Variety (November 1907)

VARIETY ARTI STS* FO RUM Confln* your letters to 180 words and writ* on on* sldo of paper only. Anonymous communications will not be printed. Nome of writer must be signed end will be beld In strict confidence. If desired. Philadelphia, Nov. 2. Editor Variety : Seeing we are mentioned among the acts named by E. Ed. Ackerman in his reasons for asking for a rearrangement of trans- portation matters, when acts are booked in the East for time on the Western States Vaudeville Association Circuit, we wish to make plain our side. We were booked for four weeks at the Wigwam in San Francisco and played this time as scheduled. Without first securing our consent, Ackerman arranged for our act to remain on the coast, and we consented to appear first at the Empire after receiving word from William Morris that our origi- nal booking, which called for us to appear at Kansas City, would hold good. We also asked an increase of $50 in salary and re- ceived it and received the advance for an- other week at Sacramento. After this Ackerman secured us a week with the 'Texas Steer" Company, with the promise of ten more weeks which we did not get. Ackerman then asked us to play a return date at the Wigwam for the origi- nal salary and this we refused to do. Our contract being fulfilled we booked two weeks with Sidney Grauman at the Na- tional and played this before returning to play the K. & E. time, saving the loss of two weeks at a big salary. When we booked the Western time we were given the usual transportation there and return, and upon our refusal to play for Acker- man at the original salary he claimed we had violated our contract, cancelling our right to the return transportation. We used the tickets and it is upon this that Ackerman bases his complaint. We claim that the W. S. V. A. had no further claim on our services after we had fulfilled our original contracts and were at liberty to do business with Grauman as free agents. We hope you will give this pub- licity to straighten out our side of the case as we notice Ackerman intends to take the matter up with the White Rats. We have telegrams to substantiate all our claims. Harry Sylvester, Frank Moncll, Geo. W. Jones, Aubrey C. Pringle. "That Quartet." Newark, N. J., Nov. 6. Editor Varikty: Referring to Dash's review of our act at Pastor's last week, in which he infers that I am using the "prop" big hat that belongs to Mr. Huston, I beg to inform you that I have used that "prop" for years in my act. It originally belonged to Mr. Harry Foy, of Foy and Clark, in his old act "The Man Across the Street," and he personally gave me the right to use said hat. Chas. Ascott, Of Ascott-Eddie Trio. 310 West 45th Street, New York, Nov. 2. Editor Variety: Replying to Edgar Foreman, would say that I have played my act ("The First Quarrel") for the time I had booked. I did not know any one was using the same title until I had my printing and be- gan playing. I do not intend employing that title any longer, as I would not use anything others are using, and have used before me, if I knew it. I have my own acts, songs, words and music, copyrighted. I am not a pirate and have no need for Mr. Foreman's brains or his -act. ^ — Chat. Lo Mier\^) Of The Lo Miers. New Haven, Nov. 1. Editor Variety: To settle an argument please be kind enough to let me know in Variety who is the champion female buck dancer of America and who is the holder of the original Richard K. Fox medal, when and where was it won. Harry Dudley, Of Dudley and Cheslyn. [Ida May Chadwick, of The Chadwick Trio, is the holder of the Richard K. Fox championship medal for wooden shoe buck dancing, won by her in competition at Tammany Hall on the occasion of the ball of the Employees of Tony Pastor's Theatre in January, 1905, and retained by Miss Chadwick in 1906. Bertha Gleeson, of John and Bertha Gleeson and Fred Houli- han, holds the Richard K. Fox medal for soft shoe dancing, won by Miss Gleeson at the ball given in 1904.—Ed.] Lowville, N. Y., Oct. 28. Editor Variety: Will you kindly say that "The Mitchell All Star Players" stranded in Lowville, October 26. The manager, Mr. Mitchell, and his wife, known as C. M. Atkinson, left all his people without a cent to pay hotel bills or railroad fare. This is for the protection of artists. There were two teams of vaudevillians. One had a small baby and she is the worst sufferer. This is a true statement and anyone can write to the manager of the Opera House or the Windsor Hotel here. If anyone knows the whereabouts of B. Frank Mitchell or his wife, known as C. M. Atkinson, please write, care Variety. Jno. J. Boyle, Helen Amelia Reid, Fred T. Humes, Eva Lewis. Nov. 2. Editor Variety: Regarding Marion and Dean's letter about my stealing the word "nifty" from them. I have been using "nifty" ever since a child. In fact all my professional friends call me Nifty. I am sure everybody knows who "nifty" belongs to. So three cheers for Johnnie Joseph Nifty Stanley, The vaudevillian of note, better known as Gus Edwards' leading man. Does anybody want a blonde? Curtain.' PHILADELPHIA MANAGER SUICIDE. Philadelphia, Nov. 8. Gustav Wegefarth, lessee and manager of the Grand Opera House, playing popu- lar price attractions, died Wednesday as the result of three self-inflicted bullet wounds in the head. He shot himself last Sunday at his home. With the announce- ment of Wegefarth's death came the re- port that Stair & Haviland had taken possession of the house, and that one week ago this firm had secretly purchased the lease from Wegefarth. The price is not known. The sale was not mentioned to the em- ployees of the house or to Wegefarth's family, and the transfer was a big sur- prise. Stair & Haviland were here to-day. It is reported that George Sutton, for many years the treasurer, will be the nc.v manager and the same class of attractions will be played. Wegefarth came here five years ago and made a success at the Grand after others had failed. The Hashim Brothers had vaudeville there for some time, sev- eral years ago. Prior to his appearance in this city Wegefarth engaged in the theatrical business in Buffalo and Wash- ington. He also controlled the Salem Opera House. He was promoter and one of the principal stockholders in the new William Penn Theatre in West Philadel- phia, still uncompleted. It was to have opened in September, and this delay, with the closing of the deal which took the Grand from his hands, is given, as the cause for his suicide. Wegefarth was 55 years of age and was popular here, being charitably disposed and frequently giving aid to various charities. NO CHANGE IN PHILADELPHIA. Philadelphia, Nov. 8. There was no change in the aspect of affairs in the vaudeville situation here this week. The "Steam Roller" was still in action at the Forrest. The fact that business continued big argued more in favor of the "advanced" system when the class of the bill is considered. Manager Fishel is enthusiastic over the showing made and expressed the opinion that the big shows which are being ar- ranged are bound to keep the crowds com- ing. The press is unanimous in its sup- port, and the general improvement the past two weeks is plainly noticeable. The inroads the Forrest has been mak- ing in the vaudeville patronage is not felt at Keith's, where the varied and enter- taining bill drew crowded houses twice a day, proving that with proper handling and good shows there is room for both. PLANS FILED FOR NEW HOUSE. San Francisco, Nov. 8. The People's Amusement Company, in which Sam Harris, of the Western States Circuit, is one of the principal movers, has started to erect a Class A building, an- nouncing in the plans filed with the build- ing inspection department that the place is to be used for theatrical purposes. It is on the same block with the Wig- wam (Grauman). It will be known as "The People's" and have a seating ca- pacity of 1,880. It is expected to be ready for opening in six months. BOSTON STARTS BIG. Boston, Nov. 8. The "Advanced Vaudeville Festival," a second edition of the Advanced program by Klaw & Erlanger at the Tremont, is now on. It differs from the first in that it is real vaudeville—full of acts that really interest audiences, full of snap and go, and without a single draggy number in the list. For eight weeks the Tremont has been laboring under the burden of bills far from "Advanced," and it has been an uphill road to secure satisfactory audiences to come to see the shows. But this week shows a marked difference. On Monday afternoon there was a ldng line of buyers at the box office, even after the show opened. It was bigger in the evening, and as big on 3fr*Mia7 at-feoih shows. The word had spread that it is a good show and, as Bostonians always do, they flocked to see it. "The Steam Roller" was out in earnest all this week, and the advertisements in the papers were unusual in their directness, but beyond increasing the size of their ad- vertisements a little on Sunday, the Keith and Orpheura theatres apparently took no notice of the opposition's endeavors to cre- ate excitement. It is emphatically denied at these two houses that there is a "war" on in Boston. MEYERHOFF SERVED. After a delay of several months Hans Meyerhoff was served this week with a copy of the court order requiring him to show cause why he should not be declared in contempt of court. The action was brought by Mrs. Meyerhoff as receiver for the New York Vaudeville Contracting Company, from which Meyerhoff retired recently. The order was returned before Justice O'Gorman in the Supreme Court Thurs- day and the matter was referred to actions already pending against James Plunkett, Felix Reich, Arthur Blondell and Harland Cox, who are co-defendants. Now that the whole case is in some definite sort of shape it is likely that im- mediate hearings will be arranged and the taking of testimony commenced. The first will probably be held next week in Lawyer Brown's office on lower Broad- way. TWO HOUSES GO UNDER. Springfield, 111., Nov. 8. The Orpheum Theatre, conducted in this city under the management of Meyer A Watts and hooking through one of the Middle Western combinations, closed down Thursday. The Star, Lincoln, Neb., which is under the same management, is also announced to have given up the ghost. nt least for the present. Poor business and consequent financial losses are stated as the cause of the abandonment <>f the enterprise. Salaries were paid in full up to the date of closing. I^«st week while playing at the Gaiety, Brooklyn, Sain Qoldie, manager of the "Bon Tons," gave a banquet to Guy Raw- son, the chief comedian of the company, and the members of the show who at- tended presented Mr. RaWton with a cane.