Variety (June 1913)

VARIETY 17 PLAY PRODUCTIONS FOR FILMS TO BE UNIV ERSALL Y EXTENDED Klaw & Erlanger and Biograph Federation, and Liebler and Vitagraph Combine to be Offset by Tliird Big Amalgamation. Tlie A. H. Woods* Productions Also Being Sought for Feature Programmes. Scarcely has the smoke of the deton- ations of the celebration guns of the Klaw & Erlanger and Biograph affilia- tion for the production and promotion of moving picture reflexes of the K. & £. plays died away than from the Shu- bert offices come reverberant echoes of another combination, with the Shu- berts as the purveyors of the plays and one of the most power/ul of the circu- lating companies as their allies. While admitting negotiations in a combination that will equal in impor- tance the confederation of the Lieblers with the Vitagraph and the New Am- sterdam theatre tenants with the Bio- graph company, the Shuberts are not announcing their plans. In substance, however, it was conceded that their en- tire library of productions would be thrown into the breach. Following this coalition comes tidings of another proposed alliance between A. H. Woods and a picture outlet com- bination headed by Frank A. Tichenor, chairman of the motion picture exposi- tion to be held at Grand Central Palace, commencing July 7. The Woods-Tich- enor combine, if consummated, will draw into the field the long list of successful plays presented under the Woods' standafd since Woods branched out as a producing manager. The casts of the Klaw & Erlanger and Biograph productions will be made up from the regular force of moving picture players maintained by the Bio- graph company in the Bronx, recruited as occasion may suggest from available Klaw & Erlanger players who have been identified with the productions originally. The Klaw & Erlanger-Biograph coa- lition, which has a paid-in capital stock of $500,000, will be operated under the Protective Amusement Co.'s charter, with A. L. Erlanger as its managing director and Marc Klaw, president. Pat Casey will be the organization's principal acting executive. Jones, Linick & Schaefer will be dis- tributors for the Klaw & Erlanger film plays for the west, and Carl Hoblitzel, manager of the Interstate circuit of vaudeville theatres, will circulate the films throughout the far south. Marcus Loew has signed to handle the K. & E. films in all his houses. It is a general concession that the entry into the feature field of the lead- ing play-producing combinations will immeasurably benefit the moving pic- ture field. One conspicuous advantage to exhib- itors will be the privilege of securing exclusive features always. "Fran- chises" for exclusive local exhibition will likely be granted. The firm, experienced difficulty in booking the film through it being a story on the "Rosenthal Murder." AIiLIANOE*S FIRST PIOTURE. Dustin Farnum, Walter Hale and William Elliott's alliance for the crea- tion of moving picture films, will be- gin with the making of a series of pic- tures of the scenes from A. C. & N. Williamson's novel, "The Lightning Conductor." It is the trio's intention to present something entirely novel in the picture field. Harry Rave, with Wee & Lambert next sea- son, will be assigned the advance for "The Arm of the Law." Sim Allen, who v/um back with A. Q. Delu- mater's "Countess Coquette" production, iti telling some of his new road experiences to the broadway colony of agents. A novelty In the line of press work—a good one for the reason that not only Is It novel, but effective—Is In operation in Chicago at pres- ent, assisting In the publicity promotion of "When Dreams Come True." When Philip Bartholomae, author and producer of the musi- cal comedy, was In Germany last year he con- tracted for the making of miniature disc phon- ographic records of the "Dream Song" of his then contemplated piece. These ure now being distributed in large quantities around Chicago with most satisfactory results. J. J. Rosenthal Is the only press agent ever known to have been seen on Uroadway before 10 a. m., unless it was occasioned by his ar- rival In town. Theodore Sutro, Henry Erskine Smith, A. L Nathan and William D. Cochrane have been appointed a committee by the National Fede- ration of Theatre Clubs to devise ways and means for securing a theatre and clubhouse for the organization. Dame Rumor has it that Henry (Hank) Smith, one of John Cort's reliable agents, be- came a benedict last week, marrying a young woman not of the stage. Robert Edmunds Is now maauging the Ly- ceum, Lewes, Del., the only picture theatre there, which heretofore has been operated by W. L. Lowe of Georgetown, Del. In Sellg's "The Law and the Outlaw," Tom Mix. a daring cowboy, docs a "bulldogglng' stunt with a frenzied bull and also does some other thrilling work which other phoioplayerH would think forty times before attempting. Marc MacDermott, a well known picture actor, has arrived in England safe and sound but writes to .N'ew York friends that the trip over was 'orrible. FEATURE FILM CALLED IN. The Centura Feature Film Co. has called in its road companies of "The Wages of Sin." Charles M. Seay (Edison) has taken up headquarters In Home, Ga., where the com- pany with him will engage in making Home new southern pictures. With Seay ure Mabel Trunelle, Bliss Milford, Herbert Prior, Harry Beaumont and Arthur Housman. Some old historic subjects will be ofTercd. "Smiling Billy" Mason, aixordlng to the man who shoots out the publicity dope for the Essanay Co., has found a means of play- ing golf at night by coating the ball with phosphorous. The Melle.s Player.s, on a world's tour, are still In Australia where they are turning out some new Antipodes ronianceH. Among the many films now liinllnK their way Into the American markets froiii the Kuropean marts arc tiiope In wlil'h educat' '1 insects tak*- the parts of actors. Some of tli< -»' lilins took nearly a year in the niiikinK- The Arverne Tier, Arvern<'. Ij. I . Rot Into the running again last week with KImc- hiai'olor as the attrr.ctlnn. BERLIN Berlin, June 17. Werner Alberti, the tenor, who toured America a few years ago, celebrated his 25th stage anniversary by playing as a guest with the Hagin Opera at Krolls, Berlin. "Drohnen," a tragic comedy by Adolf Paul, cannot be brought out this season. The Censor had forbidden this play, but when the courts were ap- pealed to, the interdiction was lifted. However the season had progressed too far and the performance was post- poned until the fall. A pantomime ballet, "The Luring Light," ("Das Lockende Licht") by Felix Salten, with music by Vladmir Metzl, will be produced next season at the Dresden Hofopera. The bal- let will fill the evening's performance. PARIS Paris, June 17. Manager Samuel of the Theatre des Varietes is following Max Dearly to the Cigale, where he is now playing in the revue, with the claim of $12,000 for leaving his troupe before the expiration of his contract. But it seems difficult to get at Max, the Cigale music hall manager, R. Flakeau, claiming he has no contract with Mr. Dearly, but is dealing with an impresario who supplies all the stars he needs at a fixed rate. The seizure therefore made on salaries at the Cigale is not a legal attachment. Max Dearly, it appears, is leaving soon for London, where he intends to take up a permanent residence, in view of a long contract with the Empire, to play in revues. Walhalla Theatre, formerly vaude- ville house, will become a moving pic- ture place. The Cines-Woods-Goldsol Co. an- nounce that Alex Fisher, brotheir of Clifford Fisher, has not been appointed general booking man. No one has yet l)cen appointed for this position. Good vaudeville acts are a success, wlicn the Berlin people have a chance of seeing them. For instance in the burlesque *'The Man with the Green Mask." the Grix Gregory "Risley" ac- robatic troupe appear in a vaudeville scene and make the big success of the show. The Koniodienhaus has been leased for ten years by Mcinhard & Bernauer. These enterprising showmen, already managers of two Berlin theatres (Ber- liner theatre and Theatre in der Konig- gratzerstrasse), and who brought out such liits as "The Five Frankforters" and "Tlie Girl in the Film" ("Film- zauber") will be successful in their new theatre. The location is of the best, and the conditions under which the house has been taken over are very favoiable. Negotiations are on to induce Pro- fessor Max Reinliard to play "The Miracle" in Argenliiu- and Brazil. The jubilee exhii)ilion at Breslau had its remarkable day with Gerhard Haupt- niaiiii's festival play's initial perform- ance. Staged by Max Reinliard and played by the actors of the Deutsche theatre, Berlin, a great success is re- jxtrtcd. Lotiiso CJlauni, former leading woman of th' .Nc.-tor Co., lias join<>(l tin; Kay-Hee IMay- er.s. DouKlas ('ooper. a jiioricrr picture man of Canada, has been ai)pointed general manager of tin- KiiH ni;uoior <"o. of Canada, Ltd., with his licMdiiUiutcrs in Toronto. Adam K«'s (M, ,lr., h;is ht-conie a yacht fan and cvci y It istirc nioincnt is s|)« nt on the ()r-(i:i. wiijcl) Ik- InLeud:; to crul. e la to his .vuin;M<'T Clonic on I/tkf (*li:iriipl;iin. Kessel is pr<- iiltiii of the .\cw York Mot inn Picture Co. l>lv(rs <Mit!i.KS li;ive In <• n .irrant^ed for the niovip iiKii wild will ;itti ii'I flic Third Annual Cniivctit ion of tln> Mot nil l'i> tiire I'^xliihltorH lyr.TKUf ol Aiii'Tl^'i vliifli will lie holfl In .N'ew York .luly 7-11! In'l.i ivi, MoonllKht exeur- KJori'^. ^JKti* ccir.k' toiir.-, .1 visit t<» th«' aero- jilani • l:c c| at, llciiif. ti .ni |'|;ilns and a trip til fnrii'V It;1;ind The Etoile Palace reopens Aug. 22 and will be then known as the Paris Empire, which is the name Marius Combes is giving to the house after a summer cleaning. It will not be re- built at present, but Mr. Combes in- tends to make several alterations dur- ing the closure this summer. Vaude- ville acts will be played, as in the past The idea is to make It a more fash- ionable resort for the fashionable quarter near which it is situated. The Folies Bergere, when the regu- lar winter season commences in Sep- tember, will commence with variety numbers, including a ballet by th« draughtsman Willette and Mme. Marl- quita, formerly ballet mistress at the Opera, music by A. Bosc, the conduc- tor of the Bal Tabarin. This will be followed by a revue by Michel Carr6 and Andre Barde (authors signing the revue now running at the Marigny) end of October. Carmelita Ferrer is not booked for that production, but she goes to the London Opera House when finishing at the Ambassadeurs. In the meanwhile the summer man- agement of the Folies Bergere is do- ing splendidly, up to the present, Anna Held being a decided attraction. Regine Flory, a French danseuse. often seen in Paris revues, has been engaged to open at the Palace, Lon- don, Dec. 15. Mmc. Trouhanowa opened at the Marigny, in the revue, June 14. It seems Mary Garden is still too ill tc think of appearing in Wolff-Ferrari's "Joyaux dc la Madonc" at the Paris Op- era this season, and the French pro- duction of this work has therefore been again postponed till September. At least this is the version issCied by Man- agers Messager and Hroussan. Isadora Duncan has cancelled her tour for South America, and the man- agement, in view of her recent bereave- ment, has accepted. The Russian ballet will sail for i'.uenos Aires (engaged through I'as- quicr & (>).), Aug. 15. CJen. Kfl. Lavine, after a tour through Spain, <jpene(l at tlic I'alais d'I'.te, Brussels. Tune 20.