Variety (December 1907)

VARIETY WR1ETY A Variety Paper lor Variety People. Published every latnrdaj by THE VARIETY PUBLISHING CO. Knickerbocker Theatre Bnlldlag, 1408 Broadway, New York Olty. Telephone Jim \ \ *028j 88th St. J. Editor and Proprietor. Entered a* $econd-cUu» matter December 22, 1005, at the Pott Ofiloe at New York, N. Y„ under the act of Oongreet of March 8, 1879. CHICAGO OFTICE, Chicago Opera Boom Block (Phone, Main 4880). FRANK WIESBERO, RepreaenUtlTe. BAN rRANCISCO OFFICE, 1118 Yea Van Ave. (Room 118). W. ALFRED WILSON, RepreaenUtlTe. LONDON REPRESENTATIVE, 0. a BARTRAM, 48 Rupert St., W. PARIS REPREbENTATI v E, O. M. SEIBT. 15 cents an agate line. 82.10 an Inch. One pate, 8100; one-half pate, 850; one-quarter page, 825. Chartee for portralta famished on application. Special rate by the month for professional card under heading "Representative Artlata." AdTertlslng copy should be received by Thurs- day st noon to insure publication In current Issue. 4TWADES^r;9y[c0UWCJt» 89 SUBSCRIPTION RATRS. Annual 84 Foreign 6 Six and three months In proportion. Single copies ten cents. VARIETY will be mailed to a permanent ad- dress or ss per route as desired. variety may be had abroad at INTERNATIONAL NEWS OO.'S OFFICES Breams Building. Chancery Lane, LONDON, E. C. ENGLAND. Advertisements forwarded by msll must be sc- companled by remittance, made payable to Variety Publishing Oo. Copyright, 1907, by Variety Publishing Co. Vol. IX. DECEMBER 14. No. 1. To-day Variety commences its third year upon the second anniversary of its birth. We believe birthday congratula- tions are eminently proper, so we con- gratulate ourselves. Two years is a long while looking for- ward; a moment in the past, but we can not forget the declaration at the head of this column upon the occasion of Va- riety's first issue, and we congratulate ourselves more upon this score than any- thing else. Never, since the initial publi- cation of this paper, has the policy been changed one iota. It is precisely the same to-day as it has always been, and Va- riety has proven the opinion that a the- atrical newspaper honestly and fairly con- ducted could not be a failure. That opinion may have been so colored by tradition no one dared to attempt it on the theory it would be a useless and costly experiment. But it was worth the try, and had we failed with us would have gone down the application of the oldest of proverbs "Honesty is the best policy" to theatrical journalism. There has not at any time been a desire on our part to recapitulate what Variety has done—if it has done anything—for the good of the variety business or the artist, but we do want to say that no one has ever read an objectionable or questionable advertisement in our columns; that our news pages are particularly free from scan- dal excepting when the publication is con- sidered a just censure, and that Variety has helped in no inconsiderable manner in raising the general estimation of the vaudeville artist to a much higher level than formerly obtained, mainly through quotations from its columns by the press of this country and Europe, for which we were given credit sometimes in the paper using the matter; more often and most often not. The fixed policy of the paper is for the artist; has been and will be; not for any one artist or for any one class or asso- ciation of artists, but for all the artists. Whether this has been fully appreciated by those who should appreciate it the most we have not stopped to consider; neither do we care, for the raking into the past is a tiresome proceeding at best, but Variety is the first and only paper to stand between the artist and the manager; and when we say "the manager" we do not of a necessity refer only to the United Rooking Offices. That institution is not all the vaudeville of this country by anv means—its own ideas to the contrary—nor are the United acts all the artists of America. The policy of Variety towards opposi- tion in vaudeville remains the same. We believe opposition or organization to be the only salvation of the artist. Without either he can be crushed and oppressed, and we have not the least doubt he would be. As far as Variety could it supported Klaw & Erlanger while that firm was in vaudeville; from the beginning up to the moment they left. When they left, the op- position was taken away by the action, and there was no need to support them further. While in vaudeville Klaw & Erlanger were entitled to all and any consideration, as any opposition would be, but once out, with the reasonable supposition they had accom- plished their aim, or retired in a manner satisfactory to themselves, there remained no further cause to uphold them. Without Klaw & Erlanger entering vaudeville last Spring, the condition would have been much the same as it is now. The short time spent by them in vaudeville did much for the artist, more than the artist seemingly realizes, not having met the condition previously where no opposi- tion existed, a condition on view to-day. The managers advance arguments against this. They say that opposition brings now acts into vaudeville, crowding out the vaudevillian, and so on, but the artist is not required to place full faith in all the manager says. He is a biased person, and when alone or in the company of his con- freres dreams, thinks and talks of low salaries. Some of the leading managers have uttered erroneous statements so often regarding artists and acts that they have finally grown to accept them as true. Variety will support any opposition which may arise in the future. We trust the next promoter of an opposition in vaudeville will not operate on a speculative basis. It is not necessary. There is money in vaudeville. Barrels of it have been taken out, and there are barrels left. It is truly pitiful to behold the manager gnashing his teeth over opposition which may reduce his profits on one house from $150,000 yearly to $100,000. There is a vaudeville theatre close to New York which returns its owner over $300,000 net profit each twelve months, it is open the year around, and has been said to have paid a profit of $400,000 in one year. Variety is for the organization of the artist, thoroughly, properly and directed in a business-like way. It is a safeguard too potent to suffer neglect. We agitated or- ganization strongly, and pointed out the possible developments in vaudeville, which have since occurred. Now is the time to perfect a complete organization. It will never be missed so much as when it is needed. Variety has kept its independence. It occupies a position somewhat unique through devoting space to critical opinions, through which it has incurred the enmity of many artists, no doubt; its policy of, for the artist and in favor of opposition, has brought it the hatred of a great many man- agers. In some cases the outspoken po- licies have rendered it unavoidable, we re- gret to say; in other instances, and this is especially applicable to some managers, we would not have it otherwise. In burlesque at present the stability of that form of amusement is being evidenced daily in the face of the existing theatrical conditions. The people like burlesque, and it only behooves the managers to keep close scrutiny upon their productions. An incentive for a momentary profit, or the belief that a show upon the old-time plane is the best policy only reacts—if not upon the show favoring the procedure, then upon some other. There is no argument possible against good, clean, wholesome entertainment; it will weed out the objectionable patronage, for there are objectionable patrons of bur- lesque theatres the same as there are ob- jectionable burlesque shows. When the undesirable patrons can be driven away from the burlesque theatres through their taste for lewdness remain- ing unsatisfied, then i will the manager who prefers catering to this element see the error of his way. Freedom in burlesque, conducted on the self-same principles now governing it, and a production befitting the prices of admission, will bring reward in the end, more substantial than the looseness which now seems to rule. By "freedom" is not meant vulgarity or suggestiveness, but the free rein given to the comedians under the observation of the producers, or a producer, if one is deemed necessary. A lively, well- dressed, good looking chorus, with female principals, similarly equipped, will do the rest. The next season will develop what the passing of the tented field to the control of the Ringling Brothers means. The new heads of the circus business stand well in their line. The Ringlings are respected for their showmanship and their business deal- ings, and it is universally expected that the coming circus season will witness a large improvement. The aim of summer parks promoters seems to be towards organization. All man- ner of arguments, pro and con, on the subject are expressed. It is a big amusement field, with only a short season. The past season was disheartening to numberless summer park managers, and it will require a pro- fitable season or two, together with a sys- tematized effort, to bring them all, or even a majority, into the semblance of perfect union. Mr. Hymack, the Englishman, with the novelty act, the copy of which, called "Mysticus," received a bad tumble over here, leaves Liverpool on the "Adriatic" Dec. 18, opening at the Colonial Dec. 30. Nellie Wallace, the English comedienne, leaves on the same boat, and appears at the same time and house. May Yohe, who headed the bills at the Chicago vaudeville houses not long ago, is playing a circuit of "ten cent" nouses in California. E. F. Albee, of the United Offices, is expected to return Monday. He has been vacationing at French Lick Springs. John E. Ince, S'r., and Company were closed after the first show Monday at the Trent, Trenton. Catherine Counties and Company were dispatched by M. S. Benth- am to fill up the bill. Little Cliff, an English act, will open in New York on Dec. 23. Bedini and Arthur have been booked by H. B. Marinelli for a foreign tour commencing in June, next. The Bonesettis, acrobats, have had their engagement at the Hippodrome prolonged six weeks. It is a Marinelli act. Winkler's "Five Madcaps" have been booked through the Marinelli office for their acrobatic dance in the burlesque on "The Merry Widow," to be played by the Joe Weber Company commencing Dec. 23. Herbert Lloyd, the comedian, sails on Tuesday next for England, having post- poned his trip a week in order to play an "emergency date" at Bennett's, Montreal. Clermont De Lion opens in New York on Jan. 20. Horace Goldin, the illusionist, assisted by Jeanne Fransioli, will return this month for an American tour, opening at the Colonial Dec. 23. The Sandwinas, a foreign acrobatic number, make their appearance at the Colonial, Dec. 23, booked by H. H. Feiber. Ray Hodgdon, son of Sam Hodgdon, of the United Offices, is recovering from his recent serious illness. Mr. Hodgdon, Jr., enlisted in the U. S. Army, and was stationed at Fort Slocum when his dis- charge from the service on account of sickness was received.