Variety (Feb 1906)

VARIETY ii ARTISTS* FORUM "The Artists' Forum" Is for the artists exclusively. Any lust complaint any artist may have or considers he has will he printed In this department. Or any comment that an artist may desire to make. Also any artist or act that disagrees with a reviewer on Variety In his review of the artist's work or act may have his criticism of the criticism printed in this column, and It will he answered by the reviewer. Confine your letters to 150 words and write on one side of paper only. By giving this mutter mention yon will confer n great favor upon the writer. Thanking yon in advance, I MB, Yonrs very truly, .1. Ii. JforWeoa, Kditor Variety: Sir—I take the liberty of Mending yon the accompanying article, which will ac- quaint you with the thoughts and desires of black folks; and shall be very thankful to you if you will be good enough to make some mention of the same in your weekly publication. Many colored performers take Variety regularly, and you would be help- ing on our movement by mentioning the fact that the Colored Profession hopes to have headquarters in New York City. Many white professionals are friendly to and wish colored professionals well, and would be interested in knowing something of what we desire to accomplish. The first step toward an understanding among any people is a gathering of those who map out the way for others to follow. In the minds of colored performers who are anxious to help and encourage people of their race, a place where colored profes- sionals can meet and exchange thoughts is much needed. We desire the good will of white professionals, and believe many will give us a word of encouragement. Any notice you may make in your paper con- cerning the formation of a club for colored performer* will be highly appreciated by those who have undertaken the work. (irornv W, Walker, of William* <(• Walker. Jan. J4, 11MH5. Kditor Variety : Will you be a link in the chain that is being formed for the benefit of "The Actor's Fund Home?" Write three letters exactly like this to three friends asking them to do likewise, then return this let- ter with 2. r >c to Mrs. W. H. Bramwell, No. 320 West 113th St., New York City. Should you not wish to join us, please re- turn this letter to Mrs. Bramwell, but as the cause is a most worthy one, we hope you will aid us. Aimer Angele*. ( Note.—This is an appeal for a very worthy purpose. All artists caring to in- terest themselves may write Mrs. Hram- well at address given.—Ed.) Keep up the good work. Publish the names of those that haven't enough gray matter under their bonnets to think for themselves, and in the end von will surelv j ar, a/ win the plaudits of all theatrical people, performers and managers alike. You will greatly favor both me and others by kindly inserting this article in your earliest issue, and I will close wish- ing you success. Herbert Anhley, of Matthew* <{• A*hley. Kditor Variety : I notice in your last issue of Variety Miss Helfort's silly and inane attempt at defense of her abominable conduct in pur* ioining (again I say purloining), Miss Ida Rene's property. The remark about "a legal point of view" is the most impudent thing I've heard for years ! A woman steals another woman's brains, and then has the audacity to talk about "a legal i>oint of view." It may interest the lady in question to know Miss Kene was co-author with Mr. A. J. Morris of all her lyrics and that no two copies were ever ( legally) written. I submit that whatever copy, or copies, .Miss Helfort uses were stolen. If Miss Helfort paid for them as she avers, the person from whom she Ixuight I hem stole them. Odd thing that Miss Helfort should ask for permission to use the lyric Miss Kene produced two yeara ago. which permission v as refused. I have in my possession a letter with in- formation from a friend of hers, stating that Miss Rene'l work was taken down in shorthand for Miss Helfort, while Miss Kene was singing, which letter I shall be only too happy to show in the proper quar- ter. Nothing would please me better than for THE HARSKER & D'ESTA CIRCUIT. Harry D'Esta, the general manager of the Hanker & D'Kata Family Theatre, is jubilant over the success of their many vaudeville houses controlled by Mr. Harsker and himself. No better evidence could be adduced of the healthy growth and popularity of refined vaudeville in their towns than the fact that they will open .several new Family Theatres in other large cities in the near future. Viewing the vaudeville field from the Harsker & D'Esta standpoint, this style of amusement as given at their theatres has more than held its own. 'Hie artists engaged are those employed on the Keith, Orpheum ami Proctor circuits, and they are decidedly superior to the old style variety show where coarseness and vul- garity plays a prominent part. The thea- tres which are owned ami controlled and operated exclusively by this successful firm are located at I'ottsville. rfasletoU, CarlHuidale and Atlantic Oitv. These are affiliated with the Familv Theatres in Pottstown, Pa.; Clinton, Mass.; Brooklyn, N. Y.: the Maurice Boon Eastern, Mid- dle and Southern States circuit of thea- tres, making in all 23 houses where only the very best vaudeville acts are given. Harsker & D'Esta will establish next sea- son Familv Theatres in WilVes-Barre, Williamsport. Easton, Allentown, Heading and Allegheny City, Pa. Miss Helfort to take action. I've done my Iwst to provoke it by telling the truth, but I sadly fear provocation won't have the de- sired effect. A. McAllitter. January 25, 1906. Editor Variety: Kindly allow me to congratulate you on the very commendable articles you have published in the issues of Variety, re- ferring to the pernicious habit of some per- formers in choosing the best part* of the material used bv others. a I know personally of quite a few (so- t-ailed) "original" comedians who derive both prestige and profit in choosing any (IDEA) that looks good (to them). And this habit is not confined entirely to the lesser fry either, for there are quite a few so-called headliners who are guilty to a greater or lesser degree. This has become to my mind the great- est evil the hard-thinker in vaudeville has to contend with, and all performers, both great and small, should join me in thanking you for taking up this matter in the wav von have. Kditor Variety: Sir: In your issue of January 20, I cut the enclosed clipping which does the thriv- ing city of Memphis a great injustice: < .Vote—The item refers to Miss Fran- cis' own statement that she contracted a mild case of yellow fever while in Mem- phis.) Whether or not Miss Kinma Francis has ever been Infected with yellow fever I am not' prepared to say, but it is known throughout the country that Memphis es- caped the infection—there not being here miring the past summer even a luspicloua case. The idea conveyed by the article is liable to cause unnecessary alarm among artists visiting this city, where we conduct a summer vaudeville theatre as well as pre- senting the same line of amusement during the winter months. Should the South l>c so unfortunate as to have fever at any future time is where the harm is likely to result. It Is conceded that Memphis is out of the zone of yellow fever and is one of the most healthful cities in the South. THE PASTOR BALL. Tuesday night was vaudeville night at Tammany Hall, for there the clans gathered on the occasion of the Employees of Tony Pastor's Theatre holding their annual mid- winter outing, although it was really an "inning" which will be best recollected through the pleasure afforded and the im- mense crowd present, the door receipts dou- I ling thase of the previous year. Dancing and piano playing contests were held after a headline vaudeville entertain- ment;—Phil Cook, of Cook and Kytvta, won the championship among the males for buck dancing, having as competitors several out- of-towners who presumed, but got no fur- ther. Mike Bernard had a walk-away for the second time iu the ragtime contest. One young man from Boston who had been told he could push the ivories into ragtime com- binations, thought he was in "right" until Mike played, when the midnight for Beantown carried a disappointed but wiser youth back to his home. Ida May Chadwick, of the Chadwick trio, retained the feminine championship medal for buck dancing in jig time, which is not a joke. It was almost time to pi to "work" when the last ones left. GUYER AND STONE. Miss Beth Stone, the "Topsey Tnrvey Toe Dancer," late a feature of "The School CUrl" company, will appear with Charles (iiiyer. formerly of Otiyer and Daly, from now on in an act for which bids for bonk ings have already been received. DYSPEPSIA. By Fred Ray. A critic sat In his room one night, lie had Jum reached home from the allow ; It was the rotti'iii'Ht thing ho had ever seen. Hut every net seemed to go. The first wan a comedy juggling not They bad to open the *how, Ano an art to get a place like t Mm t Isn't the very best yon'know. Still they made the audience laugh and yell lint the oritlo took up his quill And wrote what he thought good comedy; They were alao on the bill. I'tit'ii came n little ringer, natural, dainty and nea t she nang a popular ditty that atarted your hands ami feet. rin- aunh'iiee cheered and applauded, ahe responded to their wishes, Hut the critic smiled a sickly smile and said, "She ought to he washing dishes." Next came the dramatic sketch team, the audience held their breath. And the gallery whistled and shouted when the villain met liia death. The act took four curtain calls, the critic cursed the luck And wrote to the dally blatter, "They ought to l»e driving a truck." Next iu line for the roaster was a monologue man In one, He had the audience in convulsions as soon as he came on; Then he atarted the crowd singing that the erltle couldn't nee, lie put the nmtiologuist's name iu the papers and after It "2.1. M Next came the headline feature, the only laid thing In the show, Ahc was souie aoelety nutcaat; n grafter out for the dough. Her support whh something awful, but the erltle knows his Is.ok. Where hangs the little dough hag and how to use the hook. So he gave her n splendid write up, said that she was fine, Hut those who pay their money said that It was an awful "ahine." A thousand a week t>m billing said, I wonder who turned the trick? And the manager who bought the gold brick, no wonder he was nick. Then came a comedy quartette to try and dispel the gloom Brought on by the $1,000 headline act; they couldn't come too noon. Tney sang and told some funny gaga and told them with a will. Hut the critic couldn't see them, with dyspepsia he was IU. An animal act closed the show. Of course the pictures, too. The critic arose from his seat. He scarce knew what to do. So he ordered a Welsh Uareblt. Sauerkraut and pie as well. Now lie will try niid sleep on that. And to morrow he'll raise h- 1. DE LORIS' PIANO. The nievalier tie T»ris baa been booked for four weeks with one of the burlesque companies to strengthen the show. He opens in Pittsburg Monday, afterward playing Washington, Baltimore and Phila- delphia, after which he will lie seen at the Gotham, Brooklyn. He has a new piano in which the im- pact of the bullet acts directly upon the extension of the piano action instead of the clockwork striking mechanism used in other pianos. Tie obtains a more cer- tain result and a fuller tone through this means, and now is able to use a full sized piano. Will D. Cobb is writing the dialogue for the new act to be shortly show.n in vaude ville by Thereto Dorgconland and Blanche Cbamefoy. PRACTICE AND PREACHING. John J. Murdock of the Western Vaude ville Association asserted that an act playing over the same territory the sec- ond time wai not entitled to the com- pensation paid on the first trip, except in special instances. His reasoning was that the act being known from the first view- ing, the value as a thawing card was lessened. Several artists have taken up the ques- tion, and one remarked the other day while the matter was being discussed. That looked very nice in print, but it ■was muchly different when you call upon Mr. Murdock for the first time. He hems and haws and nays: 'Well, you know you shouldn't expect that, much money until you have established yourself over the circuit. You take our price now, and if we book you again next year, that mean** of course that you have been suc- fessful, and will be entitled t<> a larger nalary."'