Variety (September 1913)

VARIITY "SMALL TIME" FIGHT HURTING, BUT PLEASING THE BIG TIME Circuits in Smaller Division Scrapping Incidentally Rais- ing Salaries and Carefully Watched by United Book- ing Offices, Which Hopes it Will go to a Finish. Still **Pulling Out*' Acts. Moss & Brill Going With Nixon-Nirdlinger. The people most concerned in watch- ing the fight on between the small time circuits are viewing with dismay the extent the battle seems destined to go. They claim the United Booking Offices, which represents the big time, is gleefully watching the opposition hsittle, also noting that meanwhile the small time acts, as well as those on the big time that may go to the small time, are accordingly raising the salary price. Instead of the small time standing solidly, it is splitting up. "Pulling out acts" is now the line of battle mapped out between the Loew Circuit and Nixon-Nirdlinger-Prudential agencies. The latter combination will probably KCt the Moss & Brill theatres for the New York end of their chain. It was almost settled Wednesday this would happen. Good small time material has not been any too numerous on small time of late and with both factions anxiously lookiii)^ ior "koocI j^oods," the prices have ' 'Miiinenced \o soar. It is said $700 was offered -for a feature turn by a small time circuit Sunday, and that any $500 act could have gotten that money. "Doubles" have shoved the figure up $50 or so a week, and turns in demand are figuring how much they can get as their top figure by holding out. The small time fight is having its effect on the big time actor also. Form- erly the big timer believed he should favor the small time owing to it being "opposition" to the United Booking Orticcs (which Wv^ time aetors detest), but with the small time fight ing each other with big time methods, the actor says the conditions on the small time are no different from those on the big, and he will go out for the most that can be had. Small time managers not directly concerned in the fight believe they are affected by it, feeling the resultant in- crease in salaries, and viewing the future with much concern. Pliilaflelpliia. Sei)t. 10. The tlirec-cornered "pop" vaudeville war reached the "knock-dowii-draK- out" stape here thi.s week wlun ihi- ctt'crt'^ to (lisrui)l llu' Xi.Xdii-Xirdliiii^er slidw in the (iraiid ( )pira llouso on M(Mi(lay iTMilted in l»l..ws luinLi struck. \<) >eri(ins damai^e was done and no arrests made, while the (irand'> >-h<)W (tl)ene(l on schedide time, hut minus one or two (if the acts ori.y;inally hooked. TIk- trouhle started last week with Hie "pulling out" of hVances Clare and (d. Friday "Tlie .Xpjih' of Paris" act wired that it cnuld not jilay this week. No hill was announced in tlie ])ai)ers, So it wa> impossible for the •)ppositioM to yi{ a line on the \-X show. The tampering started in New York and the early train brought scouts who worked the railroad stations and finally reached the theatre. The Edmund Stanley act was one of those worked on and it was while on this act that the "worker" had a run-in with one of the Nirdlinger forces and was beaten up. Another fight followed later and it was reported that Fisher, of Fisher and Green, an act playing the Allegheny, received the beating. This could not be confirmed, but there was no denials made that the fights occurred. The Stanley act is playing the engai':cmcnt, but the Busch Broth- ers were out, one of the brothers be- ing taken suddenly ill. Nirdlinger was prepared for the trouble, holding sev- eral acts in readiness, and the show was driven Monday. The Nixon, another Nirdlinger house, was not overlooked, but here the bill remained undisturbed, according to re- ports, the act the "pullers" were after beini^ on the bill Tuesday. As Nird- linger is in the middle of the field fight- ing the United Booking Offices and the Loew-S & C interests, who are watch- ing each other closely, he has a three- cornered fight on his hands. While admitting that the opposition was keeping him stepping, he said: "Our houses are open and doing satisfac- tory business, and we have been as- sured of the support of plenty of good acts to keep us going. We are here to stay and win." So keenly interesting is the situation at present that the regular Tuesday visits to New York by the local con- tingent were cut short and everybody was "on the job" Tuesday night. The "pulling" process was reported to be still in working order on Wednesday, witli no new developments learned. AGENTS COMING OVER. I'.. Wolhcim, Charles Bornhaupt and F.eo Maase, foreign agents, arc expcct- < (1 in New York shortly, if they are not row on the water. W. Passpart, the Orpheum Circuit's representative on the other side, is still in New York awaiting their arrival. When they reach here some attempt may be made to form a European combination for the United Booking Onices and Orpheum Circuit, although it is almost certain the three foreigners on their way will put up a stiff objec- tion to "si)litting commission" with the New York agencies. The U. H. O. attempted to create an impression a foreign connection has ahcixdy been made, but it carried no weight. The agency wanted to partial- ly offset the loss of H. B. Marinelli to it in this way. POLICE SUNDAY RULINOS. The police went on guard against the vaudeville performances last Sun- day, appearing at the Winter Garden where the first Sabbath show of the season there was given. The officers told the management to be careful about exposing ensemble numbers, or acrobats in costume. Although a song number from "The Passing Show" had opened the entertainment before the police arrived. Another production number was kept out of sight, and the Chinese acrobats in the Ching Ling Foo act had an evening ofl[. Some dancers on the bill appeared in evening dress and did their steps. In the Winter Garden emergency Al Jolson was called on to hold up the performance, which he did. Mr. Jolson opens with "The Honeymoon Express" (now known as the Al Jol- son show) Sept. 18, at Atlantic City. ROHTON BRANCH NEAR DEAD. , Boston, Sept. 9. It looks as if everybody in the local United Booking Ofiice was sitting in on a wake, or had been a loser in a poker game. The reason for all this is that nobody knows where anybody is at. Business is very bad. All the inde- pendent agents are taking away a U. B. O. standby. Matters reached such a crisis that John J. Clifford, the man- ager of the office, was "canned" and J. K. Burke put on the job. Burke is back once more, but business does not pick up. It is said that "Murdock of New York," as he is called here, has threatened to dissolve the office. Mardo is hustling all the time and is holding his own. Davis has one good house, the Globe, that brings his receipts up a bit, but must get more this season, it is said. Eraser, who was the first and original U. B. O. man in Boston, has his string of small ones, but he must mcrease. There is some mention of a "Spry" man in town who has some influence with the U. B. O. office, or rather is said to have. The actors are fighting against this influence. They say it costs them money. The office would have closed long ago, when Variety published an account of how it stood, but the U. B. O. in New York was afraid to admit another Murdock flivver. OPERATED ON PA NT AGES. San Francisco, Sept. 10. Alexander Pantagcs is on the sick list at his home in Oakland, as the result of an operation he was obliged to undergo Sept. 4 at a local hospital. A few days previous the Coast vaude- ville impresario developed an abscess in his throat. It grew ^ofse, until he was finally compelled to seek surgical relief. His condition has been painfully se- rious, but is not considered critical. .\ second operation was performed Monday. A speedy recovery is now ex- pected. For beaotj and brtchtneiw of tone and nnappjr general effect, the MOLLER PIPK- ORCHEHTRA standR alone. Send for booklets and other dope. C. 8. Losh, Brooklja, N. Y.— PhOBO, U. B. o. TAonos. The attempt of the United Booking Offices to foist Rush Ling Toy upon the patrons of their houses as a sub- stitute for Ching Ling Foo is not be- ing attended with altogether fruitful results. It seems that Toy was not at all de- sirous of headlining in the bigger houses, knowing his illusions were not strong enough to hold so important a spot. Finding, however, that such was the U. B. O. intention, he put 12,800 of new matter into the act and offered to augment his company with six Chi- nese musicians. All Toy wanted in re- turn for his investment and the in- creased cost of operating was a raise of llOO over last season's salary, the same as he could have secured from the small time. Toy was pencilled in for the Bush- wick this week, but refused to play without the increase. Last week while Hershel Hendler was at the Colonia', the U. B. O. learned of his engagement with John Cort. Shortly afterward the pianist was informed he had been fined $10 for something or other, the house manager notifying him at the same time to eliminate his foreign dialect, and appear in his street clothes. At the next performance the concert grand piano was removed and an upright in- strument substituted, these unneces- sary changes naturally interfering with his act. S-C DEAL CLOSING UP. The deal on between the B. F. Keith interests and Senator Tim Sullivan for the latter's holdings in the Sullivan- Considine Circuit is close to a consum- mation, according to report. A matter of 140,000 or 150,000 was the only dif- ference between the parties early this week. It is not reported whether John W. Considine is being bought out as well, although it is said Keith would not en- tertain the proposition unless he were assured of control. It is also said that although the Keith people are attending to the negotia- tions, the Orpheum Circuit crowd (Martin Beck) must furnish the neces- sary money, letting Keith in "for a piece" as usual, without costing the lat- ter anything substantial. Keith ac- quired control of the Percy G. Will- iams theatres in much the same way, having no investment of any amount in the corporation operating those the- atres, although the Keith end absolute- ly controls. During the week Senat9r Sullivan was missing. The newspapers d^d not locate him, but it was said his absence would not hinder the Keith matter. DANBURY OPPOSISH THROUGH. Danbury, Conn., Sept. 10. The Taylor opera house, which started opposition last week to the Empress, has had enough of the United Booking Offices vaudeville, according to its announcement which says the opera house will shut pop vaudeville this Saturday, giving pic- tures only hereafter. The Empress is managed and booked by Chris O. Brown.