Variety (December 1907)

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& VARIETY "SKIQIE" BALKS AT BURLESQUE Sees "The New Century Qirls" and Says It's No Use; He Can't Tell What It's About. It's no use going to a burlesque show; I can't tell what it's about, and I doift want to go any more. That show at the Dewey ("New Century Girls") was all right, but I didn't know what they were doing. There are two acts, and the sec- ond (burlesque) is better than the other (first part). In the first act it's just all about 'Lil- lian Russell" and "Mansfield," and, bye and bye, a fellow gets shot, and that's all I could make out, and there are two blonde girls there I thought were sisters (May Belle and Isabelle Httfd) and all the chorus girls are homely and some- times they are wearing short dresses and sometimes nothing at all (tights), and I don't think so much of them; they make me sick when they have nothing on. Somebody is singing all the time, and they sang "Schnitzen Baum," and I heard it in a Nickelodeon, where they had a big sheet and the voice came through a moving picture, and I liked it better, an! they sang "Splash Me," and I liked the * girl (May Belle) who sang that the best in the show, and they pushed a fellow right in a box. In the second act there was a tramp (Ben Rigg,s), who stole everything on the stage, and then a fellow dies, and the undertaker came and was going to cut him up, but he turned over, and I thought the tramp would steal him, too, but he didn't, but he stole a policeman, and that was funny, and I didn't cure any for the vaudeville acts. They were the same people in the show, and I liked the moving pictures (Burns-Moir fight), and there were a couple of fellows dressed up as girls (Eddie Brennan and Jack Mc- Cabe), and when they said anything they threw up their skirt,s and you could see under, and everybody laughed, and all the men were funny the way they acted, but I don't like burlesque because I don't know what it's about. "HEALER" WON'T VISIT US. Al. H. Woods has given up the project^ of importing Dr. Walter Bodie, the Eng- lish "healer," for exploitation in this coun- try. Arrangements were closed last sum- mer for his appearance in New York dur- ing October and November of this year. Mr. Woods had secured an option on the New York Roof for tliat time. Unable to secure a license, however, for the "healer's" appearance, Mr. Woods has abandoned the scheme. Dr. Bodie has ad- vertised the failure to secure official per- mission for his appearance here in the English trade papers. THE HAMBURGER DOM. Berlin, Dee. lf>. Everyone has heard <»f the Hamburger Dom |cainival Off fair), which beside all the theatre! and dancing halls give va- i iet v shows. In St. Pauli there are about ten acres of variety, hippodrome*, caroussels of all soils and side shows of every kind you can think of. Imagine about 200 grind- organ*, bands, drums, bells and shouters all going at once. For years the Hamburger Dom has been the rendezvous of artists, directors and agents. Hamburg was the place to show and book any new or good act. I was two days in Hamburg and met many ads that have been going there for \ears. and they all complain that the Dom' is not what it was. Where usually there were about twenty new acts, now only about three to five novelties are shown, and where the manager! and agents formerly remained a week or longer, this year they left after the first or second dav, many managers staving away aUogxjiher. It is aj^vell known fact that very little salary is paid during the Dom. No doubt it pays many an act to work cheap, but this is a thing of the past, and the artists are very much disappointed* They will know better than to go again and work for nothing in the hope of securing con- tracts. If one has a noveltv nowadavs, he can secure work at anv of the leading thea- ties and be paid for it. My advice is, keep away from the Hamburg Dom. New is "Jenny Maningo." She i,s at the Flora and as a bright young girl, doing an act like Conchas. She is young, good looking, with everything in her favor. At the Hans* Theatre there is a good program and several good acts —new to me. One is L. Gautier's Ponies. This Is sure to catch on. The curtain raises on an up-to-date toy shop. The ponies are posted on either a see-saw, or swing, or rocking horse, very pretty, and something for the women and children. Another good act is Bitter Ronroff in a novelty on horseback with a "ballerina." The horse goes through all the steps set by the ballerina. Les Fleurys with an act, "Paris Types," is good, doing about twenty changes in twenty minute*. A good act for anywhere. Old Nick. ORPHEUM'S SUCCESSFUL OPENING. Memphis, Dec. L'7. The latest Orpheum Theatre, an addi- tional link to the great Orpheum Circuit, was opened here on Monday evening last in a most befitting manner. "The \ people of Memphis were present in all the quantity the theatre would hold, and'the former Grand Opera House has been transformed, in the short time since the Orpheum Circuit came into possession of the house to a beautiful theatre, one of the handsomest in the South. Charles E. Bray, acting general man ager of the circuit, was present and pleas- ant, creating a most agreeable impression upon Memphis, which- will react to benefit of Max Fabish, the resident manager. The inaugural Orpheum bill was a good one and pleased. CAN'T REFUSE ADMISSION. - Hamburg, Dec. 13. Although K. Wolheini, of the Marinelli London office, held a ticket of admission, purchased by him for entrance into the Hansa Theatre, admittance was refused him by the management, due to some feeling between the house and the Mar- inelli agency. Mr. Wolheini placed the matter in the hands of a lawyer, and yesterday the court decided the Hansa must honor its ticket until the date of expiration, December 18. It is believed Wolheini expected the court would fine the management, and for this reason, more than for the object of gaining entrance to the house, went into court. PICTURE MEN'S BOOKING AGENCY. The Nickelets and moving picture places about New York, which only recently b«»- gan to add vaudeville acts to their pro- grams, are not slow in making the next siep in their development into an organiza- tion. A dozen or fifteen have combined into :\ cohesive booking circuit, and all together play in the neighborhood of fifty acts a week. James Harry, manager of Local No. 1, Actors' Union, supplies the attrac- tions. Bach act i.s called upon to do about six minutes for a turn, and shows from three to six shows a day. The place* in the miniature theatre circuit are within a radius of 20 miles of City Hall, from Long Island to Yonkers, and some of the acts play the whole chain. Kitts and Windrum open Jan. G at the New York. NEWEST PICTURE SHOW OPENS. The Unique, the newest and easily the handsomest popular priced vaudeville the- atre in the city, opened Saturday night, on Fast 14th Street, opposite the Academy of Music. It Occupies the building for- merly known as "The Alhanibra." This week the entertainment furnished consisted of three moving picture reels and illustrated sorgs, for an admission fee of 10 cents. When the house is in running order two or three vaudeville acts will i •• added. The manager of the place. Win. A. Brady, who also operates the Comedy Theatre, a similar establishment on 14th Street, is in negotiation with the Actors' I'niou to supply the attractions. The interior of the Unique is elaborately decorated in red and gold and seats are provided for close to 1,200 persons. The show is continuous. It is said its owners have in mind the scheme of building up a considerable circuit In Greater New York. WILMER & VINCENT OPEN ORPHEUM. East on, Pa., Dec. 27. The Orpheum, the new playhouse here on the Wilmer & Vincent Circuit, opened Monday evening. The opening bill is made lip of Deltorelli and (ilissando, Amerieus Comedy Four. Armstrong and Clark. Max Witt's "Singing Colleens," Casting Dun- bars, Adelaide Herrmann and Co., and pic- ture*. The Majestic Trio replaced Steven- son and Nugent, who did not appear. The newspapers comment upon the show favorably. The Orpheum is to be operated in conjunction with the other Wilmor & Vincent theatres. ,1. J. Osterstock is res- ident manager; <;. p. Kveritt is treasurer; .1. Win. Mellaney is assistant treasurer; I. Thomas advertising agent, and II: J. Andrews musical director. BERLIN NOTES By "OLD NICK." Berlin, Dec. 11. All the theatres have good programs, especially the Wintergarten, and business is excellent. One of the most novel shows of the sea- son is at the Wintergarten. It is "Toque," "the juggling dog," on horseback. This is a real novelty, and I hear booked with Keith for later. Imagine a French poodle doing a juggling act while standing on his hind legs, the horse going at a fair ■peed. The dog also does a double riding act with his master, really wonderful. Beside the dog runs full speed down an in- cline, and turn* forward somersaults over horses, etc. The Boganny Troupe are on their sec- ond month, and doing as well as in the lirst. 1 hey are a" lively" acrobatic act, dressed as bakers, and make things lively for about ten minutes. The Flood Brother*, American comedy acrobats, have made a hit, and are sure to catch on all over the Continent. At the Apollo Sylvester S'chaeflfer, Jr.. "the universal arti,st," is in his third month, and business continues good. The rendezvous for "the boys" Ls "The Bodega," Friedrichstrasse, near the Win- tergarten. You can always meet the bunch there in the morning, having a lit- tle vermouth after practice. They ex- change news and tell some stories, some new, some old (most old). I would advise Americans to go to "Das Program/ 1 or the Loge (I. A. L.), to have their contracts looked over before sign- ing. There have been many disappoint- ments of late, and some have had time to go fishing. John Ringling (he is called "Herr Di- rector" over here) is expected soon. Ted Leamy ("The Silver King") will be with him. Leamy is responsible for the "Leamy Cocktail*" (title). I will visit the Wallhalle and the cir- cuses next and report to you. American artists can obtain VARIETY at the oftice of "Das Program." BERLIN MANAGER GOES HOME. Herr Ileinemarin, the Berlin manager, returned home this week after a short visit 13 this side of the water. The purpose of his trip was to place a new illusion over here. Herr Eleinemann just before sailing for America abandoned his pet project for establishing a moving picture theatre in Merlin. He fitted up an expensive place on Friedrichstrasse, the principal thor- oughfare of Berlin, and went into the en- terprise on a lavish scale. The city authorities interposed objections on the score of fire regulations, and this was followed by a train of other mishaps. Finally Heir Heinemann surrendered the project in favor of a European moving pic- ture man. losing $12,000 on the venture. McKay and Cant well have been booked to appear at the Palace, London, next May.