Variety (Jun 1930)

44 VARIETY TIMES SQUARE Wednesday, June 11, 1930 London Chatter Ei-nost Torrenc meeting- the boys. I^rtjpokova ?oinB actress. Rose Qubtiff (jivinu recitala. '"Handsome Gigolo" new song hit, continental. Tallulah on the tennis courts. Billy Bennett on a bicyclo, Al Fresco cabarets. Hal Kemp not over-enthusiastic at the Coliseum. Ice ballets new vaude stunt. Gillie Porter reckons he's arrived. Ja.ck Edge's Jill now has a brother, Jack. Freddie Forbes determined to crash Hollywood. Philip Ridgeway trying to take credit for local ether. None given. Dorothy Fisher's opening her own stepping school. '■ Hal Bryan settling down after America. Hyde Park Lido*,coming. Sun: bathing in central London. Hugo. Ballerini's got a new elec- tric sign for th6 Queen's. Trevor Williams has been tramp- ing In Ireland. Reduced prices most places seem to be helping the b. o. New bandbox theatre, Grafton, so small it's hardly got room to take dough in. Probably won't anyway. Four Hamlets in town at once. Just too bad. Leslie Henson's taken to clock golf. .Scores look better than the real thing. Anthony Eustral, playing with Tallulah in the Camellia epic, car- ried on with broken arm. Marie Tempest given new set of "Mrs. Fraser" dresses. Play's a year old already. .Jack Weaver has waved the baton at the Victoria- Palace for 20 years. "Ventilation In nite dives Is wor- ;;jB^'ing the gadflys these hot days. Saps, in Wardour Str,eet play tennis on the roof lunch times, flopi- ping pills down on heads of pass- ing flicker magnates, if any. John Maxwell, back from America, has a cold when the legmen get on for the dope. Betty Asford, chorine, married. One British talker unit has Its phone "out of order." Can't pay the bill. Press this time not falling so hard at statement Shaw has sold his talker rights. Shakespeare coming into his own In London rated a tough break for the critics. Harry Lachman has a pash on airplane crashes. Gillie Potter, after his "command performance" success. Is asking iaOO per week, and turned down $300. Previous salary was $200. Earlier hours for M. P.'s. Derby race fever in full blast. British talker directors conglom- erate in Soho coffee bars and curse American renters out of hand. One-woman shows the rago. Amy John.son getting film offers. Beaverbrook giving up horse rac- ing. Manners around town are getting worse and worse. Lupino Lane reports no luck with his kiss curl. Adrionne Allen rates herself the British Greta Garbo. Split in the Hulbert-Courtneidge team due soon. Julian Wylie's got an idea the talkers are dying. Greta, Garbo's brother over herfe. Suys he adores her, etc. - , Crazy paving the rage. Refers to the .slabs more than the saps on it. With Lord Byng back at work the nite dives are shifting again. Bad language stated to bo the cause for "Suspense," war play, flop- ping out. If the "summer" continues the way it's begun, it'll be English again. Just lousy. R. W. Fenn, new to management, fallen for the old gag. Calls his shows "artistic successes." Rafael Sabatlni's wife war* drugged by burglars when they broke Into hubby's flat to try and Hnd out how he wrote best sellers. Fact Sherriff's new comedy deals with cricket' has made Maurice Browne look sideways at the for- eign rights. One indie unit made a talker It can't show because there isn't enough dough left to pay the re- cording fees. It's reckoned the rapping Swaft got from a judge in recent law case must make St. John Ervine think life's good again. Terence Atherton, one of the brightest film legmen, out of the flicker racket to a nite desk on Al- lied Nowspajjers. Final matinee of "Rio Rita" in London so packed with "comps" that management for show unable to take care of newspaper men whom they were anxious to oblige. J. B. Morton ("Beachcomber"), this country's best columnist, has penned novel, "Drink Up, Gentle- men" fierce satire on his own racket. Censor Board here still see silent versions and read the script—so the statement goes—because their talker set will break down now and then. Less trouble the old way. ffwaff. in the witness box, says there's no such thing as a dis- tinguished journalist, which Just shows how a guy gets to know things. During "Life's" anti-Prohlbltion campaign It received a commenda- tory letter from England's most fa- mous cartoonist, Tom Webster, mis- read the signature and published same as from "Tonie Webster." Panama Chatter By Bea Drew N'lght life ■ hero pretty dead. P.itrons sajr entertainers are kept too lon*r. Some of the people at a looil cabaret have been there eight months, with very littia change of material. No„t enough patrons may bo the other reason. The "California," native cabaret, has closed. Tired oC watching the police watching. President Arosemena of Panama decided not to perrtilt Jal-Alai to be played here. It's considered gam- bling and Illegal under Panama laws. That's funny enough to those in the United States who have heard about Panama, Talk of a $50,000 cMino and tour- ist hotel. Lucile Rogers' Husband When the "Resolute" passed through hero on Its world cruise, Lucile Rogers, actress, was on board with, her husband, Stewart F. Malcomson. They were married in Bombay, Feb. 23. Carmen Sundmacker, singer at Bilgray's, married last week to Bert John Brady, government employee at Cristobal, Canal Zone. Billing As new entertainers at the At- lantic billed riglit from Keith cir- cuit. No one ever comes h^re from any other circuit. Always Keith's. Ramonoh Craven, singer, is from New York. Claire Dupont, another Broadway favorite (billing), and Greta Heim, her© just after playing all the leading cities in IDurope. Billy Ray and Helen "Vernon are chorus girls that do specialty dancing. Broadway Chatter Chatter in Loop Cal Smith, treasurer of the Cort, is up after a tworweek battle withr a summer cold. There are more speaks in ten square blocks- along Peoria st. than in the loop and near north side. Stevens Hotel opened 18-hole golf course on the roof. Chick Evans dedicated the course, which is open until midnight, Ashton Stevens and wife, Kath- arine Krug, actress, have gone on a vacation tour through the 'banal zone. Stevens' "Column or Less" feature iliscontlnued during his absence. Mergers the spice of trade, hit the very foundation of civilization Lombard College, seat of learning at Galesburg, 111,, got a kick in the pants after 79 years of molding adolescent personalities, when It was gobbled up by Knox College, its bitter rival. Lombard closed last week, graduating a class of 35 amid sobs instead of cheers. 10th MONTH BROCK PEMBERTON Pr«s«nts Strictly Dishonorable Comidy Hit by PrHton SturfM Staged bir Antolnitt* Parry & Mr. P(inli«r1*ii AVON THEATRE, West 45.lh Street. Etea.8:00. Mals.Tliurs.i Sat.2:30 Tlioa.. W. 4tlh St. Eva. 8:40 Uatg. TImrs. anj Sat.. 1:40 BELASCO Itlh MONTH DAVID BELASCO rr«i«Bta It's a Wise ChOd "HERE IS A COMEDY THAT EVEN WARM WEATHER CANNOT MELT." —CHAULES DAUNTON. Kve. World. KAMON c NOVARRO IN GAY MADRID A Metro-Goidwyn-Mayor I>lrl\ire wttli Dorothy Jordan, Lottia Howell Oavo Sotiooler—Stage Home—Ori-li. APITOL B'WAY 51st ST. COOL ROXY O 50th St. A 7tli Ave. Dir. of 8. L. Rethafel (R^Y) Fox Movletona Drama of Ganiland "BORN RECKLESS" featuring EDMUND nOWR as LoulB Berettl ' Am Exoltlni, Beautiful Staia Shaw ,,ot Mudlc, Hong ana l>ano« Fealurei CmI RelrMhiaa Air Mldniiht natural 6TH MONTH GRACE GEORGE lc\ tho St. John Ervine comedy "FIRST MRS. FRASER" with A. E. Matthews and T.awronce Groaamlth PLAYHOUSE ''8'I' St.. k. or n-war. e»oi. f AjAXAUUSA 8:50. Mis. Weil. * Sat.. 1:30 RKO ffu/ie iO-iShoii^ -Ot i PALACE BRYANT 4300 Always Comfortable nnd Perfect Ventllntlon VAN & SCHENCK Willie & Eugene Frances HOWARD WILLIAMS NEAR. AVE. Wod. to Fri., .Tnnp 11 to l.t Coiigtnuco BENNETT in "RICH PEOPLE" with KEOIR TOOMKY rOHNNY KLLIOTT and rKACHBS OthiT U-K-(J Alti'aclion.i PROCTOKS Wod 86^ST. to I'Vl., .Iiiiip 11 to 13 ' Coiifttunro BENNETT in "RICH PEOPLE" with REGIS TOOMKY Milton Berlo & Co. DprrlolCNon & Brown COR LEX AVE Near-l'anani.as have deluped the stores adjacent to Hroadway. Some .selling for $1.G5. As Panamas, they are near to Broadway. Paris Chatter Arthur Fiedelbaum, Metro's exec utive In Germany, will marry Miss Jero Lawrence on June 15 in Paris Bride is the sister of Laudy L. Law- rence, Metro's special foreign repre- sentative, and is well known in, Paris, where she has spent consid erablo time studying music. She just spent a week in Carlsbad with her parents to recuperate from ap- pendicitis. Peppy de Albrew's new Montmar tre cabaret, the Trocadero, doing well, but not getting the same class of patronage as by the nearby Mon seigneur, also new. American executives here find It wiser to disconnect from any pri- vate enterprises, even if previously okayed by their companies. . Thea tres in Troyes and Cannes in which Metro's execs had a piece are chang ing hands. Peppy d'Albrew's Trocadero doing bigger and better business. Credit Dora Maughan's voice and s. a. Dick Blumenthal of Par Is related to Mmo. Chiappe, wife of the Pre foot of Police. Hal Sherman's ditflcultios with thoi local branch of the MorrLs agen cy likely to be soon adjusted. Joe Zelli's royal abdomcft liad to be operated on, with Joe in hospital for about 10 days. Personality counts In business, as shown by the receipts boosting up directly Joe re appeared. A short circuit af the Embassy Club threw the room dark for quite a while just as people were arriving from the theatre. ■ They went next door to the Lido insjtead. Kllsabeth Rethbarg, Marie CoHart, Dwight l?iske, Topsey Hmiiphreys, Mae Rena Grady. Capacity 11,000,000 (Continued from page G) reports from all of tlie 32 zones, a Hays representative went over sev- eral states, including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Oregon to determine average on seating ca- pacities. In those states thb aver- age was found to be around that figure. In the east, including the New York zone (No. 1), the average seat- ing capacity for the theatres is around 1,000, but west of the AUe- ghanies, it is declared there are thousands of "shooting galleries" of all types, principally in towns of less'than 5,000 population, that run considerably under 500 seats. Percentages Other figures revealed In the lat- est and most complete checkup ever undertaken is that large circuits of producer-distributors control only 21% of the country's theatres. This is declared to be the exact percent- age despite any impression- that 79% of the film accounts in the U. S. are still indie. Reports show that there are actu- ally 309 indie circuits operating four or more houses that do not have any direct producer-distributor ties; t was found. This takes in so- called shooting galleries, mill thea- tres, firemen's halls, lodges, audito- riums and other places that book film and charge regular admission. The Hays' office declares these, come within the category of theatres because they rent film in the usual manner and support themselves through paid patronage. These, plus the small joints throughout the country, at cross- roads and everywhere, bring down the average seating capacity to around 490 or 500, it is insisted. Large Houses 75% Through operation of the majority of the large seaters the producer- controlled circuits, howeveir, repre-' !5ent around 75% :n distribution re- turn, it is claimed in distrib circles. Strictly admitted as a guess but held as near the right figure, if that could possibly be checked up accurately the 11,000,000 seats in the U. S. are filled on an average of 10 times weekly. To make up for the small, inconspicuous places that are open only two or three times weekly, if at all, on a basis of 22,700 the- atres, the average would be brought to that figure through larger turn- over in the bigger first-runs. Normally, approximately 10% of all theatres are closed down for varied reasons, but since the advent of sound and more recent business depressioh, the figure is stated as closer to 20% or between 4,000 and 5,000 houses. Out of an approximate 900 theatres in the east served by the New York exchanges, around 240 are now closed. This figures against the computed 11,000,000 seats and the turnover based on operation at all times of over 22,000 film accounts. It Is now estimated that approxi mately 10,000 houses are wired with either synchronous or non-syn chronous apparatus, with list In- cluding some 200-seatcrs, according to the records. B.\hibs have found synchronous equipment obtainable as low as $700 and claimed as satis- factory, this permitting some of the smaller places to wire. The Hays office has formerly more or less guessed at number of the atres throughout the country, find- ing Itself a little startled on latest •complete checkup that over 22,000 film accounts actually exist. A decade ago the figures were placed at approximately 17,500 the- atres, with a total seating capacity of only 5,000,000, while five years ago the figures were presumed as being 20,500 and the number of seats around 8,000,000. . Present figures were undreamt of 10 years ago even by the most Utopian of showmen. Since the war, countrywide build- ing of theatres has increased the number of theatres to present fig- ures, with seating capacity nearly doubled through erection of large houses, It has been during the past five years that • extensive building brought about serious overseating conditions in many spots, .including key centers. In the column where repose the statistics on total capacities, an in- crease Is regarded as a strong possi- bility through replacement of old small seators with larger modern houses. Present figures do not Include the theatres under construction planned I ^y the giant clrcUlto. Mary Nash going vaudo in skpif-h. Jack Pegler's due. front west coast. ' ' ■ Vincent Lopez to Lido, Saratoga,- for August again. CJreen Room Club hxis big doin'a .scheduled foi; the night Of June 21. Tommy Carr off on his annual so- journ to Bermuda. Nat Mortan Is batching it ag.iin after being divorced. Neville Fleeson's latest partner i* Louise Groody. Picture press agent tips Time.i Square waiters with passes. Bill Brandell back from mountain^ sanitarium. Pelvis ifi a cast. Ruth Ettings in new "Follies."^ Current In "Simple Simon." Lee Shubert back Friday from Europe. ' Madrid roof reopened last night (10). Cohan theatre entrance much im- proved. ■ Joe Philllp.s, the comic, to Ha-ha- HollywoOd on spec. Sam Lyons-Betty Dodge romanca cold. Lucila Mendez west to jola spouse, R. Ince. Sidney Piermont of Loew's wears a ladies apron when shaving. Jean Finley is tiring of that New Haven trip every Thursday. • Harry Sherman finally got hlu name on the door in Par-Publix. -Friars going tor sun baths on dull roof. Ducat to Lew Mosley for 45 p. h, on Harleth "speed^way." Frank Green, legit actor, to Lon- don, his first trip home in 20 years. Warner Club's summer outing to Indian Point via boat June 2L. Mary Sawyer didn't remain long in L. A., returning this week and In- tends to stay here. Leslie Morosco' Is latest recruit to hatless brigade but still wears those starched high collars. Girls in T. S. theatrical offices displaying all colors of rainbow ia summer prints. Irv. Strouse says bye-bye to Broadway Monday; going to the coast. Not enough soft drink joints along Broadway so Schulte's going to pen another. Another slash in cigarets. United now^elling Lucky Strikes and Old Golds for 12 cents straight. Several basement eating places closed because of the pansies gath- ering there. Baby Rose, Marie is. reported hav«. ing created a new vogue for imi- tators. Pipes are popping up along Broadway, mainly puffed by p.a,'s and scribes. Cth avenue speak sells two whis- keys for a quarter. It's apple jack with a kick. R-K-O mob getting up petition asking Charlie Freeman to smoke nicer smelling stogies. George Patten and Marian Sakt ("Hit the Deck") have doubled in a vaude act. Harry Walker's new yacht proves there are still a few agents getting coin. Judge Frederick Goldsmith due back on the Municipal Court bench this week. Vacation over. Eddiu Gorman, lightweight pug, camphored the gloves to pilot a taxi in Times Square. Bots^Botsford, P. A. of Publix, is away on a three-week trip. Takes in the coast. Business on the side, Koadhouse weather knocking ofC patronage plenty in the Broadway speaks. Mae Sehcpps. niece of the Cocoa King, in the chorus brigade of Car- roll's new "Vanities." Charlie Freeman needs only six more weeks to become mayor oC Freeport. Matt Clark shuttered his cider Stube in the 40's to reopen hia roadhouse at Merrick, L. I, "Say, Where's that new Gn'ok show playing, what's it's name, I.>y- sol something or other?" Jack Donahue has new runabout motor boat. Calls It "Tl\e Hoofer." Painted green. Al Selig is bragging about a borne named "Journey's End" winning lt« first race at. Churchill. Eileen Brenon of the "Sun" aeto- (Continued on page 46) Next to the stage door of the Palace Theatre, the new home of MRS. GERSON'S GRILL After 11 Years on Broadway