Variety (September 1909)

VARIETY LOUISVILLE'S QAYETY OPENS AFTER LONG LEGAL STRUGGLE Columbia Amusement Co'*. New Theatre Gives First Performance While James Whallen, the Opposition Burlesque Manager Holds Political Meeting in Headquarters Across the Street. Louisville, Ky., Sept. 2. After a legal battle lasting a year in which James Whallen, one of the political leaders of Louisville, was pitted against Rudulph Hynicka, a political power in Cincinnati, the Gayety Theater here opened Monday with Eastern Wheel Bur- lesque. As the matinee crowd gathered in front of the Gayety, a big crowd collected just across the street where the Louisville Democratic headquarters are located. Whallen, the dictator of the party in local affairs, was giving a barbecue, and every- body of consequence in Democratic circles was present. Mr. Whallen himself was on hand to direct the affair. None of the politicians crossed the street contenting themselves with watching the immense gathering at the entrance in silence. There was a big delegation of Columbia Amusement Co. managers on hand. The rush for matinee seats almost started a panic. Beside the regular house treas- urer, Mr. Hynicka himself went into the box office and helped to deal out paste- boards. Henry C. Jacobs, whose show, "The Golden Crooks," was the opening at- traction, stood at the door and helped to collect tickets, while John Jermon, Mr. Jacobs' partner, appointed himself an usher. In the lobby a battalion of lawyers and advisers and a thick roll of money in the office safe wss held in readiness to offer as cash bail should the opposition at the last minute bring up some new complica- tion in an attempt to prevent the opening. Between the end of the overture and the actual rising of the curtain there was a pause. The Eastern Burlesque men turned pale. But it only lasted for a minute, and no effort was made to inter- fere with the initial performance. The Gayety has seating capacity for 1,600. Every inch of space was taken up at both of the Monday performances, and as many people were turned away as there were in the auditorium. At Whallen Bros.' Buckingham Theater, playing Western Burlesque Wheel attrac- tions. "The Empire Show," under Jess Burns, was the attraction. TOM MINER RECOVERING. Although Tom Miner still carries a use- less right hand, the result of an accident which almost cost his daughter's life two weeks ago, the doctors have assured him that he will again be able to write, al- though the cure will probably take some time. The accident happened at Greylock Hall, Far Rockaway. The burlesque man's daughter was playing cook with a "pyro" stove containing two quarts of oil fuel, when the tank exploded and the biasing oil scattered over the child. Miner stripped the clothing from the little girl, but not before she had been terribly burned. Miner's right hand was badly in- jured also, and he and his daughter were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. It was feared at first that the manager's right hand would be permanently crippled. IN MONTREAL NEXT SEASON. Plans have been drawn for a burlesque theatre in Montreal, to be operated by the Eastern Burlesque Wheel. No one in New York connected with the Columbia Amusement Oo. will admit that a site has been procured, but there is a suspicion that L. Lawrence Weber either purchased the necessary ground, or secured an option upon it when Mr. Weber visited Montreal about three weeks ago. An additional strip of land for a larger stage than now planned may be required. Through this the Eastern people are prob- ably holding back an official announce- ment divulging the location. NO REDUCTION OF ADVANCE MEN. Upon returning to New York Sam A. Scribner, general manager of the Colum- bia Amusement Oo. (Eastern Burlesque Wheel), said the report printed from Chi- cago while he was there saying that the advance agents of the Eastern shows would be reduced to four in all, with a weekly assessment from each traveling company, was not so. There is no intention of making this move, said Mr. Scribner, who also stated that I. M. Weingarten, formerly of the Trocadero, Chicago, would not replace Thos. Hodgman as the manager of the Eastern house at Kansas City. Neither would Irving B. Lee or anyone else rewrite the burlesque in his "Oh, You Woman!" show, added Mr. Scribner. THIESE IN BANKRUPTCY. An involuntary petition in bankruptcy was filed in New York against Morti- mer M. Thiese, the Western Wheel bur- lesque manager this week. Among the creditors are Hegeman Printing Co., $1,100; Sam Jacobs, $625 for clothes; Edwin J. Oohn, $600 money loaned. Thiese, who was discharged in bankruptcy in 1903, is said to have made more than $100,000 from the "Wine, Woman and Song" Co., its long engage- ment at the Circle Theatre, New York hav- ing netted him $60,000 alone. LYCEUM, TROY, LEASED. The Lyceum, Troy, N. Y., formerly a stand on the Western Burlesque Wheel, Las been leased to an organization which proposes to offer dramatic stock for one year. The lease has that long to run, although the Empire directorate has imposed a clause in the lease whereby it may re- take possession at any time by the process of delivering 30 days' notice. ARE "WRIGGLES" BARRED? A number of the burlesque managers have been busy this week in conferences with their lawyers seeking information upon a revised section of the New York State Penal Code which, according to some interpretations, will bar the the employ- ment of "wriggle" dancers in the bur- lesque houses. The point seems clouded in doubt. One manager declared this week that rather than take any chances he would not per- mit a "cooch" dancer to put foot upon, the stage in any of his companies. Another manager said that only the phrasing of the old statute had been changed, and the revision would not affect theatrical per- formances. The section referred to is in regard to so-called "indecent exhibitions" and holds liable to arrest and punishment not only the person taking part in an offending performance, but likewise the owner of the theatre in which the violation occurs and all persons directly or indirectly con- cerned in the performance itself. It likewise imposes severe punishment upon any person who posts or causes to be diplayed advertising "paper" which con- tains any suggestive or immoral detail. In the phrasing of the new law, which was framed by the last legislature, there is nothing which specifically indicates just what constitutes an "indecent exhibition," and nothing is said about who is to pass upon the point whether a performance is indecent or not. The new statute went into effect Sept. 1. SHOW AND HOUSE OPEN. Reports received from Boston early this week indicated that the opening of Charles Batchellor's new theatre on Mon- day had been most successful. The new- comer into the Eastern Wheel replaces the old house operated under the same management and is located close to it. The opening attraction was Gordon & North's "The Merry Whirl," one of this season's additions to the shows of the Columbia Amusement Oo., which, accord- ing to the announcement of the New York offices of the circuit, made a new mark for burlesque receipts upon the opening performances. DINKINS' QUEER POSITION. T. W. Dinkins, the Western Burlesque Wheel manager, finds himself in a curious position as regards the opposition town of Schenectady. The Columbia Amusement Co. has announced that it will play-the Mohawk Theatre there, commencing Mon- day, while the Westerners will continue to play their established house, the Empire. Through an old partnership agreement, Dinkins and Weber & Rush are jointly interested in the Mohawk. It so happens that Dinkins' "Yankee Doodle Girls" are scheduled to play the Empire, Schenec- tady, on Monday, the day upon which the Eastern furlesque people open their op- position ^theatre. Under the circumstances Dinkins finds himself in the curious position of playing in opposition to himself. Weber & Rush are an Eastern Wheel firm. NEW HOUSE TO-NIGHT. If the plant* of the Empire Circuit (.'o.V directors do not go astray the Casino, Brooklyn, should open to-night (Satur- day). Certainly it will open Monday. * James H. Curtin, after many delay a, left the city more than a week ago and personally superintended in Grand Rapids, Mich., the packing of the new chairs for the house. The chairs aro all that held back the premiere. According to the Western Wheel route sheet Mortimer M. Thiese's "Wine, Woman and Song" should open the theatre, but there has been a revision of this or- der so that Miner's "Sam T. Jack" Co. will substitute for the Thiese organization. The latter has been unfavorably re- ported to the Censorship Committee and there is a possibility that it will have to be reorganized. It has definitely been decided that the Sam T. Jack show shall be chosen for the opening attraction of the Casino. As the Wheel now stands the Miner outfit pre- cedes the Thiese show. Hereafter the "Wine, Woman and Song" show and the "Sam T. Jack" show will exchange posi- tions in the wheel, following the reverse of the present order during the remainder of the tour. There was a report about the city this week that "Wine, Woman and Song" might be closed for reorganization, but this was denied at the New York head- quarters of the Empire Circuit Co. The "Wine, Woman and Song" show is at the Eighth Avenue Theatre this week. On Monday morning the company reported at the Eighth Avenue eight chorus girls short. Late last week a disagreement had arisen in the company and the choristers without notice walked out. The manager hastened around, and by the time the matinee came along managed to find substitutes for the missing octet. They went on without rehearsal, and a ragged handling of numbers was a result during the week. This was the principal reason why the Empire Circuit directors in New York made the arrangement to re- place the regular Wheel engagement of the Thiese show with the "Sam T. Jack" Co. Mortimer M. Thiese is in Buffalo this week making minor changes in his other show, "The Strolling Players." Upon Mr. Curtin's return from the west, he stated there was nothing in the* story that the Western Wheel might locate in Grand Rapids as a permanent stand. TWO OUT OF SHOW. Miner's "Americans" is rather crippled this week. The manager of the show is himself playing a part in the pieces, owing to the sudden injuries suffered by two of the comedians which necessitated their re- tirement. In one of his comedy knockabout scenes Wilbur Dobbs, the principal comedian rup- tured a blood vessel last week. The doc- tors ordered him to retire from work for three weeks. He is now in West Baden, and will not rejoin the company for two weeks more. Shortly after his retirement Charles Baker, who had substituted for him, was laid up, and Simons, the manager, had to take his part. Joe Howard is playing "The Blue Mkmse," where his wife, MaVel Barrison, is leading woman. Geo. Beban headlines the opening bill at the Greenpoint Labor Day.