has tbem under ^ ^pell &hd that they must give' .him anything be (Continued on pag^ 24) ' i- .'5 ' 2 Millionaires at Play Eccentricities of playboy . mil- lionaires find the Brcaidiwiay nig'ht clubs a great outlet. ' One enjoys standing on a chair In the center of the dance spS.ce,'fold- ing hts' hands and bending his head like I/lncoin ; anpther - borrows drumsticks to' bang on a snare. drum; another likes to take from Ave to 10 members of the chorus fov long rides into the country at six a. m. In his limousine; another likes tot sit on the piano and* show that - he ckn toy with a snake ^ without fear; while one chap's delight Is to stand on his head. ,1 BRQQI^ COSTUMES O O -W M .S ,1 N' 1 > 14.37 BVAV. TCLB960 S===AU9 2M6a MSTVIIfW Ta MfNT