Variety (September 1913)

wu:. Vol. XXXIL No. 4. NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1913. PRICE 10 CENTS WESLEY'S SAVOY "FRANCHISE" IS "LOST" IN UN ITED OFFICES U. B. O. "Borrows" Big Time Permit for Atlantic City, to ''Inspect'' it, and Fails to Return Instrument. Sounds Like Frame Up Against Manager. Clearing Road In Usual Way for ''Keith Vaudeville." Tho United Booking Offices again reHected the principles under which the big time vaudeville agency is oper- d ated the other day, when it "lost" the * U. B. O. "franchise" of Louis Wesley for the Savoy theatre, Atlantic City. The document held by Wesley, ac- cording to the tale, was obtained by the U. B. O. through trickery, on the plea its copy of the instrument could not be located. Wesley was asked to loan the agency liis "franchise" agree- ment. Wesley did so, it is said, and has since been unable to secure its return. The underhand work by the U. B. O. over the Atlantic City "franchise" is probably through the desire of B. F. Keith to play vaudeville under his own name at the New Pier theatre at the seashore resort. This house is due to open within a month or two It has been reported leased to Keith. The Atlantic City big time vaudeville situation between Wesley and Keith is about the same as existed between Hammerstein's and the Palace, New York. The U. B. (). attempted to "put the Palace over" against Ham- merstein's, but lost its nerve at the crucial moment, the Hammerstein name ind reputation instilling a fear into the heads of the agency that caused them to pay Oscar and Willie Hammerstein $225,000 not to ventilate the affair in the courts, and give the Palace permission to play big time in Times Square. Wesley also has recourse to the courts, if the U. B. O. violates its own "franchise" by playing big time vaude- ville in Atlantic City against him. Mr. Wesley's evidence of his rights was in the written "franchise." With that in- strument in lin;, pusscsisiun of the United Booking OflJcf*, be wotil(J h>ve to find some other means to uphold any legal action he mieht t.iWi* — .\iiiia rield show by the United Book- ing Offices did not bear fruit. The turn the U. B. O. went after was George Beban and Co. in "The Sign of the Rose." A route was hurriedly prepared among the U. B. O. managers, at $1,- 250 wppHv i* '<" "'•••* *' COLONIAL, PRODUCTION HOUSE. Chicago, Sept. 24. It is reported Aaron Jones, of Jones^ Linick & Schaeffer, has been consider- ing this week a proposal that the firm turn over the Colonial, now playing pop vaudeville, for musical comedy productions, with the admission prices running to $2. Mr. Jones is said to have thought well of it through the people behind the offer, but nothing definite had been reached up to to-day. It is also said the offer would have to be an alluring one to induce the firm to take its pop vaudeville policy out of the house. McDERMOTT*S BRIGHT IDEA. When Billy McDermott appeared at the Bronx Monday morning for re- hearsal he found his name out in front of the house in the lights and himself slated for the important position of next to closing on the program. This was too much for Billy. He struck for an additional $50 for bis week's work. The house manager explained he had nothing to do with fixing the salaries, but Mr. McDermott remained obdu- rate and walked out. He was replaced on the bill by Thcxse Four Entertain- ers. * NORTHWESTERN RUMORS. Seattle, Sept. 24. Rumors are flying that the North- western Theatre Circuit, taking in Cal- gary, Edmonton and all cities west of Fort Williams, will soon pass into the hands of George J. McKenzie, man- ager of the Metropolitan, Seattle. Vancouver, Sept. 24. Vancouver has been without a the- atre for several months owing to the opera house being taken over by the Orpheum Theatres Co., but every- thing's planned for the road shows to play the Avenue, booked by George J. McKenzie, representing Klaw & Er- langer. McKenzie has arranged to have a new house here during the sea- son of 1914-15. George J. McKenzie will also handle the new McBride theatre, Victoria (K. & E.), said to have cost $300,000. He books Bellingham, Wash. $7,000 AT WALNUT ST. Philadelphia, Sept. 24. The Walnut Street theatre, now a Stair & Havlin stand, came l)ack last week at the dollar scale, giving "Mad- ame X" $7,000 on the week. The show left here Saturday for Baltimore. Frank Howe, when he had the house, was implQ/ed to cut the scale from $1.50 to the even money, but his pride kept him back. MUSICAL "KISS ME QUICK." Philip Bartholomae will change his farce "Kiss Me Quick" into a musical comedy, the music to be supplied by Silvio Hein. This is to be done al- most immediately, with most of the present cast retained. The new ver- sion of the piece is to open in Chi- cago in a few weeks—as quickly as the revised and musicalized manuscript can be made ready. A special feature is to be made in the Chicago presentment of eight of the most expensive "show girls" that can he gotten together—and some show ladies are very expensive. TOO MANY PARTNERS. The opening of an English adaptation by George H. Broadhurst of the Yid- dish play "Style," and renamed "To- day," has been postponed and the time held for it at the 48th Street theatre given to "The Smoldering Flame." The production is being financed by a corporation composed of Broadhurst, Max Willner, manager of several Yid- dish enterprises, Harry Von Tilzer and Minnie Seligman. Constant bickering marks the pre- liminary preparations, the four part- ners being constantly at loggerheads regarding the business affairs. .Appar- ently each of the four looks with more or less suspicion upon the others. All checks must be signed by the full quar- tet. Miss Seligman expressed herself as unwilling to advance money to the ac- tresses for costumes, alleging that throughout her histrionic career such courtesy was never accorded her. Von Tilzer's principal objection to handing over coin to members of the cast prior to the opening was the fear that "they might die." This state of affairs continued for several days until, utterly disgusted with the thing, Broadhurst threatened to wash his hands of the entire affair so far as the business end was con- cerned, and to bring suit for damages in the event his piece was not fur- nished with a first-class production. MET. WILL TRY IT. "Der Rosenkavalier," which came within an ace of being presented in New York in elaborate style by Fred C. Whitney and was abandoned at the time because of the great expense it involved, i.i to be produced here after all. The Metropolitan Opera Co. plans a production of the Strauss opera the coming season. "Billy the Kid" is again on the one nig hters. __^ • If yna dfyi't nd^frMn^i tn TARUSTT, don't fidTfitlit »t mil. Broadway's funniest sight just now, barring Doc Stcincr unshaved. ig Car- ter Dc liaven's new derby. LORAINE AT $m)0. Chicago, .Sept. 24. Lillian Lorainc returns to vaudeville next Monday at the Palace here. She has been booked for five weeks in the middle west by the Orpheum Circuit, receiving, it is said, $500 weekly