Variety (January 1914)

VARIITY m 23 =3 OBITUARY WUUrd Rignold, professionally known as Walter Rivers (Rivers and Rochester), died in Collinsville, Okla., Dec. 13. He was buried there with Masonic honors. Rignold came to this country eight years ago as a member of The Rignolds, Australian Harmon- ists. Later with Miss Rignold (Nina Rochester) he went to Panama. Miss Rignold will return to her home in Australia. She has decided to retire from the stage. William J. Sully, of the old black- faced team of Williams and Sully, and who of late years has been managing ♦he Charles R. Reno show, "Human Hearts," on its one-night tours, died last Saturday in LaFollette, Tenn., of pneumonia; the fatal attack coming as he was with the show on its southern tour. Charles Edward Lackey, aged 39 years, widely known among the vaude- ville folks, although not in the profes- sion himself, died Dec. 29 in Somer- ville, Mass., of diabetes. San Francisco, Dec. 31. Olav Czaxnowski, known here and in the east as "The Human Fly," was found unconscious late in the after- noon of Dec. 24 in the rear of the St. Francis Hotel, where he is believed to have fallen while climbing the building. About every bone in his body was found to be broken when he was ex- amined later at the Emergency hospital where he died. Lylian Elliott, formerly of the "Hanky Panky" and "Pleasure Seekers" companies, died suddenly last week while resting at Saranac Lake, N. Y. Her demise was caused by heart trouble. ' R. P. Murphy (Murphy and An- drews) was buried in New York late last week. He died suddenly of heart disease at his home here. His widow (Blanche Andrews) and two daughters survive. Chicago, Dec. 31. John Miley (Miley and Orth) died at the American hospital Dec 22. Mrs. Jennie Tresham, aged 32, a member of a Portland motion picture company, died Dec. 18. She was the widow of Fred Kemp, an actor. After his death, she married Tresham, a musician. W. A. Moriarty, late of the C. W. Parks stock company, died recently in the south where the company has been playing. Moriarty was leading man of the James R. Waite stock 25 years ago. A widow, Grace Whitcher, with the George Summer stock in Canada, survives. Mrs. Marshall P. Wilder died Dec. 19 at the Misericordia hospital, New York, of a complication of diseases. The Wilders had two children, Mar- shal P., Jr., aged seven, and Grace Isa- bella, aged eight. They made their home in Atlantic City. Philip Thomaschevsky, called "Father of the Jewish Stage in America," died Dec. 21 at Centreville, N. Y. Thirty years ago he established the first Yid- dish theatre in New York. He was 69 years old. Five sons and four daugh- ters, all in theatricals, survive. Alban W. Purcell, actor manager, died recently in New York. He mar- ried Flora Myers in 1868. He retired from professional life in 1905 and lived on an estate in the Adirondacks. Mrs. Eddie Russell, known on the stage as Edna Tillyne (Russell and Tillyne), died suddenly in New York Dec. 17. She retired several years ago. Shanghai, Nov. 25. S. O. Able, lately one of the proprie- tors of Bysack's Hippodrome and Cir- cus, died at Penang, S. S., Sept. 12. He had just returned from Europe. The deceased was a showman of fifty years' standing, born in Kentucky, U. S. A., in 1826, and was the first man to take a circus to Honolulu in 1865. He came to the Orient in 1870, and was con- nected with the circus business in the east with varying success to the time of his death. William W. Aulick, very well known in theatrical and newspaper circles, died after a long illness at his home in Flushing, L. I., Dec. 25. Chicago, Dec. 31. John Lyons, at one time on the stage, was found dead Christmas Day at 754 South California avenue. Death is said to have been due to exposure. Chicago, Dec. 31. Tom Flynn, who operated the Coli- seum in Chicago Heights and the Grand in Blue Island avenue, died Dec. 21 of dropsy. He was formerly a city detective and had been in the theatrical business for several years. LEADING IN K. C. Kansas City, Dec. 31. Henry Mortimer is Robert Demp- ster's successor as leading man of the Meta Miller stock company at the Auditorium here. He opened last week in "Cinderella" and was well received. "The Right Princess" with Mr. Dempster has taken to the road, and Dempster has postponed his European trip. The company is playing one nighters. ROW IN BURLESQUE GO. Toledo, Dec. 31. Jack Guckel, musical director of "The Happy Widows" and his wife who has been in the chorus, left that show here and jumped to Cincinnati to join "Vanity Fair." Guckel and Jos. K. Watson engaged in a fist fight recently it is said. MAY HAVE OCTAROON CO. Bridgeport, Dec. 31. William H. Isham, formerly manager of Miner's Bowery theatre and man- ager of the Creole Belles is consider- ing again reviving an Octaroon Com- pany for vaudeville. NEW BUILDINGS. Darenport. la., Deo. 24. The opening of the new Columbia will take place on Christmas day and will disclose the most elaborate bouse In this territory, repre- senting an Investment of $'200,000. It Is the work of Repp Bros., the architects of the Chicago Majestic. A new motion picture theatre, known as the City theatre, has been opened at First and Jackson streets, Hoboken, N. J. It Is operated by the Jackson Amusement Co. The building seats 800. i CORRESPONDENCE Unlet Otherwise noted, the fcjlgwinf reports ar» for the current wetk. J0HN ikg— CHICAGO VARIKTY'8 CHICAGO OFFICE! MAJESTIC THEATRE BUILDING In Charge PALACE (Harry Singer, mgr.; agent. Or- pheum).—William Burress with "New Bong Birds" had the place of honor In the program and he offered his keen travesty on grand opera with excellent results. The act has been Improved in places since last seen In Chicago, and had fallen away In some particulars. The comedy element has been Increased consider- ably, and In Home places burlesque features have been Introduced with good effect. The act went well. Dolly Connolly and Percy Wenrlch were on next to the headline art and tbey sang numerous songs and found much favor with the audience, which was not very large Monday night. Wallace McCutcheon and Vera Maxwell presented their society dances In spot five and were well re- ceived. They are graceful, and they dance with much spirit and abandon. Fred and Albert, two gymnasts, opened the show, which was keyed low, and which did not really get under way until the headline act was on. Helen Scholdcr had second spot with her com- edy, and "Jasper." the dog, followed. Madge Maltland was also In the running JUHt before the dancers came on. The pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Castle, who danced at this house for two weeks recently made the show drag towards the close, and many people left. Bedford and Winchester, burlesque Jugglers, closed the bill with some odd tricks that brought applause and laughter. REED. MAJERTIC (Lyman B. Glover, mgr.; agent. Orpheum).—Ram Bernard came back In this bill, and with a swoop. He had nearly every- thing his own way. as far as comedy went, and he kept the house in a roar from the moment he went on until he clowed with some Christmas verses, which wore all right as to nenttment. even If they were a little lame as to meter. It was a holiday audience Monday afternoon, and one that wan there to be pleased If possible. Twice during the show there were pales of laughter. Bertie Herron and Ponnle CJaylord were the first to start the noise. They came on in Mack face and kid- ded the audience and once or twice they brought out the real fire of laughter. But they were on too loner, ond they came very ne*r to wearing out their welcome before thev relinquished the stage to some one else. It would be a very good Idea If they shortened the act. Davis and Matthews opened the bill with dances. They did not have anything startllnglv new to offer, hut did show consid- erable action, and were rewarded with a mo- dicum of applause. Charles A. Delmore and Ben Light were on In "D" where they passed with songs and piano stuff. Light has nimble fingers and he knows how to tear off rartlme. Delmore sings well. In a classy style nnd- the men were compelled to respond to an encore. The Four Mllos In their posing act In bronze got over nicely and Else' Ruegger, the 'cellist, offered a short program of the sort of appeal to the cultivated taste. Miss Ruegger fol- lowed the pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Castle's dances, a feature that attracted con- siderable attention. Sam Bernard filled In the spot third from the last. Ethel Kirk and Billy Fogarty had next to closing where they delighted the audience with songs and patter. They have toned the act down since it was at the Palace, and It Is much more polite and genteel without having lost any of Its vim or vigor. The Hassmans, two equilibrists, closed the show. They offered some really startling feats and held the house fairly well until the pictures came on to close. The matinee crowd was big. REED. AMERICAN MUSIC HALL (Ram P. Oerson. mgr.).—Joseph Snntley In "When Dreams Come True." playing to good houses. AUDITORIUM (Bernard Ulrlch. mgr.).— Chicago Grand Opera Co. in repertoire. BLACKRTONE (Augustus Pltou, Jr., mgr.). —"Fanny's First Play," opened Monday night. COHAN'S (Harry Ridings, mgr.).—Ray- mond Hitchcock and a good company in "The Beauty Shop" still doing excellent busi- ness. CORT (U. J. Hermann, mgr.).—Jack Lett's "Help Wanted," playing to big houses. FINE ARTS (Albert Perry, mgr.).—Reper- toire company In short plays. GARRICK (John J. Oarrlty, mgr.).—Wil- liam Hodge In "The Road to Happiness," breaking all records for the season. HOWARD'S (Frank O. Peers, mgr.).—"The Traffic." a "white slave" play meeting with approval. ILLINOIS (Will J. Davis, mgr.).—"Follies." playing to packed houses a^ every perform- ance. Four more weeks. IMPERIAL (Kllmt A Gazzolo. mgrs.).— "The Littlest Rebel." LA SALLE (Harry Askln, mgr.).—"Septem- b«r Morn." drawing well. NATIONAL (John Barrett, mgr.).—"The Kosnry." OLYMPIC (George C. Warren, mgr.).— "Boiurht nnd Paid For," fair returns. POWERS' (Harry J. Powers, mgr.).—"The Poor Little Rich Girl," fair houses. PRINCESS (Frank Phelps, mgr.).—Doris I\<;me In "Romnnce," still meeting with suc- cess after a run of many weeks. VICTORIA (Howard Brolaskl, mgr.).—"A Fool There Was" GLOBE (E. H. Browne, mgr).—Winter cir- cus. The Wlllnrd will go into pictures about Jan ID, according to the latest advices. Dnvld Warfleld will come to Powers' Jan. B In "The Auctioneer" for four weeks. I, XXC 35,076, covering WARNING! YRON N, am the owner of Copyright Number Class D ON •f and all moving picture owners or exhibitors, theatre managers and owners and all others are hereby warned not to exhibit a, or any picture or pictures, entitled "THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE," or depicting any of the scenes thereof in any form under penalty of prosecution. JACOB WEISBERGER. 1476 Broadway, New York City JOSEPH BYRON TOTTEN