Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday, December 25, 1929 V A R I E T Y 43 K«lth'« (M) ifascagno *' ^ . Bay HuHns & Seal Geo K Arthur - Harris'& Badcllffe Flo' BlchardBon (21)' Oolf Flendo Buddell & Donegon ChaB Slim Tlmblln Crwo to flllK ^ sr. PAiJi. ^. Orpheam (SB) ContraV H S Bd. Snoozer Jr . pr«da & Palao© • CUttord & Marion Lee 2 C21) BdBe'4' Mldsets Howard's Ponlea Block & Sully (TWO tO-HII) . • SYBACBfSB Kelth'B (28) - Edna Torrence Go Cardlnl . • Harry Oonley Co, Corlnnft TOto* 6 Gttlenoo . . Thebnit. Vft On*o Co Jaxvl* • *f. Harrison • Bandall '& =Wttt60il Jed JEVtfoWir:^ -'^-^ "Willi* West * McO TACOMA BKO PantaK«B (tS) OddB >'Eild9' Fjrnan & Doris . Saxton ft Farrell Bog«t Tmhoft (Two to flU> za bait (l-S) Qold ft Bay WllBon & Irene (Three to fill) • 2d hftU (26-27) Meehan's -.Does Tom & Dolly Ward Chase & IiaTour Odette Chas & M (One to fill) VANCOUVER Orpheum (28) Qaynor & Byron Fulton' ^ Parker 'Olsen & Johnepn (TWO to nil) (2t) lial Melman Fred Sylvester Ray & Harrison : Dance Fables Ruby Norton WUITK PXAINS iBt half (28-31) 'Ada Kaufman Qirls Roy Bogera . Peter ^Hteglns . •■ ;(T.wp ioMUl) : ;. ' ...,?djhalf (1,-3) Ada. ^plaufman. Qtrls ■ MolttNoHh':.; Peter. Hlgglns 'The Rangers, (One to mi) , 2d halt (26-27) . 'AI7STBAUAN - IrOfTB' Std Marlon (Thrfei.to nil) ■ ■:-m>.^ Tlllla & I.a Bua Corly.. Bums Co ' Beehee Rqbyatte Eddie Parda . F ft J HObert TOBOMXO BtppctdnMie (aS) . Xilazeed Tr . Bogera ft' Wynne , Monica: ft A Skelly- SoottSandera> .... Townsend ft i Boles ^- ■(21).- Barrla. ft ,ClaU»' Byan ft Nobletta. Md Colleglahs Han7. Burns Co KlUuta. Japa . Capll«i 2d half (26-27) Miller Bros 6 CO-B Samle. & E<nit9 .' Jack North . (Two to Ml) Vroetov^s :,lst half ■ Crohln ft'Hart ■WUUe ■West:* McG ■ Broadway .99 (Two ta. mi) ad halt (1-i) Natbal . . Dolan. ft. .Gale galFft Flllard / Dve Toy Daa^erq (One to .mi) , . 2d half (26-27) J ft S, MattlQ Fabor ft Lehr- Kane ft Bills'". Kitchen .BIrats (One to ,mi>. . Capitol . 1st hair:(28-31) • ■•- ' ••' ■ ■ A^a iRCautman Qlrls Mae iQueistelle Bvapa ft A<iains peter Htggins/ (One to' mi) Oipheom .'(SS> Alexander. Olrls Ken Christy Co Healy ft. Cross Block ft SuUy Howard's Ponies r-. •(ai> Palvey Oukr*nB)Er Mash ft Fately Wm ft Joe ManSel Owen MoGlvney The Wager YONKEB8 JSeltb'a ^. . 1st half (28-$l) Gordon ft King^ Danny Duncan Co Pat Henntng Co (Two to fill) 2d half (1-3) Sama'TolC & Sonta Foster Fagan ft C'x Billy Maine Co Ken Murray (One to mt) J Joyce's Horses Harry F Welch ClaHre Vincent ° Co Swartz ft Clifford Night in Spain. . .TdVMGSXiQiWN . ^ Keith's (28) • Lune liOm^., Worth Cheslelgh,.& (ftbbs' lilna BaSQuette Uacry .Howoid ,...(21) Senorlta Alcaniz Chain ft Conroy Junior Durlcin B!ob, Hope Thaiero'B ,.$}lrcui«. raQcbon aiii Marco ATLANTA OA. • Fox; .(«7) •Through Gafetfi X.ewls & Ames Benny •'« 'Western Marvel-' CuBhln^ ft Button Ted- & 'Frances Frank Masters BBmciSGRrF. C?T. Palace (28) ••Sweet Cookies". Bvft M^andel Jones ft.Hull: Roy Loomls Bobbe Thompson MBNVKB. COIX). TalMw^rsnd (S«) "Accordloa!' Idea ■ Burt ft Lehman- Jheo ft Kfitva Nat Spector Mary- Price . Arnold Hartm'an TiONO BRACK West Coast (28) 'Intem^t'nal" Idea' Fredrlco Flores. B Carr ft Mlgnon ' Obaka Boya Market ft Fawn - LOS AN<3BT>BS I'Oew'B State (Z6) "Power" Idea 4 HI Hatters Edison & Gregroryy Qoet2i ft Daffy CharUe ft Nell MiiiWrmcK. WIS. Wiseon^in (27) "Drapes" Idea Frank Melfno Co. Jerome Mann- Dorothy Kelly - JJEW HAVEN CT. Floiace (20) "Speed" Idea Black Cat 4 Cal NOrrls Greyh'ds ^AXCLystVELV DESIGNED GARMENTS FOR GENTLEMEN BEN ROCKE 1632- B>ay. at OOtb St.. N. Y. Cfty ■■Detroit ^v . Fox (27) "HbHywood Girls" Three Gobs Chap Boaelle .tjorrte ftFermlne Miles &-Perle»- • John Vale .. tlUESNO Foic Wilson 2a half (27.2») "Uulforme'' idea Artnand & Perea »uth Hamilton Joy Bros Shore ft Moore . OT. FAU-S, MONT. Grand (3t) •;Art In Taps" Idea Myrtle Gordon KpOney & Gould Al ft Hal Jeanne McDonald Brown ft willa HARTFORD, or. Wat melon Blues" Mammy & Picks ft Mitchell Ted r^clford Southern Stoppers SSH'Y^VOOD •tiiri.'''?;*''"' (^c) J^es KUcks r-iul Man. ooxter 'Webb ft D . Parker ft Mack ; Helen Burke NIAO. 1*1^, N. T. Strand 1st half (26-28), ' "Scr-nl'd Melodies" David Reece ' Sherry .Louise FraYiklln ft Warner Jack'ft-B . Welling Lucille.Iverson Everts ft Lotyry 'OAKI.AND ■• Fox (87) •^et's Protend',' , TlUyou ft Rogers Lyda Robertl Bd Chaney Rita Lane PASAtoiBNA Colorado (28) "Ivories" Idea Alene ft Evans ' Hy Meyer Mary & Pr_Seamoiu -pHHiAbEIiPHlii Fox (27) "Contrasts" Idea Nan Blackatone Gypsy Byrne Bud . ft Elinor CoU Buddy Emmett Serge & R Tembft The Old Timers PORTLAND ORE. Broadway (26) "Idea in Green" Eddie Lambert Moran • ft Weston Pranklyn Record Way Watts ft A SACRAMENTO Nenutor (27) "Black ft Gold" Four Keramys Arnold Grazer Maxine Hamilton Lee WUmot • SAI.BM, .OREGON Elslnore (28) "Jazz Temple" Idea Wally Jackson ■ Nora Schiller Gus. Elmore Sylvia Doree Temple Beauties SAN DIEGO • Fox (26) "Desert" Idea- Ed & Morton Beck. Muriel Stryker Cropley ft Violet Harry Rapes ' Carla Ti)mey Girls SAN FRANCISCO. Fox (28) "Carnival Ruaso" Countess-Sonla ' Alex SheJ-e-Bekefl Russian Sunrise 3 Sam Unfleld Co Doris Nlrley. SEATTLE, WA&n. Fifth Atv. (26) ."Baby Songs" Idea Penny. Pennington Miller A Marx Rose Vg lyda SP'GFIELD, MASS Palace (28) "Gardens" Idea ■ Slate Bros Moffd & Mae Vina Zolle Cllll Nazarro ST. LOUIS MO. Fox (27) "Types" Idea Trade Twins Carlena Diamond Harold Stanton VANCOUV'B. B. C. Stmnd (27) "Far East" Idea Prank Stever Helen Pachaud M Sanaml Co 2 Jacks ft 2 Queens Ruth Kadamatsu Joan Hardcafitle WASII'GTON. D. C. Fox (37) "Jazz Buccaneers" Emillc & Romalne Chas Brugge Eddie Ray Helen Warner- La Petite Marie WATERBUKY CT. Pnlace (29) "Dance Moods" Exposition Pour G\i3 Mulcay . Betty Mooney Ramon Caldwell ■ WRC>!>T'R, MASS. Palace (28) "Jazz Cinderella" Moe Usher Roy Rogers James Gaylord Albert Hugo Adair & Stewart Billy Randall Pauline Alport ATI^ANTA Keith's (30) Ryan Sis . .„ Stan Kavanaugh Marlon- WUklnSi^ Conlln & Glass (One to mi) , OHABLOTTB - Orpheam '2d half (2-6) Murd.ook & Mayo Doh Galvin ~ Cotton Pickers' ' ' 8 Forman Sis ' (One to ftll) ■ ■ ' DAXrAB, TEX; : nUJcstle (28^ Saxon Reed ft K Parker Batab Co -ptessler ft Klalss Princess Pat (One to mo . . FT. WORTH, TEX. Majestic (27) Lottie Athert'on liamarr & Bulce' LytelftFant McLallen ft Sardh (One to fill) HOUSTON, TEX, Mojestlo (28) Hont'y Family C Blossom ft- June' Tlngus ft Searle' liYank Dettoe ■Irene Vermillion MIAMI OKLA. OrpbeHm'(S0> Carr Lynn Wheeler ft Morton Texas. Comedy 4 Stop Look Listen -- (One to fill) MIAlVn, OKl^ OiiphcaBi (aA> Sf Clalr Sis ft-O'D' Henry J Kefly ' J Cobb ft S Lowrr; Al ft F Stedman Shuron Durvles.Co OKIAH<niA CITE Orpheum (27) Count BemI Vlcl Co, pothers to fill) SAN ANTONIO MaiesUo (28) Penrialne ft Shelley Kitty Doner Val Harris Co Tom Davles 3 (One to mi) FISHER iuid GIUHORE African Theatres^ Ltd.' ..johaaneabovCt South Africa C!I>'R RAPI]^;.IA. loWa ' 1st half XaSrSilJf Marcus'Show. ..,r- is • 2d hair-(lj4t ,-, . Badger ft. MuesBlei; suite 16 Stanley RoHlckeria. (One to mi)" i^v^svTLi.E, tsay. victory- 2d half (2-4ii Groh Piano Iftbundfl. jack Ftlfie'FolUes (One to mi):. DAVENPORT, lA. • Capitol. . let half (2i>-3t) Cowboy Revels Carl McCuUongh Senna £ Dean 2d iiSlf <l-4)- Marcus Show (Two to fill) DBS MOINES, lA. Orpheuin . > 1st hajlt (?9t31) Bruno Weiss, 3 Cardiff ft Wales Joyce Lando Co . id halt (1t4) Carl McCullpagh Senna & Dean (One to fill).. GR'D RAPIDS, lA. Keith's let half (2»-l> Clayton ft Leonard Chas Kay •. • (Three to mi) 2d half (2-4> Bobby HenshaW U (Two to mi) GREfiN BAT WIS. • Andltorlnm' 2d half ,(2.7-29) . Wilfrid DuBols. ', . Radio Jacks ft Qu'n Whitehead ft Alv'z Dot Myers Co (One- to ml) IND'NAP'jjS, IND. Lyric (U) Powers & Wallace Brltt ft Wood (Three to fill) litNOOI/N, NEB. Stoart (90) Allen Reno Talent ft Merit (One to mi) ' i<6ndon. CAX. lioew'a 1st half (30-1) Freddie Craig Jr Princeton & Renee Mielbdy Mansion 2d half (2-4) Packard ft Dodge Edith Griffith Co . (One to mi) , kLlDisoN, wis; . Orpheum 1st hal£ (2»r.31). Sargent ft Canunlp.'. 4 Cameron s (One to mil . I- " . 2d halt (1^4)' ' Joe Thomas SaJtot^t O'Neal ft MahheriKr. (One to mi) . MiSSITHIS, TENK. Orphenm (28) bpera:va Jazs... Morgan ft Lak;* . - Intemat'l Rhythpi Pauntleroy. ft Van . (One to mi) am.wx'KEis, WIS. Riverside (28) . Max ft Gang Georgle Hunter 'Rose's Midgets (Two *o mi> MINNEAV.. MINN, SeventK St. (28J Larimer ft Hudson Talent ft Merit - Spirit of Minstrelsy (Two to ml) _ NASHV'IJB. .TBNN. Princess (28). Vernon Rathb'm Co Wylle ft Toung Paul -Zocan I^ancers Jack McBrldo Co (Two to mi) ROCKFORD, UX, . Fnlaco. let half (29-31) O'Neal ft Manners. Harry Waiman' Co (Three to fill) ' 2d half (1-4) Sargent ft Cammls 4 CameroiiS (Three to mi) SIOUX OIT^', lA. Orphenm let half (28-31) ... Keyo Takl ft ToUl. Eddie Dale Co Harry HInes _ . Herbert G ft:V (One to mi> . , STTH BEND. rNB. Pa1n4'.e 1st half (29-31) , Joe Freed Co Joe Thomas Saxotet (Three to flll)' 2d half (1-4) pickard & Seal , Corey ft Mann Medley & Dupree Harry Walm^n Co (One to mi> - WINDSOR CAN. Capitol 1st half (30-1) Packard ft Dodgo Edith Griffith Co (One to ma 2d half (9-4V Princeton ft Renee Melody Mansion (One to mi) Stanley-Fabian HOnOKEN N. J. Fabian Ist half (28:31) Toto (Others to mi) 2d half (1-3) Pallenberg's Bears Cun'gh'm & Bennet (Three to fill) PATEItSON, N. . Regent let half (2.S-31) Peplto (Others to fill) 2d half (1-3) Martinet & Crow Eddie Oarr Co (Three to flll) PHITADEUTHIA I The RUatclIes Karle (27) . I Jim the Bear Bartii ft Mann Grace Barrle - ' (One to mi) Great States JOMET ILt- Rlalto 2d half (2-4> Pat : Daly Co Elsa Greenwell Co (One to mi) PEORIA ill: XVUace 1st half (29-31) Medley ft Duprey Pat Daly Co (One to fill) . 2d half (1-4) Polar Pastlriiea Cardiff ft -m'ales Chas' Ray Co Wauk»m;an iix. Genesee 1st half (29-1) Joe Roberts Tom Mnnahan Co (One to fill) 2d half (2-4) Large ft Morgner Lonesome Club (One to mi) Cabarets NEW YORK Gallant's B ft M Johnstoq Elinor Kerr . Cardell Twins Harry Stookwell Hale; Beyer Orch . Casanova Ramon ft Roslta H Rosenthal Bd Club Lido Llbby Holman' Moss -ft Pontaaja Bobby Brook Bd Chateau Madrid Jack White Pat Harslngton Georgia Paine Anthony Trinl Bd Rli^nHia Morton Downer - Bankoff ft. Cannon: Connie Clayton! Abe Lyman Bd ' . €oaBle*s Ian fwan ft Leo azzllps Bich'rdson Leonard rHarper Rv Le Roy Smith . Bd ... Cotton Otab. ■ , Dan Healy Rev . Wells Bryeon ft X Cora La Redd Duke Ellington Bd Everglades l.e Roy Prinz Bew> Eddie Davis T " Fawn ft' Jordan . McCunn Sis Keith Rayne Tlra Kewin Marie, Regan- Joey: Chance Bd Lea AinbossedeurB Clayton, Jackson, Durante £ Bd J'rainkle McCoy Oaltlaind's Terrace Buddy Kennedy . . Will Oakland's Rev Adai WlnstOni \ Peggy Bolton Kay, Green Joe Stora.cy • Rosalie Wynne Dot Crowley. Shirley .• La. Mar Loretta Flushing Mildred Lorralno Landau's Bd . ' ParamoiMit'Hotel DuVal 4 Roy Ingraham Bd > Silver Slipper. Dolores Farrls Beth Miller Vlviaa Hall Ginger Snaps Jeanne Joyce BUly Toy . Jean Wcodward Ben Poltack Bd Tacht iltak Tacht Club Boys , Gwcn Blckai'd Lou Raderman Bd CHICAGO Alatom - ■ Earl. Tucker > ■ Kal Al .Hui i Dale Dyer . Bernlie Adier ■■ Bddle Jackson Bd Amliassadenrs Esther Dumell Thelma> Vlliard Louis Stover Isabell'e Gerhardt ' Jimmy Noone Bd . Bean*' Monde " Joe Lewis '. - tiUllan Barnes .Jean Gall - ' Natale ft Darnals Sol Wagner Bd Blaclc Hawk Coon-Sanders Bd Coffee Dan Prank Shaw Jqhnny Tobin Bd ' College- Inn. Lloyd Huntley Bd Coloslmo '' Jules Albertl Bd Snyder ft Walton ■■ Rose Lane Jean'J6rdon' ' !• Angelo De Soto ' Cotton CInb ' Luclho Venable' Mai AUx Walter Barnes Bd Frolics Jack WaldrOn- Geo, McQueen . Miss Harriett Bdltb Murray Loomla Twins Buddy Howe Louis Sales Bd - Gudcm AUab Caatles . Eddie Clifford Cecil Lehman Babe Payne - Lew Iiewis Bd . Goldeif Pumpkin Al. Reynolds M Sh'erm'ah Bd"" Green Mill T Guinan. ft Gang . 'Mr''Cellar. - ^'Charlie Rose.' Joe Monnone.Bd ' Petrosbka George'-NeWdofT - --• Claude Avrey. Inna -iMIraeVa' AATOfeloft M! Maruslna- Geo stcherban '>Oc BtlkbUifj. ^ Singing ^Walters : Johnny Dodda Bd ' Tenace--Garden Doc Davis Bd ■Triangle Ray Reynolds Jimmy Green Bd • . Turkish > Tillage Freddie - ft His -Parodian-Bd . .Vptown-'Ttllase EddtO' Varzob - Bd WEATHER Washington, Dec. 24. Weather Bureau has furnished ."Variety" with the toliowing fore- cast for week heglimlAg tomorrow (25): * Snow or rain Wednesday and Thursday night or. Friday, . and again iSunday. .... Warmer o-irer eastern' secti'ons and colder In western sections. Wednes- day; colder' In -the eastern and warmer In the : wesitetn, sections Thursday: (26). Friday, Saturday and'.'Sunday temperature' wlir be near normal, but with some variation. .Van Dycke on Own Tom Van .Dycke,: ^-publicity director for Gilbert MlUef . the .past year and a halt is quitting that .post rafter New Tear's to go'into legit produc- ing on Ixls own. Robert Iieud,Br<ad- way pJ a. and formerly handling Max Relnhardt attractions ov6r here for Miller, becomes the latter's new space grabber. . ' '• Van Dycke Is reported' to hiave purchased American rights to an unnamed' German play as UIs first producing venture. Mojiea Finishes Film . Hollywood, Dec. 24; Don Jose Mojica, opera singer, has finished, his -first picture for Fox. He has gone to Pittsburgh, -where he, wil^ give .on e concert before j oin-r, Ing the Chicago Opera. In April Mojica returns to Fox to make additional features. Buffalo .Gayety Change Roy Van is out at the Gayety, Buffalo, as manager and operator. Jacobs, candy concessionist in Buf- falo,, is in charge. . The house formerly played Co- lumbia burlesque, lately stock. Passing Imlie Vaude When New Tear's Day arrives, the gloomiest, most despairing out- look in theatricals Will probably be for the independent vaudeville field. Nowhere else in. all of show b'usi-. ness does 1930 presage such depx-essr ing days. Pessiniism .rules where hot long ago optimism rode high, wide and crooked. indie vaude's only hopes of sur- vival at all, after a hectic, forbid- ding 192S that has all but sapped it entirely, seem to lie in a veritable congeries of possibilities. At best alLare sUm-. . . So debilitated is indie vaude at the end of 1929 the slightest gust of ill wind in 193Q may blow it com- pletely off the map. Indie vaude has been unsible or tooi unresourcef ul to fight back,. so cataclysmic in character has been the "plague" of sound that swooped down and began -wiping stufC off the stage. To this day no one has done anything cpiistructive to iri-^ ject life into indie vaude;- if that could- have been done. The bad- hvy indie bookers ruined it. Lack-of showmanship did the test. Smashinii Indies Xn the spring of 1928 tl^e big push to-.eliminate Indie -va'ude began. It -was at this, time that the talkers began' reaching .the smaller towiSs, with theatres^ • wiring In bunches and drolpping ' vaude ."'when picture salesmen mentioned r^ixtals. „ The> typical indie vaude' theatre* had- been-'Playing, pictures and vaude. getting'thel^ former at a: mod'''' erate cost and using even cheap Independent fllmtr. Including the ■vaude show, the musicians, coat of. picture and all, his overhead was at a figure in most cases,.cohsider- ing everything, where he could keep out of the red. This by cheating: the booker fir^t and the manager ' second. Of tetn- the actor 'stood In. T'alker£i came and along with it I the - shock. The theatre 'owner had 'to -wire up. He didn't know hoyr to hold what business his vaitde had left. ' The vaude—espiecially since.sound shorts were showing up with big stars froiii. tliie : field, at .ch^apei^, prices-—wad the -first ielement-Tto have the cards stacked .against Iti. And . ihe average manager vfaL^ a-jware of the fact that hls 'musI*J cians and \stage ccew: \fexe eatihg. up a lot that wouldn't be- gravy how with' overhea'd as it loooiedi What better than-to cut vaude and by the same stroke eliminate Sjtag^. hands - and musicians? !&|oBt indie theatre o-w^ners did Just thati ' . There are compaxatively ' few- houses in the indie field having large capacities. One'lndle vaudei bo.oker claims there never has -been- ft single $1,000,000 theatre in the field. Overboard! One of the best indie vaude ho;use8 in the east before souiid ient.erecl •the amusement domain Is still using acts but rnay be forced any hiinute to eliminate the policy. The Shoestringer Typical Broadway Legit Shoestring Producer: Attitude ' Is that he has forgotten tnore . than Zlegfeia, Belasco, Cohan;, or, Hammersteia will ever ' kno-w; he's/had fouir or five ; productiohs, 'all flops, but if he .' had'done any of them bis own. • way. Instead of listening to a, :fiock of dumb play doctors thre^ 'w^OTild have been smashes. His next productlph .he'll do using hls. bwn brain orily; boy, ^ hp-VP .be. c^-n pick; ecripts-rhe'.^:' dying to get his hands on a hot pn.e; thia time he wants something smart and risque; . he's, out for class and taking no chances; his eyes are "nearly bumied out of his head," read- ing MSS. . Has only one in mind—some- thing on the order of -"Street Scene," but with more "punch.** Just needs a little fixing here and there,, and if he doesn!t land something better soon, he may use it. ' Will tell you the second act if you'll listen. Then recounts "thr-forttines-nhat^^irav(5^6eii-=^ made on one smash. Telia of the stars he has lined up for his next play. Too bad he is sticking to 16git producing be- cau.se he has an operetta from the German that would be the last word. ' Six a. m., so he beat.s it. Up early, you know. Claim is that ovei'hend since in-< stalling talkers has increased 100%^ While the gross jumped but 20%, Another Indie -which has always paid , well Is now averaging around $10,000 gross a week. The liaude has to-pay between $2,250 and $2,- 500 for talkers. Figuring the cost of its vaude, orchestra, stage cvevr arid general overhead, it is jupt barely getting hy. : Without vaude, though wanted, it might save at least that much and may mean an- other defiection fx'om the ranks of imiie vaude./ Until talker rentals come down, if ever, and until the drawing powef of audible pictures wane, also If ever, indie theatre owners will iii . all . probability • stay ao clear of vaude bills as at . present. But ; when overhead lessens along wltt :the draw oh talkers'and business is slipping a little, it will doubtless be theise same exhibitors who will r:ush for vaude> At. the .height <mC the current seaU ■ son, 30 split -week houses in th« east, as against' more' than. 100 toTr .merly, are In operation. ' In many cases, through pressure on over- head, the approlpriatlohs for the re* nxaining 30 have b^n sadly cut, all l^ut putting the indie. bpoker be^ aide, hlinaelf. trying to get - sh6w« that will stand up. - \ The Indle. ^ bookers have been : largely te blame and stlll_.'are; to i» certain'; extent, even with soundi •well sprquteij all oyelr thfe land. ;'' One of tbeir greatest obstacles In . buying attractions has - been limit on money allowed ior shows'.; An ' ' indie booker would'be allowed, say, '. $1,200 foi- hla show of fiye^acts and: not a nickel mbre. ;. If th^ booker, went over^'ihfft ap^ , propriatioin' he -was hopped on by • the theatre owner. ^^J^7ot infrequent* ' ly the aroused one -went to another agent wha had- been pesterlbg hfiaA<¥| 'for weeks, drilling- honne the^ 8elllnfi!'\ point that' h6 .-was pajrlng far more for .shows received than he.should.' Exhibitor would; flock ' tit> otheif. ageht, who, perhaps ihad shoicm him . fake contracts; where an' aet had - worked for him less than .foi' tlie".. preceding booker- (this Implying • "gyPP^ns; Tjy other tiooKer),' ' Aloog ;' wouJd .cohie ano'thej:. Indie b.boker ' and talk the Indie into making an* -^^, other change. .'He'' -w^blild, an^..^; reventuahy'-lie- -came to the vpolnt .""' where-he-.wag making the rounds of the indie agencies all oyei^' agalh,-''. never staying put Janywhere, - and - • disgruntled-at thI6'/'Vaude.*' / . One ReoutarBobkor. Of, all >be. bookeri^ there' Ijs i>nly : one -who ha» be;en; a stickler tor ■■ appro{iriatI6nd;; tti has:': turned ; down dozens" of houses- that . canie, - to, his doors becatise . the-.owner; ; -would, not ■ allo'nr .him' "sviflielenC', iUoney to btiy a- decent flVe-act ■ show: with. . This indle booker ht^ , . more .split weeks than .any ;ef tlie eight or 10 still In the field. That must be some kind of an.aniswer.'' -Unscrupulous Indle bookers have . also hurt by canceHatlons--nrithout notice,' fiukey' contracts, .stand Ins, . kickbacks, etc. TJliiere have been plenty of cases where acts were promised a certain figure and .paldi ofC less, with squawks abbut it dO^f ■■ Ing no good cafcept' -convin'cirig manager that vaude was a bad thing to handle. , The Indie opera^ tors eventually .became.d^sc'buraged . and d.idn'.t. know, whom to- trust.- Even-ttiose "Who W^re reliable and well established ^ece suspected, ■■■■ They-he>rtr.'gave ;an honest' ahd IndustrloiiS-booker a'chance to shbv^ itvhat he could 'do, dhanglhg'to an-"^ other booker beforife 'the first had -a cfeance to study house,, audience, re-, quicernents, etc,, as some' diligently have tried to'dp,. • . The presentation voguti revived indie vaude a little but only In the; so-called "dump^' after bookers had talked straight film houses into using "presentations.**. They -were notlifng but a couple of stnatl acto;! In other words a meaisly sort of' .- vaude. ;. CHatna Mad* Gaps Although chain acquisition Of;,- maiiy Indle theatfe;]. all over th^'^" country brought a big gap in the tanks, the . bookers do not believe that this alone, kills the field, be-' cause many of the bigger chains have thrown certain houses Into Indle agenofes. ^^Most-uae-vaude only-iWhere^essen««f=^ tial, however, side stopping very name. - Indie vaude may pass out alto^ gether and never return unless, in another form. Ajid that will mean a new era, with ■ little left of the era that no-w doesn't seem to have much farther to go. But before this the gyp Indie .booker must paiss—i ' he has ruined indie vaude and will ruin It again if given the Chance.