Variety (May 1913)

VARIETY PROCTOR MUST BAR AGENTS BY ORDE R FROM "UP-STAIRS" United j Booking Offices Heads Direct He Cannot Admit "Opposition Agents" in the Proctor Small Time Offices. Has Been Securing Better and Cheaper Acts Outside U. B. O. Just how far F. F. Proctor ii run- ning his own theatrical business was made apparent last week when orders were sent down to the Proctor small time booking agency in the Putnam Building from the "sixth floor" that a'l opposition agents must be stopped from plying their trade in that place. About 15 agents were immediately "barred." Among these were Harry Shea, Harry Pincus, Irving Cooper, B. A. Myers, Joe Wood and Lou Edelman. The Proctor Circuit books its small time theatres through its own offices, which are separate from the office maintained by Fred Proctor, Jr., in the United Booking Offices suite to supply the Proctor big time houses. Harry Brunelle has charge of the Proctor small time agency. He has been giving shows, particularly in the Proctor New York small time theatres, that have attracted attention. The programs were well laid out, with acts that wholly pleased. To make the con- dition more pleasant for the U. B. O., Mr. Brunelle was securing material for his shows at prices greatly below those of the Family Department of the U. B. O., where other small time is booked. Mr. Proctor, Sr., is vice-president of the U. B. O., though he seldom works at it. The affiliation seemed to give the agency's real heads the right to tell Proctor what he could do, even at the cost of more money and poorer bills. None of the agents barred from the Proctor offices are allowed to book with the U. B. O., either in the big time or small t ; mes branches but it is well known that, like the big time bookings, "barred" agents find a way to play their acts in U. B. O. houses de- spite all "orders" to the contrary. When booking through another agent, the "barred" ones always secure a higher price for their acts, for it is well known even notorious, that the Family De- partment of the U. B. O. must pay the highest prices to obtain acts. Even then iis supply is limited as very few of the best known turns on either time will have their small house salary fig- ures placed on record in the United's small time branch. To these reasons are ascribed the many pop vaudeville theatres booking through the U. B. O. Fam. Dept. this season either changing policy or booking agents. Mr. Proctor almost lost the engage- ment of Ching Ling Foo at the 5th Ave. next week because of the "upstairs" flock. They decided Proctor could not have the Chinaman as an attraction. The bunch had many reasons, but thought two were enough. The first was they did not like George Mooser, because Mooser told E. F. Albee one <lay what to do with a U. B. O. con- tract. The other was that Ching had received less at Hammerstein's than v, e is to receive farther down Broad- way. The "outside" cause was said to be the Keith booking men were angry because they couldn't have Ching for themselves and made up their minds to "trim" Proctor for him, something that has happened so often Proctor has grown accustomed to it. Freddie Proc- tor, Jr., got on the job over the Ching incident, with the result he plays the 5th Ave. at $2,000. The following week he may return to Hammerstein's. JACK NORWORTH, SINGLE. Provided he does not accept one of the production engagements offered for next season, Jack Norworth will con- tinue in vaudeville playing out present contracts with his small company, and thereafter appearing as a "single act." He will probably sail for England in July and play there for a couple of weeks with his present company. DICK KNOWLES' ROAD SHOW. Dick Knowles, who opened last week at the Palace, London, and was a big- ger hit than on previous appearances in London, has 23 weeks to play on the other side before returning to New York to start out at the head of a big road company which will tour the new Cort vaudeville circuit. Knowles will be surrounded by both American and European talent. Knowles is scheduled to return to America around Oct. 6. His Cort tour is expected to start about Oct. 15. HARRIS* ROAD SHOW ABROAD. When Ben Harris and Jack Mason depart on the Olympic May 24 for Eng- land, they will have had framed by that time an all-American vaudeville show to tour the English provinces. Dependent upon the success of the venture are several other road shows for the other side Messrs. Harris and Mason have in contemplation. TWO OUT AND TWO IN. Monday came a rush of acts to the Palace, some going out and some going in The departures after the matinee were Van Hoven, the magician, and Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Voekel. The incomers were the Bell Family and Flanagan and Edwards. Bernhardt is still the star at the Pal- ace. In her contract is mentioned the style of acts that can not play if she objects. A magician is in one class. Van Hoven is a magician. He now has someone else besides Gus Sun to advertise. MAY DO "A TEXAS STEER/' If the Useless Bunking Offices can get its "Production Department" at work, the P. D. will ascertain the value of "A Texas Steer" as a tabloid pro- duction, with music by Maurice Levi and the book for the tab of 25 people by Henry Marshall. SOME GAIj, THAT SURATT! You've got to hand it to \ alcska Su- ratt. She's a "regular feller" in many respects. When any act can turn peo- ple from Hammerstein's with Bern- hardt as opposition at the Palace, it's got to be some drawing card. Yet this is what Valeska did last week. That's one thing for which you've got to hand it to her. The other is that when she was told that if she played Hammerstein's first, her other United Booking office time would not be forth- coming, she replied she would open at Hammerstein's, no matter what hap- pened. Not bad, eh? And they "came across" with the rest of the bookings, anyway. Of course after that "Hammerstein's week." 91,000 FOR HOWARDS. The Howard Brothers (Willie and Eugene) may play Hammerstein's for the week of May 26, when the piece they are now with, "Passing Show of 1912" is laying off in New York be- fore starting for the Coast. The Hammerstein week is condi- tional upon the management giving the boys $1,000 for the vaudeville engage- ment, and the Shuberts consenth.i* to it. The present trip west will be the first the Howards have played in that territory with a production. "SQUARE" CHEATING. The Union Square is slipping one ever this week with a big time bill that is costing the management about $1,- 500, much cheaper than small time bills for which an admission price of 10-15- 25 is charged. The Square is holding out for its prices of 50-75, just the same, however. Business took a decided slump Monday despite the favorable weather condi- tions. GENE GREEN'S RECORDS. Chicago, May 14. Gene Green, playing the Wilson this week, his first engagement since re- turning from Europe, will probably hang up a new record for the house. Green holds the present record for the Wilson, as well as for the Willard. Incidentally he received the first con- tract issued by the Jones, Linick & Schaefer agency, at a salary said to be the largest ever paid a single to play over their time. J., L. & S. paid Victor Moore and Co. $1,200 net and Amelia Bingham $1,250, the largest salaries ever given by small time managers in the United States. WILD ABOUT HEADLINERS. Chicago, May 14. Eastern vaudeville is still seeking madly for headline attractions. Boyle Woolfolk, who has the rights to several of the late musical successes for tab- loid purposes, has been petitioned from the east for the rights to the pieces to be produced as vaudeville feature acts. Mr. Woolfolk will probably hold on unless he is able to make a deal to pro- duce the acts himself. The "Three Twins" was the first of the number asked for. Mr. Woolfolk has turned back "Mme. Sherry." An argument arose over the rights. BEHNHARDT'S GRACIOUS PRAISE. It takes a great artist to do a gra- cious thing lor a lcllow performer. Last week at the Palace, New York, Paul Seldoms' Poems in Marble," a tine statue posing act, closed the show on the same bill with Mine. Bernhardt. The French actress watched the Sel- doms for several shows and then sent for Paul Seldoms to visit her in her dressing room. On his appearance she poured forth a volume of praise'in her native tongue, the only intelligible words' being "Magninquel" and "Su- perb!" Bernhardt's stage manager translated for Seldoms, saying that be- ing somewhat of a sculptor (or sculp- tress) herself, she wished to voice her appreciation for the artistic posing act. Somewhat abashed, Seldoms managed to timidly inquire if Madam would voice some of her enthusiasm in the form of a written endorsement. "Cer- tainly—to be sure" (only she an- swered in French), and forthwith the temperamental woman dashed off a note of most fulsome praise for the Seldoms. The committee arranging to present Mme. Bernhardt with a laurel wreath of gold and silver, headed by David Be- lasco and Daniel Frohman, will form- ally tender a model of the wreath to the diva this (Friday) afternoon. When the metal wreath has been complied it will be forwarded to France. The Bernhardt engagement is press agented as having been extended to its third week, commencing May 19. The French actress was brought into the Falace on a two weeks' announcement, although booked in here for three weeks to take up the remaining time on her Orpheum Circuit contract. Business at the Palace this week has been about the same as last, capacity at night, with matinees off. Seats could be had any afternoon for 50 cents, one- half the box office scale for the mati- nees. Speculators have sold many of their night tickets at regular prices to get out clean. By Wednesday of this week it was practically decided the Palace would close for the summer (with vaudeville) at the conclusion of the Bernhardt en- gagement. DAN HENNESSY FALLS FOR IT. It's all right, boys, you can all go it. Dan Hennessy, with no bad habits out- side of his other faults, has fallen for the auto thing. How they did it to him Dan himself doesn't know, but any evening now on the Riverside you may catch Mr. Hen- nessy rehearsing the machine not to shy at actors, nor to speak about next week and behave properly when the boss is aboard. Mr. Hennessy is doing quite well with the car. His repair bill for the first rehearsal was only $139. If Mr. Hennessy runs his auto as well as he has run the Family Depart- ment of the United Hooking Offices, he v/ill have the prize car of the year. BOSTOCK HARKED OUT. Claude Bostock has been barred out of the United Booking Olh< cs for book ing an act in "npi»<>»in'»ti " Bostock is an agent. He ■'■;■■ • deny tin- booking.