Variety (January 1909)

-' T I I H»- s -\ VARIETY TO REPLACE DETROIT HOUSE. Chicago, Dec. 30. A new burlesque theatre at Detroit to replace the present Gaiety is contemplated by the Columbia Amusement Co. (East- ern Burlesque Wheel). Manager J. M. Ward of the Gaiety is searching the city for a desirable site. He has an option on two, and the probabilities are the new structure will commence building next summer. THOUGHT "LAUDER" "LOUDER." Chicago, Dec 30. Harry Lauder will return to Orchestra Hall on New Year's. The Morris show played to capacity there last week, and will probably do so again. It is a curious commentary, however, on the reflection of a metropolitan's rage outside of the big city, that Lauder was little known here before the press de- partment commenced to work. Chicago knew all about Scotch whisky and $12 Scotch suits, but it was a bit hazy about who Lauder was. J. C. Matthews came on here in ad- vance of the show. Jim enthusiastically boomed his star, and even told a crowd of professionals while eating in the Col- lege Inn what a fine performer Lauder was. Someone around the table remarked the College Inn orchestra didn't seem crazy over Lauder's music, so Matthews called the head waiter, saying: "Tell the orchestra to play Lauder music" The director of the restaurant returned in a moment and, addressing Matthews, said: "I have told the orchestra to play louder, sir, and hope you will hear it all right now." Jim collapsed. OFFER FRANCHISE TO COMEDIENNE. The officials of the Columbia Amuse- ment Co. have offered to lease a fran- chise for a burlesque show on their cir- cuit next season to Daisy Harcourt, the English comedienne, with the proviso that she travel with the organization as the star and feature. Miss Harcourt, since her return to this country, has once or twice played in the Eastern Wheel houses around New York as special attraction, and in each case has scored a tremendous success. It is this that makes the managers anxious to have her enter their wheel. FRENCH WRESTLER HAS SHOWING. Chicago, Dec. 30. Bedini and Arthur are playing at the Olympic, Chicago, this week, having left Scribner's "Big Show" for the occasion. The "Big Show" is at Euson's in that city, with the new French wrestler, de Rouen, as the extra attraction. De Rouen has been in this country about a month. He is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds. Last Sunday night while wrestling Anderson, a local man, de Rouen was so rough in his tactics the audience hooted. The Frenchman threw Anderson in eleven minutes, having agreed to forfeit $50 if he could not secure a fall within fifteen minutes. De Rouen is a Graeco-Roman wrestler only, but givos his opponents leave to use any style of hold. PLIMMER HOME. Walter J. Plimmer returned to New York late last week, after a long absence in Eng- land. He will remain here until next Au- gust placing English acts. After that he goes back to the other side to resume with "Happy Hooligan," the show which closed after a disastrous tour in England. Mr. Plimmer said the show did well enough until it ran into a long list of book- ings in Lancashire, where there was a cot- ton strike on and the people were without money for amusements. Next year's tour commences at the Lyric Opera House, Hammersmith, London. Lester Mayne wil remain in charge of the Plimmer agency. BEEHLER LEAVING SIOUX CITY? Sioux City, Dec 23. There is a strong likelihood that David Beehler, manager of the Orpheum, will be promoted to a position in the New York headquarters of the Orpheum Circuit. Mr. Beehler has made the theatre and himself very popular since assuming the management when the house opened. Geo. Harrison, present manager of the Or- pheum, Spokane, is spoken of as Mr. Beehler's successor. BEDINI TO BE WHEEL MANAGER. Chicago, Dec. 30. Jean Bedini has been offered an option on the proprietorship for next season of Sam Scribner's "Big Show," an Eastern Burlesque Wheel property. Bedini's con- trol will probably be in the nature of a lease, the lessee taking over for the time being the franchise and bookings of the organization. The terms are the payment of $2,000 to Mr. Scribner and a weekly payment of $100 to the Columbia Amusement Co. Mr. JVdini will probably close his option by the middle of January. Bedini and Arthur were a feature of "The Big Show" until Monday, when they left and accepted an engagement at the Olympic Music Hall. SECOND APPEAL. T. W. Dinkins has carried his suit for an accounting on a partnership agreement with Weber & Rush into the New York Court of Appeals, the final tribunal in this State. The original suit as well as the first appeal went against Dinkins. LIVELY CHICAGO BALL. Chicago, Dec. 30. The Theatre Employees' Association held its eighth annual ball Saturday night at the Coliseum Annex. It was a masque, and some of the masqueraders were very picturesque. A large crowd attended, the affair reaping a substantial profit for the association. The Committee of Arrangements in- cluded H. Murray Byers, Frank Burns and Sam Weiss. "CONTINUOUS" IN BALTIMORE. Baltimore, Dec 30. Marion S. Pearce & Philip J. Scheck opened their "Victoria" Monday night, the first continuous vaudeville in Baltimore. The seating capacity is 1,600, and the house was packed. The vaudeville that greeted the first patrons of "The Victoria" included The Four Musical Kings, musical; Humes and Lewis, comedy acrobats; Starbuck and Mandell, hand balancers; Archionri, jug- gler; Shayne and King, Hebrew come- dians; George C. Davis, monolog; Clara Maehammer, singer, and the Divo Twin Sisters, sister act. WE DO NOT FOLLOW THE LEADERS, WE LEAD THE FOLLOWERS. 12 MINUTES IN "ONE." "Vardon, Perry and Wllber, "Those Three Boys,' are three young men from the west, appearing first In a colored long coat and bat. tna boya afterward change to light suits. Popular songs are sung, but none of the many much-hammered variety. Seldom has an act played New York for the first time allowing such good Judgment In the handling of their offering. While they arc engaged In a number, one concludes how well a colored Ugh: would look upon them, nad lo! the next moment, the light la there which shows that the trio have studied the beat effect*. Besides the singing, string instruments aro played, the trio being their own accompanists, subduing the music and volume to obtain the best results. They sing just enough of each selection to make the audience ask for more. In this way they are giving mora songs In eleven minutes than a great majority of singing trios and quartets are doing in double the time. It's different from the rent, and the muBlc is of merit, both the vocal and Instrumental."—(SIME.) They ping, dance and play, all at the same time. Will consider offers for Vaudeville, Burlesque or Musical Comedy. All playing parts. Address care VARIETY, AGENTS APPLYING. The applications of practically all the agents doing business with the United Booking Offices are in the hands of the chief executives and it is probable that they will be passed upon and licenses is- sued under the new system by the first of next week. The absence of A. Paul Keith and other United officials in Cleveland to attend the opening there of the Hippodrome, prevented earlier action on the applications. The new split commission plan went into effect Monday when official notification was sent out to all the agents. "A COUPLE OF KINGS." When Same Rice, of "The Merry Maid- ens," read Dave Marion's greetings in the Anniversary Number of Variety, in which Mr. Marion styled himself "The King of Burlesque," Sam rang for a mes- senger boy and despatched the following to that comedian: "Dave Marion, Star, Cleveland. "Compliments to King Dave and Queen Agnes from King Sam and Queen Lulu." "Queen Agnes" is Agnes Behler (Mrs. Marion), the leading woman of the "Dreamlands." "Queen Lulu" is Lulu Beeson (Mrs. Rice), who is appearing in her own highly successful vaudeville number. PLAYS WITH BROKEN LEG. Frank Moore, "the Tin Man" comedian with "The Behman Show," at the Star and Garter this week, is playing with a broken leg. The injury was sustained in an accident last week. In spite of doc- tors' advice Mr. Moore insisted on playing and managed with the aid of splints and plaster casts to walk through his part. MLLE. JOLY VIOLETTA. Mile. Joly Violetta is famous in all capitals of Europe and South America, whence she imported the famous dances which have contributed to her great repu- tation. She made her artistic debut at the age of 8 in the opera, Paris, and since then has succeeded in making herself considered the first of all European stars, as much for her originality as for the fine quality of her productions. Mile. Violetta had several times the honor of appearing before sovereigns and notably before his majesty, the late Don Carlos I, of Portugal, and his royal family, and again recently before his Majesty Nicholas II, of Russia, and the imperial family, on the occasion of the marriage of his Royal Highness William G'uillaume de Sudermanie and her Im- perial Highness Princess Marie Paulovua in the Imperial palace of Tsarokee-Salo. iS.he will present for the first time in North America, one of her latest crea- tions, at the Olympic, Chicago, Jan. 4. The offering consists of a series of paro- dies of European stars and her unique dances, in which she is assisted by Sr. Arnaud. Mike Bernard and Blossom Secley have smoothed out their differences, and are playing at Louisville this week. Sign a Roberts opens at Montgomery, Ala., next week for a tour of the Ma- jestic Circuit.