Variety (February 1913)

10 [VARIETY PHILADELPHIA TREASURERS COMING R IOHT T O NEW YORK Will Spend Their Holiday Feb. 23 at the Friary. Make it Emphatic They Have no Connection With New York Treasurers. Cabaret Show on Board Train Taking Seven Hours to Reach New York From the Village the Box-Office Men are Shaking for a Day. Old Philadelphia has received many a hard knock on and off the stage, but the worst is the decision of the Phila- delphia theatre treasurers to spend their yearly holiday in New York. While the Philadelphians admit New York is a regular city, they want it emphatically made plain they have no connection, assooiation, intercourse or anything in common with the New York treasurers. Just why the grouch against the New Yorjc dispensers of tickets is not re- vealed; nor will the Philadelphians admit they are leaving their home city with pleasure as a rebuke to the place for closing up early nights. They are coming to New York, and when the Philadelphia papers read this, as they have read other items in Variety (re- printing without credit, of course), the treasurers over there may hear about it. Anyway, Washington's Birthday, a festival time that the old Liberty Bell atop the City Hall in the town between New Brunswick and Baltimore could double up its honorary duty for in conjunction with the July 4th signa- tures, has been selected as the time of departure. At sharp midnight a special train will pull out of the Reading de- pot, that being the only road on earth that could use up seven hours in mak- ing 90 miles. After twelve Saturday night it is Sunday in Philadelphia. Sunday over there usually lasts a week. In transit to New York, about the hour when the one gas jet in Trenton is spied, the conductor and brakemen will wake up the box office boys to lis- ten to a Cabaret. It is going to be given in one of the sleepers, Philadel- phians never travelling in any other kind of a railroad coach. The Reading people will grease the rails through two men walking 100 yards ahead of the train to still the beating pulses of the wheels. But when a singer wants to put over a ragtime ballad, the signal rope will be yanked and the train stopped long enough to allow him to keep the boys awake for a few moments. During this time of travel it will be impressed upon the Philadelphia treas- urers that they have no connection whatsoever with the New York box office men. Upon arrival in New York the slogan will be "to bed," until the time arrives Sunday afternoon for the horde from Philly to gather at the Friary, where the Philadelphians are going to try to act like city chaps. There will be about 165 in all. among them some politicians and other prominent people, more or less, who are also anxious to get to New York for one day with the stamp of respectability upon their ab- sence. To offset this, however, let Philadelphia know that although her pets of the theatre say they are going to bed when reaching New York they are offering no guarantee of faithful performance. The Friary only expects 110 rep- resentatives of the greatest city Bill Penn ever discovered will be on hand. That 165 are to be there is supposed to be a state secret and should not have been tipped off, but, notwithstanding it is generally understood and mutually agreed that the Philadelphia treasurers have no association, sympathy or com- munion with the New York men of their ilk. Sunday evening or early Monday (up to the 3 o'clock train (Pennsy), the treasurers will slink back to their na- tive city, perhaps in quartets to hold one another up. It has been known where a number of New Yorkers went to Philadelphia, all on the same day, but to the credit of the New Yorkers let it be said that most of them only slipped over there to hide for the night and took a fast train each way—particularly when leav- ing. In greeting the polite young shifters of the coupons from the banks of the Susquehanna, do not forget that they repudiate all alleged connection with the theatre treasurers of New York City. Heigho, turn over! PANNED IN SYRACUSE. Syracuse, Feb. 20. "The Hundredth Fan," produced by Sydney Rosenfeld (one performance given at Wallack's, New York, Feb. 8, under the auspices of the National Federation of Theatre Clubs) showed here last week. The Journal (Feb. 14) said: No, my child, "The Hundredth Man" is not named that because 99 out of a hundred would not have pro- duced it. The name comes from the remark of the heroine, when the hero is down and out, that not one in a hundred could "come back," and she says he is the hundredth man. But we do not believe that the heroine had the discernment of Snipey, the beachcomber. Snipey says to the hero in the last act, "It's a hell of a finish 1" And Snipey is right. The first and only performance was at the Empire last night. MUNICIPAL DEFICIT. Northampton, Mass., Feb. 20. From the report for the first nine months of the Municipal Playhouse made by the trustees, there is a deficit of $1,484.99. GABY MAY LEAVE. According to a story around, it is not a certainty the contract between Gaby Deslys and the Shuberts, which expires in four more weeks, will be re- newed. The agreement called for 16 weeks. Twelve have been played. Gaby is receiving $4,000 weekly in "The Honeymoon Exprers" at the Win- ter Garden. It is said Gaby believes that is too little money for her. When a renewal on the same terms was men- tioned the French girl is reported to have spurned it. The Winter Garden broke all its at- tendance records last week, playing to over $32,000. The show has a $35,000 advance sale; $8,400 was taken in at the box office in one day through an advance sale of seats in blocks of one, two and three. Around the Winter Garden it is an- ticipated "The Honeymoon Express" will play into the summet. It is also said thai A! Jolson and Melville Ellis have prepared to start on a vacation on the other side, leaving in May. Mr. Ellis will have to have an early rest preparatory to returning in time to assist in the production of the new "Passing Show." That will probably take the Garden stage about July 15, as usual, the present show not running be- yond June 15, at the latest. LIEBLER * CO. CUTTING DOWN. Liebler & Co. are retrenching at the Century. The weekly expense of conducting the house and the produc- tion of "Joseph and His Brethren" is said to have been $14,000 a week. They have cut down the cast, letting out a number of the more expensive prin- cipals, among them Frank Losee, Em- mett King, and Harriet Ross. Young Ariel Barney, who has been with the firm in the business depart- ment for the past two years, has gone to Arizona to embark in the mining business and in the hope of building up his physique. ZIEGFELD ILL. Florenz Ziegfeld is reported serious- ly ill at the Ansonia. Early this week he contracted an attack of bronchitis which is now said to have developed into pneumonia. HARRIS PATS BOSTON. William Harris says Boston has de- veloped into the best show town in America this season and is duly elated thereby, as he has some heavy theatre holdings in the New England metrop- olis. CHAPINE IN ' OMEDY DRAMA. Chapine, late star hi "Rose of Pana- ma," is to take to the road again in a new comedy drama, "Nobody's Darl- ing," which has been translated from the French by Alexander Durand. She will open within a fortnight un- der the direction of Paul Benedek. PRODUCING "THE DELUGE.* 1 Chicago, Feb. 20. A rumor prevails that Arthur Hop- kins will produce "The Deluge" in Chi- cago some time in March. ELTINGE'S NEW PIECE WRITTEN. Julian Eltinge is to be seen in a new play next season. Frederic Cha- pin, author of "C. O. D.," has the manuscript. Chapin so far has not given the musi- cal comedy a name. He says it will give Eltinge plenty of opportunity to display his skill as an impersonator. FARNUM COMES IN. William Farnum returned to Broad- way this week after a road starring tour in "The Littlest Rebel." The busi- ness was not of sufficient proportions to warrant a further road continuation. He announced his determination Mon- day to enter vaudeville in a thrilling little sketch. Dustin Farnum, now playing the south in "The Littlest Rebel," is giving out interviews en route that this is his last season as a traveling legitimate star, as next year he will go in for the movies. STONE HAS $380,000 CASH. In the real estate records of last week there appeared an item to the effect that Fred Stone had purchased the Pullman building, 17 Madison ave- nue, paying $380,000 cash. «— It seems to have escaped notice that the purchaser is the well-known come- dian. CIRCUIT TURNED BACK. The Chamberlain-Kindt Circuit in the middle west, purchased by the Shuberts and John ^Cort about two years ago, is reported to have been turned back to its original owners. The "pooling arrangement" between the two syndicates is believed to have had something to do with the "draw- back." DISTRICT CONVENTION. Unless all indications fail, the Inter- national Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes will hold a district conven- tion in Philadelphia March 17. Communications were sent to each of the 79 locals in the fourth district of the I. A. T. S. E., requesting it to vote on the proposition of the meet- ing. All received up to Wednesday were in favor. SECRECY IN SAVAGE OFFICE. Considerable secrecy and activity was observed around the offices of Henry W. Savage on account of the whispered report that "the boss" expected to sail for Europe Thursday on the Baltic. No one could be found to tell the necessity for the extreme secrecy. NEW "MUTT AND JEFF." Gus Hill will have a new "Mutt and Jeff" piece on the theatrical market next season. It is to be called "Mutt and Jeff in Panama." Bud Fisher, the creator of the cai- toon series, will again furnish the book. Leo Edwards and Will D. Cobb are preparing the music and words. It is the only time the song writers have collaborated since their first song to- gether, twelve years ago, when the couple turned out "Over the Ocean" for the Rogers Bros. Mr. Hill expects to start the '13-'14 season off with four companies.