San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

January 9, 1909 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW THE LITTLE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST Zena Keife Four seasons Keith & Proctor Circuit. Home again. Sullivan & Consldine Time. Archie Levy, Agent George Yeoman JEST A JERMAN JESTER Address Archie Levy George De Voy & Dayton Sisters IN AN ECCENTRIC SINGIN0 AND DANCING ODDITY Sullivan & Considine Time. Address Archie Levy. Vaudeville Notes The clever vaudeville team. Eddie Barnes and Kitty Edwins, are one of the features of the North Brothers' stock company, now playing' the Lyric Theatre, St. Joe, Mo. I'ndue haste to purchase a ticket to Chicago and the nervousness displayed by E. J. Hurk, who gave St. Louis as his home, led to his arrest in Fort Worth. Tex., on January 3, and to the discovery that the safe aboard the train conveying a Wild West circus (known as the 101 Ranch) to Fort Worth had been blown during the night and robbed of $15,000. When asked to explain the possession of S750 in silver coin which he carried in a leather satchel, the man, formerly an attache of the circus, told of the robbery, declaring that he had been made the tool of a professional safeblower, who had escaped with the rest of the money. The robbery occurred a> the train was nearing Fort Worth. It is reported that the Victory will open in vaudeville. The People's, out in the Mission district, has gone back to 10 cent vaudeville again. The PantagesWestern States Vaudeville Association will play their people at the Jose Theatre in San Jose hereafter, and use the Empire for another line of business. Sid Grauman says he will make his big double show benefit for the Italian earthquake sufferers at the big Dreamland a $5,000 one if he has to fight Sam Harris, manager of the Wigwam, a twenty rounder for the managerial championship of San Francisco in the sporting addition of the show. The death of Barney Reynolds, the Dutch comedian of fifty years ago. occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, on January 5, from heart disease, at the age of 72 years. Many an old theatregoer will remember him ; a little fellow and an excellent performer with a fund of dry humor that seemed exhaustless. Reynolds was one of the first of Dutch comedians, and visited San Francisco many times during his stage career in minstrel, variety and farce comedy companies, and was always the gentleman on and off the stage. The stock of the Empire Theatre Company was distributed into a number of hands before Alex Pantages purchased into it, and it became the Pantages-Empire Theatre. The theatre has been more overburdened with riders since, and to relieve the pressure of too many associate managers, Mr. Wise and Marcus Bloom, two of the original stockholders, disposed of their interests to their associates last week. The return of Joseph and Myra Dowling to the National in the vaudeville rotations around the continent recalls a tragic episode in San Francisco in 1873. James M. Dowling, father of Joseph Dowling, was one of the early stage managers on the Coast. He officiated in that capacity at Maguire's Opera House on Washington street, the first theatre built in San Francisco, for several seasons, and was also manager of the Metropolitan Theatre on Montgomery street, between Washington and Jackson streets. This was the heart of the city at that time. One night after the performance, Dowling with some actors dropped into the Pup saloon to lunch. While there Johnny Truers, an eccentric comedian, and (ieorge C. Thompson, who obtained fame for his "Old Joe" song, had an altercation in which Truers fired a shot at him. The bullet lodged in Dowling's groin and caused his death. James M. Dowling was a dramatically classic man. It was the era of Shakespeare's plays and he had staged hundreds of them and was schooled in them. When asked about his wound he quoted Horatio's words. *'lt is not as deep as a well, nor as broad as a church door, but it will do." Shakespeare has vanished from the stage, alas, and there is no time in this age of greed and sensualism to read the works of the great master. How many of our young readers can tell from what play the above extract was quoted? Esther Rujaero and Evelyn Selbie open in their new sketch, Devotion, at the Novelty in Yallejo, with the S. & C. city time to follow. D. J. Grauman has been appointed sole representative for the White Rats of America for the territory commencing at Omaha, extending north, including Canada, south to Texas, and taking in all the states on the plains and on the Pacific Coast. He will look after the members' professional welfare and is empowered to also negotiate and further the society's business interests in any way he can in this widespread district. The latitude is wide and new booking routes or even White Rats theatres may materialize out of the move. Manager Harris has made the greatest scoop in vaudeville here in engaging ex-Champion Jim Jeffreys for a week at the Wigwam. It will probably be the means of his entering the ring again to try results with Jack Johnson. Dolph and Susie Levino, who are at the National, carrying all before them this week in their original, clever and laughable act of Hypnotizing a Wife, are no strangers in San Francisco. They established themselves as favorites here several years ago for their good acting and as managers and producers. They have a record worth recalling. When Dolph Levino was a boy he started out in life as an artist, with rare natural gifts, as may now be seen in his stage superior crayon drawing sketches, but the allurements of the theatre were stronger than those of art. He built a Levino Hall in Cardiff, Wales, for vaudeville purposes, and afterwards turned it over to Oswald Stoll as one of the houses of his now great circuit of theatres. Dolph and Susie Levino then toured America. Returned and toured Great Britain, took an extended trip over the Harry Rickard's Australian circuit. Back to England again, and to America, also. Levino is a fine comedian and Mrs. Levino is a superior singer and a spirited and vivacious actress, who fully shares the success of their bright comedy. Juliet Chandler is in town from Eureka on a two weeks' visit. Odell and Whiting and Naglc and Adams have just concluded an engagement in Eureka at the Empire Theatre. Ne wTheatre for Pasadena Pasadena is to have a new theatre. It will replace the Jewel on West Colorado Street, and the building will be remodeled by its owners, while the show place will be under the management of G. D. Porter. Mr. Porter, it will be recalled, was the manager of the Pasadena Grand Opera House at one time. The house will be so rebuilt that it will seat 400 people with comfort, and the floor will be slanted so that all can see. A stage 20 by 25 feet will be constructed and the scenery for the stage is already being painted in Los Angeles. Straight vaudeville with two illustrated songs and one moving picture will be given twice each evening and on Wednesday and Saturday matinees. In keeping with the popular name of Pasadena, the house will be known as the Crown Vaudeville Theatre, and it is expected that it will be in shape for the opening in about three weeks. It will be closed on Sundays. Form Moving Picture Trust A $15,000,000 merger, according to an announcement made Wednesday night in New York, will end a moving picture war that has been in progress for many months. The merger will result, it is stated, in crowding out of business nearly 50 per cent of the moving picture places. New Theatre of San Jose Now Plays Vaudeville The following will explain an important change in the amusement situation in that city : You are cordially invited to attend the reopening of the Theatre Jose. Sunday eveniiiK. January 10, 1903. Come and see the • •ussiest, prettiest vaudeville house on 111'' ['acidc Coast. The Theatre Jose is , I • ■■ 1 i rated to high-class 1!)09 vaudeville attractions. Sincerely yours. JOSE THRATRH CO. HARRY HEKCOVICH. Pres. and Mgr. The W igwam Signs Jeffries Jim Jeffries, who made a hit and a small fortune on the stage after defeating Sharkey and Fitzsimmons, first in minor parts and then as leading man, says he likes the footlight boxing game better than the "deadearnest" ring and is not averse to going back to it. Speaking of the proposition made to him in San Francisco for a week's engagement, he said the other night : "Say. I'll have to go after that. sure. They offered me M. M. RILEY G. A. KELLEY THALIA Concert Hall 514^ PACIFIC STREET Up-to-Date Vaudeville NO ACT TOO BIG FOR THIS HOUSE $3,000 to appear up there for one week, and that's about the easiest coin I ever heard of. There has been nothing definite arranged and I don't know just when they want me to appear, but if they come through with the coin I'll grab it." The engagement opens tomorrow. Value of Norris & Rowe's Circus The appraisers appointed to appraise the Norris & Rowe Circus property have reported to Referee in I'.ankruptcy Ed Martin at Santa Cruz. They have appraised the property at S37.254. The liabilities are about $57,000. The property, including animals, tents, wagons, etc.. will now likely be sold for what they will bring, which will probably be much less than the appraised value. Actors Arrested for Performing on Sunday New York, Jan. 3. — The police today arrested several performers at the so-called Sunday concerts. At Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre four men were taken into custody following their presentation of a schoolroom sketch in which the actors were said to have been made up as teachers and pupils. The acting manager of the theatre. Aaron Kessler. was also arrested. The Theatre Managers' Protective Association made public to-day resolutions protesting against the enforcement of "blue laws." K sri. McVitty writes from Portland. ( )re.( that his Jane Eyre Company will play three weeks in that city at the Star Theatre, presumably changing bills weekly and then repeat that programme in Seattle. DESPITE the efforts made to suppress all information, it was learned in Sioux Falls last week that Circuit Judge McCoy has granted an absolute divorce to Mary Aloie Goodwin Gilmore from Paul (iilmore. Desertion is given as the reason. The married life of the Cilmores has long been an unhappy one.