Variety (July 1919)

:!:-■■ t iL_« VAimFVl'e- _. Htf '■' •» .,■•■.■'■ ■-■■■■..■■ BOOKINGS OVER HERE QUIET; HOW ENGLISH BOOKINGS STAND Not Many Contracts For Next Season Being Issued on Big or Small Time. Henry J. Fitzgerald, Representing London Agency, Reported Controlling Best Known of English Turns For American Appearances. r : ■■'■■•.■■ •-■■ I Ep ■'■>•■':■: «fV , ■ma-. The vaudeville agents express some surprise (though it is not i alarm) at the stagnant condition of the booking market in New York just now. Very little booking for next season has been done so far and few contracts, com- paratively, issued on either the big or the small time. :. ' ' While the Orpheum Circuit has been the most active of the booking agencies in procuring next season's-bills,'as the Orpheum makes a rule to do in the hot weather, that circuit so far has secured very few hjgh salaried turns. Most of the OrpheUm bookings have been for set spots on the bills that called for no feature acts. It .is not expected big time bookings in the East will see any real action until the return of Eddie Darling from the other side. That may be early in August. Mr. Darling left New York Monday on the Aquitania for London. The importation of English acts over here for next season may be in more 'liberal quantities than anticipated. It is said Harry J. Fitzgerald, the New York agent, has submitted to the Keith office a list of 340 English turns con- trolled for American bookings.by Edel- sten, Dawe & Murray, the London agency. This is said to be pretty near- ly the entire available English supply for exportation to the States. When Mr. Fitzgerald was in London some weeks ago he entered into an agree- ment with the London firm to be its exclusive American representative. The foreign list contains some of the best known of the English music hall turns. Ernie Edelstein, of the firm, will be in New York during August and Paul Murray, another member, may accom- pany him or 1 arrive later. Tommy Dawe, the remaining member, is due \to come to New York in November. v McINTOSH INSISTENT. According to reports concerning the W. C. Fields cancelation of his contract with Hugh Mcintosh, of Australia, there may be an action for damages commenced against Fields on behalf of the Australian theatrical manager. Fields was booked for the Mcintosh houses through Mrs. Williams and was to have sailed June 10. Shortly before he notified Norman JefFeries, of Phil- adelphia (who, at the urgent request of Mcintosh and Mrs. Williams, again took up the Mcintosh representation over here) that Flo Ziegfeld, to whom Fields was then under contract, had exercised an option for Fields' fur- ther services Fields remained over here and is now in the Ziegfeld "Frolic" on the Amsterdam Roof.. Mcintosh, after having been advised of the cancelation, is said to have ca- bled Mr. Jefferies to advise Fields, he must fulfill his Australian contracts or hold himself liable for all damages in- curred. Mr. Jefferies, when asked regarding the Fields matter, said there was noth- ing to say as Varibtt appeared to have the main facts. He would not commit himself as to whether Mcintosh's in- structions were for an immediate suit. . Some information concerning Aus- tralia wasjobtained, however, from Mr. Jefferies. He received a recent cable i from Mcintosh, in response to an in- quiry by him, in which it said that the taxation in Australia on artists' sal- aries does not exceed five per cent, and that the living expense over there is about one half of the present Ameri- can cost. Mr. Jefferies is awaiting more defi- nite information from Mcintosh about conditions before proceeding with ex- tensive bookings, for Australia. While . the Rickards Circuit (now Mcintosh's) wants feature and headline turns, it has not been made positive over here what the influenza influence on the- atricals over there has been. Jefferies is awaiting word regarding it. The only booking made by JefFeries to date, has been Archie and Gertie Falls, who sailed June 10. On the same boat were Arthur Aldridge and Nellie Fleming,*who were booked by Mrs. Williams. MOSS AND UNION MATTER. Indications early this week pointed to the installing of union musicians and* stage hands in the B. S. Moss nouses within the next ten days. 'The Moss string now controlled by the Famous Players-Lasky organization would have been unionized this week but for a con- cession asked for by the musicians bar- ring the final settlement. When the musicians' union placed its demands for 20 per cent, increase be- fore the vaudeville managers the latter countered with a 10 per cent.\ advance. This was tilted to 15 per cent, later and the musicians accepted. ' The musi- cians' playing in the small time houses, however, demanded that working day be cut from six and a half to six hours. This put a stop temporarily to the Moss negotiations. Marcus Loew ob- jecting to the cutting down of ,the playing time and Fox threatening to place his houses in the non-union class again if the demand was not with- drawn. The musicians union was scheduled to i hold a meeting Wednesday morn- ing, when the question of shorter^ hours in the small time houses will be threshed out. There seems to be a strong senti- ment among the musicians union mem- bers to eliminate the cutting down question and if this point is yielded the Moss negotiations will be renewed im- mediately. OUTING IN THE RAIN. The second annual "Get Together • Outing" and field day of the managers of Keith and Proctor theatres, of, Greater New York was held June 27 at College Point, Long Island. Witzel s Grove, where the first good fellowship gathering was held, was the choice for this year's reunion. But the, weather man gummed up the proceedings. About 40 managers and agents braved the elements and assembled outside the Palace Theatre, io be conveyed to ' the grove by two auto-busses. The first bus shoved off at 11.45 a. m. and was followed at 12:30 p. m.,by the later contingent. On the way to the grounds John Buck was picked up in Long Isl- and City. They allowed John aboard after he had obsorbed about ten quarts of rain water, circling the bus looking for two empty seats. ' The party arrived at Witzers about 1 p. m. and immediately ducked into the large pavilion dining hall where sandwiches and beverages were com- mandeered to all the hungry ones # until dinner was ready. A few ambitious base ball players took a chance and ambled down to the ball field to warm up. They returned shortly, wringing wet. and it was decided the elaborate athletic program would have Ao be called off. Swimming races, a ball game between the managers and agents, fat man race and several other events had been arranged. Despite all this the gang managed 'to have a good time and several qualified as gloom chasers with good,natured clowning and kidding. Bill Quaid and Jack Lewis saw that no one lacked encouragement in the refreshment line and Dave Nowlin did a Bert Savoy assisted by some ladies' - hats, brought along for a hat trimming ' contest. The supper, was a big success and the laughs were many and continuous. The Willard-Dempsey fight was settled by the indoor lovers and all other prob- lems that confronted the nation re- ceived the necessary attention. . PREPARING PRODUCTIONS. ERNIE TOUNG ACTIVE. Chicago, July 1. The hustling proclivities of Ernie Young are quickly obtaining results and these are being made the most of by Mr. Young's personal attention to his new business. Young is agenting in a general way, acting as tfgent or representative for a variety of stage people who want high class service from a thorough business organization. This week Mr. Young has taken up the handling ,of the song output by Bennie Davis and has the representa- tion of the Bennie Davis Trio for vaudeville. Another important attachment made by Mr. Young, in the very brief time he has been in business,, and in addi- tion to the several well known authors who have entrusted the marketing of their material to his care, is George Rubin, a most promising writer. Chas. Maddock will produce four . new acts for vaudeville starting July 15. The first to be placed in rehearsal will be "The Soul of a Song," a musical playlet by Frank Stammers, with' the scene laid in a music publisher's office. . A musical act consisting of eight col- ored instrumentalists along the lines of the Colonial Septet and a dramatic playlet called "Maloney's Mutt" will follow during the month. ..;.-. ■;; Rosalie Stewart is readying three vaudeville productions, "Who's the Boss?" with Mary Maxfield and Co., written by N George Kelly; "Thicker Than Water," with Bob Dale, Ida 'Maye and At Williams, and another . comedy playlet as yet unnamed carry- ing a cast of five. /■ SHEEDY and Wood in match. Mike Sheedy and Joe Wood turned Sully's barber shop in the Putnam Building Monday morning into an ath- letic arena. Mike and Joe were dis- cussing the old days, with Joe cuss- ing them and Mike telling why he re- called them with pleasure. . . . The- argument reached the point where Joe asked Mike what he had to show for it all. Mike wanted Joe to ask him anything he had not. Joes ■ 1 first question was if Mike had his health. Mike replied by a leap two feet from the floor and landing again on the same two feet. Joe said that was nothing for a kid'like him, and he afterward alleged, when his leap had finished, # that he beat Sheedy s jump by 1J4 inches. ■;•■ It was a very gentlemanly contest, ending only when Sully threatened to call a cop to quiet the noise. POP AT BROADWAY. B. S. Moss's Broadway, secured un- der, lease some months ago from the Mastbaum interests, is to switch from pictures to vaudeville in the fall. The present plan is to present seven acts, employing a 20-piece orchestra, giving the house high class "pop." Popular priced vaudeville has been tried at the Broadway sevefal times, but with little success. It is under- stood'the change of policy results from Mr. Moss's connection with the Fa- mous Players-Lasky acquisition of the- atres, which he is to generally manage. The proximity of the Rialto, one of the F. P.-L. string, may be the reason for vaudeville at the Broadway. "Yankee Doodle In Berlin," with Mack Sennet's bathing girls, opened at the Broadway Sunday. FRANK WIRTH GOING OVER. Frank Wirth, who in addition to his appearance with the Ringling-Bar- num Bailey Circus is interested in an agency office, is sailing on the "Or- duna" this week for London. While abroad he will book acts for Australia for the Wirth Brothers' Cir- cus and for vaudeville there and will also place a number of American acts while overseas. He will visit France, Holland, Spain, Denmark and Sweden. Mr. Wirth will represent about 60 acts while abroad. Musical Stock at Olympic Park. Newark, N. J., July 1. The March Musical Stock opened at Olympic Park Monday. The Park formerly held in the summer Aborn operatic companies. George Weedon is interested in the latest venture. BILL VIDOCQ AGENTING. Bill Vidocq in vaudeville for 25 years, most of which time he was a partner of the late Nat Haines (Haines and Vidocq), has forsaken^ acting for the agency business, joining the staff of the Harry Weber office Monday. . DOC STEINER EMERGES. Doc Steiner, whose movements for the* past year or so have been under cover, emerged from retirement last Saturday. Asked about prohibition, Doc refused to comment, but admitted that he had thought a lot about it Fred DeBondy Going Across. The Aquitania, sailing Monday, among its vaudeyillians held Fred De- Bondy, one of the directors of H. B. Marinelli, Lt. It is Mr. DeBondy's first visit to the other side. He intends going through England and France to view available stage material for this country. The same boat is also carrying Jack Curtis (Rose and Curtis), previously reported, as was the sailing on the Aquitania of Eddie Darling, the Keith booker. Col Bill Marshall Resign*. Chicago, July 1. • • Col. Bill Marshall, for 12 years with W. S. Butterfield, has resigned and is now unattached. Col. Marshall last managed the Majestic, Kalamazoo, Mich. • • ? CAN YOU GUESS VYHQ THEV AR& ? -FOOLISH QUESTION' EVERYBODY KNOWS TRANK STEVEN TRftHK EVAN? suosmts quality vwq-wujb