The billboard (Jan 1921)

Endeavors ‘ever to. serve the Profession. honestly, intelligently and usefully Copyright 1921, by The Bittboard” Publishing Company. REDUCTION IN THEATER TICKET PRICES TO BE GENERAL Is Indication in the Move cf Sam 8S. Harris Who Orders Revision of Prices of Broadway Productions Other Managers Silent, But Cut Is Expected: / New York, Jan. 3.—Evidence of a general reduction in the price of theater tickets Is contained in the fact that Sam S. Harris hag ordered a revision of prices for all his Broadway attractions, beginning tonight,’ with a top price of $2.50. Altho Harris is presldont of the Producing Managers’ Assoelation he says he acted only for hi self in making reductions, but sald that + other managers would soon take simlar action, “Beginning tonight,” Mr. Harris sald, "a two-fifty scale of prices will be fixed for. my New York productlons—Welcomé Stranger,’ at the Cohan & Harris.Theater; ‘Little Old New York,’ ‘at ‘the .Plymouth, and Grant Mitchell In “The Champion,’ at the Longacre. ‘The reduction will go tight down the tine,until it affects the lowest price balcony seat. “ “When I bring. Mrs.. Fiske in. her hew play, ‘Wake Up, Jonathan,’ into New York soon the $2.50 scale will Drevall at the opening and thereafter. “It should be apparent to theaterg0ers that no fixed seale of prices can be arbitrarily set for all productions. An elaborate musical show or an allstar production, for instance, cannot be given profitably at the same prices ; that will bring a fair profit on a play that costs less to produce.” Other theatrical man: concerning thelr. plans for prices for the immediate future, but the action of the Shuberts in: placing a $2.50 limit on tickets for their houses in Boston last week, and a general reduction of Prices in the largest Chicago theaters Tecent!v, are regarded-as pointing to @ Feduction in all theaters soon, Madame B. Jung, aerlalist, a member ot Kirkland'’s Kallfornia’ Kewpies, Rarrowly escaped serious injury at Eldorado, Kansas, “New Year's Eve, When, in rehearsing, a new trapeze act at the Belmont ‘Theater,. she. fell twelve feet. “While no bones. we-e trcken. the performer suffered @ shock revented Fitch, prews er appearance New C. W. PARKER President, of the Heart of America Showman’s Club, and one of the speakers of the evening. K. C. SHOWMEN'S CLUB STAGES BRILLIANT BALL AND BANQUET Many of the Best Known Outdoor Showmen Attend More Than Three Hundred + Gathered at Coates House . For Premiere Event of Heart of America Showman’s Club Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 1.—The banquet and ball of the Heart of America Showman's Club, held at the Coates House last night, was a brilliant affair, attended by many of the best known outdoor showmen in America. Three hundred tickets were soldand there ‘were about 300 persons present. ‘The banquet hall and ballroom were beautifully decorated jn holiday dre: ‘The ball started at nine o'clock and at cleven-thirty the guests sat down to. the. banquet, ushering in the new year with appropriate ceremonies. The banquet menu included cream vegetable soup, celery, ollves, turkey, potatoes,” peas, cranberries, fruit’ cake, salad, ice cream, cake, coffee, cigars {Continued ‘on page 17) W. J. STARK + HITCHCOCK AND JOINT OWNERS OF “HITCHY KOO” AT LOGGERHEADS Differences Are in Nature of Family Row, Says Star Right To-Make Changes in Cast Main Point at Issue Hitchcock Gives Notice in Or| der To Force Showdown ‘ Secreta: Association, which meets at Regina of the Western Ganada Fairs Washington, D. C., Jan. 3.—RayJanuary 25-26. mond. Hitchcock, of .""Hitchy Koo” fame, is at loggerheads with Messrs. Erlanger, Dillingham -and Ziegfeld, Joint owners with him of the “Hitchy + Koo". Company, altho, according. to Mr. Hitchcock, the differences are of @ technical nature strictly. He insists with much vigor they are in the nature of a family row, which, as he suggests, ofttimes becomes rather interesting, but which ts best settled within the bosom of the family. The whole story, in brief, is that when Mr. Hitchcock ‘sold’ a ‘half’ interest in “Hitchy Koo” to Erlanger, Dillingham , and Ziegfeld he: retained, or thought he retained, 'the/ right to say who ’ . should constitute the cast. At any rate he is insisting ‘that he has this — right, and,-to give. evidence of’ the January 25 and 26 Are Dates same, hag served a technical notice of Annual ‘C r4 on his partners that he will enjoy jonvention that right or refuse to “play ball” himself, By Inference only aa. Mr. Hitehcock suggest that-tho'differences AN Interesting and Instructive existing are between himself ‘and Mr. Program Arranged Dillingham only of the other owners. ST To quote Mr. Hitchcock literally: Association May Be Larger in. “There Is a difference but ‘no distinc1994, Says Seoy. Stark tion.” In other words, the differences : suggested above have-arisen, but they Sen are not distinct enough to cause unOne of the important events in fair. friendly feeling between: himself and dom in.Canada is the annual mectiri his partners. In fact, he says, if he of the Western Canada Fairs AesoclaWere still the sole owner of “Hitchy tion, at which time plans for the scaKoo” and were seeking to‘sell an inson are. discussed, contracts are enterest he is very sure he would aptered into for attractions and midways proach the yery same gentlemen who for Circults “A” and “B” and oppor now enjoy with him ownership of, the tunities given for concessioners to show, but he would make a condition-make individual contracts with the precedent to the effect he should have various fair managers. the say as to changes Ini the’cast. ‘W. J. Stark, secretary of the assoThe only way to bring about a setciation, has sent out notices to all the tlement, therefore, in Mr. Hitchcock's fairs announcing that the annual mectopinion, Js to serye notice, which he ing is to-be held in the Council Cham= has done, that’ there must be a show ber of the City Hall at Regina, Sask., down on the managerial: rights inJanuary 25.and 26. volved. ‘That the differences are not The association {s made up of two financial in any sense Mr. Hitchcock circuits—“A" and “B". The first cir(Coatinved oa. page 37) (Continued on page 11) Last Week's Issue of The Billboard Contained 1,185 Classified Ads, Totaling 5,292 Lines, and 491 Display Ads, Totaling 19,471 Lines, 1,676 Ads, Occupying 24,763 Lines fa All The Edition of This Issue of The Billboard Is, 58,500 ;