The Billboard 1914-01-24: Vol 26 Iss 4 (1914-01-24)

R se Mn uisville sAZIN will motig i] aii (R orig ( ay ye deay r, ¢ Motia re 0 nid a ar wse que evr da ds, JANUARY 24, 1914. The Billboard 19 ~ OB.TUARY (‘Happy Rip’) Clark, died CLARK—H. R. vey ey G, at the Uni ey > forth, > on M4 spital, of tuberculosis, after an illpess of six nenths. He was well known yaudeville and musical comedy circles through out the south, DELAFIELD—John A. Delafield, an inmate ef the County Horpital Albany, N. Y., agree away at that Inst.tution December 16, at the age of ST years. He came to this country from England, and when a young man engaged in the theatrical business. AULEN—Charles G. Allen, who was for more han thirty years engaged {tn various manageria t ie siness, died in acities In the theatrk al bus ness, ; Kew York, January 12, follow ng an operation aor appendicitis. For a month preceding his h he « minager of F. F. Proctor 8s i wenty—_ ete Snester, a combination motion picture and vaudeville house. Previous to that he had acted in a like capacity at Proctor’s 125th Street Theater. FE. K. Adams died January 2, and was laid to Mrs. Adams was of white-top and ADAMS—Mrs. i at her home in Atlanta, Ga., rest in West View Cr metery. well known to the majority : vaudeville performers, and was the wife and working partner of E. Kirke Adams, the celebrated knife thrower. Se is survived by her husband and one daughter. SPENCE—Mrs. Geo. M. Spence, of the vaude ville team of Spence and Sawtelle, died at Palos She is sur Park (near Chicago), recently. vived by ber husband, George M. Spence, of 164 W. Washington street, room 510, Chicago. TRUMPULL—George Trumbull, former man ager of th Empress Theater in Seattle, Wash.. and well known in the theatrical world, died suddenly in the Kenneth Hotel on Christmas Day. o’CONNOR—Mrs. Kate O'Connor, grandmother ef Joe Kennedy, who is appearing with Mabel Blonde!l in the South, died at Knoxville, Tenn., December 29. REXFORD—George Rexford, well-known acrotat, died at his home in Horseshoe Bend, I4., December 23, after an illness of three years. He was 58 years of age. His last engagement was with Hi Henry's Minstrels, He is survived by his wife and daughter, ADDE—George H. Adde, father of Leo Adde, of Adie and Coulter, died in New Orleans, December 28. BOONE—Robert Boone, colored, died in Benton, Ala., recently, after a short illness, He was a resident and has trave'ed with many He is survived by his wife CRANE—Mime, A, Ogden Crane, who, t . Grace Benham, are mewt Players in Cincinnati, died in New January 4. Mrs. Crane conducted a studio. PUGNO—Raoul Pugno, composer, dicd in Moscow, Pugno was on a pleasure at the time of his demise. PRICE—Charles H. Trice, Jr., well-known theatrical'y as a member of the Harmonious Four Quartette, died in St, Louls on January 4 PPARS.'N—The mother of Virgini:s Pearson @ied Janwary 1 at Waverly Hills a tubercular Sanitarium Toule ide, Ky Miss Pearson bad been starring In stock at the Walnut Street Theater, Louisville, GIAMPET RO—Josef Giampetro, man's leading comedians, died cording to arvices rece ved from ecember 31. His death was su'den. the result ef «a parsiytic stroke. Giampetro had been a favorite in the reviews of the Metropolitan Theeter MELFORD—Mark Melford, of Washington, D. C., prominent and shows, mother, mother of his York, music well-known French Russia, January 54. trip through Russia near one of Gerrecently, acBerlin, De the veteran play Wright and actor, died suddenly Januacy 4, at his risidence, Shepherd's Bush, London. For some months Melford had been at work on a Bovel, entitled The Two Pilgrime. FRAZER—Mrs. Electa Ru'e Frazer, wife of @ Cincinnati banker, and known to the pro fession as Electa Rule, ended her life De eember 27, at her Harlem apactment, New York City She is said to have become de Spondent over her non-success on the stage. WILLIAMS—Miss Ielia J, Williams, for 1 Bumber of years prominent in the profession. Gied January 5, at her home in Macon, Ga. About five years ago Miss Williams received a fall while in a railroad coach, sustaining injuries from which she never fully. -ecovered She was first engag d in theatrical work in 1886, when she attracted attention as leading woman in the Fleradora Company, in which company she starred for many years. She enjoyed sucess in other compan’es antil tt accident forced ber to abandon bhework In terme Wie ide in the Rose Hill Cemetery of that ty She is survived by no immediate relatives PEARCE taymeond Pearce, brother of the] Three Vearce Sisters, now in the East. died in Seattl Wash., December 25, of injuries received by be'ng crushed between ai trai: | truck The deceased was 17 years af age @ Native f San Francisco F DREW—Gladys Drew, actresa, wife of Si taey Dre the act did in New York on Ja i) ged 49 vears Vers, Drew was the Jaug of Mr. and Mra. MceKe Rankin, KENYON —lT eslle Kenyon. who was a member of the Hurt Bradford Players, at Parsons’ Theat Hartford 4 ’ st summer, diel i N Yort n J 4 Mr. Kenyon was an t acter, and had played in this country fer f ; He won rehearsing for Charics . ! in’s T) Lavghing Husbend wh n he srf 7 stroke of pa m ave fe se f paralysis Ile leaves a wif STOCK NOTES, 1 Chester Wallace Players, after fo ty tw i. veeks at the Morgan Grand 0 ’ ’ Pa moved to the Rresford 1 Bradford, Pa., wheze they onened o Ja y presenting Alias Jimmy Valentine a ; lhe Prince Chap for the first two plave r: pe P. Wallace, the company incin’es a irtz, Phil Heege Willasd Robe reon od , MacKnight Walter Sherwood, Edwin be ¢ + 3 ver Karls tte, Luella Arnold, Mer Gi: erriman, Vyvien Laid!aw, Fva DeNor, ‘© Walton and Etta MacKnight LONDON LETTER London, Dec, 81, 1913.—Ned Wayburn has scored heavily with Hullo, Tango, the new revue at the Hippodrome, London, to which I referred briefly last week. Some cutting and pruning started on the morning after the first production and the show is evidently booked for a long run. Shirley K:llogg got a great reception for her song, Londen Town, and another effective nuimber of her’s is The Flower Garden Ball, in which beautiful effects of costume and headdress color are secured. Flowers are plentifully usid for this feature, whicii works up into a triumph of production, costuming, scene paint ing, melody and dancing. Another Shirley Kel logg song is Who's Your Lady Friend, with direct references to couples in the — stalls. Shirley also finished the revue with The March of Progress, sung with a wonderful Leon Kakst stage. Ethel Levy achieves another wonderful success with her unexcelled artistry and secured another big hold on the affections of London. She had one effective scene with Harry Tate, one of the greatest of English comedians. On her own her most popular song appears to be The Tango Giri, which is rendered with wonderful spirit and verve. With Jamieson Dodds she achieves further big success with Peg o’ My Heart. 1 notice that after one performance George W. Monroe and Harry E. Fisher, two clever American comedians playing in this revue, canceled their engagement with the consent of the management For some cause or another their reception did not please them. Their official reason was that they believed their form of humor more suited to an American than an English au:lience. The new decorations of the house are beautiful in the extreme—-grey and white relieved with draperies and carpets in old rose. The underlying idea of the architect, Duncan Rhind, has been to avoid any effects which would attract attention from the stage when the house is lit up. All the lighting has been arranged also to avoid direct glare. Frank Allen, managing director of the Moss’ Empiris, is naturally extremely pleased with the big Hippodrome success. His production of a cireus at the Liverpool Olympia on December 22 also made good. This show is being advertised in «very town within a fifty-mile radius of Liverpool aud big audiences result. The public is admitted to the stable annex where the animals’ names are painted over their respective stalls. The children are pleased to iaentify their favorites in this way. Another surprising booking for the Moss’ Em pires is the Alhambra revue, Keep Smiling. which will be played right around the circuit in a condensed form twice nightly. Finally, Frank Allen has engaged Harry Lauder to play on his return from his world's tour, at all the Moss’ Empires. Of course London has the monster circus and animel show of the year—the Wonder Zoo and Big Cireus at Olympia. The Hagenbeck syst°m of housing the animals has been adopted—the fimous scheme of natura] surroundings and frex locomotion that has made so well-known the Thierpark at Hamburg, Germany. A Z5-1t gulch only separates the lookers on from the lions, for eximple, Monkey Rock is cut off in the same way with its 50 baboons and other funny little fellows, The attached circus is universally admitted to be the best within modern memory in London. The performance runs for three hours twice daily and 5.000 people can view it each time. On Roxing Day 36000 people visited Olympia. which was suee ss to suffocation, as in the two shows only 10 000 epectators could have obtained even a glimpse of the circus. There was 80 much else to see, however, that no complaints were made, May Wirth’s backward and forward somer sauits on a bare-backed horse established her as a prime favorite with the andience. Mare line, years ago a great Hippodrome favorite, ond since then a visitor to your shores, repeated his old success here. Joe Jackson continues his engagement at the Palsce Theater with ever increasing popularity. In plec* of a revue this house is running a revival of the very old favorite here, called A Pentomime Rehearsal, in which Weedon Gros smith plays his original part of Lord Arthur omeror. Rena Parker finished her engagement at the Alhambra in Keep Smiling, on December 27. Although not yet 20 she is extremely talented end she made a big success of the part entrusted to her in the revue, Kenneth Casey, the Vitagraph boy, already very popular in the movies heré, is appearing this we k in the flesh at the Tivoli, and securing unqualified approval. Pr. Cook is not apparently starting his Erglish musie hall tour under very encouraging con ditions. This we k he is lecturing at the Metronolitan twice nightly and appearing at the Pavilion at matinees, His Pavilion turn runs for one hour and his reception is scarcely encouraging. He appears to the English au Jiences as a loose knit man too thin for his clothes and speaks with one finger crooked in the pocket of his white waistcoat Sem Langford, the colored boxer, is ai star attraction at the Holborn Empire this week. Romberdier Wells was to have appeared, but somet g hepnencd. Mely Gideon is In the bankruptey court " " « that sinee he arrived in England in Jun 1912. be has lost $50.000 here by gam Dlir 1 betting During his first vear he earned $35.000 and now re ns his liabilities as 212.000. with no assets At present he is doing his i ret at Oddenino’s, one of the mos* pul W st End restaurants, where he is paid so much per head for each supper visitor, 1p Tike Your Fyves. another new rerne wes presented at the Palladinm by Charles Gul liver n Deeember 29 The proposed four sce s were t lewn to two and the production was a big snee ss This revue is the nearest th to n all-British one yet given here. Most others carry a majority of Ameneun songs nd several Amer 1 players It contains 11 prine!p Is and a beanty chorus of 50, The star comedy attraction is the work put in by WHT and Sam Peoluski, an English double turn who have starred on this side for many years now, Anothor turn that makes a big hit is the Two Hollonders. These two opened [tn this countrr about a year ago at the Alhambra with an in stantaneons success They enter by the audi terium gengewey with a rush and thelr act in cludes international songs and dances by Louis (Continued on page 47.) PARIS LETTER Paris, Jan. 1.—There was a general shedding of new plays this week, managers taking advantage of the New Year’s high-tide »f good humor to spring the pieces they expect to hold the fort with during the anticipated slack-up the first of the year. Holiday trade was brisk, the weather being ideal—cold, crisp and inclined to run to snow. Every theater in town did a good business, especially those housing revues. At the FoliesBer.ere, a premium of $40 each was put on the best seats, and other shops, serving the same sort of fare, followed suit with similar boosts in prices. Of course this was for Christmas Eve oniy—a time when American managers are de— to fill their playhouses at almost any price. TANGO PLAY. Some time ago, Jean Richepin lectured before the French Academy on the Tango. This week witnessed the production of a play in four acts from his and Mme. Richepin’s pen, called Le Tango. The Athenee brought it out, and a singular though gracious affair it proved to be. THE RENAISSANCE. Un Fils d’Amerique (A Son of Aemrica) was produced this week at the Renaissance Theater. It is by Pierre Veber and Marcel Gerbidon, and is in four acts. Messrs. ‘Tarride, Lerand Belieres, Bouchez, Schultz and Mmes. Dastry, Exiane, Maurel and Burkel interpreted the characters in first rate form, THEATRE IMPERIAL. Le Saboteur, a comedy in two acts, is the main spring of the new bill at the Theatre Imperial. It shows in a farcial way how a man inspires emotions in the gentler sex, then fails to respond to the situation thus created. A daring subject treated in a daring way. Andre Picard is the author of this effusion, which had its premiere this week. NEW REVUE. Jean Deyrmon is the author of the holiday week revue at the Comedie-Royal. A clever takeoff on Henry Bataille’s latest play, Le Phalene, is one of the amusing hits of the arrangement. The Mono-tango, where the tango is danced without a partner, is another knock-out, while three short plays fill out the bill. NEW THEATRE. Another theatre has been founded here, though on a very modest scale. The first program offered La Mort de Tintagile, by Maurice Maetelinck; Philista, a one-act play in verse, by M. Battanchon, and the sixth act of La Furie. PARSIFAL,. On the first day of 1914, Parsifal was produced at the Opera here, under the ruling of the German law, providing that thirty years after an author’s death his works become public property, and whosoever wishes to profit there from may do so at his good pleasure. This was, therefore, the first ‘‘free’’ performance in France of Wagner's last opera, and the only opera of his hitherto unheard in Paris. Of course, the old discussion of the moral ri-ht to produce the opera is waging. Wagner desired that the opera should rot be seen outside of Beyreuth, of course, on the ground that the religious nature of the opera could not be main tained elsewhere. Others held that an artistic work ought not to be so narrowed down that only the few wealthy may enjoy it, as would be the case if a journey to Beyreth were necessary in order to hear Parsifal. The diseussion remains, as might be supposed, entirely academic, the managers of the opera being business men as wel] as connoisseurs ip the arts. And although French law does not free literary productions until fifty years after the death of the author, Germany frees them at thirty, so every advantage was taken of that fact. That not a minute was lost is evident. Rehearsals of Parsifal went on long before the work was freed of the German copyright, and on the first day of 1914, the public representation was made. Such industry is worthy even of the Frenchman's estimate of American hustle. THEATRE CHANGES. A number of changes among the theatres went into effect here on New Year's Day. The most important was M. Albert Carre’s switch from the Opera-Comique to the Comedie-Francaise. Jules Claretie, whom he was named to succeed some weeks ago (to take effect on January 1), as already stated, died eight days before his official term expired. Among the other changes, the Brothers Isola, of the Gaite-Lyrique, formally moved into the Opera-Comique, succeeding M. Carre, with M P. B. Gheussi as co-director with them. Their departure from the Gaite, of course, made a number of changes necessary there. “OTES. The Five Frankfurters is to be brought out here. *e8 A new play by Sacha Guitry will be seen soon at the Bouffes-Parisiens. s-eFf Relics of the French theatre are being col lected at the Musee Carnavalet, the museum where the history of Paris may be studied by means of exhibits, and will soon be open fer public inspection. eee T. Elder Earn’s trompe of midgets !s at the Alhambra at this writing. ae The Kaufman Sistesgs are playing the Gaite Rochechouart. PLAYHOUSE NOTES. Wth horses stamping the boards where once Joe Jefferson delighted hundreds, another theater destroyed by fire, and a third closed by order of the Kansas Fire Commissi Atchison, with a population of 18,000 people, is said to be the argest city in the United States without a legitimate theater—where not even a ten, twent. thirt company can work. The town for the rest of the season will be eompelled to depend on the movies. Because Waterloo, Ia., is an open town for theaters on Sunday, an attempt will be made to open the Waterloo Theater on that day. This house was originally built by a stock company. many of whose stockholders subscribed with the understanding that the house would remain permanently closed on Sunday. A move is on foot to buy up the stock of these holders and open the house. ner AUSTRALIA LETTER Sydney, N. S. W., Australia, Dee, 13.—The Aterican steamer “‘Sonoma,’’ sailing this afternoon, will carry home a big contingent of American artists, who came, saw and couquered. The list includes Mr. and Mrs. Chas, Diamond (Diamond and Beatrice) auu child, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Hil] (Willette Whitaker), Mrs. Gene Greene, George Murphy, Frank Parrish, Jack Prince, Mr. and Mrs. J. Nevin Tait and others, The Rickards management have extended the engagement of the Primrose Four for four weeks, and thy will sail by the S. S. ‘*Ventura’’ for Frisco, four weeks from today. Never has a turn appeared on the Australian stage that aroused the interest and enthusiasm that these big fellows have. It is a sure thing they will have to cross the briny once more, and that won, for they could play reht here until neat Easter, and then the people would call for Inore, There seems to be at the present time a regular flood of artists. The BrennanFuller time announce for tonight a new set of artists, none of whom have ever appeared in this country before. For this circuit there arrived by the ‘‘Sonoma’’ 29 performers, ineluding Howard with his trained bears and dogs. Bernies Five Musical Lassies will play this time, also Mantelles Marionette Hippodrome, Leslie and Leslie, dancers, the Randas Trio of trick cyclists and Largay and Snee. The Guzmani Trio from Spain, the Luxor Trio, French artists, and McDonald and Generaux, Scotch comedians, are also new turns which will open tonight. There will be several changes in the bill at the Tivoli today, and among the newcomers will be the Pasqualli Brothers, equilibrists; Ferry Cowrey, English musical clown, and EB. Frederic Hawley & Company in a dramatie tabloid entitled The Bandit. As Hawley has a tig reputation in America and Europe, the ple here are looking forward to something out of the ordinary. Miss Willette Whitaker, who closed her season on the Rickards cirevit last night, has been singing the old songs that she sang bere several years ago, and they went even better than the new ones that she opened with. The National has opened a new publicity office, with H. H. Marcus, formerly of New York, in charge. The Rickards cireuit has also made a change in the publicity department, Mr. Catley being transferred to Adelaide, Mr. Knowles taking his place here. George Portus of the Rickards circuit left Sydney last week to take charge of the Adelaide house, where all good wishes, purses of sovereigns, slippers, ete., can be sent until further notice. There was no better liked man in the theatrical business in this city than George, and if he gets one-fiftieth of the good things wished him he will never want for anything more. George Murphy, the talking American juggler, had a cable from the States informing him of his only brother’s serious illness. On this account he has taken passage on the ‘‘Sonoma,’’ Sailing this afternoon. George was very popular in this city. William Anderson’s Company begin their last week at the Theater Royal tonight in fast Lynn, Miss Eugenie Duggan and H. R. Roberts playing the leads. Julius Knight and his company open at the Royal on the 20th, in Man and Superman. Mr. Knight will be sup ported by Miss Irene Brown and other artists of the J. C. Williamson Dramatie Company. The Quinian Opera Company finish their season at Her Majesty's Theater tonight, and sail for Vancouver next week. Their place will be taken by the new company, opening in the Come Over Here revue on the 20th. The theater will remain closed in the interim for alterations to the stage, ete. The new piece will be directed by Frank Dix and Osear 0’ Dee, with Emil Biernrann as musica) conductor. Among those newly enzaged for this production are Daisy Jerome, Winnie Volt, Johnny Osborne and Charles Stone. Allan Doone finished a successful eight weeks at the Palace last night. He will be seen here again next Easter in a repertoire of new plays. At the Criterion Theater, Within the Law is in its thirteenth week, and I am safe in saying that it could run along for another six months, but it has to move to make room by Fred Niblo end his company in Officer 666, which is said to be some production, and w 7 break the record here. However, time will tell. At the Little drawing well. As Slave trade are very Theater, The Warning is the doings of the White much in evidence at the present time, and as this play deals with that subject, no change will be made in the bil). At the Adelphi a play of the same class, A Girls) Temntation, has been playing to s“lendid business, but will have to make way for the Christmas pantomime, Aladdin. The east wiJl include Carrie Moore, Grace Palotta, Mabel Patchelor, Perey Clifton, Ted Stanley, J. P. O'Neal and other favorite artists. Hugh MelIntosh has introduced an = innovation at the ‘Tivoli. At each Wednesday and Saturday matinees moving pictures are taken of the audience leavine the theater, and mietures are later thrown upon the screen. It has proven a_e great as nearly persons like to as others see them, and are not slow to avail themselves the opportunity of gettirz in the spotlight. Messrs, West Ltd. will produce at the G)aciarium, Rheinhardt’s great speetacnutafi production of The Mirae’e. The production be on the same lavish seale as at ¢ Garden, London, with a large choir and orchestra. Wests have been showing Zola’s mastern! Germinal, but I am inclined to believe that this pieture was way over the heads of the audience. It is a Pathe film, and to the student of Zola a wonderful picture. The Grand, Waddington'’s Limited, snecess, see f mselves is drawing good houses, and the patrons of the circle are being served with iced drinks, tea, ete., gratis. This scheme has proven a wonderfu! success, Spencer Cozzens, who is one of the promoters of White City Park, has bought out a producer and company to produce Anstralian films. White City Park, according to reports, {e doing good business, and when the hot weather starts (summer onening on the 21st) the new amusement enterprise wil! probably do even better. I have not been able to get a list of the concessioners at the park, but among them fs Max Steinberg, who is getting the money here (Continued on page 47.) aw t j . 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