Variety (July 1909)

8 VARIETY SELLING THEATRE "BY THE--YARD." .)oe Wood, himself a booking agent, hai frumed up a system by which a theatre for which he holds a lease over the summer, will be booked by other agents on a per- centage system. The house is the open air theatre at lMeanure Bay Park near Long Branch, N. J. This week a company organized by George Homuns, is holding forth there, the Ro- mano Opera Co., being the headliner. Next week Billie Burke takes possession with his own show. Jos. Hart will send a company down later in the month, prob- ably following the aggregation booked by James Plunkett for the week of July 20. All these vaudeville companies will play on the percentage scheme. Wood has in mind a big woman headliner for a week during the summer. She will gather her own company and play the house, taking 50 per cent, as her individual share, the house assuming all expenses including the payroll of the supporting organization. "OH! YOU WOMAN" SHOW. "Oh! You Woman" will be the Sam Scribner show next season. It is a piece written by Jean Bedini. Mr. Scribner ordered the paper for the poduction this week. Pominent on the lithos will be "A $20,000 Production!" with several more exclamation marks after that. Last Sunday while Scribner was out in his new auto-machine, trying out the Jericho turnpike on Long Island, a con- sta-ble down that way tried to shoot a hole in one of the tires because the con- sta-ble said the wagon was going beyond the speed limit of the village. When Scribner heard the shot he or- dered the car stopped, jumped out, and threw stones at the con-stable, who ran away. The auto proprietor chased him into a farm house. In the wordy battle vhich followed, Scribner said, with a few expletives interspersed: "Jump in that machine, and if you can make it go over twenty miles an hour you can have it." ENGAGEMENTS IN BURLESQUE. Below are recorded the latest engage- ments reported for next season's burlesque companies: Al Reeves Co.: Charles H. Burke and Co. (five people); Mrs. Charles H. Burke, Edwin Morris, Harry Shappell, Jeanne Lansford, Almeda Fowler, Joseph Manne, May Powers, Max Gordon, Ben Small, Courtney Burton, Alice Jorden, Irene Bur- ton and twenty choristers. William B. Watson's Own Show: Etta Victoria, Parisian contortionist; Ida Wal- ling, Four Musical Cates, Gracie and Rey- nolds, and forty girls. Watson's "Cosey Corner Girls": Richy Craig, Will Fox, Honan and Kearney, Jess Mardo, Bell Hunter, Belle Travers, Annie Vale and twenty-five choristers. '•Washington Society Girls": Harry Mark Stewart, Larry Smith and Mamie Champion, Hnzleton and Davis, Ruby Mar- ion and Amy Thompson. Besides the three companies mentioned above, Watson will have the direction of "The Fashion 'Plates," under the immedi- ate management of Harry Montague. All [reliminaries for the quartet have been completed, and Watson is resting at At- lnntie City until the opening of the season. "RECTOR'S" MAY STAND. The present Rector's restaurant at Broadway and 44th Street may not be destroyed after all. The corner building lately purchased by Charles Rector was emptied of its tenants May 1 in antici- pation that the wreckers would level it, when a new large hotel was to occupy that site and also take in the restaurant location. Since then nothing has been done toward demolishing either building. Rec- tor's has been opened regularly, with no signs of closing. It is said now that Charles Rector and his boys have taken a 40-day option on the Churchill Building at 46th Street and Broadway. If the purchase is made, there will be no change in Rector's, as contemplated. Former police captain James Churchill has a long ground lease on the place which bears his name. The total rental is said to only stand Churchill $14,000 annually, on which he credits sufficient income from rentals and incidentals to clear off all but $2,700. The White Rats are tenants, having the two upper floors. A large electric sign takes up the roof of the building. For this open air space, Churchill is re- ported to receive $3,000 yearly. The terms of the Rector option are not known. THE THIRD AT BRIGHTON. Now comes a third factor into the Brighton Beach strife, where the Brighton Beach Music Hall and the New Brighton Theatre, both taking attractions from the United Booking Offices, are contending for patronage. The newcomer is the Gayety, a small establishment on the boardwalk, where for Saturday and Sunday last Joe Leo booked in a five-number vaudeville bill. The Gayety is an unpretentious place and charges 10 cents for admittance, but it is "opposition," Leo says, and, being an independent agent with an office in the Long Acre Building, he considers that he has some nerve. The first two days of the enterprise brought Leo something better than an even break. SHUBERTS TAKE CHICAGO SITE. Chicago, July 1. The Shuberts have secured an option on a piece of property in Monroe St. for a new theatre to be ready for opening early next year. It is near the former Columbia destroyed by fire a number of years ago.. The new house will probably be named "The Shu- bert." Hugo Morris is spending his vacation at Algonquin in the Adirondacks. FADETTES REHEARSING. Philadelphia, July 1. The Boston Fadettes Orchestra is re- hearsing at Keith's for its regular season which begins with a three-weeks' stay in this city. Caroline B. Nichols will direct 40 pieces this season and expects it to be the best-equipped ladies' band which has been sent on tour. The musicians have had a two-months' vacation, two weeks at Hammerstein's hav- ing been set aside. The dates will be played in September. The Fadettes are booked almost all season, thirty-five weeks having been routed already. At Keith's a "Pop" concert lasting one hour will be played previous to the opening of the regular show. ORPHEUM RENT FIXED UP. Sidney Schwartz, the resident manager for Harry Leonhardt's Orpheum, Yonkera, last season, said on Tuesday he had heard from Jesse L. Lasky, regarding the de- mand for rent made and tacked on the theatre doors last week. Mr. Schwartz said everything had been explained satisfactorily by Mr. Lasky, who had had an understanding with Mr. Leonhardt before the latter left for Europe last month. Why Mr. Lasky caused the notice to be posted Mr. Schwartz said he did not understand, neither would he say whether the Or- pheum would again be. conducted under Leonhardt's management next season. THEATRE PARTY FELL THROUGH. Chicago, July 1. The members of the White Rats assem- bled here last week for the convention nearly had a theatre party at the Ameri- can Music Hall. Manager W. T. Grover invited about sixty and put aside a por- tion of the main floor for them. When it was found the manager refused to allow the emblem of the organization to be hung inside, and objected to any demonstration, the affair was called off. SUMMER EXPOSITION STARTS. Buffalo. July 1. The Royal Circus opened an engagement at the Stadium of the Mid-Summer Ex- position, June 21 to July 5, and longer if the fair business continues. Manager Charles K. White has framed up one of the best three-ring circuses seen in this city for years. As White is an old circus man he knows. Opening with a historical pageantry and with ten or more displays, including the Berry Family, acrobats; De Velde's Per- forming Ponies, Alber's Polar Bears, Con- sir's Dogs, Unita and Paul, contortionists^ Mile. Lora on the trapeze, The Piroscoffs, jugglers; Matsuda's Jap. Troupe, Jessie Keller's Cyclists, Emerson Trio, Five O'Briens, Colton's Donkey, Taylor Twins, and hippodrome races, with the "Death Defying" act of Schreyer, makes up a high class show, not forgeting Adgie's Lion, special feature. On the grounds nre Big Otto's Wild Beast Show, .Dickey's Wild West, Hol- stein and Sangster's "World of Wonders," Randall Bros.' "Pl.iutatiou Show," "Fight- ing the Planus." and Strobel's air ship. The exposition, including the above and its varied attractions of fool products, free vaudeville, band concerts, and cover- ing twenty acres in the heart of the city, is of merit. A large amount of money has l>een expended in buildings, including the Stadium. John C. Cave, Sr., father of Florrie C. Allen, died suddenly at Kingston, Jamaica, May 20. William Gaffy, a musical artist and for- merly a member of the Unique Musical Duo, died at Meriden, Com., June 21. Donald MacDonald, the "understander" of The Abdallah Troupe, acrobats, com- mitted suicide by shooting himself throug'i the heart last Saturday night, after finish- ing the week with the act at the Fifth Avenue. The suicide occurred,at the home of the man's mother, Mrs. Margaret An- derson, 451 West 10th Street, New York. POSITIVE ABOUT INDIANAPOLIS. Chicago, July 1. There seems no question but "that there will be a new theatre in Indianapolis play- ing the William Morris vaudeville next season. The information comes from an excellent source. All the preliminaries to secure the Morris bookings have been completed. THE NEW MINER SHOW. The principals have been engaged for the new Western Burlesque Wheel show to go over the tour under the chaperonagc of the Miner Estate. The show is to be called "The Talk of the Town." Those already placed under contract are James Francis Sullivan, James Mullen, Sam Hearn, Blanche La tell, Margaret Lane and George W. Scott. Only two of the list have recently played in burlesque. SUNDAY LID PUT ON. New Roche lie, July 1. Bert Wilson, manager of Loew's Thea- tre, William Evers, treasurer, and the picture operator, were arrested by the po- lice last Sunday on a charge of violating the Sunday law. The examination was set down for the latter part of this week. The amusements at Rye Beach, the Long Island Sound resort near here, were closed up tight last Sunday. BURNS TAKES "RATHSKELLER." "Out for Fun," the new Jess Burns show on the Western Burlesque Wheel next season, will have as the burlesque or second part of the show Mike Simon's "Rathskeller" act, which Mr. Burns pur- chased this week. MAYOR'S SECRETARY DIES. Buffalo, July 1. Mayor Adams' secretary, Victor Speers, who made an active campaign against the Voss bill when it came up before the Mayor of Buffalo, died last Monday. LITTLE AMY BUTLER. I.ITTI.E AMY MJTLBIt will return to the vHiulevllW? MtaKe after an ali»e»ce of three yearn. She will lie provided with an entirely new vehicle und will tour under the perwonal direction of WILLIAM L. LYKEN8. the vaudeville agent. MISS HITLER Is a diminutive young person, NtNiidhiK only four feet Ave Inchea, but she baa a big, powerful voice.