Variety (March 1908)

VARIETY ■V LOOPHOLE FOR ISMAN. The frank, undisguiBed declaration of Folix Isman in Philadelphia this week that he was interested with William Mor- ris in the proposed "Morris Circuit" brought any amount of curious specula- tion as to how Mr. Isman expected to evade the penalty of $250,000 imposed by the "settlement" agreement executed between Klaw & Erlanger and the United Booking Offices. Mr. Isman was director in the United States Amusement Cora- jiany, the Klaw & Erlanger vaudeville corporation, and he signed the settlement agreement as an individual. A person fully cognizant of the condi- tions of the agreement stated this week to a Varietty representative that while Mr. Isman had mentioned "William Mor- ris" he actually meant it was "William Morris, Inc.," he was interested in. **Will- iam Morris, Inc.," is the corporation lately formed by Mr. Morris to take over all his vaudeville interests. The "settlement" agreement, in one of its sections, provides that no signer of the instrument shall engage in the vaudeville business for ten years from the date of execution, and that any who may be in- terested in a corporation in which he controls or owns, directly or indirectly, the majority of the stock of that corpora- tion, shall be ecjually personally liable under the liquidated penalty if the cor- poration enga^xes in vaudeville. The mystery of Mr. Isnian's very plain remarks seomod to be contained in this paragra])h. As a stockholder in "William Morris. Inc.," if it cannot be proven he liolds or owns a majority of the stock. Mr. Isman i<? free to reap the harvest of any profits tliat corporation may obtain through dealing in vaudeville. Maurice (Joodman, the attorney for the United Rooking Offices, who drew the set- tlement nRn'oment sipned by the vaudeville factions, whon nskod for an opinion on the corporation point involved, replied "Ridicu- lous. No one could escaj)? his obligation by such a flimsy evasion." BROADWAY 1909. The statoincnt made by Felix Isman that vaudeville would be played at the Rroadwav 'J"i»eatre next season, booked hy Williiiin Morris, does not coincide with the announcement this week of the man- agement that arrangements have been made for that time with a legitimate production. The present Dingwall-Litt lease does not expire until 1909. Mr. Isman holds a lease on the prop- erty, following the expiration of the term of the present lessees. Mr. Isman has taken the theatre for 105 years, at an annual rental running from $55,000 for the first year to $80,000 the final year of the term, gradually being increased. It is expected in real estate circles that an office b\iilding will be erected by Isman on the gr(»und within a few years. 'J'his week the Rroadway Theatre prop- erty was deeded bv the (^)untess /borow- ski, of London, to "The 1449 Broadway Conipany-' at an expressed consideration of $1,.325,000, subject to a mortgage of $1,250,000. The company executed the long time lease with Mr. Isman. BIG BALL MONDAY NIGHT. • The big, novel and unique masque ball to be given by the W^hite Rats will happen on Monday evening, next, (March IG), at Terrace Garden on East 58ih Street. The grand march will take place at 12 :30, led by Mr. and Mrs. Corse Pay ton. Masques will be removed about 1 o'clock. ' The unique feature of the affair is that all professionals appearing on the floor must wear their stage costume. Prizes will be awarded two of the women mask- ers for the most appropriate designs in dressing. The judges to make the selec- tions were to have been Alice Lloyd, Vesta Victoria and Eva Tanguay. Miss Victoria will be unable to preside, playing Buffalo on that day, but Mss Lloyd has acquiesced, and Miss Tanguay is to be heard from. A prize, something of a surprise in the nature of the gift, will be presented to the man present who is considered to have the most original character make-up. The boxes have all been disposed of. Admission to the Garden may be obtained at the box office on the evening of the ball. The floor committee is Corse Payton, Henry P. Nelson, B. McNally, Bert Leslie, Tom and Fred McNaughton, J. Henry, William Gould, J. Callahan, C. J. Ross, Paul Morton, Tom Lewis, Brindamour, Henry Frey, Fred Niblo, H. E. Mack, Edward Castano and Harry Knowles. MOUNTFORD BECOMES BUSINESS MANAGER. With the selection of Harry Mountford as secretary to the Board of Directors of the White Rats of America, Mr. Mount- ford is virtually given the offices of gen- eral and business manager of the order, with all his acts subject to the approval of the board. Mr. Mountford is now in charge of the working details of the organization. SHOT TO DEATH. San Francisco, March 12. (\ E. Wells, playing at a local music ball, was shot and instantly killed by a police officer on the evening of March 5 as a result of his attempt to play the part of a highwayman. Wells was pursued by the officer after b.olding up a saloonman, and in an ex- change of shots received the fatal wound. Wells was a late comer in the city. OPERA IN LITIGATION. A friendly suit has been begun by the Hnrry Von Tilzer Music Publisliing Com- pany against Arthur I^amb and M. Wit- mark & Sons, in order to establish the publication rights to the score of "The Ivose (Jirl," a musical comedy by Artlin»" Lamb, which has not yet been produced. The legal tangle arose out of a mistake in disposing of the publication rights, and it is being put through the courts to es- tablish the status of the two publishing firms. Billy Saxton. late of I*al»nor and Sax- ton, and liert Somers, formerly of Somers and Law, have formed a partnership under the title of »Saxton and Somers. GROUND BROKEN FOR POLI'S. Wilkes Harrc. Pa., Miirch 12. Ground was broken Tuesday morning tor the new Poli theatre. The first shovel- ful of dirt was taken out by Mr. Poli. Mayor Kirkenthall and other prominent local men ma<le short addresses. "MORRIS NEEDN'T BUILD." "I notice W^illiam Morris says he will build theatres," said Martin Beck, "Gen- eral Manager of the Orpheum Circuit, one day this week in his office at the St. James building. "Well, Morris needn't build in Cliicago. He can come right up here and have a selection of any or all of the three Kohl & Castle houses, the Chi- cago Opera House, Haymarket or Olym- pic. "There are also theatres on the Or- pheum Circuit which we will rent to Mr. Morris," said the Orpheum's General Man- ager. "I am sure that he can secure all the theatres for vaudeville next season necessary without going to the trouble and extra expense of building. VV'e will help him." ..^ ;.,,,,;. ,, ,.,;^ .,,-, . . Mr. Beck, also John J. Murdock, of the W'estern Vaudeville Association, Chicago, who was present, confirmed the report that Kohl & Castle contemplated turning their Olympic and Haymarket theatres, Cliicago, into picture shows, but both said no definite date for the transference of the policy had been set. "As soon as we can arrange the book-; ings" was the nearest to a date either would venture. When asked if that would occur this month, the reply was "probably not." ♦ There are a great many cheap vaude- ville theatres in Chicago besides a num- ber of picture shows on the prominent business streets, all reported to be pros- perous. Still in New York no general cretlence was given to the story of the Chicago change. Many looked for a quali- fication shortly which would set the open- ing dates of the picture show season in the vaudeville houses along until next Fall. ■;- The cry from the W>st is that salaries are too high, and it is probably with hopes that the coming season will bring about a change the "picture" proclamations have been issued. OBITUARY "Yank" Newell, a well-known showman, died on March 10 at his home in Slst Street, New York, of stomach trouble. Mr. Newell had been ailing for about two or three years with the complaint. John Bailey, of John and Ray Bailey, colored, died Monday, March 9, at 251 West 30th Street, of consumption. Tlie deceased was 30 years old. The act with which he was connected is well known among the colored entertainers. Enoch Wiggins, the seven-month-old child of William Wiggins, died March 7 at Detroit. The baby's father is the second son of the late "Pop" Wiggins, who passed away recently. The baby was born two months after "Pop" Wiggins' death, and named after him. The Temple remained open on the day of the funeral. . . Memphis, Tenn., March 12. Arthur G'orey, a musician, died at St. Joseph's Hospital in this city March 7. lie was a Redman, Eagle, and also be- longed to the Musical Union. The remains were removed to Cincinnati for burial. He is survived by a widow, Lily May. W^allace E. Cooke died Feb. 29 at the home of his mother, Mrs. George Stratton, 209 Ferry Street, New Haven, Conn. The deceased was 36 years of age at his death, caused by tuberculosis. He was well known as a character comedian, and also as a magician. He was the artist for "Mahatma," the magazine devoted to magic. Interment was made in Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven. UNITED WON'T MOVE. It seems to have been settled at the United Booking Offices that its present quarters on the eighth iloor of the St. James Building will be wcupied a.s a booking office for a year to come, at least. Notice has been received by the other tenants on the floor to vacate after May 1. Some connected with the United will move upward or downward one flight, leaving the entire eighth floor to the agency, which will take the space now in use by it, together with the remainder of the offices, excejiiing those offices along tlic southwestern hallway. Those will be taken possession of by the Drfdienin Cir- cnit. "PEKIN ZOUAVES" SUIT SETTLED. The aition brou<'lit a'Miii>t l\Iaw & Er- laiiger bv "Tlie Pekin Zouaves" for the amount alien,>,l to be due tlieui by the firm under a contract, which K. & E. clairued to }i(dd a reciMpt in full for, has been settled through the persuasive [lowers of I*. J. Casev. the K. \ l'!. <'eneral-trouble- adjuster. Five \\eel<< «iii the United tirno, given IIk' a<f. s;t|\ed iHiy Wounds caused, and llio lawsuit lias been withdrawn. HAS SAVOY ON PERCENTAGE. Fall River, Mass., March 12. —-The report that M. R. Sheedy holds a lease upon the Savoy is wrong. Mr. Sheedy has agreed with Julius Cahn, who manages the theatre as one of his New England circuit, that vaudeville will be played for from six to eight weeks, Mr. Sheedy taking the house on a 60-40 basis and paying the cost of the bill. Cahn ha<l not an oversurfeit of legiti- mate bookings, and was glad to dispose of his Savoy for the term, especially as the Academy of Music, the other Cahn the- atre here, can handle all the combinations *)r "reps." The l-'innevs will be the headliner at the Sav(»y next week under peculiar cir- cumstances. Sheedy had the act booked for his (dd house under his own contract made through the Ignited. This week he notifie<I the agency he insisted the act play for him, and there was no alterna- tive, although Mr. Sheedy is now "r)pju»- sition." When leaving 1 he Bijou last Sattirday iii'jiit. Mr. Slieedv carted al<»n;» with him the 'juop-t," sta^re crew, orcliestra and in fact ev«'r\ thing movable, 'jhe Savoy has had the benefit of much the better busi ne..s this week. ORPHEUM, ALTOONA, OPENS. Altoona. Pa., .March 12. This is the ofioniutf week of the new Or- pheum, built \\\u)u the site of the Lyric, wliifh was destroyed by fire a year ajjo wl-eu under the management of L. W, Cool.