The New York Clipper (February 1917)

20 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER February 7, 1917 MANAGERS CALL SEASON BEST IN HISTORY MANY TO GIVE SUMMER SHOWS Reports to the offices of the Columbia Amusement Co. and American Burlesque Circuit from affiliated theatres show that the most prosperous season in burlesque history from a box-office standpoint will terminate in May. In other years business seemed to fluctuate, and only at certain intervals could the houses enjoy a vast amount of patronage. With financial conditions fa- vorable since the beginning of this sea- son, the majority of the houses have been playing to near-capacity almost every week. As a general rule the two weeks prior to the Yuletide season have been consid- ered certain losers, but this year this was not true. Business done during this period allowed most of the houses and attractions to break even, with a number showing a little profit. The business conditions this season have been so gratifying to theatre owcars and producers that house managers in a number of the larger cities seem to feel warranted in conducting summer bur- lesque. Last summer there were about twelve theatres which were giving summer shows. This season, from present indications, at least from twenty to twenty-five houses on both circuits will be sponsors for stock companies in different .cities during the Mimmer months. fn New York City the Columbia, Hurtig & Seamons, Olympic Theatre and prob- ably one of the Brooklyn houses will have summer attractions. Other cities that will house them are Boston, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Rochester, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Toronto, St. Paul and Minneapolis. NEARLY 200 AT OLYMPIC DINNER A big event of each year on Fourteenth Street,' New York, is the Olympic's beef- steak dinner and this year's "eat" given by the Club on Feb. 1 was a record breaker, over 175 members and guests participat- ing. Lender Kerngood attended to the intro- ductions of the speakers and entertainers. He read telegrams of regret from many absent members. Andy Rice was the chief story teller, assisted by Frank Finney, Chas. McRae, Harry Levan, Bert Wal- dron, and Capt. Waldron, while Sam Col- lins, Charles Cook and other singers en- tertained. Among those- who participated were Johnnie Weber, who directed the Olym- pic's band, Henry P. Dixon, Carl Williams. Harry Hyams, Chas. Bender, W. Dentch, Willie Lewis, Doc Suss, Harry Steppe, Frank Pierce, Arthur Pearson, Rush Jer- mon, Ike Marks, Charles Franklyn, Win. S. Campbell, Dave Krauss and Sam Krauss. SPRINGFIELD ELECTRICIAN DEAD Sfrihgfteld, Mass., Feb. 1.—Patrick F. (Shannon) Malone, electrician of the Gil- more Tbentre, died at hia home here yes- terday, after a abort illness. Mr. Malone had been connected with the Gilmore The- atre for i he past eleven years and was a member of the F. M. A. and I. A. T. S. E. Local 53, of which he was business agent He leaves a mother, one sister and four brothers. The funeral was held from bis late home Feb. 3. ROSE HAS NEW CONTEST New Oi.leans, La., Feb. 1.—Lew Rose, the bustling manager of the Lyric, con- tinues to pull new stunts weekly. His lat- est is to be a big spaghetti eating contest on the stage open to all, in addition to his weekly Saturday night glove contests to a decision. The burlesque company includes John J. Black, Ilickey Markwood, Otto Oretta, AI Warren, Sue Milford, Mae Earle, Edith Graham, Mamie Antoine and a chorus of twenty girls. HAYES MUST PAY ALIMONY Albany, N. Y., Feb. L—Edmond J. Hayes, the burlesque comedienne, must continue to ;,ay alimony to his wife, Cath- erine Hayes, according to a decision banded down by the Court of Appeals. This is in affirmation of the order of a lower court. Mrs. Hayes obtained a di- vorce from ber husband in 1912. NEW HOME FOR ROSE S YD ELL Rose Sydell bas bought property in the City Island section and will have work commenced immediately for the erection of a bungalow on the site: The house will have five rooms. It will be the borne of Miss Sydell and ber husband-manager, W. S. Campbell, during the summer. GERARD TO CLOSE IN NEW YORK Barney Gerard will arrange, at the close of the regular burlesque season, to play extra time for bis three shows, to close all of them in New York. Abonl March 1, Mr. Gerard will leave for a month's stay in Florida. CASINO PUBLISHING PAPER Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 6.—A new press sheet, the Casino Bulletin, is being published in the interest of the Casino Theatre, this city. James J. Wray is the publisher and W. M. Italic, editor and manager. MAMIE ANTOINE GETS CHANCE New Orleans, Feb. JL—Mamie An- toine of Lew Rose Lyric bnrlesqners broke into the spotlight from the chorus last week and scored. big with her clever part and specialties. ROCHE SUCCEEDS WALTERS Wm. Roche has succeeded Charles L Walters as manager of tbe Columbia, Chi- cago. Mr. Walters will retire owing to illness. MANNY KOLER IN STOCK Manny Koler is now a member of U>e Acad, my Stock at Pittsburgh. TROCADERO IS MKJGHTBT *DEAD¥ : -is-. _»•=• tat -= CONSIDERATION IS $175,000 PHTT.AnKi.FHtA, Feb. 2.—Robert E. Deady purchased today from the J. Bol- ton Winpenny estate the Trocadero The- atre, at Tenth and Arch Streets, for a consideration of $175,000. Deady is tbe lessee of the house, which plays the Empire Burlesque attrac- tion. The theatre occupies a lot 50 by 150 feet. The Empire circuit ran the house for a number of years, and then surrendered the lease and moved the fran- chise to tbe Park Theatre, at Broad Street and Fainnount Avenue. Deady, in association with Ferdi- nand Block, then leased the house and in- stalled the attractions of tbe Independ- ent Burlesque circuit there. Subsequently the Empire Circuit took the Trocadero again into its fold, as it has always been one of the best paying burlesque houses in the city. . The Trocadero was originally built as a rival to Carncross & Dreigs, but never succeeded as a house of minstrelsy. It was afterward named the Arch Street Opera House, then the Park, and when burlesque was installed there twenty years ago was renamed the Trocadero. (Beef Trust) W liwu ■ h— sffcyfrT the character of "Krousemeyeifef«& iiauP" * iy twenty^one" years with an average of nearly twelve shows a week, making over eleven thousand performances during that term. He has a record also of twelve sell-outs during the recent Newark en- gagement. "Blanche," the dramatic sketch pre- sented by Eugene West, was withdrawn Jan. 6 from the "Girls from Joyland." Mr. West also retired from the show. MOLLIF. WILLIAMS BANQUETED Mollie Williams, Manager Kussmaul, Florence Keely and others were guests of Billy Harms at a banquet in Hoboken recently. PAM LAWRENCE ILL Pam Lawrence, sonbrette of the "Poss Puss" Co., was taken ill with blood pri- soning last week at Montreal, Canada. DeVERE SISTERS FOR VAUDE. Tbe De Yere Sisters, now in stock bur- lesque at the Victoria, Pittsburgh, will soon open in vaudeville. PAPA SIMONS HAPPY Teddy Simons is now the proud papa of a baby girl, Carol Helen, who arrived Jan. 23 at New York. Mother and daugh- ter are well. MINER PRESIDENT OF MGRS. Thos. W. Miner has been elected presi- dent of the Managers' Association at New- ark, N. J. PETERSEN FOR ATLANTIC CITY Harry Petersen, of the "Charming Widows" Co., will sing at Atlantic (Sty this summer. CHANGE IN "HIGH LIFE GIRLS" Charles Douglas, Wesley Ball and Mar- tin Guild replace Tony Kennedy, Ted Evans and Joe Cunningham on Feb. 12 in the "High life Girls." Mrs. Marty Lemon was taken to the Lake Side Hospital, Cleveland, O., recently to be operated on for appendicitis. She is expected to rejoin the "Bowery Bur- lcsqners" at Cincinnati. Eleanor Cochran was taken ill at the Casino, Brooklyn, last week and her cole with the "Golden Crooks" was split up between Ollie Golden, Evelyn Nesbitt and Margaret Clark, of the chorus. Issy Grodz was acting manager for the "Hip, Hip. Hooray Girls" during George lielfrage's absence, for a layoff in Atlantic City. Mollie Williams will retain the services of nearly her entire company for next sea- sen's productions. Billy Mclntyre has closed with the Lyric Stock at New Orleans and is back in New York. -' . Anna Niemeyer of "Pat White's Gaiety Girls" died Jan. 25 at ber home in Brook- lyn. Mabel Leslie has closed with the Harry Hastings Show, owing to ill health. Atheena was featured with the Union Square show in New York last week. Jack Duffle leaves tbe Mollie Williams Co. next week to do cabaret work. Al Rich is to have a show on the Co- lumbia Wheel next season. May McCormack bas closed with the. "Broadway Belles."' Chas. Aitken is now managing the Satr> Sidman Show. FILM THEATRE MGR. ARRESTED Fobt Worth, Texas, Feb. 2.—A. Zuc- caro, motion picture theatre proprietor, was charged in two complaints filed last week in the County Criminal Court with the publication of an indecent picture and the exhibition of an immoral and indecent picture. The filing of the cases followed 1 a raid by the police on Znccaro's Theatre when he started to show a picture put un- der the ban of tbe local board of censor- ship.