Variety (April 1912)

VARIETY CUT-RATE MUSIC BATTLE BRINGS PRICE DOWN TO 3c. Sheet Music Strikes Its Lowest Level. "Ten-Cent" Stores Talking of Becoming Publishers for Pro- tection in the Future. Song Writers Worried Over Royalty The terrific slashing of prices on popular sheet music by the New York department stores continues una- bated. Last week Variety, announced prices were cut to five cents a copy, since which time there has been a ■till further slash until it finally reached the bankrupting rate of three *nts per sheet. , >ow comes the report that the ten- cent stores, which has declared a practical "blacklist" on all publishers whose wares were being offered at these prices, will embark in the pub- l'shing business on their own account, in order to protect themselves against further campaigns of this sort. Music publishers are in a state of panic over the situation, seeing noth- ing In the future but the impossibil- ity of continuing in business unless a profitable scale of wholesale prices is adopted and adhered to. The ten cent stores—or rather the leading syndi- cate controlling this branch of indus- try—have made propositions to sev- eral well known song writers to con- tract with them for the exploitation ot their compositions, indicating a seriousness of purpose in their de- termination to become producers as well as retailers. The entire rate cutting was prob- ably started by one music publishing firm in need of ready money, which disposed of a large quantity of pop- ular hits at a large reduction below the usual selling price. Hearing of it others followed suit to keep in the procession, with the inevitable result. In defense, several publishers allege they were driven to the rate war by irresponsible, fly-by-night people in their line of business, feeling that with a bank-roll they could hold out long enough to break the small fry. It comes under the heading, however, of "cutting off one's nose, etc." A feeling of Intense rivalry has been engendered among the composers themselves. Their complaint is that they are not given a proper showing in the "plugging" necessary to land a hit. But their most immediate and important source of worry is the in- ability to figure out mathematically just where they come in for any "melon-cutting" in the way of royal- ties with their wares retailed at three cents. VAUDEVILLE MADE POSITIVE. It was stated during the week vau- deville will be presented at the Brighton Beach Music Hall this sum- mer, with "Doc" Breed again the director of the house. Mr. Breed has been in the United Booking Offices looking for acts. The intended plan of playing musi- cal productions at the beach side the- atre fell through upon the manage- ment learning it was next to impos- sible to secure a line of attractions. May 13 is the official date set by Manager Dave Robinson for the an- nual opening of the summer vaude- ville season at the Brighton theatre (Brighton Beach). The first press notice announces al- terations and a lot of things Mr. Rob- inson intends to do down there dur- ing his fourth consecutive season. WALTER HILL DOING IT. April 25 was the date Walter K. Hill slipped off the editorial seat to become a benedict. The party of the first part is Claire Maynard, and the "break in," was at the Beck Memorial Presbyterian Church in the Bronx, New York. The Rev. Maitland Bartlett tied the couple up; there's an apartment up around the Park housing them. To keep within the capacity no in- vitations were sent out for the en- gaged couple's friends to view the ceremony, but Mr. Hill promises a classy announcement that will be mailed shortly. HARP SOLOIST AND SINGER. Carl Schuetze, solo-harpist of the Philharmonic Orchestra, assisted by a prima donna, will make his debut in vaudeville next Monday at Union Hill, under the direction of John C. Peebles. 0*HARA'S NEW PLAYLET. Piske O'Hara, who lately starred in "Love's Young Dream," is pre- paring a new Irish playlet ready for vaudeville. TWO MORE SONG WRITERS. Two more song writers are going into vaudeville, perhaps only for a week, and perhaps even not that long, if the week is not forthcoming. The couple are Leo Edwards and Blanche Merrill, who write songs for Charles K Harris. Miss Merrill is the girl who supplied Eva Tanquay and Lillian Shaw with their best numbers. Although never upon the stage professionally, Miss Merrill is said to have sung the songs she wrote for others much better than the others did. This is what suggested to Mr. Edwards that his writing part- ner make her vaudeville debut, with himself as a piano accompanist. An engagement at Hammerstein's may be obtained in the near future. PLAYING TWO HOUSES. Moon and Morris, brought over by the Shuberts for the Winter garden, were pressed into service at the Casino for the opening of James T. Powers' act at the Casino. The act will continue to play both houses. ILLUSION THE FEATURE. The feature of the first aerial per- formance on the Hammerstein Roof this season will be an illusion, brought over from London, and called "The Girl in the Haunted House." It is a Maskelyn & Devant device that cre- ated much comment when first pre- sented abroad. After that Willie Hammerstein says he doesn't know what will be in the first show. The excitement of Aaron Kessler's new kid has so upset the staff of Hammerstein's they are doing nothing but making bets whether the baby will grow up to be taller than its father. Willie wagered Mike Simon the gross on the first rainy night after the Roof opens against what Mike would lose otherwise if going against the bank during his summer vacation, with the understanding that if the kid isn't taller than Aaron by June 10, Willie loses. Tuesday Mr. Kessler or- dered a new pair of shoes with mili- tary heels, as his wife reported by phone it looked as though the baby would make it. "Don," a "talking" dog, will be imported for the Hammerstein Roof show during the summer. ACTORS AVERT PANIC. Worcester, Mass., April 24. The audience at Poll's yesterday afternoon became greatly frightened when a boiler exploded nearby and steam came pouring into the theatre. Women shouted fire, but the cool- ness of Lewis and Dody, who were about half through with their act at the time, averted a panic. Four women fainted and were car- ried out. There was general con- fusion, but the actors kept right on after reassuring the audience there was no danger. SURATT OPENING AT NEWARK. Valeska Suratt will open her new act at Proctor's Newark Monday. Jack Haskell and Mae Murray will be featured in the offering, which Jack Mason is staging. O'BRIEN LOSING WIFE. Syracuse, N. Y., April 24. Mrs. Geo. S. O'Brien, wife of a theatrical agent in New York, has sued' lier husband for absolute di- vorce. The couple were married in this city when youngsters. They have not been living together for some time. Georgie S. O'Brien, now with the Joe Sullivan vaudeville agency, came clean from Syracuse. HcKINLEY SQ. BACK TO "POP." The McKinley Square theatre re- sumed "pop" vaudeville Monday. The Cunningham-Fluegelman theatre mu- sical comedy was not as prosperous as with variety, hence the resume of the former policy. Harry Shea will again book the vaudeville show. POLI CLOSING DATES. The closing dates of the Poll Cir- cuit have been set. This Saturday winds up the vaudeville season at the Poll theatres in Bridgeport, Spring- field and Worcester. May 4 will be the last date for Scranton and Wilkes- Barre. May 11, Poll's, Hartford, will stop. Poll's, New Haven, will re- main open with vaudeville indefinite- ly. Stock companies are to occupy the other Poll houses. The closing time of the Felber & Shea houses will be May 11, Youngs- town and Akron (O.); June 1, Bayonne and Orange (N. J.); May 5, (Sundays), Columbia; May 12, Grand Opera House, and this Sunday the last for the Murray Hill, New York. A big show is listed for the benefit to Jack Shea at the Columbia the closing night. Prices have soared a little with a large advance sale al- ready reported. Jack has been active in the running of the Columbia Sun- day vaudeville shows, and the house has been a winner for the firm. The Grand Opera House, with Dick Carney in charge, has the star "Sun- day" record of the season. Dick gave the Westsiders a bargain bill every Sabbath and kept it up until he was packing them to the walls twice daily, and with the Manhattan Opera House, playing a Loew bill the same day each week as "opposition," which didn't oppose very much. The Murray Hill with Fsed Wald- man, the house manager, in charge, has done quite well with its Sunday "pop" shows. On the Sullivan-Considine Circuit the Empress theatre at Cincinnati stops its season May 5; Empress, Chicago, May 12, and Empress, Mil- waukee, May 19. Chicago, April 24. The Interstate houses in the South will shortly commence to close down for the summer, the first to go dark being the Plaza, Chicago, and the Majestic, Fort Worth, these two clos- ing May 18. From then on to June 10 one house will close a week, the last being San Antonio. This will clear the Interstate's books for the current year. It was reported sometime ago that Mabel Talifaerro would tour the Southern time, but the Circuit claims the star never confirmed her con- tracts, which called for a salary of $1,250, and the matter was called off. Among the early closings an- nounced by the vaudeville agents this week are listed the Majestic, Dubuque, for April 29, and the vaudeville houses in Burlington and Quincy, both going dark the same date. The Garrick, Ottumwa, la., will change from vaudeville to musical stock April 28, the Sherman Stock Co. moving in for the summer. MABEL HARRISON REMOVED. Saranac Lake, N. Y., April 2 4. Mabel Barrison has been removed from here to the home of her folks in Toronto. ANNOUNCE HIGH CLASS. Lawrence, Mass., April 24. B. F. Keith has withdrawn vaude- ville from the Colonial and the owners of the Nickel, who have had the Broadway since January, now an- nounce that they will conduct the latter house with a high class vaude- ville policy next season.