Variety (July 1909)

VARIETY 2,000 SMALL-TIME THEATRES IN VAUDEVILLE NEXT SEASON About 1,000 Theatres This Side of Chicago to Play Vaudeville Acts and as Many More in the West. 'There will be about 1,000 vaudeville theatres east of Chicago by October 1," said a small-time vaudeville expert this week, who has looked the situation over. "New England will have over 160 alone: Pennsylvania will have 100 or more, and I wouldn't be at all startled if the total exceeded that figure," he added. This includes all of the vaudeville houses which might employ two, three, four or more acts. Several small time agents when asked their views said that while there un- doubtedly would be a great many, no positive figure or line could be obtained this early. A large booker of small time houses said that he expected to supply 200 theatres by November 1. As many more, if not a greater num- ber, of smaller theatres will be opened with vaudeville in the west by the same time from all accounts, giving engage- ments to more sets than have ever been on variety bills before at one time. WELLS' VAUDEVILLE HEXT SEASON. Atlanta, July 1. There will be a Jake Wells' vaudeville circuit next season, comprising many of the Wells houses in the south. The $50,- 000 theatre being built by Wells in Savannah is to become one of the chain. That house may be named "The Garden." During this summer some of the Wells theatres are playing vaudeville, and Mr. Wells is interested with Wilmer & Vin- cent in several of the ventures. A num- ber have been incorporated for the pur- pose, one corporation for each house. It is rumored without any foundation as far as can be ascertained that the Wells-Wilmer & Vincent combination might extend into the winter season, when all the vaudeville houses controlled by both Wells and the firm may be booked from one office. At any rate it is known that Wells is establishing a vaudeville booking bureau in his New York offices at the Knicker- bocker Theatre Building, and will, it is said, book all his own houses from there. MORRIS BOOKING ST. LOUIS. St. Louis, July 1. For the first time as an "independent" William Morris will book vaudeville in St. Louis next week when the.first Mor- ris act will be seen at West End Heights. As four acts—Rice and Cady, Fraulein Lillian Herlein, Vanity and "The Dancing Dolls"—will be made up from the musical comedy company which closes Saturday night, only one Morris act will be used the first week, and that one not yet an- nounced. After the first week and for a season of eight weeks, five acts will be used weekly. Until the patronage of the Heights ha* been established the bigger and most ex- pensive of Morris acts will not be sought, it is frankly stated. Just what this new affiliation of the Oppenheimers and William Morris pre- sages is a bit of a mystery. Louis Cella, since he has become interested in the Columbia, a Western Vaudeville Manag- ers' house, finds himself with the Ameri- can Theatre a sort of white elephant on his hands. It is vaguely hinted that some one leasing the American and booking in the Morris offices might take the Ameri- can off Mr. Cella's hands without that gentleman having to straddle the fence with a foot on each side. BUTT'S DISAPPOINTMENTS. Devlin and Ell wood have asked Mana- ger Alfred Butt of the Palace, London, to set their date back from July 10 until seme time in August. Miss EJlwood (Mrs. Develin) has* a severe case of ivy poisoning to recover from. It is said that Patsy Doyle, the monol- ogist, who is contracted to play the Butt house July 12, has also postponed his opening there. These, with the change of mind about playing the Palace experi- enced by Irene Franklin, who was to have opened on the same date, will give Mr. Butt several vacancies to fill during this month. BIJOU DISPOSED OF. Pittsburg, July 1. Stair A Havlin have secured the Bijou, lately thrown into the courts. The matter came up before Judge J. W. Over in the Orphans' Court on Monday. At that time Samuel F. Nirdlinger was given until Wednesday to file a bond of $100,000 to insure his bid of $856,000 for the property. Stair ft Havlin had already bid $856,000, raising Nirdlinger's first offer of $850,000. Mr. Nirdlinger is of Nixon & Zimmerman, the Philadelphia theatrical firm, associated with Klaw & Erlanger. SUMMER SHOW AT COLISEUM. Chicago, July 1. The Coliseum has been transformed into a garden, with Fermlo's band the feature. There is also a ballet with about. 50 girls. This is an innovation in Chicago summer amusements. YVONNE THIRD BEST. Yvonne Lamor, the English comedienne who played the first week of her second American visit a4 ;(B(^imore last week, has been offered * part in one of the Shubert musical comCdle^ beginning in the fall. Miss Lamor goes home in August to take up contracts on the other side, but she may return. Miss Lamor herself lays claim to being the "third best principal boy in English pantomime," the winner and place stakes, according to Yvonne, going to Queen ie Leigh ton and Crissie Leonard respectively. Picking herself only "to show" marks Miss La moor as one of the most modest. "CONSUL PETER" MISBEHAVES. London, June 22. There wait some excitement at the Pal- ace last night when "Consul Peter," the "wise monk," appeared as the headliner of the Palace program, and the filler in of the void left by the departure of Yvette Guilbert and Margaret Cooper. The idea of a monkey heading the show did not appeal to any of the acts, proving particularly objectionable to Walter C. Kelly and Bert Levy, two Americans. Mr. Kelly felt the more aggrieved. He fol- lowed the ape, and made a statement yesterday that unless there were a change by to-night (Tuesday) he would leave. It is now reported that a change will be made. When appearing on the stage "Consul Peter" seemed to feel that something was amiss and refused to follow his routine. Twice the monkey rushed to the foot- lights, and was in the audience before he could be stopped. The first time the ape made the dive he ran to the back of the house, and was tearing towards the street door when caught by a trainer. The sec- ond jump landed the "monk" in front of a pillar to the balcony. Had the pillar reached *he roof of the theatre, "Peter" might have been up there yet, but luck was against him, and the audience missed some fun through his recapture, when he finished the performance. "Consul Peter" is really funny on a bicycle, but perhaps "Peter" was angered at having been compelled to chop out some of the "raw" parts of his act that went so well in Paris. Mr. Kelly never went better following the ape, and though inclined to "kid," saying he would take the audience out of the jungle and so on, his anger melted as he proceeded with the "Virginia Judge's" docket for the evening. Mr. Levy also during his novel drawing sketch turn wrote a few light phrases about the monkey. Reynolds and Donegan, the roller skaters, are the first real skating number to show in this town, and had things all their own way at the Palace last night. Taking her former place, second after intermission, Clarice Vance brought down her usual hit. A house rather later than ordinary did not offer much opportunity for the early acts, which were Dolly Denton, Ouida McDermott, Miller Brothers, The Gaud- schmidts, Les Robertys and Cyril Clensy. The Palace "monk" is billed simply an "Peter." The "Consul" out of the monkey's title was brought about through Frank Bos- tock serving notice that the use of "Con- sul Peter" would be considered by him an infringement upon the name of his "monk" "Consul," and that suit would follow. Montreal, July 1. Mile. Louise's Monkeys are playing Sohmer Park this week minus the clown simian. On Sunday during the perform- ance the "monk," as was its custom, left the stage and climbed about among the audience. Some "joker" in the crowd handed the animal a small box of matches. The monkey ate them, and died shortly after. OFFERING HOUSES. TO MORRIS. San Francisco, July 1. To-morrow (Friday), J. Charles Greene leaves for New York, where he has an ap- pointment with William Morris. idr. Greene owns the Valencia Theatre in this city, and houses in Seattle, Port- land, Oakland and Los Angeles. He says if Morris mets his terms, they will -do business. The Shuberts have also nego- tiated with Greene, who is reputed in- dependently wealthy, and report says stands ready to build anywhere. He will remain in New York only 24 hours, re- turning to the west at once. A new Union depot wjll be erected op- posite the Valencia, giving that house one of the best locations in town. DEBIERE ASKING DIVORCE. Chicago, July 1. DeBiere, the magician, has entered suit against his wife for a divorce. She has filed a cross bill, alleging her husband laid schemes to trap her in Chicago, having employed a man to follow, and if pos- sible, compromise her. "CONSUL" DIDN'T OPEN. Upon William Morris learning it was improbable that William Hammerstein could induce Alfred Butt of the Palace, London, to relinquish his claims upon "Consul Peter," the "monk" engaged to open at Hammerstein's in August, Mr. Morris postponed the advertised opening of "Consul" at the American June 28 until next Monday at the same place. During the week, if the new Roof a-top the music hall is finished, "Consul' and the program will be removed up there. $14 GROSS FOR ONE DAY. The Lincoln Square terminated its two weeks' run of pictures and vaudeville last Saturday. The experiment, backed by two outside parties and participated in by a vaude- ville agency firm, cost about $000. Some days the receipts ran up as high as $21, and at one time dropped to $14. It is said that instead of the acts play- ing at the Lincoln Square last week re- ceiving cash, "I. O. U's" signed by the agency firm were tendered. ROOF OPENS JULY is. There is small chance that the Ameri- can Roof Garden can hold a show before July 12. The announced opening for to- night (Saturday) has been postponed. Elmer F. Rogers, general manager of the Morris Circuit, who is superintending the reconstruction, is willing to guarantee an opening on that date. A balcony has been added to the seat- ing equipment of the old roof. The ca- pacity will be about 1,400, with sufficient boxes placed down the sides of the or- chestra to seat 200. Papa Brown, the English agent, is due here on the Lucanis, DOLLARS FOR SOUVENIRS. Chicago, July 1. On July 2 the 200th performance of "The Golden Girl" at the Princess will be celebrated. Every woman in the audience will receive a new silver dollar. To obtain the coin the women must in- duce male friends to accompany them to the performance.