The Billboard 1901-05-18: Vol 13 Iss 20 (1901-05-18)

THE BILLBOARD Circus Gossip. C. C. Wilson spent May 6 in Cincinnati. Business continues good with Harrison Brothers. Frank Robins is back again in adyance of the Rhoda Royal Shows. Ben Browman has certainly got a fine side show this year. The Robinson Shows will play Cincinnati three days, commencing June 3. f 4 he _ E. Wallace is looking fine. All t eaets about his serious illness are pure rot. ¥ ty ingling Bros., train, this year, is six } Poy hig as the Barnum Show ever was in America. Pony The Robinson & Stickney Dog and Show started out on May 27, with an entirely new outfit. 5 Robinson Shows turned them away Ee caaiee, O., at night and got a packed house in the afternoon. 5 F Shows enter Canada at Glenco uns 20. They use the Wabash from Kansas City to Glencoe. Nickel into Steubenville, O., the Nie pines Geow train broke an axel, but prompt work on the part of the railroad Company avoided any delay. ley, well known all over the i oneligg pen presss agent and ors manager of Elitch Gardens, Denver, whic will open May 27. Nickel : a Royal Show and the Nicke Pinte —h at Norfork, Va. The —— is first in, May 20. The latter follows the next day, Tuesday May 21. ircus e F. Bailey, the veteran circ Chew od who has been spending the winter in Mexico, has returned to his former home, ‘Danbury, Conn., for a short time. ‘s Big Uncle Tom's Cabin Comane eoeie Ene manager of Harry Glick, enn under canvas at Riverside, near Cinetnnati, last Saturday, to fine business. f . Wilson, the genial press agent 0 one "meblanen Shows, is an adept + Hace line. He has been getting some Lee ory newspaper notices in the Ohio towns whic they have rvisited. sey, in charge of the ponies of the sieliecs hows. is one of the oldest ee men in the country. He was at one time boss canvasman for the Robinsons when that was a wagon show. Great ‘ Howard, general agent of the ceed Cireus, has closed up his contracts for Denver and vicinity. Tom got in ate and secured an exclusive railroad contrac in all that good territory. column of this issue of ‘“The oueeee” wit be found an ro heer of E. D. Colvin, American representut ve of Hagenbeck, for sale of a new and unusually fine consignment of animals. s-Forpaugh Cireus Car No. 1, in incase ak War. Ed. Taba, struck New Haven May 8, and completed the first billing. os erything seemed to be in “ship shape, ,and the bill posters were all happy. The No. 2 Car is expected the following week. yentry Dog and Pony Show, No. 4, sm Set 7 Westen. general agent; Frank Robertson, assistant; B. F. Miller, boss bill poster, recently returned from Old Mexico, and are now billing Colorado and Utah, after spending a week in New Mexico. Mr. Rowe, manager of the Norris & Rowe Trained Animal Show, spent a few days in Denver last week, and nothing would do but he must go to the prize fight to see Russell and Sharkey, and the next morning a more disgusted man you never met. At Oil City, recently, a man who gave his name as Joseph Million was arrested by one of a corps of detectives attached to the Walter L. Main Show, on suspicion of being a pickpocket. The fellow was caught redhanded, and the next day received a heavy sentence to jail. The opening of the Robinson season at Jackson, O., April 30, was, all things considered, a remarkably successful one. Mr. John G. Robinson, through Capt. Wilson, notified ‘“‘The Billboard’ that the attendance in the afternoon was about 4,500 and the evening over 6, Joe H. Huston, agent for the No. 4, Gentry Dog and Pony Show, was in Denver May 2, 3 and 4. He was on his trip from Old Mexico, where he reports big business. Mr. Huston and Mr. Rowe got together and told their troubles and talked shop and divided un the territory. The parade of the John Robinson Shows this year is beautiful, in fact it is more than that. It is gorgeous. It cannot be described. One must see it to understand its strength and magnificience. The flash on the lot, too, is simply great. There is six center poles in the big top and ten in the menagerie. The town of Norwood, immediately adoining the city of Cincinuati, where the Donat, Bill exhibition was given to great crowds, charged the Wild West people $50 for two days’ license. The mayor hired ten extra police for the two days, at $2.50 each, so that. Norwood was just $5 ahead by the visit of the great show. The Gentry Dog and Pony Show No. 4 had their tent blown down at El Paso, . Texas, May 4. No one was injured, but the people inside the big top cut it up coneiderably in effecting their escape. On account of the accident, the show cancelled Santa Fe, New Mexico. Frank Gentry is in charge, with W. H. Tabor, treasurer. There is a natural disposition on the part of circus men to exaggerate the attendance at their own shows and belittle the crowds of their rivals. “The Billboard’? will endeavor to get as near the facts as possible. We shall state the truth as we can learn it, without prejudice or intention to do injustice to any showman. We want them all as our friends and supporters. There is a Dan Castello with the Harris Nickel Plate Shows who facetiously write to “The Billboard” to deny his death. He says he never was the owner of a saloon nor a frequenter of any Bowery resorts. The Dan Castello to whom ‘The Billboard” referred was not this one. He is really dead and buried, and was in the show business before the Harris Nickel Plate Castello ever though of going on the road. At Massillon. 0., May 10, the publie schools were dismissed for the entire afternoon to allow the pupils to attend the performance of Robinson's Shows. The little ones were the guests of Albert J> Wetterer, a former showman, who convinced the school board of Massillon that the circus and menagerie would be beneficial to the ehiidren in their studies. More than 3,500 youngsters were at the show. Darnaby & Meyer's Big Western Fair Shows are now occupying the large barns at Jackson and Robey streets, Chicago, opposite the winter quarters of the Harris Nickel Plate Shows. The show will earry thirty people. and onens August 1. Mr. Darnaby was for six years with the Buffalo Bill exhibition. He will shortly join with Miss Edna Martin, a beautiful and accomplished actress, and will appear with her in vaudeville in a new comedy, “Don't Tell Jack.” Theatrical Gossip. Richard Mansfield played to S R. O. ea pacity at advanced prices in Indianapolis, May 8. Helen Modjeska, the famous actress, sailed for Europe last week. It is unlikely that she will return to America for another farewell tour next season. As the train is routed, it will cover 3,269 niles. The New York Central handles the train 440 miles, the Lake Shore 657 miles and the Big Four 500 miles. W. Edwin McCarty, promoter, orator and lecturer, wi!l take the rag-time girls out again this season as manager. Mr Me— was a ‘Billboard’ caller the other ay. Mr. George N. Gray, agent for Neil Burgess, made a great many friends while in Denver. He is a good, hustling agent, and one of the best that has been there there this seaosn, though the last of the good ones. “The Merchant of Venice Special Train,” vn Which the Nat Goodwin Company is traveling, is made up of two New York Central baggage cars, Pullman private cars Iinperial aud Pilgrim, a Pullman standard sleeper and a standard day coach. The north wa!! of the Salt Lake City Theater caved in on the morning of May 9. So far as is known no one was hurt. The building. which was erected forty years ago, in the palmy days of Brigham Young, would have shortly been torn down. It was one of the landmarks of the city. Vaudeville. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Keley have bought the sketch “Settled Out of Court,”’ and will use it on the Keith circuit. Palmer's “Ten Nights in a Barroom,” with McCabe as manager, is doing a rush ing business under the white roof in lowa this season. It is rumored that C. H. Mays, a vaudeville performer well known in’ America some years ago, has committed suicide at Monte Carlo. Anna Boyd is shortly going into vaundeville in a sketch written by Mrs. A. S. Rich *rdson, who has also written one for Lil lian Burkhart. Augustus Thomas has nearly finished a farce for Peter F. Dailey, and is at work with Eugene Presbrey on a comedy to be called “Rex,” for Harry Woodruff. Miss Fanny Brunswick, of Chicago, daughter of the billiard table manufactur er, made her debut in vaudeville Sunday night in the Masonic Temple Theater. She has been with the Castle Square Opera Company in St. Louis during the past season. “A Night in Bohemia,”’ put on by the loeal lodge of Elks at Perry, Ia., one evening last week, was said by local papers to be the strongest effort ever made in that town by loca! talent. The Elks there have a beautiful building and an elegantly equipped entertainment hall, in which all shows under their auspices are staged. The Grand Opera Honse in Indianapolis, which was taken by Anderson & Ziegler, of Cincinnati, last winter for a vandevilJe house, closed its season Saturday night. The success of the venture was simply phenomenal. The resident manager’ of the house, Thomas Meyers, says their liberal policy will be continued next season, and they will offer some of the best acts of Enrope and America. It is reported that there is trouble in the ranks of the White Rats in New York, and that Henry Lee, who has been quite prom inent in the organization, has resigned. Mark Sullivan has stepped out, and rumor Says that Digby Bell has a grievance and will soon retire. It is claimed by the members of the order that the wleged dissensions are greatly exaggerated and misun derstandings are being fomented by the managers’ assoctation. The burlesque managers have effected a permanent organization. The organization will be known as the Association of Trav eling Vaudeville Managers. Besides mutual protection one of the purposes is to facilitate booking and arranging cheaper routes. By the establishment of a general booking agency this will be comparatively easy of accomplishment. Another object is to taboo unreliable managers. Each member of the society is required to furnish $2,500 security as a guarantee he will conform to the action of the combination. John D. Flynn, the well-known theatrical manager, filed a petition in bankruptey in the United States Court at New York the other day, which showed liabilities of 7,893.01, and no assets. His ventures were all in the vaudeville line, and his debts contracted in the years 1899 and 1900 ceonsist for the most part of salaries due fifty or more actors and actresses whom he essayed to manage. Among them are John Russell, Elfie Fay, Attalie Claire, Jobn w. Mack, Monroe and Hart and Clara Belle Jerome. Mr. Bolossy Kiralfy arrived in New York on the Saxonia, Tuesday, with forty-four of the company who are to engage in “Constantinople,”’ which will be one of the chief theatrical attractions at the PanAmerican Exposition. Rehearsals will be held in the Academy of Musie, Jersey City. The company includes Mile. d prima donna, and Miles. Farina, Verganti and Mozzi, premieres danseuses. Mlle de Largny is a graduate of the Lyons ConServatory, and is well known as a concert singer in France. Largny., Minstrels. T. R. Medway rejoined Barlow Bros. Minstrels at Niles, Mich., May 7 ‘. Much interest is manifested in Al. G. Field's big production of “Cinderella.” Barlow Bros. are greatly pleased with the new car they purchased from M. E. Rice. Al. G. Field established an enviable rep utation on the coast this year. They are talking about the show out there yet. Primrose and Dockstader’s Minstrels closed the season in Chicago last evening and the entire company left for New York. T. H. Murphree, Harry Ward's partner, has applied to Donnelly, Coburn and Bald win for a nosition for the balance of this season and next. Hi Henry may not be on the road next year. Gold has been discovered on some property that he owns in Idaho. He may devote his time to developing his property hereafter. Hugh Harrison, of Harrison Brothers, the successful under canvas minstrels, was in Cincinnati last Saturday. Mr. Harrison is just recovering from a very severe siege of typhoid and malarial fever. He was confined to his bed for nearly sixteen weeks. During his absence, the show, which is now touring Indiana, is in charge of his brother, Jim Harrison. A correspondent writes as follows, viz.: “Fred. Russell is here for the summer. He was with Ward, and says the show was a fierce affair. All were fighting among themselves so bad he had to leave. Ile closed at Denver. Several of the people blowed the show there, leaving a bad band and orchestra and a fierce show. Money was not coming, and the close was at Fair mont, Neb.. on the 4th. I was told by Rus sell that Ward applied for the position of advance for one of the big ones. From all I can learn, that has been a happy family this !ast season."’ Musical. —__ Alfred E. Aarons has made arrangements with Maurice Grau to rent the Metropolitan Opera House, beginning September 2, until the opening of the grand opera season. Mr. Aarons contemplates the presentation of mammoth productions of extravaganza and ballet. Aarons will sail for Europe soon to consummate contracts for noted European artists with whom he has been negotiating. Henry W. Savage, manager of the Cas tle Opera House Company, has secured control of the new musical comedy, “King Dodo,” writen by the authors of “The Burgomaster,”’ Frank Pixley and Gustave Iuders. The play will be given its first production at the Studebaker Theater, Chi cago, on May 27. The title roll will be undertaken by William Norris, while Lillian Green has been engaged to sing the leading soprano music, The Murray-Lane Opera Company wil! begin an extended engagement at the Bijou Theater, Richmond, on May 30, alternating between there and Norfolk. All the stand ard comic operas will be produced. The company will include, besides Clara’ Lane and J. K. Murray, Eleanore Kent, Harry Brown, Joseph W. Smith and Henry Lau rent and wife. Clarence Rogerson will be the musical director and the manager Charles H. Plummer. Mr. Murray will also have a company for the summer at the Cook Opera House, Rochester, N. Y., open ing June 3. Versatile Matt. J. Flynn. When Matt. J. Flynn reached Cincinnati with his Big Sensation Company, May 5, he found to his chagrin that a company which had played the People’s Theater a few weeks before him had stolen his fea ture act. Tle was a very sore man for a few minutes. On his visit here last fall this particular act, which, by the way, he originated and wrote himself, had packed the house for a week. Ile swore roundly for a while, but nothing daunted, he jumped in and wrote an other. It was done on the spur of the mo ment and completed in less than two hours. He assumed a part himself, rehearsed it once the same morning, put it on at the matinee and scored the hit of his life with it To say that it is salacious is putting it mild indeed. It is the hottest thing that ever hit the house. At that it is not wan tonly vulgar, for there is many a_ bright line and much clever business in it. With the Buffalo Bill Shows in opnosi tion he packed the house Monday and Tuesday evenings, and turned people away the balance of the week. Ile styles the act, which is really a one nect comedietta, “Two Disappointed Wives.” It is a warm number on an extra warin : A aw ac’ sO pe CIRCUS CANVASES, Poles and Stakes, SEATS, Flags, Etc. Zeents for KIDD'S PATENT CIRCUS LIGHTS. Black Tents for Meving Picture Work, THOMSON & VANDIVEER, recr'tter And Manufacturers of Circus, Side Show. Camp Meeting, Military and Lawn Tents, Balloons and Parachutes, Stable Canvases and Sporting Tents; Dray, Horse and Wagon Covers; Tar ulins, Mops, Canvas Signs and Hose; SteamCet Screens and Windsails; Hammocks. ete Flags of every description made toorder. Tents for rent. HOMSON & VANDIVEER, &t. Charles Hotel, 230 and 230 Kast Third Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. The World Over And you will find CANVAS isis Nothing too large or too TENTS. small for our shop. All the Big Shows use the best tents and we make them. Balloons and sporting tents of every description made to order. Second-hand tents for sale. Write for particulars. W.H LUSHBAUGH The Practical Tent Maker. Covington, Ky. LADY * BALLOONISTS! Df The reliable BELMONT SISTERS in~ vite your correspondence. References First National Bank. Long Distance Telephone—Bell or Citizens For dates, terms, etc., write or wire, W. BE. CARROW, Reed City, Mich. BUSINESS PERTAINING TO THE AD AL vance of Pawnee Bill's Wild West, address W.E FERGUSON, General Agent. care “Billboard,'’ 127 EK. Highth Street, Cincinnati, O. -§, BR. TAYLOR, SIDE SHOW PAINTINGS 265 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois. Scenery and Show Paintings ! JOHN HERFURTH, No. 2183 Boone St, CINCINNATI. oO. a Mgntion “ The Billboard” when answering ads,