Variety (October 1911)

VARIETY 13 WESTERN WHEEL GOING SOUTH REPORT F ROM NE W ORLEANS Four Cities Mentioned* with Jake Wells and Henry Qreenwall Linked to the Rumor. Around December 1 the Reported Date for Change in Route. New Orleans, Oct. 11. According to what should be re- liable information, there is a plan afoot for the Western Wheel to come south about Dec. 1, playing Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville, and perhaps this city. The arrangements are to be made between the Empire Circuit Co., and Jake Wells and Henry Qreenwall. If the burlesque deal is consummated, the Lyric here will probably hold Western Wheel burlesque, with the stock from that house transferred to the Qreenwall, and pop vaudeville at the latter place discontinued. At the Western Wheel headquar- ters this week no one could be found who would admit any knowledge of the southern invasion. A Variety representative was informed that such a plan might be under consideration by the Circuit's officers in the south- west, without particulars having been furnished New York. The Eastern Wheel was the last to cover the south with burlesque shows. It dropped out of there two seasons ago. Eastern Wheel stands at that time were Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans. TEDDY SIMONDS EXPLAINS. The former manager of E. D. Mi- ner's "Americans" wants to explain why Miner "let him out" as manager of the "Americans" after four years of servitude in that position. Mr. Simonds says the real reason was that Miner heard he had engaged to manage another show for next season, at the same salary as receiv- ed with Miner's show and with a per- centage of profits in the new organi- zation. So the four years of servitude didn't figure with Miner, who discharged Si- monds immediately. MAY HOWARD WITH FIELDS. In the Marie Dressier "Tlllie's Nightmare" show, May Howard, the former burlesque queen, has been cast for the role of "Snow," in "Snow and Frost," the vaudeville act in the play. It is a departure for Miss Howard, who appears to have less confidence than the management that she will get away with it. The show opens at the West End, New York, next week. GIVEN THREE WEEKS MORE. At the meeting of the Board of Di- rectors of the Columbia Amusement Co. last Friday, a committee of two was appointed to look over and report upon "The Majesties," then at the Murray Hill. The Censor Committee of the Eastern Burlesque Wheel had previously reviewed the show twice. Upon the report of the committee J. Qoldenberg, who has "The Majes- ties" this season was given three more weeks in which to bring the perform- ance up to the standard set by the Censors. If that is not done, the Cen- soring Committee will temporarily take command of the troupe, forcing the corrections which were brought to Golden berg's attention. This will be the first time, if that happens, the Censor Committee has been obliged to personally carry out its own recommendations for improve- ment. NEW EMPIRE IN NOV. Baltimore, Oct. 11. Favorable progress has been made on the new Empire (Western Wheel) theatre. Everything will be in tip- top shape for a big opening early in November. The finishing touches to the house could be rushed to an earlier com- pletion, but the decorators will be permitted to take their time, as the season will be further advanced in November. When the Empire is opened, the old Monumental, now housing the West- ern Wheel shows, will likely be turn- ed into a "Yiddish" theatre. "CHAMPAGNE BELLES** WEST. Chicago, Oct. 11. George F. Belfrage is filling time for his "Champagne Belles" headed by Arthur damage. Others are Ed. Smalley, Frank Hoey, Jack Rollins, J. Fred Arnold, May belle Mahlum, Lo- rain Mathieu, Anna Davis, Alice Perry. SOUTHERN'S BUSINESS GOES ON. There will be no changes in the business policy of the Ike M. South- ern theatrical and scenic curtain and program advertising interests. The Southern business was transacted un- der an incorporated name and his as- sociates and widow will carry on the business. "The Gay Widows," the Western Wheel burlesque show in which the deceased had a half interest with Louis Oberwarth, will continue with Ober- warth attending to the active man- agement and Abe DeRoy, Southern's brother-in-law, looking after Ike's in- terests. Miss Brennan is in charge of the Southern offices in the Knickerbocker building. The Auditorium, Cincinnati, has closed its doors and will very likely remain so until the courts straighten out the tangle In which the house has gotten Itself through conflicting claims over its control. CHICAGO MUSEUM CURED. Chicago, Oct. 11. Thurston's Museum, formerly known as the Chicago Museum, is reported to be on the way to the receiver's hands. Thurston's Museum occupies the site of the old Trocadero burlesque theatre. After the burlesque people deserted State street for the new Columbia, Harry Thurston, a brother of Howard (the magician), figured a museum would be the proper magnet. The opening looked rather loud. For a while it was thought Chicago would support the right kind of museum, but the daily papers began hammering the new project because of some alleged gambling device supposed to be run- ning there. Public passed the place by on the double quick. Poor business and the newspapers are blamed for the latest move. With the passing of Thurston's comes the decision that since the old Kohl & Middleton Museum, Chicago has been cured. JOHNSON RETURNS TO "SPEED.** Chicago, Oct. 11. When "Speed" opens at the Gar- rick Sunday night for a week's en- gagement, Orrih Johnson, who origin- ated the leading male role in New York, resumes his old part, replacing William Gibson, formerly of "The Vir- ginian." "Speed' plays Kansas City the fol- lowing week with Omaha to follow. The show returns to New York at Christmas time. "WIFE HUNTERS** START. Lew Fields' "The Wife Hunters" will have its premiere in Albany Oct. 23 and will probably come to the Herald Square a week or so later. This will give the "Gentleman of Leisure" company but a fortnight at that play- house, but Mr. Fields is enabled to do this as he controls the house. The complete cast of "The Wife Hunters" is as follows: Emma Carus, Fanchon Thompson, Dorothy Brenner, Lillian Lee, Hazel Kirke, Frances Alain, Madge Vincent, Frances Nelson, Geraldine Gerard, "Pony Ballet," Louis Simon, John Park, George A. Schiller, Joseph Ratelilie, Fred Sant- ley, Louis Franklin, Qeorge Dowling, Louis Merkel. GETTING AN EXTRA TEN. Managers of the Western Wheel shows playing the two Empire Circuit houses in Philadelphia, have been pay- ing for an "extra" there which they think should not be charged to their account. In the general agreement, fifty dol- lars is the limit on the newspaper advertising, yet each of the managers has been doling out an extra ten spot. Several managers, yet to play the Quaker City, declare that they will not stand for the "extra $10." OFFER FOR EUCLID AVE. Cleveland, Oct. 11. The property upon whjch stands the Euclid Garden theatre is being ne- gotiated for by the Standard Manu- facturing Co. That company has of- fered the theatre syndicate $117,000. The offer is under consideration. SOME PROSPERING SHOWS. "The Old Homestead" seems to have lost none of its former drawing power. Week before last the show did over $3,900 on its stands through New Jersey and Pennsylvania. "Forty-Five Minutes From Broad- way," E. J. Carpenter's show, it do- ing a gratifying business through the east and is proving a bigger card than several of the recent Broadway suc- cesses In the same territory this season. O. E. Wee has done big business with the "Girl of the Mountains" companies. He will likely put out another before the holidays. Playing small towns, with the payroll within bounds, the show is pulling down from $200 to $300 a night. The best busi- ness is reported on its eastern stands. "The Blue Mouse," another of E. J. Carpenter's shows, has gone into terri- tory played with big returns last sea- son and found that it has lost some of its former drawing power. He has the lease on "The House Of A Thousand Candles" but is waiting for theatrical conditions to become more settled be- fore sending it out. James P. Forrest, a New York news- paper man, is ahead of "Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway." Since leaving New York, Henrietta Crosman has fooled the wise ones by getting the money on one night stands through Pennsylvania. The children in "The Real Thing" <help the box-office receipts on the road. Up in Maine where Adelaide French is touring in "Madame X" the people are turning out to see the emotional piece. Each stand has put a nice mar- gin on the credit side of the ledger. "Naughty Marietta," backed by the Mittenthal Bros, who wisely keep Oscar Hammerstein's name on their paper, is doing a profitable business in the New England territory. "Billy the Kid" played to $400.05 In Altoona last Monday. PICKS OPENER FOR SALAMANCA. Salamanca, N. Y., Oct. 11. Max Andrews has selected "The Old Homestead" as the opening attrac- tion for his new $50,000 house, The Andrews, Nov. 29. Warsaw, N. Y., Oct. 11. The Farnam theatre has been leased by Max Andrews, who controls the Auditorium, Perry, N. Y. and the new Andrews, Salamanca. Legitimate at- tractions will be played in the three theatres this season. MAY CLEAN *EM UP. As a result of the avalanche of "smut" turned loose by "High School Girls," at Rochester, the directors of the Empire Circuit (Western Bur- lesque Wheel) intend to put the screws to several other shows that are said to be flaunting off-color stuff on the route. John N. Whallen, the chief censor on the Empire circuit, has gone to Chicago to size up the various West- ern Wheel attractions playing nt the Star, Folly and the Km pin*.