Variety (April 1912)

VARIETY PERCY WILLIAMS' MYSTERY: WHO BOU GHT TH E THEATRES Nothing More Known Regarding the Identity of the Purchaser, Although That the Williams 9 Houses Have Been Sold Seems to Be a Settled Con- viction With the Vaudeville People. Investors May Have Taken Them <n It is growing to be a mystery as to who bought the Percy G. Williams theatres. That Mr. Williams has dis- posed of his properties seems to be a settled conviction with all the vaude- ville people. Mr. Williams' employes hold the same opinion, without having any more information on the subject than the public at large. It was reported about during the week it might develop the sale had been made to a syndicate of investors in the Rockefeller crowd, who will put money into everything that will give a return. These moneyed men have some knowledge of the show business through banking interests down town that have been in touch with vaude- ville and the building of theatres. It is the same group, according to the story, who dumped one million dollars into the chain of Child's restaurants, and who also control the Hegeman Drug Stores. Martin Beck has been dropped out of the running by every one. Pew yet cling to B. F. Keith as the buyer. The Investment part of the Williams sale is obtaining a firmer hold. Victor Williams left New York yes- terday to Join his mother on the other side. Among the agents in the Put- nam building the wish is expressed freely that if Keith assumes the direc- tion of the Williams houses, Edward Darling be placed in general charge of the bookings, occupying the same po- sition he does with respect to the Fifth Avenue. Their desire is said to be in- spired by the feeling among them that he has always given everybody a chance to do business, playing no fa- vorites. Chicago, April 10. It is rumored here that Mrs. Kohl is interested in the proposed purchase of the Percy Williams circuit and that the United Booking Offices may book the Majestic theatre, Chicago, next season. SUBS FISCHER FOR $2,000. A suit to recover $2,000, alleged to be the loss and damage sustained through promised bookings abroad, has been commenced on behalf of Daisy Leon, late of "The Pearl Maiden." Clifford Fischer is the de- fendant. Mr. Fischer is known as a foreign vaudeville agent, with an office in New York. In the complaint Dia- mond & Abrams have drawn for their client, Miss Leon states Fischer induced her to leave "The Pearl Maiden" show, and prepare an act to open at the Wintergarten, Berlin, May 1 (for the month), previously appearing two weeks also on the Continent, and thereafter to play other European variety halls. Relying upon Fischer's protesta- tions and statements, Miss Leon se- cured a wardrobe (designed especially for Germany), at a cost of $600, re- fused other proffered engagements and was finally informed by Fischer the Berlin contract could not be se- cured. BOWMAN-FORBES. At Huntington, W. Va.. April 7, Carrie Bowman and Harold Forbes were married. They are with "The Qirl of My Dreams'-' show, and be- /ore that were an act by themselves In vaudeville. TIGHE IN •TWO-ACT." Casting all sketches aside, Harry Tighe will shortly reappear In vaude- ville, as one half of a "two-act." The remaining portion will be Ethel Clif- ford, a clever character singer, who has been playing as a "single." Miss Clifford will sing her songs while Mr. Tighe accompanies them on the piano, with his own individual work inserted also. "The Careless Sophomore," one of Tighe's former pieces, will be again sent out over the circuits with Jim Clancy and Mr. Tighe as the joint producers. GAMBLING WITH HARRISBURG. A couple of agents will do a little gambling next week with the Or- pheum, Harrlsburg, a Wilmer & Vin- cent theatre, playing vaudeville in the regular season which is closing for that house. Monday Edw. 8. Keller and Louis Wesley will put in a show at the Orpheum, headed by Irene Franklin. The following week the manage- ment will try a Hippodrome or circus performance for a week. After that no one knows. "POP" NOT FOR HIP. Cleveland, April 10. The Cleveland Hippodrome will end its vaudeville season the last of this month, according to announcement by Manager Harry R. Daniels. Several conventions and festivals will be held in the large auditorium following the closing, says Mr. Dan- iels. This silences the report that "pop" vaudeville will hold forth at the Hip during the hot months. ADELB RITCHIE IN BAD. 'In Bad'* was the expression used to convey the information that Adele Ritchie had fallen out of the good graces of the United Booking Offices through canceling; her engagement for Keith's, Philadelphia, this week. It wss said Miss Ritchie would ex- perience difficulty In securing further "United" vaudeville dates this sea- son, but that only goes for so long as no manager up there finds it neces- sary to pises her on a bill. But Miss Ritchie cancelled a "Keith house," which, of course, makes it worse. The prima donna refused to divide the headline honors with "In 1999," a sketch, claiming she will always be the lone headliner or nothing. Fred Ward mentions as an aside he did not book Mies Ritchie for this particular engagement, therefore he is at liberty to resume his office hours in the Hammerstein lobby. Maude Lambert Is filling in Miss Ritchie's place on the Keith (Phila- delphia) program this week. Philadelphia, April 10. Manager Harry T. Jordan, of Keith's theatre, obliged Maude Lam- bert and Ernest Ball to display their marriage certificate this week, when the couple were assigned dressing rooms. Miss Lambert said that as their clothes were in the same trunk, she saw no reason why they should not dress In the same room. Mr. Jordan replied he 'had heard nothing like that, and the marriage paper should be produced in accord- ance with the Keith ethics. Miss Lambert and Mr. Ball were married about six weeks ago. This is really their bridal tour. STOCK AFTER VAUDEVILLE. The regular vaudeville season at the Hudson, Union Hill, N. J., will close May 6, and the following day summer stock will be installed, with Margaret Greene as leading lady. The remainder of the company has not yet been engaged. ••TRY-OUT" FOR MICHIGAN. Chicago, April 10. W. S. Butterfleld has taken over the Verdi theatre, Chicago, and will convert the house from a moving- picture palace to a vaudeville theatre offering five acts with a change of bill twice weekly. The Verdi will be used as a "try- out" house for turns wishing to play the Michigan circuit. "Tlnk" Humphrey, who represents Butterfleld in the W. V. M. A., will give It his personal attention. WISE TOMMY GRAY. Tommy Gray is writing a new act for Lillian Graham and Ethel Conrad, "the shooting girls," now working extra with a burlesque show. Tom- my made one stipulation when he was retained to write—that he would not be compelled to witness the act when produced. FINANCING BINGHAMTON HOUSE. Binghamton, N. Y., April 10. According to plans now under way with Elmlra capital back of them, this city is to have a new theatre next fall. BRAY RETURNS TO CHICAGO. Chicago, April 10. Charles E. Bray left for New York to-day on the 20th Century, after re- turning this morning from his West- ern trip. LIBEL CASE THROWN OUT. The libel action brought against the Vaudeville Managers' Protective As- sociation and others by Harry Mount- ford last summer was practically thrown out of court Tuesday, upon Judge Glegerich handed down a de- cision sustaining the demurrers to the complaint, filed by Maurice Goodman, attorney for the Association. Leave for the plaintiff to amend the com- plaint within twenty days upon pay- ment of all costs (amounting to $400 or $500) was granted by the court. The same justice, passing upon the demurrer Interposed by the White Rats of America In the action for libel brought against it by the United Booking Offices, overruled the demurrers to the defenses pleaded in mitigation, making a double victory for the managers in the libel actions in one day. Judge Glegerich, in his opinion on the V. M. P. A. action said; "The plaintiff complains the defendants have published certain libels speci- fied in his complaint and he annexes to the complaint a copy of the pub- lished article ("Note of Warning" ad- vertisement) in which he claims the libels alleged are to be found. An examination of the article shows tfeafc it does not contain the defamatory charges relied upon in the complaint." In the U. B. O.-White Rat* mat- ter, the court said: " • • w> But the denial that the article complained of (editorial in the White Rats or- gan) was false or that it was pub- lished with malice does not raise any Issue, since the matter published was plainly libelous per se, and it was Un- necessary for the plaintiff (U. B. O.) to show either falsity or malice." Mr. Goodman represented the managers in both matters. It is un- derstood the United Booking Offices has decided to continue its libel ac- tion against the Rats, so deciding af- ter reading the opinion. At the offices of Dennis O'Brien & M. L. Malevinsky, attorneys for the other side in each action, Mr. Male- vinsky said the decisions would be appealed. The libel action against the V. M. P. A. was for $250,000; the amount the U. B. O. asks from the White Rats is $300,000. ROBERTS LOSES HIS VOICE. R. A. Roberts was compelled to withdraw from the bill at the Fifth Avenue after the matinee Monday, owing to the temporary loss of his voice and which he feared might re- sult in laryngitis. There was considerable talk about town that his retirement was occa- sioned by Olga Petrova, who was re- tained for a second week and had been billed as the headliner. This Mr. Rob- erts denied, at the same time admit- ting his relegation to the bottom of the bill was not altogether pleasing. But rather than give the slightest im- pression that the matter annoyed him to the extent of withdrawing, he played the matinee show, with no lit- tle difficulty. i Mr. Roberta plays the Fifth Avenue week May 13 and haB prolonged his stay in America one month longer.