Variety (August 1913)

VARIETY UNITED OFFICES SHOW ALARM OVER MARINELLI'S ACTIVITY Try to Discredit Trust-Breaking Action of International Agent by Sending Misrepresenting Statement to New York Newspapers. Marinelli's Attorney Gathering Data to Proceed, Either Criminal- ly or Civilly, Perhaps Both. Was in Washington this Week. Following Vaiuktv's story last week of the retaining by H. B. Marinelli of former United States Attorney Henry \. Wise to prosecute' the United Hook- ing Offices as a "trust," either crimin- ally or civilly <»r both, the l\ B. O. Krew alarmed, and on Saturday sent rut a statement to the New York news- papers in an attempt to discredit any action Mr. Marinelli's attorney might take. That the statement was a misrepre- sentation did not appear upon its sur- face. It contained a copy of a cable- gram which, the U. H. (). people made it appear by inference, had been ad- dressed to it by Marinelli, whereas as a matter of fact, the cable, marked "Confidential," was addressed to the Marinelli agency in New York, from the Marinelli office in Paris. The state- ment in full, which none of the New York papers printed, is given below. This week, or the early part of it. Mr. Wise was in Washington on the Marinelli-U. B. O. matter. It was said he had outlined a campaign against "The Vaudeville Trust," and was about to immediately put it in action. In securing evidence against the United Booking Offices in New York, its affiliations, the Orpiieum Circuit Cwith headquarters in San Francisco) and the Western Vaudeville Manag- ers' Association (of Chicago)—which trio would suffice to bring "The Trust" under the Interstate Commerce Com- mission's province—Mr. Wise is said to have secured proof .if the U. B. O. and it^ amalgamated vaudeville corpora- tions operating as a "trust" through having declared the Klaw & Erlanger "Advanced Vaudeville" "opposition," when the principal officers of "The Trust," without hesitancy, openly and verbally declared that any vaudeville act working for that side of the vau- deville fence would be "blacklisted" by the U. B. O. and its allies for two years; also the agreement reached be- tween the U. B. O. and the Orpheum Circuit and the principal legitimate theatrical managers of America (in- cluding Klaw & Erlanget and the Shu- berts), whereby the latter (who signed the agreement personally) were de- barred from presenting first class vau- deville in this country for a period of ten years from the date under a pen- alty of $250,000 for each offense (copies of this agreement are in existence, it is said, outside the U. B. O. office, where the original is held). The "blacklist" placed upon the William Morris "opposition" has also been traced down by the Marinelli at- torneys, it is reported, with any num- ber of individual instances of record. while other instances of recent date of the U. B. ().. Orpheum and W. V. M. A. "barring" acts "playing for oppo- sition" are in hand to be placed in pre- sentable form before the authorities. Instances such as the U. B. O. and Orpheum Circuit, also the Chicago ad- junct, forbidding agents booking through it to place acts elsewhere with- out the official sanction of "Trust" of- ficers have been noted, and cases of acts themselves having been warned inder pain of being "blacklisted" not to play in any house not booked by the U. B. O., Orpheum or W. V. M. A. without consent from headquarters, are being investigated, as well as cases where acts were canceled for doing so. Every operative move and action of the U. B. O. particularly, within the past five years, has been monopolistic, and the sole aim of B. F. Keith, who (Continued on page 17.) OPERETTE NOT READY. (Special Cable to Vajubtt.) London, Aug. 27. The Leoncavallo piece, scheduled for the Prince of Wales' is not ready, and it has been found necessary to revive Clyde Fitch's "Girls" there in Sept. PLAYING WITH GABY. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Aug. 27. Oscar Schwartz, from the Opera House, will also appear in the Gaby Deslys act at the Palace next week. SIMS' "OPEN DOOR** SEPT. 6. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Aug. 27. George R. Sims' "The Ever Open Door." a drama of London life, will be presented at the Aldwych Sept. 6. CLIFF FISCHER SAILING. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Aug. 27. Clifford Fischer is to sail for America again, Sept. 3. JOHNSON, BIGGEST DRAW. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Aug. 27. In the opinion of the show people Jack Johnson is now the biggest draw- ing card in England, made so by the protests in the dailies against his music hall appearance. Johnson will probably open next week in a local hall, at $2,500 weekly salary, with A complete tour booked for later through the Variety Controll- ing Co. If you don't advertli* In VARIETY, don't advertise at all. EMPIRE IN PARIS. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) Paris, Aug. 27. The Etoile Palace, now renamed the Fmpire, opened Aug. 22, with a good all-around vaudeville show. M. Combes remains as director, Laurent Feraud filling the post of general manager. As before, a change of program oc- curs every week, some acts remaining 15 days. Several changes have been made, but excepting a new entrance to keep it distinct from the Salle Wag- ram (ball room), the house looks about the same. The principal item on the program, so far as billing is concerned, is a sketch "T'Occupes pas du Patron," by Jacques Feraudy, introducing imita- tions of Comedie Francaise actors, played by the author (son of the actor at the Comedie Francaise) and Mile. Rachel Launay. This little work met with a good reception. The other acts on the bill include one of the Schwartz companies in 'The Broken Mirror." Recall and Le- tt ora, Tango dancers, Rothig, comic illustionist, Boucot, a good French comic, Marie Therese Berka, Harry Alaska trio, and E. O. Loyals, comedy juggling act. KINOVAUDEVILLE LIKED. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) Berlin, Aug. 27. The Cines Palast Zoo, with the Woods-Goldsoll vaudeville and pic- tures, opened Aug. 22 with five acts and moving pictures to very good busi- ness. Herbert Lloyd is going big. Langdon McCormick's train effect worked into a sketch called "A Mile a Minute," is avgreat success though suf- fering from poor acting. Claude Roode is going well; Alfredo, the violinist, does nicely. Two modern dancers fell flat. The public is taking well to Kino- vaudeville. FILMING "BEST SELLER/' (Special Cable to Varibtt.) Berlin, Aug. 27. TIu "lest seller" is at present the novel "The Tunnel," by Bernhard Kellermann. It will be translated in every language. The plot is the idea cf building a tunnel between America and Europe. The film rights have now been ac- quired by a German syndicate. ANGER QUITS AT CHANGE. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Aug. 27. Lou Anger opened at the Coliseum and did well, but quit when his position on the bill was changed to an early spot. IIESSIE CLIFFORD, SINGLE. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Aug. 27. Bessie Clifford opened as a single at the Palladium Monday and scored. CONVENTIONAL MELO. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Aug. 27. "The Beggar Girl's Wedding" was presented Aug. 20 at the Lyceum. It proved to be the conventional melo- drama in vogue there and was well re- ceived. SAILINGS. Reported through Paul Tausig & Son, 104 East 14th Street. New York: Aug. 11, Grace Barnctti, Bob Ferns, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Wilde; Aug. 30, H. B. Marinelli, Albert de Courville (?). (Special Cable to Vajubtt.) London, Aug. 27. Reported through Daw's Exchange: Aug. 30, Anna Held (La France); Aug. 30, Leslie Thompson (Colum- bia); Aug. 28, Mrs. Dick Knowles (Adri- atic) ; Aug. 27, Vincent Sternroyd, Roland Buckstone, Hilda Stone (Oceanic); Aug. 23, Mr. and Mrs. Ingle ton, Mrs. L. Rose, Cecelia Storm (Philadelphia); Aug. 23. George Tyler (La Pro- vence). Reported through Pall Mall Ex- change: Aug. 21, Schrodes and Chappelle (Baltic). San Francisco, Aug. 27. Aug. 26 (For Sydney), Reynolds and Donegan, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Greene, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Straight, Da- vis, Allen and Davis, Morris' Ponies. Three Vardels, Arthur Trout and Co.. Jewell and Jordan, Alberta and Ro- zella. Frank Mostyn Kelly and Co. (Ventura). Aug. 26 (For Honolulu), Virginia Brissac and Co. (19 people) and Sam Blair. Paris, Aug. 20. Aug. 14 (For Buenos Aires-Seguin Tour), Les Marcellis. OLYMPIA, PARIS, SHOW. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, Aug. 27. The Olympia reopened with vaude- ville, under the direction of Jacques Charles, Aug. 20, thus inaugurating the Paris winter season. The program included Bessie Bruce ir ragtime assisted by J. W. Jackson's girls, but no ballet. They did nicely: Vernon and Dolly Castle in Tango dances successfully; Little Sousa, fairly. Other acts that made good are the O'Kabe Troupe. Egos, a dog act, A1- \arettas, Best, an eccentric, the Sol- brigs, in pantomime. Robledillo was programed but did not appear. There may be some liti- gation over his non-appearance. DID WELL AT ALCAZAR. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) Paris, Aug. 27. The Phillip Sisters, and also the Kirksmith Girls, opened at the Alcazar Aug. 23. Both acts did well. LORRAINE IN THE HALLS. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Aug. 27. Robert Lorraine is back from Aus- tralia and will go into the halls, with a sketch- "IYAFFENOANG" GOOD. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) Berlin. Aug. 27. Oscar Blumenthal's comedy "Waf- fengang" was produced at the Muen- chen Schauspielhaus with good success.