Variety (October 1909)

VARIETY "LAMBS" GO TO CASINO. The "Frolicsome Lambs." the Western Wheel burlesque show which was ordered to lay off and reorganize during the week it was scheduled for the Casino, Brook- lyn, will play that house after all. The shift is brought about by advene reports sent in concerning "The Avenue Girls." That show, leased from the Em- pire Circuit Co. by an outside speculator, Hen Von Ottcnger, is in Jersey City this week. Next week it goes into Miner's Eighth Avenue Then Ire. It will play that week out and then lay off until it has im- proved sufficiently to play the Empire's new Brooklyn house. Will H. Cohan has been engaged as principal comedian for the new show. The Eighth Avenue is the first New York stop on the Wheel. The manage- ment of that place is said to have taken a stand against some of the Western mana- gers' custom of playing around the lesser houses of the wheel with inferior shows and waiting until they are due at the Eighth Avenue before putting on new pieces and generally "fixing up." The result has been that the shows came in only half rehearsed and very rough. DOING GOOD BUSINESS. Chicago, Sept. 30. Burlesque houses are doing good busi- nes. The Western Wheel theatres, Empire and Folly, seem to have a little the best of it here so far this season. Extra attractions have occasionally been employed at the Western Wheel houses in the way of sensational dancers. "BIT" A CHORUS GIRL. Chicago, Sept. 30. Madeline Webb, one of the chorus girls with Fred Irwin's "Gibson Girls," has a peculiar mark on her left arm and she is careful that no make-up goes on the spot, half as big as a dollar bill. Diligent en- deavors to fathom the mystery have un- ravelled a tale of great horror. It seems that another chorus girl "bit" Miss Webb. The "biter" is no longer with the company. The incident took place last week. An early recovery is predicted for the "bitee." PAT ROONEY AND SISTERS. »™,J?i OT '' P ,pt,,r <' H °f I'AT. JULIA tod J08IE BOON BY were taken when I'at was 10 jetra of age. Then Julia wan four and Jowle three. Mr. Ronney la now ptaylng with hla Marlon Kent. In vaudeville. Jutta and (Itooney Slutera) are apix'arlnK abroad, bookings for a long term on (he other aide. MIxh Julia, who In a composer, ban disposed of *prcral of her song; oomposli Ions while Id Bnc- li. i.l. The KlHtrra will IlkHy \ ngaRnl for pan- t'lin.me In Liverpool for next ycnsmi TIk-y are iu>\\ l-nrlin; the rmifinriit. wife, Josle with THREE IN A ROW. Chicago, Sept. SO. Much interest centers in the engage- ment of Fred Irwin's "Gibson Girls" in burlesque at Euson's this week. This is the third Irwin show to appear there in ah many weeks. Whether the present plan of booking the three shows to fol- low over the circuit is good policy or not is a mooted question. Some contend that the Irwin name adds strength to the coming show. In proof of this the company manager has con- fessed that at the two earlier stands this season the "Gibson Girl" got the largest gross busines of the three shows. Others think that the public receives the impres- sion that it is a stock company under the management of Irwin. "The Gibson Girls" differs from other shows, being inclined towards melodrama. It was written and staged by Chester De Vonde, whose mind runs to frightful situa- tions and characters calculated to excite terror. GOOD SUBURBAN RECEIPTS. Chicago, Sept. 30. Western Wheel shows have a week lay- off after playing the Empire, and fill in with one-night stands. Jess Burns filled the last three days of last week with his "Empires" at the Calumet, South Chicago, playing four shows at that house to a net amount of $1,235.10. THE IDEAL REALIZED. A visitor to the office of Edward S. Keller, in the Long Acre Building, Monday morning, found the agent busy at a letter. He spoke the words aloud as he wrote and this is what the visitor heard: "Doe and Roe, Gentlemen.—I note your letter of Sept. 24, asking me to attend to your bookings in Vaudeville. I should be pleased to take your business were it not that I am informed you already have an authorized agent acting for you in the United Booking Offices." This is not a dream. MAJESTIC ALLOWED AN "EXTEM." Chicago, Sept. 30. Harry Breen was permitted to sing his. "impromptu" song at the Majestic last week although such familiarities with the audience have not previously been permit- ted there. Chris Lane appeared at the Majestic recently and was not allow^l to select subjects in front for extern, verses. Mr. Breen has probably opened the way for other extemporaneous singers at the Majestic. Mr. Lane has frequently de- livered his song at the other Kohl & Castle houses in Chicago. DISSENSION IN THE ATLAS. Trouble brewed in the Atlas Booking Circuit during the week. Max Rosen, one of the partners in the agency stated the Atlas would either be dissolved or he would continue it as his own booking office. Mr. Rosen and Victor Leavitt organized the Atlas early in the spring. During the summer Rosen has been busying himself with a park at Baltimore, the active man- agement of the booking concern falling upon Leavitt. BURLESQUE IN SANS SOUCL Hochstim, who has not surrendered his least upon the Sans Souci, on Third Avenue, near 14th Street, New York, though former Polios Commissioner Bing- ham canceled the concert hall license there almost a year ago, is arranging for a stock burlesque production within a couple of weeks. Application for a new license has been passed upon favorably, it is said. The plan will be to have about twenty girls surround a few principals, playing to an "open gate" excepting an admission of twenty-five cents in the boxes. Liquid refreshments will be disposed of on the floor, and a reminder of Coney Island in warm weather will once more gladden the cockles of the neighborhood's slow drinkers. STANDING OFFER FOR NEW HOUSE. It is said that the Columbia Amusement Co. (Eastern Burlesque Wheel) has a standing offer of $56,000 yearly for its new Columbia Theatre, at Seventh Avenue and 47th Street, if at any time in the fu- ture the Columbia people should wish to dispose of the premises. The beams to support the cantilever balcony and gallery of the Columbia were set in place this week. The structure is nearly ready to receive its roof girders. STUCK ON A WORD. Chicago, Sept. 30. Writers of burlesque should be careful in the choice of words. The author of a skit rehearsed this year introduced a three-syllable word into the dialog. Stage manager, principals, chorus men, chorus girls, not even the manager of the com- pany nor his wife, could define it. No dic- tionary could be found in the theatre and not a girl had one in her trunk. The word which puzzled has been dropped. It was "denouement.' »» WORSE THAN BAD. Chicago, Sept. 30. Frank Farrell, who tried vaudeville last summer, is back with "The Missouri Girl" again this fall and is now in the south- west. The show played Jonesboro, Ark., recently Farrell stopped in at the reserved seat sale and asked the druggist how business was. "Oh, fair," was the reply. "This used to be a very bad show town," observed FarrelL "That's right," agreed the reserved-seat sale man. "How Is it now?" inquired Farrell. "Much worse," said the druggist. The show opened the season for Jones- boro and billed the town "like a circus." No opposition. Did $102 gross. ROLLER SKATER ARRESTED. Baltimore, Sept. 30. Eugene Collins, who appeared in a roller skating act at the Victoria here" last week was arrested on Saturday night on a war- rant sworn out by a Miss Fralinger, of Philadelphia. It is said that upon the failure of Col- lins to marry the young woman as prom- ised, she secured the warrant. He has been sent to Philadelphia to face the charges. - ORDERS SHOW REPAIRED. The Censor Committee of the Eastern Burlesque Wheel has ordered that the "Star and Garter Show" at the Murray Hill last week be fixed up. To this end Charles Robinson has been ongaged as principal comedian, and will re place the present second act of the show with a burlesque of his own, called 'Solo man, the Soldier." Other changes will be the insertion of an olio, and the addition of The Langdona to the cast, replacing present principals $135,000 OIL PAINTING. V Before I. M. Weiijgar£en, formerly man- ager of the Troeadero, Chicago, left New York for his home on Tuesday, he looked about for a suitable place to exhibit "the largest oil painting in the world," owned by himself and Sol Lo wen thai, the Chicago attorney. The painting is entitled "Golgotha," and is an allegorical scene of just before the Crucifixion. The painting, valued at $125,000, is 105 x 45 feet in measurement, requiring 27 years to paint, Jan Styka having been the artist. During the' past summer, the big piece of canvas was shown at "White City," Chicago, and drew largely there, next summer Mr. Weingarten wants the east- ern people to see it. REPORT OF ACTORS' CO. At a meeting of the Associated Actors' Company on Sept. 23, over which Fred Xiblo, the president, presided, Mr. Niblo was re-elected to the office, with the fol- lowing associates: Harry O. Hayes, re- elected vice-president; Frank Nortji, treas- urer, and Harry Mount ford, general man- ager. Lew Reals, Jules Lee, Sam Sidman, Frank Herbert, Ed Keogh, M. J. Kelly, Wm. O. Smith, O. T. Fiske and Carlton Macy are the board of directors. The annual report, recommending that a dividend for the last six months be declared at the rate of fifty per cent. i>cr annum, was adopted. NEW MANAGER AT GLOBE. Chicago, Sept. 30. James H. Browne retired from the man- agement of "A Girl At The Helm" last Saturday night to take charge of the Globe Theatre for Stair & Havlin. David J. Ramage came on from New York to replace him with the road show. Mr. Browne formerly managed the Al- ii umbra and the Great Northern for S'Uir & Havlin. He will place the Globe iij readiness to receive the Great Northern^ bookings, to be switched to the Wabnsli Ave. house, the Shul>erts taking over the Great Northern. George Taylor, advertising agent for the Great Northern, will also act in a like capacity at the Globe. Will Bean and Martie Hale were mar- ried Sept. 14 at Ft. Worth, Tex. CLARICE VANCE. Clarice Vance, "The Southern Singer." t lie subject of the front page pictures this week, returned to New York yes- terday after a season of five months at the Palace, London. Miss Vance's first contract for lluii house called for two weeks, and was «\ tended four times, she having scored die biggest hit of any American abroad.