Variety (February 1909)

VARIETY CANCELED L B. A. BOOKING* Denver, Feb. 18. The Curtis Street Theatre will dlsoon- throe vaudeville Feb. 20. It if on the Smutcer & Pelton Circuit, and hat been booked through the Independent Booking Agency of Chicago. At the headquarters of the firm in this city, a member said that the shows have not been in accordance with the proposes made. It was also stated that on Jan. ,29, Fred M. Barnes, the manager of the L B. A. at Chicago, wired Smutzer & Pel- ton that unless additional time was se- cured the show booked for week Feb. 14 would be canceled. The firm instructed Mr. Barnes to cancel. Acts arriving here are working this week. Those on the bill last week were given return trans- portation to Chicago. This likely terminates the connection between the I. B. A. and Smutzer & Pel- ton, and may end the firm's further inter- est in vaudeville. The Curtis Street will revert to its former policy. Chicago, Feb. 18. Smutzer & Pelton have canceled all shows booked for their houses playing acts placed through the Independent Book- ing Agency of this city. Judge Dunne, the Chicago legal representative of the White. Bats, the organization behind the L B. A., threatens legal proceedings against the firm for cancellation of acts already contracted for and which have started westward. It is claimed that the acts were not notified before leaving here. The Smutzer ft Pelton theatres played two weeks of the I. B. A. vaudeville. This move on the part of Smutzer ft Pelton, it is reported, may affect the book- ing arrangements made last week by the LB.A. with Tony Lubelski, who, accord- ing to the account, joined some Colorado houses to the S. ft P. vaudeville time. These are said to have been withdrawn at the same time. "JAY CIRCUS" A PLAY. Chicago, Feb. 18. Sherman and De Forrest will start over the Stair ft Havlin time on Easter Sun- day in "A Jay Circus" under the manage- ment of Ed Rowland. Lem Parker will erect a piece from the act's former sketch. HOW OLD IS CLARA MORTON? Philadelphia, Feb. 18. A birthday dropped around this week for dainty Clara Morton, of the Four Mortons, who are with "In Town" at the WWnut Street Theatre. The festive oc- casion happened on Tuesday, February 16. Sam Morton, the father; he knows how old Clara is, and Kate, the mother; she knows how old Clara is; so does Clara, and all of the family including Paul, who knows also, say they will tell if anyone is curious enough to want to know. For surety in receiving a reply, Sam Morton is the one to address. OLLIE YOUNG ELOPES Chicago, Feb. 18. Ollie Young, the hoop roller, has passed through an elopement. He and his bride are at the Hotel Saratoga. Mr. Young is playing at the Majestic this week. The eloping couple started from Minne- apolis, and were impelled to the move by the objections of Mrs. Young's father, re- puted to be one of the wealthiest cit- izens of that burg. SUMMER GARDEN SCRAP. St. Louis, Feb. 18. What looks like the merriest summer garden war waged here for a long time, is heralded in the announcement made this week of a summer dramatic theatre to be built in Delmar Garden in addition to tike usual opera pavilion company. The plans for the new theatre, which will be under the management of D. E. Russell, manager of the Imperial, have been drawn and provide for a building 100 by 100 feet, with a stage 72 feet wide, 46 feet high and 46 feet deep. The 2,840 seats will range in price from $1 to 20 cents. The attraction will be a stock star one in first class repertoire, with frequent changes of stars. The reason for the promise of a double bill at Delmar this summer with musical and legitimate shows playing in adjoining al fresco theatres is to be found in the announcement last week that the Oppen- heimer Brothers had secured West End Heights and would install a musical com- edy company. Heretofore perfect peace has reigned, as three managements each catered to a distinct clientele. Those who preferred vaudeville went to the Highlands, while those wanting to see a legitimate play or a musical show went to either Suburban Garden or Delmar. But with the prospect of the Oppenheim- ere cutting in on both the Delmar and Hi ghland s patronage with a combination vaudeville and lyric show the Delmar management elected to take the offensive and enter into competition with Suburban. It is semi-onteially announced by the Oppenheimer Brothers that Mrs. Leslie Garter will be the star of the stock com- pany at the Suburban Garden this com- ing season. Bessie Wynne, the musical comedy star now in vaudeville, and John Young, at present with "The Time, The Place and The Girl," are the first and leading en- gagements for the musical comedy stock company to appear at West End Heights. "HONEY BOY" IMPROVING. Utica, Feb. 18. it is expected that Geo. Evans will be able to leave this week the Faxton Hos- pital, where he was operated upon last Wednesday for appendicitis. "The Honey Boy" will rejoin Cohan & Harris' Minstrels, but may not resume active work until his strength is fully re- gained. Raymond Hitchcock joined the Minstrels here, and is still with the company in Mr. Evans' part. Press Eldridge has been added to the roster. Frank Fogerty, the monotogist, was asked to replace Mr. Evans until his re- covery, but engagements in New York pre- vented the acceptance. "EMPIRE CITY" IN "HIGH LIFE." A deal has been brought about by Mike Simon, stage manager at Hammerstein's, to feature the Empire City Quartet in Mr. Simon's "High Life in Jail," a pro- duction given its "try out" some time ago, laying dormant since. A comedy part is being written for Harry Cooper, the Hebrew comedian of the singing four, and Mr. Simon has al- ready secured the time wanted. WHAT IS POLI DOING? London, Feb. 8. Since 8. Z. Poll arrived on this side of the water reports have been constantly cropping up in and about London that there is some change contemplated in the condition of the Poll Circuit in America. It is said that Mr. Poll has had confer- ences with H. B. Marinelli, and while that is not looked upon as significant in any way, they are used to support the rumor that Mr. Poll has som* unknown plans afoot. A letter received here from Chicago by an American said he had heard talk that Mr. Poll and the Inter-State Circuit, play- ing the Majestic theatres in the South, had had some kind of negotiations to- gether, and the letter rather vaguely hinted at a future combination of some nature between Poll and the Inter-State. It is believed over here that before Mr. Poll sails away for the States something important having to do with his booking relations as they are at present will happen. It is not known when Poll will return, nor is it known where he is at present HITCHCOCK A BANKRUPT. A petition in bankruptcy was filed this week by Raymond Hitchcock, with lia- bilities of $29,000; assets, $16. One credi- tor, a non-professional, residing in Auburn, N. Y. (Hitchcock's native town) is a credi- tor for $10,000 money loaned. MfCARREN LEAVES PORTLAND. Directing a theati. representing $360,- 000 in a town of 66,000 is no sinecure. John H. MoCarren will testify to this, for Mr. MoCarren has given up the man- agement of the new Keith's Theatre at Portland, Me. J. E. Moore, who is inter- ested in the house, and formerly ran "Moore's" in the same place, resumes the office, with Will H. Stevens, late of "The Nickel," a former Keith picture place there, as his assistant. Mr. MoCarren and his family are lo- cated in New York now. For nine years he had charge of the stage at Keith's, Boston, and- is regarded as one of the leading stage directors (variety) in the show business, with an experience of 30 years to his credit. It is said that the United Booking Offices may establish the office of General Traveling Stage Manager, appointing Mr. McCarren to the position. MANAGER RUBY, PLEASE. Keep off that "Jules" thing after this; it's "Manager Ruby" now. Commencing Monday Manager Ruby will have charge of the Standard, Philadelphia, the for- mer IVArcy & Speck house in the town made famous by the Schuylkill. Six acts and pictures will be the plan, and our own Jules Ruby the bookin' man. The father of the Jupiter Brothers died laat week. MURRAY AND MACK'S OFFER. Murray and Mack have written Pat Casey for a line on future vaudeville time for them. Their show will close on April 11 in Indianapolis, and from then on Mr. Casey may send the team a route, or suggest they play in vaudeville for a full season commencing in September. ROOF—MANAGER—AUTHOR. A roof garden, a roof manager and a railroad train are the combination which has driven William Morris into the au- thoring business. Mr. Morris told it him- self, but not for publication, but what's the use of holding out a piece of news like that? While on his western trip, the, manager of the American (New York and Chicago) bethought himself of the roof garden above the American (New York). He knew there must be something done this summer, for there's Hammerstein's Roof and the New York Roof and the Amster- dam Roof, so Mr. Morris yelled, "Porter, oil the wheels and bring me the flre-axe, I'm going to write a play." The porter looked up the rules of the road, but neither he nor the Pullman con- ductor could find anything directly bear- ing upon the case, although there was one paragraph they agreed could be applied if the patient grew violent. .While the train sped on from Pine Tree Junction to Tank No. 6, William Morris sketched out the scenario of what's going to be next sum- mer's offering up in the sir on his pet New York theatre. It looks like some show, too. Sam Bernard has received an offer from the "Independent" to while away the warm weather as one of the Morris entertainers. There are a lot of other big names scud- ding around the think cells in the man- ager's grey matter. It will all come out. ANNA DOHERTY WANTS DIVORCE. An action for a divorce from her hus- band, William A. Inman, has been insti- tuted by Anna Doherty (Doherty Sisters) through her attorney, David Steinhardt. The action has been commenced in the Supreme Court of New York State, the statutory grounds basing the complaint. Mr. Inman was served with the papers in Buffalo when "The Golden Crook" played at the Garden Theatre there. He is repre- sented in the case by Jones, McKinney & Steinbrink. Miss Doherty alleges that her husband was indifferent to his marriage vows while in St. Louis earlier in the season. Mr. Inman says he has a complete defense. There is a child, Wm. A. Inman, Jr., for the possession of whom a hot contest will be made. The couple were married about two years ago or more. Last summer, Miss Doherty played abroad with her siste Lillian, the latter having crossed the pond first, appearing in a single act until Anna arrived. The child is with Mr. Inman's mother-in-law. Last week in Brooklyn a settlement was reached in the Catherine Rowe will case, Mr. Inman's grandmother, who died some time ago, leaving an estate of $600,000 to her grandson, Johnny In- man. The daughters, Pearl Inman and Mrs. Connors, and the grandchildren, in- cluding William A., contested the will. The settlement arrived at gives each of the contestants about $25,000. SIGNS TOMMY ROSS. The Cohan *. Harris Arm has placed Thos. W. Ross under a contract, and Mr. Ross will issue forth as one of their stars in a piece of which Geo. M. Cohan will be the author.