Variety (February 1911)

10 VARIETY YOUR IDEAL VAUDEVILLE BILL $200 IN l»RI $100 for the best bill submitted ; $50 second prize; $25 third prize $15 fourth and $10 fifth. LJR own judoe William Morris jumps into the lead this week for Judge of the Ideal Bill competition. Only those with 60 or more votes are included. Geo. P. Drls- coll among the list is the manager of the Orpheum, Montreal. In one consignment of votes received for Pat Casey, quite a number being in the lot, appeared on each blank bill above the roles the name of "Dazie," only, without the bill having been filled out. The votes for Mr. Casey counted alone. r Another phrase of the judging has come up this week through the follow- ing letter, which presents a point that can not be taken Into consideration: "Reading Varietv review this week on Mr. and Mrs. Jack Mc- Greevy, suggested that many an Write in name only of act. Mall to Ideal BUI, VARIETY, N«w York. VOTE FOR YOUR OWN JUDGE The blank space may be filled in with the name of any manager or agent preferred. Any variety manager or agent In the United States and Canada eligible. Including resident managers of theatres. (Any agent, male or female, connected with an agency may be voted for.) (No vote for a professional or newspaper man will be counted.) ideal bill submitted may suffer at the hands of the judge, from hav- ing really fine acts enumerated which have, as yet, not appeared in New York. "The enclosed bill contains the name of a young woman who has not had a New York showing, but in my mind tops any imported feminine star we had. "In this connection, am I out of order, in suggesting it might not be a bad idea to have a man familiar with Western acts as an advisory commit- tee of one to "report" on such acts, if necessary. "For Instance the Judge might say, here is THE bill If it wasn't for one act, I don't know it. Then without comment he could ask the merit of such an act from this Committee of One." When William Morris, who has jumped into the lead in the voting for Judge, was asked by a Varietv representative what he considered would compose an ideal vaudeville program, Mr. Morris replied, "one that might give the greatest quantity of entertainment, and still be sufficiently varied to avoid becoming boresome through repetition." Asked if he had any opinion re- garding the cost of the Ideal Bill, Mr. Morris replied he did not see how that could enter, since the public had no technical knowledge of the show- man's side of vaudeville, did not know "prices" and did not care about it. The conclusions of Mr. Morris, somewhat opposed to those expressed by Percy G. Williams covering the same points, seem to be in line with the admonition in Variety in the first issue of the Ideal Bill competition. Then it was suggested to the layman to sensibly make up what he believed would be an ideal vaudeville program. That suggestion still holds good. That a program should be com- posed of "stars" would not make it the ideal one. In one bill submitted where the cost would have amounted up to 115,000, but three of the eight acts mentioned could have been played at one performance without the others conflicting with them. "Skigie," Varietv'b young boy crit- ic, has submitted his Ideal Bill. "Skigie" had been reading of the mat- ter of cost, and was a little worried over how much his program footed up, asking the salary received for each act after his bill was finished. Upon figuring and obtaining the total, "Ski- gie" said he thought his bill could be played at any of the New York houses, and then wanted to know how much was paid for a show at Gus Sun's, Plqua, O., which a corre- spondent had mentioned last week. "Skigie's" selections for an Ideal Bill are Chas. Ahearn Troupe, Cooper and Robinson, "Dinkelspiel's Christ- mas," Geo. Austin Moore, Jane Court- hope and Co., intermission, Rinaldo, Four Mortons, Alice Lloyd, Four Bards. His vote for Judge goes to Jenie Jacobs. H. Mather, of 4014 Ellis avenue, Chicago, in submitting his idea of an Ideal Bill, listed the prices opposite each name. His bill is Russian Dancers, Joe Welch and B'oys, William Court- leigh & Co., Sophie Tucker, Julian Eltinge, Intermission, Annette Keller- mann, Harry Lauder, Four Mortons, Pauline. The total cost of Mr. Mather's figures was $9,050. That is about $4,000 below the actual amount Buch a show would cost. Only in three of the acts did Mr. Mather name the ap- proximate salary. Another bill was received from H. J. Lee, of Denver. Mr. Lee said he had submitted a list of stars which would cost a manager less than $5,000 a week. As shewing the futility of the layman attempting to adjust bills according to the salaries he guesses at, Mr. Lee's program would run over $8,000 in salary. It is made up of Four Bards, Nat Wills, Nana, Lily- Lena, Geo. Beban and Co., Intermis- sion, Four Mortons, Eltinge, Rice and Cohen, Annette Kellermann. It is entirely unnecessary for the person making up a program to con- sider the money question. There is a difference without a doubt as to the practicable and ideal bill. Common sense will tell anyone that if the ideal bill is the practicable one, there is no reason why managers should not be playing ideal bills around their cir- cuits. Pat Casey, when giving his im- pression of the Ideal Bill, stated it should be one that would entertain in any section of the country, as far as the judge could determine. And also as far as the judge could determine the Ideal Bill should be the one to contain the most entertainment pos- sible among those submitted. While the talk of cost, salary and money is very good for the purpose of discus- sion, it is ridiculous to connect either with an Ideal Bih. And still the Ideal Bill might be decided Upon and come within the reach of any big time man- ager, as a weekly attraction for his theatre. Edwin Hyman, of Providence, in- quires if the publication of a bill in Varietv is any indication of its merit. It is not. There are no conditions to the contest, which will end with the issue of Variety-, Feb. 25. The prize bills selected will be published March 15, or shortly after, while the name of the judge selected will be printed March 11. THAT'S GETTING 'EM OVER, KID. Charles Frohman's press depart- ment has sent broadcast an announce- ment that the company presenting "Trelawney of the Wells" with Ethel Barrymore as the star, has posed for moving pictures with phonographic records of the speeches, the same to be preserved for future generations to see and hear this glorious perform- ance. The newspapers throughout the country have devoted considerable space to the proposition. HERB'S BILLY GOULD] Took in the Old Guard ball last Thursday night. It was a wine agents' flgnt. The only vaudeville actor there was Corse Pay ton, now play- ing a "condemned" version of "Lend me a dollar and a quarter." Complainant—We were walking along the sand and he called me his little witch. Judge—I see. You were his little sand witch. (Dedicated to Child's.) It looks as if Fletcher Norton mar- ried himself out of a job. If vaudeville is lowered from a pro- fession to a trade and a foreign ar- tist signs an American contract on the other side, doesn't that bring him under the Contract Labor Law? This is a very vital point that may hurt some one. (Boomerang number.) Most people in sending out pictures of their wives or sweethearts, gen- erally go to a photographer for the necessary article. Not so with Julian Rose, who is now in Australia. He cut his affinity's mug from a soap wrapper and sent it to a very near and dear friend. I thought I'd change my hour of arising, from noon to 8 a. m. I did so for three mornings and found I didn't know a soul that had any busi- ness to be up so early. I felt like a stranger in a strange land. Even the waiters in my usual haunts were strangers. I now arise at a "popu- lar" hour and will so continue. One good thing, anyway. Every- body now knows that I am not mar- ried but I'll listen to reason. Going, going . Hattle Lorraine looks to me like the season's find and remember I'm very conservative and not given to bragging—but— What is Broadway? A pavement of broken hearts. There hasn't been a new Rath- skeller Trio in New York this week. All the rathskellers must be opening up again. To the ladies desirous of doing a single specialty, that will please, my presentation is: Two "coon" numbers, one Italian number, one Hebrew num- ber—then get an opening. They are all doing It Al. B. White wishes a certain party —a hurry home from Kansas City. BETH TATE MARRIED. Utica, N. Y., Feb. 1. William Hurley, a Montreal busi- ness man, was married here last week to Beth Tate, who is aopearing at Hammersteln's, New Yura\ this week. Juliet? appears at the Plaza Mon- day in a new specialty. Laura Rurt in a playlet by Strinrt- berg which she played at the Twelfth Night Club, is out for vaudeville time in the piece. There are two parts, one silent. Miss Burt is not sure yet which part she will play.