Variety (September 1913)

10 VARIETY PANIC AMONG ONE-NIOHTERS; LABOR DA Y STAR TS NOTHING 70 Per Cent. Less Shows Than 5 Years Ago. 50 Per Cent. Less Small Time Productions Than Last Season. Few Feature Films to Fill Qaps. No Improvement in Sight. Unless someone comes to the rescue of the one-night stand nisinager of the county and gives him shows, someone will have to give him cocaine. 70 per cent less shows are listed for presenta- tion of the big and small towns of the country than were touring at this per- iod of the season five years ago. 50 per cent, less attractions are now booked than were traveling at this time last season. Towns of 12,000 and cities as large as Columbus and Toledo, Louisville and Nashville; Salem, Lawrence, Lowell, Bangor and Portland, and Hannibal, St. Joe, and Los Angeles are affected. All one-night stand territory is suf- fering in about the same measure. The paucity of small and big shows this season, of course, is the crux of the tiouble. Producing managers who, even last season had as many as ten shows on tour, this season are sending out, perhaps one, two or three attractions, only. The big and small producers are all included in this contraction. There is no prospect of an immediate change in these conditions. The proof is found in the scene-building studios, printing plants and theatrical employ- ment agencies, departments that re- (eivc their commissions often months ahead, all reporting present business at a standstill, and prospects nil. Meanwhile the small time impresa- rio is doing the best he can for him- self and his patrons with movies, vaude- ville and tabloids. It was expected last season the feature film producers would anticipate this season's show conditions and have the market flooded with feat- ure films. But this expectancy hasn't been realized. Besides "Quo Vadis," "Lcs Miserablcs," "Pompeii," "Ivan- hoe," "Jack London's South Sea Isl- and Adventures," "Arizona," "Tess of the Urbervilles" and others as impor- tant additions have been made to the film play attractions strong enough to attract and satisfy an average show- hungry audience even in small towns. No one seems to know where the dearth will stop, or how soon condi- tions may improve. WHITNEY ENGAGING PEOPLB. The engagement of players to fill the cast for "Seven Wives and Seven Days" was started Monday by Fred C. Whitney. The title of the musical piece may be changed before produced. Mr. Whitney also has under prep- aration the piece for Bertha Kalisch, announced in Varibtv last week as now under his direction. John Wil- stach has been engaged for the pub- licity and advance work for the Ka- lisch show. "His Son's Wife" by lulward Ru- Kcne Riltcr (translated from the Ger- man drama) is to he one of the firj^t pieces played by Bertha^Kalisch when she goes on tour (in October) uader the Whitney management. Miss Ka- lisch will also be seen in "The Daugh- tre of Jorio" by D'Annunzio, a Polish allegorical play, and other pieces before the ending of the season. MODERN WOMAN'S CLUB. The newly formed Gamut Club, an offshoot made up of so-called malcon- tents of the Professional Women's League, founded by Mary Shaw, Su- sannc Westford, Caro Roma, Lillian Russell and others, Iras its temporary headquarters on West 46th street and is casting about for a permanent club- house. A feature of the new clubhand somewhat of a novelty that is believed will appeal to professional women—is a bar similar to that used in public saloons for men. Card playing is per- mitted and it is designed to afford women able to tak« care of them- selves all the privileges usually accord- ed men in the privacy of their clubs. Meantimt the Professional Wom- en's League has taken in more new members thus far this year than ever before in its history. MISS STONE*S 9100 WEEKIiY. In an action brought by Amelia Stone against Ltw Fields for $19,000, alleged to be damages sustained by her through a broken contract, the singer says she is now receiving $100 weekly in vaudeville. Miss Stont is appear- ing with her husband, Armand Kalisz, in an act that receives $750 a week. The suit is based upon an agree- ment dating back to the days of "The Sun Dodgers" and "The June Bride." Mr. Fields says Miss Stone asked for permission to play in vaudeville which was granted, she having declined to appear in tights in the role assigned her for "The Bride" production. MARY PICKFORD ELL. Mary Pickford, the picture star and late of David Belasco's "A Good Little Devil," has broken down from over- work and strain caused by lifting a heavy woman in a recent photoplay and is now quite ill, recovering from an op- eration performed last week. "SHADOWED" GETTING RBADY. "Shadowed," the former "Frisco Sal" play by James Forbes, has its first east- ern showing at the Empire, Syracuse, Sept. 18. From there it goes to New- burgh and then comes into the Fulton, New York, where it expects to have a ri:n, starting Sept. 24. Frank Perley is ahead of it. In the cast will be Frank Monroe, Olive May, Wilson Melrose, Charles Francis, Emmet Shackelford, V. L. Gianville and William Conklin. If you don't advertiM In VARIETY, don't •dvertiM at all. "DOLL GIRL** MUSIC IN COURT. Action is on foot by jos. W. Stern & Co. to recover $51,500 from Ludwig Doblinger, the foreign owner of "The Doll Girl," through a previous agree- ment the Sterns made regarding the ex- clusive music publishing rights in America. The Stern Co. has gone into court with damage proceedings against the publishing houses of T. U. Harms and Francis Day & Hunter as well as against Max Dreyfus, Louis Dreyfus and Jerome D. Kern, directors of the Harms Co. The Sterns say their agreement with Doblinger prohibited any interpolations unless the songs agreed to should be in- cluded in the Stern catalogue. Some of Kern's songs are in the show. The Stern Co. has retained Cohen, Creecey & Richter of 111 Broadway to push the court action. NORMAN TREVOR BACKS OUT. Througl^ H. B. Marinelli, Philip Bartholomae had engaged Norman Trevor, a well known English come- dian and late leading man for Marie Tempest, for an important role in "The Bird Cage." Although the contract had not been signed the engagement was verbally consummated. A few days ago Trevor, for some reason un- known, reneged and Marinelli under- took to impress upon him the necessity for keeping his agreement. Finally the actor pleaded illness as his excuse and Bartholomae had no choice but to re- place him. William A. Brady loaned his daugh- ter, Alice, for the leading female part in the new Bartholomae production and two days later sought to reclaim her, having found what he considers a play suitable for a starring vehicle for her. While this agreement was not in writing Bartholomae asked that Brady keep his word and the verbal contract will not be repudiated. ZIEGFELD, CHI., A PRINCESS. Chicago, Sept. 10. Comstock & Gest and William A. Brady have taken over the Ziegfeld theatre, seating 750. They will make another New York Princess of it, play- ing a repertoire of sketches. The house under its new direction will open about Oct. 1. BRINGING POWERS' BACK. Chicago, Sept. 10. Strenuous attempts will be made this season to get Powers' theatre back on the map. For seasons the house has been falling behind. This year all of David Belasco's shows will play there and Harry J. Powers will be given ev- ery opportunity to get his theatre back into the limelight. "The Governor's Lady" will be the first show to come in. It opens Sunday. "The Good Lit- tle Devil" is to follow, and "Years of Discretion" will ^ave a return en- gagement in the house where it was first produced and made such a hit, in fact, the first big success there in two years. David Warfield will also play Power's during the season. It is now stated that Harry J. Pow- ers will manage his own house this season, and that his son, Harry J. Powers, will be in the box office. "PLEASURE SEEKERS** TITLE. The title of the new Winter Garden show Lew Fields will frame up with the "Hanky Panky" cast (now playing in Boston) will be called "The Pleas- ure Seekers." It will mostly consist ac- cording to report of the former Weber & Fields pieces, "Pousse Cafe" and "Fiddle Dee-Dee." A travesty on "Potash & Perlmutter" is one of the bits now being written by Edgar Smith, author of the book. • The new "Hanky Panky" show will likely open at the Garden around Nov. 1, when "The Passing Show of 1913" now there, will move to Boston. The new show, going into full re- hearsal next week, will probably take to the road Oct. 2, arriving at the Garden Oct. 15 or 20th. NEW SHOW CALLED OFF. After a call for rehearsal last week, A. H. Woods abandoned his proposed presentation of the new piece for Jul- ian Kltinge, finding the manuscript not up to expectation. The music was writ- ten, the cas.t completed and the scenery all in work. Eltinge will be compelled to fall back on his old piece, "The Fascinating Widow" and a new route is now being laid out. Frank North, formerly of Howard and North, and Herbert Deane, an Englishman, both engaged for the new Eltinge production, will be taken into "The Fascinating Widow" show. BAD LUCK IN BUNCHES. The old adage about ill luck coming in triplicate would seem to be once more exemplified in the presentation of Dayard Veiller's play "The Fight" at the Hudson. The author's more serious and immi- r.ent difficulty is the attitude of the po- lice department with regard to the dis- c'lssion of the "morality" of his play. The other two counts are on the score of plagiarism. It is alleged that the plot of "The Fight" has a close resemblance to a novel called "The Tiger" and that in the working out of the dramatiza- tion there is an infringement on George Proadhurst's "The Man of the Hour." C. P. DOING THINGS. The Canadian Pacific is opening up the northwest to profitable show busi- ness, according to Al Aarons, who re- turned after a three weeks' trip up there. Wbile in Nova Scotia Mr. Aarons closed for several theatres in the Newfoundland section, giving the Aarons Associated Agency from two to three weeks in theatres in that ter- ritory for legit combinations. Mr. Aarons says if he were ten years younger and didn't have to wear a checked suit while carrying a cane on his arm, he would go up to St. John's and place the die df his seal ring on the city hall steps, to mark his future home town. FANNY WARD*S NEW PLAY. Atlantic City, Sept. 10. Fanny Ward. I)illcd as appearing under the direction of Charles B. Dill- ingham, opened here Monday at the Apollo in "Mme. President." It is a bright little farce, due in New York next week.