Variety (Apr 1907)

VARIETY HYDE & BEHMAN LEASE HOUSE TO K. & E. / Turn Over the Grand Opera House, Brooklyn, and May Let the "Syndicate" Have Other Theatres On Thursday the announcement was given out by Klaw & Erlanger that they had obtained by lease from Hyde & Beh- man the Grand Opera House in Brooklyn for a long term, commencing August 1 next. During that month ''advanced vaudeville" will be commenced in the theatre. The Grand has been playing combina- tions booked by Stair & Havlin. These will probably be shifted to the Bijou on Smith street, held under lease by Hyde & Behman, with eight years yet to run. The Bijou is now occupied by the Spooner Stock Company. Richard Hyde returned from Chicago on Wednesday, and on his way back prob- ably stopped off in Detroit, where he ar- ranged with E. D. Stair, of the booking firm, to lease the Grand. The object of Mr. Hyde's visit to Chi- cago was to complete the arrangements for the new Hyde A Behman theatre to be erected in that city on a site already purchased. The estimated cost of the new structure is $400,000. It is rumored that although the new Chicago house was originally designed for the burlesque attractions of the Eastern Burlesque Wheel, Klaw & Erlanger may purchase the property, carrying on the building, and open the theatre in the fall as one of their vaudeville chain. The Gayety in Pittsburg, which belongs to Hyde & Behman, and is a well-built and modern theatre, is likewise mentioned as a possible K. & E. acquisition. Another report connects the disposal of Hyde & Bellman's two burlesque theatres in Brooklyn, the Star and the Gaiety, to the Empire Circuit Company (Western Burlesque Wheel). The latter has pur- chased a site near the Gaiety, and an- nounced that building would shortly com- mence. While the Empire Circuit has the land, it could be easily disposed of, and this move would prevent the opposition threatening, besides leaving the Eastern Burlesque Wheel without a Brooklyn home. The indications are that Richard Hyde, of Hyde A Behman, is preparing to retire from theatricals. His interests are num- erous, and do not altogether center in the variety branch of the business. What disposition is to be made of the present Adams Street, Brooklyn, vaudeville the- atre conducted by the Hyde & Behman corporation is not known. It may pos- sibly continue on as a vaudeville house, booking through the office of William Mor- ris. The fact of the Grand Opera House playing the continuous style of entertain- .mcnt would not interfere with this policy. There i3 a possibility of it becoming a burlesque theatre. The Columbia Amusement Company (Eastern Wheel) hold an agreement with Hyde & Behman under which they, the firm, agrees to play its attractions in their houses, the Gayety in Pittsburg particu- larly, but sufficient time is allowed the Eastern people, in the event of Hyde & Behman disposing of their houses, to re- trench themselves in both cities before the opening of next season. The reports of the past week regarding a possible Shubert-K. & E. amalgamation have simmered down, and are no longer looked upon favorably. The greatest ob- stacle to such a merger, to which A. L. Erlanger is said to be opposed, is David Belasco. While Mr. Belasco has no great financial interests in the properties of the Shubert Brothers, he holds a booking con- tract with them which K. & E. would have to assume if the "Syndicate" took in the Shubert houses, although the latter move would give an "advanced vaudeville" cir- cuit immediately. ^#The Stair & Havlin houses are not in a position to be turned over for vaudeville, and the sifting of all reports regarding the "big announcement" expected from K. &, E. lately seems to point toward certain circuits now booking through the United Offices eventually going over to the K. & E. side. The executives of the United are believed to be giving this phase of the situation considerable thought. Negotiations are pending for the acqui- sition by Klaw & Erlanger of the West End Theatre in Harlem, although it is not altogether probable that the deal will be consummated, the location being regarded as undesirable for vaudeville. The Circle will probably become a K. & E. vaudeville theatre, supplying competition with Percy G. Williams' Colonial. v HOEY AND LEE DISSOLVE. A great deal of surprise has been oc- casioned the past week over the authentic report that Charles Hoey and Harry Lee, after a partnership of six years, during which their firm name "Hoey and Lee" has become a variety trade-mark, have dissolved, and will hereafter continue on separate paths. Mr. Hoey has secured another partner. The new team will appear at the Doric, Yonkers, next week for the first time. Mr. Lee will play alone, having con- ceived the idea of a single act, in which he will give a Hebrew impersonation, with material written by Aaron Hoffman. Hoey and Lee are playing this, their final week, at the Keith-Proctor house in Jersey City. Both the partners stated that they did not desire to make public the causes of the separation. VICTORIA LEAVES IN JUNE. Vesta Victoria leaves for London June 20. This week she is playing Boston. From there she returns for one week to New York, playing at the Fifty-eighth Street Theatre. Philadelphia is next on the list, followed by the Twenty-third Street. When Miss Victoria returns to America in the fall she will bring her own company with her, an agreement with Klaw & "Er- iangcr providing that her supporting or- ganization, which is to play their circuit, -^liall be entirely English. Miss Victoria will not take out a road show this Spring as was originally planned. MEETING IN CINCINNATI. Cincinnati, April 5. A meeting was held last week at the Sin ton Hotel with M. C. Anderson, Henry M. Ziegler, George B. Cox, J. J. Murdock of Chicago, James E. Fennessey and others present, but the business transacted was of such a nature that none of the persons who attended would discuss what took place. The fact that Klaw & Erlanger have been offered numerous available sites upon which to build a vaudeville theatre in this city, no doubt is giving them some con- cern, and it is rumored that should K. & E. make any attempt to secure a vaudeville theatre, or build one here, Messrs. Ander- son & Ziegler will change the bookings of the Walnut and Olympic theatres and con- duct vaudeville in both houses in addition to the Columbia Theatre. This would give Cincinnati four vaudeville houses. It is also rumored that in the event that the Lyric Theatre does not prove as profit- able an investment to the Shubert syndi- cate as has keen anticipated, tile Empire Circuit Company (Western Burlesque Wheel) might place burlesque shows at the Lyric, booking its best and cleanest shows only, and proceeding with a policy similar to the "Wine, Woman and Song" company now playing at the Circle The- atre, New York. MARIE DRESSLER ILL. Marie Dressier went to Philadelphia Monday morning to play at Keith's The- atre, but when she arrived was too ill to play. Her trunks were in the theatre anJ up to the last minute it was hoped that she would be well enough to go on. She has been replaced by Grace Van Studdi- ford, and her appearance in the Quaker City has been put back a week. LOOKING FOR GILLETTE. $100,000 for 30 weeks is understood to be the terms the United Booking Offices are agreeable to if William Gillette can be corralled for its vaudeville circuit next season. It will be the highest salary ever paid in vaudeville, if finally accomplished. Mr. Gillette wrote "The Red Owl," a dramatic sketch now playing in New York. With the big monetary inducements, it is thought he may be persuaded. ANOTHER GUESS FOR CHICAGO. Chicago, April 5. It is reported here that Klaw & Erlan- ger have acquired the Studebaker Theatre for their vaudeville scheme and that they will have at least three theatres devoted to the varieties next season. George W. Lederer and Harry Powers are at the head of a new corporation being formed to operate the Windy City end of the enter- prise. KNOWLES' SALARY ABROAD. The only vaudeville engagement that will probably be played by R. G. Knowles prior to his several times postponed re- turn to England will be to-morrow night at the Grand Opera House. Knowles goes back to England at a salary equivalent to $1,665 per week for only one show a night and in addition gives two matinees a week with his lecture, for which he re- ceives fifty per cent of the gross receipts. THINGS MOVING IN 'FRISCO. San Francisco, April 5. In the frame up of a new amalgamated circuit to contest the aggression of Sullivan-Considine in the Pacific slope ter ritory, there will be a chain of thirty houses. The Tony Lubelski houses and those of the Empire Circuit are in this number. The new concern proposes to carry on an aggressive war and Lubelski has started for New York to look into the making of some new booking arrange- ments, it is supposed. He should be there by to-morrow. Meanwhile the {Sullivan-Considine peo- ple are anything but idle. This week an- nouncement was made that that firm had taken over the Globe Theatre and would presently open it as a vaudeville house. "VANDERBILT CUP" CLOSES. Last Tuesday night notice was given to the members of "The Vanderbilt Cup," playing at the Grand Opera House, that the company would disband on April 13, "owing to Miss Janis refusing to play the time laid out by Liebler A Co.," as the announcement said. It is expected that the gross receipts this week of the production will be at least $12,000. Large business has fol- lowed the piece all along its tour. Elsie Janis, the star of the show, has engaged to go into vaudeville, opening at Williams' Colonial, in New York, on April 22, having contracted to play for three weeks on the Williams circuit. Milton Aborn and Liebler & Company, the interested parties, were notified of the Williams' vaudeville contracts, and on Thursday of this week made application for a temporary injunction to restrain Miss Janis from carrying them out. The outcome of any suit brought to restrain Miss Janis from playing in the varieties will have an important bear- ing upon future vaudeville engagements Miss Janis is understood to have in mind. This is said to be the chief reason Miss Janis is anxious to have the matter de- cided. HAS UNITED MAY IRWIN? A strong rumor was afloat this week that May Irwin had signed, or is about to sign, a contract with the United Book- ing Offices for a season of vaudeville in lae houses booked by it, commencing next September. The time given was 30 weeks at a sal- ary variously reported from $2,000 to $2,500 weekly. No verification could be obtained. It is fairly certain that there has been some correspondence between the parties, and it would surprise no one if Miss Irwin signed. The comedienne has a contract with Henry M. Sire, with three years yet to run, and any theatrical venture she might engage in would require his sanction. Various offers have been made to her in the past for a vaudeville tour, but the time before tendered never approximated over ten guaranteed weeks. JULIA SANDERSON TIRED. Julia Sanderson, the singer, is laying off in Springfield this week. She will prob- ably play only one more week in the vari- eties. After that Miss Sanderson hi scheduled to return to musical comedy.