Variety (February 1909)

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VARIETY MUSICAL AMALGAMATION OPPOSING MUSICAL UNION "I. M. and T. U." with the "A. M. U." Forming as a Solid Body, Including all Musicians Outside the "F. A. M." Meetings have been held in New York for the past ten days between J. Schom- ber, president of International Musical and Theatrical Union, and Luther A. Ryder, president of The American Musicians' Union, looking forward to an amal- gamation of these two associations, each having "^aoouT - " ou ' uraSScuwT "DI"* "fcCiS**-* throughout the United States, extending from coast to coast. Neither is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, nor is there any connection with tne Fed- eration of American Musicians, known in New York City as 'The Musical Union." The last meeting took place Tuesday evening, when it was practically settled that Mr. Schomberg would be the presi- dent of the new combination. The name proposed is "The International Musicians and Theatrical Employees' Alliance." It ip proposed to admit stage and theatre employees to it. It is said there are 4,000 musicians in New York City alone eligible to join the ne worganization. There are three local unions of the F. A. M., which have no connection with the proposed merger. The headquatrers ol the A. M. U. are in Chicago, while the headquarters of the I. M. and TV U. are in Cleveland. The I. M. and T. E. A., when formed, will have its executive offices in New York probably, Mr. Schomber removing to this city. The consolidation was suggested by John S. Egan, the band master, and di- rector of the musical department of the Atlas Booking Circuit. The Atlas has thirty-eight bands to organise for the coming season of summer parks. Mr. Egan proposed the amalgamation to smooth the way to secure musicians with- out exercising an over abundance of diplomacy and to avoid friction among the people engaged. The combination is expected to make its influence very strongly felt in the theatre orchestras of next season. At the meeting on Tuesday evening, two members of all the 'locals" connected with the combining associations were present. It is expected by the promoters that the amalgamation, if put through, will have a membership of 2,500 by fall. berti that inasmuch as he had signed for the Savoy through Wesley & Pincus, in ignorance of the "opposition" ban there- after placed upon it, the United had con- cluded that if Lamberti cared to carry out his existing contracts with United managers, there would be no preventative placed in his path. booked through Wesley & Pincus, his agents, who also booked him on the Morris Circuit during his engagement at the Savoy. UNION HILL LEASE WANTED. The lease of the Hudson, Union Hill, is on the market, according to report, but each day removes it farther away from the managers who think Union Hill a fa- vorable proposition. Negotiations were on at one time with William Fox, the moving picture man, but they ended when the Hudson commenced to show profit, having earned $1,200 net, it is said, within the past month, its first credit period since opening last September. Harry Leonhardt was reported to have taken over the lease, but that has not been confirmed. He may take the house Feb. 22. The Haas Brothers, one the Union Hill chief of police, and the other a tradesman in the town, own the building. They are asking about $8,500 rental yearly for it, ' and would use To have aoout six months' rent deposited in advance. William H. Walsh, the manager of the Hudson since it started, is still booking for the theatre. THREATEN 0*HA£A. All arrangements having been made for the vaudeville debut of Fiske CHara at the Greenpoint, Feb. 15, in "Captain Barry," attorneys for the Charles E. Blaney Amusement Co., this week served notice upon the Irish tenor's agent, W. L. Lykens, that his first appearance under other management would be followed by an appeal to the courts for an order re- straining the actor-singer from filling the engagement. The Blaney Co., said the lawyer, Mayer Goldman, of New York, held a contract with CHara, The opening date for Mr. O'Hara, se- lected by Mr. Lykens, was at the Gar- rick, Wilmington. The booking of the act into the Greenpoint, Brooklyn, for next week is said to have been brought about by Arthur Klein, of Percy G. Wil- liams' office, without Mr. Lykens* knowl- edge. OFFERED TO "EXCUSE" LAMBERTI. Lamberti, the musician and imperson- ator of composers, who is appearing on the Morris Circuit at the Lincoln Square, New York, this week, received a letter at the Savoy, Atlantic City, last Saturday which offered to "excuse" him from the Unitcd's "opposition sheet" for playing the Savoy, an "opposition" house, if he con- sidered to be "excused" would be of benefit. The letter was from the legal depart- ment of the United, and informed Lam- WERBA'S GREAT BIG ACT. "The biggest act vaudeville has ever seen" is the description given by Louis F. Werba of his next individual produc- tion. It will be "The Dance Queen," re- quiring in the company twenty-four danc- ing girls. Sixteen will be obtained for the producer by B. Obermayer, the foreign agent, from abroad. The piece will go into rehearsal in about a month. There is an offer for it, contingent upon success, for the summer at a New York City roof garden. On Feb. 15 at the Hudson, Union Hill, Bessie Clayton will appear in a new offer- ing under the management of Mr. Werba. Miss Clayton will exhibit eleven styles of dancing, having for a novelty back- ground plush settings in which she will change costumes in view of the audience. M. S. Bentham is the agent for Mr. Werba's vaudeville properties. SKETCH FOR LIONS. Billy Lytell has written sketches of every conceivable sort and for every known variety of artist, but he hesitated this week when Adgie called upon him to provide a vehicle for her troupe of lions. Adgie has a special set of scenery, and the lions and Bill are to work out the rest of a sketch. He accepted the commission with the proviso that he should not be called upon to rehearse the act. MINSTRELS LARGER THAN EVER. The route for the Cohan & Harris Min- strels for next season has been partially laid out. It is claimed the blackface or- ganization will be larger and even more expensive then than now. Many of the present members have been re-engaged, and the Joe Boganny Troupe of Acrobatic Bakers (English) will be a feature. This season for the company will end in April or May. It returns to Washing- ton for Inauguration Week at increased prices. "The Yankee Prince," another Cohan & Harris show, will also play the Capital during the installation ceremonies for the incoming President. CHANGE IN BROCKTON. Brockton, Mass., Feb. 1. McCue and Cahill, a former vaudeville team of singers, have taken Hathaway's in this city, and will install moving pic- tures with a few acts. Hathaway's Maiden closed its vaude- ville season a couple of weeks ago. Both houses booked through the United, New York. The Maiden house has been leased to a firm of moving picture people in Boston, who will turn it into a film unreeling place. The rental is said to be $9,000. Hathaway is reported to have paid $6,000 yearly for the theatre tor vaudeville. "io-ao" IN NEW ROCHELLE. New Rochelle, N. Y., Feb. 10. On Washington's Birthday, "The Fam- ily" will open here, with a capacity of 1,000, playing "family" vaudeville under the management of J. B. Morris and Jos. Shea. The Family was a storage warehouse, and has been converted into a modern building for the show purpose. EUROPEAN REST FOR EVA. Upon the conclusion of her vaudeville season, Eva Tanguay intends visiting Europe for recreation only. Last Bum- mer, Miss Tanguay was invited to play abroad, but did not accept. She is anxious to visit the old country and will take her vacation there. Next season's plans have not been de- cided upon by Miss Tanguay. A munifi- cent proposition to become the star of a large aggregation has been submitted, but no final answer has been returned, Miss Tanguay saying she thinks very well of vaudeville, and would dislike to leave. At her apartment, 54 Morningside Drive, New York, Miss Tanguay has settled for home living. Playing outside of New York but one or two weeks in the past ■•«■• year or so, the eccentric singer has es- tablished a unique record for a vaude- ville star, and it was this continued New York run that decided Miss Tanguay to eschew hotels, "keeping house" by her- self. Morningside Drive (West) is about at the elevation of the Palisades on the Jersey coast of the Hudson River. From Miss Tanguay's apartments on the sixth floor, the eastern section of New York spreads out below in a valley, with its formation breaking in the lines of a geographical map. The East River winds along until it is lost by the turn into the Sound, while Long Island becomes a really important piece of land in the vista. Hardly anyone would spend much time gazing from Miss Tanguay's windows, however, for her apartment affords a more charming sight. It has been furnished in simple but elegant taste, mission, ma- hogany and leather upholstered furniture setting off the library and diniug rooms. There are two bedrooms, Miss Tanguay's own having heavy hangings with no wood visible, the coloring running to old rose of exquisite shadings. To professionals accustomed to the lux- uries of railroad trains, week-stand hotels with the "home comforts" obtainable in either, Miss Tanguay's apartment would be voted "a dream" without hesitation. "A Hundred Loves," the latest literary effort of Miss Tanguay will be on sa|e in about six weeks, and the many-sided Eva wishes any wrong impression that any of the hundred are her own to be corrected. The singing comedienne hojds over at Keith's, Boston, next week, returning to the 125th Street Theatre Feb. 22. PLANS CUBA CIRCUIT. Havana, Cuba, Feb. 1. Frank Costa, manager of the Payrot Theatre here, is actively engaged in ne- gotiations for the formation of a chain of theatres on the island of Cuba into a circuit held together by a mutual agree- ment. He hopes by offering consecutive time to attract to the Island Republic those acts which play down through the south. JEFFERIES BOOKING SOUTH. Philadelphia, Feb. 10. Norman Jefferies, the agent of this city, has closed a deal to book for Williams & Kuehl International Amusement Circuit, about twenty weeks in Mobile and around. Mr. Jefferies' present bookings carry an act to that point through Vir- ginia, North and South Carolina. He also places acts in the north. AUTOMOBILES CHECKED. Chicago, Feb. 10. The American (Morris) has arranged with two garages conveniently located to the music hall to chock automobiles while the occupantp :irc enjoying the American bill. Many automobile parties drop in the playhouse to sec the show.