Variety (September 1909)

TEN CENTS VOL. XV., NO. 13. SEPTEMBER 4, 1909. PRICE TEN CENTS. THE CONDITIONS IN LONDON CARRYING A SQUALLY LOOK Big V. A. F. Meeting Sept. 5, to Talk Over "Com- bine/' Which is Held Up for Unknown Reason. Stoli Says It Will Qo Through. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Sept. 2. The Stoll forces are saying that the big combination of the halls (about 150) over here will go through. Gibbons and tlu* others on the opposite side deny any combination, though the daily press seem agreed that a combine has been effected. However, for some unknown reason, the final move has been held up, but no one seems just to know the reason for the delay. It is likely a matter of terms. There are a great many conflicting inter- ests to be looked after. The Variety Artists' Federation evi- dently thinks a crisis in the music hall business is at hand, for a mass meeting of artists has been.called for Sept. 5 to decide what steps should be taken in case the combine goes through. SITUATION AWAITS BECK'S RETURN. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, Sept. 1. Martin Beck sailed from Cherbourg to- day. Before leaving Paris he said condi- tions in the States seemed to have changed since he left, according to the reports he has read in Variety over here, and there was nothing to give out at the present time of any conferences held with Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., in Paris. The deal looking towards the purchase of an interest by him in the Olympia, managed by H. B. Marinelli, was off, said Mr. Beck, although it is freely reported here, also in London, that Mr. Beck has purchased some part of the Marinelli share in tho property. Chicago, Sept. 2. Asked by a Variktv respresentative this week regarding his wish to purchase the larger vaudeville theatres in the middle west, John J. Murdock, who returned to Chicago last Sunday, said he was still ne- gotiating for the theatres, but that he did not make the first approaches for them. Mr. Murdock stated that C. E. Kohl sug- gested that he (Murdock) buy the Kohl- Ca'stle-Middleton-Anderson-Ziegler inter- ests himself, or form a company to do so. A story was about this week of a very subterranean deal in progress whereby should anything happen in the relations between the United Booking Offices and Orpheum Circuit, the latter would quickly learn that a complete organization for Chi- cago to work in conjunction with the United had been formed. To accomplish this it was related that a certain high official of the United with an influence on an "outside agency" in the same building he is located in, had ar- ranged to separate the partners in that agency, ordering one to Chicago to estab- lish himself with an office now there, or to open one of his own through which large eastern acts could be offered to west- ern managers as an inducement to join the Chicago branch, the entire scheme fra- ming up very much as the present Or- pheum Circuit-Western Vaudeville Asso- ciation combination. LOST $6oo; WANTS $20,000. All this week, or at least since the cur- tain rang down on Grace Waters at the American Monday afternoon, William Morris has been-threatened with a suit for #20,000 damages. Through being closed nfter the first matinee, Miss Waters lost $000 which would have been her salarv for the full term there had she lulled. Around Miss Waters were about 20 ^rirls, and in front of her the orchestra. The claim is made by the damagee that had the orchestra not been there she could have given a regular act, but that Morris, in the way of the vaudeville manager without any finesse, just said she was through, and she Was through. "YOUNG ERLANGER" FICTITIOUS. Baltimore, Sept. 2. With his fond dreams of becoming a musical comedy star shattered, Eddie Clark, who, with his "Winning Widows" was at Electric Park last week, is, how- ever, thanking his stars he was not swin- dled out of his money by a man who gave his*name as "Frederick Erlanger," now sought by the police of this city for pass- ing worthless checks. Posing as the son of A. L. Erlanger, of Klaw & Erlanger, he told Clark "the Governor' 1 (Mr. Erlanger) wanted him (Clark) to play the leading role in a pro- duction of "George Washington, Jr.", which he was placing on the road this season. Young Erlanger assured Clark that "the old man" had heard of his fine work and thought him just the one for the role. Clark thought so too, and inquired as to the salary. "Two hundred dollars," offered the pseudo son. Clark demanded $300. "Young Er- langer" at last said his father might ac- cede. After making arrangements to place his musical compositions in the hands of Klaw & Erlanger and to have his vaude- ville engagements cancelled, Erlanger asked Clark for $200, as evidence of good faith, this to be returned after Clark's first appearance under his father's man- agement. Then Clark became suspicious. Accordingly he wired "Old Man Er- langer." The answer read: "Imposter; no rela- tive of mine. A. L. Erlanger." In the meantime "young Erlanger" was busy with easier prey, and had succeeded in procuring $175 from the Baltimore Trust and Guarantee Co.; $150 from the Belvedere Hotel, and $20 from Harry Roberts, proprietor of a theatrical hotel, on worthless checks. HAS GOODWIN FOR $3,500. It has taken the vaudeville managers a long time to reach Nat Goodwin's figure, but they are now then'. This week Bill Lykens passed Goodwin over to Pen y <:. Williams under a "blanket'' <onlr;i<i fur 20 weeks at $;i.r>0O per. "Lend Me live Shillings" and Mr. Goodwin will ;:p|»ear in vaudeville together for the lii>( time Dec. 0. BICYCLE ACT A HIT. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Sept. 2. On their first European appearance the Fred St. Onge Troupe of comedy bicycle riders scored a hit at the Palace on Mon- day. Gertrude Gebest on the same pro- gram did well. Lamberti at the Hippodrome went big on his opening there this week. PARIS OPENINGS. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, Sept. 2. Max Hitter and Grace Foster, the American dancers, opened very big at the Alhambra yesterday, when the September program commenced. At the Marigny, Willard Simms in "Flinder'B Furnished Hat" did nicely. SIONS V. A. F. CHAIRMAN. (Special Cable to Variety.) • London, Sept. 2. Fred Russell, chairman of the Variety Artists' Federation, has been engaged by William Morris to play on the Morris Cir- cuit during 'lO-'ll. AT LAST; AT LAST! London, Aug. 25. While Evelyn Taylor was trying to have the audience sing her chorus song the other night at the Bedford, someone was heard to say "Sing it yourself, you brought it in." ANNOUNCES LOS ANGELES SITE. San Francisco, Sept. 2. An announcement sent out here says, Walter Hoff Seely, general manager of William Morris' western office, made a fly- ing trip to Los Angeles last week, where he closed a deal for a site for the new Mor- ris house in that city, with the under- standing that ground is to be broken within thirty days. Mr. Sceley will leave for Denver Monday, where he goes to ap- prove plans for the new Morris house in that city, and may go on to Xew York to consult with William Morris before returning.