The New York Clipper (January 1920)

January_21, 1920 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER CHICAGO HOUSES WARNED TO FIG HT RETU RN OF "FLU" Health.Board Orders Houses Disinfected and Other Precautions Taken to Ward Off Calamity Similar to Last Year, When They Were Closed • Chicago, Jan. 19.—Orders to aid in com- bating the reappearance of the "flu" have been given to all theatre owners in Chicago. The marked increase in cases of the malady has led health officials to fear another epi- demic and a warning has been issued to the public to avoid movies and all theatres. •• In an effort to curtail the disease and eat the death rate, the Commissioner of Health has forwarded orders to all le- gitimate, vaudeville and motion picture theatres. Every one has been ordered dis- infected and all ventilating systems closely examined. Motion picture theatres have been ordered to display warning signs on their screens against expectoration or coughing in public places and other houses ordered to carry the warning in prominent places"on their programs. This was the first step, last year, that finally resulted in the closing of every theatre throughout the city, and theatre owners fear that if the epidemic is not curtailed it will again result in the clos- ing of every house for at least ten days or more. ROEDER ESTATE SETTLED Benjamin F. Boder, general manager for David Baiasco, last week, in the Surro- gate's Court, filed an accounting of the New York estate left by his late wife, Geraldine Morgan, who died leaving a will executed on June 12, 1903, in which she directed hei net estate, wherever situated, to be distributed as follows: (Mrs. Virginia W. Morgan, her mother, of Glendale, Berkshire County, Mass., a life interest in the home there, after which it is to become part of the residuary estate; Paul Morgan, brother, her Stradivarius violin. The remainder of the estate goes to her husband, who, without bonds, quali- fied as the executor. According to Boeder's accounting, he charges himself with $13,174.91, and credits himself with ?3,279,.06. A preliminary court hearing for the signing of the decree settling the accounting and to discharge the executor from his duties of trusteeship wiQ come up on January 30. NEW OPERA OPENING SET "Cleopatra's Night," the tenth American work, to be produced by General Manager Giulio Gatti-Casazza, will have its pre- miere this Saturday at the Metropolitan Opera House. The cast includes Frances Alda, Orville Harrold, Jeanne Gordon, INVENTS MUSIC-COLOR DEVICE Langdon McCormack, author of "The Storm," has just completed a new stage invention which is to be tested in a New York theatre this week. It is a new color scheme which will be used as an auxiliary to music denoting on the screen the chang- ing moods of the orchestra or organ. TO REBUILD QUINCY THEATRE QuiNCT, ID., Jan. 17.—The Empire The- atre, owned and manager by the Busby brothers, which was recently destroyed by fire, is being rebuilt, and will open in August. BERNARD COMING IN "As You Were," which has registered considerable success in its tour out of town, will come to the Central Theatre next Monday night with Sam Bernard and Irene Bordini in the featured roles. HARRY DUMONT DIES Harry Dumont, an actor who appeared in many A. H. Woods productions and who was known in the Pathe films, died at the Post-Graduate Hospital last Sunday after a long illness. "IN BED" COMING IN Following the advent of "The Girl in the Limousine" from the Eltinge Theatre next Thursday, Florence More, in "Breakfast in Bed," will go into the house for an in- definite run. RE TITLES THEDA BARA PLAY A. H. Woods has re-titled the play in which"he''wilf star Thedi Bars, shortly. The' original title was **The L&tl'Soul," but is now to be known as *Tne' Blue Flame.** ACADEMY PUTS ON PLAYS "Betty Comes Back," described as a comedy in three acts and credited to the youthful pens of Emile Benson Knipe and Alden Arthur Knipe, was presented last Friday afternoon at the Lyceum Theatre by pupils of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Empire Theatre Dramatic School. Although the piece is written in a ju- venile vein, it is not devoid of brightness, and sets forth a fairly interesting theme, but one would hardly place it among that variety of plays intended to fall under the category of comedy. However, the piece is not intended for Broadway boards, and with this thought in view, it is unnecessary to criticise its merits as a comedy. Save for a bit of occasional prompting the production was all that could be ex- pected, special honors going to Carolyn Glen, who played the title role. Walter Dncart, who gives promise as a juvenile, and Paul Hubert, who has an elderly part, REPORT ON LOEW FINANCES In a statement issued by the Wall Street interests backing the Marcus Loew thea- tres and affiliated companies a balance sheet as of November 30 last shows the finances of the corporation to be as fol- lows : Assets—Cash, $1,578,139; loans on call, $300,000- subscriptions to' capital stock by outside interests,.'$206,000;- notes re- ceivable, $11,000; Liberty bonds, $15,500; accounts receivable, 313,093; land, build- ing, equipment, etc., $10,260,648; con- struction work, $79,553; leases at cost, $1,353,0-14; investments in other com- panies, not consolidated, $283,000; deposits on contracts, $200,000; undivided profits, $165,260; advance payments on contracts, $143,333; deposits on leases and film con- tracts, $207,383;. other investments, $57,- 910; theatrical contracts, advertising and good win, $9,035,028; deferred charges $199,691; total, $27,103490. Liabilities—Accounts payable, $90,429; cash deposits on leasee, $31,637; loans and notes payable, $273,231; income and ex- cess profits taxes, $367,209; taxes on theatre admissions, $136,963; deferred ac- counts and instalments, $337,443; bonds and mortgages, $3,475,000; deferred credits, $28,421; reserve for Federal income and excess profits taxes, 1920, $222,970; ao- vances by co-operative interests, $94,103; capital stock Loew's, Inc., 700,000 shares without par value, $17,600,000; Loew's Inc., surplus, $46,733; affiliated com- panies capital stock par value co-operative interests, $2,290,391; surplus of affiliated companies applicable to stock owned by Loew's Inc., $1,629,393; surplus of affili- ated companies applicable to stock owned by co-operative interests, $597,267; total, $27,103,190. BLACK WELL MUST PAY Carlyle Blackwell, motion picture actor, ha been ordered by Supreme Court Jus- tice Finch, to pay to his wife, Ruth H. Blackwell, the sum of $1,300 unpaid ali- mony. The court ordered that he pay $600 on account within five days; $100 on January 30, and $100 monthly WOMEN STARS PREDOMINATE Women stars are ruling Broadway shows thif season and some wiseacres say that that fact has more than a little to do with the great prosperity that has smiled apon the box offices since the season set in, fig- uring that they are a better drawing power than male stellar attractions. Among the • feminine stars who kayea big following are> Blanche Bates, Lauretta Taylor, Ina Claire, Billie Burke, Lenore Ulric, Jane Cowl, Ethel Barrymore ana others, who, together, do not leave much room for the matinee idols. In the list of the men are Leo Ditrich- stein, Otis Skinner and John Barrymore. But, outside of them, the males are not as numerous in the big lights as they usually are at this time of the season. TIMBERG SHOW DELAYED Syracuse, Jan. 16.—Although originally scheduled to open in Stamford, Oonn., Herman Timberg managed to get hla musi- cal production Tick-Tack-Toe" under way here last night, after two days delay. The piece is an elaboration on the vaudeville act, "Chicken Chow Meta," and has been renamed several times prior to its premiere. Timberg, who takes a part in the piece, is responsible for the music and dialogue. Flo Lewis has an important role, which is well handled. Jay Gould and George Mayo are good. Pearl Eaton, C. Leland Marsh and an attractive bunch of girls make up the rest of the cast. MORTIMER HAS NEW JOB G. Horace Mortimer, the publicity mas, has been engaged to manage the new ex- ploitation department for the First Na- tional Exhibitors' Circuit. Mortimer ex- ploited "The Heart of Humanity" for Uni- versal in New York State and half-way across the continent He has lately been in California, where he directed publicity for the territory West of the Rockies for Public Health Films. The new exploitation division of First National Exchange, Ina, was organised last week with Mortimer in charge. It was created to work for the benefits of both the exhibitor and the exchange. FILM THE CONSTITUTION Washington, D. C, Jan. 19.—For the first time in twenty yearn, the original parchments of The Declaration of Inde- pendence and The Constitution of the United States, were taken from the safes in which they repose last week and were exposed to the motion picture camera for fiw first time. This action was taken as a means to offset the radical propaganda being spread throughout the country. McKINLEY SQ. CASINO BURNS Fire destroyed the McKinley Square Casino, an immense frame structure, ou East 169th street, Sunday, caus- ing a loss of about $100,000. The fire sturted about eight a. m. and burned through until late in the afternoon. The Casino was one of the land marks of the Bronx and had been used for dances, |K>litical meetings and lodge gatherings. ACTRESS LEFT $680 The late Caroline A. Lee, who appeared in pictures with Ethel Barrymore, Mary Pickford and Mary Miles Minter, one of which pictures was "The Little Teacher, left no will. The estate amounted to about -<C50 in personal property. Miss Lee, who is survived by her son, Allen Lee, was born in this city in 1860. GERMAN PAPERS ARRIVING For the first time in six years, copies of tin- German Theatrical publication "Der Artist," have been received in this country. When the war started, the papers ceased coming and for six years the news of the German theatrical world was a matter of ku* feswork. trriw ^ 1MISS SYLVLV CLARK , --.-!.r v ii.rr nr "That CUwy Littk* Cloww" AT KEITH'S COLONIAL THEATRE THIS WEEK DIRECTION JAMES PLUNKETT MRS. SULLY GETS $30,000 Mrs. Grace Sully, widow of John F. Sully, who, with his son, Vincent, was killed in an auto accident April 25 last, was .awarded a judgment last -week of $89,000 ftr their loss. She bwjmrht suit against the- town of Tensfiy. New Jersey. where the accident took place.