The Billboard 1913-08-23: Vol 25 Iss 34 (1913-08-23)

AUGUST 23, 1913. The Billboard PARIS NEWS LETTER letters to come—perhaps three weeks-—will deal with the projects of One of our early Within the next two or more or less exclusivly 0 French authors for the season of 1913-14. We do this because every year American managers come to Paris, look the field over and buy a few of the plays they like best. Of course there are other reasous too, for using up good and valuable space in a great amusement weekly, not the least of which is, that whether American managers buy or not. American theatrical folk demand that they be kept posted on events in the recognized theat ricle center of the world, which is Paris. If you don't believe it’s the center, just ask any Frenchman. If one of the next letters is to tell Paris’ fortune as to the future, this one must hold a post-mortem on her past This we have not been uble to do until now because one never holds an inquest until the victim is dead. And Perix has only just now died, theatrically spesking. Last season was pretty punk, on the whole, as we have intimated at one or two unguarded moments bitherto. There was not one single show which came across with the big ye There were precious few, lv frank, which could be clast as have come to regard as standard to me a significant fact tnat the stackt up best and had the most old-timer, a modern best piece (by way or revived—at the n, under the eel wlin, M. Le Barg ano which (¢ Cae it s bot at all 1 Bargy will tour the United States—following the example set by M. Coquelin and Madame Bernhardt i: the same work—before many years have passed, showing Americans his interpretation of the famous Cadet de Gascogne Next t« success, we should ss Henry Bernstein's Secret—which play probably be seen on adway early in the season. This ran thru the winter and spring months on up until it bumpt smack into July her, at stiff prices, and always _with the house packt. True the Bouffes-Parisiens, the theater which housed this play, isn’t as big as some theaters we have seen, but the fact re mains that Le Secret drew, and drew well Henry Bataille, probably should come next, judging from the length of and its popularity with the masses. This . too, has been tought for American pro on tho just when it will be produced we can not Say. Les Flambeau, by There were several bitter disappointments in the ig season just interred Scare t n, but that gave us a specimen of les . yet many of these turned out to be anything but flattering. A { . exXxamypre gave vu ] il a from his owr proved ) have first act into turkey-tracks a talky play which winds up like n the snow. nowhe Henr! Lavedan, one of the most exqu i the French language, offered for a so ‘““seandal"’ Francaise, it woul t aia And that yn to national patr‘otism and some of its were gripping, but somehow the play as e failed when it came to that same big a whol punch. _ Mi aurice Academie hts amone ay, member of ‘ f r ‘brand new new, and ‘enced ngly popular Republi M. Raymond Poin wcuplied Gaston de Caillavet ne of the out unt at ea des Varletes La Ss i Gu v. son 0 ( tecle Par > x ' ‘ v ly ] 17 iring a t n Paris. if thes This sex business mar and in La Prise d¢ ferg-Op-Zoom there Was this galore I opera, the en big event of the vear late in the «pring This was the of Gustave Charpentier’s Julier co % , roducea the etropolitan, In New York ‘ 1 es are nil, not and y good things come from raiseworthy thing season and there since The Quaker London by Mr. EA coming season Girl was brought ove wardes } some two years ago As for revues there have been many. of course, and they have had varying decrees of suecess, but we haven't Seen One as good as those you are acenstomed to manufacture in New York One thing stands ont of all this: The Ameri ean manager is a knowing | and he gets the best there is going here as well as everywhere else And to him the thanks of the great public in the Unite! States are ane There Is no country In the world where mapagers are more willing and eages to show the folks the best that other countrics bring out thar fs this same U. 8 A. They herve been accnsed of being too much Inclined to go abroad for thetr predretions; and ne-chaps to some extent ihe grumble is well found Sut the fact remains that the American miniger gives vis mublic a wide assortment of theatrical things and the Yankee can brag about h's wide knowledge of world conditions in this resve:t if he can’t do anything else. This tendency on the part of the American manager—if our editors will pardon us ‘‘foreigners’’ editorializing a little—is not at all surprising, and, in fact, was to be expected. We can’t have everything at once in that bestof-countries of ours. At the beginning of our theatrical institutions we didn’t have the writ ers to fill the wants of the managers and they were compelled to seek in foreign Lee for their productions, musical or otherwi This con dition lasted a long time, quite ‘aatereiiy, for our people were more occupied in fruilding up the country than they were with writing plays. Now that conditions have materially changed, and we have a number of creditable makers of plays, the attitude of the managers is changing; but slowly, of course. We'll have to give them time. They’ve been accustomed to buying the really good things abroad; it’s up to the Amer ican playwright to show him the really good can be bad at home. However, let us pe that he will never get narrow, never get it into his head that nothing good ex'sts outside his own land. That's even worse than thinking nothing good can come from within it cross tetween the two is what the Stage wants, what the profession wants and what the peo; and the country need. Magie City id the morning paper here, Le Matin, have organized a bal loon contest, with $3,000 cash prizes. The conditions are these: A grown person paying twenty cents admission to the park, may take with him, or her, two children, providing these children have each fifteen coupons, numbered consecutively, lipped from Le Matin. Each of these three people will be given a ticket good for any three shows on the lot (nine admission in all) while the two children will be permitted to take part in the balloon contest. These contests take place on every Thursday thrnout August and Septemter. Of course, the balloons are the small toy kind, and to each a postcard with Le Matin’s address must be at tacht. On each card the following note will be printed French, English, Span‘sh, German, an, Dutch and Esperanto: ‘The finder of this card is kindly asked to place his name and address in the bottom righthand corner, it and mail it at the near« “st post-office. Each postcard returned this way, to Le Mat will entitle .the sender to souvenir which Le Matin will forward at once.’ The name and address of the child launch ing the balloon will be written on the card and the balloons making the greatest distances will li winners to cash prizes total entitle the ing $3,000. Aphrodite, M. Camille Erlanger’s opera, will be produced in New York this fall, under the direction of Oscar Hammerstein. according to information sent us here Mlle Marthe Chenal, one of the best known French singers, will appear in the re of Chrysis, while it is said that M Vezzani will cancel his contract with the Opera Comique in order to sing in America. in this and other, M. Erlanger w probably conduct rehearsals and may even appear, at the premiere, as chef d’orchcestre. Plays in open-air theatres, in the woods so to ite) ilttie speak ar < here now, sous Pau anger, late of the Comedie F ‘aise, was ied at Saint Ferdinand des a this week. The entire company was Miss Alys Lorraine, an American singer, sang the f Marguerite Faust, at the Opera this She had a larkable suecess, A play, by Zerton, is being ex amined ty the reading committee of the Com edie-Francaise. La Veuve Joyeuse was revived for a matinee’s formance at the Apollo Thursday of this The summer revues popular now, Paris m‘d-sun goes on Renand: ( Jose de Berys: Guardi Cloquemi by Max Maurey: Le Maurice Level, Robert Diendo composing the CONCERNING SOUTH AFRICAN AMUSEMENTS. Felix RBlei as sent The Rillboard some newspaper clippings which he received from Cape Town, Sonth Afr concerning amusements in that part of the country. One of the clippings refers to a proposed amusement tax. Under th date of May 30. an item was publisht stating that ‘‘a meeting was held at the Standard Theater yesterday for the purpose of protesting against the proposed tax of 10 per cent on gross takings for all amusements in the Cape Colony. The Mayor (W. R, Boustred) presided, and every theatrical interest In the Transvaal was represented. Among those who attended were: Messrs. Frank Wheeler, Edgar Hyman, Rufe Naylor, W. EB. Holloway, Nelso Rarry, Ross (representing Mr. Schlesinger of the Empire), Bloemffeld, H. tosenberg, Jackson L. Levy, A. Foster (repre senting the Quinlan Opera Co.) J. L. Sachs. Clarke (International Film Brough Pears, Holder Nesse (A. A. Theaters), Pickering, Fred Green, J. J. Ware, Leonard Rayne, Grant Fal lowes and Malcolm Tearle."’ Another item, dated June 1, refrred to the forming of a new cirenit. The rumors of a combine between the A. A. T., Ltd. (OrpheumVaudette circuit), and the A, T. T.. Ltd... (Em pire-Grand circuit), which latter wag recently acquired by I. W. Schlesinger, appear to have been somewhat premature. It is sald that the Criterion Theaters (S. A.), Ltd., who hold an Co.), (Continued on page 63.) AUSTRALIAN LETTER LANE’S LUSCIOUS LUMP OF LOQUACITY. Box 22, King street, Sydney, N. S. W. Saturday, July 12, 1913. On Tuesday last, the cables announct the death of James Cassius Williamson, governing director of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., the leading theatrical firm of Australia who probably have the finest suite of offices of any firm in that line in the world, located in this city; they have also branch offices in London, New York, and Meltourne, with agents in many of the larger cities of Europe and America, and are worth several millions, Mr. Williamson has been in indifferent for some time past and his death has teen upon as likely to occur at most any until a few weeks ago he was in much better health, and there were hopes held out he might recuperate and live for some years to come. The late Mr. Williamson was an American, born in Mercer, Pa, where it is understood that his remain will be removed to, and buried along side his parents there. It was the hope of the people here that he would be buried in this city and had he been, there !s no doubt that he weuld have had one of the largest funerals that has ever been seen in this city. The writer of these health lookt time, but lines, when a lad, knew him when he was engaged at the old Wallack’s Theater on Broadway, and when I paid my first visit to this side of the world I was very to meet him, and also his wife, Miss Moore, when they were the lions of the and were making money as fast as the grasping miser could wish it to roll in. Mr. Willfamson has without a doubt done more for the uplifting of the stage on this side of the equator than another person who has been connected with the profession, and as a producer, there is not the least ubt that he Was at the top along those lines He was divorced from his first wife (Miss Maggie Moore) and at the time of his death in Paris, he was with his present wife and their two children. Mr. Williamson has one of the finest residences in this city. and it has been the scenes Of many a function attended by some of the leading celebrities of the theatrical world, both in opera, drama and burlesque. The writer was a warm admirer of his, and my wish and prayer is, may he now rest in peace until the great ringing up of the curtain shall be at hand. I am also very pleased to say that I was among the last on this side to shake hands and wish him a prosperous trip and a safe and speedy return. Hugh J. Ward who is the managi director in this city. has not only my deepest sympathy on behalf of myself, but on bebalf of The Bill board as well. George H. Tallis is the managing director of the company in Melbourne, and has associated with him Clyde Mey nall, who is also well and favorably known in the United St: and Great Britain. After the meeting of the board has been held most and the estat been admitted to probate, when the final arr “nts have been announ ced, I will be able to give your reade il particu the m: sment. 1 cerely I hope there will be none. To my way of thinking Hugh J. Ward, who is exceedin popular all over Austra l 1, and thruout lars of any changes Str ai ts Settlements, is Kindly write them and show how right place, and I think here and ask them to send me so know that. Personally I do not ant for it, changes at all. If there be, I fancy In the matters of moving pictur be some promotions in the lower orders of the i i seem to be g f I can put my hands on the eutting re e some grow as business manager. Anderson’s company at the Adelphi will fin'sh their season en next Frtday and George Marlowe's Ltd., Co., will open With their own company in No Mother to Guide Her. ‘the management of this company have been having a little family party in the law courts, as there is such things you some men getting their heads too mt and then they sort of ‘‘lose their bl they get the “big wigs’’ to setth scraps at a nice little bill to sett in the States, when we generally go to where ‘‘joy refresher’? we the other kind is dealt out, but here barrister to plead their case, and refreshed every day to the tune 20 and up to as high as $2,000, and about the cuteness of the Yankee, but they can give them points. I see that by this morning’s papers that, after the close of Criterion, tonight, Fred Niblo’s season at the that the theater will be closed for five nights next week ml w reopen with the Royal Comic Opera Co. ‘J. ¢ “Williamson, Ltd.) in that sparkling production, Miss Hook of Holland, that is sure to fill this house for this will be the third season As they make no statements t the cast, I can no more than that anything the J. C. W. manage is right. My next letter to the Hook. regards mention, t put on readers | bBillyboy will be ven a general resume ill matters at preser happening in Austrs also a fully compiled list of all Amer 1 ts in Australasia. y one who is desirous of communicating with any one of the nay ade iress their letters to them in my care, King sireet P. O. Now I have willing to lend my aid to any art wrote me, but I wil! not take up the post-office any more if I know ply letters enclosing (sealed) a lot <« bills, stickers, newspaper clippings. they are consigned to the care of only a two-cent stamp placed on the Were it only now and then one, but who ever envelope. read ers, just remember that each mail me a very large bunch of letters fro ’ that have nothing in them but I and Stenograf l " stationery, postage, ¢ ma chines, employ ever stamp put in for return posta h fair play is bonny play, and I think you could afford to enclose me at least ten two-cent U. 8S. stamps towards what, in many instance a lot neans of time and trouble to get the sation askt for. Then as you must know The Billboard, I should say, gees t t ery coun try underneath the canopy ’ “for the United States is not the only I get letters from artists sé rea ny letter, ete in ‘“‘Billy,’’ and while I a t a stamp collector, I get them from ve he earth. That convinces me that The vard is one of the very best advertising mediums on the face of the earth. Now I want to get onto some of the wise guys that insert Is and e no address where they live, if they li at a or W to send to get the goods. I w inention I ers, for I here to re Village but [I could many o ealls if one—to know Old Man Grump, “° | | 1 ev I made f ou there are some big | : 1¢, you know wn that the eyes of those | ¥ d growl if t the in to th ind see to be banged. they do in the way of making the mo: } | ae West irrived from ed St All you have to do is to mu ly ving has had I by five, then you in round | : il turnover of this wealthy concern. | I mson himself imes a} 1 dollars, and | l lifest to see just | ef some Bay sj s ‘ | | ippir d } 1 long chat with . B. M the see what the un >| unager of The Greater J. PD. Williams Mr. Williamson’s Co., Was very much vith him I Slowly one hope to have some good r t readers of ‘ The Billtoard by the next steam which will be due in the East just se s later than tl altho it leaves two weeks: after the steamer leaving today It seems a matter of impossibility to get anything done in this part of the I have All ill been drumming into the managers ‘s just on last Monday evening on } the matter t I want for the A ipeTs not only in Australis 1/ and the time I want it, but t g way elsewhere. over here is ** 1 t you The great event in matters can put off So I forced is the opening of the Lew W to hold over past e season at the Roya three weeks t gz Miss Tithe redge’s father, G. picture porti best all-round ac “te ts that i \ sements of any stage, is in the east ) nd bid close of Fred Niblo’s season with Exeuse Me! So far Mr. i mn eve i only three productions, Get-Rich Qui ek Ww: all ford. The Fortune Hunter, and Excuse Mi ) 2 s ind each and every one of been 2 I ! nag has most pronounct successes F pre ti ill be Officer 666. but th: it 4 or next season at t he Criterion I have no what is to follow, as I anything spoken of in the press. At the Palace Theater William pany from the United States, !s largest business of any theater in rt the present . I only saw it last night ‘ “nit was an effert to obtain business have not seen courtesy, is not much plot in the prod ! are some jolly fine stunts, and it is so good that I am going to make an effort to have a second view of the play before they finish their season. It does not look to me as if any piece would be played this for the present one, The Grafters, is sendi out the ‘“‘House Full’’ every night since they so what more can they ask than that. the sign ‘‘Free list afsolutely suspended. no ex ceptions to that rule,’’ stares you in the face as well as the sign as before hung up. Mr. Anderson is represented by G. Homan Barnes, nk. unde t James Macdonag lirectorship of Dr. ; the Cente: > : t ce Coli i s mar { lor the I nore { ention now. Th ng e man ager, vish for any publicity in An r rs, so I will merely say that ice skating is very popular, and some grand carnivals are but ess you part up the coir there tie ho f your seeing them. unless you belong tft e “Toff set,’’ merely mention th's as I have one or good friends connected with this rink and to give them a line now and then J mail one week later than this wil! aprear, I shall have a very big bunch of interesting news for the readers of The Billboard DR. WILLIAM H. H. LANE. .