Variety (November 1918)

8 irM VAUDEVILLE IN THE SERVICE [This Department has been- carried weekly in Variety since we declared war. It. has noted a list of theatrical men in the Service that seldom ran less than two ■ columns, and more often much beyond that.] CASUALTIES. The 19-jrear-old ton of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Eldred died last week at a naval school, of pneumonia. Irving Sandi, formerly with the "Oh Girl," died of influenza at Fort Slocum, N. Y., Oct. 25, where he was stationed. R. P. Jordan, aged 23, unmarried, last employed as an apprentice at the New York Hippodrome, dftfd of wounds re- ceived in action in France. Jordan was an enlisted man. J. Lennay, electrician, Kew York union, drafted, died in Camp Devens, Ayers, Mass., last month of pneu- monia. Lenney was about 30 years ^old and was at the Amsterdam, New York. JoHb Dillon, New York, member I. A. T. S. E. (Local No. 1), enlisting at the opening of the, war, died at Fort Smith, Ark., recently, where he was an inspector of arms. The premature explosion of a gun inflicted wounds that caused his death. Major Blaiadell, son of George Blais- deli, was killed in action at Cambrai Oct. 7. HisvX*ni'ly has not yet re- ceived official notification, but .informa- tion from members of his battalion whom he was leading at the time give confirmation of the catastrophe. Sergt. Dan Dale, 147 Inf., Hdqts. Co., A. E. F. in France, wounded in action. Corpl. Davis Bender (Regal and Ben- der) stationed in Philadelphia, has re- covered from influenza. Pvt. Sigrard .Wold is in a con- valescent hospital, American Leave Area, A. E. F. in France. • Lieut. Arthur Hebert, with the A. E. • F.' in France, whose home is in Lynn, Mass., has been wounded in. action. Clarence Gaskill is in Base Hospital No. 19, A. P. O. No. 871, A. E. F. in France, where letters may be addressed to him. ■ Pvt. Arthur Angel (formerly Angel and Fuller), gassed, convalescing in Base Hospital No. 80, A. E. F. in France. Sergt. Howard R. Hall ("Cheaters") Co.- K, 52 Pioneer Inf., injured in ac- tion, is now in Base Hospital No. 14, A. P. O. No. 780, A. E. F., in France, where he may be addressed. Pat Harrington is convalescing in a British hospital camp, after being wounded before Cambria in a dash of the Canadian troops. Mr. Harrington, known in vaudeville, enlisted with the CAtiniiiin forces about two years ago. SERVICE. Brock Pemberton, in the navy. Jere Sanford, in K. of C. uniform, expecting to go overseas shortly. Aguedo Dejesus, for four years at- tached; to.-the Univ«tsat-c-xch»ngsiu Manila, is on a torpedo boat destroyer. Wilbert Dunn (Chicago, "Oh Boy") at Receiving Camp No. 34, Camp Wheeler, Ga. ) Bob Ladue (Seven Kidding Kids) left lor Camp Polk, N. C, to join the Tank Corps. David Goldman inducted into the Army and assigned to Headquarters, Fort Slocum, N. Y. Chief Caupolican (vaudeville) has entered the army as a private, at Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va. Frederick Esmelton has enlisted for overseas work as a representative of the Knights of Columbus. Loring Smith ("Leave It to Jane") at Camp Polk, Raleigh, N. C, Tank Corps, Carl Milligan, formerly of the Ibcal Pantages oflice, is in the Ordnance De- partment, Washington, D. C . Harry Padden, formerly of the B. S. Moss offices, left Fort Totten Wednes- day for further military service in Newport News, Va. Alfred Steiner, formerly of the O'Brien, Malevinsky & Driscoll law oflices, is - now - in service at Camp Taylor. ! Desmond Gallagher, eight weeks in the hospital camp at Atlanta with ty- phoid fever, has returned to New York much improved in health. Montgomery Moses (stock manager), Jack White and George Solle Spencer, leading man, are now in army uni- forms. Ralph Kohn, of the legal department of the Famous Players-Lasky Com- pany, has been commissioned a first lieutenant in the Signal Corps. William A. Johnston, editor of the Motion Picture News, who resides at Bayside, has been ordered by his local board to report'for military duty. . Johnny O'Connor, formerly with Variety and whb enlisted in the navy, assigned to Pelham Bay, has been or- dered aboard ship for sea duty. He left Pelham last week. Bennie McPher'son (known as Ben- nie Hart), a membei- of "The Show of *Wonders, has been commissioned a second lieutenant, stationed at Camp Upton. Jesse Weil and Bobby Higgins have been transferred from Camp Upton to the Provost Marshal's office, New York. Serg. Irving Berlin has been also de- tailed to the same office. Nine members of the New York Symphony Orchestra are in the ser- vice: William Kincaid, Samuel Lif- schey, R. M. Johnson, Victor Kasper, A. Faitin, Antonio Perrigo, T. A. Soko- loif, R. Charkasky, J. Danziger. Melville Shauer, son of Emil Shauer, treasurer of the Famous Players- Lasky Company, has been sent to an officers' training camp in France. The younger Shauer went abroad with his unit six nronths ago and was in action several times before the promotion to the training school arrived. Marsden, the former New York the- atrical photographer, is now an in- , structor in aerial photography at Mineola, L. I. He has six brothers and two sisters in army service. The boys were all, except Marsden, in Canadian service, two having been killed in action. Another brother was invalided home. SHOW CANCELED AT XAMP. Camp Upton,.L. I., Nov. 6. "Mother Goose," a musical comedy, after playing two performances out of S scheduled fou?-ilay engagement at. e Liberty Theatre here last week, was canceled by Manager George H. Miller, of the theatre. Martini (Martini and Maximillian) was the manager of the show. "Fads and Fancies" is the attraction at the Liberty all of this week. VOLUNTEER CAMP SHOWS. At the Probation Camp, Pelham Bay, N. Y., Oct. 30: N^noa, Lew Wils<Jn, Durkin Girls, Largay and^Snee, Bar- low and Hurst, Cramer, Barton and Sparling, Eddie Delite, Payton and Hickey (Moe Schenck, enlisted), stage manager. "Home Folks" will be presented Sun- day night, Nov. 10, at the Playhouse by William A. Brady, and "The Better 'Ole" will be given the same evening ' at the Greenwich Village, both free to men in uniform and both under the auspices of the Stage Women's War Relief. v At the S2d Street Armory, Brooklyn, Oct. 30, by the United Booking Offices: Lew Archer, Miss Watson, Killian and Moore, Ford and Cunningham Sisters, Walter Weems, Kerr and Weston, Buz- zell and Parker, Al Smith, Conrad and Mayo, Minnie Blauman, pianiste; Jack Inglis', announcer. At Newport, R, I., under the direc- tion of Ms^rk Levy, at Reserve Bar- racks, Oct. 22: Pat Magher, Massie and Archenbault, Sampsel 'and Leonhardt, Holland Brooks, Val and Ernie Stan- ton, Joe Petrucci. Oct. 25 at Drexel Hut: Davies and Pugh, Oddone, ,5- Hawaiian Rookies, Joe Petrucci, Mack and Paglia, Holland Brooks, Archen- bault and Massie. Max Gordon, of Lewis & Gordon, doing limited military service, received a furlough for 24 hours last Wednes- day and asked the officials of the U. B. O. if they could send him some talent to take part in a benefit per- formance for his company at' New Brunswick, N. J. Twenty acts left on the 5.10 train Wednesday and returned the same evening. The affair was staged and directed by Gordon. BOYS SEEING AaiON. Editor yAjiiETT: France-, Oct. 6. I could sit here in my dugout for days and write many exciting stories about happenings and conditions over here as I have seen them during the six months I have been here. But the censor would never allow it. I saw the letter Ray Hodgdon wrote to brother Jack. Just let me tell you, Ray was mild and sure did eliminate many of the- things he had to go through. We were over here some time be- fore his crowd got here, and his divi- sion is always close behind ours and he sure must have covered the same ground we did. , "Man t" as Savoy and Breenan would say, "You don't know the half of it." We hiked through towns and villages the fellow who drew the map of France doesn't know exists. We rode on side-door Pullmans for three days, covering over 1,000 kilos, and hiked in the muck and rain for about 1,000,000 kilos more. At times we had to wait until dawn (after hiking about IS miles) for the farmer to chase his cows or horses out to pasture. Then they would billet us. Many a poor cow or horse has been shoved out of a barn to make room for tired soldiers. But the boys have all been game and never murmur. We have been in four ' different sectors since we' landed and have been in actual fighting since June 21. We are expect.ng a furlough and a much-needed rest after we get through here. We've been here six months and it don't seem a day over seven years. Heard that Billy Gould has a good crowd of artists over here. But I don't ilirak they will reach -us. --Tbe.y;. are closer to Paris. We haven't been near a decent sized town yet. I 'don't mind that at all. The only town I want to see is New York, and the way the Yanks are going I tliink we will all see it soon. We Yanks sure did put some real pep into this war. Will write about the actors over here in my next letter. Regards to all. France, Oct 10. Just tip off some of the boys who are coming over here to get in good physical condition. Tell them to take special care of their feet. My feet (poor dogs) -sure have done their duty. A year ago I joined the army and could wear comfortably a 4^ shoe. Now I wear a 6 size, and my feet seem a little crowded. And I have become an expert can- opener. I can open a can of corned Billie or a can of beans without cut- ting my hands. Have opened millions of them (some job and no cinch). As for the actors over here, h'aven't much time to see them. Our division has a show and it is pretty good. Cor- poral Pincus is quite a hit in it He has some good stories, most about the army. He,does Frank Tinney, Jol- son and Julian Rose all in one. I be- lieve he worked with Kissen, of Burns and Kissen, at one time. Jack Wal- dron, of Locket and Waldron, is with the -show, singing, joking and dancing, and quit a hit Harry Solomon, for- merly with Theo and Her Dandies, sings ballads sweetly and is tenor in a quartet The four harmonize well. Ben Baker, of Sherman, Baker and Branigan, is in the quartet and also puts over a fe;iy.jazz ^songs very nicely. There is a cliap named Le Claire (a female impersonator with the troupe) who is really very good. A jazz band helps along, and the show is a hit They are a non-combatant outfit Walter Heckman, of Heckman, Shaw and Compbell, has gone to the officers' training school. I donft have to listen to him sing "Joan of Arc" now. If the censor would allow, I could write a million pages inore. Some day in the near future I hope to tell you all about the aeroplanes, bombs, potato mashers, whizz-bangs, trenches, dugouts, billets, and many ot^her dan- gerous,things of interest. It's a' great life, a big game, but a tough one, and it looks like the Yanks are putting the finishing touches on, right now. Remember me to alt the boys. Ben Pierpont. LIBERTY THEATRE NOTES. Norman Hackett. dramatic director at Camp Dlx, has Id rehearsal a soldier show slmliar to "Ylp, Yip, yaphankl" Uajor H. H. Stewart, detailed Iff the Secre- tary of War to serve as MlUtarr inspector for the Theatre Dlrlsion of the War Department, Commission on Training Camp ActWItlei. Is now making a tour of the eastern camps. Major Stewart is an old theatrical manager. Geo. L. Sargent, manager of the Camp Kearney Liberty Theatre, arranged with the Universal Film Exchange of Lo« Angelea to donate 175 reels of feature pictures for use In the camp during the quarantine. J. Howard Reber, booking representatire in charge of the New York offlce for the Commti- sioQ on Training Camp ActlTttles, has re- ceived from Howard O. Pierce of Washington, Assistant Director of Liberty Theatres, the following advice concerning the possible open- ings of new theatres: Camp Humphries, Va., is expected to be open Nov. 25; Camp Stew- art, about Dec. 1, and Camp Eustis, Feb. 15. Appropriations have been made for the con- struction of a theatre at Camp Oreen, N. C, with a seating capacity of 1,350 and at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, with a seat- ing capacity of 1,6.50; one seating 1,350 at Fort ' Bliss, Tex., and another at Camp Brag, Far- ettevlUe. N. C. A new house seating 1,650 wUI be opened next spring at Camp MUls, L. I. "The Brat," with Cecil. SpoOner, whtcb played the Tulane In New Orleans at (2, was the attraction at the Liberty, Camp Beaure- gard last week at 60c. top, through Smileoge coupons. "America's Answer," the second oHlcial Oor- emment war picture, and "Hearts of the World" are two of the many features booked by E. L. Hyman, Dtrector of Picture Division for the Military Entertainment Committee. ■- 'Santi' ;-srid••; orcheUtp.\r ■»tr«Bf«tj]iMi.t«i,_.aniI. chorus slides of all the latest successes baVe been sent to the Liberty Theatre orchestras through the patriotic co-operation of ■. L. Hyman of the Plctu.'e Division. Frances Ingram, tbe concert artist formirly contralto of the Chicago Orand Opera Asss- elation, has htsn rs-sngaged for a tonr of the eastern camps.