The Billboard 1911-03-25: Vol 23 Iss 12 (1911-03-25)

MARCH 25, 1911. ae ee ss The Billboard 19 ENT Sui SHINE SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. Fried’s Theatre, in Fresno, after a few weeks of vaudeville, have changed policy and the house is now occupled by a dramatic stock company, The Six Cornallas, catapult acrobats, will make their first California appearance (second season) at Sacramento, April 10, at Pantages Theatre, with Chutes, San Francisco, to follow, This office received newspapers from Shanghal, containing accounts of three vaudeville theatres recently opened. At the Bijou Theatre, the Wilson Sisters, singers and dancers, are billed as the premier feature, and the press notices say they are the best act of its kind yet seen, Chas. Mackaye was another act, and seven picture films are shown. At the American Vaudeville Theatre, The Oldfields, comedians and banjoists, topped the bill. Frank Foster, Violet Bonnetta, and Maggie Fraser are the other pumbers. Seats are sold in advance at $1.25, $1.00, and 60 cents Mex. Another house is called Victoria Hall, and Pearl Lovell, Miss Irma De lePomme, The Two Colliers and Frank King make up the bill. The Henry McRae Repertoire Stock Co. opened the new ~~ Theatre at Sacramento, March 18. he company is composed of the following: J, C,. Livingston, Charles King, Sherman Bainbridge, Robert Webb Lawrence, James Guy Usher, Margaret Oswald, Ramona Radcliffe, Claire Sinclair, Georgia Woodthorpe and Margaret Kimball. The National Theatre, which made considerable money for the Graumans, closed its doors as a 8. & C. house. The house was leased to parties who opened it the following day, Sunday, March 5. as a five-cent vaudeville and moving picture bouse, offering four acts and four reels of pictures. Everybody !s wondering at the out come. Will L. Greenabaum, our impresario, has -leased the large hall in the new Scottish Rite Temple, located at Van Ness avenue and Sutler street, and hereafter all his musical offerings and other attractions will be seen at the new ball. The capacity is over 1,600. Alessandro Bonci, the lyric tenor, appeared before a capacity house at the Columbia Theatre, recently. Billboard callers Chester and Co., kare, violinist; tists and acrobats: cians; Heasie, juggler; Charlie Carroll. The following acts opened at the Orpheum Theatre, Seattle, week March 12, and are traveling toward San Francisco: Cland Gillingwater and Co., Mile, Biancl Froehlich, Three Misses Weston, Russell and Devirne, Melnotte Twins and Clay Smith, Konerz Bros., and Bedini and Ar ur A bill was passed at Sacramento, March 8, for the regulation of moving picture shows. The bill passed with twenty-three in favor and ten against. The chief provision of the bill, which, according to its author, is to protect the children and young girls of the State from evils that abound tn some nickelodeons, is that enough light shall be maintained while the show is running, so that the face of everyone in the andlence can be plainly seen, Other provisions are that no children under 16 years of age, unaccompanied by a guardian, can attend moving picture shows after 8:00 p. m. in the winter Months and 9:00 p. m. in the summer months. Charles Cole, of Pantages Circuit staff, left for Denver, March 8, in the interest of the Circuit. Grace Cameron, operatic singer, Le Marguerite, national dancer. and Sig. Leonardi, tenor, are the new bookings for Portola-Louvre Cafe. Judging from the immense business done at the Garrick, the finest and latest of moving picture theatres, it is an enviable fact that the numerous picture theatres along Fillmore street are fast losing ground and some will be forced to close. The faulty wirtng in the Lyric Moving Picture Theatre in Stockton, destroyed the honse March 6. The fire occurred early in the morning and as the Lyric was situated between two solid high brick buildings, it saved the destruction of one of the most important business blocks in Stockton. A garage, located next door, with ten automobiles, was also destroyed. The total loss was $15,000. A new film exchange, called the Variety Film last week included Charles equilibrists; Ethel May BarArizona Trio, jugglers, equilibThe Jesters, novelty magiHoward and Graf, and being Exchange, located on McAllister street, near Market, was totally destroyed March 6. Owing to the quick response of the fire department, the large butlding in which the film exchange Was located, was saved, BE. J. Arnold, the Portland carnival man, was a Billboard+caller Inst week, Also J, J. Deveaux, who ts organizing a dog and pony show for a tour of California, which starts out In April. This office received a letter from Martinetti and Grossi from Anckland, N, Z., dated Feb. 10. They Just played Dunedin. They play a return date at the National Theatre, Sydney RUBE COMEN, Plans are being made for the ground-breaking Celebration on the Panama-California exposition site, to occur some time in the late spring. Dick Ferris, the Los Angeles promoter and theatrical magnate, will be in charge of amusements and has opened offices in the Union building. Count DeLessepa will be present and Partie pate In the ceremonies, Walter J. Fulkerson will soon begin construction of a new theatre, the Mirror, with a Seating capacity of 950, at the corner of Third and C streets Fulkerson formerly conducted the Grand and Jewel in this city and the Empire in Los Angeles, The Mirror will be finished about Iniy 1 and will cost $25,000. a Cort was a recent visitor to the clty, mage BT to look over the situation regarding Ww Wl oc » » a Panta Bove sey Spreckels theatre now in course e Grand Theatre is soon to be the ho: & new musical comedy company Some yy Piskés and Genevieve Dehaven. ® Savoy, the new playhouse of. Palmer Pulkereon, is rapidly being completed and wit ready for cpening within a few weeks. | NEWS ETM The Queen and Poinsetta, houses, lave been reopened. Tom P. Getz, who is conducting the recently restored Ramonar Marriage place at old San Diego and a former theatrical man known from coast to coast, is on the amusement committee of the Panama-Oalifornia ground breaking celebration. The city has lately been the headquarters of the Selig Company, whose bioscopes have been busy in the vicinity. Princess, Pickwick and Garrick Theatres report good business with sold-out signs in frequent evidence. Gienn Curtise, aviator, is established at North Island, ‘ust across the bay. He intends to give frequent exhibitions, supplemented by balloon ascensions by Aeronaut Young. The writer recently visited Grossmont, the magnificent mountain village laid out by Wm. B. Gross of the Isis Theatre, which already numbers among its property holders a number of theatrical peopie. The resort igs superbly located on the crest of a mountain, with a view on every side extending to the San Bernardino mountains on the north and the Coronado Islands of Mexico on the south. A picturesque inn is there to cheer and welcome the traveler, and lower until he is persuaded to become a beauty spots of the world. ROBT. HAYS. motion picture SEATTLE, WASH. Very few of the theatrical people who have played Seattle have not visited the ‘‘Rathskeller,”’ corner of Second avenue and Cherry street, as this place bas been a rendezvous for theatrical people the past ten years. They now will have to seek other quarters for about a year, as the | building in which this popular resort was located | has been razed and will be replaced by the Hoge ee an eighteen-story steel fireproof buildng. ‘ihe management of the Lois Theatre have made arrangements whereby the orchestra in that house is to come under the management and direction of Franz Adleman, one of Seattle’s favorite leaders and solo violinists. In obtaining Adleman for the Lois, Manager Kellie beiieves be had scored a ten-strike. patrons of the theatre are likely to agree with him, as Adleman is not only a splendid violinist but an exceedingly popular one, Claire Sinclair, formerly identified with Russell and Drew Stock Company at the Seattle and Alhambra Theatres in this city, has joined the forces now engaged in playing Lena Rivers at the Princess Theatre in San Francisco. Mr. John Griffith, ve legitimate actor and one of the few tragedians now left in the country, will open a limited engagement at the Alhambra Theatre on March 26. Mr. Griffith will bring his own | leading man and a special leading woman will be engaged for the Griffith season. George J. Mackenzie, Klaw and Erlanger’s representative and manager in Seattle, has received word from Bolter anu Sons of Chicago that the first shipment of steel to be used in the new Mctropolitan Theatre has been sent. Robert Webb Lawrence, who has been a member of the Sacramento Stock Company at Sacramento, Cal., returned to Seattle March 8. S. L. Jenkins, a well-known theatrical scene painter, left Seattle March 8 for Vancouver, B. C.. where he will fulfill an engagement of six weeks at the Avenue Theatre. The new playhouse will be finished in about five weeks. | John M. Cooke, who has been manager at the Grand Theatre in Tacoma ,has returned to Seattle. LEM A. SHORTRIDGE. VANCOUVER, B. C. If the plans of several local capitalists are carried out, Vancouver will have a White City in | operation this summer. The promoters of this | enterprise are appiying for a lease on four blocks of land in Hastings townsite, on which they propose to expend $300,000 in clearing and erecting a large variety of novelty amusements, work on which will be commenced as soon as the preliminaries in securing the necessary land and the sanction of the government has been obtained. One of the chief features of the White City will be one of the largest and finest artificial ice skating rinks in Canada. The site of the proposea White City is situated two blocks east of Hastings Park, the home of the Vancouver exhibition. The committee in charge of the T. A. M. benefit to be held April 7 have things running smoothly and the benefit Is an assured success. Manager E. R. Ricketts has kindly donated the use of the Vancouver Opera House free of charge. Manager Walter Sanford of the Empress Theatre and Manager Geo. Calvert of Pantages are lending every aid to the committee to make the benefit a big success, There is a possibility that Albert Chevalier, England's greatest character actor, will be seen in Vancouver this spring. Frederick Shipman, who conducted Melba’s Canadian tour, is ne| gotiaiuing with Chevalier for a limited tour of Western Canada this spring. The following Its from the Johannesburg Star’s notice in dealing with the recently opened at the Johannesburg Empire: | “Miss Leighton’s best song is Past and Preeent, and it is accompanied by Miss Leighton's most gorgeous costume, a plum-colored Georgian creation,”’ Edward Terry, the distinguished English actor, was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. William Murray during his engagement here. He was aiso entertained by the Society of Londoners. Paul D. Howse, well-known park builder, who is at present in California, is in negotiations with local promoters for the erection of an amusement park and is expected here shortly. The Curtis Musical Comedy Company opened at the Grand for an engagement of four weeks. The Rernard Musical Company opened at the Bellingham Theatre, Bellingham, Wash, for a four weeks’ engagement. The Rex Theatre, Olympia, Wash., being booked by the International Company of this city. The Vancouver Amateur Operatic Soctety have started rehearsals for The Mikado, which will be produced by them at the Vancouver Opera is now Amusement ST SiS {has appeared new company that / seating SULTS House shortly. Mr. Alf. Goulding, formerly Stage director of the famous Pollard Lilliputian Opera Company, is acting as coach. Barney Williams and May Wright, well-known in the musical comedy line in this city, are bow in vaudeville and are touring the Pantages circuit. ° Walter H. Blake, a local boy and member of the I. A. T. S. E., has returned from California, where he has been playing vaudeville for the past six months. J. M. McLEAN. TORONTO, ONT. This city is without a doubt the musical center of Canada. Our fame has spread to» New York and London. Two hundred and twenty thousand dollars was spent on music alone this season. Fifty thousand was spent in choral concerts alone. The news is current that Shea’s old theatre on Yonge street, named now after the street, is to be taken over by Harry Brock, of Buffalo, who is also in control of the Franecalse Theatre in Montreal. Mr. Brock, it is said, will remodel and decorate the interior and bring same up to the strict fire regulations in regards to exits, ete. Popular vaudeville and pictures will be the policy of the new management. The local stage hands want an increase in their wages. Carpenters get at present $' a week; property men $14 per and electricians $14. They ask for an increase from 25 to 35 per cent. all around. The local managers have the demand under consideration. JOSEPH GIMSON. MONTREAL, CAN. Fred LeClair, late manager of the Francais, passed away on March 13, from heart and lung complications. Through the efforts of the Moving Picture Association the tax of $1,000 has been reduced to $500, and a still further reduction from the Montreal Council is expected. N. W. SHANNON. PROVIDENCE, R. I. Col. R. A. Harrington has a large force of men at work at his two parks, Rocky Point and Creseent Park, getting things in shape for the summer season, which opens shortly. Many new attractions are being installed. Mr. Geo. F. Collier, manager of the Westminster Theatre, announces a summer season of high-class vaudeville and motion pictures, to open May 8, 1911. Business is booming at all theatres in spite of the Lenten season. W. E. GREEN. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Jack Martin, a member of The Beauty Spot Company which played at the local Shubert Theatre March 2-4, died at the city hospital here March 9 from pneumonia, aggravated by pulmonary tuberculosis. Rev. G. L. Morrill, chaplain of the local T. M. A. lodge, and Rev. James E. Freeman officiated at the funeral, which was held at Amor’s undertaking rooms. Money for the burial was telegraphed by a brother in New York City and deceased was interred in Laymans’ cemetery. The whole affair was extremely sad, as Martin was comparatively a young man and engaged to be married, aceording to reports. Eugene Hosmer of the Orpheum Theatre established a record for himself when he played in two cities in twenty-four hours. Mr. Hosmer is a member of the Minneapolis Sympbony Orchestra, also playing string bass, and on Thursday night, March 9, he played in Chicago, arriving here in time to play at the Friday matinee at the Orpheum. On his brother musicians in the Orpheum orchestra presented him with a beautiful bouquet at the close of the overture: Manager A. G. Bainbridge, Jr., of the Lyric Theatre bas made two moves towards strengthening the present Lyric Stock Company. He has engaged as second man Brigham Royce, w with Booth and Barrett, Marie Wainwright, Frederick Wade, Otis Skinner and other stars. He has also secured George E. Lask as director for the company. Mr. staged ail Shubert attractions during the past season and has also served as stage director for Charles Frohman, Henry B. Harris and David Belasco. Paul Goudron, Chicago representative of the Sullivan and Considine vaudeville circuit passed Sunday, March 5, in the Mill City, arriving in the morning and departing on the night train. While here he was in communication with Manager Jack Elliott of the Unique Theatre, the S. & C. local house, and with Messrs. Rrewster and Alfred Hunt of the S. & C. forces. Manager W. F. Gallagher of the Miles Theatre announces that as soon as spring weather sets in the work of remodeling the theatre will be begun, the object being to double the present capacity, broaden the stage and rearrange the gallery. Mr. Gallagher believes that the work can be completed in two months from the time of commencement, and the architects who designed both the Minneapolis and Detroit Miles theatres are now preparing the plans, After changes have been accomplished the theatre will be about one hundred feet wide Friday evening | } | j | | | | | | Lask has) _the New Keith’s house and will and will seat 1,050 persons on the ground floor. | The stage will be thirty-five feet wide, with seven feet of added depth and a _ seven-foot apron will be built in front. The orchestra pit will be enlarged to accommodate a_ten-piece orchestra, and the boxes will be rebuilt. The gallary front also be materially changed, and the entire’ inalso be materially changed, and the entire interior will be redecorated. The work of reconstruction will be accomplished almost entirely from the rear. Mr. Gallagher also states that it is possible that an agreement may be consummated between C. H. Miles and Alex Pantages by which the Miles and Pantages circuits can play acts for twenty-six straight weeks, besides entirely | which time arrangements may be made with independent theatres so that an extremely long circuit will be formed. ‘The Miles interests have twelve houses, four being owned by C. . Miles and a fifth being built in Peoria. There are fourteen theatres on the Pantages time, so that the combination wiil enable Pantages to place the acts in Eastern houses and Miles to do likewise in the West. It is also said that not over three days out of the twenty-six weeks would be lost in making jumps. RODERIC STE FLEURE. DENVER, COL. With the present week ends the Shubert theatrical season in Denver. With the present month the lease of the Auditorium expires, but Miss Dressler closes, I understand, the playing period. Candor compels one to say that the season has been characterized by disagreements, disaster and discourtesy. Nothing in the life of the existing management will be so becoming as the leaving of it. Few of the rosy promises made at the beginning have been kept; the contracted ‘‘dollar for the best seats’’ has, despite the sincere efforts of the mayor, been constantly violated, and while the city, no doubt, has done its utmost and best in the matter, there has been continual bickering between visiting companies, the Sbuberts, their representatives and the people, so that an unsatisfactory season comes to the rather ignominious close. The conditions have been rather curious, and the telling of them may prove interesting. Last fall, when there were clouds on the theatrical firmament and it seemed the much abused syndicate was in progress of dissolution, Mr. McCourt listened to the voice of the siren in the person of that dashing soldier of fortune, John Cort, broke away in a measure from the moorings of Klaw and Erlanger and proclaimed the sentimental, but impractical ‘‘open door.’’ He entered into a combination in which he agreed to pool the receipts of the Auditorium, the Broadway and the Tabor, accept his share of the profits of the three and bear his share of the losses, if losses there were. On the face of it, at the time, it may have seemed a good business arrangement. It probably was for the Shubert people. It might have been for all concerned if the original plan had been adopted and Mr. McCourt had been made manager of all three houses. But that was not done, and while I am not informed on the subject, it is fair to suppose that it has taken about all the profits of that fine money-maker, the Tabor, to pay the losses of the Auditorium. Occasional large audiences at lowered prices do not pay extraordinarily large expenses. Common sense and stern business principles have to be factors in the theatrical game as in any other commercial enterprise. And the fact remains that while all want the best and plenty of the best, a city of the size of Denver will not support two high-class attractions running at the same time. Divide the business and money can not be made. Candidly, too, it does not seem quite fair for the city to go into the theatrical business, or any other business in opposition to any one or more of its tax-paying, license-paying citizens. The city might as well open a department store at the Auditorium in opposition to our great Sixteenth street enterprises. The principle of the thing is the same. But I imagine after this year’s experience with the Shuberts the mayor will say “never again.”” A long white feather in the plume of the administration are the Sunday afternoon and night free concerts, They have been productive of much good, have elevated the public taste, have made a decided mark in the uplift of the city. But shouldn't the pro gressive mayor's mission as a surveyog of amusements end there? It is, on the whole, a pleasant reflection that with the departure of the Shuberts, things will assume their normal conditions and Mr. McCourt will come into his own again. He has made new spring bookings for the Broadway, and they are of a character to command respect and warm approval, This is the list for the next four months: Raymond Hitchcock, Blanche Ring, Sarah Bernhardt, Madame Sherry, Sothern and Marlowe, Billie Burke, Follies of 1910, Ruth St. Denis, Nance O'Neil, The Girl in the Taxi, The Lily, John Drew, Ethel Barrymore. There are one or two others likely to be here who are of equal attractiveness, so that the spring season, dramatically, was never so promising as now. And the fineness of it is, Mr. McCourt will see to it that a majority of the best seat in that pretty house will be sold, as a rule, for $1.00. JULIAN HELBER. ; TOLEDO, O. Already carpenters are busv night and day. on the new ten-cent houses that, William Bettis the manager of the Sunbeam, is to handle. One will be located on St. Clair street, opposite play continuous vaudeville. The other location will be the Collesium, which was formerly a roller skating rink, at the corner of Ashland and Bancroft streets. It looks like Toledo will soon be much of a ten-cent town from the new houses that are daily springing up. It is said that Dudley, the singer and enter tainer of the Hong Kong, has left for th Golden Gate State. Dudley was some card and will be missed. The Davis Brothers are busy. engaged in get ting their shows together for the coming sum mer. It will be some show and the boys de serve much credit for the attractive line of material that they will offer. Reports are heard from Abe Shapiro. manager of Dave Lewis Company. now appearing in Chi cago. that business is great. They are expected to play Toledo soon. (Continued on page 48) A complete list of attract‘ons appearing in the cities mentioned on this page is given in the department beginning on page 22. —_—= ee