The New York Clipper (February 1919)

February 12,. 1219 not THE NEW YORK CLIPPER MGRS. GETTING SHOWS READY FOR SPRING TWENTY-FOUR HEADED FOR B'WAY With the approach of Lent, New York producing managers are making prepara- tions for a busy Spring season and have on the way upwards of thirty plays for presentation here some time between now and the advent of hot weather. ! These shows are in various stages of readiness. Some have been tried out and are doe for an early Broadway snowing; some are about to be tried out, while others are in rehearsal or about to be placed there. ...'-. One of the first on the list in "Scandal," an English play brought to this country by Walter Hast and produced by him in conjunction with the Shuberts. It had its first American presentation last Saturday night at Springfield, Mass. "Sleepless Nights," another play just ready to break in on Broadway, received its premiere last week in Schenectady, N. Y., and is this week playing in Washing- ton. This is also a Shubert attraction. "A Dislocated Honeymoon," a play by C. W. Bell) received its first production on January 24 at Atlantic City, N. J., at the hands of Klaw and Brlanger and Ed- gar MacGregor. Among the prominent players in the cast are Amelia Bingham, Phoebe Foster and Marie Chambers. ' "Every Man's Castle" had its tryout in Toronto, Can., two weeks ago and the cor- dial reception accorded it seems to warrant the assumption that when it gets to New York it will stay for some time. The cast includes Wilton ■ Lackaye, Robert Edeson, Adrienne Morrison and Katherlne Kaelrcd. "The Flaming Soul" is another play which has bad a successful tryout. Two weeks ago Providence playgoers stamped it with their approval. The play is by Owen Davis and Charles Guernon and is a Win. A. Brady production. The cast includes Blanche 'Frederic!. Clara Joel, Saxon Kling, T. J. McGrane, House Peters, Jane Cooper, Grace Knell, Arthur Allen, John Turner and Channcey W. Keira. "The Royal Vagabond," a musical show presented by Cohan and Harris, has been revised and, in its new form, showed im- provement last week at Atlantic City. It is the work of S. I. Srinnyey and William O. Duncan, with music by Dr. Anselm Goetzl. The cast includes: Roger Gray, Charles Wayne, Louis Simon, Tessa Kosta, John Goldsworthy, Julian Winters, Fred. Santley, Robinson Newbold, Frances Dem- arest, Omce Fisher, Winifred Harris, Gladys Dell, Edna Pierre, Walter Palm and Helen Pierre. "The Royal Vagabond" is due to come to the Cohan and Harris Theatre next Monday night "Tumble Inn," an Arthur Hammerstein production, is to receive its premiere next Monday in Philadelphia. In spite of the fact that its name has been changed ■ „-v- eral times, it Is said to have the making of a Broadway show. "Penny Wise" was tried out last week in Stamford, Conn., and is this week in Providence. "The Dancer," a Shubert attraction, opens to-morrow in Wilkesbarre, Pa. . "Adam and Eve" was put into rehearsal this week by A. Ray Comstock. The cast includes the names of a number of promi- nent players, among whom are Ruth Shep- ley, Otto Kruger, Ferdinand Gottachalk, Courtney Foote, Wm. B. Mack, Harry Har- wood, Roberta Arnold, Reginald Mason, Jean Shelby and Adelaide Prince. "The Aftermath," a propagandist play showing the after effects of war, is about ready for production under the manage- ment of Wm. Moore Patch. "Take It From Me," another Patch pro- duction,' is' waiting" for its chance to open at a Broadway souse' and may be expected at anytime. **. ■• ;":.:••.. v..:- 8am Blair has "The Girl in Stateroom B," which is soon to go into rehearsal. Thomas Broadhurst, who has not writ- ten anything for the stage for several years, recently finished a play entitled "Our Pleasant Sins," which Is about to be placed in rehereal under his!own direction. Other forthcoming productions are "Yes- terday," by the Shuberts; "The Master Thief," by Oliver Morosco; "Up Front, Please," by Arthur Pearson; "Heads I Win," by Steven I4ngard; "Come Along," by the. Marne. Producing Company; "A Burgomaster of Belgium," brought from abroad by W. B. MacDonald, and "Let's Beat It," a soldier show. That Summer shows are already being considered is evidenced by the fact that Contts and Tennis are making preparations to produce "Come Seven," the book and lyrics of which are by Philip Bartholo- mae and music by Silvio Hein. Patricia O'Hearn will be featured with the show. Henry Coote and Donald Archer will also have prominent' roles. HERBERT ASHLEY SEEKS DIVORCE Herbert Ashley, of the vaudeville team of Ashley and Skipper, last week started an action for divorce from Louise Ashley, who formerly worked in an act with him in vaudeville. The action was filed in court by Barry Saks Hechheimer, acting for Ashley. A letter written to Ashley by bis wife appears to have started all the trouble. It was sent from Pittsburgh and told of her having been arrested there for having a dinner party in her apartments at a hotel. She complained that the officers treated her unfairly by putting her in the county jail instead of the police station, where she was thrown into contact with criminals. She said they had done this because, they told her, the police station was filled with prisoners. Ashley began an investigation at once and, while doing so, says he found evi- dence .which would warrant him in suing for a divorce. Mrs. Ashley is now resid- ing, the papers state, in Pittsburgh, while her husband is in New York. WALLACH GETS "SEVENTEEN" Stuart Walker has Teased to Sam Wal- lach the Eastern road rights to "Seven- teen." Wallach presented the play in Stamford last Saturday with a cast which included several players from Walker's Portmanteau Company. Among them are Florence Hart, Leah Temple, Judith Cook, Emma Wilcox and William Belfort. Wal- laces company will play one night stands for the most part. This makes two companies now playing "Seventeen" simultaneously in different parts of the country. The other one, which Stuart Walker is presenting him- self, opened at the Murat Theatre, In- dianapolis, last Monday night, after fin- ishing a week's engagement in Cincinnati. Walker left his Portmanteau players at the. Punch and Judy Theatra last week to witness the Indianapolis opening. COMPLETE FIFTH "BETTER 'OLE" When the fifth and final of "The Bet- ter 'Ole" companies opens at the Illinois Theatre, Chicago, February 24, De Wolf Hopper, who heads the cast, will be sup- ported by the following players: Dick. Temple, Percival Vivian, Arthur Barry, W. H. Woodley, St. Claire Bay- " field, Amelie Barleon, Frank Cullen, Olive Reeves Smith, Marie' Salisbury, Craig. Miner, Jane Arro], Daisy MacGlaahin, John C. Douglas, Harry Marsdan, Girl Rosa, George Cukor, William Martin, Helene Ambrose, Gertrude Carberry, Ot- tilie Ambre, Rita McDonnell, Anna Kat— and Ruth Rollins. FIGHT TICKET SCALPING BILL Boston, Mass., Feb. 10.—That local theatre managers have arrayed themselves against the proposed Anti-Theatre Ticket' Scalping Bill was disclosed today at a hearing of the bill before the Committee on Le(?al Affairs at the State House. The measure, which was offered by Frank W. Thayer, -would take the power of grant- ing, theatre licenses away from the Mayor and vest it in the City Council and would also give the Council the right to regulate the prices to be paid for theatre tickets. ACTRESS, SORE, LEAVES U. S.; WONT_RETURN SITGREAVES SAILS FOR FRANCE Chafing under the bad treatment she says she was ■ accorded in this country during the last few years, Severely Sit- greaves sailed last week on La Lorraine . for France, declaring that she would never return. Her trip, she stated, was at the invitation of Him. Sarah Bernhardt. She will be ..the guest of the French trage- dienne and will act with her in produc- tions contemplated for the Theatre. Sarah Bernhardt. "The most interesting feature of my trip," Miss Sitgreaves said, "at least to • me, is the" fact" that I am not' coming back. I dont say that I shall be always in France. There is England; for instance, and after a while I may go there. But one thing is settled, I am never- to return to this country. "My experiences in the last two years have convinced me that I am altogether forgotten here after my long service. But there is a reason for that. I feel I shall never recover here from the treatment I're- ceived in connection with the American production of Lavedan's 'Service.'" This is the patriotic drama of Henri Lavedan, in which Harrison Grey Fiske last Spring presented Mrs. Fiske at the Cohan Theatre. Miss Sitgreaves had acted the role' of heroine in the first production, but Mrs. Fiske took her place in New York. "Of course after I was taken out of the cast when I had been so long announced as the heroine," Miss Sitgreaves said, "it was a great reflection on my artistic standing. In addition to that disadvan- tage, I nave learned that I was taken to Baltimore to play the piece merely in or- der that Mrs. Fiske might see the play and decide whether or not she wanted to act the leading parti "Of course this sort of treatment was sufficient to try the patience of'any act- ress. The fact that 'Service' did not draw here is no reflection on the original drama of Mr. Lavedan. That cannot be said to have been acted at alL" Mias Sitgreaves has not been seen on the stage here since her appearance in the Baltimore production of "Service." The play ran here for less than two weeks. "Just as I had about begun to realize that my own country—the managers and not the public—had forgotten me, there came, fortunately, Mme. Bernhardt's in-' vitation to join her in Paris, and there I shall stay." HEBREW ACTORS FORM UNION Charging that the managers of the Hebrew variety theatres have been guilty of repeated acts of discrimination against them, a number of Hebrew vaudeville performers last week, organized a union which they say will ultimately do away with the alleged arbitrary acta of the managers. The organization is called the American Hebrew Vaudeville Actors' Union, Inc., and was granted a certificate of incorpo- ration last week by Supreme Court. Jus- tice Finch. The purpose of the organization is out- lined in the paragraph of the incorpora- tion papers which reads as follows: "To form a union to protect the interests of the Hebrew vaudeville actors and ac- tresses as suck performers, and to enable them to receive official recognition aa such union from recognised bodies or unions with, which Hebrew vaudeville per- formers are affiliated." The organizers of the union and tiki di- rectors for the first year are:, ^iiif* Sperling, Abram Rosensteln, BuisU Sper- ling,; Israel Rabtnowitz, Samuel Stern, Annie Stern and Samuel " COURT REVERSES GLASER CASE The Court of Appeals last week affirmed the :reversed Judgment which George De Carlton obtained against Vanghan Glaser in the Supreme Court October 22, 1915. De' Carlton, through his attorneys, O'Brien, Malevinsky and DriacoD, sued Glaser to recover $1,600. He alleged in his complaint that he was engaged by Glaser to play a part in the latter's production, '"A Grain of Dust," and that his alleged con- tract was for fifty-two weeks. The com- plaint also set forth that the ptalwrHS was to receive $50 a week while he was playing in defendant's stock company and $80; a week if he played in the road company. 1 ' The alleged contract was to run from September 5, 1012, but De Carlton stated he waa discharged early in February, 1918. Shortly afterwards De Carlton brought suit, and the case, which was tried'Octo- ber 22, 1915, before' Justice Gavegan and a jury, resulted in a verdict for the plain tiff for $1,426.80. Glaser, through bis attorney, Nathan Burfcan, appealed from the judgment ren- dered against him in the Supreme Court to the Appellate Division, the latter court reversing''the judgment and sending the case'back to the'court below for re- trial. The plaintiff then took an appeal from the decision of the Appellate Division to the Court of Appeals, the highest court la the State, which last week finally affirmed the decision of the court below and ren- dered a verdict in favor of Glaser. The total amount of the costs that De Carlton will now be required to pay, he having filed a bond to secure the payment, is $400. DANCER ASKS DIVORCE Pbillis Gorman, known on the atage as Phillis Kenwood, a dancer, and one of the Kenwood Sisters, is suing Eugene F. Gar- man, a vaudeville actor, for divorce through Harry Saks Sechbeimer. The papers in the case state that the couple were married in 1018 in San Joss, Cal., and, for a year after the marriage, continued in vaudeville. The plaintiff then went to live with her mother for a' time and' when she returned Bast to Join her husband in an act was subjected, die says, to humiliation and harsh treatment Aa a result, she says, she went into the produc- tion of "Springtime" which Klaw and Erlanger were making. Afterward aha re- joined him in Chicago, she says, bat was subjected to such harsh treatment that her nerves broke down. She charges that be was unfaithful with a woman whom she does not know. There is one child, Pauline, now four years of age. LAIT RE-WRITING PIECE Jack Lait is re-writing the play he wrote for Sophie Tucker called "A Eat Chance," which William Morris waa to have produced last fall. Its similarity to "The Melting of Molly," which Lait saw while it waa running in Chicago, caused him to rewrite his own play. Sophie Tuckar stated last week that Lait would have the revised manuscript in her hands by no later than April 1, and four weeks later, she says, aha will ha appearing in the play. Until that time she will eenUnue to entertain at Relsenweber's with her Five Kings of Syncopation, the while collecting a fat salary check weekly, in which is also included a percentage of the co nvert charges. . . MEMPHIS HAS NEW MANAGER Meju-uib, Tenn., Feb. &—Frank Grey has returned to the Lyric Theatre here and will be in charge, under the ownership of the Majestic Amusement Company, which has leased the house. The Lyric Stock Company closed to-day. The policy of the) house has been changed and henceforth will play only high-class road attractions. REFUSED PAS3[ IS PUNCHED UitWH Hm, N. J., Feb. 9.—Nicholas J. adsraon, MBpostar for tie Lincoln The- atre here, according to his statement, waa nn» Btera and Samuel Snarling. poached by Frank Goetting*, a conductor The annual meeting of the orga ni sa tion in this city, when he refused fo give the set for the first Monday in May. latter a pan to the show.