Variety (December 1912)

VARIITY DISCUSS TRIPLE ALLIANCE AT BILLPO STERS' CONVENTION f Union'Billers'Consider Feasibility of Forming Federation With Stage Hands and Musicians. Elect P. F. Murphy, Chicago, New President. Windy City Qets 1913 Meeting. With President Walter Gazzolo of St. Louis present in person to conduct the meetings, the fifth convention of the International Bill Posters and Kill- ers of America was held from Monday until Thursday in one of the lodge meeting rooms in the Unity building at 341 W. 47th street. One hundred and seventy-five dele- gates were present when the convention was called to order. Two came from San Francisco, two from Seattle. In fact, there were representations on the roll from all parts of the United States and Canada. Charles Abrams, President of New York Local No. 2, made an address of welcome and in turn International President Gazzolo made some prelimi- nary remarks. The convention was then treated to two splendid addresses by Charles C. Shay. President of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Em- ployes, and William J. McAndrews, general organizer of the Tobacco Workers' Union. Mr. Shay was listened to attentively as he dwelt at some length on the benefits to be derived from a triple alliance of the stage hands, the musi- cians and the bill posters. Tuesday was given over mostly to unfinished business with a discussion of a number of matters of minor im- portance. Wednesday the convention cleaned up nearly all its business, heard committee reports and elected officers. The committee on resolutions com- prised the following: Thomas Rey- nolds, Chicago, chairman; P. A. Tighe, Cincinnati; John Wilds, New York; Paul Davis, Springfield, Mass.; Pat- rick Connors, Philadelphia. The Grievance Committee consisted of William McCarthy, Brooklyn, chairman; Fred Popps, New York and Wally Walters, Chicago. On the Credentials Committee were Bert Wheeler, Cleveland; Chas. L. Lamf>ton, Peoria, 111., and George Thompson, Cincinnati. The principal speaker at the Tuesday session was Julius Johnston, of the Johns- ton, Meyers & Marks Co., who is an active member of the Chicago local of the bill- posters. His talk received the closest at- tention imaginable. Johnston's company has just closed a ten million sheet con- tract with the American Tobacco Co. to be distributed by union posters and bill- crs throughout the year. The various committees were named, each ordered to report by Wednesday. Leon Reeves, who headed the circus committee last year, was assigned to duty on the press committee. The circus committee had no working scale to submit to the convention this year. The committee, at the last ses- sion, settled upon a scale of wages which all the circus men later signed and which has another year to run. Charles Abrams, president, and William McCarthy, secretary, were at the convention to extend the glad hand in behalf of the New York local No. 2. The billposters voted to have the 1913 Convention in Chicago, the date being the first week in each December. Just before final adjournment Wed- nesday, at 4 o'clock, the following of- ficers were elected: President, Patrick F. Murphy, Chicago, Local No. 1; first vice-president, Charles Hamilton, Scranton (No. 39); second vice-presi- dent, J. Wilds, New York (No. 2); third vice-president, Patrick Tighe, Cincinnati (No. 11); fourth vice-presi- dent, Oscar Linholm, St. Louis (No. 5); fifth vice-president, Charles L. Lampton, Peoria, 111. (No. 47); sixth vice-president, William Hill, Montreal (No. 38); seventh vice-president, C. Hines, Detroit (No. 42); international secretary, William McCarthy, New York (No. 2); treasurer, Harry F. Jones, Philadelphia (No. 4); sergeant- at-arms, James Casant, Chicago (No. 1). The Board of Trustees was named as follows: William McCarthy, Brooklyn (No. 33), chairman, (three years' term); Thomas Noonan, Bos- ton (No. 17), two years; Fred Flan- dreau, Newark (No. 18), one year. Walter F. Gazzolo of St. Louis, president for the past two years, goes as delegate to the next American Fed- eration of Labor. Just before adjournment the con- vention devoted some time to a gen- eral discussion for the betterment of trades unions in general. The dele- gates were of unanimous opinion that all posters, billers, stage hands and union musicians should patronize union products. CONVENTION NOTES. The Boston Local (No. 77) warn one of the liveliest of visiting delegations. In It were A. T. Noanan, D. F. Messing, Walter Nugent and William Watson. Richard Armstrong, a member of the executive board, was also with the Hubilea. Meaning Is a brother of Sam Mousing, the booking agent. He says his brother is recovering from a severe at- tack of rheumatism and will return to New York shortly. Albany, Cohoes and Troy are governed by one local. The convention delegate was James Markey. Thomas McLarney. Wllkes-Barre (No. 87), and Charles Hamilton. Scranton (No. 39), are the respective advertising agents for the Poll houses in their native towns. Oscar Llnduolm, president of St. Louis Lo- cal No. 5. atjw the sights of Broadway be- tween eesskm. P. F. Murphy, of Chicago Local (No. 1) was one of the bluest men physically and every other way at the convention. Paul Davis, the Springfield, Mass., delegate, with the Poll house for several years, is now with the Court Square and Qllmore thea- tres. He will stay over for the 6-day bicycle rare at Madison Square. BRISTOL O. H. BURNS. Bristol, Conn., Dec. 4. The Bristol Opera House was com- pletely destroyed by fire at 2 o'clock this morning. A total loss of $35,000 was incurred as there was no insur- ance. The house was playing vaude- ville and five reels of pictures. Valli and Valli, who came from Australia seven weeks ago, lost every- thing. The Bristol O. H. management has arranged to continue its vaudeville shows at Red Men's Hall. DEONON TRAVELLING SOUTH. George H. Degnon, on the road with Miller Bros.' "101 Ranch," and later in Chicago, sails next Saturday for South America. He will be gone some time, visiting Colon and other points on the Panama Canal, prospecting. Degnon may be assigned to official duty with the new wild west Charles Arlington and Fred Beckman are framing up for next season. HOLCOMB UNITES "VICE- VERSA. M Willard Holcomb's perennial comedy sketch "Her Last Rehearsal," starts out shortly on its 13th year in vaudeville. Edward N. Hoyt has been engaged for the "old legit" role formerly played by the late Lewis McCord. Mr. Holcomb has in preparation a new sketch built along robust comedy lines and called "Vice-Versa," which the big time managers have expressed a desire to see tried out. NEWSPAPERMAN'S OPERA. Allan Lowe, newspaper man, mov- ing picture actor and librettist has written the book of a new comic opera, entitled "The Dream Maiden," the music to which was composed by a foreign composer selected by An- dreas Dippel, of the Metropolitan, who controls the piece. Lillian Burkhardt has joined the Golden Gate Comic Opera Co., now playing in western vaudeville. NI BIOS \oonj vsj; "•GOING BIG** TALKING BIRDS The only act of Its kind in existence, CUCKOO AND LAURA the talking Birds who have set the world astir. Speaking three different languages. An- swering questions, after command. Convers- ing with one another, and singing English and French songs. Now headlining on the Loew Time. New York. NIXON-NIRDLINGER BUYS SITB. Philadelphia, Dec. 4. The sale of three more lots on Ma- plewood avenue, Germantown, to F. S. Nixon-Nirdlinger was recorded here today. By acquiring this property, the Nixon-Nirdlinger interests land a most desirable square plot on which N.-N. will build a new Colonial theatre. TWO STARS IN CHICAGO. Chicago, Dec. 4. The Majestic, with Bernhardt head- lining, is selling out at every perform- ance this week, the prices for all seats on the main floor being one dollar. The Palace, with Ethel Barrymore (return engagement in vaudeville in Chicago), is doing a fair business. The Majestic has 700 more seats than the Palace. CHANGE IN HAMILTON. Hamilton, O., Dec. 4. The Streeter-Bryant Stock Co. sud- denly terminated what was to have been an indefinite engagement at Smith's theatre. The Grand will resume vaudeville Dec. 23. STARTING IN WINNIPEG. Winnipeg, Dec. 4. Ground is to be broken on the new Pantages theatre here before Christ- mas, it is announced. Pantages pur- chased the site some weeks ago. The new house will seat between 1,600 and 1,800. HARRIS* PATTI NOTION. It has leaked out that Ben Harris' secret mission to Europe, ostensibly to secure novelty acts for his proposed Sandow vaudeville aggregation, is in reality to persuade Adelina Patti to make another tour of the United States. LOTTIE MATER. This week's front page is adorned by pictures of Lottie Mayer, an aquatic artiste, now playing her first eastern engagements in six years. Miss Mayer is one of the most skillful divers ever seen here and is besides an exceedingly pretty woman, with a peculiarly at- tractive and pleasing personality. And, what is more, she possesses a sweet singing voice, utilized to good effect. Miss Mayer's act differs in many re- spects from other diving offerings. It is augmented by a handsome stage set- ting and a specially constructed tank, which serves to suitably equip the stage picture. Last week at the McKinley Square theatre, New York, Miss Mayer as the feature attraction, received the credit for breaking all records for receipts in the house. The New York Thea'riral Protect- ive Union No. 1, allied with the I. A. T. S. E., is adding to its roster each month, and now there are 125 names on the list of applicants. The union claims that 1,000 of its member are employed in New York and that there are 200 Alliance men, belonging to out- side unions, who are working on local stages.