Variety (September 1908)

VARIETY POLITICAL LEAGUE'S MASS MEET- ING. The White Rate Political League held itt Ant mail meeting at the American Theatre last Sunday to a fair and en- thusiastic attendance. The stage mas crowded by representatives of the several professional clubs in the city, also the several political parties. Speeches were delivered by William B. Denihee, Jas. Malea, Tim Cronin, Wilton Lackaye, Harry Mountford and Denis F. O'Brien, Mr. O'Brien closing the meeting by moving a vote of thanks to the speak- ers, and to William Morris who loaned the theatre for the evening. A resolution embodying the objects of the league was also passed unanimously upon motion. Edward Esmonde was the chairman. The orators dwelt upon the advantages jf organization, and the benefits to be secured from a compact political body of actors. Messrs. Cronin, Lackaye and Mountford touched more responsive chords in the audience through having a more intimate knowledge of the reme- dies being sought for. Mr. Lackaye was brightly forceful in his remarks, opening his argument by mentioning that the dread of every legit- imate is to follow a monologist in "one," referring to Mr. Cronin, who had pre- ceded him with a witty argument. The short talk by Mr. Mountford was unexpected and unlisted, but became nec- essary to fully set forth the aims of the League. In reciting what might be ac- complished by concerted action in band- ing together for the polls, Mr. Mount- ford brought out sharply that an extra commission of five per cent., when charged in collusion with an agency di- rectly booking an act, could be made a penal offense through legislation and the amendment of the present laws in New York State. Mr. Mountford also applied himself to the case of a park and fair agent in New York City, mentioning Felix Reich by name, who had recently gone into the bankruptcy courts to avoid liability in- curred upon contracts issued by him to artists for speculative purposes. The artist had no protection against this kind of gambling, said Mr. Mountford, and the League would seek to correct it, a com- mon occurrence among several summer park and fair agents. Mr. Mountford, the secretary of the League (Mr. Cronin, president) also touched upon the attachment proceedings possible in New England and the West, where a person may be mulcted upon an alleged claim if circumstances prevent the bonding of the attachment. These attachments, said Mr. Mountford, are often levied at the last moment as an artist is about to leave town. The next mas3 meeting of the League will be held on October 4 (Sunday), the day before registration. It is estimated that between 6,000 and 8,000 actors will Ih» enrolled. All branches of the profes- sion are eligible. GIRL JOCKEY ADVERTISEMENT. "The New Century Girls" are playing at Miner's 8th Avenue this week. To advise Broadway of this attraction, a young woman brightly dressed as a jockey rode up and down the Big Alley this week, astride a horse gaily capari- soned, with blankets on either side of the animal mentioning the show and theatre. THE YONKERS WAR ON. Yonkers, Sept. 17. Vaudeville opposition in Yonkers is funny. Still it is a fact. Very few of the New York Central trains stop at this suburban town, and it is about the last place on the map one would select to derive a profit from a style of enter- tainment which often fails to attract when in competition in large cities. Harry Leonhardt has the variety land- mark in the Doric, opened by Henry Myers, and later managed by Jesse L. Lasky. No one knows how Myers left town financially, although all are certain he lost nothing through vaudeville here. I*asky did, between $20,000 and $30,000, it is said. On Monday last, Blaney's, which held the "thrillers" last season, started in opposition to the Doric. Blaney's is a better theatre of the two in bouse and location, but the Doric has a big advant- age through being established. At the Monday matinee, the Doric was very well filled, while there were "not over thirty people in Blaney's. At the night show, Blaney's seemed to have the advantage in attendance. The prices are about the same. Wil- liam Morris places the shows at Blaney's; Mr. Leonhardt secures his material through the United Offices. It is expected that either one of the theatres must soon give up vaudeville here, or suffer a continual loss. It is absurd to believe that both can return a net earning. Leonhardt is personally very popular, and during the month the Doric has sev- eral large theatre parties booked. Yesterday (Wednesday) at Blaney's the prices for matinee were reduced to ten and twenty cents. ONE-PERSON SKETCH. The Producing Department of the Orpheum Circuit will present Eva Wes- cott in a sketch as a feature on its cir- cuit. Miss Wescott will open at the Orpheum, Memphis, Sept. 27. The piece, written by Langdon Mitchell, is named "A Dancer at Home." It is similar in construction to the last number previously played by Miss Wescott in vaudeville when her "company" consisted of a lone man who played a quiet part with his head resting upon a table during the piece. In the present vehicle, Miss Wescott will be accompanied by a "dummy" in lieu of the live one of yore. She will be the whole thing in the act otherwise. RIEGO MORRIS' PRODUCER. Frank Riego, stage director of the Met- ropolitan Opera House, who staged "Sa- lome" for William Morris, is the official producer for the Morris Circuit. Mr. Uiego is at present working on several singing numbers to be presented on the Morris time. FOREPAUGH'S OPENS. Philadelphia, Sept. 17. Forepaugh's opened with vaudeville on Monday, booked through William Morris of New York. A very attractive bill at the popular prices charged is this week's entertain- ment. With the same ratio of excellence continuing, the general opinion is that Forepaugh's will do business. FIRST OPPOSITION CLASH. The first clash of the opposition vaude- ville forces has occurred over the services of Howard and Barrison. Percy G. Williams, through Arthur Klein, the agent who holds a contract with the act under which it has appeared in Mr. Williams' houses, exercised the option given by the agreement, notifying Howard and Barrison their services would be re- quired for ten more weeks from to-morrow (Sunday), when the present specified time expires. The act is at Hammerstein's this week, the last of the four originally agreed for by Mr. Williams through Klein. Howard and Barrison signed with Will- iam Morris to play for three weeks com- mencing Monday, Sept. 21. The Mofris contract was executed after the one with Klein was signed. Thursday Mr. Morris said he expected the act to appear as agreed. Last week Jos. E. Howard made an announcement to the effect they would play for Morris. At ♦he- \Y441y**ns ofTiee tHia week Arthur Klein, who is now associated in the book- ing department of the Williams' Circuit, stated Howard and Barrison would not play under any other contract than his own. It was reported that Mr. Morris received a wire on Thursday afternoon from Mr. Howard notifying him the engagement booking for the Lincoln Square next week would not be played. Under the reported agreement entered into by the United managers as regards "barring," an act playing for any oppo- sition cannot thereafter be played in a United house. This, if carried out, would debar Howard and Barrison from future en- gagements for the United were they to carry out the Morris contract. This is also thought to have been the argument used to prevent the keeping of the Morris contract by the act. Lawyers say that Howard and Barrison could not be suc- cessfully enjoined in the courts from ap- pearing for Morris. Further developments are looked for. "LAYS OFF" TO SAVE VOICE. The contract entered into between Grace Hazard, "Five Feet of Comic Opera," and the Morris Circuit, calls for Miss Hazard's services but four weeks out of each five (luring the season. This condition was made obligatory by Miss Hazard, who returned on the "Min- nehaha" from England last Monday. The young woman stated the week's vacation regularly was necessary to rest her voice. She opens at the American on Oct. 12. .Miss Hazard is rumored to have brought back from the other side a novel idea which will be first seen at the opening engagement. PEORIA'S GAIN, CHICAGO'S LOSS. Chicago, Sept. 17. Nat Fields, who with his crew of bur- Icsqucrs from the summer stock engage- men! ot the Trocadero, was announced as the coining attraction at the Virginia, has left Chicago, locating at Weast's Theatre, Peoria, a place of languishing reputation in the past. VAUDEVILLE "APACHE." While the scramble is on in the legiti- mate to present the "Apache" dance, im- ported from Paris, vaudeville will duly have one of its own, danced by William Gould and Valeska Suratt. As a matter of record it is a close race between Mr. Gould and William Rock as to who first announced the "Apache" for New York. Since then, however, Anna Held has been proclaimed the coming "Apache" dancer, and Laura Guerite at the Casino presented the "Apache" Wednesday. The "Apache" thing in the legitimate once again arrays Lee Shubert against F. Ziegfeld, Jr., with the Casino first in the field. Mr. Gould watched the "Apache" during the fifteen performances while in Paris. He says in his estimation Miss Held will do the dance properly, having undoubtedly studied it similarly. The "Apache" can not be given understanding^, adds Mr. Gould, without thorough familiarity with it. It is a sort of pantomimic drama told while dancing, the brutality of the Paris- ian street lounger towards his "girl" be- ing the expressive and main point. Mr. Gould and Miss Suratt have the dance rehearsed. They may present It for the first time when playing Hammerstein's in November, or may place it upon the stage before that engagement. DONNA SEYMOUR IN CUSTODY. Donna Seymour, the spectacular theat- rical financieress, was committed to jail in Bayonne, N. J., late last week, there to await the action of the Grand Jury on a charge of grand larceny. "The Hall Room Boys," a musical show which she was piloting about, disbanded at the same time, all its scenery and equipment being held up by attachments. The show was due to play the Bay- onne Opera House Wednesday and Thurs- day. They arrived on the latter day and gave one performance. Then it began to rain attachments. During the show Miss Seymour was taken into custody on the complaint of several of her treasurers. It was declared before a local magis- trate that Donna had made it a practice to advertise in various cities for treas- urers. When they applied she demanded that they deposit $250 or $300 cash bonds. It is said that she made a col- lection of treasurers in this way and at one time there were half a dozen travel- ing with the organization. Donna recently left Asbury Park, N. J., suddenly, jumping a bail bond of $500 under which she had been held for a Grand Jury inquisition. Consuelo Bailey will play in vaudeville "A Game for Two," by James Bailey, sup- ported by a company of three. Miss Bailey was late of the Frawley Stock in Minne- apolis. CANCELLED THRO' "RACE RIOTS." B. A. Rolfe's "Ten Dark Knights" will not play Cincinnati or Indianapolis this month, through the racial agitation in those cities between whites and blacks. The open time has been filled elsewhere. It was at first reported the act had broken up from internal trouble among the ten colored members. A* Mr. Kolfe's offices the report was denied with the above reason of the < ampliations given. It was said Heed"- .;i Smith, the leader of the act, is :i -;fiin «.*i- -iplinarian, and the number v ■■> ■■'.! le.ld together solidly by reason • i h it lis forcible manner of maintain"i / •'. '.