Variety (December 1912)

Seventh Anniversary Number 204 Pages Vol. XXIX. No. 3. NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1912. PRICE 26 CENTS. M0R0SC0 TAKING BROADWAY TO THE PACIFIC COAST Will Make His New Morosco Theatre in Los Angeles Pro- ducing Centre. Only New Pieces Presented There. "The Love Story of the Ages" Opening Dec. 30, to be Followed by "Panthea." 'Los Angeles, Dec. 18. A new epoch in local show history will be written when the new Morosco theatre (seating 1,500), opens Dec. 30, under the direction of the Morosco Producing Co., wni^h is headed by Oliver Morosco. The admission scale will reach one dollar in the orchestra. The Morosco will be the home of new plays only, the house opening with the premier production of "The Love Story of the Ages" by Paul Armstrong. That piece may run indefinitely and will then be followed by other new ones now in possession of Morosco, who is in New York attending the opening per- formance on Broadway of his star, Laar- ette Taylor in "Peg O' My Heart" at the New John Cort theatre. Mr. Morosco was located by a Vari- ry representative in the John Cort offices. The stock wizard of the Pacific Coast went into further detail as to the goal the new Morosco, Los Angeles, hoped to attain in the field of theatre productions. He is concerned head and hands in all sorts of theatrical enter- prises east and west and scouts back and forth acros the Rockies as though it was only an hour's pleasure ride. Regarding the new Los Ahgeles house he confirmed that only new productions would be staged there. For years the pet of his string has been the Burbank, where many stock successes have been brought season after season. Morosco controls five theatres in Los Angeles; Burbank, Majestic, Belasco, Lyceum and Morosco. When the last named gets going Morosco will play the Broadway successes in the Burbank where the new Paul Armstrong piece, "The Escape" is now in its eighth week. The Armstrong piece has proved so success- ful that after it has been highly polished in the Los Angeles stock house it will go to the Garrick, Chicago, some time in February. Convinced "The Escape" will do for both Chicago and New York, Morosco last week engaged Helen Ware for the principal feminine role, opening in Chicago. Miss Ware and "The Es- cape" will reach New York in September. Morosco says the new Morosco thea- tre will get nearly every minute of his time after the first of the year as he has sixteen manuscripts which look good to him for a fling at the new theatre. What pieces Morosco may be unable to bring out at his new producing home owing to the probable success of some of the others, he will play at the Bur- bank. Morosco will do all his show premieres in stock in Los Angeles. Mr. Morosco said: "The Morosco will be a short cut to Broadway." Orrin Johnson will play leads at the new house for four or eight weeks until he is sent east to open in Morosco's forthcoming "Money Moon" show, to have its premiere here in about two months. Another player engaged is Herbert Standing. The manager says he will give all new playwrights a chance, and their manuscript, if sent to him in Los Angeles later on, will receive attention. Plays of every description will be pro- duced by Morosco, who, however, does not believe that all that is necessary for a howling financial success nowadays is a play with the "sexual punch." He says that the modern play with the right tinge of pathos and humor will hold its own from coast to coast. One of his first in this respect is "Peg & My Heart." "Peg" was dramatized (Continued on page 14.) TLEPHONE PLAY FAILS. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, Dec. 16. R. Flateau presented Dec. 14 an oper- etta by Maurice Vaucaire and Tristan Bernard, author of "Little Cafe," music by Claude Terasse, entitled "Miss Alice des P. T. T.," which may be reported as a failure. It is played by Mmes. Campton, Maude Andrei, Y. Maelec, Fred Pascal, Claudius, Carlus, Paul Merin. Jackson's troupe of girls saved the situation. "P. T. T." are the initials commonly given to the French postal administra- tion: Post, Telegraph and Telephone, these three branches of the service be- ing a government monopoly. Miss Alice is a telephone girl. PHONO-OPERA IN LONDON. (Special Cable to Vabhty.) Paris, Dec. 16. Pathe Freres Phono Opera will not be sent to America for some time. Ne- gotiations which had been pending for several months are off. It will open at the Victoria Palace, London, Jan. 6, after a week at Brigh- ton. SCOTCH < *RAG** SONG. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Dec. 16. Harry Lauder has sailed, armed with a new Scottish ragtime song special- ly written for his American tour. MARCUS AND G^RTELLE, HIT. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Dec. 16. Marcus and Gartelle, comic skaters, opened at the Hippodrome today and are a success. THEATRE GROSS A FAILURE. (Special Cable to Variety.) Berlin, Dec. 16. I just heard the Theatre Gross, Ber- lin will close in a few weeks. The building is impossible. It will be remodelled and opened as a straight vaudeville house. The Wintergarten management own- ing also the Central Hotel, Br'stol Hotel and the restaurant privilege at the Zoo, had several hundred thousand marks in the Theatre Gross enterprise. It will take full charge of the new venture. "KISMET" PARISIAN SUCCESS. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, Dec. 18. The French version of Knoblaugh's "Kismet" was produced at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt Dec. 17, and did nicely. The production was made by Lucien Guitry, who acquired the rights in this country after some de- lay. Guitry himself appeared in the principal role. Arme Ohanian, Indian dancer, with four native musicians, is a feature of the company. The £iece has aroused curiosity. It received splendid presentation. The French version by Jules Le Maitre is considered fair. ••THE TIDE** INFERIOR. (Special Cable to Vaeiety.) London, Dec. 16. "The Tide," opening at the Queen's this week, is an inferior work, although the acting is excellent. WILLIAMS WALKS OUT. (Special Cable to Vaeiety.) London, Dec. 16. Bransby Williams has retired from the cast of the Hippodrome revue. Monday he threw down his part and walked out of the theatre. TO STAGE "WESTWARD HO!** (Special Cable to Vaeiety.) London, Dec. 16. Announcement is made here that Matheson Lang will shortly offer a dramatic version of Kingsley's famous novel "Westward Ho!" CHARGES INFRINGEMENT. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Dec. 16. Joseph Menchen has asked the courts for an injunction against what he de- clares is an infringement of his "Miracle" film, which is fixed for a showing at the Pavilion. MOULIN ROUGE CHANGING. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, Dec 16. The Moulin Rouge is again chang- ing its direction Dec. 31. J. Fabert is the present manager.