The Billboard 1909-04-17: Vol 21 Iss 16 (1909-04-17)

APRIL. 17, 1909. The Billboard ~ MANY AIRDOMES Being Built in Ohio and Pennsylvania Attractions to be Booked Through the General Offices at Washington, Pa. The Alrdome Amusement Company, which is composed of prominent theatrical men of Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, bas started work to erect eight airdomes in the leading cities of that section. There are four towns In lennsylvania, Washington, McKeesport, Homestead and New Castle: three in Oblo, Youngstown, East Liverpool and Steubenville, and one in Wheeling, W. Va. F. R. Hallam, manager of the Lyric Theatre at Belleville, IL, is general manager of the company, having home offices at Washington, airdomes wiil May 31 and The eousiy on cepertoire, a town open the season simultanwill play 16 weeks of each company playing two weeks in The time is entirely filled by eight of the best stock companies on the road, including North Brothers and the American Stock Company. From the plans on which the contractors are working, the Airdome Amusement Company will bave, when completed, eight of the finest airdomes in the United States. The seating capacity will be from 2,000 to 2,500, the largest belng at Youngstown. A. D. Mair, manager of the Casino Theatre, Washington, will have charge of the airdome at that city. Other well-known theatrical men have been engaged to manage the other airdomes. ‘QUEENSBORO BRIDGE CELEBRATION. Curiosity as to the nature and extent of the Queensboro (N. Y.) Bridge Celebration on June 12 and the week of carnival to follow bas been intensified by the informal opening of the big cantilever bridge. Every mall brings bundreds of letters to celebration headquarters asking about the character of the celebration. The let ters come from all over the country and some from abroad. To these inquiries and for the benefit of the public at large Mare L. Stone herewith outlines the scope and plan of the big celebration. In speaking of it he said: “The celebration is not as some suppose, an outward expression of local rejoicing. It is aot a Queen's affair solely. It is intended as reflecting the elevation of the whole greater city for an improvement that is a formidable link ip a more perfect union of the Borough. While it means much to Manhattan and Queens it means no more to one than to the other and Brooklyn, Richmond and the Bronx will feel its good effects. Consequently it will be a city’s celebration. ‘The great feature of the celebration on June 12 will be the big parade. This feature will reflect the long and systematic work of the committee. Also commencing June 12 and lasting until June 19 there will be held a carnival at the Long Island City Plaza. At that point the greatest care and effort has been made to convert the locality into a bower of beauty by day and splendor of illumination by night. There will occur great athletic contests includ tng the biggest Marathon race of the year, big automobile events will start there, old home week festivities will be centered there and daily a mammoth chorus of amateur singers cecruited from the church choirs of Long Istand, Brooklyn and Manhattan will present a popolar opera.”’ Mark L. Stone, director of the Carnival to be «iven on the week of June 12. on the occasion of the official opening of the Queensboro Bridge ty the Mayor and the citizens of New York, fas secured a great number of novel attractions for the week, Every feature will be first class and thoroughly up-to-date. The Carnival will be held in the public Plaza at the Long ‘sland approach to the bridge. Mr. Stone's headquarters are at Long Acre Building and reom 42, Rroadway and 43rd streets, althongh locations for the attractions are Umited, Director Stone has a few choice ones left for any high-class attractions or novel entertainments, Small concessions and privil exces are also being sold and the entire affair ems to be in the proper hands to make it a great success A number of valuable cups and prizes will be given for the Marethon races and athletic events which will be under the auspices of the IrishAmerican Ath’etie Club Automobile parades and novelty races will be given and an up-to date comic opera compos? of local amateurs and musicians t« being rehearsed for perform ances during the week Promenade concerts and dances will be given on the bridge and nom beriess other attractive features The artistic decoration end brilliant fluminations of the Tinza and bridge combined with the profise fireworks display, will all go to make a carnival week that will surely attract thousands of visitors. BAY RIDGE’S NEW THEATRE. _A deal was closed last week between Harry fields, brother of Lew Fields, the comedian ar the Shuberts. for the erection of a theatre in Ray Ridge, Rrookivn The house wi!l be located between 50th and GOth streets In Fifeh fyenne. and will cost about $175.000 tt will Provably he onened by Christmas, and will play Nich class attractions SAVANNAH (GA.) TO HAVE A ZOO. has, Bernard, of the Rernard Billposting Co,, bas completed arrangements for a foo, to be opened at Thunderbolt, a summer resort near Savannoh Ile Intends to open about July 1, and in connection with the moo, will have a complete ground for athletes, TORONTO, CAN. At the Princess, The Soul Kies, with Adeline Genee, drew packed houses all week. Jobo B. Park, a native of this city, who is a leading member of the company, received a warm welcome from bis pumerous friends. A splendid, well-balanced company presented Mre. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch to large au diences at the Royal Alexandra. The big extravagenza, The Land of Nod, pleased the large clientele of the Grand. Shea's had a good week with Laskyr’s latest act, At the Country Club, Dunedin Troupe of Bicyelists, Trovollo, and Carter and Bluford were special features The ground for the handsome new Shea house at the corner of Victoria end Richmond streets, will be broken within a few days The seating capacity will be about double that of the present house This is the last week of melo drama at the Majestic. Lena Rivers drew picely Commencing week of 12 the United States Aumsement Co. which has leased the house, will present vaudeville and moving pictures. The popular Gayety had a gilt-edged attraction in the big Behman Show Frank Moore's Eight Dandy Dixie Dancers were a big card. Capacity business all week. The Star gave good and New York, Jr... and the pictures as an extra. Miss fight plenty with Morgan-Attell JOSFIV'H GIMSON. GRETCHEN HARTMAN * e y “4 4 +3 : 4 oe p 7 As Mary Jane with Henry Dixey in Marr Jane's Pa. VAUDEVILLE IN MICHIGAN Several New Theatres Added to Circuit Completes the Chain of Houses in All the Principal Cities. treasurer Associa of the new Creek it gives all new grovnd fleor capacity ruoning from 90 to 1.200. All of these theatres have been built within the last five years two new houses will be ready to open by September 1 for the coming seascn Owing te the fact of Lenten strong fight, over local option, all enterprises have suffered for days The new Vandeville Theatre in South Send will be atarted by May 1 and ready to open October 1 This will make twelve first-clas< theatres, booked br C. S. Humphrers. of the Western Vaudeville Managers’ Association, Chi esgo, Most all of the towns play only foucteen eRews a week, some plaving seventeen and a very few twenty-one performances W. 8S. Butterfield, secretary and of the Michigan Vaudeville Managers’ tion, reperts that with the building houses at Flint and Rattle of the Aseeciation towns a theatre with seating season the the and a amusement past thirty MARKLE SELLS “SUNNY SOUTH.” W. R. Markle, South to W. C. Quimby, of Steubenville, © Sale includes show boat complete with tow boast. furnishings, contracts, good will, ete. Markle will retire to his home in Steubenviile. last week, sold his Sunny |} to stop selling tickets, SAVAGE SUES PRESS FOR BIG DAMAGES ALLEGES STATEMENTS WERE UNTRUE And That When the Newspaper Said Attraction was Moribund It Was Playing to Turn-away Business.—Details of the Case as it Stands up to this Time Henry W. Savage, through his New York at, library car. torners, bas begun suit for $100,000 damages against the New York Press. a morning newsin which Mr. Savage's Garden Theatre no 8 advertisement. The complaint ! in a list of seven different canses of action that the said New York Press maliciously libeled Mr. Savege. the Garden Theatre and Mr. Savage's production of the play, Mary Jane’s I’a, in which Henry E. Dixey recently closed his New York engagement of over one hundred performances at the Garden Theatre. The alleged lilel is charged on aceount of defamatory publications that appeared dailr during the closing week of the Mary Jane's Pa run in New York. Although this was the twelfth week of the engegement during which Edith Ellis’ charming comedy success played to over $8.000 gross receipts. indicating that upwards of 12.000 people witnessed the perform‘nce that week, the New York Press, which had started an aggressive campaign against New York theatres in retaliation for the action of the New York theatre managers withdrawing their advertisements from the Press, published } a statement declaring that Mary Jane’s Pa was “a dead one."’ that the ‘notice of funeral’’ wonld be pullished later. and that ‘‘the hearse Ss now anprosching the door of the old reliable trust undertaking shop."’ On Monday, when the Press said the piece was “a dead one." people were being turned away from two Washington Birthday pefformances. On Wednesdar. innounced “notice office returns show admissions Februery 24. when the Press of funeral later,.’’ the boxthere were over 2.000 paid in the theatre. That night they had it being souvenir night. On Saturday. February 27. the Press published this paragraph: ‘“‘Garden Theatre, 2:15 and 8:15, Henry E. Dixey. Mary Jane’s Pa. Interment in the trust cemetery to-night.”’ On that date. the bex-office receipts show over 2.500 paid admissions at the Garden Theatre. The S. R. O. sign was out at the night performance. Henrr W. Savage is now enjoying a vacation n Egypt. but it was stated at his New York headquarters that the closing week of Mary Jane’s Pa engagement in New York compares favorably with the 12th week business of the greatest dramatic successes that have been prodnced in New York in several years. Nearly every newspaper in New York, including the Press in its original criticims. has gone on record as stating that Mary Jane's Pa is one of the successes of the season. or words to that effect. Mr. Savage's complaint charges that the Press : t to convey the impression that the viece was to be removed entirely from the stage althongh it hes continned on tour since that date and is now playing two weeks at the Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, after which it will open for an indefinite run at the “hicage Opera House. Mr. Savage's complaint also charges that the Press falsely stated that the Garden Theatre was under the management of the so-called theatrical trust. when it has never been under such management and never has harbored a “trust’’ pradnetion Mr. Savage is one of the “‘‘inlependent’’ theatrical managers end producers xf the country. and reserves his Garden Theatre for own productions. and for the productions of other independent managers in no way associated with the aleged ‘‘trust.’’ At the Savage headquarters it was stated that ther believe the false and malicious articles were poblished in the Press because as a New York manager Mr. Savage withdrew his advertisement from the columns of the Press. It was stated that up to February Ist the Garden Theatre bad carried nearly $2.000 of advertisements in the Press. or about three his | times as much as had been expended with the other New York theatre for the same period, and that it is believed the Press the Garden Theatre advertisement as the best advertising plum of all the New York theatres. and for this reason the management of ress hoped to force Mr. Savage te restore his advertixing by attacking his production of Mary Jane's Pa. It is also said that the suit for $100.000 damages does not cover all the complaint that Mr. Savage may make against the Press, its proprietors and editors. It is rted that the .damage svit may be followed by ai suit for both civil and criminal libel as soon as Mr. Savage is made acnted with ell the facts in the case. The Press also charged Mr. Savage with running branch ticket agencies, the only grounds for which malicious assertion being that they found in a cut-rate ticket office Dixey’s personal passes, which had issmed te a friend. and either sold or This libelous charge by the Press was bolster up their claim, falsely made, Savage was swindling the public by harging one price at the bex Office and allowing cut-rate ticket offices to sell at another price Mr. Savage's complaint declares that statements of Press are entirely matlicionsiy printed for the purpose uring the repatation of the Garden Thea and his production of Mary Jane's Pa. Press by any regards the the LAMBS’ CLUB ON GAMBOL. Arrangemerts have been made with the Penns¥yivania Railroad to furnish the finest equipped train that has ever gone whirling through the country. for the Lambs’ Cinb of New York, when they go on their spring tour. It will consist of four sleeping cars, an observation car, two dining cars, baggage and compartment cars fitted up with every cenvenience and a club and one The train will have accommoda tions for 200, the number of people who will take part in the Lambs’ Gamboi, which will be held in six of the principal cities of the coun try during the last week of May. This will include Victor Herbert and his band and many stars who will take part in the minstrel part to be given by them. THE BEULAH POYNTER STOCK COMPANY, ST. LOUIS, MO. The Beulah Poynter Stock Company, which is playing the Imperial Theatre, St. Louis, Mo., deserves high praise for the excellence of its productions. The company, headed by Beulah Poynter (Mrs. Burton Nixon in private life) is of the highest class and comprises the following: Wilbur Higby, Irving White, James A. Bliss, Frank Tobin, Wilson Day, Charles Braben. Jobn A. Daly, Clark Ziegier. Chas. Driver, Alfred Wise, Harry Andrews, Wm. Coleman. Chas. Dwyer, George Fairbanks, Jack Case, Sylvia Starr. Edna Earl Andrews, Marie L. Day, Roseland Lee, Blanche CLevering, Fanny Hastings and Jennie Stone. St. Louis has probably never supported a better, all-round stock company. The stage direction is in the hands of Harry Andrews, whose efforts have been material in the success of the season. The plays to follow are The Girl of the Golden West. Lady of Quality, Sweet Lavender and The Road to Yesterday. Manager D. E. Russell is fortunate in his selection of Beulah Poynter. to handle the attraction at the Imperial. SAN ANTONIO SPRING CARNIVAL. The San Antonio Spring Carnival will be held April 19-24 and will be better this year than ever. Col. Leroy Brown, U. 8S. A., heads the association as president; Charles Greabner. vice-president: A. H. Halff, treasurer; 0. D. H. Pfeuffer, secretary. The public at large during the carnival week will have quite a lot of varied entertainment by parading bands and from attractions furnished by the carnival companies which will occupy the plazas. There will be high-diving, wire walking and other free attractions of this character. The Lachman Hippodrome and Congress of Novelties will be one of the most interesting attractions of the week. Also Kempf's Model City, Georgia Minstrels, Fairyland, Ferris wheels. jumping horses and a large number of high-grade attractions have also been en gaged. CHISAGO CO. (MINN.) FAIR. The Chisago County Fair at Rush City, Minn.. will be held September 8, 9, and 10, 1909, op new grounds and in new buildings now being erected. An excellent half-mile track, a perfect ball ground and new commodious buildings will make this fair a success. Carnival Companies and shows are wanted and the secretary, C. M. Johnson, Rush City. Minn., will be glad to answer correspondence. SECURE RIGHTS TO REBECCA. Rebecca is the title of the latest play secured by Klaw & Erlanger for production next season. It is by Charlotte Thompson and Kate Donglas Wiggin. and is founded upon Miss Wiggin’s The Chronicles of Rebecca and Rebecca of Sunny Brook Farm. ST. LOUIS, MO. Al. P. Gibbs and Jack Harvey are to open their season, April 11, with their Bloomer Baseball Club. and it will be known this year as the Al. P. Gibbs Bloomer Girls Baseball Club. The Missouri Amusement Company was incorporated In St. Louis, Apri 5. with a capital of $50.000. James Babcock, W. H. “Pomeroy and Bernard Greensfelder are the tncorporators. The company will launch the show here to be known as Rice Brothers’ Shows, which will open its season in St. Louis April 17. The fourth annual Beich Show opens this week at the new Colisenm and entries are un usnally large. Miss Edna Earle Andrews, of the Benluah Poynter Stock Company. the Imperial, has entered her French and looks for a prize. Rube Waddell, of baseball fame, will at the American Theatre, next week, monologne stunt. The Egrptian Carnival Company is organizing now playing bulldog appear doing a in St. Lonis, with Sol Carrigan and Jas. Burke as the promoter. * ; Forest Park ighlands will begin its 1909 season, April 25. playing vaudeville Jno. Tippets bas been ceasless in his labor for the Measnre of his patrons Leo McManus wil! again take charge of the box-office The Lambardi Grand Opera Company will extend its engagement here, throngh the week of April 11. making a run of three weeks af the Odeon Theatre DeKreko Rros.’ Carnival will leave St. Louls, next week, for the road, where they are booked solid for the summer The Barnum and Bailey rity for the star of a week, Cirens is billing the commencing May with Elwill, it is said, 2 %. The New Coliseum Palm lery’s Royal It an Band eclipse any previons attempt at this class of amusement. Walter Haverkamp will have charge of most of it, backed up by Gey E Gotterman WILL J. FARLEY. Garden, ee ee REPO ANE Prem onepe o A ENOTES = eal “e ee ee a RS Sore RE MO OTR RN TI ET, pated eon ey eee oe > ena aaa eee