Variety (July 1909)

TEN CENTS VOL. XV., NO. 4. JULY 3, 1909. PRICE TEN CENTS. COMPETING CHICAGO AGENCY PROPOSED BY MARTIN BECK Business Relations Between John J. Murdock and Beck Severed. Beck to Rival W. V. A., Which Murdock Controls. With the consummation of the long- continued negotiations looking toward the severance of the business relations here* tofore had between John J. Murdock and the managers formerly interested in the Western Vaudeville Association in Chi- cago, Martin Beck, general manager of the Orpheum Circuit and the leader of this western combination of managers, announced that within two weeks the corporation recently formed by him, called The Central Vaudeville Promotion Co., will have organized a thorough Pok- ing agency in the Windy City. The termination of the deal by which Mr. Murdock disposed of his interests in the several large western vaudeville thea- tres to Messrs. Heck and Fred Hender- son, of Coney Island, leaves Murdock, through the transaction, in sole control of the W. V. A. The booking oflice proposed by Mr. Heck in Chicago will compete with the Murdock agency for business and, with the William Morris branch office in the same city, a lively booking contest is looked for. Charles K. Bray, one of the big men of (lie Orpheum stair, is to lie the general manager of the Chicago end. He and Mr. Beck will leave for the west within a day or so to lay out the offices which are to be in replica of the Orpheum offices in the Long Acre building, New York. The l>ookings as now handled from the Xew York office will continue, the Cliicago branch seeking new business onlv. The result of the negotiations between Murdock. Beck, Henderson, Kohl & Castle and Middleton &. Tate, with Anderson «fc Ziegler included, was that Murdock se- cured the stock held by the other mem- Imtb of the Western Vaudeville Associa- tion, practically placing the ownership of that agency with him, and in return he Bold to Messrs. Beck and Henderson for about $100,000 in cash, plus Beck's hold- ings in the W. V. A., all of his (Mur- dock's) interests in the Olympic, Majes- tic, Chicago Opera House, Haymarket, Chicago; Orpheum, Des Moines; Or- pheum, Sioux City; Mary Anderson, Louisville; Grand Opera House, Indian- apolis; Columbia, Cincinnati; Orpheum, Atlanta, and Majestic, Evansville, Ind. The purchase by Mr. Beck of the 20 per cent, interest held by Mr. Murdock in the Orpheum, Atlanta, marks the first entrance of the Orpheum Circuit, as repre- sented by Mr. Beck, into the east. According to the general understanding of the terms of the territorial agreement made some years ago between the eastern and western affiliated managers of the present United Booking Offices, that com- pact has expired, or will expire within 00 days. It was made for the purpose of restricting the parties to it wit)iin the sections they then represented in vaude- ville, and left an imaginary line drawn north and south through Cleveland as a territorial division. Chicago, July 1. There is a strong rumor to the effect that by the opening of the fall season there will be a general revolution in the booking af- fairs of the Western Vaudeville Association. It has been reported the present clique of booking agents in the association would be given shares of its stock to eliminate any dissatisfaction in the handling of the va- rious theatres through the present booking system, This arrangement wns credited some time ago and its revival is said to be the result of the several meetings held here recently. CELLA PAYS $125,000. St. Louis, July 1. On unquestionable authority it was learned that Louis Cella paid George Mid- dleton $125,000 for Middlcton's St. Louis theatre interests. The Columbia Theatre lease, one of the Middleton assets, has just passed to Cella. BRUGGEMANN SETTLES TALK. All talk about the future plans of A. M. Bniggemann was settled on Wednes- day when Mr. Bniggemann signed a con- tract with Feiber, Shea & Coutant (Bijou Circuit) to book his Empire Theatres in Hoboken and Paterson next season. This definitely removes the houses from the route sheets of the United Booking Offices, which has placed the acts for Bruggemann during several seasons past. The policy of the theatres will not be changed. First grade shows of eight ac.ts, averaging from $1,400 to $1,600 weekly in salaries, will be played, and two per- formances daily given. The manager left for his summer ivst immediately after executing the agree- ment with the Bijou people. Toward the early part of the sum- mer, Bruggemann placed the book- ings of the houses with Feiber, Shea & Coutant for a supplementary season of smaller-priced vaudeville. At that time there was an effort made by the United to dissuade Bruggemann from making the move, the United having offered, it is said, to book the Empire without a charge, but the New Jersey manager did not listen to the overtures. The Bruggemann Empires will stand at the head of all the houses lately placed in the combination of the Keil>er, Shea & Coutant-Mozart-Shccdy-Quiglcy circuits. In addition to these two. it is estimated that this union of small time theatres will produce from eight to ten more houses capable of playing two or more first grade acts each, giving at least ten theatres next season to be con sidered as "opposition" by the United Booking Offices. They will bring many more acts to the United's ''black list'' it that fool-hardy venture is permitted by the affiliated United managers to exist through the leading managers who pro moted it fearing to humble their "pride" by "backing down," the "black list" having now reached the point where the utter foolishness of attempting to prolong it without serious harm to small and large managers, but particularly to the smaller United managers' shows next season is recognized by everyone. GRACE LA RUE'S "FREAK" DRESS. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, July 1. Grace La Rue, with her husband, Byron Chandler, sails on the Mauretania, and will open on the American Roof, New York, July 12. The feature of Miss La Rue's return New York appearance will be a "freak" or sensational costume, which she wore last Sunday at the Grand Prix, Paris. It is a gown with an extended skirt in the back. The front is straight down, with a lace or net effect across, giving the wearer the effect of having skin tight trousers on. If Miss La Rue wears fleshings under the gown, the effect may lie even more marked. On the head is worn a very small and close-fitting hat. A Paris modiste de- signed the outfit. AMERICAN ACTS OPENING. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, July 1. Katheryn Miley opened at the Tivoli on Monday doing fairly. At the Metro- politan the same day Harry First in "The Marriage Fee" (renamed), making his f^oiidon debut, scored a hit. At the Empire Shoreditch on Monday Andy McLoud went very big. HOWARD'S LATEST. Cliicago, July 1. .Jos. E. Howard has written a new musical comedy entitled "Lower Berth No. !.'{." He expects to have the piece produced sonic time next fall. S & H. HAVE INTERNATIONAL. Chicago, July 1. The International has Ix'cn leased by Stair & Havliu for a term of years, and it will reopen early in the fall. The pol- icy is not known. Stair A llavlin have the Great North- ern, the only popular priced combination house down town. The International will be remodeled to meet the rcipiircrncnts of the lire ordinance, and in "Class fi" can move scenery. SUICIDE BY CARBOLIC. S( l.iiiiis. .Inly I. Roland 1*'. \ (>•_'••'-. 1 • 11/. ;i lOinui theatre treasurer and .1 l>i ■ <! fur inlaw 01' Dannie Chan, a 1 !n-;ii 1 i< al man ot" New York, ended lm I11V !i * ."-''iii'iay !>y swallowing carbolic acid. M had be<. n in poor health.