The Billboard 1909-01-02: Vol 21 Iss 1 (1909-01-02)

JANUARY 2, 1909. The Bi llboard FROM POLITAN TERS In All Big Cities Aside from New York and Chicago Marlowe Opens at Boston in Mary Johnston’s Drama, The Goddess of Reason, and Scores an Threatens the Remodeling of every Moving Picture Theatre---Big City News Miss Minnette Barrett, who plays the role of olly in The Round Up, bad an experience Monday night that will linger in her memory, and will not soon be forgotten by the audience that witnessed the happening. In the fourth act Miss Barrett comes in mounted on a charger and immediately dismounts. In this particular instance the charger was feeling a bit gay and did a littl more than his share of bucking. Miss Barrett held her seat remarkably well un der the circumstances, yet, before members of the company were able to get control of the pony, Miss Barrett was thrown under his feet and to all appearances injured. When this plucky young lady appeared a few minutes later in response to her cue, the storm of applause that greeted her seldom has been given a star on any stage. Chas. Conrad, carpenter; Joe Welrauch, property man, and Martin Fox, electrician, are com plimented by Manager Aukenmiller, of the Duquesne Theatre, for their very eicient work. It is to be hoped the rumor that Tom Kenson will build a playhouse on the North Side, the same to be operated by Harry Davis, will develop to be true. LOUIS L. KAUFMAN. CLEVELAND, O. No matter what time of the year, or whether tt be the cold or heated season when Geo. M. Cohan strikes town he Is sure to gather in many ducats. Last week, at the Opera House, Was no exception when he presented his new show, The Yankee Prince, over which bis audi ences went wild and applauded long and loud. Last Saturday, funny Harry Lauder gave a matinee and evening performance at Gray's Armory, which was well attended and much appreciated. During his stay in the city many Scotchmen and societies entertained Mr. Lauder at receptions in his honor. Last week terminated high-class vaudeville at Keith’s Brospect Theatre. Hereafter this house will be devoted to high-class moving pictures. The Keith bill last week was a good one, including Laddie Cliff, Claire Romaine, Mullin and Corelli, Joe Maxwell and Company, Henry Keane and Olive Briscoe, Bert and Bertha Grant, Myers and Rosa, Piccolo Midgets and Casselli’s Dogs. The advance sale of tickets for the opening of Keith's Hippodrome is immense, and seats are in great demand. The opening on next Monday will be the occasion for assembling the most distinguished gathering of prominent showmen that have ever visited Cleveland. The Colonial has been engaged, the week of January 1, by the Cleveland Operatic Club, for @ production of The Chimes of Normafhdy, the proceeds to go to various charitable institutions, among them the St. Clair Hospital and the St. Alexis Hospital. The club was recently organized, and among its members are of the best-known singers in the city. . Saddler will be the musical director of the club and David Yost, formerly stage director of the Grau Opera Company, is serving the club in the same capacity. Every member of the club fs a trained vocalist and from chorus to leading principal the production should be musically {nteresting. Miss Valerie Bergere will begin a five weeks’ engagement the week of January 11, at Keith's Hippodrome. Miss Bergere will have a strong sketch for each week, repeating some of her established favorites and offering some never seen in Cleveland before. Manager Daniels is planning to give Miss Bergere’s playlets splendid settings. He has the scenic artists at Keith's Hippodrome busy now painting and constructing elaborate scenery for Miss Bergere’s Playlets, and a large force of ‘‘extra’ players will be engaged for her engagement to entich the presentations. An event of interest will be the production at the Opera House, next week, of The Golden Butterfly, the latest comic opera, Miss Grace Van Studdiford in the title role. Also of interest to lovers of the classic drama is the apbroaching engagement of Mr. Robert Mantell. When William Morris was in town last Saturday to see his star Larry Lander, he made a statement to the effect that he would build & new vaudeville theatre here and that the Same would be opened not later than next October. Mr. Morris believes that Cleveland will be a profitable city for one of the vaudeville houses in his circuit. Several sites have been Selected, and Mr. Morris’ representatives are how negotiating for a property. In conversation with Mr. Morris he further advised: ‘The hew house, which will be called the Orpheum, will be modern in every way, elegant, artistic and extremely comfortable. It will seat 2,200, whieh I think is the right size for a vaude ville theatre. It will have a mezzanine floor, in addition to the regular baleony and gallery, and = this ‘ t mezzanine floor will be quite conti nental, It will be made up of boxes exelnsively, and there will be a wide promenade behind. In my Washington Orpheum, now building, gentlemen will be allowed to smoke {n this lobby. I do not. think Cleveland quite ready for this yet." A. L. Erlunger, head of the great theatrical syndicate, paid a short visit to Geo. M. Cohan, playing here last week. With Sam Harris he made plans for the Cohan & Harris attractions for next year, which will be more numerous and more brilllant than ever. FW. BREACH. TORONTO, CAN. At the Princess, The Devil, with Edwin Stevenson in the title role, drew large audiences. The local ministers were much against ‘The Imperial Opera Company presented a double bill at the Royal Alexandra consisting of H. M. 8. Pianofore and a Christmas novelty, Santa Claus, and both were given in an excel lent manner Rebecea Warren scored strongly in The Man on the Box, at the Grand. At Shea.s, the Six Musteal Cuttys headed a fine bill which drew large patronage. Hurry Lauder, the famous Scotch comedian, and his company drew two crowded houses at the Massy Hall, 21. The Gayety had Fred Irwin's Majestics, which is a show in a class by itself. Miss Claire Romaine, London’s Pet, was a big drawing card at Shea's last week, and this clever artist scored strongly with her fine character work. JOSEPH GIMSON. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. The new nickelodeo: ordinance, passed by the Board of Supervisors, In the remodeling of every which, if will result place of amusement of that sert in San Francisco, will be. adopted hy the Poard of Health at its weekly meeting. The ordinance provides that every owner of such a place of amusement mit frem the RPoard of must be inspected at least once a month. The ordinance further provides that it must contain one hunéred cubie feet of air space in the clear for each occupant. Sufficient exits must be placed in all these bnildings and the ventilation must secure a perHealth, and that it must be nearly perfect. The new ordinance will affect many of the nickelodeons in the city, mainly on account of the clause which pertains to cubic feet of air required. At pres ent, the majority of the nickelodeons in the city do not contain more than ten cubic feet of air for each seat. Authoritative statements give the impression that the nickelodeon pro prietors of the city are preparing to fight the ordinance. They claim they are perfectly willing to comply with any reasonable ordinance, but insixt that the proposed ordinance is not only unreasonable, but that it will be impossible for them to realize any profit on their invest ment should they be compelled to make such extensive alterations as are called for in the ordinance Harry Glazier, a member of the Relasco Stock Company. of Los Angeles, was found dead in bed in his room at the Hotel Maryland, in Passadena, December 17. Heart disease was the cause of his death. Glazier leaves a widow and a fifteen year old son. The management of Ren Hur, which opens at the Van Ness Theatre, December 28, received a vast amount of publicity at a nominal cost: in fact, it conld hardly be purchased at any price. An arrangement was made with the daily Examiner, whereby 400 tickets of admission, to be used on the night of December < are to be given to the bors and girls in the higher grades of the public and parochial schools of the city. In ofder to secure one of these tickets, the pupil must write an essay of one hundred and fifty words on Ren Hur, and the best four bundred will receive tickets. This proposition tis daily written up in the Examiner, and handled by the paper, and all the teachers, pupils and parents ere equally interested. That's great press work. Dr. Carl Herman, known as The Electric King nald this office a visit this week. He recently arrived from England. and is now making his first American tour. He is featured at the Na tional Theatre this week, where he is a positive sensation, as his performance is entirely different from any other heretofore seen. A new vandeville theatre opened in Salt Take City December 21. It is called The Grand Theatre. and will play the Sullivan and Considine bookings. On the opening bill the following appeared: Hugo, the Roman Gladiator, Bdna Davenport, Haverly and Wells, O'Connor, Saunders and Co. I’ Amon, the mind readers, who was a most phenomenal success all over the Coast, left Los Angeles direct for Denver, where he will continne his contract over the S. and C. Circuit, plaving eastward. The Hlaviocks, Alice Mortlock and Co., Tom Moore, Les Durand Trie, Laura Jeffreys and The English Rockers have gone ¢o Los Angeles to play the 8. and C. Cirenit In that city. Chester D'Amon, The White Mystery, Magnient Family, The Musical Barbers, Tom Dempsey, Hawley and Olcott and Tops, Topsy and Tops left for Denver, to open at the Majestle Theatre. Palfrey and Hoefler, K. Sugimoto and Kenyon and Healy were Pillboard callers this week. The Novelty Theatre, after an unsuccessful run of ten weeks, with the Stair and aviin attractions, closed. It is rumored that a stock company will occupy the house in the near future. L. R. Stockwell, the well-known comedian, although totally blind now, will appear at the American Theatre next week in a specially written sketch, called The Blind Organist. It The ee will serve as a curtain raiser to Mrs. Temple's Telegram. Billy (Single) (Mrs. Billy Clifford Clifford) closed the Kolb and Dill Company, departed for Chicago. It was influenced by his wife to leave, although he personally was becoming very popular. She preferred playing in the East. The Lion and the Mouse, although now on its third successive season, is still a drawing card at the Van Ness Theatre, where it remains for two weeks. Rose Melville, as Sis Hopkins, reappeared after an absence of two years, at the American Theatre, where the week's receipts are among the big records. The Valencia Theatre, with its new stock company produced The Lost Paradise this week. Maud Lambert last week with and immediately seems that Clifford and The College Widow (the first time in stock) will be the holiday bill. The Washington Square Theatre, Zech Abrams, manager, has changed the policy of the house from three a day to one performance each night, with Saturday and Sunday mat inees. RUBE COHEN. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. With an immense audience, comprising the society people and most prominent business men, the new Family Theatre gave its initial performance Monday evening, December 21. after was given by the Mayor Haynes gave the opening address, which a short theatrical talk Rev. G. L. Morrill, local chaplain of the Actors’ Alliance. Mr. Frank C. Priest, the resident manager of the theatre was the last speaker, who summed up the plans and projects of the new institution, and the regular performance followed. High-class vaudeville is the style of entertainment provided and the opening bill justified the appellation:—Chas. Burman (formerly a Minneapolis stock favorite) and Company in a sketch, After Election; Bartholde'’s Cockatoos: Davis and Walker: Vanbennen, Mur rian and Roscoe; H. G. Waldron, in illustrated songs. and a series of motion pictures by the Kinodrome. The interior decorations are in pearl gray, gold, white and old ivory, with drapes and carpetings in dark red and box finishings of old rose and gold. The theatre is equipped with a new fresh-air shaft ventilating system. also the automatic fire sprinkling system, and is of fireproof construction. It boasts of the best slope baleony in the city and has a seating capacity of over a thousand. Carciofini’s Orchestra furnishes the music. The Family gives three performances a day, starting at three, eight and nine-thirty P. M The writer was the recipient of a breezy letter from the genial actor-manager, Dick Ferris, who is at present in Los Angeles, promoting his balloon enterprises. Dick says: ‘‘I suppose, of course, you have read something about my attempt to cross the mountains with these balloons, how the first flight, while a beautiful aseension, was a failure so far as achieving Its object, but a week later without blare of trumpets, I Inflated one of the balloons and sent It te a very high altitude and proved my contention that it was possible to get over the mountain ranges. This last balloon covered 260 miles in less than six hours and was a record breaker in itself. Our first failure was due to the most unfavorable weather we have had here for months."’ Mr. Ferris’ summer stock season will open at the Metropolitan Theatre probably early next ay. Mr. W. Butler, manager of the Armory Roller Skating Rink, has been confined to his bed for some weeks past with an acute attack of heart trouble. He is now on the road to recovery, and expects to be back at his post soon. Manager Archie Miller, of the Dewey Theatre, announces that he has been appointed president of the Hod Carriers’ Union and that he ts right on hand, amateur night, to gather up bricks thrown by the irate patrons, at the would-be actors. Amateur night is becoming quite an event at this theatre. and many exceptionally good acts are tried out on these occasions. Mr. William Munger, who has been serving in the capacity of door-keeper for sometime, at the Wonderland Electrical Museum, has returned to his former position as door-keeper of the Gem Family Theatre. Jack Elliott. of the Unique Theatre, says that contributions have been coming in very liberally Jimmie” Latourelle, which has been going on at this theatre for the past two weeks. The newly redecorated Unique will present a spic and span appearance for the coming year. Society has been entertaining, socially, the ane Musical Clubs, whose concert was given at the Auditorium Theatre, Wednesday evening. December 23. Pupils of the dramaic Department of the Mino | neapatis School of Music, Oratory and Dramatic ; Art gave a very sucessful interpretation of My Friend from India, at the School Auditorium. Tuesday evening, December 15. A large audience attended. The Xmas season here is exceptional fn that all theatres are experiencing an enormous advance sale and look for no falling off of patronage on account of the holidays. RODERIC STE. FLEURE. for the benefit given for the parents of ‘‘Little | -was of the Amusement Week BALTIMORE. MD. Baltimore will very soon add another firstclass playhouse to its list of theatres. The new home of amusement will be kuown as earce and Scheck’s Victoria, anu will be devoted exclusively to continuous vaudeville. This will be a new departure for Balttmere, for at present there is no theatre here presenting continuous vaudeville as is the case in most of the large cities of the country. The bookings will be made through William Morris, of New York, and as vaudeville at the Maryland, the other vaudeville house, is buvoked by Keith, many new acts that have never before visited here will make their appearance before local audiences. Marion S. Pearce and Philip J. Scheck, the men who will guide the destinies of the new theatre, have formerly confined their efforts to the moving picture business. Eight years ago, they began to give moving picture exhibitions at night and went into the business, giving the exhibitions ‘for cburch and lodge entertainmeuts. Three years ago they opened the first moving picture parlor in the city. Their rapid rise is fairly dazzling, for now they are the proprietors of twelve moving picture parlors with the theatre soon to open, and what will be probably the largest picture parlor in the city in contemplation. In addition to this, they conduct what is probably the largest film renting business in this section of the country. The new Victoria is on Baltimore street be tween Holliday and Gay streets, one of the busiest blocks in the city and where now i@ situated the Gayety Theatre, the Lubin enterprises and three moving picture parlors. new Pearce and Secheck picture place will also be in this block. The main auditorium of the new theatre is SOx100 feet and there are accommodations for seating fifteen hundred people. The interior as well as the exterior of the theatre is most elaborately finished, the color scheme inside being gold and green. As contemplated, the shows will be continuous from 11 in the morning till 11 at night, and there are few people in town who predict anything but success for the new venture. The new picture parlor that Pearce and Scheck will open is situated at Holliday and Baltimore streets, next door to the Lubin The atre and picture places, and It will seat about 300. A ten-year lease has been taken on the building, which is ample proof of what Mesers. Pearce and Scheck think of the moving picture business in Baltimore. This prosperous firm young men now conduct nine parlors in this city with one each in Washington, Martinsburg and Winchester, West Virginia. Another very successful moving picture firm is Messrs. Bonahan and Loewy, who conduct the half dozen or so Wizard parlors in the efty. They have just closed a deal for the properties 30, 32 and 34 West Lexington street, in the heart of the shopping district. They contemplate to soon start the erection of a monster moving picture parlor on the site new occupied by those properties and it will be known as the Great Wizard. Messrs. Bonahan and Loewy also conduct the largest moving picture parlor in York, Pa. Very good, probably best characterized the business at the theatres this week. Naturally, during the early part of the week business suf fered but not as much as had been anticipated. The four performances Friday and Saturday were real record breakers and all of the houses played to capacity at each performance. Saturday was a legal holiday and few of the stores about town were open. This accounted for the big business of the day. Jee Weber, who has not been here for several seasons, with his company, pleased with his two amusing travesties on The Merry Widow and The Devil at the Academy of Musie. Genee with The Soul Kiss proved the proper sort of Christmas amusement at Fords. Manager Schanberger provided a vaudeville bill at the Maryland that is hard to beat, and Bonita, the star of Wine, Woman and Song, was a magnet for the Auditorium crowds that necessitated daily matinees. The burlesque and meledrama houses also had a big week. The shopping crowds kept the picture places so crowded at all times that eottinn mae the parlors was a decidedly difficult task. Pauline, the hypnotist, met with a busy time in town last week and there were a number of happenings that were decidedly unexpected. He was booked as the headliner at the Maryland and at Monday's performances all was well. Tuesday night, the amount of applause did not suit Pauline and he severely criticized the audience. Proprietor Kernan and Manager Sechanberger advised against such tactics and im no uncertain way. Wednesday afternoon, the same scene transpired and before the act was over Mr. Kernan ordered the curtain rung down. Pauline became so abusive that Mr.. Kernan finally ordered his arrest with the result that he spent a night in the station and was fined $10 and costs the next morning. Pauline, who stricken with typhoid recently, was In @ bighly nervous state and spent the week-end at the Biledler Hospital and Sanitarium. Sam Williams, planist, filled out the week in Pagline’s place. (Continued on page 38.) See ' ; : i