Variety (November 1918)

■ ■;/;■■' ■■;.-.,-A''.' 'T7;> ■:.*■ VAUDEVrLLE OVER THERE THEATRE LEAGUE CALLED ON TO PRODUCE NAMES Artists Who Have Volunteered for Overseas Service as Enter- tertainers Say They Are Entitled to Be So Claused, Though Not Accepted. League Has Twice Refused to Furnish Names of - X All Applicants. New York, Oct. 22, Editor, Varibtt: After reading the article in Varuitt regarding the first question asked of Franklin and Green, on their arrival abroad, pertaining to the whereabouts of the "four-flushing actors" that were coming over, I deem it a duty in jus- tice to my wife and myself, and doubt-, less, hundreds of others who have found themselves in a like predica- ment, to state a few facts as to why we haven't gone across. I was among those present at that wonderful meeting held at the Palace Theatre, New ^ York, last April, and when we were instructed by Mr. Cohan to send our names as volunteers to Winthrop Ames, expressing our inten- tions to ^o abroad and entertain the boys, I did so, on behalf of my wife and self. I received an acknowledg- ment from Mr. Ames. In the course of time we received. questionnaires, which we both filled out, and, consid- ering everything as settled, we pre- Fared to go abroad, awaiting the call, am proud of the fact that I have two brothers in active service abroad, and, in answering the question as to whether we had any relatives in the service, I proudly stated the fact.^ I will confess I was sorely disap- pointed when I received a letter from the Over There Theatre League, dated June 22d, in which they stated that unfortunately a ruling of the Passport Department of the Government pre- cludes you from being available. Perhaps, knowing these facts, I may be forgiven a hot flush of resentment, when I read such items as the follow- ing in the New York "Evening Mail": "Franklin and Green are to be com- mended for donating their services to the boys, being two of the very few to do so, out of the V&st army who so loudly volunteered some time ago," or words to that effect. May I suggest in justice to those who volunteered, but who, like our- selves, unfortunately were not chosen, that you publish their names to show the boys over there the actors were not four-flushing, and that their only crime in being refused passports, was the proud fact of having brothers 100 per cent. American who were domg their share to make the world a de- cent place to live in. Lew Wtlhams. (Williams and Mitchell.) Variett has twice requested of the American's Over There Theatre League (and has been twice refused) that a list be furnished of all volunteer en- tertainer-applicants, of all those whose applications were acceptable but fpr some reason could not be finally passed upon, and of all volunteers to the League who had been favorably passed upon in New York and stood m readi- ness to leave, but could not, through a War Departmental reason for not issuing passports. . Variety offered each time to have ••its •bwn-rcpresQntativcSr if riecessarjv,, go through the files of the Over There Theatre League to obtain this infor- mation. It was pointed out to exec- utives of the League that such publi- cation would place the theatrical pro- fession upon record for its responses and would likewise give the profession the names of those who had volun- teiered, perhaps drawing other volun- teers, and alsp, set forth the names of all applicants, preventing those pro- fessionals who had not volunteerd but alleged among their fellows that they had from further presenting such a claim. Each instance of the refusal'brought various reasons from the League that it might interfere with its plans, that the League did not deem it advisable, and that the League would not furnish VARiBTr with the information sought nor permit VARiBTr to secure the in- formation itself from the League's files. Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 22. Editor, VARiBTr: -Please publish this reply to Vabibty*8 article of Franklin and Green's first question heard when reaching the other side—when they were asked, "Where are those four-flushing act- ors?" I am only one of many who. offered their services to the Over There The- atre League to go overseas to enter- tain. I did so by letter and by wire, and I never even received an acknowl- fdgem^t from the League for either. Tom Moore. Joaea,'Iiinick & Schaefer Tablet. Chicago, Oct. 30. A tablet containing 28 names of those who have entered the Service from the employ of Jones, Linick & Schaefer will be placed in the firm's Orpheum Theatre on State street. MUSiaAN MAHER DEADLOCKED. -No. rtrouble was precipitated this week on the status of the musicians affiliated with the American Federa- tion of Music regarding their demand for pay for the layoff period of one week, with $30.requested for the second week and full salary for the third and remaining weeks of the layoff period. Producing managers say they have not complied with the request of the A. F. of M., while at the Federation's headquarters it was stated by Repre- sentative Thos. Gamble nothing fur- ther was expected to materialize where the managers had sent home union musiciaiis in anticipation of a continuation of the epidemic ban. Many of the road companies plan to resume next week and those carrying musicians and kept them in the town where the epidemic forced them to stop touring, not paying their fares home for the layoff period, may be without the services of the union mu- sicians. The burlesque circuits are sticking to their decision to refuse to pay for any layoff such as occasioned by .the epidemic. . • Not a single case of friction be- tween the union stagehands and theat- rical managers has been reported to the L A. T. S. E. headquarters in Ne«v York, the layoff period matter of sal- ary having been left to the local unions to handle as they saw fit. COMEDY WAR SKETCH. Clara Ljpman and Samttel Shipman have completed a new comedy play- let with a war angle, entitled "Work for Uncle Sam.", The plot has to do with the mother of a family driving a car with the women war workers corps, the daughter replacing the chauffeur and falling in love with the latter, who enters the service and be- comes a lieutenant. The cast of four to present the turn has Helen Dris- coll, Reed Hamilton, Kate Morgan and John Elliott. ^ Max Hart will handle the turn. NEW ENGLAND'S ^T CALL The New England Dcpt. of the War Council of the Y. M. C A., with head- quarters in the Little Building, Bos- ton, has issued a call for volunteers. All types of artists are needed and a special request is being made for any professionals obliged to lay off in New England territory owing to the epi- demic, to offer their services for.one or two cantonment performances. The "Y" does the booking and pays all expenses. BUFFALO'S STRIKE-OVER. Buffalo, Oct. 30. After 24 days off their cars on strike the street car men returned to work Saturday afternoon. The strike started before the epi- demic enforced theatre idleness. MISS SCHEFF IN CAMP. Galveston, Oct. 30. Fritzi Scheff was a special feature of the "Orpheum Follies" at Camp Logan last week, appearing in songs between acts. Miss Scheff has been appearhig in Interstate Circuit houses and had an open week on account of the epidemic. The "Orpheum Follies" is the first musical stock to appear in the west- ern cantonments, it having played 16 weeks of that time. The show is un- der the management of J. C. Bcrko- witz and Geo. L. Spaulding: JULIAN HALL At Royol, New York, this week (Oct. 2S). Alhnmbra, Nov. 4; Colonial. Nov. 11; Palace, Nov. 18; Boston, Nov. 25; Phllndclphla, Dec. 2. Discovered and tutored by NEWTON ALEX- ANDER. Direction, EDW. S. KELLER. --:M«vie^Dre»i>J«r Touring Cmnp«>,.....;.. Marie Dressier has arranged for a six weeks' tour of the cantonments, giving her services gratis. A supporting bill will receive sal- ary^ ^_____^^^^---—-^.^ Musically IrreiiiUble. CHAS. ALTHOFF. _; A. PAULJCEITi: DIES -^- ... ,A. .Paul Keith- died. Wednesday. night. ■ in New York, of influenza. It had not , been known he was in the city or ill.:. . He was confined for a week previously :; to the apartment of E. M. Robinson with the illness, and passed away there. E. F. Albee and Mr. Robinsofi were present. The funeral will be held tomorrow (Saturday) in Boston, the home of the deceased, where he had lived nearly all of his life, having been born in New. .: York City 43 years ago. He never. married. A. Paul Keith was the only son of the late B. F. Keith, the founder of present-day vaudeville. The younger Keith, after graduating from Harvard, ^ gave his attention to theatricals, under ; the guidance of his father and Mr: ' Albee, who were then building up what has become the Keith Circuit of the present. Mr. Albee at that early time was general manager for the elder Keith, and had his entire confidence, which was held until B. F. Keith's death, when the Keith properties were left jointly to Mr. Albee and the junior . Keith. - Though thoroughly familiar with vaudeville and the important details of the vast Keith Circuit, A. Paul, while often conferring with his part- ner, always deferred to Mr. Albee's opinion and judgment. It had been the same during the life of his father. The younger man was often present and took part in the conferences on ■ business policy held between his father.:, and Albee. " V Some years ago when Mr. Albee, who was then the active head, as he is now, of the Keith Circuit as well as of the United Booking Offices, suf- - fered a broken leg from an automobile accident. A. Paul Keith stepped intO: . his office during the necessary absence of Mr* Albee and handled the reins-, of management. /■ Besides their business relations there was a close bond of friendship between the Keiths and Albee. It followed with the son as with the father. In all the press departments of the institutions both were connected with, and also for all statements or announcements to be issued, there has always been a standing instruction from Mr. Albee that the name of Keith should be first^ mentioned. • . • V The deceased had a strong character and was what is known as a forceful man, though practically unfamiliar in person to theatricals. With Boston his home he could nearly always be found there, and when not, in Boston was paying a flying visit to New York, coming to the latter city, visiting Mr. Albee and generally returning to Bos- ton the same day. He was a member of many social clubs and the president of the Boston Athletic Association. No actual value of the B. F. Keith estate was ever reported. Messrs. Keith and Albee were the sole bene- ficiaries. The second Mrs, B. F. Keith, and the widow of the vaudeville mag- nate, accepted $600,000 before her hus- band's death, in lieu of her dower right. Since his death, she has rcmar- mied, having been Miss Chase, of Washington, daughter of the former vaudeville manager there, before her first marriage. The current value of the Keith the- atrical properties runs into the mil- lion.-!. There is a Keith theatre in nearly every important cistern city, and several in Greater Ncw'York. The United Booking Offices is the agency for them, also acting for a large num- ber of other theatres which book through it. Cohan & Harrii have postponed their production of "The Kinp's Double" un- til December, owing to the present uii- scltlcd conditions. It is a sptctacular musical production, music by Dr. Goct- tler. m .:'"■.'!< . •,-■•» ■r>i' :•"■'.•£ ■^^ ''■■■■ .M m -is ■M •■tfj m 1 ■;V. ■m M