Variety (Jan 1907)

VARIETY COMEDY ACTS WELL l!lED UP. Owing to the many "blanket" contracts held by Percy G. Williams for comedy art*, mostly from members belonging to the Vaudeville Comedy Club, much specu- lation is being indulged in as to how the Keith Booking Office will supply itself with this most desirable style of vaude- ville entertainment for next season.' It is estimated that Mr. Williams holds no less than 110 open contracts for eight weeks work next season, the specific dates to be tilled in at his pleasure. Until those dates are settled upon none of the acts engaged to Mr. Williams can accept other time. Provided the Keith office wishes one or more of these comedy offerings, it will be obliged to arrange its route to suit the convenience of Mr. Wil- liams. Provided by next season the clash between Keith and Williams shall have grown to such an extent that " bar- ring" will be indulged in, the Keith office will have to find its comedy material among others than those known as the standard laughing acts. Mr. Williams' request that acts sign with him to " keep opposition active resulted in bringing a flood of replies. Peter F. Dailey, now with Lew Fields' company at the Herald Square Thea- tre, is reported to have signed a blanket contract and informed Williams that he would play his dates whenever called upon, although it became neces- sary to leave any piece he happened to be playing with at the time to do so. Will M. Cressy, the president of the Comedy Club, made a similar statement. There was or is an understanding be- tween Cressy and the Shuberts that he will be starred next season in a play of his own writing. Cressy handed in his blanket contract, however, and stands ready to play when called upon, regard- less of the circumstances. T. M. A. ENTERTAINMENT. Denver, Jan. 4. The Denver Lodge, T. M. A., held its annual Christmas celebration on Friday evening, December 28. About two hundred members were pres- ent and about forty invited guests. The following artists from the different houses entertained: Swor Brothers, Fred Zobedie, Nick Long (Orpheum; Members No. 221 Lodge) (Jlenni Schoff, James L. Ring, Roy Cannon, Larry Sutton, Williams, Thompson and lloey, (Jns Brohn (Novelty)- Members: Bonner, Harkins (Crystal). Visiting members from the other lodges were: Brothers R. W. Mullin. St. Louis, (5); liconard, Cleveland, (9); Farrell, St. Joe, Mo., (40) ; F. Zobedie, Salt Lake City, (38); Cannon. Salt Lake City. [38); Kllis. Birmingham, (H»). Reception Committee in charge: 10. IVthloff, chairman; .1. K. Mel aughlin. A. II. Criconrt. I JUNIE M'CREE TAKEN SUDDENLY ILL. Chicago, Jan. 4. Junto McCree, "The Man From Denver," became suddenly ill on the stage of the Majestic while playing Wednesday night. The curtain was rung down before the end .of the act. Tie was unable (o continue this '•\eek and the Musical Ityrons replaced him. CHASE'S HAS "THE QUARTET." When an act is not a "copy" it seldom if ever plays under any but its own name in a vaudeville house where fame uiigut be established. The Metropolis Quartet, when it ap- peared in New York City, grew incensed upon it being said that it was a "copy" of "That Quartet," but there is billed in Washington this week an act appearing at Chase's Theatre there called "'The' Quartet." The names of the members as published in the Washington newspapers are Wood, Hamilton, Ellis and McDonald, the exact surnames of the four men com- posing the Metropolis Quartet as it was constituted when playing here. The original "That Quartet" was booked for the vaudeville theatre at the capito! for this week, but is at Hammerstein's, ;he engagement for Washington, made through the Keith office, having been cancelled. Charles J. Stevenson, Chase's New York representative, did not. accept the cancel- lation, but Jack Levy, the agent for the turned-out singers, declined to allow them to appear. The present act was substituted, and as Washington has never seen the original the presumption is that the Metropolis four consented to the deception. There are more reasons than one for thorough organization among artists, and this is one, if not one and a half. It has been related that some time ago a certain blackface act, consisting of two men who were "white," with or without the cork, were called into a certain book- ing office in town and deliberately asked to reproduce the act of George Thatcher and Charles Ernst, when time would be given over the circuit. This was before answers to the request of the Comedy Club to protect original material were returned by managers. The blackface artists would not consent to be a party to the scheme. A NEW PRESS BUREAU. Frances Rockefeller King, well and fav- orably known in the newspaper world as a writer and press representative, has estab- lished a publicity bureau in the St. James Building exclusively for vaudeville artists. All legitimate artists have long seen the ad- vantage of such a service and this is prob- ably the first time it has ever been placed at the disposal of vaudeville artist I. Miss Kinpr's lon<» experience as a news- paper woman amply qualifies he w to prop- erly execute such commissions ns may come to her from the variety world and she will probably be warmly welcomed in her new field of endeavor. MISS TANGUAY WANTS TO LEAVE. Altoona. V.i.. Jan. 1. Kva Tanpuay. who appeared here to ni&nt at the Opera House. i« \ei\ much exercised over dispatches she received «fi nouncing that her husband is quite ill in New York. Miss Tanjiuay immediate ly placed herself in communication with her manager, Jos. flaites. and expressed a desire to cancel future bookings until such time as her husband had recovered. At this writing efforts are being put for- ward to dissuade her. Ferhaps the^recent announcement of Miss Tangnay'i con- templated return to vaudeville may have something to do with the case. AFFILIATION NOT COMPLETE. Through information received from (Germany this week and obtained in the city, the internal ion "1 affiliation between the three vaudeville artists' societies has not been completed. It was given out that the Variety Artists' Federation in England had rati- fied the articles of agreement drawn up at the conference held between repre- sentatives of the respective orders last summer. This was an error, the V. A. F. having delayed the ratification pending the ad- justment of some clauses not to its lik- ing. The recent strike and lockout on the other side have retarded the final action, which is daily expected, the sub- ject in dispute having been the cause of considerable correspondence. HILL CHASING PIRATES. Gus Hill has been going after a number of Western pirates with a long stick in one hand and a Supreme Court summons in the other. He landed one of them recently and this week the United States Circuit Court for the Northern District of Illinois graut- ed a perpetual injunction restraining one Charles J. Tyler, of Chicago, from pro- ducing a play called "Hooligan's Trou- bles," on the ground that such a title, as well as much of the matter contained in the show, encroached upon Hill's property rights in the musical show "Happy Hooli- »» gan. The court's decision holds that Hill paid for the use of the Opper cartoon name and that the money invested by him in adver- tising it throughout the country is part of his property. He also holds that the name "Hooligan" is in the nature of a trademark and the complainant (Hill) is entitled to protection in its use. It is decided that the name "Hooligan" must not be used in connection with Tyler's productions. EVASION BY IMITATION. "A Great Big Girl Like Me" is sung by Marie Dressier in her-»mp*4alty n * * ne ^°'°" Dial Theatre thi* week. Jos. M. Weber, manager of the music hall where Miss I ►res.sler formerly played and originally sang it, forbid the comedienne using the number. Miss Dressier after consultation discov- • red that, while she could not sing the song as herself, she could use it by proclaiming thai she was giving an imitation of some one giving ad imitation of her. With this in mind at each performance Miss Dressier calmly announces that she will do this, but doesn't consider it is required to say who the imitation Is of. BICYCLE RIDERS' SMALL PAY. Louisville, Ky., Jan. 4. As a result of testimony given in an in- vestigation as to the salaries paid a young member of the Froveuui Troupe or* trick bicyclists the Juvenile Court here took charge of Helen ltiley, the sixteen year-old rider, who declared- that she had worked with the act for five years aud the best salary .she ever got was $1.44 a week. Complaint was made by a brother-in-law of the girl, who lives in Des Moines, la. At the same time Lena P.run, the same age, whose home is in Germany, was removed to the Home of the Children's Guardian. She was receiving $1 a week for her work. The Riley girl received 25 cents a week for her work at first. The other had been working ten months and her salary had been raised from GO cents to $1 weekly. Both will be sent to their homes, the fare being exacted of the head of the act. "BOB" GRAU DISAPPEARS. It is now more than two weeks since Robert Grau, the vaudeville agent and brother of Maurice Grau, the impresario, walked out of his office at 1358 Broadway, leaving his overcoat hanging in its accus- tomed place. Nothing has been heard of his since, and neither his family or his business associates have the slightest idea what has become of him. Grau was formerly a successful vaude- ville agent in the days when Jo Paige Smith and he did team work in digging up feature acts and booking them over the Association time. Since then he has suffered serious re- verses and, the common impression to the contrary notwithstanding, was in financial straits. Lately he has suffered repeated disappointments in his business and it is the impression of many that these reverses preyed upon his mind. The family fGrau, his wife and two children) lived until a few weeks ago at 72 East 82d street, but not long ago were compelled to go to less expensive quarters at 530 East 153d street. Gran's worst misfortune was the unsuc- cessful tour of Adelina Patti in this coun- try. At that time he was accounted a wealthy man and occupied n splendid home In New Roehelle.. t NANCE O'NEILL WON'T PLAY. McKee Rankin is willing, but Nance O'Neill won't. It is the final answer to William L. Lykens' efforts to secure the legitimate pair for vaudeville. Whether the agent will arrange time for the actor alone is problematical. Miss O'Neill having been considered the stronger drawing card. lack Levy, the agent, announ-es he will bundle none but headliners hereafter. Joe Welch will open in his new play. "The Shoemaker," at Bridgeport, January 28. . The nlK>vp Is the announcement of thl* we*k*.l bill nt the r.raml ftp'"' Hon"*. Syracuse. N ^ which appeared in the Svrncin«e paperi List Sunday. Th« houa* h under " •• direction of Jules Delmar. of the Keith offlce. Mr. pejmar detden. d thll •d?ertlfWC'lM M IW ' •' '" »*•* catrhy publicity devices.