Variety (December 1912)

VARIETY WHITE RATS INVESTIGATION SET BY GOMPERS FOR JAN. 11 Executive Committee of A. F. of L. to Meet With Presi- dent (tampers Presiding. Delegates from Central Bodies at New York and Chicago Will Attend 'flu* date for the investigation of the affairs of the White Rats, as recom- mended l>y the national convention of the A. 1'. of L. at Rochester lately has been set for Jan. 11, at the offices of Hugh Frayne in New York. Samuel Gompers, president of the Federation, notified the Central Body of New York, also informing it he would preside at the hearing. The in- vestigation is to be conducted before the Fxecutive Committee of the Fed- eration. It goes into the question whether the White Rats Actors' Union has violated the articles of amalgama- tion between the White Rats and Act- ors' Union. The delegates who will represent the C. F. II. of New York at the hearings will be James Holland, Ernest Rohm, Tom Curtis, M. Abrahams and Ed Han- nah. From Chicago, as representatives of the C. F. U. in that city will be Joe Morton and probably two others. ROSA MAYNON ILL. Fort Wayne, Ind., Dec. 26. Rosa Maynon, of Maynon's Birds, who was operated upon here at Hope Hospital last week, is critically ill at that institution. She was unable to play her Temple date, but her husband, Clyde Phillips, presented the act. Miss Maynon's recovery is doubtful. CHESTER SUTTON WITH 8-C. Salt Lake, Dec. 26. Dan McCoy, of the Empress here, has been transferred to the manage- ment of the Kansas City house. Chester Sutton, who formerly man- aged the local Orpheum, has taken McCoy's place as resident director of the Sullivan-Considine theatre. "SPORT" DONEGAN, AMERICAN. James E. Donegan, father of the Australian theatrical family, has de- clared his intention of becoming an American citizen. The family is play- ing in Europe. In a letter to Harry Allen this week dated Monte Carlo, "Sport" says: "If you see any bargains in Long Island real estate, take a lot for me. I very much want to make myself a home there and become an American citizen." SCHANBERGER IN CHARGE. Baltimore, Dec. 26. Frederick Caspar Schanberger is now general manager of the Maryland theatre, the Hotel Kernan and of the Auditorium property, and president of the James L. Kernan Co. He steps into the place left vacant by James L. Kernan, builder of the enterprise, who died Dec. 14. At a meeting of the trustees named by Mr. Kernan to conduct his estate, Mr. Schanberger was named president. Shirley Carter vice-president and James R. Wheeler, one of the closest friends Mr. Kernan had, was appointed secretary and treasurer. These three will manage the theatre and hotel properties, paying to the Kernan Hos- pital for Children, and to the surviv- ing children of Mr. Kernan the stipu- lated income rrom the stock of the Kernan company. DISCUSS CIRCUS TRIP. Talk of a London engagement for the Karnum-Bailey Circus, which at first was received with shouts of de- rision, is coming down to the ground. It is declared on excellent authority that George O. Starr, manager of the Crystal Palace, London, was in this country not many weeks ago, and with the Ringling Brothers, canvassed the situation. What the outcome was is not known. Circus people now declare that the idea of sending the B-B show to the other side is not a new one with the Baraboo Brothers. It is pointed out that when Charley Ringling went to live in New Rochelle a little over a year ago it was with the idea of being within travel distance of Bridgeport. Charles purchased the Augustus home at that time, it is said, because the plans *of the family included a trip to England for the Barnum-Bailey show. This season Charles Ringling has made his home in Sarasota, Fla. John Ringling left New York late last week in order to spend the holidays with his brother in that place. CROWDING UP MONTREAL. Montreal, Dec. 26. A deal has been practically consum- mated where/by a new vaudeville house will be built on George, near Bloor street. The police commissioners have been instructed by the Board of Control to appoint censors to look after the shows in the local theatres. CLEVELAND'S NEXT BIG ONE. Cleveland, Dec. 26. The next big theatre to open here will be the Euclid. It will seat over 2.000 people. The date for English Grand Opera to start the house off is set for March 1. Max Faetkenhaucr will manage the Euclid, built by Jas. Holcomb who has of late purchased considerable of the property on Euclid avenue near where the new theatre is located. Mr. Faetkenhauer promoted and built the Cleveland Hippodrome, now play- ing Keith vaudeville. Nothing is known of the future pol- icy of the Euclid beyond that it will open with opera. THE LAUDER ROUTE. The route for Harry Lauder and his road show has been completed and in the William Morris office for some weeks past. Mr. Lauder opened at the ( asino Monday, to his usual capacity drawing powers. It is said the house will do between $17,000 and $18,000 on the week. It is the utmost capacity at the scale, $2. Next Monday the Lauder show will appear at the Shubert, Boston, for a week, then go through New England on the one-nighters into the Metropoli- tan Opera House, Philadelphia, for four days, afterward taking in Balti- more and Washington, with the full trip planned for the special train. Mr. Morris usually provides for his stars on the road. Max Faetkenhauer is with the Lauder company as musical director, at the largest salary, it is reported, ever paid a combination conductor in America. There will be fourteen musicians car- ried. To these will be added the house orchestras in the various theatres. POLI HAS OPENING. Bridgeport, Conn., Dec. 26. The new Poli theatre, seating about 3,000 persons, opened Monday with first class vaudeville. The other Poli house in town, playing stock, will probably revert to pop vaudeville policy later. The opening bill is: Mori Bros., Wood and Wide, Davis and McCauley, Haydn, Dunbar and Haydn, Bell Fam- ily. Wilson Bros.. Max's Circus. Wilkesbarre, Dec. 26. The Poli theatre here is not chang- ing managers as reported but is under- going a new vaudeville policy, both in cost of shows and the prices of admis- sion. Seven acts will be the order here- after, and some real headliners will come to town. Hereafter the prices will be 10 cents for the gallery, 20-30 for the balcony and 50 cents for the auditorium. Steve Breen. formerly at Poli's. Springfield, manages the local house. NORTON AND EARL. Who arc* this week showing their new act at the Colonial theatre. Both prin- cipals are well known to the New York theatregoers, Fletcher Norton through his connection with various musical successes and also in vaudeville, while Maud Karl is popular both in the mu- sical and dramatic field, having been the main support of Julius Steger for two seasons. This is the first vaudeville engage- ment of the couple together, aside from their joint appearance as the fea- ture in a big vaudeville number. The combination of dancing with their high-class singing voices, appear- ance and personality doesn't leave much room for doubt of their success. Pic- tures of Mr. Norton and Miss Earl ;irc on this week's front cover. Will F\ Molitor is resident manager with Rernard A. Klawans in charge of the box office at the new Cort theatre. New York. CIRCLSMEN TAKE TRIP. Fred Reckman, George Dcgnon. Ed- ward Arlington and several others have made up a party for a sight-sec- inu: trip through the Panama Canal Mrip. They have Jan 4 and will be ■.•one more than a month. A CHOI* Sl'KY PARTY. They gave away Chink hash on the stage of ilammerstein's theatre Monday night. Jt was called chop sucy and nearly everyone without a diet list in his hat band went to the feed. The small time banquet was in cele- bration of a wedding before the foot- lights of two of the members in the Ching Ling Foo outfit. Somebody said they were boy and girl, so Willie Hammerstein stood for Mike Simon, Abe Levy, Harry Mock, Mark Nelson, and Solly Lee putting it over. The newspaper men were invited to write it up, and a few did get a hand- ful of the twisted shredded wheat. The others, including Ching and his party, also the "Yellow Jacket" company, sat around a long table and looked funny. Glenmore Davis steered the tribe of stage China people from the Fulton. Glen didn't eat any choppy stuff him- self. A couple of pictures were taken to entice the dailies into a second flash for the stunt, built only for press agency purposes because it would "make a good story," which it did since there has been no Chinese stage wedding around here this long time. A neat little program was given out by Mr. Simon. After watching the mob gorge itself with the phony chicken and seeing Ching do some "fine work" on the table with little feats of palm- ing, Mike went over to Rector's for something to eat. SUN HOUSE TIED UP. Cincinnati, Dec. 23. The Sun theatre here is in litiga- tion. Frank W\ and John J. Huss have applied for a receiver and ac- counting for the house. They name a syndicate of theatrical men as de- fendants, including the United States Amusement Co., Daniel North, Joseph Ante, Edwin P. Bernardi and May Droesch. The plaintiffs declare the purchase price was only $2,500, and not $7,500 as was represented. The Husses say they contributed $2,500 to the enter- prise, while the others gave nothing and made it appear that the price was larger than it was in fact. Isaac Frankel is also made a defen- dant in the action. He is concerned as defendant in another suit growing out of a theatrical investment. GOV. ROBINSON ILL. Cincinnati, Dec. 26. Governor John Robinson, as a re- sult of an attack of heart trouble, is seriously ill and grave fears arc en- tertained as to his recovery. DIVORCE HOLDS GOOD. Chicago, Dec. 26. Dorothy Regal-Collins (Mrs. John J. Collins), whose former husband, Louis J. Winsch (Winsch and Poorc), be- sought the court to have her decree of divorce declared null and void on a charge of fraud, had a decision render- ed in her favor in the Illinois courts last week. Edward J. Ader, the ("hi cago attorney, appeared for Mrs. Col lins. Ader also represented Paul Gourdon. of the Chicago Sullivan-Considine of fice, who was granted a divorce from Ethel Gourdon.