Variety (March 1909)

VARIETY ACT CLOSED AT HAMMERSTEIN'S WITHOUT NOTICE, "FLOPS" OVER Wtlla Holt Wakefield, Taken Out of the Hammerstein Program 9 Signed by the Opposition for This and Next Season at an Increased Salary. A Remarkable Incident in Vaudeville. Following * remarkable and memorable at Hammerstein's Theatre Monday evening, when Will* Holt Wakefield was peremptorily dismissed from the program, the management closing her assigned place on the program while she was in readiness to appear, Miss Wakefield, the pianologist, noted this season as being one of the best and cheapest acts playing the United ftjwA-fia; Offloes time, signed a contract with William Morris through B. A. Myers for the remainder of this and all of next season at a considerable increase of salary. She will open March 16 at the Lincoln Square Theatre, baring canceled six re- maining weeks during March and April orer the United time. Her next United engagement was to hare been at Keith's, Boston, Monday. Miss Wakefield was in her second con- secutive week at Hammerstein's. She had played the matinee and was notified that she was not to "go on" for the night show just after leafing her dressing room, pre- pared for the stage. Perplexed and undecided what to do, and without the benefit of an adviser, Miss Wakefield, who was in a nervous state, having been accompanied to the theatre by her physician (who was refused parmtsikm to re-enter the stage door after having left her), walked around to the front snUsnos of the theatre in her stage clothes, picture hat and make-up, en- desnalng to find her manager, Louis New- who had also been barred from the without Miss Wakefield's knowl- When Miss Wakefield was Informed Mr. Newman had not been allowed In Ham- mersteln's Monday evening, she returned to her dressing room, garbed herself in street attire and quietly left the theatre for her hoteL Tne scene occurred during intermission. A crowd quickly gathered and as quickly dispersed* many recognising the piano- logist, and she was gased at by the by- standers who viewed her strange appear- ance upon the street with much curiosity. There were reports about the house dur- ing the evening that Miss Wakefield's friends were massed in the orchestra and would hiss when Bva Tanguay entered upon the stage, or would leave the theatre after Miss Wakefield's set, the Utter hav- ing been programed as "No. 7" in the afternoon, with Miss Tanguay immedi- ately after. It was also reported tickets had been given away to persons who had instructions to leave after Miss Wake- field's turn. Notwithstanding the reports, no dis- turbance of any kind occurred while Miss Tanguay was going through her act, or after H. No inquiries or noise emanated from the orchestra, even when Miss Wake- field did not present herself in her piano- log, and the audience departed peacefully from the theatre as is the usual wont. William Hammerstein, manager of the theatre, said: "I heard reports that Miss Wakefield had 'packed the house,' and ordered that she go on 'No. 0' or follow Miss Tanguay. She declined to do either, and I dosed her. I could not afford to take any chances on a disturbance. Last week I asked Miss Wakefield, in deference to my headliner for this week (Eva Tan- guay), to withdraw all her billing and ad- vertising matter. She did so. Miss Tan- guay had no knowledge whatsoever of this." On Tuesday in her apartments at the Gregorian Hotel, Miss Wakefield made the following statement: "I left this hotel last night (Monday) at 0 o'clock for the theatre in a taxicab. Upon arriving there, Mr. Simon, the stage manager, came to my dressing room and said I had been changed on the program and must appear *No. 5/ before the intermission. The in- termission commences at 0:46. I told Mr. Simon it would be impossible; that it always takes me almost an hour to dress, as I am unable to do so rapidly. I had received no word previously that my po- sition had been changed. "I dressed, and during the intermission went to Mr. Simon telling him I was ready to go on. He said I could not appear at all and that he was following his in- structions." Mr. Hammerstein's statement was re- peated to Miss Wakefield, and she replied: "It is not so that I refused to follow Miss Tanguay. I was not given an opportunity. I would have gone on any spot on the pro- gram had I been given sufficient notice, and as for following Miss Tsngusy I would have appeared after the moving pictures rather than disappoint some of my friends who I knew were in the audi- ence. "Mr. Simon said to me that they had heard some of my friends were present to hiss Miss Tanguay, and I told him I trusted I had no friends who would do any such thing. "At Mr. Hammerstein's request I had withdrawn all my special billing matter last week, and it seemed so funny that I should be asked to do this that on Satur- day night Mr. Newman and myself asked Mr. Hammerstein to fix my place on the program for this week, telling him that rsther than have any uncertainty or un- pleasantness during my second week I would close the engagement then. He said 'No. 6* would be my position all week, and I chose this myself, it generally beinrj considered one of the most undesirable spots (opening second half). "I suppose a manager can cancel any act he wishes to, but I can't see why after Mr Hammerstein had insisted that I re- main the second week, he took the method he did to prevent me from appearing, without speaking to me or giving me any warning. I have never met Mr. Hammer- stein personally.'* WILL COMPLETE GAIETY. Louisville, March 11. Victory rests with R. K. Hynicka, of Cincinnati, in the' long fight to prevent the building of the Gaiety Theatre for the Columbia Amusement Co. (Eastern Burlesque Wheel). Now it is up to the Whallen Bros, to discover some new way to block the opening of the house, which will bring opposition burlesque into Louisville, where they have had undis- puted possession for years. In the Chancery Court Judge Miller has dissolved the temporary injunction re- straining the Mayor and Board of Aider- men from passing an ordinance permitting Hynicka to complete the house with a 100-foot corridor. Attorneys who caused the issuance of the restraining order de- clare that there is no other way to pre- vent the passage of the ordinance and it is the general expectation that it will go through in a day or two. "DOCTOR" GERARD CALLED IN. Chicago, March 11. Barney Gerard was called to Indianapo- lis this week to doctor up the "Merry Bur- lesquers." A new first part or burlesque will probably be put on, and several new people will be engaged to take the place of the Buech-Devere Trio. BURLESQUE IN BRONX? It is reported that burlesque managers associated with the Empire Circuit Co. (Western Wheel) have for some time been in negotiation for a theatre location in the Bronx. The Miner Estate is said to be one of the promoters of the enterprise. The same company's Casino Theatre, in course of construction in Brooklyn, is now enclosed and work on the interior has commenced. TWO BILLY WATSONS. - Baltimore, Md., March 11. Billy Watson's burlesquers, with the only original W. B. at the head, are to be at the Monumental next week. The engagement at the Western Wheel house is being generously billed. Meanwhile the next attraction at the Gayety (Eastern Wheel) has in its cast a comedian of the same name. Advantage is taken of the fact and "Billy Watson" is advertised to appear in both houses on every billboard in the city not otherwise employed. The Eastern Burlesque Wheel house is especially vehement in its protestations that it has "the original Billy.' n ETHEL LEVEY IN REVUE. (Special Cable to Vabhtt.) Paris, March 10. Ethel Levey was engaged yesterday by H. B. Marinelli to open March 18 in the new revue at the Olympia, which Mr. Marinelli has decided upon restoring. During the week Miss Levey was booked through M. S. Bentham for a tour of the Orpheum Circuit, opening next August. SNAXE A GOOD PICKER. Philadelphia, March 11. While playing the Gayety in this city last week, Julia Sinclair of the "Parisian Widows," who uses a live snake in her "Salome" specialty, was bitten by the reptile. The snake got hungry, and when one of the "prop" rats used by the Young Brothers in their comedy acrobatic act waa sighted, his snakeship got busy. Miss Sinclair acted like a snake-charmer and slapped the snake on the head and her pet in turn sank its fangs into her hand. Julia didn't faint; just screamed a little, and the property man pried the snake's jaws apart, releasing the "Sal- omer." Miss Sinclair is still doing "Salome," but the snake lost its job. WANTED, BARGAIN RATE. T. W. Dinkins, whose "Yankee Doodle Girls" played the Lyceum, Washington, D. C, last week, brought back a brand new story from the capital. He avers that a man approached the box office Fri- day afternoon and, laying down fifteen cents, demanded two tickets. When the treasurer refused to accept the three nickels the visitor pointed to a sign which read "Matinee, two-fifteen," and again de- manded to be admitted at the "advertised bargain rate." Mr. Dinkins solemnly de- clares that this is a true story. Washington, March 11. "The Yankee Doodle Girla" established a new high record for gross takings at the Lyceum Theatre (Western Wheel) last week. March 3 and 4 three performances were given for the crowds that visited the city to watch the inauguration ceremo- nies, an extra show starting at midnight. The total receipts were not made public, but it was declared that the best previous takings of the house had been exceeded by a considerable margin. COPYRIGHT BILL A LAW. Washington, March 11. The new copyright bill was approved on March 4, last, and will go into effect on July 1. COLUMBIA BUILDING and THEATRE. The above It an advance design of the front exterior of the new office building and theatre to be erected by the Columbia Amusement Co. (East- ern Burlesque Wheel) on the northeast corner Seventh Avenue (Broadway) and 47th Street, New York. The theatre will be called "The Columbia," and will play the ■*■*•» Wheel attraction*.