Show World (November 1909)

4 THE SHOW WORLD November 20, 1909. MA’S NEW HUSBAND HAS TIFF WI TH NE WSPAPER Harry Scott’s Shows Are Canceled at Johnstown, N. Y., and He Replies in Heated Terms JOHNSTOWN, N. Y„ Nov. 16.—Re¬ cently Harry Scott’s “Ma’s New Hus¬ band” company appeared at the Grand in this city, both the manager of the theater and the critic on the morning Herald were not satisfied with the per¬ formance, so much so that the engage¬ ment of “The Wizard of Wiseland” was canceled in this city. The morning Her¬ ald said: "A little over a week ago Johnstown theater patrons witnessed the poorest Imitation of a show at the Grand, ever seen in Johnstown. As it was the first presentation seen here this winter that did not have at least some¬ thing good about it, they did not kick much although a number did murmur a few words about being fleeced. Manager Colin wrote to the Harry Scott Com¬ pany, the agency responsible for the booking of the farce, and canceled two shows he had booked from this same company. The morning Herald did not enthuse much over “Ma’s New Husband,” and the opinion of the Scott Company, concerning Johnstown, Manager Colin and the morning Herald man is con¬ tained in a letter to Mr. Colin. Show people will learn after a while that they cannot come here with inferior produc¬ tions, draw good houses and get good newspaper notices. Manager Colin will not stand for any show that is not just what it is advertised to be, and he has more than once canceled plays on tips from outside, but in this case he was misled by flattering notices written by the press agent of the Scott company. Shows are written up in Johnstown ac¬ cording to their merits without regard for the personal feelings of the players, managers or promoters.” What Colin Wrote. This is what Manager Colin wrote to the Harry Scott company! “The Harry Scott Company, Chicago, Ill.: Gentlemen—Any concern that is responsible for such a trick as ‘Ma’s New Husband,’ in .my judgment, should be forever barred in securing time in any theater. I herewith cancel your date of Feb. 2d, with ‘The Wizard of Wise¬ land,’ and March 4th with ‘The Girl from the U. S. A.’ Kindly confirm. En¬ closed find press notices.” And this is what the Harry Scott Com¬ pany wrote to Manager Colin: “Mr. J. A. Colin, Johnstown, N. Y.: Dear Sir—I have just returned to the city and find your letter of Oct. 31st. From the unbusinesslike tone of it and your childish signature, I can readily understand why you do not like 'Ma’s New Husband.’ In all probability the play was over your head and as for the village newspaper reporter, who wrote the article, he is a joke. The very fact that he is working on a newspaper in Johnstown shows how limited his ability must be. Newspapers in Chicago and New York are constantly on the alert to secure literary geniuses, but they evi¬ dently overlooked him. “Opinion is Nil.” “Ma’s New Husband” has been out for four years and three years of that time played all of the cities and principal one night stands in the United States from coast to coast and from Canada to Gulf, and we can verify the fact that during that time the theater managers and city newspapers unanimously conceded, "Ma’s New Husband” to be one of the best farce comedies on the road, and as it played three years of return dates to capacity business, the opinion of your¬ self or the village newspaper in your town is nil as far as competent judg¬ ment is concerned. We are only too pleased to cancel the “Wizard of Wiseland," and the “Girl from U. S. A.” with you as the business apu gave us with “Ma’s New Husband" shows your town to be about the poorest show town we have ever played and as the “Wizard of Wiseland” carries thirty- eight people and the “Girl from U. S. A.” twenty-six people, it would be rather ridiculous for us to play a town where there isn’t a chance to get business.” in the country. It is Holmes and not Morris that is booking the show for the Valentine theater in Toledo and his bill for next Sunday at that playhouse in¬ cludes the Franklin Brothers, Foster & Mills, Mile. Azora, Ashton Sisters and moving pictures. For the week follow¬ ing, he will feature the Fenton Trio, Pearse, Mason & Peter, Lillian Miller and Fred Frevalo at that theater. Holmes just recently arranged to pilot the vaudeville tour of the Four Vene¬ tians, musical artists, who have just fin¬ ished a successful tour over the Pantages circuit. They will work Detroit next week for Mr. Holmes. Sampson and Riley, late stars of the “Miss Idlewild” company, which re¬ cently closed, with a splendid act and beautiful costumes, are another repent acquisition to the books of the Holmes agency. They are playing Cincinnati this week and will be at Zanesville, Ohio, next week. The act is getting much at¬ tention and praise in its present shape. Memora, who is playing Detroit this week, is also being booked by the Holmes agency. He is billed as the “human en¬ cyclopedia” and is “going big” every¬ where. Memora was formerly a Morris star. One of his best feats is to give dates of historical events with lightning rapidity and remarkable accuracy. Coney Holmes is well liked by the ar¬ tists and his agency is becoming more popular each year. Artist Petrie Recovering. W. F. Petrie, of the vaudeville team of Petrie and Budd, who closed with his partner in Waco, Texas, two weeks on account of illness and returned to Chi¬ cago to recuperate, is considerably im¬ proved, although It will be more than a fortnight before he will be able to resume his work with Bert Budd. When he has fully recovered, he and Budd will open in the east some time In January and they have arranged a lot of new jokes for their eastern invasion. Petrie and Budd, who are styled “those eccentric comedians,” introduce many features in their act, singing, talking, dancing, impersonations and acrobatics. Petrie, who is a handsome chap, does the “straight part” and Budd appears in eccentric makeup. The latter, who is at present working with his wife, on the Hodkins time in the south, does some clever falls, twists and turns and his latest offering is an imitation of David Warfield, which creates hearty laughter. Petrie and Budd scored a big hit on their trip over the Pantages time. I>a Mont Brothers Close Season. It is stated from good authority that La Mont Brothers’ shows closed one of the most successful seasons in its his¬ tory recently at Salem, Ill., and is now stored in the winter quarters. The show invaded Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, also through the Ozark mountains, playing to profitable business. Star Joins Husband. WEBSTER CITY, Iowa, Nov. 17—Mrs. J. Doug. Morgan, wife of the manager of the Morgan Stock company, which concluded an engagement in this city Saturday night, joined her husband at Marshalltown Sunday. She had been in Sacramento, Cal., where a well-to-do un¬ cle died. It is reported that his death brings to Mrs. Morgan a snug fortune.— TUCKER. WRECK AND BLIZZARD HALT T RIP O F ARTISTS Handcuff King Hardeen and Other Performers Have Trying Experience at Junction in Minnesota Wilds A belated party of vaudeville artists, comprising Theodore Hardeen, the hand¬ cuff king; Barnes and Robinson, Fred Rivenhall, Lillian Wright and boys, the Henry brothers and Virginia Grant, who had been on the bill together at Winni¬ peg, Manitoba, arrived in Chicago at 10 o’clock last Monday night and a more dispirited, disgruntled, dejected, dis¬ gusted, disappointed, downhearted, dis¬ pleased and distracted bunch of people will be hard to find in many a day, as it had been delayed seventeen hours on its rail trip from Canada by a wreck and blizzard at Manitoba Junction, Minn. But, fortunately, the artists landed in Chicago uninjured and with no frozen A Harassing Belay. ing to the stories of t - — the delayed train, the - the little junction in Minnesota most harassing one and they unani¬ mously declare that they never want it repeated. The party left Winnipeg in good shape and in good spirits. As the artists, in company with a lot of tour¬ ists and travelers from Seattle, Wash., were speeding along on the Northern Pacific, the vaudevillians having boarded the train at 7:25 a. m. Sunday, there was a vast change in the elements. Outside -windows the wind blew a per- panes. As the train neared Manitoba Junction, the engine slowed down and suddenly came to a complete stop. After a vexatious delay, the passengers made inquiry and learned that two freight trains were in a jumbled heap ahead and that owing to the blizzard which pre¬ vailed, that it would be some time be¬ fore the mass of wreckage 'could be cleared away and traffic resumed. Mean¬ while the artists recalled the day they recited Whittier’s “Snowbound” at school and wondered if they were in for a taste of the real thing. The artists swear that it was fifteen degrees below zero and that every blast of the wind had the blade of a “Keen Kutter” knife whipped to a custard when it came to cutting things. And while the work of removing the debris and wreckage was being done, the snow cut all sorts of capers, drifting here and there, the ar¬ tists saying that it was eight feet deep if it were an inch. Passengers Were in Dire Straits. As Manitoba Junction did not afford all the luxuries of the season and every¬ thing on board was devoured by the hungry wayfarers, they found, to their dismay, that the water on the train had frozen and that little was to be obtained anywhere. Somehow ■ the passengers managed to live through the long delay and the artists finally reached Chicago sore in mind and body. The late arrival of Hardeen, who was to have been at the American Music Hall this week, caused a change in the program and next week he will go to East St. Louis, Ill., where he will play the Avenue the¬ ater. Rivenhall, who was to have opened at the American Music Hall, did not appear until Tuesday afternoon, his place on the bill being filled by Willy Windom, the blackface entertainer. F. G. Vickery, the personal representative and manager of Hardeen, who, by the way, is a brother of Houdini, the hand¬ cuff wizard, was also on the train, which was held up by the wreck and blizzard. Week after next Hardeen will be fea¬ tured at the American Music Hall. Students Attack Theater. CITY, Iowa, Nov. 14.—A mob of over a thousand students at¬ tacked the Coldron theater at Iowa City last night. They broke every window in the building and totally demolished a saloon and confectionery shop nearby. They were finally dispersed by the fire- five Years of Age. PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 13.—Friends of Joseph Murphy, veteran actor, famed for his work in “Kerry Gow,” and reputed to be worth $3,000,000, were surprised today to learn that he had been married Ploor With Jake Sternad. Coney Holmes, general manager of the Casino Vaudeville Booking Agency, which occupies a handsome suite of rooms on the ninth floor of the Republic building at State and Adams streets, an¬ nounces that he will make a change of office location about the first of Decem¬ ber, having engaged Suite 503 at 167 Dearborn street. Mr. Holmes will be in the same corner of the fifth floor of the building with Jake Sternad and while they will be within knocking distance as far as doors and walls are concerned, the two agencies will be run wholly in¬ dependently of each other. Coney Holmes, who is a popular Elk, has many artists under his wing and books acts for some of the best houses “HIRED GIRL” MANAGER MAY PAY BIG BILLS Judgments to [the Tune of Nearly One Thousand Dollars Awarded Against Charles M. Smith LOGANSPORT, Ind., Nov. 16.—Judg¬ ments in the aggregate of $991 were given in this city against Charles M. Smith, manager of the defunct “Hired Girl” theatrical company, which strand¬ ed here a week ago. Eleven former members of the company brought suits in the court of Justice Hanawalt to col¬ lect wages alleged to be due them, and a verdict was given for each. The highest amount due was the “star,” who, in San Antonio to Miss May Frymier an actress, whose home is ,in Murphy is 70 years old, and his hu, 25. The marriage took place last ihurs day. Miss Frymier is known on the stage as May Firmier. She is the daugh¬ ter of John E. Frymier, of the firm of Frymier & Edwards, formerly coffee roasters of Philadelphia. At the time of the marriage sjg wa on a tour with Grace George in “A Wc man’s Way.” This was her second sea son with Grace George. Before that she was leading woman in the company headed by James J. Corbett. Jtjp S Murphy was born in Brooklyn Ib^ 1839 He was well known, not only in this city, but throughout the United States His best known plays were “Kerry Gow,” and “Shaun Rhue.” Miss Fry¬ mier played in these shows four years Mr. Murphy started in life as a waiter working in a restaurant in Sacramento! Cal. The restaurant was burned out and Mr. Murphy went to work as a fisher¬ man. At night he spent his time j ticing with beef ribs until he bet proficient in the minstrel’s art. He i into the minstrelsy business and j>» successful. Then he essayed the “le mate," playing “Help” and Maun Ct... His baptismal names were William Lawrence, but after he went into the theatrical business these were replaced by “Joseph.” A theatrical agent, In making up a program had forgotten Mur¬ phy’s first name, and being in a hurry, gave him the name of “Joe,” whic" ~ mained throughout the rest Of his RENO, Nev., Nov. 16.—Miss Margaret Illington, the actress, who obtained a divorce last week from Daniel Frohman, the theatrical manager, was married to Edward J. Bowes, millionaire, real estate operator at Tacoma, Wash., last night in Margaret Illington, within a compara¬ tively few hours after being handed her decree from Judge Pike, appeared yester¬ day before that district judge again and asked him if he would remarry her to Edward J. Bowes at 6:30 o’clock last evening, that they might take the 7:30 o’clock train from the city for San Fran- .Tudge Pike could not conceal his sur¬ prise at such a request from the famous actress under the circumstances, and de- dined the invitation. They were referred to Justice of Peace Soucereau. They had secured the neces¬ sary license from the county clerk’s office, through previous arrangements, shortly before 6 o’clock. He went to the actress, home at 6:30 o’clock and performed the ceremony in the presence of Mr. and Mrs. George Light, the parents, and Miss Ruling, To a few intimate friends before she left here this afternoon, Mrs. Bowes, who appeared radiant with happfflffis, py.” “Madge Dixy” an Iowan. WEBSTER CITY, Iowa, Nov. 17 .—Few Iowa people know that the famed little singer and comedienne, “Madge Dixy, who starred for years with the Weber and Fields aggregation, is Maggot; Dennis, a former well known Des Moines girl. Eleven years ago she was in the Washington school and made a hit danc¬ ing the "highland fling” at a school en¬ tertainment. She tired of school before she finished the grades and took a straight hike for New York and the the¬ aters. She made her entrance in tne stage world ostensibly seated on the up¬ lifted hand of Marie Dressier. Miss Den¬ nis’ mother still lives in Des Moines in a humble cottage a mile beyond an out¬ lying car line. Miss Dennis and Mane Dressier will visit at this humble home this winter when they take their vaca¬ tions.—TUCKER. although 60 years old, was playing the part of the hired girl. Smith lives at Dayton, Ohio. The defendant has taken an appeal to circuit court and the actors and actress¬ es are worse oft than before. They had some money when the case was first started, but that is gone, and although they won their suit, they are still stranded and getting deeper in debt and no means to get out' of town. Students “Ru CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Nov. 15 .—Saturday night University of Illinois students cel¬ ebrated their victory over the Indiana University football team by 4 rushing two theaters here. Glass doors were broken and eggs, lemons, t> r J cks A uS? electric light globes hurled at the Police. Theater owners will call upon the cny council to make good their loss.