Variety (January 1909)

8 VARIETY ^*i WILLIAM MORRIS SPEAKS BEFORE" THFlVfflTE RATS In His Maiden Speech, the Independent Manager Pledges "Opposition." Has "Stage Fright." Chicago, Jan. 21. At the meeting of the White Rats, held at the Sherman House last Friday night, William Morris was introduced amid ap- plause lasting several minutes. His speech, reported verbatim by a Variety representative present, follows: "Gentlemen: Before I say a word I must confess this is the first time I have ever made a speech. I am going to be a frost. I am very much pleased to' be in- vited to this meeting and I want to thank you for the way you have acted with me through my present fight. "The prospects look very good and I am doing the best I can under the circum- stances. Before I am through I will have a circuit of houses extending from Boston to San Francisco. At present I am in Boston and as far as Chicago. I am going to work hard and expect to be in 'Frisco soon. "Speaking of the boycott, I have been fighting twelve years and this subject comes up every year. It is beginning to be a joke to me. When they saw me pro- gressing they gave me thirty and once ox twice sixty days to last. When the time was up they sent for me and told me what I should do. 'Now is the time to come into the fold* they said, but I laughed at their offers, and instead of coming into the fold I came to Chicago, and I got here myself. "I will never be connected with the United people. I will be William Morris forever. I would rather be William Mor- ris and have my apartment and three meals a day and leave my name to my son than have all the fortunes of the United. They call this anarchy. If this is anarchy then I dont know what anarchy means. Their offers all look alike to me. I am at last in a position where I am not afraid of competitors. "When you hear of William Morris do- ing anything, blame it on William Morris alone. I have been in this business most of my life and I love the business. I could not live without it, and I hope soon to go from Boston to San Francisco. Again I must thank you for the many kindnesses shown me. If ever you wish to send your representatives to see me, I will be very glad to meet them at any time. "I believe in organization. I have al- ways been fighting. Even in my school days I was always the arguer, and wouldn't stand for the thumb being pressed on me. 1 would like to tell you more, but I think I will quit. I guess it's stage fright." The meeting of the Rats packed the hall with members and others. The assemblage was the largest since the White Rat open meeting at the Colonial Theatre last year. Most present were members. The event was particularly notable for the presence of Harry Mountford and sev- eral directors, among them Tim Cronin and Ren Shields. Jim Marco, the chair- man, and Tim Cronin opened the proceed- ings by introducing the new attorney for the Rats at Chicago, Judge E. F. Dunne, ex-mayor of Chicago. Mr. Dunne spoke for a few moments, assuring his co-opera- tion. He lauded Sol Lowenthal, his pre- decessor. Mr. Dunne stated that he was in the show business a number of years ago and was gratified to return to it in a legal capacity. Mr. Mountford spoke of the remarkable growth of the Chicago branch 6f the Rats. He said the Raffe have tried to send a committee to the managers, but the lat- ter seemed to take this as a sign of weak- ness. "Now we will take steps to show them where we stand in the matter," con- tinued Mr. Mountford, "and whatever the consequences are the manager can blame it on none but himself. They are only two ways to crosa the Pyramids of Egypt. One is like the eagle does by flying over. This we have tried and the result was failure. Now we are making the attempt as the snail does by crawling little by little." Among the others present were: Harry Knowles, J. Maus, W. H. Mack, John P. Rand, John Leach, James Burke, A. L. Sal- vail, Bobby Gaylbr, J. J. Cluxton, Ed J. Carter, Lewis Braham, Nelson Bernard, AI Dorsch, Lew Piatt, Jack Hallen, Fred N. Adams, Louis King^ Hank Adams, Frank Orth, W. P. Golden, \J. A. Marx, Frank Wilson, Theo. Lajesa, J. H. $annan, Henry Trees, Harrv Pilcer, Walter Webb* E. E. Douglas, Frank Bell, Eddie Sawyer, Billy C. Gordon, H. Vinan, Geo. Harris, Aimer Ali, C. A. Ooley, B. P. Woods, Thos. Dempsey, Ren Shields, Lee Harrison, F. A. Russell, Sully Hayes, Jas. Edwards, Geo. Ramzo, Sig. C. Mealy, Jim Marco, Geo. Delmonico, M. J. O'Rourke, Max Brooks, Bebe Arno, Edw. Lynch, Josh R. La Zar, Ambark Ali, Cliff Dean, Ed J. Tamer, Wil- helm Weston, Arthur Hill, W. Rawls, Tell Taylor, Fred Barnes, Wm. H. Swanson, Myles McCarthy and Ed Keough. "MARSE COVINGTttor AGAIN. "Morse Covington" will be revived by E. J. Connolly, who starred in it last sea- son as the feature .of the Qrpheum Road Show. It will open in Utica $eb. 15, the bookings resting with M, &.Bentham., ,,,, Mr. Connolly's support will be the same as previously, excepting that Gerald Grif- fin, who originated the blackface role of the comedy drama, will be replaced by Richard Webster, . T w^o, succeeded to Billy. Sweat nam's character in "The County Chairman." Mr. Griffin is at present the principal support of Wilton Lackaye in "The Battle." ELEVATOR INJURED FOUR GIRLS. Chicago, Jan. 21. Through an elevator in the Revere House breaking on Tuesday, four girls' fri it at the time were injured. One of the young women is a member of the "Dainty Duchess" company, and is not expected to live. WHAT CONSTITUTES A DANCE. Next Monday Magistrate Cornell in the TtiesL Wdv 'YViuxLjwJIi d«e*l£u^'st w>»* constitutes a dance in relation to the Sun- day ordinance. At that time the ease of Valeska Suratt and Billy Gould, arrested for violation of the Sunday law, will be decided. The* pair were arrested Sunday night at the Colonial Theatre. The policeman de- tailed to watch the Colonial decided that they danced. His testimony before the magistrate Monday morning was to the effect that Miss Suratt wore a gown cut so low that it could not be admitted into the category of "street attire." Lawyer William Grossman, attorney for Percy G. Williams, handled the defense. He showed that Miss Suratt wore that same gown to the police station where the defendants were admitted to bail and later appeared in. it at the ball given at Martin's by Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Gouraud. The "cop" likewise maintained that Gould and Suratt had danced during their net, for, he testified wisely, they "glided about the stage in time to music." That was the best description of the proceedings he could give. At the end of a large amount of hair-splitting testimony concerning the exact nature of the alleged dance, Magis- trate Cornell instructed Mr. Grossman to file a brief. Sydney Grant was also arrested at the American Theatre, charged with violation in having given "impersonations." Grant's impersonation consisted of a burlesque imitation of a parrot. On Monday he se- cured an adjournment of hearing until Wednesday. BOOKS FOR NEXT SEASON. Buffalo, N. Y., Jan. 21. While Willa Holt Wakefield played at Shea's last week, the manager, M. Shea, engaged the pianologiste for four weeks next season, two each at his houses in Buffalo and Toronto. The salary for the four weeks was left to be fixed by the price set upon Miss Wakefield's services for '00-'10, if she again places herself under the United's direction. 40 PEOPLE IN "CARMEN." Cleveland, Jan. 21. At the Hippodrome this week, Valerie Bergere is presenting "Carmen" with a company of forty. The major portion of the supernumer- aries have been selected from the Training School for Children inaugurated by Man- ager Harry Daniels in the Hippodrome. The youngsters range from five to fifteen years of age. W. J. Wilson, the Keith- Proctor general producer, has provided special scenery. The last week of Miss Bergsre's stay here the actress will present "The Lion Tamer" for the first time on any stage. Ground was broken in the Bronx this week for Percy G. Williams' theatre in that section. 1 JIM LACKAYE PLACED. Following the departure of Nat 0 Goodwin from the stage for the season, James (Jim) Lackaye, who was prominent in Mr. Goodwin's latest piece, as well as numerous other legitimate productions, de- cided upon vaudeville. Gathering four people about him, Mr. Lackaye has been rehearsing "Uncle Joe's Chillun," and will present it on Feb. 1, the other arrangements for'Mr. Lackaye's va- riety appearance having been looked to by Al Sutherland. UPHOLDS CORPORATION COUNSEL. Judge* Truax in the Supreme Court on Mcw'»--*e.nWL.r»»* motism^rf \Geo. M. Leven$ritt,-attorney for William Morris, Inc., to dismiss the action brought by the Corporation Council to revoke the license of the American Theatre. Mr. Leventritt contended the court had no jurisdiction under the section of the New York Char- ter which formed the basis of the action. An appeal will be taken to the Appel- late Term. If Judge Truax is upheld the case must be tried upou its merits before a Supreme Court justice or a referee ap- pointed^ by one. DORA RONCA MARRIED. Kalamazoo, Mich., Jan. 21. Through Jack Hamilton and Dora Ronca appearing at the Majestic here this week as "Hamilton and. Ronca, the Musical Modern Gypsies," it became known that Mr. Hamilton and Miss Ronca have been man and wife for a year past. Mr. Hamilton left the Big City Quartet at Chicago recently. He and his wife (who has been known as "The Gypsy Vio- linist") then formed the present turn. They are playing over the Butterfield time in this State to plage ^heir act in shape, and will go east-in % Jew weeks. . ■ ft .... ALIOS LLOYD. Variety's title page this week has the latest photos of Alice 1 Lloyd, the English singing comedienne, with a meteoric American record behind, and a brilliant future before her. To-morrow (Sunday) night marks the close of an engagement at Keith-Proctor's 126th Street Theatre, the second within six weeks. On Monday Miss Lloyd leaves for Mt. Clemens, Mich., where she will rest for about a month. An achievement without parallel in vaudeville annals has been accomplished by Miss Lloyd during the present season. It is made more notable through theatrical conditions having been so disastrous. With- out a contract for any engagement, Miss Lloyd has played consecutively and with- out cessation since her "legitimate" mana- gers, Messrs. Klaw & Erlanger and F. Ziegfeld, Jr., agreed that Miss Lloyd might reappear in the vaudevilles, biding her appearance in the production they have in hand for the English girl. At the large salary received by Miss Lloyd in vaudeville, one of the largest weekly amounts ever paid to a single woman entertainer, the remarkable draw- ing power possessed by the dainty girl, which could keep her busily employed from week to week as an "emergency drawing card," has been considered the very highest tribute possible to pay her talent and popularity. In the fore part of the season, Pat Casey, Miss Lloyd's agent, pursuaded her against venturing forth in the legitimate in the face of the adverse conditions, and Mr. Casey is endeavoring to convince his star that her starring tour should be postponed until next fall. Martin Beck is anxious to secure Miss Lloyd for a West- ern trip of from twelve to fifteen weeks, commencing in March, and several East- ern vaudeville managers have 0 placed orders with Mr. Casey for return dates. The legitimate managers are of the be- lief that about April or May will be an opportune time for the Alice Lloyd show to set forth. Miss Lloyd remains un- decided.