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

mee ee ees. cab, ee The Bi libpoard MARCH 22, 1924 —_ HOUSE EPERTOIR , BoatShows Yor'Shows & Medicine Shows , TENT JOHN STOWE T0 OPEN “UT. 0° SHOW MAY 3 Thirty-Sixth Season To Start at Friendship, N. Y. —New Route Mapped Out The John F. Stowe “Uncle Tom’s Cabin’’ Company will open its thirty-sixth season at Friendship, N. Y., May 3, under canvas. The cast bas been engaged and, with the exception of Fred and Anne Neifert for Tom and Topsy roles, and Prof. Charles Gerlach, bandmaster, will be entirely new. The route this season will be thru the southwestern portion of New York State, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio, with a part of Indiana on its way to quarters at Niles, Mich. For the past two or three seasons this show has been playing the Empire State and some New England territory, making Friendship its winter quarters, but it is the intention now te work back to the old home town Mr. Stowe, with the assistance of W. S. (Bill) Freed, put on a home-talent ‘*Tom”’ show at Niles for the benefit of the B. P. 0. E., which turned over to that lodge a neat sum for its churitys fund. A splendid production wes made possible from the fact that all scenery and electrical accessories belonging to Mr. Stowe’s big road show was in his warehouse here and available for this performance. Mr. Stowe wilt go to Friendship ir a short time "d superintend a force of mechanics and painters ip making the necessary repairs to the motor trucks aud repainting the entire show property. Let the new season become the occasion for @ great forward movement, MARJIE ADAMS o tat John Ganton”’ and ise’’", Her greatest 22 been as Lady Isabelle East L ¢ Miss Adams, who in t Mrs. H,. Wilmot Young, was borr I Ont., and received her first stage sc g 8 lly Holman, of the Holman Ope C pany She is a grandniece G C Gordon, General Dundas, and a cousin of the late Dr, Sproule, speaker of the House of Comm Ca-ada, for a number of years. Mr. end -s, Young enjoy the summers at their beautiful home, **Bijou Cottage’, in Massena, N. ¥. ie = ——_ COMSIUNICATIONS TO OUR CINCINNATI OFFICES) E!IG HOUSE ATTENDS OPENING OF HENDRICKS’ COMEDIANS A capacity audience attended the opening performance of the tent season of the Hendricks Comedians in Foreman, Ark., the first week in March, according to The Foreman Sun. Members of the company were given individual mention by The Sun critic and referred to as ladies and gentlemen, The reviewer made special mention ef the orchestra and band, stating that an excellent musical concert of fifteen minutes was given before the rise of the curtain. Howard (Hank) Hendricks is company manager; Chester Espy, secretary and treasurer; Leon Bostwick, director; Ralph Baker, band and orchestra leader; Claude R. Kelly, boss canvasman; Billie Norton, tickets; Lew Eckels, Pabe Eckels, Dorothy Dawn, Margaret Espy, Carl Adams, Harley Norton, acting cast; Lottie Carsey, pianist and saxophone; Ann L. Goldsmith, violin; Chester Espy, trombone; Buono Gallagher, drums and traps, and W. V. Merrick, clarinet. The company went to Idabel, Ark., for its second week’s engagement of the new season. STEECE “TOM” SHOW TO OPEN AT CHICAGO IN MAY The Mort Steece “Tncle Tom’s Cabin’? Company will open at Chicago early in May. The company is composed of Mort Steece, owner and manager; Bert Taylor, general agent; Whitey Simerson, advance agent with two assistants; Claude Thornton, Joseph Barnum, M. A. Whitney, Jack Sweetman, Harry Sturges, C. M. DeViney, Adams and Adams, C, 8S. Fahl, Harry Mack, Billy Jones, Charley Jones, Mrs. M. A. Whitney, Lenore L. Connelly, Mrs. C. M. DeViney and Mrs. Harry Mack. Con Hozan will be sunerintendent, with ten assistants, and Thomas Rinehart mechanic. Among the features will be a troupe of jubilee singers and dancers, a colored quartet and a concert band of sixteen pieces, under the directon of Prof. M. A. Whitney. Sig trucks and trailers, one tractor, one large bus and several touring cars will transport the show. There will also be a coupe and one truck in advance. The tent, which will be a seventy-foot round top with two thirty-foot middle pieces, is being made by Newman & Company, of Chicago. Mr. Steece will play his usual territory in the Midwest. SNOW PREVENTS OPENING OF TRIBLEY DEVERE SHOW Opening of the Tribley Devere Show was postponed on account of a severe snow storm, and it is only a matter of favorable weather when the company will leave winter quarters, according to Manager Frank Devere. All preparatory work has been supervised by Mr. Devere, who says he will have all new trucks this season. Others with the company are Mrs. Tribley Devere, Frances Devere, Pete Devere, Mr. and Mrs. Al Reeves, Mr. and Mrs, Watkins, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Neil, Prof. Fred Miller and Prof. Higgins and his band of six pieces. PRINCIPALS FORM OWN SHOW After the Mae Edwards Players closed in Schuylerville, N. Y., February 25, principal members of the company went to Albany, N. Y., and formed the Manhattan Comedy Company and have since been playing thru New York State. The company intends playing the coast of Maine during July and August, then into the itime provinces for the fall season. Ger tiggs, Marie Fischer, Marion Lake, Her ywer, Ollie Newcomb, Basil Rourke and Mal Murray, manager, comprise the company. Tom Anderson is orchestra leader. ILLINOIS THEATERS PROSPER The MNittinger Grand and New MTllinois theaa, lll., are playing to prosperous road attractions, pictures and ceording to word from Jack H. . cently in that city on a business trip. Mr. Kohler further writes that both houses are managed by a Mr. Griffith, who is a wonderful mixer and a real business man, and said it was a great pleasure to meet a man of such a congenial character. COMPANY TITLE CHANGED Lond Hawkins’ Comedians will this season be known as ‘nd’? Ilawkins’ Mayers. A new twenty-foot middle piece will be added to the top and the outiit will open spick and span for the summer. Ernest Sharpsteen will direct. Milo Denny is painting all new scenery, THE PUBLIC KNOWS A manager who devoted about fifteen years in the stock and repertoire game once told the writer that the fellow who thinks he knows all about the game is very much mistaken, for these are branches of the show business in which new things come up at all times. Righto! Conditions and towns change and you have to keep up to the situation at all times to be successful. There is one feature that all managers should establish—clean. wholesome entertainment. By doing so you can return year after year to the same town where you have played and be welcomed back with open arms, The people have learned to realize that they are no longer going to be handed inferior shows and you have to give them the goods if you want to get them back. Managers who think any trifle is good enough for the public is bound to meet with failure. Do not try to deceive the people by offering a cheaper program than they rightfully expect to see, as business is bound to fall off gradually after the opening night. By the same rule business will gradually increase after the opening night if the show is better than they anticipated. Don’t be sparing with scenery—a vital essential. Yon can’t cover up worn and skimpy scenery with good talent, and the use of the same scenery for every act and every bill creates monotony. Can you imagine anything more out of place than the hero and the village belle enacting a love scene and discussing the splendors of summer against a curtain showing snow-covered hillsides or a curtain depicting part of Lake Placid below blue skies as a background for an interior office set? The day of camouflaging insincerity is over. Why? The people are not as “rubey’? as they used to be, and the manager who thinks otherwise is laboring under the wrong impression, MEINEL FAMILY IN FIRE On March 8 the temporary winter quarters of the Chas. Meinel Show in Egypt, Ga., was totally destroyed by fire, the origin of which is unknown. Mr. Meinel was awakened by his son, Warren, about 5:30 a.m., when the flames had already reached within a few feet of their sleeping quarters. Warten was able to save his best suit of clothes, while his father was rainfully hurt about the head in trying to save come of his belongings, but without avail. All the tent outfit, including a one-ton truck, was destroyed. Mr. Meinel’s daughter, Mabel, happened to be visiting a friend and was not in the building. Fortunately, the Meinel family had some wardrobe at Shawnee Station, Ga., where they were giving entertainments each night of the week. The Meinels will show in halls until able to procure another outfit. REP. SHOW WELCOMED IN FORT EDWARD N. Y. Fort Edward, N. Y., March 15.—After months of an almost solid picture fare, local theatergoers welcomed the return of the spoken drama when the Manhattan Stock Company played a three-night engagement at the Bradley Theater the first half of this week. Monday night the company presented “Just Your Girl’, and was cordially received. Between the acts the players gave six vaudeville acts, Tuesday night the company offered “The Fighting Chance’? and Wednesday night ‘‘Maggie and Jiggs’. A special matinee for children was given Wednesday. NO SUNDAY MOVIES FOR YEAR Granite Falls, Minn., March 15.—The City Council has refused to let the subject of Sunday moving pictures be voted upon at the coming municipal election and, consequently, there will be no Sunday movies in Granite Falls for another year. A petition bearing the names of 250 was presented to council asking that the subject be turned over to the voters for consideration; then came a counter-petition with 400 names. O’BRIEN LEAVING MISSISSIPPI New Orleans, March 14.—-Mickey O’Brien, whose company is playing week stands tin Misgissippi, was here last Sunday renewing acquaintances along theatrical row Mr. O'Brien stated that business has been except’ or good, and his company will soon enter Aliouma, to be followed by a tour thru Tennessee, The show carries twenty-eight peopie, band and orchestra, with a change of bill nightly. TAX ON TRAVELING SHOWS HELD INVALID BY COURT Austin, Tex., March 15 —The Court of (: inal Appeals Wednesdays regarded the act of the Thirty-Eighth Legislature which sought ¢ fix a graduated occupation tax on travel! theatrical and dramatic companies, pla R under canvas, as obnoxious to Section 2. Art cle 8, of the State Constitution, and reve«a the judgment of the District Court of Johns County in the case of ex parte J. C. Biaty The act held to be invalid fixed a craduated tax on theatrical and dramatic shows tray from place to place, basing the tax in part upon the population of cities and tow: which their entertainments were given. T was a provision exempting those traveling shows which play at regularly established thes ters, The law was attacked on the ground that it was discriminatory and that it levies a tay upon traveling shows but relieves from taxation the same character of shows if their exhibitions are given in regularly established theaters, This contention was upheld by tho Court of Criminal Appeals, ere MYRKLE-HARDER COMPANY Alliance, O0., March 15.—The Mpyrkle-Hardor Company played a successful engagement at th, Columbia Theater this week, and was the first repertoire show to play the local theater this season, “The Man Who Came Back" and “Ta ful Larceny’’ were two of the most popular plays presented. THE RUBAIYAT By EDWARD MacARTHUR (With Apologies to Omar) Wake! For the strike which scatter’d into flight The foes before it in otr first great firht Made actors ‘“‘stick together’’ for the common good and Brought the Actors’ Equity into light. Before the echoes of the strike had died MetLought a voice within the Equity cried: “When everything is prepared within Why hesitates the Actor outside?’ Ah, but your strike, some people say, Has done your art in men's eyes great wrong— Nay, *Twas only striking the shackles from Unborn tomorrow and dead yesterday. Why, all the critics and wise guys who discust Of actors and Equity so learnedly are thrust Like foolish prophets forth; their words to the winds Are scatter’d; they were so sure that Equity would ‘‘bust’’. Waste not you hour, nor in vain pursuit Of this and that endeavor and dispute. Better the possessor of an Equity card Than sadden after more or bitter fruit. To those who for themselves alone do care, And those who after some great manager stare, A voice within the Equity cries: “Actors! Your reward {s here, not there!” For one of us, the loveliest and the best Tat from his vintage rolling time has prest Gave of her purse and presence without recret, And now les silently at rest. Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend Before we too into the dust defcend; Dust into dust, and under dust t lie, Sans Managers, sans Critics, sans Equity, ! sand End, Fach new season reviving old desires, Certain managers to do the actor aspires: Put the strong arm of Equity reaches out And the crooked manager from the field retires Fach morn a number of protests brings, you Say; Yes, and others of a Iike kind yesterday; That the day we have our Equity shop Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away. Well, let it take them! What have we to do With Katkobad the great or Kaikhosru? Tet Zal and Rustum jabber as they will Or Hatim quit producing—heed not you. Oh, threats of blacklist and scores of lhe One thing at least Is certain—an actor's money flies: One thing Is certain to all men’s eyes, The actor deserting Equity forever dics, When you and I behind the vell are past, Oh, but the long, long while the Equity shall last, Which of its enemies and defamers heeds As a Belasco show should heed a tall grass cast. In days to come when all the world is falr No talk of strik®s will hover in the air; Actor and manager will let bygones be forgot- Then peace to Gillmore in his swivel chair. —TAMAM.