Variety (February 1908)

TiA.- • AU. Forty Pages TEN CENTS VOL. IX., NO. 8. FEBRUARY 1, 1908. PRICE TEN CENTS. WILLIAM MORRIS IN EUROPE: BOOKING V AUDEVILLE FEATURES The Independent Agent Quietly Steals Away. May Return in Ten Days. Last Monday morning William Morris, the agent, arrived at Plymouth, England, on the "Kronprinzessin Cecile." From London Mr. Morris will visit Paris, Berlin and Vienna, before starting upon the re- turn trip home. He is expected at his office in ten days or two weeks. Mr. Morris has gone abroad to book foreign acts for next season. He is re- ported to have taken the voyage at this time, deeming it opportune owing to the present vaudeville conditions which for- bid the engaging of foreign attractions at the present time by the United Booking Offices. It is presumed that while abroad Mr. Morris will enter into some booking con- nection for the representation of the Mor- ris office in Europe. Accompanying the agent is Edward Blondell. All the preparations for the trip were secretly made. It was given out at the Morris office that the head of the house had gone west. Blondell said he intended taking a trip to Beaumont, Texas. A week ago Wednesday, when the ship sailed, Morris and Blondell went aboard as passengers, registered under assumed names. No inkling of Morris' whereabouts leaked out until he landed on the other side. It was authentically stated this week by a Morris representative enabled to speak "by the book'* that William Morris would have two vaudeville theatres in the Borough of Manhattan next season, and "that they are houses now playing legiti- mate attractions." No information as to the certain houses would be volunteered. A man supposed to have intimate knowledge with happen- ings in vaudeville said on Wednesday to a Variety representative, "What do you think of vaudeville in a Broadway theatre next season?" A strong rumor was afloat this week that the Morris office was about to place the finishing touches to the details which would give it three out-of-town houses, possession to be taken next September. Each is located in a city where there is a house booked by the United Offices. The larger of the three cities, it was said, would come as a sensational surprise when announced. SUNDAY SHOW AT CIRCLE. Gus Edwards will inaugurate a new idea in Sunday concerts at the Grcle Theatre to-morrow. The acts will be seated among the audience, and upon being announced by a "master of cere- monies" will come forward one at a time and do their "bit." "Sunday Nights in Bohemia," Mr. Edwards calls his enter- tainments. WILLIAMS GOES TO FLORIDA. Percy G. Williams, the manager, left for Florida on Wednesday last. He will re- main away for two weeks. Some comment was caused by Mr. Will- iams taking a vacation at this time in the face of the booking conditions in the United Offices, in which his houses form a large and important figure. HICKMAN IN SKETCH. "Hazing of Valant" is the title of the sketch secured by Alfred Hickman for a vaudeville tour. Mr. Hickman is at pres- ent with "Society and the Bulldog" ai Daly's. Upon leaving that piece, M. S. Bentham will look for the necessary vaudeville time for Mr. Hickman and his sketch. It needs one other person than himself to play. £L PASO ORPHEUM CLOSES. On the night of Feb. 16, the Orpheum, El Paso, Tex., will give up vaudeville. Thereafter a stock company will occupy the stage. It is now in process of organ- ization. Martin Beck, the general man- ager of the Orpheum Circuit, is gather- ing the legitimate players together. The Orpheum at El Paso has had but a brief career as a vaudeville house. It was formerly called the Texan Grand. Converted by the Orpheum into one of its circuit, the regular Orpheum attractions were played there, the week's shows changing on Wednesdays. At the New York office of the Orphemn Circuit, it is said the failure of the house to survive with vaudeville was owing to the high salaries prevailing at present. The other recently opened Orpheum, at Memphis, was reported as being very suc- cessful. FOUGERE GOING HOME. Eugenie Fougere, the French "chan- teuse," is about to sail for her dearly be- loved France, if she has not done so al- ready. The trouble arising in San Francisco between the Frenchwoman and the Or- pheum Circuit, when Fougere appealed to the French Consul, was compromised, Fou- gere leaving for New York. She was supposed to be here this week. HAS ROCK AND FULTON. William Rock and Maude Fulton, at present the hit of "Funabashi," at the Casino, will open in vaudeville on Feb. 24 in a local house, bool<;ed by Levy & Lykens. The song and dance, at present the fea- ture of the Casino piece, as given by Mr. Rock and Miss Fulton, will be carried into the "act.'' NANCE O'NEILL AT 5TH AVE. On March 2 Nance O'Neill will make her New York vaudeville appearance, open- ing at the Fiftli Avenue. Miss O'Neill will play ten or twelve weeks around the city dating from then, and may extend her time in any one house, having a repertoire of sketches. CHICAGO'S "SUPPER SHOW." Chicago, Jan. 30. "Midnight Vaudeville" is the latest in this city. The scheme has been adopted by the States Restaurant. It promises to set a precedent and become popular as well as lucrative for the owners. A regular stage has been built, with scenery, footlights, dressing rooms and other appointments consistent with the- atrical effect. A red plush curtain is used. An orchestra has also been pro- vided. • ..■■' ■■ r , ,y - Performances are given every evening from 11 to 1. As the place is largely patronized by vaudevillians, the enter- tainment is expected to act as a dessert for the theatrical folk. . BROKER WITH MONOLOGUE. If no mishaps occur, there will be a Wall Street broker in vaudeville soon. He is Ralph Dunn, from "the Street," with a seat on the Stock Exchange. Mr. Dunn has been amusing liia fellow brokers for many months with a witty line of talk. Wall Street is a busy thor- oughfare during the day; in the evening it is deserted. Mr. Dunn felt he was limited as a mo- nologist in the downtown district. So the broker, with the assistance of M. S. Bentham, has been laying the road to an appearance at Hammerstein's perhaps, in the section popular with "Wall Street brokers." ' No date has been set for an appearance, but several conferences have been held iK'tween the uptown and downtown com- iiiission men. Mr. Bentham's knowledge of Wall Street is confined to newspaper accounts, while Mr. Dunn's previous ac- (juaintance with vaudeville has been that of an auditor only. To<Tother, however, they hope to hit upon a happy medium of humor which will draw smiles from the public. "MERRY WIDOW" NEXT. Jesse L. l.a.sky's next production in vaildevillc will be a condensed version of the present craze, "Tlie Merry Widow." On all his hilling and i)ro;,'ramming will be displayed the phrase "by permission of Henrv W. .Savajre."