The New York Clipper (August 1917)

August 1, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER NICOLAI SETS OPENINGS Opening dates for ten more houses on the International Circuit have been set by General Manager George H. Nicholai. On Aug. 27 the Southern Theatre, at Colum- bus, Ohio, a new house on the circuit, will open with "The Katzenjammer Kids." The openings on Sept. 3 will be the Park The- atre, Indianapolis, Ind., with "The Katzen- jammer Kids"; the Lexington Theatre, New York, with "After Office Hours"; the Emory Theatre, Providence, a new house, with Walter Lawrence in "Come Back to Erin"; National Theatre, Chicago, "A Daughter of the Sun"; Majestic The- atre, Peoria, HL, a new acquisition, with "Step Lively," and the American Theatre, St. Louis, with "Safety First." On Sept. 10, the openings will be Grand Theatre, Worcester, Mass., with Walter Lawrence in "Come Back to Erin"; Or- pheum Theatre, Nashville, Tenn., with "Safety First," and the Orpheum Theatre, Philadelphia, with "Common Clay." AMELIA BINGHAM SETTLES SUITS Amelia Bingham satisfied two judgments last week. One, for $18.41, was obtained in the Municipal Court on March 26, 1917, by the New York Appraisal Co. It was for appraising furniture in Miss Bingham's home on Riverside Drive, for an insurance policy. At the time it was made. Miss Bingham contended that the insurance company should pay it. But they refused. Then, a friendly suit was instituted and Miss Bingham was held liable by the Court. The second satisfaction was for a judg- ment obtained in the Westchester County Supreme Court April 6, 1911, by John H. Youngs against Miss Bingham and her late husband, Lloyd Bingham, for $103.61. VIRGINIA NAMES FAIR DATES Lynchbubo, Va., July 30.—The officials of the Virginia Fair Circuit have com- pleted the list of fair dates, embracing both county and district fairs from August 21st to October 28th. Besides the fairs in Bluefield and Oak Hill, to be held in September, and the Interstate Fair at Lynchburg, in October, other towns on the list and the order in which the fairs will be held are Marion, Radford, Staunton, Galax, Winchester, Covington, Roanoke, Danville, Richmond, Petersburg, South Boston, Charlottesville, Woodstock and Emporia. Officers of the circuit are J. L. Vaughan, president; G. E. Carr, vice-pres- ident, and C. B. Ralston, secretary. OAKLAND STAGE PEOPLE CALLED Oakland, Cal., July 28.—The theatres of Oakland were swept right into the midst of the national draft, and among those who have been called from here to the colors are L, B. Rosebrook, leader of the Orpbenm orchestra; George Allen, treasurer of the Orpheum; Ben Erway, ap- pearing at the Bishop Playhouse; George Hermance, scenic artist of the Hippo- drome; Reece Gardiner and Jack Wise, with the Columbia Musical Company, and William West, stage manager at Pantages. ACTOR CLEARED OF MURDER San Antonio, Texas, July 29.—After deliberating eleven hours, a jury here acquitted Ollie Debrow, a vaudeville per- former, who was being tried for the murder of Charles Nash, a chauffeur. Debrow pleaded self-defense, and, on ac- count of the relations between Nash and Debrow's wife, Debrow had secured a divorce prior to the killing. This was the second trial of the case. At the first trial, a few months ago, the jury had been unable to agree upon a verdict. COHAN THEATRE OPENS 13TH Klaw & Erlanger have decided to start off their season on August 13th, at the George M. Cohan Theatre, where they will present "Here Comes the Bride," a farce comedy by Max Marcin and Roy Atwell. The cas£ will include Otto Krnger, William Danforth, George Par- sons, Franklyn Ardell, Albert Reed, Maude Aburne, Magna Paxton, Frances Larrimore, and others. SCREEN CLUB'S "FIRST REEL" WORTH$3,500 STARTS CLUB HOUSE FUND The "First Reel" of the Sreen Club planned to emulate the Friars' Frolic and the Lambs' Gambol took place Sunday night in the Casino Theatre and the cof- fers of the organization ■ were enriched by .$3,500 to be used toward the building of a new $500,000 club house in the Long Acre Square district. Just as is the case sometimes with a motion picture when the first reel does not develop to the extent the producer wishes, such was the case with the initial affair of the Screen Club. Somehow or other, somebody let a cog in the arrangement machinery slip and, as a result, only about one-third of the persons programmed to ap- pear entertained the one thousand guests who attended the performance. Some of those scheduled to appear did not even notify the committee that they would not be on hand. Even Billy Quirk, president of the club, who was scheduled to do a bit, failed to appear, it is said, and sent word that he had an important engage - metn out of town. However, even with that handicap, Ray- mond Hitchcock, who was master of cere- monies, managed to blend together a fairly good show out of the talent that did attend. No one could slip one over on "Hitchy" for, at one time, he found himself short of an act and, as a filler, spied John Charles Thomas in the audi- ence and made him come forward and do his "bit" with songs. Those who came to the front and ap- pear despite the weather and other condi- tions, were the Five Mazzettis, who opened the show; Jean Sothern, in a kid skit; Alice Brady, with a repertoire of songs that pleased; Gus Edwards' "Springtime Revue," from ReisenWeber's; Stanley Ford, with song offerings; Hal Crane & Co., in a sketch entitled, "An Episode of the War"; Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne, who did their bit by making them- selves acquainted with the audience; Harry Benham, assisted by Sydney Bracy at the piano. Blanche Babette also sup- plied a few melodious offerings, being fol- lowed by Edna Whistler who sang a num- ber of character songs and proved to be one of the big favorites of the bill. Miss Whistler's turn proved to be novel and unique as all her numbers dealt with the movie business and studio incidents. John Davidson, Josephine Earle, Frank Minor and Frank Holland also obliged with song renditions. The Lee children were unable to appear, as the Gerry So- ciety agents objected. They were dele- gated to sell programs, however. Edward C. White staged the perform- ance and had, as assistants, Frank Beres- ford and Albert Roccardi. The cover design of the program was "The Movie Girl," which was copied from a painting by Penhryn Stanislaw. JUDGE UPHOLDS "COUNTRY STORE" Cincinnati, O., July 28.—The country store idea, in which persons attending mo- tion picture shows or other performances take chances on winning certain articles by purchasing a "chance," has been upheld in Cincinnati by Judge Yeatman, in a case which grew out of a country store scheme used by John J. Huebner in con- nection with a motion picture entertain- ment The judge held • that "the mere presence of chance in determining the ownership of a prize does not make it a gambling transaction or a lottery." WILL SUE BORDONI, HE SAYS Edgar Beeckman, who was sued for divorce by Irene Bordoni, of the "Hitchy- Koo" show, in answering her complaint, through Charles O. Mass, stated, last week, that he will contest the suit and bring a counter one for annulment of the marriage. In his answer, he denies the marriage to Miss Bordoni was legal and binding. He alleges he was induced to enter into the marriage ceremony by fraudulent rep- resentations, made to him by her. For that reason, he contends, the marriage is void and of no legal and binding force or effect. He states he will institute an action in the Supreme Court to annul the marriage. In reference to the infi- delity allegations, he alleges tbey were committed with the consent of bis wife and have been condoned and forgiven. CORT OPENING PLAY CHANGED The Metropolitan hatching of "Mother Carey's Chickens" will not take place at the Cort Theatre as previously announced, but instead, Eugene Walter's play, "The Knife," will open there on August 13. "Mother Carey's Chickens" will not reach the Cort until September 24. KLINCK ESCAPES PRISON TERM Judge Mclntyre, in the Court of General Sessions, last week, suspended sentence on J. Klinck, who had previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with grand larceny. Howard Thurston, the magician, by whom Klinck was employed, and who had charged that he had misap- propriated money exceeding $1,200, asked the Court to suspend sentence. He in- formed Judge Mclntyre that Klinck had made an error which he was willing to overlook. Assistant District Attorney Fred Sullivan, who handled the case, was informed that Klinck had promised to make restitution and that Thurston would again take him into his employ. MARIE NORDSTROM OVERCOME During her dancing scene in the Winter Garden sbow last Thursday night, Marie Nordstrom, when in the midst of her song number, swooned and fell to the floor, a vicitim of the intense heat. The lights were quickly lowered and she was car- ried to the wings and revived. She con- tinued in her part after having an under- study fill in for the harem scene. Johnny Dooley is still absent from the show on account of bis recent injury, and an understudy for Yvette Rugel, Dooley's partner, was filling Miss Rugel's place Thursday night. LOEW WINS COMMISSION SUIT The Marcus Loew Booking Agency last week won a judgment for $546.36 against the Bay Ridge Theatre Co. In 1915 the Loew Agency furnished vaudeville acts to the Bay Ridge Theatre, which failed to pay commissions due the Loew people. Judge Marks in the West Fifty-fourth Street Municipal Court, after hearing testimony last week, granted a judgment. CLARK NAMES SHOW The title of Clark Ross' show on the International Circuit this season will be "Leave It to Me," a musical cocktail in three acts. The principal members of the company will be Harry Marks Stewart, Larry Smith and Dorothy Keats Andrews. The show will give its initial performance at the Lyceum Theatre, Paterson, N. J., on Aug. 27. MANY PLAYERS AT ONSET Onset, Mass., July 30.—Among the the- atrical folk who are summering here is Maude Fulton, who is entertaining Jef- ferson Hall and his wife, professionally known as Gertrude Maitland. Jere Grady and Little Billy are also enjoying their vacations here. COMPOSERS SUE FIRST OF 100 FILM HOUSES MUST PAY FEE, THEY STATE BROADHURST, COMEDIAN, SIGNED George Broadhurst, Hebrew comedian with the Billy Hale Musical Comedy Co. last season, will play a similar character with the Bert Jackson, "Girls of To-day," musical comedy company next season. Broadhurst, at present, is vacationing at his home at Lake Shaftsbury, Vt. MME. KALICH GETS SIX PLAYS Madam Bertha Kalicb, it was announced this week, has acquired the rights to pro- duce on tbe English speaking stage six of the Gordin plays, and will shortly ap- pear in one of them. It baa never been produced in English, and the adaptation will be made by George Foster Piatt. More than one hundred suits, asking an injunction and damages, are being pre- pared by Nathan Burkan, for service, as soon as he returns from California, against motion picture exhibitors throughout the United States. One has already been in- stituted, but the others are soon to follow. All the actions grow out of the refusal of the exhibitors, as represented by the Exhibitors' League of America, to comply at their recent convention in Chicago, with the request of Mr. Burkan for tie pay- ment of a per capita license fee of ten cents a seat for each house where musical compositions, controlled by members of the American Society of Authors, Com- posers and Publishers, are played. The suit already filed was brought by the Broadway Music Corp. against the Fulton Auditorium Co., which operates the Fulton Auditorium in Brooklyn. This action was instituted in the United States District Court in Brooklyn. The complainant alleges that the de- fendant had a pianist render a composi- tion, entitled "Down Where the Suwanee River Flows," without a license or its con- sent, on June 22. An injunction, restraining the perform- ance of this work before trial, in addition to damages of $3,000, and a penalty of $10 for its rendition at each performance, is asked. INVESTIGATE THEATRE LAWYER Leon Berezniak, the Chicago theatrical attorney, has been in New York for the past week, making an investigation of the activities of another Chicago lawyer, who makes a specialty of handling theatrical legal matters. The attorney in question has been ap- pearing, according to Berezniak, in de- fence of theatrical persons without ever having been retained by them, and the means by which be. has accomplished this is tbe subject of the inquiry. Berezniak hopes to obtain enough sworn evidence here to warrant his taking the case to the Grand Jury of Cook County when be re- turns to Chicago. MANAGER BACK ON JOB Saginaw, Mich., July 29.—Charles Car- lisle, manager of tbe Mecca Theatre, la back on the job after a week in the hos- pital. The management of this house has taken over the Palace Theatre and will conduct it as a high class picture house, renaming it the Mecca-Palace. The old Mecca is now called the Grand. SMITHSON TO STAGE "RED CLOCK" Edward B. Perkins' musical piece, which is scheduled to open In September, will be called "The Red Clock," and Frank Smith- son, the veteran producer, has been placed nnder contract to stage the production. Smithson will act as general stage man- ager for Perkins, and will select the first group of girls for the chorus this week. DRAFT SPOILS VACATION George M. King, of the Frank Bohm Agency, was compelled to postpone his vacation, as he was ordered to appear be- fore the Exemption Army Board in his district today. King was the fifty-third person on the list in bis district. DANCER INJURES KNEE Walter Manthery, of Manthery and Baraban, a dancing act, wrenched his knee last Saturday and tbe team -was compelled to cancel bookings for the next two weeks when, a physician states, he will be able to resume work. CELTIC PLAYERS TO PRODUCE The Celtic Players, during the coming season, will produce George Bernard Shaw's "John Bull's Other Island," with Louis Calvert and Helen Evily in the west.