Variety (September 1913)

Vol. XXXII. No. 3. NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1913. PRICE 10 CENTS , SHUBERTS' VAUDEVILLE IDEA SOUNDS_LIKE^"OPPOSITION" Either Shuberts or Lew Fields Looking About for Many Acts Intended, According to Report, for Music Halls in New York and Chicago. Probably Fields* Plan, as Reported Some Time Ago. 44th Street Theatre, New York, and American Music Hall, Chicago, for Starters. Acts Being Engaged. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, Sept. 17. The H. B. Marinelli offices here and also in Paris and Berlin have received within the past few days a number of requests from-the New York Marinelli aj^ency conccrninjj: foreign acts. It is said here that the Shuberts or Lew Fields, or both, are contemplating vaudeville on an rxttMided scale, and have called upon the Marinelli agency for turns. Acts on this side have received uffers for New York for eij?ht weeks, and been told there would l)t no travel unless to Chicago only, that the contracts for eight weeks might moan 16 or more. Options on further time have been taken. Otero is to be the feature of the first vaudeville show under the new scheme, it is reported. The demand made for vaudeville acts of late has not been confined to the foreign material alone. American acts are being negotiated for in large num- bers through agencies representing the Shuberts as a rule in the variety field, although it is reported that in this in- stance it will be Lew Fields who will be found as the director of a music hall idea that will practiciUy make two Shubert houses "opposition" in vaude- ville to the United Booking Offices (vaudeville's present "big time.") The two theatres are the 44th Street, N'ew York, and the American Music Hall, Chicago. One of these houses, according to the story, will open around ^ct. 13, with a performance that will he nothing less than a big time vaude- ville show, presented m a somewhat novel way on a plan evolved by Mr. Fields. \ It was reported in variety some weeks ago Fields had taken over these two houses for his personal direction, and might add theatres in a couple of large cities later on. The other cit- ies were Philadelphia and Boston. The success of the New York and Chicago exi)eriment will be awaited before houses in those towns are tacked on. The New York and Chicago theatres will use a large number of acts, just how many has not been mentioned, but more than the usual variety bill around New York (excepting Hammerstein's) has carried. \'arious engagements of turns of late, announced as having been ob- tained for different road shows or the Winter Garden productions, will be found in the new musi: hall programs, according to rumor. Inquiries made by the New York Marinelli agency this week of acts in New York or playing on the big time are said to indicate the Marinelli offic; has unlimited scope in the engagement of the best turns. The Ward Brothers at the Fifth Avenue last week were engaged through that office before their engagement ended. Bernard and Wes- ton are another act reported signed up. Two music halls playing vaudeville programs such as these mentioned, to- gether with the small time opposition, would place the big time managers as represented by the United Booking offices in the position of having to fight and pay the highest price for their shows. Rumors about are many, and there (Continued on page 25.) ''1830 BALIiET" FOR THAW. "The Ballet, of 1830." the former Winter (jardcn production imported from London, is to be the background for the show Comstock & Gest will exploit Mrs. P-velyn Ncsbit Thaw over the country, as a road show attraction. "The Ballet" will be renamed "Mari- etta." Mrs. Thaw will have the role of the simple little country girl in the i;icce, appearing several times. The l);'.llet carries a chorus, and there will be a landscape scene where any spe- cialties the principals may be able to ' ftcr. can be exhibited. The Thaw show will open Sept. 29 at the West Knd, New York, instead of in Toronto. .After the week in Har- lem it will go to the Majestic, Brook- lyn, and then perhaps take the Cana- dian route. Among the vaudevillians engaged for the troupe are Nonctte, Armaud Bros., and Bernard and Weston, though the Nonette engagement had not been closed up to Wednesday. NEW COUNT-UP SYSTEM. The Shubert management is shortly to try a new box-office count-up sys- tem. When the plan is instituted, the ticket boxes of all the Shubert theatres in New York will be picked up by a wagon at the customary count-u|) hour, and transferred, locked, to the Sliubert general offices at 39th stret t and Broadway, where the boxes will be opened and the tickets counted by a specially selected staff of employes. The Shuberts say there is no inferred reflection upon the responsibility of their ticket takers or treasurers in the proposed change of count-up practice. They arc merely aiming, thty say, at getting the figures for all their houses at once. TWO ALLURINO TITLES. "The Sap Head" is the real title ttf a show that opened at Chatsworth, la., this month for a tour of the middle west one nighters Will H. nruno is putting out a show entitled "The Girl and The Gawk." Neither of these shows will invade eastern territory. If roa don't ad%«rtli«« lo VAHICTY. (lon't <^\NCELS ORPHEUM TIME. Kansas City, Sept. 17. After this week at the Orpheum, 1her>. Bendix will cancel his remain iiig time (six weeks) on the Circuit, returning to New York. Hal Davis and Inez Macauley, who have been playing the Orpheum Circuit, have quit without playing the last eight weeks contracted, finding the jumps and lay-offs un])rolilable. They will resume in the east with the .Archie (■oll)y sketch, "The Girl from Child's." PLAY FOR McGORMIOK. John McCormick, the Irish tenor, .starring in a new play in which he will have the only singing role, is the newest plan of Charles Wagner, the concert impresario, who has the fa- mous singer under contract. McCormick, heretofore a big card in concert work, is slated to enact the role of a singing Irish priest. The McCormick i)roduction may not be made until after New Year's. (iKACE MADE HIM LAUGH. riiilip Niven has bought the produc- tion and rights to "The Red Widow" fr(jm Cohan & Harris, and will organ- ize a one-night stand company at once. It is likely Raymond Hitchcock's wife. Flora Zabelle, will remain with the show. Grace Van Studdiford was ap- proached for the prima donna role and demanded $750 a week. Niven hasn't stopped laughing since. I»ARTIN«TON.AIiBRO ACT. Phyllis Partington and Arthur Albro, who have been appearing in "Gypsy Love," have combined as a new vaude- ville team. They are framing up a sing- ing act. CHICAGO RATS COMPLAIN. Chicago, Sept. 17. There is dissension among the Chi- cago White Rat5. Heading the rebel- lion is Al Pierson. formerly Picrson and Joel. The revolutionists claim Chicago is not getting a fair dral from the New York headquarters Bill Cookr will be here Oct (). -a*