Variety (December 1919)

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m " ■ . .••■'- ■■' '• .' V ';' .' -■ ••• ■ • S3 'VARIETY" ■ iv^v^.^ =W. '■ { OBITUARY ) Ethan M. Robinson. Ethan M. Robinson died early in the morning of Dec. 3 at hia home, 200 West .6.8th street New. York, of pneumonia, developing from a cold contracted Thanksgiving evening. Mr. Robinson Attended two invitation* for Thanksgiv- ing dinner In order not to disappoint and later in the*- day complained he thought be had overdone it. That night a physician advised nurses be called in and Mr. Robinson's friends thought he had a touch of pleurisy. Later it was known that it was pneumonia, although he was unaware of that. It ts about It months ago that A. Paul Keith died in. the same apartment, hav- ing been visiting Mr. Robinson when taken 111. The remembrance of that when ordered to bed seamed to oppress vised all of the Middle Western book- ings of the circuit, placed by several booking men under his direction. Hia territory covered also the Southwest and is an important division of the office. Mr. Robinson commenced his vaude- ville career with F. F. Proctor. About 16 years ago he was resident manager of Proctor's BSth Street theatre, then playing big time. Later he became as- sociated with the Keith office, booking a couple of theatres up the State. He rapidly grew in value and importance until eventually entrusted with a large portion of the circuit covered by bis department. Of a somewhat nervous temperament when in his office, "Robbie" as be was called by his Intimates, was a loyal .-. ■■■ IN MEMOKY OF Dr. OSCAR M. LEISER WHO, ON DECEMBER 8Tn, 1917, "JUST WENT- AW AT." JENIE JACOBS Mr, Robinson, though be jocularly re- marked Friday evening, "Guess my time is here, too." Ethan M. Robinson was about 47 years of age, and born in Albany, N. Y., where interment will be made today (Friday). Services were held yesterday at Camp- bell's Mortuary Cburch. At his death the deceased was one of the prominent figures connected with the B. F. Keith Exchange. He held quite an interest in the Keith Circuit through a bequest of stock in it, left biro by the late A. Paul Keith. Besides, be had an interest in the Majestic theatre, Peterson, N. J., and Temple theatre, Syracuse, N. Y. In the Keith agency Mr, Robinson super- friend and there were many thrown into sad memories when bearing of his sud- den death. He was greatly beloved by those close to him and they say he never turned a deaf ear to a friend. Mr. Robinson was a widower, his wife dying about three years ago. A brother, not in the show business and living at Albany, of his direct relatives, sur- vives. His brother-in-law, Charles An- derson, is a booking man in the Keith office. A self-made man who started with nothing, working his way up, the de- ceased is believed to have left an estate approximating considerably over One million dollars. Meyer Cohtm . Meyer Cohen, music publisher, died at Misericordla Hospital Deo. 1 S after, a fortnight's illness with blood poisoning. He was 65 years old and has no imme- diate relatives In the East, excepting a stepdaughter. He had a sister and brother in California. His wife died last August. The funeral will be held under Masonic auspices. Cohen .was the orig- inator of illustrated songs and the first to appear with that kind of an act. He left that field to loin Charles K. Harris as professional manager and remained with Harris for 17 years. Three years ago he resigned to accept a similar po- sition with Harry Von Tllzer and after a year with the latter he went into the music publishing business on his own ac- count, forming the Meyer Cohen Music Publishing Co. While nothing definite has been decided it is likely the corpora- tion will be continued by the two sur- viving stockholders. Paul La Croix. Paul La.Croix, one of the best known, comedy jugglers in the show business and as well known abroad as here, died. 1.. Sew York Dec 1. His name in private life was Paul Murphy. Be la survived by a mother and sister who live in Vic- toria, B. C. La Croix was the originator of the 'hounding hats. Mrs. Tom Thumb. Countess Primo Magri, known as Mrs.' Tom* Thumb, died at her home in Mld- dlehoro, Mass, Jan. 26. The deceased was 77 years it age and had traveled around the world several times under the management of P. T. Bornum. She was one of the best known Liliputians. Michael Heffsman. Michael Hefternan died at St Joseph's Hospital, Syracuse, Nov. 28, of pneu- monia, after three days' illness. The deceased was stage carpenter with the "Blind Man's Buff" company, which had been playing the first half of the week in that city. The body Was shipped to Anderson, Ind. Mrs. John H. Havlin. Mrs. John H. Havlin, wife of the manager of the Grand, -Cincinnati, died Nov. 22^ at her winter home, Miami, Fla., after a long illness. The body was shipped to Birmingham, Ala., for burial. John Balr. John Balz died at his home in Syra- cuse, N. Y., Nov. 27, after two* months' illness. The deceased was the bead electrician at the Empire in that city am had been associated with every theatre in Syracuse af different times. Graham D. Eerie. Graham D. Earle died suddenly at fifty-six years of age after eating a Thanksgiving dinner. He had been a sufferer for years from indigestion and heart trouble and was a member of the Alcazar Stock Co!, San Francisco. Dr. Henry Biegel. Br. Henry Biegel, with offices at 47 West 42d street one of the most prom- inent physicians in theatricals, died Nov. SO, following an operation for throat, trouble. J. P. Pemberton. J. P. Pemberton, brother of Henry W. Pemberton, died Nov. 28 at his home in Chattanooga, Tenn. The mother of Sopftie and Harvey Everett died last week in New York. A brother-in-law dropped dead of heart disease while attending the funeral. The father of Jack Zelmanov died at his home In Detroit Dec. 2. The son Is a member of the Boris Frldkln and Co. act of Russian dancers. The father of Estelle Ramsey died at hlb home, Napa, Cal., Nov. 16. The de- ceased was the owner of the Novelty and Empire theatres in that city. DRISCOLL PASSES BUCK. • Chicago, Bee. 8. Thomas Barton Driscoll. accused by, Nadell and Colette of having "bulled" them in Richmond into thinking he was a "scout" for the Keith office, and there- by inducing them to entertain him lavishly, turns up in Chicago to be camy • palgn manager for Lloyd Hooper & Co* an advertising agency, and vigorously denies that he hap been south of the Mason and Dixon line since he was a soldier in a cantonment and further avers that the whole story is untrue. "The only basis for the whole tale," ■aid Driscoll, "is that some time ago In 'Dubuque, la, not down south, I met Nadell and his wife, being introduced to them back stage by Fred Sosmap and Gladys Sloane, old friends of mine. While standing on the stage a house em- ploye questioned my right, as an outi aider, to be there, i ' Sosman, tojteep me from being ordtita off, hastily said I was connected with the Keith office. Later I took, all four out to dinner, and L not they, paid the check. . . "Nadell and his wife were quarreling and she asked me whether I. .didn't think she could make the big time. To be polite, I said I had every confidence she could. That was all there was to it" Driscoll says he was formerly. con- nected with Comstock & Geflf <&*}**?* the show business when he entered the army, and that he has since kept up his stage acquaintances from time to time because he liked professional people, but that be has never looked to any of them to provide meal tickets for him, nor has he ever held out any misrepre- sentations of official connections to them. ABUT BOOKING OFFICE CLOSES. The booking office established in the New York theatre building, aimed to supply vaudeville to the cantonments for the Liberty Theatre division of the army, was definitely closed Saturday. The office was established last spring with an ambitious plan which called for payment of transportation and baggage, the Government paying the acts itself and booking the shows, which had been supplied through outside' agents. The plan never materialized, mainly because the camps have not received quotas which will allow of road shows. There have been so few men outside of details to take care of the cantonments that little outside of pictures has been of- fered. ■• ;' ** Perhaps the main cause of abandon- ment of the booking scheme has been the failure of the army to eecure a work- ing fund which was supposed to have become available. The booking office has been temporarily moved to the Vir- ginia Building, 1800 Virginia .avenue, Washington, D. C, where Major J. O. Donovan is in charge. The latter, ac- cording to plans, will have headquarters at the Keith Exchange when camp shows ark again started. CHARLIE CHURCH LOOKED AFTER. When Jim Mclntyre- (Mclntyre and Heath) late last week brought to the attention of E. F. Albee tbat Charlie Church needed attention, Mr. Albee, through the National Vaudeville Artists. Immediately arranged that that should be given him. Mr. Church left New York Monday for Saranac, N. Y„ where permanent accommodations for his com- fort had been provided. Mr. Church, was at the St. Joseph's Hospital. New York, suffering from a lingering illness when Mr. Mclntyre heard of him. The last time Church appeared oh the.stage was with Jos. Hart's "Green Beetle" sketch in Vaude- ville. Church, who is about 55. in his. earlier days appeared with the Coro- cross Minstrels. The father ot Arthur Unger. (VA- RIETY) died in New York Nov. 25. .