Variety (November 1911)

VARIETY NINE MORE HIT TOBOGGAN AND AR E FORC ED TO CLOSE "The Arab/ 9 "Judy O'Hara," Winter Oarden Road Show, "Don" and Other Legitimate Attractions Leaving Limelight styled "The Big Bitter." the work of Bayard Velller. Next Saturday night (Nov. 11) at the close of the week's engagement at the Grand Opera House (New York) "The Arab" will fold up and fade away. Notice of closing was posted last Saturday. The show leaves the Astor this Sat- urday, after a brief run at that house, following its opening at the Hudson. Henry B. Harris produced the play, written by Edgar Selwyn. Great hopes were entertained for it, but the piece did not draw at either of the theatres it stopped at in New York City. The failure represents a large in- vestment. Philadelphia, Nov. 1. The "Musical Revue" from the New York Winter Garden will close in this city Saturday night. The piece had a two weeks' stay of the six expected when it opened. Marie Dressier in "Tillle's Nightmare" comes to the Lyric next week. The sudden closing of the Winter Garden Road Show In Philadelphia Saturday night necessitates the placing by the Shuberts of a number of the company who are under play or pay contracts. Most of the artists will be in the new winter Garden production now in rehearsal, called "Vera Vloletta." Some drastic changes were made in the book this week to accommodate the changed conditions. Virginia Earl is out. Her part will be rewritten so Gaby Deslys can play it. Herbert Corthell was permitted to withdraw as he had a tempting of- fer for a leading role in a new musi- cal comedy. His part will be taken by Harry Fisher, now with the com- pany In Philadelphia. Al. Jolson will also be placed with the new show, scheduled for opening Nov. 13. Mile. Dazle is also to be with the new show, doing a dance with Joe Smith. The Shuberts are reported to have declared that if this next production at the Winter Garden does not go over, they will change the policy of the house and the only thing left is "pop" vaudeville (pictures and acts). The Gaby Deslys Road Show seems to have been declared off for the pres- ent. Of the present company at the Win- ter Garden Kate Elinore and Sam Wil- liams will return to vaudeville pend- ing the duration of "Vera Vloletta," which will not be more than Ave week8, probably. They will then re- turn to the Garden for the next piece to be put on there. Leeds and LaMar. Lydia Barry and James C. Carson, of the present show, are others who will leave. Monday night Belle Baker, the "coon shouter" opened at the Winter Gar- den. As usual Miss Baker had a "clac- queli at the house then and each night since. Business having taken a sud- den drop at the Garden this week the Shuberts appreciate the attendance of the pluggers, likely supplied to the singer by music publishers, but the managers are said to be complaining through the "clacque" being placed upstairs, instead of in the more expen- sive orchestra seats. The "claque" at the Garden amidst the small nightly attendance has made much mirth for the remainder of the artists on the bill. Poplar Bluff, Mo., Nov. 1. After a ten weeks' tour, Apbie James closed her "Judy O'Hara" company here Oct. 28 and sent the members back to New York. The production was too heavy and expensive for the "one nighters." The "Judy O'Hara" company reached Broadway Tuesday morning. James Young will return to vaudeville, while Eugent West, who scored an individual hit with the heavy role on the road, is going into the variety end in a new act. Miss James expects to put the show out again, but it will be fitted especially for the one-night stands. Melbourne MacDowell and Andrew Robson will likely take up other en- gagements. Mr. MacDowell, who was co-star with Miss James (Mrs. Louis James) hurried to his Long Island home, where Virginia Drew Trescott (Mrs. MacDowell) lies seriously 111. An operation may be necessary to save her life. Chicago, Nov. 1. The Edmund Breese show will blow into the storage house after Saturday night's performance at the Cort. This is the second week of the piece ("A Man of Honor") there. Chicago did not take to the show any more than the New Yorkers did, when Mr. Breese played Weber's on Broadway. Joe Weber put on the show. It hasn't set him back more than $15,- 000. "The Master in the House," with Julius Steger, which had its premiere Monday night at Atlantic City, will succeed the Edmund Breese show at the Cort, opening Nov. 5. The last of "The Nest Egg" com- panies has retired. It is the principal one, headed by Zelda Sears, who re- turns to New York to rehearse in a new production Jos. M. Gaites is pre- paring. Before Miss Sears stopped "The Nest Egg" from going any further, two other shows of the same title, an eastern and western, had given up hope. Miss Sears' new starring vehicle is At Uniontown, Pa., Nov. 4 the last sad rites will be pronounced over "Barriers Burned Away," a nice lit- tle show that could do no business. Milwaukee, Nov. 1. Wlnthrop Ames* "Don," with Wil- liam Courtenay and Zeffle Tilbury among the principals, came to a full stop here Saturday night. The show was out but a short time. It bought fair press reviews but no money into the box office. "The Family" a show that has been playing the popular priced time in the middle west, has returned to New York, having closed In Columbus last week. The piece is owned by Robert Mat- thews. It may be put out again later. Chicago, Nov. 1. "Speed" finished its race for a the- atrical livelihood last Saturday night at the Garrlck. "A Gentleman of Leisure" laid off this week as there wasn't any theatre handy for the Brady attraction to move into. This piece has already done considerable moving, opening at the Playhouse, going to the Globe and then shifting again to the Herald Square, where it was forced to close, owing to the opening of "The Wife Hunters" last night. "The Gentleman" opens next Mon- day at Baltimore. There will be sev- eral changes In the cast, George Faw- cett having retired last week. Charles A. McCaull, who recently recovered from a severe illness, Is in full charge of the Brady offices as the Big Chief Is at West Baden for a ten days' rest. Brady on his way west stopped off at Chicago to see his "Over Nlght M company and make a few sug- gestions. Chicago, Nov. 1. In a letter received here to-day from Helena, and dated Oct. 26, It is stated "The Golden Girl" company, a Mort Singer musical comedy, is hav- ing rough sledding in the Northwest. The information goes on to say that the show was attached recently, and is now moving on to the coast with the performers working on the com- monwealth plan In an effort to secure money enough to get back to Chicago. The show is booked for Nov. 7-8 at Tacoma. GAITES GIVES OPTION. When Charles Bornhaupt, the for- eign theatrical agent, sailed on the Mauretania Wednesday, he carried with him options on the European producing rights for Jos. M. Gaites' "Three Twins" and "The Girl of My Dreams." Mr. Bornhaupt will place the shows in Paris and Brussells. CONFESSES TO ROBBERY. St. Paul, Nov. 1. At the trial yesterday of Harry Rob- inson, accused of complicity In the robbery of the Shubert theatre last January, Ike Cohen confessed, Impli- cating Robinson and Harvey Lester. ———■———BBBggNS I T NEW IDEAS AT BOX OFFICE8. New ideas are springing into usage at the box offices of the New York theatres. They have been brought about mostly by the competition of the great number of legitimate theatres In New York. The treasurers of these houses, however, have had much to do with the change. Many of them meet nearly each night, talk over the business of this or that house, and exchange views. Perhaps the most progressive in his advanced opinion regarding the com- merciality of a theatre ticket sold over the ledge or counter of the box office Is Billy Woods, manager of the Broad- way theatre. Mr. Woods says the old system is all wrong, and rises to Inquire if a clerk at Wanamaker's abruptly informed an intended pur- chaser the piece of goods wanted was not on hand, without making a move otherwise, how long wouid he last? "14 is a good sale" said Mr. Woods the other day, In talking It over. "This thing of having the man in the box office say '16th row only,' and then fall off to sleep again has got to stop. I have instructed my box office men to keep the row to themselves, but unow the diagram when asked for tickets, with some such remark as 'We have a couple here, right in the middle of the house. I am quite sure they will be satisfactory.' If the purchaser seems in doubt, one of the boys takes him into the theatre to see just where the seats are." Mr. Woods says there are so many theatres In New York, the public is somewhat independent, even with a "hit," and salesmanship in the box office must make itself evident. The novelty of an Intending buy- er of theatre tickets being shown the location of the seats in an empty thea- tre to cinch his purchase is an oddity in the ticket dispensing line. "I don't see why" said Mr. Woods when this was mentioned. "Four dollars is four dollars. If a man walks out without buying, that four dollars may be lost. The same fellow I mentioned at Wan- amaker's will pull down all the goods on the shelf, work himself out, and put them all back again for less than four dollars. And if he didn't do it, someone else would have his job. "If all the man in the box office has to do is to turn out a pair of tickets with his right hand while read- ing a paper with his left, and scoop in four dollars with his working arm. why should not the manager stick an automatic ticket seller in the lob- by, where you can drop in four dol- lars and get the next best. "Things are going to change very much in the box office. It's going to be the salesman who can give the buy- er the impression if he isn't there that night, the show won't amount to much and the management will be disappointed, who will be the treas- urer in demand." Anything ig •drertU*?—' Vt YABIETT. FORT WORTH WIDE OPEN. Fort Worth, Nov. 1. The Fort Worth city commission has repealed the old Sabbath blue law ordinances as applied to places of amusement, and theatres are now per- mitted to open Sundays. This in- cludes the legitimate houses, vaude- ville and picture shows.