Variety (April 1912)

VAUIETT RATS EXPEL HARRY DE VEAUX AFTER T RIAL BE FORE BOARD <r J x ————— FortHifi President of the Actor's Union Refused to Defend ' ttiiriself, Alleging Proceedings Illegal.V Board Recommended Expulsion to Lodge. Upon the recommendation Tuesday evening (during the weekly meeting of the White Rata) of the board of directors that Harry De Veaux be ex- pelled AS a member of the order, the meeting Immediately voted in favor of the itfulsiOn, and Mr. De Veaux left the lo4|e room. t)urlhg the day the board of direc- tors €0Hvened for the purpose of hear- ing the charges preferred against Mr. De Vtluxv who was present, but re- fused to defend himself on the ground the proceedings were illegal. De Veaux asked for a hearing before the full lbdge. This was denied him, be- cause* it was stated to a Variety representative at the headquarters, the Constitution empowers only the board to act in a matter of this na- ture. The.hearing lasted about an hour, when the board voted to recom- mend De Veaux's dismissal. A Varibtt, man was referred for any detailed information to Dennis F. O'Brien, attorney for the Rats. Mr. O'Brien aaid he could say nothing, not having been present. It seems the Rats came into the possession of a letter written by De Veaux to some one (perhaps a broth- er Rat) in Chicago. This letter con- tained allusions to the lodge or its executive officers, .upon which the 1 charges were based, although it is said that Mr. De Veaux has been a belligerent in ) eetings for some time, strenuously objecting very often to the policy and methods. In this way, it has been reported several times, De Veaux antagonized the powers that be in the Rats Just now, and, on the other hand, it is also said, he commenced to build up another faction not in sympathy with the present Rats' government. How the Rats obtained hold of this letter is explained in two versions. One is that William J. Cooke, the Rats business manager, received it anonymously in a plain envelope bearing a Chicago postmark. The, supposition is given the receiver of the letter lost It and it was found by some one familiar enough with the contents to send the epistle to CoOke. The second version is that the Rats or some of its officials organized a system of espionage over mail re- ceived by the "suspect" in Chicago (claimed to be De Veau^'g confede- rate), and that this espionage finally landed the letter in the «;ase through interception. It was eaid about the clubhouse charges would shortly be brought against another member, in the west, and that they would closely resemble those under which De Veaux was ex- pelled. Harry De Veaux harj been promi- nent for several years, in connection with the actors, dealing more with the smaller variety flayers. He was president of the Aotors* Union before that society affiliated with the White Rats, the combined order then be- coming known as thv White Rats Ac- tors' Union. In the merger of the two actors' societies, and through which the White- Rats entered the ranks of the Federation of Labor, Mr. De Veaux obtained no office nor rank, as far as known. About a year ago, when his name was proposed for nom- ination as a director* he was voted ineligible for the office and his name was not allowed to go upon the bal- lot. HALE HAMILTON'S SKETCH. Hale Hamilton-opens in vaudeville at Baltimore April 29 In a sketch by Grant Stewart entitled "The Come- On." Mr. Hamilton was the original "Walllngford." "ANNIVERSARY" THE HEADLINED When Willie Hammerstein looked over his program for next week, he found himself short a headliner. Hav- ing an appointment to hear Walter Rosenberg's latest story, Mr. Ham- merstein was pressed for time, so he told the printer to make "Anniversary Week" the feature. That is why there will be an anniversary bill com- mencing Monday at The Corner. Everybody's doin' it, says Willie, and the audience will be permitted to se- lect what event the anniversary stands for. Some people say Willie is an- niversaring the day he was taught how to shoot craps. About the biggest feature of the Hammerstein Anni. program, however, will be James J. Morton, who will re- produce his original feat of intro- dur'ng single handed each contestant during the entertainment in a way oenefltting James' mood at the mo- ment. Jim will probably cut loose at Hammerstein's. His first place of in- troductory delivery was at the Folies Bergere, although to paraphrase one of Prank Tlnney's remarks, that wasn't what was the matter with the Folies Bergere. Mr. Hammerstein rises to a point of order and remarks he did not lose a collar button down his back last week at all. There Is another reason, says he, why Mabel Taliafero was canceled at Hammerstein's for April 22. The reason is she was booked to appear April 15 at the Fifth Avenue, after having agreed not to play In New York vaudeville before hitting Broadway and 4 2d street. Dat am the sole reas, says Willie, and none other can stand up. SUED FOR PIRACY. Detroit, April 10. William Schilling, at the Miles last week in "The Fool's Vampire," is be- ing sued by Robert Hilliard on the con- tention that Schilling's sketch is taken from the last act of "A Fool There Was." WAKE OVER "THE LIFER." There was a wake held Sunday nlg*ht at Hammerstein's over "The tffef/' a sketch that had died contin- uously during Hi week's engagement there, then ending. Gordon «Y North produced-the play- let, at a cost, it issajd, of $10,000 - or therCabOutS. Clin* Gordon led the mourners* : ■ Aaron Hoffman, who wrote the piece (and is one of Mr. Gordon's partners), mentioned (as the storehouse van backed Up) that he could never be funny again around- New York or in the Sunday edition of the* American. Bobby North is reported to have packed up and sealed his opinion in an air-tight case, placing it In a safe- deposit vault, with instructions that It be opened after his death, if Messrs. Gordon and Hoffman survive him. Nothing daunted tty two dramatic "flivvers," Messrs. Gordon & North are about to present another "seri- ous" act by Aaron Hoffman, one that the author has had In mind for some seven years. It is entitled "The Rogues' Gallery." There are but two parts in the sketch. MABEL HITE'S SCENERY BURNS. "Mabel Hlte and Her Clowns," in "The Cafe Cabaret," eighteen people (Including Tom Dingle), written by Vincent Bryan, staged by Ben Teal, have been rehearsing daily at the New Amsterdam theatre and storing their scenery at night In the Essex Store- house. They were booked to "break in" at Waterbury next week, under the direction of Charles Marks. Tuesday night the storehouse burn- ed down totally, destroying the sce- nery and necessitating a postponement of the opening. AUTO SHOW ON PIER. Atlantic City, April 10. There is a confirmed report that a motor car show is to occupy the audi- torium on the front of Young's Pier. Repairs in general and a series of booths are to be started at once. A huge electric sign of cars Is to be placed on top of the roof, the show to start May 15 and end October 1. Forty thousand square feet of floor space is available seaward of the auditorium. Contracts are expected to be awarded this week for concrete construction, to extend 1600 feet, at a cost of 1350,000. Other buildings are to be erected later, the completed structures entail- ing an expenditure of over a million dollars. PROCTOR, 8R. f RETURNS. It was Jan. 24 when F. F. Proctor sailed away from New York. The vaudeville manager returned to the city Wednesday. HOUR OPERETTA COSTUMED. "The Cobbler of Cobalt," which Ar- mand Kallsz and Amelia Stone will produce around New York about May 13, will run nearly an hour. It is a costumed operetta, with the scene laid in Cobalt, a small town in the Balkans. Mr. Stone has composed the music. Fourteen people will play in the skit during the two acts. FITZSIMMOX8' WILL PART. Chicago, April 10. It is said the recent difficulties be- tween Mr. and. Mrs. Bob Fitzslmmons have finally resulted in the couple de- ciding to apply for a divorce. Mrs. Fitssimmons Intends suing her husband for divorce and alimony, while Bob is content with divorce alone. Both the Fitxs are working around Chicago, and occasionally pass each other on the street. The publicity gained through Fitx's pugilistic ex- ercises on several of his wife's inti- mate friends have sufficed to secure them plenty of local vaudeville book- ing. FLORENCE ROBERTS BOOKED. The west's favorite dramatic act- ress, Florence Roberts, has been cap- tured by vaudeville. Miss Roberts will make her debut May 4 in an Or- pheum Circuit theatre and then pro- ceed over the Circuit, playing "The Revelation," a sketch requiring six people. M. S. Bentham placed Miss Rob- erts. JENIE JACOBS BOOKS HOUDINI. Funny things do happen in the show business. About three years ago Jenle Jacobs sued Harry Houdinl for commission for previous bookings made by her. As much love existed between them then as there is now be- tween Joe Wood and B. F. Albee. The great soother, Time (goes both ways) is stepping In though, and be- hold, Jenle Jacobs has placed Houdinl to play Chicago April 22. To clinch the resumption of business relations, Miss Jacobs fixed it for Houdinl to ap- pear in his home town, Milwaukee, April 29, the first chance the natives will have to see their fellow towns- man In theatrical action. GRESSY BREAKS OUT. Toronto, April 10. Will M. Cressy broke out while playing at Shea's, this city. He told a local newspaper "The average ac- tor ranks just next to a Jack Rabbit," probably because the actors have "gotten on" to Mr. Cressy, and don't buy his sketch A any more. The main trend of Cressy's dis- course was that vaudevillians spent money on exerything excepting a sketch. As Cressy's main purpose for several years has been to make actors believe he can write sketches, the con- clusion is obvious. S-C BOOKING UP. Anticipating a considerable demand for vaudeville material next season, and not being quite certain as to the managerial conditions later on, the Sullivan-Considlne Circuit, through Chris O. Brown, in its New York of- fice, Is actively engaged scouring the map for the best available acts. Mr. Brown told a Varietv repre- sentative the Circuit was on the look- out, but added the present activity is not unusual with them at this reason of the year, although the report is about the S.-C. people are fortifying themselves for protection against the future.