Variety (Mar 1906)

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M VARIETY. CLIFFORD ORGANIZES. (Special to Vnrltty.) Denver, March 21. .1. E. Clifford, malinger of the Kmpire Theatre here, has organized the Clifford Amusement CompaQy« which will build a :j;2ril),(Mfl> theatre and hotel in Paterson, N. J., to open in September next. Clifford is the president, with Ix>wis Watson of Paterson secretary and A. V. Faust of New York treasurer. Mr. Clifford is also in negotiation for the franchise of two houses in J Ohio on the Empire eireuit. Noland. AN AFFLUENT "GRIP." The stage crew at the Trent Theatre, Trenton, boast of having among their numbers the richest stage employee in America. His name is Warren Dawson and he is a depositor in nearly every bank in the city besides owning extensive and valuable real estate. Recently Dawson created a sensation and brought to light the fact that he was well endowed with this world's goods. At the beginning of a matinee performance the report of a run on a nearby bank caused Dawson to turn pale and rush from the theatre. He with- drew his cash and was compelled by the irate teller to accept the entire amount in silver. He returned to the theatre carry- ing two thousand dollars in specie in two large galvanized iron fire buckets and ob- tained the permission of Stage Manager Wrighter to be released from his duties* until he could go home and place the amount in his "strong box." Dawson's wealth was accumulated in the wholesale fish business and he is now a theatre em- ployee because he says he likes "show business." HARD BUT EASY. The mutual desire of the opposition factions in vaudeville to obtain promising acts exclusively led one of the booking agencies recently to give contracts for an extended period at an increased salary to that specified in an agreement pro- duced by the artist calling for his ser- vices on the other side of the fence. The contract was "phony," but that was not a matter of general knowledge, and the result is that the deceived man- ager will be mulcted out of $75 weekly in consequence. It is hardly a creditable transaction nor would it add to the busi- ness reputation of the manager who was a party to the agreement if his name were made known. "CHERRY" DENIES. Miss Cheridah Simpson denies that when she appeared on Broadway a few days ago with a man's walking stick and a pathetic limp sh<> was attempting to attract the attention of the newspapers to a new fad. "It's anything but a fad." complained Miss Simpson, "I fill down stairs at home "the other day and hurt my foot. I car- ried a walking stick only because when I went into the store they were all out of crutches and I took the best they had for what was the matter with me." SCR ANTON? MAYBE. J. Austin Fynes was reported from Scranton the early part of the week. Mr. Fynes said he had not acquired a house in Scranton. He did not say that he did not intend to. It is said that he has an option. SCHAFER WILL KEEP AHEAD. A pretty 10 year old chorus girl bride, a frantic mother, a distracted sister, a perfidious advance agent, a designing man- ager and a deep laid plot with plenty of exciting situations form the nucleus of a heart rending tale unfolded by Mrs. Ida Belle Hall, the comely wardrobe matron of the Casino Cirls company, which plays St. Louis next week. To tell it brietly, Mrs. Hall says Edwin Schafer, one of Qui Hill's agents, had the temerity to do all the "fixing" for the elopement of her daughter, Ethel May Hall, and Max Ann- strong. The latter is one of the Arm- strong Brothers, cycle performers. Last Sunday, according to Mrs. Hall, her daugh- ter left her in a hotel in New Orleans, ostensibly to take a walk. Then through the machinations of the aforesaid Schafer she took a train to Gretna, Louisiana, where she met Armstrong and with the aid of a Presbyterian minister who was engaged beforehand married him. Armstrong, who is 22 years old, 1iad asked the mother for the girl's hand. He described the result as a veritable Vesu- vius. The young couple were kept under close surveillance. Schafer was looked upon by the mother as opposed to the union, when in reality he transmitted the love messages between the two lovers and finally fixed things for the nuptial knot. He is now two weeks ahead of the show ami from present indications will stay as far ahead as possible. Izatta Hall joins with the mother in denouncing the elusive Edwin. In the meantime, however, the girls continue to work together. TUCK IN PITTSBURG. Samuel L. Tuck, who was formerly a member of the theatrical firm of Hurtig & Seamon of New York, and who for sev- eral seasons successfully managed the tour of Williams and Walker, and who has handled other important enterprises, has been engaged by Manager Harry Davis of Pittsburg as an addition to the latter's business staff, Mr. Tuck, who is a Mystic Shriner, a thirty-second degree Mason, an Elk, an Eagle and a member of several clubs, has a wide acquaintance and will be welcomed bv the theatrical colonv of Pittsburg. NOT NEW. Some of the daily papers regard with surprise the announcement that Klaw & Erlanger are seeking a vaudeville circuit, the first two houses of which have al- icady been settled upon in Cincinnati and lndiana]>olis. Half a dozen years ago Klaw & Er- langer ran a circuit for several weeks, but made the error of putting in charge men from their own staff who had had train- ing in dramatic instead of vaudeville work. With the advances since made it is probable that more will be accomplished this time. MAYER MOVES, TOO. Al Mayer lias outgrown his present suite of offices in the St. James Building. After next week he will be established in room No. 810, on the same floor, same cor- ridor, but a little north by northwest from his present position. The reason of the change of bu-dness residence is the simul- taneous necessity for more room by Mayer and the moving of the former occupant of the new quarters. ONE OF THE REASONS. With the waning of the winter the vaudeville theatres receive the benefit of that tired feeling, given to the theatre- going public by a surfeit of 'productions." The influx has begun earlier than usual this season, and the explanation is found in the few musical successes that have ap- peared on Broadway• In the early fall, after a light summer diet, the wanderers return to town intent upon seeing any and e\\?ry thing that bears any resemblance to a "show." This is kept up until the appetite for gaudy sce- nery and glittering choruses is appeased when a diversion is sought in the variety houses. The continued run of failures of the lighter legitimate offerings have turned the crowds in the direction of the variety theatres, and one may see any evening before the 1 eading vaudeville theatres automobiles, carriages and omnibuses, emptying their contents into what is to the most an entirely new entertainment. 'The White Cat," "Yeronique," "Babes and the Baron," "The Press Agent" and "The Rogers Brothers in Ireland" are a few samples of "the first aid in vaude- ville." •The Vanderbilt Cup" and "Twiddle- Twaddle" (at Weber's) are about the only musical entertainments of the comedy brand drawing patronage. The New York Theatre has been obliged to play "Little Johnny Jones" three different engage- ments since Labor Day in order to keep that house open. The most glaring legitimate failure of the season thus far has been "The White Oat/ 1 billed as a pantomime, but which was so totally ignored by the public that it was taken off two weeks before Christ- mas, for which holiday season it had been especially prepared. The dramatic plays have no bearing upon the vaudeville attendance. It is the musical and spectacular productions which are watched by the vaudeville managers with interest. A failure not alone means an increased attendance in their theatres, but also a rush of most of the principals for vaude- ville time after the "show" closes. It is simply a question of time, and not so very long, that a producer in the legitimate will think several times before he will invest in a play which is intended to amuse, but does not succeed nearly as well as the present day vaudeville, which may be seen for one-half the price. The public is finding it out, and while the public does not know that sometimes the salary of two acts in a vaudeville bill more than equals the weekly cost of a Broadway cast, it is seeking the most entertaining and diversified entertainment to be found, and finds it in the varieties. WELL ADVERTISED BEFORE AND AFTER. George Fortcsque, whose thick and thin portraits pre familiar to readers of anti- fat advertising literature, will be seen in an operetta April 2 under the manage- ment of George II. Brown. WEIGHING IN. By Earl* Remington Hinea- "JIOW did 1 coine to Iom? uiy arm'/ it a u ink* I've uever told, lor there are bouie things, pardner. lliul a follow likes i<> boHl. 11 hi. .en away Inside bis bemt, \\ ilt'lv Uoliollj e.i li ,mv, And no one knows the real truth, Lxccpliu' (..oil ami me. Dul 1 llkf you, there's soiucthiu' here Tells me you are all real; Seems Just like talkiu' to myself, * To tell }uu now 1 feel. 'Thus just leu years ugo this spring, And 1 was the rlsiu' star Of all the Jockeys on the track, And known Loth near and fur. Was stoppin' at the Waldorf Au' llvin' on the best; One day 1 suw a young girl A dinin' with the rest, An' 1 fell soniethin' give away, 'Twas worse than any fall I ever got upon the truck— 1 loved her, that whs nil. I used to watch tn-r come an' go, And every day it seemed That she whs grow in' part of me; An' all night long 1 dreamed We two was off together Away from all the crowd. (Of course I never spoke to her. Her folks were rich an' proud.) She had a fellow with her, A sickly looking dude U'on't think she ever noticed me - A Jockey must be rude), An' although she might have heard mx name Called out as I walked through The dining room, she never once Let on as if she knew* Tlint I was livin'. Welt, to make The story short, one day She and his nobs went drivln' And got in a runaway. I saw the horses com In* A ml leaped in front to save Tlie girl 1 loved, who but for me Now would be In her grave. I don't remember nothta' 'Opt that she was safe from harm And I was at the hospital. Where they took away my arm. She wanted to do somcthln'. Her an' the dude, for me, Itut I'd accept no favors, Mjich less her charity. And so I drifted 'round the town And went nil to the bnd; My rldln' days were over And the bars got all 1 had. So I says, "Jack, it's up to you For a finish,* so I took Old Barleycorn sn' on him Was niakln' my last hook. But, what do you think, the other day I met a duck that said. 'There was no use in dyin', 'Cm ate you never could be dead: You Ju»t come back to this old earth For time nnd time again. Same as the sea goes to the clouds And falls iti showers of rain.' An' so I'm goln' to swear off An' take another truck. For I don't Want ter he like this The next time I come back. He said. 'That one unselfish deed Hone for some loved one's sake Will outweigh a whole life of prayers Them hypocrite gnya make,' For net ion N what's wanted. Not four fiu.-diin'. so that when We two meet mitin day equals There'll be 'somethin' doln' then.* " '■ L, J. liOring. for the past five years with the Nellie Mellenry Company, playing the Tudge in "M'liss," will give a trial per- formance soon of the new sketch he in- tends entering vaudeville with. It is named "Two Old Vets." WANT SOME LABELS? The following letter, which has been sent to property men in vaudeville houses throughout the country, will explain how some acts never seen in Europe send their baggage into a theatre covered with for- eign labels. The letter is given with the text unchanged: DEAR S1H: The newest nnd latest fad Is to have one's trunk, suit case or grip covered with European labels, leaving the impression that the person hus Just returned from an extended trip to Europe. To supply the demand for such people we have made arrangement! with our foreign office to col- lect for us a large quantity of these labels, which are Issued by the principal hotels, railway and steamship lines of England nnd continental Europe. We hnve concluded that one of the best means to distribute these labels is through the property man of some of the principal theatres of tha country, as they hnve nu opportunity of meeting nil the actors that come to their house, and as well they generally have a large circle of ac- quaintances outside the theatre. To show you how readily they will sell we enclose you a sin- gle label r.f "Hotel Cecil, London," See how easily you can sill It for twenty-five cents. The lnliels come twelve In each set. and. when pssted on a suit case look like the enclosed picture. Without any trouble you enn sell the labels at from fifty cents to one dollar a set. We mnk* a price to you of four sets for one dollsr. which will leave you n handsome profit. To give you an Idea n property man In a Philadelphia theatre ■old lflO sets of lnliels last week at fifty eenti a set. leaving him a clenr profit of $40. He did not confine himself to theatrical pe°ple alone, but sold them eenernlly. He writes us saying that nine people out of every ten he showed them to bought a set. We will upon receipt of one dollar send you postage prepaid four sets of the labels %nd vill fill your future orders at the same price In any quantity. Youra truly,