Variety (December 1907)

VARIETY PLIMMER LEAVES WESTERN. Walter J. Plimmer will cease to be the looking representative of the Empire Cir- cuit Company (Western Burlesque Wheel) to-night. The committee appointed by the last Empire meeting disposed of the matter Tuesday. Plimmer had demanded that the Empire give him a guarantee of enough booking commissions to assure him the ex- pense of the New York offices of the con- cern which he has been paying under a verbal agreement. These expenses amount- ed, according to Plimmer, to about $5,500 a year. After their conference the committee of- fered Plimmer a guarantee of about $4,000 annually in commissions, $100 to each show in the Wheel. The committeemen pointed out that Mr. Plimmer's booking business outside the burlesque wheel (parks, fairs, etc.) amounted to a con- siderable figure and wanted it to be con- sidered as part of his payment as the Em- pire's exclusive agent Plimmer refused to accept this settle- ment and it was agreed he retire from his present position. Paul Wolff, who has been Plimmer's assistant for a number of years, will probably take the position at a salary. Mr. Plimmer will open a general book- ing business elsewhere in the Knicker- bocker Theatre Building beginning Mon- day. He will book the chain of summer parks in New England controlled by the New Haven Railroad's trolley lines and in addition has secured the booking of a new vaudeville house in Philadelphia run by J. G. Jermon and will in all probability be appointed Eastern representative for the Alpha Circuit, a popular priced chain on the Pacific coast. Negotiations are now under way for the latter deal and it will probably be closed next week. NO BURLESQUE FOR BAYONNE. The Bayonne Theatre, Bayonne, N. J., opened Monday with stock burlesque under the management of Dave Kraus. For the present it is improbable that the Empire Circuit (Western Burlesque Wheel) shows will play the stand. It was understood last week that every- thing had been settled to this end, but it is said that Thomas W. Dinkins' franchise for the Bon Ton, Jersey City, gives him the exclusive rights to Western shows in Hudson County, in which Bayonne is situ- ated. "JERSEY LILIES" ENTERTAIN CON- VICTS. Columbus, O., Dec. 6. Columbus is still talking of what hap- pened on Thanksgiving Day when "The Jersey Lilies," intact, gave a performance in the chapel of the Ohio Penitentiary. The show was at the New Gayety last week. J. Frohsin, the manager, con- ceived the idea of entertaining the prison- ers and led his company to the prison. The penitentiary holds many long-term men, and the greeting given the organiza- tion, which appeared in costume; was wildly enthusiastic. It's the first time the "Pen" ever had a performance so glitter- ing. That evening Warden Gould presented Mr. Frohsin, on the stage of the Gayety, in appreciation a handsome cane, made of pieces of horn by a life prisoner. Only a knife and sandpaper were used in the manufacture, the work requiring over six months. "STAR AND GARTER" IN CHICAGO. Chicago, Dec. G. "Star and Garter" is understood to be the name under which the new burlesque theatre of Hyde & Behman's will be known. It opens January 13th, and will play the East?rn Burlesque Wheel attractions. The house cost over $400,000. BOSTON LOSES TIGHTS.. Following a rigorous censorship on bur- lesque shows maintained in Boston by a local semi-religious organization known as "The Watch and Ward Society," spice has all but disappeared from the Wheel shows playing the Hub. Sara Scribner, manager of the Eastern Wheel, this week received an indignant letter from a regular attendant at the Pal- ace, in which the Bostonian protested that "Advanced Burlesque" was "cutting out the tights" and thereby striking a blow at Boston's constitutional rights to "liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Mr. Scribner replied that the managers were not at fault. They would be glad to supply plump choristers gracefully attired in tights to the end of the chapter but for the exactions of the "Watch and Warders." This society has a representative at the opening performance of every burlesque show which visits Boston. BURLESQUE COMEDIAN SERIOUS. Washington, Dec. 6. Will H. Fox, principal comedian with Alf. G. Herrington's "Lady Birds," was up in the local police court last Saturday charged with disorderly conduct. The case was dismissed after a short hearing. Fox explained to the court that at one of the performances during the week, re- marks were addressed to him from a box occuped by a party of race track follow- ers. He replied and the turfmen took ex- ception to the tone of his rejoinders, wait- ing for him at the stage door. Fox "saw 'em first," however, and returned to his dressing room, where he took his revolver, loaded with blank ammunition. When he emerged from the stage door the second time there was a pretty stage battle, fol- lowed by a chase through Washington's principal streets. In the police station Fox deposited $75 (rash) to secure his appearance in court. LOUIE DACRE SETTLES SUIT. Chicago, Dec. G. The suit of Joseph Oppenheimer against Louie Dacre for alleged breach of con- tract was argued before Judge Olson of the Municipal Court on Friday last. Mr. Oppenheimer claimed $1,000 damages, and quoted a few items of expense incurred while she was under his management. They are $250 advanced for special paper, $25 for telegrams, $30 for telephone and $18 for transportation. Miss Dacre asserted that she gave Mr. Oppenheimer three weeks' notice, and his claim was unjust. The case was compromised, and Miss Dacre secured her relea.se by offering $150. settling the long pending case out of court. Adolph Marks represented Mr. Oppenheimer. WESTERN HAS BROOKLYN SHUBERT. James E. Fennessy this week announced in Cincinnati that the Western Burlesque Wheel had taken over the Shubert, Brook- lyn, as one of its stands. This was verified at the New York head- quarters of the Empire Circuit. Hal Clar- endon's dramatic stock company now occu- pies the premises and will continue to hold forth until Christmas week, the first bur- lesque show opening there Dec. 23. The house is understood to have been taken over by the Empire company under the same conditions as obtained in the transfer of the Shubert, Newark, N. J., to their control. The Shuberts and the United States Amusement Company (the concern which operated Klaw & Erlanger vaudeville) hold the lease and the Empire people supply the attractions on a sharing basis of "fifty and fifty." It was also reported that the Brooklyn Shubert (formerly known as the Park) had been offered to the Empire people at an annual rental of $24,000. SHUTS WESTERN OUT OF BAKER. Rochester, Dec. G. The Western Burlesque Wheel, which attempted to enter Rochester through the Baker Theatre, closed as a K. & E. vaude- ville theatre last Saturday, was shut out of the house by Henry Jacobs, the man- ager of the Corinthian in this city, obtain- ing the control of it. Mr. Jacobs personally bought an inter- est in the Baker. He will not concern himself actively in its management, but must be consulted by the Shuberts as to the policy. This effectually shuts out op- position to the Eastern Burlesque Wheel. The arrangement will continue for a period of six years. A dramatic stock company will occupy the house. The date of its opening has not yet been decided upon. Mr. Jacobs plays the Eastern Wheel shows in his house. At first it looked as though the Western might obtain a foot- hold here, but Jacobs closed the deal sud- denly a week ago Thursday after it had seemingly fallen through. RICE AND BARTON'S OPENS TO- RONTO. When the New Columbia Amusement ( otnpany's theatre in Toronto opens Mon- day the attraction will not be the newly organized "Mardi Gras Girls," under the management of Campbell and Reeves, as has been the general understanding. Instead the Rice and Barton "Big Gay- ety" show will go into Toronto to open the house. "The Mardi Gras" girls drop into the Wheel at Harry Jacob's Thea- tre in Rochester, N. Y., just ahead of Rice and Barton's, and play the season out in that position. Sam A. Scribner, general manager of the Columbia Amusement Company, left for Toronto early this week to attend to the preliminaries of the opening. L. Lawrence Weber, followed a few days later and sev- eral of the Columbia Company's executives w ill join them Monday. The Mazetti Troupe of acrobats will be the added attraction of the Rice and Bar- ton organisation for the week. HAS EASTERN MARY ANDERSON ? Louisville, Dec. 6. Vague rumors are to effect that the Columbia Amusement Company (Eastern Burlesque Wheel) is attempting to secure the Mary Anderson Theatre for its shows next season. The house is now playing vaudeville un- der the management of the American Theatre Company, of St. Louis, which se- cured it from Klaw & Erlanger who first operated the Mary Anderson for "Ad- vanced Vaudeville," securing it from the Shubert Brothers at the time of the K. & E.-Shubert merger. It is positively known here that the Eastern Wheel will have a house in Louis- ville next season, and report says the Mary Anderson, although in well-informed quar- ters it is believed that the Hopkins will be the house instead, owing to the opposi- tion of the owners of the Mary Anderson playing anything but legitimate attrac- tions. It is one of the handsomest thea- tres in the country and an effort was made to prevent vaudeville being rlayed «n it. The lease held by the American Com- pany on the Mary Anderson is said to end with the expiration of the present season. "JOLLY ZEB" IN TROUBLE. San Francisco, Dec. 6. Molly Zeb" was a bone of contention between the Western States Circuit and Alpha, being featured at both the Em- pire and the Victory, newly opened, for the week of the 25th. Both circuits claimed to have his signa- ture to contracts for that period. The Alpha people secured an injunction re- straining Zeb from appearing at the Em- pire, but disregarding this, he was at the matinee performance at that house, there- by laying himself open to the charge of contempt of court. He appeared, however, at the Victory that evening and it is believed that the contention over his services has been ad- justed. Smith and Arado joined Watson's "Ori- ental Cosy Corner Girls" here this week, Van Cleve, Denton and Pete having left the show. Hume, Meehan and Hoey will now be the name of the act which was Hume, Cain and Hoey, Mr. Cain having retired to accept a commercial position. LEW ROSE DISPLEASED! On Tuesday night of last week Lew Rose rang the curtain down on "The Parisian Widows" and closed the show ten minutes before the usual time be- cause he was displeased with the extreme contortions of a "cooeh" dancer who had been added to the company as a "strength- ener." The dance is described as being quite the most suggestive thing that has been shown hereabout in a good many months. When Rose looked over the Monday matinee of the show he reported ad- versely upon this feature to Hurtig & Seamon, and was told to use his own discretion in curbing the enthusiasm of the young woman. Accordingly he told the company's manager that the dance would have to be "toned," and threatened to ring the curtain down if his orders were not obeyed. At the Tuesday evening performance the Oriental wiggler gave her specialty again in all its Oriental exuberance, and Rose made good his threat right in the middle of the number. Mr. Rose is the husband of Millie DeLcon ("The Girl in Blue"). Miss Del.eon played at the same house the week before as a special feature of Hurtig & Seamon's "Bowery Burlesquers."