Variety (December 1912)

VARIETY AMERICANS BOOKED ABROAD REPORTE D IN LAR OE NUMBER Several Agents on Either Side of the Water Active in Placing the American Vaudeville Product in Europe. Many Other Contracts Rumored as Closed or in Negotiation Several American acts have been re- ported this week as booked abroad through American, English and inter- national agents. Any number of oth- ers are rumored as having confirmed contracts or their representatives are in process of negotiating for their ap- pearance on the other side. Various reasons arise to prevent the news of foreign engagements being given pub- licity just now. The international agency booking is H. B. Marinelli. Leo Maase, the New York manager for the agency, has been quite active this season in sending suc- cessful American acts across the ocean where they have duplicated the hits made by them at home. Among those the Marinelli office is now sending are John and Mae Burke, opening in Glas- gow Jan. 20. Sumiko sailed Nov. 18 to start a foreign tour at the Wintcrgar- tcn, Berlin, Jan. 1. The Bellboy Trio are also leaving to play abroad under the Marinelli direction. Max Hart has booked English openings through Er- nest Edelsten, the London agent, for Correlli and Gillette, Texas Tommy Dancers and Gordon Eldrid and Co. Eddie Keller has booked half a doz- en acts for Europe—all opening in the spring for five or more weeks. They are Van and Schenck, Chick Sales, Harvey-De Vora Trio, Kimber- ley and Mohr, Hoey and Lee, Norton and Lee. Madge Maitland has been booked for four weeks in England by the Harry Burns Agency of London. Miss Maitland will open early in March at New Castle. Manny and Roberts have been en- gaged for the London Alhambra. 'The Waltz Dream," put out by Tom Terris for this side, has been placed through Will Collins for the Coliseum, London, in June. JOSH DALY'S PHONY ROLL. William Josh Daly, who gave Broad- way the go-by some weeks ago, has been heard from in the far west. The Port- land, Ore., papers carried quite a long story about Josh being held up one night after leaving the theatre. The story goes that the robber got $5 jf real money and a roll of stage greens that looked like the foundation of Van- ilerbilt's fortune. Daly got some good advertising out of the holdup. LUCKEY SET FREE. Boston, Dec. 26 Charles Luckey, a canvasman. with Barnum & Bailey's circus, was convicted Dec. 20 XDfCNthe charge of manslaughter, in having killed Henry Day, a boy, by >triking him on the head with a bottle last June, the day that the circus was leaving town. After the verdict had been returned, l.imes J. Gaughan. a convict at the Con- cord Reformatory, confessed to Father Walsh, the priest at the reformatory, and to Superintendent Baker, that he, and not Luckey was responsible for the fatal blow. The confession was written and signed and then sent to the Suffolk County court hause, and placed in the hands of Assist- ant District Attorney Thomas A. La- velle, who set the legal machinery to work. The case against Luckey was not pressed and he was set free. BAR WATCHERS. A general order has been issued by the B. F. Keith offices, notifying all acts playing that time in New York they must not stand in the stage en- trances during the playing of other acts. The rule is laid down that an act may occupy an entrance only during the playing of the act immediately pre- ceding it on the program. One or two acts which build up their turns by bur- lesquing others on the bill, are ex- empt from the ruling. JOE SCHENCK GOING AWAY. A trip of two or three months in Europe will be started by Joe Schenck, the general booker for the Loew Cir- cuit, some time next month. Mr. Schenck is going over for pleas- ure, although he may look over the foreign field in the interest of his cir- cuit. About Jan. 20 is the date decided upon at present for sailing. While the chief is away Jule Delmar and Jack Goldberg will look after the booking sheets for the time. TEN YEARS AT $10,000. A long time contract between M. Witmark & Son and Ernest Ball has been lately made. Mr. Ball is the bal- lad writer. He has been with the Wit- mark firm for some time, and is now headlining in vaudeville with his wife, Maude Lambert. The renewal agreement with the firm calls for Mr. Ball's services to it for the next ten years, at a guarantee his annual royalty shall not be less than $10,000. PICKING CIRCUS FEATURES. Charles Corey, general manager for the Wallace-Hagenbeck circus, is ex- pected in New York within a few days He has reserved rooms at the Hotel Knickerbocker. During his stay in New York Mr. Corey will select the acts for the forth- coming tour of the Peru. Tnd.. aggrega- tion. EPIDEMIC IN LOWELL. Lowell, Mass., Dec. 26. An epidemic of scarlet fever is giving the theatres and schools much alarm. Two hundred and seventy cases have been reported. Unless there are siun^ of an abtement. schools and play- houses will be closed. BERNHARDT'S HARD TASK. Chicago, Dec. 26. Sarah Bernhardt was temporarily dis- abled while in Chicago, and it was feared she would not be able to con- tinue her sensational vaudeville tour. Apologies were made at two perform- ances at the Majestic on account of her conditions. During her stay here the Divine was surrounded by physicians and attend- ants, and every precaution was taken to safeguard her against colds, discomforts and annoyances, but even so, she seem- ed to be much fatigued toward the end of the week, and was in grave danger of being compelled to resign from a task that is considered astounding at her age.. Promoters and managers who are under heavy expense in this tour were much concerned over the apparent breakdown of the actress, and several hurried conferences were held when her health began to show signs of deterior- ating. SOFT FOR PERCY G. While the purchasers of his New York theatres are trying to run them, Percy G. Williams, who has been look- ing at the world through rose-colored glasses since last June, will go to Flor- ida with his family shortly after New Year's. FORD SISTERS IN SHOW. The Ford Sisters (Mabel and Dora) joined the Sam Bernard show in De- troit Monday night as a strengthener for the New York premiere which oc- curs next week. S-C-LOEW BOOKINGS. Big time vaudeville acts entered on the books of the Sullivan-Considine- Loew Circuit joint agency this week were Jimmy Britt, Josephine Davis, Harlan E. Knight and Co., and Stepp, Allman and King. All of the acts are first opening on the Loew Circuit in or around New York. ORPHEUM IN DAVENPORT. Davenport, la., Dec. 26. Confirmation of the report the Or- phcum Circuit would place Davenport in its link has been received direct from New York. The local Orpheum is to be estab- lished at the Grand Opera House un- der D. L. Hughes' management, open ing around Jan. 5. KEITH CHANGES MANAGERS. Ralph Edmunds is no longer mana- ger of the Colonial. B. F. Keith se- lected Sam Taubcr to replace him. Tt is Mr. Tauber's first managerial job. Mr. Edmunds has accepted the post of manager for the proposed National Grand Opera Co., the prospective plans of which were published in Variety soma weeks ago. An actor met Tau- bcr Tuesday in the Putnam building and greeted him with: "Hello, are you up there yet?" GOING INTO POP. Chelsea, Mass., Dec. 26. Ty Gordon's theatre, formerly de- voted to stock, has been added to the string of the Shecdy office in New York. The house goes into pop vaudeville the first of the year. MOUNTFORD SUES MALEVINSKY. Guy T. Murray, attorney at 67 Wall street, this week served on M. L. Male- vinsky (O'Brien & Malevinsky, coun- sel for the White Rats Actors' I'nion) the moving papers in an action for $100,000 damages, alleging libel. Harry Mountford is plaintiff. The suit grows out of the publication in the White Rats' "official organ" of an article charging that Mountford went to the recent annual convention of the Ameri- can Federation of Labor in the inter- ests of the United Booking Offices. In addition to the libel action, Law- yer Murray has caused to be issued a summons directing Mr. Malevinsky to appear in the West Side police court in 53d street Friday morning, Dec. 27, to answer to a charge of intimidation and coercion. This latter proceeding is an outcome of Lawyer Murray's action in serving the complaint in the Mountford suit upon Mr. Malevinsky a few days ago. The complaint in the libel action sets forth the entire history of the trouble between Harry Mountford and the W. R. A. U., leading to his retirement from that body and to his avtivities in Rochester when the dispute be- tween alleged insurgents and the Rats was carried up to the A. F. of L. Ex- ecutive Council. LENOX CHANGING POLICY. The Lenox, recently opened at 111th street and Lenox avenue as a "pop" vaudeville theatre, has announced a change of policy. The booking of vau- deville attractions by the M. R. Shecdy office will continue for several weeks, but about the middle of January the house will be turned over to Yiddisher dramatic stock. The particular section of Harlem in which the Lenox is located holds a number of pop vaudeville theatres. The new house has felt the effect of the competition in the neighborhood. BALKED ON ACROBATS. The Duttons, the "carrying act," which has been a circus feature for some seasons, was not an item on the bill at the Hippodrome benefit bill Sun- day night, although the act offered its services. There were several grand opera sing- ers on the program, and when the management made it known that it was proposed to give the entertainment variety through the appearance of the circus number they objected, on the score that it would interfere with its artistic class. The songbirds had their way, and the circus act bowed out. CANADIAN KINEMACOLOR CO. Toronto, Dec. 26. A syndicate to operate motion pic- ture theatres has been formed in Can- ada. Plans are now under way for a chain of these houses through Canada in -ill towns where oiir <-;m be main tained. H. J. Brock, president of the Amer- ican Kinemacolor, is also president of the Canadian company, Sir and Hcnrv Tellatt, of Toronto, and oilier pi'tn inent men of wraith arc :i:r ■•; t!-.- directors. Over a million dollars is invested The Canadian company i- :"<!< pend ent of the American on- A plan' wiU be established in Mon"< ..'