The Billboard 1916-06-03: Vol 28 Iss 23 (1916-06-03)

aig peccemae a anal es " . corer comengrreg tegen me Say hea Y “Gasca melas! The Billboard JUNE 3, 1916. WHITE RATS ARE NOW SUED FOR $13,400 BY LAW FIRM O’Brien, Malevinsky & Driscoll Forced To Bring Action To Recover for Loans and Legal Services — Mountford Renews Attacks Against United Booking Offices New York, May 27.—Failing after two years to bring about a settlement of their claims, the law firm of O’Brien, Malevinsky & Driscoll, former attorneys for the White Rats Actors’ Union, this week instituted suit against the organization to recover the sum of $13,400, alleged to be due for legal services and for moneys advaneed to further White Rat interests. The White Rats’ Realty Co., which operates the White Rats’ clubhouse in West Forty-sixth street, is made codefendant with the organization proper. Until a few months ago the plaintiffs acted as general counsel for the Rats, but conditions within the order ‘finally became so rotten that they withdrew. James S. Timmony is now acting as attorney for the organization. It is very likely that the suit, when tried, will result in a baring of White Rat secrets, and will enable the membership for the first time to learn from an inside source just how their organization was managed. Mountford, this week, continues his attacks against the United Booking Offices in his endeavor to attempt to mislead members of his organization into the belief that it is only that booking agency which is lined up against the agitating order. He proceeds to make a comparison of vaudeville conditions in this country and in England, pointing out that here there are but a comparatively few firstclass vaudeville houses, due to the policies of the U. B. O., while in England there are any number of them. Mr. Mountford evidently overlooked the fact that in England there is a strong and responsible organization of vaudeville actors, the Variety Artists’ Federation, who meet the managers in a dignified manner and discuss their grievances in a gentle Shakespeare at Brighton New York, May 26.—Vaudeville will play a part in the Shakespearean tercentenary celebration when the forum scene from Julius Caesar is presented at the New Brighton Theater the latter part of next month. A prominent actor of the modern school has already been selected for the role of Brutus, and the excerpt will be presented with a large cast of principals and supernumeraries. If the experiment proves successful it will be followed by other scenes from the Bard’s plays. Gets a Blanket Contract New York, May 28.—Marion Weeks, the singing comedienne, who recently received the personal praise of President Wilson for her ability as an entertainer, and who was at the Palace here all week, has just been handed a blanket contract for a two-year tour over the Keith and U. B. O. Time. manly way, instead of resorting to agitation and rowdyism, while in this country there is a discredited organization known as the White Rats Actors’ Union, of which he, Mountford, is the reigning head. The officers of the Variety Artists’ Federation work for the benefit of (Continued on page 11) ber of their organization? I am content to sit quietly back and see the truth (as promulgated in The Billboard) prevail.” Booking Office in Seattle Seattle, Wash., May 27.—S. Morton Cohn has announced that he will open a booking office here to be affiliated with the W. V. M. A. and to take care of acts playing his string of theaters through the Northwest. Closing Dates Of Vaudeville Houses Booked by Hodkins The vaudeville houses on the Southwest Circuit, booked by Charles E. Hodkins, will begin to close about the middle of June. The Broadway Theater at Tulsa, Ok., will be the first house to close its doors, the date be fattens him. A LOT OF Now hear Mountford squeal. cedes the PORK. a good time. on Forty-sixth street. dollars WHO PROFITED? “at the last counting.” awful jolt. HE, AS SECRETARY AND Why? stuck him in a vulnerable spot—his ego. STICK A PIG AND HEAR HIM SQUEAL A pig fattens by gobbling up everything that comes his wa Everything—good, bad, indifferent. All is grist for his miil and Stick him in the neck and you get two things, a little squeal and PORK. Because The Billboard has Safe to say the squeal pre THE BILLBOARD HAS TOLD THE TRUTH OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE WHITE RAT CLIQUE, OF THE BEAUTIFUL BUNK AND BALD, BANEFUL BULL OF THE PRESTIGI-AGI-DICTATOR, and the vaudeartists ARE WAKING UP. They are keeping out of the White Rats “ruinate’” and they ARE WISE. They can find better uses for their hard-earned money than to show the $10,000 secretary YOU, MR. VAUDEARTIST, if in need, go over to the dubhouse TRY TO GET ENOUGH TO PAY ROOM RENT OR RAILROAD FARE. If Mountford’s trip de luxe to the Pacific Coast a press agent and a secretary, brought 112 sheep to the fold at so much per head on the hoof and the trip cost the members several thousand A WEEK’S Just try—once. , accompanied by Do you want to find out if Mountford is on the square or not? Write him a letter and ask him how many members the Whit Actors’ Union has NOW IN GOOD STANDING. over his signature the exact figures. You will, » Rats Ask him to give vou not “about” or “approximately” or if he answers truthfully, get an YOU ARE A MEMBER, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW; YOUR SHOULD TELL YOU, BUT HE WON'T, PE“ WOULD NOT TALLY WITH PREVIOUS WELL-PAID SERVANT, AUSE THE FIGURES MISREPRESENTATIONS. POSS SSSSOSSSOSSSSSSSOSOSSOSOSSS SSO SFOS OSSSOSOSOOSOSOSOCO SOD Bert Levy Maligned Mountford Attempts To Discredit Him With White Rats New York, May 27.—In line with his policy of mudslinging Harry Mountford is attempting to mislead members of the White Rats’ organization into believing that Bert Levy, one of the stanchest and most loyal members of the order, is one of the prime movers in the new National Vaudeville Artists, Inc., even going to the extent a few weeks ago of lining Levy up in what he (Mountford) intended to be a “Benedict Arnold” column. Mr. Levy, when questioned by The Billboard as to whether or not he was instrumental in the organization of the new order, or whether he was now identified with it, replied: “T will give you a $5,000 bond that I have never by word, thought or deed had anything to do with the rival organization to the White Rats What must be the feelings of a large body of the members of the White Rats when they see their paid secretary attempt to hold up to ridicule og cree ta a TI an cara aaa an honorable and fully paid-up mem ing June 14. This will be followed by the Liberty at Oklahoma City, Ok., June 17; Byers at Fort Worth, Tex., June 21; Jefferson at Dallas, Tex., June 24; Orpheum at Waco, Tex., June 28, and Princess at San Antonio, Tex., July 1. The spring and summer season for the new circuit, according to the management, has been most successful. All of the above mentioned theaters, in addition to several others, will open the fall season on August 1, Douglas Wood Marries Baltimore, Md., May 27.—Douglas J. Wood, vaudeville actor, who is now appearing at the head of his own company at the Maryland Theater, and Mildred Post, stepdaughter of Guy Bates Post, the well-known legitimate actor, were married in this city on Thursday afternoon. Mr. Wood was formerly a member of the stock company which appeared at the Auditorium Theater here, and after that was with Mrs. Fiske. He is a member of the Players and the American Dramatists’ Association. Another for Loew Secures Triangle Lease of Knickerbocker in New York—Takes Hold June 1 New York, May 29.—What will be a complete surprise to the amusement world is the announcement from Marcus Loew that he has acquired the unexpired lease of the Triangle Film Corporation on the Knickerbocker Theater, at Thirty-eighth street ani Broadway. He will take possession of the house on Thursday of this week and will open it shortly thereafter with vaudeville and motion pictures —a policy somewhat similar to that of the other Loew theaters in New York. The deal was consummated late Saturday afternoon at a conference between Mr. Loew and Harry Aiken of the Triangle Corporation. This makes the third theater for Mr. Loew in the Times Square district. The others are the American, at Fortysecond street, near Eighth avenue, and the New York, at Broadway and Fortyfourth street. It is also Mr. Loew's fourth theater directly on Broadway, the others being the New York, the Circle and the Lincoln Square. The Knickerbocker will undergo many alterations. Work will be started next Monday. There Are None So Blind As Those Who Will Not See Harry Le Roy writes a five-page letter from St. Louis, extolling the virtues of the Rats, upholding the policies of the agitator and asking questions which have been answered through these colums many times. Not only lack of space but unkind remarks concerning another amusement journal make the publication of his communication impossible. We suggest that Mr. Le Roy follow out his threat and submit his duplicate to some other journal. Friars’ Frolic Gets $30,000 on First Night New York, May 29.—A_ $30,000 house, a record for a single performance, greeted the initial production of the Friars’ Frolic in the New Amsterdam Theater last night, inaugurating the annual tour which will take the expensive attraction to the principal cities of the East and Middle West. It was, without question, the best frolic ever staged by the Friars, with each and every member of the exceptionally large and brilliant cast distinguishing himself with honors, Prospect Lowers Prices Keith's Brooklyn Theater Giving High-Class Summer Performances New York, May 27.—B. F. Keith’s Prospect Theater in Brooklyn is prospering under its summer administration of high-class vaudeville entertainment interspersed with feature photoplays. Capacity audiences are the rule at every performance. The prices have been lowered, the scale now ranging from five to fifteen cents at the matinees, and from ten to thirtyfive cents at night. Two complete changes of programs are made each week on Monddys and Thursdays. During the coming week Belle Baker will headline both shows.