Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday; December 4/ 1929 L E G I TIM AT E VARIETY 55 London as It Looks By Hannen Swaffer . London, Nov. 22. The usual theatrical slump hit London about last week. Even the Bucceases—"Mr. Cinderg," "Jew Suss;" "First Mrs. Fraser,' "Journey's End" and. "Bitter Sweet"—have all dropped off. The iDomlnlon theatre is not the great success that was thought. "Follow Through," the American musical comedy, which. opened it, has only played Its six w0eks deal, which cost the libraries, who bought the tickets, probably $15,000, and how they have not renewed the deal, but are selling seats on commission at 7%%, Instead of the usual 5%. . The American .boom is over definitely, except so far as the music halls are concerned, and there one of the troubles is that altliough Amer- ican vaudeville artists are hard up for work* on your side, they insist ' <in too much money when they are offered work over here. Lonsdale Writes a Farce ■ "A Cup of Kindness," the Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn farce, is the least successful that comljination have had, and the consequence is that Frederick Lonsdale is to 'write their next^ farce. Hitherto, all the playis have been written by Ben Travers. ■ "The Middle Watch" is doing well* for its. simplehumor, a,lthough tinsulted for the, "States,'which does not .understand, the British Navy, or did not. until- you saw Ramsay MacOqnald, pleases the great ma^s of people here.- . . , . . , ■ "Heat Wave,"- written by Roland Pertwee, lias ifbt been a success. The libraries did iai deal but they have lost money; . ^ J,'.:. ■ ' A Machinf-Mado^ Comedy "Third Time Luckyr" the only adventure of this week, is a bad comedy farce by Arnold Ridley, who wrote "The Ghost Train.? It is a silly story of a piarsdn . who commits a burglary , and is helped by a real burglar who dreiss.es up like: ah archdeacon. You ^an guesa . what that means. The Ardrpssan Players; who won the Belasco Cup in your Com- munity Drama Competition, are doing two or three weeks at the Lyrir, Hammersmith, with the result: that when we called them "amateurs," Sir Nigel. Play fair, who.has staged themi, writes In to say they are not amateui'a because they ai'e now professionals. I suppose they are like tennis, players; amateurs when they want to be, and profess'onals when it "comes t6 charging their hotel bill. Act They Sleep IIABT and MABGABET GIBB America's only, ns^tlve born "Siamese" Twin?. EveryJ)t>dy wants to see them. Week pec. 8, tawtucket, B. L E. A. Vlnsoh In advance. AN ARTHUR KLEIN-TERRY TURNER ATTRACTION. 1660 Broadway. Big Bill Tilden Only Small Bill This reminds me that Big Bill Tilden, who w^is on tour In "I'm Wise,' is not coming into London, after all. One,paper said that Bertie Meyer, who arranged the production, was prouder of this than anything he'd ever done. Then, wlieh I crltized the remark, he said he wasn't. * Whether he was, or not, and would have been. it. is not coming into London. ;j So that's that. They were printing here that Tilden- wais a well-known. .American actor. You may know how true this Is. J do not.' Barred by-^the Manaaement "Art and Mrs. Bottle," in wliich Irene Vanbrugh appeared, and Robert Loraine, and which young Benn Levy wrote, is no good. i have hot seen it owing to a difference of opinion with i the man- agement, who do not like me because I made a harmless Joke ^bout tvori Novello* which . .I would not have made if I had thought it Would have anhoyed them, but readers write me from the provinces to. say that it Is dreadful. • , . I do wish that thege young authors would- ledim the business of .con- Btructing a story. They will not. They prefer to write down silly remarks they hear at dinner tables and call it art. A Bad American Show "A Y;ankee at the Court of King A.rthur" dried up last Saturday, after using outside a poster consisting of an extract from "Truth," whose critic fejt surprised that other critics had spoken so badly &bout it Even this'confession of faith did not save a silly production about which readers still write me saying that it was one of the" most dread- ful things they hia.d ever seen. I am sorry for Harry Pox, whose pleasant smile would disarm the most face-slapped critic who ever lived. Sophie Coming Back Hulbert's new show, "The House That Ja:ck Built/' is not tiie great success that its predecessor, "Clowns in Clover,'" scored. Sophie Tucker Joins this manager next Februaix "I'll smack your face with kisses," she cabled me. . "Dear Love," in which Clayton and Waller built up their home-made material, started slowly but is improving in its attractiveness. .• "The Bachelor Father" has run for two weeks as a commonwealth, but I doubt if ■ it Jias done much moi'e than pay its rent which of course, the first charg;,e. Even "The Calendar,' 'the Edgar Wallace success, has fallen off a good deal. "Canaries Sometimes Sing," Lonsdale tells me, took $11,000 last week. The Sean O'Casey play, "The. Silver Tassie," comes off after live or six weeks, to be followed by "A Symphony in Two Flats," moved from the New theatre because it did .not take, the minimum, $7,000. The truth about. Ivor-Novello is, of course^ that he cannot draw the stalls. Another Tallulah Failure Tallulah's show, "He's Mine," conies off after a month, and is the third out.of her four liast plays which have run for only about four weeks. She has been getting $1,200 a week and is now going to the Palladium for two weeks at $2,500 each. She must get better plays. The present divorce suits of Col and Mi's. Nelson Morris, of Chicago and Paris, fulfill various prophesies hiade In October, 1928, at the time the ' wealthy packer married the the mature French actress. Jane Aubert had been appearing many years In Paris revues. She was favorite at the Moulin Rouge and at night clubs. Last winter at Palm Beach she attracted attention thtough her. ex otic, costumes. Including beach pajamas. Literati A "Literary" Racket One of the llter.iry "experts" lo- cated in New York who "revises and makes saleable" the works of new writers at so much per thousand words, has, .as. assistant and chief worker, a young man who was until rec€>ntly a copy boy on a New York new'spaper. Principal duty of the assistant Is to decide which part of the manuscripts need "revision." Of course, every manuscript heeds some "revision." Might not be a bad Idea for the Authors League-of America, or one or . more of tire sectional writers' organizations to investigate the merits of- the various literary "experts." Some are, of course, reputable and know their business, but the majority play a siicker game. Idea of what the "revision" gag has gotj ten to Is that some typists thfow In "free revision" to" secure typing work. It seems most evierybody is qualified to "revise" stories bv hew writers except the writers tliem-^ selves. from last year's flag contest, the total cost of which was but recent- ly forwarded to Hearst. The stunt cost $160,0)00. The kid Ayinners were given a cruise around the world. A number of contract promotion men are still on the job however. Tough; One to Square - Budding romance of a First Na- tional publicity youth was' blasted Avhen a publishing house in New York, printing the novelization of a First National film, edited , by the a., aedicated the book to "Eye," girl friend of one of the book firm's executives, without the knowledge of. the p. a. ' Now, the author's sweetie won't, talk to him. Leaaat Burk Syiuon, general stage, man- ager for David Belasco, has rehtec: an.apartmeht at 60 West 67th street Sir Guy Standing has leased at the Buchanan, 1&6 East 47th street. This actor, who has a sqn, Guy Standing, Jr.-, also an ^ctor, Is the son of 'the late Herbert Standing, actor, and brother, of Wyndham, Herbert and Percy Standing, actbrjs. Sir Guy' was first married to the late Isabelle Urquhart^ and then to Dorothy Hammond, actresses. Mrs. Ethelbert Nevin, widow, of the composer of "The Rosary" and other musical classics, has leased an apartment at 136 East 64th street. Her son, Ethelbert Paul Nevin, married Jennie I^assett, sis- ter of Jay Fassett, actor. RolJ Roy Converse hals leaded >,t 277 Park avenue. He recently married Eve- lyn Spaulding, who was the fourth wife to divorce Preston Gibson, Society playwright. Ad Commission Hearing Final arguments before the^Fed eral Trade Commission as to whether ,or not the 15% commis slpn almost - universally paid by newspapers to agencies-for secur- ing and preparation of advertising copy is ih- restraint of trade, were heard during the' past week in >|Vashington. Case is several years old, as arc most proceedings before the trade commission, and involves the Amer- ican Ass'n of Advertising Agencies, American Newspaper Publishers' Ass'n, Southern Ney^spaper Pub Ushers' Ass'n, Six Point League of New York and American Press Ass'n. Counsel for the commission ar erued the 16% charged is > due to an agreehient between the agencies. "Black, and white lists" were cited. Association counsel told the com- mission the practice was in .exist ence 40 years before the associa tlon was organized. The Manager in Room 13 I will not tell you about "The Woman'in Room 13/' You would not believe it. It took Joe Sacks two years to stage, in the sense that it was two years since his last fiasco, over "The GIWL Ffom Cook's," and then, jyhen Monty. hiarried Gladys. Frazin, . he got Monty to put Up $15,000, to which Gladys had to add $2,900 the flrst Friday of the run, to pay the play's way. Not long'afterwards she had to find $35 to stop one of the tradesmen from removing the furniture from the dressing rooms. Joe Sacks now says he thinks he will retire from the theatre busi- ness. I do not believe It. Hope springs eternal in the human breast/ Thfere are always new backers. There , are. always old plays. There are always husbands or mothers or fathers or somebody who will find! sonle money. Bless the English theatre. > . ' n r arm" to Coast Robert McLaughlin, producer of "The Nut Farm," has taken the play to the Coast. He Is negotiat- ing with Edward Everett Horton to "Star in it. Wallace Ford, originally starred, turned down the Coast proposition and -vyill go Into vaude. ' NO "EliACK SHEEP'^ "Black Sheep" folded in rehearsal this week when Irving Bierbauer, producer, was unable to post Equity bond. Bierbauer had lined up his cast on a salary basis and later tried to have the mob sign waivpr.s. Equity advised against it. Mildred Richardson Mildred Richardson, last in "No, No, Nannette," is suing for a 'di- vorce from Walter J. Hill, youngest son of the late Janies J. Hill, multi- millionaire railroad builder. Daugh- ter of W. Earl Richardson, of Sas- katch^an, and Mrs. C. R. Meyers, of New'York, her first husband was Wilha-m C. Schrode, former stage manager of "The Follies." Hill was first divorced by Dorothy Barrows, by whom he had a daughter, and then by the former Mrs. Paulihe GlUlson, mother of twoGiljlson children. Her sister married Wal- ter's brother, James N. Hill. Walter was once sued by Frank M. Gottlob, of Chicago, charging alienation of his wife's affectio'ns, and also by Mrs. Gottlob, charging breach - of - promise. Hearst^a Rig. Cut. The promotion department \ for Hearst's string of newspapers, ifias been scrapped. W.R. gave instriic tions to cut expenses generally and .the men and departments eliminated will mean a reduction in pay rolls of about 15,000,000 annually. While the general cutting order followed the WaJl street «lump, and decision aneht the promotion , de p)a,rtment appears to hayi^ resulted Princess Alexis Karageorgevltch, who has a beautiful villa at Cannes, This dowager was Abigail. Pank hurst, also an American, and her first husband was named Wright, her second, Pratt. A daughter, Harrlette Wright, divorced Count Alexander .MercatI, and married Baron Emericli von Pflugl. By Mer cat'i she Is the mother, of Count Leonardo MercatI, of New' York, and of Mrs. Michael Arleri, wife of the novelist. Arthur Richman, playwright, is the new president of "the Authors' League. He Was sensationally dU vorced by. Madeleine Marshall, atct- ress, who had appeared in sonxe of his plays. . She was aw^ custody of the child. Richman en- Joys going about in society. 2nd Like l8t Reports from Paris suggest that the Princess Nicholas Karageorge- vltch of Russia is no happier with her second husband than she was with her first. She divorced Dr. George Gllflllen Cochran, Jr., and 1 n=-No vem ber,—1927r--marri ed-f-th Prince,-a cousin of King Alexander of Yugoslavia. * ^ Originally Dorothy Snyder, of Brooklyn, and granddaughter of the late Edwin Allen Cruickshank, mil- lionaire real estate dealer, from whom she inherited $500,000 In 1921, she was formerly on the stage. She is not to be confused with the Cole Porter wrote the music for "Fifty Million Frenchmen." Porter cultivates the smart set. He start- ed writing popular aongs years ago, and then married Linda Lee, from Louisville. She was the. first wife to divorce tlie late E. R. Thonias, mil llonaire sportsman. Sh^ got a big settlement, and later Porter also in- herited a fortune. 'They have long been conspicuous in Paris and the Lido. Europe's Hottest ■ D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatter- ley's Lovers" is the hottest thing in Europe. No ban on that sort of thing over there and no bootleg prices in Paris. Hea^'y' sales among Anlericans, and too bo-la-la for even an elas tic mentality, de.«3plle Its otherwise literary beauty, owing to some of the crass language employed. ■ Ray Gpetz, Etc. A yekr ago some phophesied that E. Ray GOetz would marry Peggy Joyce. When Goetz and Peg were hang- ing^arOuhd-the-New-^ork-nite-clubs together it .suited each of their pur poses at the time. Peggy was'try- ing to air an Englishman, an^ Goetz probably wanted the created talk for his own reason. And suoh pub- licity a,8 followed also was okay for both, especially Peggy, who always wants it and will go after it willy nllly, even if hl.s name i.sn't that. ' Newsboy's Own Biog. Abe Hollander, who says he's the world's greatest newsboy, has writ- ten and is publishing his.own aUto> biography,* Abe claims he has ap- peared In 30 moving pictures, most of them on the Coast, and has been a newsboy; before and between pic- , tUres," for 35 years. Putnam's made Hollander an offer to publish his book, but Abe claims the royalty offer, was too shiall, so he'll publish the book himself. *', Shor: Writing Rush Ghost >Tit.ing. has become so spe- biallzed a craft that. Lincoln Schus- ter, of Simon and Schuster, re« ports, a ghost writer is so busy; h© has hired a ghost; writer for him- self while the second ghost wi'iter Is so hisavily burdened he ^has as- signed the job to" his brother, who has a friend helping him' do the work. ". 3 Writing Names While it's generally knowti by now that L. Adams Beck, writing > person, Is Mrs. E. BartinE^on, who alsp signs her real naniie to some of her books. It's supposed to be a : secret that she Is also Louis Mores- by. Writes BO niuch,, useis three ^ names. .' \ Some , of the pulp mag diemon writers use frona 6 to 8 nom de plumes. . .. Beatty's Record. Try. Jerry Beatty,, who tiirned short story writer nine mohtlis ago after a lapse of 14 years, has sold ll* yams and three articles in that time. With three ihoiiths to go, he Is attempting to better the riecord of Cibrence Buddijigtph Kelland, who had 23 short, stories . to . his credit for 1928. Scenarists' Nisvel Florence Ryerson and Colin Cle- mente, Hollywood scenario writers, are authors of "S6ven Suspects," sleuth yarn, to be published by D. Applieton and Co. v Peggy Reminiscing Peggy Hopkins JoyceVs memolris called, of course, "Men, Marrlag:e and Me," out In February, Macaii- lay Co. Fawcett P. A. ^. R. Sammis, brought east front the Hollywood Office, Is to^ act as publicity an<) editorial. contact for Fa!wcett Publications. Jessie Henderson Is in Hollywood for six months to Write picture fea- tures for the Consolidated Syndicate of Washington, D, C. ■ • . I;. The section in the new "Ency-' clopaedia Brltannlca" on "Ameri-- can Humor," was written by Stephen Lcacock, the, humorist. Leacock, is a Canadian, living in Canada. Fanny Ellsworth, who edits the Western story mags published by Clayton, will also be In charge of "Western Novel Malgazlhe" about to make its appearance, published W the same organIza,tIon. Joshue Garrison has- succeeded the late George BrIggs Jenkins as editor of "Top' Notch Magazine." It is of the Street & Smith group. Dick Hytand^ former foptball star, how husband of Adela Rogers, St. John, Is to be western editor of'' thu Woolworth fan magazine, with offices In Hollywood. His contract With .Fox. €xpir«d, Ben Ames WiiHanis left Hollywood for Boston to resume short story writing. The January Issue of "Motor" will sell for $1.25 a copy, the high- flfjt-price evor as.kod for a copy of-" a mnga/ine onywhere.