Variety (July 1912)

Vol. XXVII. No. 7 NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1912 PRICE 10 CENTS BIQ "SMALL TIME" COMBINE IN SIGHT BY AUG UST 1, NEXT Sullivan-Considine, Loew and Fox Circuits to Combine for Bookings With Family Department of United Offices. All to Be in One Office. Deal Near Fulfillment ' A big "email time" vaudeville com- bination is quite likely by Aug. 1. It will be composed of the Sullivan-Con- sidine, Loew and Fox Circuits, with the Family Department of the United Booking Offices. The deal is so near fulfillment that but perhaps one more conference be- tween the parties will be necessary to settle the details. All the circuits will book in one office, each to have individual control of its houses, and practically fill bills with the present staffs. An office not now occupied by any of the circuits will be secured, with an office manager to look after the opera- tion of the agency. The combine will not limit itself to the creators of it, but will accept other circuits which may want to book. There has been a "friendly under- standing" between the four circuits for some time, each aiding the other with bookings and against "opposition." The arrangement to book under one roof, however, may mean a written agreement. The Sullivan-Considine Circuit has had a working agreement with Loew for a year. Fox and Loew have been standing solidly against their "opposi- tion" in Greater New York. It is said that it was this "opposition" and the possibility of it growing that in- duced the "small timers" to go in with the United offices. The proposed Shubert booking agency may have had its share in the new deal. It is understood that the combine, when formed, will take over the six or seven Shubert theatres in the west that the Shuberts have been threatening to play "pop" vaudeville in. With that effected, the end of the Shubert "small time" vaudeville is in sight. C. H. Miles of Detroit, who repre- sents the Theatrical Booking Corpora- tion and has been the only support the Shuberts have been able to gather to their vaudeville scheme, was reported early in the week as expressing him- self to others (approached by the Shuberts for the same purpose) that he (Miles) Is about ready to break away from the Shubert connection. Miles is also reported to have sug- gested terms under which the inde- pendent small time circuits around New York could book together, with- out the Shubert affiliation. The terms proposed by Miles are said not to have proven satisfactory. The understanding about among those familiar with the pending nego- tiations between the United-Loew-Fox and S.-C. is that the Cunningham & Flugelman and Moss & Brill Circuits, which are the Loew-Fox "opposition," will not attempt to enter into the new booking formation. The United making a proposition to buy into these two circuits may have precipitated the new combine. The independent small time forces around New York, including Miles, have been on the jump all week. It is said the independents will make an an- nouncement within a few days of a booking combination having forty-five or more weeks for acts. The Shuberts are reported to have lost the Independent crowd, just as the deal was about to be closed, through making a demand that certain of the managers give them an option on their theatres, the option to become active at any time the vaudeville man- agers found themselves unable to carry a house. BERNARD'S B^OW PICKED. "The Three Sweethearts" is the piece selected for Sam Bernard this season. It was produced In Berlin four years ago under the title of "The Man with the Three Wives," and was not a success. The music was conceded excellent, but the book bad. It will be almost entirely rewritten by Paul Potter for Mr. Bernard. The Shuberts will produce it. OPERA, WITH NO CHORUS. Arthur Hopkins is negotiating with Leffler & Bratton for a one-act comic opera. The firm has the American rights. The piece is by Heinrich Rheinhardt, composer of "The Spring Maid." It calls for eight principals, with no chorus. Hopkins desires the piece for vaude- ville presentation. LEASES WOOD'S OFFICES. F. F. Proctor has sublet for the next three years from A. H. Woods the offices now occupied by the latter in the Putnam Building. He takes possession of them about Aug. 1, when Woods moves his executive of- fices to the Eltinge 42d Street Thea- tre. STOCK IN GREENPOINT. Disposition of the first of the Percy O. Williams' houses taken over by the B. F. Keith company was made this week when It was decided to run otock at the Qreenpoint, Brooklyn, all the year around. Qreenpoint dates in all the routes given out have been cancelled. The Qreenpoint was built by Percy G. Williams four years ago. It has never been a big money getter and was a "cut" on the Williams' time for acts. The admission prices were much lower than at the other houses, although the same shows with feTv exceptions, however, were given. The first two years the house fared better than in the past two. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. J. J. Rosenthal was formerly in the employ of Joe Weber as general man- ager of the Weber enterprises. At the present time they do not speak in pass- ing. This week two heinous crimes were committed—the shooting of Herman Rosenthal and the arrest of a man named Weber for some frightful of- fence. Commenting on the Rosenthal case, Joe Weber says: "They killed tfee wrong Rosenthal." Referring to the arrest of the Weber person, J. J. declares: "They pinched the wrong Weber." GU8 HILL'S REVIVAL. Through gaining three pounds eat- ing watermelons last week Gus Hill is striving to lose the surplus avoirdu- pois by getting out a revival of "Happy Hooligan." Mr. Hill has wished the show upon Stair & Havlin. It is two seasons since "Happy" was given a room in the storehouse. HINTON, LONDON MANAGER. George Frederic Hinton, has gone to London to assume the management of "Ready Money" for William A. Brady and H. H. Frazee. MAKING THEATRES PAY. Boston, July 17. Some of the theatrical managers have learned how to make money, even though the houses are closed for the summer season. In the lobby of the Boston theatre is a display of ladles' dresses. In the Gaiety theatre lobby a sale of rain coats is going on. P. F. SHEA VERY ILL. Springfield, Mass., July 17. P. F. Shea, the theatrical manager, is seriously ill. CHICAGO WITH ONLY THREE. Chicago, July 17. This week Chicago has but three of the better grade of theatres open, the Majestic playing vaudeville, the Grand with Cohan's "Officer 666" and the Garrlck with Mort Singer's "A Modern Eve." Last year at this time there were six houses open. The three open claim good busi- ness, although early this week the thermometer kept the majority of Chicago's population around th# beaches and summer resorts.