Variety (November 1908)

TEN OE NTS VOL. XII., NO. 12. NOVEMBER 28, 1908. PRICE TEN CENTS. GERMAN SITUATION SERIOUS; ADDITION AL HALLS BOYCOTTED Oerman Managers in Meeting Resolve to Ignore I. A. L. and the Lodge Places Other Houses Under Its Ban. (Special Cable to Variety.) Berlin, Nov. 26. At the meeting of the Managers' Asso- ciation yesterday it was resolved to here- after entirely ignore the International Artisten Loge. Immediately thereupon the Loge (I. A. L.) held a meeting of its directors and voted to place under boycott (in addition to the other seven German halls which have already been declared "unfair" by the Loge) the following: Apollo, Vienna; Ronacher's, Vienna; Colosseum, Vienna; Tichy's, Prague. The hostile newspapers to the I. A. L. (Der Artiste and Organ) have also been boycotted. The trade unions of Germany have promised the I. A. L. their support in this boycott, and the outlook seems very serious. The warfare between the German artists and managers which has been waging for some time now appeared to be in a favorable course of settlement a couple of weeks ago. At the joint meeting on Nov. 8, the anticipated re- sult looked for from the conference was not reached. The information just re- ceived that the I. A. L. has included four other prominent German halls in the boy- cott, making eleven in all (leaving but a few of the larger ones free for organ- ization artists to play) indicates a gen- eral "strike," which has arrived or is to come. The difference between the German managers and the I. A. L. arose over the contract form. This brought about re- examination on *>nch si/le. widening the breach. The halls boycotted by the I. A. L. can not be played by either its own mem- bers, those of the Variety Artists' Fed- eration of England, or members of the White Rats of America, the three artists' associations being affiliated. THE MORTONS IN PRODUCTION. The Four Mortons have signed to ap- pear in a production for sixteen weeks following the expiration of their present contract on the Morris Circuit, which has about a month yet to run. The Mortons, according to rumor, will play in the legitimate piece at a Phil- adelphia theatre. LAUDER'S TOUR LAID OUT. The "one-night" stand tour for Harry Lauder has been laid out by the Morris office, and the Scotchman will probably commence his travels about Dec. 14, re- maining at the American until then. Hugo Morris will represent his office and the star upon the road, while there will be a few acts yet unselected to fill in the show. EMMA CARUS QUITS SHOW. "The Big Three," of which Emma Carus is one, will shortly dissolve, Miss Carus having been re-engaged to appear upon the Morris Circuit commencing Dec. 14 at the Lincoln Square. Miss Carus' companions in the trio of "big names" on the road with a Shubert production are Jefferson De Angeles and Camille D'Arville. MRS. JAMES BROWN POTTER SURE. Some time this season at the Lincoln Square there will appear Mr9. James Brown Potter, the engagement for the Morris Circuit having been completed through Morris' London office. Mrs.. Potter, will use for her vaudeville entertainment a diversified form of offer- ing, including several "bits." The date of the opening is withheld. MOUNTFORD ADDRESSES ELMIRA. Elmira, Nov. 25. The new Mozart Theatre, a handsome playhouse, seating 1,400 people, built at a cost of $85,000, was opened here Mon- day night, taxed to its capacity* and 500 people turned away. The success of this latest addition to the Mozart Circuit is assured from the start. The building was dedicated by Presi- dent Connelly of the local Chamber of Commerce. Other speakers were Secre- tary Harry Mountford of the White Rats, Edward Mozart and Resident Manager Middleton. Mr. Mountford said in part: "The open- ing of this beautiful theatre is a history- making event in American theatricals. It is, I believe, the first theatre to be built in America by the co-operation of actors und managers. It marks the advent of a great period in the amusement world and is the beginning of a great reconciliation between the people on the stage and in the box office." He paid a high tribute to Mr. Mozart and the circuit. The opening bill at the Mozart includes Powers' Elephants, Howard Truesdell and Co., Frances Gerard, Major Doyle, Slater, Perrin and Crosby and Whitman Broth- ers. Charles L. Roseberry is musical di- rector, with an orchestra of eight pieces. Edward Mozart, of the Mozart Circuit, to-day wired an offer of $40,000 a year for the Cleveland Hippodrome. Mozart's offer is flat rental, while there are said to be percentage strings on the bids of the others, resting upon percent- ages of receipts to be paid weekly. The lease runs from Dec. 15 to July 1, 1909. COYNE GOES TO LONDON. Declining several vaudeville offers, Joseph Coyne, late star of "The Mollusc" at the Garrick, New York, sailed Wednes- day for London, where he will join "The Merry Widow" Co. UNITED'S PHILADELPHIA OFFICE. Philadelphia, Nov. 25. The United Booking Office's Club De- partment is reaching out to cover the field in other cities as well as New York, and has arranged a club department in the Keith Building here with M. Rudy Heller in charge. Mr. Heller was for- merly of the firm of Heller A Glading. SHARPSHOOTER KILLS ASSISTANT. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Nov. 24. At the Middlesex on Monday night last, while Clementina, a sharpshooter, was performing, she killed her assistant, Lee, while attempting to shoot a glass ball from his head. The accident has caused an immense amount of excitement. The woman has been performing in a "shooting act" for only five months. The Clementina mentioned in the above cable has but recently embarked upon a career of her own as a sharp shooter. She has been at off and odd times in the past an assistant, and is known as a novice or amateur. Among sharpshooters it is accepted and recognized that a human life must not be placed in jeopardy. In instances where the marksman shoots a ball from off the head, through an illusion the ball is actually placed from a foot to a foot and a half above the head through by being placed to the back of the subject, giving the audience an upward range of vision. Also very few sharpshooters at- tempt this trick who do not use a specially prepared bullet incapable of inflicting in- jury. The mere fact that Clementina could have killed her assistant is proof positive of her ignorance in these neces- sary details. WANT WILTON LACKAYE. No sooner did Wilton Lackaye quit "The Battle" last Saturday night in Pittsburg than Pat Casey wired the actor wanting to know if he would engage for a go with vaudeville. No future plans for Lackaye are known as yet, and Mr. Casey iz hop^fr 1 M "land- ing" the late star. S.-C. ADD MINNEAPOLIS. Chicago, Nov. 25. On and after Dec. 14 all acts playing the Sullivan-Considine Circuit on the coast will have a week in Minneapolis added to their route*. At present the acts booked for the Coast op<»n at Butte. Minneapolis will hunk the jump. PROCTOR MAY TAKE ORANGE. According to the rumors F. F. Proc- tor is negotiating with Feiber A Shea for the firm's Bijou Theatre at Orange, N. J. Mr. Proctor, in the event of securing the theatre, will add it to his rapidly grow- ing chain of "picture houses."