Variety (September 1913)

22 VARIETY ^^ CORRESPONDENCE UbIcm otherwiie noted, the followiif rgporti art for the cirfrt week. *"*"".?.i?™" CHICAGO In Charge ^"^^^^ ▼ABUTT'O OHIOibOO OFFICBl MAJESTIC TBEATRK BUILDING COLONIAL (George Harrison, mgr. ; agent, J., L. & S.).- Sketches get tbe cull at the Colonial this week, and tbe program, as is usually the case when there Is more than one sketch, not what It should be. Two dra- matic and one comedy sketch make up one- half of the program, which Is all that needs be said for tbe merit of the entertainment. Justin Romalne and Co. tn a dramatic epl- .sode In the life of a Russian revolutionist got tbe first chance at the audience, and tbe piece just atwut carried OTer. Tbe punch is missing. There is an abundance of useless dialog and the trite situation la fully ex- plained before It happens, so that It leaves tbe piece practically high and dry. Three people are employed, and tbe acting Is better than Is usually found in tbe Bmall time bouses. The sketch needs cutting in tbe dia- log and a scene which will give it a tense moment. Ah It stands It Just misses that point. It Is bard to follow a good dramatic picture with a poor dramatic sketch. CUf- fprd Hippie and Co. are playing "As a Man Sows." which he featured over tne Loew time In the east for tbe past two seasons. Tbe p(ere Is there in every detail, and it is In capable hands under Mr. Hippie's guidance. Katherln Miley needs material. You can't sing "Great Dig Elue Eyed Baby" at this stage and expect to get away with It. It wai done to death In the restaurants and vaude- ville houses last season. Her opening num- ber Is also poor. A song made at tbe Colonial by Gene Green. "When You're Married," served her fairly well, but Gene did It pretty well in all the J., L. A S. houses. Misa Miley will have to drag about a bit for songs If she wlshen to continue in the bouses at her present salary. Keougb and Francis did very well with their old time two-act. Tbe comedy of the political boss and tbe good looks of the woman pass them swimmingly. Miss Francis Is getting a little stout. She sbould watch It for her appearance Is a big factor In the act. Harry Davis and Co., a, shooting act that opened the show. Just about filled the position and can trail along In tbe same spot on tbe small time programs. Wal- ton Troupe, six men, also come under tbe di- rect head of small time turns. The act makes a big fuss about turning a double to tbe nboulders. Jesse Rell. a single woman with three numbers and several drons ana effects, has the makings of an act. but Is not work- ing It properly. Several changes are needed to get It running in the smooth manner need- ed. The act for the time should be fixed up Into a real number. The voices, costumea and effects are there; they need a stage man- ager to straighten them out. DASH. PALACE (Mort Singer, mgr.; agent, Orpbe- um Circuit). —This week's offering at tbe Palace Is a long way ahead of the small time show there last week. Complications bow- ever arise and show that there must be a scarcity of vaudeville material at headquar- ters. Three "piano-acts." two under the direct head of rathskeller offerings, and which Inter- fere with each other, are on the bill. One of the nets whh billed for tbe Majestic and switched to the Palace, but It should bave been alHwed to play tbe Munroe street house, which, from an accounts, needs It. Fox and HInes are the act. on "No. 2," and scored very big. Harry HInes played the Boston a few doors away from the Palace for a lonx time and Is well known In tbe locality, which might bave been the reason. Fox is also well known here. It was the "cissy" number, however, that gave them tbe big aoplause finish. HInes does it exceptionally well. Just how well is shown by Sherman, Van and Hyman, who in tbe next to closing position tried to follow It with very little success. 1 ue Sherman. Van and Hyman act Is a noisy affair that sounds good at tbe opening and braces thingH up, but the noise gets to the nerves before the finish, and their exit Is almost welcomed. Tbe boys could tone down a great deal and be quite as effective. Mile. Dazle is the headliner. Tbe dancer is play- ing "Pantaloon," a J. M. fiarrle short play. It is partly pantomime and partly otherwise. Two of the characters are otherwise, and Dazle and her partner work entirely in pan- tomime. There is no real slam to It as vaudeville Judges these things, but it has tbe distinction of being well done. Bob Mat- thews and Al Sbayne Just about hit 'em tbe dandy wallop of the afternoon. The act Is working better than when it went westward early In the summer, and everything that the pair do Is made to count. The good sing- ing helps along the comedy. The clowning and gagging are almost entirely done away with. The fart that to leave them wanting is the thins; has been recognized by tbe team. It's a great little thing to do. Aerial Budds opened the show because the Landry Bros, could not get on at the opening show. The youngateri on the trapeze do not aeem strong enough for tbe closing position, but they make a big opening number. The girl's personality and naanner of working are what count. John and Winnie Hennlngs carried It along "No. 3 " The act Is all right. A little comedy, a little singing and a little dancing, it's vaudeville. Gertrude Barnes, "No. 4," fitted In nicely, although not doing quite as well as expected nor ag she de- nerved. Tbe special Is nicely laid out, and Miss Barnes is singing exclusive numbers that are a relief. They are good numbers, too. Tbe costuming la elaborate and tasty. Good loeks and all go along with tbe turn. Later in the week the single woman will be doing better, although Monday afternoon she did not do badly at all. Lolo excited the usual amount of Interest with her mind reading and shooting. The act has been shortened some which helps, and It is now a very In- tereatlng Interval. Bualnesa was not up to the mark Monday, although better than a week ago. The balcony at 25 cents was filled, but the lower floor held many empty chairs. DASH. GREAT NORTHERN HIP. (Fred Bberta. mgr.; agent, E. J. Cox).—The day shift In this house is, to say tbe least, varied this week. Juggling Mathieu bas some neat tricks which he puts over with celerity and dis- patch. Burns and Lynn, who sing and dance, dance better than tbey sing. Lucille Savoy, who poses with pictures thrown upon her, was on in third place and was received with many manifestations of pleasure. Adding to the effectiveness of tbe act. Miss Savoy offers several song numbers near the end of It. One of the other big acts of the bill Is the Colonial Montrose Troupe. This act is handsomely dressed and is one that creates a good im- pression. The O'Connor Sisters, three In num- ber, sing and dance fairly well. They are pretty and dress neatly, but are not blessed with unusual voices. Raymond A Bain, next to closing, made quite a nice impreeaion. The act seemed a trifie quiet for the house. They talk and sing, and also do a little dancing. They failed to make themselves heard at all times, and this marred the effectiveness of their work to some extent. Powers' Elephants had closing place. These pachyderms are well trained and the act was a prime favorite with the children, and also seemed to amuse the grownups present. Tbe house was light for the first show, but filled up for tbe second one. REED. MAJESTIC (Lyman B. Glover, mgr.; agents. Orpheum).—Much Juggling was done with the bill to get It Into shape this week, and Monday night the show didn't follow the alpha- bet at all. as printed In the program. "A" was down at the foot of the bill and other let- ters were mixed up like a flock of initials In alphabet soup. David Bisbam held bis place, however, In headline position and he was re- ceived with close attention while he recited Poe's "The Raven" to musical acompanlment and with a bottle of whisky on the table be- side him. Mr. BIspham is said to be making his initial bow in vaudeville here, but It would appear that he tried his powers on tbe people of Milwaukee last week with more or less success. He is a finished artist and recites well, but bis stuff is a little bit over the heads of people who want to be entertained by vaudeville. He would t>e all right at Orches- tra Hall, or some such place as that, but at the Majestic his part in tbe program was turgid and soggy. He did. however, get a very good band, and responded with "The Two Grenadiers," which he sang very well indeed. He uses an elaborate stage setting and varies bis program from day to day, singing at one performance and reciting at another and so on. Lew Hawkins followed with his minstrel talk and was received with a nice little burst of applause when be came on, and he did fairly well In digging up laughter. Lloyd and Wbltebouse had the spot next to headline and tbey g«ve a lively exposition of their act called "Just Vaudeville." They sing and talk and pull some broad travesty, and close the act with an exhibition of real singing, dis- playing excellent voices to good advantage. The act was one of tbe laughing bits of the entertainment. Miller Kent and bis company offered a crook sketch early called "Tbe Real Q.." fairly well played and diverting in spots, as such things go. Alberta Moore and Myrtle Young were brought on early Monday night for their singing and dancing. They did not have a very good time of it. and did not ap- pear to afford the audience any too much en- joyment. John Geiger. a violinist who vul- garizes the Instrument by making It sound like anything but a violin, waa moved down In the bill. Mabelle L«wtlf and Paul Mocarthy haye a neat act and they put It over poiltoly and nicely. The Wlltoos, comedy bar artists were on for the opening, and the Four Banta Brothers closed. The latter would bave been some little hit had they been on early, but their act made a very poor closing one. A good share of the audience made for the doors long before they had played on al the $3,000 worth of gold Instruments touted In tbe pro- gram. The lower floor was well filled Monday night, but the balcony was only about half. Reed. AUDITORIUM (Bernard Uirlch, mgr.).— "The Whip": splendid buaineas. Top price. $1.00. COHAN'S G. O. H. (Harry Ridings, mgr.).— "Stop Thief": funny; drawing well. CORT (U. J. Hermann, mgr.).—"Tbe Dou- ble Cross," opened Sunday to small house (re- viewed elsewhere). GARRICK (J. J. Garrlty, mgr.).—William Hodge In "The Road to Happiness"; playing to good receipts. ILLINOIS (Will J. Davis, mgr.).—"The Lady of the Slipper"; excellent houses at $2.50 for topi^ prices. OLYMPIC (George C. Warren, mgr.).—Mar- garet Iillngton In "Within the Law"; phe- nomenal business. PRINCESS (Frank Phelps, mgr.).-"Lit- tle Miss Brown"; poor receipts. LA SALLE (Harry Askin, mgr.).—"A Trip to Washington"; doing brisk business. VICTORIA (Alfred Spink, mgr.).—"The Spendthrift." NATIONAL (John B. Barrett, mgr.).—"The Blindness of Virtue." IMPERIAL. (Kllmt A Gaicolo, mgr.).—"The Cost of Living.^' RIVERVIEW—MardI Gras carnival. WHITE CITY.—Mardl Gras celebraUon. Lee Kind Is now assistant to Harry Benson In the box ofllce of the La Salle. Ralph T. Kettering Is looking after the pub- licity for Joe Howard's Comedy theatre. Chester Rice is in the city looking after tbe press work for "The Governor's Lady" coming to Powers'. Charles M. Rose has arrived In Chicago af- ter ten weeks spent in the east. He will re- main in Chicago. William Elliott is here to look after the preliminaries of "The Qovernor's Lady," booked for Powers' theatre. John Peltret, formerly a newspaper man of Boston, is in town looking after the publicity for Rose Stahl in "Maggie Pepper.' One of the players In "The Elixir of Youth" reports that there were at least twenty people In tbe bouse last Saturday night when the piece closed at the Cort. Will J. Davis, manager of the lilnois and Harry J. Powers, of Powers theatre, are Inter- ested In getting up a fund for a memorial to Eugene Field, the poet. "Tbe Blindness of Virtue" opened at the National Sunday to big houses. T. C. Glea- eon's company, which did the piece for some time at McVickar's Is playing the piece. CliS Almy, In the box office at the Majestic for some time, has been transferred to the Olympic. Fred Johnson, from tbe latter house, baa been sent over to the Olympic. Klna Marling has been confined In the 'White Hoapltal at Marahalltown. la., since Aug. I, with an attack of typhoid fever. She will leave for her home in Seattle In about a week. Doris Keane will appear at the Princess in "Romance" after "Little Miss Brown" has left. It Is rumored that the piece is to pass from the control of the Shuberts to Charles B. Dillingham. Ralph Graves, formerly of the Washington Post, has arrived In the city and has begun the advance work for "Damaged Goods," which will come to the Blackstone in about a months Mme. Olga Karrow. the Russian soprano, has been booked by Jones, Llnlck A Schaefer. She opened at the Lyric, Sept. 11 and will come to the Colonial, Chicago. Sept. 18. Later she will play Detroit and then follow at th«> Wilson. Tillle Zlck. headlining this week at Mc- Vlcker's. is being sued by William Bchlossin- ger for breach of contract, claiming that he was hired by the dancer for the season as a mualclan to assist in her act, but waa let out after a few weeks. Tillle is a young girl, not yet long In her teens. When Margaret Iillngton goes on the road with "Within the Law." the prices will be 12. although the top price has been $1 at the Olympic. The show has but two more weeks at the Olympic, and will then give way to a traveling company that will play In "Mutt and Jeff." DeMarest --^ Doll There seems to hs a disposition In some quarters to fight tbe new yentilatlon ordinance. Commissioner Young says that he has found that picture men have been asked to donate $25 each to tbe fight It la ascerUined that the legitimate bouses are not touched by the new law, and it has been stated that It doea not apply to any bouses except to those erect- ed or opened after July 1. of this year. Chicago will have two openlnga next we^, "The Governor's Lady" at the Powers and Rose SUhl in "Maggie Pepper" at the Black- stone. This will leave but three of the legit- imate houses to open, the American Music hall, which will open with Lew Fields' "All Aboard," Sept. 28. the Studebaker with "The Winning of Barbara Worth." Sept. 22, and Howard's about Oct. 1, with "A Broadway oneymoon." Word has been received from Alex Pun- tages by Minnie Palmer, to the effect that the Four Marx Brothers have been breaking all recorda in the west with "Mr. Qreen's Reception." The receipts at Edmonton were 11,600 above the ordinary takings and at Calgary and Spokane they were also above records. The young men will play the coast time before returning east, and will play a return data in Ban Francisco. Bernard Uirlch. business manager of the Chicago Grand Opera Company bas returned from a trip across the country which included stops at Dallas, Tex.; Los Angeles, San Fran- cisco; Salt Lake City, and Denver. The Itin- erary of tbe company will open at Dallas, March 4. The company will then go to Los Angeles for a week, and San Francisco for two weeks and It Is probable that Denver will have four performances and Salt Lake City two. SAN FRANCISCO By HARRY BONNELL VARimrs 8AN FRANCISCO OFFICE rANTAOES* THEATRE ULDO. Phone. Douglass SSlt ORPHEUM.—Blsa Ruegger, artistic hit with her 'cello. Jack Kennedy A Co.. in ""A Busl- neas Proposal," comedy going over nicely. The opening got away much better than thv finish, which dragged somewhat. Manning. Moore and Armstrong, fair Cabaret act. Buck- ley's Anlmala, appreciated In closing position. Twelve Olympla Qirla bad the opening spot, were fairly auccessful. Ethel Kirk and Billy Fogarty. hit. Blanche Walsh and Co. scored. Flanagan and Edwards did Just as well as the opening week. EMPRESS.—Excellent entertainment. The Lelands gave an artistic account of them- selves in the starting position. Mae Francis followed and showed class. Walker and 111, fairly amusing in a shallow skit. Evans and Vldocq, fairly entertaining. Ryan and Lee, clean score. ""The Girls and the Jocksy." closing position and pleased, comedy going big. Cory Erne, local, added. Frederick L. Gerke Co.. appeared In the revised Montague sketch. "One Christmas Night," which failed to get results desired. PANTAUE8.—Good show. William Schil- ling and Co. In "Destiny." were Inclined tu over-act, too much talk also. "Sorority Days." fairly well received. Carmen and Clifton, fairly well opening spot. Thomas Dalton, amusing. Four Victors, closing, excellent. COKT (Homer F. Curran. mgr.; Bhuberts). —"'Heady Money" (second and last week). COLUMBIA .(Gottlob Marx A Co.. mgrs.; K. & E.).—Mission Play (third week). ALCAZAK (Belasco A Mayer, mgrs.).— Ralph Herz musical comedy stock (second week '"Madame tiherry"). TIVOLl O. H. (W. H. Leahy, mgr.).— Comic opera stock, "The Beggar Student." The California State Fair opens Sept. IS at Sacramento, for one week. Bert Levey vaudeville is at Vallejo. Cal. (Empress. Al Watson, manager). Word comes from Vancouver that William Dowllng Is the slated successor of Ned Lynch In the Avenue Stuck company. The comedy, "'Mr. Hopklnson." Is announced as the next offering ut the Alcazar, to follow the current attraction, "Madame Sherry." The management of Qrauman's Imperial theatre has Inaugurated a new policy of big feature films that are offered for one week The Empress, Tacoma, is now under the resident management of John H. Burns, a vauevllllan who formerly hailed from this city. Th^ leader of the orchestra In the Opera House at Watsonvllle, Cal.. Is Frank Becker, formerly of Lord and Meek's Musical Com- edy Co. Address VARIETY, New York Three desertions have been recorded from the Lyceum Stock Co.. San Diego. They are Margaret lies. Llzette Holdsworth and Frank Thorne. This Week (Sept. 8) American Theatre and Roof Shubert, Brooklyn