Variety (May 1909)

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8 VARIETY STRICT OH EASTERN SHOWS. Next mhob will be the strictest of them ell for Eeetern Burleeque Wheel at- tractions, according to an official of the Columbia Amusement Go. Not altogether pleased with the show- ing on the Eastern Wheel this season, the executives of the Columbia Co., which con- trols the Wheel, hare decided that radical action will be taken against any organi- sation on the circuit within six or eight weeks after the opening date that does not bring a marked production up to the standard set, or the requirements made by a censor committee after reviewing the show. On Monday ground will be broken at 47th Street and Broadway, New York, for the new Columbia Theatre to be erected there. It will be a spoke in the Eastern Wheel when completed. The same official, in speaking of the Wheel's Broadway theatre, said the regu- lar Wheel shows would play the house, augmented by 1 a stock chorus of from six- teen to twenty girls. No estimate would be given by the Columbia man of the per- centage of shows on the Wheel he thought would be permitted to enter the theatre as a week's attraction, but the question brought the observation regarding the fu- ture calibre of Eastern attractions-. THIESS SHOW & STORAGE. Two of the; specialty acts with M. M. Thiese's "Wine, Woman and Song," which closed in Cincinnati last week, have sub- mitted themselves to the vaudeville man- agers. They aire Thiese's Harmonists, a male quartet, renamed "The" Harmonists, and Allen Cbogan and Max Armstrong's American ^qqy.Ballet. The latter act opens May 10 at Union Hill, N. J., booked by Ed S. Keller. Meanwhile the production of "Wine, Woman and Song" is in storage in Cin- cinnati. Mr. Armstrong said this week that there were no claims against it ex- cept the one that was filed against the property when the show played St. Louis. The future of "Wine, Woman and Song" has not been decided upon. It was to have played Columbus, O., this week. AFTER BURLESQUE, "YIDDISH" SHOWS. Chicago, April 29. The last four days in May will have David Kessler, the "Yiddish" actor, at the Empire, the regular burlesque season at that house terminating about that time. The theatre will be remodeled during the summer, a rathskeller being one of the innovations. GERAeTJPS BROADWAY COMPANY. Chicago, April 29. A new burlesque, has been provided the "Follies of the, Pay" by Barney Gerard. The company which finishes the regular burlesque - season this week at the Folly will leave for New York Saturday. Mr. Gerard ie here rehearsing the new ma- terial. In the New York cast. at the Lincoln Square will be Sam Sidman, Larry Mc- Cale, Gertrude Hayes, Harry Fox, Miller- ship Sisters, Ida Sturgis,. West and Will- iams, "Our Boys in Blue" and a chorus of twenty-eight. WOULDN'T STAND "A CALL." Indianapolis, April 29. While 'The Jolly Girls" were here last week, Violet Davis, a chorister with the troupe, swore out a warrant for James Collins, the stage manager, alleging he had abused her shamefully in language before the entire company. The company ap- peared one after the other, testifying they were not near enough to the argument to hear it distinctly. The court decided that Collins' .talk was not fit for publication, fining him $6 for the extravagant lan- guage employed, but dismissing the charge of disorderly conduct. Violet's other name til Helen Maca- demue. She hails from Philadelphia. The stage manager's complaint was that Vio- let grew too familiar with patrons in the boxes, and had a captivating smile which was always working. Violet said in court: "Of course, I smile. The show's no funeral." The two. weeks' notice has passed, but the company closes next week. The show's manager offered the girl two weeks' salary in advance and her trans- portation to Philadelphia if she would leave immediately. Vi says she likes the show business, and will stick around just for spite. INMAN DIVORCE DISCONTINUED. The suit for divorce brought by Mrs. William Inman against "Billy" Inman, a member of "The Golden Creoles," was dis- continued by Supreme Court Justice Hen- dricks on motion of Jones, McKinney A Steinbrink, attorneys for the defendant. It is said that Mrs. Inman, who is known on the vaudeville stage as Anna Doherty, agreed to the discontinuance, and friends of the couple anticipate a reconciliation. LOUISVILLE GAYETY COMPLETED. Louisville, Ky., April 29. Within a week or so the Gayety The- atre, Louisville, over which there has been a good deal of litigation, will be practi- cally ready for opening. The inaugura- tion of Eastern Wheel burlesque, however, will be postponed until September, the house remaining dark meanwhile. "BEHMAN SHOW" EXTENDS SEASON. Providence, April 29. The "Behman Show" will have a supple- mentary season, playing at the Murray HH1, New York; Casino, Philadelphia; Gayety, Baltimore; Gayety, Washington, and Olympic, New York, before closing. MONTH'S RUN FOR WATSON. William B. Watson has entered into an agreement with George W. Rife for a four-weeks engagement at the Bijou, Philadelphia, with his burlesque organisa- tion. "'■■ « The run commences May 17. An entire change of vaudeville features will be made weekly during Watson's stay there. Techow's Cats joined the bill at the Hippodrome Monday. KETCHEL FOR ENGLAND. London, April 17. It has been announced semi-officially that Stanley Ketchel is coming over here for an appearance in the English Halls. Jimmy Britt this week received a letter from his brother Willis in which Willis said he would travel with the heavy- weight and aspirant for championship laurels and engineer his tour. Ketchel will arrive May 4. CHORISTER'S SAD DEATH. Toronto, April 29. After vain efforts to learn her identity a chorus girl in Williams' 'Imperials" was buried here last week in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. She died in the Isolation Hos- pital of scarlet fever, after being removed from her hotel. The girl joined the Williams organisa- tion in Peterson, N. J., several weeks ago giving the name of "Bessie Harrison." She kept to herself and withheld all infor- mation of her life and identity from the others in the company. Lilly Newell, her roommate, knew nothing about her ex- cept that she came from New England and that her father was a confirmed in- valid. Monday afternoon and evening the girl did not report at the theatre. Tuesday Nick Murphy, property man, called at the hotel, finding her almost delirious. She was raving piteously that she could not reach the bell in her room. A physi- cian was called and immediately pro- nounced it a case of advanced scarlet fever. The patient was removed to the Isolation Hospital. She died a day later. After trying to locate the girl's family members of the company and the local T. M. A. subscribed enough money to pay funeral expenses. Services were held on Friday, all the members of the company following the stranger to the cemetery. MINSTRELS AT EIGHTH AVENUE. When the present burlesque bookings come to an end at the Eighth Avenue Theatre, either next week or the week after, a minstrel organization of colored people, now being put together by Al Mayer, will take possession of the house. The company will include 32 people, and will use an old title, "Isham's Octo- roons. n CHARGES PIRACY. Thomas W. Dinkins, the Western Bur- lesque Wheel manager, has notified Ed- ward Lee Wrothe, formerly of Bickel, Watson and Wrothe, that the sketch he has been using in vaudeville is a pirated version of his old burlesque "The Utop- pians," and that unless he ceases to play in it without authorization, legal pro- ceedings will follow. "Mr. Wrothe played for me in The Utopians' some years ago," said Mr. Dinkins this week. "A few days since word was brought to me that he was using the manuscript of that piece at the Murray Hill Theatre. I notified both Mr. Wrothe and the management of the Mur- ray Hill that the manuscript was my property, and demanded that the pirated sketch be discontinued. I did not myself see the sketch, but I had it reviewed by a man who was in the cast at the same time as Wrothe." SCRIBNER TAKES BACK "GLORIES." The Eastern Burlesque Wheel show ''Morning Glories" has returned to the possession of Sam A. Scribner. Mr. Scrib- ner will newly equip and may name it. sending the production out next season under his own direction, giving the gen- eral manager of the Eastern Wheel two companies on the circuit. Scribner's other is his "Big Show." Last season Weber & Rush produced and presented "The Morning Glories." This year Harder & Hall, a couple of legitimate managers, held the reins. AL. REEVES GETTINQ CREDIT. Toronto, April 29. Manager Thos. R. Henry of the Gayety, this city, has outdone himseli in the com- piling of a four page herald for the com- ing of Al. Reeves' "Big Beauty Show" at the Gayety, May 1<X The Herald is all about Reeves and his show, with many illustrations. It has a little something on any like public- ity device for a circus. In the sheet Mr. Reeves is shown with a couple of auto- mobiles; he is claimed as one of Canada's favorite sons, and it is said "The World Knows Not His Equal." Delving into the comedian's private history and affairs, Mr. Henry has dis- covered he holds stocks in the Columbia Amusement CO., Pennsylvania R. R., Brooklyn Rapid Transit, New York Cen- tral, Bell Telephone, Amalgamated Cop- per, American Sugar, Consolidated Gas, United Statee Steel, Western Union, be- sides having an interest in 40 theatres and being the sole owner of Al. Reeves Theatre, Atlanta, Ga. The only thing Mr. Henry forgot to present Mr. Reeves with was a block of 3tsndard Oil stock. At the bottom of the Herald is Al. Reeves, famous password (bar or box office) "Give Me Credit, Boys." In this instance Toronto wonders whether that line goes for lieeves or Henry. Both are entitled to it. After finishing writing the Herald in Toronto, Mr. Henry had it printed in Montreal. WHEEL TOUR CLOSES. This is the last week of the regular Western Wheel tour. A number of the shows close to-night; others will continue along for a few weeks on bookings made by their individual managers. The question of continuing the Western "pool" has not yet been decided. Ten days ago a comparison of figures showed "The Merry Maidens" at the head of the pool list, with net profits of about $9,000. Miner's "Americans" was well along to- ward the top. Some of the shows declared profits as low as $1,500. Several western houses will remain open during the summer, using a moving picture and popular priced vaudeville show. Such a plan goes into operation at the Empire, Newark, May 8. REBUILD WESTMINSTER. Upon the close of the season in the Eastern Burlesque Wheel houses, the present Westminster Theatre, the Colum- bia Co.'s stand in Providence, R. I., will be torn down, and a new house, at an expenditure of $250,000, according to one authority, will replace it. The contracts have been let with the condition that the building be ready for opening next fall. George H. Batchellor, who recently re- built his Boston theatre, formerly the Palace, is the owner of the Westminster. With this and another new house planned for Omaha, the Columbia people will have seven new theatres ready for opening upon the commencement of the 1900-10 season. In Kansas City the Majestic will be re- placed with a new house. May 10 the Majestic goes into moving pictures and vaudeville under the management of Thomas Hodgdon, the present resident manager. It is his enterprise. The new house will be called the Gayety. Altera- tions will also be made in the Century Theatre (Western Wheel), Kansas City.