The Billboard 1924-03-22: Vol 36 Iss 12 (1924-03-22)

fend! GF ill the W's old days of popular ~<priced road shows ever return is a question often asked. Some say that the mov-es have put the road shows in the discard, but now and then you hear a real optimist proclaim that the public is demanding the speaking drama and that the days of the “legitimate” will soon réturn. In the Northwest only a few years ago there were many favorite attractions, the return of which, each season, was a memorable event in many a city and town. It is interesting, especialiy to those who remember many of these attractions, to recall them. The writer finds that by recalling to mind many of the shows of other days that the names of many people are brought back to mind and we often wonder where they are and what they ere dcing. If any of the people mentioned in this article care to do so, the writer would be pleased to receive a line from them. Some of the repertoire companies of years ago are still on the road, two outstanding examples of “the survival of the fittest’ being the Clint and Fess'e Robbins and the Chase-Lister Shows, which are still entertaining the public in the Midwest and Northwest. The Gordinier Bros, Company, which was popular in “rep.’”” some years ago, has gone into stock in Fort Dodge, Ia4., and Sioux Falls, S. D., and is putting up some of the later copyright bills in a most creditable manner. Among other rep. shows were the Al Gorrell Company, the Deming Theater Company, the Douztherty Stock Company, the Leonard Players, the Long Stock Company with Frank Long at the head, the Jesse Hale Stock Company, the Hillman Stock Company, the Jesse Colton Company, Ida Weston Rae and the Hugo Players. Among the one-night-stand attractions, we recall “A Fool and His Money” in which Guy Caufman was featured. Among the musical shews were “The Million-Dollar Doll” w: ~whic h Harvey D. Orr made his first big ‘“‘killi the eo Arthur lamage Musical Show and the patie le Bostor is At Sandy Hook was the hall show of Pawla and Aulger, who, in the tent season, put i one-night bill under canvas. Cairns Bros., who followed the same plan, offered as a winteattraction, “The Broken Arrow”. & horney: ‘Vitty, at one time the big Chiuction duo, ‘had many shows on the road playing at popular prices. Among these were The Call of the Cumberlands”, of which > 2 lieutenant of the firm, was ot recall E. C. Wilson, who inyY ventures in the theatrical as well as ramcs? Do god recall the excellent work lr 1 i ther Frouchard in “Th« Two Orphans”? It was the real thing. here were Jones & Crane, of Chicago who ranked high up as Middle-West producers : i many popular-priced attractions on the road. Among these were “Fine oad *“Pan ©) iv) 3 5S mandle Pete” and ‘The Virginian” We nder if th is a city, town or hamle* he Midwest or Northwest that has not, at some another, seen that memorable melodrama rl an he Tramp”, with which the name ef George L. Barton is inseparably linked? At one time he had on the road ten companies playing this bill. Halton Powell was a rather prolific producer, one of his standbys “Hennecked Henry” as well as “Safety and “The Little Modiste”. Right up in the front rank for years was the name of Merle H. Norton, of Chicago, who in his day had many attractions on the road They tell me he is still in the game. His “‘Missouri Girl” was a household word in this territory. Who does not recall Geo. H. Bubb, who is now said to have settled down as a house manager in-Pennsylvania? Among his latest ventures on the road was “The Lion and the ouse”’ For years Wallie Stephens featured “Lost in Mexico”, as did Tom Lennon with “The Price She Paid”. We often wondered what the price was, but Tom never coughed it up. Many a season saw the return of the Perrys in “Our ] Postmaster”, while Oscar Graham was known in the Southwest with “The Prodigal In the Northwest Swede or Norwegian plays were popular, among them being “Ole, the Swede Detective’, put out by Markham and McClure, “Ole Swanson” and others. Somehow one alWays associates Sandford Dodge with classical roles and he was a pioneer in Shakespeare for many years. One of his latest ventures was in “That Printer jof Udell’s’. pee { G00 ‘of Udell's The Billboard By Frank E. Foster Speaking of Gaskill & MacVitty’s attractions, they had many a show on the road each season. We recall one season their list included, besides “The Call of the Cumberlands”, “That Printer “The Calling of Dan Matthews” and “The Shepherd of the Hills” Who can ever forget “Was She to Blame?”, a melodrama that served many a season? That was where F. M. Shortridge got his start in the world. He is now in the wholesale candy business in Des Moines, interested in sever2l industries; a bank director and will manage Riverview Park the coming season. Do you recall Harry Green’s “The Town Fool’, Geo. Engesser’s “What Harpened to Ole”, to say nothing of the many productions ef “Lena Rivers’, “Tempest and Sunshine” and many other plays of the sob type? Then one must not forget to mention Frank King and Chic Perkins, who had a host of admirers in the Middle West. W. B. Patton was, as now, a prime favorite and was piloted by the redoubtable manager, Frank B. Smith. Then, too, was Phyllis Mackaye, as now, the leading lady and as clever as any lady who ever donned the makeup back stage. EFT ea, } a Bill Wamsher was best known as the producer of “The Wizard of Wise!anda”", while Geo E. Poyce, who is now conducting a vaudeville booking agency in Waterloo, Ia., was on the ad with the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus in pictures. Wonder if you recall Ralph Riggs in “The College Poy”, and I wonder if he remember hose hard times on the read, now that he ar Katherine Witchie have arrived as topnotcher in the dancing world? That elso recalls Col Riggs and his big revival of “Florodora”. John G. Rae was successful in a number of ventures on the small time, his latest being “Lend Me $200”. 5. uth” was a popular colored organization at one time and the Richards & Pringle Minstrs cleaned up. (one tockweil’s “Sunny cL not close without mentioning the many excellent attractions sent out by the Trousdale Pros. We believe that Boyd is the only ons of the boys who has not forsaken the boards and that he is in the Northwest with a repertoire company. Then, too, one must not overlook Frank and Jack Mahara. Frank is still hitting the road ahead of W. B. Patton, but we have lost track of Jack. We hope that some day Frank will take the time to write his recollections of the show oe ad MARCH 22, 1924 busin €Ss, with hich he ha been identified over forty years We all rememMinstrels, a real Colored ber Mahara’s oreganiutiom that toured the country for many vears Voncer if Frank remembers when he manaccd Bil} Pruno? Why I Believe in the Future of the Platform (Continued from page 9) the school are operated on a deficit each yer and that the taxpayers make up the deficit. TT} Iveeum and the chaut jua are the only edu t.onal institutions which largely pay their own way. But the fact that that little yearly in ; good citizenship is termed a, deficit or a tors stamps the thing with the brand of fail whereas it is really a success. We need to away from that idea of nonsuccess, The moving pictures, the radio and the 1 have entered into the field in the past years as competitors. Of course, the auto sho be a factor of help, but as yet we have not be: able to ut!lize it as we should. The phon gY | and », too, s] ld merely increase the in terest and success. But it takes time to adjust ous ss to new phases ’ ] ND NOW, as to the future. I am optimistic because, first, I find many of the bureaus ar awakening to the fact that better quality is ju needed and they are giving it. This will, s or later, eliminate the bureau dealing only in mediocre stuff. It will make it harder to enter nto the bureau business It will mak ie sur Viving bureaus more substantial and more eage to h lie only a s of real mer't ene ged becaus t last, the bur S ar s f x to the | l I vy are spe g in s lines of ta i the result willr in ? growth « m business T s etore Yr the il ent of a well bureau. The LIst contains the names of nearls fifty men who are nat al and international characters. It contains the names of some eatest musiciz the ountry. No ¢ ‘ e su a Ps r a bus'ness 1 such pe e to be n and heard. All of this 1 Ss mit » feel sure tha f e been passing thru on! i momentary depress‘on nd th rom now on the platform interests ar f ind to ‘ < sre pror tp Popularity of Fair Pageant Sweeping Country ( ed from page Ssnould not e overlooked. To the given all military episodes. It has always been my experience that there has been more talent available than could Rehearsals Enjoyable Pageants, unlike plays, have no long-drawn lonsome parts to be mem orized. One or tWo rehearsals is all that is q 1 of the ma vy of the adult par ipar The dancing groups, composed of school g naturally have consider le practicing to do Ls th ire the ones who enjoy the rehearsing re l ] k upon this as a great pleasure Thes rou] re nvariabl orry when the affanu ver b se tl have such good times at Interest Developed Good Advertising of training or workl! 1 pageant vh i takes on an average of t \ Weel approaching event ce i ik of the town TI is quite exp " n there isn’t a neighborhood } 1! 1 family w! isn’t in some way <¢ t ted w he s) \fter all, there is no vert ne that can compare with word of mo This is of course augmented by beauty and lar girl cont 8, old re window displays, 1 paper propaganda, parades and vyarious ‘“'st hoo} . I omes the night of the hag eo. A is bu ‘ The long-looked-for time is at hand Hurrying groups of excited girls in brig Sse cos tumes come from all sections to a central meeting (Continued on page 288) — Sf pat Se ee ee ee ee a a a a a ee a a a a