Variety (June 1907)

VARIETY BURLESQUE UNDER CANVAS. This year Morley, who supplies attrac- tions for fairs and carnivals, will carry an entire burlesque company playing under canvas as part of his outfit. It is to be known as "Morley's Great White City Show," and besides the principals will have a chorus of 10 or 12. Lou Harris is the manager of this part of the carnival outfit. The burlesquers have been in rehearsal in New York for several weeks, but left Tuesday, opening in Elyria, 0., yesterday. WILLIAMS' REHEARSALS IN JULY. July 10 is the date rehearsal will be called for the Sim and Harry W. Williams' burlesque shows ("Ideals" and "Imperi- als.") The companies will be sent off on the road during the latter part of the same month, anticipating the regular sea- son by some six weeks. FLYNN FADES AWAY. James Flynn, the erstwhile agent, has faded from the place of his former habita- tion in the Knickerbocker Theatre build- ing, and the office door that aforetime bore his name is now decorated solely with that of James E. Atwell. Atwell was formerly in a sort of partnership with Flynn in the agency business. Report has it that Flynn has been elected to a municipal office in one of the suburban towns where he makes his home. BORNHAUPT WILL QUIT. It is probable that upon his return from his European trip Charles Born- haupt will give up his offices and business as an independent agent booking foreign attractions in this country. It is under- stood that he will become an agent under the Marinelli Agency. The amalgamation of the independent vaudeville circuits and the aggressions of the foreign agents booking this country are understood to have forced him into this move. MAYER OFF FOR CHICAGO. In about t^ o weeks, it is reported, Al Mayer will go to Chicago to act in a representative capacity for the United Booking Offices in that city, with head- quarters in the Western Vaudeville Asso- ciation's offices. Mr. Mayer will remain West on the lookout for material which will be shipped East. His present offices in the St. James Building have been taken by Phil Hunt and Fred Follette, who will continue a general booking business at that address. The firm will book the Howard, Boston, formerly attended to hy Mr. Mayer. Mr. Follette has placed the Sunday shows at the Star for the past season. BROKE HOWARD CONTRACT. A contract held by the Howard. Boston, to play the Three Picaros this week was broken by the act, and an engagement at the Trocadero, a new unknown place up In the wilds of the Harlem suburbs, ac cepted instead. The Picaros booked the Boston time through Al Sutherland, the agent. Mr. Sutherland stated this week that hy breaking their contract, they had barred themselves out of the United Booking Offices. He books through that agency. EASTERN RUMORED ON 14TH STREET. East Fourteenth street was violently agitated this week by a rumor that the New Alhambra, a resort immediately ad- joining the Dewey Theatre, was to be torn down and replaced by a new bur- lesque theatre owned by the Columbia Amusement Company., The store tenants in the building have been notified that their leases will not be renewed, but the best information obtain- able seems to indicate that the building is to be replaced by a big five-cent mov- ing picture establishment. The Columbia Amusement Company people disclaim any intention of invading Fourteenth street. LEAVES THE MURRAY HILL. The Columbia Amusement Company (Eastern Burlesque Wheel) must find a new manager for the Murray Hill The- atre next season. Fred Irwin, who ran the house for his partners in the company during the last few months of this season, has thrown up the job. Mr. Irwin says the position caused him to neglect his own shows, and he does not intend to allow it to again happen. There will be a clean sweep in Irwin's "Big Show" and "Majesties" next season. From personnel to pieces everything and everybody will be new in both companies. The pieces are written, and Mr. Irwin will now devote his time to the placing of the shows together, the Murray Hill having closed its regular season last Sat- urday. During the Irwin management of the house the gross averaged about $3,500 weekly, and Mr. Irwin believes with proper direction $4,000 can be reached. TRUTHFUL ALF HERRINGTON. Alf Herrington, owner of the Star The- atre, Scranton, was arrested for speeding his automobile in the city last week. Arraigned in the Harlem police court he swore that the machine was going only at the rate of five miles an hour. The bicycle policeman who made the arrest estimated that the speed was close to 25. The mag- istrate thought Herrington was the better guesser and discharged him. MRS. HUGHES SEEKS DIVORCE. Madge Hughes, a member of "The High School Girls" burlesque company, has en- tered suit in the New York Supreme Court for absolute divorce from Charles Hughes, of Hughes and Brown, who are playing the Family Theatre, Scranton. this week. Mrs. Hughes alleges statutory offenses, although no correspondent is named. The moving papers contain the in- formation that the couple were married In Fall River. Mass.. in the spring of 1899. PRIZE TO INCREASE BUSINESS. Keith's Jersey City theatre, in its quest for business this week, advertises a priae. With each ticket sold from the box office is given a numbered check. During the performance there is a drawing and the lucky possessor of the proper number is presented with a chafing dish, clothes wringer or whatever the premium may be. According to reports the scheme works out very well in increased attendance. THIESE SIGNS UNKNOWN. Alex. Carr, the feature of "Wine, Wo- man and Song," was unable to go on at the New Circle Theatre Tuesday evening, and the story spread that he had quit i.e show. An eye affection confined him to his nome all day, but he rode over to 1 »ie theatre to make his apologies to the audience in person. His head was band- aged and he was hardly recognizable, but the audience accepted his explanation in good faith and few took advantage of the management's offer to refund admission fees. Mr. Carr missed only the Tuesday night show, returning to the cast Wednes- day afternoon. There was a good deal .of scurrying around in search for a substitute Tues- day. In the early afternoon Mortimer M. *. ..*ese, owner of the piece, was recom- mended to try young Meyer Harris, a Hebrew actor, who has been playing at the . nalia Theatre on the Bowery. Harris was coached as thoroughly as the time permitted, and went on in Carr's place for the night performance, playing only in tne first piece and burlesque. The Carr sketch "The End of the World" was omitted, a sketch team filling in the time. Harris did so well in the emergency work that after the performance Thiese took him into his private office in the theatre and signed him for a term of three years. In the discussion following the story on Broadway that Carr had permanently left the "Wine, Woman and Song" show, there came out the report that the comedian is still under contract to the Shuberts. One man went so far as to say that he had seen the Shubert route sheets in the hands of Lee Shubert, on which Carr is scheduled to open the season with Blanche Ring in a new production at the Majestic Theatre, Boston, during the last week in August. Questioned as to the authenticity of this report that Mr. Thiese would make no formal statement, but said: "That is not the way my contract with , Mr. Carr reads. If I remember rightly he is to be in Chicago about that time with 'Wine, Woman and Song.' n WALTERS AND HILL. Frank D. Hill, former manager of the Wilmer & Vincent vaudeville theatres in Utica> and Reading, Pa., has entered into a partnership with Harry Walters, form- erly of Walters and Prouty. Cal Prouty is said to have married and retired from the stage. Under the name of Walters and Hill, the new team will continue with the old act. MIKE SCOTT COMPLAINS. The complaint of Mike Scott against Len Spencer, the agent, of 44 West 28th street, for unpaid salary, has been filed with the License Commissioner. Scott de- clares that Spencer booked him to appear a week in the Nassau Theatre, Jersey City, that he played there three days and that on the fourth the house closed up. For these services he received a total pay- ment of 50 cents, he says. The manager was not to be found. For the information of those who never heard of the Nassau, and there are many such, the place is at 48 and 50 Gregory street, in Jersey City. It has remained closed ever since. Scott is out of town and the hearing before the Commissioner will not be held until his return. INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS FOR RELEASE. The vaudeville appearance next season of Ben Welch on the United Booking Offices time, notwithstanding a contract to play with Weber & Rush's "Parisian Widows" Company on the Eastern Bur lesque Wheel, is made possible through at) arrangement between artist and managers, which many other artists might well think over. When the United offered Welch forty weeks for next season, he explained his obligation to the burlesque managers, and asked that the contracts be held up until he had consulted with them. Welch and Weber & Rush talked the matter over. The burlesque firm estimated the value of the WeU-h contract to themselves and agreed to release him from it. And so the artist has signed advance orders upon his salary each week next season to cover this amount. It will be held back by the United and delivered to Weber & Rush. TURNED DOWN "PART." Because his part in one of Sam Sc-rili- ner's burlesque shows did not suit him, James E. Cooper, the comedian, who had signed with Mr. Scribner for next season, asked the manager for his release, and it was granted. Cooper thinks of going into vaudeville. He played in a Scribner show the season past. $1,000 FOR BRYAN. The benefit tendered Frank D. Bryan last Monday night at the Murray Hill netted over $1,000. The testimonial was an unsolicited one to furnish funds whereby Mr. Bryan could leave town to regain his health. His family is not in need. This report was spread by someone who allowed sympathy to run ahead of the facts. BOOKING CORPORATION OUT. The American Booking Corporation, which began business recently in the Knickerbocker Theatre Building annex, has gone out of business. It was made up of Max H. Meyers, Jules Ruby and Al Gallagher. Gallagher and Ruby have moved down to the St. James Building, and Meyers continues in business under his own name. CONGRATULATED BY MRS. HAVERLY. Mrs. Jack Haverly, wife of the famous minstrel, sent Geo. II. Primrose a letter of congratulation this week upon the suc- cess of Mr. Primrose's vaudeville venture. It is twenty-five years since Mr. Primrose has seen Mrs. Haverly. The minstrel's widow has a composition called "Jack Haverly's Burnt Cork" <>n sale which Mr. Primrose uses for his make-up, and pronounces the best in quality he has ever had. Mrs. Haverly's city address is 208 West 42d street. HOW SCRIBNER SPENT HOLIDAY. On Decoration Day Sam Scribner, of the Columbia Amusement Company, spent the day by going to Evergreen Cemetery, where the remains of Harry Morris, the former burlesque manager, are interrnl. and decorating the grave. Maximillian, the violinist, played the Fifth Avenue last Sunday.