Variety (May 1930)

^VARIETY'S" LONDON OFFICE VfXOnnhl CU/Su/ K1I71I7C CABLE ADDRESS: VARIETY, LONDON 8 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square rUKEJijIM OFlUW iXJCtWO Temple Bar 5041-5042 65 LONDON LEGIT SERIOUS DANCER-STOWAWAY MAY BE DEPORTED Galveston, May 13. Fatinia Hayzlnn Petrovlta, 18, is held here by immigration oifflcials with deportation to Antwerp prob- able. She arrived as a stowaway on the American steamer "ICcmaha." A stewai'd concealed the girl on board and, she alleges, promised to marry her. Girl, blonde, says her father was a Russian, her mother E.skimo, and claims she is an American citizen, but her papers were stolen. She describes lierself as a dancer with Hollywood ambitions. A.T.&T.MAKES BUYIN GERMANY ENGLAND'S BOSS POET WORTH $500 A YEAR London, May 13. John MaseAeld, world famous poet and playwright, has won the award of being England's poet laureate, succeeding Robert Bridges, deceased. Appointment Is for life and car- ries with it a salary of |500" a year. Sirabert's Boys London, May 13. Lee Shubert, here for 10 days, has acquired for America "The Man In Possession," current at the Ambas- sador, and "Almost a Honeymoon," at the Garrick. He left Sunday for Paris and thence to Berlin. The Shubert English purchases are to be produced tn the fall on Broadway, with partly English casts, using creators of some of the roles if they are available. Shubert made an offer for Lauril- lard's "Here Comes the Bride,", now running at the Piccadilly theatre. Scale Too High for S.R.O. For Chaliapin in Stockholm Berlin. May 13. An important commercial coup and one which may drive a wedge into the German sound patent monopoly is the indirect purchase by the American Telephone & Tele- graph Co., of a non-Infringing' sound process -which has success-' fully resisted the combination cen- tering on the Tobis group. The International Standard Elec- tric Corp., which represents Amer- ican Tel. & Tel., in Europe through its German subsidiary. Standard Eloctrlcltaets Gescllschoft, has pur- chased control of the Lorenz Radio Co. from the Phillips Radio Co^^ Dutch concern, International is said to have paid 00% more than the price held' by the concern for any native pur- chaser, the Lorenz people who took the position in the negotiations that they were the only important Ber- lin radio manufacturer able to turn out sound reproducing apparatus in opposition to the Telefunken-Tobis- KJangfllm, who together with their licensees constitute a virtual mo- nopoly in Germany. G. E. Quigley of Warner Bros. Is in Berlin awaiting the arrival ot Harry "Warner who is due June 20 to look over the Wamelc" patertt deals from a German legal stand-, point. INDECENT DISCS MAY CAUSE CENSORSHIP London, May 13. There is a strong likelihood that the London authorities will exer- cise supervision over release of talking machine records due to the Importation lately of a considerable' quantity of vu)gar song recordings^ First move probably will be police action against perso'ns exploitinfr this material for indecency. PLENTY SPICE IN 7 PARIS PLAYS Paris, May 13. Last' Paris cables reported a flock of new comedies strangely lacking in the risque element, but this week's budget makes up the differ- ence. Seven new plays produced and several of them have the fami- liar risque flavor. Among them is "Celestin," farce by Jean Kolb and Leon Belieres, at the/Atnbigu, with the main attrac- tion the red nose comedian Tramel in the leading role. He is with- drawn from, considerable film work. 45 MINS. OF PICTURES IN BERLIN'S OPEREnA Berlin, May 13. The world premiere occurred at the State Opera houee here of "Christopher Columbus," music by Darius Milhaud, book by Paul Claude], French . Ambassador to Washington. Work is an operatic novelty with a peculiar mystical treatment of the subject, in 27 scenes. Production has a huge chorus and an epochal feature in 45 minutes of moving pic- tures covering the historical back- ground of the play. Hoert's pro- duction and Kleiber's direction are praised. Theodor Scheidl sings the title role, with Delia Re.inhardt playing Queen Isabella of Spain. MET. SINGER ARRESTED FOR DEBT IN DRESDEN WORST SLUMP YET Ai m miBis Only Four Musicals and Two Non-Musicals in Im- portant Money — Every- thing Else Legit in West End Struggling or in Red —Play Material Scarcer GROSSES LAST WEEK London, May 13. London theatres last week suf- fered the severest slump in years. Only musical shows making money are Cochran's Pavilion revue, "Three Musketeers" at the Drury Lane, "Bitter Sweet" at His Majesty's,' and Clayton & Waller's "Silver Wings" at the Dominion. Only two non-musicals are in the btg money—"The Man in Posses- sion" and "On the Spot." Managers are exhausted with thinking up and publishing alibis. Favorite explanations are weather conditions and that we are now in the tourist season and with no turn- ists. Real reason probably is that America is no longer splurging on musical shows, due to the suprem- acy of talking pictures, and none is available from English sources. Also nothing in the way of promising materia] is coming out on the Con- tinent. Within a few weeks It is pre- dicted half a dozen theatres will be available for rental at pre-war fig- ures, since there are no new attrac- tions in sight. For the present thcr^ are no houses offered. "The Man I Killed" opens May 26 at the Apollo with Robert Loraine in the cast. Loraine Is a sub-tenant of the Apollo playing the attraction on sharing terms because he could not get a rental. "The Damask Rose" closed at the Savoy Saturday (10) about $50,000 in the red. The legit situation is becoming (Continued on page 76) SYDNEY'S BIGGEST HIT IS 'SCANDAL,' REVIVED Sydney, May 13. "Scandal" In revival as a legit stage attraction is grossing the biggest business in Sydney. Playing at the Criterion under Williamson-Talt. Year's Ron in S^ht London, May 13. "The First Mrs. iFraser" is holding Us own at the Haymarket and will piobably run well into the summer. It will complete a year July 2. When it closes, Henry Ainley will appear at the house in "Hamlet," afterward doing a new comedy by f?t. John Ervlne In the .same theatre. Fay Compton^s Hit London, May 13. "The Dishonored Lady" • new at the Playhouse, is a triumph for Fay Compton as an actress. Play, however, is not scriou.'^ly ac- ceptod as a contender for run honors. "Violet," Vienna Draw "Vienna, May 13. KvfOyn • Laye, English mu.sifal f-ouu'dy star, came to "Vienna to wit- ness a performance of Emmerich K.'ilmann's. "The Violet of Mont- martre," with the ptatement that Khe may do it in London. The operetta Is drawing iK'avily hf-rp, in th<? fare of advf^rHe proph- (■y,ion by the reviewers at its pre- n.j'! C'. Stockholf, May 13. Chaliapln sang "Boris Godunov" at the Stockholm Opera Saturday (10) to a great reception. Engagement brilliant, but did not sell but, due to the high scale. AUSTEAIIANS IN EGTFE Cairo, May 13. Joe Brennan and Ida Newton, from distant Australia, arrived here for the Voxy. It's their fir.st appearance in Egypt. Glen Ellyn's Offer London, May 13. Gk'n Ellyn, American in Tommy Armour's "Folle.s Bergerc". revue at the Victoria Palace, has received a South American offer of unusual attractiveness. Eld is for two months' guarantee for Buencs Aires, with a further option at J400 a week, all transpor- tation paid. Nice Americans! Paris, May 13. A most extraordinary triangle, the direct aftermath of an extraor- dinary vicious deml-professlonal circle that has been raising ructions in Paris, has come to pass as gen- erally anticipated. It Involves the daughter of sl showman, supposedly married to a famallar Paris character who kicked his pseudo-wife out in order to take in one-half of a standard vaudeville sister team. All principals arc Amer- icans. The sister act has split as a result, with the other leaving Paris for other parts. The pseudo-wife, who was very friendly with the act, one of whom has riow displaced her. In the meantime developed the narcotic habit and Is In a hospital. It Is one of the most sordid tri- angles around these parts for years and Involves all w. k. characters, w. k. chiefly for their language 'and manners; Sprightly effort was fairly well done. Plot deals with an important government official named Celestin, who delegates a secretary to im- personate him in an official visit to Morocco, while he himself goes into the provinces on an amorous ad- venture. French Raffles Tves Mirande has fashioned a sort of musical comedy piece out of the old best seller "Arsone Lupin" (French version of Raffles"), writ- ten by Maurice Leblanc, while Lat- tee has composed the score. Piece was nicely done at the Bouffes Parlsiens under the title of "Arsene Lupin, Banquier." Lupin, gentleman burglar, is en- gaged in the enterprise of cashing a worthless check for a large amount, but finding the banker he intended to victimize a ruined man, he Impersonates a great financier and by his promises restores the ruined man's confidence in himself, setting him on the way to rehabili- tation. Then Lupin disappears after the banker's pretty niece con- fesses her love. In the cast are Gabin, father and son, Paul' Faivre, Lucien Baroux, Robert Ancelin, Jacqueline Fran- cell and Meg Lemonnier. "Coucou" Return to the stage after a long illness of Charlotte Lyses, marks the production of "Coucou," a com- edy at the Potiniere. More spice here, story having to do with a sentimental maiden who refuses to have anything to do with the man picked for her by doting parents. Instead she deliberately becomes the mistress of a caddish Don Juan, who Is a leader of fashion. She quickly regrets her course, happily marrying the other man, who over- looks her escapade. Name of the play is the heroine's nickname. In cast are Alice Cocea, Renee Astor, Abel Jacquin, Gil Ro- land, Armond Lurville and Mme. Lyses. St. Anthony in Opera Opera de Paris produced Raoul Brunei's three-act mystery play "St. Antoine's Temptation," of the good saint dreaming that he will take the Pope's place. Instead the Pope commands him to do penance by living in the des- ert, where he is tempted by Queen Saba. He is saved when an angel appears and frees him, recognizing that hard work is the great preven- tative for wickedness. Piece has an ambitious score without novelty. "Bitter Sweet's'^ Successor "Bitter Sweet" has been with- drawn from the Apollo after a short run. Jane Marnac has revived the popular comedy "L'Ecole des Co- cottes," which tells of a seamstress becoming a famous demimondaine. Georges LeCompte plays the role Max Dearly created at the Varietes five years ago. Mme. Marnac is the demimondaine. Another revival is Henry Bern- stein's melodrama "Felix" at the Gymnase, replacing "Melo" after an extended run. Bernstein, of course, directs the Gjonnase. Tlie high-brow little Studio des Champs Ely.<ices has changed its bill with "Bocca della Verita,'" three-act piece by Lucien Gennari, which was fairly well received. Comedy is built on the antiquated theme of an artist's wife, jcalou.s of her husband's model, consider- ing taking a lover, but the pair rec- onciled by the pleadings of the so- phisticated husband. In the cast arc Allain Dhurtal. •Mice Dufrene and Hivajn. Dresden, May 13. A local Impresario, claiming a debt of $19,000 against Elizajjeth Rethberg of the New York Metro- politan Opera, caused her arrest as she walked off the stage here fol- lowing a concert. Her share in the receipts had been attached. The songbird was in an evening frock and pleaded not to be sent to jaiL In the end she was saved this experience, permitted to go to a sanitarium under surveillance. She was released the following day upon an arrangement being made with the creditor mana^rer. Stoll Dodges Dividend London, May 13. Stoll Theatres, Corp., created two years ago by merging all the Stoll interests, omitted its interim divi- dend for the half year, explaining the action as due to industrial con- ditions and general business depres- sion, -which make it advlslble to husband cash resources. Statement from the board is that the property earned its usual divi- dend and the usual rate could have been disbursed if the directors had deemed that course advisibl^. Last year the corporation paid Interim dividends at the rate of 6% and a final payment of the same. Stock is $5' par and is quoted on the London Exchange at $2. Garden's Revue's Profit At Pop Scale, on Run London, May 13. "The House That Jack Built," Murray-Hulbert revue now at the Winter Garden whence it was moved from the Adelphi, is yielding a profit at popular prices. Its stay has been lengthened and it will probably remain until the end of July, when the firm expects to stage a new revue starring Cecily Courtneidge. Negotiations are on for Leslie Hanson to play opposite the English comedienne. A€TBESS "BUYS THEATRE Buenos Aires, May 13. Nuevo theatre has just been sold to Sylvia Parodl, well known Ar- gentine actress, for 605,000 pesos (about $250,000). She will rebuild the house and change its name to La Ferrere. Harold Owen Dies London, May 13. Harold Owen, 58, journali.st and playwright, part author of "Mr. Wu," died here May 10. Mystery Play's Tryout London, May 13. A now murder mys-tery play with a trapl-comedy twist, "Thc Crimf^ at Blossoms'" was tried out. at l>'wisham this wook. Phyllis Nellson Terry is starr'-d. Out of town engagf-mpnt announrod as "immediately prior to West End i produf'tI(>n." \ I'i'.-r-e is not very tonvincing. Miller in Carlsbad London, May 13. Gilbert Miller is d.uc here from Paris Thursday (15). After transacting bu.slness here ho will go on to Carl.ibad for the cure. Tennants' Son London, May 13. A son was born May 10 to Hon. David Tonnant and hl.s wife, nee Ilermlonc Baddoley. .She wa.«j a widely known young fharaftf^r i;ctr<.'.ss on the EngliKh Ktago bf;for*; hf.T marrlagf. Birth Control Bevival London, May 13. "Our Ostriches," birth control play by Dr. Mario Stopes, waa re- vived at the Royalty after seven years. Piece is well acted but Is not a good commercial play, although ex- cellent advertising for Its author. Miss Glyder's Quick Trip Rfncliing New York for a visit two wf'-lcH a>ro, Hilda fJlyd'T saiW'd .Saturday on tho "Columbu.«." She was f-uddenly and urKf-nil.v iccalled or, busitiCbH riiatloib. Lil Dagover Touring Zurich, May 13. German-American film star Lil Dagover Is appearing at the Schaus- pif'l thoatrf; with. h<'r own troup. Fritz Krf-i.'<)f-r, violinist, I.s at the Tonhall. Furtwaengler in Zurich Zurich, May 13. Director Wilhclm Furtwaengler,. i\i:-(< u>y of llie ilPrlin I'hilharmonic, I i.-j diiuii for Liie .Swihs cupiLai.