Variety (September 1907)

8 VARIETY GOOD ADVICE The following letter has been forwarded to all members of the White Rats of America: "New York, Sept. 2, 1907. "Dear Sir and Brother: "In view of the abnormal growth of vaudeville during the past few years, and particularly this season, it behooves each member of this organization to: "Live strictly up to his contract. "Avoid unnecessary dispute and discussion. "Be lenient and ready to assist those under whom you are working and do everything in your power to make each performance a success. "Refrain from criticism or comment on other vaudeville acts playing the same town. "Refrain from cancelling or accepting a cancellation of a contract without first submitting your case to this office for advice. "In case of just cause for complaint, submit full details in writing to this office, after having your communication endorsed and substantiated by some artist on the same bill. "We are now well on the road to success and it is fervently hoped that Brother Rats, by their courteous, honorable and gentlemanly behavior, will earn the esteem of the managements by whom they are engaged and thereby assist us in arriving at the goal we aim for: 'The betterment of conditions between the manager and artist.' "Fraternally yours, (Signed) "ft. C. Mudge, "President, W T hite Rats of America." << «r SAYS MEYERHOFF IS ABROAD. According to an officer of the New York Vaudeville Contracting Company, which is seeking to have him declared in contempt of court, Hans Meyerhoff is in Europe, having sailed Aug. 14 on the Holland- American liner "New Amsterdam" from Hoboken. His name did not appear on the printed passenger list from the cir- cumstance, it was said, that he purchased his passage at the last mimjte. Up until that time, according to the statement of the same officer, he had been living in the Meyer Hotel, Hoboken, out- side of the jurisdiction of the New York State courts. The courts have granted the contract- ing company an order requiring Meyerhoff and others to show cause why they should not be declared in contempt, but service has not yet been effected upon Meyerhoff and Felix Reich, against whom it was also directed. Arthur Blondell, an associate of Meyer- hoflTs, appeared before the Supreme Court last week with a motion to be allowed to file an answer to the contempt proceed- ings. At the last hearing of the argument Blondell did not put in an appearance, and this move was designed to correct this. "LIFTED" GUS HILL'S PIN. (ins Hill is learning the ways and habits of the New York pickpockets at great personal expense. In a hurried trip to the Pennsylvania railroad station a night or two ago, a large man on a Sixth avenue street car jostled Hill. The man- ager objected to such usage and the other picked a quarrel. The pair decided to settle the difference on the street. Sev- eral other men on the car got off to watch the festivities. Hill landed one short-arm jab, when the other dropped. Then the crowd closed in to stop the fight. After it was all over Hill's diamond pin !• ml gone hence, and he realized that the whole trouble had been "cooked up" for no other purpose. Next time any one jostles Hill on a car he says he'll sit tight and get his revenge by writing a complaint to the street car company next day. $150,000 PRODUCTION. The Hippodrome opened last Saturday with the production of last season which was carried along by Messrs. Shubert and Anderson on the lines originally laid out by Frederic Thompson before he disasso- ciated himself from the Hippodrome man- agement through the oppressive tactics adopted by the money men behind Thomp- son & Dundy at the time. Under the Shubert-Anderson regime last season the Hippodrome cleared $180,- 000 net. A new production will probably be put on by December 1 to cost $150,000. It will be the proof of the present managers' capacity, and will probably settle the im- mediate future of the massive place as an amusement resort, under the present managers, if the new piece is not suc- cessful. TED MARKS HOME. Ted Marks is home again, making the necessary bookings for the re-opening of the Sunday concerts at the American which will occur on September 20th. Mr. Marks brought back with him from England the sole rights to exhibit the moving pictures of the English Derby, which Richard Croker's horse, "Orby" won. The film is 700 feet in length, and runs about 20 minutes, showing scenes ftorn the early morning gallop to the finish before the grandstand. The ocean traveller also has the pro- duction rights to "Musical Memories," a medley of popular airs requiring 27 min- utes to play, and which is now given as an act by itself at one of the London Halls. OPENING IN WHEELING. Wheeling, W. Va., Sept. 6. Sept. 9 will be the opening date for the brand new play house in Wheeling, known as "Wonderland," owned by the Metropolitan Amusement Co. and man- aged by Harry Rogers, who is well known in this section. DUQUESNE CASE ADJOURNED. Pittsburg, Sept. 6. A flag of truce was flashed in the the- atrical war shortly after 2 p. m. last Mon- day, and the hostilities came to an abrupt ending in Common Pleas Court, where Harry Davis was trying to have the Du- quesne Theatre restrained from playing vaudeville on the grounds that it was being operated by Klaw & Erlanger, with whom he held a contract preventing the hooking of attractions there for some time to come. Mr. Davis, after the adjournment, said 1 "1 did not want to take snap judgment on the people who are scheduled to ap- pear at the Duquesne this afternoon, or this week; but I have a contract with Klaw & Erlanger that means something, and I want to find out what the courts have to say." After the testimony in the case was in, and following the evidence of Thomas F. Kirk, manager of the Nixon Theatre, who in substance testified that the United States Amusement Co. furnished the at- tractions at the Nixon for the summer vaudeville, Attorney Jas. P. Beal, for Mr. Davis, made his argument. Mr. Beal contended that the United States Amusement Co. was nothing more than a cloak to enable Klaw & Erlanger to break their contract with Davis, and establish a competing vaudeville house in Pittsburg. Mr. Burleigh argued the case for the United States Amusement Co., which he said was the sole owner and operator of the Duquesne Theatre, and therefore a third party as far as Mr. Davis' contract was concerned. As for Melville Stoltz, the local manager of the Duquesne, Mr. Bur- leigh said he has been employed but three weeks by the U. S. Amusement Co., and could not know who all the executive of- ficers of the company were. Mr. Burleigh complained of the "indecent haste" which he said was taken in bringing the suit, and read from New York papers to show that the U. S. Amusement Co. was not a thing of straw. "T will bring Klaw & Erlanger here to try this case on its merits if given time," said Mr. Burleigh. The proposition was no sooner made than accepted, and stipu- lations were put in writing to the effect that Klaw & Erlanger would appear and answer the bill. This will probably be done within the next ten days. Many artists were on the stand, includ- ing J. Francis Dooley, Caicedo, Frank Her bert, Al Shean and Geo. W. Monroe. Mr. Monroe was asked for his contract and re- plied that he did "not have any; that he was booked by William Morris for a num- ber of weeks, and would receive orders to appear weekly as the season wore on." Walter C Kelly's engagement at the Palace, London, was prolonged for three weeks over the original time engaged for (four) at an increase of $lf)0 weekly. Mr. Kelly's first salary was $250 fl week; he received $400 for the extra time, and has an offer of $500 weekly for a return en- gagement. No one but those who are fa- miliar with the English conditions ap- preciates what this means, but it stamps Mr. Kelly's unqualified success on the other side even more firmly than the Eng- lish newspapers have reported. WERBA DISCOVERS A BROTHER. It is years and years since Louis F. \Ve«ba, Klaw & Krlanger's general vaude- ville representative, left his Vienna (Aus- tria) home. To be historically correct, Mr. Werba was go young at the time, he did not know the rest of his family, ami the other day received a letter from Con- necticut which told him the writer was his half-brother. The only events of his youth which have impressed themselves upon Werba's mind are that he was a child when he left home, and that he had no say in the leaving. When old enough to know what had hap- p< ned, Mr. Werba found himself in an orphan asylum in big America. He later learned that his father had died when he was four years of age. Shortly before his death, he married again, Mr. Wciba's mother having previously passed away. Louis' father's intention was to provide a mother for his family, whom he Knew he would soon have to leave. Upon iiis death, his second wife slighted the obligation, and in the distribution of the (1 ildren, Louis was consigned to the United States. Mr. Werba left the orphan asylum at the age of fourteen, entering the theatri- cal profession by the business route, be- coming the assistant treasurer of a Cleve- land theatre, occupying the same position which a few years before A. L Erlanger h'n } graced. leaving the box office for the manage- rial end, Mr. Werba at 10 was in charge of all the amusements connected with ScMitz park in Milwaukee. A year later Mr, Werba beame a road manager for Klaw & Erlanger, having command of sev- eral traveling attractions until perma- nently located as the director of the New York Theatre, when that edifice was pur- chased by the "Syndicate" firm. He has continued in the same capacity even lately whtB burdened with the onerous duties of developing and opening the Klaw & Erlanger vaudeville circuit, successfully accomplished this week. During these years Mr. Werba devoted little thought to his blood relatives. Anon a haunting recollection of his youth and the orphan asylum crept into his mind as he traveled over the country. So when Louis received a letter from his own brother Marcus in Milwaukee, saying not to be surprised if a half-brother ap- peared, Mr. Werba felt curiously indiffer- evit only. The undiscovered relative came to town this week, and now Mr. Werba i.ar> a clearer insight into his family con- Tactions. Tda Renee, the English diseuse, arrives to-day. Miss Renee will play the K. & E. time for 20 weeks. PRINCESS DUPLICATE OF ORPHEUM. San Erancisco, Sept. 6. The Princess, a Western States' Vaude- ville Association, opened August 81 to a rapacity house and for the first time in its history the Orpheum has real opposi- tion. This latest addition to the vaude- ville world is almost a duplicate of its next door neighbor, even to the orchestra organ, which has for years been a distinct- ive feature of the older house. The following was the opening bill, all a'ts being afforded equal prominence in the billing: Harton and Ashley, Grace Huntington, in a one act playlet; Spes- sardy's Bears. "Sexton's Dream," Mulvey and Hill, and the McNally Troiipe.