Variety (December 1911)

8 VARIETY * SOME SHOWS GETTING MONEY ON THE ONE-NIGHT STANDS Savage's "Qirl of the Golden West" Beats Bernhardt Record at Allentown; a 10-20-30 Rep Musical Com- pany Averages $323 a Performance; Lawrance D'Orsay a Draw. "Polly" Almost Trebles Sousa's Receipts at El Paso. While the horn of adversity is be- ing blown with loud blasts on the one night theatrical stands throughout the United States there are still a number of attractions that are get- ting the money and turning in a nice profit to the road managers. Even in New England where the business has swamped many a road show and forced it to quit, other com- panies have gone in there and put a neat figure on the right side of the ledger. It is the same in certain southern territory where attractions have gone in on their merits and won out by a comfortable margin. In looking over the box office re- ceipts of some of the principal shows on the "one-nighters," some have es- tablished new records, others counted up a big business with others getting enough to keep the show on "Easy Street." The four "The Gamblers" compa- nies in their respective territories last week netted an actual profit of $5,440 on the week. These reports of "good" receipts happen infrequently, and come in the face of an avalanche of trifling box office statements, in which anything around $600 for a performance looks like a mountain. The conditions from Coast to Coast have the theatrical men greatly worried. If the season continues as it has, no one will vouch- safe an opinion what will be the con- dition by Jan. 1. Henry W. Savage's "Qirl of the Golden West" English Opera Com- pany at the Lyric, Allentown, Nov. 20, played to $2,535.60, the biggest house ever chronicled at the Lyric, beating the former mark of $2,300 made by Sarah Bernhardt. Fritzl Scheff did $1,500 the same night at Wllliamsport. She is doing better on the road than she did in New York. "Naughty Marietta" hit Ithaca and chalked up $1,800 for one perform- ance at the Lyceum and on its stand at the Smith Opera House, Geneva, played to $1,100. Even so, however, that show is losing money. Margaret Anglln, after leaving New York, played one performance at Ha- zleton, Pa., to over $900. E. J. Carpenter's "Forty Five Min- utes from Broadway" has done $500 and upward at a performance. This show has been out since Sept. 4 and has yet to record its first losing week. Carpenter's "The Blue Mouse" is making money, but Is not doing the business it did last year. "Our New Minister," Joseph Con- yer's revival of the piece, has been doing big business en route and pulled into Washington Monday to spend the week at the Academy. "Little Miss Cut-Up," headed by the young Hugh Fay, is not only getting the money but splendid press notices on its two days' stands in New York state. The Allen Musical Comedy Com- pany, giving eight performances a week at 10-20-30 and 60 cents is av- eraging from $323 and on up at each stop. It is now working eastern terri- tory. Lawrance D'Orsay, playing one night stands this week In California (Sacramento yesterday) has been do- ing excellent business on the road. At Vancouver, Nov. 10, he played to $1,- 886, and at the Saturday night show registered $1,400.26. Although one company of "The Man On The Box" has closed, the other, controlled by Bert Leigh, Is now in Georgia playing to splendid business. "The Old Homestead," with Will- iam Lawrence, skooted into Pennsyl- vania this week with plenty of profit to its credit from last week's one night engagements. Lew Dockstader's Minstrels, now in Iowa, are selling out each night, a condition that has prevailed on his road trip for the past two weeks. "Madame X," with Katherine Countess, is doing a comfortable busi- ness on the "one nighters," although not what was expected of this New York and Chicago success. Al. G. Fields' Minstrels are doing their usual capacity business through Louisiana. The company strikes Texas next. J. A. Coburn's Minstrels are mak- ing money in the south, but Coburn is contemplating a shift of his route after January. Managers insist it is a foolish thing for him to do under the present conditions, as he has a nice route laid out. All of the "Madam Sherry" compa- nies are repeating the business of last season, especially through the south. "The Echo," which has been doing poorly since starting out of New York turned over profit on its stands through Texas, then had to make a $1,200 jump from Dallas to Kansas City, where it opened last Sunday. The season's condition induced Crawford, Philley & Zehrung, operat- ing a circuit of legitimate one-nlght- ers in the west and south to send out an announcement late last week, de- tailing the business done "by some of the larger shows in our better towns." The statement credits Montgomery and Stone with getting $2,050 at Lin- coln, Neb., Nov. 4; "The Chocolate Soldier," $1,802, Oct. 24, and "The Virginian" $747, Oct. 30. At St. Jo- seph, Mo., the "Soldier" in two days (Oct. 25-26) did $2,311; Eddie Foy (matinee and night) got $985; Geo. Evans' Minstrels, Nov. 10 did $396, and Nov. 11, with a billiard raging "The Sweetest Girl in Paris" $1,032 (two shows). At Topeka "The Sweetest Girl" got $992 at one per- formance; "The Red Rose" In that town Nov. 18 drew $684. Richard Carle, Nov. 4, got $1,200. At Wichita, Kan., where the circuit claims the new Crawford opened Oct. 2. is the finest house in the state, Mr. Carle did $918, Nov. 3, with "The Sweetest Girl/' getting $942 Nov. 9. At El Paso, according to the an- nouncement, Sousa's Band, Oct. 26, drew in $876. The following day (Oct. 26) "Polly of the Circus" got $2,293. "Let George Do It" struck one of the best weeks it has had since start- ing out last week, when it pulled down $5,000 in Wheeling, W. Va. "Buster Brown" turned hundreds away at the matinee and night per- formances Nov. 25, at Akron, O. 918, GROSS RECEUTa Lynn, Mass., Nov. 29. Guess you'll have to give it to "In- troduce Me" for the lowest receipts of the season. When the show played here, the box office took in $18. Some- one bought a $1.60 seat. WITHDRAWING ♦•THE SOBS.** St. Louis, Nov. 29. "The Boss," William A. Brady's play with Holbrook Bllnn as the star, Is an- nounced to close here. Bad business has forced the management to cancel the show's route through the South. "GENTLEMAN" KEEPS ON. "A Gentleman of Leisure," with Cyril Scott, has resumed its road trip. SOME MORE GO. Charles H. Reno's "Human Hearts" company, which has been playing the Stair & Havlin time, is announced to close Dec. 16. Bloomington, 111., Nov. 29. Al. H. Woods' "Girl In The Taxi" company (No. 5) is scheduled to close its road tour here Dec. 9. Another "Taxi" company or so may also be brought in from the road. GAITES CLOSING TWO. Philadelphia, Nov. 29. "The Three Twins," one of Jo- seph M. Gaites' shows of that title, will close this Saturday at the Grand Opera House. Chicago, Nov. 29. The Jos. M. Gaites' company play- ing "Thais" received two weeks no- tice of closure when playing Minne- apolis Nov. 21. "THE ROSARY" THROUGH. Denver, Nov. 29. "The Rosary," (Western company), owing to bad business enroute, closes here Dec. 3. "SQUAW MAN" STOPS. Chicago, Nov. 29. Gilman & Co.'s production of "The Squaw Man" wound up at Bellefon- taine, O., Nov. 21. DRESSER SHOW LAY8 OFF. Chicago, Nov. 29. Louise Dresser in "A Lovely Liar" closes her engagement at the Olympic Saturday night, and will be succeed- ed by Zelda Sears in Bayard Veiller's play "Standing Pat." Miss Dresser's company lays off un- til Christmas day, when It starts on a long western tour extending to the coast, where the star is very strong in drawing powers. Meriden, Conn., Nov. 29. Zelda Sears in Bayard Veiller's new play, "Standing Pat," under Jos. M. Gaites' management, tried the piece "out on the dog" here. Her new vehi- cle is a combination of comedy and tragedy, effectively put together. "Standing Pat" has all the earmarks of a hit, its local success being mark- ed. Miss Sears gave a splendid inter- pretation of Sallie Thomas, who runs for office and is elected. With Miss-Sears were William Mc- Vey, Bile Blind, Frederick Burton, Ruth Chatterton and Thomas Tobln, Jr. "WIFE HUNTERS*' THROUGH. A notice was posted on the call board of the Herald Square theatre Monday night announcing that "The Wife Hunters" would close its season Saturday night. Business has not been satisfactory enough to warrant its continuance. At least the backers of the enterprise are reported as unwill- ing to go any further with it, though many believe that the show would make money on the road. The show is owned by the Milgert Amusement Co., its principal stock- holders being George Wilson, of Ty- rone, Pa., and George Van Cleve, a well known advertising agent in New York. Lew Fields was given a portion of the stock in the corporation for the right to make the production in his name. CHICAGO REPORTS CLOSINGS. Chicago, Nov. 29. Will Kilroy's "A Millionaire Kid" with Raymond Payne featured will close Dec. 2. Rowland & Gaskell's western com- pany of "The House Next Door" will take the storage route after Satur- day night's show, somewhere in Okla- homa. "The County Sheriff," western com- pany (O. E. Wee, manager) winds up Dec. 2 in Indiana. C. S. Primrose will call in his "Un- der the Harvest Moon" show after this Saturday. The company is somewhere in Iowa. Around Chicago last week "The Quality of Mercy" passed away. Its members are in town this week, look- ing for engagements. LEGIT HOUSE STOPS. Pittston, Pa., Nov. 29. The Broad Street theatre, until a year ago on the M. Rels circuit, and for the past season playing legitimate attractions, has thrown up its hands. "Pop" vaudeville will be the policy commencing Dec. 4. Advertise In a paper that's read. Advertising Is a business proposition.