Variety (June 1912)

VARIETY MANAGERS' COMPLETE VICTORY IN WE STERN ASSOCIATION Bring About Chas. E. Bray's Resignation, with Chas. E. Kohl in Full Command. J. J. Murdock Badly Whipped and Told to Remain in the East. New Order of Affairs at "The Association." Chicago, June 26. Friday, June 21, Charles' E. Bray tendered his resignation as general manager of the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association, to take effect July 27. Charles E. Kohl, managing director of "The Association," immediately notified Bray his resignation had been accepted, thus bringing to an end what promised to be the greatest theatrical battle ever waged in this section of the country. Shortly after Bray's resignation CHARLES E. KOHL. had been accepted, the directors de- cided upon Charles E. Kohl as Bray's successor. Mr. Kohl will continue as managing director and will run the business affairs of the W. V. M. A. under that title. Hereafter the name of general manager will be a thing of the past. While Bray's move came as a sur- prise to the general theatrical public, those on the inside have been on the lookout for the past three weeks. With the voluntary interference and advice proffered by J. J. Murdock (acting for the United Booking Offices) in the matters of the Associa- tion, the action of "The Assr2iation" managers in squelching those opposed to them and the best interests of the agency is a marked advance in man- agerial independence. It will doubt- lessly have a far-reaching influence, proving conclusively as it does that the manager who pays the act is stronger than the manipulator, who but manipulates for his own profit. Things vaudeville in Chicago have been badly mixed for several months. The various circuit heads booking through th« "Association" office have been at loggerheads with Bray, but very little became public until the managers brought the fight out in the open. Under the leadership of Karl Hob- litzelle, president of the Interstate Circuit, the managers finally came to- gether and decided to organize a pro- tective association for the express purpose of bringing the conditions before the directors, who, until then, knew very little if anything of the existing conditions. Last week the Consolidated Vaude- * ville Managers' Corporation was formed. Hoblitzelle was selected president and spokesman for it, and immediately got busy. Previous to the organization of the new company, the managers had called upon Bray in a body and complained of the bad conditions existing through the Adolph Meyers office having exclusive privileges of ten per cent, bookings in the agency. The managers suggested that a few other agents be allowed the use of the floor, but Bray checkered this move by abolishing the Meyers office and announcing the intention of the "As- sociation" to eliminate the "necessary evil" for all time. This apparently left the managers without a platform for their cam- paign, but after a hurriedly called meeting they decided Bray's action to be but a clever move, and figured that with the beginning of next season the natural scarcity of desirable material would necessitate the return of an agent, with Meyers the favored can- didate. In order to ruin all chances of Meyers' return, the managers con- solidated and resolved to attend to their own booking next season, select- ing and passing upon the acts them- selves. They accordingly announced in last week's Variety- that fifty weeks consecutive booking could be had from the consolidation without any charge for the service rendered ex- cept the usual five per cent, paid to the Western Vaudeville Managers' As- sociation. Murdock stepped Into the argu- ment, coming to Bray's assistance presumably to subdue the revolt, but really to take a "wallop" at Hob- litzelle, who, In Murdock's estimation, is mussing up the chances of Jake Wells in the south. Murdock decided to break up the consolidation by re- moving Hoblitzelle, thinking with the latter out of the way the managers would lose heart in the fight and sub- mit to the orders of the "throne." Murdock may or may not have been instrumental in the next move, but it remains a fact that shortly after Mur- dock began to take interest in the proceedings, Bray and Judge Trude, attorney for the W. V. M. A., held a conference and immediately notified the Interstate Circuit that it had violated its contract with the W. V. M. A., and because of this, the direc- tors had decided to throw the south- ern chain out of the agency. The consensus of opinion is that Bray and Trude failed to find a flaw in Hob- litzelle's contract, but realized the necessity of immediate action and de- cided to bluff, hoping that with Hob- litzelle obliterated the remaining managers would give up the struggle. The same evening that Hoblitzelle was notified to move, Murdock sum- moned Walter Butterfleld to his room at the Congress Hotel and argued un- til the wee small hours of the morn- ing, trying to talk Butterfleld into bolting Hoblitzelle. Murdock failed in his mission. The following day Hoblitzelle succeeded in reaching Mrs. Kohl (who controls two-sev- enths of the "Association" stock). KARL HOBLITZELLE. During the interview Hoblitzelle ad- vocated a closer affiliation between the managers and the directors and succeeded in placing the other side of the story before her. This occurred Thursday morning. Mrs. Kohl be- come interested and arranged for the managers to return and talk before all the directors present. That after- neon Messrs. Hoblitzelle, Butterfleld, Allardt, Hyman and Thielen met at Mrs. Kohl's residence, stating their story to Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., George Castle, Mrs. Kohl and Judge Trude. The directors opined that they were learning every day as Hoblitzelle did most of the talking. As for Murdock's connections, they became badly tangled. It is under- stood that hereafter, at the request of the W. V. M. A. directors, Murdock will confine his efforts to the eastern territory and keep away from "The Association." Incidentally, Mrs. Kohl and George Castle showed a little in- terest in the Well8-Hoblitzelle con- troversy and arranged to have Wells brought to Chicago immediately and straighten the matter out. Hoblitzelle may concede a point here and there in order to create har- mony between the east and west. Be- ing a client of the western faction, there is every reason to believe that Hoblitzelle's interests will be fully protected. Murdock, who came to Chicago to "crimp" the Interstate, has brought about the very condition he wished to avoid. When Kohl assumes the leadership of the "Association" there is every chance of a general housecleaninp. Reports on the street this week had Kerry Meagher out of the agency. Meagher has been Bray's confidential man and was selected by Bray as chief lieutenant in the latter's fight to enter the far west. Charles E. Kohl, who succeeds Bray, is but twenty-six years of age, and is the youngest man to hold a theatrical position of such importance in the world. Mr. Kohl started his career in the box office of the Chicago Opera House at seventeen. After a few years he was promoted and made treasurer of the Majestic theatre From there Kohl went to St. Louis to manage the Columbia. While in St. Louis, Mr. Kohl met and married Margaret Shields, granddaughter of General Shields of civil war fame. Shortly after his marriage Mr. Kohl returned to Chicago and became private secretary to his father, the late C. E. Kohl. After his father's death he became secretary and treas- urer of the Kohl-Castle Companies, and later a director of the W. V. M. A. He is also interested in several smaller corporations, including the Bijou-Academy Co., of which he is president. Mr. Kohl is the father of one child, a son, eighteen months old and named C. E. Kohl, the third. Mr. Bray has been running the As- sociation about three years. He was with the Orpheum Circuit for many Reasons, and was advanced to his present post by Martin Beck, who was at that time in control, after having purchased all of Murdock's theatrical stock in western properties (includ- ing the W. V. M. A.) for $100,000. As general manager of the Associa- tion, Bray received $15,000 yearly. Chicago, June 26. Karl Hoblitzelle, president of the In- terstate Amusement Co., conferred at length this week with Jake Wells and J. J. Murdock. It is understood the differences existing between the southern managers will shortly be adjusted to the satisfaction of all con- cerned. Wells arrived here Sunday, returning east Monday afternoon. Because Hoblitzelle has been seen with Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., on several occasions during the past week, some dopester decided that the Interstate was about to sell out to the Orpheum. at least to surrender its four big southern towns. This was immediate- ly smothered by Hoblitzelle. Murdock left Chicago early in the week for Indianapolis, from where he will travel eastward toward New York, stopping off at several towns on the way in. Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., reached New York Monday, accompanied by Julius Meisner, formerly secretary to Mar- tin Beck at the Orpheum headquar- ters. Mr. Meisner resigned his posi- tion, going to San Francisco where Mr. Meyerfeld is said to have found a place for him, bringing him east for company. The Orpheum's president left Wednesday afternoon for the west. It was reported about that Charles E. Bray of Chicago, and Mr. Bray's secretary, E. O. Chllds, will move on- ward to San Francisco upon Bray's resignation as General Manager jf the W. V. M. A. going into effect.