Variety (September 1912)

VARIETY PHILADELPHIA FRANCHISES FROM S ULLIVA N-CONSIDINE Western Circuit Agrees to Supply NIxon-Nlrdlinger Vaudeville Houses in Philadelphia With Its Road Shows. Exclusive Booking Agreement Made. S-C Flying Independent Flag While John W. Considine and Fred T. Lincoln, general manager of the Sullivan-Considine Circuit, were in New York Tuesday, it was well report- ed that during the day, the heads of the Circuit (including Chris O. Brown, the general booking manager) had passed over Sullivan-Considine fran- chises for vaudeville bookings to Fred Nixon-Nirdlinger of Philadelphia. The franchises cover the People's and Nixon theatres in Quakertown, and give the exclusive booking privi- lege for those houses to the S-C New York office, of which Mr. Brown is in charge. The passing of the franchises which brings the Sullivan-Considine Circuit into the east, for the first time since it operated the Family theatre on 125th street, New York, some years ago, was accepted as an indication of the stand the S-C people have taken upon their relations to the vaudeville world, and the United Booking Offices in particular. The Philadelphia transaction was al- so looked upon by the variety students around 42d street as equally indica- tive of the strong understanding that must exist ^between Sullivan-Considine and the Loew Circuit.^ They will shortly book from one office in the new quarters in the Heidelberg build- ing. Under the territorial agreement between S-C and Loew, the former had to obtain the consent of the latter to book in the east, before issuing the Nirdlinger permits. The Philadelphia franchises become operative in aJ)out three weeks. All the Sullivan-Considine Road Shows will play the Nirdlinger houses before jumping to Cincinnati to make the re- mainder of the S-C chain from there. The United Booking Offices is re- ported as greatly troubled over the S-C-Loew connection. It is even said to be worrying the United's heads in no light manner. A report has been around that some of the managers in the United Book- ing Offices who have but a single the- atre to look after have stated that should the S-C-Locw booking office develop as seems likely, they may change their allegiance from the United to the combined agency. Reports have been about for two or three weeks past that the Sullivan- Considine New York office would fur- nish the Nixon-Nirdlinger theatres with acts, but it had not been definitely decided upon, according to the ru- mors, that S-C would ' grant fran- chises, a proceeding that makes the Philadelphia theatres a part of the Sullivan-Considine Circuit, as far as 'he bookings are concerned, and means tl -\t Sullivan-Considine are flying, even flaunting, the flag of independ- ence. Mt'srs. Considine and Lincoln left for the west this week, Mr. Lincoln going as far as Chicago. No business is said to have brought Mr. Considine east excepting to keep Senator Tim- othy D. Sullivan, his partner, com- pany. The Philadelphia transaction just happened to mature while Mr. Considine was in town. The Loew Circuit programs are be- ing closely looked over, in view of the rumor Loew will increase the cost of his shows upon the B. F. Keith houses attempting to compete with the "small timers" through reducing prices. A reduction occurred this week at the Bushwick, Brooklyn, the "big time" vaudeville theatre of that section, and one of the Percy Williams group Keith purchased. Admissions to the upper portions of the Bushwick were brought down to ten and fifteen cents last Monday, upon the opening of the house for the season. ORCHESTRA GOING BACK. The last New York vaudeville house to replace the orchestra will be Ham- merstein's. Monday next George May will ¥ again conduct his musicians, who will be one minus their former membership, the second violin having been dropped out. The Fifth Avenue installed musi- cians Monday of this week, with Warde Johnston again in the lead. The B. F. Keith theatres opening Monday also had orchestras. OFFICES IN THE PAIiACE. The United Booking office expects to move its entire office staff into the new Palace theatre building, now building, between 46th and 47th streets on Broadway, early in the spring. The building is rapidly near- ing completion. The offices will all be on the Broad- way side. Notwithstanding the many reports and rumors over the disposition of the Palace, upon its completion, there still remains a well grounded belief that B. F. Keith intends to play vaude- ville under his own name in Times Square. Such obstacles as may be in the way of Keith doing that will be duly taken care of. it is said. The Palace will not be in running order before Nov. 15. if by that time. TALBOT'S CHICAGO HIP. Frank L. Talbot and Mark L. Stone, of Talbot's Hippodrome, St. Louis, are in town making arrangements for the new hippodrome to be erected in Chi- cago, the property for whicih was pur- chased by the Marchall Field estate for $1,700,000 and leased to the St. Louis managers for 198 years. The new site is located on State street, with a frontage of 180 feet, and running back to Lake, a distance of 168 feet. IiASKY AFTER DAMAGES. Through his attorney, Leon Laski, Jesse L. La sky has started an action against Minerva Coverdale and George White, to recover $1,500 for an al- leged breach of contract. The act known as Coverdale and White entered into an agreement with Cohan & Harris tq appear in "The Red Widow." This was in violation of the contract held between the couple and himself, alleges Lasky. August Dreyer appears for, the act. It is said there are some elements : n connection with the suit which may bring about an adjustment before trial is reached. One of the defenses may be that Miss Coverdale was a minor at the time of signing the Lasky agree- ment LBASBS RICHMAN SKETCH. Charles Deland has leased from Charles Richman the sketch "The Fire Escape," formerly used by Rich- man in vaudeville, and will have the same supporting company employed by its previous star. SPOKANE AMERICA/* DARK. Spokane, Sept. 4. The future of the American, the newest and best looking house here, is unsettled. The house has met with only indifferent success since opening in December, 1910. Different stock organizations, with a musical com- pany or two, sandwiched in have been tried. The house may remain dark all winter. GIRLS' COURT OF JUSTICE. "Court by Girls" is the title of a vaudeville comedy skit written by Thos. J. Gray. It will be produced by Max Witt. Twelve, people will be in the act. The setting will be a court room, with nearly all females as at- tendants, jury, counsel and judge. GOETT, L-B'S MANAGER. Since Clay Lambert severed his con- nections with the Leffler-Bratton Co., George Goett's name has gone up on the office doors as manager of the L.-B. firm. Goett has been personally managing the tour of "The Merry Go Round- ers »» COLONIAL TIED UP. Vaudeville managers in the Times Square district say the report of B. F. Keith being willing to lease the former Percy G. Williams Colonial theatre did not sound good to them. That house, or any other of the "Williams houses" cannot be disposed of, it is said, without the consent of Mr. Williams, who holds a bonded mortgage upon all of the properties he transferred to Keith. The mortgage is for $3,750,000, with yearly Install- ments of $350,000, besides interest on the bonds. $1,250,000 was paid Mr. Williams when the properties passed. The managers who profess to know claim Mr. Williams tied up all of his houses as far as possible, to prevent depreciation in value by the Keith management. No house booked by the United Booking Offices (Keith) can play a "small time" bill ove .-> ^c-rtain limit in the same territory a\> a "Will- iams theatre," nor can the Keith peo- ple change the policy of a "Williams house" without the consent of "P.G." The mortgage bonds bear five per cent, interest, making a total yearly payment of interest of about $175,000. Xhis with the $350,000 worth of bonds that must be taken up returns to Will- iams each year around the amount of income the Williams Circuit gave him when on its highest era of prosperity. All of the vaudeville people seem to think Mr. Williams made an excellent bargain in every way, for himself. FRED BORMANN DEAD. San Francisco, Sept. 4. Fred Bormann, pioneer manager of vaudeville in the old variety days, was found dead Sunday in his humble room in a cheap lodging house. He made a fortune in "The Foun- tain," a famous resort of thirty-five years ago, and many prominent stars of the stage worked for him in the va- riety turns. In the excitement of the Comstock days he gambled in stocks and lost his fortune. He was never able to recoup his losses, and spent the last years of his life working as a janitor. ODETTE TYLER DEBUTTING. Odette Tyler will make her New York debut in a new sketch at the Fifth Avenue Sept. 23. She will have Billy Williams and Gideon Dame in her support. ETHEL WHITESIDE. IN VAUDEVILLE. BE88IE BROWNING. Bessie Browning has been in the past connected with several well-known musical comedies, her last appearance being with "The Land of Nod." in which she played The Chorus Girl, the part originally taken by Carrie De- Mar. More recently she has l»een doing a "single act" of exclusive songs and imitations over the Orphetnn and Western vaudeville circuits. All her songs are her own property, having been written by herself, for restricted use. Miss Browning is about t.. make her appearance in the east shortly with a brand new act. in whuli ability and costuming will both ; ■! ay prominent parts in a bid for th< higgest time. Miss I'rowninu known as "The Vivacity Girl." is pictured on Variktt's front page.