Variety (Dec 1929)

60 VARIETY OUTDOORS Wednesday, December 4, lesg GAMES 'GAFFED.1 PNDERSHOW STOPPED MILLER NONCOMMITTAL Pensacola, Fla., Dec. 2. Woi'ld of Pleasure carnival here last week under auspices of the American Legion, wag closed Sat- urday by the sheriff,- charged with operating crooked concessions, gyp- ing and fleecing. Tlxe sheriff found all games "gaffed." The legion up to. this ■ time had received no fUnds and made ar- rangements to attach all the para- phernalia unless paid Saturday night. William Wunder is the owner of the show and. George Marr,. man- ager. Says Nothihg of Report of Possible Sale of 101 to Buchanan With rumors of the sale of 101 Ranch to Fred Buchanan, of Rob- bins Bros. Circus, Za'ck Miller stated Saturday Buchanan had been a visitor In New Tork, but would not say • how far negotiations had gone or If a deal ,is under consider- ation. Itiiller said, he contem- plated enlarging 101 to iO cars next seasbh. Miller aays he has a deal on for two: snaall circuses which if con- summated, would be rebuilt' «,hd put put'by him; . Rumor was he would take over the Cole Bros. Show and frame a lO-car outflt to carry J.ack Hoxie, at present under Miller contract, as the star, and play territory where Hoxie has proven a draw. Another story is that Will iant S. Hart, former western film star, will. be with 101 next season. 101 Bad Indoors Click's Own New Show William Glick contemplates a new" show under his name and manage ment. No statement regarding the present Qlick, - Llnderman - owned Bernardl. Greater ■ Shows, though It Is-rumored Linderman will also take out his <>wn iahow. . ; There has been much contention arotind the Bernardi ShoW ever since its organization. Gliok, Duke Golden pjid Rftlph Smith bought the ehovr after' John Brunen's. death, After a seai^on Golden retired. Fol- lowing the demise of Boyd & Lin- dermaur Llnderman came into the company In 1927. ' This combination continued until last winter, when Ralph Smith withdrew. It is said , much wrangling occur- red,:. : This year . the show went through the season with th«: part' ners at . loggerheads,, and it was general talk even-last spring this 'v^QUld be the last season :under that arrangement. A short tinie-ago-the Piastern Ca.' nadian Exhibition;- Ottawa, contract .was - awarded - to the .joint mange ment of .Glick'{|,nd Linderman of the Bernardi Show. Whether the COU' tract wa,s made to. «ltlier partner ■ peirsonaliy or the Rernardl-Shows, no one knews. The.-parthership of GlIck and Llndermain. still existed the time the contract was made. Lindermaii' was )n New.lTorlt-the past vsreeikTfend,; •but' was reticent when questioned.' Gentry's Live Stock Sold; Jamming Up Financuig Chicago, Dec; 8. Peru capital backed way from the. Cole-Gentry outflt when Andrew .Donaldson sold the live stock of the tiehtfy show at West Baden, Th<fe understanding^ between Floyd King and the Peru boys was. pon&ldsoh would winter the stock for at'lea.St two months.- This was-to be Don- aldson's. contribution. - . ' • After this ex&enslve item the cap. ItaUats were to frame the show to 30 cars and send It out. Selling of the horses and some of the animals upset the plans so far as the Peru bank is concerned. i Donaldson so far has managed to avoid paying any of the advance of the Gentry moneys due. He is now writing letters to the boys telling them how heavy.he is in. Which he says Is the reason he can't pay the summer wages due. St. Louis, Dec. ?. The 101 Ranch show arrived, today to fill a 12-day engagement at the Arena, starting December '6, under auspices. Rumors were afloat that the date might still be cancelled on account of the terrible bloomers played at both Boston and New York. Miller Bros, would have cancelled only for the pride in the name an<l .the reputation of the show on the road. The date served to break the jump from New York to winter quarters in Oklahoma. This will probably be the last Indoor venture of the 101. $25,000 for Dog Chicago, Dec. 3. Ruben Gruberg spent $25,000 here last week to be allowed to have the dog "Silver King" troupe with him next sumnier. Circus Staifs Worry Over Jobs For Next Season Chicago, Dec. S. George Melghan is going to double as general agent for the Sells-Floto and Ringling circuses. This will let out'Jake Newman who. had the post last year. . T. W. Ballenger, for many years general agent for th^ Sparks cir- cus, will again be in charge, while J. C. Donohue will he general agent of the Hagenbeck Wallace Circus. Arthur HoPPer is to remain at the head of the Robinson show, but the Al. G. Barnes Circus has not been set yet, and likely will hang fire until the Ringling forces can acquaint' themselves " with the . man they have in mind. All press departments for these "shows are up in the air.. .Appoint- ments will have to be made through the Ringling oflflce which will prob- ably let down a number o^ the boys. Press agents figured they would have a lookrin if the general agent stayed. Managers back on. shows. are also wondering and will probably do so for at least two inore weeks. Same iB true of the acts and milnor. per- sonnel, which will Include advertis- ing car managers, bosses for va- rious departments, and even work- men. Narrow Margin Qulhcy, m., Deo 3. Marlon County Pair Afls'n'broke even this year—because on the best day it rained. Collected $689 precipitation Insur ance. Obituaiy CHARLES M. MAIGNE Charles M. Malgne, BO, picture ac- tor, scenario writer and director, died Nov. 28 in the Army Hosi>ltal at the Presidio, San Francisco. After a. breakdown and a year of failing health, Mr. Malgne went to a pri- vate hospital In Willets, Cai. He became quite ill of pneunionia and was removed to the hospital. air. Malgne was born In Virginia. He enlisted In the U. S. Cavalry and was a captain In the Boxer upris- ing In the Spanish American war. Later, he was a reporter on the New York "Herald" J-. 1918 he joined the Famous piaye^o Scenario staff at liOng Island, then -became a director. Capt Malgne. went to Hollywood In 1923 and until a year ago was with Famous Players, FN and M- G-M. Two of his latest pictures were "Lovey Mary" (Bessie Love) and "War Paint" (Tim McCoy). - Capt. Malgne was married twice. His second wife, who survives, Is Ann Cornwall, picture actress. He wag burled with military honors at the Presidio. widow and sister, Mrs. J. L. Mack« er, New York. Interment in zeme cemetery. MOtUY ARNOLD Molly Arnold, 66, said to be tha oldest wardrobe woman In Ne^ York and for 80 years with New York productions, died Nov. 20 la' Mlsercordla Hospital, N. Y., of |^ complication of diseases. A brotheii! and sister survive. Miss Arnold started downtown la i;he old days of the Weber & Field* Music Hall. She was with different attractions until she went with George Arliss and was 'with him for years. She was last with the William Harris production of "Abraham LIn» colni" She had also worked for the . Theatre Guild and a number of vaude acts. Inside StufMutdoors VONCEIL VIKING Voncell Viking, who obtained a plctur© engagement by riding horse^ back from New York to Los An-; geles in 120 days on a wager of $26,000, died in Banning, Cal., Dec. 2 of injuries received in an auto accident. . Miss Viking and her sister were motoring from Hollywood to Palm Springs, Cal., and in passing an- other machine sldeswiped It. Miss Viking was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gehrlng, Dexter, N. M., and was an expert horse- woman. At the time Miss Viking reached the coast astride her horse she re- ceived considerable publicity. Ef- forts for- a vaude tour failed but Ted Wells, playing western Alms, placed her In pictures. MERCITA ESMOND Mercita Esmond died Nov. 2? at lier home, 140 Berkeley / places: BrooklyhV Miss Esmond, last ap- peared in "Saturday's Children;" also appeared in ""The Butter and Egg Man," "Dear Brutus," and was with the original "The First Year.'' Miss Esmond is survived by her husband, Dr. Frank Farra Lyns* She was a .member of the Twelfth Night Club and founder of the Wo- man -Who Pays Club. Interment In Woodlawn Cemetery. Indoor Nightmares Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Is the latest to feel the effects of the Indoor circus nightmare. After closing a highly successful outdoor season three Indoor engagements, Boston, New York and St. Loiils wera contracted under auspices., i It Is said the backers of the Boston venture blew $10,- 000. The show played the date under a percentage-guarantee arrange- ment wltl^out profits. Thfe New York Coliseum 10-day stand was even worse. It can be placed lij the'colossal bl6oiner classV Sea:tlhg'ar^^ terrible, light- ing worse, and the heat, ieven worse. It Is reported less than $800 came in ^or one of the night performances. Matinees hrutal. Jack Hoxie, picture' star, appeared at each performance, but as a drawing card total hlank. Losses on the New York engagement will be around $15,000 for the auspices, with the 101 Just breaking. The complete downfall of the winter tour of the Ranch Is not laid to the circus itself. The auspices seemed not to put the push behind the .proposition, promotions were nil, and advance ticket sales nothing. With those in charge of the auspices rank amateurs. May Change So. Dates Chicago, Dec. 3. What looks like a sure bet out of the jam at the International Asso- ciation of Fair and Expo meeting, now In session here, will be the change In dates of some southern fairs. Likely that. Shreyeport will make a switch, as the last few seasons It has been badly clipped by the weather. If this ' goes through it will change the dates of many other ■flouthet-n events so that they will be able to pick up the Sh'rev'cport program!. ■ Buck Jones' Salary Claims Los Angeles, Dec. 3^ Robert Thatcher, fornier .car manager for the Buck Jones Wild West Show, filed salary. claims against Jones with the State Labor Comm., amounting to $226. This brings the total claims against Jones for unpaid salaries to 14,500. A Tough and Tougher Season A, survey of the carnival season just closing develops the remarkable Tact that, not a dozen of the large shows returned to winter quarters Winner. This also goes for a hundred of the smaller ones. During the year 200 carnivals (mostly one rlde-10 joint affairs), paraded around the country, grossed a. lot of money—and still are broke. A rough estimate would place the big show class at-60, with five or more rides, 10 or more shows, and the usual line of concessions. During a season these shows gross millions, to say nothing of the other 150 smaller outfits. Out Of all these millions, year In and year out, the business as a whole Is not profitable. It Is isald there Is not one man ever to leave the carnival business independent'financially. If there Is one, nobody seems to know about It. Carnival paraphernalia Is scattered all over the United States. With .the closing of the present season several nnore shows may stay In tiie barn. But some new ones will open. Every man that gets a ride and a snake show starts a "Greater United." These little outfits usually are short-lived and not counted In the general carnival business. Nearly every street corner In nietropolltan New Jersey and around Chicago last season had a so-called carnival consisting of 10 grift concessions and maybe one or two rides. It Is getting harder every year for the come-on. The "chump*' and the "monkey" have gained about enough, wisdom to lay off the strong joints Or any other kind for that matter. Even the legit concessionaire can hardly make a living. If enough of these shows would go broke It might clean up the business. Enough of them will—^but some yokel who thinks he Is smart will start another. It Is expected 1930 will find possibly 75 less shows opening than In 1929, That is, there are about this number which will he unable to open on their own resources and will probably have to book on some other show or promote another "anjgel." Twenty-five of these will probably make the grade,' leaving 60 less titles operating. If present indications count for anything the boys In the metropolitan area will iiave to do some moving next year as ordinances are being introduce J prohibiting them from operating. Several have already been .PAsaed, .antL in. spmeJiocaUtie3=^the^park^man^ the concessions ax'e concerned. An all-around trend to bar carnivals within municipal limits last summer is expected to continue. Towns by the hundreds are closed to the outfits. Burned and Likes It There Is a tailor made chap who seems to have the carnival complex. It Is rumored, after his many and'expensive experiences, he will again go for a bankroll for a new venture due to. take the road in 1930. For the past six or eight years, he has dabbled. He Is reported as having dumped 40 grand in one show. Still he wants more. BERT KENDRICK Bert Kendrlck, veteran New York theatrical manager, died near Lu- zerne, N. Y., last week, after a two years' Illness. He had been Iden- ified with -show business 20 years and one time cbnhected with Mc- Brlde's ticket agency. When Mr. Kendrlck was taken ill he purchased a small house In the Scandaga Val ley of the» Adirondack . Mountlans and went there In hope of regain Ing hia health, ^r, Kendrlck Is survived by his OUTDOOR SLANTS Penny arcades In metropolitan area reporting good business. Eddie Brenner, I. Sheriff, lE^adore Merson, Mike Zeigler, Charlie Cohen and others will go to Miami for the winter. World .of Pleasure Shows, Wunder owned, Marr managed, is sitting on the sldetracki at Waycroas; Ga, waiting for asslstancei to move Into Pensacola, Fla. Edvvard P. Rahn has been made general agent of the West Wonder Shows. Jack V. Lyie will pilot the L. J Heth Shows In 1930. Was last with the Jones Exposition for short stay, Rubin & Castle. Changes Montgomery, Ala., Dec, 3. Outside of J. C. McCaffrey, the executive staff of tiie Rubin Castle outfits, will be changed in 1930. Placements have not been decided upon. One of the McCaffrey Innovations next year Will he an advance car with a crew of men, run on the circus idea. CARNIVALS (For Current Week (Dec. 2) When Not Otherwise Indicated) Brown's, Sarepta, Ia. Greenburff, Phoenix, Ariz. Miami, Miami. Miller, Bunkle, La. Page, Oeorgetown, 3. C. Rock City, Rome, Oo. 'In liovlny Memorr of » Wonderful Mother MARY NIEMEYER Who paiaed away Dec. 6, 1928 "One yefcr without you; darllhs— Oh, how strange, the world seems now, There's , such a chattge"" Joe Nievneyer very prominent in legitimate, hav^ ing appeared with Weber and Fields^ George Arliss and in "Abraham Lincoln" when it was flrflt pro* duced by William Harris. Her last staire appearance WM with Iiynn Fontanne In vaudeville. MARAJAH (W. R. Martin) W. R, Martin, 53, died Of dlabeten and pneunionia at the Columbua hospital, Chicago, Nov. 27. Mr, Martin had a mind-reading act aild. Waa billed as "Marajah." "Widow, assistant In . act, survives. Burial in Detroit. ALICE WASHBURN Alice Washburn, 68, died In Ost- kosh, Wis., Nov. 29,. after a illness of several years. Miss Washburn was a pioneer film comedienne, as- sodatecj. many; years ago with the Edison company in New York and shared the popularity enjoyed by the late John Bunny. Funeral services for Dr. Raymond T. Keriyon, dentist, and brother of Doris Kenyon. who died Nov. 30. at Ausable Forks, N. T., were post- poned, from Monday until this Thursday (Dec. 6) to ehaljle Miss Kenyon and her husband, Milton Sills, to reach here from the coast. Gertrude Harris (50), . slister of Willlaiffi B. Hart, Jr., theatrlcaV pro- ducer, died In Richmond, Va., Nov. 29. The mother (68) of the Haney Girls (vaude), died in Bayonne, N. J., Nov. 26 of heart trouble. ; The mother of Harvey Watklns (Keith's) died Nov. 29 In New York. The rnothef^ 42, of Betty Boyd died Nov. 28 from injuries received In an automobile accident. The mother (80) of HOmer MasOn (Mason and Keeler) died Nov. 26 In Brooklyn, N. .Y. The father of John C. Flirtn die* Nov. 27 at his home In IlL Baker-iLockwood are trying^ to collect $1,200 from Floyd King or the Cole Bros.' circiw for bills due for canvas. DEATHS ABEOAD Paris, Nov. Anna Von Stranz-Fuhling, man actress, died near Berlin, was the model for Germania 21. . Ger- Sho the effigy on German postage stamps during the Empire. IWarie Schumann, 88, daughter of the famous composer, Robert Schu- mann, died at Interlaken, Switzer- land.