Variety (February 1909)

VAfelBT-Y 13 MAlfHATTAlf. Situated as it is, directly in the the- atrical district (33d Street and 6th Ave- nue) where the transient crowd passes its doors from noon to midnight and still being within easy reach of a closely packed tene- ment district, the Manhattan Theatre draws upon larger patronage perhaps than any other moving picture house in the city. Certainly its business would indi- cate as much. From the middle afternoon until closing time, at 11 p. m., one ca- pacity audience succeeds another, and after 7 o'clock there is only "an occasional seat to be had, while standing room is ordinarily at a premium. The patronage comes to William Gane (manager and proprietor) easily, but he shows good judgment and business sense in holding his following by a consistent policy of giving entertaining shows, and keeping his house in good order. After experiments it has been found impossible to attract visitors to the gallery. They apparently prefer to stand on the lower fjoor. So the top tier of seats remains closed except on holidays. Even then it in difficult to persuade the visitors to mount the stairs. The lower floor and balcony hold about six hundred. The en- trance fee is 10 cents flat. The show (witnessed Tuesday night) runs an even hour. It is made up of two vaudeville acts and three reels of pictures. Two of the reels were of the same day's release date, while the third was perhaps a month old. Reels are changed daily, (iane himself maintains a strict censorship on the film subjects, the new films being run off each morning for his own or his assistant's inspection. All sensational films or those involving the display of a crime are barred as well as anything ap- proaching suggestiveness. This week's lay- out includes the new Biograph Edgar Allan Poe reel, pieced out with a new comedy subject; a (Jaumont dramatic production, "The Miner's Will," with a trick film on the same reel, and two Essanay efforts, releases some time ago. The seating of patrons is well looked after by an adequate force of uniformed ushers, and although there is no apparent watchfulness on the part of the house em- ployees, the audience is never left without surveillance. One of Cane's aides is al- ways on the lookout for objectionable per- sons, and there is a long list of Tender- loin characters who are forbidden en- trance. The house operates under a regu- lar theatrical license such as the im- portant theatres of the city hold, and a fireman from the city department is al- ways in attendance. Four vaudeville turns are booked in each week and alternate, two to each per- formance. Tuesday night for the show be- tween 8 and 0 p. m. the specialties were given by Kramer, a "strong man" and acrobat, and an unnamed woman singer. Kramer opens with a short lecture on deep breathing and home physical culture and then goes into a series of hand-to- hand and strength feats with a partner, the whole turn taking up about 12 min- utes. The hand-to-hand work is a bit crude and uncertain, but both men are splendid looking athletes, and Kramer's talk held the audience interested. The singer gave two ballads, one with EXPENSIVE EDUCATION OF PUBLIC. Chicago, Feb. 10. A campaign of education for the public in moving picture-: has been commenced. In the Lincoln special edition of the Chi- cago Tribune, the Essanay Co. and Gau- mont and Urban Eclipse films, handled by the Kleine Optical Co., engaged'a lar^e and expensive amount of space. The Selig Co. was also interested in the payment for a very interesting article on pictures in the same issue along with the Essanay and Kleine Companies. The total expense must have reached a considerable amount. Nowhere in the special article was the name of either of the contributors to it mentioned, it being a general story tending to bring to that portion of the public under any wrong impression as to the picture industry and the exhibition of films, a better knowledge. A campaign of this style may be con- ducted by these manufacturers in special editions of dailies in the very large cities. The attention of the trade has been brought to this progressive departure by the Chicago picture men. Ten thousand Tribunes were ordered, but only 100 could be secured. GIRGUS NEWS "A Wreath in Time." Manhattan. About the same farcical plot is woven into a comedy picture from the Biograph studios as that involved in "It's Up to You, William," John C. Rice's vaudeville sketch. The exposition is nicely accom- plished and the comedy points are well devised. Mr. Goodhusband is lured from his happy home to an evening of jollifi- cation by bachelor friends. To cover his tracks, he sends a dispatch to his faith- ful spouse saying that he has left town on the Red Eagle Express. The evening papers bring news to the stricken wife that the Red Eagle has been wrecked and all the passengers killed. Meanwhile Goodhusband is occupying a box at a bur- lesque show with his roisterous compan- ions. Later the whole party, reinforced by certain charmers from the chorus, be- take themselves to a lobster palace and spend the night in revelry. Goodhusband leaches home on the morrow. Wife springs the newspaper account of the train wreck on him and he gives a panto- mimic explanation of his miraculous es- cape from death. Just then the morning paper comes in announcing that the re- port of the wreck was unfounded. Wifie and hubby clinch, but the arrival of a mourning wreath from the undertaker's causes a revulsion of feeling on wifie's part and all is forgiven. There are sev- eral big laughs in the story and innumer- able happy chuckles. Rush. u curious "coon" twist, in a female bari- tone voice that was sweet in quality despite the singer's colorless and mechani- cal phrasing. She did, however, use a spotlight, an institution which is not com- mon in moving picture theatres here- abouts. No names were displayed for the acts, although there were easels on the stage to support the announcement cards. The* show was run off quickly and almost without intermission between films and specialties, and made a very enter- taining hour. Rush. "MOTHER WHITE" OUT OF SHOW. It was with a good deal of surprise that the acts engaged for the Barnum-Bailey show learned recently that "Mother" White would not be in her old place as wardrobe mistress with the organization this season. For twenty-five years Mrs. White has held that position. Under the Bailey regime her word was law and she held a high place in the estimate of the ov/ner. She handled the making of all costumes for the big spectacles, and looked after that part of the show on tour. "Mother's" authority in the dressing tent was very real and she exercised it rigidly as many a careless supernumerary learned to her discomfiture. HAGENBECK IN PARIS. Paris, Feb. 1. Hagenbeck has brought his famous me- nagerie and circus to Paris, and opened at the Cirque de Paris, Avenue de la Motte Piquet, Jan. 30. The Cirque Rancy has continued its tour in the provinces, and the popular building first christened the Cirque Metropole will for a time be known as "Hagenbeck's Circus.' 1 "SHOOTING STAR" FOR RINGLINGS. One of the features of the Ringling show at the Garden next month will be a European importation. From the de- scription which can be gathered at thiB time, the act is a "thriller" in which a performer hangs head down, high in the air, above an inclined slide thirty feet below. At the highest point the slide is almost perpendicular, but curves down and outward. The "star" drops in a div- ing position, strikes the board in the position of a small boy coasting down hill on a sled, and continues through a half- loop at the ground end of the slide, ending with a somersault into a net. The feat has been successfully accomplished in France, and is said to a real, sure-enough "thriller." CENTRAL AMERICAN TOUR. The Delphin & Deltorelli Circus, travel- ing through Central America republics under canvas is now in Panama. The tour so far is said to have turned a profit. The program is made up of acts from the Barnum-Bailey Circus of last season. In the list are The Five Delphines, cast- ing act; Fred Sterling, comedy dogs; The Wards, double traps; The Burtons, cast- iiig; Bros. Robinson, hat throwing; Miss Jane (formerly of the Jordons), The Del- torellis, Pacheco, the Great, and Buckley's Dogs. Since John G. Robinson (the younger) took charge of the Robinson Combined Shows, it has become noised abroad that there will be a shake-up in the staff. This will include only the minor officials, the principal men of the show remaining in their old places. Circus people are wondering whether Robledillo, the wire walker, who opened with Pubillones' Circus at Havana, Cuba, will return to Xew York for the fulfill- ment of his engagement with the Ringling show. SUN BROS. PROGRAM. Macon, Ga., Feb. 11. All is activity in the winter camp of the Sun Bros.' Circus here. The outfit is being repainted and the top will be replaced. Announcement is made of the following engagements for the 1900 season: Five Walton Bros., acrobats; William O'Dale, jockey and horse acts; Miss Be- dina, principal lady rider; Boyle Bros., club and hoop juggling; Walter Guice Troupe (4) J starial bars; Three Cevennes, triple wire; The Demacos, The Weavers, Wenzel Sisters, June Smith and wife, Billy Reid and wife, D. H. Gillispie and wife, William Connors, bounding wire; Fred Kenno, principal clown, with ten as- sistants, including Nat Goetc, D. McAllis- ter and Milliard Darnell. The executive staff will include George- Sun, manager; Pete Sun, general agent; Peter Klotr, railroad contractor, and C. S. Clark, local contractor. Among the heads of departments signed for the coming tour are: Clinton Newton, press agent; J. C Herry, superintendent; Charles Gerlach, band master; Ernie A. Houghton, boss hostler; T. S. Tucker, boss canvasman; William Randolph, charge of ring stock; John Reynolds, assistant boss canvasman; Thomas Farley, boss prop- ertyman; Arthur Webber, charge of lights; L. B. Neil, harnessmaker, and Charles Heberle, boss blacksmith. The show's season closed at Chauncey, Ga., Dec. 21. The next opening date has not been announced. CIRCUS PRELIMINARIES. Washington, Feb. 10. Several small circus movements were registered this week before the Interstate Commerce Commission. Contracts were filed with that body for the transporta- tion of six cars from Bridgeport, Conn., to Brewster, N. Y. The Great Patterson Shows shipped one car from St. Louis to Houston, Tex., while J. H. Garrett's Circus of three cars moved from Brewster, N. Y., to St. Louis. The Konyot Troupe of Hungarian riders, acrobats and equilibrists, a feature en- gaged by John Ringling during his tour of Europe, arrived in New York Saturday. They will travel with the Barnum-Bailey show this season. The company is made up of six women and seven men. There are going to be some exciting times, animal trainers say, when the "Two Bills" show comes to Madison Square Garden. On that occasion the horses of the show will be officially introduced to RosHi's Musical Elephants. There seems to be a deeply planted antipathy on the part of horses to anything that looks like an elephant and there will be some stirring sights in the arena when the introduction comes off. Bob Bigsby is no longer interested in the cafe at 4« West 22d Street with Toto Siegrist. The place has become a popu- lar resort for circus people. Siegrist will continue as sole proprietor. He has an- nounced a gala opening Monday evening, with dancing and supper for the visitors.