The New York Clipper (December 1919)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER December 31, 1919 MOSS FORMING COMBINE WITH MASTBAUM PLANS EXPANSION OF CIRCUIT That B. S. Moss and Jules Mastbaum, of Philadelphia, axe considering a combin- ation to take over a chain of theatres run- ning a combined vaudeville and motion picture policy became known early this week. In fact, Moss and Mastbaom are now making a tour of eastern Pennsyl- vania, looking over nouses. . Just what theatres are being considered could not be ascertained, bat it is possible that the Sablosky and McGuirk string will be among those taken over. These include about ten theatres in Philadelphia, which play split-week vaudeville of five acts of a {airly high class, all of which are now booked by the Moss offices. Moss has been ambitions to extend his vaudeville chain of houses for some time, and a combination with Mastbaum will, in all probability, be the means to this end. About a year ago, the Famous Players and Moss made a deal whereby the film people were to take over his houses and screen their features there after they had played the Bialto and Rivoli But this deal fell through when, it is said, Marcus Loew, whose business with the Famous Players amounted to more than $600,000 a year, objected on the grounds that he was prom- ised first run of F-P. pictures after they had been shown at the two down town theatres. Since that time Moss has been seeking to expand. Rumors have been frequently current that he was contemplating the building of more theatres, but. little credence was given to the reports owing to the amount of money that the building of these would have entailed. However, Moss, in partnership with Mastbaum, could take over a chain of bouses for a reasonable outlay and would be in an ad- vantageous position to book them by reason of their proximity to the Philadelphia houses that he now books. Mastbaum has a large financial interest in all these the- atres. . If the Moss-Mastbaum combination goes through, it will probably start with a chain of Philadelphia and eastern Pennsylvania theatres in conjunction with the New York houses and will expand to other eastern points as fast as its normal growth will permit. Moss is expected back in the city at the end of the week, and it is intimated that by then the combination will have been consummated. , ,.-,., .,' LEAVES "OVERSEAS REVUE" , K San Francisco, Dec. 26.—Tom McGuire has left the cast of Will Morrisey and Elizabeth Brice's "Overseas Revue," play- ing the Orpheum Circuit. He closed at Fresno. .Francis Young, who, for the past year, has been a member oC the Columbia Musical Comedy Company, of Oakland, will step into McGuire's role in Los An- geles. LOEW NAMES B'DWAY HOUSE The vaudeville house that Marcus Loew is to build on the corner of Forty-fifth street and Broadway has already received its christening. It will be known as Loew's State Theatre. ELTINGE CARRYING 186 GOWNS - San Francisco, Dec. 29.—Julian El- ting* is carrying 186 gowns with him on nis tour of the world. Many of them were made in San Francisco. NEW ACTS The Aborns have in rehearsal under the working title.' of "Pikers" a musical .com- edy in three scenes, the name of which, in all probability, will be changed to "Oh, Mabel." The book. and lyrics are by Jack Arnold. ' The musical numbers are being staged by Elmer Floyd. In the cast will be - seen Ted' Roberts, Eddie Lawrence, Camile Polaire, Margeret De Von, Jed Dimn and BQlie Cooper, with a large chorus. McCarty and Fay, who starred for several seasons in vaudeville in "Suicide Garden," by Herbert Moore, are now breaking in a new vehicle, working in full stage with an elaborate special act. The act is by George 'Wells, a New York news- paperman, and is being booked by M. S. Bentham. Billy Seabury, the dancer, is heading a new act which is ready for a break-in. Supporting him are six girls and a pianist. The act is on the order of the William Rock act, although Seabury's vehicle in- cludes more dancing. The Marty Brooks Song and Dance Revue, with four men and two girts, will open this week on the Keith circuit, out-of town The, act features Hite and Reflow, with Georgie Stone, Manny Smith and others. Mattie Choate, who has been playing the two-a-day for several seasons in "two- acts," will soon return to vaudeville in a new playlet, supported by a cast of two.' Bedford and Annitage will present a new sketch shortly, assisted by Joan Vernon, called "The Girl from Topeka," and written by Allan Spencer Tenny. Ray Cussare, formerly of the "Monte Cristo, Jr." Bhow. and Bert Dixon, the song writer, have teamed np and will open shortly in a new act. Cynthia Kellogg, formerly with "Flo Flo" and "Katinia," and Frank Bernard, of "Fifty-Fifty," are rehearsing a new vaudeville act "Wopology" is the name of a new act which is the vehicle of Pinto, Beck and Boyle. It "will open in vaudeville next week. Ralph Trois and Billy O'Brien, a new Italian act, with special sets, called "TTno Me and Co." ^..-- Jess Martin, of Martin and Carson, will open shortly in a sew act. Max Stamford will open with a new mind-reading act shortly. i'y.- LEAVES ELTINGE SHOW Saw Francisco, Dec. 25.—Winona Win- ters will not sail as a member of the Julian FltingW Company on its foreign tour, owing to the fact that her parents do not wish her to leave America. She was offered special inducements by El- tinge, but had-to refuse. She- will open a tour on the Orpheum Circuit shortly. KLEIN GETS NEW ACT "PiBtols For Two," a farce^comedy writ- ten by Bille Shaw and presented by Sea- bury and Shaw, will open out of town this week. The act has a special setting and features Joan Perry, Ernest Faul and Adrian Bellevue. It will be under the di- rection of Arthur Klein. SCHWAB BRINGING ACT IN "Last Night," a farce with mnsic being produced by Lawrence Schwab, will open on January 5 at the Alhambra. Earl Tompkins, is featured, with Clinton -and Rooney, in a cast of ten. STRANDED SHOW IS DEAD Eugene Murphy, who produced "Miss Manhattan," the tab which stranded up- State recently, arrived in town last week. The show will not be reorganized. SENT TO PRISON FOR STEALING COAT TOOK IT FROM STORE- WINDOW Foet William, Canada, Dec. 27.—Con- victed of. the theft of a fur coat valued- at 1385, taken from a'local store several weeks ago, Harry Weber and Mrs. Cecelia Weber, were last week sentenced to two years' imprisonment in the Stone Mountain penitentiary by Judge OTiery. Shirley Weber and Dolly La Salle were allowed to go on suspended sentence, providing they immediately left this country. According to the local authorities, the performers arrived here several weeks ago and were billed to appear in "Dancing a la Carte." The day of their arrival, one of the women members of the act is alleged to have taken the coat from a local store, while others in the party engaged the clerk in conversation. It is said that she took the coat, valued at $395, from the mode] form and replaced it with one from a nearby table, then leaving the store. An- other clerk in the store noticed the woman leaving, and notified the manager, who im- mediately telephoned the poUoe. The police, after tracing down a box bonght by Weber, in which, it is stated, he intended sending Christmas presents, dis- covered that the coat had been mailed by the latter from the post office, where he had insured it for $100. NAUGATUCK HOUSE REOPENS Nacoatuck, Conn., Dec. 27.—The Rialto Theatre, this city, which has been' closed for a period of three weeks, during which time it has undergone repairs and redecorations, reopens on Monday the 29th, with a split week vaudeville policy of four acts and features. WIRE-WALKER FRAMING ACT ■ San Francisco, Dec 27.—Perry Oliver, the tight-wire walker, has returned from overseas and will go into training shortly before breaking in a new act. He has had 1 a number of .offers.to play his quar- tette of wire-walkera, known as' the Four Olivers. ' "' _ - '" SOPHIE MAY PLAY FOR LOEW Sophie Tucker and her new act, which she showed at the Colonial Theatre a few weeks ago, will not be seen on the Keith time, due to a difference of opinion re- garding the act's value. . Miss Tucker asked $2,000 for the act, but the managers' offer came nowhere near that figure and' she took np negotiations with the Marcus Loew office. The salary offered by the Loew offices was said to be all that Miss Tucker asked, and on Mon- day she was considering, accepting a route. . Miss. Tucker' considers the, act ^the. best she has ever.presented, and spent nearly $5,000 in preparing it for a showing. — «<j FASHION FROLIC ENDS On Saturday night, the Parisian Fashion Frolic ends its engagement at B. S. Moss' Broadway Theatre, after an eight-week run. The act has been running, in con- junction with a feature picture, and has meant capacity business at the Broadway at practically every performance. The presence of French mademoiselles in transparent pajamas and bathing suits, meant an average weekly business for the Broadway of about $11,000. The biggest week was the third, when the box-office receipts approached the $14,000 mark. The Parisian Fashion Frolic win probably make a tour of the other Moss houses, re- maining a week at each. BECK GIVES XMAS PARTY New Orleans, Dec 26.—Martin Beck, managing, director of the Orpheum Circuit, who is here speeding np the work of the new $750,000 Orpheum building, enter- tained stage folk of the Orpheum and Palace theatres on Christmas day with a dinner and dance on the stage of the Palace Theatre. . .- CHOOS DOING NEW ACT George Choos, producer of "The Little Cottage," has placed in rehearsal a new miniature musical comedy called "The Apple Tree." Ray Midgley is directing the production, of which the book and lyrics were written by Donald MacBoyle. Walter M. Rosenberg wrote the music Fourteen people, featuring John Sully of the Sully Family, Delia Rose, Muriel Thomas and Jerry Manas, are in the cast LaMONT OPENS THREE ACTS Bert LaMont opened three new vaude- ville acts this week They are "Cowboy Courtship." with five people, which opened at the Lyric, Hoboken, 'on Monday, and "Western Kids," which opened at the United States Theatre, the same town. This act has five people in it. Also, the Ward Sisters opened in a new singing and dancing act at-Perth Amboy. GUARANTEEING CROCK Probably with the experience of Wilkie Bard's premiere in mind, there is some rather unique advertising of Grock in the lobby of the Palace Theatre this week. One large streamer over the entrance reads in part: "We guarantee Grock because we fixed his salary after seeing him work" Another sign reads: "We guarantee Grock to be funny." CLIFFORD AND WALLACE TEAM UP Jack Clifford, who was last seen here in vaudeville with Evelyn Nesbit, is prepar- ing; a new; act in which he will appear with Irene Wallace, the motion-picture i star. James Madison is writing the act, which will consist of singing,' dancing and some novelties. SOLDIERS REFORM ACT ."' Ackerman and Baron, who,,- separated when both members of the team went into service, have now teamed up again, and are rehearsing a new act. They will open in Chicago about January 15. CARTER SAILS DEC 31ST San Francisco, Dec. 27.—Carter, the magician, will sail for the Orient, starting a world's tour, on Dec. 31 on the Matson steamer, after several disappointments in securing passage. He will take a company of twelve people with him. N. V. A. STENOGRAPHER ENGAGED Miss Helen Scher, who has been in the employ of the N. V. A. as a stenographer since its birth, has announced her engage- ment to So] Goodman. The wedding will take place In the early Spring. STOKER HAS FARCE ACT "Last Night," a one-act farce comedy, with music by William Le Baron, makes its New York debut next week at the Alhambra Theatre. The act was produced by Floyd Stoker. FULTON CONCERTS END The Sunday night concerts at the Ful- ton Theatre, inaugurated last week, were abandoned after the first Sunday night. The large number of other Sunday con- certs made it impossible to do business. FIELDS AND CONWAY SPLIT Sally Fields and Charles Conway have spMt their_act. in England, where they are touring the Moss houses. Miss Fields is completing the' "tour alone, according to the report.