Variety (April 1912)

VARIETY AGENCY LAW RECOMMENDED BY MASS. LABOR COMMITTEE Bill Eliminating "Cancellation Clause" Prom Contract Very Likely to Pass Through the Massachusetts Legislature. May Be Model for New York Measure Next Year. Boston, April 10. The Committee of Labor of the Leg- islature, which had the bill amending the Agency law referred to it, has recommended the passage of the meas- ure, and it will likely become a law be- fore adjournment occurs. The principal points are that no con- tract issued by a manager shall con- tain the "unsatisfactory" or "cancel- lation cause," and that a schedule of fees to be charged by an agent shall be filed by the applicant for a license. The theatrical agents in Massachu- setts are governed by a board of five which appoints a Supervisor, who re- mains in office at the pleasure of the board. Upon the passage of this bill, it is very probable an effort will be made at the next session of the New York Legislature to pass a similar measure through that house. Dennis F. O'Brien, attorney for the White Rats, is understood to have sug- gested several of the amendments the present bill contains. MANAGER FINED $75. Red Eagle, a full-blooded Indian, and Mr. McKenzie of McKenzie & Lane (who run a theatre on Fifth avenue, Brooklyn) were arrested last week on charges of violating the child labor law preferred by the Gerry So- ciety, which claimed that Red Eagle's seven-year-old daughter was taking part in the show. When the case came to trial Arthur F. Driscoll of the Dennis F. O'Brien ft M. L. Malevinsky law office repre- sented Red Eagle, and M. Miller of Brooklyn appeared for McKenzie. Red Eagle's sentence was suspend- ed; McKenzie was fined $75. PROSPECTIVE SYRACUSE SITE. Syracuse, N. Y., April 10. If all ends well the T. O. Thomp- son Co., which owns and operates the Savoy theatre here, will purchase the KingBley House site and build a new theatre costing between $125,000 and $160,000. ORPHEUM, J. C., IN "POP." After trying about everything, the Orpheum, Jersey City (a Chas. E. Blaney theatre), turned over into "pop" this week, with bookings by the William Fox office. Mr. Blaney is said to have others interested with him on the "pop" pol- icy try-out. NO MORE "FULL WEEKS." There will be no more "full weeks" for acts on the Loew Circuit. This was stated at the office of Jos. M. Schenck, the general booker, Tuesday, after the Monday opening of the Bil- lie Reeves (Karno) company at the Shubert, Brooklyn, started by Mr. Schenck as an adjunct of the Loew Circuit Monday last. The Reeves sketch plays a full week there, and is routed over the Loew time in that way. The "full week," however, seems to disrupt the Loew bills, and the decision not to repeat the experiment was decided upon. The Shubert opened strongly Mon- day. The Reeves Co. was given the credit for drawing the very good busi- ness. FOX SIGNS JOSE. The William Fox Circuit this week, through Ed F. Kealey, its booking manager, engaged Edouard Jose and Co. to play over the Fox time with two of the Jose sketches. One will be "Father." Freeman Bernstein acted for the Jose side. The engagement is at a. good-sized salary for the Fox time. Mr. Jose will be heavily featured over the route. PLENTY OF PICTURES. The Oreeley Square district was in- undated with moving pictures this) week, when Weber's joined the throng of "small timers" in the vicin- ity. Besides Weber's, there are the Herald Square, Savoy and Oreeley Square theatre offering pictures. We- ber's and the Herald Square have pic- tures only, the other vaudeville. The Herald Square (Loew) was re- ported as doing a fair business, ex- ceeding the weekly rental of the house, which is costing the Loew peo- ple around $1,600. The Savoy claims to be doing between $2,300 and $2,500 a week, subject to the usual trade dis- counts. CLOSE OPPOSITION. B. K. Bimberg has secured a forty- two year ground lease of a plot of ground on the southwest corner of Broadway and 95th street' and will begin immediately the construction of a two-story theatre, with balcony, with stores in front of the building. The house will have a seating capacity of 2,000 and devoted to "pop" vaudeville and pictures, says Bim, who will probably lease the house to a manager in that branch of theat- ricals for twenty-one years, with a re- newal privilege. Bimberg offered the house to Will- iam Fox some days ago, but the latter rejected the proposition on the score it would be ridiculous to take an- other theatre only one block removed from his Riverside house; whereupon "Bim" declared that he proposed to go ahead with the scheme anyway. NEW PROCTOR'S OPENS. Schenectady, N. Y., April 10. Proctor's, with "pop" vaudeville, opened Monday. The capacity is variously estimated at from 1,400 to 1.900, the latter fig- ure set by the Proctor people. It is a handsome house and started off finely, with an invitation inspection evening last Saturday, when the natives were regaled with some of the Proctor brand of hospitality. Guy A. Graves is resident manager. Prices are 10- 16-25. DETROIT'S "YIDDISH" HOUSE. Detroit, April 10. Nathan Schreiber is to build a new theatre at Hastings and Alfred streets, seating 1,000, ready by July 1, to be devoted solely to "Yiddish" entertain- ment. When traveling combinations are not playing, the house will have Yid- dish vaudeville. Zack Mulhall is planning to take a "wild west" show to Buenos Ayree this year. Adair and Henney THEATRE SITE TIED UP. The John H. Springer theatre site at the northwest corner of 123d street and 7th avenue is now legally tied up. MarcuB Loew recently an- nounced he had acquired possession and would build thereon a "pop" playhouse to seat 4,200. Meanwhile Moss & Brill, the 86th Street Theatre owners, claim they had a prior option through a cash consid- eration with Springer and that they intend to invoke the aid of the courts in having the matter adjusted. Springer has disappeared, but Moss & Brill's attorneys expect to locate him in time. There is little likelihood of any structure work being started until the courts settle the ownership. According to agreements, etc., both Moss ft Brill and Loew have claim to the property. Moss ft Brill have cast their eyes elsewhere for theatre sites and now have several under their wing. By the middle of next September they ex- pect to have three new "pop" houses running. A deal has Just been con- summated whereby they get possession of a ground plot, 208-210 East 14th street, near Third avenue. Moss ft Brill plan to have the new 14th street house open by Sept. 2. It was also reported this week that they had landed the Progress Assem- bly Rooms, 28 Avenue A, and will build there in opposition to Loew's proposed Avenue B and 5th Street theatre. ROCHESTER MAN WINS PRIZE. Boston, April 10. George F. Abbott of Rochester, N. Y., won the first prize, $100, with "The Man in the Manhole" in the one-act comedy contest conducted by the management of B. F. Keith's Bijou theatre. "The Winning of General Jane," by S. F. Austin, San Antonio, was second, winning $50. "The Web" (dramatic), by Alice Brown of this city, received honorable mention. One hundred and seventy-nine man- uscripts were received, the contest opening Nov. 1, 1911. The judges were Prof. George P. Baker, Francis Powell, Harvard University, and Wal- ter Hampden, New York. MURIEL AND FRANCES. (MURIEL WINDOW AND FRANCES DE OROSSAHT) Two clever girls who scored a solid hit at their first appearance a* :x (<am in vaudt- •llle last week. Now booked for twenty-eight weeks on tho Orptu'um Circuit Open next ■eason. Under the management of PAUL DU11AM* "PINK" IS SOME HUSTLER. Alexander Pinkerton had the time of his life April 5. He had booked up a full vaudeville entertainment, (eight acts) for the Royal Arcanum, Pelham Heights, when the unexpected happened. At 5:30 p. m. Saturday a team can- celed; five minutes later a single woman backed out, and another live minutes brought two 'phone cancella- tions. Only four of the eight re- mained, and Pink grew desperate. At ten of Hix the piano player had the habit; five minutes later another act was marked off, and at nix the re- maining two jumped iho traces. Pink hit the street and grabbed up every :»ct available, landing one that was coming in at tho Grand Central. Hy eight he rang up the curtain with the necessary quota of acts.