Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday, December 26, 1929 V A U D E V I L L E VARIETY 33 CoDege Head Forbids School's Quartet From Theatre s Stage Troy* N. T., Deo. 24. Objecting to th« commercial ex- ploitation of the Rensselaer Poly- technic Institute Quartet, Dr. Palm- ar G. Rlcketts, director o£ the i^m- cm engineering school, forbad© the appearfthc© of thei sinigers on the Btaga of Proctor's, vaudfllm, last week, it had been. arranged to present the quartet as an added attraction to the feature picture of college life. Billing was given to the rah-rah vocalists- and a good- fixed delegation of fellow atudenta •were on hand at the evening pel- formaiice to greet them. .When the manager announced the It, P. I, president had barred the quartet from appearing on the stage, he was greeted with, a typical col- legiate razz. A- portion of the col- lege program was carried out, the boys in the audience singing college aongd and Standing while the. organ played the B. P. I. "Alma Mater." Dr. Riokett3 has clashed with the etudeiit. body- oh several occasions the paflt year, the director seeking to discourage iextra curricula ac- tivities of a frivolous or sensational nature. Makes Good 1-Year-Old Bad Check in Omaha Omaha, Dec 24, Bud Harris, colored (Harris and , Badcllffe), made good on a bad check here and charges were dropped last Week. He w.'.s under a.bond Of ?250 supplied by the Or-, pheum (Kelt'i's) theatre manage- ment and missed ho performances. Ball for Harris after arrest was set . at ?500 but later reduced. . Colored comedian was alleged to have Issued an insufficient funds' check for $100 drawn - on a New Tork bank in Omaha Nov. 3, 1928. CJhieck was Issued to Samuel Van- derhurst and cashed by Otto Mason, the complainant. Mason missed Harris when the : act last played Omaha but grabbed . him this time. BMY MONTGOMERY OUT; TRYING FOR COMEBACK ! Although convicted five times, four for using drugs and once for larceny, Billy Montgomery, vaude- ville, was. given: another chance for a comeback. Monday he appeared for sentence In Special Sessions fol- lowing his plea of guilty to petty larceny. After hearing his story Montgomery was sente^iced to six months In the workhouse, bUt sen- tence was suspended pending good behavior. Montgomery was arrested Dec. 14, after stealing a clock and an over- coat from the store of Franklin Simon. When he came up for sentence Montgomery, although he had been in the Tombs since his arrest was immaculate in his appearance and in contrast to the previous tlrhes he had appeared" before the Justices. He explained his neat and DOUG LEAVITT ©f LEAVITT and LOCKWOOD !n "Hit-Bjta of 1929" Witli Ted Eddy and Band, the Seven Hayden Gloria Girls, Babs Day and Gattison Jones and Elsie Elliott. This week (Dec, 26), Hill Street, Los Angeles. Costumes by Saul Burger Modes, Inc. Direction CHAS. H. ALLEN : No Award Reduction Tough to Tell Vaude Old-Timers Show Parade Has Passed Them PANTAGES'HEART MAY BRING HIM LENIENCY Los Angeles, Dec. 24. Affidavits of eight, physicians that Alexander Pantages has heart dis- ease and further confinement might cause his death will be presented before Superior Court Judge Prickie Dec. 26, when a petition for his re- lease on bail pending- new trial is heard. ' Pantages has lost 65 pounds, it is said, since in jail and convicted on assault charge preferred by Eunice Pringle.. : The court has ruled that there will be no redaction in the $167,500 damage award by a . Westchester healthy appearance to being off thej Coun^ XN. Y.y^ in favor of ^300 Holdout V Chicago, Dec. 24. : , Art Shires, orgianlzed- baseball's nuisance, send the city's latest pub- licity natural, is holding out on BKO. He wants $1,000 for a week at the State-Itake, was of(ered $70.0| and the booking office stood pa:t. The "Great" Shires, since losing his second scrap, has been referee- Ing bouts in the suburbs for $250, and getting It. Shires turned down $150 offered by an ageht Just to put in an appearance at a party. Billy Diamond's Idea was that while Shires was etiU breaking into print on the sports pages, to have the 21-year-old mairathon talker fiing a song or two and strum his Wnjo while the public hooted or jeeried—Just so they paid. ^ EABBY IB£ OOimEGTS Hollywood, Dec. 24. Harry Lee, form6rly of HOey and Lee, has . broken Into the picture racket. He came here to visit his brother, Sammy, last week and was gfabbed by Chuck Reisner for "Hollywood Revue of 1930." Completing this work, he was called to appear in the Buster Kea ton picture now in work. This Is Lee's first screen work. Cook in Col. Film Joe Cook may agree this week Upon a Columbia arrangement for him to appear in the talker version of the .stage show that starred him, *'Rain or Shine." Col has secured the screen rights from thb show's producers, Jones & Gteen. Leo Morrison Is h&.hdlln|f the Cbok «ha Of the d^ai. I Two Mortons Act Sam Morton and Ws da-Ufehter, Kitty, have formed a two-act. They ate now breaking in for Kelth'd. ■tt^--—- Morj;i>h_^^M •Frank Wheeler (Whe6ler and Car ^n) for vaude. They open for Keith's in two weeks. dope. Hungry Jitanita Hansen. Miss Hansen was Severely burned in a shower bath and sued the "llfheatre Zone Realty When Justice Murphy asked the Go. and Lincoln Hotel Properties, actor why he had committed the [Inc, larceny Montgomery explained that broke at the time.; and he was """^^n I Saw the clocks in the | Miss Hansen has turned a deaf ear to all offers of an outside settlement and gone to California window I decided to get one and pawn it. I hadn't eaten In two days and my: landlady threatened to throw me but that night unless I paid my bill. I did get the coat and clock but was caught before I left" the store. It was probably Just as well for I suppose If I had got ten away this time I would have repeated the offense. "I was In tough luck, your Honor award on record in a' Westchester damage suit. CASE POSTPONED Lyons and'Lyons at^tidn against Billy House, coniedlan, to recover $1,00.0 in cQfeninlssion, was t>ostr poned In Municipal Cotirt last , week until March. Delay was mutually agreed tipon PuHed yghts Fail to Stop Evangelistic Singer JackMVville, Fla., Dec. 24. . Jonas Perl berg, manager of the Florida theatre; had a tough time of it Saturday at a midnight bene- fit show. Performance consisted of local volunteers. Including a chil- dren's, choir from, a local orphanage. Figured to do about five _ minutes, the mianagement reckoned without Jack Dew, leader of the chorus and an evangelistic singer. " When Dew got into the orchestra' pit he sent the youngsters, through their tricks, held up the crowd for ah Impromptu collection, and finally soloed himself with a hymn. He told the audience he had seen many of them in the theatre twice a, -week, but never In church, and a little re- ligion Wouldn't hurt, ^[eanwhile, Perlberg, baekstage, had ill the house lights cut off and made vari- ous funny noises, to no avail.' Dew did 27 minutes. because of the absence of J. J. Shu- I had borrowed fR}m alf my friends I bert, who figures as a princiiml in the past and did not like to go| wlth^s8. to thiem again." ^ Jacob LIcliter, probation officer. - Managerial changes in BKO: F. who has handled Montgomery ever H. Macomber, At the Olobe, N. T.; since his .flrat arrest told the court Walter Penney, the BKO-Pantages, he had verified Montgomeify's state- Tacoina,' Wash.; Carl Walker, Or ment th£it he was to bei given an pheiim, San ITrancIsco; ClUC Work, opportunity to make a comeback [ orpheum, Los Angeles, on the stage. Llchter said he had been Informed by William Morris sey, producer, that Montgomery was billed to appear In the former's new revue "Hoboken Hoboes," to open at the Lyric, Hoboken, Friday nlghtl In the same show Frank Tlnney will also try a. comeback Morrlssey informed Lichter that Montgomery had been rehearsing diligently for the past few weeks and had he known of Billy's cir- cumstances, he would have advanced him money, In pronouncing sentence Jus- lO-BAT HUBBT BIVORGED Chicago, Dec. 24. Foi' 10 days Louihe Greene, known. In vaude as Trudle -Strciwbrldgei, and In the '.-Bon John" glxls band, had a husband. Then he disap- peared.. Louiiie was granted a divorce last week from her missinjr mate, Dr. John P» Greeny \ dentist* on grounds of desertion. They wetc wed May 7, 10126, in San Frandspo. Louine hasn't seen her*dentist since the honeymoon. , Riverside Goes 3-a4)ay^^^ And Sliorts-4)iily 2 Big Timers Now A card system reeordinij all that transpires in booking office inter- views with acts has been started by Keith's. Purpose is to have a com- plete record on hand. Keith's interviewer of acts ia Chester Stratton. He talks to an average of 25 a day and is their me- dium for booking direct or gaining attention of the bopkers. His rou- , tine Is to listen'to their stories aitid inform them to return the following day or several days later, after the matter has been taken up with the bookers. If the bookers are interested the act is adviised when to call again. Should the bookers show no inter- est, the act is so informed. A record of the text of his conver- sation with the acts is taken down by Stratton and filed. Copies, are sent to Charlie . Freeman, George Godfrey and Ben Piazza.. According to Stratton, most acts going directly to the booking office are old timers or veteran holdovers from the once thriving small time. All are there in person for action that was not forthcoming through . agents. Percentage of the acta call in person for direct bookings to evade paying agents' commission; Is^ • sm^li, Stratton states. MaJo^^ity jtUriT dissatisfied with resuUQ gained by their agents, or laQk bi repulta, and believe they can do better them- selves. . Past Psrformancss - Many of the old timers trying-the direct route are said to adopt an attitude that Keith's is. obligated to keep them working oh strength ot *l past services. Many who formerly ; found it easy to get by with 12 or 15 Keith weeks every season plus the fill-ins from tM Indies art'i other circuits, now refuse to be convinced that the small time Is no more. It Is difficult and delicate to In- form passe artists who have spent their lives In vaude that vaude ha* passed them; that now there is ho place for them In that show busi- ness. . ■ ■■ Keith's stand Is Ifcarinot afford ta plajr hardly playable turns strictly for sehtlttental reasons and that vaude <)r'KeIthV«aaiuiot be restored : Witt, taleiifc ifli^ ma» f «md to Welg» them do^m^. ahd in iheioittier. light* the :^reel«ht: direction iCelth's ill not .the Qame the old i^tlmers worked tinder. • '. •• ' '--■]. ■ '■ ■ '. >". Split week policy of Six yaude acts, talking shorts, and sound newsreels, three shows a day and tlce Murphy warned the actor tiiat I pop prices, will be experimented if he should appear before them in with by Keith's at the Riverside, the future he would have to serve New York, starting Jan. 4. when the six months in addition to whut the present two-a-day vaude goes he may receive for any future of-I out.. Absence of a feature picture makes the new Keith idea a de- parture from the now standardized combination policy of fiv^ ot ilx ^ ■,. ^ r> rv I acts and films. Belief Of Keith's Charlie F^eman, R-K-O^west^^^^ V ^ ■ ^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ booking chief, ■wm ^1^!!,^^suhjects and nfewsrfeeifi may prove shortly after New Tear s to^ m^^^^ ^ ^^^^^ an initial survey of the cities he i^ | ^j^^^^ fense. Freeman and Coai^t booking. The trip will occupy about four weeks, taking in the Pacific Coast Withdrawal of thfe Rlvfefgldfe from the itralght vaude raiiks leaves but two ftxclusivfely Vaude thfeatres !n the- eotttttpy, thfe iPaiaees in New Ybrk and Chicago, both Keith's* Rlverstde, ftftCfe one o< the most protitable big time vaude houses oh the circuit, has lately been IXOATEIt rOnCY OUT Floater policy, Covering the bag- gage, equipment and personal ef ^ feetB of vaude attlsis, issued the I gj;^^^^^^^ ^igh asr$io",oOO a week Travelers Insurance Co., will be straight vaude bills without get diaeontinuea after Jan. l, afecordlng ^j^^^ ^j^g^ ^yen break, to inrormatiOtt in the N. V. A. club. Straight two^a-day V^ude was re- Policy Is belttgr dropped through L^j^^^ ^jjjg i^o^g^ ligffiprl.ie after lack of interest on the part of the former big timer had been vaudeville people. But 14 persons | vauaflim for about a, year. availed themselves Of the protec- tion during ld28. Shorts completed at WarnerV Markert Threatened titoUywood, Dec. 24. ■ Russell tJ, Markert, staging dances ipr trniversai's "King of Jazz'* (Paul Whltfeman) is resting after slight attack of appendicitis. Operation probably not necessary. Meanwhile production continues. tinder the admiseiori scale now being arawn up for the Riverside's new policy, top . tot orchestra (un* res_ervea) may. bej,s lew as^60 cents at night. T Tiiree-^a-'day Bcheauie Will call for two nightly perforhi Brooklyn Studios last week were Unces and a matinee. An all day Talking It Over," featuring Jack grind is certain for Saturday and Osterman; tiOU Holt* in an untitled Sunday while during the week the shorti Giovanni Manlnelli using theatre may rest between matinees "Celeste. Aida," and "The Ixjve and evening shows. Latter will not Boat," featuring Herman Timberg, affect the number of performances with the cast including Naomi Mor- for acts, ton. Hazel Forbes, Lenl .Stengel. if suoceiNxful, this vAude-short Hilda Moreno, Georgia Payne and policy may be tried in other Keith Virginia Howard. IvaudfilmB. Judgmoit On Goarantee A judgment by default for $1,498 has been filed in the City Court against the Lousam Productions in behalf of Lillian Spear oh the ground that the company coh>* tracted to engage her for vaude> viile, musical' comedy and dra^ matlcs, pay her $06 a week and gave her 26 weekb* w6rk. : She gays she was employed only three weeks and received |14($.26. During the contraot period she earned $60 elsewhere, she said, and sued for $1,386 with interest. Four vaiide and picture house acts have been taken up by Para- mount for talkinr shorts the past Week. Acts are Jeanne Boydell; Agnes iDeMDle, Bert Gordon and George Beatty. BABHY-WHITLEGEV 6H0ETS Emily fiari*y and Orval Whltlege will make three, shorts for Warner's In the east. Duo, routed over RK6, have com- pleted their first short and will do the others while playing New Y ork "datesT" ~ Girls Stage Ktiil^Buei ^ On )FVisc<> Sidewal^ San Francisco; Dec. 24, ; A couple of actre«|ies staged 4 spectacular knife duel on a downij town BideWttllfc early bfte mornlnt last week. Both. Were: booked bjif police and sent jta'th«^ iBmergency Hospital to hav<i their woundi treated. Quar^ltnfir temmes gave their names as Thelma Mitchell, 2$^ dancer, and Mra.^ LeBoj^, Lockwood <"l>oppy") Halhet, 26. A third girt Maid the wad Violet Ro\iriand, name belnsr flctitiouit according to police, and explained the fracas thus: She and the other two gals were walking hbtne from a party in a downtoSvn hotel when her compan- Ibris got into an arguittent. ■ '.^The argument eon tinned for some time," said Miss Rowland, "wh6n sudden- ly Poppy pulled out a knife and at- tacked Thelma, ripping open her leg and arm and inflicting other cuts. Theima fought desperately, finally snatched the knife away and began cutting Poppy." By the time the cops arrived the knife had been lost in the ocuftle. Portland^ Me.t Deal Portland, Me., Deo. 24. A deal Is Ort between owners of the Strand and Public whereby the sale of the Strand to Publix is ex- pected. It's iindorsitood that if PlibJlx Ke- cui-CB thn big playhouse it will be remodelled. Countess' Bad Fall Lob Angeles, t)ee. 24. Countess Laveska fell off a plat- form while doing her act at the Boulevard theatre. She is now In the Roosevelt hos- pital suffering from internal injuries. SETTLE OUT OF COURT Anna Bia lie (Braile and Pallo) will settle her suit against Fannie Schlefter, cab owner, out of Court Ml.«)fl Braile, through her attorr noy, Lou Handih, claimed that last November a cab under the owner- ship of Miss Sdhleffer crashed into her car. »She alleged injuries to back and Hpino which forced her to can- col vaude dates. Ai«ouht of the settlement not known..