Variety (May 1917)

10 VARIETY ■g-r-^ WITH THE PRESS AGENTS ■^^■^^■^11 >' ■■ Julia Arthur's summer home on Calf Island has be«n taken over by the Oovernment. "The Pawn" Is due to open at a Shubert house In New York during week May 14. Seats for the Lambs' Oambol will be sold at auction May 16 at the Hudson theater. Edwin T. Emery is associated with John Cort as the general stage director. "Her Dearest Friend" will be tried out at Atlantic City this month by the Selwyns. The Theatrical Treasurers' Club of New Tork will have its annual benefit May 0 at the Hudson theatre. The "Follies" rehearsals started Monday. The new edition opens at Atlantic City May 28. Harry Sloan is handling the publicity for the revival of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." The Hippodrome publicity department sent out a statement none of the Hippodrome pro- ductions woufd tour in the future. "The Tiger Rofie" was produced at Atlantic City April 20 by David Belasco, who colabo- rated In the writing of It with Wlllard Mack. Lenore Ulrich has the leading role. Jack Abrams. absent from Broadway for over a year, Is expected back next month from Texas, where be bas been booming one of "The Birth of a Nation" outfits. Jane Cowl has but one more week at the Eltinge. Sunday, May 13. Dwight L. Elmen- dorf will begin a series of Illustrated talks at that bouse. Among the agents on the Broadway RIalto this week, who are back from road Jaunts are Walter Duggan ("Hit tbe Trail Holli- day"), Harnr Morrison ("Civilisation"). Syd- ney Rankin and Harry Phillips. Wilbur Selbert Is handling the advance for the Oliver Morosco "Bird of Paradise" company that opened at the Olympic, Chi- cago, Sunday week. The company manager is Ben Qiroux. Alfred Turner manager for Sir Herbert Tree, has been engaged by Cyril Maude to manage his Australian tour, which opens in Sydney in June. Mr. Turner was associated with Mr. Maude in London for 20 years. Manny Greenberg, who has managed one nighters and biased the trail for them, is back on Broadway. He is handling "The Christus," that opened at the Criterion Mon- day. "A Full House," Fred Jackson's farce. Is being rewritten as a musical comedy and will be produced by Edgar MacQregor. Herbert Corthel and May Yokes in the original cast will be engaged for the musical version. Pat Llddy has been engaged to manage the Plaza, Charleston, W. Va., this spring and summer as a stock policy has been determined for the house. Pat has been with the Plaza during its winter vaudeville and legitimate regime. Oliver Morosco has named the comedy with music in which Blanch Ring Is to appear "What Next." The piece is by Oliver Mo- rosco and Elmer Harris. He has also accept- ed a comedy entitled "Lombardi, Ltd.," by Frederic and Fanny Hatton in which Leo Car- rllio is to have the principal role. Both pieces are to be tried out in Los Angeler. William L. Wilken has gone on the road as ronernl contrcctis; asczit for the C&rnum & Bailey circus. The "white tops" were taken by rail to the first stand Monday In North Fhlladelphia, where a week will be played. The B. A B. cars had been all dolled up for the new road season and some of them ap- peared brand new on leaving for the first Pennsylvania engagement. George Broadburst has placed a new comedy entitled "Over the Phone" In rehearsal for a spring tryout tour. Tbe piece was written by Mr. Broadburst from the Hungarian story of Irmi Folds. The cast includes Henry Kolker, W. J. Ferguson, Will Demlng, Alma Belvln, Marlon Vantlne, Joseph Allen, J. R. Arm- strong and Adlan Wilson. The initial per- formance will take place at Stamford, Ct., on May 9, and then a week will be played in At- lantic City, after which tbe piece will be held for next season. PRESS OPINIONS. *«HIS lilTTLB WIDOWS.** A musical comedy In throe acts, produced at the Antor theatre. April 30, 1017. by O. M. Anderaon and L. L. Weber. Rook and lyrics by RIda Johnson Youni: .nnd William Cary "His Little Widows" Is produced with ex- aellent taste. It Is tastefully coBtumed and staged, and it acceptably fuifllld the mission of the typical Bi ^adway s.ummer show.— World. The new musical oomedj which arrived with a bang at the Astor theatre last evening Is several times as amusing at the average of its kind.—Times. ENGAGEMENTS. Dwight Meade (leads Palace stock, Toledo, replacing Ted Woodruff). Mario Maravalay ("Saint and Sinner"). Laura Home Crewe ("Her Dearest Friend.") Arthur Cunningham ("When Johnny Comes Marching Home"). Mabel Brownell, Clifford Stork, Pay Wal- lace. Harry Davenport, Caroline Reynolds, Robert Conness. Leonard Ide, Warner Rich- mond, John Ardlsonl and Foxhall Dalnger- fleld ("The Byes of Youth"). Joe Barrett ("My Honolulu Girl"—tab). George Baldwin and Hans Wilson ("Fol- lies"). Frank Moulan and Carl Oantvoot (musical stock. Providence, R. L). Edna Archer Crawford (leads with Max Flgman). Edmund Dolly ("Johnny Get Your Gun."). Elsie Bartlet (stock). Lex. O. H. Corse Peyton. Regina Wallace, leads (stock), Keith's, Providence. Clara Blandick ("The Wanderer"). JUDGMENTS. Judgments filed in the County Clerk's office. The first name is that of the Judgment debtor, the second the Judgment creditor, and the amount of the Judgment. Happyland Park Co.—City of N. Y., |41.22. Jerome Theatre Co., Inc.—City of N. Y., I31.0G. John C. and Hiram Fisher—B. Mandell, $50.41. Wlllard Mack—Westchester ft Bronx Title A Mort. Guaranty Co., $106.46. Robert E. Irwin—Gotham Garage Co., |26.20. Excelsior Feature Film Co.—S. Sallslan et al, 1259.55. 80th St. Amusement Co.—M. Stamp, $88. George W. Terwllliger—B. Strauss, |142.54. SHOWS IN PHILLY. Philadelphia, May 2. This was "Circus Week" and the first week for the Barnum and Bailey Show under canvas. The tent troupe got a bad break on the weather and this helped the theatres to hold up. This week practically brings to an end the season in the legitimate the- atres. Alexandra Carlisle, who has scored a big hit in "The Country Cousin" will remain at the Broad where the piece is drawing well. The Elmendorf pictures opened this week at the Garrick and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" follows "Miss Spring- time" into the Forest. Both pictures are billed for a run at these houses. Nazimova in "Ception Shoals" comes to the Adelphi, replacing "Mother Carey's Chickens" which has been doing good business, while "So Long Letty," which is drawing well in its fourth week will stay on at the Lyric. "Her Unborn Child" opened this week for a run at the Walnut, the prices running 25c. to $1. The news- paper reviews treated the play frankly, really doing a lot for the show by printi;ig the iaci. tiiTit the play was not one for the young to look at. There was no evidence of age restrictions be- ing placed at the theatre. SHOWS IN FRISCO. San Frarcisco, May 2. The film version of "The Whip" do- ing well at the Cort in its first week. Cyril Maude in "Grumpy" drawing heavily at the Columbia. Business picked up this week at the Savoy with "Her Unborn Child" as the attraction. The attendance holds up for the ninth and last week of "The High Cost of Loving" with Kolb and Dill, at the Al- cazar. SHOWS IN LOS ANGELES. Lcis Ani'^es, isfay'2. John Drew opened Monday at the Mason to big attendance. The ad- vance for the week indicates bigger business than Drew has done in tnit city in several years. STOCKS OPENINa Marguerite Bryant Players opened a stock engagement at the Grand, Youngstown, O., last week in "The Misleading Lady." The Home Stock, with 3eulah Poynter. leading, has been engaged for summer season at the Idora Park Casino, Youngstown, O. Toronto, May 3. With "Hit the Trail, Holliday" as the first attraction, the Edward H. Robin Players inaugurated their third annual stock engagement at the Royal Alexan- dria, April 30. The company includes Edward H. Tobins, Virgmia Fox, Brooks, Eugene Trazier, Jack Amory, Baker Moore, John Maurier Sullivan, Reina Carruthers, Ethel Intropodi, Pittsburgh, May 2. Vaughan Glaser is to open stock here. He will have Fay Courtenay and Ainsworth Arnold in his company. A summer stock company will open at the Victoria, Wheeling, W. Va., May 7. Albert S. Vees is in New York en- gaging people and plays for the engage- ment. STOCKS CLOSINa New Haven, May 2. The stock at the Hyperion closes next week. Sceral members of the company will go to Poli's, Springfield. Elmira, N. Y., May 2. The Wee & Riley stock at the Mo- zart closes Saturday after 35 weeks. The company will return here next sea- son, opening Labor Day. SHOWS CLOSING. "The Fugitive" closes Saturday at the 39th Street. The Colored Players closed their season at the Garrick Saturday. The house will remain dark until taken over by the Theatre Francaise company, July L Ma^ Robson closes her season in Toronto Saturday, so as to be in New York for the Actors' Fund Fair, where she will have a booth. "Katinka," No. 1, at Jackson, Mich., April 28. "Come Back to Erin," with Walter Lawrence, closed Saturdsly at the Or- pheum, Philadelphia. "The Prince of Pilsen" closed last week after having played a season on the one-nighters. The one-night stand company of "Very Good Eddie" (LeflFler & Brat- ton) closes Saturday in Plainfield, N.J. A. S. Stern & Co. will close the east- ern company of "Twin Beds" Saturday at the Montauk, Brooklyn. C, R. Reno has closed "Human Hearts" after a tour^ of Long Island. It will shortly be revived to go under canvas for the summer. Boston, May 2. "The Woman Thou Gavest Me" is to close Saturday. Mabel Taliaferro will return to New York to re-enter pic- tures. Mabel Carruthers goes to stock in Hartford. WOODS GATHERING NAMES. Considerable mystery surrounds the recent engagements of A. H. Woods of a number of legitimate stars, most of whom either have been or at present appearing in pictures. Among the names are Robert Warwick, Irene Fen- wick, Robert Hilliard and Emmett Corrigan. It is understood his con- tracts read that he may utilize them in any branch of the amusement business. Mr. Woods is perfecting arrange- rnents for a rather extensive embarka- tion in the production of big feature pictures and the aforementioned names are important ones in that field as well as in the legitimate. De An?clis Switches. Jefferson de Angelis dropped out of the Winter Garden show this week and spent Monday cretting up in the role of Foxy Quiller for the revival of "The Highwayman.'* CRAIG'S LATEST PRIZE PUT. Boston, May 2. John Craig's annual Harvard prize play is "The Year of the Tiger" this seaiion, and it does not look like a-boK office success, although as a dramatid production, it is apparentlv the best example ot playwriting he nas yet un- earthed. The author, Kenneth Andrews, laid the scene in Japan where he has spent many years. There is a tendency to wordiness and at times a lack of ac^ tion, the virtue of the production be- ing in the characters and the atmos- phere. The plot revolves around the legend that there is a year, at regular inter- vals, in which a tiger descends from a mountain and wrecks havoc among the people. The girl of the play is the daughter of a hypocritical missionary. She is loved and left by an American youth, and when he later reappears with the girl he is to wed. her servant throws the girl over a cliff and commits sui- cide. A leper appears, a childhood playmate of the missionary's daughter, and his description of the unimagined happiness a leper experiences is a novel bit of character portrayal. "Common Clay" was a commercial success, and yet was not in any sense as artistic a stage creation as is "The Year of the Tiger." This is the sixth of Craig's annual Harvard prize play productions, and none has been a real failure. EQUITY ELECTION MAY 28. The annual meeting of the Actors' Equity Association will take place May 28 on which occasion the annual election of officers will also be held. The regular ticket reported bv the Nominating Committee is as foflowi: Officers to serve one year, Presi- dent, Francis Wilson; Vice-president, Bruce McRae, Coresponding secretary, Howard Kyle Recording secretary, Grant Stewart; Treasurer, Richard A. Purdy. Councilmen to serve three years: Edmund Breese, Berton Church- hill, Charles D. Coburn, Edward J. Connelly, Herbert Corthell, Frank Craven, Will J. Deming, Harry Har- wood, Frank Mills, Grant Mitchell, Edward H. Sothern, Scott Welch. WARM WEATHER WANTED. At least half a dozen theatres are waiting for the first signs of warm weather as an excuse to close up. They are the Liberty, Hudson, Cohan &. Har- ris, Fulton, Lyric and Harris. The Eltmge will close its regular season with "Lilac Time" May 12, and the following evening (Sunday) Dwight Elmendorf begins a brief spring en- gagement with his travelogues. SHOWS OPENING. The Shuberts presented Mary Young in "The Charmed Bird" in New Haven, Wednesday. The production was kept under cover as far as Broadway was concerned. Wilmington, May 2. David Belasco's production, "Tiger Rose," intended to be the opening at- traction at the Lyceum, New York, next season, was given its initial per- formance here Monday. The piece was writen by the producer and Wil- lard Mack. The cast includes Lenore Ulrich, William Courtleigh, Thomas Findlay, Fuller Mellish, Pedro de Cordoba, Horace Braham, Edwin Holt, Willard Mack, Edward Mack, Arthur J. Wood, Jean Fennell and others. Atlantic City, May 2. Arthur Hammcrstein and Lee Shu • hert presented at the Apollo Monday "De Luxe Annie," a stage adaption fron. a Saturdav Evening Post story of the same title. Jane Grey, Vincent Serrano and Thurlow Bergen are in the cast.