Variety (November 1908)

VARIETY 13 Ayeaha Hara. "Salome." "Rents-Santley," Olympic, Brooklyn. Ayesha Hara claimed to be making her first American appearance with Abe Lea- vitt's burlesque troupe undoubtedly stands at the head of all "Salomers" in burlesque. She gives the dance more completely than any other of the other olio features so far seen, and adds some dramatic force to it, but not enough to worry over. "Ayesha" (the best description of a sneeze heard) is up against the "Salome" stagna- tion around the Metropolis, but that need not alarm her. A bit more "wiggling" and she can feature herself as a boss "coocher." Sime . Sinclair's "Dainty English Dancing Dolls" (4). "Rents-Santley," Olympic, Brooklyn. Four young girls, all "ponies," two of *Iiom are sisters, at least in looks, go through an acrobatic routine, and win out on cuteness in work, making a good num- ber for the opening of the olio, and which could be improved if someone would stake the youngsters to silk stockings; also having their "Tommy Atkins* coats cleaned or replaced. They are hard little workers. With some money and attention spent upon them, they should pass in vaudeville. 8ime . Sisters Blatazar (5). Aerial "Strong Act." "Rents-Santley," Olympic, Brooklyn. One of the quintet of Sisters Blataser is suspended from a trapeze, head down- ward. In this position she holds by her hands rings and another trapeze from which the other four girls perform, singly or in groups. As a final feat the strong woman holds the entire quartet. The act is excellently dressed in white tights, and the girls are all good looking, a couple really pretty, an extraordinary circum- stance for a foreign female acrobatic num- ber. The young women—or three of them —(the fourth seeming to be just "breaking in") can handle themselves well on either the rings or bars, while the exhibition of strength by the holder, who is not of herculean build, is remarkable. If all the girls were to follow the lead of one who modestly placed shields beneath her arm pits, the appearance of the act would still further be enhanced. It is making the hit of the "Rentz-Santley" show. Sime. OUT OF TOWN Franklyn Underwood and Co. "Mr. Stung's Mistake" (Comedy). 17 Mins.; Full Stage. Orpheum, Denver. The plot deals with a jealous husband and the wife's efforts to hide her lover from discovery, being planned on the hack- neyed French "triangle." Although the outline is far from novel, Mr. Carson, resi- dent manager of the Orpheum, who wrote the vehicle, has managed to construct some good situations, and the dialog is asparkle with bright lines. The finish is rather abrupt, and the scene between hus- band and lover might be followed out more logically. There is a novelty in the open- ing. Wife and lover occupy one of the upper boxes of the theatre, while the hus- band is alone in the box immediately be- low. The wife drops her scarf, and the husband, looking up. discovers her, making MOVING PICTURE NEWS ">t MOVINU PICTURE REVIEWS ) BENNETT'S COAST CIRCUIT. Charles W. Bennett, the Canadian vaudeville and moving picture manager, has a Far-Southern Atlantic Coast Cir- cuit of picture houses. There are a trio,' The Varieties at San Jose, Costa Rica; Metropole, Panama and Rockfort Gardens, Kingston, Jamaica. In a few weeks one or two vaudeville acts will be employed weekly, traveling over the circuit. Transportation is sup- plied by the management Clarke Brown will book the numbers. One act is played weekly at present. The admission to the picture shows is 25 and 60 cents. SWANSON AN EXHIBITOR. Muncie, Ind., Nov. 12. William H. Swanson, the Chicago film renter and member of the Film Service As- sociation Executive Committee, has pur- chased the Majestic Theatre here from Le- roy Tudor, and will convert it into a modern moving picture playhouse. $20,000 PICTURE HOUSE. Hamilton, O., Nov. 12. The Hamilton Amusement Co. was in- corporated yesterday with a capital stock of $20,000 to construct a moving picture theatre in this city to cost that amount. It will be one of the finest in the State, it is claimed. J. E. McCarthy, J. T. Ward and J. E. A. Ederson are the incorporators. FOX'S AUTO WRECKED. While William Fox, of the Greater New York Rental Oo., and his wife were travel- ing through Third Avenue, New York, in their automobile last Saturday, the chauf- feur found himseli in a position where he either had to wreck the machine through compact with an elevated railroad post, or maim or kill a small child. He chose the post, wrecking the ma- chine and injuring both the occupants, who were removed to their home, serious- ly, although not dangerously cut and in- jured. $500 DAMAGE TO PICTURE PLACE Cincinnati, Nov. 12. The Orpheum, at 240 W. 6th Street, a picture house, was damaged $500 by fire on Monday evening. The Fire Marshal is investigating. There was some oppo- sition to the opening of this theatre, and an incendiary is suspected. a scene. Ushers seize him and rush him out of the theatre as he shouts that the woman is his wife. The action is then re- sumed on the stage. Frances Slosson and George Bloomquest give the star adequate support. Londoner. "The Naked Truth" ("No. 1 Company"). 37 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Orpheum, New Orleans. This is the second edition of "The Naked Truth." The original company opened in the East. Geo. W. Leslie is featured. Lil- lian Lawson saved the piece from scoring an absolute "frost." "The Naked Truth" received less applause than any other act on the bill. O. M. Samuel. TWO NEW LONDON PICTURES. London, Nov. 3. The following press notice of forthcom- ing moving pictures at the Palace, manu- factured by the progressive Urban Co., has been given out. The Palace has the exclusive right to the "first run" in Lon- don of the Urban films: Not least important of the changes in the Palace Theatre program next Monday will be the presentation for the first time of a striking new series of "Urbanora" scenes vividly illus- trating a fight between a Lycosidaen spider (a veritable wolf in the ferocity of its nature) and an Egyptian scor- pion photographed at Smyrna. The subject teems with incident, for barely has the scorpion vanquished the spider than it is itself attacked and dispossessed of its prey by a larger member of its own species. Quite distinct from the web-weaving spiders of Britain, these interesting arthropods are the warlike bandits of the insect world and, far from evading an unequal combat with a monster protected by a horny coat of mail, they deliberately provoke it. Time permitting, this unique series will be supplemented by another en- titled "Off to America," a pictorial record of crossing the Atlantic on the White Star liner Adriatic and by the latest topical events. USE EVEN THE SQUEAL. Chicago, Nov. 12. The late P. D. Armour once said that the squeal was the only part of a pig that went to waste at the Stock Yards. Nowadays even the squeal is used. Last Saturday a man carrying a moving picture camera and a machine for mak- ing phonographic records presented him- self at the Stock Yards and asked permission to take some pictures for use in a five-cent theatre to illustrate "A Day at the Stock Yards." After taking the moving pictures he proceeded to can the squeals of hogs hoisted to death in the shackling pens. NEW ONES IN LOUISVILLE. Louisville, Nov. 12. The Casino (Irvin Simon, Mgr.), a new moving picture house, opened its doors to the public last week. It is located on Fourth, between Walnut and Green Streets. The New Majestic, a picture theatre, is to be added to Louisville's already large list. A ten-year lease has been taken on the property at 544 Fourth avenue, and a theatre is to be erected at a cost of $15,000. The promoters of the Majestic are: K. S. Brown, Louis J. Dittman and Camden R. McAtee. RESTRICTING "5c." LICENSES. Cincinnati, Nov. 12. On Tuesday Mayor Markbriet ruled proposed picture houses charging an ad- mission of five cents and located outside the down-town districts must have the consent of the property owners, principal of a school or pastor of a church in the neighborhood before the application will be favorably passed upon. "It Ii Nat the Cowl That Hakes the Friar." Manhattan. This is not at all a nice film in the subject matter, nor is it delicately worked out, although the Pathe people probably risk the most in presenting the picture abroad, where friars are more frequent than over here. At a banquet one of the diners who imbibes overmuchly is shorn of his plainly seen false beard and hair. He is then carried by his companions of both sexes to the door of a monestary, having had a friar's cowl and gown placed upon him. The friar's called to the door take the "drunk" inside while the "souses" without dance with joy on the pavement. The imposition is discovered within the monestary gates, and the impostor "beaten up" in goodly fashion, thrown outside the walls and receives another beating upon returning home, where his wife fails to recognize in the clean-shaven man her hus- band. The entire view is an idle thought, foolishly expressed. Bime, "Launching of the Roma." Manhattan. Tne trouble with "The Launching of the Roma," a Pathe picture of an Italian man- of-war receiving her initial bath, is thai everything in connection with the launch- ing is shown excepting the actual bitting of the water by the boat. The officers, royalty and crowds, together with the) ■hips in the bay, are seen, but the nearest approach to the "Roma" on the waves that the audience gets is a back view of her gliding down the ways, when the picture stops. A front picture of the de- scent would have finished it off, but it ends at the moment when one looks for- ward to "The Launching of the Roma." Sime. "A Push Cart Race." Manhattan. Pathe has hit upon a good one for comedy in a "Push Cart Race." A race between push cart venders is announced by a proclamation tacked upon a wall. The cart-men hasten to make their entries and the race consists of a number rushing up and down streets, through alley-ways, with their carts before them, brushing aside any obstacles in their path, a couple of women with small wagons join in. <nt the whining post a general fight ensues between the contestants, probably each claiming a foul, as many mix-ups and accidents occur. The comedy, of which tnere is aplenty, has been well handled, and it is a first-class clean comedy view. Sim*. The owners of the Lyric Theatre, Wa- meco, Texas, will open another moving picture theatre in that town this month. Independence, Kas., is to have a mov- ing picture theatre in the near future. A. Rogers will build it. The Pastime Amusement Co. of Charles- ton, S. C, will build a vaudeville and pic- ture theatre with seating capacity of 1,000. The building known as the "OH Church," Roekford, III., will be converted into a vaudeville and moving picture the- atre. It will be known as the Majestic.