Variety (August 1913)

VARIITY HACKETT FOLLOWS CHINQ ON M ARCUS LOEW'S TIME Legitimate Actor Opening at O. H., Philadelphia Monday. Ching Packing House Over There Daily. Will Do $6,000 on Week (12 Shows) at 10-15-25. Could Have Held Over. Hurting Keith's Big Time House. James K. Hackett opens Monday at Loew's Philadelphia Metropolitan Op- era House, with his sketch founded on "Les Miserables," entitled "The Bish- op's Candlesticks." Hackett has been receiving $2,500 a week for this act on the United time when not serving as either a stock star or a moving picture actor of late. Having established a precedent with Ching Ling Foo, it looks as if the Loew people would follow suit with other headline acts of equal prominence. Philadelphia, Aug. 13. Ching Ling Foo started on the Loew Circuit in the Metropolitan Opera House Monday afternoon, when the big house was almost filled, while Monday night it held capacity, with fully six rows of standees back of the rail. It is said the receipts reached a few dollars less than $1,000 for the day, with admission the usual scale, 10-15-25. Tuesday the lower floor was filled within a few rows of the back, the house holding about $400. Tues- day night was another sell-out, many being turned away. It is estimated that the house will do $6,000 on the week. Ching is playing only two shows daily. Ching drew them from all parts of the city, the car lines giving this an- swer; so it is likely Keith's felt the effect. Keith's holds a better show this week than has been there for some time. The Bijou is the only other house east of the Schuylkill, open at present. Ching is surely good for a return here at any time. Owing to a club booking for two nights (Aug. 19-20), in Boston, made through the United Booking Offices, Ching Ling Foo will lay off next week, filling the U. B. O. engagement only. He receives more than his full week's salary on the Loew time for the two performances. Aug. 25 Ching will open at Loew's Orpheum, Boston, and the following week come into a New York stand on the Circuit, probably at the Seventh Avenue to give B. F. Keith's Alhambra (opening Labor Day) the benefit of the overflow, which it will badly need if all accounts of the business at the big time Keith Harlem house last season are true. At the Loew office this week Jos. M. Schenck said the playing by Ching of two shows daily on his circuit was an exception, and would not be the rule hereafter with big features. Mr. Schenck ascribed his leniency in this instance to the summer months. George & Leon Mooser, who man- age Ching, have received offers this week from "small time" all over the country, the smaller vaudeville man- agers going as high as $1,400 weekly in salary for the Chinaman. RICHMOND-DODGE SEPARATION. Dorothy Richmond, playing in a vaudeville sketch, has commenced ac- tion against her husband, Albert C Dodge, for a separation. Mrs. Dodge is represented by Jerome Wilzin. It is said the suit may bring out some interesting side lines, if reaching trial. $1,000 FOR "GIRL ACTS." The "girl acts" Solly Fields is pre- paring for the Pantages Circuit re- ceive $1,000 weekly, it is said. Mr. Fields will send out as many turns of this character as he can produce before the Lew Fields' "All Aboard" show leaves the 44th Street theatre. So far there have been two of the Fields' girly numbers turned loose. One is already traveling and the sec- ond, with 17 people, opened last Mon- day for a preliminary trot at Proctor's 125th Street. SLIVERS PICTURING. Slivers, the clown, is going picturing, for the Kalem Co. He is receiving a fancy price for the film work. AT LIBERTY SEPT. 3. The final divorce decree in the Lida Carlyle-Billy Inman action will be en- tered Sept. 3, when Mr. Inman will be ai liberty to again marry. Inman wants to wager $1,000 he can marry more often in three years ' than any actor on the stage. MAUD RYAN'S INVENTORY. Maud Ryan's inventory of the old Saratoga Hotel (Chicago), standard stock company reveals the fact that May Howard is in burlesque; Polly Moran, married and abroad; Marie Clark, now known as Edith Ward is on the Gus Sun time; Marie Russell is going to Holland, and Maud herself is laying off. SUN MANAGERS MEET. Chicago, Aug. 13. The managers on the Gus Sun Cir- cuit will hold a conference at Sandusky, O., today. It is the annual meeting of the Sun Circuit, but this one is reported to have a special significance upon the plans for the coming season. IRVIN COBB'S FIRST. Trvin Cobb's first offense as a play- wright, after years of building up a reputation as a comedy newspaper writ- er, is a one-act skit with six characters, shortly to be produced by Homer Miles. CONTINENTAL OPENINGS. {Special Cable to Variety-.) Berlin, Aug. 13. The Wintergarten here will start its regular season Sept. 2. So far for the first program are engaged Boganny Troupe, Lynch and Zeller, Rose and Ellis, "Diving Seal," Roberto and Dog, Four Vanis, and James Watts, the comedian from the Hippodrome, Lon- don. The Apollo, Vienna, opened Aug. 9 with Polaire as the feature. The Willy Pantzer Troupe, Gen. Ed. Lavine and others are on the bill. Ronnacher's, Vienna, under its new manager, L. Mittler, opens Aug. 15 with Mile. Diamant headlining. She goes there from the Revue at the Mid- dlesex, London. The Hansa, Hamburg, also starts the season Aug. 15. Hanover and Madgebury commence their variety bills Aug. 30. Several American acts will be in the programs. Polaire in her sketch, "Le Visiteur," is reported as a success at the Apollo, Vienna. McVICKER'S DOESN'T HURT. Chicago, Aug. 13. Business at McVicker's was watched with interest all through the opening week. Watching it proved a great sat- isfaction to Jones, Linick and Schaeffer crowd, if to no one else, for the house did a land office business, with every prospect of continuing. Business at the Colonial which many thought would drop in consequence did not fall and seemed to be better than usual. At the Great Northern Hippodrome the same conditions pre- vail. The Majestic has not suffered through the advent of the pop houses although the large Majestic business is due in a measure to the Palace being closed. EXPOSITION NOT SUCCESS. Due to a mismanaged publicity cam- i.aign, the first annual Greater New 'i.nk Fair and Exposition,-now run- ning at the Empire City race track (.Yonkers), and scheduled to remain there during August, is being operated at a tremendous daily loss. The mid- week attendance averages around 5,000 a day where at least 20,000 were counted upon. The Saturday crowd measured in the neighborhood of 18,- 000, but considerable paper was dis- tributed, and this held down the cash receipts. The consensus of opinion is that the stock and produce display is one of the best ever seen in the east, live stock from as far west as Indiana be- ing on exhibition; but even this, coupled with a six-act free show and a fireworks spectacle employing over 300 people, have failed to help the box office. The "midway" is doing practically nothing, and, although the *x4ubition is but a week old, several concession- ists are already planning to pull out. The ostrich farm, one of the best of the midway attractions, left after a few days' trial. The evening crowds make the lawn in front of the grand stand their head- quarters, content on seeing the out- door vaudeville show and the fireworks. The first plan to exact an additional fee for the grand stand privilege was given up, and for the gate admission of 50 cents the entire ground is now < pen. It was rumored early this week that the fair would close down before the advertised final date, but this was de- nied by officials, who feel that the last week, which brings the Grand Circuit Trotting Races, will help them out of the financial hole. POUR FORDS AGAIN. Chicago, Aug. 13. Next season the Four Fords will once more be seen as a vaudeville com- bination. Max Ford, who has been ill for the past year, is recovered, and the sisters, now in Europe, will return and with Edwin resume the old turn. The act may be augmented by four girls and, a big production number made of the turn. BUNNY'S NEW ACT. John Bunny returns to Hammer- stein's for the week of Sc.r. 8, with practically a new act, c<, listing of talk by Tommy Gray and u i introduc- tory moving picture fat-'iloned after a foreign idea. JAMES RUSSELL IX)W. Chicago, Aug. 13. James Russell, formerly of the Rus- sell Brothers, is reported in a very low condition at his home. He lias been ill for a long time. McMANUS IN SKETCH. George McManus, cartoonist, crea- tor of "The NewlywoJs," "Let George Do It," etc., enters vaudeville Aug. 25. Bert Levy is staging McManus' act, which will be called "The Newlyweds at Home," consisting of a little sketch played by the cartoonist and his wife. (The original of Mrs. Newlywed). BROKE UP HOUSEKEEPING. Walter Percival, who recently jour- neyed east with his vaudeville skit, "The Choice," has returned west after playing one week at the Union Square. While in New York, Percival's wife suddenly acquired a desire to visit her home in Omaha, and. according to Per- cival, took with her everything he pos- sessed, including their only offspring, a Boston bull terrier. Upon her arrival, Mrs. P. wired Wal- ter she considered things even and acknowledged a desire to cancel all marriage contracts. Hence Walter's hasty exit west-bound. CARLYLE IN TEMPEST ACT. The former "Tempest and Ten" act is playing in a hideaway while Gertie Carlylc is breaking into the leading part Florence Tempest held last season. Miss. Tempest appears as a "single act" at Brighton next week. She will use two boys in a dancing finale to her new turn. VINIE HENSHAW AFTER DIVORCE. This week before Justice Crane in Brooklyn the action for divorce brought against Frank L. Wakefield by Vinie Henshaw was set down for trial. The couple was married 10 years ago.