Variety (November 1908)

TEN GENTS VOL. XII., NO. 9. NOVEMBER 7, 1908. PRICE TEN CENTS. ARRANGING TO "CIRCUS" LAUDER OVER BIG "ONE NIG HT STANDS William Morris Expects to Tour the Scotch Comedian by Special Train as Far West as Omaha. Before Harry Lauder shall have re- turned to England he will, according to the present plan of William Morris (to whom Lauder is under contract for sixteen more weeks), tour the United States as far west as Omaha, playing the larger cities for one day and performance only, in the big convention or assembly halls. The tour will partake of a circus mode of travel, a special train transporting the party throughout the trip, similar to that of Sarah Bernhardt's a few seasons ago. Besides Mr. Lauder, who will appear in each half of the show, there will be two or three vaudeville acts together with an orchestra to offset any influence the "op- position" might use to induce local musicians to renege. The billing will also smack of the "cir- cus" variety, and proclaim to the populace that owing to the "opposition" barring Lauder or the Morris amusements from the regular theatres, it has become neces- sary to engage the public meeting place, convention hall or wherever Lauder may be billed to show. The prices of admission will likely be set at $2 for the best seat. It is ex- pected the tour will return at least $60,000 weekly gross takings to the Morris coffers. The trip will continue for between three and five weeks. Cities will be selected which will permit of the "jump" being made daily in time for an evening per formance. The date when the "special" starts is withheld at the Morris office, which has confirmed the remainder of the report. Lauder has never been in Canada, and the managers of the tour bank upon im- mense business in the principal cities of the Dominion. Bids have been received from many managers in that territory. SANDERSON & PROCTOR READY. Harry Sanderson and F. Proctor, Jr., will open a moving picture and vaudeville theatre in Plainfield, N. J., about Nov. 15. The house la the former Stillman's Opera House, until recently given over to com- binations. It has a seating capacity of about 1,000. Mr. Sanderson has been engaged for a month or more in superintending the re- modeling of the building. Young Mr. Proctor is jointly interested in the enter- prise with Mr. Sanderson. TIRED OF "SALOME." "I'm tired of 'Salome.' I want to do something different," said Gertrude Hoff- mann the other day. Miss Hoffmann is at the West End Theatre this week, the feature of "The Mimic World," playing an engagement of 25 weeks under the Shubert direction. Miss Hoffmann explained that while her present management was extremely nice and particularly satisfying, she pined for vaudeville once more, and has already in mind a new act for next season. Before placing the finishing touches upon it, Miss Hoffmann expects to go to Europe during the coming summer. The tour now being taken by the "Spring Song" and "Salome" dancer will carry her to Kansas City before returning to New York. SEE "THE WIRE HORSE." At the Olympia, Paris, this month there is a number termed "The Wire Horse." It is an act belonging to a man named Smith. A horse walks unsupported or unassisted a cable stretched between two poles, and it caused somewhat of a sensation when first shown on Nov. 1st. The Olympia and "The Wire Horse" are under the direction of H. B. Marinelli. John Ringling, the circusman, may en- gage the feature for one of his shows next season. Mr. Ringling is now abroad. SISTER AGAINST SISTER. Montreal, Nov. 5. Were May and Flo Irwin to reappear in their former "sister" act at present it is an even chance that they would intro- duce some hair pulling as a diversion to the stereotyped matter. The casus belli occurred right here last Saturday, all over "Mrs. Peckham's Carouse," which Flo is playing in vaude- ville and May is giving as a curtain raiser at the Garrick, New York. One Eisfeldt, May's lately made hus- band, attempted to garnishee Flo's sal- ary. The papers were drawn and served, but the matter was not pressed for some reason. Flo would have remained over to fight the case. Through some entanglement which has not become clear, Eisfeldt is claiming to have secured the sole playing rights to the sketch from his wife. Flo first pro- duced the piece last season in vaudeville. Everyone supposed that she had loaned it to May for the New York opening of the latter. CLARICE MAYNE SETS PRICE. Clarice Mayne may have her foreign time postponed until April to permit of further engagements over here if the lo- cal managers agree to pay the English imitator $1,000 weekly for the extended time. Miss Mayne came over on a con- tract calling for $400 each week. She may accept $750 for future American en jjagements. HERZ MAY RETURN. Boston, Nov. 5. Ralph C. Herz, who has been confined to the Massachusetts Homeopathic Hos- pital, may return to vaudeville shortly, although still under contract to F. Zieg- feld, Jr. Mr. Herz has asked for his re- lease. Before granting it Mr. Ziegfeld is sipparently awaiting the success of Will- iam Norris in Herz's former role as "The Devil" in "The Soul Kiss." Herz has placed his bookings with the Casey Agency. New York. STAR'S STAR RECEIPTS. At Hyde & Behman's Star Theatre, Brooklyn, on election night, Harry Bry- ant's Extravaganza played to $014.50 at the night performance, with a total of $1,294.40 on the day. DEFRECE REMOVES CLAUSE. (Special Gable to Vabhtt.) London, Nov. 6. In accordance with the demand made by the Variety Artists' Federation upon Wal- ter DeFrece that he remove the objection- able "commission deduct" clause from all contracts for his theatres, DeFrece has done so. The Federation will also demand the removal of that clause from all other con tracts which may now contain it. The artists-agents fight (the cause of DeFrece having inserted the clause giving house managers the right to withhold the agents' commission from artists' salaries) remains at a standstill. ONE ENGLISH COMBINE STARTS. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Nov. 5. The combination of the Barrassford and Gibbons circuits takes on active life next Monday, when the combine starts. The combination between the St oil, DeFrece and Payne Tours is looked upon as certain. W. V. A. ELECTS OFFICERS. Chicago, Nov. 5. At the annual meeting of the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association held here on Tuesday Geo. Middleton was re- elected president ond John J. Murdock general manager. In the evening a dinner was given by Martin Beck at the Auditorium for the managers. Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., left for San Francisco immediately, Mr. Beck returning to New York. HART IN COHAN'S "IDEA." Afark Hart (Mark and Kitty Hart) replaces Walter Le Roy in "The American Idea" at the New York Theatre next Monday. Mr. Lc Boy will return to vaudeville in a sketch. OPENING DATE FOR LUCY WESTON. The opening date for Lucy Weston's re- appearance in vaudeville will probably he the coming Monday or Nov. III. which ever may He arranged by Pat Casey It is h week since Miss Weston n- turned to New York. II. l previous vaudeville appearance was .■? a f< jture <>l the Klaw \ Erlaii^cr f>;!N. K. A, E. released her t«»i tin- /i-^fcld productions where she plaved t«i a \e:u. I * •