The Billboard 1909-05-29: Vol 21 Iss 22 (1909-05-29)

10 The Billboard MAY 29, 1909. Amusement events ... of the week News From Metro Circus Folk Pay Tribute to the Memory of Comrade. Old Considine Representative Embarks in Business for Himself---Electric [Park, Kansas City, Opens. Pan-American Shows Enroute. KlawErlanger Belasco-Fiske Summer At tractions at Seattle--Big Card at Oakland. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. — The big Sells-Floto Circus has left us, but every one connected with the show will always | boost San Francisco for the treatment they re ceived here in the way of patronage. Colonel | W. E. Franklin, the general manager, was elated with the business done, for it exceeded his expectations more than double. Every performance saw the tents filled to capacity, and at every matinee a record afternoon business was done. The city at present is laboring under a very dull spell. Everywhere the cry is: “Business is dull!’ and the Colonel can’t understand this wonderful success under these circumstances. The answer is this: Last season the Sells-Floto Show played under the Shriners, gave a clean, good show and left a good impression. Also this season The Armour Greys was featured, and was a new drawing card, and *Frisco is full of lovers of horseflesh, and that was a big factor. The parade, the good performances, the good management, and the excellent press work bronght them the dollars, and of course this was the first circus this seaton. San Jose also gave them a record busi ness. Miss May Scott. who does an aerial ladder act in the Sells-Floto Circus had a nasty fall during her performance at the Saturday matinee. That she was not instantly killed is) miraculous, for she fell and struck her abdomen on the curb of the ring. She was swing ing at the time, and was about to perform the bird-nest trick, when her strength gave out and she let go. She was carried to the dressing tent and immediately removed to the Bmergency Hospital, -where, after a careful examination her injuries were found to consist of numerous cuts und bruises about the head, face and arms, but no internal injuries, and the doctors said she would be able to very short time. The writer witnessed the accident, and I certainly thought it was all out and over for her when she landed. Her numerou. friends will be pleased to know that she is fast on the road to recovery. Several attaches of the Sells-Floto Shows con tributed for several beautiful floral pieces and placed ihem on the grave of Joe Kempton, the jockey rider who died here while with the Barnum & Bailey Circus, last September. A photograph of the grave was taken and will be sent to his relatives. Sibler’s Museum, consisting of a carload and ten people, opened on Fillmore street this week, temporarily. Jack and Jill, the fat boy and girl, are the features. The entire outfit is on the road, going north to catch the Seattle fair. It is rumored that the stock company now playing the Princess Theatre received two weeks’ notice to close, owing to their failure to draw. Since the Orpheum, which was located next door, moved away, Ellis street looks quite deserted. Some say the house will close, and others say there is a possibility of a grand opera season. The American Theatre is dark this week, canse, poor business done by Wilkerson’s Minstrels of To-day, and his musical comedy company. The show was booked for a run of six teen weeks, and it was the intention to change the feces from time to time. The minstrel portion wade good, but the musical comedy end of the program did not take. After a run of two weeks, salaries were not paid, and Miss Ella Smythe, leading lady, got out a warrant for Wilkerson, and had him arrested, claiming he was about to depart from the city. In the Police Court trial Wilkerson was acquitted. Wilkerson, on the other hand, claims Miss Smythe drew all her salary but $9, and that his backers or angels failed to come through as they promised. Manager Abe Cohn announced that the regular Shubert season opens June 13, with The Blue Mouse for the first offering. Archie Levy, who for the past eighteen years has been connected with John W. Considine, has severed his connection as representative of the San Francisco office of the Sullivan & Cons!dine Circuit. Fred Lincoln is to be his successor. Mr. Levy will embark in business for himself at once, and claims to have already ar ranged to book several well-known houses. Lowell J. Sherman was a welcome Billboard visitor this week. Mr. Sherman is a member of Nat Goodwin's company, now at the Van Ness. He is a son of that veteran theatrical man, John W. Sherman, one of the attaches of the old Baldwin Theatre. Young Sherman be about in a) is a native son, and a full-fledged actor. This is his first visit in fourteen years. Joe Fanton, formerly of The Fanton Trio, is now working alone on the Sullivan & Considine Circuit, and making good. | Manning and Dixon, also Fern and Mack, were Billboard visitors this week. The former team is on the S. & C. Circuit. Iva Donette, Manning and Dixon, Tom Dugan, Atlantic City Four, and Little Hip left for Los Angeles, to appear next week at the Los Angeles Theatre. Libbey and Trayer, who came here on the Pantages’ Circuit, are now on the S. & C | Circuit, and play the Queen Theatre, San Diego, next week. The report that the Shuberts have secured the old Columbia Theatre site on Powell street is denied. ‘The site will be occupied by an up to-date hotel. jut news from Los Angeles is that the Auditorium, in that city, has been leased to them for a term of ten years. The amount involved in the lease is said to be 200 000 Alburn and Leahy’s new theatre, now in course of completion. will be called the Portola Theatre. It is a Class A building, with all modern conveniences, and will open in August as a popular priced vaudeville house. All the film exchanges report excellent business, and several have recently gone to the ex pense of refitting their offices in up-to-date manner. The American and Novelty Theatres are both dark this week, also the Colonial, which has been closed for many months, but rumor says that John Cort has secured a three years’ lease on it, where his shows will be presented, instead of the American, as heretofore. The Colonial is located a short distance from the American. Norris’ Dog and Pony Show is playing the nearby towns, and from reports is doing a nice business. Work on the New Chutes is progressing very rapidly, and if nothing interferes, it will open to the public by July 3. Nat Goodwin and Edna Goodrich, in The Easterner, are at the Van Ness Theatre this week, playing to only fair business. The company remains another week, presenting The Genius for the second offering. Sporting Life, with Battling Nelson, the prize fighter, featured, is the Valencia The atre attraction this week, and proved a good! attraction. The management deserves special mention for the complete and excellent produc tion. York State Folks follows next week Piff, Paff, Pouf is the musical comedy bill at the Princess Theatre. Fred Mace and May Boley both keep up in front, and are staunch favorites. Fisher’s Theatre presented The Advance Agent for the second offering, end although it did not prove as attractive as the first one, In Poppyland, it played to a most satisfactory week. Fisher has a very extensive wardrobe to draw from, judging by the many changes his chorus makes in each show. The Orpheum is doing an immense business, and the daily matinees are fully double in the new house. This week, Francini, Alloms and Page, a new face here, made a decided impres sion with his acrobatic and musical act, quite a novelty to see a performer a good musiciar and a very good acrobat. Miss Angela Dolores, Harry English and Edward Moran, who were headliners, made good with their sketch, Cupid at Home. Five Juggling Normans had the hon or of closing the bill, and kept the audience's attention with their rapid Indian club juggling act, which is full of surprises They are a quintette of peerless club manipulators Rus sell Brothers, although seen in their old serv ant girl stunt, are still interesting Frederick Allen and Company, in their sketch, Hie Phan tom Sweetheart. was well liked. The holdovers included Melnotte Twins and Clay Smith, La Valera and Hawthorne and Burt. Rosner’s aug mented Hungarian Orchestra is always a fea | ture number. Frank Bush is the big explosion at the Na tional Theatre this week tush has a hard time getting away at each appearance, so well iiked is he with his dialect stories, every one of which hits the bull's eye and scores Joe Fanton, a very clever athlete, presents a very neat Roman ring act, which made good Nita Allen and Co., formerly seen at the Orpheum, was well Itked in her sketch, Car No. 2 Stateroom 1. Lewis and Young, singers and fancers, have some good comedy The Four Haydens, tight wire ertists, were an added at traction, and their act brought them consid erable appleuse, although seen at two other local houses but a few weeks ago Ronnie Gaylor, ‘“The girl from Posey County."’ does a sort of Sis Hopkins stunt Quaker City Four closed the bill. Matt Keefe, late of American Theatre Minstrels, was another added attrac tion. Rivoli, in his one-man drama, and Impersonr ations of musical composers, was Manager Tif fany’s star performer at Pantages’ Empire The atre this week. Rivoll is an artist In his line, never failing to score. He appeared here at the | old Orpheum many years ago, when it was under the management of Gustav Walter. Mrs. Maud Evans (return date here) helped to increase the box office receipts, owing to the notoriety given her by the press anent her recent divorce from Lieutenant Evans, of the Mare Island Navy Yard. Ethel Alton and Mazie Oliver, in their dramatic playlet, A Sacrifice, thrilled their audience by their clever dramatic abil ity. Damson and Whitfield, talk-about come dians, opened the bill. Signor Joseph St. Clair, in his solos on the harp, proved himself an ar tist and responded to several encores The closing act, The Four Dordeens, in their casting act, is some act, and the double somersault from the bars and all their neat work classes them in the front rank of their line George Wilson, Manning and Dixon, Mme Dorethy’s Poodles, Mr. and Mrs. Robyns and others make up the bill at the Wigwam Theatre this week. Zamlock, the wonder worker, is at the Star Theatre, in conjunction with four other acts. IN OAKLAND Madam Nazimova occupied the boards at Charley Hall's Macdonough Theatre, May 1113, presenting A Doll House, Hedda Gabler and Comtesse Coquette, doing an excellent business It Happened in Nordland, with Fer ris Hartman and a good company, had Sunday xfter and night, May 9. Nat Goodwin and com pany opens at this house week May 24 Prisoner of Zenda was offered by Manager Bishop at his Ye Liberty Theatre during the week, and caught the public’s fancy Miss Helen Holmes resumed her place as leading lady. Tenessee’s Pardner is underlined to fol low. Grigolati’s Aerial Ballet, Paul Sandor’s Min iature Cirque, Four Amatos Sisters, Lillian Mortimer and Co., Arcadia, Knight Brothers and Sawtelle and Frank Fogarty kept the Or pheum well filled during the week May Ward's Dresden Dolls, Meeh Interna tional Trio, V. L. Granville, Duff and Walsh, and Norton and Russell are at the Bell The atre. making an excellent record. Big doings are at Idora Park this week. Pain’s Carnival of Venice and Eruption of Ve suvius, the big extra attraction, drew big crowds and sent them all away as boosters. The show was well advertised in all the nearby towns, which brought good results Patrick Conway and his big band, Bickett Family and others are still pleasing the multitudes Snow's Three-Car Shows left Oakland Saturday, making all the smaller towns reports from the road say business far has been exceedingly good, with everybody satis fied. A good side show is connected with the show. RUBE COHEN last and so KANSAS CITY, MO. There are but four theatres open in Kansas City,. at present, and one of these, the Grand, closes this week with Lew Dockstader’s Minstrels. The Gillis will close June 5 That leaves but the Shubert Theatre and the Andi torium doing business. The Shubert commenced a five weeks’ engagement, May 16, of Lyman Howe's Travel Pictures and then the house will te put in readiness for an early September opening Earl Steward, the resident manager for the Shuberts, will be in Kansas City until the theatre puts up its shutters for the finale Chas. Clasby, head doorkeeper at the Shubert Theatre will remain there during the summer months as custodian Mr. Clasby has been at the Shubert since the house opened Lyman Howe's pictures are the most interesting and instructive that have been shown in Kansas City, in some time. Harry Beresford, our old-time favorite, came to the Grand last week, and Kaneas City turned out loyally to welcome him Mr. Beresford was eat one time a member of the old Woodward Stock Company. Lew Dockstader and his merry bunch of ‘‘minstrel hoys’’ week at the Grand and close the house » best is last.’’ Jason Ratekin, treasurer of the Grand thinking ‘“‘some’’ of staying in Kaneas during the summer months Mr. Ratekin t« expert Nimrod and if he stoys here, he will on fishing expeditions We may hear some ‘fish stories."’ Incidentally, Mr. Ratekin ts press agent for the Grand The Lester Loner gan Stock Company ia in its third week of a simmer engagement at the Auditorium Theatre, and each week sees the work of the stock company becoming more and more popular. The bill this week is Dr. Bill. Clarence Oliver, ap pearing with the stock company, is a Kansas City hey This In his firet appearance in ‘‘the legit.” and although a light comedian played a character part excellently well Old Arkansaw came to the Gillie last week It came, it was seen and it conquered There were many entertaining epecialties In the play ami the warmth of the weather waa not a detri ment This week we all are laughing with J C. lewis in Sl Plonkard, at that house The season of the Gillie closes June 5 A big event was the opening of Electric Park Sunday, May 22 Sam Benjamin ia seen again an manager of the park Mr. Renjamin man aged the old Fleetrie Park for eleven seasons, and this in his third at the new park Ile is me of the most capable and Iikeable of park manngers, never tiring In catering to the pub lic’s pleasnre One of the features of Blectric is the Alligator Farm with “Alligator Joe.’ The ‘farm’ not only has alligators, but many live sen cows, brought bere from Palm Reach, Fin at a great expense, crocodiles and man eating sharks This was one of nhveont comcecealona of the opening big thing at the mont visited and talked in Fleetrie Park on the day and has been since Another Electric Is L. A. Keller's old PE SSE fashioned Dime Museum This drew people like molasses does flies. The feature freak was a four-legged girl This freak is one of the best attractions ever seen In a museum. There were many others, but nothing repulsive or ob jectionable. This Museum “is to laugh.” Mr Keller is devoting his personal time and atten tion to the Museum amd says that he is going to do “‘the barking,’’ too. * The Bathing Beach, with two feet and the other accessories of the ocean, took the popular fancy and proved one of the best things out at Electric and as the weeks go on and the real hot weather comes our way, will be mor: ant more so Ferrullo and his band of solo artists, opened) of sand the park and are here for a two week's en gazement, being a drawing card There are also many rides, concessions of al} kinds, and then vaudeville This is given in the German Village, every evening and Sunday af ternoon. The following made up the first week's bill Dick and Barney Ferguson, singing and dancing; Grace Passmore, singer; Anna L Scannell, dancer; Ishikawa Brothers, Japanes acrobats; the Five Gaesmey Troupe, = singers Wm. Morris furnishes the vaudeville. The park is ‘“‘dry’’ and this is one of the many reasons why the better element make Electric se many visits. The Forest Park management lucky stars for fine weather May 1, every Sunday bas had fine park weather A new and drawing feature of Forest's is th« Ritter Sisters’ Orchestra This orchestra was at the Auditorium during the winter and mack good there New motion pictures at Forest have never before been seen here. The ewim ming pool is now ready The Great Pan-American Shows left winter quarters in Kansas City, May 14 Their first stopping place was Norbourne, Mo., and thence: onward through the state. L. 0. Perry is owner of this circus, and A. L. Perry is manager and lessee The circus carries twenty-four cars and the equipment of the modern circus WILLIAM W. SHELLEY is thanking its Since the opening BROOKLYN, N. Y. Buffalo Bill's Wild West, combined with Pawnee Bill's Far East, are in Brooklyn, this week and the big show is drawing large crowds Monday night the large tents were packed, and hundreds were turned away The show was the best of its kind ever seen here Greater Dreamland, with everything new, is drawing larger crowds than ever before Re sides the great array of shows the management has, this year, the largest number of free performances that it has ever given, the bic free cirens is made up of ten big acts With more animals than ever before, Bostock has opened the season at Dreamland Bonavita always a great favorite in New York, Is pre senting a new lion act that is more sensationa? than ever. Aside from Bonavita the big Bostock Show has many new wild animal acts H. E. Tudor, the manager of Creation, Dream land's big drawing attraction, bas made many changes in this big production, and those who visit Creation this season will find many nov elties. Willlam Christopher O'Hare, the com poser, has recentivy written the Dreamland Waltz, which be has dedicated to Senator W H. Reynolds, the president of Greater Dream land. The Lambe’ All-star Gambol will be given for a matinee at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Wednesday, May 26. The advance sale ts large a no doubt the matinee will be very success u The Majestic Theatre has just closed a very successful season Manager W. C. Fridley wil! spend the summer at Lake George. N. Y. Manager William Trimbern, of the Fulton Theatre, will be given a benefit. Sunday eve ning. May 30 No doubt but this benefit will be the most successful of any ever given in Brooklyn, as Mr. Trimborn is very popular here The Aborn Opera Company will start on a season of comic opera, May 31, at the Gran? Opera House. GEO. H. HAKES SEATTLE, WASH. John Cort returned from New York this week and announces he has arranged the bookings of several Klaw & Erlanger and Belasco & Fiske plays at the Moore, the coming summer. Mil« cha Elman gave a special concert at the Moore Theatre, Sunday evening, May 9, to a splendid house He is certainly the greatest violin vir tueso ever heard itn Seattle. Norris and Rowe's Circus opens May 20, for a three days’ engagement Henry MecRae's Theatre in Tacoma, was to tally destroyed by fire, at four o'clock A. M Mar 10 The building was owned by John C Donnelly. Wantrobe The McRae Stock lost their valuable Mike Donlin and Mabel Hite made a three base hit at the Orpheum week of 10. Others on the bill were the Three Misses Weston, The Pinno Trinity, Claude Gillingwater, The Ham line, Rockway and Conway and Billy Van The Three Saytons, who opened the bill at Pantages’ week of 10, offer an exhibition of novelty gymnaetic and contortion work, the beet ever seen at this house. The rest of the per formera made up an excellent bill, Including the Four Lincolns, Shale and Cole, Arthar Elwell! The Murrays, Walter Montague and Company and Young and Brooks Clara Thropp was the headliner at the Star thers on the bill were Martynne, Weston and Young, Prennon and Downing, Cooke and Roth e rt LEM A. SHORTRIDGR