Variety (April 1908)

' 8 VARIETY / MORRIS DEAL RUMORED. Washington, April 2. It is reported here that the William Morris-Felix Isman vaudeville faction have all but closed negotiations for the acquisition of a $100,000 site for a new vaudeville theatre on E Street, between Twelfth and Thirteenth. It is almost positively known, accord- ing to one of the Washington papers, that this property is to change hands within a few days. It belongs to the Travis estate. It was said that E. H. Pillsbury, who is trying to buy the property for John Hartman, a New York capitalist, has agreed to the terms of the Travis heirs, owning 1208, 1210 and 1218 E Street, and that he has an option on the inter- vening property in the same block. It is believed to be the intention of the party who is trying to secure enough ground for a theatre site to use the property at 1216 E Street, which extends through to Penn- sylvania Avenue, as an entrance to the theatre from the avenue side. This would place the entire main portion of the thea- tre on E Street, where it would have a frontage of something more than 100 feet and a depth of 99 feet. William Morris, of New York, and Felix Isman, of Philadelphia, who, according to a rumor circulated in this city a few weeks ago, were about to close a deal for a piece of property on New York Avenue as a theatre site, are believed to be the parties for whom Mr. Pillsbury is acting in the present transaction for the E Street and Pennsylvania Avenue property. It was said last evening that none of the heirs have yet signed any legally bind- ing papers to the transaction, but that there is little doubt about the deal for the five E Street pieces being consum- mated. The prospective purchaser has of- fered, it was said, to pay the price, about $10 a square foot, which the heirs have fixed as the figure at which they will sell. This will make the purchase price of the property about $100,000. PRESS WORK FOR "FADETTES." The lately inaugurated press depart- ment of the Orpheum Circuit is making itself felt along the line of Orpheum houses, and spreading the, fruits of the experienced direction of Mark A. Lue- scher. "The Boston Fadettes" opened on the Orpheum this week at Kansas City. Each of the Orpheum houses has received from the New York headquarters advices to have a vote taken for the selections to make up the first program of the or- chestra when it appears. This idea is expected to attract the attention of the local press, and work to the benefit of the act as well as theatre. Through the plan Caroline B. Nichols, the directress, may discover a program drawing more applause than her present one. Mrs. Nichols is reported to have offered $1,000 to any one who could furnish that very desirable routine of selections for her organization. After the Fadettes play the week of Aug. 30, they will tour Europe, bookings having been made. Several weeks of the route in the West have been cancelled to permit of this. It will be the largest fe- male collection of musical Americans to play the other side. "TRY-OUTS" AT 8TH AVENUE. In an announcement, Miner's Eighth Avenue Theatre says that through arrange- ments made with Keith-Proctor, the vaude- ville firm will have their "try-outs" at the burlesque house each Wednesday matinee. Formerly these "try-outs" occurred on Wednesday mornings at the Union Square, says the printed statement, witnessed by only managers and agents. MISS LAMBERT'S LONE WEEK. Next week will be a short dash into vaudeville for Maude Lambert, the prima donna of "Lonesome Town," which 'lays off" during that time. Pat Casey booked the lone week at 58th Street for the singer, who will return to the show upon its expiration. MORRIS GOING TO EUROPE AGAIN. A second visit will be made by William Morris to Europe, but this time Mr. Morris will leave in the broad daylight, and prob- ably take his faimly with him; also perhaps the automobile. In June the next trip will commence, and be of about two months' duration. It will be a business-pleasure combination tour. The Cottrell-Powell Troupe will open at the London Hippodrome May 4, to re- main ten weeks. ABOLISHES COMMISSION. Beginning with next season Maurice Boom will book the DTSste-Boom theatres in Pennsylvania, as well as the Knob- lauch -Herseker Circuity for which he is booking agent, without exacting the usual agent's commission. Instead he will draw a stated revenue from each house, in the nature of a regu- lar salary for his services. In this way the managers will pay for their booking services, all salaries in the Boom con- tracts being net, although the presump- tion is that a slight reduction will be asked in salaries to cover this difference. It amounts merely to a new system of handling the transaction. Mr. Boom made his decision when a syndicate of Pennsylvania men ap- proached him with a proposition to book a projected popular priced vaudeville cir- cuit, which they say they will start next season. Mr. Boom refused to consider the offer on a commission basis, and named a fixed sum ($25) per house weekly to handle the business. The Pennsylvanians took the proposition under advisement and promised to give their decision shortly. Following these dealings Mr. Boom de- cided to do all his booking transactions under this system, having been first brought to consider the scheme by the statement that it had received the serious consideration of the United Booking Of- fices' managers. When the Baggessens leave for Eu- There will be a "Harry Lauder" cigar on rope this month, they will go direct to the market quite Soon. • Copenhagen. Illn Scott and Mr. Wright flrat appeared toward the end of last season In the pretty little sketch by Miss Scott, In one of the local Keith-Proctor houses. This was merely an experimental showing, but the dainty little sketch scored such a substantial success that they continued In vaudeville. In the year that haa passed since then the number has come to be recognised aa a standard act. The New York Mall said of the pair: "Miss Agnes Scott and Mr. Horace Wright offered a sketch entitled 'The Wall Between/ written by the former. To write bow beautifully this sketch is written, staged, and acted, is a matter of columns of space. 'The Wall Between,' as given by Miss Scott and Mr. Wright, is a masterpiece." ' The Detroit Free Press adds Its commendation In these terms: "The sketch is a dainty bit called 'The Wall Between,' In which a little love story Is prettily told In song and dialogue. Comedy and pathos are cleverly Interwoven In the theme, and the players, Agnes Scott and Horace Wright, made an emphatic hit upon the occasion of the first local presentation of the delightful playlet. Miss Scott, who Is sponsor for It, baa given to vaudeville a genuine novelty, and her acting of the girl makes a strong appeal. Aa a type of the Ingenue, ahe glvea a splendid Impersonation. Mr. Wright possesses a singing voice of good quality, and his acting la of the aame order of excellence." WEBER & RUSH GOING TO LAW. A lawsuit is looked for between Weber &, Rush and Wilmer & Vincent, the two vaudeville managing firms, both booking their respective houses through the United Booking Offices. The suit, it is said, will be instituted by Weber k Rush, in the form of a demand for an accounting from Wilmer & Vin- cent for the Colonial Theatre, Richmond, opened last Monday by the latter concern in an arrangement made with the Jake Wells Circuit, which controls the theatre. Variety reported some time since a deal made between the vaudeville man- agers whereby all houses in the South thereafter to be operated by either for vaudeville would be a joint partnership. This compromise was brought about through Weber & Rush having declared for United bookings in Norfolk (Va.) for a vaudeville theatre. They had a house in Atlanta (Orpheum), but when Wilmer & Vincent announced themselves as candidates for Norfolk also, the partnership arrangement was made, the latter firm retaining Norfolk, and Weber & Rush holding to Atlanta, each as an individual firm enterprise. The deal whereby each was to share in profits or losses of any future acquisi- tions is said to have been ratified in the office of the United before an official of that agency. No written agreement or pledge was entered into at the time or since, but this official then declared him- self as highly pleased at the amicable ad- justment of the threatened controversy, Weber & Rush having taken a decided stand for Norfolk for their own. The case will be based on the oral understanding, with the United official as chief witness for the plaintiff. Other Southern cities were under con- sideration by the firms when the an- nouncement of the coalition between the Wells Circuit and Wilmer & Vincent was published in last week's Variety. At the Wilmer & Vincent office this week General Manager Koneke stated he had no personal knowledge of the affair. Weber & Rush confirmed the contemplated legal action. KILLS COMPANION AND SELF. St. Paul, April 2. Last Friday in this city, William W. Traynor and Mrs. William Pryor were found dead in their room at the Clarendon Hotel, where they had registered as "Traynor and Traynor." Traynor was 30 years and Mrs. Pryor 35 years of age. A contract for an en- gagement week of April 13 was found on Traynor's clothes, together with $3 in money. They were playing together as "Traynor and Traynor" also. In the room was a letter written by Traynor to Mrs. Pryor before she left her husband. It held many promises made by the man. The police believe Traynor, upon being reproached for the non-fulfillment, together with the poor success the team had met with, and per- haps a threat of the woman to leave him, brought about a murder and suicide. Traynor's home is in West Union, Ohio. Mrs. Pryor was formerly of the vaude- ville act known as Billy and Alma Pryor.