Variety (August 1908)

VARIETY $100,000 IN RESERVE FOR RATS' "INVESTM ENT FUND" Large Amount Subscribed. Four Managers and 30 Houses Claimed. Vote of Confidence in Directors. While no particulars or names were given out at the headquarters of the White Hats this -week, it was said four managers and thirty houses were within the control of the "Investment Fund," and that the "Fund" had $100,000 in money to operate with. No admission would be made by Harry Mountford, secretary to the Board of Directors, of any interest purchased in "The Ohio Circuit/ 1 operated by Nixon & Zimmerman and Cohan & Harris in the Middle West. "The Ohio Circuit" is booked by Julius Cahn, whose interest is the booking arrangement which re- turns him a percentage fit the gross in each house. It was rumored during the week the 'Investment Fund" had bought into this circuit, but confirmation was unobtain- able. Two New York City theatres were on the verge of engaging under the White Rats' banner for vaudeville, Mr. Mount- ford said, but the deal had not been closed, nor had other important negotia- tions pending for some days back yet reached a point where an announcement could be made. On Wednesday Dennis F. O'Brien, the attorney for the organization, left for the West, and it was reported Mr. Mount - ford would join him there before the end of this week. Edward Mozart, who has linked his circuit to the "Investment Fund," accompanied Mr. O'Brien. For the first time in the history of the White Rats an invitation has been issued in the form of an advertisement inviting vaudeville managers to book in conjunc- tion with the order or "Investment Fund." The advertisement is in this issue of Vabiitt. At the regular weekly meeting of the order on Tuesday evening, the largest ever held in the club rooms, a vote of confidence was tendered the Board of Directors upon the policy taken, and the progress made. An important statement bearing upon developments in connection with the operations of the "Investment Fund" is daily expected. Atlantic City, July 30. There was a meeting here on Thurs- day of managers interested in "The Ohio Circuit" of theatres. It was reported Cohan & Harris were disposing of their interest in the circuit. One rumor said the White Rats "Investment Fund" was the purchaser while another gave Nixon & Zimmerman, the other partners in the circuit, as the buyer. Nothing definite could be learned, ex- cepting it is known Cohan & Harris have stood ready to dispose of their share in "The Ohio Circuit" for some time if the price set by them was met. MORRIS RUMORED IN YONKERS. On Thursday last it was rumored Will- iam Morris would play vaudeville the coming season in Blaney's Theatre, Yon- kers. It is a new house but three or four years old, having a capacity of about 800. Previously it has held the lurid plays common on the Stair & Havlin circuit. Not much faith was placed in the rumor by vaudevillians, who deemed the exist- ence of the Doric, the regular variety theatre of the town, would debar an at- tempt being made to place an opposition house in a city of Yonkers' size. ANOTHER BLANEY REPORT. Philadelphia, July 20. There is a report connecting Blaney's Theatre in this city, with William Morris and vaudeville. Nothing definite. No information concerning the above could be secured at the Morris office in New York. STOLL WON'T RELEASE TILLEY. (Special Cable to Variety".) London, July 30. Oswald Stoll has refused to release Vesta Til ley from engagements on the Moss-Stoll Tour, and the refusal will pre- vent the male impersonator from appear- ing in the United States the coming sea- son. Percy G. Williams had arranged with Miss Til ley to play his houses in New York if her English time could be canceled or postponed. At the Coliseum on Monday Rose La Harte failed to create a very favorable impression. FELTMAN'S $500,000 CASINO. The building department in Queens this week received an application for permis- sion to tear down Feltman's, the Coney Island amusement resort. It is the in- tention of the proprietor to build a half- million dollar pavilion and casino to be ready by the opening of next summer. The new establishment will include a large theatre. The present intention is to use this for extravaganzas. This season has not been as profitable n one at Feltman's as the three seasons past, and on July 20 the establishment is said to have run $20,000 behind last sum- mer in gross takings, although, of course, it has been immensely profitable. The falling off in patronage is said to have decided Feltman in favor of the big im- provement. CRAWFORD SIGNS FOR 3 YEARS. Clifton Crawford has placed himself un- der contract to Jos. M. Gaites for three years, during which time he will play in musical comedy under that manager's direction. Mr. Crawford is now with "The Three Twins" at the Herald Square. That piece was to have ended its Broad- way engagement in the early Autumn, but the run has been extended until Christ- mas. FRANK MOULAN VAUDEVILLE STAR. For a consideration reported at $1,500 weekly, Frank Moulan, the comic opera comedian, in company with hit wife, Maude Lillian Berri, will play vaudeville in a comedy singing sketch, opening at Hammeratein's on Oct. 12. The act will remain in New York City long enough to visit the Williams and Keith-Proctor the- »uco befolfc'«lt|>a*ling. M. S. Bentham, the agent, has been working on Mr. Moulan to entertain the vaudeville project for some time. The comedian has been connected with "The Grand Mogul," "Sultan of Zulu," and "Humpty Dumpty," having received much publicity during the engagement of 'The Sultan" in New York, when Henry W. Savage, the manager of the production, brought his star into the courts on a question of contract. BARNES AT $400 PER. London, July 22. For $400 weekly Stuart Barnes, the monologist, will play the Pavilion, Glas- 2o. w .? w «ek Aug. 3 with other time after at the same figure. Mr. Barnes was booked for Scotland by Jenie Jacobs while she was here. It is a very large salary for the house, more than Barnes received in London. MORRIS BOOKS BARNOLD'S DOGS. A report neither affirmed nor denied at the Morris office had it during the week that Charles Barnold, the animal trainer, had booked his dog act, with the famous "drunk", on the Morris Circuit for next season. A year ago Barnold engaged his act, then almost unknown in the East, through Morris for the Klaw & Etlanger time at $750 weekly. WERBA-MITCHELL'S "GIRL ACT." Hefore September shall have passed there will be a new "girl act" appearing over the horizon shaded by the New York Theatre. Louis F. Werba and Julian Mitchell, who make that house their roosting place, will be the producers. "STAR BOUT" CASE SETTLED. The "tSar Bout" law suit is settled or in process of settlement. Taylor Granville and wife, who are the larger part of The Star Rout Company, will pay the plaintiffs about $000 to discontinue the action, brought, it was said at the time, on be- half of New Wayburn, the latter having shortly l>efore heen declared a bankrupt when Granville decided he ownedf the vaudeville act, without conferring with Wayburn in reference to his decision. "MERRY-GO-ROUND" LAYING OFF. "The Merry-Go-Round" is "laying off" this week. The same condition will pre- vail next, but it reopens on Aug. 10 at the Colonial, Boston, preparatory to tak- ing up the regular season's routing in the legitimate houses. Clarice Vance sailed for London on the "Oceanic" July 29. The Bijou will continue with moving pictures until about August 15, when the prese/it lease to the exhibitors terminates. Georgia Cunningham has decided to ap- pear in Allen & Burnett's vaudeville pro- duction "College Chums" instead of going with Wood hull's "High Rollers" next sea- son. ATLANTIC GARDEN A MUSIC HALL. Plana for the Atlantic Garden on the Bowery are fast developing to convert the Garden into a muaie hall of the conti- nental type. The Atlantic Garden is nearly a facsimile of the Wintergarten, Berlin. At present the seating capacity is 2,000, but the stage is inadequate for a regulation performance requiring sketches, ballets, or the customary numbers neces sitated by a music hall policy. The stage will be reconstructed and other improvements gone through with in time to have the Garden a music hall when the Manhattan Bridge shall have been finished. The new bridge will discharge its trav- ellers in front of the Garden's doors, and there will be a wide plaza for the large traffic which the bridge will bring to the section. It is possible that Charles Eschert, one of the Garden managers and its booking di- rector, will'visit Europe in search of ideas while the alterations are going on. WILLIAMS DEDUCTS TWO. Two of the theatres composing a por- tion of the Percy G. Williams vaudeville circuit last season will adopt another pol- icy than the variety shows the coming season. A stock company will take possession of the Gotham in East New York, remaining there permanently over the winter unless the present intention is changed, and the Novelty, Williamsburg, will continue with its moving picture exhibition. The absentees from Mr. Williams' vaudeville list leaves the manager with the Orpheum, Colonial and Alhambra, all "big" houses. The new Greenpoint the- atre now building can not be completed before October, it is expected, when the opening will occur and that house added to the Williams chain. WANT NIBLO BACK. It was rumored about the city this week that FVed Niblo, the President of the White Rats, might return to New York very soon, interrupting his long trip abroad for a short time, in order to be present during the establishing of the Rats' new venture as part directors of vaudeville theatres under the "Investment Fund" plan. CHICAGO OPERA HOUSE LEGITI- MATE. Chicago, July 30. The Chicago Opera House (Kohl & Cas- tle) will have its attractions placed through Klaw & Erlanger for next season. During the vaudeville opposition last year it played vaudeville. "BROILERS" WITH FOY SHOW. The vaudeville number, "Ned Way- burn's 'Broilers,'" has been engaged to go with the Eddie Foy production by the Shuberts, entitled "The Hamlet of Broad way." The Wayburn act played a week or so in vaudeville. Bert Kahlmer, who was billed in the act as "a chorus man," although Mr. Kahlmer states he has never appeared in a chorus, will go out at the head of the Carter De Haven piece, in which Harry Clark lately made a try. Kahlmer will be jointly fea- tured with Jessie Brown, and will have four young women for the ensemble.