Variety (September 1911)

VARIETY OPENING ATTRACTIONS ON ONE-N1 QHTERS DOING WELL Booking Men Look Forward to Big Season, Though Watching the Middle-West Closely. If the enthusiasm of the theatre managers everywhere predicts any- thing, the coming theatrical season is going to he one of the biggest and most profitable registered in years. Though the season is just begin- ning, the reports from the road at- tractions now out are most favorably and excellent business has been re- corded all along the line. E. V. Giroux, of the Northwest Theatres' Association, is highly opti- mistic over the western prospects, de- spite the damage recently done by the forest fires in the northwest. He says with California marketing a ten-mil- lion-dollar prune crop that it cer- tainly looks good for the theatres. Not only California looms up bright on the crop thing, but the govern- ment experts say that the extreme west and northwest crops will be un- usually big. Although the association has more than 300 theatres on its chain, the season proper does not start until next veek or a week or so later. A good line of attractions are booked for the west and the season will have just as fine a line of shows as last season, if not better. J. J. Coleman, whose circuit em- braces 215 theatres, covering Missis- sippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, West Ten- nessee, Arkansas and Ohio, predicts a great season for the south, but be- wails the lack of good attractions. Me says the Washington crop report is great and that the harvest was never so abundant. Even in a sec- tion where the boll weevil got in his work, the cotton product will be the biggest in ten years. The houses in some of his theatres open about the middle of September, the Louisiana and Mississippi thea- tres opening in October, and Kentucky and Ohio starting early next month. A. Thalhelmer, representing the American Theatrical Exchange and Southern Booking Department of the National Theatres Owners' Associa- tion, looks for a most successful sea- son, banking much, on the crop report for the territory his 200 theatres cover. He expects reports to roll in from next week on, most of the houses starting business Labor Day week. From the Aarons time and Julius Cahn's New England Theatre circuits come reports of the early attractions doing big business. The majority of chc houses open next week and the week following. More than 500 thea- tres are on their books. It is the middle west the manage] s are watching. There most of the road attractions are scheduled to fol- low each other closely on the season. A slump in this section will send thosr booked for later showings scooting through the south which looks like their only salvation if present plans go awry. Reports on burlesque receipts for lust week from all over the country eust of the Mississippi showed that the strongest business had been done in *he middle west. SOUTH, BEST IN YEARS. New Orleans, Aug. 30. The theatrical season in the south looks the best it has for years. Crops haven't been better within the memory of the oldest lnhab., and as the soil is the meter of prosperity, this year should be a banner one. In New Orleans the Tulane opens Sept. 17, with "The Girl in the Train." The Crescent next week is to have "McFadden'8 Flats," and the Dauphine starts Sept. 24, with Tim Murphy. At the Lyric will be the Gagnon- Pollock Stock Company, opening Sun- day. The Greenwall continues with "pop" vaudeville. First class vaude- ville at the Orpheum commences Sept. 11. Galveston, Tex., Aug. :10. Texas is 4,000,000 bales of cotton ahead of its last season's crop. ROAD SHOWS GETTING MONEY. Reports so far from attractions on the road bear out the prophecy in Varietv, of recent issue that the de- mand is only for high class stuff this year. From the statements being receiv- ed in the Al. Aarons office, the at- tractions show an improvement over those of last year for the same pe- riod. Brady's "Baby Mine" did more than $4,000 on its week stand at Hali- fax. "The Spring Maid," on its visit among a few towns of the east, has done enormously, in fact all box-office records have been broken. Other shows which are now well under way on their road trips, such as "Polly of the Circus," "The Girl In the Taxi," "The Nest Egg" and some of the "Madam Sherry" companies, are sending in excellent reports. "Madam X," with Adelaide French in the title role, since opening at Dover, is not only doing a big biz, but is giving great satisfaction. 8Hl T BERT OPENS IN OCTOBER. Denver, Aug. 30. The Shubert will open in October, with Peter McCourt, manager. This week "The Spring Maid" ("No. 2") at the Broadway scored a big hit. Stock has closed at Elitch's Garden. NEW MT. CLEMENS HOI SK. Detroit, Aug. :;o. The owners of the Bijou. "It. Clem- ens, contemplate the erection of a new $20,(Mm theatre there, to play legiti- mate attractions. THE NEW CORT. San Francisco, Aug. 30. The new Cort theatre will open Monday with "Baby Mine" as the in- itial attraction. The house is now completed. The interior decorations are the work of artists. The height of the playhouse equals five stories. There are no silk nor velvet hangings on account of the tire regulations, all the interior deco- rations being of plaster and oils. The walls, ceiling, sounding board, etc., are a dull gold. The first curtain is of bronze tapestry, interwoven with California fruits and flowers. The act curtain is of two-tone velour, with draperies of similar material. The carpet is of Wilton velvet and old rose in color. Chairs, mahogany Spanish leather. There are thirteen loge boxes in the balcony, holding four chairs each. Mural paintings adorn the ceiling, and above the stage are figures symbolic of the California seasons. All ma- terial used is'concrete and steel. The house is equipped throughout with automate fire sprinklers. It seats 1,800. WILLIE COLLIER SOUTH. A southern trip will be taken this season by Willie Collier, who will play his Comedy theatre success over the Shubert time in the south, Including a week at the Dauphine theatre, New Orleans. The remainder of his visit down there has been routed by the American Theatrical Exchange, which is booking both sides of the legiti- mate opposition this season. SHOT IN "THE BARRIER" San Francisco, Aug. 30. Lee Miller, leading man of "The Barrier" company, wias accidentally shot in the groin during a perform- ance at Petaluma. The wadding blank of the cartridge was projected with sufficient force to injure him severely, but be pluckily insisted on finishing the performance after his wound had been dressed. After the show he was brought to the Frisco hospital. Clifford Thomp- son is now playing Miller's part. SISTER I'NDEHSTCDIES SISTER. Constance and Bianchi Robinson have been signed for Daniel Frohman's attraction, "Seven Sisters." One of the Robinson sisters will understudy the other. The show is booked for two weeks in Philadelphia, and will play a simi- lar engagement in Boston. STARRING MAX FIGMAN. Max Figman has signed a contract with Leigh Morrison. The actor will be starred in a piece which the latter will put out next month. Morrison-Leffler company's "White Sister," which opens Sunday, will play to the Pacific Coast and back. WHO IS JANE DOE? Paris, Aug. 23. At the Jardin De Paris is a young woman called Mile. Jane Doe. The English speaking people visiting the house wonder who .she may be. MARRYING FOR MONEY? Boston, Aug. 30. Two couples were married on the stage of the Boston theatre, Monday night, in full view of the audience. "The Girl In The Taxi" is playing there. Last week the management advertised $25 to the couple that would marry in a taxi on the stage. By the first mall scores of letters were received from couples willing to take advantage of the offer. Mabel Plnkham and Lester I*. Heald, of Newton, were the first cou- ple married by the Rev. Charles C. Kellog, of Brookline. He then tied the second knot for May Darlington and Rolf Otserman, of Boston. They were seated in a taxi during the cere- mony. When the ceremony was over, Bobby Barry, the star of the show, stepped forward and presented the couples with the $25. The "Bless you, my children," was the signal for the au- dience to stand up and cheer. It was also the signal for the members of the company to shower the married ones with rice and all the shoes that the wardrobe trunks contained. Bobby Barry was the best man. Bridesmaids were Julia Ring, Jau Salisbury, Jeannette Bageard, Ger- trude Shirley and Amelia Nelson, all members of the company. The "Two Girls in the Taxi," with the green- backs tightly clutched in their hands, then started on the first lap of married life, afoot. ECHO FOR "THE ECHO." There Is an echo for "The Echo," and the echo is saying "Who?" The booking men are asking the question. When it was first proposed to them by John Pollock and Eddie Weil that Charles B. Dillingham's show be routed with Bessie Clifford, the star, in place of Bessie McCoy, a route was penciled in for the production. Later it was discovered Mr. Pollock and Mr. Weil had listened to Miss Clifford, without having been in- formed that young woman was under contract to Lew Fields, to appear in Mr. Fields' "Never Homes." The routers are waiting for the two budding managers to come across with the name of "the Echo's" sub- stitute. MORRIS' PUBLICITY AIRSHIP. Thl.s l.s the airship William Morris will employ to promote publicity on the return trip of Harry I-nuder over here. It Is Kmnk Ooodale's dlrltflble. now ilol nu Bervlee at the Sehenck Brothers Palls- aihs Park. New Jersey. Mr. Goodalc will take liis ship down the bay to meet the steamer I-auder arrives on. and the atmosph ere splitter will travel around the country, with or abend of the Lauder Road Show, aft ractlnif attention to the feature. Mr. Morris* publicity scheme up In the elouds la the first venture of Its kind.