Show World (June 1909)

THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AMUSEMENT WEEKLY Published at 87 South Clark Street Chicago, by The SHOWJjSORLI? Publishing Co. Enleredj^Second-Gass Matter BARREN A. PATR/CK, GENERAL P/RECTOR, The Salome show at White City haslbeen attacked by four South Side ministers and the principal of - the ijfEnglewood high school, who filed a | protest with W. F. Mulvehill of the La-p and Order League, who in turn sent a protest to the park manage¬ ment. ^Blis understood that Joseph Biefeld, president of the park, promised to “tone down” the Salome show and also to give a lecture to the barkers whose work is so offensive that it is [ptrprising there has not been com¬ plaints ere this. f This is the first “girl” show of the kind ever introduced into White City, and while it is nothing worse than the average show of its class it is ;doubtful if it is the right kind of at¬ traction for a park which caters to women and children. B®oochee coochee” shows in other parts of the city have depended main- l|r upon men for their patronage, but the White City show has been visited byfwomen in large numbers. A letter signed by the committee of [preachers declared: “The admission of 'Children of tender age, the Sug¬ gestive and indecent talk of the bark¬ ers-is a disgraice, and the performance itself is vile, vulgar and vicious. ■ “Action” to Follow “Defiance.” We ask that the performers be made to wear more clothing and ob¬ serve at least a semblance of decency. Failure to comply will be understood by us as a determination on your part to ipntinue one of the nastiest per- iformances which any amusement park has ever dared produce in Chicago. >Siich defiance will meet with the ac¬ tion which it deserves.” I ’®ie action of the ministerial com¬ mittee was brought to the attention of the police and representatives of the Englewood Law and Order League and the ministerial association of Englewood visited the shows to see if the demands had been complied [^According to the charges filed after thefinvestigating tour of the preach¬ ers, a fifteen-foot snake was the chief (accessory of one of the most scantily claff performers. Wednesday night b short kilt of Scotch design was added to the attire, and under this protection the show may go on. Roasts Parks. Rev. D. C. Milner, in an address to the Chicago Presbytery, stated that Bmusement parks of this city are unfit for women > and children to visit. ■These places should be closed by thMpity authorities,” said Dr. Milner, who is chairman of the temperance Bommittee of the presbytery. “They are plague spots and lure young boys and girls to ruin. The atmosphere [Created by these places is utterly bad. The time has come when this body of Kninisters should protest to the au¬ thorities and ask to have these vile jresorts closed.” k The Grand opera house at Spring- field,_ Ohio, will play the Shubert at¬ tractions next season, according to re - Wealthy Philadelphian Admits His Connection with Picture Company—Makes William Gaines Manager New York, June 14. Felix Isman of Philadelphia has taken over all the Lubin theatoriums, and has publicly announced his con¬ nection with the Lubin company. This, in brief, has been one of the most startling items of news of the week here in New York picturedom. The details of the transaction have not been given out, but it is known that William Gaines, formerly of the Man¬ hattan theater of this city, has been appointed manager for Isman, while Hollis Cooley, formerly secretary of the Theatrical Producing Managers’ Association, has been given full charge of Isman’s theatrical interests.— REVELL. Philadelphia, June 14. It is authoritatively stated here to¬ day that S. Lubin will abandon five of his huge picture houses to a coterie of capitalists, headed by Felix Isman and Geo. H. Earle, Jr. Last Saturday night George Both- well retired as manager of Lubin’s George Middleton has disposed of his holdings in the five theaters in St. Louis, three of which have been booked by Stair & Havlin. At a meeting in New York two weeks ago the deal was consummated, as told in these columns, and it is now known that a syndicate headed by Louis A. MELO-DRAMA NOT DEAD SAYS GEORGE NICOLAI. George Nicolai was in Chi¬ cago last week, coming from Michigan and leaving for New York. He stated that melo¬ drama was by no means dead and that Stair & Havlin would have thirty weeks’ time next sea¬ son. He would not disclose the names of the theaters which would compose the circuit with which he is connected. Celia, and including Frank R. Tate and John Havlin, have taken over the Columbia, Grand, Havlin’s, Imperial and the American theaters. The announcement of the policies of the various houses for the coming season is not forthcoming as yet. A man on the outside is quoted as say¬ ing: “John H. Havlin will not dis¬ pose of his interests. On the con¬ trary, he is increasing his stock, and Havlin’s theater will continue as a melodrama house. Two of the thea- largest Market street theater and an¬ nounced that he would be manager of a new Lubin film exchange, to be opened in New York. Bothwell has had the honor of opening all of the many Lubin picture places during the past two years. It would appear that Isman will practically abandon the personal man¬ agement of his theatrical interests during the coming season in favor of pictures. Mr. Lubin has been the chief pro¬ moter of five big moving-picture es¬ tablishments in Philadelphia, and all of these have been successful. He is heavily interested in the Casino com¬ pany, which controls 923 and 926 Mar¬ ket street; the Savoy company, at 1211 Market street; the Auditorium Company, 219 North Eighth street, and the Lubin Palace Company, which owns the big establishment at 214-16 and 18 Market street. In the latter place Earle and Isman each has a third interest. ters in St. Louis should go out of business because of lack of patronage and insufficient shows, but which are slated for the block cannot be made public at this time. The Grand opera house is to stay in the field and will be remodeled during the summer. It will have new seats put in and will be otherwise modern. The Columbia will also remain, as it has been the home of vaudeville.” This leaves only the American and Imperial of the theaters controlled by the syndicate in St. Louis. It is out of the question that the American, the handsomest theater in St. Louis, should be allowed to go by the board, and it is generally believed that the plan under contemplation is to play the Grand attractions at the American, the Imperial attractions at the Grand and to convert the Imperial theater into a business building. The other theater referred to is understood to be the Garrick, controlled by the Shu- berts. WHITE RAT’S CONVENTION. The second annual convention of the White Rats of America will be held at the Colonial Theater in Chi¬ cago on Friday night, June 25, at 11 George M. Cohan’s tour for next season will take him to the coast. He will be seen again in “The Yankee Prince.” Albany, N. Y., June 15. Frederick F. Proctor, Jr., heads the Mount Vernon Amusement Company, which was incorporated today with the secretary of state. It would, ap¬ pear from the movement that the young theatrical promoter is desirous of cornering the amusement market of Mount Vernon. The corporation has a capital stock of but five hundred dollars, but it intends to conduct a general theatrical business and to act as agents for theaters. The other in¬ corporators are David Steinhardt and Joseph Zalkind. The Echo Amusement Company has also been incorporated. The capital stock of the concern is $5,000 and the directors are Edward Friend, Adolph Friend and Samuel Bowitz, all of New York City. The principal office will be in New York City. Articles of incorporation have been secured by the Underwood Amuse¬ ment Company of New York City. The concern has a capital stock of $3,000. The directors are Aloysius Underwood, Henry Schmidt and Grace V. Doran.—CARDOZE. BOY AND THE GIRL WILL BE WITHDRAWN. “The Boy and the Girl,” which was whipped into shape after it left the Whitney and, with Marie Dressier as star, entered New York appearing on the roof of the New York theater, is slated for early withdrawal, accord¬ ing to reports from New York. A. L, Erlanger, lacking attractions, is said-to have his eyes on “The Alas¬ kan” and “The Golden Girl,” which are both enjoying profitable runs in this city. FOUR SUITS FILED BY PATENTS COMPANY. The Motion Picture Patents Com¬ pany today filed four suits in the Cir¬ cuit Court of the United States, Northern District of Illinois, against the Viascope Manufacturing Company of Chicago for infringement of certain Letters Patent, the return being, set for the July term. The question of defense has been submitted to attor¬ neys for the Viascope Company. SELLS-FLOTO SHOW HAS POOR PRESS WORK. The press work with the Sells-Floto show is peculiar. The North Yakima (Wash.) Republic of June 9 had twelve inches of head and article on the front page and a two-and-a-half- inch note about tough characters on the last page, and in neither notice was the name of the show mentioned. Marvelous! Marvelous! The Denver Republican gave four inches of snace to headlines and arti¬ cle in describing the Hagenbeck-Wal- lace circus on June 15. Sun Brothers at Fairmont. The Sun Brothers show will ex¬ hibit at Fairmont, W. Va., June 19. Margaret Fields is heading a stock company at Wilkes Barre, Pa. GEORGE MIDDLETON OUT OF SYNDICATE Disposes of His Interest in the Combination Which Controls Five Theaters in St. Louis—One May Be Closed