Show World (June 1909)

16 THE SHOW WORLD June 19 ; FROM CANDY BOY TO THEATER TREASURER. Merle E. Smith, whose likeness ap¬ pears above, is an example of the rapid rise of young men in the theat¬ rical business. He was candy boy at the Bush Temple when Elizabeth Schober was manager, and has by rapid steps attained the position of treasurer of that theater. From candy boy he was advanced to usher and a little later to assistant treasurer. Last summer he managed a stock company at Menominee, Mich., and last win¬ ter managed the Mason & Mason company on the road. During the past season he was called to Chicago to take the treasurership of the Bush Temple, a position he has since filled very capably. AMONG PRESS AGENTS. The advance press work for the Hagenbeck-Wallace show is very poor but in spite of this fact the show is doing a wonderful business. Rennold Wolf says that David Bel- asco is the most accomplished press agent in the world with the possible exception of Theodore Roosevelt and Oscar Hammerstein. A complimentary dinner was given Friar Abbott Charles Emerson Cook at the Monastery in New York city Jung 17. A handsome loving cup was presented him. The Riverview Exposition “ads” are often worth reading. Last Sunday they contained this: “Fact No. 1 (twaddle) The A. Y. P. Expo.: Seat¬ tle, Wash., opened June 1st by a dia¬ mond-studded key moved by Prest. Taft and subsidized by $4,000,000 of the country’s coin—to 87,000 people! (mostly dead-heads.)” Dick Collins, press agent of No. 2 Gentry shows, declares that within a few years the great amusement enter¬ prises will abandon bill boards and depend solely on the newspapers for publicity and advertising purposes. No one knows how Mr. Collins found this out as he has never before been a press agent of a circus, if informa¬ tion which reaches this office is cor¬ rect. THREW EGGS AT CIRCUS. Wheatfield, Ind., June 14. Bowers & Son’s wild west show, making small towns in northern In¬ diana, gave an entertainment to a good crowd at Wheatfield, the other evening. When the show was leaving town the next morning a crowd of citizens who did not like the show, appeared in the main street and cheered a lot of youngsters while they threw eggs at the show wagons. New Vaudeville Act. “Business Is Business,” a new vau¬ deville act by J. Pierre Roche and Harry Newton, will be played by Harry Spingold, Marie Girard & Co., on the Morris time. COULD NOT AGREE ON FAIR PERCENTAGE. J. V. Howell of Columbus and Suberts Could Not Get Together —No Developments Regarding High State Rumor. Columbus, Ohio, June 16. J. V. Howell, manager of the Co¬ lonial theater, could not agrqe on terms with the Shuberts and the project of turning that theater over to the Independents for next season has about been abandoned. Whether the Shuberts will secure the High Street or not could not be learned. Manager Harper has re¬ ceived no further communications from Dickson & Talbott and C. P. Greneker, who was here last Friday, COuld not give information on this point. Mary Mannering plays the High Street tonight, the United Amusement company having ceased to operate the house last Saturday night. Manager Howell of the Colonial is now in New York, so it is possible that negotiations may be resumed. Billposters’ Plans. Much interest is being manifested among the billposters and distributers of Ohio regarding the next annual convention of the National Associa¬ tion, which will be held at Atlanta, Ga., July 13, and it is likely that the delegation from this state will equal any in point of numbers and enthusi¬ asm. President Geo. L. Chenell of Columbus has announced that he will be a candidate for re-election, and at the state meet here last week a move¬ ment was started to have a strong delegation attend the Atlanta conven¬ tion and see that he gets in the run¬ ning. The members of the Ohio as¬ sociation will meet in Cincinnati July 10, and two sleepers have been en¬ gaged to take them from that point to their destination over the L. & N. Columbus Notes. The Southern theater, which was taken for the summer by the Casino company of Detroit and devoted to vaudeville and pictures, closed Satur¬ day night and will probably remain dark until the season opens in the fall. Poor patronage was given as the The Colonial, which is giving Mor¬ ris vaudeville, has another act, mak¬ ing five, in addition to the pictures and songs. Big houses are the rule. This week’s bill includes Rinaldo, Madge Maitland, Four English Ter¬ rors, Oscar Haas, Three Mitchells and Muriel Window. The parks are doing a fine business. At Olentangy Joe Weber’s company is presenting “Hip, Hip, Hooray” for this week’s bill. Buckskin Ben’s Wild West is still at this resort. The music is furnished by Powers’ Military band. At Indianola, Bessie Weirer, high diver; Sam Goldman, Gale and Simp¬ son and Healy and Odell are the principal entertainers. Zema Bell, who was partially dis¬ robed in the “human laundry” at In¬ dianola park several weeks ago, has sued L. E. Anderson, owner of the concession, and the park management for $500 damages. A1_G. Field is spending the summer on his farm near Worthington. “Doc” Quigly will begin rehearsing the min¬ strel company next week for the com¬ ing season. Rehearsals will be held at the Southern theater. Claire Sawyer of Boston, employed at the Fairbanks theater at Spring- field, and Gladys Leininger of Colum¬ bus, who has been singing illustrated songs at the same house, were mar¬ ried last week in Springfield. Madam Schumann-Heink has been engaged for a recital in October on the occasion of the sixty-first anni¬ versary of the Columbus Maenner- chor. Elsie Janis Writes Book. Elsie Janis, who is spending a part of the summer at her • home in this city, is engaged in the completion of a book which she expects to have in the hands of a publisher shortly. The volume will be made up of stories, rhymes, anecdotes and theatrical gos¬ sip. A satire on “The Vampire” forms an important part. The Ohio State Fair Association will introduce an innovation in the fair line at the coming exhibition by having the buildings and grounds thoroughly lighted and giving two ex- hibitons a day, as it were. An exhibiton called “Agunda, the Flving Lady,” which has been hold¬ ing forth in a room on _ High street, was closed by the police Saturday night on account of several disorders which occurred at the place recently. Keith’s Living Singing pictures con¬ tinue to draw well. Frank Spellman of Cincinnati was in Columbus recently, trying to ar¬ range for the appearance of his flea circus of some 500 performers at the state fair this fall. Albert Zimmerman of Tiffin, a park and fair showman, was killed. by a train at Sandusky Monday night.— GRAF. WILL HAVE VAUDEVILLE HOUSE. Lima, Ohio, June 17. J. Rus. Smith and L. H. Cunning¬ ham have leased the Gale property on the Main street for a long term of years. They are remodeling it and when ready for the opening. August 15, it will be one of the finest vaude¬ ville and picture houses in the state. Resorts Opening. Sandusky, Ohio, June 16. Put-in-Bay opens June 20, Col. R. J. Diegle again acting in the capacity of manager of the Hotel Victory at that place. Cedar Point ooened June 12, again under management of Geo. A. Boeck- ling. Many improvements have been made since last year’s closing and new attractions have been added, af¬ fording plenty of amusement to the thousands of pleasure-seekers who visit the resort each year.—J. J. M. Gets Musical Shows. Manager Willis, of the Lyric Thea¬ ter, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has purchased the Canadian right to “The Show Girl” and “The Isle of Spice,” of B. C. Whitney. William Courtenay is leading man of a stock company at Milwaukee this summer. Mr. and Mrs. George W. Hussey, musical ventriloquists, are spending a short time at Mt. Clemens, Mich., be¬ fore returning to New York. Thomas W. Riley, who has been in Europe looking for theatrical novel¬ ties, returned recently. He said nov¬ elties were scarce, but he had secured in Madrid four artists, whose names and specialties he declined to divulge, who will appear in “The Queen of the Moulin Rouge.” He will bring out later the musical comedy “The Dancer of Cairo,” book by Paul Potter and music by John T. Hall. A THOUSAND PLAYERS IN MAUDE ADAMS’ Accommodations have beeawar- ranged so that 10,000 people can wit-| ness the performance of Joan of Arc,: bv Maude Adams (whose likeness is* shown above) and 999 other players* at the Harvard Stadium next Tues-{ day. PREPARING TRAVELOGUES. I Philadelphia, Pa., June 16 , Fred G. Nixon-Nirdlinger is gather¬ ing material in Europe and Africa for a series of travelogues to be de-i livered next season. He has toured! France in an automobile; he saw in a bullfight at Madrid nine bulls and! twenty-six horses killed, and his let-| ters indicate that his African story] and pictures will also be highly inter¬ esting. Manager Nirdlinger met Marc Klaw in Madrid and he saw Whiting Allen in Paris. Nirdlinger will not tour under A. L. Erlanger’s manage- LONG SEASON PLANNED. Lima, Ohio, June 17. “Hyde’s Theater Party” is boohed solid for forty weeks through Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and In¬ diana next season, after which'it will come to the Faurot Opera Hodse for a summer season in stock. “Thei® dler,” “Chimmv Fadden” and "The Gilded Fool” are plays which have been secured from Selwyn & Com¬ pany. Tack Warburton, who has'-becn a decided hit over the territory the show will visit have Marjorie Cort¬ land working opposite him. J. Rns. Smith will manage the company’/ Knew His Face All Right Theatrical folks meet so many peo¬ ple that it is out of question to recog¬ nize them all on a second encounter. Experienced actors expect that man¬ agers who ought to know them will occasionally forget, but there is a limit to forgetfulness even. For in¬ stance, Will Jossey cannot hardly ex¬ plain an incident which occurred at New Orleans a few years ago. A fel¬ low slapped him on the back with the air of a life-long acquaintancSand Jossey recognized him as some one he should know well but he could not place him. “I ought to know you,” he at B 8P remarked. “You must pardon mfjbn’ I cannot place you.” H “You bet you ought to know me, came the reply. “I am your brother. WEST VIRGINIA NEWS. Wheeling —Robert Goodman opened his stock company at the CorfffiM* 14 for a summer season. Martinsburg — R. H. Steward^ 11 personally manage The Empire fr 2 time. Harry Hunter is no connected with the house. Huntington —The Hippodrome. Pj s Sun’s variety house) closed for the summer last Saturday.