Variety (Sept 1906)

VARIETY BERKELEY LYCEUM IN VIEW. The Berkeley Lyceum, that compact theatre on West Forty-fourth street, may be utilized after a variety fashion if terms now in process of formation are satisfactorily closed. The object is to make the little play- house a unique metropolitan resort for ex- clusive acts and farces (mostly adapted from the trench), playing only what will appeal to the "bohemian" or "restaurant" set of cosmopolitans. Mark Luescher, who has taken the proposition up, would be assured of the financial success of the venture through a subscription list for the season, obviating the necessity for a box office and New York would be treated to the sight of a theatre without any tickets for sale. The Lyceum has had a varied career. Vaudeville had its fling under the chaper- onage of Frank Keenan, who played sev- eral one-act sketches nightly during hii tenancy. Mr. Lu^scher's plan will be to give sprightly performances, whether in pieces or acts, and there will be just suffi- cient of both to cause talk. DOCKSTADER HAVING TROUBLE. Lew Dockstader is having his own troubles trying to driveJris minstrel com- pany and the music publishing company tandem. When the company played At- lantic City, N. J., it is declared three or four of the singers quit because they did not like the Dockstader songs that were handed to them. J. W. Meyers was one of the dissatisfied ones. Another was Mr. Keiff. WARNER IS WILLING. Charles Warner, the eminent English actor, opens a revival of "A Winter's Tale" at His Majesty's Theatre with Ellen Terry for ten weeks. He says that if a satisfactory vaudeville tour in this country could be arranged, with no Sun- day work, he would seriously consider it, as he is anxious to visit his son, H. B. Warner, who is a member of Eleanor Robson's company. LEECH HAS A NEW PIECE. Around the holidays Al Leech, last sea- son's star of "Girls Will Be Girls," will have a new piece ready for his stellar seat. No name has been given it and it may not have been written, but Jos. Hart, who has the management of Leech, says that the comedian will be duly provided for about the dates named. FOREIGN SONG RIGHTS SOLD. Acting for Clifton Crawford, the com- pear, T os. Hart # thi« % weel^sold to Charles Frohman the foreign rights to "On the Shady Side of Broadway," the song hit of "Seeing New York" the past summer on the Wistaria Grove. Mr. Frohman wants the number for a piece he has in mind which will be pro- duced in London in the near future. FOUR WEEKS FOR MISS BENTLEY. Four weeks is the limit of time in vaudeville accorded to Irene Bcntley, who opens at Brighton Beach on Monday. After the month has elapsed Miss Bent- ley will join, it is expected, the American production of "The Belle of Mayfair," now being playea' in London with Edna May as the star. LICENSE REFUSED. Detroit, Mich., Aug. 31. The Council at Grand Rapids has de- clined to issue license to the Empire Burlesque Circuit, of Cincinnati, for the purpose of reopening Smith's Opera House as a burlesque theatre. Rev. Mel Trotter purchased the theatre, subject to lease to the Empire Circuit, and after get- ting the deed he refused to allow the burlesque to occupy the house, as he in- tends to conduct gospel services there. MARY HAMPTON MATRIMONIALLY ENGAGED. James H. Waldron, official doper for The Morning Telegraph under the title of ■Horoscope," and Mary Hampton, the actress, well known to both the legiti- mate and variety, are to be married in a fortnight, according to Mr. Waldron. Waldron has been a newspaper man for many years and is well known. Miss Hampton is at present at work on a protean sketch for the vaudevilles. GEO. EVANS' PRESS SHEET. With a ferocious glance and a stealthy step, Geo. Evans, the monologist, is sliding up to the side of the newspaper men he meets and hissing "opposition." Although Mr. Evans' manner of impart- ing the information may be formidable, he does not seriously propose to injure established journals. His idea is rather to print all about himself and others in his humorous, jocular way, and shall name his endeavors "Geo. Evans' Whims." KARNO AND REEVES COMING. Fred Karno, the English producer, leaves the other side to-day for New York. Mr. Karno comes over among other things to look after the production of his acts on this side. "Billy" Reeves, brother of Alf Reeves, manager of Karno's "Night in an English Music Hall," left last Tuesday for this city. Upon arriving he will play the part of the "drunk" in the English farce. Mr. Reeves was the originator of it. MUST TRAVEL TOGETHER. Sydney Grant will not book time with- out his wife, Zoe Holland', is also engaged on the same bill. Mr. Grant says that a manager should be delighted to secure two acts in "one" on the same program in such a simple manner. Sometimes, he admits, that a manager may have booked an act in that position before he was thought of. In that case Mr. Grant does not play. TO TOUR THE GLOBE. An international vaudeville company is to be brought together by William Mor- ris and H. B. Marinelli for a tour of the world. It will be a stupendous aggregation of vaudeville stars, but no names have been given out for publication. SUIT OVER "ROYAL FIVE." The bookings of the Royal Musical Five will be the basis of a lawsuit between Ed M. Markum, the press agent, and James Plunkett, of Reich, Plunkett & Wesley, the vaudeville agents. Mr. Markum avers that he first gath- ered the act under his wing and for book- ing purposes placed it with Mr. Plunkett. The understanding was, according to Markum, that he should' receive an equal share of the commisions. Up to date whatever share, if any, he may have been entitled to has not been paid over. Mark- um says he will sue for an accounting, with hopes of recovery. LUESCHER "ON THE JOB." There are not a whole lot of advertising possibilities getting past Mark A. Lue- scher. TTiis week he sent word to the printers who do the work for the Albaugh Theatre in Baltimore, controlled by the Luescher-Irwin corporation, that hereafter the billboards should read "Vodevil of the beter sort." There was some uncertainty as to the propriety of this spelling, but Mr. Luescher asked Prof. Brander Matthews, of Colum- bia University, who is on the New Spelling Board, and the professor said it was all right. Now Luescher wants to have the phrase copyrighted. "MOSES AND SON" NOT BOOKED. All talk to the contrary notwithstand- ing, Leo Masse, the Marinelli representa- tive in New York, firmly states that the Karno English act "Moses and Son," em- ploying forty persons, has not been booked. It had previously been stated by Wil- liam L. Lykens and Clifford' C. Fischer, both agents, that the act had been placed through their individual efforts. lttfrEfcA. A "BREAK". Topeka, Aug. 31. The Novelty Theatre which opened this week has become a resting place for art- ists, breaking a "jump." It now books through the Western Vaudeville Associa- tion in Chicago. Good bills are promised for the coming season, ^bove the average of previous years. "SKIDOO DAY." Scranton, Aug. 31. The management of Luna Park here has bethought itself of a neat little idea and one of not a little practical value. It has widely advertised that the twenty-third day of each month is a special event at the park, and calls it "Skidoo Day," on which any person living in a house num- bered 23, aged 23, or in any way connect- eu»with (Jic "avwy *>ymb«»r" is admitted free to the resort. DANVILLE'S NEW HOUSE NEARLY READY. Danville, 111., Aug. 31. The opening date for the new vaude- ville theatre here has been set for October 15. The cost up to the day of opening will be $60,000. JUDGMENT AGAINST EDWARDS. Leo Wood, a former employe of the Gus Edwards Music Publishing Company, was awarded a judgment against that concern for $58 on Wednesday for commissions and royalties. FRANCIS AND DAY HERE. Messrs. William Francis and David! Day, the senior members of the music publishing firm of Francis, Day & Hunter, are due to arrive from London this morning. They are coming over to inspect their new American headquarters. BURLESQUE TROUPES IN WRECK. Chicago, Aug. 31. Whatever complaints may have been made this week about the performances given by the Al Reeves and Harry Bry- ant's burlesque shows are susceptible of quick explanation through the experiences the troupes passed through before reach- ing Chicago. They arrived here ten hours late, having been held up by a wreck within fifty miles of New York. The serious part of the journey was near St. Thomas, On- tario. A Canadian Pacific train crashed into the one the companies were on, kill- ing the engineer of the Wabash train and severely injuring several of the train crews. Flossie Hughes of the Reeves com- pany was badly hurt and in a serious con- dition for some time, but suffered no fatal results. Sam Scribner's "Miorning Glo- ries" were on the same train. All were badly shaken up. Mrs. Harry Bryant and Mrs. Raynor, of the Bryant show gave valuable assistance in caring for the injured. AFTER BEDINI. An order to show cause why the Bedini version of "A Night in an English Music Hall" should not be restrained from play- ing Electric Park Theatre, Baltimore, was secured this week by attorneys acting for Mark A. Luescher and Robert E. Irwin. The managers declare that they will suf- fer an injury from the appearance of the Bedini act elsewhere in the city where they have contracted to give the Karno act later, in their own vaudeville house. The suit is based upon a signed agreement in which Alf. Reeves, manager for Kar-.j, gives the managers the sole right to play the original sketch in Baltimore. The controversy has aroused not a little in- terest in Baltimore, which is one if not the main object of the proceedings. ALBAUGH IN NEW VENTURE. Cincinnati, Aug. 31. The Tiffin Opera House Company of Tiffin, Ohio, was incorporated August 21, 1006, with a capital stock of $50,000. The following were the incorporators: W. A. Albaugh, T. K. Albaugh, J. W. Albaugh, D. S. Sneath and A. A. Cunningham. J. W. Albaugh is from Washington, D. C, having formerly conducted a theatre there. What was formerly Albaugh's Theatre in Washington, D. C, is now Chase's, where vaudeville is conducted. CHANGED OPENING DATE. Owing to the inconvenience of transfer- ring the "Immensaphone" from downstairs to the roof at Hammerstein's this week, I>asky & Rolfe, the owners of the act, "were compelled to cancel \he engagement which would have been the first appear- ance in New York of the musical instru- ment. The week of September 10 at the Colonial Theatre will be the time instead. NED NYE'S FREAK VOICE. Harriet Gibson, "The Girl with the Voice," as the billing of Ned Nye's "girl act" will announce next season, is to be the soloist with the act during that time. Nye claims that after Miss Gibson places her "freak" voice in commission Flossie Crane, Hammerstein's Coney Island discovery, will no longer be remembered for depth of tone.