The New York Clipper (April 1919)

April 16, 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER THEATRES ADMIT 30,000 SERVICE MEN MONTHLY OTHERS PAY HALF PRICE Seven thousand one hundred and fifty free theatre tickets are siren soldiers, sail- ors and marines by the Mayor's Committee of Welcome, J.M.CA. and the W. C. C. S. each week. At an average cost of $2, as most of these tickets are for the orches- tra, this would mean a monthly outlay of about $60,000, if paid for. The K. of C. and the Y. M. C. A. also dispose of about 2,500 tickets weekly at half rate—which means approximately $10,000 a month. In addition to the above war-work organizations, half-rate tickets and. free tickets are given men in uniform by a number of other units on special oc- casions. These are the Stage Woman's War Belief, the Red Cross, Jewish Wel- fare Board and Y. W. C. A. At the Eagle Hut in Bryant Park there is a list posted each day of theatres giv- ing the half rate. Last week, on the list were The Unknown Purple," "Keep It to Yourself," "A Sleepless Night," "Good Morning Judge" and Toby's Bow." The "Y" gives out 3,000 free tickets a month and 9,000 at half rate. The Mayor's Welcome Committee hands out 4,000 free tickets each week. The K. C. handles 250 half-rate tickets each week, and the W. C. C. S. gives out 2,400 free coupons. Tie half-rate tickets can be bought by the men in uniform for more than one person. Tickets given out are for the best seats. Frequently, on Saturday, no tickets are issued because of the good business which the houses do on this day. When half- rate tickets are given, the men take a slip from the war-work unit to the the- atre, where the admission is paid. One night last week the Mayor's Com- mittee gave out seven box seats worth $3 each. Some of the tickets given out by the y. C. C S. are purchased by this organ- ization at a reduced rate, but nothing is charged the soldier. During the time the fleet is in the city this organization has been allowed $8,000 for the purchase of tickets to be given away. SIGN ACTS FOR BRONX EXPO H. P. McGarvie, president of the Bronx Exposition, began engaging acts last week for the Summer season, which will open April 26. The acts with which contracts have thus far been signed are: The Great Calvert, Gertrude Van Deinse, the Rackoe, the Onita Trio, Captain (hone) and Mme. Ellis, and Victor's Concert Band. This will be the second season for the exposition, which is spread over an area of approximately thirty acres in the Bronx, the land being leased. The leases have eighteen years to run. The Bronx Exposition, Inc., which bunt and operates the expedition, is capitalized at $850,000 and spent $1,500,000 in con- structing the park, which was opened last year for the first time on July *L The gross business amounted to $190,000 on the season, the net profits being $94,000. This year the management has expended an additional $340,000 for new mechanical attractions, repairs and decorations and the repainting of all the concrete, which will be done in green. Last year but six concessionaires rented space on the ground, but this year, the management rep orts , seventy-five novelty booths have thus far been rented, the booth capacity being 200. With the additional attractions and the swimming pool,, the ca- pacity of which is 10,000 people, the man- agement expects to do a business totaling $2,000,000, reckoning its profits at $400,- 000. "THE NEW GIRL" OPENS WELL Washington, April 11,—Charles Dil- lingham has scored a hit with his latest production "A New Girl" notwithstanding the fact that the cast employs the services of no particular musical or comic head- liner. The piece was enthusiastically re- ceived Monday at its premier perform- ance. Jerome Kern has revamped some of his earlier music. But the score is delightful and melodious. "The Day of Jubilee" which serves as the motif of Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" score, has been intro- duced by Kern under the title of "Jubilo" in an attractively staged and gowned Civil War number. The composer has also scored with "The First Rose of Summer," an inversion of "The Last Rose of Sum- mer" and another song "Teacher, Teacher" is almost a duplicate of "I Found You" from "Oh, Lady, Lady" though it goes over with a bang. Another number that was well received was ','A Happy Wed- ding Day." Anne Caldwell wrote the book and lyrics. The plot concerns the runaway marriage of a seminary girl to a naval lieutenant and the subsequent efforts of the lieutenant to masquerade as a school girl in order to steal his bride, whose guardian wants her to marry his son. Douglas Stevenson, last seen here with "The Royal Vagabond," is a good looking juvenile, but he adds little to the part of the lieutenant. Ann Orr has a role very similar to the one she had is "Leave It To Jane." She puts several songs over very effectively. Ohlin Howland, who was associated with her in "Leave It To Jane," shoulders the comedy as the "Hick" son. Helen Shipman is effective in the in- genue role. • Others who have parts are the Duncan Sisters, with a vaudeville turn, Scott Welsh, James C. Marnow, Jay Wilson, Elsie Lawson, Gertrude Maitland. Florence Edna, Florence Bruce, and Nellie Fill- more. Great notices were earned by Fred La- tham and Edward Royce for the way they staged the production. SHUBERTS OPEN NEW ONE New Haven, Conn- April 10.—A double tided play, "Oh, Uncle," or "The Wrong Number," was presented here on Monday night and, while it cannot be said to have made a very deep impression, it has several novel ideas and may be turned into a pleas- ing entertainment. The work is a musical comedy in two acts, the book and lyrics by Edgar Smith and the music by Jacques Presburg and Charles Jules. But it is Smith who will have to do the brushing up if the work la to meet with any degree of favor. Just why the piece should be burdened with two titles, neither of which has any- thing to do with the other, is a question. The doable titles are likely to prove con- fusing rather than attractive. The story of the play has to do with a love affair between Jack Rushton and Margot Merivale, a footlight favorite. Joshua Blohbs, Jack's uncle, pays a visit to his nephew and shows himself to be a rounder instead of the pious old man he is generally supposed to be. Jack is having a little blow-out for a party of theatrical friends when uncle arrives and the latter joins in the festivities without reserve. Under the influence of the flowing bowl Uncle Joshua invites the whole party to visit him at his country home. When they arrive Jack accuses his uncle of saving deceived him, but has to acknowledge that he (Jack) has deceived his uncle. Ex- planations follow and there is the regula- tion musical comedy ending. The book is bright in spots and many of the situations, if not new, are funny. One of the novelties of the show Is a musical poker game in the first act. Bert Hanlon, Sam Ash, Lew Cooper and Nancy Fair were the players who deserve most praise for their work. A. E. A. TO BACK UP ENGLISH UNION TAXES HAND IN COCHRAN MATTER The Actors' Equity Association has taken a hand in the fight that the Actors' Association of Great Britain is presently engaged in, with C. B. Cochran, the Lon- don manager, who announced a couple of weeks ago that he would not employ any members of the English actors' organiza- tion hereafter. The A. E. A. is affiliated with the A. A. of Great Britain, and if Cochran carries out his threat the Ameri- can organization will issue instructions to the four hundred members of the A. E. A. now playing in London to work in har- mony with the English association. This really means that if Cochran lays down the gauntlet and bars the Actors' Association members, the Actors' Equity members will not be permitted to work for him. The principal cause of the trouble be- tween Cochran and the A. A. of Great Britain, aside from "union recognition," seems to be the question of giving Sunday shows. Most of the London managers are keen for the Sunday performance idea, but the actors frown upon' the plan, their view- point being that they will be called upon to do more work for the same amount of pay. The actors point out in support of their contention that the introduction of matinees brought them no extra compen- sation, and it will be the same with the Sunday performance idea, they contend. There seems to be a strong likelihood that Cochran will be backed up by the greater part of the managers if he de- cides to take a stand in the matter of union recognition. Any decided move made by Cochran against the Actors' As- sociation, will quickly result in retaliatory measures by the actors* organization, who are prepared, if necessary, to call a strike that would include the stags hands. PLAYS RETURN ENGAGEMENT "The Little Brother,** with Walker Whiteside and Tyrone Power, is playing a return engagement at Loew*s Seventh Avenue this week. BQWDEN SAILS FOR AUSTRALIA Harold A. Bowden, manager for J. and N. Tait, left. New York last week tor Frisco, whence he will sail to Australia. Bowden has been in New York in the in- terest of the Tait forces since last faD. JULIA KELETY At an hour when most of the reviewers had already left the theatre in order to catch the morning editions, Julia Kelety surprised the first night gathering at the Nora Bayes Theatre, Tuesday night. Mile Kelety made her Broadway musical comedy debut at 11 o'clock, yet those who saw her were unanimous in their opinion that this chic French woman is the best feature in "Come Along,*' the Bide Dud- ley-John Louw Nelson concoction. Mile. Kelety- makes her initial appear- ance in the Alsatian Village street scene, acting the role of. a cabaret singer, who is called upon to entertain the assemblage of war workers. Miss Kelety has been engaged for the new Clifton Crawford music*] play, which will open early in June. She is under the management of Chamberlain Brown. • " ■ '" —Adv. NAZZARO WANTS HIS CHILDREN Nat Nazzaro last week applied to the Supreme Court for a writ of habeas corpus, directing his wife, Queenie Nazzaro, to pro- duce their.two children, Nat (Jimmie), Jr., aged 15, and Dorothy, 4, both of whom, he claims, are being kept away from him. by his wife. Harry Saks Hechheimer Is his attorney. According to Nasxaro's affidavit in sup- port of the writ, which is returnable this week before Judge Hotchkiss in cham- bers, his wife sent the youngest of the two children to Kansas City about two months ago to live with her mother, Mrs, Lula Happy; Mrs. Nauaro has alienated the affections of Nat, Jr., whom they both- adopted nine years ago, and the boy is be- ing prevented from seeing his adopted! father at this time because his adopted mother is exploiting him in vaudeville. The youngster heads the act known aa the U. S. Atlantic Fleet Jazz Band, which opened the first half of this week in Proc- tor's, Yonkers. The Xazzaros were married ten years ago. Queenie Nazzaro appeared in her husband's musical acrobatic act. Their married life, according to Nazzaro, has been a series of intermittent quarrels, each of which resulted in temporary separation. About two months ago, while living in the Hotel St Margaret, they quarrelled again. As a result of this quarrel they engaged separate apartments at the hotel and lived apart. Mrs. Nasxaro's mother was living with the couple at the time. Then she went back to Kansas City and .took the youngest child with her. Nasarro claims he developed the talents of the boy and arranged the act in which the boy is now appearing. He booked the act, which opened five weeks ago, playing Fox time for a week and a half. He says he could have booked the act over the big time, but Mrs. Nazzaro, in alienating the boy away from him, took the act away at the same time. At the present time, the act is being advertised an being under the "direction of Morns and Feil, sole management, Queenie Nazarro." Meyer Greraberg i 8 acting for Mrs. Naz- zaro, SET ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Actors' Fond of America will be held at the Hudson Theatre, Friday, April 23, at 11 a. m. There will be an election of officers for the ensuing year. Although the professional members of the Actors' Fund may put up as many tickets for election aa they care to, it is believed there will be no rcntest and that the offi- cers now serving will, for the moat part, be re-elected. Daniel Frohman, president of the organization, has temporarily aban- doned the producing field to devote his ac- tivities toward the accumulation of a per- manent $1,000,000 reserve fund. A detailed report of the fl»«»„*<^t status of the Fund will be submitted at the meet- ing DAILIES CUTTING OUT NOTICES A number of press agents about town are up in arms over a growing practice among the dailies of running their box- office stimulating paragraphs and short reading notices in one or two editions and then throwing them out in the succeeding editions. It is said that the evening papers are the worst offenders in tills regard. This practice gets the press agent into all kinds of trouble for, unless his boss buys the edition that happens to contain his notices, be thinks his publicity pro- moter did not send any out, and the latter has to go to all the trouble of digging up the edition which did can; them. STATEN ISLAND GETS NEW HOUSE Lee Beggs will be the manager of a new thousand seat vaudeville theatre, that is now in course of construction at Great Kills, Staten Island, and which will he ready to open on May 1. Malcolm Beggs, Lee Beggs" son, will assist his father In the management of the new bouse, A vaudeville policy at popular prices will be offered, consisting,, of three - acts and pic- tures.