The New York Clipper (January 1920)

January 7, 1920 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER RECONCILIATION IMPOSSIBLE, KLAW MO VES FROM O LD OFFICE After Turning Down Overture* to Become Affiliated With the Shubert and Other Interests, He Establishes New Quarters and Aligns Self With Big Moneyed Film Expansion After repeated efforts made by their mutual friends since the actors' strike ended, to Bring Marc Saw and A. L. Erlanger together, failure has resulted, and Marc KJaw last week removed all his belongings from the New Amsterdam Theatre building to the Empire Theatre building, from where he will conduct such theatrical business as he has mapped oat for himself. All possibility ofa recon- ciliation is now considered to have been swept away. This move on the part of Klaw was a popular topic of conversation along Broadway early this week, and many re- ports of his future activities were cur- rent. It is said that Klaw now plans, in ad- dition to his other theatrical activities, to ifly himself strongly with the Famous Plarers-Laekj- Corporation, with which company he is already allied through a block of stock he is known to hold. This stock he acquired in exchange for trans- ferring his holdings in Charles Frohman, Inc., to the Famous Players, the holdings in both companies that changed hands being held in escrow by the Empire Trust Company. Mr. Klaw will produce a number of legitimate plays, work on the selection of casta, etc., already being under way, but the big ideas that actuated the film people in their recent expansion are entirely in keeping with his own broad plana, and his energies will, it is said, become more and more entcrtwined with theirs as the weeks pass by. In fact, it would not be sur- prising if he would take over the direc- tion of producing many scripts each year, the legitimate rights to be held and con- trolled by himself, but, with the arrange- ment that the film company, in which be holds an interest, get them for screen privileges as soon as available. In this manner, the vast experience ui Mr. Klaw, acquired during the years that he fought to make the term "K. & E." stand for what was best in the theatrical business of America, could be utilized to the utmost advantage, both for himself and the film company. Since the split with his partner of thirty years' standing came, many efforts have been made to interest Mr. Klaw in other theatrical firms, the chief one having been put forth by the Shuberta. Congress- man Joseph L. Shinock, affiliated with the bitter, having done bis best to swing him over to that organization. Mr. Klaw is said to have figured, though, that such a thing could never be, and turned his ear to the voices of big money interests which wished to acquire the benefit of his ' theatrical sagacity if not the pres- tige of Mb name. The Famous-Players- Lasky connection is said to have been the result. WANTS MORE ALIMONY John T, Gregory, stage manager 'of "Scandal," who in private life is known as John T. Carroll, last week, in the Supreme Court, opposed a motion of his wife seek- ing an increase in alimony, payment of alleged arrears and custody of her eon, James. Mrs. Carroll, in her motion, asked an increase from the $10 a week allowance awarded ber last year when she was granted a divorce. She now wants $30 weekly. Mrs. Carroll asks further that her husband be committed for contempt of court, because of his alleged failure to pay her the $10 weekly allowed her at the time of her divorce. Carroll opposed the motion, denying that be waa in ar- rears and tusking that bis son James be left in his custody, and that the mother see him one day a month in his presence. Justice Vernon M. Davis referred the matter to Justice Mullan, who heard the original case and granted an interlocutory decree of divorce. FRIARS GOING TO COAST The next Friars' Frolic, to be given early in June, will, after its New York showing, make a trip to the Pacific Coast, playing all the principal cities on the way out and back. Ca.pt. Jack Gleason abbot of the club, leaves for the Coast next week and will complete arrange- ments for the Frolic, showing in all the big cities. About 150 Friars will be seen in the big travelling Frolic. JACK BRATTON ILL Jack Bratton, the song-writing member of the firm of Leffler and Bratton, is ill at his home in Brooklyn from an attack of branchitis that has kept him in bed for several days. ..*.-''■ WRITING BILLIE BURKE PIECE . W. Somerset Maughn is now writing his fourth comedy for Billie Burke. The three he has already written for her are "Mrs. Dot," "The Land of Promise" and "Caesar's Wife/* MANY NOTED SHOW FOLKS DIED Many persona of note and prominence died during the last year, and the list in- cludes a considerable number of those prominent in the show world in one way or other. Among the latter are the fol- lowing: Abbott, Bessie, 41, singer, New York, Feb. 9; Abeles, Edward, 49, actor, New York, July 10; Aronson, Rudolph, 61, com- poser. New York Feb. 4: Blossom, Henry, playwright, 62, New York, March 23;. Campanini, Cleofonte, 50, opera director, Dec 10; Cooper, Frank Kemble, 62, actor, New York, Dec. 27, 1918; Drew, Sidney, 54, actor, New York, April 0; Goodwin, Nat' C, 63, actor, New York, Jan. 31; 'Hammerstein, Oscar, 72, manager, New York, Aug. 1; Hull, Shelley, 34, actor, New York, Jan. 14; Irving, H. B., 49, actor, London, Oct. 17; Jacobs, J. W., 58, manager, New York, Feb. 6; Jefferson, J. W., 50, actor, New York, May 8; King, John P., dramatist, Augusta, Ga., May 19; Lackaye, Jas. M., 52, actor, New York, June 8; Lackaye, Mrs. Wilton (Alice Evans), actress, Long Branch, Aug. 5; Leoncavallo, R., 63, composer, Borne, Italy, Aug. 9; Mason, John, 60, actor, Stamford. Conn., Jan. 12; Parti Adeline, 74. prima donna, Wales, Sept. 27; Primrose, Geo. H., 67, minstrel, San Diego, Cal., July 23; Ringling, Alf. T., 56, circus owner, Oak Ridge, N. J., Oct. 21; Rock, Charles, 63, actor, London, July 12; Schirmer, Rudolph E., 60, music publisher, New York, Aug. 20; Stern, Ben, 59, manager, New York, March 27; Thompson, Fred C, 46, produce, New York, June 6; Thompson, Lb A., 71, ' amusement devices, Glen Cove, March 4; - Wilcox, Ella Wheeler, 64, Short Beach, Conn., Oct. 30. WHITESIDE BAGGAGE LOST San Francisco, Jan. 4.—The opening performance of Walker Whiteside in "The Master of Ballantrae" did not take place, as booked, on December 22d, at the Columbia Theatre. Owing to the bite ar- rival of trains and delay in delivery of baggage, the play was postponed and opened on December 24th. GALLO JOINS MRS. HAM MERS T EI N Fortune Gallo, im^resax^c of the Saa Carlo Grand Opera and Gallo English Opera Companies, -aril! join with Mrs. Oscar Hammerstein in presenting her con- templated season.of .grand opera at the Manhattan Opera House, following the expiration of Morris Gest'a lease on the property on September l«t, it waa learned this week Under the new agreement Mrs. Ham- merstein and Gallo will be partners in the venture and the partnership is to con- tinue for a period of ten yean. The season will be inaugurated by a limited presentation of grand opera by the Gallo companies, which will be followed by runs of the Sir Thomas .fieeenam and Carl Roaa Opera Companies from London, together with other foreign attractions.' The Manhattan Opera Bouse la to be renovated and redecorated next Summer end several structural charges made. The roof garden is to b^ made into a glass- covered enclosure available bot bin Sum- mer and Winter for concerts, and recitals. Sunday concerts will be gives in the au- ditorium proper. The bouse will be under the management of George Blumenthal. OLD THEATRE TO BE LOFT The property at 17 to 23 John street was at one time known as the John Street Theatre. That was from 1766 to 1798. During the latter year the theatre was partly destroyed and left- that way. The property was then rebuilt in biter years and a small office building erected, with the theatre as the basis of construc- tion. The Exchange Buffet Corporation has now acquired the property and will build a skyscraper there as high aa the law will allow. The ground floor and basement of the new building win be used by them. The theatre was in the rear of the alley just east of Broadway on the north side of John street. CICCOUNI TO MARRY AGAIN Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 5.—Guide Cie- colini, the operatic tenor - who recently appeared in vaudeville and his wife,, are to go through the marriage ceremony for the third time on Jan. 8. This waa as- nounced by Ciccolini, who believes that all parties entering into, a matrimonial contract should have three ceremonies per- formed. They were married for the first time on May 3, 1919, and then again a few months later. FIND CATS PETRIFIED . PorjGHKEEPsiE,. Jan.. 4.—The bodies of two petrified cats were fonnd by carpen- ters while repairing the floor of the Acad- emy of Music at Beacon, near here. At the time the floor was bud, over 'fifty years ago, the cats must-have been walled in by the builders. The bodies were as hard as flint, but life-like. WOODS PICKS BARA PLAY . The vehicle in which Theda Bara, screen star and former stock actress, it to be starred has been chosen by A. E Woods. It is a melodrama in three acts, by George V. Hobart and Julian wniard. The play, which goes into rehearsal shortly, is called "The Lost .Soul." ELSIE JAMS ILL Suffering from nervous strain brought on by overwork, Elsie Janis will end her engagement at the George M. Cohan The- atre in two weeks, and take an indefinite rest at her home in Tarrytown. After that she.wiB tour for a time and then appear in a revue in London. TIMBERG RENAMES SHOW Herman Timberg has renamed his musical, show, originally a vaudeville tab- loid called "Chicken Chow Mein" to "Round the Town." Hattie Darling, wife of Herman Becker, and Timberg'a sWter, will be in the cast. REHEARSE 'THE CAT BTRD'' "The Cat Bird," in which John Draw win appear in the leading role, has-been placed in rehearsal by Arthur Hopkins. "FOLLIES" HAS $44,000 WEEK CHICAGO, Jan. 4.—The Follies drew $30,045 to the Colonial week before last and upwards of $44,000 last week. MRS. HARRIS BUYS ANOTHER "The Proper Spirit," a comedy by WB- lard Robertson and KBbourn Gordon, authors of "When a Man's a Man," wfll be produced by lira. Henry B. Harris, who is also producing their other piay. It win open in the early part of next season. NEW WOODS PIECE POLITICAL Washington, D. C, Jan. 6.—The author of "Common Clay," in the new play shown at the Garrick Theatre last night, dis- closes at. least a persistent point of view toward social motives and morals. Cloves Kinkaid doea not conceive the need of the times to be a Rooseveltian toxic against hue and easy-going action, but makes it his true task as a dramatist to prove that stern and rigid moral decisions should bet tampered with the milk of charity. In "The Mood of the Moon" Kinkaid chooses the political field for the instilla- tion of his doctrine. The governor of » State is his hero and the pardoning power is made the effective instrument of a dra- matic conflict of motives. When an ap- peal is-made to the executive to pardon a political friend charged with tile wrong use of public funds, he displays an admir- able, integrity and firmness of purpose, though his refusal may mean the loss of an essential vote for the United States Senatorahip. But when his wife is threat* ened with arrest for murder, he sees Mr. Kinkaid'a light and pardon's not only her but the embezzler, and the party caucus cheerily rewards him with unanimous nomination for the Senate. The playwright reaches the moral cli- max through a series of loosely knitted, episodic scenes, some of which are of keen human interest, while one or two are thrilling. Considered by itself, each scene has constructive merit. The opening act, in which the village teacher, whom the governor seeks to marry, shoots her rural lover, makes a Utile tragedy of its own. But the machine, as a whole, seems clumsily erected for its purpose. The cast is remarkable for the variety and excellence of the actors selected for the male parts, many of which belong only to single short scenes. Charles Gott- hold is very good throughout. Edmund Gurney will, achieve distinction in the part if he will tone down his acting just a shade or two. Romaine Callender, En- mett Shackelford, Charles Bunnel, Harold Heaton, Ethan Allen and Guy Nichols are among those who do wonders with brief appearances. Miss Kate Morgan, aa Abbie Prewitt, has an interesting and humanly-appealing role.. The part of the governor's school ma'am swetheart, biter bis wife, does not offer sufficient opportunity to warrant the engagement of a Jane Cowl, and it may simply be said that this has not been done. 'Alma Ten, however, is very pleas- ant mannered and agreeable to look upon. SETTLE EQUITY CASE The Shuberta settled then- first differ- ence with.the Actons' Equity Association last week when Opal Esaent, a former member of the "Gaieties of 1010," re- ceived two checks', one from the Producing Managers' Association for (60 and one from the Winter Garden for $33. Miss Essent waa discharged from the "Gaieties" without notice, and with several other members ol the company took up her complaint with the Equity. The settlement was made by J. J. Shubert for one week's salary only. The Man- agers' Association paid the difference, be- lieving that the players were entitled to two weeks' notice. COHAN ANNOUNCES 1ST PIECE George M. Cohan win enter the field of individual production with a new Ameri- can farce called "The Celebrated Chums," based on Patterson Gibbs' "Madeleine and the Movies." The premiere will take place out of town this month. Cohan is per- sonally selecting the cast. SEND SCRIPT TO PUCCINI The book and sketches of David Be- lasco's production of the "Son-Daughter" were list week dispatched to Giaeomo Puccini in Italy, who will compose the operatic version. EMILY STEVENS REHEARSING George C. Tyler has placed "Sophia," a new comedy by Philip Moeller for Emily Stevens, in rehearsal and announces an early opening.