The New York Clipper (February 1920)

February 4, 1920 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 21 TULSA REMAINS FOR FOUR I WEEKS MUST SHOW BETTER BUSINESS : : : . ■ General Manager George Gallagher, of the American Burlesque Circuit, has de- cided to let Tulsa remain on the wheel » few weeks longer. •-Shows have been playing the Grand The- atre. Tulsa, for the last few months, on the lay-off week between Kansas City and St. Louis, for six days, on a guarantee. Some shows have made a few dollars, otherl have been breaking about even. The railroad fare from Kansas City to Tulsa and back again to St. Louis is about $24, which amounts to considerable when multiplied by the number of people car- ried. The town, as was stated in these columns at the time the shows started to play there, is not good for more than three days a week, one of- the reasons being that there are several houses there playing "tabs" and which are giving four and five shows a day. These houses, it is aaid, are playing to capacity business at lower prices than the burlesque house is getting and are giving good shows. This was too much for the burlesque compa- nies, which could not be expected to come along and make any money, for they had to pay salaries without a cut, railroading, hauling, billing and stand for the wear and tear of costumes and scenery. So, it was decided that the town should be dis- continued, and the owners were notified by the officials of the circuit to that effect. James Butler, of St. Louis, who is in- terested in the house, was in New York last Thursday and, after' a long conference With Gallagher, promised to go to Tulsa and give the house his personal attention if the circuit would continue sending shows there. So, commencing with last Monday, Feb. 2, Gallagher agreed to give them another trial, of four weeks, and if no improvement is shown in that-time the town will be dropped by the circuit. It Is said that Frank Metzger, who closed last Saturday ahead of the "Sport Girls," starts this week as manager of the house for Butler and his associates. There is no doubt that, in case Tulsa is dropped, the shows will play St. Joe for two or three days after Kansas City and then some one-nighters into St. Louis, without giving them a lay-off. The Co- lumbia shows are now playing St. Joe for two days, but will discontinue playing that city the middle of this month, when the Victoria, Chicago, open and fill in the lay-off week between Kansas City and St. Louis on that circuit. £■% CLUB RAISES DUES At the regular meeting of the Burlesque Club last Sunday a committee was .ap- pointed by President James E. Cooper to make arrangement for a benefit to be held at one of the Broadway theatres Sunday night, March 14. The proceeds are to go into the club treasury. .It was also voted to raise the initiation fee to $10 up to May 1, and $25 after that. The dues will be $12 a year instead of $9, commencing May 1. A special meeting has been called for 220. next Sunday afternoon, and Presi- dent Cooper is anxious to have all mem- bers who are in town present . HASTINGS GETS NEW PEOPLE Harry Hastings has signed Kenneth' Christy, a black-face comedian now with. ■ "Come- Along, Mary** company. Frances . Haif man, a prima donna, has also signed a contract with aim. She has been with "Our Naughty Bride" company. "Baker and Rogers, a vaudeville team of tramp comedians, have been engaged. They have all signed three-year contractu. REEVES HAS NEW PRIMA DONNA Amanda Hendricks, a prima donna new to Burlesque, joined AL Reeves' show in Hartford last week. She has been in musical comedy. Reeves now has an en- tirely new cast of principals with the ex- ception of the Big Four Quartet. Reeves ■will rejoin his show at' Hurtig and Ses- sion's next week, after five weeks' lay off. JOINING "ROUND THE TOWN" Maris Blmer wjR Join' the "Round the Town~ at "the BijotJ,-PhDauelplua; next weak. She will replace Adele Bennett PRIMA DONNA BREAKS WRIST Florence Darley, prima donna of the "Star and Garter" show is confined at the home of a friend, as a result of an acci- dent which occurred while the show was playing the Park Theatre, Bridgeport. Miss Barley was climbing the steps to the platform in the last act and fell as she reached the top step to the stage. She sustained numerous bruises of the body and her right wrist was broken in two places. SCRIBNER GOING SOUTH Sam A. Scribner, general manager of the Columbia Amusement Company, left New York last Friday for Palm Beach, where he will remain four weeks. On his way North, he will stop over at Pine- hurst for two weeks, to play golf. He will then go to White Sulphur Springs for a week, before returning to New York. SIMMONS GETS DIVORCE Boston, Mass., Jan. 21.—Robert Sim- mons was granted an absolute- divorce from Agnes Frawjcy Simmons here yes- terday by Judge Festick. Simmons, man- ager of James E. Cooper's . "Boseland Girls," was married two yean ago last June to a member of the "Frivolities of 1820." He was her second husband. PETE CLARK NO BETTER The latest word from the sick room of Pete Clark at his home in Richmond Hill, states that there is no improvement in his condition. Since suffering a relapse several weeks ago Clark's condition has been very seriona EMPIRE CIRCUIT DECLARES BIG DIVIDEND HOLDS SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING The semi-annual meeting of the Empire Circuit was held at the Manhattan Hotel, New York, last Thursday afternoon. The general business of the circuit was taken up, and a plan laid out for the next year's business. A dividend was also de- clared. It was not stated how much, but it is understood that the amount was the largest ever declared by the circuit. The members who attended were Harry Clay Miner, of New York, Col. Jim Whalen and Horace McCrocken, of Louisville; George F. Rife of Baltimore, Edw. Butler of St. Louis, and his attorney Mr. Trallea, Hubert Hiet of Cincinnati, William Drew of the firm of Drew and Campbell, of Cleveland, and. Chas. Knt>pp, the attorney of the circuit. . ■ ... The houses now controlled by the Em- pire Circuit are .the Casino and Empire, Brooklyn; Lyceum, Washington, and the Empire, Chicago. PEARL LAING SIGNED Milwaukee, Wis*., Jan. 28.—Pearl Laing, with the stock cempany playing the Empress, this city, will open with the. new stock company in Gary, Ind., next week, as soubrette. This house win be ran by the owners of the Euu-.-ess. Miss Laing was formerly at Kahn's Union Square, New York, and recently closed with the "Cracker Jacks" on the American Bur- lesque Circuit "BELLES" HAS NEW JUVENILE Jack Billon, a young juvenile who're- cently closed with the "Oh, Frenchy" com- pany, has been engaged by James E. Cooper for his "Victory Belies.- He will open next week in Jersey CHy, 'replacing Morris Lloyd, who has given in his notice to close there. BOB SIMMONS IS BACK Bob Simmons, who has been ill the last two weeks with pneumonia, • has rejoined hie show, the "Boseland Girls," in Pater- son. Art Muller has been handling the show during his absence. LYONS STILL SICK Muskoka. Ont., Jan. 31.—Joe Lyons, ex "straight" man of burlesque, la still confined to a sanitarium here and would like to hear from his friends when they have time to writs him. i WELLS PLAYING VAUDE. Billy K. Wells, general manager for the James E. Cooper Enterprises, is playing a" few weeks of vaudeville around New York, and is doing the "single*' he did several years ago. BEDINI DOES $9,000 Waterbukt, Conn.; Feb. 2.—Jean Be- dini's Feek-a-Boo" show broke an bar. lesque records at the Jacques last week, when it did over $9,000. It played to a $2 top. WATSON CLEANING UP PrrrsBVBoa, Pa., Feb. 2.—"Beef Trust" Billy Watson put over another record of $9,000 at the Gayety last week. la Balti- more he did $8,700. GALLAGHER GOING WEST George Gallagher, general manager of the American Burlesque Circuit, will leave New York Friday for an inspection tour of the Western houses. Ha will visit Kan- sas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Louis- ville and Pittsburgh, as well as several other cities. TOM HENRY RECOVERED 'Boston, Mass., Jan. SI.—Tom Henry, manager of the Gayety Theatre, has re- covered from an attack of the "Flu," which confined him to his home for over a week. He is back at the theatre again. MACK IS BACK J. Herbert Mack, president of the Co- lumbia Amusement Company, returned to his desk Monday. He has been on a pleas- ure trip to the Coast for five weeks. He left New York Dee. 27. MABEL McCLOUD HAS PNEUMONIA Mabel MeCloud, ingenue of the "Best Show in Town," has been out of the east for several weeks, and is confined to her hotel with pneumonia. SAMMY WRIGHT CLOSES Sammy Wright dosed with the "Mid- night Maidens" last Saturday night at the Empire, Hoboken. He Is going into "WONDER SHOW" Tkept ALL LAUGHING AT THE COLUMBIA Joe Hurtlg'a "Burlesque Wonder Snow" Is using the same book again tola season as last, "My Wire Won't Let Me." It tells a story or a girl who was to Inherit a large fortune, but could not set the money until she married. She la In love with a young chap, who was also to get money when he married. But they round that neither would receive the money unless the girl married someone else first. A plan was then devised whereby the girl should marry an Inmate from the local hospital. After the marriage. the husband la supposed to go back to the institution again, the, wife to sue tor a di- vorce,-set It and marry the chap she la In love with. The book is full or complicated situations that kept up a strain of humor throughout the piece, which Is In two acts and four scenes. George P. Murphy Is the husband and Is also the principal comedian. He la portray- ing his "Dutch" ch. meter again this sea- son and does It much In i he pleasure of his audience. Hla dialect find make-up are both excellent and P.e dresses the part ridiculously tunny. They like him Mon- day afternoon. Prl.—rose Salmon again was seen as the wife. In which part shs did very well. She also did nicely with her numbers and was m hit In her specialty, giving Impersonations and a recitation In ragtime. Bar dresses are pretty. Clara Doug-las, who has been out of bur- lesque for several seasons, did nicely as the other woman. She also displayed beautiful - gowns. Edna Green Is getting back to herself again and is showing some of her old jSj form In putting over a number and dancing. She is getting a little heavier, which Im- proves her appearance greatly. Arthur Conrad, as Jasper, does a good comedy part Joe Mitchell, as the lawyer. has a fine part He Is on mors than tie comedian. IJoyd Pedrlck, as the doctor, portrayed the part assigned to htm very well. His L n J^?;i p -JS, l, .^* n i5 I »PP*»nmoa wars la keeping with the part. Frank Martin la doing the "straight" and ove , r MV nun >l>*™ la the show that go fl,JS? I Si?. ,n 5 *"•» Seamon offered a neat duet that waa liked. There were several clever girls In Con- rad's plckout number, that are good posst- • bllltles aa future soubrettea. Miss Semon'a "Vamp" number waa staged nicely and weU worked up by both the prin- cipals and chorus. Murphy was a decided success with his . specialty. In which he offered a parody with several choruses. It waa generously en- cored. "Hurtlg has again shown ue some class la costumes. In met, all of hla shows that have been here this season have been most elaborately one fumed. The rlrla are a prettr lot and work vary hard. The elec- trical effects are fine. The "Burlesque Wonder Bhow" keeps them laughing and It pleased a big house at the Columbia. ' BID. INGENUE GETS CHANCE During the Illness of Franz-Msrie Texas, prima donna of the "Victory Belles,'' Jean Brown, ingenue of the company, sang her numbers as well as playing her own part. Miss Brown scored a hit at every per- formance in the dual role. FRED BLOCK MARRIED Pim.AMcr.PBiA, Pa., Jan. 28.—Fred Block, interested in several houses in this city, was married day to Miss Charlotte Choi berg, a professional. BEE DARLING CLOSES Bee Darling, ingenue of the "Hoseland Girls,'' dosed at the Bronx last Saturday night Ruth Boeemond, formerly of. the "Sightseers," opened in her place. BROKE GAYETY RECORD ■ The Stone and PUlard Show broke all records far twelve performances at the Gaiety, Brooklyn, last week, when they played to a little over $6ys00. MAURICE CADI RACK Maurice Cain returned to New York Mbndav after a week's visit to < HttTtJg and Seamons shows out of'