The Billboard 1912-05-18: Vol 24 Iss 20 (1912-05-18)

The Billboard MAY 18, 1912. RIGHTS SELLING OF BUFFAL BILL ces £ — 3 PICTURES FOR POSTERITY. (Continued from page 23.) death of our patron and whenever this occurs we will pay $3,000 to the kin designated for the privilege of using the picture for the benefit of the public, many of whom have no idea of the daily lives of prominent people. The use of these pictures throughout the world, we figure, will compensate us for our outlay. “At the present time we are inclined to limit the number of subscribers to this innovation but the plan may grow after its development and we may be obliged to extend our scope. We are of the firm belief that men and women in the public eye will not object to be seen in pictures after their death, and their families or nearest of kin will have the Gatisfaction of baving a film prepared for their private use. Those whom we have approached on the subject have given their approval and We propose to start the work at once.” AGENCY LAW DEFECTIVE. (Continued from page 19.) Corporation Counse] on the other hand, advised hin. he had no power to make a contract for others to obey but that he could examine it after it was made and if there was nothing in ft contrary to legal specfications he could approve it. The controversy came down to this point: The directors of the White Rats organization wanted a clause in contracts to the effect that if a performer was engaged far a stated period the theatre manager must pay him the salary for that period whether the performance satsfied him (the manager) or not. The theatre manager, on the other hand wished to have the right to cancel the perfurmance or “‘act’’ if its trial did not satisfy him. The White Rats, therefore, wanted a “pay or play’’ contract. The performer himself is willing to sign any contract that will geet him an engagement and the directors of hig organization have been unable to prevent him from doing so. In explaining this feature of the dispute it should be understood that the commissioner has no power over theatrical | Managers or performers. He the action of either principal. His. supervision affects only the agent and the agent says he cannot alter the manager’s contract. The performer, of course, has the remedy in his own hands; if he dislikes such a contract cannot regulate he can decline it. But although the White Rats organization, through the Board of Directors, denounces these contracts, the individ ual members willingly sign them. VAUDEVILLE ACTORS’ SALARIES. It is alleged that sume performers a@re paying more than the five per cent of the salaries, the sum allowed by law, for obtaining vaudeville engagements. The explanation as to why this can be done is that these performers have their own agents, known as business managers, who get bookings for them through the regular agents. Many performers are in a position tu employ these special agents because of the wages they earn The vaudeville performer requires little technical training. His earning capacity is due to his talent as a public entertainer and to the manner in which that talent appeals to the passing fancy of his audiences. There are vaudeville performers who get $2,500 a week and there are struggling singers in moving picture houses and cheap vaudevile theatres who get only $2 a night. But the average earnings of the majority of vaudeville performers are high. During the past license year the Commissioner of Licenses has approved 104,000 contracts in all of which the salaries are specified. Omitting the extremes, those who are known as ‘‘stars’’ and those who struggle along in the moving picture places, the books of this office show that the average salary of ‘‘single’’ performers is $80 a week; vf of ‘‘acts’’ requiring four or more performers, $250 a week. In order to get engagements paying such Salaries the performers themselves may be willing to pay as high as ten per cent in commissions. If the agency business were abolished and the performer and manager dealt directly with one another the payment of commissions would be unnecessary but the wages of the performer would undoubtedly be smaller. The individual performer might not approve such a plan. He may prefer to be known as a man who gets $100 a week, although he pays out ten per cent of it, than one who gets $90 a week and seeks his own engagements. These conditions are solely applicable to the vaudeville business and could not, of course, apply to any other class of employment agencies under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Licenses. The payment of commissions was a greater hardship on the average performer during the past twelve months than it has been in several years, because the vaudeville stage was crowded and competition more keen. Moving picture theatres are making extraordinary inroads on vaudeville. Many performers earning $20 weekly are without work. fn the smaller towns thronghout the country, where theatres hired dramatic performers through New York agencies, moving picture entertainments are now iven exclusively. The year was bad for the ess talented actors of both the vaudeville and @ramatic stage. About 100 small theatres which in New York City alone presented both moving pictures and vaudeville, have abandoned vaudeville altogether. DISTRICT ATTORNEY ASKED TO TAKE ACTION. About eighty former theatrical employment agents, said now to be representing performers. surrendered their licenses, declaring they had become ‘‘managers’’ and were no longer employment agents. The commission decided to learn whether or net these persons merely changed the title of their business and not thelr methods and whether or not they remained agents, intending to cuntinue as such without licenses, thus escaping supervision. He could eed against them, however, only upon evimce to be presented In the criminal courts and the one way he could get such evidence was to they were paying fees to these men for getting employment. No performers presented him with any such evidence. He then applied to the Dis trict Attorney, who issued subpoenas for a number of performers but these either declined to tell anything about the payment of com missions or else gave such testimony as to cause the District Attorney to conclude that nv cases for violation of the employment agency law could be successfully prosecuted. The Board of Directors of the White Rats was responsible for the statement that the newly designated ‘‘managers’’ continued to be agents and were viviating the law. Several members of the Board of Directors of the White Rats (themselves performers) were among those subpoenaed by the District At torney but none of them gave evidence upon which a case could be presented in court. Up to the present neither the Commissioner vf Licenses nor the District Attorney has been able to get this evidence. Upon testimony from other sources three caseg of theatrical agents who conducted busi ness without being licensed were brought by the Commissioner of Licenses into the Court of Special Sessions. One defendant was discharged on his own recognizance; another because of in sufficient evidence and the third sentenced to thirty days in the city prison. The theatrical employment agency business has grown to large proportions in New York City. In addition tv the 104,000 contracts for separate performances which the Commissioner of Licenses has approved during the past twelve months, many other performers are engaged through two of the largest Western circuits which have agencies here: but as the latter do not charge commissions they are not under the employment agency law. BABY ELEPHANT BORN. (Continued from page 19.) About & o'clock we took the baby elephant and put it in a box car, after heating the car with hot stones and oil stoves, and with one of the big elephants led Alice to the car with the baby, put her in and chained her, but she was no sooner in and chained and the other elephant taken away, then she raised such a fuss that the car was in danger of being destroyed, so we brought the big elephant back, led him into the car, got them both out and took Alice to the regular elephant car and no sooner was she in and chained than she flopped on her side and in five minutes was sound asleep. The probabi' ities are that the reason the animal went to sleep was that she was utterly exhausted, We got some water from a place called Bartlett Springs. This water is sold in California and is put up in regular mineral bottles. It was heated to a temperature of seventy degrees, mixed with Borden’s condensed milk, some burnt flour and a very tiny bit of brandy and a nipple was used, such as horsemen use for colts. This was offered to the baby and it immediately began to suck, The next day Alice got on the lot at Mon terey, Cal. She was milked and gave a quart and a pint of milk that day. This milk was immediately poured into a bottle and put in a bucket of hot water at a temperature of about seventy degrees and taken to the car waere the baby was and offered to it, and the baby took to it as if Its life depended upon the getting of it. The next day a smaller quantity of milk was taken from the mother and so on until the third day and then she went dry Since that time and up to this writing, May §&. the baby has been fed on Bartlett Springs’ water, mixed with Borden’s Condensed Milk, burnt flour and strained rice water, and telegrams just now received say that the baby elephant is fine and healthy. On April 29 the baby was put In a padded erate and taken to the menagerie tent at Oakland, Cal., and from there into a big cage with some straw in it and given a big rubber bal! and it immediately began to play with the ball and has been on exhibition ever since. The prospects are that we will raise the baby elephant, barring accidents such as cold or other unforseen causes, because no signs of dysentery or distress are shown, but on the contrary a healthy, spry youngster which is so full of life that we consider it perfectly safe to bring him from the car each day to the circns tent and into the big cage, and then into a little snake cage with glass sides, and have the mother elephant push him around the circus hippodrome tracks during the performance, the mother having a label on her side, ‘‘He» is my Baby,”’ while the band plays Emmett’s Lullaby and the audience shows its apprecia tion by cheers and applause. The baby weighs about 180 pounds and is 3 feet long and 2 feet tall. WEBER AND FIELDS’ TOUR. (Continued from page 19.) cities In the order named: Bridgeport, Hartford. New Haven, Brook!yn, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore. Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit. Fort Wayne, Chicago. Milwaukee, Davenport, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, Loulsville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Pittsburg, Johnstown, Altoona, Harrisburg and Atlantie City. Albany, Springfieid, THANHOUSER STARS ALMOST DROWN. (Continued from page 23.) Cruze, who is Capt. John Nell, race through the stream and away from the bullets of the villain Muller’s Boers. You see in the film that the current is strong, very strong, and you see Cruze and Miss Snow jump from the wagon into it. Here the unexpected—while the natural—happened. Before the jump the wagon had bobbed about on the current like a cork: but the weight of the persons aboard had kept obtain from performers sworn statements that | |} Complete show, consisting of 20x30 ft TENTS FOR SALE—20x50 ft., 10 ft. side walls, poles, complete, $50.00; 20x30 ft., 8 ft. side walls, complete, $35.00; 40x40 ft., 8 ft. side walls, complete, $40.00. tent, poles, 3 paintings, 8x12 ft., and big Patagonia, two-headed giant 50.00 for layout. Midget horse, Japanese waltzing mice, alligators and snake paintings, 8x12 ft., $9.00. Wanted to buy all kinds of pit attractions. L. BOX 178, Jamestown, N. Y. Sa’: LEMONADE? If so, you should try our Lemonette Powder. It is made from lemons reduced to powdered form Simply add water, sweeten and it is ready to drink. A pound makes 45 gallons. Price, $2.25 Ib. prepaid. Send a dime for a trial (gallon) package and our catalogue, postpaid. You will be surprised and delighted. CHAS. B. MORRISSEY & CO., 3407 OGDEN AVE., CHICAGO, ILL. her balanced. After the jump, with the bal ancing weight removed, the cart simply turned over, Here is where the film thrilis. The wagon is seen to come swiftly over on the girl and man in the water alongside and the man is seen to catch the girl and somehow pull her to safety. It is all done in a flash. Congratulations are due Miss Snow and Mr. Cruze on their nerve and luck. TITANIC DISASTER SLIDES POPULAR. (Continued from page 23.) fore they were ready. Orders are still coming in, and it has been necessary for Mr. Gordun to increase his working force in every department to fill the orders the same day as received. The litho posters in colors for this feature are very good, and have attracted much attention wherever put out. Nothing has been overlooked to make the Wreck of the Titanic one of the best of feature sets. The slides show in a realistic manner the incidents leading up to and following this greatest of sea disasters, Some big Gordon feature sets are White Slave Traffic, Dante’s Inferno, Ten Nights in a Barroom, Uncle Tom’s Cabin and others that are still keeping in demand, Mr. Gordon has just received a fine line of negatives from a representative sent Soutn to get the great Mississippi River floods. This interesting feature will also be ready very soon and should have a big run Taking everything into consideration it looks as if W. Lindsay Gordon will have as busy a summer of its as he has had during the past winter season. CURRENT ATTRACTIONS. (Continued from page 30.) startling equilibrists and acrobats, ast half— Marco Twins, in So Longy & So Shorty: Perkins, Fisher & Co., in The Half Way House: Three Dolce Sisters, Vaudeville’s Daintiest Singing Act: Ollie Young and April, novelty soap bubble blowers; Ernest Rackett, in The Richard Carle of Vandeville. Academy Theatre—Rudolph & Lena, Trrolean singers and yodelers: Dell Baity & Jap. cow puncher and musical bull dog: Ryan and Ryan, acrobatic wonders; Fred Yonker, dialect comedian. Last hailf—Reltrah & Beltrah, In a comedy sketch The Musical Dairy; Robinson Bros., in Fun in an Auto: May Bvans, singing comedienne; Rogers and Wiley, flying dancing. STILL THEY COME. (Continued from page 30.) tis Theatre, Davenport, Ia.; the New Airdome, St. Joseph, Mo.; the Lyric Theatre, Freemont, Neb.; the Gayety Theatre, Muskogee, Okla.; the Auditorium, Mt. Pleasant, Ia.: the Crown Theatre, Ft. Madison, Ia., and the Opera House Savannah, Ill. " It is anticipated with the starting of next Season that several new booking managers will be added to the staff of the association. As a big list of houses are then to commence this service as well as those who have recently de flected from these bookings and who are anxious to return to the fold. . E. Bray, general manager of the Western Vaudeville Managers’ Association, returned on Wednesday morning from a week's trip to the Southwest. including New Orleans, where he attended the opening of his new venture, the Spanish Fort Opera Company. He was very enthusiastic over the vaudeville conditions in the various towns he visited and with the reception which was accorded his company on thelr opening on Sunday night. The company was given a splendid reception, the newspapers speaking of it as the best which has ever played the Southern city, and they have had many there. Mr, Bray is in receipt of several personal testimonials from the owners of Spanish Fort and citizens of New Orleans, who attended the opening performance. The company’s en gagement there Is for sixteen weeks. Mr. Bray a accompanied on his trip by his charming wife. AIRDOME NOTES. The Kansas City Hippodrome, a big new enalr resort, will open Sunday, May 26. Is Hippodrome is a big two-ringed and continuous vaudeville amusement place and Is an entirely new thing to Kansas City. The Stadium, at Forty-seventh and Tracy Avenues, has been leased for the entire summer, and as this is in the south part of the city, the most exclusive residence section, will have the first-class patron. age it well merits. Senor M. A. Lenge will have a fine band of skilled musicians at the Hippodrome. Mr. UApsis press representative of the Orpheum, will represent the Hippodrome in a like capacity. W. Morganstern is the manager. Manager Carl D. Reed, of the Moore Theatre, returned to Seattle, April 30, after a three weeks trip as far Bast as Chicago, including a visit to his home tn Des Moines. PARK AND FAIR MANAGERS ATTENTION! Dicastro’s Royal Military Band Will prove the most sensational drawing card among the out-door attractions this 1912 Dicastro is a bandmaster of technical ability, and he has twenty musical stars, every one soloist, musicians of A. F. of M., familiar with the work of playing all the best standard and popular music, the unequaled direction of their master. Nap! Cambrinus and others never forget this famous band last winter. For terms and date, D. JACKEL, Representative, 190 Sherman Ave., No., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. ’ The Wee Scotch Lassies AND Baby Jack, Roller Skating Bear Three Youngest Skaters in the World. Lassies 2% and 3% years of age and bear 8 months vid. Best Skating act on the road today. Brand new. Swell costumed act all the way through. Open for Parks, Fairs, Vaudeville or Roller Rinks. Address all communications to Mr. Fred Campbell, care The Billboard, Cineinnatl, Ohio, : ~ ~ A FINE FLASH To Linwood Flint, N. Waterford, Me.: The porcupines are so tame they crawl into my arms, and if business keeps up, shall sing, “Everybody works but Davey.” My 14x21 ft. red and yellow tent, with porcupines pitted in middle, makes a fine flash. GO ON THE STAGE!r Our Latest Book will tell you how; write for free descriptive circular. STAUS SPECIALTY CO., 2224 So. 11th Street, St. Louis, Mo, W AN TE D !—A Good Second-hand Tent Outfit about 40x60, bale, ring, seats, stage and everything complete ready to set up. Some where in the Middle States, Missour! or Oklahoma. Must be in good condition and cheap for cash; also want baby Piano. Address quick, McQUARRY, 309 Deer st., Dunkirk, N. Y. If you see it in The Billboard tell them so. > ai, i — — ee £2 C82 4O@s Meee eo eee