Variety (April 1908)

m TEN CE NTS VOL. X., N(X 4. APRIL 4, 1908. PRICE TEN CENTS. SMALLER UNITED CIRCUITS APPOINT " SALARY" C OMMITTEE A Committee Selected to Interveiw Acts and Urge a Reduction of Salary for Over the Smaller Time. United Routing for Next Season. During the week at the United Book- ing Offices, the/ representatives of the smaller circuits booking through the agency appointed a committee of five to interview artists, submitting the propo- sition of reducing their salary while play- ing in the houses located outside the large cities. « The committee is composed of Clark Brown (Bennett Circuit), Ed Benton (Poli Circuit), W. F. Tucker (New Eng- land houses), Jules Delmar (B. F. Keith), and Harry Seam on (Hurtig & Seamon). The members of the "salary" committee are expected to advance substantial argu- ments why consideration should be shown by artists for the smaller houses from the salary viewpoint, and attempt to impress upon the vaudevillians the necessity of shading the price for the different grade of theatres. Last season with many blanket con- tracts outstanding, and the Klaw & Er- langer opposition to buck, the same week- ly salary by a great number of acts was received continuously, regardless of where they appeared. On Wednesday, the United managers did their first routings for *08'09. Three "dumb" acts, said to be foreign ones, were listed for travel commencing with the opening of the season. JUST MISSED J. K. HACKETT. Vaudeville just missed James K. Hack- ett. The actor-manager had placed his ap- proval upon a plan to introduce him into vaudeville, carrying with it a sketch, and • very large weekly compensation, one spoken of in an undertone. Mr. Hackett would have opened in vaudeville last Monday, if the managers had not been tardy. By their dilatoriness, Mr. Hackett has been lost to the varieties— for this season anyway. He has arranged to appear in a repertoire of his plays at a Washington theatre commencing May 4, for a brief run, and the engagement ter- minated all vaudeville thoughts. SAYS CHASE DREW COLOR LINE. Washington, April 2. Suit has been brought against P. B. Chase, the vaudeville manager of Wash- ington, by Mary Stewart, a colored wo- man, who is employed in the family of a government official. She demands $3,000 damages, alleging that on account of her color she was refused admittance to the theatre when she presented tickets at the door for herself and her employer's two children. CHANGES CONSTITUTION. The constitution of the Vaudeville Com- edy Gub has been amended to permit the election of any male theatrical player. The constitution as it formerly read made only comedy acts eligible. Admit- tance to membership in the society is had through the posting of the name of an applicant who has been duly vouched for, for three consecutive meetings, when a vote is taken. Five black balls cast cause rejection. Once rejected an ap- plicant for membership is barred from the club forever. MORRIS SIGNS FIRST NATIVE ACT. The first American act to be placed under contract for "The Morris Circuit" for next season is Collins and Hart, who received contracts this week. At the Morris office no information would be given as to the length of time the contract called for. An agent who should know said this week the Morris Circuit had placed at least ten American acts under contract for next season, but this Mr. Morris denied, admitting several were pending. VAUDEVILLE IN xaTH STREET. Beginning with April 20 the Fourteenth Street Theatre will be turned over to vaude- ville for an indefinite period. A company headed by the Fays (John T. and Eva), will go in on that date for a four weeks' engagement at least. The bill will be changed weekly, the Fays only remaining as the permanent feature. The show will be made up of six acts besides the Fays, at a total cost of about $1,200, it is announced. This is an experi- mental looking. If the Fourteenth Street clientele takes kindly to the innovation, vaudeville may be made a permanency. The sole opposition in the downtown dis trict is Pastor's on the other side of the town. DIXEY REMAINS IN LEGIT. Having accepted an engagement to open in a new piece at the Bijou, Harry E. Dixey has thrown over his vaudeville plans for the present. CASEY AGENCY WILL INCORPORATE. Pat Casey stated this week his new booking office, styled "The Casey Agency," would soon be a corporation. It will be capitalized at a large amount. A flood of business and bookings was Mr. Casey summing up for the first week of his new enterprise. A record was made in flie booking line by Mr. Casey last Monday. In two hours and ten minutes, ?\Ir. Casey booked an act through the United and Orpheum ofice* for four years, the net alternating the cir- cuits, commencing with *08-'00 on the United. It will play in Europe until then. I>ester Rosenthal, Casey's private secre- tary, will have the business management of the Casey's apency offices. During April sometime, the agency will remove to the St. James Building. MORRIS CLINCHES NEWARK. Newark, N. J., April 2. The presence of William Morris and his attorney, George M. Leventritt, in this city a day or two ago, gave rise to the report that the "William Morris, Inc./' vaudeville circuit would be repre- sented by a theatre in Newark. Pressed for a statement, Mr. Morris admitted that a deal had been closed whereby he has secured a site for a new house here. He would not, however, dis- close the location. The enterprise is amply financed with local capital and at last opposition to the Proctor house is to become a reality. BECK AND MEYERFELD CONFERRING Martin Beck, general manager of the Or- pheum Circuit, and Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., its president, are together in consultation at Chicago. Mr. Beck left New York for the Western city, where he arrived yesterday (Fridsy). Mr. Meyerfeld met him, having come on from San Francisco. They will return to New York, arriv- ing here Monday or Tuesday, Before re- turning Mr. Meyerfeld may complete ar- rangements to take a long foreign trip, visiting Japan. The conference of the two Orpheum heads is reported to be on the circuit's matters, and pertains to the conduct of the Orpheum houses while Mr. Beck is away in Europe during the summer. He will leave in May. It was announced at the Orpheum offices this week that D. H. Hunt would have charge of the dramatic pieces to be pre* sented under the supervision of the Or- pheum's Producing Department. Charles Feleky will have the musical end of the department at his direction. Mr. Beck asked tffat an emphatic denial be made of the rumors prevailing this week that the Western contingent was acting or booking independently of th»» Eastern end of the United. There was not a word of truth in the reports, said Mr. Beck.