Variety (December 1912)

18 VARIETY EMPIRE GOVERNORS THREATEN TO RESIGN OVER "COOCH" DANCE Refusal of Western Wheel Franchise Holder in St. Louis to Obey Mandate to "Clean Up" and Eliminate Suggestive "Wriggler" Forces Qoverning Body To Determined Action. The employment of a cooch dancer at the Buckingham theatre. Louisville, by the Whallen Brothers, started a dis- turbance in the Empire Circuit that has not yet subsided and which may result in the resignation of the Governing Body. The Whallens had been notified that all suggestive matter must be elimi- nated from the Wheel houses. The notification was sent to the southern managers together with the managers of houses and shows throughout the entire Wheel. The Governing Body has been particularly insistent upon the cleaning up of the Wheel attrac- tions since the trouble in Toronto. They even went so far as to enforce the elimination of all chorus girl display from the Minneapolis and St. Paul houses. This week "The Cherry Blossoms" is the attraction at the Buckingham. Show and theatre belong to the Whal- lens. They decided to put in a dancer as added attraction. The Governing Body ruled against this procedure, but the Louisville managers stood by their determination. Tuesday the Governing Body had their resignations al written and sing- ed and weer prepared to deliver them to the Board of Directors unless the Whallens immediately withdrew their dancer. The Buckingham has not been doing the best business lately. The peace of mind of ith owners has not been par- ticularly nourished by the fact that they have frequently been called upon to make good a deficiency to visiting companies of the $1,400 guarantee given to shows which have passed the censors and been classed as "A." Another matter which has not con- tributed to the gaiety of the Whallens is the failure of the reciprocity deal by which the Eastern Wheel retired from Louisville and the Western from Indianapolis. The rearrangement would have worked to the profit of the Whal- lens, but might have entailed their tak- ing over the lease of the Eastern Wheel stand in Louisville. It was rumored the Buckingham managers were un- willing to accept this requirement of the exchange, and their attitude in this regard had not a little to do with the failure of the scheme to go through. TORONTO'S WAVE STILL ON. Toronto, Dec. 4. F. W. Stair, owner of the Star thea- tre (Western Burlesque Whel), was held in $200 bail on a charge of ex- posing an indecent picture before the theatre. Stair declared in the magis- trate's court that the picture was cov- ered until some curious person took the covering off. Rev. R. B. St. Clair, who was con- victed of circulating indecent literature during his crusade agains'. the Stat, was a spectator during the preliminary hearing. The police officials attending the performance at the Star during the week the picture was exposed, testified that there was nothing objectionable in the entertainment. GEORGE MURPHY AT LIBERTY. Recovering from his severe injuries of a few weeks ago, George Murphy, the German comedian, found himself at liberty. Under contract with LeflFler & Bratton for "The Merry Go Round- ers," Mr. Murphy's brother, Dan, dep- utized for him immediately after the auto accident. Dan remains with the show until Saturday night, when Snitz Moore steps into George Murphy's former role, which he created when the 'Rounders" was known as "Let George Do It." Mr. Murphy (George) may take to vaudeville for a spell. While able to be about, he has not yet wholly re- covered his strength. Mr. Murphy had a very narrow escape. After colliding with a truck on the Merrick road, Long Island, it was found necessary to take forty stitches in George's anatomy. He suffered a peculiar and very painful injury, but showed remarkable recu- perative powers. Mr. Murphy is threatening to sue the owners of "The Merry Go Rounders" unless he is returned to the cast. "BLUTCH'S" GUESTS. Thanksgiving morning "Blutch" Coo- per, playing at the Columbia, notified Mrs. Cooper to arrange for a special- ly elaborate holiday dinner, declaring that he had invited a fashionable par- ty to dinner. Mrs. Cooper spread herself for the meal and at 6 o'clock had perfected arrangements to entertain anybody of the most exclusive class. Then "Blutch" came home with his fashion- ables. The guest of honor was Bat- tling Nelson, who had just come from his argument with Leach Cross, in the afternoon. Both his eyes were closed and his mouth opened sideways, but otherwise he was the picture of Harry Lchr. OFFER "YIDDISH" THEATRE. The Kessler theatre, Second avenue and Fifth street, playing Yiddish stock is being offered to the managers of other styles of entertainment. It wis tendered to the Columbia Amusement Co. and declined on the ground that the franchise of the Olym- pic covered all the territory south of 14th street FANNIE VEDDER WEDS, REPORT. Los Angeles, Dec. 4. A report is in circulation that Fan- nie Vedder, of the "Columbia Bur- lesquers" and Jim Flynn, the heavy- weight pugilist, are married. Accord- ing to the circumstantial stories afloat the couple were married in Hoboken, Flynn's home, Oct. 12. BURLESQUE WEST. Detroit, Dec. 4. Hugh W. Shutt, manager of the Folly here, has just announced that he is at work on a scheme to organize a burlesque circuit to play the smaller towns in the middle west. Shutt says he is negotiating for half a dozen houses in neighboring states. He de- clares that the experiment of playing burlesques at the Majestic, Indiana- polis, has proven successful. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE FOR EUSON. Chicago, Dec. 4. It has come to light that Sid J. Euson, one-time partner of Sam T. Jack in the burlesque house that oc- cupied the site of the present Boston store, and later manager of the Sid J» Euson burlesque house on the North Side, has retired from the show busi- ness and is now a prosperous Chris- tian Science practitioner. He has offices on State street, and has been instrumental in interesting many theatrical people in his method of healing. ROW OVER TAXI FARE. St. Louis, Dec. 4. Tom Kane and George Stone, come- dians of "The Social Maids" (East- ern Burlesque Wheel) did not leave St. Louis Saturday night with the rest of the troupe. They were detained under arrest, held on a charge of disorder'y conduct preferred by the driver of a taxi cab. The chauffeur declared the two men hailed his cab and drove to the Regent Hotel. They refused to pay the fare of 80 cents and a discus- sion started. Blows were struck, and, according to the taxi driver, o e of his tires ex- ploded, having been knifed by Kane The case was put over for a later hear- ing. Kane is in the City Hospital suf- fering from scalp wounds. STANDING *EM UP. Philadelphia, Dec. 4. The burlesque houses did very well last week (Thanksgiving). W. B. Wat- son's "Beef Trust" hung up a record at the Empire that will probably not be broken unless Watson does it him- self. Thursday and Saturday nights several rows of chairs were placed on the stage and sold at $1 each. Thurs- day night the Empire held more people than at any time in its history. Dave Marion was at the Gayety and did a great week, playing to capacity several times and turning them away Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Mar- ion.declined to allow patrons to occupy seats on the stage and lost several hundred dollars. He has the best week of the season so far at the Gayety. "The Lady Buccaneers" at the Troca- dero was sandwiched between Watson and Marion and suffered, but did good business. "The Midnight Maidens" at the Casino did light business. OBITUARY Jesse B. Fulton died this week in Phoenix, Ariz., of typhoid pneumonia, after a long illness. He was a mem- ber of the Boston Opera Co. and sang tenor roles in the standard light operas. He later went upon the dra- matic stage and played with Neil Bur- gess. William Cummins, stage manager of the Colonial theatre, Erie, Pa., died this week. Richard Albert Saalfield, who star- tled the music publishers of New York by selling all popular music at 10c. twenty years ago and rapidly acquired a fortune in the business, died in St. Luke's hospital Tuesday at the age of 55 years. Saalfield retired from the music business ten years ago, return- ing to England. He came back a few months ago. Mary DcMar died Saturday in a pri- vate sanitarium, aged 63, following a series of strokes of apoplexy. She had been an invalid for some time. Her maiden name was Stanton and she was a sister of ex-Judge Stanton. Mrs. DeMar left three daughters—Carrie, Florrie and Stella, all whom have been on the stage. Carrie is the wife of Joseph Hart, Stella is married to a Phil- adelphia business man, and Florrie is the wife of Glenn White. Mrs. DeMar has been laid away to rest at Calvary. The obituary roll of the New York Protective Union No. 1 (LA. T. S. E.) has added several names in the last three months. R. J. Moyer, aged 55 years, in addition to being a Ger- man comedian, was a union stage hand. He was on a New Haven train, and in trying to catch his hat approaching the New Rochelle station, lost his bal- ance and was thrown. Arthur Kimberly ("The Count"), a stage hand, in and out for the business for the past two years, died Sept. 17 in the Bellevue hospital. He was about 60 years old. Harry Reeves, aged about 50 years, a stage employe with Van's Minstrels, died suddenly Oct. 17. Thomas Carmody, about 35 years old, master mechanic with "A Romance of the Underworld," died Nov. 2 in San Francisco. His body was brought to New York for burial Nov. 9. Death was due to pneumonia. Carmody is survived by a widow. John Gallagher, about 65 years old. formerly with the Henry Irving show, a stage carpenter, who has been in poor health for a long time, died Nov. 5, from a complication of diseases. Gal- lagher was a brother of Len Gallagher. William Faversham's manager, John Gallagher, stage carpenter, Empire theatre, New York, and George Galla- gher, with the stage fores of "The Spring Maid" company. John Gorman, Sr., aged 66, years father of Jack Gorman, the writer, died in New York V v. 21 of Bright's dis- ease, the T f r being interred in Boston.