Variety (February 1910)

10 VARIETY .THE "SMALL TIME" BASKING. The pronunciamento by the United of "barring" against the "small time" play- ing in opposition to its houses, large or small, made considerable talk among those engaged on the "small time" in the New York booking offices. No apprehen- sion seemed to be felt by anyone through the announcement. The talk ranged more to curiosity as to how the United ex- pected to "make good" on the proposition. The difficulty of following the many small time acts, securing the correct names or billing, and many other reasons were set up as making futile any attempt on the United to seriously "bar" "small time" acts. At the United Offices, no one could be found who seemed in anyway certain that the full spirit of the announcement could be lived up to. One of the United's force said that every effort would be put forth, however, and that, in his opinion, about twenty-five per cent, of the acts playing the opposition on the smaller cir- cuits would be listed. The "barring" by the United against "small time" might be taken, for style to be followed, in the manner the Bowdoin Square and Howard, Boston, were pro- ceded against this week. Both are "small time" vaudeville houses, the Howard playing burlesque as an extra at- traction, with the Bowdoin Square ex- pected to add on that sort of entertain- ment shortly alto. A "United act" booked for the Bowdoin Square for next week was notified not to play the date, and has canceled. The two Boston theatres were declared "opposi- tion" by. the United early in the week. The edict of "barring" is believed to have been directed against the smaller houses run by Loew*s Enterprises. The meeting held last week by the United managers at which the barring was decided upon was instigated it is said mainly through one or two of the Loew theatres affecting the business of United theatres, or it was feared that they might. While the managers were assembled, it is re- ported that two of the biggest in point of importance left the meeting abruptly, leaving the smaller United managers to settle the question for themselves. lie entire "barring" of "small time" by the United seemed so vague in any system to be followed that the more it was talked about, the less possible it seemed. About Wednesday the "small time" managers and agents appeared to think it was already a dead letter since no evidence of activity in this direction had manifested itself. No "United agent" so far as could be learned had received any instruction not to book acts playing "small time" op- position. LIBERTY OPENS AT LAST. After many delays due to labor troubles the Liberty, in East New York (Brook- lyn), opened Monday as a popular priced vaudeville theatre. William J. Gane booked in the initial show, consisting of Fisher and Fisher, E. C. Gordon and Co., the Weavers, Mora, Levy Family and three others. Mr. Gane will continue to supply the attractions. STAGE CARDS CONTUSING. The practice, followed by the manage- ment of the Majestic and Lincoln Square, New York, of using stage cards which do not apply to the act at the time on view has worked serious injustice, to say noth- ing of much confusion. Recently CTjne and Clifton had reason to complain because another act appeared at that house under their name. They had booked but cancelled the house; never- theless their name was used as the stage csrd of another act. Variety recently reviewed at tne Lin- coln Square "J. a Mack and Co.," the title of an act as shown on the stage cards. Later developments proved that the act referred to was Sophie Everett and Oo. Mack is playing the small time hereabouts with "My Mother-in-law," a sketch wherein he dons skirts and which in no manner resembles "A House Warming," played by Miss Everett, but reviewed as Mkck's act. As the theatres mentioned have no printed programs and use only stage cards to announce the turns, the practice of using other people's names works a grave injustice, as, according to Mack's assertion, has been proven in his case. Variety's reviewers contribute to this injustice unwittingly, as there are so many new acts coming to the fore in the small time houses that the stage cards are the only guide. 50 CENTS ON N. Y. ROOF. The Rosenberg's New York Roof "picture show" is making the Broadway bunch notice. When Walter Rosenberg can train a girl in the box office to say ten-cent seats are all sold and "only twenty-five left," besides charging fifty cents for the Sunday concerts, the "small time" bunch is immediately wise that the coin is flowing. The weekly receipts on the Roof at 10-15-26 has been running from $2,600 to $2,900 gross for the past few weeks. That is more than the total box office receipts at the New York Theatre have shown on more than one week this season. Wednesday Rosenberg was in mourning. The New York Roof had lost its $66 per week head liner. "The Oriental Rose" as- serted herself and ceased to bloom for the benefit of Broadway "kidders" and Rosen- berg's bank roll. The young woman, con- vinced of her high art, has been edifying patrons of the Roof for the past few weeks with "dancing" and "singing." It has been the practice of the management to throw upon the picture screen, imme- diately following her exhibition, a slide reading: "And she thinks she's GOOD"!! To this slide Rose has often objected, but following a particularly stormy vol- nmn of jeers and hoots from the audience Tuesday evening she put her foot down (both feet, in fact) and "blew the job." Rosenberg refused to change any part of the act, which has been so successful in attracting the crowds, and as he con- sidered the slide one of the best features his refusal to cut it out caused the un- blushing Rose to cut herself out. I. B. A.'8 TRIAL? On February 16, a meeting of the direc- tors of the Independent Booking Agency will be held, at which the trial of Feiber, Shea & Coutant, for breaking the rules of the agency, will take place. M. R. Sheedy, the president, says the charges have been properly and duly pre- pared and forwarded to the firm; that they have been notified to appear, and if they do not, their bond of $1,000 to obey all the rules and regulations will be forfeited. The main charge is supposed to be that F. S. & C. have booked acts outside the agency walls. This is said to be treason, and everything that goes with it. Among the eloquent language With which M. A. Shea, one of the accused part- ners, makes answer, is talk that the meet- ing calling the Feb. 16 gathering was an illegal one, as the I. B. A's constitution provides that a second consecutive meet- ing without full representation of all members shall be invalid if held. Mr. Shea says that for two meetings his firm was not represented, and therefore every- thing is all off. '"What are they going to try us for?" said Mr. Shea, when asked if Feiber, Shea A Coutant would appear at the meeting to defend themselves. "What have we done? 'Try us? Why we have been even decent enough to file the record of our bills in the office every week. That is all we are required to do. We have received no charges against us, and there are none to make. It's lucky for a lot of people we are so busy we haven't the time to make up some charges of our own. We won't attend any meeting, and there won't be any bond forfeited." Today (Friday) Mr. Sheedy expects to leave New York, for a few days, after a circuit of several large houses he has been in communication with. Cook's Opera House, Rochester, which is to re-open with the smaller vaudeville on June 1, has arranged with the I. B. A. to supply the acts. On Monday the agency commences to book for the Orpheum, Utica, once a Wilmer A Vincent property, that firm now playing the Shubert there. Tht King's Lady Orchestra, at $500 weekly, and the Ishakawa Japs were each booked for ten weeks on I. B. A. contracts this week. The Orchestra was sent to the Jackson Opera House, Bridgeport, Monday, to feature the Sheedy show play- ing there for the week in opposition to Poli's. This it was said at the I. B. A., was the answer to the United "Barring" announcement against the "small time." "Alfred, the Great" (a "monk"), the Wally Trio and The Schaar-Wheeler Trio were among other acts placed this week on the I. B. A. time. The Six American Dancers, and Water- bury Brothers and Tenney are the latest acts to be engaged for the Moss-Stoll Tour in England through I/. Johns, the New York agent. Four thousand people witnessed the ceremonies when ground was broken last week at the Five Corners, Jersey City Heights, for Harry Leonhardt's new Or- pheum Theatre in that locality. Among the guests were several State and city officials. James J. Armstrong, the agent, has moved again, but through no fault of his. When he deserted the Shubert Building for the Broadway Theatre Building, a couple of months ago, he thought he had settled for good. But fire, which he had not figured on, nearly put him out of commission. He held on at his old quar- ters hoping to get into the Columbia Building by Feb. 1, but disappointed in that he has settled down for good and all on the first floor of the Knickerbocker Annex. AFTER THE FLOPPER. Local theatrical talk seems to centre on the present condition of affairs in Grand Rapids and Peoria, caused by E. P. Churchill deserting the ranks of the West- ern Vaudeville Association army. The first move was made by Churchill when he opened offices in Chicago, preparing to book his own shows and whatever other houses would see fit to come in. Follow- ing this came the announcement that he had made arrangements with Stair A Havlin to play vaudeville in the Fuller, Kalamazoo, commencing on or about March 7. The Fuller has been playing K. A E. and S. A H. shows. Orin Stair holds the lease on the house. W. 8. Butterfield has the Bijou in that town playing vaudeville through the Asso- ciation. Now that Churchill and Butter- field have locked horns a hot battle is looked for which will be of interest to a great many in the middle west. Next came C E. Bray's visit to Peoria last week, where Churchill has the Main Street Theatre. Upon his return Mr. Bray stated he had made arrangements for a new house there which will be ready for occupancy on Sept 1. A building com- pany has been formed to finance the ven- ture. According to Bray the plans are in the hands of an architect. Churchill is going right along, however, and if his plans turn out as he expects he will soon be in a position to put up a strong defense, it is said. The report that Martin Beck has been looking for options in towns down through Michigan is an erroneous one. Whoever started it frightened a score of the small time managers in that section. It came along with the rumor that Beck and Morris had combined. MORE AND MORE VAUDE. At the rate they are going in the New York "Bijou Dreams," those three Keith- Proctor houses will shortly have reverted to the straight vaudeville policy. Lately the Union Square, 68th Street and 126th Street have been pushing the reels into the background and featuring the vaude- ville acts. Wherever a reel contains two subjects they are almost invariably sepa- rated by a vaudeville number, thus add- ing a variety number to each show. FREDERICK V. BOWERS. Who has scored a personal success In "TUB YOUNO TURK" at the NEW YORK TUEATRK. MR. B0WRR8 has been engaged for the Roof this summer.