The New York Clipper (February 1919)

THE NEW YORKi ^CLIPPER February 26, 1919 'LIGHTS' SEASON TO REOPEN MAY 15th CLUBHOUSE BEING RE-DECORATED -*"*i>«r..w*»ha.!*^-~. "The Lights" made arrangements this week to re-open their clubhouse on May IB- There will be no formal ceremonies on this date, the club's home in Freeport, Long Island, merely being thrown open for the convenience of those of He membership who resume residence in their summer homes early in the season. However, during the month of June * formal opening will be held, when there will be appropriate ceremonies such as a banquet and a vaudeville show given by the biggest stars in show business. The personnel of the bill will naturally depend on the "Lights" who happen to be in the vicinity of New York at the time of the opening. The clubhouse will be refitted and re- decorated between now and May 15. More attention will be given to athletics this year than before. The .program will em- brace indoor as well as out-door events. "The Lights," it is expected, will also put a baseball team in the field this year, and, if possible, gsmes will be arranged with teams representing other theatrical organizations. Aquatic sports will not be overlooked, either, the location of the clubhouse, sit- uated on the shores of tile Great South Bay, being especially favorable for boat- ing, swimming, etc. 'Nothing definite has been decided as yet regarding the various events to be held, the details being left to the executive committee, which will hold a meeting in the near future and shape things up. BILLY SHELDON HAS NEW ACT Billy Sheldon, principal comedian for Hal Hoyt'a show, "Gee. Whir," baa re- turned to vaudeville after an absence of fourteen months spent in the service, over- leas. Sheldon has teamed up with bis former bunky, Dave Rose. Since their ar- rival in this country they have been stationed at Camp Dix, where they per- formed for the Knights of Columbus and Jewish Welfare Board. CAVE SPECIAL SHOWS - Special matinee performances for women only wei» given at two Proctor houses last veck by two telepathists playing that cir- cuit. Clayton, who played a full week engage- ment at the Harlem Opera House last week, put on hi» special show for the ladies at 10 a. m. on Friday. The admis- sion charged was 28 cents, including the war tax. Clayton, according to his pre- vious announcement taught his audience how women can detect at a moment's no- tice whether then husbands, sweethearts or any other members of the masculine sex are telling the truth. Madame Ellis, who appeared at Proc- tor's Yonkers house all of last week, also gave a special performance on Friday ex- clusively for women, in which she per- formed her mind-reading stunts. VAUDE GETS YIDDISH STAR Boris Thomaahevsky, the Yiddish star, will appear in vaudeville after he closes the season next May at his East Side Theatre, where he is now appearing in a musical play. The vehicle for Tbomaahevsky's vaude- ville appearance is a playlet in the WnglUli language, called "The Naturalized Citizen," written by Harry Thomaahevsky, the star's son. The act was placed in rehearsal last week with the following supporting players: Bella Finkel Mrs. F. Greenberg and H. Maltz. Alf T. Wilton is to ar- range the vaudeville bookings of the act. ASKS N. V. A. TO COLLECT Willis Maxwell filed a complaint with the N. V. A. last week against Patricia Hart and her husband, M.-Traub. Maxwell alleges that Miss Hart and Traub still owe him a portiou of a sum agreed upon for certain professional services rendered them some time ago. Maxwell asks the N. Y. A. to investigate his claim and if found valid, to collect the same for him. JOINS EVANGELINE WEED Orrin A. Breiby has joined the Evange- line Weed writing staff, and win in future write exclusively for her. Among the acts Breiby has written' are "Do Men Gossip," "$6,000 a Year," "Her Way" and "Debris." His first works to be produced by Miss Weed are "Fickle Heart" and a fairy play, both being now in rehearsal. TO PRODUCE CABARET ACTS Evangeline Weed who has, hitherto, pro- duced only vaudeville acts, has enlarged the staff of her office and will now also produce cabaret acts. Robert Lawrence Allen will manage the latter work. ALBEE BUYS AT LARCHMONT IiABCHVoira, N. Y., Feb. 22.—B. F. Albee last week purchased the Neilson Waterfront at Larehmont Harbor. Albee also owns a home at the Hammocks, near SBBBSV SLAYMAN ALI HAS NEW ACT Slayman Ali has in preparation a big spectacular production depicting life in the desert. The synopsis provides for a num- ber of thrilling episodes, incidental to the passing of a caravan across the sandy waste that include a realistic presentation of a simoon, or sand storm. Every feature has been protected- by copyright and pat- ent. Charles B. .Dillingham has first call on his services and productions. * . CRAWFORD GOING ACROSS Clifton Crawford will stay in vaudeville for the balance of the current season, ar- rangements having ben made last week whereby, be will continue as a feature on the Keith time until' the hot weather ar- rives. After playing out his Keith con- tracts Crawford will go to London, where he is scheduled to appear in a revue some time after the first of July. ROSEN PRODUCING NEW ACT . Irving Rosen is producing a new musical act, entitled "Too.Many Wives," which will open some time next week. John Culbert- son wrote the book and the lyrics and music was written by David Schooler. Fourteen people will comprise the cast the principals being Ethel Corcoran, Neil Moore, Jenette DeBpres, Mrs. Frank L Frayne. Edward Kellar is booking it. OPEN NEW TWO ACTS Lane and Moras, a new two-act opened at the Jefferson on Monday. Lane was formerly'a member of the team of Lane and Smith, while Moran formerly played in vaudeville with the team, of Moran and Wheeler. Mark Levy is booking the act, which is routed over the Moss time. QUIGLEY EXTENDS BOOKINGS The Quigley Agency is now booking the Opera House, Lawrence, Mass., using four acts each half of the week. It has also secured Waldron's Casino, Boston, for Sun- day night shows, playing ten acta with feature pictures. • PASSPART HAS NEW OFFICE •■•, W. L. Passpart, foreign representative for the Orpheum Circuit, has removed his headquarters from the sixth to the tenth floor of the Palace Building, occupying a desk in the Orpheum publicity department office. LICENSE DEPT. WATCHING "MANAGERS" CRUSADE "AID TO BE IMPENDING There was quite a panic in more than one office building in the theatrical dis- trict this week, when it became known that representatives of the License Bureau have quietly been looking into the status, method of transacting business, etc., of several "vaudeville artists' representa- tives," who operate under what is called "managerial contracts." That the License Bureau is about to make a thorough test of the so-called "managerial contract" would seem to be indicated by certain recent activities of itB inspectors, who now make daily tours through the Gaiety, Putnam, Strand and other buildings where the "artists' man- agers" hold forth in abundance. The fact that Clifford Fischer was summoned to court, last week on com- plaint of a dancer who claimed that Fischer was trying to collect for services rendered under a "managerial contract" form, convinced the doubting ones that the License Bureau means business. The fact that the complaint against Fischer was dismissed and his contention that he had a legal right to collect for services rendered, upheld by the judge who heard the case, brought no consolation to those "artists' representatives," who feel that an investigation of their affairs wouldn't be the best thing in the world for them. Just who will be asked to explain their business methods first, could not be learned at the License Bureau, but that the office has one or two "managers" under their eye at present, was not de- nied. The bureau is also watching several "licensed" agents, whose conduct of late has not. been, exactly above reproach. ASKS N. V. A. TO FIND HUBBY Henry Chesterfield, secretary of the N. V. A., is daily in receipt of many odd re- quests from actors, but the most unusual communication that 'he has ever received came to his desk this week, when Mrs. Samuel Segall, of 1344 South Halstead Street, Chicago, asked him to locate her husband. Mrs. Segall's husband's profes- sional name, by the way is Al Page, and anyone who knows of his whereabouts will confer a favor on Chesterfield, by furnishing him with the sought-for information* « WANT "CANDLE TRICK" PROTECTED Roach and McCnrdy, in a complaint filed with the N. Y. A. this week, allege that Barnes and Burner are performing a trick with dolls which is an infringe- ment on "The Candle Trick," a stunt as- serted to have been a part of the Roach and McCurdy turn for a number of years. The complainants, in their letter to the N. V. A., state that they played Young's Pier, Atlantic City, some five or six years years ago when Barnes and King were on the same bill; This Barnes is claimed to be the same person who is now appear- ing with Burmer. Roach and McCurdy intimate that it was the Atlantic City en- gagement which gave Barnes a knowledge of the "candle trick," the idea of which they now claim he is using in his present act Roach and McCurdy refer to Bums and- Fulton, Max.Hart's Six Steppers and Jack Flynn, at that time manager of Young's Pier, as persons who can sustain their claim to priority in the matter. The N. Y. A has the case, under consideration. "GOODNIGHT, TEACHER" OPENS "Goodnight Teacher,' a' new musical tabloid written by'Arthur Jackson, and produced by Lea Herrick and Julian Al- fred, will open at Proctor's, Elizabeth, on. March 3, for a break-in. The act is headed by Dave Mellon and Jack Fair- banks. The turn carries ten people. Stoker and Bier Bauer are handling the booking. SINOPOULO TO BUILD Oklahoma City, Okla., Feb. 24.—John Sinopoulo, owner of the Lyric Theatre, who, two years ago, -planned. to build a new—theatre here, but who was forced to abandon his plans because of the war, is now making arrangements to provide this city with a new and modern house. Sino- poulo has two sites in mind and will shortly select one. GREEN * PUGH CLAIM PRIORITY Green and Pugb. have asked the N. V. A. to request Harrington and Mills to re- frain, hereafter, from the use of a "paper cornet and trombone," an idea which the former act alleges belongs to them, by right of priority. An Investigation of the alleged is bow under way. SAWYER ACT CLOSES Joan Sawyer and Arthur Ashley closed their respective and collective acts fol- lowing their engagement at the Palace last Sunday night. The acts were written and arranged by Wilson Mizner and played bat four weeks in all. The Sawyer act was receiving $1,200 a week, but Miss Sawyer wanted $1,600. However, the act having failed to register as hoped for, the booking offices could not get her what she demanded. Miss Sawyer may go back to Reiaen- weber*s, where she was formerly hostess in the Paradise Room,'and Ashley is re- ported to be going back to motion pictures. An offer from the Montmartre has also been made to Miss Sawyer. Alfred Newman, "The Boy Pianist," who proved to be the feature of the Sawyer act, has been engaged as musical director for the new May Irwin'show, "Raising the Aunty," scheduled to open in Poughkeepsie March 17. CLAIM SONGS WERE LIFTED Kddie. Kane and Jay Herman have reg- istered a complaint with the N. Y. A. against George Leonard and Jack Mack, alleging that the latter are using certain material and songs which Kane and Her- man claim is their exclusive property. One of. the songs, "A Rag-Time Cocktail," Kane and Herman allege was writen by Earl Carroll, from whom they purchased it. Another song, "When Will Your Wife Be Home," the complainants claim they wrote themselves. The N. V. A. have written Leonard and Mack, requesting an expla- nation. SAYS DOG LIFTED TRICKS Wilfred Robert, who appears under the professional name of "Caesar and I," and who was formerly a member of the team of Robert and Robert, entered a complaint with the N. V. A. against Allen and Taxi last week, charging that the latter turn is infringing on material originated and copy- righted by him in 1007. Both of the turns involved in the controversy carry a trained dog in: their act and the infringement charge concerns tricks done by the Allen and Taxi, canine. The complaint'board is investigating the matter. REEL-LAND GETS UNDER WAY "Reel-land," a new., vaudeville produc- tion, with a cast of twelve—opened In Orange, N. J., last week. Bert La Mont is sponsoring the act, which introduces impersonations of the big picture stars guch as Chaplin,. Fickford, Fairbanks, Talmadge and "Fatty" Arbuckle. Nat Farnum, who wrote the act, is featured. After s" couple of weeks in the bashes, the act will make a bid for the big time. . •3.'