Variety (December 1912)

10 VA*ftWY "WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS" DARKEN S B'WA Y THEATRES Eight Houses in the Metropolis Closed Down Over Dullest Spell of Theatrical Season. Still Crying "Too Many Theatres". Belasco Provided Against It. One Manager Prepared to Turn His House Into "Fight Club". In the country numberless showless theatres have shut down for a fortnight before Christinas week. In New Yo"rk next week (week before Christmas) there will be no less than eight first class houses (six actually on Broadway and two close by) without attractions. They are the Broadway, Park, Wal- laces, Casino, (iarrick, Criterion, Gai- ety, Harris. Producers are raising the old cry of "too many theatres," declaring that before long it will be like'London— always a number of houses dark. David Belasco, a shrewd observer of conditions, as early as last spring, of- ficially announced that he would pre- sent during the current season two productions at each of his houses. He felt that with the competition of so many theatres, houses even as com- paratively small as the Republic and Belasco, would not maintain a profit- able run for over half a season. Al- ready for next season Mr. Belasco is laying plans for a possible trio of new productions at both theatres and will determine upon the advisability of such a course early in the first of the new year. Another lessee of a fair-sized thoa- ere on Broadway is awaiting the at- titude of the new state administration with regard to boxing and if it is at all favorable, declares with every semb- lance of seriousness, that he will trans- form his theatre into a fight club, giv- ing two shows a week—one at popular prices and another at rates attractive only to the more select element wTio follow the fi?tic game. GARDEN'S "FAV" SHOW. The forthcoming "fav" or popular favorite show at the Winter Garden for around Feb. 1 is being placed in prep- aration. Howard Atteridge and George Bronson-Howard are writing the book. Al Brown, newcomer to eastern terri- tory, will furnish the music. Among the principals almost cer- tain for the new production will be Al Jolson, Gaby Deslys, Willie and Eu- gene Howard, Melville Ellis. t "The Social Whirl," which contains several of the cast intended for the new Garden production, opened Mon- day at the Shubert, Boston, for two weeks. It will then play week stands at Montreal, Toronto and Buffalo, dis- banding at the latter point for the principals to rehearse for the next Gar- den revue. Boston, Dec. 11. The Gaby Deslys and Al Jolson show, \ Whirl of Society," opened at the Shubert Monday night to $2,200. It will remain here for another week. SUES AGENCY MAN. Cincinnati, Dec. 11. Wilbur M. Pollard, proprietor of the International Employment Bureau, a vaudeville booking exchange, is de- fendant in a breach of promise suit. "SCRAPE" GOING TO CLOSE. Dec. 21 will see the wind-up of "The Scrape O' the Pen" for this country. The Graham Moffatt show will stop at Brooklyn. It has been away from Weber's for two weeks, but did not draw enough to inspire confidence in its management that the road would prove fruitful. Agnes Bartholomew, who is playing the elderly mother in the piece, has had a sketch secured for an American vaudeville debut, and will try it around New York before returning to England. Walter Hast will manage the young actress, who was one of the distinct hits of the play in New York. 937,000 AT DETROIT. Detroit, Dec. 11. For the three wee(ks ending last Saturday, the Detroit Opera House (B. C. Whitney) gathered in $37,000 gross, with David Warfield, Chauncey Olcott and "Gypsy Love," playing a week at the house in the order named. HAWTREY RESUMES. William Hawtrey inaugurates another starring tour under A. G. Delamater's management at Rochester Dec. 22 in a revival of his former piece, "Dear Old Billy." Christmas week will be split between Rochester and Syracuse. Hawtrey is booked into Toronto for New Year's, where he expects to ap- pear in a new play. BAD IN KENTUCK. Owensboro, Ky., Dec. 11. A dearth of good road attractions has forced the management of the big legit house to book in a popular-priced rep show for three weeks. This is an unusual state of affairs even in the south. "SWEETEST GIRL" STAYING OUT. "The Sweetest Girl From Dixie," the former Trixie Friganza show, which opened Thanksgiving Day, is having a long route booked and will not close after a short season as reported. It is now in the middle west. Billy Edmunds is playing his old role again. Florence Gear is with the company and Leo. Mcrriman is musical director of the show. DOC BAKER?? BEN.NETT IN "STOP THIEF." Richard Bennett, after a short star- ring venture in "The Stronger Claim/' has signed with Cohan & Harris to create the role of Jack Doogan in "Stop Thief," which has its Broadway premiere at the Gaiety Christmas night. The Carlyle Moore piece i<i three acts which Cohan & Harris revived after a short road tour last season, has been whipped into shape for the past week or so by Sam Forrest. In addition to Bennett the cast in- cludes "Mary Ryan, as Nell; Elizabeth Lane (Joan Carr), Ruth Chester (Mrs. Carr), Frank Bacon (Wm. Carr), William Boyd (Arthur Willoughby, M. D.), Percy Ames (James Cluney), Louise Woods (Madge Carr), R. C. Bradley, Robert Cummings, James C. Marlowe, Thomas Findlay, Edward J. Maguire and James T. Ford in minor roles. "Stop Thief" starts out Sunday, opening Monday night in Buffalo. CHICAGO CHANGES. Chicago, Dec. 11. Mme. Simone, with Arnold Daly as her leading man, will make her first Chicago appearance at Powers' Dec. 23. Sothern and Marlowe will come to the Garrick for their annual engage- ment Jan. 16; "Little Boy Blue," at the Chicago Opera House Jan. 26, and "Everywoman," same house, Feb. 16. TRENTINI MOVING. Mme. Trentini in "The Firefly," will move from the Lyric to the Casino Dec. 30, following a week's engage- ment by Harry Lauder at that house. The next atraction at the Lyric will be Sam Bernard in "All for the Ladies." "BUNCH OP KEYS" OFF. Utica, Dec. 11. "A Bunch of Keys," which first started over the Weber pop circuit and later switched to other bookings, came to a final stop here last week. SOME CLOSINGS. Dallas, Dec. 11. The "Get-Rich-Quick-Wallingford" company, touring the south for the second time, came to grief last Sat- urday here. St. Louis, Dec. 11. "Faust" originally produced for the Weber pop time by A. C. Dorner of the Columbus (O.), Stock Company, closed somewhere in this state last week. Chicago, Dec. 11. "Pomanader Walk" playing around the middle-west, has closed its season. "Get Rich Quick Wallingford," which road rights have been secured by Alfred Aarons for a western trip, went into rehearsal this week. .It will take to the road within a few weeks. DEAN MANAGING LILLIAN. Tunis F. Dean, manager of the Bal- timore Academy of Music, will be the manager for Lillian Russell's lec- ture tour, the moving pictures for which are now being made by the Kine- macolor Company. SHOWS IN PHTLLY. Philadelphia, Dec. 11 "The Garden of Allah" opened to a crowded house at the Forrest Monday night. The dramatization of Robert Hichens' novel was received with warm approval. The newspapers de- voted much space to the production as a magnificent spectacle. "A Butterfly on the Wheel" with Madge Titheradge and Lewis Waller at the head of a splendid cast was re- ceived enthusiastically on its opening at the Adelphi. The house was well filled. The press comments were very favorable. The initial presentation in America by David Belasco of "A Good Little Devil," a fairy play by Rosemonde Gerard and Maurice Rostand with a notable Belasco cast which includes William Norris, Ernest Lawford, Ern- est Truax, Harry Stanford, Edward Connelly, Etienne Girardot, Mary Pick- ford, Wilda Bennett, Iva Merlin, Jeanne Towler, and a supporting company of forty is scheduled for tomorrow night at the Broad. "Hanky Panky" with Montgomery and Moore was well received on its return visit at the Lyric. "Eva," the music drama, is doini; only fairly at the Garrick. "The Pret- ty Little Widow" has been doing a nice business at the Chestnut Street Opera House. Notice of its being tak- en off at the end of this week was a surprise. "Ransomed" is doing light business at the Walnut. WEEK IN FRISCO. San Francisco, Dec. 11. "The Quaker Girl," at the Columbia, is drawing fairly in its second week, although business is not really big. "A Modern Eve," at the Cort, pleases the public and was the subject of ap- proval by the newspaper reviewers. Business is entirely encouraging. It starts its farewell week Dec. 16. The stock enterprise at the National is getting by nicely. NO MORE TERRITORY. Greensburg, Pa., Dec. 11. Having exhausted all its territory, "The Town Marshal," one of Lambert & Wee's road attractions, will close its season here tomorrow. MARRIED TEN WEEKS AGO. Atlantic City, Dec. 11. Billy Parker (of Dooley and Parker, at the Savoy this week) is a benedict of ten weeks, having married Ethel Walker in Philadelphia. The bride is a sister of Mrs. Wilbur Mack, better known as the charming Nella Walker (Mack and Walker). The marriage was an elopement. THE "OUTSIDE MARKET." The theatre ticket "curb" transac- tions this week reflected the approach of the holidays. About the only houses that were not listed in the offerings of Joe LeBlang were the II : npodrome, 48th Street, Eltinge, Globe and V-'sber and Fields Music Hall. For the first time tH i -~».it -a the George M. Cohan theatn \ s were obtainable. The Playhouse ^ is listed also for the first time. Prices ruled at 75 «ei»»s r.-. $1.25.