The Washington times., 1929-02-15
IGLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

The passing of Walter Kings
lev, chief of the Florenz Zieg-
field publicity department, wilhbe
mourned on Broadway. Mr..
Kingsley was dean of the Broad
way school of wise crackers and
next to Bugs Baer, responsible
for more of what the Main
Stem calls "nifties" than any
other writer. Walter Winchell,
under the Kingsley tutelage de-
veloped into the most discussed
cclumnist in New York.
For many years Mr.. Kings
ley was in charge of the pub
licity for Keith vaudeville and
his office was the gathering
place daily of the theater writ
ers. When he accepted the
Ziegfeld offer ($25,0OO a year,,
and moved over to the New
Amsterdam Theater Building,
the afternoon sessions of the
Broadway photographers moved
with him.
In his little red book are
probably inscribed the names of
most of New York active
journalists for it was there he
jotted down the list of those
who saw the Ziegfeld hits with
out increasing the box office
gross.
Bernard Sobel, who was bor-
rcwed from the Anne Nichols
office to deputize during Mr..
Kingsley's illness, will probably
succeed to the post he has
been filling temporarily.
In the next issue of the Fox
Movietone news, the feature
will be a recreation of Wash
ington's first Inauguration. The
event, which occurred at Fed
eral Hall, New York, April 80,
1889, is said to be historically
accurate to the last detail in
its 1929 reproduction.
If you should be in the Hotel
Hamilton lobby about l p. m.
today, and hear prolonged ap-
plause. it will probably be COM
ing from some other dining
room than that in which the
head of this department is at
tempting a post-prandial.
Maybe you noticed that the
girls of "Whoopee" were better
looking than those of Ziegfeld's
"Rosalie" and "The Three Mus
keteers." There's reason.
The glorified show girls are
averse to touring. "Whoopee"
was going to New York for a
seasons run, and hence Ziggy
got the pick of the beauties.
When Three sketeers"
started for the road, more than
40 requirements were necessary
to fill the chorus.
All of this to explain why
Mr.. Ziegfeld has been able to
cut salaries for "Whoopee"
talent. The Broadway scale is
now $40 for plain dancers and
$50 for show girls. Old wage
was $50 and $75.
Lenota Lane, former leading
woman of the National Players,
has just completed an engage
ment with the Charles L. Wag-
ner Stock Company in Birming-
ham and Atlanta. The venture
was not successful and the
players blame the choice of
plays, paris Bound" "The
Night Hostess" and "Interfer-
enc e." Dixie likes clean plays
and will support them but is
cold to the suggestive or off
color drama. Clara Joel and
William Boyd played 1o7 con-
secutive weeks with stock in
Atlanta, yet standing as a run
record for repertoire companies.
Cecil Lean and Cleo Mayfield,
guest stars at the Belasco
next week, are on the White
House visiting list today.
Warner Brothers paid $780,
600 for the publishing business
OF M. Witmark & Sons and
now collect the profits from
the sale of theme song sheet
music.
Variety reports that Para
mount-Publix, through an ar
rangement made with Radio
ith-Orpheum, will operate the
Keith theaters, taking charge of
the programs early in March.
The report is specifically denied
by President Hiram S. Brown,
of the Keith organization, in a
wire from the Coast, but Va
riety insists that the deal has
been completed and that Sam
katZ, an executive of the Para
mount organization, will be the
operating head under the new
plan.
Under the agreement Gas
Variety reports it,. Publix un-
dertakes to operate the Keith
theaters without cost, expense
or salary for Publix. The lat
ter lends it's man-power for that
purpose, with a stock division
between Publix and R-K-O if
the Keith theaters are placed
upon a dividend-paying basis
during Publix's handling.
| print this report because of
its possible bearing on the
future of the Keith Washing
ton theater. Under the arrange
ment proposed, the house would