The New York Clipper (October 1917)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER October 3, 1917 LOEWS BIGGEST THEATRE IS OPENED MANY NOTABLES ARE PRESENT Marcus Loew opened his new Victoria Theatre, on 125th Street, last Monday night in a. blaze of glory. The house is ■aid to be the most costly of any of the Loew theatres; it is certainly the most beautiful. The theatre, while unpretentious on the exterior, is a marvel of attractiveness on the inside. It is commodious, having a ■eating capacity of 3,000. The lower floor ia one of the largest in the city and the balcony is tremendous. There are two tiers of Proscenium boxes and on either side of the house is a massive pillar from the orchestra floor to the ceiling, which adds to the impressive appearance of the bouse. In addition to the regular bill there were several entertainers who appeared out of compliment to Manager Loew. First of these was Irving Berlin, who, with the as- sistance of a pianist, sang several of his own compositions. Then came Fatty Ar- buckle (in person), whose feature film "Oh, Doctor" was on the bill. Arbuckle made a humorous address. Elsie Ferguson was another film star to appear in the flesh and she made a little speech lauding Marcus Loew, motion pic- tures and the kind public. Benny Leonard, the champion pugilist, was the last of the notables to appear as "extras," each one of whom waa accorded a most hearty re* eeption. Finally, Marcus Loew, himself, stepped on the stage and addressed the audience. Among ether tilings he said that lie had built the theatre for the people of Harlem and he hoped they would make it their home theatre. He said he knew that it required more than an attractive house to hold patrons and that be hoped be and his staff would never forget this fact and would always present the class of perform- ances that would draw the public to the house and entertain them when they got there. There was not a seat sold for the open- ing performance bnt the house was crowded to its full capacity and in the audience were many amusement notables, among them being Marc Klaw, Adolph Znkor, Joseph Weber, Walter Greene, and Al. Lichtman. CHANGES ON BILLS Swor and Avey and Lee Kohlmar and Co. replaced "The Naughty Princess" at the Palace Theatre for the two shows last Sunday. Louis Mann and Go. interpolated their act into the program at the Royal Theatre last Sunday, having layed off for a few weeks, and opening at the Bushwick Theatre, last Monday. Jos. B. Bernard and Co. fell out of the bill at the Boyal Theatre last Thurs- day and were replaced by Moore and White- head, wbo also appeared at the Riverside Theatre. LEFT PALACE BILL EARLY "The Naughty Princess" left the bill at the Palace Theatre after last Saturday night's show in order to make the jump to Cleveland in time for the opening there. With them went a special symphony or- chestra to play the music for the acts at the Hippodrome which marks an innova- tion in vandeville. LAURIE AND BRONSON SIGNED The Shuberta have engaged the vande- Tflle team of Joe Laurie and Aileen Bran- son for the new Justine Johnson Rente "O! Justine!" N. V. A. CHANGES RESTAURANTS The price of food and liquor served at the N. V. A. has gone down despite the war embargo. The reduction was caused by _ the closing of the Vogue restaurant, which was located in the building and served the food and refreshments for the club. On Monday, John Faulhaber, man- ager of the club, made arrangements with Jack Ferris, who conducts a cafe on the corner, to serve food and refreshments in the club at bar prices, which are twenty per cent, less than those charged by the Vogue people. EIGHTY-FIRST TO PLAY SPLIT WEEKS AGAIN GOES INTO EFFECT OCT. 29 HART CLAIMS TITLE OF NEW ACT Marie and Billy Hart, at the American Theatre the first half of this week, have notified their legal representatives that Menlo Moore, a Chicago producer, has in contemplation a new girl act entitled "The Circus Girls," to the name of which they have a prior right, having used it for many years. Hart says he also used it with Bob Manchester's Burlesquers several seasons, ago. TWO ANIMAL ACTS COMBINE Races-e, Wis., Sept 28.—Sehnider's Goats, a novelty goat act, which is well known in vaudeville, played at the Strand Theatre on Sunday en route to the coast, where he win combine this act with a dog and monkey act. The new combination will play the Webster Association Time. MARTIN AND FRABINNI ROBBED Martin and Frabinni cancelled their en- gagement at the Ritz restaurant, Brook- lyn, last Sunday and are going to return to major vaudeville. The act lives in One Hundred and Third Street and was robbed last Thursday night of nearly all their belongings. ' Split-week vaudeville will again be the policy of the Eighty-first Street Theatre, beginning Monday, Oct. 29. This change of policy was decided upon last week by Managing Director A. L. Shakman, who, after trying out the full week policy for one month, found that the business re- turns did not warrant this departure in policy. Since the house opened four years ago, the policy has been split-week vaudeville and feature photoplays until the manage- ment decided, on Labor Day, to change it to a full week engagement.' Five and six vaudeville acts were then put on the bill together with a feature picture which was a first run in that neighborhood. When it was decided to change the pol- icy of the house, beginning last Labor Day, it was thought that a much bigger show would be given. However, such was not the case, the house continuing to give five and six vaudeville acts, and pictures as before. From the start, the business began to fall off and in some weeks it is said to have fallen off $1,000 below the average for the same month last year. A meeting of the stockholders of the operating com- pany was held last week when it was de- termined to return to the old policy. MAKES ACT PLAY LOEW TIME Obeying the commands of the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Association, the three act of Wells, Norworth and France will, starting this week, play ten weeks on the Loew time before they take up a route on the United time. It ia entirely con- trary to what they wished to do, however. Some time ago, the trio, which was then composed of Wells, Norworth arid' Tom Moore, signed a ten weeks' contract with Loew. Moore then went to war and the two remaining men in the act thought that fact cancelled their Loew contract Ac- cordingly, they applied for and secured a contract for United time. . . . The last half of last week Mr. Loew found that they were playing the Harlem Opera House and made a complaint to the association, stating that they should play his time first Pat Casey, head of the as- sociation, sent for them at once and, after hearing both sides, decided that, as there were two of the members still in the act, the Loew contract was still good. The Harlem Opera time was then cancelled and the act is playing Loew's Victoria now. with the other nine weeks to follow. Tbey may then play their United time. GREENPOINT IS TRYOUT HOUSE The Green point Theatre has been defi- nitely designated by the United Booking managers as the official try-out house and will have the first try out show this after- noon, when sixteen acts will be shown in . connection with the regular eight act pro- gram. This is the first time the United Booking Offices has designated a certain house as a tryout house and the acts work- ing there the first half of the week will have the positive knowledge that they are being caught by the representatives of the various circuits and can expect some posi- tive returns from their small time showing. The bill for the first half will have regu- lar acta as follows: Three Kerrilles, Ro- nair and Ward, Bissett and Bestry, Wil- fred Clark and Co., Cole Russell and Davis, Bob Mathews and Co., Milt Collins and the new version of "The World Dancers," with Lester'Sbeeban and Stuart Pemberton do- ing specialty dances. CANADA DEMANDS ROUTES NOW Acts going to Canada for any length of time, to work, most now file their route and the length of their intended stay with the Canadian authorities before they can be admitted. This rule is proving to be a decided ad- vantage to the performer but is a handi- cap to the bookers, wbo have, at times, been compelled to shift their bookings about in such a manner that some acts stayed longer in that country than they first intended. GILBERT HAS A NEW ACT Raymond Gilbert will appear this season in a new act, entitled "Squarin* Up," and written by Frederick Chipman. The act the booking of which is being taken care of by Pete Mack, has been staged by Lawrence Marston. A novelty of the first caliber is promised by the promoters. YVETTE AND SARANOFF TO SPLIT Yvette, who is appearing with Saranoff in an act at the Riverside Theatre, this week, will, after this engagement dispense with the services of the latter and con- tinue to appear in vaudeville in a similar act but with a new man. The act will be known as Yvette and Co. FORM NEW ACT Nat Osborn and Leo Edwards have pro- duced a new edition of "Around the World," featuring Terry and Lambert, and a cast of eleven. The act is in five scenes and ia rooted over the U. B. O. time. NORA BAYES AND IRVING FISHER They are meeting with tremendous success this week at B. F. Keith's Palace Theatre. TYRBON HAS NEW ACT Eactwt, Wis., Sept 2S.—Stanley Tyr- boa tried out a new act here hut weak.