The Billboard 1909-02-13: Vol 21 Iss 7 (1909-02-13)

PL POONT Te AE EA GPR: eR © EBRUARY 13, 1909. — The Billboard 11 FROM OLITAN TERS In All Big Cities Aside from New York and Chicago of the Kyrle Bellew Show, and People Willingly Give Up their Money--Name of the Family Theatre New Musical Stock House for St. Louis---Sicilian Players in Philadelphia. he Girl Behind the Counter. Nearly a Hero, The Devil, Playing the Ponies, The Creole Slave’s revenge, The Wise Guy and The Bowery Burlesquers were the announcements on the hillboards this week. The moving picture people of this city have organized. to combat the new order of things in the Film Merger. The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary, with May Robson, played one of the best week's recordoreakers at the Teck the past week. The peo ple came in droves, and the piece cave the best of satisfaction. It was the talk of the town. The company goes to Toronto. Cleveland, Cineinnati and Pittsburg from here. John B. Dorris, the old circus man. is the business manager. eMantell will give us a week of Shakespeare at the Star, February 8, playing King Lear, Macbeth, The Lady of Lyons. Hamlet, Merchant of Venice, Louis XI., Romeo and Juliet and Richard Ill. A bie sale is anticinated. The earthquake in Italy pictures are having a run at two motion picture houses to @owded houses, Shaw, Westby, Goodenough and Barker, a Kenmore, N. Y.. quartet. are making big preparations for entering high-class vandeville the coming season, and are rehearsing daily for the event. The Lyric, with A Day Off. gave an extra matinee for the children the »-ast week. Fanny Rice appeared with her miniature theatre, much to their delight. The musical matinees at the Teck are pleasing the musically inclined, and are drawing very well. Alex. Petschnikoff. Russian violinist. appears 2. JNO. 8S. RICHARDSON ST. LOUIS, MO. The Messrs. Sol and Jacob Oppenheimer, managers of the American Theatre and Suburban Garden Summer Theatre, this week took a lease on West End Heights Summer Theatre and will produce musical stock of the Weber and Fields variety there this summer. The garden and theatre will be remodeled to conform in comfort and attractiveness to the other amusement palaces now controlled by the Messrs. Oppen heimer. Dan S. Fishell bas sent out ‘‘At Home’’ cards, announcing the stay of the Newlyweds and Their Baby at the Garrick, and has offered to admit free all couples taking out marriage licenses February 4, 5 and 6. It is a great advertising stunt, as every one is joking about it. The Mayor of St. Louis has announced a committee to take charge of the Centennial Cele bration of the incorporation of the city of St. Louis, to be held October next. It Is aimed to > op this the greatest event in the history of e city. ‘ Bud Manty, the popular treasurer of the Olym ple Theatre, will be tendered a benefit February 5. Robert Edeson in The Call of the North will be the attraction. Impresario Ivan Abramson, whose company re cently sang at the Garrick, is proposing to in stitute a series of performances, May next, at the Delmar. The latter place has passed under the control of John C. Jannonoulo. If satisfactory public support is promised, Mr. Abramson wili present the principals who appeared In the successful Garrick engagement, together with a big chorus, many members of which willbe recruited from the ranks of the Metropolitan Grand Opera Company, of New York City, whose season contracts expire March |. He will also have an orchestra of between thirty-five and forty musicians, and promises -_ productions will be first-class in every espect, Professor Napoleon, an extravaganza, with 750 atiateur players in the cast, made a most un precedented snecess at the Odeon Theatre last Hospit ’ was for the benefit of the Children’s pital, (rennaro’s Famous Band made such a_ pro Sounced hit at the Columbia Theatre last week ‘hat a popular request caused Mr, Frank Tate, st ‘he eleventh hour, to persuade them to remain another week, he taking the responsibility of heir date cancellation, are naties Williams, a St. Louis boy working his ‘rst season over the Western Vandeville Circuit > . has been making good. His season began S ‘ber 6, and his time has just been continued 0 — 1, giving him twenty-seven consecutive 8 time Weg . \rnold Wolferd, of Darcy and Wolferd, New vou managers, was a visitor in St. Louis this _ the Great Rice Brothers’ Shows, now in win “r quarters in St. Louis, are rapidly whipping ‘lr show into shape. They will open tn St. wis In April. J. H. Boyer has about completed his new car \\ house his Rip Van Winkle Tent Show. He Vvects to take the road in April. His Ten : erp show continues to do good business in — J. Hughes states that he will remodel = isdowne Park, East St. Louis, this summer, ~ the city has granted it concessions that will make much business possible at this beautiful — WILL J. FARLEY. . inspection tour of al SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. William Morris is in San Francisco this week: he dropped into the city quietly last Monday. While here he signed a contract with James J. | Jeffries to appear in the East for twenty weeks, at a reported salary of $2,500 a week. While here Mr. Morris has had many star chamber meetings with prominent theatrical men, but nothing authentic has been given out. He left for Portland and Seattle, rumor says, to close some deal with Alex Pantages, and will return here when the real object of his visit will be come known. It is already claimed that he has an option on the big Auditorium Theatre, Los Angeles. Two days later, Martin Beck, manager of the Orphemu Circuit. accompanied by Pat Casey and Mark A. Luescher, the Orpheum’s general press agent, paid a flying visit to this city. This party is «yz ~ to be out on an the Orpheum’s interests. Robert Warwick is out of the Valencia Theatre Stock Company. The manager's side of the story is that he discharged Warwick for fallure to attend rehearsals and getting very careless of late. Warwick claims that he had but two weeks more to fill his contract, and has already been engaged by Sherman Brown to go to Milwaukee, and that Manager Seeley of the Valencia took this action to get out of paying bim $700 for two weeks’ salary. Mace Greenleaf will be the new leading man. Madame Ines Fabbri-Muller, famous once in the operatic world, was tendered a benefit at Golden Gate Hall, January 26, the occasion being her seventy-ninth birthday. She has been a resident of San Francisco for forty years. She created the role of Violetta, in Traviata, when the great opera was sung for the first time in this country. Harry Campbell, assistant manager of the Princess Theatre, returned from a three months’ visit in New York, where he engaged several people for the new stock company, and also arranged for productions. The Kolb and Dill successful engagement will positively terminate February 28-March 1. The new musical stock company will make its first appearance. It will have three comedians, Frank Moulin, Fred Mace and Bud Ross. May Boley will be the leading lady. Zoe Barnett is re-engaged. Helen Darling will be the singing prima donna. Oscar Walsh will be the tenor and Ethel Houston will play utility parts. Ed. P. Temple will be stage director. The opening bill will be The Rounders, and the following musical comedies will be produced: The Sultan of Sulu, Peggy from Paris, The Honeymoon Trail, The Umpire, Smiling Island and Piff, Paff, Pouf. Mr. and Mrs. Esmonde, John Fields, The Coopers. Mallia and Bart and Royal Musical Five left to play the Los Angeles Theatre, Los Angeles. Armstrong and Davis and De Garmo and Keough left for Los Angeles to play the Walker Theatre. Mr. and Mrs. A. Young, Joe Hardman, The Fredericks and Blackson and Burns go direct to San Diego to = at the Queen Theatre. the new S. & C. house. Alex Pantages’ bookings now playing his circuit include Brown’s Dogs, Montana Jack and Company, The Dumonts, Keough and Company, Golden Quintet, Goff and Phillips, Piccoli’s Midgets, Madding and Ford, Traviolo Trio, Bedell and Company, The Verdi Four, Earl and Bartlett, Knox Brothers and Helena, Juggling Thornes, Irving Jones, and John Heffron and Company. Snilivan-Considine Circuit are playing the following acts now in the Northwest_and heading for San Francisco The Borsini Troupe, Mlle. Jovee, Grey and Erric, Howard Truesdell and Company. Carroll and Cooke, Ralph Johnstone, Country Choir, Deave’s Manikins, Luken’s Lions, Carlyle Moore and Company, Bettina Bruce and Company. Luken’s Ponies, Majory Barrett, Art Adatr. ‘Here's a list of Orpheum bookings on_ the Coast: Helen Grantley and Company, Dick Crolins and Company. Farrell-Taylor Company. The Astaires, ton T. Rogee, Peter McDonald and Neta Carson, Hathaway and Seigel, Carron and Baker, Imro Fox, The Amorons Sisters, Tony Wilson and Mlle. Heloise, Mlle. Toona, Claudins and Scarlet Armstrong and Verne, Frank Nelson and Company, Jawn T. Echernoff's Antmal Cireus, Bertie Fowler, Anna Woodward, Mack and Marcus and Boran! and Nevaro. The Grand Theatre, Sacramento, playing the S. & C. acts, was badly damaged on the morning of January 25, when the rear wall collapsed, demolishing the stage and scenery. No one was on the stage at the time. The direct cause of the accident was a heavy wind, but an examination shows that although this wall had been standing twenty years it was only eight inches thick up to within fifteen feet of the top, from there up being one brick, or four inches thick. The wall was fifty feet high and eighty feet wide, and had no support. Four hundred feet of it tumbled into the building during the gale, after having been thoroughly soaked by continned rain. The building was recently inspected, but this filmsy wall escaped notice. The Acme Theatre, next door, will take care of he bookings. oThe Mission Promotion Assoctation recently discussed the proposed progress carnival to be held next October, under the direction of Gasper de Portota. The Assoctation has arranged for a Mission day, and its committee of pane ments is already at work preparing plans for the proposed celebration. It has been announced that a parade is being planned, with floats depicting the foundation of San Francisco, and pod oe steps in the progress of the Mission district. Pucific coast friends of Hugh J. Emmet, the ventriloquist, will be glad to learn that his present Eastern tour is one continuous success. Week of January 18 he was at Hathaway’s Theatre, New Bedford, Mass., as one of the feature acts. E. H. Sothern, in Lord Dundreary, at the Van Ness Theatre, is a real laughing hit, and is drawing excellent houses. he Wolf follows, opening next Monday. (Continued on page 46) BROOKLYN, N. Y. Geo, M. Cohan and his Royal Family in The Yankee Prince will be the attraction at the Montauk Theatre week of Feb. 8, and, judging from the advance sale, capacity business wil! prevail for the week. Mr. Cohan is very popular here. Manager George M. Sammis, of the Grand Opera House announces that the German Merry Widow Company will appear at the Grand Opera House week of Feb. 15, followed by Girls week of 22. Paid in Full will soon be seen at the Montauk Theatre, which will be the first time the attrac tion has appeared in Brooklyn, The opening attraction at the Grand Opera House, Brooklyn, under the present management, on Sept. 28 last, was John Mason, in Augustus Thomas’ play, The Witching Hour. The business was so big during that engagement that after Monday night the orchestra was put under the stage for every performance. This play will re turn to the Grand Opera Honse for the week of Feb. 8. Harry E. Tudor, of the Ryan attractions at Coney Island, is busy getting the big attractions ready for next season and promises many surprises when Dreamland opens. Manager Leo C. Teller announces that Cohan and Harris’ American Idea will appear at the Broadway Theatre week of Feb. 15, followed by Victor Moore in The Talk of New York week of oo Ezra Kendall, one of the most inventive co medians on the vaudeville stage, appeared at the Fulton Theatre last week with a brand new monologne This was his first appearance in Rrooklyn in two years and his new sayings were in the vein tuat made him such a hig favorite In vandeville before he returned to farce comedy After many disappointments, Jullet at last came to Brooklyn as the added attraction. Twice announced for an appearance at this house, her voice prevented the fulfillment of her engage merts May Duryea. a dainty little actress, appeared in «a sketeh entitled The Imposter. Seymour and Hill, one of the liveliest acrobatic teams on the stage, offered a delightfully bgpezy fifteen minutes, and Gertie Le Clair, wi an interesting bunch of picks, offered some lively moments. Lawrence and Harrington presented a skit based upon the evils of the installment plan. Evans and Evans, dancers of quality, brought forward a lot of new steps, and Robin, a tramp jucgler, exhibited some really new and good comedy ideas. Way Down East. with all the bucolic adjuncts that have made this New England drama one of the most popular theatrical attractions on the road, will be produced on an _ elaborgte seale at the Rrooklyn Academy of Music for the week of Feb. S, with three matinees, including one on Lincoln's Birthday. Considerable interest attaches to the engagement. It was six years ago that the old Academy burned, and Way Down East was the last attraction to occupy it. In the company that will appear there the week of Feb. Sth there are no less than six plavers who were in the cast on the previous oceasion. Those players and their terms of service are as follows: Phoebe Davies, 12 seasons; Ulrie Collins, 10 seasons; John E. Brennan, 8 seasons: Ella Hugh Wood, 11 seasons: Jane Millard, 1U seasons, and E. R. Bender, 9 seasons. It has been definitely announced that Fred Nitlo, traveler-explorer-hnumorist. is to appear at the Montauk Theatre in a series of five Friday afternoon entertainments, beginning Feb. 5, in tis Talks of Travel, which he calls “Zig-Zag Journey Areund the World." Mr. Niblo will be heard in five of these Travel-Talks. Each will deal with a different country and people. The complete list for his engagement here is as fol lows: Afrien. from the Cape to Cairo: Egypt. from Cairo to Khartoum; Italy, from Vesuvius to The Alps: Russia, from the Blaek Sea to Siberia: London, from Windsor Castle to Whitechanel. Florence Mills, leading woman of the Blue Ribbon Girls Company at the Gavety, is a new comer in the burlesque field, whose experience in stock and light opera companies gives dis tinetion to her work. She was with the company headed by Miss Percy Haswell, now the leading woman for Otis Skinner, for several years and later enacted prominent roles with Fred Belasco’s organization in San Francisco. After the earthquake fn that city she went Into the comic opera field, being connected with several prominent companies. She has a voice of good range and quality. (Continued on page 46) PHILADELPHIA, PA. The week opened with a serles of crowded’ houses and as the weather is crisp and pleasant the business has kept up to a high notch all week. Fritzi Scheff turned many people away at the Broad with her first Philadelphia produc tion of The Prima Donna. Olga Nethersole drew well in a new American play, The Writing on the Wall. Fred Thompson bad two big winners in Via Wireless and Brewster's Millions. The Merry Widow jammed the beautiful Forrest to the doors. Carlotta Nillson had good busi ness to This Woman and This Man. Havane pleased and drew much money, and all of the other houses had remarkably good business. The burlesque houses had a sudden turn of the tide and have been selling out at every performance this week. Business seems to have struck the right gait now, and it looks as if it would cop tinue for the balance of the season. The Sicilian Players were brought here with but little advance advertising, fur the purpose of giving tive matinees at two of our theatres, this week, and they have drawn well. Their artistic work has been warmly praised by the press of the city and while the houses have not been crowded, such a good impression has been made that they will play to big business on « return date. It is expected that they will return here later on in the season with regular book ing and then they will reap a rich reward. it is a genuine love-feast at the Phbiladelphis Opera House, now. Oscar Hammerstein has got ten the $400,000 he needed and bas again put all his energy and vim into conducting the operatic performances at that house. In order to agaip bring Him in close touch with the box-holders, whom he had a run in with when he was ip financial difficulties, a dinner bas been arranged for February 10. This will be a testimonial din ner to Mr. Hammerstein, given by the Mayor of our city and the box-holders. There will be over 500 people present and it is expected that this will be the means of stopping all friction between the impresario and the people who have given him such solid financial support. it is remarkable how the attendance keeps up at thir house. Capacity houses are the rule at the four performances given every week and yet. notwithstanding the fact that this means the taking of at least $30,000 a week from our amusement loving people, the other theatrical managers all claim that they can see no visible decrease in their business. William Reed has purchased the entire equipment of the Pennsylvania Transfer Com pany and secured contracts from many of the theatres of Philadelphia to attend to the hauling of baggage and Scenery. William Baversham will open his spring tour at the Lyric Theatre in this city, February 15 and will present The World and His Wife. This play was written by Charles Frederic Nirdlinger. a brother of Samuel F. Nixon, the owner of «# number of our theatres. Clara Palmer joined the Havana Company, of which James T. Powers is the star, February 1, taking the rule of Anita, formerly played by Grace Fields. Mr. Hammerstein is still springing surprises at his Philadelphia Opera House. This week be had placed in position, seven beautiful ol! —s by F. Fenzenberg, of the Artists ague of New York. They represent Rigoletto, Lohengrin, Carmen, The Spirit of Song, Thais. The Juggler of Notre Dame and Pagliacci It required six months of labor to have these paintings in readiness. They are now in posi tion in the foyer of that beautiful house and will be supplemented by many other works of art as soon as possible. Trenton, N. J., ministers were thoroughly aroused by Al. Woods’ production of The Gir! From Rector’s, in that city, January 20. On the 30th they marched in a body to the chief of police and compelled him to go to the Taylor Opera House, and prevent the production of the racy comedy, that evening. Although the en tire house was sold out for the night it was closed and the money refunded. Members of the Young Mannerchor Singing Society held memorial services, Sunday, Jan uary 31 for Arno Leonhardt, their former presi dent. The hall was so crowded by members that none of the outside public were admitted. The pageant held here during Founders’ Week was such a success that a Pageant Association was formed this week and articles of incorpora tion were drawn up. It was decided to hold a celebration every four years when our mayors are inaugurated and to give a historical parade of the same kind as last October. The Mayor of the city has been elected to the office of president. The Annadale (N. J.) Fire Company will pre sent the comedy drama, In the Shadow of the Rockies, in the near future. Whitehouse, N. J., amateur actors will pre sent When a Man’s Single, shortly, for the bene fit of a local church. Phil Paulscraft had a pleasant week here during the engagement of Fred Irwin’s Big Review, but it was slightly marred by a daring thief picking the lock of his hotel trunk and abstracting a number of valuables. J. B. Carey, manager of the Wilmington. Del., Billposting Company, has all of bis loca tions covered with live paper, so he finds timeto Sunday in this town and greet his numerous friends. (Continued on page 47) aueenthe es 4 Mh Aenaccttcnall Me AP AMES S <a tata = ae i Es wee ee ae : ; | ; ; : ——E7OoOts—~™