Variety (May 1909)

12 vab>i»ty ARTISTS' FORUM < Ceaflns year letters to ISO words sad write ssi ss» AneayssMS csssiusscstfcHM wfll tst bs prists*. hs ksM la strict cnMmci, If dsslrsi. sMs si bssmt only sf writer siiist be etgsad sod wsl Utten te it sssllsksi Is this sslssvi srast to wittftss lstton wOl sst to sflsted. Tss writer wto s ssll s st ss s It sppssn tors. wlU sst to psrmlttoi t»« sririlsys sf H ssels. ssslsrirsly te TAJUETT. Daplie«t«4 te tto Fsrssi. slttor tofsrt «r »ft« New York, April 20. Editor Vabiett: I read the advertisement of Jawn John- son, Ed. Reynard's other "dummy/' in Vabiett on Saturday, but I'm all in. I wont have another cent to myself until the fall Reynard gave me- two weeks' notice Saturday night at Syracuse, saying ths Season would close in Albany May 15. If yon wont mind slipping this through for me in the paper free,' 111 just hand a little panning to that Jawn Johnson, who says he la as good as I am in the act. I'm the constable, Beth. Dewberry. I*n the feller what aays "Do that again" and "Gol darn yer." Then at the finish I* drive the dog across the stage shooting off a revolver. And I have to arrest Reynard, and then I take curtain calls all alone. Now, what does Jawn Johnson do or does. He only makes those funny an- swers what somebody tells him, but I do or does the real work. It was pretty raw for Reynard to stand for that Jawn Johnson handing any thing to me. I've stuck to Reynard longer than hs has, and Pm well known in the profession. All nry friends will think I'm a shine now. 'WWo did the business at Keith's, Syra- 'euse, last week? Alios Lloyd was there, Just ahead of us on the bill which we had to close, and the house was packed jammed at every performance. Who did the business T Go ask Joe Pearlstein, the bones manager. He knows. Tuesday night Joe says to me while the pictures were on, M Gol dern yer, it's a tough epot, but nobody moved." All over Syracuse the people' were saying "Do that agin; do it agin, gol dern yer." m give it to Alice. She's the candy kid, but I'm there, too, and Jawn Johnson —Why, hefs made of soft wood anyway, so what could you expect? . I've got. my notice so I dont care, and if Reynard thinks Johnson is a better dummy than me, he can fire me for good; I'm through. Seth Dewberry. (The real cheese with Ed. Reynard's ven- triloquial act). Hartford, Conn., April 24. Editor Vabiett: I am informed Mr. Frank Morrell, ap- pearing at Hammerstein's, ie using "The- orchestra • standing • f or-the-'Gentlemen-be- seated*" gag. Now, while the same has been Wed by every minstrel company for years, I wss the first to use the "gas* in vaudeville theatres. I first in- troduced it at Hyde & Behman's Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y„ week Nov, 1, 1897, making my entrance with a pair of bones in'sjaeh, nand> and after rattling them a lijw times, said to the orchestra (who wet* .standing) "gentlemen, be seated." It Iras the opening speech of my specialty, 'ftddywhiski." I dont write this to take away laurels thai may be coming to Ju>. ^lorrell, but in ease of any doubt oyer the above I can refer you to Wm. Slafer, who conducted the orchestra, and his musicians at Hyde A Behman's, season of *97-'98. WUl H. Fo». ("Paddywhiski.") Boston, April 10. Editor Vabiett: I notice "Kentucky Belles" has an act mentioned as OTOelley and Golden, "Tan- glefoot Dancers." This title is and always has been ours, as you well know. We are recognised with same on both sides of the Atlantic. "Tanglefoot" is a description of our own style of dancing. Tanglefoot Daly. (Daly and O'Brien.) New York, April 28. Editor Vabiett: Perhaps it will please you to know that on account of the greatly increased de- mand for furnished apartments, due en- tirely to my advertisement in Vabiett, I have been compelled to increase my busi- ness by taking the property 776-778-780 Eighth Avenue* between 47th and 48th Streets, containing 39 apartments, where- by the wants and desires of hundreds of artists who want a place like home may be gratified. These new apartments will have elec- tric light and telephone in each. Trust this letter of sincerity will bring you increased business, such as the ad- vertisement has done for me. Louie Edmonds. Danville, 111., April 24. Editor Vabiett: I wish to tell the member of "The Cow Puncher" Co. that told me last night that the dog "Peaches," advertised in Vabiett, was the grandfather of her dog, that she scored a "knockout." 1 could not come to in time to inform her that "Peaches" had never been bred, and that it was against all laws of nature for her to ever become a grandfather. Jennie Piatt. (Gavin-Platt-Peaches.) Palace Theatre, London, April 14. Editor Vabiett: With reference to the enclosed from Vabiett, I think it only right to let you know that there is absolutely no truth whatever in the statement that any negotiations are on foot for joint book- ings, or that Mr. Barassford would en- gage artists for the Palace in connection with a tour of the Pavilion, Glasgow, and the King's, Edinburgh. As I have said on several occasions, al- though we have been approached by some of the bigger combinations, there is no probability of this house joining in other syndicate or "combine," and I shall con- tinue to do the bookings in an independ- ent manner, the same as heretofore. My co-directors and myself are of the opinion that individuality is one of the best features to strive for in running a THE PASSING OF THE METROPOLE. By WALTER C. KELLY. (WITH APOLOGIES TO EDOAB ALLAV FOE.) Fill your glasses, men and women, fill them until they're brimming; We must drink a toast to-night we never drank before. Drink in reverence to the soul of old Mother Metropole, Her weary midnight vigils now are o'er All the heartaches and the troubles (which Corse Pay ton often doubled) Have like the mists of morning passed away; And her years of faithful work bringing wine to Eddie Burke, Will only be a memory of far off yesterday. No mors the clash and rattle of some wild pinochle battle Will mar the quiet slumbers of the night; And the copper on his post will be as lonesome as a ghost, For demons, Haggerty and Kraus at last are quiet. Should you hear a long, low moan 'twill be naught but Louis Cohen Weeping gently like a lad locked out at night; After all his years of toil and defeat of Major Doyle To lose his old home now doesn't seem just right.' And poor Senator MoCarren back to Brooklyn, bleak and barren Must like some weary pilgrim wend his way, While "Big Tim" is softly sighing and Lee Harrison is crying, With Annie Hart and Maggie dine both turning gray. Where the thousand public idols who sat here and drank from seidls Dreaming of the other triumphs yet to come. All their hopes; all their fears; all their laughter; all their tears; You heard them all, old lady, and now your task is done. But throughout the coming years, we will hold your memory dear, All the faithful who have worshipped at your shrine; Future scribes will write the story of Broadway in all its glory, Paying tribute to the Metropole; George and Johnnie Considine. And when the Master of us all sends out the final call To book us for the tour which ends on Judgment Day; The going may be hard, but well stick it out, old pards, If we can only find a Metropole along the way. house of entertainment, and this becomes at once lost if a house becomes merged into a syndicate or "combine." Alfred Butt. Baltimore, April 27. Editor Vabiety: In reference to the statement made by the weak member of the Empire City Quartet, regarding Edw. Lang, manager Gotham Comedy 4, will say that he has not one word of truth in his entire asser- tion. I have proof that his brother Harry sent for me to do the act, and also gave me permission and promised to book my act in small houses of the big circuit at a salary of $360 a week, and who called me and the other members of Gotham Co- medy 4 to his music publishing office to learn two of his numbers, which we did, and who also asked me to come to the Alhambra Theatre to learn the act, which I never did, as I thought my own comedy was strong enough as it stood. As regards the act not playing in a regular theatre as yet, will say that if this man without brains will make a wager that I have and got fifty dollars more than the amount stated herein. I will prove it, but stayed away from regu- lar theatres this seas'bn, as the clubs paid us better. I must say I have the gieatest respect for the other three members of the firm, but they should teach the other to tell the truth. Ed. Lang, Manager Gotham Comedy 4. with the Knickerbocker Booking Co., whereby certain things are to be looked after by the latter company, but all such contracts will nevertheless bear t,he name and be the contracts of the Atlas Co. In no event was it contemplated that the Atlas would cease to be a booking office, nor is it the intention of this com- pany to deal only in park and fair at- tractions, as intimated by the article. Atlas Booking Circuit, Max Rosen, President. New York, April 27. Editor Vabiety: In Vabiett last week an article entitled "Atlas Turns Over Bookings" might be misleading and place the Atlas Booking Circuit in a wrong light. An arrangement had been made by us New York, April 28. Editor Variety: I have noticed in Variety that Mr. Wil- liam Josh Daly claims to be the origina- tor of the act known as "The Dixie Sere- nades" and that he was going to revive the act with six white people playing in blackface. i want to state that he is not the originator. I originated the act and the name "Dixie Serenade™" in conjunction with Mme. Dempsey in October, 1905. I submitted the name to the five other members of the act and we all agreed upon it at Mr. Harry Von Tiber's office, where we were rehearsing. I tried to copy- right the title, but learned I could not copyright the name "Dixie." There is an act by the name of "Dixie Serenaders" at Lubin's Palace, Philadel- phia, this week. It is not our act. Any act using that name is an imposter. We have appeared in all the best houses of the country under this title and the managers know us to be the original "Dixie Serenaders." The act is booked and has been for the last three years by Mr. Al. Sutherland. The only connection Mr. Daly ever had with the act was in the capacity of agent. Leon WilKame, Manager "The Dixie Serenaders."