The New York Clipper (January 1917)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER January 3, 1917 THEATRES' HOLIDAY BUSINESS IS BIGGES TjIN B'D W'Y HISTORY Many Houses Charge Extra Price for Performances, While Mat- Were the Rule During Yuletide Week; Business During All of December Much in Excess of Corre- sponding Months in Previous Years The New York theatres enjoyed the big- gest Christmas to New Year business last weak in their history. With Christmas falling on Monday, every house gave an extra, matinee that day and the majority of them played three other afternoon per- formances. The business, however, was a bit freak- ish to the extent that all of the houses were sold ont at the matinee perform- ances, while in the evening the average of attendance was not so good. Many booses, taking advantage of the holiday week, raised their holiday schedule of prices, some of them getting $2.50 and S3 for seats that are ordinarily sold for <§ . On the whole the business during the month of December was far in excess of that done in the corresponding month in previous years. Those houses where the "hits" were playing were practically sold out at almost every performance during the entire month. Thz Clippeb has gathered box office figures and estimates - for the various Broadway theatres last week as follows: Astor, "Her Soldier Boy," 4th week. In the neighborhood of $15,000 with choice seats selling at $2.50 and $3 on Monday and Saturday. Belasco, "Little Lady in Bine," 1st week. With four matinees and Francis Starr played to $13,740. . Booth, "Getting Married," 8th week. In the neighborhood of $12,000, the heaviest business being at the matinees. Century, "The Century Girl," 8th week. Reported as close to $43,000 on the Casino, "Follow Me," 5th week. The name of Anna Held still draws, the house being sold out at all of the matinees. The evening performances, however, were a bit light with a $SJK) top every evening but Christmas and Saturday when $3 and $3.50 were the prices of orchestra seats. $15,000 was the approximate receipts for the week. C. * 1L, "Captain Kidd, Jr.," 7th week. This show is running along smoothly, and showed a return of $8,000 on the week. George M. Cohan, "Come Ont of The Kitchen," 10th week. Miss Chatteiton is the drawing card for this attraction and the matinees were all sold out during the week, the evenings holding op their end to a total of $14,000. Cort, "Dp-Stairs and Down," 14th week. With the extra matinees as boosters $8,200 was the return. Comedy, "Washington Square Players." With the cut rate agencies handling a good part of the seating capacity, in the neighborhood of $3,000 was the return. Criterion, "Major P—Stash " John Drew could not overcome the lack of appeal of this play with his personality and as a result the box office suffered throughout the week, the show doing about $8,000. Eltinge, "Cheating Cheaters," aist week. With the.aid of Joe Le Blan this at- traction is holding up remarkably well. The returns for the week were in the vi- cinity of $7,000. Empire, "A Kiss for Cinderella," 1st week. Maude Adams' return to her "old home" was enough to bring in $15,000 to the coffers of her managers. 48th Street, "The 13th Chair," 6th week. This show is considered one of the sea- son's hits. With a $3 top Christmas and Saturday about $14,000 was taken in, dur- ing the week. Fulton, "The Master," 4th week. This show has been playing on a rental of $3,300 a week and will conclude its "en- gagement Saturday. With the aid of the cut rate offices about $6,400 was realized at the box office. Gaiety, "Turn to the Bight," aoth week. Still doing a phenomenal business, play- ing to capacity at every performance. Showed a return close to $10,000. Globe, "The Harp of Life," stb. week. Miss Taylor still has her following, which was demonstrated by the matinee business. In the vicinity of $11,500 was the week's receipts. Maxine Elliott "Gertrude Kingston Neigh- borhood Flayers," and week. Played the house on a rental basis. Did about $6,500 on the week. Left on Saturday night to be followed by "Gamb- lers All," which probably wil have a short run at this house. Harris, "The Yellow Jacket," ist week. There ia still much interest manifested in this play, the box office returns showing $7,500 on the week. Hippodrome, "The Big Show," 18th week. More than recovered its balance with the holiday week and a heavy attendance of children at the matinees. The house was sold out at every performance during the week, bringing a gross total estimated at about $60,000. Hudson, "Shirley Kaye," ist week. Elsie Ferguson is another strong matinee favorite and with her extra per- formances did between $12,500 and $13,000 on the week. Knickerbocker, "The Music Master," rath week. Still doing a capacity business at all performances. With three matinees did $18,500 on the week. '-- Little, "Pierrot the Prodigal," 17th week. Jogging along nicely and playing to ca- pacity at almost every performance. Showed a return of $3,800. Longacre, "Horning But the Truth." Collier still keeps things moving and the returns at the box office accumulating. The week with three matinees showed a return of $10,200. Lyric, "A Daughter of the Gods." With a children's performance each morning, a gross total of- $12,500 was realized on the week. Liberty, "Intolerance," aist week. Playing the honse on a guaranteed rental did a little over $7,000. Manhattan, "Ben Hur," 8th week. At popular prices, even though the house is off the theatrical "lane," about $10,000 wsa the week's returns. . New Amsterdam, "Miss Springtime." The holiday week was of great help to this attraction, which baa been gradually falling off in business. With the extra matinees, between $13,000 and $14,000 was take n in. . Park, "Little Women," and week. Giving daily matinees, which were well attended, with a marked falling off on the evening business, about $5,500 was the week's returns.;. Playhouse, "The Man Who Came Back." Still holding up, playing to $9,800. Princess, ''Washington Square. Players." Are playing the house on a rental basis, this being the final week. With the aid of the cut-rates did about $3,000.. Punch & Judy, "Treasure Island." Did around $3,000 on the week. Republic, "Good Gracious Annabelle." The cut-rate offices are getting a good share of the Beats for this attraction and help toward keeping up the business. About $7,000 was last week's return. Shubert, "So Long Letty," 10th week. Ticked up considerably last week, play- ing to over $10,000. Thirty-ninth Street, "Old Lady No. 31." The matinee business was unusually heavy during the week, the show doing close to $7,500. ' ' Winter Garden, "The Show of Wonders." With the holiday prices prevailing most of the week in the neighborhood of $32,000 was the week's return. Broadway, "Twenty Thousand Leagues." With .extra performances during the lat- ter part of the week, about $10,000 was the total of the receipts. Forty-Fourth Street, "Joan The Woman. 1 * The honse ia obtained on a rental. With the favorable reviews in the dailies after the opening on Monday there was a heayy - demand for seats. About $7,000 was taken in during the week. Standard, "The House of Glass." ..'_■ Did in the neighborhood of $4,500. Bialto, "The Americano.". : Douglas Fairbanks is still a box-office magnet, the house doing capacity business at all performances, playing to over $15,- 000, the biggest week's receipts in its history. \3k\$?'. Strand, "Snow White." S;'" ■ Did about $12,000. ■-'J TICKET WAR TAX m 'MONTREAL MOBTBEAX, Can., Pec. 30.—A special war tax will be imposed on all theatres in the Province of Quebec, as ;_aas already, been levied in the Province of'Ontario. It will be from one cent' to ten cents 'on each the- atre ticket sold, according to bo x^o nice price, and the tax will have to be collected from the public. A system of-coupons will be arranged. ■ ■ -' : •'- '-' - ■ DANCER SUES STEAMSHIP CO. Maria' Cartel, a dancer, is suing the French line for $100,000 fori injuries al- leged to have been, sustained on-the Roeh- ambeau, in mid-ocean November 21, while on her way to this country from France. The dancer was on her way here to fulfill a contract with the Metropolitan Opera Co. WILSON MIZNER IS A LEATHER MAKER Playwright Swears There's Nothing Fishy About the Story Evan Though He Will Make Product From Fish Skin, ■ Wilson Mizner, creator of bad men on the stage and aid to them off of it, is now a leather manufacturer, and, though the material from which be turns out his prod- uct is fish hide, he gives his solemn, Broad- way word of honor that there is nothing fishy about his: entrance into another busi- ness except gathering in box office royal- ties. - "Yes, I've been in the leather manufac- turing business for two months now," said the author of The Deep Purple' when questioned about the matter. ."The name of the company is the Passaic Leather Company and there are eighty men work- ing in our plant at 33 New York Avenue, Newark We're going to make leather out of fish skins, you know, and have already received offers of fabulous Bums for the secret of how to do it. But, we won't sell . the process." "What will the leather be used for?" "Well, I should say that shark skins would make good shoes and cod skins good caps r but whether they do or not, we have received staggering offers for the secret. Its going to be a great thing." RlALTO EMPLOYEES DINED Over a hundred and fifty, employees of The Rialto, with their wives, sweethearts, and friends, sat down last Wednesday night to a holiday dinner given- by the Bi- alto Theatre Corp. When the house had' emptied at the conclusion of the final per- formance all the guests were relegated to the.Ioges and balcony while long tables were set up in the foyer, between the main entrance and .the glass-enclosed orchestra seats. A half hour's extra entertainment was given for,the guests and at midnight they filed down the two big staircases to a six course dinner with liquid incidentals. When the banquet, was fairly under way eight huge arc lights which had been con- cealed in the decorations, were turned on suddenly and two camera men surprised the diners by recording the event on a few hundred feet of film. LYNCHBURG GUARANTEES MAUDE Lykchboeg, Va., Dec. 29.—C. M. Gug- genheimer, president of the Academy of Music Corporation, has guaranteed to re- fund the price of admission to any patron who does not enjoy the performance of Cyril Maude in "Grumpy," Jan. 18. ■ GRAU SAILS FOR HAVANA Matt'Gran hopes to establish a musical stock company in Havana, and has sailed for that purpose. He will try to raise a fund by subscription. *' MRS. FLETCHER ILL Mrs. Lillian Fletcher, mother of Marty, Ted and Florence Fletcher, and of the act. of Fletcher, Levee and McCabe, i» seriously, ill. PARIS, TEX., THEATRE OPENS McAasns, Okla., Dec 30.—The Grand Theatre, which has just been completed at a cost of $60,000,-exclusive of the ground, was opened December 26 by Manager W. B. Wise, at PsLria,-Tex. WALTON COMES BACK TO STAGE Alfred H. Wslton is to return to the drama, after an absence of six yean from the stage. His most recent appearances were. in. the "Auctioneer" and "Mrs. Wizg» of the Cabbage Patch."