Variety (September 1909)

VARlfitY mmm NEW WESTERN HOUSE OPENS. The new Casino, Flatbuah Avenue, Itrooklyn, opened last Saturday evening. The demand for seats emptied the ticket rack before seven o'clock. A delegation of Western Burlesque Wheel officials witnessed the premiere, among them being James H. Curtin, Tom (Lieut.) H. Clay and Edward Miner, James Lowrie and Harry Martell. Miner's "Sam T. Jack Show" was the opening at- traction. The Casino was started about eight months ago, and according to an Empire Circuit official cost for ground and build- ing $298,000 before the curtain rose on the first performance. It has the new- est devices in front and behind stage. One feature is a new system of heat- ing. The heat is supplied through a net- work of pipes under the orchestra floor, mid comes into the auditorium through hundreds of small registers placed beneath the seats. COVERING UP. Chicago, Sept. 9. The ownership of "The Follies of the Moulin Rouge" now at Euson's is not clear. The program has it "The Burlesque Pro- ducing Company" but those connected with the show make mystery regarding who comprises this company. The "paper" is cross-lined; it is very similar to that formerly used by "The Trans-Atlantics." It is Hurtig & Seamon's show, Trans- Atlantic's" renamed as at present, follow- ing an injunction in New York forbidding the title, "The Queen of the Moulin Rouge." SHORT CHICAGO JUMP. Chicago, Sept. 9. Sid Euson is getting such a Parision flavor that he is addressed as "Monseur." "The Queens of the Jardin de Paris" opened the house last week, "The Follies of the Moulin Rouge" appears this week, and Irwin's Majestic's, which comes next week, have in a two-act skit "Americans in Paris." This week's show came from the Alham- bra to Euson's and it is said a number of the shows will have the same move. PHILADELPHIA OPENS xoxst SEASON. The 101st season of the Walnut Street Theatre was inaugurated Monday night with an audience which packed the house and several hundred persons were turned away at both performances Monday. "The Girl From Rector's" was the at- traction and whether or not it was the unusual publicity given the piece and its suggestive possibilities, or the rumor that the local authorities might be called upon to prevent its presentation, the demand for scats was something terrific and it looks as if the piece would be good for a run here. ARRESTED FOR ABDUCTION. Chicago, Sept. 9. William Fary, acrobat, was arrested Sunday on a charge of luring Frieda Mehn from her home at Chebanse, 111. The man is 28; the girl is 15. He was taken to Chebanse on an abduction charge. A companion of Fary's was arrested a week previously on a charge of luring an- other 15 year old girl from her home at Chebanse, and he is now in jail there. EASTERN INSPECTION TOUR. The inspection counuiltee of the East- ern Burlesque Wheel, composed of Sam Scribner, J. Herbert Mack and L. Law- rence Weber, will start on their annual tour of the circuit the latter end of Sep- tember. They will "catch" all the companies on the Wheel, and require that whatever changes and improvements are ordered must be made immediately. $3,500 FIRST WEEK. Chicago, Sept. 9. It looks as though the switch from the Trocadero to the Alhambra was a wise move on the part of the management of the Columbia Amusement Co. "The Follies of the Moulin Rouge" did $2,500 last week, according to a report which credits the manager of the company with being responsible for the statement and burlesque authorities agree that the gross must have exceeded $2,600. Matinees are given daily and women are numerous at afternoon performances. Charles Howard, business man as well as comedian, offered to bet a stage hand that the house would do $6,000 on a week before "The Follies of the Moulin Rouge" return to the house in January. The Trocadero is now a "family" theatre and offers continuous from 11 a. m. to 11 p. m., at 10, 15 and 20. There is a female ticket seller and another who is ticket taker. A special bill Sunday did not draw well. "THOROUGHBREDS" IN NEW HANDS. After organizing his "Thoroughbreds" burlesque company for a tour of the one- night stands and securing a list of book- ings, Frank B. Can* has retired from the venture. The organization left New York late last week and will continue under man- agement of George Leonard, representing the backer of the enterprise. ANOTHER M0LASS0 PANTOMIME. G. Molasso is preparing a pantomime production for vaudeville. It will include ten people and be in readiness in about three weeks. Featured in the act is to be Mina Minar (Mrs. Molasso), who is now with Jacobs & Jermon's "Queens of the Jardin de Paris," an Eastern Wheel burlesque show. Molasso put on the pantomimic production for that company, in which Miss Minar now appears. EDDIE LEONARD. & CO. Tho photos on the front cover this week are those of Eddie Leonard and his company of blackface artists, who will play at Hammerstein's next week (Sept. 13). Included in the organization are Mr. Leonard, Mable Russell (Mrs. Leonard) and Sam and Arnold Field (Field Brothers). The company will appear in Mr. Leonard's latest piece of Southern life "At Home Again," Miss Russell assuming a character in cork for the first time. Until recently Mr. Leonard and the Field Brothers were members of the Ed- die Leonard Minstrels. Upon leaving that show, vaudeville bookings were imme- diately secured for Leonard by Jack Levy, and he opened at the Grand Opera House, Pittsburg, last Monday. RATHER SCRUB THAN POSE. Toronto, Sept. 9. Manager Henry, of the Gayety, through the chief usher, has received an appeal from Tillie Flaherty, formerly a scrub woman in the theatre, to return to her old job. Tillie left Toronto to join the Phil Sheridan Burlesque Company as a "show girl." A good looking blonde, Tillie easily held down her place. Tillle's husband is an acrobatic strong man, who couldn't find much use for his strength in the smaller vaudeville houses last season, so the six per that Tillie earned keeping the marble bright helped some. The husband finally secured engage- ments on small western circuits, and Til- lie was taken by him to New York, where she joined the show. Now Tillie writes she isn't happy with- out her husband, and she isn't happy, any- way, excepting when in Toronto. New York is a wonderful place, she admits, but Toronto is quiet, and that's better. It's an even chance that Tillie will get her job back. Henry can feature her as an extra attraction, billing Tillie "From Tights to Suds, or How One Show Girl Cleaned Up." SYNDICATE TOWN THEATRICALS. Louisville, Ky., Sept. 9. An association has been formed among Louisville's theatrical managers. Its offi- cial shape is a corporation in which stock is held by John H. and James P. Whal- len (owners of the Buckingham Theatre, a Western Wheel stand in opposition to the newly opened Gayety, playing East* ern Wheel attractions), John T. MacAnhy, A. L. Boulier, Charles A. Shaw, F. Shriner and E. W. Dusin. The corporation goes into operation Sept. 14. Detailed information as to its object is not at hand. RUNWAY TO BALCONY. The new Columbia Amusement Co.'s Gayety, Kansas City, is due to open Oct. 3. Among the novel features of the house will be a concrete runway, sloping from the orchestra floor to the first balcony on both sides of the auditorium. This is the only burlesque house so constructed. A NEW QUARTET. Chicago, Sept. 9. A new singing four, or at least a new name for one, has been uncovered at the Pekin this week. It Is styled "The Giva-Dam (juartet." A "CALIOPE" FINISH. Chicago, Sept. 9. Jolly and Wild, who are assisted by Lex Neal, one of England's smallest come- dians, played the Star last week with the intention of producing a "caliope" new finish to the act which Jolly has been working on for some time. As the caliope was incomplete it could not be put on, but the plan is to offer it for the first time late this week at Milwaukee. Ida Rubinstein, a dancer recently ap- pearing as a single act in Paris, is re- ported as having been signed by Martin Beck for thirty weeks, while the latter was in the French capital. MILWAUKEE FIGHT KEEPS ON. Chicago, Sept. 9. A burlesque war is being waged in Mil- waukee U*tween the Star and Gayety. The Star is owned by Frank Trottman. It is the newer of the two and seems to have the better clientele owing to its superior location and facilities. The row started last fall at the open- ing of the season when business was very poor and Trottman lowered his prices to 10, 20 and 30 with an additional price of 60 cents for the first rows at the even- ing performances. Both houses used the newspaper adver- tisements to advantage and neither hesi- tated to tell the public what a poor show the other house had. The fight is continuing this season, and while it has only begun, it is reported that the Trottman house (Western Wheel) has a shade the better of the argument. SCHENECTADY OPPOSITION OPENS. Schenectady, N. Y., Sept. 9. This is the line-up this week, the open- ing of burlesque opposition here: Empire Theatre (Western)—"Yankee Doodle Girls" (first half) ; "Jardin He Paris Girls" (second half). Mohawk (Eastern)—"Marathon Girls" (first half) ; "Gny Masqueraders" (second half). Leo Pardello, wrestler, was an added at- traction for the first half of the week nt the Empire. $3,800 AT LOUISVILLE GAYETY. Louisville, Sept. 9. It is declared that the Gayety Theatre, the Columbia Amusement Co. stand which opened last week with Jacobs & Jermon's "Golden Crooks," played to $3,800. This week Sam Scribner's "Big Show" is at the Eastern house. At the Bucking- ham, the Western Wheel opposition, the attraction is "The Fashion Plates." Big audiences have been the rule .at the new house.. The Buckingham has also enjoyed large attendance. "PASSING SHOW" THROUGH. Chicago, Sept. 9. Members of "The Passing Show" have entered suit against Mrs. Ray Fulton for two week's salary. It is rumored that she and May Howard were partners in the company which was so short-lived. It opened at Hammond, Ind. The next week it played the Ameri- can in St. Louis. The "people" receive fare back to Chicago. DIDN'T "WORK BOXES." San Francisco, Sept. 9. Quite a number of the profession were standing around the other day when one spoke up quickly: "Say, Caine, you've played Keith-Proctor's New York, haven't you?" "Why, yes, many times." "Well, now you can settle a little argument for me. Some of these 'Coast Defenders' think because I've been out here for about a year I haven't played the East. My wife and I have played Keith-Proctor's, both single and double, and she didn't have to work the boxes, either." Excavation has commenced for the new vaudeville house at "Five Corners," Jersey City, to be operated by Harry Leonhardt.