The Billboard 1917-06-16: Vol 29 Iss 24 (1917-06-16)

JUNE 16, 1917 The Billboard A Barren Woman +. Be Produced by Gus Hill and M. T. Middleton New York, June 11.—A_ Barren Woman is the title of a drama which Gus Hill, in conjunction with M. T. Middleton, will produce on Labor Day next. The piece is written by Louis B, Parker, and is described as “a story of a childless wife, or a crime against posterity.” Travers Weds Miss Stanley New York, June 11.—William Travers, well-known actor, was married last week to Olive Elizabeth Stanley, formerly a member of Charles Dillingham’s productions and more recently in the James K. Hackett company producing Macbeth. This is Mr. Travers’ second marriage, his first wife being the late Blanche Walsh. Grand Opera for Montreal New York, June 9.—Antoine de Vally, who tried without success to organize a season of French opera in this city during the past season, now announces a season to begin at His Majesty’s Theater, Montreal, on June 18. Kay Laurell Sheehan Il New York, June 10.—Mrs. Kay Laurell Sheehan, formerly in Ziegfeld’s Follies, is recovering from a nervous breakdown at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., where she was taken a few weeks ago when she became ill. Mrs. Sheehan retired from the stage when she became the wife of Winnie Sheehan. It is said as soon as her health is restored she will return to the footlights in a musical production. Marguerita Sylva Returns New York, June 10.—Marguerita Sylva, the prima donna, who has been in Europe for the past five years singing in grand opera, has returned to America for an indefinite stay. She is now the wife of a captain inthe U.S. Marine Corps, and the mother of a sixteen months’ old daughter. Miss Sylva last appeared in New York in Gypsy Love. She is planning to open in either grand or light opera in this country about February 1 next. Al White Signs Up New York, June 11.—Al B. White, the singing comedian, has signed a contract calling for his services as star in The Naughty Princess, which Wil liam B. Friedlander wrote and produced. Mrs. John Craig Abroad Boston, June 10.—Mary Young, wife of John Craig, manager of the Castle Square Theater, left yesterday for France to see her sons, Harmon and John Craig, Jr.. who went abroad in February to become ambulance drivers. Will Be Leave It to Jane New York, June 9.—The College Widow, in its musical form, will be known as Leave it to Jane. Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse and Jerome Kern are the “doctors.” Messrs. Elliott, Comstock & Gest, the producers, will put the piece in rehearsal next week. It will have its premiere late in July at the Longacre Theater. “Johnny’’ for Auditorium Chicago, June 9.—An endeavor is being made to get the Auditorium for the local run of When Johnny Comes Marching Home. New York, June 11.—As the days grow longer and nearer the 21st of the month, which the almanac points out as the longest day in the volume, the simple and effective ceremony atop the Rialto Theater, at Forty-second and Broadway, which brings a Manhattan day to a close with the lowering of the flag to the notes of the bugle, grows later and later, urtil last week the chords floated out over the Times Building, melting into the echoes of the quickly lighting avenues past seven o'clock. . With the setting of the sun the uniformed bugler sends out his good night from the Rialto roof. Old Glory comes slowly to the bottom of the pole. Another Broadway day is complete. Another Broadway night is begun. Competition, which gives the public sometimes more than its money’s worth in order to get its money at all, is taking a prominent hand in the picture game along the Great White Way, especially in the houses which change programs daily. The once unfamiliar catch line, “Double Feature Day,” is a well-known phrase on the billing these days, and it is rather the rule than the exception to find some of the biggest houses offering on one bill two five-reel features, first run, with a news reel and a comedy also a part of the program. Neither the Strand nor the Rialto have done so, since their changes are weekly. An afternoon's entertainment now may start with the one o’clock showing of the first feature, and it is a lucky husband who has any dinner waiting if wifie has picked a double feature house. A trade showing of a feature film which has perchance been submitted to a heavy advertising campaign previous to its release to the reviewers and State-rights buyers has assumed a dignity and importance which presents a black eye to a Broadway first night from the point.of psychological magnificence. Behold, in front of any one of the several theaters where such showings are common, a crowd about the doors with a sidewalk overflow of hobnobbing ladies and gentlemen at the unholy hour of 10 a.m. At 10:15 the orchestra, uniformed, breakfasted and partly awake, takes its accustomed place and the specially prepared music swells into the overture, and the five, -seven, eight or nine reels of celluloid emotion bring lunch time around at 12 o'clock. A reception line, including the cast and the director, the cameraman, scenario writer, head property man, and the gentleman who has spent a young fortune to secure the picture for redistribution among the several States of the Union, forms informally at the door to bow out the portion of folks who came to see the film for other reasons than that they had a hand in the making. And everybody is happy and enthusiastic. And another new picture has begun its life along with its myriad sisters who are also beginning life alors Broadway in just such a manner every week of the year. Just what to do with The Man Who Came Back is yet undecided by the Playhouse powers. The second longest run in New York is its record, and it continues to hold the mysterious lure which packs ’em in with perfect ease and grace. The box-office showed $8,900 for one of ghe recent weeks—a clean-cut indication of the play’s virility after its nine months’ life. Whether to close it now and open for a fall run or to continue thru the summer months is the big question. 7 * 7 * * * : The Columbia Summer Show has for several weeks been demonstrating what high-class burlesque, put on as it should be put on, with the right kind of advertising and the right kind of material, can do in the heart of New York City. The daily papers’ paragraphers have been having great sport with the well-known people who slip away from the path of their beaten excursions and hie to the Columbia. The list of highbrows is growing. No doubt the management is compiling it for the future reference of press agents who are directing the show's printed destinies. Who says the summer season means theatrical vacation? List to the list. Hitchy-Koo, The New Follies and The Great Unknown, now changed to My Lady’s Glove, all the openings of a week. New York dull? It is to laugh. The seaside for Broadway fans? Tush! Raymond Hitchcock, who dandles Hitchy-Koo around on his knees, is a recent participant in a somewhat placid but none the less sincere altercation with Billy Sunday, who, after more than two months on the lot at 169th street and Broadway, is about ready to strike camp and go West to the land of the setting sun to regain his voice and contemplate the general puerility of New York and the veracity of the famous P. T. Barnum epithet. Mr. Hitchcock desired to let himself loose on an impersonation of Mr. Sunday and his athletic gospel. Mr. Sunday heard of it and resented the idea of becoming the foil for the good-natured but fine-edged sarcasm. So a truce was drawn up—gentleman’s agreement—whereby Mr. Hitchcock would omit it from Hitchy-Koo if Mr. Sunday would cease his disparaging remarks about the theater and the people who toil upon the public boards. Mr. Sunday, not having held up his part of the bargain and having said unpleasant things which have come to the Hitchcock ears, is not to be spared further. Anyhow that’s the way the story goes. . .* * . . Toto, the clown, who has recently been identified with the New York Hippodrome rather than with the circus world proper, is on his way to the Western picture studios of Pathe. He is to be featured in comedies directed by Hal Roache, the man who made Lonesome Luke funny. > * . . . . The first feature photoplay of Mrs. Vernon Castle, which is being made on the strength of her popularity in the Patria serial, has been begun and work interrupted because Mrs. Castle was called suddenly to her husband, (Continued on page 78) Harry Davis May Secure Lyceum Theater, Baltimore, and Have Tunis Dean Manage It Baltimore, June 9.—Harry Davis, the theatrical magnate of Pittsburg, is after Albaugh’s Lyceum Theater, and should negotiations which are now under way go thru, Mr. Davis will add the Lyceum to his chain of playhouses and Tunis F. Dean, the former manager of the New Academy of Music, will be made manager. Albaugh’s Lyceum is an ideal playhouse to complete Mr. Davis’ chain. If he decides to take it he will put in a stock company. He will also alternate the company with the ones in his other theaters. Actress Weds Soldier Indianapolis, June 9.—Miss Ruth Randall, who was with the Raymond Hitchcock company last season in Betty, was married to Dan Hanna, Jr., son of Dan Hanna and grandson of the late Senator Mark Hanna, this week. Hanna is a member of the Officers’ Reserve Training Corps at Fort Benjamin Harrison. Romance and Arabella To Be Produced by Joseph Riter New York, June 9.—Romance and Arabella, Joseph Riter’s first production since the dissolution of the firm of Corey & Riter, will be produced out of town late in June. It is a comedy by William Hurlbut. The company includes Laura Hope Crews, Lizzie Hud son Collier, Alice A. Butler, Jennie LaMont, Virginia Chauvenet, Henry Stanford, Donald Gallaher, Harry Ashford, Frank Connor, Aifred Lunt, Harold Christie, Henry Warwick and Harry Blaising. The play will be staged by George Foster Platt. Death of Mrs. W. M. Donaldson Mrs. Margaret Miller Donaldson, 73, wife of William M. Donaldson, of the Donaldson Lithographing Company of Newport, Ky., died at the family residence at Ft. Thomas, Ky., Sunday afternoon. She had been an invalid for a number of years. Mrs. Donaldson is survived by her husband, four sons, William H. Donaldson, publisher of The Billboard; Archie Donaldson, of the Donaldson Art Sign Company; Lincoln and Andrew Donaldson, and two daughters, Mrs. George Brown and Miss Elizabeth Donaldson. Zinovieff’s New York Debut Will Be Made in Lewisohn Stadium of College of New York ‘New York, June 10.—Leone Zinovieff, the Russian tenor, will head the cast of the open-air festival performance of Aida to be presented in the Lewisohn Stadium of the College of the city of New York, June 16. The performance is to be given under the auspices of the Hygiene Department of City College and the American Defense Society, who will both share in the proceeds. This will be the New York operatic debut of Zinovieff, who appeared in the open-air performances of Aida last year on Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, as well as at San _ Francisco. The Metropolitan chorus of 400 and the corps de ballet of 68, including three premiere dancers are to take part in the performance. The stands are to be enlarged so as to accommodate 10,000 persons. Arrangements for the completion of the cast are now pending with Guilia Gatti-Cassaza of the Metropolitan Opera Company. a i.