The New York Clipper (December 1919)

Copyrighted. 1919, and published weekly by the Clipper Corporation, 1S04 Broadway. New Tork. Entered at the Poet-Office at New York, June M. IsTi. aa •ecood-elaaa . mall matter under Act of March ». 1879 - wm*>au.-vm~ ■ Founded by FRANK QUEEN, 1853 NEW YORK. DECEMBER 3. 1919 VOLUME UCVH—No. 41 Price. Fifteen Cents, 16,M a Tear FINN AND HE1MAN INCLUDED San Fjujtcisco, CaU, I>ec. 1.—A sad- den rise In Orpheum stock, which ad- -vanced from $10 to ?30 during the past two weeks on the San rFanciseo Stock Exchange has brought- forth the fact -that a new deal has been' made for a big expansion of the Orpheum Circuit. This step was taken after the deal had fallen through by which the Or- pheum was to purchase all the houses of Alexander- Pantaeee. ' Dlckerings over this transaction finally resulted In nothing. ;-.-"' ■ ; Under the new scheme, the Orpheum plans to take -over the houses in the middle-West, South-and. East, that have, heretofore, independently booked acts of Orpheum calibre,'' The deal runs into $10,000,000. It embraces between thirty and fifty new theatres which vrill practically double the size of the present Orpheum Cir- cuit It was completed last rFiday. j When asked by 'the .Clipper for further details of this deal, Martin Beck, director general of the Orpheum Circuit, gave out the following state- ment: ; .'..*... "The '40 or more vaudeville theatres operated in the West, middle West and South by the Orpheum syndicate and allied interests, are to he'eombinedinto one company-under the corporate name of Orpheum .Circuit, Consolidated. "These theatres are the principal vaudeville ihonses in such representa- tive cities as Chicago, St:'Louis, Kan- sas City, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mem- phis, N»w ; Orleans, Denver, San Fran- cisco, ' Losi" Angeles, Seattle and Im- portant cities in 'Western- Canada. "Martin Beck and M.. My erf i eld, Jr. represent the controlling interests. The former is to'become president and ma-' naging director of the new company. Mr. Beck is to-day the dominant Igrire in the American vaudeville Industrie. "A 'puWic . offering will be made some time in January. The securities have been underwritten by'the Central Trust company, of Chicago, and Rich- ardson, Hill :& Company, of BoBton." Mr. Beck admitted that this consoli- dation Included the Fish and Helman houses. When asked if the Interstate Circuit was inclnkled, he replied in the negative, saying that the Orpheum was not taking it over, but has a booking arrangement with it. He also said that several, other small circuits were in- cluded.". "-..'.,;..". ,/. ...v.. '-: . , Heretofore, the Orpheum theatres have been split into twenty controlling corporations, ; of all wnlcn"'Beck'^has been the head. - AU these corporations have now been consolidated into one CASTING GRACE LA RUE PLAY John Golden has begun casting for a new play which he will have ready for showing immediately after the Holi- days. Its present title is "The Wonder- ful Workshop," but this probably will be changed Hale Hamilton and Grace La Rue are' the two principals already signed --:;:::•- This piece was tried out on the coast this" Summer when' Miss La Rue was playing vaudeville there and she de- monsrated the possession of dramatic ability heretofore unsuspected It was said at the time that "she had an in- terest in the piece. HOLD AUCTION IN BIJOU The Bijou, in. .West Forty-Fifth Street, which houses Barney Bernard in "His Honor, Abe Potash", was used for ah auction of paintings, decorations and art 'objects' conducted by Augustus W- Clark, 5 West Forty-Fourth Street The affair was conducted In the pre- scribed fashion except that there were additions and innovations made pos- sible by the use of theatrical properties. The stage held.a special set a wall of red cloth, against which the various ob- jects put up for auction were placed to excellent advantage. The buyers sat out in the auditorium, -comfortably viewing each painting or piece of furni- ture as it was pnt up by Its number in the catalogue. Occasionally an espe- cially fine piece was presented,' or an object whose merits were too minute to be properly viewed from the distance, and then a spotlight was turned on. This was manipulated from the rear aisle by one of, the house electricians. It was axe admirable manner of exhibi- tion and both Auctioneer Clarke and others expressed pleasure with the in- novation. .. . PUNSANTTPREFERS PUPPETS Lbs Anoeues, .Nov. 28.—In a curtain . speech' made by Lord Dunsany, after . witnessing Will HolIIngsworth's pup pets in one of' his lordship's plays, "The Tents of the Arabs;" the distin- guished English soldier-writer, declar- ed that puppets are In many respects better than actors. "They" are better .than real actors," he said, "because they are not victims of the .star system. On the zeal stage, actors 'seem- to be always acting even when they .are supposed, to be doing nothing. Ton will see some one quite out of the action for the moment ac- cording to the play, sitting there at the back of the stage and acting, and act- ing, I suppose with the hope that some day they will become a star.' Puppets don't - do that They are charming. And yet what has ever been done for them? Yon never heard of a puppet's being knighted in his old age as some actors are. I wonder why?" LOEW OPENS DALLAS HOUSE XXuxas, Tex.. Nov. 28.—The Hippo- drome opened here this week under the - Marcus ixxrw management and Is doing '.very good business. ■' Hal. G. Nbrfleet remains the manager. The opening bill is headed by Phil Adams In the "OwL" •'! '-.:. ?.. ■'...' v---:-%.J; ..-';; , • .,/ • Court Confirms Report of White Rats Inquiry Goldie Pcmberton's Attorney Ssys He Wn Now Start A For Recovery of Monies Said to Have . Diverted The report and findings of Referee Lewis Schuldenfrei, appointed to con- duct the White Rats Investigation In- stituted In the Supreme Court by Goldie Pemberton, in 1917, were con- firmed on Monday of this week by Justice Richard H. Mitchell in the fol- lowing formal decision filed in the County Clerk's office: "After a careful reading of all .the testimony and proofs submitted to the Referee, I am of the opinion that the Referee's report should be confirmed 'Submit proposed final order In accord- ance therewith." When informed of Justice Mitchell's decision by a Clipper reporter late on .Monday afternoon, Alvin T. Sapinsky, attorney for. 'Miss Pemberton stated that .he wouW submit' a final degree for Judge 'Mitchell's signature by the end of this week. The proposed decree, according to Sapinsky, will not only embody the report and findings of the Referee, but will also contain a tabulat- ed statement of the moneys declared by the-referee to have, been "diverted" by some of the respondents. ,-' Following the signing of the final order, by Justice Mitchell, Sapinsky de- clared he will begin actions against various individuals who were connect- ed in an official capacity with the White Rats for the recovery of the a- . mounts declared to have been diverted. The investigation Instituted by Goldie . Pemberton was begun October 15, 1917, ..that being the day on which the hear- ings commenced before Referee Schul- denfrei. Her formal application for the investigation was made in the Su- preme Court and granted in May, 1017. The hearings before the referee ex- tended over a period that ended Jan. 3, 1919. On that day, the taking of testimony ceased and both sides, Joseph J. Myers representing the White Bats, were granted time in which to submit briefs setting forth their respective sides to the controversy. The testimony taken before the referee was spread over 916 typewritten pages and, in ad- dition, there was a voluminous quantity of exhibits need in the evidence. Referee Scbuldenfrei's findings and report were filed in the Supreme Court May 80, 1919, almost two years after the matter was first started Bis find- ings were favorable to the allegations made by Goldie Pemberton in her appli- cation for an investigation. Exceptions to the Referee's report were filed by Myers on June 2, last The original order appointing a re- feree provided that a summary of the assets and liabilities of the White Hats organization be filed The figures given as of June 1, 1917 were, assets $117,- 571.80; liabilities, $72,35035. ; The following-persons were mention- ed as being directors of the White Rata organization at. the time of Goldie Pemberton's application for an investi- gation and were designated as respond- ents in the formal petition: Fred NIblov Frank North, Sam Morton, Ernest Carr, Junie -McOree, Johnny Bell, George E. Delmore, Frank Herbert James' F. Dolan, Otto Stelnert, Barry Connors, Jim- Marco, 'Theodore Bab- cock, Robert H. Hodge, Edward Archer, Will P. Conly, Joe Blrnes, James Green- field, Victor P. Wormwood, ■ Arthur Williams. The officers mentioned were James William Fitzpatrick, Edward Clark and Harry Mountfbrd, president, vice-presi- dent and International Executive and secretary-treasurer, : respectively. BAN ON SUNDAY SHOWS LIFTED Akron, Ohio, Nov. 29.—The ban on> Sunday performances of. legitimate at- tractions has been lifted here. Sunday motion pictures have always been al- lowed. ... As a result of the lifting of the ban r the Pauline McLean Players are pre- senting a weekly bill at Feiber and* Shea's Music Hall. Last Sunday, the De Feo Grand Opera Company gave a performance there. Mayor I. S.- Meyers has as yet not made any attempt to prevent the Son- day shows, but.it is not known In which light Mayor-elect William Laub. who assumes office on January Kb, looks on the Sunday proposition. r— ■ : '* MILLER-BATES OPENING SET Baltimore Md., Nov. - 29.—Henry Miller and Blanche Bates are to be seen in a new play called "The Famous Mrs. Fair," in which they will be co- starred. The play opens here on De- cember 15th, and will come to New York later. MAUDE ADAMS IMPROVED Maude Adams, It was learned last week, is well on the road to recovery from her recent breakdown. If is not expected, however, that she will be able to resume work this season. She was originally booked to' appear again in "A Kiss for Cinderella". AKRON GETS NEW HOUSE Akboh, Ohio, - Not. 28.—A new theatre is to be built at the earner of Prospect and Market Streets here, to- gether- with a hotel, at a cost of $2,500,000 by the Akron-Prospect Cor- poration, recently organised. The bouse will have a seating capacity of 3000 and win be able to nook soy form of attraction. Its policy will be legitimate and motion ■■■■'-■ -v, ;;>'<- |«§g :^y'j^ ... . - v -■ .-