Variety (May 1907)

VARIETY FIGHTING AND TALKING IN PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, May 3. The report of the merger of the Klaw & Erlanger and Shubert interests some- what cleared the theatrical horizon so far as this city is concerned. It did not cause much surprise. The general feeling is that such action was the only logical conclu- sion of a badly tangled situation. The belief now seems to be that when the war clouds have lifted entirely there will be a general hand-shaking all around and the various interests of the legitimate and vaudeville will smoke the pipe of peace. While Philadelphia is the most interest- ing point in the present state of vaude- ville affairs it is none the less true that less is known here than anywhere else and the various reports of transactions are more surprising to those who ought to know than the outside public. It has been reported that Klaw & Erlanger will oper- ate three vaudeville theatres here next season. It has been announced that the Park will be opened with vaudeville in the fall. The Edwin Forrest, almost com- pleted, is another, and the third was in doubt. Since the Forrest has been turned over to the Shuberts in the recent merger it is most certain that K. & E. have been supplied with a house to take its place and the Adelphi, now in course of con- struction next door to the Lyric, will most lil-ely be turned over for vaudeville. The Lyric and Adelphi adjoining are top- ped with a roof garden and should the local fight be carried on, a Summer sea- son of vaudeville up there may be ex- pected. The new William Penn Theatre being built by G. A. Wegefath of the Grand Opera House has been named, and, being situated in West Philadelphia, where there is no theatre at all, it would no doubt prove a profitable venture. K. iV E. have been after it for a week or more. The transfer of the Joe Weber show from the South Broad to the Lyric gave the first intimation that negotiations for a merger were going on, and might be used as a sign of further transfers. The present intention regarding the Chestnut Street Opera House is to dis- continue vaudeville there after this sea- son, removing it to the Walnut Street Theatre under the management of Frank Howe. This is the house K. & E. origi- nally secured for their initial variety ven- ture, and whatever obstacle intervened at that time probably has been effaced. The Edwin Forrest will have a capacity of 3,100. The orchestra floor will seat 900, and a semi-circle around it will hold 50 boxes, while there is a scheme to bridge the boxes through which an ad- ditional capacity of many hundreds more will be obtained for "standees.*' No credence is given to the report that Keith and Williams are considering a ven- ture in the legitimate, and that the Chest- nut Street Theatre is to be used by the independent attractions of Belaseo, Fiske, *t al. It is claimed that the lease given Percy Williams when he acquired the Chestnut Street Theatre to fight Keith, calls for stock or vaudeville shows only and that Nixon & Zimmerman would com- pel Williams to live up to the require- ments. Keeping the Chestnut Street Theatre closed with an annual rental of $4<>.f»00 hanging to it is mighty expensive dealing for Keith and Williams, although this house is supposed to be an expense account to the United Booking Offices, which is carrying the loss under the com- bination agreements of Williams and Keith, which provided in a like manner for the Orpheum, Boston. The bill for the Chestnut Street Opera House (K. & E.) for next week although not yet announced, will probably be as follows, with one or two more acts yet to be added: "The Songbirds" (held over), K. G. Knowles, Edna Wallace Hopper, Henry Lee, Carroll Johnson (New Act), Vasco Vinella's Horses and Caron and Herbert. Keith's will have programmed Henri DeVries, the "Pony" ballet, Gould and Suratt, Walter C. Kelly, Clarice Vance, Ben Welch, Gennaro's Band. Smith and Campbell and the Glinserretti Troupe, be- side the minor numbers necessary for its continuous show. COURT DECIDES IMPORTANT POINT. The action brought by Will Marion Cook to recover part of a salary claimed from Percy G. Williams, growing out of a fine imposed upon "The Tennessee Stu- dents" in Boston because of the absence of Abbie Mitchell was decided in the Mu- nicipal Court this week in favor of the defendant. It was held that Manager Williams was within his rights when he imposed the tine. House, Grossman & Vorhaus repre- sented the Williams side. Mr. Cook al- leged that the contract did not demand Miss Mitchell's appearance, but simply the act. ACTS IN THE GOLD FIELDS. Reno, Nev., May 3. The Nevada Hippodrome Circuit Co. has about completed temporary summer the- atres in this city, Tonopah and Goldfield, where vaudeville will be given. The company has written East for acts. Next fall regular theatres will be operated in the same cities by the company. There will be opposition, and this wild coun- iry will have plenty of vaudeville from the present outlook. BENEFIT FOR DESSAUER. A testimonial will be tendered Sam DetMtitr, formerly manager of the Mur- rav Hill Theatre, at that house on .lune 2 next. Mr. Dessauer is now in town, haying returned after piloting "Nell, the Beautiful Cloak Model," around the eoun- trv for Al. H. Woods. LORIMER LOSES NO TIME. .lack I.oriiner and his amiable better half ("Polly Scotch*') sailed to-day on the "Celtic." Mr. Lorimer played five days this week at the Doric, Yonkers, closing last night, under arrangement with Henry Myers, the manager. Mr. Lorimer was to have played the Klaw & Erlanger house in Philadelphia in the same way, but the management did not care to have the bill broken up on the last day through Mr. Lorimer's forced departure. OPPOSITION OPENS IN ROCHESTER. Rochester, May 3. The vaudeville opposition opens here on Monday, when the Lyceum plays K. & E. "Advanced Vaudeville" against J. 11. Moore's "Cook's Opera House." Cook's has Harry Houdini, Eva Tan- guay, "The Red Owl," DeWitt, Burns and Torrance and The Flying Dunbars as the principal numbers, while the K. &-E. bill will be headed by the Four Mortons, Emma Cams, Woodward's Seals and others. Although "K. & E. Advanced Vaude- ville" is used for publicity purposes for the Lyceum's show, the firm of Klaw & Erlanger have no financial interest in the venture. 40 WEEKS IN 20 MINUTES. Forty weeks routed and contracts signed all within twenty minutes was the record made this week by Al Sutherland, the agent, for. Work and Ower, the comedy acrobats. The United Booking Offices gave the contracts to Mr. Sutherland, with the route specified in just that length of time after the agent declared the team would play over here next season. Last summer Work and Ower opened on the New York Roof, and everyone pre- dicted after the,first performance a glori- ous failure for them. Badly placed on the bill, following the Stein-Erretto troupe of acrobats, the two men had a frosty re- ception up in the air. Martin Beck en- gaged them for his Orpheum Road Show, and since then their act has steadily im- proved in popularity. Last week some United managers witnessed the perform- ance at the Colonial, where the act was working, and immediately signified a will- ingness to take them for the season. VIRGINIA EARL "TRYING OUT." Virginia Earl in her newest sketch, "A Midnight Mistake," is playing at Keen- ey's, New Britain, Conn., this week under a promise, it is understood, of the United Booking Offices that provided a second viewing does not reverse the unfavor- able judgment passed by the agency when Miss Earl showed at Mr. Keeney's theatre in Brooklyn, a couple of months ago. it will book her for next season in I revised version of her "Johnny" act, Miss Earl's first vaudeville venture. "FOXY GRANDPA" BOILED DOWN. Next season Joseph Hart will present I miniature sketch of "Foxy Grandpa" in vaudeville, boiling his play of that name down for the vaudeville requirements. A targe cast will be carried, and Mr. Hart will make a pretentious production. EMMA CARUS WILL SUE. It is generally understood that Emma ('mi us intends suing for salary alleged to be due her bv virtue of contracts for four weeks which were canceled by the United Booking Offices, owing to Miss Carus play- ing for Klaw & Erlanger in Philadelphia last week. Miss Carus' contract carried the pro- vision prohibiting her playing in towns where opposition existed before the con- tract terminated, and it was by reason of this that the United summarily canceled her. COHAN GOING IN VAUDEVILLE. George M. Cohan is rehearsing his fam- ily in a revival of their old vaudeville sketch "The Governor's Son," for presen- tation at the Chestnut Street Opera House for Klaw & Erlanger's "advanced vaudeville." Mr. Cohan does not intend to act next season, devoting his entire time to the pro- duction of the plays he has already written and the framing of new vaudeville acts for Klaw & Erlanger. There is a pos- sibility, indeed a probability, however, that he will be prevailed upon to do a single act for K. & E. should it be found necessary to strengthen a bill or two at one of the larger houses. New York will surely see him in that position early in the fall. EDITOR WRITES A SONG. Irving Lewis, managing and dramatic editor of "The Morning Telegraph," has just placed for publication a new song, the lyrics of which he wrote. Isabelle d'Armond, with Carter De Haven, com- posed the music. THEATRE COMES DOWN. Altoona, Pa., May 3. The Eleventh Avenue Opera House, which has played "turkey" burlesque com- panies, repertoire shows, etc., for some time closed its season last week. It will be torn down. MUSIC PUBLISHERS LEAVING. The music publishers are poised for flight. Fred Day, of Francis, Hunter & Day, leaves for the other side soon, and "Mose" Gumble, of Jerome II. Remick & Co., is scheduled to start on a foreign trip May 9. MISS TTJLDA CARLE. The ChSriafof If"'«r «•" ttM » "High School Glrla" Coiniwny. tad b$t own famous "Bed Raven Csdei