Variety (November 1911)

VARIETY FIRST BENEFIT OF "COPY-ACT" PACT AT PARIS CONFERENCE I. A. L. of Germany Orders Discontinuance by a Member of "Copy" of Charles T. A Id rich. ••Copy" Secured by Breaking Into Dressing Room. (Special Cable'to Variety.) London, Nov. 1. The discouragement of copyists in the music halls has now become the semi-official business of the organiza- tions made up of artists In various parts of the world. At the recent Paris conference a kind of league was formed by artists' representatives from England, Amer- ica, Germany and France. The first outcome is that the Internationale Artisten Loge of Ger- many has decided that a well-known performer who had used details of the performance practised by Charles T. Aldrich, be ordered to discontinue the copy-act, and that he be sus- pended from the I. A. L., until he has discontinued producing it. The story of this bare-faced theft is almost ro- mantic. Aldrich came from America a few years ago with a turn which consisted of lightning changes, comedy juggling and parody conjuring. In the class of act which Aldrich afTects, until this German copyist came along, he was the only one of his kind. The copy was obtained in Vienna, Aldrich's dressing room be- ing burgled in the middle of the night, and all his paraphernalia measured. The man who committed this act dis- posed of the secrets to the German who has now been thrown out of the I. A. L. There still remains in England one performer who has been guilty of an equally blatant acquisi- tion of the same act. It remains for the V. A. F. to prevent this man continuing to profit by the originat- ors' brains. ZANGWILL'g •'GOD OF WAR." (Special Cable to Variety;) London, Nov. 1. "The God of War," is Israel Zang- wiU's new play, which Sir Herbert Tree will produce at His Majesty's. Nov. 8. The dialog is modern, but written in blank verse throughout. It is said to contain a strong love interest and plentiful comedy. The action Is laid in an imaginary country named Gothia. The chief interest centers round two men and a woman. These parts will be played by Sir Herbert Tree, Ar- thur Bouchier and Lilian McCarthy. BUTT'S NEW HALL OPENING. (Special Cable to Variety*) London, Nov. 1. Alfred Butt's new hall, Victoria- Palace, is set to open Nov. 6. It has a capacity of 1,700. It will be a twice nightly hall, lo- cated on the site of the old Standard "Music Hall, opposite the Victoria Sta- tion. Mr. Butt's other London house is the Palace, playing one show daily, with one matinee weekly (Saturday). "APACHE" DANCE FORBIDDEN. (Special Cable to Variety) Paris, Nov. 1 The Berlin police have taken se- vere measures to prohibit the "Apa- che" dance, now popular in variety theatres there. The authorities con- sider It morally bad and physically dangerous. Recently at one of the numerous dancing halls on the Upper Spree the spine of a young girl was broken through the too energetic and realis- tic efforts of her male partner wtiUe executing this dance. At (he conference of the dancing masters it was resolved that the American two-step should be the dance of the coming season. SALARY, WITH PERCENTAGE. (Special Cable to Variety,) Paris, Nov. 1. The actor Le Bargy (the first hus- band of Mme. Slmone) is definitely leaving the Comedle Francalse, and has been engaged for five years by managers Henry Herts and Jean Co- quelin for the Porte Saint Martin theatre at a fixed salary of $26,000 per year, with a percentage of the re- ceipts. Before playing at this theatre he will tour the large cities In Europe and America, playing "Cyrano de Ber- gerac," and his own great part "Le Marquis de Priola." It Is possible, however, that the Comedie Francalse will take proceed- ings early in 1912 if he should play at the Port Saint Martin, as was done in the case of the late Constant Co- quelln. FRANK BUSH IMPROVES. (Special Cable to Variety-.) London, Not. 1. Frank Bush, the American monolo- guist, opened at the Coliseum, Mon- day, and went fairly. He is now go- ing better. INJUNCTION FOR JOHNSON. (Special Cable to Variety) London, Nov. 1. The Variety Theatres Controlling Co. (Alfred Butt) has started injunc- tion proceedings against Jack John- son, the ebony knocker-out Johnson Is under contract to the Variety circuit, to appear at the Hip- podrome, Birmingham. He also is en- gaged to appear at the Palladium, Lon- don, but only at matinees. While the jump dally could be made by John- son, the Variety Co. will not consent, and has thrown the matter into the courts. CONDENSED PIECE SCORES. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Nov. 1. Irene VanBrugh and Edmund Gwenn opened at the Hippodrome, Monday, in a condensed version of "The Twelve- Pound Look," and scored strongly. Miss Van Brugh had originally been booked to appear at that house in a tabloid presentment of "Lady Winder- mere's Fan" Nov. 23. JOE HOWARD AND NENA BLAKE. Joe Howard will return to vaude- ville Nov. 20, assisted by Nena Blake, the young woman who first attained popularity through her booming as "the red-headed girl" in "Coming thro' the Rye" a few years ago. The pair will have a farcical sketch, with musical numbers, written by Howard, and entitled "Don't Forget the Num- ber." The act is under the manage- ment of Arthur Klein. STOLL DOBSNT DENY. (Speeial Cable to Varibtt.) London, Nov. 1. Oswald Stoll refused to make a statement to Varieties representative regarding the rumor there are negoti- ations looking to another alliance be- tween his present circuit and the houses controlled by Sir Edward Moss. lis. Stoll is absolutely noncommit- tal. He smilingly remarked the news- paper stories are premature, from which it may be Inferred that the mat- ter is at least under discussion. MAKE GOOD IN AMERICAN SKETCH. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Nov. 1. Seymour Hicks and Ellallne Terries were a huge hit at the Coliseum, Mon- day, In a sketch called "After the Honeymoon," an Anglicised version of Edward Abeles' "He Tried to be Nice." Abeles appeared in the American 'ver- sion of the act at the Hippodrome about a year ago. MRS. CARTER STARTED. Mrs. Leslie Carter opened in "Two Women" at the Criterion theatre, Brldgeton, N. J. John Cort will send Mrs. Carter on a tour of the south- west previous to her Chicago engage- ment, which will begin during the Christmas holidays. DOUBLE-HEADED SUCCESS. (Special Cable to -Varibtt.) London, Nov. 1. The rebuilt Middlesex Music Hall opened, Monday, with Rlano's Band as the topliner. The band leader and the new house were voted a great success. NEW LONDON SHOWS. (Special Cable to Varibtt.). London, Nov. 1. "The Great Young Man" was pre- sented yesterday at the Klngsway thea- tre. Nov. 5 "The Hartley Family" will be shown at the Court; Nov. 3 "The God of War" is billed for His Majesty's, and Nov. 13, Oscar Hain- merstein introduces "Quo Vadis" at the new Hammersteln Opera House. ADA REEVE A SUCCESS. Chicago, Nov. 1. For her first American appearance since a child, at the Majestic Monday, Ada Reeve, the English music hall star, scored a decided success. She is under engagement to the Orpheum Cir- cuit for a limited term, and is making this trip as a part of her around the world tour. When Miss Reeve and her husband. William Cotton, reached here on the 20th Century, the train was one hour late. The N. Y. Central returns one dollar per hour to the passenger when the limited is overdue. Mr. Cotton got $2, and doesn't understand it yel. He says this is one great country, and is looking for further rebates. GRACE HAZARD "FIVE FEET OF COMIC OPERA." Returned to America on the "Mauretanla" last week after a eucceaeful European tour. Mlas Hasard returns to Europe early In the tprtn* to fulfill contracts for season ltlS-ll. opVnlni at the Ftlace-Vlc'torla. London. MAY IRWIN'S NEW TITLE. May Irwin's new play has been re- christened "She Knows Better Now." It was first called "Mrs. Tompkins" After a brief road tour the play will be brought Into New York,