The New York Clipper (March 1919)

March 5, 1919 TlTE lUEWi^idtltl^^tlPPER DRAMA'S HOPE IS IN U. S., SAYS GALSWORTHY SINCERE PLAYS CLOSE THEATRES TANK SHOW TO TOUR U. S. That America may become not only the foster mother, but the actual mother of dramatic art is the belief of John Gala- worthy, the English author and dramatist now in this country, who spoke last Sun- day at the Fulton Treatre under the aus- pices of the Drama League. The subject of bis lecture .was "Anglo-American Drama and Its Future." Mr. Galsworthy pleaded for sincerity in the drama, mentioning the so-called Little Theatre movements . throughout Great Britain and America as commercially un- successful evidence of what be believes will ultimately bring about an era of dramatic sincerity in this country. At the very outset of his lecture, however, be' stated: "There is nothing like sincerity for closing the doors of theatres. Sincerity in the theatre and commercial success are not coincident. - "The plays which tickle the public hardly last a decade; those that* don't last for centuries." As an example of this last he mentioned the plays of Euripides. "The burden of this struggle is on the shoulders of the dramatist," the speaker stated, and among the sincere ones of this generation he cited Synge, St John Han- kin, Shaw, Barrie, W. S. Gilbert and Ibsen. He said that the critics who write - for "that vehicle of improvisation, that modern fairy tale, our daily paper, are always inclined to welcome anything new that appears in our theatres. "What we require is a theatre where nothing but the sincere thing will be pro- duced and, in a few years, it would become the most fashionable theatre." In. closing Galsworthy predicted a suc- cessful future for the' sincere American dramatist: and that-,the theatre in Eng- land would suffer hardships in the near future. "Sincere dramatists in America are go- ing to have an easier time than they had before the war; England a harder time, for England will find that. It has very little money to spend on amusements.** The crowd that came to listen to Gals- worthy, "the gentleman of En glish letters," filled every part of the theatre, including the stage,, which was loaned for the occa- sion by Oliver D. Bailey, the lessee, and Mme. Bertha Kalich, who is appearing there at present in "The Riddle: Woman." After the lecture Mme. Kalich went back-stage, where she was presented to Mr. Galsworthy by Montrose J.. Moses, who had previously introduced the lecturer to the audience on behalf of the Drama League. Bab-Sub-Acbe, Feb. 10.—The Tank Corps Follies, here rehearsing a new show, will soon'start on Its farewell tour of the A E. P., before leaving for the United Stares, where it is planned to show the Tankers in their original A E. F. produc- tion for several months. The Tankers' new show Is called "Je Ne Sais Pais" or "Three Beans in a Mess Kit," meaning, "I Don't Know." It comes from the pen of Calvin Bard sad Brace Bnndy and brings in several original numbers, which are tuneful and witty. Walter Scott, Harlan Crowell and Johnny Carey are being featured in this new comedy, giving the Tankers a twin' bill which, when completed, should equal if not surpass anything in the A. E. F. The old "Thirty Minutes of Pep," and "Parade Itest" will also be retained, making a real evening of laughter and music. The first Tank Corps show originated in the Argoune Forests, where brick dust and black from lamp chimneys was the make-up and clothes from the ruins furnished the costumes. This show, a strictly soldier affair, win more than likely be- brought back to the States intact. Lieut Darwin Phillips, the officer-in-charge, is planning a revival for God's Country, to show the folks at home just what the Tankers did in the entertainment line at the front Many well known performers are num- bered among the Tankers. Sergt. Calvin Bard, the director, is a former moving picture man. while George Kadel, Rocco Aiala and Stanley Gerlicba are concert performers. Lieut. Bruce Bnndy is a well known musical man, while Joe Rampone will be remembered for bis bit at the Winter Garden. Harry Phipps, the Detroit cabaret per-' former, and Al Wilson, are working a double which is a riot over here, while Johnny Carey and Walter Scott are teamed in a black face act second to none. Others who are well known are Chuck Swan and Jim Burba, two newspapermen who form- erly were in the show game, Lester Speed, the Navy boy from St Louis, Lee West the Pittsburgh chap who is doing Ben Welch's act Hank Comstock, the Society Dancer, Emery Hansen, Jack Beers. .Bobby . Law, Harlan Crowell, and Boyd Zuber are others. Sam Harris is in charge of the stage and he has done wonders with nothing. Build- ing stuff over here and over there are. two different things and that Harris has been able to put out stuff to stand the strain of two months' real work -and abuse speaks well. Taken as a- whole, the Tankers' new show should give the A. E. F. a big scream, and when it hits the States the Home Folks are sure to take kindly to Uncle Sam's Tankers who have been enter- taining the boys since the Kaiser kicked his 1-st It looks like a winner whether it plays on Broadway or here. • ., NEISS GETS OTTAWA CONTRACT Victor J. Neiss, manager.of the Canad- ian Victory' Shows of Toronto, has ob- tained the contract to supply all amuse- ments' this year at the Ottawa Exhibition. He will pot on' a show named "A Trip to Shanghai" which is now under construction at the'show's Winter quarters. A report that Neiss was ill was untrue. ENLARGE OKLAHOMA THEATRE Oklahoma City, Okla., Feb. 28.—Man- ager O. W. Connelly has remodelled the Auditorium Theatre here and can now play all large road shows. A stage of twenty- six by forty feet with drops and-scenery, has been added and 2,400 seats installed. The price of admission while pictures are shown has been reduced, to 5 cents. GET BUILDING PERMITS Albast, N. Y. March L—Building per- mits were granted ' last week • to ' Max Speigel for the immediate construction of the New Strand Theatre. The house will be built on North Pearl street along the same lines as the Strand Theatre in New York City. KERN IS BUSY- PROBATE WILLS OF THEATRE FOLK HAYMAN AND MASON INCLUDED a WANT TESTIMONY mads fas The completed book, lyrics and sears of a new' musical play .by Harry B. Smith and Jerome Kern was "sent, last week, to Albert De Courville, the English producer, who will produce the play in London the early part of next month. This Is the first of three musical plays Kern has con- tracted to write for De Courvflle within the next year. Another new musical play by Kern, written in collaboration with Anne Cald- well, was put into rehearsal last week by Charles Dillingham, who plans to pre- sent it the latter part of. this month. Thus far, no title has been chosen for the piece, which is being staged by Fred T^tlMnn nnd for which the following prin- cipals have already been engaged: Ann Orr, Douglas Stevenson, Nellie Fillmore, Scott Welsh and James Marlowe. Kern is writing still another musical play for Dillingham in collaboration with P. G. Wodehouse, erstwhile member of the Bolton, Wodehouse, Kern, triumviate, who, following the withdrawal of Kern, continued writing with Bolton. Together with Louis Hirsh, they wrote "Oh My Dear," now playing at the Princess. Now Bolton and Wodehouse are reported' to have split, the latter rejofarfng Kern In musical play collaboration. In the Surrogate's Court last week letters of administration were asked in the estates of Al Hayman, John Mason, Mme. Kenny Mints Lipxin, Charlotte Thompson and Joseph Leslie, all of which were granted except Mme. Lipxin, whose will is being held np because of the inability of her executors, to locate two of her nephews and serve than, with citations, required by law. Al Hayman, the well-known manager and associate of the late Charles Frohman, left a will disposing of an estate valued at $1352,479, which is reduced to $1,082,- 815 by the deduction of claims filed against it While it was generally understood that Hayman was a very rich man, few believed him worth more than $1,000,000, and the size of his fortune places it among; the largest made in the theatrical business. The holdings of the Hayman estate in- clude the Empire Theatre, New York, ap- praised at $810,000: an office bonding at 1432 Broadway, valued at $320,000; a half interest in Pabsfs Restaurant on West One Hundred and Twenty-fifth street $55,743; shares in the New York Theatre, $171,624, and ' shares in" the Crescent Theatre, New Orleans, $70,507. To his widow, Minnie Hayman, is be- queathed a life estate in $1,066,815, and Alf Hayman. his brother, gets legacies aggregating $120,000. Several nieces and cousins are. also remembered, and the Mount Sinai Hospital, the Montenore Home and the United Hebrew Charities receive $13,087 each. By the will of. John Mason, for years one of our most popular actors, that player left all of his property to Mrs. Leila Mc- Birney, whom the testator designates as "my friend," all of his relatives being barred by him from «>i«i , i«g in the estate because, the. will .states,, he had provided for them during his lifetime. Mrs. McBirney, who was a friend of Marion Manola, Mason's first wife, receives the Mason home at Bayport, L. I., valued at $15,000. some Liberty Bonds, and a personal bank account the amount of which is not stated. Mme. Lipzin was a prominent Jewish actress. She died on September 23, 1818. Her will was executed on January 31, 1810, and it disposed of personal property valued at more than $25,000. The missing nephews of the deceased are Jacob Somes (also known as Jack Sonners) who, when last heard from, was with the United States Army somewhere in France. The other is Louis Somes, whose where- abouts has been unknown to his family for some time. The win of Charlotte Thompson, writer ■ and dramatist bequeaths about $2,000 to Marie I. Thompson, mother of the deceased; but as she died since the ™«Hny of the wil], the estate reverts to Marie L. Thomp- son, a sister of the testator, Joseph Leslie, a character Impersonator and comedian of the old days, left $60 and a case against the Lndzst Realty Company. He died without having made any will and. his widow, Minnie Leslie, obtained letters of administration upon the estate from Surrogate Fowler and intends to press the suit Leslie, she claims, was killed by a fan suffered upon property belonging to the Ludist company. . , : A motion Court last week to preclude L and her husband, Jack Gardner, from of- fering certain testimony at the trial of the suits. Miss Dresser and her hotbaad have brought against Henry W. Savage, Inc., and the Kiaw and Brlanger Amuse ment Company, Inc. Miss Dresser, who is playing over the Keith Circuit at present, seeks gso.ooo far injuries she alleges the sustained Feb. IT, 1917, when the tripped over t> carpet while appearing on the stage at the Liberty Theatre in "Have A Heart" Jack Gard- ner is seeking $25,000 for the lota of bit wife's services while the was recovering from the effects of her alleged injuries, and also treks to be reimbursed for the moneys he expended on medical treatment for her. Last November, Judge Gavegan granted a motion made by attorneys for the de- fendants for a verified bill of particulars. This hat not been filed by the plaintiffs in accordance with the order signed by Judge Gavegan, the defendants now claim, That is why the defendants are now seek- ing to preclude the plaintiffs from testify- ing to the things sought la the bill of particulars. PENNSYLVANIA HAS "SPEC." BILL EUkkisbubg, Pa., Feb. 28.—-State Sen- ator A. F. Daix, Jr., has brought a bill up in the senate which aims to put' ticket speculators out of business. This is the second law upon the subject proposed by Daix, and, if passed' and enforced, would completely curb the speculators. According to the new bill, it will be' a violation of the law for "any theatre owner or manager of a theatre or other plaee of amusement to sell or give to any person tickets of admission unless the price of such ticket shall be printed upon the ticket or to seU or knowingly permit the sale of any such ticket except at' the box office of the place where such ticket calls for ad- mission." The proposed bill makes it illegal for any theatre owner to sell or in any way distribute tickets to any person who would sen or trade the pasteboard, and just as unlawful for anyone in possession of the ticket, but the man In the bos office, to sen the ticket. A rider attached to the bill provides that in each theatre there must be bung In a conspicuous place a chart showing exactly where each seat in the bouse is situated. PAYING 11 PER CENT ROYALTY The Shuberts and Walter Jordan, pro- ducers of "Good Morning, Judge," are_ pay- ing- 11 per cent royalties to the anthers. it was learned last week. This is divided as follows: Five per cent to Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, from whose fares, The Magistrate," the musical play waa adapt- ed, and 2 per cent'each to-Howard Tal- bot, Percy Green bank and Lionel Monek- ton, authors of the musical version. SHOW NEW THEATRE CHAIRS Chairs .so mounted that they can be raised and lowered two feet or, more by - the occupants, for use in motion picture and other theatres, are shown in > the March Popular Mechanics magazine The advantage of. these seats is that they lift the users high enough to give them a view of the stage unobstructed by persons past ing to and fro in front of them—a fre- quent occurrence at the movies. CHORUS GIRLS BEHAVE WELL U Albany, Feb. 28. — Only two chorus girls" were arrested in the State of New York in 1018 for breaking the law. This fact was di s closed in the annual r e po r t oat criminology presented to the State legis- lature by Francis M. Hugo, Secretary of State. Three manicures and sixteen ste- nographers are on the list of those ar- rested. __——. HILL TO HAVE 3 MINSTREL CCS Gns Hill Is to send out three minstrel companies next season, one of which will play the South, East and Oanade; another will go to the Middle West and California, while the third wul be a smaller company to play the smell towns. ADA LUM Ada Lum, whose picture is on the front cover this week, is prima donna of the "Beauty Revo*," and baa the distinction of being the only performer in burlesque who has ever won the grand capital pops- larity prize in the Morning Telegraph contest Mum Lum is of the dfarUnotrrs type, with a fine' personality, and it slated for a production for next seasesw She is under the personal direct km of Rbbsum and Richards.