Variety (November 1918)

6 VAUDEVILLE EPIDEMIC WAVE HAS PASSED; ENTIRE C OUNTRY RE-OPENING Youngstown, Ohio; Only Exception to General Resumption. All'of Eastern Canada Active Again. Pacific Coast to Remove Ban Tomorrow. Losses of Circuits Tremendous. The epidemic of Spanish influenza which attacked many sections of the globe and made important theatrical .■ history by sweeping across the entire •. western continent; by the beginning of next week (Nov. 18) it is nearly assured, will have been dissipated, with '. but a . few scattered cities remaining /under quarantine. The debit piled up ' against the epidemic is a heavy one but lost sight of in the news of peace and the decisions to throw off quarantines in all sections save a strip of territory in the central northwest and the lower . coast regions. The middle west opened up entirely, one exception being noted—Youngs- town—due to start Monday next or ' before. Detroit and all of Michigan opened Nov. 11, as did Cleveland, and the same da:)^ the Cincinnati health authorities announced the ban lifted,, effective Tuesday with the vaudeville resuming there Wednesday afternoon. That left but Akron and Youngstown ' under quarantine in Ohio. St. Louis also opened this week, Wednesday being the starting date." This left but three important cities closed in the Mississippi valley sec- tion, they being St, Paul, Duluth and ' Minneapolis, the latter being due to emerge from quarantine next week. Savannah reopened Monday, which gave the south a clean sheet with the -exception of New Orleans, which will : open Nov. 16. The situation early this week first indicated that the line west of Denver ' and Butte was still pretty hard hit, but Seattle suddenly threw off the ban Tuesday, and Portland,- re., announced that it would resume Nov. 1^. The opening of the coasff cities in- sures the passing of the epidemic. It was expected that they would still be ^under the ban for another two weeks. Butte, in opening Nov. 8, had an en- couraging effect on other western cora- mounities, and with the sudden opening announcements most of the remaining coast territory will be in operation by next week. The Orplysum circuit, which was the last to become affected, is logically the last to emerge. Closed on the Orpheum books this week are St. Paul, Winnipeg, Duluth, Minneap- olis, Frisco, Stockton, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Any or ail may be open by Monday. Montreal, in resuming Tuesday, . opened up all .of eastern Canada. There are some isolated points here and there still closed in matly sections, but the/ remain under quarantine because of the timidity of local officials more than anything else, for it is an estab- lished fact that the epidemic has passed. The disease wave ran a course of five weeks in most cities, mahy of the larger municipalities, however, beating it in three weeks. Few man- agers have quoted figures as to losses sustained, although Alex Pantages an- nounced at Los Angeles that the epi- demic had cost his circuit $25,000^up to this week, i Thf epidepiic ban on the Actors' Fund Home, Staten Island, has been lifted. While none of the members vvefe ill •isfith Infiue heads deemed it expedient to place the home under a two weeks' quarantine. The members are again permitted to attend the Staten Island picture shows and are also to receive visitors. • In the N?w York ofjic? of thp Of- pheum CirAit this week it was stated that Denver opened Monday, Seattle Tuesday, with Nov. 17 set as the- re- opening of Vancouver and Portland, Ore. Seattle, Nov. 13. The ban was discontinued here yes- terday (Tuesday) and theatres opened at matinee. The Orpheum and Pan- tages gave shows from bills laying off here. The Palace Hippodrome, Moore, Oak and alt picture houses also started. Seattle is the first city on the coast to open since the influenza blighted things. Portland, Ore., Nov. 13. Although the casualty list in the epidemic still rages here it was an- nounced Monday quarantine will be •lifted from the theatres Nov. 16. This is . an . earlier resumption than first looked for, Montreal Nov. 13. All theatres opened Tuesday after- noon instead of waiting until night, as first intended. The quarantine had been effective for exactly five weeks. Denver Nov. 13. Instead of the original date set for Sunday, the' quarantine was lifted Monday, all theatres swinging into op- eration by night time. A 'ast hour decision on the part of the health heads provided that only churches should^start Sunday. Big business at- tended the openings. The city haid been closed five weeks. Theatres in Colorado Springs and •Pueblo are also now playing. Cincinnati, Nov. 13. The quarantine was lifted here yes- terday (Tuesday), health ofiicials hav- ing decided to lift the ban at a meet- ing Monday morning. Several vautie- viile houses were unable to open at once on the short notice, but Keith's will resume this afternoon. The Em- press (burlesque) will reopen next Sunday, using "Maids of America," which has been laying off here. The Olyihpia was the first to open. A performance started five minutes after midnight Monday, drawing a house packed with peace celebrants. It was the first midnight show ever held in Cincinnati. Theatres in Louisville and Lexing- ton also • reopened yesterday. . Butte, Mont., Nov. 13.' The ban against theatres because of the epidemic was abolished. Houses able to secure attractions started Fri- day night. The lifting camesjinexpect- edly. The lead of Butte in allowing theatre resumption was predicted would in- fluence other cities to'reopen. Great Falls theatres opened Sunday and Lewiston today. Theatre^s re- sumed business in Anaconda tonight. Pantages opens here Saturday with the show jumped from Calgary head- lined by Ten Navassar Girls, . * San Francisco, Nov. 13. The entire northwest is opening this week. Spokane, Seattle, Portland and Tacoma open Thursday [Oakland starts Nov. / (?)]. There was a meet- (Contiaued on page 20.) BOOMING WAR FUND. ■ The first show of the week under the auspices of the allied theatre and picture team was'presented by E. F. Albee Sund^ night at the Hippo- , drome. It was an overwhelming suc- cess,' as a show and at the ,box office. Witn but limited advertising, the en- tire house sold out early. Over 300 people were seated on the stage. Hun- dreds were necessarily turned away. The seat sale brought $8,000 and a col- .nection for the drive made during the V evening by Marshal McCarthy netted $10,000 more. But short notic«>. wtis given or had for the benefit performance. Mr. Al- bee decided Thursday to hold it.^ The eiitire program was gathered without a disappointment. The -acts in order of appearance were ^. F. Keith's Boys Band, Mar- guerite Fontcesse, Sophie Tucker and Her 5 Kings of Syncopation, Robert Emmett Keane, Pearl Regay, Serg. Irving Berlin, Avon Comedy 4, Belle Baker, Houdini, Pelham Naval Band, Craig Campbell Julia Arthur Will and Gordon Dooley, Sailor Wm. J. Reilly, Fri$co with Loretta McDermott and Jazz Band, Charles King and Phil Ba- ker, Miss Juliet, Blanche Ring, Milo, Lillian Russell, Marshal l^cCarthy, Trixie Friganza, Al Jolson. I. Robert Samuels, with Eddie Dar- ling, got together and arranged the performance, stage managied by Pat Casey and announced by Raymond Hitchcock, who acted as master of ceremonies. E. C. Lauder and Reed A. Albee lent general assistance. The large Hippodrome orchestra was led by Julius Lenzberg. The campaign for the United War Work $170,000,000 fund really started in the theatres at the Palace Saturday night when a goodly collection was ob- tained. The speakers were Dr. Colden, rector,of the Larchmont church and the Hon. Benj. Spellman. Pledge cards were distributed in the audi- ence. A returned soldier who signed for $10 sent word to one' of the speak- ers he could, afford no more, but that he had a medal presented to him by General Joffre, which he would like to have auctioned off. The medal was finally secured by a woman patron, who, evoked great cheers when she returned it to the soldier. Further enthusiasm came when a sailor, aVshell •shock victim, sent word that in addi- tion to a $5 pledsre he desired to give into the fund a $50 Liberty Bond which was being held in a Brooklyn bank. At the auction of seats for the Friars' Frolic (next Sunday), which occurred during the complimentary diviner ten- dered by the Friars at the Monastery to Police Commissioner Enright Sun- day night $20,000 was secured. Boxes were disposed of at $2,000 each. The Sta«e Women's War Relief is aiding in the drive this week' by fur- nishing Grecian Robed Victory Girls to make collections at the Metropol- itan-O. H. for the enUre week, and' also furnishing prominent stars to speak at the theatres during the week. The call for volunteer acts was 'heavier this week than ever in New York., The requests were not alone for soldier entertainment, but for as- sistance in the United War Work Cam- paign. In other 'drives speakers for the most part operated, but in the war work drive is shy of the talkers and- vaudeville was called on to help out. In addition, other free vaudeville was tendered the -crowds along Broadway, a number of "dare-devils" doing stunts under ^the guidance of the Showmen's League of America. Nervo performed his high dive to a sliding board at Times Square, while Speedy was scheduled to dive from the Gaiety •:--Bailding.into atank i>laced/on the side-_. walk opposite Varibtt's office, while many of the so-billed dare-devil shows which operated during the summer were listed to perform stunts along Broadway from 42d street ^o Colum- bus Circle. ILLiUfD INJURED. — Madame" iPetrova is ill with influ- enza. McLain Gates has recovered from ^ influenza. Frankie Wilson, at her home with influenza, recovering. Frank Joyce, of Ryan and Joyce, heavy cold. Manager Duffy, Twenty-third Street, is on deck again after a brief illness. Mrs. Gavin (formerly Gavin and ' Piatt) is seriously ill with influenza at the Barnett Ho^ital, Paterson, N. J. Fred.Hallen (mllen and Fuller) be- came ill with stomach troiible Sunday while at the Royal. Ben; Stern, manager of Loew's Sev- ■ enth Avenue, in for three weeks with influenza, fully recovered. Dr. McCall Anderson, physician for the Actors' Fund Home, after a j-ecent' illness, is back on .duty. , Bert Ennis, ill with la grippe, expects to return to his publicity desk with Mc- Clure's the latter part of the week. James Curtin, manager Empire, Brooklyn, after a recent illness, is back on duty. . La Folette fell through a trap at Poll's, Bridgeport, Conn., and -sus- tained a broken leg. Recovering in Bridgeport. ' Harry Weber returned to duty last Tuesday, after an attack of influenza, whichr kept him at his home for the past two weeks. Yvette Rugel has entirely recovered from her recent illness and will re- appear with Johnny Dooley in their two-act. , Margie and- Nance O'Neil and Btllie Osborne ("Ffetty Baby"), slightly in- jured in an automobile accident last week while playing Philadelphia. Billy Lyons (Inman and Lyons) sus- tained a broken collar bone last week at his home in Brooklyn. Julia Nash (Mrs. Henry Chester- field) has recovered from her recent attack of asthma and is appearing this week at Keith's, Columbus. Convalescent, Gertrude Hoffman was obliged to cancel her engagement 'at Keith's, Washington, D^ C., this week. Miss Hoffmann t-eopens at the Or- pheum, Brooklyn, next week. ' Tommy Odell (Armstrong and Odell) is seriously ill in Bellevue Hos- pital, New York, and would like to hear from his friends and. brother . Elks, as he is in need of assistance. Ned Wayburn, Jr. (son of Helene Davis) is at his home in N^w York, recovering from influenza. Miss Davis has been abroad since July29'with the Over There Theatre League. La Follette, a protean artist, sus- tained a traotured leg when he fell through a trap door Saturday night . while at the Plaza, Bridgeport. He was brojignt to the Roosevelt Hospital, New York. John E. Coutts, following conva- lescence, was operated upon for appen- dicitis in a Babylon, L. I., hospital • Wednesday afternoon. Until he recov- ers, Joh"h H. Gleiinan will handle the Coiitts & Tennis show, now in New England territory. The following are reported ill at - the American Theatrical Hospital, Chicago: Helen Simons (Haymarket Stock Burlesque); Leo Berezniak, the-, atrical attorney; Margaret Howard (Rankin and Howard); yaldeo and Mireo de Coriche, dancers; Helen Gates ("Oh.. Look"); Eileen Thomas ("Friendly Enemies"); Helen Crawford ("Oh, Look"); Rose Zinders, and Con- stance Kauffman (Alhambra Stock, York, Pa.). DRAFT GALLS REVOKED. , .AU-males of. the Unitied.S.tsites pnder 19 or over 36 yeiaifs heed not file otit" and retfurn the questionnaires which, up to Tuesday, had been mailed by the draft boards. There was also cancellation of all draft calls Tuesday. . i.-7..t ...■ -'.v..'