Variety (September 1907)

VARIETY SULLIVAN-CONSIDINE WILL PLAY ACTS TWICE DAILY An Agreement Reached With William Morris, Who Will Supply Headline Acts to the S.-C. Circuit. John W. Considine, the active head of the Sullivan-CouBidine circuit, left New York for the West on Wednesday, after a stay here of a week or so. Before leaving, it is understood Mr. Gonsidine called upon William Morris to ascertain if the latter would book a num- ber of high priced acta for his Far West- ern houses, especially in San Francisco, and the Northwestern country. Grauman's National in San Francisco will play the big Morris acts to be taken by the Sullivan-Considine circuit to that sec- tion, and the Globe in the same city, an- other S.-C. house, will open in two weeks, the building regulations which closed the theatre temporarily having been complied with. Bach of these theatres will play an act two weeks, giving four weeks' con- secutive time in California's largest city. The circuit stands ready to* engage head- line acts as high as $750 weekly for its circuit, with transportation paid both ways. It was rumored that Mr. Morris declined the proposition unless the Sullivan- Considine houses Intended for this class of acts should give two performances daily instead of three, which is general now on ■ the circuit's time in the better class for the feature numbers instead of three, which is general now on the circuit's time in the better class of houses and Mr. Con- 1 sidine is understood to have acceded to this demand. The two-a-day policy for big acts will obtain in the S.-C. houses in San Francisco at least, as a part of a continuous show the remaining numbers playing the usual number of times daily. Sullivan-Considine at present can give 36 weeks., Of these perhaps 24 are con- sidered in the better class, and the ma- jority Of the 24 could play the high priced acts. The Western States Vaudeville Associa- tion giving engagements to first class acts is believed to have caused Mr. Considine to delve into the question of playing similar attractions in his own theatres, and the visit to New York was partly due to this determination. The S.-0. head has believed for some time, despite Mr. Morris' denial, that the agent was Interested in the Western States through Louis Pincus, formerly attached to the Morris office. Mr. Pincus Is now the Eastern booking agent for the S.-C. opposition. Listeners report a stormy meeting between Considine and Morris when the former called at the Morris office on Mon- day or Tuesday of this week. It is said the ending of the wordy argu- ment came when Mr. Morris informed Mr. Considine if he would change the policy of his bouses to the "two-a-day" plan, and furnish sufficient time for the large acts, the Morris office was prepared to deliver to the S.-C. circuit all acts required. HIGHEST PRICED OPENING ACT. Newark, N. J., Sept. 13. Klaw & Erlanger's Shubert Theatre here probably has the highest priced opening act this week ever appearing in a vaude- ville theatre. It is "The Congress of Spanish Dancers." They were given that position in prefer- ence to "laying off." La Esmeralda is not with the group. The act was one of the features at the first performance at the New York Thea- tre. No one will tell the cost of the num- ber. If the management would post the price instead of the name on the placards announcing the turn, it might be changed into a comedy act. TORONTO OPENS SEPT. 30. Toronto, Sept. 13. The Alexandra Theatre, a former Shu- bert house, transferred to the United States Amusement Co. for Klaw & Er- langer vaudeville, while still in process of erection, will open with "Advanced Vaude- ville" on Sept. 30. The theatre has a seating capacity of about 1,800, and the prices of admission will range up to $1. Shea's Music Hall will be the opposition. HIGH PRICED PROTEAN ARTIST. Bertin, a French "protean" or lightning change artist, now playing in South Amer- ica, will come to America next Fall if M. S. Leavitt, who has a contract to place him in this country, can secure the time, also salary. Mr. Leavitt, in proof of Bertin's value, says he is receiving $1,600 weekly on his present South American trip, lasting four months, and to induce the Frenchman to accept the time an advance of $10,000 was given him by the managers on the lower part of the hemisphere. Mr. Leavitt says that $1,500 in South America, whether paid in Mexican money or gold, is equal to $2,000 in United States Treasury certificates, so the latter figure is Bertin's American price, with the vaude- ville managers still obtaining their usual nights' rest. LUBIN BIDS FOR SHUBERT. S.' Lubin, the Philadelphia moving^pic- ture manufacturer, has made a proposi- tion to Klaw & Erlanger for the Shubert Theatre, Brooklyn, now playing vaude- ville as one of the K. & E. circuit. Twenty-five thousand dollars is the rt»- ported figure set by Mr. Lubin. On Thurs- day at the K. & E. offices the proffer was admitted, but no answer had been returned at that time. If the film man secures the house, pos- session will be taken at once, and a pol- icy of moving picture exhibitions, with a light variety entertainment as an inci- dental, will be given. Lubin is now operating a small circuit of this character. WILMER & VINCENT IN NORFOLK. The Colonial Theatre, Norfolk, Va., is being booked by Wilmer & yincent for the opening bill, which plays there week of Sept. 30. This house will be added to the present W. & V. circuit, as will a theatre now building in Richmond, in the same State, when completed. GEORGIA KELLY IN MONOLOGUE. Georgia Kelly, wife of Dan McAvoy, will enter vaudeville as a monologist in ANOTHER WEEK IN HARTFORD. Hartford, Conn., Sept. 13. Klaw & Erlanger's "Advanced Vaude- ville" will again occupy Parson's Theatre in this city next week. "The London Models" will head the bill. LEVI GIVES UP BAND. Maurice Levi's band is a thing of the past. Mr. Levi has accepted the position of musical director with Florenz Zieg- feld's "Parisian Model" for this season, and will also compose the music for the new version of that manager's "Follies of 1907." Mr. Levi opened with his band at Atlan- tic City, playing at Young's Pier during July. He had an engagement of a week at the 23d Street house, and was promised other time by the booking agencies, but the band master did not receive a route or con- tracts. Last week he was directed to play at the Grand Opera House, Pittsburg. At- tempting to assemble his musicians he found they were scattered, and he could not keep the engagement. He thereupon notified the booking office that unless continuous time was laid out for him he would be obliged to give up the contemplated vaudeville tour. Failing to have his request acceded to, Mr. Levi re- leased the members of his musical organi- zation and signed with Mr. Ziegfeld. FEIBER AFTER FATIMA MIRIS. . (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, Sept. 10. H. H. Feiber, the United Booking Of- fices representative, has offered Fatima Miris, the versatile Italian girl, twenty- five weeks in America, with all fares paid. The last item alone means a consider- able outlay, as Miss Miris carries about twenty dressers. HASHIM HAS ROBINSON'S. • Robinson's Opera House at Cincinnati has been leased by Alex. Hashim, who has secured substantial backing in New York City for any theatrical venture to be made there, and now Mr. Hashim wishes to play vaudeville. The ex-Philadelphia vaudeville manager has made application to William Morris, to furnish him with attractions, and the' theatre can be opened for vaudeville any time this arrangement is put through. This would bring Robinson's into' competition with the Columbia, belonging to Anderson & Ziegler. It is not positive, however, that the deal between Hashim and Morris can be consummated, owing to the Max C. Anderson interest in the Columbia, and also the understanding that Geo. Cox, the Cincinnati political "boss," who is a stockholder in the United States Amusement Co., may be interested in the Columbia, which would bring forth an objection to anyone playing the Mor-' ris vaudeville in Cincinnati in opposition. Mr. Hashim is no novice in vaudeville* Some years ago he operated the Grand Opera House in Philadelphia as a circuit of one, in opposition to the Keith Book- ing Office. With but one vaudeville the- atre on his list, and the "barring" sign against him, Mr. Hashim managed to "clean up" $50,000 or $60,000. He met his Waterloo, however, at Bos- ton and Washington during hot weather wfth the same style of entertainment. Afterwards Mr. Hashim commanded a semi-circus which visited Cuba, and since then has been silent in the varieties. AARONS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTA- TIVE. London, Sept. 4. , An announcement has been made here by Klaw & Erlanger that Alfred E. Aarons is the sole authorized European agent of the firm with power to sign con- tracts in their name. THATCHER AND WINTER SPLIT. The partnership of Geo. Thatcher and Banks Winter was short-lived. The couple severed business relations shortly after appearing in Thatcher and Ernest's former sketch, Mr. Winter having taken the place of the late Charles M. Ernest- Mr. Thatcher has gone West to do a single turn for the Western States Vaude- ville Association. He will probably play eight or ten weeks in that section of the country. "one." Miss Kelly will be billed as "Mrs. Dan McAvoy" and M 1 . S. Bentham will act as her agent. OPPOSITION REDUCES PRICES. The Academy of Music in Montreal has announced that beginning Monday the prices of admission will be reduced, 75 cents being charged for the best seats. The Academy is playing Klaw A Erlanger vaudeville in opposition to Bennett's in the same city. Clark Brown, the Bennett, New York representative, declares the Academy has not effected the business at the Bennett, which also charges 75 cents for its best seats. In Hamilton, Can., where both circuits are in close opposition, it is reported that the two theatres are about splitting the business, with no advantage on either side. High priced shows are being given in both houses. _ N. Y. OFFICE FOR LONDON AGENTS. While E. Warner, of Somers & Warner, the London agents, is in the city, he will locate a New York office for his firm, where foreign and American acts will be interchanged and booked. The decision of Mr. Warner that a New York branch is necessary to the business of his firm is accepted as a conclusion that some understanding hasbCen arrived at be- tween the agents and Klaw & Erlanger whereby Somers & Warner will act in \ representative capacity for "Advanced Vaudeville" on the other side. The close connection of the booking firm with the Moss-Stoll Circuit in England |s also mentioned as a possible link betwedn the two vaudeville circuits. Mr. Warner sails for London on Tues- day next.