Variety (December 1909)

VARIETY BURLESQUE CONFERENCE. James E, Fennessy, secretary of the Empire Circuit (Western Burlesque Wheel), is expected in New York. He was in conference Wednesday in Schenec- tady with the eastern members of the cir- cuit and James H. Curt in. Denial is made that this meeting had anything to do with a proposed retirement of the Western from Schenectady. On the contrary the directors are said to have arranged to take up a mortgage which has rested on the Empire in that town since it was built. OFF FOR ALASKA. A trip to Alaska is holding the atten- tion of Joe Adams these days. Mr. Adams is the proprietor of the well-known restau- raut on West 44th Street, called "Joe Adams." Lately the boniface listened to a propo- sition involving a great tract of land near the Pacific coast of the Alaskan country. It is situated near many mines now in operation by wealthy copper men, and Mr. Adams is seriously thinking of leaving New York about February to watch the development of his property. To Alaska means a respite from toil in New York for a couple of years anyway. In the interim "Joe Adams" will probably be managed by one of Joe's brothers, either Charlie or Sam (perhaps both). Then again Joe may sell the place and buy some more land. JOHNSON GOING TO PHILLY. Philadelphia, Dec. 2. Eddie Shayne, manager of the Gayety announced to-day that he hsd secured Jack Johnson, the negro heavyweight, to meet all comers at his theatre here week of Dec. 13. AFTER A DIVORCE. Chicago, Dec. 2. Mrs. Maurice Jacobs seeks a divorce from Maurice Jacobs, the Western Wheel burlesque manager. The matter is being kept very quiet. DENNY IN CHARGE OF STAR. H. Barnard Denny, a very well-known and popular manager, for six years with Rice & Barton in various capacities, hav- ing done exceptional advance work for their attractions, has been appointed to the post of director of Hyde & Behman's Star, Brooklyn. JOHN WHALLEN'S SON DIES. Louisville, Dec. 2. On Monday, Orrie Whallen, age 36, son of John H. Whallen, died at the Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital. His death had been expected for the past three weeks, a complication of diseases having attacked him. GOING WITH BONITA. St. Louis, Dec. 2. James Mullen, who plays a leading role in the "Town Talk" Company at the Stan- dard this week, will leave in a week or two to become one of the principals of "The Wine, Woman and Song"' company which Bonita is organizing, according to Mullen. Sam Hearn, who was with Bonita and is now in the "Town Talk" cast, will remain with this Miner & Ger- ard organization. CHARGE AGAINST STAIR. Toronto, Dec. 2. An adjournment of a week was granted F. W. Stair, when arraigned in police court last week on the charge of permitting an immoral performance in his theatre (The Star) a few weeks ago. The ministers of the town .complained to the Police Commissioners. A wave of reform has been going on here for some time. There's nothing serious in the Stair matter. CURTIN'S NEW HOME. For almost as many years as you care to count James H. Curtin has made his home in cosy apartments at 175 Third Avenue in order to be near the London Theatre, of which he was manager. About a month ago Mr. Curtin bought a suburban place at 464 Fifty-fourth Street, Bay Ridge. You'd think it impossible for any one to forget that simple address, but "Uncle Jim" declares that ha has not been able to get home yet without first absent- mindedly stopping off at his old place. Also when the furniture from the Bowery house was put in the new place the chairs and tables were almost lost. In order to fill in the gaps the new owner declares that the place is costing him about $100 a day for purchases. NEW FIGHT PICTURES. Through William' Morris the Miners have secured to follow their exhibition of the Johnson-Ketchel fight pictures on the Empire Circuit a combined reel showing Jeffries in his last fight with Tom Sharkey and Johnson in the bout with Burns in Australia. These pictures show both men in action and it is supposed will give the public a chance to look over and compare the two men. One of the two sets of reels started Monday in Kansas City as a feature of "Talk of the Town." WESLEY AGAIN A MANAGER. Louis Wesley has again become a man- ager. He has bought an interest in the Van Curler Opera House, Schenectady, N. Y., which formerly played the best road attractions in that town, and from New York is booking in a seven-act vaude- ville bill. Schenectady has not less than half a dozen "pop" vaudeville theatres besides the Van Curler, not to speak of the two opposing burlesque houses. OFFERS $1,000 A MINUTE. Chicago, Dec. 2. Caesar Rivoli, the protean player, hav- ing read the offer made for a protean piece, running for an evening's entertain- ment, says he will give the successful au- thor of a sketch of not over twenty minutes' duration, $1,000 a minute. Rivoli sets the time limit, stating he does not wish to bore the public. NELLIE BREWSTER. Nellie Brewster has met with great suc- cess as the leading lady in Ous Edwards' "Night Birds" at the Grcenpomt this week. Miss Brewster came to vaudeville from Richard Carle's "Mary's Lamb," where she appeared as well as in other large produc- tions with marked criticism of a favorable kind attending. Her voice is a dramatic high soprano of excellent quality. Added to this is Miss Brewster's comeliness, as the pictures of herself on the front page this week testify. SURATTS SETTLED AT LAST. It is at last settled for whom Valeska Suratt shall play her "Belle of the Boule- vards." The United Booking Offices re- ceived the decision at a closed hearing held before a mutually agreed upon referee at the Hotel Astor last Friday night. The hearing was according to legal pro- cedure, and continued from 11 p. m. until 3 a. m. The witnesses who testified were Hugo Morris, Willie Hammerstein, William Grossman, Miss Suratt, Edward E. Pid- geon, Geo. M. Leventritt, Henry Berling- hoff, Jack Levy, Bert Cooper and Nate Spingold. A contract was produced calling for the services of Miss Suratt at Hammerstein's for the week when she left the theatre suddenly, on Wednesday. This agree- ment carried an optional clause. The con- tention of Maurice Goodman, the United's attorney, was that Mr. Hammerstein had not discharged nor dismissed Miss Suratt; that she left the theatre of her volition, and that Mr. Hammerstein was within his legal rights when he notified the actress before midnight of the following Saturday that he required her further ap- pearance under the option. The Morris side, through Mr. Leven- tritt, attempted to prove that Hammer- stein had declined to exercise the option and rendered it of no effect through re- fusing to furnish Miss Suratt with a con- tract for the following week. From all reports there was a great deal of "testifying" and the best "testifyers" won. In handing down his decision, Warren Leslie, the referee, called upon the United to deposit $1,250 in cash to reimburse Morris for damages, and permitting Mor- ris to bring suit for what further dam- ages he might have sustained. The reference was agreed upon between the parties after Miss Suratt had agreed to appear at the Plaza, which was to have been done last Monday. It was a unique proceeding for vaudeville, and the step was taken to prevent a long litigation in the courts. "The Belle of the Boulevards," in a re- vised form, with Miss Suratt, is billed to appear at the Colonial Monday. On Dec. 13 and 20 the act is expected to reappear at Hammerstein's. VAUDEVILLE IN OLD ORPHEUM. San Francisco, Dec. 2. Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., who arrived last week and confirmed the reopening of the Oarrick (formerly Orpheum) the first of the year with vaudeville which would in no way interfere with the policy of the present Orpheum, said: "Acts will play two weeks at that house as heretofore, but a change will be made at the Oakland Orpheum, which has also been playing acts two weeks. New shows entirely will piny the Gar- rick and will no doubt be booked by some local ngent. ROONEY-HARVEY WEDDING. A letter dated Wien, Austria. Nov. 17. says that one of the Rooney Sisters will be married at Berlin during the month (November) lo Harry Harvey, of The 4 Harveys, the wire act. The name of the sister is not given, but it is supposed to be Josie, the younger. Julia, the older sister, has been married, divorcing her husband last spring. COMPLAINING AGAINST PANTAGES. San Francisco, Dec. 2. The Pantages Circuit appears to be having difficulty with its acts lately. Many complaints from artists are heard. One of the Pantages acts playing here last week, with another week on the cir- cuit (or at least was so informed), was given the alternative of closing here or jumping to Vancouver, B. C. Lester and Shannon who claim to have two more weeks on their contract have been "laying off" here since Nov. 13. Their agreement called for opening at Spokane. They were booked to play Ed- monton and Calgary two weeks previous to the opening at Spokane, and claim they were given to understand those dates would not apply on the contract. The act has since been informed their time expired here, learning the Canadian dates were counted. They have placed their case in the hands of an attorney and in the mean- time are reporting every performance to Manager Tiffany, representing Pantages' interests. At the offices of the Casey Agency, Louis Pincus, eastern representative for the Pantages Circuit, said on Wednesday: "The story is not so. Lester and Shan- non were booked by me for 'ten weeks or more.' The two Canadian weeks were in- cluded on the contract. As I booked them, I ought to know. The other act played out its time and tried to get in another week. "There's no act working on the Pan- tages Circuit with any grounds for a com- plaint." The Fantages, at Victoria, Mr. Pincus said, is again a big medium time house on the circuit. LEAVES KANSAS CITY. Kansas City, Dec. 2. Alex. Pantages has left the Majestic and Kansas City. The house was closed two weeks after Pantages opened, by order of the Fire Warden, who required so many alterations the expense of meeting them would be about $8,000. The venture into this town is reported to have been an expensive one for Pan- tages. SALT LAKE A BAD ONE. San Francisco, Dec. 2. It is reported here that The Bungalow, Salt Lake City, playing vaudeville booked through the Pantages oflice, is a losing proposition. With the opening of Sullivan-Considinc's new Mission Theatre, Dec. 8, at Salt Jjikc, it is expected The Bungalow will pass from the vaudeville route sheets unless Pantages himself takes the house over. It is understood the head of that circuit would like to do this. FRISCO HOUSE CLOSED. San Francisco, Dec. 2. The Empire, formerly Pant age's local house, closed last Sunday night, poor busi- ness following the recent change of policy there to the cheaper grade of vaudeville. Bradna and Derrick, the riders, opened Monday at the Hippodrome and were im- mediately re-engaged for next winter at the big playhouse. Slnir Harry L. Newman's 1>Ir r»iik lilt. "IN DEAR OLD TENNESSEE." The roaroiTr Mg'gCRt rhcoorh.