Variety (April 1911)

VARIETY WOULDN'T SING FOR LEE. Camilla Ober wai booked for the Fifth Avenue theatre for next week at her full salary but asked permis- sion to retire from the bill Sunday evening In order to make a Jump out of town. This was acceded to on the basis of a pro rata deduction, but when Miss Ober demanded a full week's pay the engagement was can- celled entirely. Miss Ober recently sought an en- gagement for the Winter Garden, but resolutely refused to sing for Lee Shubert, either privately or at a Sun- day show for which the manager was willing to pay. Her husband de- clared in voluble French to Mr. Shu- bert that his wife was too great an artiste to give any trial perform- ances. The manager put on his hat and walked out to loofe after some business affairs of a more tangible nature. IN AND OUT OF GARDEN. Several changes occurred in the cast at the Winter Garden (New Tork) this week. Last Saturday night Tor- tojada and Dorothy Jardon left Mon- day Cliff Gordon and "Silvers" (the clown) stepped in. Next week Maud Lambert will be added to the show. Al Jolson, who expected to shortly leave, was given a better position In the program; also permitted more scope, and will remain. Miss Jordan gave as a reason for retiring that she could not perform a specialty on Sunday which the management re- quired. THELMA FAIR. - Appearing In "The Qlrl From Rector'*." "FOLLIES" MAY LOSE TWO. Kansas City, April 6. "The Follies of 1910" may lose two members Saturday, at the close of the local engagement. Harry Pll- cer and Vera Maxwell have notified the management they Intend taking to vaudeville. Efforts are being made to dissuade them. "The Follies" Is on its way to the Coast. At Rochester several of the chorus girls returned to New York. THERE MAY BE HOPE. Boston, April 6. Something new for Boston. The Flower Show was allowed to keep open last Sunday. RIVALRY IN TRAVESTIES. New York will have a surfeit of tra- vesty during the spring season, with "The London Follies" coming to Weber's theatre, the Winter Garden going in for It on a large scale and the Folles Bergere expecting to fea- ture the burlesque style of perform- ance, also the summer season of "The Follies of 1911," which leans toward travesty a bit. Between the Folles Bergere and the Winter Garden there Is likely to be rivalry over the tra- vesties. The Winter Garden will start within the next two weeks, Just a few days before the Folles opens. It Is understood that the Folles has a travesty idea that has been pro- duced In vaudeville and is enlarging it. The Winter Garden last week negotiated for the vaudeville act, wanting only the principal comedian of the vaudeville production. This would mean the taking off of the edge of the Folles travesty. A law suit is mentioned by the vaudeville act, which claims any- thing along the line of its act will be an infrlrgement of the copyrighted property. LEW FIELDS DENIES REPORT. Lew Fields wishes to deny the pub- lished report (In Varibtt last week) that Felix Isman ever was his finan- cial mainstay or that his retirement from the Winter Garden enterprise was due to the fact that Isman failed to finance his end of the enterprise. Mr. Fields says that his withdrawal was not due to the causes reported and that the relationship existing be- tween him and the Messrs. Shubert has not been strained. NO OFFENSE TO ADVERTISE. Cleveland, April 5. It has been decided that It is no violation of the law to advertise "Sa- lome," procure persons to attend the performance and sell them tickets by which they could attend It. There- fore, the charges against Carl M. Haa- gen, brought by the Catholic socie- ties of Cleveland, were dismissed yes- terday. The Catholic Society objected to the Germans of the city giving perform- ances on Sundays, something which they have been in the habit of doing for several years. "MOTHER" NOT WITHDRAWN. Detroit, April 6. The report coming from Chicago that William A. Brady had closed his "Mother" show was infounded. The piece is at the Garrick this week, play- ing to good business. ROUTE NOT EXTENSIVE. Upton Sinclair's socialistic playlet, "The Second Story Man," which open- ed at Trenton a few weeks ago with Brian Darley In the leading role, sup- ported by Frances Meek, William Topper and little Dorothy Darley, clos- ed at Morrlstown, Pa., April 1. Darley has rejoined his wife. They and the Parleys, who are English sketch artists, will resume their for- mer variety work. NOTICE OF 20% SALARY OUT. With one day's notice, Doris Hardy entered the cast of "The Confession," replacing Helen Holmes as leading woman. She opened at the Bijou Monday night. Ralph Delmore, of the original com- pany, was replaced this week by Pryse Mackaye. Theodore Roberts has not returned to the cast, and the author, James Hal leek Reed, continues to play his part. Business during the Lenten season has been unsatisfactory, and notice was served on each member of „ >.e company Tuesday night, that the man- agement would cut the salary list twenty per cent. More changes are expected in the company as a result. SIE HASSAN BEN ALI Calls your attention to the Inferior troupes calling themselTes "ARABS." During- the past five yeare the cheap vaudeville market has encouraged these unworthy so-called Arabian acrobatic troupes, who at present are taking advantage of the reputation earned by SIB HASSAN BEN ALI'S ARABS. Agents booking fake Arabian troupes show bad business Judgment; managers engaging such troupes show lack of good Judgment. Once, In London, a Hindoo magician playing to an Intelligent audience reached the climax of a specialty and announced that he would produce a genuine live monkey In the air, but before doing so his ethereal spirit compelled him to demand an extra fee for the trick. His demand being met with, the fakir swung his deceiving blanket In the air and from under It. produced a Jointed Imitation monkey, which he shook before the spectatora Several voices from the audience shouted, "That Is not a real live monkey." To this the fakir replied, "My friends, so you realise the fact that I am over one thousand miles away from the land of the monkeys and the small fee I have collected for this trick Is not sufficient to give a decent burial to my poor Joke that expired Just now." The audience went away In disgust and the manager who had engaged the fakir lost the confidence of his patrons. The best way to recognise SIB HASSAN BEN AL.1'8 ARABS Is by their native cos- tume, which they always wear In the streets. This serves as the best possible advertisement for the show. "FIRING LINE" LACKING. Baltimore, April 5. "The Firing Line," a dramatization by Richard Watson Tully of Robert W. Chambers' story of the same title, had its premier here at the Auditorium, Monday night. The play has a few dramatic mo- ments, but in the main is loosely con- structed, lacks force and abounds In overdrawn situations. In the hands of a more competent company, an' with sweeping elisions and reconstruc tlons of the text, the stage version of the book might find admirers. In Its present shape, however, it Is Impos- sible. The scenery Is gaudy and highly colored, and the light effects Intended to be startling proved a drawback In- stead of a help. Of the company, the only members to receive favorable no- tice were Edith Shayne and William MoKee. Only a fair-sized audience was present at the opening. "Dreamland'* Coney Island, is to have a new color scheme this summer. COMBINATIONS AT A8BURY. Walter Rosenberg will open his new Savoy theatre, Asbury Park, April 27, as a combination house. The Initial attraction will be Grace George NOT TWO "WHITNEY SHOWS." Chicago, April 6. Show people hereabouts have be- come confused through the announce- ments of two separate shows for the Whitney Opera House, each In the immediate future. The first piece at the Opera House (April 17) will be "Merry Mary." It is Walter Llndsey's production, play- ing the theatre on the usual terms. Sophie Tucker Is a principal Ln It. Myles McCarthy Is the main male comedian. The B. C. Whitney show is to be organized, and may replace "Merry Mary" unless that performance gives Indication of health susceptible of withstanding the heat. If so, Mr. Whitney's show will be located else- where ln this town. Jack Slavln and May Vokes are to be Mr. Whitney's featured players. Pending the opening of the Whit- ney Show, Slavln is preparing a one- act musical skit for vaudeville, ln which he will be supported by Flor- ence Morris, who appeared with him ln the Lulu Glaser Company, and an- other male actor not yet selected. His vaudeville tour will bo under the direction of Alf. T. Wilton. TWO SHOWS APRIL 17. April 17 at the Astor (replacing "The Boss") will appear "What the Doctor Ordered," a new play by A. E. Thomas. "The Boss" closes this Sat- urday. On the same day at the Knicker- bocker, Jos. M. Galtes, "Doctor De Luxe" will take the stage that "Chan- tecler" will vacate the Saturday night before. Harriet Burt has replaced Mlndell Kingston ln the Galtes new show. BIGELOW RETURNING TO WORK, "The Kiss Walts" Is ln rehearsal. The Shuberts have engaged for the operetta (written by E. H. Zleher and Edgar Smith), Eva Davenport, Chris- tine Nlelson, Charles Blgelow and Van Rensselaer Wheeler. NO CHILDREN IN INDIANA. Chicago, April 6. With the passing of the first of the month there became effective through- out the state of Indiana a law which prohibits the employment of children for stage performances. OPERA CO. STRANDED. Montgomery, Ala., April 5. The Majestic Opera Company, which has been playing a four weeks' engagement here struck a snag Mon- day. Most of the troupe were left stranded. The manager ran out of funds. He was as badly off as the actors. At a vaudeville performance given for the benefit of the players at the Majestic, enough money was realized to take most of the players out of town. B. P. O. E. PLAT. John M. Hlckey has completed all arrangements to put out John E. Hen- shaw ln a comedy drama entitled "The Best People on Earth," opening at Trenton, April 17. The title should draw the Elks.