Variety (June 1913)

VARIETY U, B. O.'S WOOL-PULLINQ STUNT LURES AG ENTS IN TO PALACE. United Heads Blindfold ''Ten Per Centers/' Tie Them to Office Leases in New Theatre Building* Are Pre- vented from Going Over Themselves and Remain In old Quarters. Agents Left Behind, Un-^ able to Crawl Out of Agreements. "Trimming the ten percenters" would make a suitable title to the slick little job put over on the agents by the U. B. O. At the present time it looks as if the United Booking OiVices would not move over to the Palace building at all—and that they knew it when they "persuaded" all the booking repre- sentatives to sign leases for rooms in that remarkable structure. Originally it was the undoubted in- tention of the U. B. O. to take quar- ters in the Palace edifice, and they had gone so far as to install a large quantity of partitions and fixtures of various kinds. Their intention was to occupy the studio portion of the build- ing over the auditorium and every- thing was made ready for their re- moval. It was only after all the fit- tings were completed and installed that they discovered that such a pro- ceeding was an insurmountable viola- tion of the building laws. This condition of affairs was kept a profound secret until all the "ten percenters" had affixed their signa- tures to leases. In order to accom- plish this the agents were requested to submit earlier than usual their list of acts for ntext season's bookings. Pending the negotiations the agents were encouraged by being given a few routes for next season and the whole matter was rushed through with the enthusiasm of a stampeded political convention. Shortly after agents had been firm- ly ensconced in their new quarters some 35 cartloads of the new U. B. O. fittings were carted out of the Palace building by direction of the building authorities. At the present time it looks as though the executive offices of the U. B. O. will continue to occupy their present quarters in the Putnam build- ing until the expiration of their lease, which has two years more to run from last May. GHINO MATTEK IN COUHT. The matter of Ching Ling Foo's contract, made through George Moos- er, the Chinaman's manager, with Klaw & Erlanger was placed in court this week, when Nathan Burkan, at- torney tor Mr. Mooser, entered suit against "The Syndicate" for one week's salary. $1,450. The K. & K.-Chin^r agreement has a considerable term yet to run. The action to recover a week's salary un- der it will likely be repeated for a? many weeks as the magician remains idle, or for any difference of falary re- ceived under the contracted amount. Last week Ching did not play. K. & E. allege a violation of the agreement they made took place when he refused to follow instructions to appear at a vaudeville theatre in Baltim* -- The Chinaman's refusal was based upon the theatre named playing three shows daily. Ching is still in New York. It is possible he will keep the engagement tc play Hammerstein's Roof during July. BELLE BAKER CROWDING. Chicago, June 11. Belle Baker, filling a two weeks' en- gagement at the Wilson Avenue (Jones, Linick & Schaeffer's North Side house) is doing the biggest busi- ness for that theatre since the engage- ment of Gene Greene, who holds all kinds of records for the house. Incidentally Miss Baker is one of the very few acts whose engagement was extended over the customary one week. $1,000 OFFER FOR WILLIAMS. The Lafayette theatre, at 7th avenue and 131st street, a pop vaudeville house partly catering to the colored population of that section, has made Bert Williams an offer of $1,000 for a week in the theatre. Mr. Williams is understood to have declined, through preparing to leave for Europe. While not with "The Follies" this summer, the colored comedian is said to be under contract to Flo Ziegfeld, Jr., which calls for the payment of $1,- 000 weekly to him when playing, and $500 a week when he is "laying off." The Lafayette theatre, since permit- ting the colored folks certain sections of the house for themselves is reported as having been doing big business. The patrons of the Lafayette are about equally divided between whites and blacks. -_^ HOWARD TRUESDELL MARRIES. Marriage bells were rung recently for Howard Trucsdell and Minnie Brunk- er, a non-professional. Truesdell announces his immediate retirement from the stage. DEFINING AN AGENT. New Orleans, June 11. "What are you?" asked a woman of B. F. Brennan, Saturday. "I am five per cent. l)0()king agent and ninety-five per cent, gentleman," Brennan replied. LAURIE ORDWAY RECOVERINCJ. Los Angeles, June 11. .'Xfter hanging between life and death for some time Laurie Ordway according to physicians, will survive the fearful operation she underwent and may be able to appear on the Pan- tages time by July 15. SPUT IN FRIENDSHIP. The intimate friendship existing be- tween Henry Stern, of Jos. W. Stern & Co., and the Playlet Producing Co. (Edw. S. Keller and Edgar Allan Woolf) has reached the straining point—if not an open rupture. Last summer Stern offered to the Playlet Co. a sketch by Daniel Car- ter. The producing company accepted it for production. Woolf rewrote the sketch, naming it "A Business Propo- sal" and putting out Jack Kennedy in it as a feature. Stern has been draw- ing down for himself and Carter a weekly royalty of about $50 and seemed to be content with the ar- rangement. A few weeks ago the producers of the act communicated with .Stern say- ing they had received a proposition from Tom Terriss to put the act on in England. Stern said he would take the matter under advisement and a few days later they were surprised to find that Stern had requested the Mar- inelli office to look over the act with a view to sending it across the pond. While the Playlet Producing Co.. only control the United States and Canadian rights to the act they do not propose to permit the sketch, in its rewritten form, to be presented in territory not controlled by them with- out participating in the venture. SPLITTiNO NEW YORK BILL. Next week the program at the New York theatre will "split the week." Heretofore the New York has been a full week stand for the vaudeville acts. In the split, turns will be booked for three and four days only, the New York having no "split" connection. William Morris is engaging for his houses from several agents. For the first "split" bill Clifford Hip- pie and Co. will headline and hold over for the full week, playing a different sketch each half. Gu8 Reed, of the Big City Four, has left that organization. Harry Andcrion of the Cincinnati Show Print Co., war in New York this week on business of a double nature. He i«; understood to be interested in the new Progressive burlesque circuit. ^IRENE GRANGE' Formerly of "The Hen Pecks." and who so ■ucci-iiaruMy flilcd the prima (loriiin toU; In "Madam«' Rhcrry," Is rehjarnlnif a wltijfU; nlnp- ins act for vaudeville under th<- dlrectlrtn of Charles Baron, of tho Henry W. Havrijc BtufT Miss Orange will mnko her rirnt .%'• w Y(»rk variety appearance June 23 at F. F. rroctijr'.>4 Fifth Avenue theatre. TOMMY, THB BUSY FELLER. Tommy Gray is writing a single act for Clara Morton of the Four Mor- tons, for next season. He is also fix- ing over Catherine Hayes and Arthur Dunn's act besides writing new turns for the Farrell-Taylor Trio, John Neff, McCormack and Irving, Jack Camp- bell, Clarence Oliver, Ted Wilier and Gene May, James Brown and Belle Jackson, Hilda Hawthorne, Fabcr and Waters, Barnes and Hamilton and some new numbers for Trixie Frigan- za. Outside of this the auburn haired author has nothing to do. W. Raymond Walker is so busy writ- ing special music to Tommy's lyrics, he refuses to even talk to the Cabaret owners who want him to play for them. MAX SAYS IT*S A HIT. The first song written by Irving Ber- lin and Blanche Merrill in collaboration is titled "Jake, the Yiddish Ball Player." Max Winslow says it's an overnight hit, the biggest riot ever sung, that Irving did it the other night down at the Island, and they just went crazy; that he has never heard any song like it—but you know Max! Berlin and Cliff Hess left Tuesday night on the Mauretania—both sober. NEW BUILDINGS. The Crotona Parkway Amusement Co. of 20 Nassau street has accepted plans from Shampan & Shampan, Broadway architects, for a new thea- tre, seating 2,500, to be built at the southeast corner of Crotona parkway and Elsmere place in the Bronx. The dimensions will be 109.8x206.4, two stories high, with a mezzanine floor and a stage big enough to accommo- date big city shows. The estimated cost by the architects is given at 1400,- 000. A bank at Greenwich, Conn., is building a $50,000 theatre in that town Jos. Shea has secured a 21-year lease on it. NEW IX>EW HOUSE. Baltimore, June 11. It is said all arrangements for a new pop vaudeville theatre in this city, to be built for the Marcus Loew Cir- cuit, have been made. BILLY SCHEEIl, BENEDICT. Billy Scheer, of the vaudeville team of Scheer and Oswald, was married Wednesday (June 11) to Anna Mc- Convillc, an actress by Alderman Charles Delaney at City Hall. Ben Piennont accompanied them, as best man. PARADISE PAIIK IIUIi.NS. Paradise i'ark, which tiie Schcnck P.rothers finerated on Washington llrij^hts in the same inaniUT as their Palisades I'ark in Jersey, was com- pletely wiped out by fire at .3 a. m. Monday. The fire started in tiie dance hall, and the flames could be seen for miles. The published loss is $50,000. 'Ihc Schenck Brothers are ln-avy losers. The fire was caused by a cast off (i^- arette stub according to r(i> >t.