Variety (September 1907)

VARIETY CHICAGO CIRCUIT OF EIGHT WEEKS. Chicago, Sept. 20. A combination of eight first-class popu- lar price theatres located in and around Chicago has been arranged by the West- ern Vaudeville Association and formed into a circuit which promises to be of unusual benefit to the acts in the way of reducing the cost of transportation. The plan, as formulated by Walter F. Keefe and his associates in the Majestic Theatre building, provides eight weeks of consecutive engagements almost within the city limits. The railroad fare, includ- ing transportation of baggage, for the en- tire two months will not exceed $6 per capita. All the theatres can be reached from the city by street cars. The list of houses comprises the War- rington Opera House, Oak Park, 111., under the management of Frank H. June, a new and handsome building seating 1,400 per- sons; the new playhouse in South Chi- cago, recently completed for C. E. Kohl, and the new Orpheum on State street; also Howard's Theatre, Belmont avenue and Lincoln street, under the management of Howard & Kilroy; the Sixty-third Street in Englewood and a new house now in course of construction on Milwaukee avenue. The last two will open about Nov. 1. Kensington, 111., a suburb, is linked to the circuit, exchanging' bills weekly with the house in South Chicago. The new Virginia Theatre, Halstead street near Madison, which Paul D. Howse, general manager of "White City," has promoted and built, will be added as soon as the building is completed. The future policy of the unfinished house was unsettled until this week, al- though there have been several reports that it would be devoted to the drama, stock or musical comedy. The Virginia, where three shows daily will be given, is within range of four the- atres and within half a block of the Haymarket, a Kohl & Castle house. Its seating capacity is about 800. THE FAYS ON BROADWAY (?). It is rumored that negotiations are under way which will land The Fays (John T. and Eva) on Broadway at the head of a stock company and possibly in their own theatre. The style of entertainment to be given has not leaked out, but it will contain as a matter of course the "thought trans- mission" act made popular in New York by this couple. The name of the vaudeville turn now offered by The Fays may be changed to Mrs. Eva Fay, John T. no longer appear- ing in the billing. Last week when Gus Elen's throat at the New York occasioned his retirement from the bill suddenly on Friday The Fays were called upon at G:30 p. m. to re- place him. This they did, removing their trunks from storage and going on *t the appointed time. To those acquainted with the act it was a hazardous though successful undertaking. OBERMAYER MANAGER NEW AGENCY. The New York office of Soiners & War- ner, the London agents, has been located 00 Broadway, with B. Oberinayer, the for- eign agent, in charge. ./"'Mr. Obermaver is well and favorably known on both sides of the water, hav- ing always borne a reputation for the proper conduct of bis business affairs en- vied by any numher ot others engaged in the same line. The local branch will export acts to Europe. Mr. Obennayer will make the engagements, having all the time of the main office at London at his command. This includes the 32 weeks of the Moss- Stoll Tour, and 15 weeks given by Wal- ter Gibbon*, all in England, while Som- ers & Warner also book for several Con- tinental houses, besides scattered vaude- ville theatres not attached to any circuit. E. Warner, of the firm, left for home Tuesday. The foreign acts coming over under the direction of Somers & Warner will be taken charge of l>v Mr. Obermaver on this side. REDUCES IN PITTSBURG. Pittsburg, Sept. 20. The prices of admission at Klaw & Erlanger's Duquesne Theatre have been reduced to 50 cents at night for the best orchestra seat, and 35 cents at matinee. This is one-half the prices charged by the opposing theatre, Grand Opera House, managed by Harry Davis. It is rumored here that provided "the reduction does not bring the result an- ticipated, a still further cutting of the admission scale will take place. The reduction had the effect of increas- ing business at the Duquesne, while it did not affect the attendance at the CJrand Opera House. The reports about K. & E. opening the Bijou are discredited here, where it is said Harry Davis* financial interest in that house as a partner of R. M. Gulh-k i» such that any attempt to secure the theatre for vaudeville would fail. Messrs. Gulick and Davis hold an agree- ment from Klaw & Erlanger to book the Bijou and Alvin with legitimate attrac- tions only. At the time this was entered into previous contracts for the Nixon and Kast Liberty were accepted, and this, as well as Mr. Davis' connection with the managerial end of the Bijou, is figured to prevent the possible opening of the house for "Advanced Vaudeville." DELLA FOX RECOVERING. Pittsburg, Sept. 20. Delia Fox, who has been confined to her room at the Hotel Lincoln through illness, had an operation performed last Satur- day and is now recovering. HAS ACT PROTECTED. . Through her attorneys this week Ida Fuller, the "fire dancer" at the New York Theatre, notified the United Booking Of- fices that Rialto, a dancer playing at the Union Square this week, was infringing upon her dance and the management would be held Accountable if continued. The case of Miff Fuller against Gilmore & Tompkins and Frank McKee, the man- agers who allowed an infringement in the Academy of Music in 1902, was cited to the United as a further warning, Miss Fuller having received a verdict against the managers in that action. SKETCH AT NEW YORK. For the first time since the New York has held "Advanced Vaudeville" a sketch will occupy a place on the program next week. Maude Hall-Mac v and Company in "The Magpie and the Jay" have been se- lected for the experiment. If the comedy sketch proves successful on the large btage, the "sketch" will likely become a permanent institution at the New York— also other Klaw & Erlanger theatres which have up to now not considered that class of variety entertainment essential. Allenei's Monkey, one of the numbers at the New York this week, was taken out of the bill on Tuesday on account of illness. No act replaced it, reducing the turns to nine, the usual allotment. Mile. Lucile Murger, who is making her first appearance at the New York, has opened the show since Allenei retired. She will be held over in the same position next week probably, there being no other place for her to go. There are still two more weeks after that for which to figure out her stopping place. The Frenchwoman threatened to throw up her job when told she would have to open the show, and every one within hearing held on to their thumbs in the hope it would come true—but it didn't. WEATHER CHANGE BRINGS SMILES. With the breaking of the warm spell the middle of this week, receipts soared all over the country. On Tuesday, the last warm day, the Oayety in Williams- burg, L. I., did $700 for both perform- ances with the "Gay Masqueraders" as the attraction. Wednesday, with a rainy afternoon and evening to drive the peo- ple indooors, the takings jumped to about $1,300. The vaudeville houses took on a new lease of life also, and the booking offices lost their atmosphere of gloom. "BURKE AND DEMPSEY" NO LONGER. Billy Burke is no longer of the conver- sation team of Burke and Dempsey. He will go into the producing business. One of his ventures will be the production of a new act under the title of "The New Scholar," with Clarence Wilbur and 10 people. Wilbur is now with a burlesque company and the enterprise will not be started until the burlesque season closes. Tom Dempsey is working alone. He has "broken in" a new act out of town. Burke is managing the act. ACROBATS* COMING DELAYED A YEAR. The Kcllinos, European acrobats, claimed to be the best on the other side, will not visit America this season. The act was booked by Klaw &■ Erlanger, but through its inability to reach here when wanted the engagement has been put for- ward one year. Dorsey Lowenstein no longer represents Vauikty in any capacity. Any credential presented by Mr. Lowenstein should be ignored. BENNETT WILL GIVE RELIEF. Bennett's Auditorium in Quebec, Can., will organize a big benefit for the relief of the families left destitute by the death of workmen in the collapse of the big cantilever bridge across the St. Lawrence RiveT at Quebec. At the same time the other houses of the Bennett circuit, although they will not announce any large benefit perform- ances, will send contributions to the chari- table fund from their receipts. THE POWER OF "PULL." Waterbury, Conn., Sept. 20. Oh, it's great to be a political power! James Harrington, the owner of the Lyric Theatre, offering a five-cent picture show, was arrested, charged with viola- tion of the ordinance against giving Sun- day performances. At the court hearing Mr. Harrington protested that he was at a loss to understand the action of the authorities in arresting him when the Auditorium, the Poli house, not a stone's throw from the Lyric, gave Sunday shows undisturbed, both afternoon and night. The court could not sec any logic in this argument and mulcted Mr.. Harrington in the sum of $25. KEENEY'S OPENS MONDAY. Frank A. Keeney's Fulton Street the- atre, Brooklyn, opens Monday, and is now generally considered in forced com- petition with Williams' Onpheum, and Klaw & Erlanger's Grand Opera House, on the same thoroughfare, although some distance removed. The quality of the bills presented by his competitors will hoist up the cost of Mr. Keeney's bills this season, it is said, and Keeney's opening show has been awaited with some interest. For the first week, Mr. Keeney has Au- brey Boucicault and Company, Katie Barry, Royal Musical Five, Byers and Herman, Mildred Hanson, Harlem Broth- ers, Hallen and Hayes, Norton and Pat- terson and moving pictures. Mr. Keeney's New Britain (Conn.) house starts its season at the same time, with Bailey and Austin and James and Sadie Leonard as features. BOTH PLAYING "ADVANCED." St. Louis, Sept. 20. The newspaper advertisements of the (larrick (Klaw & Erlanger), and the Co- lumbia (Middleton & Tate), both pro- claim that they are presenting "Advanced Vaudeville." The Columbia copying the billing of its opposition is accepted here as evi- dence that the box otlice has discovered "Advanced Vaudeville" is a drawing card. AERONAUT KILLED. Carrie Meyers, of Springfield, Mass., an aeronaut employed by the Boston Balloon Company, was killed in an ascension at (Mean, N. Y., Saturday. Miss Meyers made a parachute drop Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the County Fair, Olean. On the second day she sprained her wrist, but insisted upon going up without a life belt Saturday. The balloon carried her to a height of 2.000 feet before she cut loose the para- chute and began the descent. When 1,000 feet from the ground she reached with her uninjured arm to make the second cut, when the sprained wrist gave out and she dropped. She was picked up horribly mangled. Miss Meyers in private life was Mrs. W. II. Wilcox. Her husband had formerly been an aeronaut, but is now an electrical engineer on the N. Y., N. IT. & IT. Rail- road. Quinlan and Mack are playing both the Union Square and Fifty-eighth Street this week, replacing an act at the latter house on Monday evening.