Variety (June 1912)

VARIETY 17 AMERICAN ROOF. "Valentine Vox, Jr., has taken Marshall Montgomery'■ whistle." The ratters at the American Roof Tues- day evening seemed to shriek it out. Must be an awful thing to take a whistle, because nearly everyone who heard Vox recognized it. Only the pure white unfilled back page of the new American Roof program equalled the whistle excitement. The program the first half of the week was rather overloaded with "copies." Four out of the nine turns bore the stigma of imitation. The others were the Edwards Bros. (New Acts), who are an exact duplicate of Collins and Hart; Musette, a nice lit- tle girl who doesn't know much, about the stage but is giving a poor imita- tion of Yvette, and the Hebrew mes- senger boy comedian of Sully and Hussey. He is doing his worst to be as funny as Willie Howard is, and in Willie's way. But Valentine Vox, Jr. (New Acts), has Montgomery's whistle, and that overshadowed all the others. Too many "copies" can spoil a program, especially where the entrance fee is racing for the dollar mark. Besides the familiarity-by-reproduction por- tion of the bill, two sketches on the program looked like blood relatives. One was "Trimmed," played by Ar- thur Forbes and Co.; the other, "On Stony Ground" with Lottie Williams as the star. Each has tables in the settings. According to them there's little difference between a manicure and a waitress. Both are possessors of "fly talk." Miss Williams had to follow the "Trimmed" piece, and it made more rocky the path of "Stony Ground," although the Williams skit is sure-fire for the "small time," much more so than "Trimmed," which at best, is exaggerated characteriza- tion and story. Still, it goes for the "small timers." When the father in "Trimmed" said, speaking of the manicure girl; "she's my protege," and the bellboy replied "She's not, she's my sister," the bellboy had nothing on the audience. One of the best turns in the show came last. It was the Four Clovelly Girls, prettily costumed in brown, and who juggle clubs to make a lively scene with plenty of color. Opening after intermission should have been their place. Musette got that spot, however, and thanks to a healthy- voiced "plant" won encores on her final song. Musette in trying a com- bination impersonation of Yvette and Nonette is giving the double e's and t's a setback. The girl is young enough to continue studying on the violin. Someday, perhaps, she will, if studious, return to the stage on her own merit. The Sully and Hussey comedian would also do more for his act by branching out. Bessie's Cockatoos opened the show. The birds know many tricks and Bessie made them do every one. Bess has well trained her birds In everything but speed. She should tell them to hurry. And Bertie Fowler! Bertie is there. She brought her "souse" up to date, made good with the kid stuff and put it over, appearing before "Trimmed." Sime. SPECIALLY ENGAGED PEOPLE. Joseph R. Garry, of "The Third Degree" company, has been specially engaged for Emmett Corrigan's role in "The Deep Purple" when the Tre- mont stock produces the piece next week. W. A. Whitaker and Henry Hicks, who played with the road company of 'The House Next Door," have been specially engaged for the Tremont's stock presentation of that play. PACKARD CLOSING TROUPE. The Monticello theatre stock, Jersey City, which has been playing several weeks under Jay Packard's manage- ment is announced to close Saturday night. ON HER NEWYORKWAY. Marjorie Rambeau, leading woman of the Burbank and Belasco theatres. Los Angeles, for the past three years, comes to New York about Aug. 1 to make her debut in a Broadway com- pany. Miss Rambeau stopped at Colum- bus to play several weeks of Btock with the Hartman Company. She last starred in "Merely Mary Ann" in the West. HANGING ON TO HIS REP. Corse Payton is going to act again. Every once in awhile the fever breaks out in the irrepressible Corse and his latest venture will be the light com- edy role next week in "The Commut- ers" which his West End company will produce. Payton' once said he was "America's best bad actor" and claims he must act occasionally to keep his reputa- tion. RECRUITING DES MOINES CO. Elbert & Getchell, managers of tho Princess, Des Moines, are in New York recruiting players through the Will H.'Gregory office for their new stock season, which starts Aug. 25. In the new Des Moines company will be Robert Hyman and Blanche Hall, leads; George Barbier, Julia Blanc, Thomas Williams, Brenda Fowler, Jack Barnes, Frank Sylvester, Priestly Morrison, Mary Home, Es- ther Andrews, Dorothy Schlesinger, Harry Hayden. IDA ADAIR LEADING. Bridgeport, Conn., June 19. Ida Adair has been engaged to suc- ceed Blanche Hall as leading woman of the Poli stock here. CHANGING COMPANIES. Gertrude Maitland, Sue Fisher and Lawrence Dunbar, formerly connect- ed with the Prospect and Blaney stocks, Joined the Treinont (New York) stock company this week. TWO MORE CLOSING. The Henry Butterfield Players, at the Belasco, Washington, are an- nounced to close June 29. The Empire stock, Glenn Falls, N. Y., owing to lack of patronage, closed shop June 15. DEWEY'S TRANSFORMATION. The Dewey theatre, transformed in appearance and name, opened Mon- day as Fox's theatre, with the Acad- emy of Music Stock Company playing "The Fortune Hunter." Inside and outside of the old Dewey, where moving pictures reign- ed for several seasons, there has been worked a complete change. One could hardly recognize the old place. In the lobby is a framed picture ol Willam Fox, sufficient, as Mr. Fox said upon seeing it, to identify him for anyone hanging around to serve papers. A fair attendance was marked up Monday evening, with weather condi- tions against the box office. In con- gested theatrical 14 th street, the Fox has the field in stock to itself. Next week "The Woman in the Case" will be given. The Academy across the street closed Saturday, after the 92nd week of continuous stock plays there. Monday night Mr. Fox donated the theatre for a local church benefit. 4,500 people, mostly women and chil- dren, were estimated to be in the big theatre. Over 2,000 were turned away. BALLING STATS RIGHTS. Before sailing for Europe Tuesday, Mortimer H. Singer closed for the Chicago and Illinois rights for the Carnegie Alaska-Siberia Expedition motion pictures of the "Farthest North," now running at the Broadway theatre, New York, to constantly in- creasing attendance. The pictures will be put on for a summer run at Manager Singer's Palace, Chicago, be- ginning next Monday, and later sent through Illinois. Edward Corbett, general sales agent for the state rights of the Car- negie films, with headquarters at the Broadway theatre, announces the re- lease at noon today of the last install- ment of state rights to be sold of these pictures. The adventures of the expedition financed by Andrew Carnegie solely with a view to securing for the Car- negie Museum at Pittsburgh rare wild trophies, as recorded by the motion camera of the expedition, present a splendid series of unique, exciting dramas. Many of the films suggest with the thrill of actuality the dangers of arctic life and travel in a hunt for big game. Captain Kleinschmidt, who headed the ex- pedition and explains the pictures at the Broadway, in these pictures brings to civilization many stirring results of his daring. THIESE'S SAVOY BURLESQUERS. Commencing in August, Mortimer M. Thiese, in arrangement with Wal- ter Rosenberg, will present a stock burlesque company at the Savoy thea- tre on West 34th street. The house is now holding moving pictures. The stock company will have a) chorus of thirty women, and Thiese will superintend. He formerly had "Wine, Woman and Song" among other shows on the burlesque "Wheels." OBITUARY Francis Parker (Parker and Logan, colored), died June 8 at the Good Shepherd Hospital, Syracuse, after a long illness. A widow survives. James T. Hynes, a New York prop- erty man, who has been ill for some time, died May 13 in the Bellevue Hospital. He was a member of the New York Theatrical Protective Union, No. 1. Celeste Schroeder (colored), mo- ther of Billy Johnson, the well known stage director, died May 24 at Charleston, S. C. Three daughters and five sons survive. Charles L. Craine, of Craine, Long and Craine, after a long illness with Bright's disease, died at the Gait House, Cincinnati, June 14. Some years ago Craine married Mai-sle Lon« of Cincinnati, who appeared with him in vaudeville. He was a member of tho Pittsburgh T. M. A. Terre Haute, June 1!>. Joseph H. McChesiiey, a ticket Holi- er for many years and of late treas- urer at Young's Airdome, died June 15 of heart trouble, at the age of 73. 9 A. M. SHOW AT 10c. Beginning last Monday and con- tinuing throughout the summer, Will- iam Fox's City theatre opens its doors daily at 9 a. m., the price for all seats up to 12 o'clock being re- duced to ten cents. CHARLIE ROBINSON'S SHOW. For next season's "Robinson Crusoe Girls" Charlie Robinson will have In the cast, besides himself, Llbby Blon- dell, Dave Rose, May Bernard, Fran- kie Martine (dancer, first time in burlesque), Freda Lehr, with a vacancy for one comedian yet to be filled. KLEIN BROS. IN "VANITY FAIR." Under the title of "The Gay Mas- queraders," the former "Vanity Fair" show, will be sent over the Eastern Burlesque Wheel next season under the direction of the Tod Snyder-Henry Watterson Amusement Co., which was behind the Bowman Bros.' enterprise this past season. The Bowmans will not be wltft the troupe next fall. In their place will be the Klein Bros., who have been ap- pearing in vaudeville and who were formerly of the "In Panama" show.! Ida Emerson and Harry Hills will also be principals. A new book will be ac- cepted. Moe Messing will be manager, and 1 Sydney Rankin, business agent. The Bowman Bros, are expected to return to vaudeville next fall. The "(Jay Masqueraders" will open its pre- liminary season the second week in August. Hilvorberg Trio and Cornell fcdison are at Jack Wolff's, Larchmont, N. Y .\t Duutc's Cafe ure May Russell j Sitf Castelll, Buster Mack, Jack Hay wood, Miss Cornell and Torre Venice'; orchestra.