Variety (Dec 1929)

ISTAGE Publlahed Weekly at 164 West «th St, N'.w York. N. t.. toy Tartetr. I?<^„ ^nniml •ubscrlpUon.^^^^ cjntj. Bnterad u oecond-clau matter December 38. 1906, at Ue Port Office at New Torlt. N. T.. under the act o( Marcn i. laTi. vqia xcvn. No, 11 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DEGEMBER 25, 1929 64 PAGES American Women Hard-Boled and ; "the New Year will b© launched in a sea of the best llauor any holi- day season to date has ever dipped its nose into, aa a result of quota- tions on the bootleg market drop- ping to a record low. Instead of the usual" 20% rise during the festive period • this ele- xneiit Js - Vubhaerged by the factor ^f ♦'a.b.nity.to pay," now domlhatlng the liquor, indjistry. With Remand just as strong as <9ver, ijf" not greater because of *e- vjactlon. due to much mlseiy emanat- ing from the stock market casualties of late, the bobtleggerp are vending Btuff proportionate with b. r. strings. Most of their-customers were sock- «d in the crash. > The boys in the racket have found It payQ to sell quality Intoxicants. Thus those with scruples are not taking advantage this year, pre ferring to sell on the "ability to pay*' basis. . One '.legger puts It in. this Ian jguaget ''Wbet'e does my'.profit c6m6. In the long run by "cutting" or raising prices, when I know the majority, can't stand/ to pay top prices. A customer Is going to have stuff and if I charge too much no*r, he'll go for the cheap hooch and then lay off me during the rest of the year." - The leggers of genuine goods, or »s they term it, "the McCoy," are accepting a loss compared with the profit they ordinarily get, this holi- day period. Although thie rum runners, were ' at flirst reluctant to admit the stock market" blameable for the following quotations for the begt stiifE; . Gin (ca,3e), $60-$80; (according to Crade).' ; Scotch, same, $65-5^0. ' feacardl, $50-$55; Jamaica Bum, .J55-$60; Rye, same, $75-$90. ". Vermuth, Italian, $70-$75; French |.70-$75; cheap Vermouth, $36-$46; . (Continued on page 45) Accordions for Society ; Society is going in for accordion .playing, now that the sax rage is on the skids. ' An accordion with the piano key board costs from $500 to $700 'or . • more. "The. smaller and more graceful concertaina, almost now forgotten, although once made famous by Joe Cawthorn, runs to about $250, with- out the music dealer^ pushing It as • against the higher, priced accordion. Where at one time music dealers found the demand for accordions only from the Italian youth, the ^ sales at present are as much to the ^ tiS§hlonable"B<icl6r'"bY"New the upper east side. ' • . BIG PRKB FORI JUNGLE BEASTS J ''Mikes" in London, Paris and HoUj^wobd Dec. 2^ - for Par.—-France, Spaini^ Gernuny, Canada foV Tiff, -^ne Every 3 Mos. Wise, Of Wild beasts rated most costly I TIFFANY'S^ FEB. HOUR over here is the North Indian Rhino, caught In the Nepal and Assan. Probably hot more tl^un two In the country—each valued at about $15,- 000. " Approximate wholesale prices on various animald are:. 6rang-outa,n^, $1,200; Borneo tig- er, $800-$l,26o; Malay leopard,.$350; elephahts^ $2,250; hippos, $3,600; pythons, $500-$800; tapirs, $l,000r $1^200; black leopard, $1,600-$1,600; antelope, $300; peacocks, $260. Monkeys are sold in hundred lots, rating about $800, Parrots are sold by, the dozen and run from $60 to $200 for 12. . Among the most rare species of parrots is the great black cockatoo, from New Guina. One is owned by John Wanamaker, who paid $1,000 for the bird. 'Way Up Chicago, Dec. 24. Tall buildings are putting Ice rinks oh the roof along Michigan Blvd. At 333 the rink is 24 stories up, With the sign downstairs stating that Only experienced skaters are allowed on the ice. Inqrartant Chumps Go for New $200 Vtagm Kacket Metropolltajfi . bankers, brokers, manufacturers and business naen are getting mugged at $200 and up per mugg to get that phoney but im- portant feeling. It's a new racket that calls for the slightest dash of vanity in the chump and a salesman who can sell. The photog outfit is represented as a news picture bureau and the money boys are informed the pic- tures wijl be planted in the papers Any spares may. be , distributed to admiring friends and relatives. The photo bureau claims affiliation with all of the large news syndicates and newspaper picture distributors, but without authorization. One concern bas canvassed every big business man on Manhattan, Brooklyn and the other three bor- oughs. It has landed many at $200 and more each. The troupe has a richly furnished suite for Inter- views a.nd such, with a classy stu- dio connected. The muggs can go for the works ^t the joint or get into focus at their own private offices. That's their only break. Annaal Beaut Parade Galveston, Dec. 24. Dispelling doubt that the annual beauty pageant would be held here in 1930, the Boosters Club, backed by one of the largest interests in the city, announced that it would finance the spectacle. This In the event the regular or- ganization decides to quit. Intiernational air hook-ups prom- ise to ' be a big and expensive item in' filirido.nri.'»'outlay for the 1930 ballyhoo. Not only th* big picture' companiev,' but the major independent studies ^are also set to 41*0 the, inter*ocean network. paramount contemplates spehd- ing approximately $80,000 on ether mechanics alone during the ensu- ing year.- - fflrst- of - a series.of about six duo-«ohtlnent entertainments will be- broadcast from • high spots in Europe and - the -United States next" Saturday night- <28)' by Par. Other International • reproductions are scheduled tor -follow at -the rate of one every three •months.- • The IhUial program, coming from Par's theatres ' in • Paris, lioridoh, Chicago, i^ew fork and the Holly- wood studio win cost that company $20,000 jiist for the hookj-ups. Heralded as' ah aerial "salute to the new yeiar, the program will have at the Plaza, Xondqii,' the English comedian, 'Stanley" Liipino, and M. St. Granier^^ French'star, win be the headllner when "the' Paris' mlko Is turned on.at'the Paiumount theatre there. Paramount broadcast the film In- dustry's first International radio en- tertainment With the Maurice Chev- alier- tie-up *rom' Paris several months ago^ The" Columbia net- work, 60 stations, will be in .charge of the reproduction over here. Those In Hollywood who will broadcast this Saturday Include George Bancroft, Charles Rogers, •Mary Brian, Jeanette MacDonald, Cllve Brook, Frederic March, Jack Oakie and Neil Hamilton., Tiffany is progressing with Its plans for a simllair but NBC ether display, tying in Frapce, Spain, Germany and Canada ' with the States tor an hour in February In connection with its picture' version of "Journey's End." ' $145 for Theatre Prospect, O., Dec. 24. W. N. Hatch, of Marlon, O., pur chased the Ohio theatre here for $145^ at sheriff's sale.-. .^ v=^^ Says he will wire the house. ^ His Error! There's a guy running around Broadway with a black eye because he mistook asthma for passion. Balelgh, N; C, Dec. 24. Ts^Ikers huve shattered; -business and prospects for tab companies In more ways than one In these parts. Until this season'a lot circulated in*^ Tarfieella,' moving' by auto, car- rying every thing In a ,grip and play- ing film liouses on percentage. $26 a night cut of . the take for six girls, straight, and a ciomlc considered hot, with $10 being satisfactory. Picture houses, with tillkerB bur- dening them with a big overhead*' comparatively speaking, are. cutting out the "extra • added attractions," and besides can't use their staged for road shows any more;. Talker Installatioris are being made aM cheaply as possible, "with no provi- sion for screen and horns. This Is also making it tough for bookers of shows like Van Arnam's MinstriBls,- leased musicals and -ro- tary stocks. Towns that played films Ave nights a week and siich l,eglt as thejf could pick up have cut out the legit altogether. Since film houses, because of capacity and equipment, have heretofore been, preferred by Elks' minstrels, college-boy plays, etc., amateur, shows have been knocked cold , by ..the new order of things. CATHOLIC CHAPEL CAR TRAVELS, WITH PRIESTS Columbia; S. C„ Dec. 24. . Sho'w business: has given the church anbtLcr ldea>' • To. .reach Roman Catholics in spots without churches and carry on missionary Bervic6s, the diocese of Raleigh, N. -C., has fitted out and consecrated a railroad chapel car, with, traveling nriest. Father Luke, in charge. Has altAr, quarters for priest, etc. - It'S; here all week. Billing and publicity precede its arrival. Credit to the show business Is ad- mitted. . Idea first used in world war, when Roman Catholic chapels followed troops on wheels. Catholics only ones to develop It, it seenis. Social Entertainer Colin Keith-Johnston, the world famous S. A. man of ''Journey's End," was Visited by "Varletyy sobber, who represented the rest 6t "Variety'^" feminine staff and. M / major pbrtioh of the New York feminine world. He didn't know , that he was standing so strong among-the .^IrlSf so she told him sio. "What do you think of American women," the sobber asked, all aflut- tcri At this moment "his wife walk- . ed In. "Oh, darling," said .Mr. Keith-' JolinstOh, "what do I think of Aiaer* lean women'/" ■ . Sobble took It With a heroic . smile. VAmerlcjin Women," Mrs. Kelth- .Johnston Inimediately befean, "aire rather hard-boiled, very much bo compared' to English women; They ■ are so 'v6ry much , more sophlsti-' . oated. It is amajsing. They have none 6t the graelousness of Eng- lish women. They seem to be born old and from their cradles know all about life and sex and what not. "They have a bold push-and-ga manner and are never yourig girls, yet they haven't the Ipolse of Eng-^ llsh girls, From, the Jheadlines in your .papers most of the crimes In your country seem to be perpetra,t- ed by young peoplei. Tbu read about them killing their mother's lover when they should not ieyen know that she has a lovet. 'Atnerlcan girls are amazing crea- Here was English reserve for youi Sobbie lit a cigatet and prayed. Mr.. Keith-Johnston having nod- ded with approval looked for fur- ther enlightenment from bis wife, . "American .Tvomfen," she contln-. lied, "are sort of all'over the place, ley swagger' here, and there and slap each other on the back and . are so utterly self sufficient." "Q yeah,?'* said the sobber weak-- ly, who began to feel like a bobbed- haired bandit just dropping In to shoot up this quiet English couplev. It seems also that American women have a. thirst for culture, but It is only superficial. Being much better off financially through the efforts of their hard working bus- bands they have nothing, to occupy them at home; So they form dubs and societies. But the Keith-John- stons like the American people as a whole and aris overwhelmed fjt their generosity. Mr..K-J doesn't have to play a sax or croon; that marvelous strong jaw is'Just as 'good off the stage, and he looks as Well In a golf suit and a blue sweOiter as he does in a uniform. ^rs. William a. Hyde, "BOcT^^ prominent In New York, goes into, the Central Park Casino for a fort- night starting next week. She sings, Mrs. Hyde married the son of a partner of James, Hayes & Hyde. About 10 years ago, as a lark, she took a small part In a Broadway musical. Harry Rclchenbach arranged the Casino engagement. WISH YOU A Merry ChristmoM and Happy New Year Your CoBtumer the Year 'Round