The New York Clipper (February 1919)

_J_«!IrH* *yWk 5Mf*M1 13 STOCK AND REPERTOIRE GRAND OPERA HOUSE, BROOKLYN, OPENS WITH N OVEL SCHEME George Blumenthal First Presents "Rip Van Winkle" on Screen and Then by Living Actors. Also Inaugurates Continuous Show The Grand Opera House has again en- tered the stock field and this time with a novelty in this line. The house wag opened last Saturday afternoon with a policy that differs from anything that has ever been attempted in stock. George Blumenthal, who has leased the house, is the manager and the innovation consists of presenting a play first as a photoplay and then as a spoken drama. 'For his opening bill Manager Blumen- thal selected Joseph Jefferson's version of "Rip Van Winkle," which on the screen has Thomas Jefferson in the role made fa- mous by his father. This will be con- tinued for this week and will be followed by other plays that bave been picturized. among which win be "Cheating Cheaters" and other recent Broadway successes. The plan as shown by Blumenthal-is one of the most original that has ever been attempted on the local stage And is cal- culated to please those of the picture fan class and those who like the spoken drama. giving all an opportunity to see them both ways in the same house. Another thing about the new venture is that it is in the nature of a continuous performance, something that with a stock company has not been seen in or around New York since Keith bad a musical stock company, giving tabs and vaudeville at the Union Square Theatre. The picture is put on first, starting at 1 o'clock. This runs for an hour and a half and the play begins at 2:30. When this is finished the picture is given two more showings, and at 8:30 the spoken drama starts again. 'Popular prices prevail and because of the way tbep lay and picture follow each other, a person can go any time from 1 o'clock to 8:30 and be sure of seeing the entire show. Whether or not the venture win please the public is to be proved, but in any case Manager Blumenthal has certainly intro- duced a most unique style of entertain- ment and one which merits consideration. CHANGE NAME OF CASTLE SQUARE Boston, Mass., Feb. 10.—The Castle Square Theatre is to bave its name changed on February 24, after which date it will be known as the Arlington Square The- atre. This becomes necessary because the city fathers bave decided to change the name of the locality, known for years as Castle Square, to Arlington Square. The Castle Square Theatre has been known as a stock house almost continu- ously for a quarter of a century, having been first brought into prominence as such by Henry W. Savage, who conducted the bouse ss the home of the Castle Square Opera Company. When Savage took this company to New York in 1896 and placed it in the American Theatre, the Castle Square Theatre became a dramatic stock bouse. Under the direction of John Craig the house won national fame and many plays which later won success in New York had their first showing at his house. The present company, under the direction of Wm. C. Masson, has become very popu- lar. Tne company includes Dudley Ayres, Leah Winslow, Norma Jerome, Betty Barn- ieoort, Samuel Godfrey, Charles Stevens and John O. Grant. KLINE SIGNS WARREN F. LEMON Warren F. Lemon has been engaged by Joseph 8. King as house manager of the Fourteenth Street Theatre, where the Emma Bunting-Carlton Jerome Stock Company is appearing. Manager Lemon has arrived from Los Angeles, CaL, where he had been for seventeen months mana- ger of dune's Auditorium. For fifteen years previous to his joining Clone's forces Lemon had held an executive po- sition with the Pantages Circuit MANAGER PAYTON IMPROVING Joseph W. Payton, the wen known stock manager who has been confined to his home in Brooklyn with rheumatism, is improving. Owing to Manager Pay- ton's illness, he was unable to send out his company this 'season, but hopes to be in condition to take the road in the Spring. DAMROTH SIGNS VIOLET TURNER Violet Turner has been engaged by George Damroth to star in a play espe- cially written .for her entitled "Peg o' the Pann." Miss Tomer la returning to her stage work after nearly two years of war work. SHIFTMAN COMPANY MOVES QrnitcT, 111., Feb. 8.—The Bert Ship- man Company closed here to-night and will open February 17 at Hot Springs, Ark. Manager Sfaipman win give two bills a week, those for the opening week being "Pal o' Mine" and "The Girt On-nde." LAWRENCE WRITES ANOTHER Vincent Lawrence, author of "The Girl Outside," "Weary Wives" and "When He Came Back," has written a new four-act drama now being considered for a Broad- way production. Lawrence's previous plays nave been written for stock. STARTS NEW PLAY COMPANY The Extension Play Company is the title of a new play concern organized by George Damroth, which opens offices this, week in the Knickerbocker Building. The new company intends to deal principally with the works of nee authors. GAZZOLA BACK IN CHICAGO Chicago, Feb. 7.—Frank Gazxola has re* turned from New York, where he went to secure some late stock releases. Among those he brought back are "Mother Carey's Chickens," A Stitch in Time," and "Johnny Get Yonr Gun.'* SAGINAW STOCK OPENS EASTER Flint, Mich., Feb. 10.—Manager Frank Hawkins will open the Hawkins-Webb Stock Company at Saginaw, this State, on Easter Sunday. The company is now play- ing the Majestic in Flint. ASTOR PLAYERS DRAW BIG Jakkstows, N. Y., Feb. 10.—The Gny Astor Players are drawing big business at Samuels Opera Honse. This week "The arrival of Betty." Next week "Potash and Perimutter." JOINS HALIFAX STOCK Hai_f_x, N. S., Feb. 8.—Bessie Brace has joined the Majestic Players as ingenue and opens next Monday in "Upstairs and Down." Business continues big with the Players. CUTTER PLAYING RETURN DATES Mahasot Out, Pa„ Feb. 10.—The Cut- ter Stock Company is playing return dates through this territory to bis business. The company is here this week. CHICAGO NEWS WANT NEW BUREAU TO PRO MOTE B ETTER FILMS Experts Testify Censorship Rules Are Hopeless and Cannot Be Enforced Owing to Different Conditions That • Surround Each Production Discovering that the censorship of motion pictures has failed to correct the evils of the industry it is now suggested that a bureau for the promotion of the production of a better class of pictures be estab- lished. •*. ■ The suggestion la amid to have met with the hearty approval and endorsement of the memoers of the City Council. The bureau, it is said, would correct aU evils now being found in the motion picture in- dustry. It was pointed ont that should this bureau become a reality the city would not be constantly telling producers wbat they must not do, but instead what they should do, and, in this manner, avoid such nasty affairs as have cropped up in the last few years in this city. Miss Kitty Kelly, well known motion picture critic, waa beard by the City Coun- cil last week. She stated, emphatically. that she believed it is impossible to estab- lish any set rules for motion picture censor- ship. W. K. Holla n der, motion picture editor of The DosTy New; was also heard on the subject. He stated that sex pictures should not be shown to the public, but that they should be used tor societies whoso work deals with the subject. The motion picture question here is being earnestly discussed, owing to the fact that there is a bill now before the Legislature that would take Chicago's censorship powers away and place them in the hands of a State body. The commission adopted resolutions on Friday afternoon «—ni,»y upon the Legislature to exclude Chicago from the proposed measure. ILL PERFORMERS IMPROVE The latest bulletin issued from the Ameri- can Hospital discloses the fact that many artists are still confined within the portals of that institution. Eddie Carroll still re- mains in a doubtful condition. Alice Grant is doing splendidly following a very serious and delicate operation. Florence Dupont, of the Bowery Burlesquers, is making rapid progress toward recovery. Katherine Lanier is one of the newcomers. She is a member of "Take Your Time" company. She is a suffered from influenza. W. A. Johnson, president of- the Stroll Amuse- ment Company, who operates the Grand Theatre, underwent a serious operation for appendicitis. Flo Harris, of the Zieg- feld Follies, has left the hospital fully re- covered. Ben F. Fuller has also been discharged from the institution. ' Z1EGFELD GIRL HAS AN ACT Zella Nevada, formerly popular with Ziegfeld Follies and other weU known musical comedies, returned to the vaudeville stage in this city last week, appearing at an outlying theatre. She has been in retire- ment for _ number of years. Miss Nevada's gowns were a revelation and her spangled velvet drc> and other settings marked her offering both elegant and artistic. She has been routed for a tour of Western cities. FORM NEW PARTNERSHIP Norman Kissick, foremerly auditor of the Affiliated Booking Company, has formed a partnership with H. G. Clark and they are to open offices which win Jbe known as the National Booking Exchange- Clark has the Empress Theatre in Cincinnati. It is further reported that John BenUey wlU be selected as the booking manager of the new concern. __________ SHAYNE STARTS RUMORS With the appearance of Edward Shayne, formerly a booking manager with the W. Y. M. A. in Chicago, all sorts of rumors are heard along the Rialto. The latest states that he Is to book the Great Northern Hip- podrome. Should the report become 'a reality Andy Talbot win retain the man- agement of the house. WILL JOIN JONES SHOWS Charles G. KHpatrick will shortly leave to join the Johnny J. Jones shows in the Sooth, introducing his "Over the Falls" with the aggregation. This attraction was one of the leading devices in Riverview Park last season. The Jones shows w_l play aU the large Southern fairs as wen as the Canadian fairs and Toronto Exposi- tion. USED LILACS FOR ATMOSPHERE During the running of "Lilac Time" last week at the Wilson Avenue realism was sought and the bouse was smothered in lflacs. The usherettes wore French pheasant gowns. Aa the curtain arose on each act a gentle perfume of lilacs was wafted throughout the house. POPULAR SHOWS GET COIN "Bringing Dp Father" broke all records at the National Theatre the week before last, the receipts being $6,222. Last week st the Victoria the box office results ware near $8,000. "Seven Days* Leave" was the next Mgh- est at the National, getting over SjjDQO Business in the outlying districts is re- ported to have picked up considerably in the last month. CHORUS GIRL SUES FOR MO.OOO Miss Elysee Dale, formerly a choras girl employed in the revue at Terrace Gardens, in the Morrison 'Hotel, has filed a suit In the Superior Court asking $10,000 dam- ages. She explained to the court how Joseph Smith, director of the cabaret, hit her on the ankle with a toy gun that caused a serious injury. The case wfll be decided within the next few weeks. CLEARED IN SUICIDE MYSTERY Prof. Moses Boguslawski. the loe-1 pianist, has been dared in the Kansas City suicide of Mrs. Gladys Funk, a former pupil who ended her life there, leaving a letter stating that the professor "could ex- plain." Following a coroner's inquest the pianist wag completely exonerated. MATTHEWS LOSES FATHER James C. Matthews, booking manager of the Marcus Loew Western Circuit, Wj_i called to Scran ton, Pa., this week through the serious illness of bis father. MARSHALL AND COVERT SPLIT The team of Marshall and Covert baa split. Jinunle Marshall will join with Andy Tribble in a new singing and dancin g act. TO REVIVE "THE ROSARY" Rowland and Clifford will revive "The Rosary" and "September Morn" for tours of the; one-night -stands in tills vicinity owing to the fact that business on tbe one- nigbtera is very encouraging. HARRY KAWANA MARRIES Harry Kawana and Miss Slmuko wan married in Chicago last week by Judge Pomery. They wfll now offer a doubt* act in vaudeville. FAIR ASSN. TO MEET Tbe International Association of State Fairs and -—positions will meet at the Auditorium February 17, 18 and IS. -