Variety (December 1907)

VARIETY 41 'FRISCO VAUDEVILLE TO DATE. By W. ALFRED WILSON. San Francisco, Dec. 7. One of the effects of the great fire was the destruction of every vaudeville house in San Francisco, and a consequent closing of many houses on the Coast as a result of the interruption of circuit connections. The first attempt to resume was made twelve days after the disaster by D. J. Qrauman who leased for this purpose Solo- mon's Hall, a Masonic meeting place. Despite the fact that Mother Earth was still in an erratic mood a capacity house assembled for the opening; but the au- thorities, fearing a panic, refused to allow the performance to proceed and the audi- ence was dismissed. Nothing daunted, Grauman secured a huge circus tent, and pitching it upon the present site of the National, gave the first theatrical performance since the fatal eighteenth. Though handicapped by many draw- backs, tented vaudeville proved acceptable and became the vogue. The Wigwam, Novelty and Lyric were soon in operation under canvas. Then followed a period of unparalleled pros- perity for the so-called Coast Defenders. Chutes Theatre, pending the completion of the permanent house in the new down- town section. About the first of May a decided change took place in the alignment of the different houses. This was brought about by the decision of Sullivan and Considine to actively enter the California territory, a section they had heretofore covered through an arrangement with the "Three L's" chain of houses. S. & C, by lease and purchase, gained control of a number of California houses and offered for sale to others a franchise privilege of playing their acts. This offer was not acceptable to the Novelty Theatre Co., nor to the Wigwam people, headed by Sam Harris, and they severed their connections with Sullivan - Considine. The dissenters affiliated themselves with the Empire circuit, working in conjunc- tion with the Pantages and Crystal houses. This new combine formed the nucleus of the Western States Vaudeville Association Circuit, which later became a big factor in the Western field of vaude- ville. "The Musical Laugh Makera" ECKHOFF AND GORDON (and the "Bb Clarinet") FRED ECKHOFF and ANNA GORDON in their comedy musical number are using legitimate Instruments on the stage during their time of entertainment, and the coat of the musical Implements total $1,500. We don't have to say "the audience Is quiet, but they go out and talk about us"; they talk with their hands while we are around, and we have never played a deaf or dumb asylum, either. At Proctor's, Newark, we did 29 minutes every show, and on next to closing; same thing at Sbeedy's, Fall River, ssme spot on bill. This season booked solid over Keith-Proctor Circuit. The only people we cheat are ourselves, for we are giving the manager and the public two acts That's certain, for we are a good comedy act, without music, and a good musical act, without com- edy, but what's the difference; we just want everybody to be satisfied, and a little extra measure hurts no one. Most of the Eastern talent had fled, and the locals had an unquestioned monopoly of the field, an advantage they did not fail to utilize. Salaries went up with a bound—in some instances acts tripled in valuation. By the approach of the rainy season the tents had been replaced by semi- permanent structures, the transformation taking place without the interruption of performances. Meanwhile the Orpheum interests ar- ranged to place their combinations at the A result of the competition of the cir- cuits has been a much higher grade of shows at popular prices, and it is safe to assume the bills have doubled in weekly cost. The continued influx of new faces and the policy of maintaining each combina- tion intact over the circuits has made the path of the "Coast Defenders" an exceed- ingly rocky one, and this gallant band of entertainers is fast becoming a mere memory. (Continued on page 50.) THE TALE OF A JOKE. By Joe Whitehead. In the lobby of the Sherman House, In the town they call Chicago, A critic and an agent stood, Frank W T iesberg and Bob Fargo. I butted in between the two, I did the merry sneak, They talked about Variety, And the big page Anniversary week. 1 saw that was no place for me, I turned to duck away, When a voice called, halt, Sir Joseph, Have you anything to say? I took it and was happy, In a month saved ninety cents, Gee, I ain't as happy now, As I was beneath the tents. And speaking about your dressing rooms, Really, say young feller, Some big smoke got my dressing room, For me, poor hick, the cellar. I registered at a hotel once, The clerk said, Booth, skidoo, Or you can hang out in the garret, It's good enough for you. I took the room, it was a shine. The meals they were the same, \\\- c- VV. C. FIELDS, JUGGLER. —Fields is rough, Sir; Old Bill is tough, but he's slick, Sir; Slick is Bill. As the Prince of Wales said when^ he shook my hand, "Fields is rough, and he's tough, But he's dev-ilish slick." With Apologies to Joe Bag stock. 1 said I didn't have a word, I told the truth, for a wonder, But \Vie8berg said, tell me a joke, To put in our Anniversary number. Well, I started in to tell said joke, 1 told most all 1 knew, 'Twas the ups and downs of show life, And most of it was true. I started with the Friday nights, (That's where most of us begin), We get lemons there right off the reel. And watches made of tin. Or say we join a circus, For "ten-a-week and cakes," We'll even carry the center pole, Or get busy driving stakes. We get a job in the concert. We sing and dance and play, (Joe, pal, we're regular actors now, And me for the "Big White Way." 1 wrote to a guy to book the act, In vaudeville, what do you say? I got an answer, here it is, (Vin give you "three-a-day." 'I he letters on the door spelled "dining room," But H—1, what's in a name? Now all this junk was strange to me, With the tents all were alike, If we didn't like our cook tent there, We could all get out and hike. And speaking about expenses, When down to the depot we'd go, We had the same cry every week, "How much is the excess, Bo?" Then we used to send our photos, In advance, nice and clean to a day, When the week was up, we got them back, One look, then threw 'em away. Gee, this business is something awful, To get what one don't deserve, I think I'll do like someone else, And collect things on my nerve. Now our act was the hit of the bill At the morgue and at Pike's Peak, And here I gets a letter, Laying me off on Christmas week. (Continued on page 50.)