The New York Clipper (February 1917)

February 7, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER is WESTERN OFFICE, Room 2It 35 SO. DEARBORN ST. CHICAGO PANTAGES LIST OF HOUSES GROWS ABSORBS SOUTHWEST CIRCUIT When tie new vaudeville season opens next August, the Pantages Circuit wfll be found to have absorbed the Southwest Managers Vaudeville Circuit, with its eight houses in Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Charles E. Hodktns, general manager of the Sonthweat Circuit, conferred with Alexander Pantages in Seattle, Wank, last week, and announced the merger upon bis return to Chicago, a few days ago. He stated that die reason the new ar- rangement will not go into effect until next season, is to afford ample opportunity for all acts now playing under contracts to fill out their time. When the smaller circuit is merged with the larger, the present split-week schedule of the houses will be altered to conform with the Pantages plan of full-week book- It was also stated that no written agree- ment has been entered into, though the Southwest Circuit is a corporation. This is because Alexander Pantages makes it a role of business to refrain from entering into written agreements. However, Hod- kins has been a qnasi-member of the Pan- tages force for some time, as he did his work in the outer office of the Pantages suite in the North American building. The new bookings will make things bet- ter for Hodkins* acts, as they will be awarded full Pantages time. At the same time the visible assets of the Pantages Cir- cuit will be increased by eight houses which have shown a comfortable margin of booking profits in the past. DALE WINTER IN LIMELIGHT Dale Winter sprang into the limelight recently because she performed dual ser- vices as a singer at Collesimo's cafe in the bright light district and at a fashion- able church. She appeared at the restau- rant every night and at the church every Sunday morning. Church people learned of her other employment and objected, whereupon Miss Winter Canceled the church work. She subsequently received considerable publicity. BENNETT BECOMES MANAGER Joe Bennett, chief act-lander for Sha- piro-Bernstein's Chicago office, has been promoted to the managership, succeeding Big Bosley. Boaley Is now in New York. Gus Winkler has also severed connections with the Shapiro-Bernstein Chicago office. CROWL JOINS BENEDICTS Charles Crowl, booking manager for the Bntterfield Circuit, married Sylvia Evelyn in Aurora, 111., last week. The bride, for- merly an actress cMsatsg St. Paul as her home, has been a resident of Chicago for six years. QUIET IN OKLAHOMA CITY T. H. Bolaad, a prominent factor in the Managers' Association at Oklahoma City, Okla., which, with the t"H»[ of the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Associ- ation, has fought the White Bats, was in Chicago last week and says that everything is quiet in that city and that it is hard for a stranger to tell that there is a strike on. One or two pickets can be found at most of the houses. Ernest Carr is still there for the White Bats. Business in all the Oklahoma City theatres is splendid, ac- cording to Mr. Roland. "UNBORN CHILD" BIG HIT Gauoio, Gatts and Clifford's "The Un- born Child" is such a hit that three one- night stand companies are to go out, the first taking the road within a few days. The play is by Howard McKent Barnes and opened at the National in Chicago, where it broke records and last week did the same at the American in St. Louis, Ma One company will tour big cities for Klaw ft Krlanger this spring. PLAN NEW OPERA HOUSE Plans for the erection of a new opera house, conservatory and school of music which will cost $5,000,000, are being fin- ished by a number of Chicago millionaires, including J. Ogden Armour and John J. MUfhril. The new opera house is Intended to be the largest and best appointed in the world. The building will be under construction by May. "HONOLULU GIRL" DOING WELL Norman Friedenwald's "My Honolulu Girl," one of the tabloids such ss have brought that line of endeavor to notice *n connection with the W. V. M. A. Circuit, is now on the Son time and is doing a re- markable business. "LUZON LOVE" COMING HERE "Luzon Love," with Carlita ft Howland, will play the Palace in Milwaukee and then the Avenue in Chicago after playing its bookings on the Michigan Circuit. "SMART SHOP" PLAYS PANTAGES MnraKAxeus, Feb. 3.—Roland ft How- ard's "The Smart Shop" started the Pan- tages tour this week at the Pantages The- atre. LA SALLE SAFE ROBBED Yeggpen got away with a fun day's re- ceipts of the La Salle Opera House, when they blew the theatre safe early last week. ADLERWITH FORSTER Maurice L. Adler, Will Bosaiter's chief road salesman for eleven years, is now connected with Foreter Music Pub., Inc. FREIBERGER BURIED HERE Edward Freiberger, chronicler of stage folks doings, who died in New York, was buried in Graceland Cemetery, Feb. 1. ABRAHAMS BACK IN OFFICE Maurice Abrahams has re-opened his Chicago office in the Randolph building. WM. FLEMERILL William Flemer of Garner and Flemex is HI in his Chicago home. BOOKING BREAK RUMORS ARE REVIVED SCHENCK-KEEFE TROUBLE BASB The alleged disagreement, said to be In existence in New York between Joe Schenck, general booking manager of the Loew Circuit, and Walter Keefe has re- vived here the rumors of some time ago that Jones, Linick ft Schaefer intend to divorce the bookings of their Chicago houses from New York agents, as much aa pos- sible. Aaron Jones was in New York last week, making a personal investigation of the re- ported trouble between Schenck and Keefe, and that fact, added to the one that he has entrusted the booking of the new Rialto Theatre here to Frank Doyle, caused the reviving of the rumors. However, the fate which has befallen some houses which have been booked in such a manner in the past, will undoubt- edly lead him to proceed very cautiously if he contemplates any such action, as the difficulty of obtaining headline acts when needed in considerable numbers in Chicago, is well known. LYDA THEATRE CHANGES POLICY - The Lyda Theatre will adopt a new policy next Monday, when it will play its feature act three days and change the rest of the bill dally. The house is under the management of H. Kemp and has George H. Webster bookings. ROSE TO JOIN CAMPBELL Lester Rose, well known in Chicago amusement circles, is in Pine Bluff, Ark., where he will join the press department of H. W. Campbell's United Shows, March 1. MRS. CLEMENT QUITS HOSPITAL Mrs. Fred Clement, who played in "The Shepherd of the Hills," has left the Henro- tin Hospital where she was confined for some time with a broken leg. SILVER WELL AGAIN Morris S. Silver, well known in the cabaret booking field, is able to be about again after a severe attack of rheumatism. TEXAS GUDiAN ON INTERSTATE Texas Guinan recently made her appear- ance in vaudeville on the Inter State time at Dallas, Tex. LAIT'S PICTURE SUCCEEDS Jack Laif s motion pictures, "The Black Stork," is going very big in the West, it is reported. BENNETT TO WRITE SKETCH A. Milo Bennett is to write a vaude- ville sketch for Joseph Watson and Bea Bradley. ROGERS PRESENTING NEW ACT Will Rogers is offering a new act at the Rialto Theatre this week. FOR ADVERTISING RATES Phone Randolph 5423 N. Y. AGENTS BOOK ACTS Arthur Horwits and Edgar Allen, who came to Chicago from New York last weak, have booked the following acta for the Loew and Fox time Eaati The Jaa Band at the Panama Cafe, Campbell and Meeker, Archer and Ward, La Petite Mar- cedes, Bennett Five, OlUe and Johnny Vaais, Hobson and Beatty and Ferris Wheel Girls. CHRISTENSEN BACK IN CHICAGO Alex. Christensen, "The Cxar of Rag, time," has returned to his Chicago head- quarters, after a brief tour of the A. B, C time, which took him to Dee Moines, Minneapolis, Fargo, St. Paul and back to Minneapolis. WEBSTER BOOKS ANOTHER HOUSE The Ashland Theatre at Forty-seventh and Ashland inaugurated Webster vaude- ville last week. The Highland Park The- atre which recently took Webster book- ings is also doing well. EARL SAUNDERS IN NEW YORK Earl Saunders is back in New York, after a short sojourn with the Orpheum offices in Chicago. Cal Griffiths takes his place handling the Orpheum's interests. JONES BACK IN CHICAGO Aaron Jones, of Jones, Linick ft Schaefer, has returned to Chicago from New York, where he spent most of his time looking after his film interests. WOOLFOLK TO SEND OUT TAB Boyle Woolfolk is planning to send out Morris ft Thurston In a tabloid produc- tion called "The Waiter," either this Spring or early next season. NEW THEATRE MAKING GOOD The President Theatre, on Fifty-fifth Street, booked by Downing of the W. V. M. A., is making good with its newly-in- stalled vaudeville policy. BILL1E WHITE RECOVERING BUUe White, who played with "Maids of America" at the Columbia recently. Is in the German American Hospital recover- ing from an operation. DRAMATIC EDITORS CHANGE William McKaye is now dramatic editor of the Chicago Examiner, succeeding Charles Porter, who is on the staff of the Sunday edition. DREW HELPS NEW HOSPITAL John Drew has donated $150 to the new American Theatrical Hospital, which is fast nearing completion. PORTMANTEAU PLAYERS HERE Stuart Walker's Portmanteau Flayers opened their engagement at the Playhouse, Monday. MRS. PAUL WAGNER DIES Mrs. Paul Wagner, wife of the Juggler, died here recently after a brief mneea. FOLLIES CLOSE FEB. 17 The "Ziegfeld Follies" will close at the Illinois Saturday, Feb. 17.