Variety (February 1913)

16 VARIETY COL. FENNESSY'S RETIREMENT FROM BURLESQUE IS DENIED But Business Associate Admits He Intends to Leave Cin- cinnati Headquarters of Empire Circuity and Take a Hand in the Management of the Wheel From its Eastern End, Making His Permanent Home in New York Cincinnati, Feb. 20. James E. Fennessy will make his home in New York after this season and will take an active hand in the management of the Empire Circuit Co. (Western Burlesque Wheel) from the eastern end after that date. This authoritative statement was elicited from Herbert Heuck. A local paper printed Wednesday that Col. Fennessy would retire from the Heuck Opera House Co. shortly. He was in Indianapolis at the time, but Mr. Heuck spoke for him and denied the story in so far as it concerned Col. Fennessy's retirement from the local theatre management. He will continue to hold his interest in that property, declared Mr. Heuck. Mr. Heuck likewise denied the pub- lished statement Col. Fennessy cofc- / templated retirement from burlesque. WESTERN STILL LOOKING. The Empire Circuit (Western Wheel) burlesque circuit could not come to terms for either the Parle or Wallack's theatres and is now negotiating for another theatre of large capacity in the Times Square section. CLEANSER EXPLAINS. Toronto, Feb. 20. The following statement has been submitted by Rev. R. B. St. Clair in explanation of the present status of tfo reform wave on the local stages: In VARwiTy Feb. 7, its Toronto correspondent states "the stAt of Rev. St. Clair against editor of Jack Canuck, and F. W. Stair, proprietor of the Star theatre, was dismissed by the judge and the reverend gen- tleman will have to pay the costs." As I have been given to under- stand, Variety is as anxious as I am to have common decency upon the stage; I infer that the errors con- tained in the above statement are entirely unintentional. The facts are, briefly, as follows: The Master in Chambers on Jan. 30 dismissed a motion by the editor of Jack Canuck for an order requiring me to give security for costs. The costs in the cause were ordered to be paid by the editor. The Master found: (1) That the editor had failed to show good faith, or "the absence of any improper or indirect motive, the presence of which constitutes ac- tual malice"; (2) it was not made clear how his alleged libelous article could be in the public interest; (3) persistent violence of language, be- sides such fact as citing dicta of the judges in the Court of Appeal which favored the editor's viewpoint while those which favored St. Clair were omitted. For these reasons the Master in Chambers dismissed the editor's motion. Feb. 10 Supreme Court Justice Latchford found the editor guilty of contempt of court, in that he had improperly commented upon this case, before the trial of the main action. The justice severely censured the editor and ordered him to pay the costs in the cause. R. B. 8t. Clair, (Supt. Toronto Vigilance Association). CHORUS GIRL ADVANCED. Kansas City, Feb. 20. When Gertrude Ralston, with the "Lady Buccaneers," became too ill last week to play and there was no under- study, Blanche Elliott, a chorus girl, volunteered. She made a hit that wrote "finis" for her days as a spear carrier. Miss Elliott will get a regular part next season. RUBY LEONPS FIGHT FOR HONOR. Kansas City, Feb. 20. Ruby Leoni (Mrs. Harry Leoni), leading woman with "The Cracker Jacks" burlesque troupe, claims she was assaulted by a brakeman on a sleeping car en route here from St. Louis and that in keeping him from entering the dressing room she had two fingers smashed in the door. Miss Leoni's nerves were badly shaken by the incident. Her husband, manager of the company, intends to sue the road for damages. HARD TO DRAW. Hoboken, Feb. 20. Everybody in Hoboken is anxious to draw one of the 25 Long Island lots which Manager Abbott of the Empire is giving away this week through an arrangement with a Long Island realty company. One must attend a performance of the burlesque shows to obtain the land. JUGGED A JOHN. Newark, Feb. 20. "Doc" Jones, a local dentist, got in Dutch here as the result of a "pull" he thought he had with a Pine street boarding house. "Doc," the story goes, had "filled" a date with two of the girls with the burlesque company, playing the Gayety. Upon "cementing" the friendship by escorting them to their rooming place, and in the good night aftermath he became so demonstrative that Josie Wilson, a show girl, had him jugged on a charge of disorderly conduct. Jones, out on bail, claims he was doped. "ME FOR BURLESQUE/ 9 By LOUIE DACRE. If you want to play V'vllle. please bear In mind This Inside Information, It's useful you'll find. Be ready to Jump from Chicago to Phllly Then back to Milwaukee (1 know It sounds ■my). Those misunderstanding perhaps will scoff, But you'll have to do It or else lay off. sTvery Tuesday when you get nervous or vexed Wondering where they are shipping you next. Be prepared to spend more or less, $6 weekly For wire collect (If more, take It meekly) Your agent doesn't worry while you are will- ing. He just telegraphs, "Send photos and billing." "Well, we've booked next week at Wash., D. C." Then another wire, and of course, C. O. D. It says "Date postponed, you play Norfolk In- stead ; Rush billing. Confirm." (You wish you were dead.) You do as you're told (TIs a mighty tough Pill) But It's one of the sure doses In vaudeville. When the week's end arrives you hand out tips To those fellows, expressmen and all other dips; The R. R. fare leaves you In woeful condition. You count up to see If you've the commission; Bach Tuesday morning your agent expects It (Pay 15%, too, though no one suspects It). And so, with the R. R. fare, lay-offs and tips. Commission, telegrams and long sleeper trips You'll find the salary that sounded so much Keeps right on shrinking at each steady touch Besides there's the money home to mother oi wife; And, after all, Vaudeville's a pretty tough life or Now. I'm Just a burles<]uer, well, ask old Jim Curtin. Burlesque may not be classy, but anyway, it Is certain. You don't have to worry where you go from here Or If next date Is very far or near. With telegrams, too, you're rarely cursed ; (Kind manager always reads them first). Give me burlesque with its perhaps dubious fame, Where a man's called a "guy" and a woman's a "dame," Where "props" Is a "stool pigeon" and the girls are In debt, Where, maybe, the soubret Is the manager's Though the straight Is a souse and the leader a crank At the end of the season I have coin In the bank. And on my vacation, 'midst sunshine and clover, I'll not roast the bridge that carried me over. LAWRENCE JOHNSTON i'he above shows LAWRENCE JOHN., fON at the age of It. when he was the youngest Bailiff In Nebraska, under ALBERT J. COR- NISH, Judge of the District Court. While recently playing the Orpheum at Lincoln, the ventriloquist enjoyed the pleas- ure of entertaining His Honor, who Is still on the bench. STRIKE ON IN FINDLAY. Findlay, O., Feb. 20. The stage crew of Swatsford's Opera House is still out, but the strike con- troversy is expected to be settled soon through a conference o{ I. A. T. S. E. officials and a representative of the theatre in New York. Local Union 192 demands union recognition from the management. Louisville, Feb. 20. The trouble here between the union picture operators, affiliated witli the I. A. T. S. E., and the Kentucky League of Picture Exhibitors remains unsettled, and Oscar Sheck, of Cleve- land, third vice-president of the Alli- ance, has been sent here to adjust the matter. Knoxville, Feb. 20. The union picture operators here are still at loggerheads in their contro- versy with the movie owners, and F. G. Lemaster, of Denver, an Alliance official, has been instructed to take charge of the local situation and sec if he can bring about a speedy settle- ment. MAYOR BARS "ONE DAY." Cincinnati, Feb. 20. The ( Walnut Street Theatre was dark Sunday owing to an order issued by Mayor Hunt directing that the pre- sentation of "One Day" be forbidden. The house had been completely sold out with a large advance sale. De- tectives were stationed at the entrance of the theatre to see that no one was admitted. The management refunded to each person the price of their seats. Mayor Hunt refused to give the show a private hearing to determine whether it contained anything object- ionable. Telegrams were received from officials at Dayton and other places showing that there was nothing objectionable. M. C. Anderson arrived Monday and with Manager Jackson endeavored to get Mayor Hunt to rescind his order, but the Mayor declined. The house remains dark for the week. SINGER'S SUMMER STOCK. Detroit, Feb. 20. Jack Singer's Gayety Burlesque Stock Co. opens its summer engage- ment at the Gayety, here, May 25. Ted Evans has been engaged as one of the comedians. GETS BLOOMINGTON RECORD. Chicago, Feb. 20. "The Girl at the Gate" played Bloomington, III, to $1,605, Feb. 16th, breaking all records for the house there. "SPIRITUALIST" IS WILSON'S. Atlantic City, Feb. 20. Next Monday at the Apollo Francis Wilson will appear in a new piece called "The Spiritualist." In his company are John Blair, Wright Kramer, George Irving, Rob- ert Peters, Frank Peck, Edna Burns, Mrs. Dellenbaugh, Lolo Fisher.