Variety (September 1913)

VARIETY 11 LIEBLERS REPORTED LEASING PLYMOUTH, BOSTON , FOR STOCK Company Formed in Beantown of Much Money. Henry Jewett Promoter of Scheme. Plymouth Has Been '*$2 House/* If Stock is Successful Jewett Company Will Build. Boston, Sept. 24. A new stock company, backed with an apparently inexhaustible supply of real money, much of which has been raised by wealthy members of the Christian Church, is in process of for- mation in Boston, although the details are at present surrounded by much secrecy and not a word has been made public through the press as yet. Henry Jewett, an Australian leading man with a reputation among the Eng- lish and who was the Russian Prince in the original '*The Man From Home" company, is the head of the scheme. It became known today a contract has been signed with the Liebers through Manager Fred Wright of the Plymouth, a "12 house" in this city, for a five-week engagement in stock late in October and early in Novem- ber. The company has a number of ten- tative contracts already with big stock favorites and the salaries to be paid arc based on good business at a II scale. Jewett has settled in Boston perma- nently and for this reason the real es- tate men are all aflutter through the hint that has been passed among some of the big agents that if the five weeks are really successful that within thirty days of the close of the engagement papers will be signed for the purchase of the best site of land in the city for the erection of a theatre, regardless of cost, the backers contending that any land investment cannot prove a loss. The very fact that the Plymouth is going to take in a stock company is startling. It has always been a "12 house" catering to the ultra fashion- able with musical productions barred. Last summer Manager Wright let in a stock company headed by Eleanor Gordon and managed at the close by Wyrley Birch, but it proved a fiasco and kept Wright out of a major por- tion of his vacation, and hardly paid him for the upkeep of the house. Last week a "bloomer" was pulled to the effect that Gustave Froh- man was to erect a second Boston Museum with a school of drama in- cluded. A seating capacity of 10,000 with a revolving stage was predicted, but so far as can be ascertained at present the story is based on the dream of some gentleman batting about 400 per cent in the Yen Hok league. ''SILVER SLIPPER** BUSINESS. Chicago, Sept. 24. The Chas. B. Dillingham manage- ment of "The Silver Slipper," in contra- dicting the report in Variety, that the show is not as strong a hit here as it was in New York, says the piece did 121.000 last week at the Illinois. The Illinois seats about 1,150 people, playing nine shows a week at the top price of $2.50. It's gross money capac- ity at that figure has been estimated at between 118,000 and $19,000. The Globe, New York, has a seating capacity of about 975. "The Slipper" is said to have done about $16,000 or thereabouts in that house in its best New York weeks. While the capacity of the two thea- tres would allow of more^money week- ly at the Illinois, the statement it is not as strong as in New York is borne out by the talk around. When playing at the Globe the show was town gossip theatrically. Out here the neighbors aren't discussing it nearly as much nor as often. BAYES* MONEY THE SAME. Washington, Sept. 24. Though Norah Bayes has changed her vaudeville "production" about, re- leasing two men from the company, re- taining only her husband and pi player, the price for the Bayes act mains the same, $2,500 weekly. She is at Keith's this week, and will remain in vauiUvrttc-sijitil about 1, when a before her is expected to eventuate. ARDELL NOT GOING OVER. Franklyn Ardell will not sail for London to fulfill his contract with Al- bert De Courville after all. He has made such a hit in "The Family Cup- board" that William A. Brady has raised his salary $100 and offered to protect him against any suit for breach of contract by the London Hippo- drome management. UNDERSTUDY RETAINED. Elita Proctor Otis, who had a short contract for the "Potash & Perlmut- ter" piece at the George M. Cohan theatre, was ill last Friday and her role was filled by a Miss Howe, who gave satisfaction. As Miss Otis* contract ended Sept. 20, it's likely Miss Howe will be re- tained permanently. FIKLDS-COHT SHOW. Chicago, Sept. 24. There is a story going the rounds ill Chicago that Lew Fields is to join with John Cort in organizing a road show which will play New York, Chi- cago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and other cities. There will be ten acts in the show, according to the present plans. FIRST AS A STAR. Chicago, Sept. 24. When Doris Kcanc makes her ap- pearance in "Romance" at the Princess next week, she will be a star for the first time in her life. She is now under the management of Charles Dilling- ham, and the play is now owned by that manager. It you don't a<lvrrtlii« In VARIETY, don't •dvcrtlM at all. WHITNEY HAH PRINCIPALS. Fred C. Whitney has engaged his two principals for the new musical comedy production he hasyinder prep- aration. They are Jess Dandy and Al- ice Hegeman. The piece has been renamed from "Seven Days and Seven Wives" to "The Innocent Sinner." William Par- ker Chase wrote the book and music. It will have its first showing Oct. 27. FOLLOWING DREW. It's reported that the new Henrietta Crosman play, "Tongues of Men," by Edward Childs Carpenter, which starts rehearsals next week under Maurice Campbell's direction, is to, be seen at the Empire at the close of the present John Drew engagement. LIKELY CHANGES. Changes on the New York theatrical map in the near future may be Klaw & Erlanger's "Little Cafe" (now rehears- ing) at the Amsterdam, with "Sweet- hearts" going into the Libertj', while "Her Little Highness," now in Boston, may come into the Globe. ELTINGE ON RETURNS. Louisville, Sept. 24. On the third return visit of Julian Eltinge in "The Fascinating Widow" to Louisville, which occurred for four days last week (during which Eltinge gave five shows), the gross receipts were $7,800. MARTY HERMAN'S FIRST. If Al Woods keeps his word and re- turns to New York by Oct. 6, Martin Herman, of the Wood office, is going on a vacation, the first in ten years. Al and Marty work like a team all the time, in fact, they trail so closely to- gether one might suspect they are brothers. The Woods office will not be busily engaged on any new productions be- fore January. It is a long while since neither Woods nor Herman has not been casting some kind of a piece. COHAN AT THE BRONX. The first recent public stage appear- ance of Geeorge M. Cohan occurred Tuesday night at the Bronx opera house, where "Broadway Jones" was given. Mr. Cohan did not open with the show Monday evening, remaining downtown to sec the premiere of the new Cohan & Harris piece at the As- tor. The Bronx last week is said to have (lone $7,800 with "Stop Thief." ONE MGHTERS CLOSE "UDELL'S." New Orleans, Sept. 24. "That Printer From Udell's" closes here Saturday. The local business is go^d but tlu- srnithern onc-nightcrs have prf)vc(l dis- astrous to the attraction. The show may go back to Chicago for repairs. COAST PLAY EAST. ^an Francisco, Sept. 24. Peter B. Kyne of Berkeley, Cal., a writer of short stories and Franklyn B Morse, sporting editor of the Ii!ven- ing Post, have collaborated on a play that is promised a production this sea- son in the cast. "The Three Godfa- lIuTs" is the title. It is a thrcc-ar:t drama with a light vein of comedy. LEDERER MANUFACTURING. George W. Lederer will sever his connection with the Mutual Film Cor- poration Oct. 1, where he has served as the general producing director of the Reliance studios for the past six or eight weeks. His arrangement with the Mutual was a temporary one and a new contract was to have been made dating from the termination of the tentative agreement. But Lederer elected to go into the picture making business for himself. When seen Wednesday, he saicf: "I am going into the manufacture exclusively of comedy pictures. I find the cry is for comedies and that 99 out of 100 directors in the business lend themselves to the production of big dramas and in fact refuse to do anything in the comedy line. "I have formed a $1,000,000 corpora- tion and will announce my plans fully in a few days. We expect to have a studio in New York for the produc- tion of two kinds of comedy pictures— one on the order of the Keystone films and the other classy farces and com- edies, with a star or two in each one. "In addition to this, a separate cor- poration has been formed and ^has ac- quired a studio outside New York, for the producing of big feature films. "It is not my intention to ally my- self with any of the existing corpor- ations that control distributing agen- cies. It is our intention to place our goods in the open -market. "I sever my connection as general producing director of the Reliance on Oct. 1. My stay there has been most pleasant—in fact Mr. Aitken, president of the Mutual, and I arc on the friend- liest terms. "I think I am the first showman to enter the moving picture field who ac- tually acquired a technical knowledge and the experience thus gained is worth to me more than money could purchase." **AT BAY" OPENS. Philadelphia, Sept. 22. "At Bay," a story of the United States Secret Service, with the eternal "slave" question as its theme, will have itr-. initial showing at the Adelphi, Thursday evening. Guy Standing, Crys- tal Hcrne, George Howell, Mario Ma- jeroni and Edwin Mordant are in the cast. "The Smouldering Flame" (formerly "Deborah") at the Adelphia last week, moved out Saturday. RACK TO FROHMAN. John Mason, who has been under the Shubert's management this summer on a trip to the coast in "As a Man Thinks," is to resume his starring sea- son under Charles Frohman's direction in a new play at Baltimore Monday week. S. A H. IN ELIZABETH. F'lizabeth. N. J., .Sept. 24. .Stair Si Mavlin are reported as ob- taining' the Hippodrome here to house their popular priced attractions this winter. Joe Kane and Marion Ford will shortly be seen in a new act being pre- l-.ired by Jean Havez.