New York Clipper (Apr 1923)

April 11, 1923 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 23 CUCUS IS HAZARDOUS GAME The circus is a hazardous and uncertain business, according to John M. Kelley, counsel for the estates of the late Henry and Alfred T. Ringling, and fortunes have been lost in the attempt to keep the big outdoor amusement enterprises going. Names, good-will, reputation, have counted for little in the transfer of drcases, he continued. The trials of the circus were related by- Mr. Kellcy in the' case of the government assessment of inheritance taxes upon the estates of the Ringlings. Alfred Rmgling owned a third interest in the Kingling Brothers & Bamum & Bailey Crcus and Henry owned a quarter. Upon -3ch estate the government laid a total tax of $100,000 to $150,000 and the question before the Board of Appeals and Review of the.In- heritance Division of the'Treasury Depart- ment was the value of the "good-will" passed along to the Ringling Brothers and Bamum & Bailey shows. Mr. ' Kelley argued that the good-will amounted to little or nothing, because the fortunes of the circus depended upon the genius and foresight of the men who man- aged it He called the circus a hazardous business. "Theatres, baseball and other lines of business with fixed locations are able to go on regularly," Mr. Kelley said. "But the circus can issue no rain check nor hold ad- vance sales^ li the day is lost, all is lost that pertains to a.giyefi jitandr "The good-wiU of a baiilc or. a depart- ment store is based oh long-dealing in one community, but every drcus that goes out makes its appeal for patronage on the claim of having something new. At best it is an experiment "What is commonly accepted as good- will in the circus name of the Ringlings is more correctly interpreted as confidence of the public in their professional ability and skill to present exceptional, clean and dependable entertainment. "The grinding process of carrying a dr- cus about the country, of building a tented dty every day, of tearing it down and transporting it at night, of being prepared to handle vast crowdb in unfamiliar places 'twice daily, rain or shine,' derisively^ and unmistakably determine for every^ circus owner just how big he can build his show and operate it" Telling of the growth of the Ringling circus from a small menagerie, Mr. Kelley said that for twenty-five years the brothers baxety deared expenses, but they kept on.. Seekmg to show the quality of personal genius that makes a drcus a success, Mr. Kelley reviewed tlie history of scores of other arouses. The Gollmar Brothers, cousins of the Ringlings, started a show in 1891, he said, but were never able to build or operate more than a one-train drcus. Th^ avoided a failure by retiring after twenty-six years of hard work, he asserted. The Adam Forepaugh show was never a profitable investment from the time its founder died in 1890 until the Ringlings took it over in 1905, he said. The drcus started by Willie Sells in 1900 and operated later under various names was an example, that good-will cannot be passed along as a great asset, said Mr. Kelley. "Fortunes have been lost in building cir- cuses," he conduded. "Fortunes have been lost in fruitless attempts to keep them go- ing. Name, good-will; reputation, have counted for little in the transfer of dr- cuses. In 100 years it has never figured as an item of any consequence. In a los- ing game the circus has struggled hard for self-preservation. Name and good-will have been mere incidents." OAYUGHT SAVING STARTS APRIL 29 Daylight saving this year begins at 2 A. M. Sunday, April 29. The iptroduction of the daylight saving several years ago brought a yelp from motion picture circles, especially those who run open air shows during the Summer months. The picture men based their grievance upon the claim that the daylight saving program euchred them out of an extra performance, inasmuch as under the time saving program nightfall is delayed until 9 o'clock in the Summer evenings. The latter have now become accustomed to it and have accepted it. However, in a number of states legislatures have pro- hibited the daylight saving program by legislation. The now program, however, will neces- sitate the readjustment of train time for touring companies and will keep the ad- vance men on the qui vive making the necessary changes in transportation sched- ules in the various cities that will use the new time system. MAYNES IN WASHINGTON H. F. Maynes, inventor of the Caterpillar Ride and Bert Earl Ride, operator and concessionaire, were in New York last week for a few days and left for the Johnny J. Tones Exposition Shows, now playing Washington, D. C. GUCK IN PETERSBURG William Click has left New York for Petersburgh, Va., the Winter Quarters of the Greater Bernard! Shows, which open in that town April 17. . . . .. SOLLY SHAW WITH BRODY Solly Shaw, formerly of the vaudeville team of Shaw & Kay, has joined Nat Brody, well known agent with offices at 245 West 47th street They are booking fifteen vaudeville houses in and around New York. Joe Waldron's "Speedway. Girls" have been booked for an indefinite run by the firm at the Rialto Theatre, Lakewood, N. J. SELLS-FLOTO OPENS BIG In a wire from Chicago, Saturday, April 7, it stated that the Sells-Floto Circus opened to very good business and that the performance is the finest they have ever presented. The DeRillo Riding Act with seven people and the big Twenty-four White Horse Act were the features. STANDARD DOING WELL The World Standard Shows will finish their three weeks engagement at Chidayo, Peru, and reports from the show to Frank Hughes say, that they are now doing a very nice business. HANSHER SHOW OPENS APRIL 28 Hansher Bros.' Attracti(»is will open the 1923 season at Milwaukee, Wis., April 28, and play some very good territory through the Middle West MURPHY CO. OPENS J. F. Murphy Produdng Company, with a new idea of outdoor expositions, will start the season of 1923 at Portsmouth, Va, Thursday, April IZ JOHNSON AND COSTELLO OPENING R. M. Johnson and M. J. Costello will open this season with their "Three Rides and about IS concessions at Tarrytown, N. Y., about Apr. 28. RILEY SHOW OPENS APRIL 17 ■ Matthew J. Riley is now at winter quar- ters of the Matthew J. Riley Shows, getting the Show ready to open April 17, in Trenton, N. J. KRAUSE IN HOSPITAL Bennie Krause, -who just returned last week from Porto Rico, where his show played this past Winter, underwent a minor operation in a local hospital last week. B4RS. GLICK VISITS HOME Mrs. William Glide is in Dubois, Pa, with her people, for a short visit before the opoiing of the Greater Bemardi Shows, of vi^ch her husband is one of the owners. ENDY IN POTTSTOWN Harry N. Endy^ Manager of the Endy Shows, who was m New York last week on business, has returned to winter quarters at Pottstown, Pa. Alice Fisher and John Cumberland will be featured in the cast of "My Aunt ... From Ypsilanti." Mr. Musician You Make Song Hits So do you, Mr. Actor. What do either one of you'get out of it? A pat on the back—^You're a jolly good fellow. You're anotfaer Jolson. You've got Lopez or Whiteman licked. Mr. Congenial Prbfessi<»al—Band & Orchestra Mgr. said so and tiie dance goes on. So does the plug go on. So docs the pubtie go^on buying sheet music, reconls and rolls of the songs that you make po^Mt- lar. No reflection on Mr. Publisher. He's in the business of puMWhing songs. Somebody has to make diem popular. Gilbert Conceives Co-operative Plan .\ ^ort time ago Wolfe Gilbert, the well known muac publisher, whose three outstanding hits are "The Natchez," "Robert E. Ixe" and "On a Moonlight Night," figured it out this way. As long as you do make songs, why not give yoti the opportunity to share in the profits? So he re-organized and formed a greater ooiporation associating with himself Mr. Thos. J. Geiaghty (Supervising Director of The Famous Flayers-'Lasky Coip.) as Vice-Pres., Mr. J. Diamond (Pres. Yale Taxi Corp. ) as Chairman Board of Directors, and an efficient sftaff of busi- ness executives. Now eveiy musician and performer has the opportimity of beoomiog a partner in his mvn company, of taking an active interest in hit own catalog of songs, of boosting and plugging his own tunes, of beii^ in business for himself. Subscription is open at $5.00 per unit, consisting of one ^lare of 8% ciunulative preferred stock and one share of common stodc in tiie com- pany. You may subscribe to as little as you wish. Hie more shares you hold, the better for you. You are limited, however, to not more than twenty units. Better fill out the attached coupon at once. It is already an assured success. .Hundreds upon hundreds are already subscribers. Dept C. Date L. WOLFE GILBERT MUSIC CORPORATION 1658 Broadway, New York Citj I hereby subscribe to units in The L. WoUe Gilbert Motic Coipontion Each unit consists of one share of 8% Cumulative Preferred stock ($5.00 par value) and one share of Common Stock ($5.00 par value). Price 15.00 per aniL Enclosed find Accepted M.0.1 Check \ Dnft J L. Wolfe Cilben Music Coip. By Partial pajrment plan. S unit* $2.00 weeklj. □ lOtioita S.OO weeklj. □ 20 units 10.00 wetUj. □ Mark X in block. Namt Addrass ... City Bunnnt ... Phont No. Make all dbecfca payable to L. Wolfe Gflbert Motic Corponlioa