Variety (September 1909)

VARIETY MAT BE UNITED HOUSE. Atlanta, Go., Sept. 2. The Orpheum, when completed, may play vaudeville, booked by the United Booking Offices of New York. Since Jake Wells secured control of the new theatre, it is said that the cor- poration controlling it from its promotion may be changed, thereby relieving the house management from any liability in* curred through Ben Kahn agreeing with William Morris that the latter should book it, even though Kahn signed the Morris contract as general manager of the company, which he was at the time. Regarding Kahn and his connection with the affair, a local paper "kiddingly" prints a story of how, while on the road in ad- vance of the Eddie Leonard Minstrels. Kahn received a message to call at Klaw & Erlanger's offices. The paper says that Kahn was "immediately three men on the job," rushing to K. & E.'s headquarters, where, after a cordial reception, he was served with papers asking $25,000 damages for unfulfilled contracts arising out of his Atlanta theatrical pie. WAR ON THE BOWERY. There is war to the knife on the Bow- ery between the rival Hebrew dramatic managers. Formerly Manager Eidelstein, operating the People's Theatre, had the Jewish drama pretty much to himself. But lately a new factor has come into the game. The Lipzin Theatre Co., composed of Heine & Lipzin (the former being the ex-manager of the Star Theatre on the upper west side when it played dramatic shows in "Yiddish"), has taken over the lease of the London Theatre, changing the name to "The Lipzin." The situation came to a climax Sunday evening. Eidelstein has been stopped from Sunday performances, but by one of those lapses peculiar to the New York police, the "Lipzin" has remained undisturbed. Now it so happens that the People's Theatre makes a large part of its weekly gross on the two Sunday performances, estimates indicating that the takings on that day alone are as high as $1,600. When Eidelstein learned that the "Lip- zin" was running performances he did a lot of thinking. And he didn't stop at thinking, either, according to report. During the Sunday evening performance at the "Lipzin" an excited man, who, eye witnesses aver, was none other than Eidel- stein, rushed down the centre aisle of the "Lipzin" and, upon arriving at the or- chestra pit, turned and shouted to the audience: "If I can't give a Sunday eve- ning performance I intend to see that no- body else does. This house must be closed. If the proprietor doesn't close it, I will have policemen come in and do it for him." This latter threat he immediately put into effect. Police were summoned and ordered the "Lipzin" closed. It is stated on good authority that the box office re- turned to clamorous patrons more than $800, the money paid for admittance. GENEE'S DIRECTOR HERE. L. Glaser, who composed the music for "The Silver Star," in which Klaw & Er- langer will star Genee this season, arrived in New York late last week to conduct the production. It is his first visit here. Genee is due to arrive in New York this week. "The Silver Star" opens in Philadelphia Oct. 3. THATCHER HEADING MINSTRELS. Philadelphia, Sept. 1. Eddie Leonard's Minstrels opened here Monday night at the Grand Opera House, with George Thatcher as the principal in- stead of Eddie Leonard, the latter hav- ing quit the show in Brooklyn last Satur- day. There was no announcement made here until Monday, the regular billing of the show being used. According to a statement made here by one of the managers of the minstrel show, some trouble over money matters was the cause of Leonard's retirement. The minstrels go into two weeks of one night stands from this city and will cover the original route. The billing will be changed as quickly as possible and the show will finish the season as the "George Thatcher Minstrels," according to the announcement. Eddie Leonard opens in vaudeville at the Grand Opera House, Pittsburg, Sept. 0, following with Hammeratein's, New York, having been placed on the United for the season through Jack Levy. A MINSTREL MIX. Pittsburg, Sept. 2. Pittsburg is full of "blackface" paper. The town looks like the advance brigades of circus opposition have been living here for a month. The entire down town section is plas- tered with either the paper of Cohan & Harris' Minstrels or of the Lew Dock- stader show. Both will be here next week, the former playing at the Nixon and the Shubert booking placing Dock- stader at the Alvin. During the meeting of the White Rats Tuesday evening, and at the suggestion of Billy Gould, "Liberty Hall" was de- clared for the purpose of receiving Fred Ginnett, the King Water Rat of England, who was in the Cafe Madrid below at the time. Mr. Ginnett made a speech to the assembled artists. 'FRISCO DOESN'T KNOW YET. San Francisco, Sept. 2. The Shubert situation still hangs fire in this city. It is rumored Manager Seeley of the Valencia is endeavoring to secure the Princess for the Shubert attractions. The Valencia opens with Morris vaudeville October 4. There are numerous reports about the Princess. One is the Orpheum people have a contract stipulating that they dictate the policy of that house. This is denied. J. Charles Green, principal owner of the Valencia, is supposed to own a control- ling interest in the Princess, together with S. L. Loverich. Mr. Green is said to have disposed of the greater portion of his stock, leaving him out as a factor in the controversy. Kolb and Dill are booked to open at the Princess Oct. 11 for sixteen weeks. The Garrick next door is booked by K. & E., opening Sept. 5 for two weeks, with "The Girl from Rector's." At pres- ent the opinion is that Seeley will be un- able to accommodate the Shuberts, and will have all he can do to look out for the Morris attractions. Manager Cohen of the American, from which the Shubert attractions were switched, has nothing to say except that he is satisfied to let matters take their course. Yesterday it was announced that popu- lar priced vaudeville would be placed at the American, commencing this Sunday. Seven acts and two shows daily will be given. The bookings are to be made in- dependently. OPENING OF NEW ORPHEUM HOUSE. Chicago. Sept. 2. Sunday the New Grand, on the Orpheum Circuit, is to have its first show with this bill: Jewell's Manikins, Angeleo De'- lores, Four Floods, Gordon and Marx, James McDonald, Perry and White, and Sansone and Delia. The theatre seats about 1,400. Prices run up to 75 cents. An "Orpheum" al- ready located prevented the new house carrying the usual title of the circuit's theatres. IRENE MOORE. NOW IN VAUDEVILLE. WILLIAM J. LYKENS bat placed IRENE MOORE on tbe UNITED TIME Id a big dramatic production written by C. T. DAZET. Special scenery painted by MAT MORGAN. LICENSE AND BOND NECESSARY. Philadelphia, Sept. 2. Through the activity of Local No. 6, Actors' National Protective Union, locally known as "The Associated Vaudeville Art- ists of Philadelphia," the Employment Bureau of the Division of Public Safety has decided that all theatrical agents in the city shall pay the license fee of $50 yearly, and file a bond for $1,000 as re- quired by the ordinance. There are about fifty unlicensed agents in Philadelphia, mostly engaged in the bookings of vaudeville acts. Local No. 0, of which William Owens is secretary, has been urging that the authorities oblige these non-licensed agents, many irre- sponsible, to take out licenses. Last week Harry Francis and Hattie Cross, members of No. 6, secured a judg- ment against Charles Fisher, manager of the German Theatre. Fisher had booked the act for the first three days, closing it after the Monday night show. The court gave judgment for the full amount demanded. NEW ORLEAN'S BIO OPENING. New Orleans, Sept. 2. Morris' American Music Hall in this city opened in a blaze of glory on Aug. 28. One hour before the curtain rose every seat in the house was sold. When the first act on the program appeared there were three rows of standees in the orchestra. From present indications it looks as if the independent manager is going to score a success here. The Orpheum, which the American op- poses, also opened on the same evening, having for the headline and special at- traction "Charles, the First," generally accepted by the New Orleans press as a marvel. A big crowd attended the Or- pheum's first show. At the Winter Garden, where Lew Rose presides as managing director, a "pop" vaudeville house, Allinei's "Peter, the Great" is the feature, Rose making great capital with his "monk" from the sudden publicity given to the Orpheum's attrac- tion the day before the house opened. On Sunday Rose publicly offered to wager $2,000 that Allinei's "monk" was the original "Peter." On Monday Mr. Rose stated that 8,000 people had paid admission during the day to his place. "Peter the Great" has been held over for another week at the Winter Garden. MEMPHIS OPPOSITION STARTING. Memphis, Sept. 2. The vaudeville opposition opens here Monday, when the Jefferson, managed by William Morris, will start against the Or- pheum Circuit theatre. At the Jefferson, the present show at Greenwall's, New Orleans, will be brought over for the first bill. The other house has programed against it "Charles. The Firs€," "Kountry Kids," John P. Wade and Oo., DufHn-Redcay Troupe, John Birch, Jones and Mayo and Mabel McCane. AGENCY LAW IN NINE STATES. At the headquarters of the White Rats this week it was announced that in nine States an employment agency law has been passed during the last session of the legislature in each, the measures all mod- eled along the lines of the defeated Voss bill in New York. The States now having theatrical agents under restraint and control are Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maine, South Carolina, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Iowa, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Ontario, Canada. In Iowa the law reads that no firm, person or corporation shall be a party to any remuneration re- ceived from the engaging of anyone by an agent. This places a dent in "split- ting" commissions in Iowa. On Sept. 7 at Springfield, 111., the Labor Commission will meet to approve the draft of an equitable contract in readiness to be submitted, following the meetings held in Chicago recently for this purpose. Harry Mountford, secretary to the Rats' Board of Directors, will attend the Spring- field gathering. The Two Pucks open next Monday, starting at Scranton. The newly appointed manager of the Empire, Cleveland, is Bert McPhail, who has previously been agent and manager of traveling dramatic companies. Chas. Meade is the musical director and Wm. Burke, advertising manager. The ti urer will be Howard Clarke.