Variety (June 1908)

VARIETY ARTISTS' FORUM C —i1 — jraar Utters to 180 wards to heti la strict c—fld—cs. Iff H—trae fee slgae* ud wilt Hempstead, L. I., N. Y., June 13. Editor Vabiety: I have noticed the slight controversy in Variety regarding lady somersault riders. Being the lady somersault rider with the Barnum A Bailey Show for the last two seasons I think should entitle me to a word on the subject. A somersault on a bareback horse con- stitutes the rider leaving the horse's back from his or her feet, making a complete revolution in the air and alighting upon the feet (on the horse) and remaining there, unassisted. Whether the ring be pillowed with flowers, feathers or human beings, so long as they do not touch the rider or horSe or anything while the rider is per- forming the same, the trick is unassisted. I have been deprived the pleasure of witnessing lady somersault riders per- form this feat, but am not doubtful as to their ability to do so. On the contrary, believe we could stir up quite a few somersault throwers among our lady rid- ers, and it would be interesting to know who is really our premier in America. All shows having a lady throwing a somer- sault on a horse, claim her to be the only one and the premier. Would it not be a pleasure, now that the* subject is up, to know who is, after all, entitled to this distinction? A nice Jittle riding bout with an en- trance fee of, say, from $200 to $500, just to make it interesting, and worth one's time. This would decide the question and place the honor where it belongs. Points being: Execution, correct posi- tions, dancing, style, tricks of all kinds constituting a lady's principal riding act, including the somersault; these being the points premier equestrienne must have, and what each show claims. Josie De Mott. Address care Dr. Oundall, as above. 163 West 34th St., New York, June 13. Editor Variety: We have read in to-day's Variety the letter from Joe Adams protesting against the use of the expression "23 Sec- onds From Broadway" in our advertise- ment on the ground it belongs to him. We read the letter twice, and we can't make up our minds whether Mr. Adams aimed to receive the nice, free advertising he secured; whether he is "Kidding," or whether he does want us to tatcc that line out. He said nothing about having had it copyrighted. That line, "23 Seconds From Broadway," is important to us. We walked the dis- tance from Broadway to. our house the other day, and it took us just 23 seconds.' Right after reading Mr. Adams' letter, we went up to 44th Street, and walked from the corner of Broadway to his place; ir only took us 19% seconds. So don't you sec we are advertising the exact fact while Mr. Adams is add- ing distance for his customers. Will you kindly tell this to Mr. Adams? "St. Kilda" is the name of our furnished room house. In England, please inform Mr. Adams, the houses are known by their names, and we did the same over here. For illustration, if Mr. Adams had a restaurant in England, we would call it "The Adams House." Then the Adams who ran the Adams House in Boston 00 years ago would write Variety protesting against it, but still Mr. Adams, of the "23 Seconds" bug, could not put out in electric lights in London "Three thousand, two hundred and eighty-eight miles, and two feet from Broadway." He could, of course, but he wouldn't make any money after the electric light bill was paid. We don't know what else to say. Mr. Adams, the original originator, invented the "23 Seconds" thing. All right, we'll hand that to him. Now, what are we going to do? If we say 20 seconds, we are making a hurdle over the truth, so we are up a tree. Joe Adams please write. "St. Kilda." New York, June 17. Editor Variety: You wouldn't let me call Mike Jonas a liar, would you? I didn't think you would, so I won't, but that's just what I'd like to say. He wrote Variety a let- ter last week in which he said I exposed a trick at the old Empire, Cardiff, Wales, about nine years ago. The old Empire he refers to was de-. stroyed by fire. I never played in it. I played in the new house (which replaced it) during 1004, the first time I ever ap- peared in Cardiff. I will place $100 or $10,000 with Variety as a wager Mike Jonas or no one else can prove I ever played in Car- diff when he says, and the same bet will go for anybody who wants to take it that I ever exposed a trick upon a public stage. Horace Qoldin. New York, June 13. Editor Variety: Adams and Mack, in the letter about exposing magic, said: "We refer to a magician who has lobby photos showing billiard balls palmed on both front and back of his hands." I feel that they refer to me, as I am the only specialist in billiard ball manipu- lating. I should not like to be classed as an "exposer." I use the photos to show everybody that I do "hand work" to pro- tect myself against the billiard ball ap- paratus, also mentioned in same letter, because this was invented in Cermanv in order to give an imitation of my act. 1 do not see any exposing in the photos, however, as there is no explanation, just nn illustration. Clement dc Lion. Alliance, O., May .10. Editor Variety: Regarding' "Silent" Tait's communica- tion in Variety, I wish to state that in ten years of amateur work around Pitts- burg I never presented a "talking" act, for the reason that all other magicians there did do that. I was nick-named "Silent" Mora seven or eight years ago without any effort of my own to affix that title to my name. L. J. Mora. FINDING BEST ADVERTISING OBITUARY MEDIUM. Last week C. P. Greneker, manager of BLIND TOM. the Paul McAllister Stock Company at Thomas Wiggins, who toured in vaude- Hurtig & Seamon's Music Hall, discovered ville some time ago under the name of the best advertising medium for his show "Blind Tom," and whose musical accom- by the following list of questions sub- plishments were a subject of universal mitted to each auditor. wonder, died in Hoboken Sunday. Al- For a thorough test, Mr. Greneker em- though Tom never received any musical ployed ten "sandwich men," sent out instruction his mastery of the piano key- 15,000 postal cards to Harlemites, billed board was marvelously complete, and he the territory thoroughly and distributed was endowed with a high degree of emo- 26,000 hand bills. tional expression in his playing. Seventy-five per cent, of the total votes i n his childhood "Blind Tom" was a gave the newspaper advertisements the slave and the property of Col. James N. credit for attracting attention: Bethune of Georgia. The blindness af- "As a means of determining the begt way of fected his mind, and the musician WM advertising a performance In a theatre, will yon . , m ' . . . „ . ,. please indicate by a cross, which of the following accounted of rather weak intellect. It waa mediums or methods attracted your attention to his PU «t om *n nnnlmiH him«»1f aff«r n1»v. the fact that MB. MoALLXSTEB Is appearing at„ ni8 cusl0m l0 »PP»lua nimseil after piay- httrtio ft beaxovb. * ng a numDer t * n d *t middle age he had in other words how did you And it out? the mental equipment of a child. Never- Kid 1 J£ aeeV .«£ i* (bmKSS) ? !!!.'! :: the1 * 88 ' audiences listened in rapt atten- Did you see it on a moving wagon? (A peram- tion to his melodies, and musicians nro- bulator) . * Or a tuau carrying a *ign? (Sandwich man).....'. nounced his technique admirable. was it bV h".w°? f .'. I*"!'! . C " d ?! :::::.::::::: Hi8 theatrical engagements made him a if not by any of these means please state what great deal of money. Mrs. Albert J. Lerche, Induced you to come? Passing. , .. . _ . _ ,. _ . .' a daughter of Col. Bethune, cared for the ~ old negro during his last years, acting as MANAGER FOR NEW HOUSE. his guardian. Wilkes-Barre, Pa., June 18. : J. K. Docking, who. has managed the new Poli theatre at Scranton for the past season, will Ibe the manager for Mr. Poli here when his new theatre opens on Labor Day. Mr. Docking will probably make his headquarters in Wilkes-Barre, as he will retain the direction of the Soranton house, as well, having assistant managers in each. MRS. HARRIET BARTLET. Mrs. Harriet Bartlet, mother-in-law of Louis E. Cooke, general manager of Buf- falo Bill's "Wild West," waa buried in Newark, N. J., Thursday of last week. For many years she helped to manage the Continental Hotel in Newark, owned by Mr. Cooke, and through that circumstance became known to many show people. Her daughter (Mrs. Louis E. Cooke) died some years ago. CLAIMS A TITLE. The title "The Four Londons" which was in use by a casting act the past season under the management of Harry Luken (Four Lukens), will be retained by J^r. Luken, according to his statement, for an- other similar aerial number be is placing together. The former members of The Four Lon- dons are now appearing under that name, and without the direction of Mr. Lukens, who states he will apply for a restraining order against the use of it. The Lukens open at the Wintergarten, Berlin, next fall. USING "THAT* QUARTET'S NAME. Cincinnati, June 18. Four singers are appearing this week at Chester Park, near here, under the advertised name of "That Quartet." The original singing organization which has made the name of "That Quartet" famous is now in England and it is considered pretty "raw work" for a quartet to make use of their established trade mark dur- ing their absence. No only do the park programs print the name but the advertisements in the daily newspapers display it in heavy type. A BUNCH AT THE FARM. The nbove picture, taken by FRED GRAY (Qray and Grnhniu), iniluilib the entire bill last we«k at The Farm Theatre. Toledo's summer vaudeville house. The acta are GRAY AND GRAHAM, "BIQ CITY FOUR." t'MAH. BUItKB AND CO., Al'DAI.E'S ANIMALS, FRANK McCREA AND CO.