Variety (June 1910)

VARIETY MURDOCK STARTS GUESSING. The announcement in Variety last week that John J. Munlock had again engaged in the business of making moving picture films, has started a lot of guessing in the vaudeville and picture business. There is a live suspicion that the of- ficials of the United Booking Offices, or some of them, may be behind the deal. In that case it is pretty wll understood that their interest in Murdock's transaction is deep under cover. It is just possible as a presumption that E. F. Albee or one of the other United heads is financially interested, but should he come out into the open with such an announcement the Motion Picture Patents Co., which almost completely controls the market would immediately cut off the pic- ture supply of B. F. Keith, F. F. Proctor and others both in the "pop" and regular vaudeville end. If United officials have any interest in Murdock's enterprise, they will remain completely in the dark until the new ven- ture on West 21st Street, New York, is well under way and has attracted to itself sufficient strength to give an adequate supply of films to the varied requirements of the United. This is estimated as about eighteen reels (1,000 feet each) per week. LOIE FULLER'S LATEST. Boston, June 1. The Loie Fuller mystery is out. It is a new dancing spectacle, "The Dragons of Wrath," which La Loie is to put on at Keith's June 6, featuring Madame Chung, the Chinese actress. For over a month the Fuller Company has been rehearsing in the Boston Theatre, with considerable secrecy maintained. The company will carry at least fifteen people. La Loie will not appear, confining herself to directing the production, one of the most elaborate she ever presented. Mme. Chung, the Oriental star of the piece, has three little children who are stage adepts. But they will not appear, in Massachusetts at least. OFFERING LADY BEERBOHM TREE. Lamberti, the musician, who returned to New York last week after scoring one of the biggest successes ever reaped by an American in England, came back em- powered to place an engagement for Lady Beerbohm Tree, the English actress and wife of the noted actor over there. Lady Tree has a sketch which was presented in the English halls. Next August Lamberti returns to Lon- don, opening at the Hippodrome in Octo- ber. When the Hippodrome was suffer- ing from its depression of business the past season, the musician was the only one who could make the light audiences start a noise. He appenred while the Tolar Bear act was having its run. At some matinees it was spoken about in London there were more bears (70) on the stage than people in the seats. After the English engagements are concluded Lamberti will sail for Australia to play the Rickards time, receiving salary from the day he leaves London until re- turning to that city. He will be on the water about twelve weeks in all. It is one of the very few similar contracts the Australian managers make. PRINCESS FALLS TO CORT. • San Francisco, June 1. On May 28, George W. Busey repre- senting John Cort, secured the booking of the Princess for one year, during which time the house will play all Cort bookings, thus changing the policy of the house from vaudeville to legitimate. Mr. Busey made the deal through S. Loverick, the Princess manager. The contract will no doubt be extended for a longer period. The Savoy, the present Cort house in Frisco, will open August 28, playing two- dollar attractions, while the Princess will play one-dollar shows opening early in September. ELTINGE ROUTE LAID OUT. Rogers, Leonhardt & Curtis, who will direct the tour of Julian Eltinge and his vaudeville show, opening about July 15. tor a tour of the west to the coast, have laid out the route for the company. Included in the itinerary are Duluth, Fargo, Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, Spokane, Yakima, Seattle, Vancouver, Tacoma, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Cheyenne, Denver and Omaha. RIGBY AVERTS "FIRE" PANIC. Minneapolis, June 1. At the matinee performance of the Or- pheum Monday, a serious panic was nar- rowly averted by the presence of mind of Arthur Rigby, who was on the stage at the time. The black-face comedian succeeded in quieting the large audience which had become panic stricken at the cry of "Fire." The scare was caused by an explosion of a medicated bandage worn by one of the audience. NEW SKETCH FOR THOMPSON. William H. Thompson will sail for Eu- rope from Boston .June 7. He sails to purchase costumes and scenery for his new sketch, called "The Cardinal's Gar- den." The piece will open at the Fifth Ave- nue, New York, Sept. 5. REPORTED MARRIED BANKER. St. Louis, June 1. Reba Dale, who as told in last week's Variety sailed for Europe is a St. Louisan. According to an exclusive story in the Times, she went abroad on a honeymoon. In private life she was Ruby Shotwell Piper, and the local afternoon paper says she was quietly married Wednesday of last week, to Melville D. Chapman, at the Knickerbocker Hotel, New York. • It was thought here Mrs. Chapman would retire. She was one of Col. Savage's "Merry Widows." Now it is an- nounced she will have the leading role in the Gus Edwards-Charles J. Ross produc- tion "Kisses" in July after her return from Paris. Chapman is a son of J. J. Chapman and is vice-president of Chapman & Son, bank- ers, New York, while his bride's family is wealthy here. The Times says she was divorced from E. L. Piper. Boston, June 1. -•xiidred Peshmalyan of Roxbury, under- study to the title role in 'The Merry Widow," eloped May 24 with Burney O. Jackson, a wealthy Harvard junior from Brooklyn, N. Y. The parents of the bride had no objection to Jackson, but thought the girl too young to marry. The couple slipped away in Jackson's auto, bound for Nashua, N. H., where elopements are popu- lar with City Clerk Cyr. Parental for- giveness followed. They go abroad at the close of the college year, returning for Jackson to finish his course. Mrs. Jackson was formerly a member of the Castle Square Opera company, pos- sessing singing and dancing ability. Three years ago she joined Savage's "Merry Wid- ow" company, which came to the Tremont. The girl had a small part. "SUFFRAGETTE" PLAY. Boston, June 1. Hap Ward, who is summering at his Lynnfield farm, is said to be contemplat- ing a show for next season in which Ward and Vokes are to play "suffragette" characters. The company will include Ward, Vokes and Lucy Daly, of course, but will have several new faces outside of the principals. VICTORIA'S "CHANTECLER" NUMBER. Denver, June 1. Vesta Victoria left Denver Sunday, en route to San Francisco where she will open at the Orpheum June 6 for a stay of three weeks, then going to Los Angeles and Oakland for two weeks in each town. From Oakland Miss Victoria will re- turn east, playing Chicago and the other big middle western time of the Orpheum Circuit, closing her engagement on the Circuit early in September. During the two weeks the English sing- er remained at the Orpheum here she did extremely well, living up to expectations, and it is anticipated by the theatrical people in town she will be as successful on the Coast. The last week of Victoria's stay, she presented a new "Chantecler" number. CARLE-DILLINGHAM SCRAP. Chicago, June 1. It seems probable that Richard Carle will not soon again appear under the management of Chas. Dillingham. The story goes that Carle's associates induced bim to give summary notice to Dillingham that he would no longer play in "The Echo," thus precipitating the close of the company at the Studebaker last Saturday night. With another comedian in its leading role 'The Echo" will be produced at the Globe, New York, Aug. 15. Carle goes to Europe for a pleasure trip, and mean- while the Studebaker may remain closed until Elsie uanis opens its regular season late in August. REMAIN AT AMERICAN. New Orleans, June 1. William T. Grover, manager of the American, stated today that William Mor- ris has instructed him to announce posi- tively that Morris vaudeville will be the attraction at the American during the coming season. The theatre is at present playing to phenomenal business, with "pop" vaude- ville and pictures. JOHNSTON AN AVIATOR. Chicago, June 1. Aerial flying has attracted Ralph John- ston, the daring and reckless bicycle rider. Mr. Johnston is at Columbus, O., receiv- ing instruction from the Wright Brothers, with whom he has signed a contract to fly their machines for the nexA three years. LIND SWITCHES OVER. Chicago, June 1. Homer Lind and his company opened at the American Monday, having canceled an engagement at the Majestic last week, pleading a cold. Lind left the Majestic bill Tuesday, and was immediately can- celed by the Orpheum Circuit for the two following weeks in the middle west. ILA GRANNON SAYS "Bah! for almhlna and apeedlng machined. I've caught the cornet »ud have been going some In vaudeville. Good luck to all my frlendH. "I rent after tMs week (Ketth'a, Philadelphia ) Am going to Melrone Park. Pa." HAL REID, "PICTURE" WRITER. Chicago, June 1. Another playwright of melodramatic fame has gone into the motion picture field. Hal Reid, who has been presenting bis own playlet, "The Kentuckian," in vaudeville, is to become chief in the liter- ary department of the Selig Film Co. of Chicago, and will write the scenarios and stage the production of motion picture dramas.