Variety (Sept 1906)

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VARIETY THOMPSON & DUNDY'S TENT SHOWS. Thompson & Dundy, the present man- agers of Luna Park at Coney Island, are planning to send out three or four tent shows next season carrying spectacular productions similar to those produced un- der their management at the Hippodrome, Bach show will carry from six to eight vaudeville acts, and it is understood that arrangements have been made for the booking of these from the other side. The firm has taken offices in the Shu- berts' building opposite the Casino The- atre at Thirty-ninth street and Broadway. They will occupy one of the choicest suites there when the building is ready. Considerable time and attention will be devoted by the firm the coming winter to the development of the Fort George scheme. That amusement venture is ex- pected to open next summer or fall. There is a thin rumor that Thompson & Dundy will organize a large travelling vaudeville show for this season. Another like report says that a big announcement involving a new Music Hall or Hippodrome under their direction in this city will soon be made. VESTA VICTORIA AT BOSTON OPENING. Vesta Victoria arrives in New York from London to-day. Miss Victoria will play at the opening bill in Williams' Or- pheum Theatre in Boston next Monday. The English comedienne comes over on this trip for a stay of about six weeks, all on the Williams time, and she may play entirely in the Boston house. The arrangements for her unexpected appearance were made by Hugo Morris when he was in Europe during the sum- mer on a "pleasure" trip. The strictest secrecy has been maintained about Miss Victoria's appearance and it was not ex- pected.' that it would become known until the theatre advertisements in the Bos- ton newspapers proclaimed the fact. In addition to Miss Victoria the num- bers on the Orpheum's opening bill in Beantown, other than those printed in Variety last week, will be Les Brunins, a foreign act appearing at Hammerstein's last week, and Emmy and her pets. HOWARD AND EMERSON DIVORCED. Chicago, Aug. 31. Ida Emerson was granted a divorce this week from Joseph E. Howard, with an alimony allowance of $35 weekly. The couple are known to vaudeville by the team name of "Howard and Emerson." Mr. Howard has composed the music for several songs and plays. It is said here that he and Mabel Bar- rison, who recently sued "Billy" Gaston for a divorce decree, will go into vaude- ville together. PITROT AND GIRARD SEPARATE. To-day the vaudeville agency firm of Pitrot & Girard dissolves partnership. Richard Pitrot may continue the business at the present address, 12G5 Broadway, New York. Robert D. Girard has not made plans for the future. Mr. Girard may continue in the agency business on his individual account, but that ll not a certainty. SUING SCRANTON BURLESQUE MAN- AGER. An action has been brought in the Penn- sylvania Supreme Court by the Columbia Amusement Company (Eastern Burlesque Wheel) against Alf. G. Herrington, man- ager of the Star Theatre at Scranton, Pa., to require Herrington to show cause why he should not be enjoined' from play- ing any other attractions for the season of '0C-'07 than those presented at his the- atre by the Eastern Wheel. The suit is brought because of the noti- fication received by the Columbia Amuse- ment Company from Herrington that "other arrangements had been made" and the Eastern Wheel shows could therefore not be played' as agreed. The arrangements referred to is the aeal wherebv the Star Theatre in Scranton be- comes a Western Wheel house after all preparations had been made by the East- ern people to play that town. The three nights booked on the Eastern schedule have not been provided for. Weber & Rush's "Bon-Tons" were booked to open at Scran- ton on September 3. Instead the show first plays at Reading, Fa., on the Thurs- day following. The hearing in the suit will be held next Tuesday. At that time, provided a Western Wheel show plays Scranton on Monday, a breach of the contract under which the action was instituted will be claimed to have been made. EASTERN'S SUITS NOT DISCONTIN- UED. The Eastern Burlesque Wheel denies the published report that it had' discontinued the actions brought against Sullivan & Kraus through Eastern managers. The cases were sent before a referee and hearings have been held at irregular intervals. The Eastern managers say that the purpose of the injunction proceedings was to obtain evidence upon which their claim for damages caused by Sullivan & Kraus turning their theatres over to the Western Wheel might be based. SCRANTON AND PATERSON WEEK STANDS. After a good deal of argument and dis- cussion it has finally been decided by the Western WTieel of Burlesque to play a whole week in Scranton, Pa., where the Wheel recently took over the Star The- atre. It was suggested at one time that Scranton would play three nights only with each show, the other three nights being given to either Reading or Pater- son. A little work with pad and pencil, how- ever, convinced the managers that railroad fares and such other incidentals would eat large holes in the profits. It has been arranged that both Scranton and Paterson shall have a whole week apiece. This fills the week made vacant by the desertion of the Alcazar Theatre, Brooklyn, from the Western Wheel. MURRAY HILL'S "AMATEUR NIGHT." On each Friday evening there will be amateurs prancing around the Murray Hill Theatre stage, the new Eastern Wheel house, (in Sundays concerts will be given. MORRIS GETS SHUBERT TIME. "War to the knife in vaudeville—and plenty of it" is the slogan that will be heard from now on. Late Wednesday afternoon William Morris, the vaudeville agent, concluded arrangements with the Shuberts by which he will fill in all the open time on the Shubert circuit with vaudeville bills. The towns embraced in the deal are Chicago, St. Louis, Milwau- kee, Columbus, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Buffalo, Detroit, Rochester, New Haven, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford and New- ark. A number of other Shubert houses were offered Morris but he would not accept, as they would be in direct opposition to clients he already represents. In all the Shubert cities mentioned there is a vaudeville theatre under the direction of a manager booking through the United Hooking Agency. It will bring the active competition exemplified by the Williams- Keith opposition in Boston to the bursting point at all places. Continuous time may now be had in all the new houses, and travelling vaudeville shows will undoubtedly be organized for the purpose of playing the open dates. Just how Max Anderson (who is closely identified with the Shuberts in their cir- cuit and who books his vaudeville houses through the Keith Agency) stands in the matter is not known at this time. It would seem to follow that the rumored dis- satisfaction of Anderson with his present vaudeville connections is confirmed through the Morris-Shubert deal. UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN LUBEL- SKI AND CONSIDINE. Tony Lubelski, the Pacific Coast vaude- ville manager, left for his home this week. While here he arrived at an understand- ing with John W. Considine of the Sulli- van-Consioine circuit, who was in the city at the same time, whereby the two cir- cuits will not conflict or enter each other's territory. Mr. Lubelski also arranged to book sev- eral acts through the office of William Morris. Lubelski has about sixteen houses in the West, reaching out to San Francisco. He is in a position to use an act at a weekly salary not to exceed $300. OPPOSITION IN GRAND RAPIDS. Grand Rapids, Mich., Aug. 31. The Auditorium Theatre, last season used for independent attractions, will this winter be entirely remodelled into a first- class vaudeville theatre. The estimated cost of the improvements is $50,000. No information can be secured as to who will have control. There has been con- siderable speculation among theatrical managers here as to who will book J he house. It Ls said that William Morris will. That will bring it in competition with the (irand, which is booked by the United Hooking Offices. TOD SLOAN HAS NEW ACT. J. Tod' Sloan is about to make another plunge into vaudeville, this time in a sketch entitled "A Jockey's Honor." Sloan played one consecutive week on his debut in vaudeville last year with a monologue written for him by Ccorge M. Cohan. ALBEE'S JOKE. After the regular season has been opened and started on its course E. F. Al- bee will seriously take up the matter of founding a home for aged and indigent vaudevillians. It has long been a hobby with him and came very near taking defi- nite shape about the time of the White Rats' strike. The idea was abandoned at that time, as Mr. Albee felt that the strike had alienated the performer from any friendly relationship with the man- agers. In its embryo the plan is to set aside one day in the year throughout the coun- try when every house devoted to vaude- ville will donate its gross receipts for the benefit of the home. To this end the art- ists, stage hands, musicians, managers, and, in fact, every one employed in the playhouses will receive no compensation for the day's services. It is contemplated that the moneys re- ceived shall be placed in the hands of a hired financial man, who shall so invest it as to bring a yearly revenue without risk to the principal. This treasurer to be adequately bonded and his investments to be at all times subject to the supervision of a committee composed of three man- agers and as many performers. NORWORTH AND DRESSER WILL STAR. Sub rosa, the arrangements have been about completed for a starring tour next season by Jack Nor worth and lxmisc Dresser. Both Mr. Norworth and Miss Dresser are in the cast of "About Town," the hevr Fields production which opened Thursday night at the Herald Square Theatre. Miss Dresser is the hit of the piece and has in her one song, "I'm Sorry," what vaudevillians love to call a "knockout." Norworth has two selections to sing. "The Great W T hite Way" and "When Tommy Atkins Married Dolly Cray," mak- ing a big mark with both. After this, their first "legitimate" sea- son, is over the new play which will be built especially for them will be presented under the direction of a prominent Broad- way manager. WESTERN MANAGERS HERE. Martin Beck, John J. Murdock and Charles E. Kohl, Western Vaudeville As- sociation managers, arrived in New York last Wednesday. Mr. Beck stated that the visit was to arrange the details of the United Booking Agency, which goes into effect to-day. The present Orpheum Cir- cuit offices in the St. James Building will now become a part of the Ilniied's office suite, Mr. Beck said. The foreign office is well on its way and Beck expects to ' go over on the other side shortly. Mr. Murdock remarked there was no especial news of interest in the West. The terrific hot weather Chicago has had over the summer seriously affected the atten- dance in the city houses and at the sum- mer parks. NEW BURLESQUE THEATRES READY. The new Eastern Burlesque Wheel the- atres at Birmingham, Ala., and Norfolk. Va.. will open on September 3 and 10, respectively,