Variety (January 1913)

10 VARIETY WEBER AND FIELDS VACATING NEW MUSIC H ALL TE MPORARILY? Big Inducement for Southern "Jubilee" Tour May Take Comedians Away for a Few Weeks, During Which New Show Will Be Rehearsed. Shuberts Will Place Attraction in Theatre Meanwhile There is a chance Weber and Fields will leave their new Music Hall on West 44th street next week or within a short time, to take up a southern trip, making the tour in the south a sec- ond "Jubilee" trip. An offer that almost amounts to a guarantee that the Weber & Fields' show can play to $25,000 weekly on its first visit below the Mason and Dixon line has started the comedian- managers thinking. The trip would last about seven weeks. During that time Weber and Fields might rehearse a new show for the Music Hall. They have the book for it in their office safe. While the southern proposition is very inviting, Weber and Fields arc deterred from a definite acceptance at present by the steadily growing busi- ness at the Music Hall. Wednesday the advance sale for next week amounted to $4,800. Through Bayes and Norworth and Marie Dressier having left the "Roly Poly" production since it opened Thanksgiving week Messrs. Weber and Fields prefer to place a new show before the New York public, but are confronted with the box office reports. A large house to operate and with an expensive company, the firm has made money since opening. The hotels have been strong purchasers of pasteboards for advance dates. Saturday May Bolcy took the part formerly assumed by Miss Dressier and has continued in it. The week previously Helena Collier Garrick, understudy for Miss Dressier, played the role, with several omissions of business Miss Dressier created. Upon Weber and Fields concluding to temporarily leave New York, the Music Hall will likely be booked by the Shuberts. It is said Sam Bernard in "All for the Ladies" may be re- moved from the Lyric over there, or that "A Man and Three Wives," a new Shubcrt production, may have its New York premiere at the vacated theatre. FLAY WITH STRONG FINISH. Paul Armstrong has written a new play, entitled "Politics," which will have one of the strongest climaxes ever produced on any stage. Several managers arc said to be fishing for the piece for Broadway presentation. It will not be produced this season. JACK WELCH'S CALAMITY. Jack Welch's New Year was full of grief for the Cohan & Harris genera! manager. Mr. Welch found himself the possessor of one dozen $6-per tail- less shirts, really unfit to wear. It was neither the owner's nor the shirtmaker's fault. Mr. Welch upo»i finding the laundrymen had been wearing down the cuffs of his summer outing waist coverings, informed the useful sewer for the household to clip off the tails of a couple of shirts, and relit the cuffs of the others. Then he gave an order to the shirtmaker, who asked for a sample to follow Mr. Welch's idea. Jack told the girl at home, and the girl at home selected as a model one of the shirts the tail had been clipped from. HOWARD SHOW CLOSING. Chicago, Jan. 2. Joe Howard's new show, "Frivolous Geraldine," is due to close at the Olym- pic Saturday night. It may be booked on the one-nighters in the middle west. WARDE LECTURING. Frederick Warde, who posed for the pictures of "Richard III.," has gone on tour with them through the south, lecturing on the play during the film exhibition. Only the big cities are being played in southern territory "SOMEWHERE ELSE" AT B'WAY. "Somewhere Else," the new Henry W. Savage show, which opens a two weeks' engagement in Philadelphia Monday, comes to the Broadway Jan. 20. The show has received favorable notices on its out of town dates. Savage's "Merry Widow," which has been playing the one-nighters, has been recalled and the members are back on Broadway. The "big city time" show is registering around the $8,000 mark weekly, receipts decidedly in contrast with those registered by the "one nighter." "The Red Petticoat," now at the Broadway, leaves tonight (Saturday). NEW, UNDER OLD TITLE. "The Old Firm," the new play with which A. G. Delainater has equipped William Hawtrey as a starring vehicle, opened last week in Rochester under the title "Dear Old Billy," Hawtrey's old piece. After three days in Syra- cuse the show is at the Princess, To- ronto, this week. Delamater plans to send the Hawtrey show into Chicago soon after Easter, if not before. Alli- son Skipworth, Ethel Wright and Gladys Montague (a western stock star) are Hawtrey's principal feminine support. "FINE FEATHERS" DID $12,000. St. Louis, Jan. 2. The season's record was taken at the Shubert when "Fine Feathers" got $12,000 on the week in the house. "Fine Feathers" is the Harry H. Frazee show that opens at the Astor, New York, Jan. 7. Its .management expects to net $100,000 on the metro- politan run this season. SAVAGE'S NEW IRISH PLAY. Rochester, Jan. 2. Henry W. Savage's "Top O' the Morning," with Gertrude Quinlan do- ing well as the heroine, had its pre- miere here at the Shubert Monday night. Sizing up the show as seen here, it will need improvement before mak- ing a real success. The play deals with a newly-arrived Irish girl who takes up residence with her father in New York. Her ups and downs and the trials and tribulations of her young half-brother before everything is satisfactorily righted are threshed out in dramatic form with considerable wit in dialog. The com- pany is of an Irish-American makeup. ELLIS DESIGNS ONLY. In its review of the Sam Bernard show "All for the Ladies," the New York Herald stated Melville Ellis de- signed and made the costumes in that production, which have attracted such generally favorable attention. The show's program may have read to the misleading detail, but Mr. Ellis only designed the gowns, togeth- er with all of the scenery, draperies and properties used in the dressmak- ing scene. The dresses were made by Josephs. "MUTT & JEFF" IN BERLIN. In about a month Frank Tannehill and John H. Springer expect to sail for the other .side, to make a produc- tion of "Mutt'and Jeff" in Berlin. If the Germans take to the style of en- tertainment the two cartoon charac- ters provide, Messrs. Tannehill (who owns all foreign rights to the piece) and Springer will make further pro- ductions of the show on the Continent. NEAR $80,000 FOR "BUNTY." The four companies of "Bunty Pulls the Strings" playing on the road under the direction of the Shuberts are pull- ing nearly $30,000 every week to the box offices. The "No. 2" show with Mollie Mc- Intyre heads the list. It has been do- ing an average of $10,000 weekly since starting out early in September. The "No. 1" company gets an average of over $9,000, with the "No. 3" "Bunty" doing between $5,000 and $6,000. The "No. 4" group, playing the one-night- ers gathers in between $3,000 and $4,- 000 regularly. Graham Moffatt, the author of the piece, receives five per cent royalty in America and eight per cent in England. Over here his weekly remittance has not fallen below $1,300. LITHOGRAPHING SCOOP. Cincinnati, Jan. 2. It is rumored negotiations are on for the purchase by William Donaldson of an interest in the Henderson Litho- graphing Co., of Norwood, Ky. The Henderson company is an independent concern. Some time ago the Donaldson Litho- graphing Co. leased its plants to the United States Lithographing Co. and any taking over by the Donaldson peo- ple personally of the Henderson plant would seem to be in the nature of a lithographing war. TRENTINI BALKY. It is reported about that Trentini is acting very balky these days. She is starring in "The Firefly" at the Casino under the management of Arthur Hammerstein. Her balkiest moment, according to report, was when Mr. Hammerstein proposed sending out a "No. 2" show with Belle Blanche in the leading role. To get the second company in working order, Mr. Ham- merstein suggested to his Casino star she permit Miss Blanche to ap- pear at a couple of performances to get up in the stage work of the part. Trentini refused to allow it, and it is said had a suspicion Mr. Hammerstein was more anxious to have a competent understudy ready than to have a sec- ond company. Last Sunday night Trentini reported "ill" just about as she was to appear at the Hippodrome in a concert with Orville Harrold. ACTOR'S FUND GETS PROPERTY. Boston, Jan. 2. All the property left by Martha Beisze to the Dramatic Fund of America (which never existed) will be turned over to the Actors' Fund, ac- cording to a decision by Judge Grant in the Suffolk Probate Court. At the time of her death she was ninety years old and known in the- atrical circles as Mrs. M. A. Pennoyer. FAIRY TALE AT WALNUT ST. Philadelphia, Jan. 2. "A Poor Little Rich Girl," produced by Arthur Hopkins, opens at the Wal- nut Street Theatre Jan. 6 for two weeks. The piece had its first showing in New England a couple of weeks ago, since when the company has laid off in preference to a one-night tour. After the local engagement the fairy tale will open at the Hudson, New York, Jan. 20. SCENIC ARTISTS' ELECTION. The annual election of officers of the United Scenic Artists' Association at 267 West 34th street, was held Dec. 26, resulting as follows: Frank Cam- bria, president; James Fox, vice presi- dent; Thomas Smythe, corresponding secretary; William Williams, recording secretary; George Withers, financial secretary; George Stimmel, treasurer; George Duffy, sergeant-at-arms; Messrs. Schafter and Stronendorf, board of directors. BELASCO SIGNS PHOTO PLAYER. Mary Pickford, who became a favorite in photoplay when she was with the Biograph Co. and later joined the Imp company at increased salary, is no longer in the pictures. Her work before the camera attracted the atten- tion of David Belasco, who engaged her for a part in "A Good Little Devil," which had its premiere in Philadelphia last week. Miss Pickford was best known as "Little Mary" to picture house devo- tees. Richie Wilson Ling, with "A Butter- fly on the Wheel," at Newark last week, and Mrs. Rose Beatrice Winter, leading woman with "Over the River," were married at Wilmington, Del., last week.