Variety (October 1919)

(ilFEREN(l HEADS JN CHICAGO HAS VAST illedOng of J. J. Murdock. W. S. Buttcrficld and **Tiiik*' Humphrey, May Mean General Rearranging of Middle l?*!^ Western SaiAItT: TO BE SEX. Chicago, Oct. IB, {V>lIowlng • a conference yesterday between the officers of .the Western '-Vaudeville Manaeera' -association and '-th« Western B. P. Keith offlce. it will agr^ tbttt a salary is to be ~herM|ifter'set uport an act ptr^lng tbrouih -theM offices, with play or piqr oontnust issued for 20 indut witlu^l: ill)^^e«ts In salary. ' Th«/Milaiy i«t stands fo;r, overy .house' Jkad iOL-, bopking miwasers haiv«-Mfraid%l)i^^ Wit. •nai-a tli«rnMWp^08r«Mive ever taken by ihtt IMSOclaUo^^ It will permit acta coming into Chi- cago to play the Mid-Western time to have some assurance of proper treatment and consecutive bookings without sutrering salary cuts, even in the snutller houses. The managOrs claim they are not making any money but say the salary set Jiove became hecesaary through the publicity given by Va- riety to Western vaudeville condl- Ltlona. It Is ezpecited that the routine .neotingH to be lield in furtheranc M .ttis .na:<rly developed plan will '^liNYWt affCats from stalling an. act tor fl«tr«ra| weeks as has IfMn oftc ''d6li»;;la tkQf past. Foll«irliift a. rout- ing liiMtlaiK aA iwt di'.— im- nnediat^ ad^tlisa'tlintiiiii its aige.- whether It i««ur(M^tjUi«.foa.at'llrte^ ,aalary. ' "'' ' • ,. Chicago, Oct, 16. '^J;..3. MurdMk returned from Chicago i%r^|«i;Sundax{,-.TVl. 8. Buttsrfleld. head of ntsm- iBl^M -BatUrllsId (Hrouit (ICeltb iv^V'tsttrn^ als9 l«Ci. Chicago Bat^irdty. ;BwtaplU«3^ mui^ jUi. «los« ooofir- i'i -mm with boith,un tifk tcate tlmii; . A These compsMUVMy.milmvoifliuit M- — . — . were given vast il^mOUM* WhSB rted here, togvthw -Wltli.' KOms that had iMs^ galatilg stnngth V ~v.fOr some time, ' ■ r tmf> Humphrey, Charles i^9!r8nnan and Sain Kahl- had a joint niMting in which they decided to. book ■ wnsecutlvely Humphrey's Keith string, Kaiil's Finn & Helman string and freeman's several W. V. M. A. houses, M> tliat an act could be given about 2t miita, each sgrftsing ifi the other's acts at the ■iiBM:«i]a»9V With vay «r play l^v.tontracts.' ' :.>Xabl promptly .began euttUig aots^ •aiarltB wh«n fhsy rfiaehsd .h|s hMMNK aumphny' pranvtty KidU «a« tii: jNw «V tm. aimagialiMit^ vfi^ acta _ UrovsA .toi hb*iMt ttay wm ii*t bstaig UvM' their fidi fli^m tha y. P<ir- &:tbni oc the thraa^dtwult 'iMtSk ''BiaiM I^Ml consecutive' bookings from- .the ^^wUle West through to the cctast have Khm\ ImposslbTe through Chicago books; il accepting such acts of Humphrey's ho wanted (usually at heavy cuts) •ad Humphrey booking individually *uch acts as he chose. Reports from •tte Btring were worthless on the other, Xahl insisting that every act play his JJncoln and American (Chicago) for •tryouts" at an average of'$50, per week P'r act, before he would book any act »t all, .:. As a result it has been correspondingly Jtore diinculfto get acta to come West «f sto wediui on 'tbi» Buttorileld time than It would be for 22 weeks on the combined time. .Butterfleld and Hum- phrey liave been discussing plana to "book up" elsewheres so that they will not be isolated. In this conlMOtlim they looked t^raa'd the fiast. StttftsriMd reomtlr guggested that if OUs Sott^^ wlllfiiir Ml: wottU Johi with him la aiii ttilerttbai*lag .4aal;/hiiia would evea biiy la the Sua .CfMtatt. w that ttta ButterfisM' theatres o«filiM Itak with 8i|b and play into and ooi bf .l^ Bhst'la- stead of attempting to bbok throui^'tbia w, V. M, A.^^mum Into aad out et- the West. •■' • •■ Thus an act could start at Blngham- ton, N. T., then Syracuse, and play through Pennsylvania, Ohio. Michigan, making an eighteen-week route with an average of |5 railroading. It Js known Butterfleld and Sun have had some kind of negotiations. It is no secret Humphrey has been in sympatliy with them. The three-man conferSBoe m Chieago, it is not unlikely, either eon- olatedi br ;iaded tM tMPOpealtion above . seti»uU^-.• ■ If a geei ^hnMiiih. Humphrey will move to Kew: Toik .viaw' praMibly JWW* in geh^ ohaifi Oft tha booKlUgi if tbb new West 'MmbtaHUlmi^^^'liad.' W Burt, his first asststiat ta 'dlileavA,' a'young broker with a sterling record In his ter- ritory, will liandle the Chicago end of the business. Butterfleld Is a minority stockholder in several finn & Helmun houses, and hie interests there liave been Insufficient to block Kahl's "cutting" policy. Kahl's refusal to "string" with any other man- agers has already broken up all thought ; of through routing acts by way of the W. V. M. A. clearing house. The result la fewer acts than ever in hl8$ei7 are attempting to get work in ChleagOi It . isv not .unusual fiaturdajra. to. aee.'tlie bookers turnhig taaadsprlilfa ib aa jut* l^rt |o alga- as bitb aa SI adtii to' <4Mb ttae'a«tt''dar."-: GUHFEBtZ CABNTTAL IN OUBA. 8am Oumpertz will take a Carnival company of 150 people to Havana, Oct. 2$. The show will play the public plasa in that city for ten weeks. A greater iwrt of the features in the Carnival were at the Coney Island estab- lishment run by Gumpertz, during the aummer. Henry NeyerhoCC has furnished several elrcu* acts for the enterprise which will be Undte the dljreetioB-.o( Sam Mirbaoh. Jo#,Wood is about to launch a heavy . vaudeville production, carrying 28 peo- ple and four sets. It may open next week. Mr. Wood has named the turn "Bongs and Smiles." He is the producer of "The- Ulmio World," which has been standard la vaudeville, for yeara. - William Morris staged a beneflt tor the Bay Nursery at Saranac Lake, N. T., yesterday , (Thursday). Two perfor- mances were given at . the Pontine The- atre., Volunteering were Viollnsky. MHo, Bisters Mrirlck, Sddle Foyer ai.d Liv- ingston Chapman.' The Day NurseiT at Saranac was founded by Mrs. WUllana Morris. The Morris' hav* P .homo at Saranac Lake. . '. ".'Chieaieo. Oct 16. Lcvttis Klns-Ker. a Suggter, was ar- rested in Plttsbuigh this week In con- neotloh with the«'murder of Hi^ Louise: G. Browne at Maywbod, IlL, reoienily,.! and brought back to Chicago, despite an iUbl be artaMtobied tbnmgh his wife. Following his arrest lO'' Pittibugh, while playing a vaudeville date\ there. Kins-Mer attempted suicide in.a cell at the Central stationl He was found un- conscious in his celL After receiving. treatment at the Allegheny»Oeatral WMMUt ba wM ail«m . & hiulbir ' la tieaml.atatloB.. 'When 'DotUled dt her tmsbaad^' ar^ VU^,:^Jm. KinS'Ner. who lives la.Jfejir- (iasUei Pa,. ez]>res8ed' surprise fbat. bit was held for the Chicago murder, as he was playing a date at the Grand Theatre, Homestead. Pa., on the date on which the murder bcctirred. Her statement was corroborated by Alfred Camm. manager^ of the theatre. ' KlnsrNer was takM .to'Cllilbafb In -spite of his aUbL BERLIIV ■ The current .eni^ageirtent at the Pal- aea, Mew York, will be Irving Berlin'e. aiaitfnd .and Anal ,w«ek- ot/ vaudevllliL ttr; BerilB epenad; Ills wiilc as tba btwditaier iiiC the .Riverside, New Yflirib- Rei^ la'aiM la'Mre^^-b^ the MooiM reeiiqt** tor .giP^ there by $1;0M. KnilyB Ncibli tormerly held it .Following this W'eek Mr. Berlin will start at work upon a revue with which his mipd has been preoccupied with for' some time. It Is not settled who avfil produce the Berlin 4how. <. ' Bose & Curtis, agents for the com- poeer, had secured a big time route of SO weeks for Mr. Berlin, at his vaude- ville salary, tl,500 weekly. . •■\: : • ■ ; > - -I ■ flioiiiiT's EiroiiBE toitr. Emeet Bdeisten and Harry Fttxgerald returned from Chicago Sunday.- Bdelsten Is handling the altairs of Valeska Suratt. for whom he Is arrang«' ing ah English tour and London open-' ing next Spring in a new play which goes Into rehearsal this week, headed for Chicago. The title now decided on is "Scalrlet and White." Walter Hast, by arrilngiment with Oliver Horoaoe,^ will manage the Suratt p^ heire. Bdeisten la alM aeeldaig a eemieetton In this eouatry fHr -esportatlodi. oK^w dependent flima tb .0it|ehmd. tha rtghter* eert praferrad*- BEe wlO:eall -Siir MWhmd aboBt • Kaveiaber -t,- An onion- can ntiake yoii cry, , but It ' '' anklet to make yea.teligbii. CHARLES WITHERS TOUVO lAKTAfm* SON, ■ Tacoma, Wash., Oct. 15, A son was born Monday to Mr. and Mrs. George Pantages.. The father is a nephew of Alexander Pantages, He has been managing the local Pantages house for a mcnti), but will return about Nov. 1 to Pantages at Vancouver, which he left, as reslder.t manager. Hugh Kmmett. the ventriloquist, is the father of Mrs. Pantages, who wishes to acquaint him through Variety that he is a grandfather. Mrs. Pantages has not her fathe^a route and can net lo« IAIN'S PBiiNnB» HOQiKPOir. New Orleans, Oct IS. The Prince, Houston. Tex., has been leased by Marcus Loew, who will re- open the house October 26 for Loew'a vaudeville policy. It follows Loew's .Crescent, New Orleans, on the circuit The acts*will close here Saturday, ^ening at Houston Sunday matinee. ' The leaiie Is reported to be for thraa yeara at a total renUI -ft .IM.O0O. The Prince was reeealUr 'm^erted having beea traarferred to * aaw loeal. owaeiMlh^ It fomiarlr pbwaA iWlt attiaetlona.. ; AHhur'Tajpimae Dies. Loiidoa, ;Oot II. Arthur Thomas, the brigbiat bUaajMi . died here, aged fir ' Boston, Octi iK; A second suit for 15,000,000 has b«ea^:'-,iif f Died.by John P. Cronan, a Boston la>wi"; yer, against the estate of the late Paxil Keith. It is for professional serviobi rendered preventing the late^B. F. I^tib from dismheriting Paul.. ' ■■'■.■■^'fy>hh-.' ->i^ ■■ The earlier .bill waa 'oae'^la'eaulty'aM!;:':^^^^^^ ..,tba"priaeat: iiaft::|i:'aa' motim--A-mm0i^m tftt^ aitavia -iba Bwdt.. 'ft -M«blbla.'ifbr ' AMp-.JMth' ttt :MMMat:^'l»^: ti$:rmiim. Wjmm estpUa-aad that ha did It joa airiiJiDml aimeniiHit:irtth Paul S^eith aaftV : Hdward F. \Albea that he should hvr4 one-third interest if he succeeded in lti<< , duolng the father to transfer bis enter- prises to his son and Mr. Albee. In the declaration are contained 24g items for service. Including one of itt'- ducing B. F. Keith's widow to aocbpt Isoo.oM. aqd aot.ta iN^tept the father'* TWill. ■, ■•.«•;■■■■!.;..?../; y:^'-^--y,.--,^.' "' cKNB AffTB jmmam ^|^^ A. new' Idea' for mutual prateeitbn tw;': vaudeville players, lias been started irtm ' the act "Bverysallor," which has been playing for the last twenty-eight weeka' under the managemeni^ of Philip; DUB* ' ning. • ■ . ■ '■■ ■ . .' s.'';''''. There is a foad, the general>y]aa!'f^. . which is akin.to that In fome attba'm^:'';':C/-4^>.^^^! p0dromei;'eaDhJt)C'Chb |tUarera'betait.s^,;.{^;iM;i;''i'"'l teet^'.: 'ia'''Mig|''V'bi>.;a4eMMat m VHMr^ ■■■■■ ■•-"■^-At- .. Theca..aia 9it mnan,*t»-:'M V. B. 'q«braa''.;WMUaS(' were bnddles for two yeatpr Baoh.iitian' pays M:mAinmvii^'ti^.iim^ the fund, which'was'Started hr: ik:^o^jo:^^S^^ tributlbn from Diinnlng of ISO. ■-i^.-^mfh.n^.i^ TM players are billed «8 "The Olrlleu: Gobe." At the eiid of the season in Juna':; the fund will be divided pro rata am(l the men, should there be a balance.. !»Ba■ •St»TtBp5.--A>*>'"'a/ofin ;7 Chicago, Oct. is, ., Judge Charles A. McDonald lndl« cated today that he would grant a dl#> vorce to I..rs. Dama Sykes HalUgans from William J. Halligian. They were in vaudeville as Halllgan The turn SHiatated July the ooivle biil-bc«mrated ma< , ju;.« ■■• ■ v ^"-f^t: In hei .lU Un, HoUigan asserts tbaf her huibbad.-stnwb ber,, < Bl^ itybe Cbfaiagor he in N.w Tec::." ' mm.... . The aew OkvltCl'miatl has contracted for '^mmr €(tir.ia'im>ff. . v,... .^r:,.,^^ ehiaiveiy write: (aaar'flbn^aivlngs'far' ^ >;7''^^}':!i^ that bouse. . ':,.r^'. ■■ - /■...^■^£.vi^»«^ They will be called •Cray's Griaa.* ' and held at the Capitol for a week hH'r fore seen, elsewhere. WhWag Cant Hear. George Wbttlng (Whiting and Buirt) played all week, atoaa deaf. .MbBaar iaoniiag. Jut wte tbkaa with a aold w «bai|Ma4, wbtoh antlrtfir cAillteiNM aad baair twiea datir* bbg aoagi^ wltbeut betaig aUa to hear tlib eveheirtrab Bf says ba waa able to do thfai bf 'nlUUaa :. tha:ilpa ot'Sadie Bttrt. Ua-partaef; tO^-K/M-t-^m '•. .;. . V, ,. .. Otara ■itil aa Operatic London, Ctera Butt Is to return to the •tafi^UiOludc's "orpbeus.'*-