Variety (Jun 1930)

W^^^3^; June 8»; '1030' VARIETY' W MBT IN Lios Angeles, June 21. Five local legit houses are dark this week, but no one seemed to notice It. It didn't help those still running. "Caprice" opened at the Be:lasco and took top honors for the week with close to $11,000 on the seven days. Piece Is In for lour weeks. "The LAst Mile" at the Majestic slid to $6,600. MacLobn started to Aght this ticket brokers with this onb ^oid It looks as if he'picked the wrong play as a wedfee;" At the El Capltan. Henry - Bufly opened "fancy's Private Affair" after giv- ing it a moral. Cleansing to cpnform with his clean play policy. That th^ 'cteansinsr didn't help. Is evi- denbfed by a take of f6,000 on the "0^1me'-' -at the PreBldeht opened to'fair business for this house at |5,0ft0. '/The President, has a mys- tei^; pomplex; thfs.is thCiflfth play In succession pf tnat, type.to come in.' "Decency" folded at\,tbe Mayan to |3,700 after two and one-half weiexs 'of pains. ' Prodiiced w|th a fllrtlhfe' ^ink '■ toward ' po'ssibld plc>- tuMT'purcha.&ers, it fciil^d to get'over.' "Molly Magdalene,'* -nSw play bir Cransi .Wilbur, opened (Sunday. V^fitder, a Virginia. Moon," pro- du(,e^ a^ the Vine Street^, ]9y George Fawcett, with his wlfe„.f>ercy .^H<asr well starred, got. away .to a poor start at 14,500. Piece is by Georgia FaV*i^ift, daughter of P^TV'cett, mak- Ing"il quite a family 'affMir. estimates fof L«ht Week 'iCaprice''—(Belaaco, 1st week). Onjy -.fair- at $11,000. with the .play . going, over the heads of the locals.^ Draw credited to Fay Balnter. "The Last Mile"—(Majestic, 3d week). With the producer fighting the agencies and selling only at ihe b. o.. take was down to $6,600. 'tNancy'a Private . Affair (El CapltaJi. 1st week); : Stiie takeh out vlaj. TPufEy puriflcatioa; • $6,000 trlokled through, the, b. o. "(irime"—(President,, let week). Got away to fair start at $5,000. This house is headquarters for mys- terjr niays on the west coast.. tP 6 c e n —(M^dTytwi;"' 'Sd, last week).. Failed to make any Impres- sion and folded Saturday to $3,^00. "MbtljrMa'gdaleAe"'Opened Sunday, ."lender a Virflfniii' W6'6n'^'(Vinc SfriSBt,' Ist ' week).: EiHhiatfed at' $4,6M,' which Is about'the aVerage dravr.Tat this house. •) CE SANS MUSICALS Only Three Against Last June's List of Eight Attractions Chicago, June 21. It Is and will be a very slack sum- mer. Only three productions on tap, and one of them, "Solid. South," scheduled to close Saturday (28). Cast' took a salary cut last week, however, and continulhg Is a possi- bility - contingent on business. Qorrespondine week, 'last year there were seven attractions on the boards including two musjcals. This year the only draw for visiting tour- Istrf Is "Sisters of the Chorus," with a c6ih()^oh title. i . liast year's list for the correspond- ing, week shows "HarJewi'' in Its eighth and final week; "Connecticut Yankee" in its .12th week; "Nut Farm,", which ran a,ll .r^summer; "Pleasure Bound." which did the same; "Dracula" in its 12th week: "100'Tears Old," and "After" Dark." "Prankie and Johnnie"-^ had been closed by police. With only three pieces splitting all the business, a nice rise was noted both by "Solid South' and "Sisters of the Chords,*' with the former leading. "Candle Light" I . ought up the rear, -"Sisters" has sliced very mtle since the piece opened "in Brooklyn last year and was closed by bluecoats. Police here have other worries. Estimates for Last Week Candle Light" (Princess, 10th week), will now make a bid for summer run, reversing plans to Close, tentative, a fortnight ago. was up to around $8,200 and getting by on less. of the Chorus" (Apollo, 7tn week). Roughneck show of soul- nni ''"orlnes rose agairi and hit $10,- "00. Although on cut rates, box «i® reftulara are in the majority. "Solid South".. (Harris, 6th waakV. ftftn™*?? aeain, and broke jflt yoo- At this figure can show ptmt has taken a 26% cut. Ten- wtlve closing date, June 28. San ftailolsco, June 91. Improvement all along the line was notedi^t the Xegttjinitte theatre box offloes last week with. "Strictly Dishonorable," at Erlanger's. Colum- bia, copping cream.trade and show- ing a ^ decided build over the .open- ing week* This .show, which opened disappointingly, picked up before end of first week and second stanza climbed more than two grand over the takings for initial week. Got $1.6,000. ''"The Student Prince," In third week tit Curran, held up to nice profit at $16,000. Next door at the Geary "Journey's End,*' fllm, In bow out seven days brodled heavily ^n- ishlng off to bare $4,000. Both Henry Duffy's bouses showed a spurt. Leo Carrlllo In "The Bad Man," at\the. President, pulled nice $6,000 with heavy advance indicat- ing a run. "Nancy's Private Affair," at the Alcazar, above average and still profitable at $4,000. Tiny Green Street, with "Hot 'n' Bothered^','.. slipped. fsom^, but.^ can 'Still stay on at around $900 because of Inconseqyentlal overhead; QnIsl.M$9.3S^ Warren^burg, Mo., June 21^ r When: the Clarence Cramer <!om" pany with the "Passion Play" quits Its !flve-w.eek<run heir)), Cramer only o^l^ed eap^. piemher $9.36. ; " That's A record nowadays- for traveling' managers In > the sticks. Fire Sliows Out Renameil 99 The .q^ffic / Sale. show, "Hello Paris," which closed In Chi. and was not brought into New York for a summer engagement, is to, re- open early!- in August by the Shu- berts 8.8 "Gay Paree." Maude HITon't Travel GSeorge C. Tyler Is trying to inter- est Cyril Maudi^ in a repertory fbi' next seakoriJ'"' ■ ' ' ' ^ ■ ' Maudie, who is'.dqlnfej;'|9rUnttp3;'' for, Para^nount. .njay, .agree jTATap- pcflr In*.New Yorki i>ut'has flatly I used to tour in Aiherlca. Fioffet^" Sua E^pi^l^d Marie O^Conhell, wlio' sued Ealif Carroll for $60,000 for services on the ground that she help^ i^er- suade MrEi. ''Frederick' Cburtland Penfleld tq back'. "Florettai" with big loss to Mris. Penfleld, got a de- cision froTri the Appellate Division permitting' her to discontinue the suit after she found out that it wouldn't be heard by a Jury. Carroll's attorneys figuring that she intended to bring a new action and ask for a Jury, trial, wanted the court to compel her to stipulate that if she sued again she wouldn't ask a Jury trial, but the casQ was dropped without any stipulation. Tab Stock with Films Canton, O., June 21. George Sharp Players, after 62 weeks in Plttsburgii, will Inaugurate a; summer season of stock at the I^ace theatre here Saturday: June 28. The venture will be an :lnnova- .tlon here, the stock presentations being offered, in connection, with the .regular film program. The stock b£IIa J7ill be offered In: tabloid form 'und; with a smaller cast than for- merly. ; :"The Nut i Farm" Is the opening j^l, to be followed by "Danger"- and 'Salt Water." iWlth a minimum of five wlth- raw'als ° frbtii BrbiUdway the fo'tal tober 'ift' legit attractions will have'dropped under 20 for the first time In yiearst : I *'It's a Wise Child," presented "by David Belasco at his theatre, closed Saturday after piling up a fine run of 47. weeks.. Said ta be the most consistent high gross comedy. ever at this house. Held around $20,000 for two-thirds of the engaigement. Ifllght have spanned summer but is going to coast. Shows b N; Y. and Comment IT'S A WISE CHILD Opened Aug. - 6. Atkinson (Time8]| reported .^"immenaely entertaining." Few of the critics Werb oh the job so early, In the season. Variety (Ibee) said: "Should be a cleanup." ;"Adfli Be"rft'a*the Drum," presented by John 'Oblden ' -at his the^ttre, closed last week, when illness of lep.d (Mary Boland) cancelled per- formanoe;»< ^ftet! -Tuesday night. Slaitedi ta hay^^clpsied last .Satu^da3;^ PJ^yje^:.j^lx; wpeKs. and. two days. Down under $6^000; opened. li\ heat which killed charfces. ' ■ Figure* «stlmated. .and comment point to tome •ttraetlonii belna •ucceasfiil, whil* the same gross aecrodited to others'might'suggest mediocrity or loss. The variance Is explained In the differenc» in> house capacities with the varying overhead. Also the size of casV with oonseqwent difference, in necessary gross of projfit. Variapca in business necessary ,for musical attraction as against dramatie pl^^y. is also considered. Classification of attraction, house capacity and top prices of tha admission seal* given below. Key to classification: C (comedy)|' D (drama); R (revue); M (musical comedy); F (farco); O (operetta)*- Admission tax afiplies on tickets ooer $3 ADA BEATS THE DRUM. Opened May 8. "Old and sKopWbm," '= MiioHed '.'Sbldes ■ (Gra^Hic),' with most «f -the : scribes:.; concurring.- r Garland I .('TetogramV/ led-the affirmative, : declaring ^it^ "the. best of . tl)e . springtime entertainments.^. II;, has sophistication^ "wit^ and a very^protty -malice." Yariefy' (Ibe*) ' said: "Not Mrbhg' enblagH to cdrhbat th« : mercury." ' ' ' '' "HoteJ^. UnJivejjse,"... presented;' by the Thea'treGuild at di<s Eieck, closed. Saturday. A -Played 1.0 weeks. Started well .epough with a smArt draw and might have lasted longer If presented earlier. Puzzling na-^ ture of play caused distinct differ- ence of opinion.-Otft $16,000'or more during subscription ~ period: Last weeks away ofi^ under $7,000^. HOTEL UNlVEjltSE Opened April 14. "An even-, ing that can only be described as a pretty terrible beating," : said Littel|.<e^(<W«rld)... sad waste," echoed Anderson CJour- y/^rWi y (Ibee) vSrotsr , "Chancea' a'gathst' run."'' • • i ^ ."Topa^j?," ^t fhe Music .Boy,"whl end Its season Saturday, dompletfhg an ^li^^agi^iheht of 20 weeksJ' Sbine- thihig of a suirtiMser' TOPAZE Opened Feb. '12; DarMtivn (Eve." Wdrld)^^ found the pro- , ceedings "naiya. and indlffer-' ent." Brown .(Post) -reversely thought;."sharply edged and amusing French satire." Variety (Char) said: "Chances for a run look slim." Edward Royce's Spectacle E^dward Royce is reported about to sail for London, to produce a stage spectacle over there along the lines of "Chu Chin Chow." Following the stage run, it is said Royce will direct the show as a talker for British International. "Jungle Love" Revamped "Jungle Love," withdrawn for re- vision after tryout at Atlantic City two weeks ago, will make a fresh start at the Brighton Beach Music Hall,- Brighton Beach, next week. Agnes Ayres and Herbert Rawlln- son, pictures, and Mabel Bunyea comprise featured triumvirate of cast. "Uncle "Vanya," presented at the Cort by Jed Harris, closed Satur- day; 10 weeks. Comedy from Rus- sian started at $14,000 gktt and after first two or three weeks drew $12, 000. Though It was profitable, -wtis not expected to last and past tbre^ weeks drojiped away off. $6,000 last week. "Ada Beats the Drumi" John Golden Stopper last week; six weeks, with business gone to pieces; Broadway generally off with warm weather. "Apron Strings," 48th St. (29th week) (C-950-$3) Around $5,000 but with operating costs down and pooling, can ga along; cut ; rates helpr materially. "Artists and Models," Majestic (3rd week) (R-l,776-$5.50). New re- vue with comparatively little op- position okay ' to date; around $30,000. "Fifty Million Frenchmen/' Lyric (31st week) (M-1,406-$6.C0). Last week held to about same as previ- ous week when trade improved to $29,000; indefinite. "First Mrs.-Fraser," Playhouse .(27th week). (C-870^$3.85). Pooled and showing somie earnings; estln)ated at $6,000; hardly figures to last much longer. "Flying HIghi" Apollo (17th Veek) M-l,168-$6.60). Leader will have opposition for that rating- next I -week when "Vanities" arrives at New Amsterdam; again over $40,- . 000. "Garriek Gaieties,!* GujUd (4th jweek) (R-961-$3). Guild's junior revuef doing excellently; dlftim "of $18,- 000. ' . •- - "Hotel Universe," £«ck. Stopped- 'Saturday;. 10,.weeks.' . .. "Lost Sheep," (8th week) (CD.-1,067- i$3). May be breaking even at $6,000 to $7,000. "Let and Sublet," Biltmore (6th week) (C-l,000-$3). OMe of seiv- eral small gross- shows which-gd along In some manner; - lean $3,- 000; reported closing last Satur- day. "Lysistrata," 44th St (4th . w.eek) (C-1,323; ^$6.6.0).. Remarkable bus- Ihess to date;'$34,000, above w^ek before; summer surpt'lse.' " ' .^^'Mystery Moon," Royale (1st Veek) (M-1,118;- $3). Presented inde- pendently. (Jaijaes M.. QU^'); -.mm- slcal shpw wjjth .mystery, play. plot";, only pjiehlhg of w^iek;' p^rcmieitle ■ 23' - ''-'^ • '' ■ ■'• .■ • . ' - "Seiis o'^^Gun'^" ImpeHbl (tlstr we^eS)' M-1,466; $6.60). Like most other run attractions, now on summer salary scale; again quoted at $33,- 000 and slated to stay Into Sep- tember. "Stepping Sisters," Masque (10th week) (F-700; $3). Attendance looks okay, but tickets sold at low prices; claimed around $6,000. "Strictly Dishonorable," Avon (4ist week) (C-830;'$3.86). Last Week' nearly as good as week before; " $14,000, and indefinite. "Strike Vji the Band," TImfes Square (24th week) (M-1,067,' $6.60)." Week to week and among shows'-- due to stop soon; maybe $20,000. : "Green Pastures,'^ Mansfield ;'a8tb week) (D-1,0D0; $4.40). Prize wlri^ " ner seems as strong as ever;' $26,i ' 000. • • "The Last Mile," Harris (20th week) '" •(D-1,051: $5.60). Under l-ecant'^ average pace last week, but eatis-. fled with $8,000. "Three Little Girls," Shubert (ilth, ., week) (M-1,395; $5.60). Waver- ing; estimated around $16,000j''"'" lays off nert week and re^uih^d'' July 7. • :> • . "Topazo," Music Box (20th week)-•: (D-1,000; $3). Final week; suc- cess that fopl^d talent;.. tvTQupd .$7,000; may resumo In August f*0nc1b Vanya," Cort. Closetf'Sfit^ .. urday; 10 weeks; had to bettet ^ $6,600 ta play this week; didn'tii- J "Wisa Child,? Belasco .(47th. weel?) » (C-l,P60f $3;86). • Final 'weeHi'. comedy smash and bjg money*. ^ maker; due to open oh coast July' ;. 21 after a week or. So at seashore.^ '"Young Sinners," - Mbro^co '-(Slst^ we6k)" <eD-8d3-$3. Money ihdkfir in lesser degriie, but-succesi?}-un-^ : ;der $9,000; goes: to seashore for .\%yr.o \?e9ks,. . -.v: y.'-.. . -...r -.•:;>f.-.:.-SPAcia|=,AttractioM.. . ,.••..<;.• "Song.. *nd Dance Man/' Fultpn; Conah closes, season with revival this 'Wfe'eik. • '. -■ "Michael-and M«rry,'' Hopkinsi; flnar' .weeks ahhotiriced fOr pitst" moli'th.'^'' ."Bar» Fa6t*,"''TmirigW (VHJai*;) 'M^i "Girnm* fiirl/'i Cherry <L«ln6 -!lVtti-£ Ilage). .- . •, Aft—Heat—ViDage Bandbox theatres of Greenwich Village are in keen competition to survive the summer heat and.iit- tract whatever patronage may be hitting tbe Village district. Triangle.: and Cherry Lane Play.- house, Burvlvbrs of the arty group and empl9ying sandwich men^and handbill distributors, the latter tour- ing the restaurants at dinner hour and. distributing literature on re- spective playhouses and current at- tractions. The Triangle is project- ing "Bar^ Facts/' Jntlniate revue, while "The Grimme Girl,'* musical, is at the Cherry Lane in Its flnal two weeks previous to being sup- planted by "Cherry Lane Follies." Both Triangle and Cherry Lane are unlicensed and operate under a subscription . method. Both get around the subscription angle legally through Inducting patrons into membership prior to perform- ances and for a sum equivalent to price of admission. Shurr Returning Hollywood, June 21. Louis Shurr, legit and picture agent, leaves here for the Elast Thursday. I ' ■ ■ - ■ J ■ .■ . '" '— • — r^rr. —-n—r Bayard'YeiUerliliisi Piety.' Brokier $l9iS,OCiO Royalty ■Bayard VeiUer; has lost out lii hiis row -with the American Play Com- pany ove'r royalties from "Trial of Mary Dugan." The Appellate Divi- sion has upheld a decision that when he got $9>000 from the play broker In December, 1922, on an agreement to give It 10 per cent of the.. royalties from his plays for three years, and then put out "Mary Dugan" Just four months before the time was up it waa binding on the "Mary Dugan" royalties even if he fissigned his rights to~bls wife, Marguerite 'VelUer. The American Play Company was entitled to 10'per cent anyhoW, and the other 10 has been held up since the suit was started three years a^o, but the entire 80% has been paid to Mrs. "Velller. More than $85,000 Is now due the play broker as a result of the decision. By the time the case was tried In March the income- was more than $400,000, which included $126,000 for the fllm rights. The broker . charged that Veill^r said he assigned his rights in order to be "Judgment proof and defeat the claim to the addi- tional 10 per cent Southampton Stock "Let's Get Married," comedy by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hack- ett, will be given a stock trial by the Southhampton Players at Southhampton, L. I. July 2. H. C. Potter and George Haight will operate the stock for the sum- mer* In the fashionable colony. Alfred Lnnt, D. Idtt. Milwaukee,*^une 21. Alfred Lunt; New York Theatre Guild star, who with Mrs. Lunt (Lynn Fontanne) Is spending the summer at the Lunt summer honie at Genesee Depot, was made a doc- tor of literature by Carroll College. He studied there at the time of his flrst stage effort in "The Private Secretary." . 'Hollywood, Jurte rzi, Ferris . Hartman's tribulatloiiia In trying to-launch a season of Vlistor Herbert bpetr^ttad here, mair : be- come an «y«nitaa11ty. 'wlth Hartman as director of if, brand new oj%an- Izatlon financed by A. H. Mauer, local attorney. Hartman's own venture, went blooey with Lew Jacobs, the'Man- ager, still to decide what to do with the advance sale. Meanwhile new group starts June 28 at 'the Philharmonic Au- ditorium with "The Fortune Teller/' Duffy Creditors WiH Meet July 1—^lution? San Francisco, June 21. First meeting ,of Henry Duffy's . criedltors Is scheduled for Jiily 1, . under a call issued by the United ' States referee In bankruptcy; : Reported-.-solution of the : com- plications is. for Duffy to step out, . permitting the bankruptcy to take;. Its course. Alcazar. and President theatres ; here would revert to the WInship. estate, whi h' owns them, with- , Duffy probably returning later to" • operate houses for the estate with! Its backing. Confirmation is unobtainable in| th6 absence from the city of Duffy and Receiver G. A. Blanchard. i Coast "Code" Cast Los Angeles, June 21. . Coast production of "Subway Ex-,' press" is rehearsing at the Mason - theatre under direction of Ralph Simone, who was stage manager of the New York production. It opens June 30. Leo Curley plays the Inspector here and Is set for the same part In the London production next fall. He came to Los Angeles with "The' Criminal Code." JuVenlle leads In "Subway, Express" here:, are by Lilian Rich anil Eidgar Reeves.