The New York Clipper (November 1919)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER November 5, 1919 Equity Eight Performance Rule Cuts Wednesday Matinees in Order to Get Election Day Coin, Either Had to Eliminate Mid-Week Afternoon Show or Pay Extra Salaries. Some Did Both First evidence of the effect the new Equity contracts hare on matinee per- formances on legal holidays, was dis- played yesterday, Election Day. Every house In town, with the exception of the Plymouth, where John and Lionel Barrymore are playing in "The Jest," gave a matinee.-. But, in many, it was not an extra one, for the regular Wed- nesday matinee was cut out to keep the week's total number of per- formances within the eight specified in the new Equity contract. Those manlgers who stayed within the limit were the Shnberta, Woods, Corts and William Harris. The shows effected were "The Passing Snow of 1919", "The Little Whopper", "Noth- ing but Love", "Greenwich Village Fol- lies", "Hello Alexander" "His Honor, Abe Potash", "Too Many Husbands". "The Girl la the Limousine", "A Voice in the Dark", "Just a Miaute", "Rolly- Bolly Eyes", "East is West', and "The Dancer," ^See Saw" and "Hitchy Koo." George C. Tyler, however, who fought the actors' strike to a finish in Chicago, worken both ways with his two at- tractions. He will stay within the limit of eight with "On the Hiring Line", Trot will give an extra matinee to-day of "Clarence"/ Comstock and Gest did the same, cutting out the extra per- formance of "The Luck of the Navy", but are to play the extra one with "Adam and Eva." A number of others will give the ex- tra performance, notably Cohan and Harris, with 'The Boyal Vagabond," Ziegfeld with "The Follies" Dilling- ham with "Apple Blossoms",' and the Selwyns with "Buddies". These all showed yesterday ana will show this afternoon and Saturday. Joe Weber's new musical show, "The Little Blue Devil", also is among those which will give nine performances during the week. Other productions of a straight dra- matic or comedy nature which will give the extra performance this week are Ethel Barrymore's "Declasse", Henry Miller's "Moonlight and Honey- suckle", "Llghrnin'," "Where's Your Wife," "Palmy Days," "Boys WiU Be Boys', "Five O'clock", "Civilian Clothes", and "Scandal". With few exceptions, these are all -hits. Several conclusions may be drawn from the facts as set down. Producers Of the big musical Shows say there is no money in it If the large casts are paid extra. Yet, In the face of this, is the fact that Cohan and Harris, Dill- ingham and the Selwyns will give nine performances of musical productions. The Shuberts and Cort seem tar be a special hold-out in this contention, but "The little Blue Devil", like several other shows which are produced inde- pendently but are under special Shubert guidance, will play the extra matinee. Those managers who give the regular ' Wednesday matinee and also gave one yesterday, will have to pay according to the equity contract one eight of a weeks salary to each performer. "MAGIC MELODY" LOOKS GOOD New Haven, Oct. 81.—After The Magic Melody, which opened here this week, has played Us Introductory road engagements and has been pruned, trlmed and refashioned in parts by its stage managers, the production should return to Broojdway and win the dis- tinction of being the musical he of the season. To begin with, the new piece has a real story replete vrfth delightfully funny lines for Its plot basis, and its musical setting ie far by the best that Slgmunrt Romberg has so far produced. It. presentation n quires the work of real actors and actresses and, through- out the entire production, the staging is excellent, particularly the last two scenes. There Is a large chorus, good to look upon, and well gowned and which leaves nothing lacking when it comes to singing and dancing. The story, which is more than color- fall, la woven about a Sicilian-vendetta arisity over the loss of busbars) and child and the oath of the stricken mother to have her revenge. Compli- plicatlons set in, and just as she is ready for her revenge, she finds that her long lost son is in love with the daughter of the man whom she is striving to ruin. Ultimately, of course, love wins and all ends well, as it al- ways should In a musical comedy. In the able hands of Tom McNaugh- toa, as a laughable Englishman, the •fun of the production has been placed. There are scenes In which his work will have to he cut down, but, as a whole, he is extremely foany. As a war correspondent, Earle Ben- ham was the life of the party, singing, klaneing and acting in xcellent form. Flavia Arcaro, as a widow from Salt Lake City, wis delightful to look upon and refreshingly runny. Carmel Meyers made a bewitching Sophie ajd Benee DeWng, In the character of Isabelle, was splendid. Julia Dean was also seen to advantage. "LETTY ARRIVES" TOO TALKY Washington, Oct 81.—Except for the quality of its dialogue and the author's praise-worthy refusal to delve into bed-room farce for a setting, Washington found little to enthuse over in Sydney Rosenfeld's Letty Ar rives, which had a showing at the Gar- rick tills week under L. Lawrence We- ber's management. The theme is quite commonplace though that might not mitigate badly against the chances of the piece had it been handled with better craftsmanship. Sosenfeld, 'however, has drowned his production in dialogue. His situations stumble over each other and are devel- oped in a manner which would be re- garded as exercrable by Prof. Brander Matthews. The production reaches crescendo early in the development of the plot and there is no force left for a cumulative punch at the climax. The story concerns the successful ef- fort of a girl's forgotten love to trick her into becoming interested! again. The means in which this end Is brought about are decidedly sophomoric and unworthy If the name of drama. Clara Joel, though possible a little out of key in her present character, bandies the role of unconventional, self-willed girl, with a conviction that is commendable considering the handi- casp of the part Louis Kimball, in the opposite role, is badly miscast Mont Bmns does little with a very un- necessary role and the same goes for Robert Ober, opposite hex, though he captured, the evening's eontttJy honors. Others in the cast are Ida Waterman, Albert Gran, and George Vivian. NORA BAYES WINS An injunction suit started here by Nora Bayes in the Supreme Court last week against H. H. Frazee and the Cort Theatre, of Chicago which he con- trols, was settled last Saturday after- noon following Judge Giegerich'a an- nouncement the day before that he would issue a temporary Injunction. On Saturday, Frazee notified Nathan Burkan, Miss Bayes' attorney, that he would not interfere with her occupancy of the theatre, beginning Nov. 17, with her musical show, "Lalddes First" Ladies ESrst was produced a year ago last September by Frazee, with Nora Bayes the star player. Last No- vember, Miss Bayes bought the show from Frazee, paying lilui$ 10,000 for the production. She claims that she also entered into a booking agreement with him at that time for the presentation of the show at the Cort Theatre in Chicago this season. She is on the road now with the show and, in accord- ance with the alleged agreement, was. scheduled to open at the Cort on the 17th of this month. . However, Frazee has produced an- other musical play this season called "My Lady Friends," with Clifton Craw- ford the featured player. This pre- duction is also on the road at present, Frazee claiming that by reason of the conjested booking conditions he is un- able to find a theatre here to house his newest show and that he is up against the same condition in Chicago. So he decided to put My Ladies Friends into the theatre he controls in the windy city, opening Nov. 17th, Nora Bayes' alleged booking agreement for that date notwithstanding. He notified Miss Bayes in Buffalo to that effect. Frazee's plans did not suit her ap, parently. From Buffalo she telephoned Nathan Burkan, her lawyer, and ex- plained to him the details of the al- leged booking agreement with Frazee. He, in turn, advised her concerning her legal remedy in the matter and In- structed her to forward to him at once all the written data she had apprised him of over the 'phone. Tola was a week ago last Friday. The following morning Burkan re- ceived the written data from Miss Bayes. That same day he had pre- pared and forwarded to her for sig- nature, motion papers necessary in an application to the Supreme Court for a temporary injunction. These papers she received by mail a week ago last Monday, executed them in Buffalo Im- mediately and for ward <*l them back to Burkan the same day. He received the papers a week ago last Tuesday, had Judge Gavegan sitting in Special Term part Two, sign &n order to show cause why a temporary injunction should not he granted, the motion being returnable in Special Term Part One before Judge Giegerlcu last Friday morning, and had Frazee served with the pipers that same Tuesday. Last Friday, Frazee not being re- presented in court before Judge Gie- gerich, the judge indicated that he would grant the injunction by default. It was while Burkan was preparing to submit a restraining order to the Judge for the tatter's signature that Frazee decided not to oppose Miss Bayes' plans to bring her show to his Chicago house. HILL REPRESENTS WHITNEYS H. P. Hill has been appointed general business representative in New York for B. C. Whitney and general manager for F. C. Whitney. Both the Whitneys contemplate considerable activity dur- ing the next sear on. BILLIARD CONTEST STARTS The annual billiard tournament held by members.of the Green Room, con- ducted in the billiard room of the club, began last Saturday night More than 100 pairs were entered for the elimina- tions, a laTger number than everbefore, and. as a result, it will take possibly six weeks before the finals are played. Last year the tournament lasted a few days over four weeks. BOSTON OPERA CO. ORGANIZING Boston, Mass,., Nov. 3.—The Boston English Grand Opera Company will be- gin a season of twelve weeks next Mon- day, under the direction of Edward M. Beck. The principals of the company are Joseph Sheeban, tenor, Hazel Eden, soprano, Stanley Deacon, baritone, El- brine de Sellem, contralto, Harold J. Gels, basso. There will be a chorus of fifty se- lected singers, and an orchestra of twenty-five musicians. DENTIST SUES ASHLEY A Judgement amounting to $246.51 was recovered last week against Ar- thur Ashley, the actor and motion picture director. Ashley was sued in the Seventh Di- strict Municipal Court by Dr. J. A. Klein, a Washington Heights dentist, who alleged in his complaint that bet- ween July 25. 1917 ind Feburary 28, 1918, he performed professional ser- vices for both Ashley and his wife, afterward sending a bill for $220. Ash- ley, apparently, failed to take cogni- zance of the b!il renldered by the den- tist and the judgement by default last week, which included interest and costs, was the result GERSTEN SUED FOR $5,000 Failure to piy a note alleg ed to bare been made by him almost five years ago, resulted last week In a Judgement being rendered in the Bronx Supreme Court against Frank Gersten, the Bronx theatre builder and manager, for $5485.67. According to the complaint filed in the action, brought against Gersten by the Bronx National Bank, he made the note November 16, 1914, promising to pay the bank $5000 thirty days there- after. From time to time, as the note fell due, the bank continued to renew It Recently, however, the note was protested for non-payment, a suit being instituted thereafter, and list wees a judgement for the full amount plus interest and costs was rendered by de- fault, against Gersten. SAYS WHITING BIT HIM Bill Halllgan is nursing a badly lace- rated cheek as the result of an en- counter with George Whiting which se- cured at the Fifty Club on Friday night. Halllgan Insists that the gash In his cheek was caused by Whiting's teeth and that the affair was entirely unprovoked. According to. several persons who witnessed the affair, the trouble was caused by a remark made by Whiting to'which Halllgan objected. It was repeated and Halllgan demanded an apology. At the same moment the men fell into a Clinch and when friends pulled them apart the blood was spurt- ing from HaUlgon's* cheek and he was shouting "He bit me." The matter was hushed np in so far as possible and both men left the' club. Halllgan is a husky spedman of manhood with a reputation of being able to take of himself under any con- ditions and: friends of both men feared a renewal of hostilities when they met again. On Saturday night Whiting located Halllgan. by phoae and apol- ogized for his part in the fray and also stated that he had not the slightest recollection of the matter. Halllgan after receiving the message grinned and said: Well, If he has for- gotten it I guess a can afford to do the same. REHEARSE "ABRAHAM LINCOLN" William Harris has placed "Abraham Lincoln" In rehearsal under the direc- tion of Lester Lonengan. P. Paul Jones is one of the first members of the cast chosen. CONGDON KILLED IN ACCIDENT San Fb&ncisco, Cal., Nov. 2.—E. W. Congdon, well known booking, agent, who, far the last ten years, has beea booking manager for the Bert Levy Circuit was killed in an auto accident to-day while motoring through San Bamardlno, on his way home from a seven weeks business trip.