The New York Clipper (October 1917)

October 3, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER NAT GOODWIN SUES MIRROR FILMO). SAYS IT OWES HIM SALARY ' Alleging breach of contract, Nat C. Goodwin baa brought an action in the Supreme Court to recover $12,500 from the 'Mirror Film Corp. In the complaint, filed- by his attorneys, House, Grossman and Vorhana, Goodwin asserts that he made a contract with the film concern to star in pictures for them at a salary of $1,250 a week, beginning January 1, 1916, and to continue until July 1 of the same year. He alleges that, on May 20 of that year, he was released from the employ of the defendant without cause and, therefore, was entitled to the money for which he has begun suit, to cover the remainder of the period of bis contract. As soon as the suit was started. Leo B. Brilles, of the law firm, attached the property of the Mirror concern, and it will' remain so until the litigation is ter- minated. Last week, in the Supreme Court, Justice Cohalan appointed a commission to take the testimony of several witnesses in Hollywood, Cal. . . The ease will be brought to trial at the December term of the Supreme Court - SHOW GIRL WINS ALIMONY Cincinnati, O., Sept. 20.—Mrs. Fanny B. Meade, former show girl with Marie Tempest in "TUlie's Nightmare," was granted a divorce. and $150 a month ali- mony from Dr. S. J. D. Meade, well known local physician here today. She charged cruelty. Meade, refusing to engage an attorney, did his own cross-examining of bis wife. Several times he forgot himself and addressed her on the witness stand as "Sunshine," his pet name for her. Then "Sunshine" wept. Mrs. Meade told of her ambition to be a dramatic star; bow she became discouraged with chorus work and returned home—to have the door of her husband's office in the Grand Hotel opened by a nurse. Mrs. Meade said her husband had to decide between her and the nurse. Sbe said she left "Tillie's Nightmare" at Philadelphia. "RAINBOW GIRL" K. & E.'S NEXT Rlaw and Erlanger announce that the next play to be produced by them will be known as "The Rainbow Girl," a musical comedy by Louis Hirsch. Jbsepu Urban has been commissioned to do the scenery. The players are being engaged and Billy B. Van, Sydney Greestreet, Dorothy Follis, Henry Clive, Rena Parker and Violet Hayes have already signed contracts to appear in the new production, which will begin rehearsal within a few SAMUEL MEYERS SERIOUSLY ILL Samuel Meyers, an old time theatrical manager in the service of Charles Froh- man, is seriously ill at his home. His condition is such as to cause his friends grave alarm. For years he was the com- pany manager for Maude Adams. MME. CRONIN Mme. Cronin's Electrical Novelty is ap- pearing at the Colonial Theatre this w.eek under the direct supervision of Mine. Cronin whose picture adorns the front page of this week's issue of The Cupper. Mme. Cronin is the widow of the late Morris Cronin, who won for himself an especial nitch in the hall of fame as a juggler and creator of novelties. Mme. Cronin is closely following the precepts laid down by her. late husband and is supply- ing vaudeville with several novelty turns of which she is the originator. Patrons of the Colonial this.week are fine for a treat when they see Mme. Cronin's novelty and her superb production. Lumiere is the copyright owner of Mme. Oronin's' photograph: "' FOUR DIE IN THEATRE WRECK Springfield, O., Sept. 28.—The north wall and roof of the Columbia Theatre collapsed here this afternoon, crushing to death Allan Bowington, W. A. WiUis and two other workmen. Fifteen others, who were injured, are in the hospital. The theatre, which has been undergoing repairs, collapsed without warning while nearly forty men were at work. Those able to ex- tricate themselves from the ruins were taken immediately to hospitals, while an immediate alarm brought police and firemen to help remove the tons of debris. Several injured were removed. There are still three men unaccounted for and it is feared the bodies are in the rains. LAMBERT HAS NEW PLAY Richard Lambert, the press agent, will shortly produce a new play in which Eleanore Painter, the singing actress, will have the principal role. The play is a three act comedy by Harold Chapin, called "Art and Opportunity." It was first acted in London at the Prince of Wales Theatre, and at that time was pronounced a success, with Marie Tempest in the leading part. Miss Fainter has not been seen in New York since her appearance in the principal role of "Princess Pat," produced at the Cort Theatre two years ago. The date for the New York showing has not been an- nounced. JOAN SAWYER RECOVERS LOST CAR Joan Sawyer, the dancer, was scared one day last week when she thought sbe had lost her perfectly good automobile. The dancer had left the car in Columbus Circle for a moment and when she re- turned it was gone. A general alarm was sent out for the car, and Patrolman Fagan of the West Forty-seventh Street Station saw a man driving a car he thought re- sembled the one Miss Sawyer had lost. He arrested the suspicious driver, who gave his name as James O'Eeefe, twenty-nine years old, a soldier, of West Thirtieth Street. Magistrate McQuade held him in $1,500 bail for a hearing. BURGLAR BEATS ACTRESS Louise Sterling, on returning home from the theatre one evening last week, was assaulted by a burglar as she was entering her apartment on West One Hundred and Seventieth Street. The man met her at the door of her apartment and, striking her on the head with an iron furnace shaker, at- tempted to rob her of her diamond rings and earrings. Despite her injuries . she fought off her assailant and her screams attracted other tenants, as the man ran down stairs. After an investigation Louis Willey, janitor of the building, was arrested and held in $1,000 bail for examination. "MY HONOLULU GJRL" IS SHOWN Looanbpobt, Ind., Oct 1.—Norman Friedswald's new tabloid, "My Honolulu Girl," is playing throughout Indiana, where it is receiving its initial showing. The tab features the diminutive Alice Berry and Ned Melroy. A tronp of real Hawaiians are carried. The piece is in three scenes. FRITZ! AGAIN WANTS DD/ORCE Fritd ScfaeC last week began an action for divorce- from George Anderson, a mem- ber of Arthur Hammerstein's "Furs and Frills" Co. Anderson is Mme. SchefTs husband number three, the others, John Fox, Jr., and Baron Fritz ion Bardele- ben, also having been shelved. WILL DKECT AMUSEMENTS Trenton, N. J., Oct. 1.—Charles C. Hildinger, one of the lessees of the White City Park, and owner of a chain of motion picture theatres in this city, has been com- missioned supervisor of amusements here. The object of the appointment is to pro- mote clean entertainment "HAVE A HEART" GIRLS GET COIN Tbenton, N. J., Oct. 1.—The girls. of the "Have a Heart" company, which was playing at the Trent last week, collected over $600 from the audiences for - the "Smokes for Sammies Fund," being con- <t noted, by n lorn I newspaper. : MANAGERS PLAN SHOWS FOR SOLDIERS WILL PLAY CAMPS THREE DAYS The Commission on Training Camp Activities, of which Marc Klaw is chair- man, has already completed a tentative program whereby four dramatic companies and four vaudeville companies will visit the army cantonment camps distributed about the United States and entertain the men who are training for the National Army. The theatres at these places, which are now in the course of construction, are' all to be known as the "Liberty" Theatre, and each of them will have seating ac- commodations for 3,000 at each perform- ance. Most of them will be under canvas, with a few, at the eastern and middle western cantonments, being constructed of wood. According to present plans, all of the attractions will play at each camp for a period of three days, so that a greater por- tion of the men will be able to witness the performance. A nominal fee of ad- mission will be charged to cover the cur- rent . expense of operating the theatre and meeting minor expenditures. All of the shows will be given free by their producers and the transportation to and from the various camps will be supplied by the Government. In addition to the dramatic companies over which Mr. Klaw will have personal supervision, and the vaudeville companies which will appear under the direction of K. F. Albee, musical shows and various other styles and types of entertainment will be presented. Sam Harris, of Cohan and Harris and Irving Berlin, have been deputized by Mr. Klaw to organize the talent at the various cantonments, so that the men will be able to give plays and entertainments of theif own. Berlin and George M. Cohan have volunteered to furnish the material for the minstrel shows which will be given by the men at the various camps and win, if possible, direct the rehearsals of the men. Besides this form of entertainment musical programs will be given from time to time, and the production of vaudeville sketches by the men will also be encour- aged. This entertainment, with the picture shows and other forms of entertainment that will be given will keep the theatres at every one of the sixteen cantonment places open every day of the week. Last week, Mr. Klaw appointed an advisory committee, of which Otto H. Kahn was made chairman, and George Gordon Battle, James M. Beck, August Belmont Paul D. Cravath. W. A. Delano. Charles Gibson, Daniel Guggenheim, Augustus Juilliard, A. W. Krech, C. H. Mackey, T. W. Lamont, Prof. Brander Matthews. W. Forbes Morgan, Prof. H. F. Osborn, Charles H. Sabin, Francis L Stet- son and George W. Wickersbam were made associate members. MUSICIANS MEET KEITH REQUEST At the conference last Thursday between representatives of the B. F. Keith interests' and the directors of the musicians union, in reference to overtime charged by the musi- cians in the Keith theatres, the union con- ceded the point raised by Mr. Albee's com- mittee. The protest was made against overtime charged by the musicians on the minutes consumed by public spirited men and women who have been appearing at the various Keith theatres in aid of the State Department The injection of these speak- ers into the bill often extended the regular running time of the show twenty to thirty minutes overtime and it was this charge that 'the Keith people protested against taking the position that the musicians ought to contribute this service free, the same as everybody else does, connected with their theatres. The union leaders made the con- cession. GRANVILLE WITHDRAWS CHARGE Magistrate Harris, sitting in MorrUania Court, the Bronx, discharged Sergeant William Woolfinder, of the Seventy-first Regiment, last week on the appeal of Lieut Bernard Granville, who had caused his arrest Woolfinder, on Friday evening of last week, was ordered to take Granville's automobile to the station, for shipment to Spartanburg. An hour was allowed him to carry out the instructions, and when he did not return in three hours a general alarm was sent out for him. He. was arrested at Two Hundred and Third street and Broadway, in company with a private of the Twenty-third Regiment "JACK O' LANTERN" PRODUCED Philadelphia, Sept 26.—Fred Stone appeared here last night in his latest star- ring vehicle, "Jack o' Lantern," the first musical comedy in which he has appeared as a (ingle star. The play is by Anna Caldwell and R. H. Bnrnatde, and the music by Ivan CarylL The supporting company includes Charles Aid rich, Douglas Stevenson and Violet Zell. WINTER GARDEN SHOW NAMED "Doing Our Bit" is the name selected for the new Winter Garden extravagance, which is to follow "The Passing Show of 1917." that closes its run at the Winter Garden, October 13. "Doing Our Bit" will open the evening of the 17th. Some of the players already announced for this new Winter Garden production are Frank Tinney, Ed. Wynn, Henry Lewis, James J. Corbett Herman Timberg, Ada Lewis and Sylvia Jason. JOAN SAWYER'S PARTNER ARRESTE George ■ Harcourt known in private life as George R. Hofftneister, was arrested at the Riverside Theatre last Saturday, where he was playing with Joan Sawyer, on a civil order adjudging him in contempt for failure to pay his wife, Louise Hoffmeister, $1,185, due her as alimony at the rate of $15 per week. An arrangement was in- tered into between Mrs. HobTmelster'a at- torney and Harcourt whereby the latter will pay up the alimony. PERFORMER AIDS TOBACCO FUND Steubenville, O., Sept 28.—C. H. Ben- nington, of the team of Bennington and Scott began a raid on the various theatres and picture houses here last Thursday, to raise money for the tobacco fund for the boys of Co. I, Sixth Ohio Infantry, and as a result the sum of $93 was raised. MATA HARI MUST DBS AS SPY Paris, Fr.. Sept. 28.—All hope of sav- ing the Dutch dancer, Zelle Mata Hari, vanished to-day when the Supreme Court rejected her appeal for clemency. The court upheld the decree of the court martial condemning her to death as a spy and the dancer must face the firing squad. NOTED VIOLINIST LEFT $13,500 The late Giuseppe Vitale, noted violinist and collector of Strndivarlus violins, left an estate of $8,500 in personal property and $5,000 in real estate. Edward Vitale. son of the deceased, was granted letters of ad- ministration last Friday by Surrogate Ket- cham in Brooklyn, N. Y. FH-E PLANS FOR TWO THEATRES The Sperry Hutchinson Co. filed plans last week for two theatre buildings, one of which will be of two stories and the other, four, to be erected at 215 to 223 West Forty-second street and 226 to 234 West Forty-third street. POSTPONE PRISON ASS'N BENEFIT The benefit for the National Prison Association which was originally slated to occur last Sunday at Raymond Hitchcock's Forty-fourth Street Theatre, has been post- poned until Sunday night October 21. LUM1ERE OWNS COPYRIGHT Lumiere,- the 45th street photographer, is the copyright owner pi the. picture_of Norma Taltnadge "which, appeared oft the front, cover of a recent issue of"THsf' N*w York CLrppER. * * ' ' * '"■ !'."It'll. Mr