The New York Clipper (February 1920)

Copyrighted. 1919. and DubUaheO. waakly ST the Clipper Corporation, 1(04 Broadway. New York. Entered at the Poat-Offloe at N»w Tork. JOB* 14. 1179. ■ ■ . ' . _-■ '.'. mail matter under AM of March ». 1879 Foundadby ■XTBMX, IBAMK Q NEW YORK. FEBRUARY 4, 1920 wc* *a v tgi?$&-^2 PRODUCERS OFFERING BONUSES FOR BROADWAY OPENINGS . -. Inability to Get a House Keeping Many Big Attractions on the Road, While Some Have Given Up and Sent Production to Storehouse With almost as many shows waiting to St into New York houses as there are ys in this month, it became known last week that several producers have been offering bonuses to the owners of some attractions now holding forth, in an effort to get these Utter to withdraw from New York and let them hare the house. They figure it would be cheaper to pay a reasonable amount to the producer of a show, the business of which has taken a slump the last week or two, rather than continue on the road with a new produc- tion whose cast is grumbling about being away from New York and getting ready, perhaps, to leave the show. As a result, the managers of some shows that are booked for opening here within the next few weeks are exceedingly ret* icent, secretive in fact, about announcing the name of the house in which their show is scheduled to open. Among them is John Drew in "The Cat- Bird," Rupert Hughes's comedy, produced by Arthur Hopkins. This show closes in Philadelphia next Saturday night and ii scheduled to open here within a week. But, so far, the exact date or theatre has not been announced. "Hollo's Wild Oats." Clare Rummer's play, which the Selwyns presented for the first time last Friday night in Far Rock- away, L. I., follows John Drew in the Philadelphia Theatre, Philadelphia, open- ing there next -Monday night and is scheduled to open here following its Quaker Town engagement. But when and where has not yet been mentioned. The plays that are definitely announced for opening here within' the next two weeks are: "He and She," by Rachel Crothers, in which she will also appear. It was produced by Lee Shubert and is scheduled to open at the little Theatre February 12; replacing "Mama's Affair," which moves to the Fulton in place of "Big Game," Mrs. Henry B. Harris's dramatic production, which closes at the latter house next Saturday night. "Shavings," Henry W. Savage\ latest play, will open at the Knckerbockir Feb- ruary 16, taking, the place of Victor Her- bert's "Angel Face," which will make a bid for favor and dollars on the read. John Barrymore, in "Richard HI," is scheduled to succeed himself -js&"The Jest" at the Plymouth on FebmSary 23. Nance O'Neill in "The Passioc' Flower" leaves the Greenwich Village Theatre and comes to the Belmont on the' 16th, fol- lowing the Russian Isba- troupe which plays a week's engagement at the latter house beginning February 9. _ •The shows• which- have opened during, the last few weeks, or are about to open within a week, and are or will be seeking a theatre ' here .during this month and possibly long afterward, include the fol- lowing: "Every Little Thing," Wilson CoUison's play, which he.produced in asso- ciation with Arthur Klein-and which was presented for the'first time in Stamford, Oomi:, last: Friday, sight. ""The Sweet- heart Shop," the musical play produced by Edgar MacGregor and William Moore Patch. This show, written by Anne Cald- well and Hugo Felix, opened in Baltimore several weeks ago and floundered around on the road expecting booking here, until last Saturday night, when it closed in Toronto, Canada, the company coming to New York. Now, after being a bit re- cast,, it is scheduled to resume its road tour, in Wilmington next Monday night. "Lassie," a musical version of "Kitty Mackaye," which is the first production of the new producing firm consisting of Wendell Phillips Bodge and Willy Pogany, opened last week in Wilmington; .and though it looks like a good piece of the- atrical property its producers have bean unable thus far to secure definite booking for it here. Mary Nash and Holbrook Blinh, in Lil- lian Trimble Bradley's latest play, pro- duced, by William A. Brady, opened last week and i s aw aiting a call to come to New York. William Collier, in "The Hot- tentot," is still oat on the road, while Sam Harris, its- producer, is scampering around trying to find a house for it here. Elsie Ferguson is scheduled to open in Arnold Bennett's "Sacred and Profane Love," a David Belasco production, but when the show will be able to reach New York is its producer's problem. "Dere Mable," Marc Slaw's musical production, which opened in Baltimore last Monday night, has no New York booking yet: neither has Kitty Gordon in "Lady Kitty, Inc."; "Tick-Tack-Toe," Herman Timberg's musical revue which opened in Toronto, January 22, or "Betty Behave," Lee Morrison's show. Then, too, there are Theda Bara in "The Blue Flame," the dramatic vehicle which A H. Woods has furnished her for her debut in the spoken drama; Lionel Barry- more in "The Letter of the Law," "Tie Great Illusion," by Avery Hopwood, from the French of Sacha Gmtry, which A. H. Woods plans to present in Washington February 22, and "Stand From Under," by WUHam Anthony McGuire, which G. M Anderson will open out of »f8wn February 15. "'■'• 7 Several shows which were recently pro- duced-out of town have been forced to close .through the inability of its producers to obtain an abode for them here, an example of these being "TUlie of Blooms- bury." This piece was presented by AH. Woods and, after meeting with favor in Montreal and other cities in which it played, has been closed until such time as a house can be obtained for-it here. The Princess Theatre seems to be the only house available for some new show ' to come into next week, as "What Next," the musical show presented there by a group of society folk for charity, with amateurs in the cast, is scheduled to close next Saturday night Earl Carroll recently was forced to close his show, "The'Way; to'Heaven,"; which he wrote and produced, because of the uncertain road conditions that shows have to combat if they fail; to-get a house. MUST BE VACCINATED Tosoirro, Can, Feb. 2.—As a result of the smallpox epidemic which has been par- ticularly virile throughout the Province of Ontario during the last month, all theatri- cal folk who have had occasion to travel to or from the United States, have had to be vaccinated or present a certificate of recent vaccination. The members of "The Sweetheart Shop" company, which closed a week's engage- ment here last Saturday night, were re- fused, permission to enter the United States unless they were vaccinated. Early Saturday morning the company, in a body, submitted to vaccine- innoculation. Even after that some of the players had diffi- culty getting into their own country, for it seems that, when they were asked by government officials to produce their "vac- cination slips" they were unable to do so because they had mialajd th»ip. Recently, Frances Starr and the mem- bers of her company playing in "Tiger Tiger" had to undergo vaccine innocuLv- tion while touring in this part of the country. "BEN HUR" IS READY When "Ban Hot," Klaw and Erianger*e dramatic "institution" begins its twenty- first season next Monday night, in Phila- delphia, the following players will com- prise the cast of principals: Richard Buhler, Leslie Stowe, Stella Boniface Weaver, Adrian Bellevue, Harry Cowan, Cassias Qaimby, Edgar Bryde, Theresa Meehan, Laura Burt, Virginia HoWeB, Charles SiegeL WUliam Leyden, Peggy May, Earl M. Pingree, T. Jerome Lawler. There will be 160 people, all told, with the show. William H. Wrig ht has been ap- pointed manager and William Gorman is the advance man. MAYO SUIT STARTS ANOTHER - San Francisco, Jan. 31.—Dagmar Go- dowsky, film actress daughter of Leopold Godowsky, the pianist, has brought suit for $15,000 against Mrs. Eleanor Mayo, charging slander. Miss Godowsky claims that Mrs. Mayo damaged her reputation by naming her in a suit which Mrs. Mayo brought against her husband, Frank, for separate maintenance. Mrs. Mayo alleged that her husband has squandered money on Miss Godowsky. OPENING SHOWS AT ROCKAWAY Because of its nearness to the metro- politan district, the Columbia Theatre, Far Rockaway, is fast' becoming popular with : New York producers as a "dbg town" house. Rachel Crotters' new play He and -She" is scheduled for its out of town £' remiere there next Friday night The ouse is under the management of the Jupkovitz Brothers. EQUITY MOVES SATURDAY The Actors Equity Association will move into its' new headquarters at. 115 West Forty-seventh Street next Saturday. The. four-story building there has been taken over .under a long term lease, and entirely renovated and equipped for of- fices and club rooms. HALL LEAVES MQROSCO SHOW Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 8L—T hur s to n HaB, of Oliver Moroso's "Civilian Clothes," ! will terminate his contract this week after only a few .weeks' engagement on the mad - with the Morosco play.. He is considering offers from producers for the screen. MARY YOUNG SEEN AGAIN Boston, Mass., Feb. 2.—The play "The Outrageous Mrs. Palmer" opened at the Arlington Theatre to-night The presen- tation of the piece ansamad the return of John Craig and Mary Young to the local stage. Charles Bickford appeared as Young; Palmer, who wins a "^irmltiifm in the American army after falling in love and being estranged from his' erratic but bril- liant mother. Mary Young portrayed the title role, and her supporting players were Minna Gale 'Haines, Eugenie Blair, Rupert Lumley, Cora Witherapoon, Miriam Doyle, Keith Macauley Ross, Bert Pennington, Betty Bamicoat, Marjory Dal ton, Jessie Allison, Oscar Grey Brigga. "The Outrageous Mrs. i Palmer" is a vivid and deeply emotional study of a famous stage star who permits a scandal- ous story concerning her past life to separate her son, whom she loves jeal- ously, from Us fiancee. Then the youth goes overseas with the American army and -soon after this is reported killed in battle. It is this new crisis in her life that brings out Mrs. Palmer's beet qualities and, In- cidentally, brings the play to a happy ending. The engagement here will be compara- tively brief and then the tour will begin. WANTCORT TO PAY Contending that they have not yet been . paid for the .first public performance, five members of the chorus of the "Fiddlers Three" company last week filed com- plaints with the Chorus Equity Associa- tion against John Cort, the producer. Ac- cording to the complaints, they r eco i led no salary for the opening p erfo r mance of -the company last Fall in Washington, that performance being styled by the producer . as-a dress rehearsal. .° The claim is based on an Equity by- law, which states that any performance at which admission is charged is to be considered as a regular performance and not a dress rehearsal. WIFE DIDN'T LKE MARRIED LIFE Saw Francisco, Jan. 30. — Walter Belasco, former member of the. A1«a—» Stock Company and, for the past two years, a moving .picture actor, was granted a divorce last week. Belasco said that he and his wife went to Los Angeles two years ago to engage in moving picture work, end when he finished his contract and decided to return to San. Francisco, his wife re- fused to accompany him, .and later in- formed him by letter that she waa dis- satisfied with married life and had no in- tention of returning to him. FIGHT AT DRESS REHEARSAL Salt Francisco, Jan. 30.—A rough and tumble fight took place between Lewis Mus- baum, leading man of tile Grossman Yid- dish Theatrical Company, and Jack Protee during a dress rehearsal of "The Woman's Conscience,", on the stage of the Savoy Theatre. Nusbaum. it is charged, called Proten "a rotten actor," and in the bstUo that followed Protes was wonted. Protea swore out a warrant for Nushsnm's arrest . ALLENBY FILMS DUE HERE Washes ore 5, D. 0L, Jan. 81.—Lowell ' Thomas-has arranged to bring the mngWait success, "With ADenby in Palestine and , Lawrence in Arabia," to this country, and will open then here Feb. 16th. /,