Variety (May 1908)

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VARIETY AMERICAN ORGANIZATION METHODS ABROAD. Martin Beck and Percy Q. Williams Go to Europe to Attend International Conference. Considerable secrecy surrounds the ap- proaching departure of Martin Beck for Europe. He sails on the "Amerika" May 7. Reservations have been provided for both Mr. Beck and Percy Q. Williams on that date. Curiosity was enlivened this week by a cable received at the Mari- nelli office in New York, addressed to Charles Bornhaupt, the American repre- sentative of that agency. It is said to have come from the head of the firm, with instructions to watch closely the move- ments of Mr. Beck, and to sail for Europe on the same boat, which Mr. Bornhaupt will do. Those familiar with the conditions abroad know of a desire on the part of the managers of foreign music halls to unite on a scale approaching the organi- sation of vaudeville managers in this country, and in that way to perfect a working agreement with the large United circuit here. Many times this organiza- tion of interests abroad has been attempt- ed, but never brought to a successful is- sue. Two obstacles which have heretofore stood in the way of completing the plans outlined have now been overcome, follow- ing the line of suggestions made by Mr. Beck during his last continental tour, and he has been urged to hasten abroad to at- tend two large meetings reported as to be held the latter part of this month. One will be in Paris and the other in Berlin. They will be attended by every repre- sentative variety manager in Europe, ex- cepting those in London, who will be as- sembled at a separate meeting by Mr. Williams. The only opposition to this plan just now is said to come from the European agents, who are themselves more firmly entrenched than the continental managers. TAKE McNAUGHTONS ALSO. The McNaughtons have settled their future plans by placing themselves under •contract to Klaw & Erlanger and F. Zieg- feld, Jr., for a term of two years, during which time they will be featured in musical comedy productions on this side. The brothers sail for England late next month to return in October for their Broadway musical comedy debut. BUSH TEMPLE; STOCK COMEDY. Chicago, April 30. Will J. Block has secured the lease of the Bush Temple, a stock dramatic house for next season, and will install a musical comedy organization, with Dave Lewis, Frank Lalor and probably May De Sousa. The latter is a Chicago girl, now in Europe. The first piece will be "The Merry Kid- doo," written by Junie McCree. ROAD COMPANIES NEXT SEASON. The project to send out traveling road shows, composed of vaudeville acts, gotten up by artists, lias been abandoned for the remainder of this season, according to in- formation given out at one legitimate booking office this week. It was not thought advisable, it was said, to risk the success of the venture, by taking out shows at the tag end of the season, with the weather threatening prospects also. The same agency intimated plans were now being formed to develop the idea fully by the beginning of next season. "PRIMROSE ON B*WAY" OFF. The negotiations between Jos. Weber and George Primrose for the latter to oc- cupy the Broadway Music Hall at the ending of the Weber Company season there have fallen through. Mr. Primrose will return to vaudeville when he closes his minstrel show. Mr. Primrose opens in vaudeville on May 18th at the 125th Street Theatre. MAKES "HIP" SETTLE. Ida Fuller has settled her suit against the New York Hippodrome management for infringement of her patents on the fire effects used in her vaudeville act In the terms of the settlement the Hippo- drome people agree to acknowledge a debt to Miss Fuller, through a program note, and to pay a royalty. MAY TAKE FEMALE WRESTLER. During the summer on Hammerstein's Roof, there may appear Cora Livingston, a female wrestler, who has been appear- ing as the special attraction with "The Strolling Players/' a Western Burlesque Wheel show in Newark last week, meeting all comers (female) at each performance. William Hammerstein has heard of Miss Livingston and the drawing power her work on the mat is said to have furnished. The manager of the Roof is thinking over her worth as an aerial attraction. Some two years ago Mr. Hammerstein had a troupe of female wrestlers in the Victoria (indoors), but they were not sufficiently energetic to cause comment. Some of the episodes in Miss Living- ston's burlesque career this season on the stage have been reported as quite strenu« ous. ANOTHER "CHOOSER." Springfield, Mass., April 30. Keene and Adams, on the bill at the local Pojj| theatre, are exploiting a copy of the nmror effects used by Alice Lloyd. As far as is known the house manage- ment has not made any effort to inter- fere with the act in what is declared to be a clear case of piracy. CHANGES PLACE OF BEGINNING. The start of a trip over the Western States Managers' Association time, which has formerly been the Empire, San Fran- cisco, will more often hereafter be at Pan- tages' Theatre, Spokane, acts traveling from that point down into California. The Zarrow Trio, Gotham Comedy Four and Elmer have been booked on the cir- cuit, and will open in S'pokane. RIBALD VAUDEVILLE IN FRANCE. London, April 22. Upon her return from Paris, Yvette Guilbert expressed her opinion of vaude- ville as it is given in France just now through an interview. If some remarks ascribed to Madame Guilbert may be trusted, there is clearly some need in France just now for music hall reform. According to the accomplished diseuse, the variety stage in that country is in a very bad way. In the provincial towns the better class public has almost given up visiting the variety domains on ac- count of the improper character of so many of the ditties, and in certain towns in the south the riff-raff are masters. By way of illustrating this, Madame Guilbert mention that in one place a commissary and four policemen were posted behind the stage in order to pro- tect her from blackguards who had threatened her because she had refused to sing offensive songs of the kind they delighted in. "AMATEURS" FOR A WEEK. It was rumored this week that the Em- pire, Newark, N. J., playing Western Wheel Burlesques, would close for the season to-night. An agent who has been conspicuous in the handling of amateur nights in the city threatened to take the house next week if it were closed, and give a whole week of "amateur nights," with moving picture accompaniment. MARIE LLOYD TELLS HER AGE. London, April 20. Through some whim which isn't fully understood here, Marie Lloyd, in a half page advertisement in her favorite theat- rical paper, tells the dates of the several births of. her sisters and brothers. According to her own statement, Marie is the oldest. She was born on February 12, 1870. Maudie is the youngest. The announcement is considered silly about town, and causes more laughter than interest. No one is particularly concerned. Most people have guessed the ages of all the Lloyds long ago. MORTON GIVES NOTICE. James J. Morton gave notice this week of his intention to leave "The Merry-Go- Round," playing at the Circle, and in which Mr. Morton was the chief comedian. His successor is now being looked for. VIRGINIA EARL IN "JOHNNIES" ACT. Chicago, April 30. Virginia Earl will appear at the Ma- jestic next week in her former "Johnnies" act. Miss Earl will play several weeks in the West with it. The booking was made by Al Sutherland of New York. MAUDE ALLEN WITH K. & E.? London, April 23. It is rumored here that Klaw & Erlang- er have placed Maude Allen, the dancer, who is the London sensation at present, under contract to appear in America next season in a production to be written p round her. The report ia readily believed. Marc Klaw, of the firm, has been over for some feme, and is said to have put the deal through. Large, tempting offers for an American appearance in vaudeville have been repeatedly refused by Miss Allen since her success at the Palace. NEW CONTRACT CLAUSE. The contracts now in use by the United Booking. Offices' managers contain a clause, emphasized upon the margin of the paper, as well. Upon signing the artist agrees that upon the violation of any of the provisions of the specific in- strument signed, all contracts then out- standing and held by him, from any or all managers booking through the United may be cancelled for the same reason. The discontinuance of "blanket" contract by\ the United, and the individual agree- ments now signed by managers, caused the insertion of the general cancellation clause. MINSTREL CONTRACTS OUT. Cohan & Harris this week handed out contracts to the principals of their forth- coming minstrel organization to be headed by George Evans. Those who were for- tunate enough to receive the documents include George Thatcher, Eddie Leonard, and Rice and Prevost. The salary list will, it is expected, run close to $4,000 a week. EMMA JANVIER'S REAPPEARANCE. On May 11 at the Fifth Avenue, Emma Janvier, the musical comedy singer, will reappear in vaudeville, placed by M. S. Bentham. Miss Janvier played in vaudeville last season, but did not enter New York city while so engaged. She will again become a "single singing act." HAS EUGENIE BLAIR. When the preliminaries have been prop- erly smoothed out, Eugenie Blair, a legiti- mate star, best known outside New York city, will play in vaudeville for the first time. Miss Blair has commissioned M. S. Ben- tham to make the vaudeville path glossy, and the agent is attending to it. Miss Blair will appear in a sketch. PLAYING ACTS ON PERCENTAGE. On the Bennett Circuit of moving pic- ture places in the Northwest vaudeville acts are now being played on a percentage basis. One act in a house is generally em- ployed weekly. A percentage splitting arrangement of the net or gross receipts is made, and so far, according to report, has proven satis- factory. The price of admission is five or ten cents. EBEN PLYMPTON WITH ZEFFIE TIL- BURY. A new recruit for the vaudevilles from the legitimate is Eben Plyinpton, who has been appearing recently with Will T. Hodge in Chicago in "The Man from Home." Plympton is best remembered in recent years as a member of the famous all-star cast at the Knickerbocker Theatre in a presentment of "Romeo and Juliet," in which he appeared as Mercutio, with Kyrle Bellew as Romeo, and Eleanor Rob- son, Juliet. Mr. Plympton will be assist- ed by Zeffie Tilbury, late leading woman for Nat Goodwin and 'Bud" Woodthropo, for many years Mr. Goodwin's stage man ager. Their offering will be a revival of one of Sardou's old masterpieces.