The New York Clipper (January 1920)

January 28, 1920 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER START CLUB TO COMBINE COUNTRY' S 5,000 P RESS AGENTS Publicity Representatives of Big Interests Believe Closer Asso- ciation Will Make Work of Each Individual Member More Effective The business of being a theatrical press agent will attain a new dignity shortly if plans of the National Publicity Club, organized last week by a group of the foremost publicity directors in this coun- try, materialize. One of the principal aims of the new organization, which will probably amend its name soon from "club" to "associa- tion," is to make the profession of dis- seminating news a nationally recognized one; to remove the taint of disbelief that seems to attach to at least the theatrical branch of the profession and to create new and closer relationships between pub- licity folk, the public and the pres3.. In general. The club was organized last week at a meeting held in the rooms of the Ad- vertising Club, 47 East Twenty-fifth street, where an initial membership of thirty-three was established, twenty- eight men and five women, and officers and directors for the ensuing year elected. The club's officers are: Elmer Leffingwell, na- tional publicity director for the Salvation Army, president; Pitt P. Hand, publicity director of the New York Central B, B,, vice-president; Rath By era, head of the Phoenix Publicity Bureau, secretary; R. W. McCullock, treasurer. The directors are, Larkin G. Meade, of the National Catholic'Council; Tyler Dennett, head of the Methodist Endowment Campaign; Ed. A Goewey, newspaper man and magazine writer; C. S. Clark, of the Inter-Church World Movement; Brace Barton, magazine editor and publicity man; Lucy White, of Cleveland, and James R. CrowelL Thus far, no out-and-out theatrical pub- licity men 'or women are included in the membership of the club, but, in the drive for a membership of 1,000, which is to begin shortly, it being estimated that there are at least 5,000 people in this country who are earning a livelihood through the dissemination of publicity, the club expects to add to its roster a ma- jority of the theatrical press representa- tives in this country. The amount of yearly dues has, as yet, not been fixed, but the initiation fee has been fixed at $10 for the first year. It is only within comparatively recent years that the profession of disseminating publicity has attained any sort'of stand- ing, or dignity in this country. The evo- lution of the present day publicity man, who figures prominently in national poli- tics, as well as campaigns for raising mil- lions, dates from the old days when he was wont to be a sort of literary circus bally-hooer. Gradually, his services were sought by theatrical manager, producer and impressario, until now, almost every conceivable sort of public or private under- taking resorts to publicity, through the medium of the so-called press agent. OPERA HAS $200,000 SALE It was announced early this week at tie offices of John Brown, genera] manager here of the Chicago Opera Company, that the organization has already sold seventy- five per cent of the subscription seats for the five-week season at the Trfrington that began on Monday. The money tiros far realized on the engagement, it was stated, amounts to almost $200,000. The gross receipts here for the entire engagement will be, it is estimated, up- wards of $250,000, in which event the or- ganization, subsidized by the board of di- rectors, especially Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. McCormick, will not lose as much here as it baa in. previous seasons. These losses have been variously estimated to be from $100,000 to $200,000 each season. The greatest item ot, expense which this operatic organization has to contend with is that of traveling. The many carloads of props and scenery which the organisation carries, because of the thirty operas in-its repertoire, together, with the huge person- nel, whose carfare must be paid, has, more thin anything else, militated against it being free from loss. The opening opera at the Lexington, on Monday night, was "Love of Three Kings," which was substituted for "Norma,"- be- cause of the Indisposition of Boaa Raisa, the featured diva. TO MAKE ORIENTAL COMEDIES The Ko-Ko-Komedies, a new motion picture corporation has been formed, with executive offices at 220 West Forty- second street. The officers of the com- pany are: H. Tatar, president; L Epstein, secretary, and S. Dnshey, treasurer. Salem Ko-Ko, late jester to the Kedlve of Egypt, will be featured, and Birdie Green has been engaged to be starred. The studio will be located at Neptune avenue and Twentieth street, Coney Island. RENT GREENWICH THEATRE J. Murray Anderson and his producing associates last week consummated nego- tiations for the Greenwich Village The- atre, which they will occupy for a period of eight weeks beginning March 5, when their newest musical show, "What's in a Name" is scheduled to open at the little playhouse. The rental they will pay is approximately $700 a week. It was also learned last week, that Harry B. Smith has written scenes for the piece. WILLIAMS REHEARSING PLAT . John D. Williams has placed in rehearsal a new play by Eugene O'Neill called "Be- yond the Horizon. 7 Richard Bennett wfll have the leading role, and it is said the piece "wi'-l.be produced within two we«ik» at the ^zfoibscp Theatre, at special mati- GTvTNC UP LEASE It became known last week when the "Greenwich Village Follies" leaves the Nora Bayeg Theatre next Saturday night, the producers, the Bohemians, Inc., will also relinquish a lease they hold on the theatre, which does not expire until' next October. The Shuberts will take back the theatre, and have booked into the house "My Gol- den Girl," Victor Herbert's newest musical show which Harry Wardell produced, and in which, it is said, the composer and Walter Jordan, of Sanger and Jordan, are jointly interested. The consideration which led the Green- wich show's producers to relinquish - the lease, quite a valuable one at this time, is, it is said, the satisfactory booking m the larger cities which the Shuberts nave arranged for the show. HAS $75,000 ADVANCE SALE . Montreal, Can, Jan. 22. "Chu Chin Chow" opened a two weeks' engagement here Monday night at His Majesty's The- atre, with an advance sale totaling $75,000. CHORUS GIRL GETS CONTRACT Jeannette Dietrich, the youthful and prancing chorus girl who "Tan away" with "My Golden Girl," which Harry Wardell produced and which comes into the Nora Bayea Theatre Feb. 2, has been placed under, a long-term contract because of the hit she has made. Up to the time the showed opened m Atlantic .City tile young show girl had been receiving a weekly salary of $10, but this sum has now been increased almost twofold. An interesting feature in connection with Miss Dietrich's rather unexpected rise is the fact that, although audiences had acclaimed her because of her pixy- like cavorting from the moment the show opened in Stamford two weeks before it went to Atlantic City, nobody connected with the show, least of all herself, seemed to realize that audiences were clamoring for her every time she appeared. In the latter city, however, it was divined, and she acknowledged the acclaim by coming forward and bowing. The newspaper re- viewers, always glad to herald something new .and refreshing on the stage, did tut rest for her. Since her hit, it became known last week Wardell has had considerable diffi- culty in. holding several of the female principals in the company, these latter saving served notice of leaving because of jealousy, as was openly admitted by GALLO OPENING IN FRISCO San Francisco, Jan. 26.—The San Carlo Grand Opera Company, under the direction of Fortune Gallo, will open a two weeks' run here, bestaning February 2, at the Curran Theatre. '* '.\ TYLER REHEARSING SEA PLAT ,. George Tyler stjarted this week to re- hearse "Chris," by Eugene O'Neill, with two .well-known players as co-stars. The play is a tale of the sea. BROAD HURST PLAY LOOKS GOOD Syracuse, Jan. 22.—"The Wonderful Thing," a comedy in three acts by Mrs. Lillian Trimble Bradley, founded on a story by Forrest Halsey, was presented here, this week, by George Broadbnrst at the Wieting Theatre. The play sets forth the love, story of a rich girl and an Eng- lishman of family. It is deftly constructed and with Jeanne Eagles In the featured role proves to be a wholly delightful piece. The characters are Just what one would expect to find. It is English in setting, but win please American audiences. Donald Mannerhy, eldest son of an es- tablished English family, meets the rich Jacqueline Laurentie and she falls in love with him. But there is no love on his part. She comes into the TftwgTi^K family Jost when he is trying to raise 2,000 pounds to get his younger brother out of a scrape. Practically she proposes to him and he marries her so that a blackmailer will ac- cept his note for the money. She is hsppy until she finds oat that he married her for her money. With it all, however, she helps the fam- ily and makes the best of things. In this, Jean Eagles displays considerable person- ality and talent. Gordon Ash was the English husband and Henry Duff his brother. Others were Olive Temple, Gladys Maude, Jane Marbury and Philip Dun- ning. LEVYIS AND LENIGAN LOSE The application made in the Supreme Court by" Jack Lenigan and Ted Lewis for the appointment of a temporary re© of the Montmartre and Bal Tabarin res- taurants, was denied last week by Justice Platziek, 'before whom the motion was argued Lenigan and Lewis have an action pending against "Paul Salvin, Jimmy Thompson and Gil Boag to. es t a bli s h their alleged interest in the two restaurants in . the Winter Garden premises.. They claim tHey are partners with the defendants un- til last fall, when they received certain moneys from the defendants in exchange for a general release which they did not know they were signing at the time. The application for a receivership was made co-incident with the filing of the suit seeking to establish their interest. la the action, Lenigan and Lewis are also seeking an accounting. T. M. A. BENEFIT SET New Havet, Conn., Jan. 24.—The The- atrical Mutual Association, compo s ed of. the employees of the various theatres in town, wfll. give their annual -benefit, per- formance at The Palace. Tpeatre ob Feb- 15. The benefit ia for the sick and death fond of the brotherhood. TO SUE BESSIE McCOY DAVIS That legal redress will be sought by the producers of the "Greenwich Village Fol- lies" against Bessie McCoy, for what they claim to be a breach of contract on her part, was announced last week by Mor- ris Green, secretary of the Bohemians, Inc., the corporation under whose name the-.shjow was-produced. Green's announcement followed the action of Miss McCoy-Davis two weeks ago Saturday, when she gave notice that she would not go on the road with the show, scheduled to close at the Nora Bayea Theatre next Saturday night. According to Green, the matter has al- ready been placed in the hands of the corporation's attorneys, House, Grossman and Vorhaus who, after a conference with attorneys representing Miss Davis, were unable to get her to go out with the show on the road. A complaint lodged against her with Fidelity, of which organization she is a member, was taken up personally by Howard Kyle, one of the chief execu- tives of the organization, but his efforts, too, Green says, failed to make the dancer change her mind. While no injunctive relief wfll be sought, Green says that the producing cor- poration will ultimately seek to be re- imbursed, at least for the excess sum they will be forced to pay to Frances White, who has taken her place, and also Mabelle Jaunnay, whom it was necessary to en- gage especially for the cameo number, in which Miss Davis appeared. Green declared that, last April, a writ- ten contract was entered into between the Bohemians, Inc., and Miss Davis, under the terms of which she agreed to appear in the "Greenwich Village Follies" during the run of the show both here and on ths road. The contract, It is claimed, was not to expire until June of tills year. Ha says that the principal consideration. In the agreement, under the terms of which she received $400 weekly while the show was at the Greenwich Village Theatre and $800 weekly since the showed moved up- town, was that she would appear with it on the road. At tile present time Miss Davis is ap- pearing in the "Midnight Whirl," atop the Century, where it is said the is receiving a weekly salary, of $000 from Morris Gest. She closed with the "Greenwich" show last week, and an understudy had to take her place. Incidentally, It is reported that the "Greenwich" show i» having difficulty in finding suitable show girls, even at $80 and $60 a week, to go on the road in place of those who have decided to quit, of which there.are a goodly number. PUP ON NEW FOREIGN PLAY Boston, Jan. 28.—With "Tom Jones," a comedy in three acts, the Henry Jsnstt Players have added another production to their.already long list of foreign plays to be presented In this country for the first time. This piece, which came to the Cop- ley Theatre this week, la thoroughly Brit- ish, setting forts eighteenth century man- ners and costumes. The action takes place in Somersetshire, Wmrlsnd. The bells of the shire, according to the plans of her father, the squire, la destined to marry a student of moral philosophy. Needless to say. she has other plans, for she Is in lore, and Is loved by one Tom Jones. Her flat refusal to marry the mor- alist, leads .to a family quarrel and tie girl leaves for London to enlist the aid of her cousin. The rejected suitor, though a stud en t of - moral philosophy, does not aflow Ma philosophy to interfere with Ms morals and succeeds in throwing the Warns of the affair, which should be his, upon Tom, who, in turn, is disowned by. Ms guardian, ; upon whom he Is entirely dependent He, - too, goes to London to make Ms fortune and to find the gtrL The rest coma to. London to find them both, and the plot, after many ingenious twists, comes to a happy .end. The play, a well-balanced ana, was well ; staged and costumed with a careful regard. for detafl. - Percy Wnnun played tit* role. of Tom Jones and- Jatta Chtopesdela, ,s> new member of the Jewett players, th* part of the girt. .,