Variety (February 1908)

8 VARIETY ECONOMIZING ON EMERGENCY FUND. Tlie number of acts under contract to Uie United Bookin<» (;t!icos and its connec- tions 'la.d olT" to make room for artists assigned to tliat institution by the retired "Advanced Vaudeville" promoters, seems to be growing in numoor. It is said that "Uiiitod acts" are selected for this enforced iiUciiess in preference to those who are be!tig played under Klaw & Erlanger agreements, and a double expla- nation is given for this procedure. According to the story which is current, several **K. & E." acts were ordered to "lay off" a short time aoro and replied by notifying "Advanced Vaudeville" head- quarters it would be held accountable for any loss occasioned in this way. Klaw & Erlanger merely notified the United Of- fices that the complaining acts must be taken care of under the United-Klaw & Erian^ei settlement agreement, and ih*» St. James Building agency was forced to make the Klaw & Erlanger contract good to avoid litigation. The other factor in prevailing conditions is said to be a fund levied on the United managers, from which it was agreed all acts forced to "lay off*' should be paid for their idle time. The plan of laying off 'TJnited acts" is designed as a means of saving as much of this fund as possible. A story is told of a certain "United act" playing in the West which refused to ac- cept a "lay off" which entailed a loss of $200. The reply of the United is said to have been that if the act brought its com- plaint into court, it would have trouble in securing time in the future. In this case it is also reported on good authority that the United refused point blank to bind itself to recompense the act for its loss by a guarantee of future time. % PARIS HOUSES CHANGE. It is reported over here that the Folies Bergere and Olympia Theatre, Paris, are about to change hands, owing, it is said, to the desire of the Isolde Brothers to retire from active participation in their management. It is known that several English managers have offered to take over the two playhouses. It is also said the Apollo and Casino, Paris, may change hands in the near future. CARRIE DeMAR. In the large center oval on the front page this week is a likeness of Carrie DeMar in her now famous "Fluffy Bufnes" costume. Surrounding the center are other pictures of Miss DeMar in different characters. Miss De^Iar is adniittedlv one of Amer- ica's leading comediennes. She, with her husband, Jos. IJart, is well known on the variety and legitimate stage. Miss DeMar has been a joint-star in many legitimate pieces. Her return to vaudeville is but temporary. This week Miss DeMar is at the Fifth Avenue, where she has been one of the large hits of the show. The "Fluffy Runies" girl of Miss DeMar's is said to have been the best characterization of that important New York "Herald" young woman. Miss DeMar is a solid hit in vaudeville, where she may remain for the remainder of the season, awaiting the call to a Broadway production. ROUTING K. & E. CONTRACTS. Having found the routing of "Klaw & Erlanger'' acts from week to week an un- satisfactory system of disposing of the mass of material turned over by the re- tirement of "Advanced Vaudeville" from the field, the United Offices this week be- gan the immense task of routing up all these acts to the end of their agreements. Sessions have been going on almost daily in the St. James building, and al- ready more than 35 acts have been dis- posed of in this way. In ten days more the whole lot will be disposed of, and complaints for enforced "lay offs," it is promised, will be done away with en- tirely. In computing the time still to be played under one K. & E. agreement, which had been partly fulfilled, a mistake was made and the act found that it was given two weeks more time than was really coming to it. When the error was discovered the act had been routed to the end of its time, and the routing was per- mitted to stand. Sessions for routing will continue at frequent intervals during next week at least, and longer if the work has not been closed up by that time. ,; : UNITED EXPECTS TO MOVE. It is said that if the plans of the various leading United managers for the carrying on of the booking business work out, the United Offices will remove this Spring from its present quarters in the St. James Building. The report is that the United will either occupy a building for its sole use, or rent a large space in an office structure, with the proviso that no vaudeville agent be allowed to secure a room in the same building. Rumors for a year or more have said that the big booking agency would leave the St. James, but up to date no such in- tention has become apparent. CHANGES IN "FOLLIES." Philadelphia, Jan. 30. With Norah Bayes' retirement from the cast of "The Follies of 1907," Lucy Wes- ton, the English singer, stepped into her part. Miss Weston appeared as the "spe- cial attraction" with the show the week previously. Although no billing had been given her, the young woman made a very favorable impression here. She is singing, besides songs of her own, "Handle Me With Care" and another new selection given her by the management. Miss Weston will go with the show to Chicago, where it opens on Feb. 10, at the Auditorium. The name will be changed to "The Follies of 1908." Miss Bayes sails for a pleasure trip abroad next week. She will be gone two months. Dazie has given in notice of intention to leave the piece at the expiration of the Philadelphia run, and Grace I^Rue will also quit, playing a couple of weeks in vaudeville before leaving for Berlin. Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., the owner of "The Follies," will place a "revue" on the New York Roof this summer. It is the present scheme to bring Lucy Weston into the Metropolis at that time, featuring her in it. KEENEY CANCELS ACTS. ' . Toild-Judge, ah acrobatic act, was told at Keeney's, Brooklyn, where the act was to have played this week, that it was canceled. /:■':■'■: -j: ■'■' :- '■?■. Mr. Keeney gave no reason excepting he had another act to place on the pro- gram. Todd-Judge placed Springfield last week. It is said that the United is bent upon preventing the acrobats from per- forming in any of the United allied circuits if it can be made possible. All expenses incurred by Mr. Keeney in any suits brought by the act to re- cover damages will be borne by the United, it is said. AGENTS BARRED OUT. The agents booking through the United Booking Offices have again been barred out of the "inner room." The notification was mailed to each of the commission men early in the week. The reason given out is that privacy is desired in the "large room," where the managers congregate. It is said that this last notice covered all the agents. Formerly two were ex- cepted in all general orders issued by the United affecting the agents. One of the favored two admits the "barring*' letter was received, while the other denies its restriction will be binding upon him. OPEN SHOWS ON SATURDAY. Denver, Jan. 30. The opening day of the bills appearing at the Sullivan-Considine new house here (Majestic) has been changed from Mon- days to Saturdays. This will allow acts to make their east- ern and western "jumps." EFFIE CONLEY WEDS. Ellie Conley, of Anna and Effie Con- ley, became the wife of Fred Warren, of Hibbert and V/arren, in New York a few days ago. The marriage is the culmina- tion of a long courtship. RUMOR IN TORONTO. Toronto, Jan. 30. There is a report here that a new vaudeville house will be built to oppose Shea's. J'urther than that, the report says noth- ing of a definite nature, beyond a gen- eral wholly unconfirmed statement that a "western syndicate" will start an oppo- sition circuit to the United Booking Odices. KEITH'S DOING BUSINESS. Cleveland, Jan. 30. Manager H. A. Daniels, of Keith's, does not think the article in last week's Va- nnrry headed "Hip Hurts" gave a just opinion of the situation here. Mr Daniels does not deny that the Hip- podrome has affected the patronage at the other theatres. As far as Keith's is con- cerned, he says that while the "Hip" has hurt a little now and then, his best evi- dence of the stability of the Keith clien- tele is the box-oflice receipts which proved "standing room only" more than once last week in his house. MONDAY IS THE FINISH. On Monday, February 3rd, the second payment of the settlement amount agreed upon between Klaw & Erlanger and the United Booking Offices will take place. There has been no objection raised by any United manager that K. & E. have not lived up to the terms of the contract, and $150,000 will be turned over to "The Syndicate" managers, when they will be olficially declared out of vaudeville; to remain out for a period of ten years. The agreement entered into between K. & E. and S. Z. Poli is a separate ar- rangement, not covered by the "settle- ment" contract. MORT©N IN BOSTON. ' Boston, Jan. 30. The troubles of James J. Morton with the K. & E.-United must have been ironed out, for James J. is at Keith's this week. MOZART HIS OWN AGENT. Lancaster, Pa., Jan. 30. E. F. Mozart, whose chain of Family theatres in New York and Pennsylvania has been increasing rapidly lately, will open his own booking agency in New York about Feb. 15. By that time, according to an announce- ment just made from his headquarters here, he will be able to offer 20 weeks. TRAVELLING "GIRL ACT." Viola De Costa is rehearsing a new "girl act" which she will take to Cuba. Four girls and Miss De Costa make up the organization. They sail Feb. 12, open- ing at Payret, Havana. Afterward the act will play the Seguin Circuit in South America and return via London and Paris. TRYING MOUNT VERNON AGAIN. Vaudeville is again the attraction at the Mount Vernon Theatre, Mount Vernon. A stock company held forth there for a time, but this was merely a temporary arrangement, the stock organization hav- ing entered into a contract before the present lessees, a corporation headed by George Homans, took charge. There are still in existence several con- tracts for one-night stands, but the regu- lar policy is vaudeville. Nat M. Wills opens at the Orpheum, Brooklyn, Monday, for his vaudeville trip. Chas. E. Evans and Company open at Minneapolis, February 9th, for a western trip of four months. -^—— : — : -—— TINA ZOELLER. Tina ZooIIer In a member of the Alruna-ZuelliM- Trlo, and ban been playing in the West with tbe act for some time.