The New York Clipper (April 1919)

April 16, 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER DU PONTS TO BUY FOUR HOUSE S, IS LA TEST REPORT With Negotiations for the Rivoli and Rialto Admitted, It b Now .1; Said That They Contemplate Purchase of the Strand and Capital Also That the Da Pouts are about to not only take over the Rialto and Rivoli theatres, but the Strand and Capital in addition, and also furnish the money with which. Marc Klaw is to buy out the Erlanger in- terest in the firm of Klaw and Erlanger, was reported on Broadway early this week.-' As,.,-putlined in the latest report, the idea.of the big powder, r people. now is to put a show into the Capital that would be a cross between the Winter Garden and the Hippodrome spectacles of former days, with plenty of girls and big punch ef- fects. The scale of prices was mentioned at $1.50 top, based upon an estimated capacity of 4,800 for the house. The Strand, it was said, would be turned into a legitimate house, catering to large productions and musical comedies, which it is equipped to do, having a 44-foot stage. With the Strand picture policy gone, the Rivoli is to be left a film house, it is said, and, with the competition of the Strand out of the way, could make a lot of money, its nearest opposition being the Rialto which, it is said, is figured to be too far away to either hurt or be injured by the Rivoli. The name of Arthur- Voigtlin has been mentioned several times as being the man who would have the direction of the' Cap- ital, his broad experience at the Hippo- drome and in other big undertakings peculiarly fitting him for the.task. Inquiry in many directions regarding the foundation for these reports failed to get a confirmation, although it was ad- mitted by an official of the interests that control the Rivoli and Rialto that the purchase of those houses by the Du Fonts had been discussed even to the point of setting a price upon them. Nothing fur- ther than this had been done, however, it was said. Others questioned in the mat- ter refused to deny it, even admitting that something was doing, but that they were not at liberty to disclose what it was. The part of the report that included Marc Klaw was to the effect that the big explosive makers have long desired to get into the theatrical business and see a chance, through the reported trouble in the K. and E. offices, of acquiring some intensely valuable interests. MONTREAL PAYS $300,000 TAX Montreal, Canada, April 14.—The rev- enue from amusements in Montreal which has amounted to about $300,000 per year, under the control of the province, will again be controlled by the city after July L Ei-Alderman L>. A. L/apointe introduced the amusement tax scheme in 1915. The revenue gathered was used for charitable purposes. During the first year, $161,000 was collected, all going to city hospitals. At the end of 1916, the province adopted a law whereby the tax was no longer con- trolled by Montreal, but instead by . the provincial government. The provincial statute increased the revenue from 1 cent on all tickets to 2 cents on any ticket costing up to 34 cents-; 3 cents on any ticket for which the charge is from 34 to 74 cents, 5 cents on those up to $1.50 and 10 cents for any pasteboard costing more than $1.50. By a new law, the city will again as- sume control of the tax. The new statute will give hospitals the money secured by the original 1915 tax and the use of the balance will be optional with the city leg- islature, the provincial tax rates being re- tained. IRWIN SHOW MAY COME IN May Irwin and her newest musical vehi- cle, "The Water's Fine," which dosed in Oswego a week ago last Tuesday, are scheduled to open in a Broadway house the latter part of next month, according to Kurt Eisfeldt, Miss Irwin's husband and one of the producers of the show. At the present time Miss Irwin is in Mt. Clemens recovering from an attack of neuritis, as" a result of which she was forced to quit last week, with the result that the show closed and the company was brought to New York. The show played to $1,493 in Norwich on Monday, and in Watertown, where the show was booked for Wednesday, the day after it closed, the advance sale on the day's double performance amounted to $2,593. The company has been disbanded and a new one, beaded by Miss Irwin, will be chosen for the play's presentation here. In the meantime, the book is being rewrit- ten by Aaron Hoffman. TAXPAYERS OBJECT TO THEATRE Because it is believed negro patronage for a theatre will cause a depreciation in the value of property in the vicinity of the sbowhouse, taxpayers around 129th street and Lenox avenue have started a movement to prevent the construction of a motion picture house on the northeast corner of 129th street. As soon as an application had been filed for a license at the Bureau of Licenses, agitation was started to prevent the erection of the house. There is a large negro population above. 130th street, and the taxpayers believe a theatre erected at 120th street would draw it further down. Ln that event, they claim, property values would go down. Several attempts have been made to secure a license for a theatre on this corner, but the taxpayers have always defeated the plan. A general meeting is to be held this week, when plans will be formulated for a basvi'ng before the license commissioner. At present, the site is oc- cupied by a florist. The application for a license was filed by Benjamin MenscheL "TEN NIGHTS" CLOSES After playing thirty-five weeks this sea- son. Robert Downing, in "Ten Nights in a Barroom," closed last Saturday at the Lexington, where he played a return en- gagement with the play, opening for a week's engagement on April 7. "Ten Nights in a Barroom" will be pre- sented again next season with Robert Downing featured, and he win also be presented in another play in conjunction with the vehicle he is now using, opening the season early in August under the management of Arthur C. Alston. - SEEK E, A O'HARA B. J. O'Haxa.».who sr**»ved fifteen wounds while fighting, in France and was last heard from at Wallace, Idaho, is being sought by the rinil f I TTiisssslil Actors, located at 1400 Broadway, New York. O'Hara and his wife were stranded in Wallace .because of the influenam epidemic some time;ago. He wrote to the Fund, but, due to unsettled conditions and all sorts of delays, communication was diffi- cult. He has not been heard of since then. O'Hara still limps from a wound In the leg, caused by a bayonet, and has .been gassed, but, in spite of the fact that the latter necessitates the use of an ar- tificial palate, he sings well. Any one who knows anything about his whereabouts is asked to communicate with the Fund. MARIONETTES TO RETURN On April 22 Tony Sarg will present his annual marionette production at the Punch and Judy. The new maritvnette drama is in four acta and has been ;aken eray's well-known tale. -Hattie Louise Mick dramatised the play, which will have, in addition to the usual evening and matinee performances, a presentation at 11 a. m., on Saturday, so that the younger children will be enabled to sea.it > TAIT GETS BELASCO PLAYS J. and N. Tait, the Australian managers, have concluded arrangements with David Belasco for the production in Australia of two New York successes, "Daddies" and "Tiger Rose." JACK BRATTON ILL Jack Bratton, of the firm of Leffler and Bratton, has been confined to his home for several days with a bad attack of stomach trouble. TYLER TAKES OVER HOUSE George C. Tyler has secured the Na- tional Theatre.. in Washington, and will begin in June the presentation of a series of new plays there. In the casts will be Lynn Fontanne, Helen Hayes, Alfred Lunt, Patricia Collinge and Philip Merri- vale. Mr. Tyler will establish headquar- ters in Washington for the production of the series. The plays to be produced include "Clar- ence,'* "Made of Money," a comedy by Richard Washburn' Child and Porter Emerson Browne; "A Young Man's Fancy," a modern fantasy, by John T. Mclntyre, and a comedy, tentatively en- titled "The Blossoming of Mary Ann," by Sidney Toler and Marion Short. SYMPHONY TO PLAY VAUDE B. S. Moss, who has taken over the Symphony Theatre at Ninety-sixth street and Broadway, will reopen the house on May 2 with a straight picture policy. Moss will put vaudeville into the Sym- phony after Labor Day, presenting six acts and a feature picture. The Sym- phony, which was formerly a skating rink, and which was reconstructed as a picture house about a year ago by Thomas Healy, owner of the property, will be thoroughly- renovated by Moss. A new. stage will be built during the Summer, 'and other im- provements made that will include a brand new lighting system. "THREE FOR DIANA" OPENS New Haven, Conn., April 14.—"Three for Diana," a comedy by Chester Bailey Ferneld, was produced here tonight by John D. Williams, with Martha Hedman in the leading role. Others in the cast are John Halliday, David Glassford, Blanche Chapman, Anne Faystone, J. Beresford Hollis and T.m,«n Brennan. The play deals with the devices of Diana and her faithful maid, Burdford, in keeping three lovers guessing. It goes into the Bijou Theatre, New York, next Monday. LOST SCENERY DELAYS OPENING The scenery for Bert La' Mont's "Sub- way Revue" went astray last week, and, as a result, the act failed, to open on Thursday at the Majestic 'Theatre, Plain- field. ~'.' That the scenery didn't arrive in time is the fault of the transfer company which handled it here, says La Monti For, in- stead of being carted to the Twenty-third Street. Ferry, the sets were taken down to the Barclay Street Ferry, where they were located by La Mont after he had been notified of their non-appearance in Phunfield Thursday afternoon. However, the act, which is a new one, opened in Plainfield the following day. TAIT BACK FROM LONDON Edward J. Tait, visiting managing director for J. and N. Tait, Australian managers, returned last Friday morning on the Megantic from London, where he has been since February. Mr. Tait saw no English show which he believed was satisfactory for Australian production. He states that all London houses are playing to capacity and Amer- ican plays and acts are much desired by the English public. "' ; J - GETS $8,400 ON WEEK "Seven Days' Leave" closed a week's engagement at the Auditorium Theatre, Baltimore, last Saturday night, where it played to a total of $8,400, playing to $752 on the opening night. This business is quite an achievement, when it is con- sidered that Baltimore is a city of many orthodox Catholics and the week was during the Lenten period. BLANCHE RING SELLS HOUSE Blanche Ring has sold Sunny Gables, her country home at Orient Point, to Fred- erick Brown, through O'Reilly and Dohn. THIS WAS SOME STREET Attorney street, down on the East Side, may not be such a fashionable thorough- fare, but, when it comes to s up pl yi ng the world with theatrical men it is all there, for A. H. Woods, Gus Hill, George Goett and Hose Reis, at one time the owner of more than fifty theatres in this country, were born within one block of each Other on that street Ami within a short dis- tance of where they all were bom lived Billy Florence,'then in the height of his fame. Some street. HAD TO LOSE SUNDAY SHOW . Washington, April 12.—Richard Wal- ton Tally's "Bird of Paradise" wss unable to open in Washington Sunday, owing to the fact that the show did not arrive until 7:30 o'clock in the evening, and three hours were required to set the piece. The inability to open resulted in the lose of about $1,200 worth of Sunday night's business. WILL START NEW GARDEN SHOW The Shuberts will begin casting next week for "The Passing Show of 1919," scheduled to open at the Winter Garden the latter part of June. The show, which is-almost completed, is being written, this year, by Harold Atteridge, Sigmund Rom- berg and Jean Schwartz. It will be staged by J. C. Huffman. USE LILLIAN RUSSELL'S CAR San Francisco, April 11.—The private car which Lillian Russell used for years while she toured the country, is bring used for the transportation of wounded soldiers here. Miss Rnssell has loaned it for their use. Today it brought in fifty wounded men from overseas to the Letter- man General Hospital for convalescence. WILL TRY OUT NEW ONE "Mary, Be Careful," a new comedy, will be opened by Weber and Anderson in WUkes-Barre on Friday, after which it will play several small towns and then go into Pittsburgh. This work, it is expected, will show them what they have and, if it looks good enough, they will then take ft off and hold it for next season. • GOING INTO "FROLIC" After closing with "Jack o" Lantern," in which they are now appearing, the Six Brown Brothers are scheduled to open in the Ziegfeld "Midnight Frolic." Their ap- pearance' will be brought about under an arrangement Ziegfeld now has with Charles Dillingham. TO USE FIVE RINGS It is reported that the Ringling Brothers- Barnum-Bafley -Circus will use five, in- stead of the regulation three, rings when it leaves the Garden and starts out under canvas next week. The show is using three rings and four platforms at the Garden. FINAL BENEFIT SET FOR MAY 16th The final benefit of the regular series given by the Actors' Fund has been set for Msy 16th at the Colonial Theatre, Boston. This performance was to have been held April 25th. but was postponed on account of the Liberty Loan drive.