The New York Clipper (September 1919)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER September 3, 1919 U FLEET WEEK" BOOSTS BUSINESS AT SAN FRANCISCO THEATRES Casino, Columbia, Orpheum, Pantages, Hippodrome and Other Houses Filled with Strangers in Town to See the Sea Fighters San Francisco, CaL, Aug. 29.—Because of the crowds of strangers here owing to "Fleet Week," San Francisco's box offices are working overtime and the S- R. O. sign is the order of the day. "Chin Chin," at the Colombia, is reap- ing the benefit with capacity audiences, and, in the field of the speaking drama, it has practically no opposition, its only competitor being the Alcazar stocky where a revival of "The Brat" is playing to packed houses. The Orpheum packs 'em in twice daily and the current week's bill includes Mar- guerite Sylva. Bailey and Cowan, Marion Harris, Millicent Mower, Jack Gray nd Marie Norman, Emma Haig and Jack Waldron, Gibson and Comielli, Oscar Lor- aine and La Bernieia and Company. Will King and his entertainers are offer- ing a new musical revue at the 'Casino en- titled "Say Listen." With the change of the vaudeville entertainers, the. De Pace Brothers. and Company, are the present headliners at the Casino. The others on the bill are Don Stanley and Minette Lea,. Corporal Joe -Nathan, the Victoria Trio, Montambo and Nap, and Walter Gil- bert. The entire bill at Pantages Theatre p'eases the vast audiences that flock to this house, the only vaudeville show, on Market Street. The program includes The Crom- wells, Myers Novelty Minstrels, Ned Argo, Virginia Sisters, Juliette Dika, Green and Pugh and Submarine F-T. The Hippodrome offered six all good acts comprising the following: Gabberts Duo, Athletes, Billy Hicks, jack Roberts, Seven Camouflage Girls, Thrte Moran Sisters, Earl and Edwards, Galletis Monks and, for closing number, the Fox picture, "Be A Little Sport." ROCK AND WHITE PART William Rock and Frances White, one of the.most accomplished and best known sketch and dancing teams in vaudeville and musical comedy have dissolved, their part- nership. Miss White has been engaged by F. Ziegfeld Jr., and will appear in the new edition of "The Midnight Frolic" and the "Nine O'clock Revue." Rock will stage the numbers of several musical comedies and has had several vaudeville offers. At the present time, he is staging and re- hearsing "They're Off," the Sam Shannon musicalized version of "Checkers." PICTURE PALACES COMBINE San Francisco, CaL, Aug. 3L—The management of the Imperial, Partola and California Theatres have reached an agree- ment whereby all three will become "long ron" theatres, with special musical attrac- tions, as added features, at increased ad- mission prices. The first feature booked for an indefinite run win be "The Miracle Man," with "Male and Female" to follow. The Imperial is presenting this policy for the first time on Sept. 7th. WANTS HER $1,500 Saw Francisco. CaL. Aug. 30.—Wilma Bennett, a cabaret performer, had Osman Reichel, for whom she w^s working in the Elite Cafe, arrested this week on a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses. She says he borrowed $1,500 from her for the purpose of developing a mining enter- prise which, she claims, did not exist. LEAVES CLEVELAND HOUSE Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 1.—John Hale, for five years manager of The Colonial Theatre, this city, has retired from that position and is removing to California, where he will make his home. Harry W. Ball, who for the last twelve years has been associated with the Shubert interests, has been appointed* in Hale's place. QUITS AFTER FORTY YEARS Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. LA. F. Hartz, for forty years manager of the Opera House, has announced his retirement from theatrical activities, when the lease on the theatre expires a? the conclusion of the present season. Ijprtz is seventy-six years of age. E. K_ LINCOLN'S WIFE SUES Charging that her former husband, Charles M. Van Heusen, obtained property from her by extortion, Mrs, Ada Olive Lincoln, wife of E. E. Lincoln, motion pic- ture actor, brought suit in the Supreme Court last week to recover the property which she alleges her former husband frau- dulently obtained before she divorced him at Kingston, N. Y„ in 1915. Aside from charging extortion, Mrs. Lin- coln further alleges that Van Heusen ob- tained large sums of money from her, threatening that he would falsely accuse her in divorce proceedings. Justice Hen- dricks has granted Mrs. Lincoln a tempor- ary injunction restraining Van Heusen from conveying the property claimed by his former wife and prosecuting his suit in Hampton County, Mass. GALLI-CURCI NAMES RIVAL Chicago, 111., Aug. 30.—Mme. Amelita Galli-Curci sprang a surprise yesterday when, in addition to.the suit for divorce which she has instituted against Luigi C. Curci, she also named a corespondent, changing her charges from cruelty to in- fidelity. The woman named is Melissa Brown, on whose deposition the singer made the charges asserting that Curci was guilty of misconduct with Miss Brown from September 15 to 30, 1917. CEST TO PRODUCE OPERA Reports are in circulation that Morris Gest may produce Russian opera this sea- son. The fact that he is lessee of the Manhattan Opera House and that be has always harbored a desire to promote Rus- sian opera in America, has led to the belief that he will produce and work his way into the fold of admirers which the late Oscar Hammerstein left behind. Ijprtz is PROMOTING B ATA VIA THEATRE Batatta. N. Y„ Aug. 31.—Harry D. Crosby, a local actor and director, has started "a subscription list to collect the sum of $50,000 for the purpose of erect- ing a new theatre here. Crosby, who has ascertained the desire of the community to support his project, will incorporate a company and sell stock in the enterprise to the citizens of the town. "LOMBARDI" GETTING COAST COIN San Francisco. CaL, Aug. 3L—The re- ceipts for the past two weeks' performances of "Lombardi Ltd,'' at the Curran Theatre, were $27,000, a record amount. KELLARD OPENS SEPT. 7TH San Francisco. CaL, Aug. 31,—John E. Kellard, the tragedian, win open at the Columbia Theatre on Sept. 7th. PHIL BAKER LOSES CLOTHES Street and stage clothes, valued at more than $300 were stolen from the locker or Phil Baker, at the Century Roof last ■week. Baker believes it to be the work of some one who hae a .personal grudge against him. Although there were more than $20,000 worth of clothes in other un- locked lockers, Baker's was forced open and everything taken. NEW ENGLISH PLAY OPENED' ■': Boston, Mass., Aug. 31.—"Clothes and the Woman," an English comedy in four, acts, by George Paston, had its American premiere here at the Copley Theatre .this week, and was well received because of its excellent acting. The story revolves about an authoress who is somewhat Bohemian, but who, be- cause of her careless attire, has but few admirers.' She takes the suggestion of a wealthy society woman and changes her costume to note the result. Thenceforth, the men follow ardently in her wake, and she receives many proposals of marriage. Knowing the cause of her sudden popular- ity, she accepts none of her admirers' offers, but invites them all to her studio, where she resumes her former dress and loses all her lovers except a Doctor Lenox, who thinks that a wife should be a real woman and not a fashion plate. It is a "talky" play, and furnishes good material for those who appear in the var- ious roles. Those in the cast were Jessa- mine Newcombe, E. E. Olive, Viola Roach, Cameron Matthews, Mary Hamilton, Leonard Craske, H. Conway-Wingfi'eld, Nicholas Joy, May Ediss, Nancy Steward and Eleanor Ellis. PLAN $3,ooo,ooo HOUSE Loa Angeles, Cal., Aug. 31.—Sid Gran- man has purchased a $1,000,000 lot at the corner of Hill and Sixth Streets here, with the intention of starting within the next sixty days, a theatre structure to cost $2,000,000 when completely equipped. - The theatre will occupy approximately one-third of a block and will have a seating capacity of 4,200. When work is started on the building, three shifts of workmen will be employed with the hope of rushing it to completion within eight months' time. A novel feature will be a compartment balcony, set above the main floor. Each compartment will be built in the shape of a chariot. The new theatre will be known as Gran- man's Metropolitan and will run high class moving pictures. A sixty piece symphony orchestra will furnish the musical program. The stage will be built so that the most spectacular and mammoth scenic produc- tions can be produced, if the occasion arises. "COME ALONG" OPENS WELL Altoona, Pa., Aug. 27.—The season at the Mishler Theatre was opened last night by "Come Along." a musical comedy, with Harry Bulger in the leading role, and under the management of Herman H. Moss, of New York. The play has been seen in New York, and is now on a coast to coast tour. The piece is built around the adventures of several doughboys in France, with the comedy element prevailing. The cast of the show, which is headed by Bulger and Dolly Gray, includes: The Misses Wood, Fuller, Evans, Jensen, DeParge, Brooks and Perkins, and Ed. Maiden, Syd Myers, Dan Dawson, John Neff,. Dan McNeil, J. B. Rigg and Galen Bouge. Moss, who owns and produced the show, will travel with it to the Coast. Smith and Harris are doing dancing specialties. The receipts for the night were $1,400, and the piece was well liked. Bulger has never been funnier in his life. FRISCO PLAYERS TO DO "HAMLET" San Francisco, CaL, Aug. 30.—The Players Club Theatre, which opens its season the first week in October, will pre- sent "Hamlet" as its opening play, with William Rainey in the leading role.. Tnis is the eighth year of the club's existence, and it has been forced to move its quarters from Clay Street to a larger theatre on Bush Street. The plans for the season include the presentation of operatic and high class dramatic and comedy produc- tions. "EYES OF YOUTH" OPENS Montreal, Can., Sept 1.—Smythe Wal- lace, who was selected to follow Lou Telle- gen in the leading role of "Blind Youth," opened his season here today. The show is to play several weeks on the road, then go to New York for a short run, after which there win follow a tour to the coast. BOSTON LIKES "HITCHY-KOO" ■ Boston, Aug. 29.-—The ; new edition of "Hitchy Koo," although it has far to go to eclipse former productions in its class, has made a decided .hit here and can hold on at the Colonial Theatre just as long as Hitchcock wants it to. Although the piece is not a stunner for novelty, Hitchcock has at least succeeded in putting old tricks into new wrappings. But there is also much in "Hitchy Koo" that is excellent. Altogether, it is that type of. show that is supposed to appeal to the t. b. m., with color and costumes of all kinds and a generous display of dainty lingerie.. Throughout, Hitchcock, himself pre- dominates. Before the curtain rises, the inimitable" Raymond struts down the aisle and starts things going from the audience, preparing the way for the opening scene which is the most novel offering in the. production. When he commands the cur- tain to rise, he suddenly finds himself on a dark stage, with black and blank sur- faces confronting him. He calls for a door, a window, a cab, a horse, a stage entrance, and each in turn appears as_ if by magic in successive lines of light "on what appear to be huge slates set before him. "Hitchy's Garden of Roses" introduced an attractive chorus of girls with Lillian Cooper in song, and with Simo'ne Cochet and Aleta Dove as diminutive lightning bugs. "Reubenville" was a satirical fling a prohibition, while a tabloid depiction of Thomas Burke's, .story, "Limehouse Rights," proved a striking bit. Hitchcock's portrayal of an English tourist in a steam- ship office in London was a feature of the performance, and novelty was furnished by the Indian dances of Oskomon and White Deer. Oskomon's "dance"of the five senses" displayed the rcdmanV lithe- someness and suppleness' in a way that made this an individual hit of the show. Pep was rather lacking in the scene, "A Corner of the Ritz." .The best musical number of the show was found in "Old New York." Contrasted with the noise and the bang of most of the music was a simple, senti- mental ballad entitled "An Old Fashioned Garden," sung in the first instance by Lillian Cooper Kendall and then again and again by Cassius M. Freeborn, the leader of the orchestra, to a big hand. Among others who scored success were Sylvia Clark, .Charles Howard. Mark Sullivan, Joseph Cook, Ruth Mitchell, Eleanor Sinclair and Duffy and Sweeney. TWO SHOWS TO CLOSE IN OMAHA Omasa, Neb., Aug. 28.—Two shows are scheduled to close their western tours in this city during the coming two weeks. Ruth Chatterton, who has. been playing with'"The Merrie Month of May," is slated ..to close on Saturday night, August 30. A week later, on Saturday night, Henry Mil- ler will terminate the tour of "Moliere." Blanche Bates is appearing with him. The companies of .both the shows will immediately go Eart. - KEEPS APPOINTMENT BY AIR San. Francisco, CaL, Aug. 31.—Paul Engstrom, business manager of a Los An- geles film concern, had an appointment with Harry Levisbhn, manager of the Peterson Launch company. Due to the railroad strike, he feared he could not keep it until he hired an airplane to take -him to 'Frisco. By its use he succeeded in keeping the appointment. WRITES PLAY ABOUT STRIKE Eugenia Campbell, who will be remem- bered for her work in "Seven Keys to Bald- pate," has written a three act drama deal- ing with the actors' strike called "The Actor." It will be given a tryout by the Lynn Players, Lynn, Mass., this month. GALLO OPERA INCORPORATE The Gallo English Opera Company, managed by Fortune Gallo, was incorpor- ated last week.with a capital of $20,000. The incorporators were Fortune Gallo, B. Mills and S. De Cesare.