Variety (April 1912)

ToL XXVI. No. 7 NEW YORK CITY, APRIL 20, 1912 PRICE 10 CENTS EITHER PEACE OR FIGHT BETWEEN KEITH AND BECK Will be Settled Right Away. Keith Side Demanding Beck Vacate New York and Chicago. Beck Wants Interest in Keith's Purchase of Williams Houses and New York Declared Neutral, with 20-Year Territorial Agreement. Western Vaudeville Agency Used as Club Over Beck, Through Mrs. Kohl. Majestic, Chicago, May Fall into the Keith Camp, if Palace, Chicago, Does Not Change Policy. The developments in the vaudeville situation this week were rather rapid and almost violent. Tuesday Martin Beck and Morris Meyerfeld, Jr. re- turned to New York, when they met the B. F. Keith cohorts, and were informed, it is said, unless Beck va- cated New York and Chicago, he would lose the bookings of the Ma- jestic, Chicago; also the control of the Western Vaudeville Managers' As- sociation in that city through the weight of Mrs. C. E. Kohl's interests being thrown against him, which would place the W. V. A. with the United Booking Offices. Beyond dis- cussing the situation in general and perhaps following up certain lines talked about before, nothing definite came out of the Tuesday gathering. With Mrs. Kohl on their side of the fence, the Keith people assumed rather an independent attitude, according to report, and this was aided according to one story by the service on Mr. Beck while in Chicago Monday that in two weeks he would have to discontinue the bookings for the Majestic. This notice, however, had a string attached, it is said, to the effect that if the Beck crowd abandoned vaudeville in the Palace, Chicago, the notice would be withdrawn. Beck and Meyerfeld are willing, it is reported, to enter into a 20-year ter- ritorial agreement between the "East" and the "West" to remain in their re- spective sections for that length of time, provided Keith will agree to de- clare New York neutral, allow Beck to retain (for vaudeville) his Palace now building here, and also give him an opportunity to buy in on the Percy G. Williams theatres. This proposition also includes Keith as an Interested party, with Beck et al. in the New York Palace. There no longer re- mains a doubt of B. F. Keith having purchased the Williams theatres in New York. The hitch is over the final arrange- ments to the mutual satisfaction of both sides. The Keith people are in- sisting upon an immediate decision and something will be definitely ar- rived at within a week, according to report. Otherwise the Keith side will declare war against Beck and the Or- pheum Circuit. If Beck refuses to agree to a peace pact, he will do so knowing a battle will follow. Chicago, April 17. It is reported Martin Beck received a notification Monday while in the city that his bookings for the Majestic will cease in two weeks. This is said to have been given him provided he does not withdraw vaudeville from the Pal- ace within that time. It has been understood that the vaudeville policy at the Palace was never started in seriousness by Beck, but to bring Mrs. C. E. Kohl over to his side, the Beck people seeming to see a leaning, by the widow of the late showman toward Keith since her husband's death. The stand taken by Mrs. Kohl upon (Continued on page G.) DE VEAUX GOING TO COURT. It was stated this week by Harry De Veaux that he intended appealing to the courts to test the validity of his expulsion from the White Rats Actor's Union. Mr. De Veaux was ex- pelled last week, after a reported hearing before the board of direc- tors. Mr. De Veaux denies there was a regular hearing before the board, saying that his grounds for demand- ing a trial before the lodge was that the board and officers were his ac- cusers. In a statement issued by Mr. De Veaux he makes several allegations, and these charges, he says, he will substantiate in court. MAY YOHE AS A STAR. For digging 'em up. May Yohe will yet get her picture in the Dramatic Hall of Angelic Fame. This time Miss Yohe is going to be a star, at the head of her own company, in her own vaudeville skit, enlarged into a real drama, with twelve people in the cast. The old vaudeville title will be re- tained. It is "In Silk Attire," and claimed to be a satire on English society. The show expects to play the big eastern cities, starting out very soon. Just who Miss Yohe's backer is hasn't been divulged. DOCKSTADER'S NEW ACT. Boston, April 17. This week in his minstrel show play- ing here, Lew Dockstader is "break- ing in" during the performances an act he has arranged for vaudeville, with himBelf in the centre. It is a min- strel first part, with fourteen people. Two thousand dollars is the price Dockstader is asking the vaudeville managers. NAZIMOVA'S NEW PLAY. Nazimova closes her season Satur- day night in Philadelphia and expects to spend the summer abroad. She returns here next August to open her season in a new play, the title of which has not been divulged. Nazimova will continue undt j r Charles Frohman's direction. CALLED COPYIST OUT. Direct and decisive methods used early this week by an artist la New York to stop the use of his recognized material. One act has been using a bit for the past few seasons while the other turn* when seen around New York earlier in the present season, did not do it» The originator heard of the in- fringement almost as soon as it was perpetrated. Not waiting to write the papers, see a lawyer or complain to any of the actors' societies, he pro* ceeded at once to the theatre where the infringers were disporting and call- ing for the male end of the team, took personal charge of him for a few moments. The method may be con- sidered a trifle barbaric, but in some things it is better perhaps to show a little of the savage. GIVES UP LONDON OFFICE. The London office of the Sullivai*- Coneidine Circuit, where B. Obermayer has been holding forth as the foreign booking representative, will be closed this month. Mr. Obermayer will likely return t© New York. SHOW A LITTLE TOO RAW. Shenandoah, Pa., April 17. Shenandoah saw "Simple Simon Simple" April 12. The gross receipts were $45.55. L. C. Gillette, mana- ger of the theatre here, after the troupe left town, discovered it had played Towanda as "The Blue Rib- bon Girls, For Men Only." Mr. Gillette threatened to ring: down the curtain after the first act if the performance were not "cleaned up," which was accordingly promptly attended to. HARRIS* "YODEL" SONG. Charles K. Harris has composed a yodel song, said to be the first new ditty of that calibre written in twenty-five years. DETROIT'S "CAWLLACQUA WEEK/' Detroit, April 17. A big festival week is to be held here, commencing July L'G. It will be callod "ra'lilliM-riuii Week". Tlie citv tins jippropriated $100,000.