The Billboard 1910-10-22: Vol 22 Iss 43 (1910-10-22)

3 The Billboard OCTOBER 22, 1910. New York and Sunday Shows There’s to be no rest for the actor on Sunday. That is, if the tentative plans of Wm. A. Brady are carried to a successful issue. In other words, Mr. Brady intends giving Broadway drama on the Sabbath eve. Such little things as the sad relics of a colonial prohibitory blue law notwithstanding. And this is how ’twill be done. You may join the Daly Theatre Club—the dues will be just as much per performance as the seat check calls for—applying a few days ahead will insure your getting a membership card—also a front row chair—which is more important. The scheme is daring and off hand the writer predicts an unqualified failure merely because Mr. Brady intends staging plays too heavy for any Suncay night attendance. Suderman, Ibsen, Maeterlinck, Batawaski and others of the old world masters, were not intended to amuse Broadwayites on a Sunday night. New York has been too long without the seventh day entertainment, and the folks of culture would not risk a pastorial flaying for so sinning against the Church mandates. Besides that, every nickel counts, an@ many ministers will howl the battle cry to avoid a diverting of the money channel. There is but little chance that the City Fathers would permit such a Sunday desecration—they won't allow vaudeville or flicker drama, then why the stuff that causes high brow wrinkles. No real question of ethics could enter the discussion. Some people take Sunday shows, some don’t. If the thing is immoral and transgresses any of the codes, then there are many whose chance for heaven is as slim as our getting an honest legislature. In the Western States Sunday shows are taken as a matter of course; in East, nothing doing. Possibly this is only a test of broad gauge morals; at any rate there doesn’t seem to be much harm come of it. | Should the plan eventuate, the actor will be heard from; there will be strenuous objection from Mr. Thespian, but that’s because it’s new to him. In some isolated cases it may be a hardship, but he will be well paid—don’t fear. On the whole, though, one is inclined to reduce the proposition to vaporings of some tireless though unoriginal press agent. Mr. Frohman started the agitation of Sunday shows a few weeks since; then came the New Theatre, announcing special Sunday nights at popular prices for the East Sider—and now comes Mr. Prady, with the idea of organizing the Daly Theatre Club, with .membership cards ranging from fifty cents to two dollars and good only once. Maybe the scheme will work. Broadway is just aching to act real devilish; why not then on Sunday nights? Patience, press agents and City Fathers will tell the answer. —F. W. Speculators Again It happens sometimes that a pompous newspaperman is jostled by a ticket speculator—straightway comes a waste of paper and ink, roasting an evil that no seems able to abate. No visitor to New York will gainsay the fact that speculators are a nuisance—indulging frequently in hoodlumism that should be resented with a stout cane; and it’s repeated at every performance. There are some who claim the manager shares profits with these parasites; possibly in remote _ instances they do, but the decent manager on Broadway is willing to spend his money to put the speculator out of business. But that’s no use! No law will ever be made binding enough to stop the graft; too much money behind. It’s up to the public; there’s a very simple way to remedy the evil. Let the public stop buying from the speculator.—F. W. Some Ginger Needed A popular song will run its career; so will a play. Then there are plays and other modes of entertainment that will live to a certain age—then get a new start and live all over again. Ginger or innovation or something just a little different does the trick. | EDITORIAL BULLETIN We are pleased to announce the institution of a new feature, which is sure to meet with warmest welcome and heartiest endorsement on the part of our readers. The article entitled, ‘‘Music Publishing in France,’? which appeared on page 5 of The Billboard for October 15, is the initial article in a series that will display the fruits of investigation into many and divers subjects of interest to the profession of amusements. This week the real facts concerning the purchase, exhibition and death of the elephant, Jumbo, are set forth. Next week’s issue will contain a scholarly and interesting disquisition on the moot question of Shakespeare’s use of scenery in the Globe Theatre and other theatres in which his plays are believed to have been presented during his own lifetime. Following that there will be an article describing theatrical conditions in Europe, and setting forth the differences between the customs there and in our own country. Other articles will treat of the rise and decline of the carnival in popular favor, a brief history of billposting in the United States, sketches of the lives, past and present, of onee famous actors of both sexes now retired, and so on through a long list of subjects. Of Interest to Circus Folk The close of the cireus season will witness no deterioration of interest quality in the matter that will be presented for the entertainment and edification of those readers who are identified with the great world of the white tops. The space that, through the busy summer months, has been devoted to reports of the movements of circuses and incidental news of the circus season, will be given over to special articles of the reminiscent, educative, historical and biographical character. To begin with, we have ready for publication a series of five articles treating of the development of the American circus, sketches of the characters who have been famous as owners, agents and managers, and as performers, riders, clowns, aerialists, acrobats, back to the third generation. These articles will be illustrated with reproductions of rare photographs of persons whose names have long been famous (persons who were most popular or most successful in the circus world when our fathers were boys), and with reproductions of old show bills, some of which date back to 1851. Another series of articles will tell the details of the building of several fortunes—Barnum, Hutchinson, Sells, Bailey, Forepaugh, Robinson, Lillie, Cole, Ringling, Wallace and several others—upon the foundation of the sawdust ring. Other articles will tell how the leading circus proprietors spend the winter months—what their interests are, and so forth. The Billboard will be a most congenial fireside companion for the cireus man and the circus woman this season. New Motion Picture List We are now compiling for early publication in these columns, a new and revised list of motion picture theatres and exhibitors throughout the United States and Canada. Owing to the changes that are daily taking place among the owners and locations of motion picture theatres, the life of such a list as we published in our issue of September 3 is necessarily short. We are, therefore, planning to provide our readers with revised, corrected and amplified editions of this list at frequent intervals. It is the only list of its kind extant. That's what the moving picture industry needs to-day, but what; that's the question. No one safely balanced questions the future of motion photography. It is here and here to remain; but the public will tire sooner or later from lack of originality. For a time most any old thing that could be shaken into a plot was acted out on celluloid. This ran threadbare; then stage directors from the dramatics were recruited; they brought new life and vim, selected scenarios with more care, and when writing talent logged, called into servyice revamped editions of old masterpieces. These, too, had a _ vogue. Then came the outdoor scenes of comedy and tragedy, and then the torrent of Western scenes, Indian stories and ail the what-nots a busy brain could conjure. What next? Some one will happen along some day and start something new and revived interest in pietures will mean swelled bank accounts to the many. It needs something—what is it?—F. Ww Looking for Work Most of the season's shows are playing—or in the last stages of rehearsal. Every season New York equips hundreds of productions— thousands of actors are given employment, and yet on any day you select idle actors by the score may be found cussing their ill-luck and idleness on Broadway. Why is it? The market is not overstocked; there are plenty of actors needed, but the mistake many foolish ones make is to think they are all needed on Broadway. Managers everywhere have much at stake in making a _ production; they must exercise shrewd care in s8electing players; they will take no chances with untried timber. That's the main reason for so much idleness in New York. Usually the story would run, that an actor has been successful in other towns. The Broadway ambition promptly commences to squirm, the grip is packed, some business cards printed on the little hand press, and then Broadway is crumpled under heel. The usual attempts to see the managers are made; then the booking agents are tried, and then comes the long wait of idleness and disjointed finances. Unless you are known in New York; unless you have reason to believe that by pull or merit you can batter down the outdoor barriers to the managerial den, don't come to Broadway; it's almost a hopeless task, and besides, your home town may need your talent. Follow this suggestion: When you start to Broadway have the contract in your pocket, or return transportation.—F. W. Broadway and Shakespeare Julia Marlowe returned from Europe recently. At the custom house, she declared ten thousand dollars’ worth of costumes, saying they were to be used for Shakespearean plays. All of this is very good advertising for Miss Marlowe. She is welcome to it for several reasons; the chief one Is a remark made about Broadway and Shakespeare. In a word, they don’t jibe. “Broadway won't come to see Shakespeare,” she said, “but the poorer, or middle class, or whatever you might call them, will, and pay one dollar and a half to see the production.” Miss Marlowe is right: Broadway will not pay for Shakespeare, and more’s the pity. Broadway should be ashamed; it probably is, but half naked musical comedy, at two dollars per hard back, is the reigning craze just now on the White Way. The serious minded ones will say that the theatric taste is vitiated— that Shakespeare gives the actor much that requires heavy talent to handle. The other fellow says that's just the reason why he fibs to wifey and sets over behind the brokers’ row at some footlight lingerie exposition. He says he's wearied of seeing the romance; time has come when naturalness claims the floor. He don't want the ,agony of clanking swords, the swish‘ing of purpled roves, or spotiight he| roies.—F. W.