Variety (August 1913)

VARIETY AN ALICE LLOYD ROAD SHOW; ALSO EVEL YN NES BIT COMPANY Travelling Troupe, Headed by English Girl, to be Com- posed of All Foreign Star Turns Under Manage- ment William Morris. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw Secured by Gest & Comstock for America. An Alice Lloyd road show, under the management of William Morris, is the latest thing in vaudeville. With the return to New York of Tom Mc- Naughton (Miss Lloyd's husband) a couple of weeks ago, he and Morris got together on the road show prop- osition. They decided that for the company headed by Miss Lloyd there would be only foreign stars. The choice of H. B. Marinelli's long and important list of European at- tractions available for this season can be had for Miss Lloyd's show, it is said. The first offers made were to Arthur Prince and Barclay Gammon, but both turns are booked solid abroad. Neither could secure a re- lease. Miss Lloyd will reach New York on the Mauretania Sept. 26. Shortly after, her show will take to the road, traveling over the Shuberl and Cort time, with other dates set by Mr. Mor- ris. $1,500 weekly offered her by the United Booking Offices for this sea- son in the big time houses of that agency's and the Orpheum circuit's was refused by Miss Lloyd. Mr. Mc- Naughton has had the idea of a road show for his wife since he noted the condition of the big time vaudeville some while ago, when Miss Lloyd was starring in musical comedies. It has been about sett!*. 1 by H. B. Marinelli that Comstock & Gest will secure Evelyn Nesbit Thaw in America, to head a vaudeville road show. The weekly salary for Miss Nesbit is said to be $3,250. She will go on the road in November, perhaps, after a return visit to Paris, following the end of her engagement at Ham- merstein's. The Nesbit Road Show will take the usual route for the coming season which includes the east, west and south, travelling over the Shubert and Cort time mostly. The latest \»ill make six vaudeville road shows preparing; the John Cort twain (Anru Held and Lillian Rus- sell's), the Hoffmann-Polaire-Richard- son, Eva Tanguay's. Alice Lloyd's and the Nesbit, besides the Harry Lauder show (William Morris management), which is to have a brief tour. "TAB" THIXG COMPLICATED. Chicago, Aug. 27. The tabloid situation is becoming quite complicated. At the start of the season the Association installed a de- partment to handle the "tabs" and placed Sam Thall at the head. Mr. Thall was at his office and ready to do business two months ago, but up to date nothing startling in the way of routes has been given out. All the producers were asked to sub- mit their shows to the office. They did so. Many were accepted and many rejected. Of those accepted, it now develops, but few have been routed. Those that have are in a quandry as to how they are to run, as the routes call for three weeks' work, a lay off and then four or five more weeks, with another layoff, etc. The producers, who figure pretty closely in putting out the miniature musical pieces, cannot stand the layoff thing, as one week's rest takes away the profit of three or four weeks' work. Several producers have aheady been scared off and many others have been diligently figuring how they can weather the storm. The separate booking in the Asso- ciation is responsible in a large meas- ure for the condition. The dramatic tabs are also responsible. Some man- agers arc booking these without know- ing how they are going to pan out, and should they fail it will mean a rush for the musical pieces, which will not be available in large numbers at that time. The Western Extravaganza Co., of which Charles Kohl and Mort Singer are the main props, after producing cne piece this season, have given up the idea of any further productions, and several others have followed their example. The only one to go ahead with the work is Boyle Woolfolk, and he is preparing for a demand which may or may not eventuate later in the season. The Jake Wells circuit in the south, a former fertile field for the tab producers is unsettled also. The houses have been doing so well with pictures during the summer that no plan for the changing in the immediate future has been given out and it is preventing the producers from holding their companies together. W. S. But- terfield, who originally planned to put out five shows, has cut the number down by one or two. When those on the inside begin to weaken the outsiders fail to see any hope at all. A "wise" tabloid man this week ventured the opinion the tabs were on the wane. MENDELSSOHN IS "OPPOSITION." Some very loud talking in a popu- lar restaurant near Times Square the other day elicited the question from a patron: "Is that a riot or a couple of song writers talking?" It developed that the noise emanated from a pair of song pluggers. The man seeking information finally ap- proached and said: "Say. where's that guy Mendelssohn keep his office? I want to get a copy of hi9 'Spring Song.'" "Don't tell him," replied the loudest of the two. "It's an 'opposition' song." If 700 don't adTortlM In VARIETY, don't •overtlM at oil. ADVERTISING "K. A P." Danbury, Conn., Aug. 27. The Taylor Opera House has an- nounced it will play "Keith & Proctor Vaudeville," booked through the Fam- ily Department of the United Booking Offices, commencing Labor Day. The Opera House will oppose the Empress, operated by Chris O. Brown. The use of "Keith & Proctor" or "Keith" as a vaudeville slogan outside New York to cover the brand of vaude- furnished by the U. B. O.s' Family De- partment, (which books for the small variety theatres,) is & very common occurrence, although it has not been until recently the U. B. O. considered it necessary to link Keith's name with Proctor's. There is at the present time no "Keith & Proctor" firm nor corpora- tion. F. F. Proctor has given Mr. Brown a written denial of the authorized use of his name in connection with the billing matter for the opposition the- atre here. DICKERING WITH BULGER Chicago, Aug. 27. ilarry Bulger is dickering with Jones, Linick & Schaeffcr for the time with a new act in which he uses five people. The price is holding up the deal at present. The comedian is ask- ing $1,000 per week. ROSAMOND JOHNS* N MARRIED. (Special Cable to VarihtO London, Aug. 27. The marriage of Rosamond Johnson, the American colored performer, now with Charles Hart in the Opera House revue, occurred some weeks ago here, when Mr. Johnson took to wife a young colored girl. KAISER IN FILM BUSINESS? (Special Cable to Varmtt.) Paris, Aug. 27. A newspaper report has gained circu- lation here and is given credence in some quarters, which makes it appear that the German government is en- gaged on a proposition to take over the moving picture business of the nation and turn it into a governmental monopoly. It is the plan to create a corporation on the plan of the petro- leum concern, of which the government will hold the majority of stock. A concession will thereupon be granted to a separate organization which will take care of the manufac- turing side of the enterprise. No other person or company will be permitted to make or sell movies in the German empire. This is in line with a disposition on the part of European governments to demand a tax from the movies, which come under the classification of luxur- ies. In Italy there is a tax of 2 cents a yard on all positives sold whether they are of domestic manufacture or imported. A long time since, there was an agi- tation started in France looking to the taxing of films, but it was allowed to lapse and is now quiescent. Frame was the first nation to see the possi- bilities of revenue in the movies, but appears to be the last to impose a tax ENGLISH MANAGERS ARRIVE. Even if the cables last week report- ed A. Chariot, manager of the London Alhambra, on the Continent in search of novelties, the fact still remains Mr. Chariot is in New York and will re- main here for a week or so longer. By his own confession he slipped away from his theatre without telling the folks just exactly whence he was bound. Wednesday evening, without pre- vious announcement also, Albert de Courville, of the London Hippodrome, came into New York. He, like Char- lot, is looking for actors and acts, for the English revues. Mr. Chariot is after people for the present Alhambra revue. "8d a Mile." which has been running since May 9 ever there with no signs of abate- ment in interest. The title refers to the taxi charge in London. . In New York Mr. Chariot says the piece would have been called $28.50 a mile, he not knowing of the new taxi ordi- nance which reduces the hourly charge about 40 cents, leaving the taxi- clock to register every three and one- half blocks instead of five, as always. Mr. de Courville may return on the Imperator tomorrow. Stopping at the Knickerbocker Ho- tel also is "Girl Act" Jackson from England, the producer of the many girls numbers on the side. Jackson's active competitor abroad is John Til- ler, with this difference, that Jackson puts on real acts. AUTOMOBILE AS ACT. It may be a joke, but the lobby loungers said Monday the agents were trying to obtain the Packard car that carried Harry Thaw toward Canada for exhibition as a vaudeville act. The Fifth Avenue is reported as having en- tertained the proposition. The Packard is back in New York. The owner declined to let the news- papers have a picture of it unless they paid him for the privilege. The car was untrained when leaving New York. Mr. Thaw is not claimed to have taught it any tricks. SUPPORTING INA CLAIRE. (Special Cable to Varibty.) London, Aug. 27. Ina Claire will open at the Adelphi instead of the Gaiety, in an English musical play instead of the German piece originally announced. In the cast will be Phyllis Dare. Gracie Leigh, Joseph Coyne. Edmund Payne. GROSSMITH DATE CALLED OFF. (Special Cable to VARinf r.) Paris, Aug. 27. Negotiations for the appearance of George Grossmith in a sketch at the Marigny have been cancelled. He was to have presented an act supported by Kitty Mason and ten English dancing girls. Grossmith has not appeared in Paris since his debut at the Folies Ber- gere two years ago. The management of the Marigny was also dickering for Prince, the picture actor, but nothing has come of this either