Variety (April 1912)

10 VARIETV VAUDEVILLE'S $2,500 WEEKLY FINALL Y LANDS ANNA HELD Accepts "Blanket" Contracts for Next Season From United Booking Offices. Given Credit for Much Popularity Over Here. United Issuing a Few "Blankets" Offers for vaudeville, to commence immediately, for Anna Held has been declined by her, but it is about closed she will devote next season to Ameri- can vaudeville, engaged through the United Booking Offjces at $2,500 weekly. A little skit will be Miss Held's vehicle. Miss Held is one of the few acts to secure a "blanket contract" from the U. B. O. for *12-'13. She intends to sail for France in a few days. Last year when Miss Held reap- peared at the Palace, London, after an absence of several years, she did not do overwell, but the French woman has more popularity over here than abroad. She sailed for France Tuesday of this week. The United Offices is Issuing a few "blanket" contracts for next season to turns the agency wishes to tie up immediately. SUNDAY BILLS HARD TO GET. The Winter Garden and Moulin Rouge have been experiencing con- siderable difficulty in scouring suffi- cient "outside acts" for their Sunday concerts, owing to the ban placed upon these entertainments by the United Booking Offices, which has declared them opposition. As a consequence the Winter Gar- den was compelled last Sunday to put on practically the entire "Social Whirl," which comprises the major portion of its regular week-day per- formances, and the Moulin Rouge scoured about to dig up a few acts not regularly engaged by the United. The possible loss of the Sunday night taking at these two music halls would work serious havoc in the week's receipts, as it is nearly all profit. Including the first Sunday's show at the Moulin Rouge, the house did around $16,000 on the week, with the expenses running close to $13,000, not counting the cost of production, esti- mated at about $75,000. The New York held about a one- third audience Sunday night. The Winter Garden, Hammerstein's and Columbia were very well filled up, Hammerstein's holding capacity. Big opposition was rampant that evening in Times Square. The Cohan and Broadway theatres each had a benefit. ASKIN SHOWS TROUBLE. Philadelphia, April 24. The sudden closing of "The Sweet- est Girl In Paris" at the end of its seventh week of good business at the Walnut Saturday night came as a big surprise. The members of the company received word Tuesday. "The Sweetest Girl" with Trixie Friganza featured is a Harry Askin show and was booked for a week of one-nighters through Pennsylvania and three nights at the Apollo, At- lantic City, before going to Boston for a run. Nothing was heard about closing until the order was handed out. It caused considerable com- ment among the members of the company and Miss Friganza declared it to be "pretty raw work." Monday night of last week Miss Friganza was out of the bill claim- ing illness, and her sister, Bessie, played the leading part, doing so well that only a few present knew the dif- ference. It was a nice big hit for Bessie, but It caused a row with As* kin and the order to close followed. Trixie also added in her statement that "her getting married to Mr. Goettler, the manager of the show, 1 ad someth.ng to do with it," though she was mighty pleased with a hand- some wedding present sent by Mr. Askin. The final blow came Saturday night when all the money owed the firm by members of the chorus was taken out of the final salary settlement. To add to this a sheriff's summons was served Saturday night and the scenery, etc., attached by S. F. Nixon on account of the Apollo (Atlantic City) cancellation. A bond was furnished Monday and the show lib- erated. It was a sudden and sad end- ing for "The Sweetest Girl" which was put down as one of the season's real successes here. Chicago, April 24. • Harry Askin, owner of "The Sweet- est Girl In Dixie" show, which closed Saturday night in Philadelphia, says there is no truth to the reports of trouble between himself and star, Trixie Friganza. The show says Mr. Askin just ran itself out at the Wal- nut, and would not have remained there the final week if the house matagement had not given a guaran- tee. Although reported to the contrary, Mr. Askin has not Miss Friganza un- der engagement for next season. "JUBILEE" CLOSING. Weber and Fields' "Jubilee" will close its engagement at the Broadway theatre May 11. Nothing haB as yet been selected as its successor. One of the shows under consideration is Sam- uel E. Rork's production of "Half Way to Paris." There is a chance Lew Fields will produce a summer show for the house. ELTINGE'S LONG SEASON. Boston, April 24. Julian Eltinge opens at the Boston theatre Monday evening for the re- mainder of the season. This is his 36th week. The Boston engagement will probably add a half dozen more weeks to the tour. POTTER'S "BLUE" BOOK. Springfield, Mass., April 27. The new edition of "Half Way to Paris" came to this burg last Friday and Saturday, on its way to Boston, where it opened Monday at the Majes- tic for two weeks. Paul Potter has perpetrated an- other of those French adaptations, with plenty of "blue" matter in a book that is nil. The music is fair. The show carries a cast that could supply several shows with capable players. "Half Way" opened here at the Court Square Friday night, failing to interest. Laura Guerite did not appear Saturday. "Indisposed" was the ex- cuse. Others were Sophie Brandt, Joseph Herbert, Fred Frear, Joseph Miron, Alex Clarke, Harold Vizard, Violet Seaton, Joseph Smith, Jobyna Howland. Arthur Lamb wrote the lyrics; John T. Hall the music. "The Yoke" in its dramatized form played at the Gilmore, but started nothing. THOS. SHEA WITHDRAWS.. The sketch Thos. E. Shea, the tragedian, prepared for a vaudeville tour, named "A Run on the Bank," was withdrawn from the public gaze last week after a "showing" at the City theatre. Mr. Shea and his company were to have opened at the Majestic, Chicago, Monday. They were replaced by Ralph Stuart and Co. It is unlikely Mr. Shea will renew the attempt for this season. "BELLA DONNA** IS FROHMAN'8. What prominent players may be seen in the American presentation of "Bella Donna" next fall by Charles Frohman are not known. Frohmau has landed this piece which is an adaptation from Robert Hichens' novel and which has enjoyed pros- perity at the St. James' theatre, Lon- don. "Bella Donna" is in four acts, the present English veision having been made by James Bernard Fagin. HAS SHOW BUT NOT HOUSE. (Special Cable to Variety..) London, April 24. "Rutherford and Son" has been se- cured by the Shuberts and was sche- duled for an elaborate production at the Century theatre next fall. With the withdrawal of Liebler & Co., lessees of the Century* from the Shubert fold to "The Syndicate," other arrangements may have to be made for housing the piece in New York. PREPARING "GYPSY LOVE.** (Special Cable to Variety,.) London, April 24. Franz Lehar is in London, prepar- ing for the presentation of "Gypsy Love." The chief principals will be Sari von Petrass, of Budapest, Gertie Millar, Laurl DeFrece. COLLINS* SKETCH FUNNY. (Special Cable to Variety,) London, April 24. Sewell Collins' sketch, "Just Like a Woman," presented at the Coliseum Monday night, is accepted as very funny. It is played by Margaret Mof- fatt. REVUE FULL OF POLITICS. (Special Cable to Variety*) Paris, April 24. The revue, entitled "Mil neuf cent douze" (1912), by Charles Muller and Regis Gignoux, was produced at the Theatre des Arts April 19, and met with a fairly moderate reception. The music is arranged by Florent Schmitt. and the production is in five acts, each with a series of topical subjects. The third, "The Republic After 40 Years," has many political skits, while the last is "The School of Journalism." HELEN MAE PAGE Vaudeville'* Dalntleet Ingenue. (OF PAOB AND WATSON) "BUNTY" ACTORS' GRIEVANCE. Foreign actors with the "Bunty Pulls the Strings" Co. (which played in Chicago) are in New York, "rest- ing" and much aggrieved at Messrs. W. A. Brady and the Shuberts, wno engaged them for "the run of the company" over here, guaranteeing eight weeks. The company played about eleven weeks in all. During the Chicago engagement notice of closing was posted, but afterward withdrawn. The show then went into Canada. Aftei a couple of weeks there notice again went up, on a Friday night. Saturdc after the night performance the troupe was brought back to this city. They were informed transportation home would be furnished, but several mem- bers claimed they had been unjustly dealt with, inasmuch as the "Bunty" show was reorganized with American actors and returned to Canadian ter- ritory. One or two expressed an intention of appealing to the English Consul at New York. Others said they thought of returning next season, as per con- tract, though believing they should have been held here to travel with the Canadian "Bunty" show. Among those in New York are Kate and Elizabeth Lang, Gertrude Kidd Carrie Lee Starr, Leonard Boker Stanley Harrison, Mollie Mclntyre. Nell McNeill. One or two may have been placed with the New York "Bun- ty" company.