Variety (December 1908)

8 VARIETY IMPORTANT ORDERS ISSUED. (Continued from page 3.) books with names, clog the affairs of the large agency, besides causing dissension among the artists through failure to fulfill hasty and unconsidered statements. The other reason spoken of is that the United Booking Offices has never been, since its formation, despite the enormous volume of bookings placed by it, on a profit-earning basis. This is ascribed to the expensive staff necessary to operate the agency, and it is also believed the United itself has been carrying as an ex- pense account certain deficiencies, or as- sumed liabilities under an understanding. It has been rumored several times within the past eight months that there had been no dividends distributed among the United stockholders, and it was even talked of that some dissatisfaction existed over this state of affairs. One agent pointed out that a benefit might follow as, through the additional income the United would derive, it might not hereafter book direct, causing more acts to be in the open field for agents to place. Whether the ruling of the commission division would extend to foreign agents could not be learned. It is believed that that point has not yet been considered. Nor are the agents aware whether the United will instruct resident managers to retain the full ten per cent., the United accounting to the agents for their two and one-half, or allow the present system of the agents collecting their own com- missions to continue. It was said this week that a "split of commission" between agents and booking offices in the past has not been an un- usual occurrence. MANY BUDDING AOENTS. Among the applications for new dra- matic agencies on file with the New York License Bureau appears the namt of Will- iam S. Hennessy, the son of Dan F. Hen- nessy, of the United Booking Offices. The permission to do a general agency busi- ness under license will probably be grant- ed young Hennessy some time next week. Other applicants before the License Commissioner are John J. Iris, an old- time vaudeville agent, and Louis Spiel - man, a newcomer. COMEDIAN MAY LOSE EYE. Albany, N. Y., Dec. 3. Miner's "Merrys" are playing at the Oayety this week, but the Two Fran- ciscos, comedy msgicians, are not in the cast. Le Roy Francisco may lose the sight of an eye as the result of an accident which happened during the end of last week's engagement at the Empire, Sche- nectady. The comedian (Le Roy) of the act has a quantity of plate smashing to do. In one of the Saturday performances a particle of china from a smashed plate flew up and cut his right eye. He rushed off the stage in great pain and the curtain was rung down. Dr. James E. Reed of Schenectady at- tended the injured man. The physician could not tell immediately how serious the damage was, but gave it as his opin- ion that the eye was permanently dam- aged. The act will be out of the show for a month at least. TIN PAN ALLEY JINGLES. By WILLIAM JEROME. Song comparisons are melodious. Albert Gumble's "Are You Sincere?" is the waltz hit of the present season. A good melody covers a multitude of sins. Buffalo is the best ten-cent music town in America. The successful song writer is generally a failure as a business man. Leigh and Pether are the two best song writers England has produced since the days of Harrington and Le Brun. Some day I am going to say something about W. J. McKenna, who wrote "Mandy Lane," the best "coon" song on the market. Fat statements are becoming thinner every year. Publishers should stop taking the obesity cure. "After the Ball" is just starting to be come popular in Elmira. BEN HARNEY DEAD. Ben R. Harney, who was the first per- son to introduce "ragtime" piano playing in a variety entertainment, died recently in Tampa, Fla., a victim of consumption. Harney came originally from Cincinnati. He first appeared in New York at Tony Pastor's Theatre in 1805, presenting a specialty which embraced "ragtime" piano playing, "coon shouting" and eccentric dancing, the whole based upon the ec- centric methods employed by jubilant col- ored persons in expressing their proverbial good humor. Harney was doubtful of his success be- fore presenting his act at Pastor's, but the first performance settled the ques- tion, and his reputation was made. Pros- perity could have been his, had he em- braced his opportunity, but he seemed to be more willing to permit his' imitators to make inroads upon his rightful field tlian to take up for uimself the chances which presented themselves. His stage career, from a brilliant start, resolved it- self into a desultory attempt to stay in the business; he never really tried to make anything of himself. He was mar- ried to Miss Murray, of the dancing team of Murray and Gavonni, shining lights among "sister acts" a decade ago. With his wife he appeared for a comparatively few engagements. Following a separation, the deceased drifted away from New York into the smaller circuits, into obscure corners of the land and finally was lost to view. Whether he was married more than once is not definitely known; but the infor- mation concerning his death bears the statement that he is survived by a wife and baby. Daisy Lloyd sails for England to-day (Saturday), her intended' sailing date, Wednesday last, having been unavoidably postponed. On Tuesday Miss Lloyd re- ceived a memento from a Brooklyn club which she entertained while at the Fulton over the Bridge. ARTISTS' FORUM Confine year totters te ISO wards ^^ a^M^W^T BB^^S^ea^B* %4^BWIwSl^t^SSMrVSV ^W ^^H ■ • held In strict csaMeacs, If write ea > wit sMe af paper eoly. Nasae af writer auit »• signed and Boston, Nov. 28. Editor Variety: I have read in to-day's Variety the advertisement of Alsace and Lorraine in which it is state4 Miss Lorraine has been playing the bag-pipes for the past five years, upon the stage, and that I am "laboring under a mistake" in believing myself the only woman to do so. Upon returning home, before and since first appearing at the American with the bag-pipes, I asked several if they knew of any other woman having played the bag- pipes over here. No one did. If Miss Lorraine had advertised her playing of the bag-pipes as every artist should do when presenting what they con- sider a novelty, no misunderstanding could have arisen over prior claims. A printed record will prevent someone else "laboring under a mistake," and is a protection. Grace Hazard. Johnstown, Pa., Dec. 1. Editor Variety: In Variety (Nov. 28) there appeared an article referring to a member of the Vaudeville Comedy Club who, either vol- untarily or by prearrangement, had given, sold or disclosed the minuteB, or gist of same, of the meetings of the above-men- tioned organization. It seems almost im- possible to imagine that any one could so far insult his own manhood and defy his conscience as to betray a sacred obligation. We can at times under certain condi- tions be lenient with the thief, and con- siderate with the poor demented mind driven to commit murder, but under no circumstances can we feel anything but the deepest of loathing for the Judas. If the poor wretch in his narrow-mindedness would only stop to consider how the one, or ones' to whom he is betraying his fel- low-man must secretly despise him, and ultimately shun him, he would immediate- ly tender his resignation to the organi- zation and pray to his Maker that the natural law of compensation spare him from the punishment he is bound to reap. Chat. E. Smith. New Orleans, La., Dec. 1. Editor Vabiety: Please call the attention of the profes- sion to the case of Charles Moreland (formerly of Moreland, Thompson and Roberts), who is lying ill and utterly des- titute in the Cook County Hospital, Chi- cago (Ward 22, bed 10). Mr. Moreland had many friends and was always known to be generous to any brother or sister artist in distress, and I hope some may remember him in his hour of need. A letter, magazine or anything would be greatly appreciated by him. Ouy Rawton. Buffalo, N. Y., Nov. 29. Editor Variety: Will you please ask for any in- formation regarding Mrs. or Mr. Harry McConnell, Mrs. McConnell's (Lillian Ma- honey) father, Bert Mahoney, having died in Buffalo at the home of his mother, who is anxious to see her granddaughter. Harry McConnell was manager of "The Isle of Spice." Send any information to Philip S. Weber, Shea's Theatre, Buffalo, N. Y. TIGHTENING UP ON SUNDAYS. There was a general tightening up of shows last Sunday. Several local houses replaced acts after the matinee, drawing the bills as "straight" as possible for the evening show. During the week W. S. Chase, the Brooklyn minister, got busy, and at a meeting of Presbyterian ministers in New York asked that an assembly of ministers of all creeds be called during January to promote active steps for the suppression of the Sunday concert. Dr. Chase has attempted crusades of this nature in Brooklyn at odd intervals. He is regarded by the saloon keepers across the bridge as their greatest bene- factor. On Wednesday the Rev. John Wesley Hill of the Metropolitan Temple, hurled himself into the publicity game by an- nouncing that a test case will be made on Sunday, Dec. 13. Three arrests were made by the police last Sunday, all in the downtown section. Charles Eschert, manager of the Atlantic Garden, was apprehended for permitting an Italian to sing a native song. The police justice on Tuesday dismissed the charge, deciding that it was permissible for the artist also taken in charge (Ed- ward Rossi) to appear in the national cos- tume of his country, stating that even a Scotchman could wear his kilts upon the stage on a Sabbath without committing a violation through that alone. Felix Adler, of the Grand Street The- atre, was held for Special Sessions the same day for permitting a "Yiddish" play to be presented in his house last Sabbath, while the manager of the Thalia Theatre on the Bowery, arrested under a like com- plaint, and arraigned in another court, was discharged. WANTS PARTNERSHIP DISSOLVED. Chicago, Dee. 3. B. C. Whitney, manager of the Whitney Opera House, has filed suit in the Su- perior Court asking that the partnership existing between himself and Sam Gerson be dissolved. Gerson was for some time resident manager of the Whitney, and he is said to have agreed to contribute $15,000 toward the production of the piece now playing at the theatre. For this con- sideration he was to receive a half-interest in the play. Mr. Whitney asserts that Gerson col- lected more than his share, according to the receipts. There is no direct charge of any irregularities against Gerson, but Mr. Whitney wants the court to pass upon the controversy. Minnie Palmer opens next week at the Fulton, Brooklyn, with J. M. Bar He's "A Woman's Curiosity."