The New York Clipper (January 1920)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER January 28, 1920 FREAK MUSEUM, IKE BARNUM'S, OPENS TO GET BDWT QUARTERS 'Zip,' Eli Bowen, Mile. Gilbert, the Fat Lady, and Others Now Exhibited on Bar Where Sam Dolliver Once Sold 'Tall Ones" at a Dime Prohibition can be indirectly credited for the return of a dime museum on Broadway. The Living Curio Palace, as this place is known, is housed in what was once Sam Dolliver'H Globe Cafe. With the advent of prohibition, the cafe closed and Dolliver, with Fred W. Lanham. a well- known museum man in the Middle West, decided to open a museum. Accordingly, the place was remodeled to rait its new conditions and the freak show installed. The old bar now serves as the platform upon which the freaks sit in view of the curious and eager public. Lanham, who has conducted museums throughout the Middle "West, has placed an - admission price of twenty-five cents on his place and is conducting it on original lines. Every- thing is spotlessly clean,, no- smoking is allowed, no nasty language tolerated. Several reasons have been-ascribed'' for the disappearance of the freak museum, but the best one is that several' years ago the big maternity hospitals decided that, rather than let a child born deformed, live and suffer, .they Would' give it what is known'aS ''the blade bottle;" and tell the mdth'er it died naturally. The continued practice of this resulted'in the decline of a certain species'of freaks. The list- of freaks on exhibition" here contain the names of real ola timers, some of whom were with the original P. T. Barnum show. For instance, there is "Zip," the original "What is it," who has been on exhibition for sixty years, and who, after that time, has finally succeeded in getting on Broadway. Then there is' Walter Cole, the living skeleton, five feet ten and one-half inches in height, who weighs forty-nine pounds; Eli Bowen, seventy-five years of age, who was born without legs, but with two perfect feet and Mile. Gilbert, the bearded lady, who have been sitting side by side in museums and side shows for the past thirty years. Alice Cherry, the 005 pound fat lady, sits next to Cole and the funny part of it is that both are unmarried. Lottie, the tattooed girl, will show you any kind of a picture you want to see, provided you don't want to see too much. - Also there is Barnum's elastic rubber band man, "Rubberneck" Joe Cremer, who for the past forty years has been pulling his neck and face up arorlnd his ears. And,~ last of all, there is Serpentina, - she of the small limbs and large Head. Old time circus and museum men -will gloat over' the thought that, at last, Broadway holds to its bosom a museum of living freaks. . . "LASSIE" IS LIKED Wilmington; Jan. 24.—"Lassie," a ro- mantic' musical comedy, the first show' to be', produced by Wendell Phillips Dodge, former'Belasco press agent and Willy' Po- gani,'.the scenic artist, was presented here for* the first time last night and proved'to be a highly diverting piece. The'nook and lyrics are by. Catharine' Chisholm Cush- ing, and the music by Hugo Felix. Lassie" is the title thrown around the life of a Scottish Cinderella. The scenes are set in' Scotland and in the home of her lover's father, in London. While here her dream of temporary happiness is shat- tered, and Lassie is seen at her best. The Scottish atmosphere, with its droll subtle lines of wit, affords numerous momenta of laughter, and there was ample opportun- ity for clever acting that won the ap- plause of the first night audience. The musical setting is all that could be desired, in that it is tuneful and appro- priate never once becoming reminiscent. The beat songs- are "Lassie" and "The Piper of Dundee." There are. numerous dances by Dorothy .Dickson,- Carl Hyson and Olga Ziceva and Ruth Rollins. The latter team - presented • a Scottish dance that was particularly good. Tessa Koala acted and sang the part of the Scotch Cinderella with- the' natural' win- sameness and sweet caroling of unaffected girlhood. Molly Pearson provoked many quiet laughs in her role of the prim Scotch maid of uncertain orthodoxy and years. James Harrod and Roland Bottomley acted, sang and danced in. good grace' in the principal male, roles.. Others in the cast were Louis Emery, Gladys Lehphere, Ralph Naxin, Perdval Vivian, Irving Mil- ler, Irene Truesdale, David' Glaasfdrd and Lazar Hermon. WOODS-RAMBEAU CASE SETTLED -The injunction suit -which A. H. Woods instituted in 'the' Supreme Court, through Nathan Burkan, against Mariorie Ram- beau, will probably be w ithdr a wn this week, following a settlement. Under the terms of the settlement, • Miss Rambean will continue appearing in motion pic- tures, as she is doing at present, for the balance of this season, birt early next fall win appear in a new play to be produced by Woods. And, thereafter, for the next two- seasons she vrill continue appearing in Woods' plays ht'-aeeoTdanee- with thei terms of her contract. WILLIAM MOORE PATCH SUED A judgment amounting to $1,600.85 which was-entered here last week against William Moore Patch, in favor 'of Alfred G. .Fontana, has to do with the former's theatrical activities in Pittsburgh, last year, when' he managed the Fort Pitt Theatre there. ' The action was brought on a promissory note for $1,500, which, it is alleged, Patch gave as security on a loan made to him by Fontana about a year ago. It is said that Fontana, a member of the Produce Ex- change here and who, occasionally, dabbles in theatricals and motion pictures, was interested with Patch in some of the lat- ter's theatrical projects. About a year ago, however, Patch is reported to have been pressed for cash and Fontana con- tributed to the easement. At the present time Patch is jointly in- terested with Edgar MacGregor. RIVAL ACTS HAVE FIGHT Rumors were about last week of a fight in which Billy Seabury, playing the Co- lonial, and Charley and Louis Mosconi, appearing; at the Palace, took part. The reports' said that the affair took (lace on Fifty-fourth Street, just off Broadway, after the Thursday night performance, when Seabury and Buddie Cooper, in Sea- bury's act were in a ta-rleah with two girls, one of them said to be Elsie La Mont, also in Seabury's act- For some reason, generally attributed to professional . jealousy, the Mosconi Brothers are said to have followed Sea- bury and his guests in another taxi, and, after coming to Fifty-fourth Street and Broadway, where Seabury's car stopped, jumped" out of their car and, it is said, attacked 8eabury. With the two Mosconis, was a man ".whose name' is said to be Sehoenberg, a* manufacturer of Philadel- phia, the home town of the Mosconis. ' The matter was brought up in the Keith offices before J. J. Murdoch on Friday and an effort made to straighten it out, inas- much as both acts are playing the Palace this week. MARRIED ON STAGE STrn&cuBK, N. Y., Jam 17.—Morey Y. Eastman, of -Philadelphia, and Betty Loteer.both members of the Dewitt Musi- cal Comedy Co., playing at Fisher's Thea- tre,- ffana ca Fans, were married an the stage . of that playhouse recently after the per- formance. :.J ENGAGES PEOPLE; THEN FLEES The De Luxe production Company, which" was to present a high class stock com- pany in 'Chicago is no more, having gone completely' out of existence last week. And, thereby hangs a tale. About/ a fortnight ago a well known stage director, walked into Leslie Moros- co's office and introduced another man, who confided that he was the son of a big Chicago attorney and bank president. He showed his army credentials and commis- sion. Also, he, told Morosco that he was the husband pf an actresB, whom he wished to star in her own stock company. He asked Morosco for the loan of a section of his office to use for the engaging of his company and Morosco gave it to him. The nun then secured the manuscript of "The Eyes of Youth" for his. opening play and several others to follow. He gave the American Play Company, from whom he leased the play, a draft on a Chicago bank for the royalty.due on the piece and also had them cash his personal draft for $250, drawn on the same bank. He then engaged some people for his com- pany "and had them send their trunks down to' the Pennsylvania station, at their own expense. Everything all set, and his company ready to open, the man left for Chicago, taking the stage manager with hta They were to arrange the final details and send word for the company to follow them. The only word received, however was a wire to Morosco stating that the man was purchasing the Princess Theatre, Chicajp). This aroused suspicion and, accordingly, the company was warned. About ten days went by, with the company waiting for word and none came. Attorneys then got into action; seeking to find the man, his father, or his associates. The peculiar part of the whole affair is that' no reason can be conceived for his act. He got no money from any one bnt the play company and gained nothing through crooked deals or graft. After waiting for word from the man and getting none, the folks. concerned began to get worried and their .troubles increased when both drafts given by the man were returned by the bank as no good, the bank claiming they never heard of him. The play company and attorneys for the others tried to lo- cate his father, but no one in Chicago ever heard of him. The people engaged by him put their case into the hands of The Equity. LEE SHUBERT "FRAMED" HIM War in no ton, Jan. 2 4.—A story is be- ing told here of how "My Golden Girl" and the Al Jolson show both came to be booked here the same week. Harry Wardell, owner of "My Golden Girl" and Jolson are the closest of friends— pals, in fact. Every Sunday when Jolson is on tour and playing anywhere within traveling distance of New York, he runs down to Broadway and spends Sunday eve- ning with Wardell, Marcus Loew, Lee Shubert, Ben Moss, and a few others who make up the group. At such a gathering a few weeks ago, Lee Shubert framed up a joke on Wardell. . "My Golden Girl" had been booked at the Belasco, and Lee changed the Al Jolson route, placing him in the Poli honse against the Wardell show at the Belasco. Wardell now understands what Lee meant two Sundays later when he remarked he had planned a little .surprise for him in Washington., ... . Both shows, however, did big business. .WOODS COAST SHOW OPENS Los ANGKUes, Jan. 25.—A. H. Woods' "Up in" Mabel's Room" has opened- here; with a cast which" includes Julie Ring, Dorothy .' Fox" Slayton, : Care we Carvel, Dorothy Blackburn, Jeanette Bageard, Sager Mldgley, James. No rval, Nicholas Ludals, . Frederic Clayton, and' Joseph Bingham. - BEDIM GOING TO CUBA Jean Bedini is putting on a musical show- which, when rehearsed and ready, will,go to Havana, Cuba, for a run. It Is believed . Twinkle Toes," recently pro- show. CURIOSITY OVER CRITICS Following the announcement by Frank A. Munsey that he would consolidate The New Yonr Herald, which he recently bought from the estate of the late James Gordon Bennett, with his Morning Sun, considerable interest was evinced as to what was to become of the respective dra- matic staffs. The actual merging of both papers becomes effective next Sunday, at which time there will be issued the paper to be known hereafter as "The Sun and New York Herald." At the present time, John Logan is head of both the dramatic and society departments of the Herald. He has been connected with the Herald for many years, in various capacities, it being the only paper, in fact, for which he ever worked, lie has established & reputation for fair- ness. Lawrence Reamer is the dramatic re- viewer and head of the dramatic depart- ment of the Morning Sun. He has been connected with the Sun for a number of years and is one of the best known dra- matic reviewers in New jTork. It is said in newspaper circles that in all probability both of these men will be retained by Mr. Munsey. The merger of the Morning Sun and Herald. has an ' economic" significance to theatre managers throughout the city which deserves more than passing men- tion. For.it is estimated that, with one daily less, carrying theatrical advertising, the . managers will save approximately $6,000 a week. This is estimated aa follows, fairing the' Herald as an example: The Herald on an average carried three columns of theatrical advertising daily and fourteen columns on Sunday. There are ' seven words to what is known as the agate line and 206 agate lines to the column; it therefore carried 888 agate lines of theatrical ad- vertising daily, which means 5,328 lines for the first six days.of the week and an additional 4,144 lines on Sunday or a total of 9,472 lines each week. Figured at an average rate of 60 cents per line, which is a' low estimate, it amounts to a weekly total, in exact figures, of $5,683.20. In all probability, however, now that both papers have been merged, the rate for theatrical advertising will be raised considerably by Mr. Munsey. DIDN'T LIKE CHANGED ENDING Ethel Hale Freeman,' who dramatized Booth Tarkington's "Monsieur Beancaire," is very much peeved with the dramatic committee of Evander Childs High School, a co-ed institute of education in the Bronx. And she has let them know it in a letter addressed to Theresa Vivian Spitalny, of the dramatic'committee in the high school. After a lot of coaxing, Miss Freeman, who resides in Massachusetts, decided to permit the production of "Beancaire" in Evander Childs High School, by the school's own talent. The production was run off, and. gave three performances, two on December 9, and, because of-its suc- cess, repeated on December 13. The dra- matic committee had agreed to pay Miss Freeman a certain amount of royalty, so, after producing it, Miss Spitalny, in the name of the committee, sent Miss Free- man $30, and' also a letter, telling her that the dramatic committee had taken the liberty of changing the close to suit the taste of the school pupils, from a "sad" ending to. a happy one.- Last week Miss Spitalny received a re- ply from Miss Freeman giving her opinion of the dramatic committee for trying to improve upon her work. Judging from the tone of the letter, Miss Freeman did not think much of the committee.' ,"•-', ENDING BOSTON RUNS Boston, Jan. 26.—The ending of the runs of several shows here have been an- nounced. "Three Faces East" win dose at the Tremont Saturday and be replaced by the Ed Wynn Carnival "The Un- known Purple" Is scheduled to dose' at the Shubert Majestic Theatre a 'reek from Saturday. .;' "Betty Be Good" started its eighth and final week yesterday at the Sam S. Shu- bert Theatre and will be replaced ■*/ "The Rose of China," which opens there .«■ Feb- ruary 2.