Variety (Apr 1930)

Wednesday, April 23, 1930 TIMES SQUARE VARIETY 87 SOCIAL SECS SPLiniNG The Whys of Chi's (lag Town Fixing Linnt Knowmg Chicago, April 22; Cliieago Is a gag because: If you know a ceitain guy you can have a keg of real beer put in your house and the same guy throws in a new beer pump with the first order. If j'ou know a certain guy and own a car you get a big gold plated star for your radiator that lets you hop traffic lights. If you know another mugs you can have a statue of youi'self stuck up anywhere in Grant Park. ■ If you know a Southside boy you can buy "pineapples" very cheap. If you know another Looper and own property, they'll clean the gar- bage can daily. If you know two oC tliese guys at the same time you can have the alley back of your house paved gratis. And if you know all these guys for over three .months you know too much. Then it's dangerous. 7-YR.-0LD GIRL ACCUSES ENGUSH ACTOR, CULLUM Charles Culhim, 32, actor, said to be with the road company of "Journey's End," was held for trial in Special Sessions on a charge made by Rita Carroll, 7, of 441 West 45th street. Cullum pleaded not guilty. He waived examination. Bail was furnished by Bob Furst, surety broker. Cullum lives at 131 East 51st street. He w"as arrested by Patrol- man Martin Flannagan of the "West 47th street station. Joseph Mc- Carthy of the Children's Society as- sisted in the prosecution. Assistant District Attorney Max Wieder con- ducted the prosecution. Cullum Is here only a short while from England, It Is said. The child charges that Cullum spoke to her and followed her to her hallway. He is said to have offered her 10 cents to answer certain questions. She began to cry, Cullum set her down, stated Rita. Hita seized Cul- lum's brief case, she alleges and raced upstairs. Cullum, she avers seized the case from her. The following night Cullum was In the neighborhood. Rita was with her grandmother. She told the latter and the cop arrested Cul- lum on the complaint of Mrs. Florence Carroll, the child's mother. Cullum stoutly declares he is in- nocent. He asserted he was not in the neighborhood the night al- leged. When arrested he declared he was on his way to the Pox Film Studio at 55th street and lOlh ave- nue. BABY ROSE MARIE SANG AT MIDNITE IN CAFE Court hangers-on will jam Jef- fer.<3on Market Court this week to Ret a view of Baby Rose Marie, five, wlio will probably accompany her father, Frank Mazetta, 36, salesman, ot 616 East 17th; street, and Bernio <-'ummins, 30, director, of 325 West 45th street who will answer to the charge of permitting a minor to >>ing at a public entertainment. Mazetta and Cummins were sum- moned to Court by Vincent Pi.sarra. superintendent of the Children's So- <'i'-ty, and agent Ch.Trles. Hammond. The Children's Society a.«sert that B.ihy Rose Marie, radio juvenile •songbird, sang at midnight at the Tfi'raVe restaurant, 615 6th'avenue. <.'omplaints had been made about ^^i'by Marie. Pisarra conducted an investigation and charges that Baby Kose Marie sang at a beefsteak at midnight, a violation of the law. ^lagistrate Maurice Gotlicb issued the summons. Mazetta and Cummins were pHroled. They entered pleas of not i^iiilty. It is believed that Baby "!'>.<!f Marie will appear In court. Coast Booze Quotes .Hollywood, April 22. Spring quotations for imported and domestic booze along the Coast and especially in Hollywood, show a decrease of more than 20 percent from prices prevailing three month.-^ ago. Reduction is attributed to an oversupply and an alarming short- age in buyers, particularly in im- ported stock. Current prices for fancy packages In case lots are as follows: Imported Scotch and bourbon 75.00-1 JTS Gordon, Silver Slip- per and S e g a r Evans gin $ 75.00-J 85 Leading brands of champagne $105.00-1125 Cordials ,noO.O0-$U5 Local wines 17.50-$ 35 Northern California . , wines .$ 30.00-$ 35 Bacardi rum $ 85.00 Cuban rum (gal. jugs) ..$ 35.00 Black West. India rum $ 85.00 Synthetic gin .$ 20.00-$ 35 CHAS. LLOYD FREED ON 'FUGITIVE' WARRANT Cliarles Lloyd, 33, salesman, of the Hotel New Yorker was dis- charged in West Side Court by Magistrate Francis X. McQuade. He was arrested on the charge of being a fugitive from justice from Cali- fornia; He denied he <7a3 guilty. Lloyd was at the Hotel New Yorker entertaining friends. When arrested he detached himself from his guests and accompanied the sleuth to the- West 47th street sta- tion. , Detective Neil Winberry arrested Lloyd on a warrant issued by Mu- nicipal Court Justice Louis P. Rus- sell of Hollywood. Wararnt and tele- gram stated complaints had been made to the district attorney of Hollywood by Carl Meyers; Metro- politan Finance Company and the Sun Finance Company and the Hol- lywood Auto Loan Company. The aggregate sum amounted to almost $5,000, Winberry asserted. Lloyd was well known in Holly- wood. He made beaucoup and spent it. Several high powered autos that Lloyd o. k.'d to the finance com- panies were seized by federal offi- cers, supposedly as rum runners. When the cars were seized the fi- nance companies complained they wanted their premiums for the cars. The seizures were made when a fleet of cars allegedly toting rum came in from Mexico, an infonnant told Winberry. Billy Hoberg went on Lloyd's bond. Governor Roosevelt refused to issue a governor's war- rant, and the case was dismissed. GYPS GROWING LAZY ON COAST; SELL MUD Los Angeles, Api-il 22. Latest gag used by gyps for soft dough from tourists is the sale of adobe bricks, supposed to be relics from ancient California Rpani.sh missions. California Landmark Ass'n has received comiilalnts from tourists taken by the racket. All claim that when visiting tho missions they wore approached by a gent claiming he could get a brick from the altar or some other part of'Tlib^^ission. Charge Is from $1 up. Sale is very secretive, with the gyp bringing the brick wrapped In paper. The buyer Is cautioned not to open the pack.ige until he is out of reach of the mission. AVlif>n opened the package reveals an obvion.«ly unused slab of mud. PmiK IVE. AIDES SMIUHHIiim Many Want Little Piece of Any Dough Going Out— Plenty of Opportunities— Social Secretaries. Oft- times Know All—Take Care of Everything AGENTS FIND OUT Agencies booking orchectr«s and talent for aociety events in the Park Avenue sector are annoyed by a mob of lady racketeers. Under the guise of social secretaries to the elite they solicit 10% commission on the grounds of being the power be- hind the social thrones. On a' recent placement one or- chestra agency received phone com- munications from four different social secretaries looking for a cut. It is said that the average party in the upper fashionable tier runs from $10,000 to $15,000 and that the smartly gowned and spoken lady racketeers who pull the strings can chisel themselves around $1,500 through commissions from hotels, florists, caterers, orchestras, boot- leggers and others purveying to such ultra fetes. Experts on Eligibility Social secretaries are Invariably women of Intimate familiarity with the wealthy classes. So chaotic is so-called "society" since the war with its influx of thousands of new millionaires and families of no prev- ious standing that it takes an ex- pert to discreetly Investigate the exact degree of social eligibility. That's where the social sees come in. Their job is to see that the In- vitation list to any big affair has been carefully edited and that the persons Invited have the necessary financial, family and personal pres- tige, to say nothing of good manners. Where it's a question of needing BOO guests at a ball very few host- esses have a personal circle of friends sufficient to fill the big ball- rooms. Hence the pInch-hitters. No secret since the war that people 'are Invited to homes or social events In hotels who have never before met the host or hostess and will not probably meet them again ex- cept at some other big splurge. The unknown guests must be per- sons who will not disgrace the host- ess or ruin the party. Social pilots are responsible for this. Once a society matron is convinced her particular mentor is reliable and knows her stuff, the result is usually an almost complete turning over of all details and authority to the social secretary. The latter fre- quently gets all that can be gotten from the swindle sheet. "Wild Bill," Trouper Ppnsacoln, Fla., April 22. "Wild Bill" Melhorn, pro golfer here a.s head of the Municipal Golf Course, will play a part in an orig- inal musical comedy by Sid Levy to be presented April 20. Just lik^^ Bill, Tllden. A special scpne whii.h will havo Melhorn and Johnny Farrell doing comedy on a stage golf course. It s Melhorn's maiden stage effort al- though he has quite a local rf-p a.« an after dinner itjiMf-r or kiddf-r. Usual Bookie Raid with Usual Freedom After Joe Mulholland (Fingers), wU known "bookie" of 2985 Broadway, whose playground Is on 47th street, east of tile Palace theatre, was seized In a raid together witli 16 other men on the fourth floor of 207 West 48th street. Mulholland and his codcfendanta sought to escape but found detcrtlvoa from Inspector Paddy McCormlck's staff on the Are escape. I The raid was on the hlo'k with ; (he Longaf-re and Ritz thf>atrr-s. IThe actors' (M. 10.-Union) churcli Is close by. The defendants mostly gave their occupations as fllm op'-r- ators or cutters. Raring chnrts and ■ racing ."-hf-ot.^ logetlH-r • with alleged racing slir'.s were foiind. I'hey were tiiken to West 47th Street station house. A professional bondsman arrived «]- most .simultaneously with the prisoners. He balled llie pri.^onei !■:. The cops as usual could not ideniify li;e per.sons making loud nrii.«;es and ihfv wrr*- f)«f<). No-Cover Eateries on B'way with Floor Shows Socking Class Cafes Low-Stake Bridge Vienna, April 9. What is modestly described as the I-'irst International Bridge Tournu- rrient will bo held in connection with the rirst International Bridge Congress ■ in Vienna, June 14-17. Contract bridge is to be played, the cards to be shuffled and, distributed among the teams, and the winners to receive prizes and diplomas. The quality .of Vienna bridge is not, on the whole, very high, but the game is so popular thaf nearly every coffee-hovise has its'bridge room, although the stakes are too low to make it worth while for the ordinary player to concentrate. You will see contract plti^'cd in the house of a wealthy Vienna banker for stakes of 10 groschen, just a little oyer a cent per 100. LADY CUSTOMER OF FINANCE CO. PUNCHED Laurel Miller, petite astrologer, writer and lecturer, 1834 Broadway, appeared in West Side Court with her right eye badly' discolored as a result of a blow delivered by Don- ald Keith Abele, 23, manager of the BMnance Corporation, she said. In the latter's office at 1860 Broadway. Abele denied the charge. He testifled at great length but Magis- trate Earl Smith held him for trial In Special Sessions court. A surety company furnished bail of $C00. Miss Miller narrated that her car had been seized by agents of Abele. She asserted payments were due, and when she offered the finance company the amount due, she said, refused payments. "I went to Abcle's office. Judge," said the astrologer. "I waited and finally he arrived. He said I could get the car if I paid $189. I de- clined and stated that it was pure 'burglary.' With that, Abole punch- ed me in the eye. '.'I couldn't locate a cop. I went to my doctor and he attended my hurt. When I recovered I regis- tered a complaint In the West 68th street station. "In the auto 1 had left $4,000 in gems. They have been stolen, your Honor," asserted MIsa Miller. Abele and his agents denied the theft of the jewels. They claim there was nothing In the car when It was seized. Wltnes.scs bore out Abele that the latter did no punching. FAY GERSHOFF DYING; MIDWIFE 'arrested r:iy rior.shoff, 22, dancer of 432 \'an .SIcklen avenue, Brooklyn, is hovering between lite and. death in fit. Mary's lios)>ltar in Urooklyn as a result of an alleged criminal op- eration performed on hei-, .vlie t(jld detectives, by Mrs. Josei^hlne Was- .sen, 4,''), midwife, ot 42 West !)3d. street. j\Ir.s. Sassen is out on t.'j.fiOO ball. Sh'» pleaded not guilty. J>etectives Torn Brady and James ("otter of We.st lOOtl) .<-ti-eet bun-au arre.sted the midwife following the statement of the dying djtneer. Mrs. Sa.ssen was taken from hf-r liome to We.st lOOlli slre/'t. pfjliee st.'iijrm and u liondsnijui b.'iih-d lier. Mr.«. .Sas.sf-n has been arr.e.sii-d be- fore', but never convietf-d. ' H'-r lin- t'erprint record nhows ti),';t .s)ie has h'-( n arre.sted three tim<;s before on ilie charge (,f lioriiii-idf and dls- (•htjrged. The.se wei-e. alh-gerl f;rim- inal o|)erallotis. On two occa.sions, in addition to the other an-ests, her r'f fird .shows th^t slie was ;irr(st(-(l on tiie eliarK'•-■ of abortion and <))!-:- eli;ii-ged. The deff-ndanl n-fused to make jinv eoinioent about her ar- leM. An entirely now type of niglu lif« habitue has been created and brought to Broadway by the halt dozen no-couvert clubs dotting the stem. The places where a guy and a gal can have a whole evening's fun on a $5 bill and a heck of a time for a sawbuck, having copped the hoi poUoi play away from the chop suey peddlers, are now pro- ceeding to hand out more punish- ment to the Square's expensive places tha.n the yellow peril ever was' capable of delivering. Folks and fogies who never be- fore took part In Broadway's late- at-night life are now getting their first taste of what lt'.-3 all about without straining the poke. "No CoVer Charge" is the hew magic phrase of the Broadway cabaret business. At preifent it's more magnetic.than any personality name a couvert place could pos- sibly hang over its door to attract. A phrase so powerful, the high couvert racket. Is liable, to p.nss out altogether on Broadway from Inat- tention. Nightly Velvet Although every night sc-nis to be velvet for the non-couvert, Satur- day nights provoke a land office biz. Two of the places very nearly emerge from behind the eight ball on Saturday and ride practically clear the rest of the week Last Saturday night In. a spot featuring one of those intentionally nutty floor shows, but two gents in the packed room wore tuxes. Which tells the story of the type and the tripe in a sentence. Flaps and their saps from Brook- lyn, or Jer.sey, who formerly had to stay at home or settle for a Chink Joint on Broadway, are now getting the regular night club stuff for short sugar and having a great, big time. The surroundings are not so classy, but neither are the customers. Beating Class Places The no-couvert places are beating the class clubs In much the manner that the picture houses once trljn- med ' straight vaudeville—giving them as muoh entertainment, pre- senting it more to their liking, charging less and making more through greater mass appeal and heavier turnover. Minimum check in the no-couvcrts is $2 per head. It stands them that whether they take it out in eats and water or not. Two of the no- couverts are giving- them as much nudity on the floor as they ever found In the class places, and all are presenting pop shows that ap-_ peal to the people attending. Meanwhile, the ritzier cotivert cafes, getting quite punchy from the pop priced blows, are losing much trade to Harlem and the East Side, which the hi hats have ap- parently found to be more ex- clusive. They learned the no-couverts are spilling practically the same stuff for comparatively nothing that the browy cabarets were nicking them heavy for—and, anyway, what the masses can have "the set" doesn't want. BULL NECKS OUTMIAW GLOVE BOYS ON COAST Los Angeles, April 22. With the fight biz having a tough time getting by, local promoters are beginning to take notice of wrest- ling; The bull necks are becoming increasingly popular, with a fair mat card now drawing from $25,000 to $32,000 at the Olymlc Auditor- ium. ".Stranglcr I.,€wls and Everett M.'irshal) last week played to $31,- 000, House is scaled at $1 to $3. Wliiit is rated as strictly a mid- western pnslime has caught on here ;)nd Is drawing from all cla.sse.':. Kf'mme patronage has surprised the promoters, with half the houses b«- iiig cornpo.sed of the. weaker ser. 'i'here'.s .'ilwiiys tliC reif-'on that i!ifi« '.s n'iiliing to'do nljhts In this ' ei..r.