Variety (November 1909)

6 VARIETY EASTERN IN BRONX. Beginning next Monday Eastern Wheel Burlesque will occupy the Metropolis, Bronx, which has been playing Shubert attractions this season. "The Marathon Girls" will be the opening feature. The Columbia Amusement Co. docs not take a lease upon the house, as was inti- mated in Variety last week, but enters into a booking arrangement only with Hurtig & Seamon, who own the property. By this deal the Eastern Wheel beats its opposition, the Empire Circuit Co., into the Bronx by nearly a year. The Miner Estate, in association with other parties, is building a house about half a mile away from the Metropolis. The addition of the Metropolis to the Eastern list of theatres will close tip the ' "open week" in the east, caused by the delay in the completion of the new house in Boston. A provision in the lease of the Metrop- olis by Henry Rosenberg to Hurtig & Seamon carried a restriction calling for the consent of Rosenberg's to be obtained at any change of policy. Mr. Rosenberg con- sented to the arrangement with the Co- lumbia Amusement Co. The directors of the Columbia Amuse- ment Co. met yesterday (Friday) to con- Hider a plan by which the Metropolis might fit into the Wheel after the com- pletion of Waldron's house, Boston. Ad- vance information was to the effect that Columbus and Wheeling, both unprofit- able burlesque stands, would 1m? eliminated from the Eastern Wheel. The Columbia Amusement Co. owns the Columbus house, but it has not made any money and the directors were willing to drop it from the route, replacing burlesque either with a stock organization or "pop" vaudeville. Wheeling is merely a ''filler in" and may be dropped without effecting the route. FOREMAN-WALSH MARRIAGE. Buffalo, Nov. 4. Last week while Manager Charles E. Foreman of "The Fads and Follies" was in the city, his marriage to May Walsh oc- curred, the date having been Oct. 26. new Ones starting. The Columbia Amusement Co.'s new theatre, Gayety, will open tomorrow (Sun- day) with "The College Girls," one of the best shows on the Wheel, as the attrac- tion. The house, which replaces the old stand, cost $165,000 and has a seating capacity of 1,600. Tom Hodgman, of the old establishment, will be resident man- ager of this new Kansas City house. A week from tomorrow (Nov. 14) the Columbia's new Gayety, Minneapolis, will throw open its doors. "The Columbians" will occupy it for the initial week. The Minneapolis house cost $105,000 and has 1.600 capacity. The house manager will be N. R. Simons, last year's manager for the Eastern Wheel in Milwaukee. The-Columbia at 47th street and Broad- wayVrJew' Yorlc, the newest of tlie Colum bia's enterprises, was pushed to the roof this week. The brick is advancing a story a day under orders to hurry the work. The cornice is ten stories above the street. It will be ready about the beginning of the new year, almost surely during January. MORTGAGE BRINGS ARREST. St. Louis, Nov. 4. As a result of seizure of baggage of members of Columbian Burlesquers at Olney, 111., eight warrants were issued against James A. Stidger and Clyde Wes- ton, of East St. Louis. They were ar- rested there and taken to Olney. It is said the theatrical manager borrowed from Stidger $150 secured by a mortgage on the stage paraphernalia and a lien on the receipts while the company played the Broadway, East St. Louis. Stidger and his clerk, Weston, followed the com- pany to Olney, where the receipts were $130. Stidger is reported to have taken this and then to have gone to the hotel and taken five trunks, nirie suit cases and one handbag back to East St. Louis with him. Warrants charging grand larceny were sworn out by Nellie Grant, Bessie Smith, Bertha *Radel, Marcia Millees, Lucy Kastle, William and Howard Johnson, and Clifford Grant. While they shivered at Olney, some minus winter wearables, Sheriff Holmes went to East St. Louis and, having taken Stidger and Weston into custody, then returned with the players' wardrobes. "SCRIBNER'S" GOOD ENOUGH. The latest burlesque story is credited to Sam Dessauer, of "The Star and Garter Show." It says that while Dessauer was "on the door" at Albany a woman approached him asking: "Do you recognize magazine writers?" "Oh, yes," replied the oily Sam. "What magazine do you write for?" 4 'Scribner's,* " answered the woman. "Indeed," said Sam. "That's good enough; but tell me, do you write for Gus Hill's, too!" "Well, really," said the woman, "I never heard of that one, but I write for Everybody's.'" "In that case," answered Dessauer, "you are entitled to free passes at any theatre. I never knew one person could write for all the magazines." TOLEDO DEAL OFF. It is altogether unlikely that Burt's Opera House, Toledo, will be taken in as a Western Burlesque Wheel stand. Con- ferences have been held in New York be- tween Elmer F. Rogers, Morris' general manager, and officials of the Empire Cir- cuit Co., but nothing was done. Unless the project is again taken up at the Cin- cinnati end of the circuit the transaction will probably be passed up. LOUISVILLE GOES FOR WHALLEN. Louisville, Nov. 4. The election here this week pleased the Whallen Brothers, owners of the Buck- ingham Theatre (Western Burlesque Wheel). They are very much in local Democratic politics. Their candidates were all successful, among them being W. O. Head. Political wire pulling was greatly in- dulged in in this town during the erection of the new Gayety (Eastern Wheel)',' opened after great obstacles had been overcome. Ihe Whallcns did all they could to furnish Jhe obstacles. Harry Lauder will remain two weeks :ii I lie Amerienii. Chicago, opening at lh» Aineriean, New York, Nov. 22. •55,000 YEARLY PROFIT. In a speech made by "Big Tim" Sulli- van at Miner's Bowery Theatre last Sun- day evening, the Senator stated that he and Geo. Kraus had made a profit of $55,000 yearly ever since they were con- nected together in business. "Big Tim" also said that he was the head of the Sullivan-Considine Circuit, but that if he informed the audience what he derived from that source they would all be around the next morning to borrow money from him. CHILD ACTORS AGAIN 1 Chicago, Nov. 4. The difficulties thrown around the intro- duction of a child actress into a Chicago theatre last season, are to be met with again this season. Emily Wurster, eight years old, in "A Fool There Was," Mrs. Katherine Wurster (mother) and Charles J. K. Miller, man* ager of the company, were arrested last Friday on complaint of a State factory inspector charged with violating the child labor law by permitting Emily to appear in a stage performance after 7 p. m. A warrant was issued for Will J. Davis, manager of the Illinois Theatre, but he was out of the city. Bond was given and the case set for hearing Nov. 11. Adolph Marks, the at- tornev for the defense, insists he will carry it to the. .highest courts if neces- sary. TURNED DOWN CAPACITY. Columbus, Nov. 4. "Salome" dancers have had their day in this city. Ideas of art in the dancing line are all to the Greek here, and when Walter Damrosch brought his orchestra to Memorial Hall Oct. 20, 4,000 people bought seats; 4,000 is capacity. Every- body made the excuse that they wanted to hear the music, but as a matter of fact Isadora Duncan, a Greek dancer, with the organization, was the real drawing card. When Isadora looked the hall over she decided she would not dance or do any- thing Greek in a hall; she wanted a the- atre. The management threatened and stormed to no avail. Isadora would not dance Greek or anything else in Memorial Hall, and that settled it. At 5 o'clock ar- rangements were made to transfer the or- chestra and the dancer to the Sothcrn Theatre. One thousand five hundred peo- ple saw Isadora do the Grecian "pas-ma- la" and 2.500 got their money back. IS A FISH A FISH? San Francisco, Nov. 4. Carl Schenecker who conducts the Ly- ceum, a small theatre at Washington a:i>l Kearny St., was arrested last week by 11 officer of the P. C. to A. Society. The theatre has a small aquarium stocked with fish. Hooks and lines are provided patrons and ten cents i.s given every one who catches a fish. The complaining officer says this conies within the statute governing cruelty to nn- iyiialH,- -Scltenecker «ay« a -fish is not au animal. MUSEUM'S STOCK BURLESQUE. Philadelphia, Nov. 4. An innovation was sprung here this week at the Ninth and Arch Museum win n stock burlesque replaced the vaudeville given in this house for many years. * The museum is one of the oldest in America and still has its curio hall wheie freaks of all kinds and from all parts of the world are exhibited. . Almost every kind of entertainment has lieen tried in the theatre. Stock burlesque is the new policy aud it has caught on in an unexpected manner. This week's show is called "Big City Sports" with a minstrel first part and an r.fterpiece called "Buffalo Bill in Phila- delphia." Harry Kelly, Billy Bowers and Tom Higgins have principal comedy roles r.nd Irene McCord, May Owens, Lottie Emerson, Mabel White and others select- ed from the chorus lead numbers. Springer and Church present a singing and dancing specialty and there were some moving pictures, rounding out a corking good bill for the "Ten Cents Admits To All" scale of admission. From the start made on the opening week it looks as if stock burlesque was going to be a hit at the old museum. GERARD ENGAGES BURKHARDT. St. Paul, Nov. 4. Charles J. Burkhardt has joined Barney Gerard's "Town Talk," playing here this week. 'Mr. Gerard claims the record for the season at the Western Wheel house at Wilwaukee, which his show played two weeks ago. J. Francis Sullivan, the former prin cipal comedian of the company, is n>> longer with it. EXPECTS TO PLAY SUNDAY. Though the Gayety, Hoboken (Eastern Burlesque Wheel), has not been open for Sunday per f or n.a nee so far this season. Dave Kiaus, its manager, expects that the restrictions now restraining his house from giving a Sunday show will be short- ly removed. In fact, Mr. Kraus hopes that tomorrow will see the first of the Sabbath performances in the Gayety by the Eastern Burlesque shows. Jessie Mill ward has secured a release from her contract with the Lieblers, and will now look about for vaudeville en- gagements, probably, through Jenie Jacobs. VAN STUDDIFORD SUIT UNDE- FENDED. St. Louis, Nov. 4. The testimony is in and the court has taken under advisement the divorce suit of Grace Van Studdiford against Charles Van Studdiford. The defendant did not appear in court, and his attorney did not examine witnesses for the applicant. The wife's testimony lasted ti * minutes. \ Other witnesses in lu-r i>ehnlf were Mrs Lyman T. Hay, wife of the manager of several local hotels, and Clarence Camp- bell, former deputy sheriff. SIGNS AFTER WAITING. After waiting since the season opened, and before, to make terms with William Morris tor the rthppearanYe of Felix and Caire upon his circuit, Ad. Newberger. \ ho directs the stage destinies of the youngsters, made a contract with Morris on Tuesday for the young couple to appear ten weeks out of the next twelve. Felix and Caire open at the Fulton, Brooklyn, Monday.