Variety (January 1914)

VARIITY Producers Managers and Acts Attention COSTUMES AND DRESSES SUPPLIED FOR YOUR ACTS WITH- IN FORTY- EIGHT HOURS NOTICE FROM YOUR OWN OR OUR DESIGN Price Wwkanship Material Style TELEPHONE BRYANT 7800 AIMOINIM1 BHANLEY'8 Right NEW YORK PABI8 BERLIN VIENNA FRENCH LINGERIE. 8UITN. GOWNS, BLOUSES ^ V An unconfirmed report Is current here to the effect negtlatlone have been under way this laat couple of weeks between Cecil Lean and the management of the Galty whereby the former may b« engaged to produce his last season's play. "The Military Girl," a few months later at the O'Farrell street playhouse. Application was made lately by an attorney representing Nana Bryant, leading woman with "The Traffic" at the Howard theatre In Chicago, for a divorce from Ted McLaln, a Coast stock player. The court Is reported to have refused to consider the petition until such a time as Miss Bryant Is present In per- son. Myrtle Dingwall, who has been scintillating here lately In the musical comedy offerings at the Alcazar, has been engaged to play leads for Ferris Hartman when the latter In- augurates his pop musical comedy season some time this month In 8acramento. This will be a return Hartman engagement for Miss Dingwall. From a reliable source comes the Informa- tion that Monte Carter cleaned up a net profit of $8,000 with his "pop" burlesquers on the recent engagement in Honolulu. This week the Carter outfit is entertaining the patrons of the Wigwam In this city as opposition to the James Post Co. at the Majestic, a few doors away. The drinking of intoxicants after 2 a. m.. when purchased before that hour, Is reported to have been lately discovered here as a practical evasion of the early morning State closing law and several of the leading cafes and cabaret resorts are understood to bo doing a thriving late hour business as a result. So far there appears to have been no Interposed objections from the authorities. Will Phillips, second comedian here In "The Girl at the Gate" show at the Gaiety theatre since the opening, closed Saturday night, and will probably return east very shortly. His part has been taken by Reece Gardner, who can dance some, but Is not generally recog- nised as a fun creator. Gardner's late part has been filled by Tony Hughes, heretofore the player of a small bit in the show. Louis Bernstein, the New York music pub- lisher, accompanied by his wife and Harry Carroll, spent Christmas In this city and were about the only outsiders present at the Christ- mas tree sociable celebrated In the 8t. Fran- cis Hotel by Gaby Deslys and her company and managers. The Bernstein party left Sun- day night for Lob Angeles. After a week In tlu> latter city, they will depart for the east via New Orleans. Success of huKe proportions Is reported to be attending the Snow Festival which Is now In full swing at Truckee. Cal. Expert ski lumpers and professional Ice skaters have been engaged by the festival management and are giving dally exhibitions. They Include E. Dcsbacllcts, ski expert of Geneva, Switzerland; and Oeorge Brian, skater, of Duluth, Minn.. for eight years Instructor at Pierce's Union Kink In that city. While playing at the Hippodrome In Lob Angeles In a sketch said to' have been labeled "Double Crossed," Brlden and O'Rourke were suddenly forced to substitute another skit an a result of a legal action which Is reported to have charged them with an infringement of the copyright laws. The complainant was E. W. Mclntyrc, a naval lieutenant, who Is represented as having recently written a sketch entitled "Double Crossed," and which was subsequently presented here at the Wig- wam. He alleged the Brlden and O'Rourko skit was a near "copy" of his composition. The planned American and European tour of Ben J. Fuller, executive chief of the Bren- nan-Fuller Australian circuit, has been post- poned Indefinitely, according to a late cable- gram received here by his American represen- tative, Arthur R. Shepard, In order to be pres- ent In person at the ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the circuit's proposed new theatre in Sydney. Representative Shepard Is also deferring the shift of his booking headquarters to Chicago until after his next Australian shipment of acts next month. Mrs. Walter Belasco. sister-in-law of David and Fred Belasco. has been a patient here In St. Catherine's Hospital, Santa Monica, since Dec. 12, when she was painfully Injured at the Kay Bee moving picture camp In Santa Ynez canyon, near here, by accidentally receiving the contents of a blank gun cartridge dis- charged at very close range. Her condition In not considered serious barring the setting In of complications. Mrs. Belasco was formerly Maudle McNeil of San Francisco, where her husband was a former Alcazar theatre player. FOURTEEN NINETY THREE BROADWAY BET 4lri ni 44th STREETS For the Information of artists booking In Honolulu and Australia It may be of Interest to note the transportation furnished by the operating circuits In those countries Is second class unless otherwise agreed and stipulated. Artists are privileged, of course, to travel first class by personally paying the difference In rates, which Is approximately $30 between here and Sydney. It In claimed that the sec- ond-class accommodations on the Canadian Line boats out of Vancouver are very satis- factory and quite the equal of the Oceanic Line out of this port A rcc.nt ci\m- In re- ported of where one Dorothy Harris, hooked out of here for Australia, w;is so dlsMtisfbd with the second-class accommodations by the time she reached Honolulu she Is said to have gotten off there and independently booked a two weeks' engagement with the Consolidated Amusement Co. of that city. It In under- stood nlnce that Miss Harris will probably re sume her Antipodean trip by first cabin, If she has not already done so, According to present plans. Frank Pallma will again preside over the orchestra of the Anderson Gaiety theatre when the new Marie Dressier show opens there a few weeks hence. For several weeks past, the former "Candy Shop" musical director has been confining his activities to a band of musicians In the Cafe Mandarin down stair* In the Qalety building, but last week he was placed In charge of the musical end of the new show rehearsals and now It has developed that he has been re- engaged Indefinitely by the Gaiety manage- ment to serve In the capacity of general musical director of all the Anderson attrac- tions and with headquarters at the O'Farrell street playhouse. When Pallma comes In here at the head of the Dressier offering, Ben Je- rome, the present director, Is expected to ac- company "The Girl at the Gate" on Its con- templated short road tour and subsequent en- gagement at the Morosco theatre In Los An- geles, where It Is to be the successor of "The Candy Shop." Pall ma's new arrangement with the Gaiety managers Is understood to stipu- late that he will not do any trouplng except possibly an occasional short tour to work out a new show prior to bringing It In here for the opening run. In reviewing the opening here at the Gaiety theatre Dec. 16 or "The Girl at the Gate." a prominent local newspaper critic opined that the play needed "whipping into shape" and that "the Gaiety management possesses the right sort of a whip." So It does, and already the show is evidencing a decided Improvement over the first night here. General Manager Rosenthal and Proprietor Anderson Jointly saw the defects at the first showing and have since been laboring assiduously and sucessfully to overcome them. Handicapped at the start with a mediocre book, the producers will be deserving of all the more credit when the piece finally gets over, which event Is reason- ably certain to occur. The chief difficulty has been with the libretto of the first act. Scenic- ally and musically "The Girl at the Gate" Is a gem and In some other respects as well. Is the superior of "The Candy Shop." Where U suffers by comparison with the latter offer- ing Is In the absence of a half dozen stars that scintillated In Us predecessor. Irene Franklin shines, of course, with all her for- mer brilliancy, and is the same big hit as when playing In local vaudeville. Walter F. Catlett, a Coast player, Is the surprise of the new Gaiety production. In a low comedy part, he scores heavy at every performance. An- other very much In the hit column Is Cathryn Rowe Palmer, who walks away with the fe- male low comedy honors. Helen Goff does tine in the widow role, but her longest suit being vocalizing, she would probably do better with more of that work and less acting. The song hit is "Just a 8mlle. Just a Kiss." and so far this has failed to register properly chiefly on account of not being assigned to a capable singer. The vaudeville specialty of Newhoff and Phelps in "one" Is used as a "stall" while the staircase scene Is being set In the last act and gets over satisfactory enough. Arthur Clough gives strong evidence of being the best male vocalist in the company and would seem to be the logical person to rend the "Just a Smile" numher. But Green and Miss Franklin have written in some "special" lines to provide a reasonable ex- cuse for their entrances, and as one watches the performance, there Is an attendant in- clination to wonder why the creator of "Red Head" is not given a lot more to say and do In addition to her song specialty. Everything considered the producers of "The Girl at the Uate" are deserving of a lot of credit. In the familiar phraseology of General Manager Ro- senthal, It Is "another big two dollars' worth for one dollar." LOS ANGELES By JACK JOSEPHS. ORPHEUM (Clarence Drown, mgr.). — Week 22, Mile. Dazle. well received; Stuart Barnes. liked; Lewis A McCarthy, fair. Holdovers. Fox A Dolly: Oenaro A Bailey; Six Musical Cuttys; Geo. Rolland A Co.. and Three Colle- gians. EMPRESS (Dean Worley. mgr.).—"Louis' Christmas," fair; Edna Aug, liked; Hough- ton, Morris A Houghton, spectacular; Adelyne Rowe A Co., Interesting; Leo Beers, went well. PANTAOE8 (Carl Walker. mgr.).—"In Laughland," tublold, good; Alexander Ka- mlnsky, liked; Sam Hood, fair; The Four Charles, liked; Oliver Reece. fine voice; Archer A Ingersoll, fair. HIPPODROME (Lester Fountain, mgr.).— McKee Rankin A Isabel Evesson. good; Abram A Johns, sketch; Waterbury Bros. A Tenny, liked; Amourette, pleased; Hall A Menzles, fair; The Holts, well liked; Biff A Bang, fair. MAJESTIC (Joseph Montrose, mgr.). —"Lit- tle Women." MOROSCO (CIiiib. Eyton. mgr.).--"Candy Shop," second week; good buslm -hb. MASON (W. T. WVATT. mgr ).— "Stop Thief." Current. Mrs. Flske. BL'RBANK (Oliver .Morosco. mgr ) -"The Littlest Rebel." stock AUDITORIUM (L. K. M.-hyin. r. mgr. ).--2!i- 31. t*ahy Denlys. Jan. 1. "The Mission I'lav " REPUBLIC fAl. Watson mgr. ; agent Le- vey).— Vaudeville. i'KXTL'KY (Locwcn lims. mgrs.).- Bur- lesque. Lon Chaney. now one of the features with the Universal Film Co., and formerly musical comedy comedian. Is suing his wife, Cleva Chaney, for divorce and the custody of their one child. Last May Mrs. Chaney caused a near panic by attempting to commit suicide on the stage during a performance • at the Majestic theatre, a reconciliation followed, but only lasted a few weeks. Photoplayera' Club will give a grand ball Feb. 14, at Shrine Auditorium. Adele Humphrey won the $600 prise offered In the Los Angeles Song Boosting contest for the best California song. A Y\ UR The Blograph Co. Is due here Jan. 1 from New York via special train. Redlands, Cal.. now has 8unday picture shows, but only as an experiment. City offi- cials have decided to permit the shown for a limited time and then, If there Is no com- plaint, they will be permitted to become a permanent thing. A modern picture house, seating 6S3, opened In Hollywood last Sunday. Eugenia C. Whldden. motion picture actress who Just returned from the Orient, Is suing A. C. Whldden for divorce. PHILADELPHIA By J. J. BUBNES. KEITH'S (Harry T. Jordan, mgr.; agent, U. B. O.).—Philadelphia vaudeville goers re- ceived Ray Cox, the sprightly comedienne, with open arms; she scored a big hit with her song, "Work." Joe Howard assisted her at the piano; R. L. Goldberg "foolish ques- tioned" the house Into spasms of delight; Charles Kellogg, mimic of birds, pleased; Robert T. Haines A Co., were clever In "The Man In the Dark"; "Doc" O'Neill had the audience begging for more with his monolog; Cartmell A Harris were "there" In a danc- ing specialty; Les Jardys, the gymnasts, showed up well; La Lotte. a roller skating bear, closed the bill. WILLIAM PENN (William Miller, mgr.; agent, U. B. O.).—Ten excellent artists, head- ed by Allan Brooks, take headline honors In "Taking a Rest": Tommy Dugan A Alice Raymond were cordially received; Wlllard A Carson, thoroughly enjoyed; George W. Day A Co.. very good; A musical act that was novel was well done by William Slsto. At- tendance large at Monday's performances. GRAND (F. Nlxon-Nlrdllnger. ingr.; agent. U. B. O.).—Percy Warum and his company In a character sketch, heads the bill. Crlpps. Eve A Penn. did well; Huffard A Chain, well received, and Roxy La Rocca. a harpist, dis- played ability; Nip A Tuck. In an amusing acrobatic specialty, closed the bill. KEITH'S ALLEGHENY (Thomas M. Dough- erty, mgr.; agent. U. B. O.).— Another fine show Is this week's offering with Tom Linton and his Jungle Girls, taking first honors with ease In a musical comedy. "An Up-to-Date Missionary," which won many laughs. Mc- Cormack A Williams take second place with an excellent ventrlloqulal act. Fred Duprez kept them going as usual with his monolog. Jessie Sutherland appeared In graceful poses and Force A Williams dispensed cheer In a rural sketch. The Five Mowatts, club swing- ers, proved entertaining. NIXON (F. Nlxon-Nlrdllnger, mgr.; agent. U. B. O.).—A fine program Is headed by the "Nine Piano Phlends," a musical act which caught the audience by Its spirit and whirl and held attention throughout. William Lam- ps A Co. appeared In an Interesting playlet, "One Flight Up." May Francis, billed as the "Sunshine Girl," was tuneful and entertaining, and "Mother Goose." a musical comedy In miniature, also scored high. Charles Weber. Juggler, and Harklns. O'nrlen A Carmack, In a rathskeller act. did well. • BROADWAY (Joseph Colin, mgr.; agent. U. B. O.).—Jesse Lnsky'n "Three Types," was the big feature of the bill, greeted by a packed house. "Eloping" Is another act In which the merrymaking 1h furnished by capa- ble performers. Songs and dances by Boris * Darley were above the average. O'Nell A Walmsley. hilled as the Lightning Bugs, flashed across with general satisfaction. Ma- rie & Billy Hart scored as usual In their "Circus Girl." and Rio A Norman did a good athletic turn. LIBERTY—"The Inside „f the White Slave Traffic" Is attracting large audiences. Inter- est In the exposure of the white slave traffic Is Increasing dally. METROPOLITAN--"TrnfnV In Houls." In pictures, Is getting much attention. The piny Is well produced ami had many startling epi- sodes. ''AMINO this year. EMPIRE ll'SH FORREST. ~".1..k. i-li and I(i H Brethren" Minted tl,,. second \Me|< ,,f :ill |„,|, r 1 r j 11 ■ - sl.iv wit h r;i parity audii rn - h f'.ARltM'K. "Y.al-M of I )i.s. I. tlcn" Is v\lll- ni";r popular smpi'ti \l>ELI'HI Within the !,;,«■," with Helen W.ire. Is drawing well ln r 1,.- „,., ,, n ,| Wl .,.|. here. LYRIC. law II, Lis | M ■ \|| A hoard opened ('hrlstnuis nftciri'.nn an. I H the ,,,,|\ musical attraction offered. The cornpanv in GUARANTEED BEST MADE Dave Marion. m< cond < ngiigcnicn t "The Helitn ill ■' 11 o w C'Hi'l IJ11141