Variety (July 1912)

10 IETY OFFENBACH'S OLD OPERETTA MAKES I NTERNA TIONAL ROW French Press Protests Against "Guying" of President in Piece at London Alhambra. Qrossmith Retorts. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, July 10. The French press protests vehem- ently against the indifferent version of Offenbach's old operetta, "Via Par- isienne," produced at the London Al- hambra, and considers X he guying of the President of France exceedingly uncomplimentary. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, July 10. Replying to the protests in the French papers attacking "The Guide to Paris" at the Alhambra, and es- pecially their claims that the portion showing President Fallieres dancing a "Can Can" with a girl is offensive and in bad taste, Qrossmith counters with the rejoinder that the French dis- torted the revered Dickens in their revues. ONE "GREYHOUND" SHOW. After engaging people for a "No. 2" company of "The Greyhound" and putting them through several weeks' rehearsals, Wagenhals & Kemper have decided they will only put one company in the piece next season. Arthur Hoopes will likely be re- tained to take J. Henry Kolker's role. The latter is to be starred in a new piece sometime after opening with the original "Greyhound" company. Marie Pettis, who was one of the principals engaged, will accept a berth in another production. The firm recalled the order for the other two "Greyhound" shows upon learning that Paul Armstrong and Wilson Mizner would demand ten per cent, royalty on the gross of the com- panies playing the smaller time, as well as that agreed upon percentage for the original show. Disgusted over the refusal of Wagenhals & Kemper to send out more than one company of "The Grey- bound" on account of his adherence to the letter of his royalty contract, Paul Armstrong has declared that in future he will have his own produc- tions, with his own money and under HIl own management. OVER "PEN SCRAPE/* In William A. Brady's announce- ment of his plans for next season to Variety's correspondent in London recently, he stated that he had se- cured Graham Moffat's three-act com- edy "The Scrape of a Pen" and that Mr. and Mrs. Moffat and Jean Aylwin would come over to appear in the prin- cipal roles. In front of Weber's theatre, New York, there is a painted three-sheet board announcing that Weber & Fields will present the Moffat piece at that playhouse, opening Sept. 26. Asked for an explanation Weber confirmed his signboard announcement and said that not only Brady, but Charles Frohman, W. F. Connor and others were hot after the piece. He claims that Weber & Fields have it already signed up; that Mrs. Moffat is busy designing the costumes and she will come over with her husband, who will rehearse the company, to be recruited entirely of Scotch players, specially imported. (Special Cable to Variety-.) London, July 10. "The Scrape of a Pen" is scheduled to open at Weber's theatre, New York, Sept. 23. ALICE LLOYD CLOSING. Boston, July 10. "Little Miss Fix-It," with Alice Lloyd, will close its run at the Tre- mont Saturday night. The show may play a week at the Apollo, Atlantic City, before terminating its season. July 23, Miss Lloyd expects to sail for England on the Mauretania, re- turning in time to reopen Labor Day in "Fix-It." SHOWS IN THE HEAT. The heat has proven too much for the New York theatres that tried to breast the warm weather. "Officer 666" at the Gaiety shut down Satur- day night. The remaining houses go- ing are Comedy, with "Bunty," Play- house with "Bought and Paid For," New York (Moulin Rouge) with "A Winsome Widow," Globe, with "The Rose Maid" and Columbia with "The Merry Go Rounders." Three New York theatres are playing to "big time" vaudeville, and the usual num- ber of "pop" vaudeville theatres are open. At the Globe the terms are now 65- 35 in favor of the show, which helps some, although the hot spell of the past week kept business at all thea- tres down to a very narrow margin. At the Columbia, where a matinee is given daily, it did not seem Monday afternoon there was $50 in the house. One good day, however, is said to pull the show and Columbia out on the week. Hammerstein's Roof is drawing very big. The Moulin Rouge usually has a sell out on the lower floor, with half a break from the Old Sol con- trollers. Chicago, July 10. When the Cort becomes dark at the end of this week turning out "Ready Money," and the Illinois hands the blue envelope to "The Quaker Girl," there will be nothing left in the way of legitimate amusement for Chicago- ites but "Officer 666" at the Grand and "The Modern Eve" at the Gar- rick. Other houses are keeping open with pictures and the Majestic will continue with the big brand of vaudeville, not to mention the several "small timers" that are struggling through the heat session. "The Merry Whirl," at the Colum- bia caved in last week. REASONS WHY. The New York Sun Monday, took tip at some length a discussion as to the reasons for some actors commit- ting Buicide. Among other things it says: A well-known psychologist, said to be an American, has discovered thai the actor is often following out in his own experience something which was a part of one of the characters he had frequently played. Some roles, it is added, often have mucli more powerful influences than others upon the actors who represent them. It was the prohibition of Ida Rubin- stein from any longer playing the part of St. Sebastian in the work of D'An- i unzio and Debussy which caused tuo discussion. It is said that the actresj was so strongly influenced toward sui- cide by the constant playing of the martyr that she was compelled to give it up. It will surpriee Americans to hear that Joseph Jefferson played so often the part of the spendthrift Rip Van Winkle that had not his son assumed the management of his business af- fairs he would have squandered his large earnings in reckless liberality. Charles Warner, who killed himself in this city several years ago, is said to have been driven to the act through his constant playing of Coupeau in "Drink," which he acted many times in England. It is the theory of the well-known American psychologist, who developed all these suggestions, that the symptoms of delirium tre- mens, which he had so often simu- lated, overcame him irresistibly and influenced him to commit suicide. Yes, Americans will be very much surprised to hear that the late Joseph Jefferson ever exhibited any undue proclivities as a spendthrift. And as to the reason for Charles Warner's suicide, the man had worked for many years accumulating a com- petency, when along came a well- known musical comedy woman, very prominent in the metropolis as a star of that type, who persuaded the old man to invest his life's savings in a "bunk" scheme of her husband's, with the usual ending. Old, broken in spirit and purse, the creator of the role of Coupeau in Eng- lish, hadn't the courage to begin all over ngain. BAD FOR RICE AND CADY. San Francisco, July 10. Rice and Cady are having a hard time of it on the Coast, which a few years ago was their most profitable stamping ground. Their recent attempt to invade San Francisco with burlesque at the American was so unprofitable that one week of it was enough. Still more recently they tried Oakland with a big company and a revival of old- time musical comedy successes. They were lured on by the success of Ben Dillon and Will King, who are buying rows of flats with the proceeds of their musical show at the Columbia. Oak- land did not flock to the Macdonough to see Rice and Cady, and after two weeks of wretched business they gave it up. THOSE "MIRACLE" PICTURES. In one of the morning papers this week there appeared a detailed cir- cumstantial story to the effect Henry J. Brock, president of the Kinemacolor company, had concluded negotiations last week for the exhibition of the Kinemacolor pictures on Hammer- stein's Roof, the season opening Sept. 2 and the first pictures shown to be the new "Miracle" films. The only thins the matter with the story was that it isn't so. The Kine- macolor company have the rights to the "Miracle" pictures for all coun- tries excepting United States, Canada, Austria, Germany, Hungary and Rus- sia. A. H. Woods has the rights for the United States and Canada, and has made no deal for their exhibition in New York as yet. His negotiations with the Metropolitan Opera House are still .pending, and he hopes to se- cure the huge auditorium for Septem- ber and October, prior to the begin- ning of the regular operatic season. Tracing the announcement to its source, Loney Haskell, press repre- sentative for Hammerstein's, said: "I was told to send it out." The Kinemacolor people, through its press department, deny absolutely any connection with the report. In the first place they have no rights to the production of "The Miracle" films in the United States and Canada, same having been vested in A. H. Woods. Secondly they declare that up to date they have made no deal with Ham- merstein for the leasing of his roof garden for any other pictures. Woods has formed a stock com- pany for the exploitation of the "Miracle" films, in which are asso- ciated Felix Isman and Milton and Sargent Aborn. He has not yet made any arrangement with the Kinema- color company for the use of their colored "Miracle" pictures, nor has he had any posing for the black and white reproduction of the famous pantomime. The only pictures thus far taken of the Reinhardt spectacle are the Kinemacolor films. These they cannot show in America or Can- ada without dealing with Woods. Woods, on the other hand, must se- cure the Kinemacolor reproductions for his exhibitions as they are the only ones posed for. President Brock of the Kinemacolor company is waiting for Woods; Woods is waiting for Brock. (Special Cable to Varietf.) London, July 10. Charles Urban is to get a Kinema- color record of "The Miracle." Ho has arranged with Joseph Men- chen for the sole rights of Kine- macolor on this subject. The films will probably be taken just before "The Miracle" is produced at the Rotunda in Vienna in September. It is stated that Urban is trying to get a larger theatre than the Scala in which to show the film. Charles Montrell sailed this week for Europe. "TOM" SHOW IN WEBER WHEEL. For the L. Lawrence Weber 10-20- 30 "Wheel," Leon Washburn will place an "Uncle Tom Cabin" troupe on the road, having been granted a franchise.