Variety (August 1913)

VARIETY "TWO-A-DAY" OPPOSITION ANNOUN CED FO R MONTREAL Mark-Brock House on Loew Circuit Installing New Policy at Opening Season. Bucking Orpheum, U. B. O. Booked. Small Difference in Costs of Bills, Big Difference in Prices of Admission. Montreal, July 30. When the Francaise reopens its sea- son Aug. 11, under the direction again of Mark-Brock, the house will play two shows daily, of eight acts, booked by the Loew-Sullivan-Considine office iiTNew York. This will be direct opposition to the Orpheum, booked by the United Book- ing Offices of New York. The Orphe- um also plays eight acts twice daily. The Francaise weekly bill will cost around $1,200; the Orpheum's, around $2,200. The former charges 10-15-25, the Orpheum up to one dollar. A Variety representative was in- formed by M. S. Epstin, general book- ing manager for the Mark-Brock houses, that other of the circuit's the- atres might take on the two-a-day policy next season. Mark-Brock are now operating five houses. NO A. F. OF L. DECISION. Atlantic City, July 30. A labor bulletin has been issued here containing the information that the Executive Board of the A. 1% of L. had taken no action on the protest made by the Central Federated bod- ies against the White Rats Actor's Union. It is expected that several decisions will be forthcoming after the next meeting, to be held in Washington Sept. 22. BELLE BAKER'S INCREASE. Detroit, July 30. Belle Baker is at the Temple this week, at an increase in salary, some- what over the amount formerly re- ceived by her. It is being commented upon in town, owing to an act having its salary raised in the middle of the summer. KAUFMAN GIRL WITH AHEARN. Atlantic City, July 30. Violet Strickland, from the Kauf- man bicycle turn, has been engaged by Charles Ahearn to ride in the Ahearn comedy cycle act. SITE IN NEWARK. Newark, July 30. A site at the corner of Broad and Market streets, on the corner where a United Cigar store is now located, has been secured by Max Spiegl of New York, Charles Robinson of Al- bany, and Edgar Allen of New York for the announced intention of erect- ing a vaudeville theatre capable of seating 2,000 people. It will be finished in December, according to claims made. The location is the best in town. The Charles Robinson mentioned is interested in the Grand theatre, Al- bany, now playing big time vaudeville booked by the (Edgar) Allen-Epstin agency. It opposes F. F. Proctor in Albany, as the proposed Newark house will also be opposition to the Proctor theatre there. JONESES SELL ALHAMRRA. Stamford, Conn., July 30. The Jones brothers have sold the Alhambra to Anthony Geronorao. The house played pop vaudeville booked by the Loew-Sullivan-Consi- dine office. No announcement hat been issued as to the future policy or book- ing agent. GRAND BACK TO ACTS. Commencing Aug. 4, the Grand the- atre on Grand street, a Loew Circuit booking, will again play vaudeville, us- ing eight acts on a split week. FIELDS ACTS FOR PANTAGES. Sollie Fields, a brother to Lew, is preparing several acts for the Pantages Circuit. They will have girls mostly in them. The first, "The Seashore Girls," is now ready for a break-in. This time last year Lew Fields start- ed on the "girl acts" he sent over the Sullivan-Considine tour under his name. NO DISCHARGE FOR EDWARDS. William H. Willis, appointed a referee in the bankruptcy petition of Gus Edwards, finds in his report the song writer-publisher-producer is not entitled to a discharge. Willis decided Edwards had assigned five vaudeville acts to conceal them from his creditors and did not include them in his schedule of assets. The referee also found that an as- signment of songs was made to con- ceal them from the creditors. DIDN'T HAVE TIME. A team of German comedians in vaudeville called on their agents the other day. "Anything new in your act?" the agent inquired. "Nope," was the reply. "We have been so busy working, haven't had time to go around and see anything. t» ALL-AMERICAN SHOW. An ail-American entertainment for England is proposed by George Beban, Jack Mason and Louis Nethersole, for a London West End theatre next year. Mr. Beban's recent success over there in "The Sign of the Rose" (in the halls) suggested to the three men while they were on the other side that the Beban piece, with the principal, together with an American revue, of all Americans, would just about fit in. Accordingly, negotiations are on for the theatre. Before producing his playlet as a part of the show, Mr. Beban will play it on the Moss (England) time next spring, at $1,250 weekly. Messrs. Ma- son and Beban returned to New York last week. MANAGERS* MEETING. The big time vaudeville managers connected with the United Booking Offices commenced meeting once again Tuesday last for the avowed purpose of routing acts. 5 The agents are hoping for the best, especially since marooned in the Palace Theatre building. It's becoming an irk- some job for the "Palace agents" to run over to the Longacre building and back again several times a day, while all the small time agents are in their former offices under the U. B. O. suite. It's tough on the goats, but most of them wouldn't breathe for 24 hours if ordered not to. The agents have their machines nearly paid for, a couple of hundred in the bank, and making enough money to leave an insurance policy for the wife, so their future is protected. WHAT DAINTY MARIE SAID! Dainty Marie is now a full-fledged vaudevillian. She has attempted to do business with the United Booking Offices and encountered the usual re- sult. Last winter Marie played a week at Hammerstein's during her regular sea- son with "The Yankee Doodle Girls," a burlesque organization, managed by T. W. Dinkins. A strong hit was reg- istered, and she was told she could se- cure a vaudeville route. But Marie was under contract to Dinkins for another season and lived up to her contract all last winter. A few weeks ago she played Hen- derson's on her own account, when Dinkins seized her plush curtains and everything except her trapeze (Marie's personal property). Nothing daunted, Marie continued without the curtains, returned once more to Hammerstein's, and is now held over for a second week. Vaudeville, in the form of the U. B. O., once more beckoned. "Everything will be all right," said the U. B. O. "You play the Union Square and later we'll give you Union Hill." But Marie is wise. "Not me," she said. "These vaudeville guys can go plum to h—," she declared. "I'll go back to bur- lesque. Even Dinkins and his plush curtains are better than that kind of stalling!" "TENDERFOOT" AND "TWINS." When Boyle Woolfolk quit New York for a flying trip to Detroit he took back with him full permission to use "The Tenderfoot," the former Richard Carle show, as a tabloid. Re- hearsals will start at once in Chicago, and the piece sent over the W. V. M. A. time with Will Morris (Morris and Thurston) in the Carle role. Woolfolk also landed the "Three Twins" for a tab while here and may also use the former Phil Niven pro- duction. G. Franklyn White will look after Woolfolk's interests in New York. Detroit, July 30. "The Time, the Place and the Girl," one of Boyle Woolfolk's tabs, closed here Saturday night and the company disbanded. The time laid out for this tabloid will be taken up by Woolfolk's new condensed organization playing 'Three Twins." CHICAGO DEAL PENDING. Chicago, July 30. Chicago has been upset vaudevilly this week through the rumors of the almagamation of the Western Vaude- ville Managers' Association and the Jones, Linick & Schaeffer Agency. The story has been in the wind for some time. Carl Hoblitzelle, managing di- rector of the Inter-State Circuit, and the brains of "the Association," first conceived the idea some time ago but not securing the proper co-operation he continued looking after his own af- fairs, as all the other managers in the Association have been doing since the new regime took hold about a year ago. The latest drawing together of the opposition forces is said to have been the work of Dave Beehler, of the Beehler Bros. Agency, although Mr. Beehler refused to talk when seen early in the week, stating he knew nothing whatever of the matter. Nevertheless it is understood that he was instrumental in the bringing of Aaron Jones to New York last week, to confer with Martin Beck, Charles E. Kohl, Herman Fehr and Mort Singer. Mrs. Caroline Kohl, who was supposed to have sailed for France, was also in New York at the time. All returned to Chicago late last week. The outcome of the conference which all admitted, was not made known, although it has been given out nothing definitely was accomplished. Aaron Jones stated he made no proposition and none was made to him. He admitted the matter of getting together was discussed but also inti- mated that at the most only a book- ing arrangement would be reached, as Jones, Linick & Schaeffer intended to run their own theatres and book them from their own office. All indications point to the Associa- tion as being the anxious party for some sort of an agreement, and this, regardless of the fact that they are claiming the J. L. & S. firm will not be able to secure attractions for their houses. The protection sought by Martin Beck, Herman Fehr and Mort Singer seems to be for the Palace and Ma- jestic theatres. They realize that cheap vaudeville at the Colonial and McVick- ers is not going to do the two big houses any good, and are anxious therefore for some sort of an amicable arrangement, through fear that big at- tractions will eventually be played in the houses also realize that a firm which can offer an act six weeks of time in Chicago will have no difficulty in getting acts once the season starts and they also know that it will give the act a more or less independent leg to stand on. Charles Kohl is out of town at present and none of the managers in the Association know what is going on. They are obliged to allow Beck and several others with little or no real interest in the Association to run their business while they sit calmly by and do what they are told. Mr. Jones acknowledged the deal is still pending. Mr. Beck will be in Chicago next week, when some result may be reached. John Cort, now in Seattle, is due in New York Aug. 9.