Variety (May 1907)

VARIETY PRODUCING COMPANY INCORPOR- ATED. A new producing company for vaudeville has just been formed with a paid-in cap- ital of $20,000. Edward Blond ell is pres- ident of the new concern, and efforts are now being put forward to secure a theatre in New York City for the trying-out of their productions. Possibly before the week is over a lease will have been signed for one of the smaller houses on the East Side, which is now being devoted to legiti- mate attractions. $8,000 HILL ASKS. <: us Hill has instituted a suit for dam- ages against Joe Welch, claiming $8,000 as damages sustained from the retirement of the Hebrew character comedian from the cast of "The Shoemaker" in Chicago. Hill's original intention was to restrain Welch from appearing in vaudeville with the latter's new sketch "At Ellis Island," but on advice of his general counsel, Leon Laski, has decided to sue under a for- feiture clause in the contract between himself and Welch. This clause carries a penalty of a stipulated amount of for- feiture for every week during which Welch does not appear with the play. AGENT AMID TOBACCO. Chicago, May 3. Edward C. Hayman, of the Western Vaudeville Association, will soon start in the cigar and news business. He has an excellent location on Clark St. in the cen- ter of the Rialto, and with his personal popularity in and out of the profession should do well. Mr. Hayman-will continue in the capacity of booking agent with the Association. SPELLMAN'S ROAD SHOW. Cleveland, May 3. Frank Spellinan, the agent, has closed contracts to put out his own road vaude- ville show starting November 15, playing big time and using eight acts, featuring II animal act of 15 bears with Mile. La Verie, the female trainer. He will earrv his own cars and ladies' band, playing week stands in towns where there are regular vaudeville theatres. The company will be known as "The Spellinan Show." Three of the feature acts Mr. Spellinan plans over his fair cir- cuit will be included. CASEY PURCHASES BILLIARD ROOM. The furnishings of the billiard parlors on the second floor of the building at the northeast corner of Forty-second street and Broadway, formerly conducted by John J. McCraw, manager of the New York baseball team, have been purchased by P. J. Casey, of the Morris Office, and John C. Doyle. Mr. Doyle conducted the parlors at one time. Mr. Casey held the lease of the premises for four years from May 1, and gave McGraw notice to vacate. Had the' purchase not been consummated, Mr. Casey would have divided the space into offices. It is now the most desirable location on Broadway. The parlors will be completely reno- vated, and Mr. Doyle will be in charge. "SUNDAY" CASE DISMISSED. The prosecution of the Orpheum Theatre Company in the matter of giving Sunday concerts at the Novelty Theatre, Williams- burg, was won last week by the defend- ants, Magistrate (jJeisman, sitting in the Lee Avenue Court, deciding that the two acts complained against, Rooney and Bent and another, were not in violation of the law. The law firm of House, Grossman & Vorhaus represented the Theatre Co. Theodore Wenzlik, manager of Keeney's Theatre, Brooklyn, was also charged with an alleged Sunday violation. The case was up in Special Sessions court this week, but adjourned until May 10 upon the declara- tion of the prosecution that they were not prepared to go on. House, Grossman & Vorhaus represented the defendant in this action. ARTISTS' FORUM STALEY WILL PLACE PIECE. The three-act piece written by Richard F. Staley, and named "Between 12 and 1," is about to be placed for production by the author with a legitimate manager. After the details have been arranged, Staley will travel westward to Colorado, where he is the two-thirds owner of the "Ontario Humming Bird Mine," a piece of property deemed so valuable by Mr. Staley that he induced his relatives and friends to purchase the remaining third interest Tipon the death of his former partner some time ago. Mr. Staley is considering the feasibility of incorporating the mine and placing the shares upon the market in order that the working of the ore bed may be facilitated. HOUDINl'S DARING FEAT. During next week, Harry Houdini, "The Handcuff King," will play at Cook's Opera House, Rochester, in opposition to the Klaw & Erlanger vaudeville to be pre- sented at the Lyceum Theatre in the same city. On Tuesday May 7, at noon, Mr. Hou- dini with his hands and feet manacled will leap from the highest bridge in the city, a distance of 100 feet to the water. Manager Buckenberger of the local base- ball club lias charge of the performance. Mr. Houdini is perfectly confident of his success. William H. Thompson has been booked by M. S. Bentham for forty weeks next season over the United time. BIG VAUDEVILLE LONG AGO. The reports of high priced vaudeville hills of the present times brought forth recollections this week of the vaudeville show played by Geo, Honians, the present agent, at the Duquesne Theatre, Pitts- burg, during New Year's week, 1902. At that time the following acts were on the program, with these weekly salaries received for the engagement: l.ockhart's Elephants $050 Ten Ichi Troupe 350 Marie Dressier 1,000 Jessie Bartlett Davis 1,000 Kusst'll Brothers 400 Waterbury Brothers and Tenny.... 2f>0 Elfaore Sisters 250 Linton and Mclntyre 200 Eddie Mack 75 Pictures 75 $4*250 The gross receipts for the week were $8,049, of which Mr. Homans received 50% up to $4,000, and 60% from that amount to $6,000 and 75% over. Confine your letter* to 180 words and write on one side of pepor oniy. Anonymous communkitloni will not be printed. Nam* of writer muit be eigne* held In strict confidence. If desired. Minneapolis, May 1. Editor Variety: I write in regard to an article in Va- riety that I wish you would kindly cor- rect. It is about the record at Albany and Troy. Miner's "Dreamlands" is the shotv which it savs broke the record at the two theatres in the above towns, and up to their engagements the "Ideals" held it. As far as the records are concerned, I don't care, because it seems the custom with most of these attractions as soon as they do a good week to take up space to tell about it, but you never see them advertise when they do a bad one. I will bet who- ever sent you the article $100 that I did more business there than the figures say that the "Ideals" did, and if any person will cover the above amount you can wire me at my expense. If the managers of Al- bany and Troy Western Wheel Houses don't verify my statement you can keep the $100 and give it to the Actors' Fund. I do this to give credit to the attraction and firm I work for. James Wceden, Manager Williams' "Imperials." Marion, Ind., April 27. Editor Variety: In your issue of April 20 we were sur- prised to find a letter by H. B. Campbell which stated we were doing his act word for word, using all his "gags," etc. He also says he was a schoolmate of Mr. Willing. Both statements are untruths. Mr. Willing never went to school with Mr. Campbell, nor have we stolen any- thing that belongs to him. Campbell says he "framed the act up" when he was working with Verne Phelps, seven years ago. It happens Mr. Willing was Mr. Phelps' partner just seven years ago, and Campbell joined Phelps after Phelps and Willing separated. The act we are now doing we put together about three years ago. Part of the act Mr. Willing did with Phelps seven years ago, the rest we have originated ourselves and claim the ex- pression "Oh-Man !" and not "Ah ! Man !" as Campbell puts it. He says we stole his "gags." We don't use any "gags" in our act and depend en- tirely upon our negro dialect and manner- isms to bring us the success we are now enjoying. We do not know what kind of an act Mr. Campbell is doing with his new part- ner, but we can truthfully say, if he is trying to do an act like ours, he stole it from us. We trust readers of Variety will take Mr. Campbell's letter and compare it with the facts we mention above. We are will- ing to leave it to their judgment. Herbert and Willing. Oshkosh, Wis., April 26. Editor Variety: Apropos of the protest made regarding the purloining of his own original mirth- provoking pleasantry "Ah! Man!" I beg to report that I have lately discovered a very colorable imitation of this amusing expression being professionally used by a number of prominent clergymen. 1 cannot conceal some satisfaction, how- ever, in stating that with the character- istic incapacity of pirates in general, none seemed to get anything out of it, although most of them used it as a finish. They pronounced it "Amen." Yours for protection always, J. V. XuycHt. Muncie, Ind., April 20. Editor Variety: Miss Fannie Donovan wishes to deny that she was married to voting Fred Whitesides at Marion, ()., during the week of April 13. Miss Donovan says the affair was only a joke, of which young Whitesides was .111 unsuspecting victim, in speaking of the affair she says, the managers give ama- teur performances on Friday nights, and, not having enough acts to complete the bill, it was arranged to have a mock wed- ding, and the Whitesides boy was en- gaged to play the part of groom. Miss Donovan wishes to state the entire mat- ter was merely a joke, but that the local newspapers exaggerated it in such a man- ner that the Associated Press took it as a fact, and in publishing it throughout the country have greatly annoyed and em- barrassed her. She says she is still single, likes a joke as well as any one, but in fu- ture she will take particular pains not to be connected with any more jokes of the above nature. (Single) Fannie Donovan, Star Theatre, Muncie, Ind. San Antonio, Tex. Editor VARiFrY: The vicissitudes of the vaudeville busi- ness, in conjunction with the little dis- paragements that some times exist be- tween artists who are playing on the same bill, or in the same company, for any length of time, make it a pleasing duty to record the thorough good feeling and good fellowship which is found occasionally under the same conditions. One of the combinations formed to play the Majestic theatres of the Interstate Circuit, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Kobyns, Ellsworth and Burt, Russell and Held, the Lockhart Sisters, Mr. Fred Zo- bedie and Mr. Larry Shannon, were play- ing at the Majestic in Houston, Tex., week of April 1, when on Thursday night, as Mr. and Mrs. Robyns were taking the en- core to their act, Mr. Robyns was pre- sented with a very handsome gold-headed cane, by his companions in the company, This gift was the spontaneous offering of the company as a slight toke/i of their esteem for Mr. Robyns as their "man- ager" during a week of one night stands in Texas, Mr. Robyns was nonplussed for an in- stant, as the cane, surrounded by flowers, was presented to him, but, quickly recov- ering himself, he made a very neat little speech of thanks to his comrades in which he also explained the situation to the audience, which entered heartily in the ap- plause that followed.