Show World (September 1909)

September 18, 1909. THE SHOW WORLD 9 HENRY E. DIXIE SCORES HEAVILY IN ST LOUIS Comedian Makes Hit in “Mary Jane’s Pa.”—News and Views of Theatricals in Missouri Metropolis By Basil Webb. ST. LOUIS, Sept. 15.—Henry Dixey’s portrayal of the character of Hiram Perkins in the comedy entitled “Mary Jane’s Pa” at the Gen tury theater is the most im¬ portant theatric¬ al event in the work is very satisfactory throughout the entire show, and she will undoubtedly be heard of soon again. B. W. Turner gives a careful study of a Canadian woodsman in the character of Tuskega. Harold Castle also aids materially to the success of the production. Very few actors Harry Fields, in the old melodrama nave attraction of "Broadway After Dark,” sayed this poet- is the attraction at the Imperial theater this week. Fields does good work as tramp part and not burlesque it. Dixey, however, manages to give it just the right touch and to hu¬ manize the part instead of mak¬ ing it a common, every-day puppet of the stage. The abound ’. portunities many except op- the fact is accentuated by the quite indif¬ ferent support that Dixey is accorded. Helen Lackaye is perhaps the best out¬ side of Dixey and while she touches the character of Mrs. Perkins with a certain amount of truth, she hardly gets the best out of the part. Dixey, however, is exactly suited, and it will be a long time before he will be able to secure a play which is so suited to his individual Henry Woodruff, who delights in plays which enable him to play the handsome college hero, is again with us at the Olympic theater in "The Prince of To- Night.” Unfortunately, the young star was suffering from excessive hoarseness on the opening night and this marred his singing considerably. Woodruff showed a distinct improvement on his previous work, and was happy in being well supported. It is to be regretted that Margaret McBride, who was the singing star of the production, was not given more to do, one song was the meager pittance doled out to her by the management. Miss McBride has all the ear-marks of a very successful vocalist. Ruth Peebles plays the lead across to Woodruff and sings and acts admirably. Viola Hopkins also aids materially in the success of the show. Among others who appear successfully in the produc¬ tion are Messrs. James Fulton, Lew Lawrence, Peter McArthur and Joe Her¬ bert, and Misses Lillian Pleasant, Fran¬ ces Field, Ruth Gilbert and Laura Cas- Millicent Evans appeared at the Gar¬ rick theater last Sunday in her produc¬ tion of last year—namely, "The Blue Mouse.” It was originally announced that Elsa Ryan was to have played the titular role, but she failed to join the show to play last Sunday and last sea¬ son’s star took her place. Miss Ryan would have to go a long way to play the part of Paulette Divine more con¬ vincingly than Miss Evans did, and the performance went even better on the opening night than it did last season. All through the company this improve¬ ment was manifested, and to a very large extent in the comedy work of Sam Edwards, who is new to the part e grand _Opera house in the part of the impressive parts of the play and humanly loving in the more sentimental scenes of the show. Despite the fact that the show was here the latter part of last season, it is drawing exceed¬ ingly well and Manager Fleming looks forward to a record breaking week. The production has been carefully staged and the scenery is lavish enough. Fran¬ cis J Gillen takes care of the role of Grenfall Lorry in quite a commendable fashion. Frederick McGulrk and Atkins Lawrence also give excellent support In their respective parts. It is almost a pity that Mariel Bishop should have to keep so much in the background in the [?ll. of A he Countess Yvonne, for she ex¬ hibits the best acting spirit of anyone in the caste and should return to this city next season playing a more impor- - --,,—s for the first —J city at Havlin’s theater 11 3 week. The play she is starring in ,, Money and the Woman,” by Langdon McCormick, and it is easily the best the Jew, and he also introduces_ attractive specialties. The play is very well staged and the effects are good. Excellent general, support is accorded Charles the First, the trained chim¬ panzee, is the principal attraction at the Columbia this week. He seems to be proof positive in himself of the Darwin¬ ian theory. Charles lacks all the dis¬ tinctions of the anthropoid ape and seems to have turned his brain from the traits of his ancestors and now he knows more about dressing himself than climbing a tree. Bedini and Arthur are among the top-notchers in comedy jug¬ gling. The Six Berg Sisters attracted favorable attention by their acrobatic dancing. Carles McKenna went well in original sketch entitled “The Street the coffee and forego the sinkers in order that he may hold his position secure as the Beau Brummel of the St. Louis show world. FRANK DAILEY, the advertising agent of the Grand Opera house, who has given many young girls a taste of chorus life In a traveling one night bur¬ lesque show and in this way has killed them of all desire to ever even leave the front door of their home again, what though the Casino Girls’ busted, a great object was attained. SLIM BUERMANN, of the Garrick theater, who despite the fact that he knew he would have to pay a $5.00 fine abstained from joining in the Labor Day parade, and by his heroic self-abne¬ gation saved many of the citizens of St. Louis from a painful surprise. FRED MOSER of the Gem theater, who is so great an advocate of active exercise in the open air that he is more than willing to foot the livery bill of those delicate creatures who revel in horseback riding on Sundays. BROCK DAVIS of the Havlins thea¬ ter, who has been such a beautiful ex¬ ample to all members of his profession by his quiet demeanor under all circum¬ stances, by his refusing to enter into an argument, however confident he may feel that he is in the right; who is never under any circumstances loud mouthed, however much he may be provoked, but always lives the simple life so that it might be written of him: “That his ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace.” And lastly, we would place the names of those on this role of honor who have realized that the future of this city hangs on the success of its breweries and have with this end in view done all they can in their small way in aiding the brewery products to be consumed, and with this end in view have contrib¬ uted fully seventy-five per cent of their wages toward the brewers’ keep-up; but unfortunately this list would be too long and must be omitted till some fu- The Six Hoboes are the feature act at the Grand Opera house this week. They made a great impression when they played the Columbia last year, and now they are better than ever. Their act has been going with a roar every time. The Cycling Zanoras do some very clever bicycle stunts, which take well with the house. Van Hoven, the mad magician, presents an act which attracts quite a lot of attention. Ray Snow does well with songs and stories. Grace Cumming and company appear in a sketch entitled “A Mail Order Wife.” The participants in this sketch are clever and the plot is original. lesque, which is entitled “The Seminary Girls,” but this does not matter, as there is plenty of singing and fun. Baker does some excellent comedy as Willie Green, but behind the stage Don¬ ovan was hinting that he had a real Willie Green who could skin him hollow and not have to act at that. James Dixon does an extremely clever imper¬ sonation specialty in the oleo and does very good work throughout the bur¬ lesque. Nicodemus and White present an exceptionally clever comedy musical act and their work in the burlesque is immense. Lew Adams and company ap¬ pear in a very indifferent sketch entitled “The Factory Girl.” It is hardly the fault of the players that this sketch does not go well, as there is no material in the sketch to work on. The sketch isMike^offering a man_an empty^glass _...__comedians. The chorus work hard throughout the show, but many of them seem a little too heavy for the work imposed upon them. Sam Sidman is the main attraction with Sam Scribner’s “Oh, You Woman” at the Gayety .theater. Sidman is the whole show in the burlesque part of the production and makes away with the comedy cleverly. Lilian English ac¬ cords him excellent support. The chorus has been carefully selected, and some clever new songs are introduced. A good olio is afforded by Ruby Leonl, Billy Hart, Fealfton, Goldie and Lee, the French Quaker Girls and Cleopatra. and his stay here has been of the ture of a comet, for he has left a decided tail behind him. This tail has been of the nature of banners advertis¬ ing “The Azure Mus Ridiculus,” which is, being interpreted for the benefit of Arthur Fishell and others, “The Blue Mouse.” Reed has been entertaining the crowd with stories of Chicago in the Indian days, and his narratives have been full of blood-shed, robbery, incen¬ diarism and other little things which used to occur around the theaters in Chicago in the good old days. He also let slip a secret; now we know where Murphy really got that "Spanish-Amer- ican War” wound; now we know why Murphy always has had a liking for the English. Reed left town amid a shower of confetti and horse-shoes; it was strange to note how the confetti missed him, but he got the horse-shoes in the Ike Lande and Frank Dailey are tem¬ porarily out of the managerial business. Their last venture, “The Casino Girls,” has gone under. But Lande claims that the show will be sent out again and that next time he hopes to have better luck, and by the end of the season be able to buy K. and E. out. A If Bryant, the popular film man, has temporarily gone into the diamond busi¬ ness. He intends" to adopt this as a side line. He claims on his first deal to have made one hundred per cent on his original investment. He has not yet decided which house he will purchase on Fifth avenue yet. Roy Reeves, the boy soprano, is mak¬ ing a tremendous hit at the Gem theater. This boy has one of the most marvelous treble voices that has been heard in this city and should go over the big time while his voice lasts. He is mak¬ ing a big hit in Harry Newman’s latest success, "In Dear Old Tennessee.” Humble Heroes of St. Louis. (To those many men who fill lowlier positions in the theatrical world of St. Louis, this role of fame is dedicated.) WILLIE GREEN of the Standard the¬ ater, whose unswerving loyalty to the members of the burlesque choruses has always been proven; who on many a cold winter’s night has laundered tights behind the furnace in order that their owner shall riot be cast out in disgrace: who has ever been willing to do any odd job should a broiler smile on him; with deep appreciation for his good work we place his name at the head of the list of humble heroes. THOMAS HARRIGAN, assistant treas¬ urer of the American theater, who de¬ spite the gibes of others has striven to appear as a fashion leader among those who peddle tickets behind the grid; who has managed to keep the pearl button makers of this city busy even though he has had to wear as many as one President of International Company and Treasurer Masrerstadt Join J - Murdock, president of the Inter¬ national Projecting and Producing com- Pf” y ’ and , B - J - Magerstadt, city col¬ lector and treasurer of the above com¬ pany, will sail Saturday, Sept. 18. at 10 ° n the Deats chland with the deep waterways commission for Europe to be m Europe ten days. The Deutschland will have a distin¬ guished party on board. The deep wa¬ terways commission, which was appoint¬ ed, 1 ^ congress to examine into the con- ditions in Europe and report wherein ^waterways of this country might be ™P r ° ve jl’ consists of the following; Sen¬ ators Burton, Ohio; Gallinger, New S Piles Washington; William Alden Smith, Michigan; Simmons, North Caro- !??'/■ p - Clark, Arkansas; Lorimer, Illinois, and Congressmen Alexander, New York; Stevens, Minnesota; Wanger Pennsylvania; Sparkman, Florida, Ind Moon, Tennessee. In addition to the above named men ?- 00ley ', one of the be st informed hydraulic engineers in America, will ac- company the. party. The members of the commission, some of whom have been m Europe for the past month, will return to America by Oct. 16, but Messrs. Murdock and Magerstadt will 1£lt n tno U i.J ;en m l l ays abroa d. Mr. Murdock left the city Thursday afternoon on the Twentieth Century limited, and, follow- convention of the National Mov- i?fL?i cture AIHance, of whlch he was elected president, a large number of cablegrams were received from foreign factors congratulating the vigorous young organization upon the possession !H C ^J ap £ hle man as Mr * Murdock as its chief officer. Visit Is Important. c-iI nn 3iS diately ,l? pon caching the other wfn’ Mur ?°ck and Magerstadt P™ oeed 1? m ake a tour of England and the continent, including in their D™I ar ^ Lond 4 °n, Paris, Berlin and Rome. They will call upon the most im¬ portant moving picture manufacturers in l™ln Cities ’ ai ? d Mr- Murdock will per- sonaUy acquaint these manufacturers with the needs of the independent mov¬ ing picture operators in this country. There is no doubt but that upon the re¬ turn .1° ^ hi , s country of Mr. Murdock, that the independent movement will re- c® lve a great forward impetus, and that Mr. Murdock’s trip abroad will give the movement great momentum. Mr. Mur¬ dock will be able to present the condi¬ tions in this country to the manufac- turers of Europe in a true light, and will thus be able to arouse a deep In¬ terest abroad. .The deep insight into conditions of the trade in America, obtained ...rough months of study, will enable Mr. Mur¬ dock to give the foreign film makers the most reliable information at first hand, and will afford them data and in¬ formation that could not have been ob¬ tained otherwise without great expense and much time. Before his departure Mr. Murdock stated to a representative of the Show world that he had received assurances from the foreign film makers that they would spare no pains or money in stag¬ ing and preparing the films to be shown in America. Fred Lincoln, general manager of the Sullivan and Considine Circuit, is in the city on business. Orpheus Comedy Four have just fin¬ ished seven weeks on the Hodkins Cir¬ cuit. They were originally booked for fourteen weeks, but were compelled to return to Chicago owing to the sickness of Mr. Scott’s wife, manager of the quartette. The Rosaires, comedy wire act, open at the Main Street theater, Peoria, Ill., Sept. 20, with the Interstate Circuit to follow. Coyne and Tinlin, acrobats, are in the city. They have been east all sumi- and report a very successful season. Suicide. DENVER. Colo., Sept. 15.—The press of the country gave out the flews last week of the suicide of the once noted actress. Helen Florence Dixon. After many people called at the morgue in that city and identified a. corpse as that of Mrs. Dixon, today there is a woman incarcerated within the walls of the city bastile who claims that she is the real Helen Florence Dixon, being detained there on account of inebriety. Manager Busby and Others Laugh at Statement that Advance Man Needed Protection. QtTINCY, _, standpoint of the “show,” _ _ been and will be busy for the next month. Saturday Harry Askin’s “Lo” appeared to two good audiences and gave general satisfaction. There was no bloodshed when the attraction arrived, notwithstanding the report evidently sent out by O. R. Henkel, the advance agent, in which he says that he asked for police protection because he in the dim past had had trouble with Man¬ ager W. L i. Busby’s brother. Manager Garrity of the “Lo” company was wrathy and assured Manager Busby that the advance man was going be¬ yond his depth. Busby has a letter from Harry Askin, in which the pro- pnetor of the company says hr has called Henkel. Busby says that a few years ago his brother had a misunder¬ standing with Henkel, but he was not aware it was so strenuous that the agent should have to go to the police to seek protection. “Henkel did not call at the theater,” he says. “The papers here rid¬ icule the story. The Quincy Whig says of it: “And it has come to this, has it, that Manager W. L. Busby of the Em¬ pire is so dangerous that advance agents must first apply to the authori¬ ties that be for either police protec¬ tion or the right to carry concealed weapons. Such is the story printed in g,.._ w-.,* - + of the leading is dated Quincy, **1^' L, wwt , «.* O. R. Henkel, advance agent of the Lo” company, which appeared here yesterday, on his arrival two weeks ap-o, immediately sought the protection of the authorities for fear Manager Busby would do him bodily harm while ™. as ln the city in the performance of his duty.”—SCHOENEMAN.