Variety (November 1911)

VARIETY XI LABOR TROUBLES SETTLING, MANAGERS ACCED E TO UNIONS Several Cases Recorded Where Increase of Salaries to Stage Crews Has Been Granted With Full Recognition of Union. The Century, New York, Voluntarily Raises Wages. Ottawa, Nov. 1. After several weeks of striking and arbitration, with President Charles C. Shay of the International Alliance of Theatrical Employees In personal charge, the management of the Walker theatre has acceded to the demands of the union stage hands at the house and signed an amicable agreement Monday whereby the men return to work at a slight Increase In salary and recognition of union labor. The agreement Is good for two years, ending June 1, 1913. It look- ed as though the matter would not be ended for months but prompt work on the part of President Shay brought about Immediate action. Topeka, Kan., Nov. 1. Local No. 206 of the Theatrical Stage Employees has patched up Its differences with the local theatre man- agement, the men being taken back after a lockout with an increase in wages and full recognition of the union. Second vice - president Ger- main Qulnn of Minneapolis, an inter- national officer, has been here adjust- ing the trouble. Joplin, Not. 1. An agreement has been signed by the members of Local No. 176 of the Theatrical Stage Employees union and the local theatre management with the former securing an increase in money and union recognition. The stage crew of the new Century theatre is celebrating. The men have been working day and night in get- ting "The Garden Of Allah" ready for its premiere and Liebler ft Co. felt so pleased with the work of the stage hands that they not only handed them a |1,000 check for equal distribution but notified each man that he would hereafter receive $2 for each perform- ance Instead of $1.76, the regular union scale. The generosity of the Lieblers was unexpected. Not since 1883 when Henry E. Abbott and Maurice Grau raised the wages of the men handling the stage at the Metropolitan Opera House have the stage laborers re- ceived a two-dollar rate. There are sixty men among the stage hands, carpenters, property men, electricians, etc. at the Century who will enjoy the fruits of the raise and get a slice of the "Thou." The Increase was voluntarily made by the Century management and a vote of thank8 will be returned by the men who all belong to the local Theatrical Stage Employees Union. Manchester, N. H., Nov. 1. Everything looks favorable towards s speedy settlement of the theatrical labor trouble here. George T. Rock, sixth vice-president of the Interna- tional Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Is here from Worcester, Mass., to see that, the local union re- ceives the support of the Alliance in effecting an end to the strike. Binghamton, N. Y., Nov. 1. The union theatrical stage hands here feel much elated over a victory in their recent controversy with the management of Stone's Opera House. Everything has been serenely settled, and all of the hands are on deck at the house again. EDNA GOODRICH HERB. The Knickerbocker Hotel has Edna Goodrich as a guest. Miss Goodrich arrived on the "Mauretanla" last week, prepared to invade vaudeville. For that venture, the ex-Mrs. Nat Goodwin brought over $8,000 worth of wardrobe, besides some French mil- linery. A comedy sketch has been procured for Miss Goodrich. If nothing inter- venes, M. S. Bentham, the young woman's agent, hopes to see her strug- gling along twice dally for $1,600 per, between now and New Year's. . "BABY MINE** TRAVELING. "Meln Baby" ("Baby Mine"), Mar- garet Mayo's popular comedy, which enjoyed prosperity in London and Is now being played in German at Felix Bloch Erben's Trianon theatre, Berlin, will be presented in Vienna shortly in German. Hans Bartsch, the Felix Bloch Erben representative here, is negotiating with several American managers to- wards giving "Cher Maitre," a com- edy by M. Fernand Vanderem, which is considered one of the biggest hits Paris has turned out in years, a New York showing. WOODS' SHOWS SHIFT. "Gypsy Love" will close its en- gagement at the Globe at the end of next week and open in Chicago, at the Chicago Opera House, the follow- ing Monday. Dustin and William Farnum in "The Littlest Rebel," the new Edward Peple war play, now in its third month at the Chicago Opera House, comes to the Liberty Theatre here Nov. 14, suc- ceeding Wise and Barrymore in "Uncle Sam," which will probaly be relegated to the storehouse. WRITING INDIAN OPERA. Albert Levering, manager of the Boston Opera House, and John J. Mc- Nally, playwright, are collaborating on an Indian opera to which Levering is writing the scenario and McNally the libretto. The man who will write the music remains to be selected. FOLIES PRINCIPALS PLACED. No sooner had word been posted of th closing the Follee Bergere show than the principal people were be- sieged . with offers to join other at- tractions. The company received its "usual two weeks" notice and after the tour ended, Oct. 28, in Newark, most of the principals went divers directions. Otis Harlan goes to "Boy in Blue." Laura Guerlte has gone to her home at Elmhurst, L. I., for a rest before announcing her future plans. Myles McCarthy and Elizabeth Goodall have signed with R. H. Burn- side for the new Dreyfus-Fellner show. Ada Lewis goes abroad with the London "Pink Lady," E. Emerson Overton, Harry Griffith and W. C. Gor- don are listed with Jesse Lasky's new vaudeville act, "California." Laddie Cliff returns to vaudeville. Emily Lea has been engaged for the Louise Dresser show. E. M. HOLLAND IN HOSPITAL. Chicago, Nov. 1. E. M. Holland, the veteran charac- ter actor, who has been appearing here with James K. Hackett In "The Grain of Dust," at Powers' theatre, fell down the elevated railway steps at Clark and Lake streets while on his way to the performance last night, breaking his left arm. He was removed to the Hahnemann Hospital, where It was found that in addition to the fracture of the bone, he was suffering from a nervous collapse, due to shock. As Mr. Holland is 63 years old. It is believed that it will be fully three weeks before he will be able to re- sume playing. SAVAGE ACCEPTS PIECE. "Somewhere Else," by Avery Hop- wood and Gustav Luders, has been accepted by Henry W. Savage, and will be produced sometime around the holidays. This piece may be brought Into New York around the first of the new year. None of the principals have been engaged for the show, Savage waiting until the verdict on his "Boy in Blue" is out. Savage's "Girl of the Golden West," which will not be shown in New York this season, la doing big business on the road. COHAN * HARRIS IN CHICAGO. Chicago, Nov. 1. Cohan A Harris have secured for a term of years a lease of the Grand Opera House here. The papers were signed to-day, all arrangements hav- ing been concluded by their New York attorney, Dennis F. O'Brien. The firm will take possession some time before the first of the coming year. The house will be renamed the Geo. M. Cohan theatre. The Grand Opera House, Chicago, was originally a music hall, built and owned by the Hamlins. It Is still a part of the elder Hamlin's estate, and the lease is with it The late Denman Thompson first attained celebrity In a Hamlin production at the old muslo hall in a musical piece called "The Female Bathers." For many years now the theatre has been conducted as a legitimate house. SIRES IN ATLANTIC CTTT. Atlantic City, Nov. 1. The Merry-Go-Round property at South Carolina avenue and the Board- walk (one block from Young's Pier) is reported having been bought by the Sire Brothers. This parcel extends west on the Boardwalk about 100 feet to the Dunlop Hotel and Savoy the- atre, and has a depth on South Caro- lina avenue of over 200 feet, taking in the Dublin Hotel (formerly called the "Hole-in-the-Wall.") It is understood that a hotel and theatre will be erected on the site, to be called the Auditorium. There are several stores in front of the merry-go- round which leases expire the first of the year. Several apartments above the stores have leases which expire next year. The hotel on the property, however, has a lease which has eight years to run yet, and without It there is not enough room for a theatre or a hotel. For the present, the lower floor will be converted Into a moving picture house. The carousel and fixtures are for sale. PLAY FOR BRUCE McRAB. David Belasco has accepted a piece by Augustin MacHugh, formerly of the vaudeville team of MacHugh and Carewe, now a member of the Harlem Opera House stock company, in which Mr. Belasco proposes to star Bruce McRae. It Is called "The Gladwin Collec- tion." ROCHESTER GETS AN OPENING. Elsie Ferguson, who starred in "Such A Little Queen," will open In her new play, "Dolly Madison," at Rochester, N. Y., Nov. 6. Rose Coghlan and Frederick Perry will be In her support. THE FOUR LUBINS COMING EAST OVER THE BERT LEVEY CIRCUIT. PERCY DENTON PLACED. Percy Denton, the man who sang his way from San Francisco to New York advertising the 1916 Panama Exposition, has been engaged for Frazee ft Lederer's production, "Shor- ty McCabe." When Mr. Denton last left New York in 1899 he went to Australia under the management of Mr. Leder- er. The new show will open In Chi- cago Thanksgiving week.