Variety (December 1912)

18 VARIITT EMPIRE DIRECTORS WEIGH QUESTION OF "CO OCH" DANCES Annual Meeting Hears Argument of Governing Body for Elimination of the Wrigglers as Special Attraction. OBITUARY Mrs. Mary J. McMahan, mother of I. W. McMahan (McMahan and Jack- son), died at Aurora, Ind., aged 82. The Empire Circuit Governing Body this week entered a denial of the pub- lished statement its members contem- plated resigning unless a "cooch" dan- cer discontinued at one of the houses of the circuit. It appeared that the viola- tion of contract terms had happened at the Standard, St. Louis, and not at the Buckingham. Louisville, as was stated. While the Governors insisted that these inaccuracies in the published re- port be corrected, it was evident that the matter of wiggly dancers as added attractions was a live subject. I. Herk, the third member of the Body, came to New York to complete the trio (Bar- ney Gerard and £. D. Miner, the other two members being located here) in or- der that they might take up the matter at the annual meeting of the Empire's board of directors which has been in session at the Imperial Hotel most of the week. The Governing body appeared before the directors Wednesday afternoon and the entire situation was canvassed. The censors made it plain that if they were to be responsible for the effectiveness of their acts, they must be given au- thority to force the discontinuance of these dancers. The action of the Di- rectors will be known only after the adjournment of the annual meeting, which will take place probably tomor- row. The Governing Body has taken the position that the appearance of "cooch" dancers in the houses of the circuit is a violation of the terms under which the franchises are issued. The affair which gave rise to the er- roneous report that they had prepared their resignations and would give them to the Directors, occurred at the Stand- ard, St. Louis, when Jacobs, Lowrie & Butler's "Cherry Blossoms" was the at- traction there. The St. Louis Standard and the "Cherry Blossoms" are both the prop- erty of President Butler's firm. There is still some question as to whether the dancer who appeared was in fact to be classified as a "cooch" dancer. The firm contends that the attraction would probably be classified as a "novelty dancer." Another instance of alleged violation occurs in the case of "The Rosebuds," operated by several Empire Circuit offi- cials. Roth matters were taken up be- fore the Directors Wednesday. The report of the threatened resig- nation of the Governing Body may have originated from the fact that that body is now preparing a report for the directors of their custodianship of the Empire theatre, l'hialdelphia. Under the original agreement, the Governing Body took over the management of that house for a period starting at the opening of the season and ending with the first of the year. At that time the house will revert to the control of the Directors and the Governing Body will make accounting and report on their methods in seeking the betterment of the property. No information was to be had of the deliberations of the Board of Directors, beyond the statement that the usual run of business bearing on the spring tour was under consideration. JAKE DENNY EXAMINED. Jake Denny, widely known among vaudeville and burlesque people, for a long time a manager for Hyde & Beh- man, was taken to the hospital for ex- amination as to his sanity Wednesday afternoon. He was last manager of the Gayety theatre (Eastern Wheel) in Brooklyn. His unusual actions caused his friends to have him placed in custody tempor- arily. EASTERN DECLARES DIVIDENDS. The directors of the Columbia Amusement Co., and of its various sub- sidiary corporations, have held their first meeting to declare dividends for the current theatrical year. The profits for the first three months were sub- mitted to the directors and dividends amounting to about 10 per cent, were declared. One of the properties show- ed a net profit of 25 per cent. The offi- cials of the Columbia would not say which this property was. BURLESQUE MOVES ON COAST. San Francisco, Dec. 11. The present stock burlesque organi- zation at the American moves at the end of the week, going to Fresno to succeed the Elite Musical Comedy Co., which closes at Teals'. Ed Armstrong is organizing a new company to take its place in San Fran- cisco. Willie Hoppe, a local light- weight pugilist, is this week's added attraction at the American. It is reported officially that Arm- strong will put a third company to- gether for a tour of the Coast. MARRIED ON THE STAGE. Minneapolis, Dec. 11. Clyde J. Bates, of the "Whirl of Mirth" burlesque troupe, and Lillie Waine of the "Miss New York, Jr," burlcsqucrs, were married here on the Gayety stage Nov. 30 by Rev. G. L. Morrill. OPERATED ON FOR APPENDICITIS Chicago, Dec. 11. Olivette Tre-Mayne of the "Merry Whirl" company (Eastern Wheel) was rushed to the American hospital here immediately on the arrival of the com- pany from Omaha last week where she was operated upon for appendicitis. Her condition is critical. Neil Litchfield, aged 57 years, after a nervous breakdown five months ago, died at his home in Newark, N. J., Dec. 7. Litchfield prior to his death had been doing Lyceum work, but is best remembered for his acting in "Down at Brook Farm," then assisted by Stella Litchfield. For six years he and his wife and daughter were known as the Litchfield trio. The body was buried at Turin, N. Y. Robert Fulford, husband of the late Annie Pixley, died suddenly last w%ek at Germantown, Pa., of heart trouble. Fulford, a Londoner, first toured this country with Miss Pixley and later married her. When she died he in- herited her big fortune. Fulford had been in poor health for many years. His brother-in-lay, Starr Pixley, is managing the tour of Bernard Daly, while another brother by marriage, Gus Pixley, is running a picture show in Los Angeles. The mother of Alexander Pantages died Dec. 5. The vaudeville manager has left with the body ior Lancaster, O. Interment will be made in that place. Billy Meehan's sister, Mrs. John J. Collich, aged 25 years, died Dec. 7 at her home in New York. Michael J. Jordan, a member of Wal- ker Whiteside's "The Typhoon" died re- cently at Lewiston, Idaho, from heart dis- ease. He was a tragedian of note and had been a member of many big casts. He was a member of the New York Elks Lodge. His wife, Carina Jordan, actress and playrightt, died in 1903. Mrs. Rose Snyder, mother of Eddie Lawrence (Lawrence and Harrington), died Nov. 21 in New York, of heart trouble. LOOKING FOR IDA LEAVITT. Abe Leavitt is looking high and low for his niece, Ida Morris Leavitt, last heard of in the profession in Seattle. Any information as to her where- about should be sent to Mr. Leavitt, 120 Willoughby street, Brooklyn. STARRING WATSON SISTERS. Max Spiegel has contracted with the Watson Sisters (Kitty and Fanny) for a term of years to play under his man- agement at the head of a burlesque or- ganization over the Eastern Wheel. The Watson girls will finish out the current tour with "Th e Behman Show," in which they are featured. He has had a piece written under the title of "Morocco Bound," which will serve as the vehicle for the Sisters. Lucy Kwitschaff has been engaged for the "Newlyweds" through the Betts-Fowler agency. MOVING UP A CLASS. The next show slated for graduation from the second class to first class of the Western Wheel Burlesque attrac- tions is Counihan & Shannon's "Queens of the Folies Bergere." Miner's "Bohemians'" has also been judged good enough for the first class division. WITH THE PRESS AGENTS. "The Merry Countess" closes Its New York engagement at the Caalno tomorrow night It plays the Weat End Chrlatmaa week. May Buckley, Elsie Herbert, Frank Sherl dan, Barle Browne, Frederick Burton, John Stokes, Mrs. R. B. French, Joeephlne Morse, and the Tobln children have been engaged for the Edward Milton Royle piece, "The Unwrit- ten Law" which Harry H. Frasee product* about Jan. 1. A professional matinee of "Hamlet" was given by John Kellerd and company at tbe Garden theatre Monday. Dave Montgomery and Fred Stone were dined at tbe Astor Hotel last Sunday night by tbe Friars' Club. Among the features at the Panama Expo- sition In San Francisco when it opens will be "Tbe Whip." now playing at the Manhattan Opera House. The fair commissioners have arranged with Messrs. Comstock 4k Oest and William A. Brady to have the big show trans- ferred to the coast at the close of Its run here. "Eva." with Sallle Fisher, the new Klaw A Erlanger production, is announced for a Broadway premiere early In January. The Bhow is now In Philadelphia. C. Haddon Chambers, who wrote "Passers By," arrived from Europe Monday. "Cheer Up," the new farce comedy (for- merly called "Quack") by Mrs. Mary Rob- erts Rlnebart, will be played at the Har- ris Dec. SO by Walter Hampden, Sedley Brown, Frances Nordstrom, Lotta, Llnth- leum and Sybllla Pope. Henry W. Savage la organising a company to present a series of Irish-American plays, the flr*t nlayers engaged being Tim Murphy, Gertrude Qulnlan, Charles Erin Verner and Robert Cain. Theodore Kosloff, the Russian dancer, ar- rived In New York Monday for one week, then returning to London. Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree reached New York Monday, his first visit here in sixteen years. He will remain here until Deo. 16. Some of the theatres, the New Amsterdam, Liberty, Knickerbocker, Gaiety, Moulin Rouge and George M. Cohan theatres for Instance, will not give a Christmas Day matinee, holding It on another day of the Xmas week Instead. William Collier's stay at the Forty-elgbtb Street theatre has been extended until Feb. 15. The new John Cort theatre opens Dec. 20, when Laurette Taylor makes her debut as a New York star under Oliver Morosco's di- rection. Una Abarbanell In "Miss Princess" opens at the Park Dec. 23. Ben. Hendricks and Isabel Francis have returned to the "Miss Princess" show. A new second act has been written for the Broadway opening. Trentlnl and Oliver Harrold will give a concert Sunday evening, Dec. 20, at the New York Hippodrome, under the direction of Oscar and Arthur Hammerstein. "The Light." a new four-act society-drama which the Marquis of Queensbury wrote and placed with Paul Scott, has been accepted for production by the Schuberlng A Lamb Co. It will be presented by an all-English company. Tbe Marquis will accompany the show for a time to see that everything goes right A benefit was given In the Century theatre on the afternoon of Dec. 6 under the aus- pices of the Woman's Titanic Memorial Com- mittee ; $10,000 was realised. Daniel Frohman had the program in charge. Robert Drouet, on tour In "The Search- light." has been engaged to play the leading role In "His Wife By His Side," by Mrs. Ethelyn Emery Kenya, which the National Federation of Theatre Clubs produces Dee. 80. "The Affairs of Anatol," with John Barry- more, quits the Little Theatre Dec. 14, going to Chicago for a run at the Fine Arts the- tre. Marguerite Clark, of the present com- pany, remains here to play In the matinees of "Snow White." "Rutherford and Son," a new play, with Norman McKlnnel, Edyth Olive, Agnes Thomas and Thyraa Norman, will follow "The Little Affairs of Anatol." which opens at the Little Dec. 28. David Belasco has announced that hla con- tract with Blanche Bates, who married George Creel of Denver Thanksgiving Day, had been cancelled by mutual consent. Max R. Wllmer is suing Max Gabel and Benjamin Emanuel, proprietors of Gabel's Comedy theatre (Norfolk street), for pre- senting an unauthorized version of "Within the Law" In Yiddish at their theatre. The American Play Co. controls the play, and having given Wllmer the right to produce It In Yiddish at Kessler's theatre. FRIARS SEE ROBIE. Members of the Friars had a theatre party at the Columbia Thursday eve- ning, as a compliment to Louis Robie, whose "Knickerbockers" are playing there this week.