The Billboard 1912-05-04: Vol 24 Iss 18 (1912-05-04)

{ ) \ sa e & board MAY 4, 1912. NEW VAUDEVILLE THEATRE. Pitsburgh, Pa., April 29 (Special to The Bill board)..-Work will be started next week to tear down the old Presbyterian Church on San dusky Street and in its place will be erected 4 theatre to be known as the Kenyon Opera House, which will have a seating capacity of over 2,000 and will cost $350,000. The work will be pushed as rapidly as possible. with the idea of having the first performance in the new theatre on Labor Day. Thomas Kenyon, owner of the Kenyon Theatre, on the north side of the city, has secured a twenty-year lease on the premises and will be the sole proprietor of the new theatre, which will be devoted exclusively to vandeville. LAW'S DARING ESCAPE, J. Rodman when completed nearly Law. the parachute jumper, on April 13, at Lynn, Mass., made a most daring leap from a Burg: ss hydro-aeroplane driven by P. W. Page into the icy waters of Marblehead Harbor The leap was made from a height of 1,200 feet, while the aeroplane was traveling at a speed of fifty miles an hour. The dangerous feat was accomplishe! with ease, the parachute opening after Law had dropped with terrific speed about 1 feet, while the aeroplane was not affected in the least by the sudden loss of the weight of the parachute jumper. Thousands of people lined the shores during the afternoon, while over 400 automobiles aligned along the causeway road, gave the appearance of a huge, unbroken chain. NEW FARCE PRODUCED. Cleveland, 0., April 23 (Special to The Ril! board).—Philip Bartholomae’s new farce, Lit tle Miss Brown, was produced for the first time here last night at the Colonial Theatre under the direction of Wiliam <A. Brady Madge Kennedy, a young actress. who has yet to make her Broadway debut, plays the name part New York will see the farce early next season. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE CLOSES. Baltimore, Md., April 25 (Special to The Bill boerd).—The Savoy Theatre, after an experi ence of more than a month of popular-price vau derille, closed its doors last week and Is no! likely to revpen Considerable money was los in the brief venture. In amusement circles fail ure was explained on the ground of the ex istence of too many places of entertainment picture houses and others. THEATRE E.PLOYEES ENJOY BANQUET. Milwaukee, Bil, board) 13 at the Wis., April 20 (Special to The Aftr the lest performance April Crystal Theatre, the stage was cleared and the tables set for a big banquet given in honor of Stage Manager Max Bartelt, who was recently married. The music was furnished for the occasion by the Crystal Theatre orchestra, under the direction or Glen R, Crum, while the mem bers of the acts appearing on the bill con tribute the'r share of entertainment. Mer. Edward Raymond acted as toastmaster, also making the presentation of a number of bean ¢ifl = presents and pe formers. given by the house attaches Those present at the banquet besides Mr. aml Mrs. VFartelt were Manager Bdward Raymond, Treasurer James Martin, Assistant Treas urer C arenee Ludwig, Electrician Leo Comollie, Assistant Electrician Chas. Moody and wife, Master of Props Geo. Ziclke and wife, Advance Agent George Brown, Prof. Glen R. Crum, John Rorge and wife, Frank Trout and wife, Chas Reed end wife, Nellie Cooper, George Wells. Ray Wakeman, Musical pirectom of Majestic: Chas. Cleveland, Bmily Green, Carl A, Winter hoff, Geo. Dayton and Lew Southworth fom The Homesteader, The Musical Avolos and Four Ne'son Comiques. PARVIN ACQUIRES RIGHTS. Lee Parvin, a former Cincinnati boy, and a well-known advance agent, has secured The Servant in the House for a spring tour of Canada. It would appear from the nature of the offer ing that it would appeal strongly to the theatre goers of the provinces who are more or less religiously inclined, and in view of the fact thet it has never been seen in Western Canada at all. The cast will remain practically the same aS hag appeared in the piece all during the present season. A UNIQUE PROGRAM, A unique program was furnished patrons of the Grand Opera House, Circleville, 0., on the night of March 29, when the Gamblers played a gazement at this theatre. characters, scene, synopsis, etc., was printed on silk of a delicate shade of pink. Mr. Walker Baugiman, manager of the Grand Opera House deserves :redit for this unique way of in‘roduc ing the characters of a play to his patrons. CHAPPELL PLAYERS IN The roster of the Harry Chappell Players, who inaugurated a season of ten weeks at the Grand Opera House, Aurora, IIL., ginning Monday, April 15, is as follows: Harry Chappell, proprietor; Walter F. Harmon, manager; John T. Prince Jr., press representative; Harry Plympton, stage manager; Homer Goulet, scenic artist. The Cast: Arline Wisman, Blye Power, Alice Trell, Bessie Hamilton, Harry Warren McCabe, Seth Caleb Halsey, Charles Corwin, Ward L. Thornton, George W. Martyne and Paul Griffith. The opening bill was Charles Klein's The Lion and the Mouse. AURORA. . OPERA FOR NEW ORLEANS. Under the direction of Miss Maud Daniel of the general publicity service, the Western Vaudeville Managers’ Association is organizing @n opera company which will play a season of twelve weeks at Spanish Fort, New Orleans, opening its season on May 5. The company is to produce all the old standard operas, opening with the Mascotte and is at present busy with rebearsals in Chicago. They will leave the Windy City on April 30. Amone the principals who have been en Dan Young, who has just closed with the Lady, and Vera Stanley, prima donna. The | writer and | | j The cast of | | boys in Worcester, Mass., agement | some company will number about and special scenery and made for the engagement. This is the first of a series of opera com sw which are contemplated by the Western Vaudeville Managers’ Association for work in a — of large summer parks in the South and est. thirty-five people costumes have been WONDERS!!! “Snipe” Items of Interest Landed on the “Barricades” of Agents and Manppere Doings, With no Intention of “Covering” Happenings That Should be “Flashed” to the Readers of The Billboard; no “Squaring” Necessary so Wonder——. By WALTER 8. DUGGAN. If a certain local manager wasn’t right the \ur otherwise, other day when he asked an agent, upon seeing | the first open car of the season, what he had done with his winter earnings. And this is the time of the year when agents and managert must reflect, and reckon if they have protected themselves for the lay-off season. To those. who have been careful. and haven't ‘‘tossed their earnings into the ring,”’ the chirping of the spring robin is sweet; others, who forgot about the lay-off season, are promising them selves that it will never happen again. It’s a fine promise to make. and when it is kept, the appearance of the first vwpen car is as welcomed as that Sunday morning flash in Pit’s burg, given all agents by John Varley, after a poor showing elsewhere. If the sight of the quarter-of-a-mile-in-length barricade in Lowell, which hustling Ralph A. Ward, the manager of the Lowell Opera House secured, made Matt Nasher ill while in that tuwn. Matt closed his season in Lowell, and at this writing it is to be hoped that he is well again, and looking forward to his summer pleasures. + If it isn’t strange that no matter how many shows an agent may be with, and no matter how many changes of territory he makes in one year there is always one city which he goes al! around, but never tuuches. W. Dayton Wage farth, manager of the Grand Opera House in Philadelphia, can tell a funny story about this idea. Never mind, Mr. Wagefarth, Philadel phia is the home of the world’s champions, and if we can’t enter your city with a show we surely can enter it as a baseball fan this sum mer so prepare yourself for the long-awaited bandshake. ot If you have any interesting data, personal and want to have it receive at tention in this weekly column, kindly send same to me, addressed 1610 Masonic Temple Building, Chicago, and it will receive proper attention. WRITES TO LILLIAN RUSSELL, Rock Island, Ill, April 23 (Special to Th Billboard).—Charged with demanding from Miss Lillian Russell $200, Walter Harder, a young mechanic, was arrested here today on a federa werrant charging misuse of the mails. He is said to have written a number of letters to the | actress at Chicago. | postoffice department. It it didn’t make J. Fred Miller feel bad to | destroy the picturesque billroom that he had at the Academy of Music in Fall River when he de cided to accept the management of the Wrigh! Huntington Players in Youngstown. Miller’s billroom was, without the slightest doubt, as brilliant, and as clean, as the majority of th managers’ offices, and furnished with a type other useful paraphernalia in the dally toils of an advance agent, the room wil! be missed by the advance guard. If there is another cirenit which switches its managers around as often as the P. F. Shea Cirenit. Another change came last week, when to the regret of his many friends, Fred Belmont manager of the Park Theatre in Manchester closed his connection with the Shea forces Miss Marie Kearns, who did more for the suc cess of the Opera House in Taunton than an) other manager, who has been there. since the Shea forces have had charge of this theatre. has been ordered to Manchester, and while this young lady is a better worker in the interests of the attractions which visit her hwuse. than some of the alleged regular managers, whom I have in mind, it’s a big question if a woman shonld be the guiding hand at such a theatre as the Park. A trip through New England finds | this question extensively debated. a If George W. Magee has recuperated from the feeling that invaded his broadminded system following the avalanche of bad business, which compelled the closing of the Grand Opera House in Boston several weeks ago. over George’s way, have him whisper some of the figures that were actually chalked up to some of the attractions for week's receipts. | You'll have a 48-h. p., 12-cylinder grin, I assure you. * If Elmer Rigdon hasn’t dune about the best press agent stuff that has been pulled off on the circuit in hig first season at the Lyceum Theatre in Pittsburg. Elmer is a dyed-in-thewool newspaper writer, who starts his day's toil by appearing at the Pittsburg Court every morning, and writing a humorous account of the proceedings, illustrated, for the Pittsburg Presse under his own signature. Much vf the good stuff that has been landed in Pittsburg this season Wms been claimed by agents, after they left the burg, but familiarity with the situation in Pittsburg makes it a pleasure for me to say that Elmer owned the real stuff. Get him for next season, Clif Wilson, and that big order of press stuff your house requires, won't be a hardship for the _ If the many friends of Gevrge Goette know that he will be in full charge of the magnificent Umbra Theatre, at Lincoln Park, suburb of Worcester, Mass., this summer. Musical productions, and vaudeville will be furnished the patrons of the Umbra Theatre, who made a big demand for Mr. Goette’s return, after an absence of one year, from the railroad company, which cuntrols the park. I doubt if there is another manager on the circuit who holds friendship as valuable as does the manager of the Let George Do It aoa If it wouldn’t be well for the newspaper to get busy and get hold of a real theatrical story that will svon break in that city relative to the future manof the Franklin Square Theatre. * If I am informed correctly the system used in Cleveland relative to the awarding of permits by the city authorities to builders. making it necessary for the ‘uilders to sign a_ clause, joining themselves with the local billposting plant, not tv allow sniping on the barricades is the tightest agreement known to prevent in dependent sniping—only kind of sniping worth while. + If it isn’t excellent news to the many friends of Miss Grace Childers to know she is claiming excellent press notices for her efforts in Schoo] Days. Misg Childers is the wife of popu lar Eddie Rowland Jr., manager of The Rosary, which company also enrolled his wife last season when she played — If it isn’t a shame that such hustling efforts as Frank Miller unravels a8 manager of the Man hattan Opera House in New York, doesn’t bring bigger patronage than they do. No_ matter what form of attraction is given him, Miller does enough work to be deserving of better results. + If “Jimmie” Cowan, the poetical youth in charge of the funds at the Grand Opera House in Torontu, an equal when it comes to answering his patrons, in matters of seat reservations, in poetry form. With spring at hand, the patrons of the Grand must be receiving a_ treat. Kindly acknowledge said thought, Jammus! | ence. |} so that the | transferred | When you get) Miss Russell turned the letters over ‘o the Harder was taken to Peoria to be arraigned before the United Stat cummissijoner. He is believed to be affec’ed mentally. THE MARRIAGE—NOT PREMIERE. Syraucse, N. Y., April 23 (S»ecial to The Bill board).—The Marriage—Not, a new play by Joseph Noel, had its first performance at thé Empire Theatre last night before a large aud! It was well received The new play is under the dire« B. DeMille. Oza Waldrop, Robert Drouet and Fritz Williams are featured in the cast. The play treats of marriage and divorce in a nove and amusing manner. tion of Cec!) A JUVENILE THEATRE. Baltimore, Md., April 26 (Special to The Bill i board).—Manager Tunis F. Dean plans to n vert the concert hall in the Academy of Music into a children’s theatre for next season. 4 company of juvenile players will be installed giving such plays that will be suitable for the entertainmen: of children. George C. Tyler of the Liebler Company, has plans under considera tion to inaugurate a children’s theatre in New York. Mr. Dean hopes to comsummate his plans companies can be alternated and from New York to Baltimore. I! is planned to give two performances daily and the first one to begin after the regular school hours. Outside of New York, this will be the only exclusive children’s theatre in the country. McSTEA NOT GUILTY. Albany, N. Y., April 25 (Special to The Billboard).—John V. MeStea, the Southern theatrical manager, charged with the murder of Arthur J. Brown, baseball player, was yesterday adjudged not guilty by a jury. Me rb attorneys pleaded self-defense for their client. HILLIARD’S NEW PLAY. Philadelphia, Pa., April 23 (Special to The Billboard).—The Avalanche, with Robert Hilliard as the star, was given its premiere at the South Broad Street Theatre last night. Mr. sage and W. A. Tremayne are co-authors of the pay. The supporting company includes Thais Magrane, Aileen Flaven, Stella Archer, Wanda Carlyle, S._U. Richardson, Ben R. Graham, George Clare. Julia Hanchet, Allen Wheeler, Harvey Clark, Robert Newcomb, C. W. Haskins, Alice Ormsby and Ruth Ormsby. BENEFIT A SUCCESS. Boston, Mass., April 26 (Special to The Billboard).—The benefit performance for the Actors’ Fund, held at the Boston Theatre yes terday, was a great success both artistically a The receipts amounted to over ‘Among the were Miss well-known Billie Burke, Miss Hattie Williams, Miss Sophia Brandt, ald Brian. H, B stars participating Miss ances Starr, Miss Vera Michelena, Miss Laura Guerite, Don Warner, Andrew Mack Max Rogers, Bobby North, Charles Dalton, Mont gomery and Moore, John Craig and company, Frank Moulan, Carter De Haven and others. | THEATRE IN WINDSOR STARTS BOOM. Detroit, Mich., April 18 (Special to The Biljboard).—The fact that John M. Ward, manager of the Gayety Theatre, and a coterie of Detroit and Windsor business men will build a fine vaude. ville theatre in Pitt Street, near Ouelette Avenue, in Windsor, has caused a real estate boom in that section of Windsor. The theatre will be of handsome design and will seat about 1,000 people. It will open early in August, and only the best vaudeville specialties will be played. DE ONZO ASKS INCREASED DAMAGES. Columbus. O., April 26 (Special to The Rillboard).—William Santam, better known as Wm. De Onzo, an acrobat of Hamilton, has fled a brief in the Supreme Court here, asking the court to increase the damages granted bim by the Common Pleas Court against the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, from $2,800 to a much larger sum. De Onzo relates that In an accident on this road his right foot was injured. This injury, he claims, has so impaired his work that from earning $12,000 to $15,000 a year, he is only able to earn the salary of an ordinary performer. His chief complaint is that his facility at barrel jumping has been lost. —_—_———__ THEATRICAL EXCHANGE CHANGES QUARTERS. Milwaukee, Wis., April 27 (Special to The Billboard).—On May 1 the United Theatrical Exchange of Milwaukee, Wis., moves into its new quarters in the Mack Building, 79 Wiscon | sin Street. HAMMOND HEADS FAIR COMMISSION. Washington. April 26 (Special to The Pillard).—John Hays Hammond, at President | Taft’s request, has abandoned a speaking tour which be was planning in the interest of the | President's campaign for the renomination, to ac| cept Presidency of a Commission which is to go abroad to invite nations to participate in the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco. Rose Melville (Sis Hopkins), | agement of J. R. Stirling. son at Cleveland, O., under the manwill close her seaMay 4. Wanted --Agent For Texas Cattle King Co. | Who can book, route and use brush. Long | engagement to hustler. Address CLAUDE | REED, May 3, Groveton, New Hamp|shire; 4, Gorham; 5-6, Colebrook; 7, Bartlett. Jack Portello Can use your wife, your brother and » yourself. Wire JERRY MUGIVAN, Ada, Oklahoma, May 1; Atoka, 2; Durant, 3; MecAlester, 3; Muskogee, 5 and 6. FOR SALE, THE HIPPODROME, HARRISBURG, PA. Seating capacity, 500; can be made to seat 1,500; a big bargain for some one. Sickness the only reason for selling. Under the same management going on five years. A. L, ROUMFORT CO., INC., Harrisburg, Pa. WANTED QUICK ! ! ! TENT IN GOOD SHAPE for Stock Company; nothing smaller than 50-foot Round Top with 80-foot middle; prefer a larger one; size, stage, scenery all particulars quick; lowest price, cash. Good Dramatic People write G. T. Thompson Stock Company, week April 29, Freeland, Pa.. week May 6; Mount Carmel, Pa. FOR SALE AT A BARGAIN 100 nearly new PENNY SLOT MACHINES. A rare bargain for Arcades, Summer Parks and Sea Shore Resorts. Address A. L, ROUMFORT CO., INC,, Harrisburg, Pa. M. G. R.. H. & S., Stearn’s 40 ft, 50 ft. top. Good Organ for quick sale. $600 cash; $700 half cash, half time payments. No less, as I consider it worth $1,000, If not sold soon would book with Carnival Park or Pitenics, Fairs, ete. Address, A. C, TUCKPR, 230 Broad St., Conneaut, Ohio. —_ CRESCENT ORANCGEADE Pownen You Make 90c Clear Profit on Each Dollar you Take in. We guarantee our Crescent Orangeade preparation made. per pound, prepaid; sample (gallon) package, with cat and valuable information, will be sent postpaid for qe. NOW othe time to an aheres Dept. B, 3407 Ogden Ave., Chicago, Ill. Chas. T. Morrissey Co., BAUSCHER’S Powder to be the best and most Will comply with all Pure Food Re U of the powder makes 45 gallons and retails for $40, oe Neabl oO 768. . BS. Serial No. A pound Beautiful signs free with each order. Price, $2.25 etc., AVIATION CO. Wants Shows and Concessions Musicians and people in all lines of show business. Two A-1 two Curtiss Biplanes that Fly Street, Chicago, Ii. Promoters to arrange for aviation meets. and two aviato: If you are looking for a place to make money ae oe Gae' U's re awry i I have olland, who will them. TENT & AWNING CO., 28 No. Deaplaines FILMS New or second-hand. We in the U.S. — e have the largest stock buying. ACME FILM CO., Inc., 137 W. 37th St,, New York. Send for our ecatal Reels from $2.50 U a