Variety (February 1914)

VARIETY RATS WILL HGHT AHACHMENT BROUGHT U NDER I LL. CONTRAQ Contention That Laurie Orway's Agreement With Jones, Linick & Schaeffer Had ''Satisfaction Clause/' and Was Unlawful Through It. Liquidated Damages Claimed in Proceedings Against Acts by Agency. Chicago, Feb. 4. The Jones, Linick & Schaeffer Agency instituted attachment proceed- ings against Laurie Ordway and Snyder and Buckley last week at Springfield, 111., claiming liquidated damages for non-fulfillment of contracts. As previously reported, both acts had "jumped" the Doyle time after signing contracts and immediately accepted engagements from th6 W. V. M. A. It is understood the Snyder and Buck- ley claim will be adjusted by the come- dians agreeing to take up the time later in the season, but in the Ordway case the White Rats Actors' Union has decided to defend the case and carry it to court. Adolph Marks is attorney, for the agency, with the Lowenthal law office representing the defendant. The defense contends that inasmuch as the Ordway contract carried a "satis- faction" clause the arrangement was unlawful, and therefore null and void; and also claims Miss Ordway being a resident of this state was exempt from attachment proceedings. It is now practically certain that a blacklist will be maintained by the "Association" against acts appearing in the opposition houses, since several of the ten per centers doing business with the W. V. M. A. have quietly announced that they cannot handle acts that have previously appeared in Chicago unless at one of the "Association" houses. Louisville, Feb. 4. It has developed that Winona Win- ter, playing at Keith's last week, who was sued by the National theatre for 1400 for breach of contract for not ap- pearing opening week, had her salary paid in advance by the local Keith house, thus dcfeatmg the attachment servers. The National management will push the case. A similar action has been taken hy them against Snyder and Buckley, who failed to appear last week. SUN SHOWS IN LOUISVILLE. Cincinnati, Feb. 4. Gus Sun has decided to join the vau- deville contest in Louisville against B F. Keith and Jcmes, Linick & Schaefer. It is reported Sullivan-Considine arc also looking for a location in the Falls City. N. H. Gurncll, formerly manager of the Lyric, Dayton, O., has leased the Walnut theatre in Louisville, and be- ginning next Sunday will put on seven acts of Sun vaudeville there. lie is being backed, it is said, hy a ^roup of Louisville capitalists. "RED MASK'' SINGER. In the New York small time vaude- ville theatres a singer with a red mask covering haU her face is appearing as a feature turn. The woman behind the red is re- ported to be a well-known prima donna irom Broadway shows, where she re- ceived about $300 a week. Her "small time'' salary is not known. It is also stated she lately appeared on the big time, but could secure no future book- ings. "Mme. ?" was an item on big time vaudeville bills for some time, appear- ing with a mask that hardly disguised her. $350,000 TO REMODEL. Buffalo, Feb. 4. Plans have been accepted by Mark- Brock, the vaudeville managers, to re- model the Academy of Music, com- mencing at the end of this season. The alterations will entail an expenditure of $350,000. The plot adjoining the Academy is held by the firm. When the building has been remade it will give a frontage of 100 feet, and a ca- pacity of between 3,000 and 3,500. A roof garden to seat 1,800 will be one of the improvements. GYPSY SEEKS VAUDEVILLE. Gypsy Greenfield, whose marital re- lations were recently aired in court, and who is now suing her husband for a divorce, has decided to enter vaude- ville. Miss Greenfield's husband is related ic the Vanderbilts. She was formerly with the Cranborn Players! TITCOMB'S EX-HUBBY DIES. Salt Lake City, Feb. 4. Dr. Charles B. Titcomb died Jan. 29 in this city of pleurisy, and is survived by a wife and two year old child. He was tlie former husband of La Titcomb, now Mrs. Nat Wills, and defendant in the action for an annul- ment of the marriage, Mr. Wills alleg- ing among otlier things, that La Tit- comb had not been divorced when he married her. TROUPE NOT DISBANDING. Chicago, Feb. 4. Jas. K. Done;4;m, nianaj^er of the Dunedin Troupe, denies his organiza- tion was about to disl)and. He says he was compelled to dismiss two of the girls, and that he has a dozen others ready to take their places. No one is entitled to use the name of Dunedin excepting inenihers of his fam- ily, says Mr. DoneKJm. SHUBERTS' DYCKMAN THEATRE. The Dyckman theatre, at 2()7th street, with a capacity "f 1,600, aiul opening recently witli a pop vandcville policy, under the iiKmamiiu iit uf I'oldty Harris, is ^oIul; to heroine a link in the Icyiliniate road statnK of the .'^liu- hcrts. Tlu' Dyckman will prol>al)ly ii'ci-ivc the Sluil)ert attractions aftir t!u-y Ka\c the West i-'.nd theatre, Harlem. GIANTS-SOX TOUR ON STAGE. Chicago, Feb. 4. Ted Sullivan, managing director of the Giants-Sox world's tour, will prob- ably open at the Palace, Chicago, with a 25-minule lecture, accompanied by slides and pictures, when the troupe returns home. Negotiations are now under way. JOE RAYMOND AN ACTOR. Mack Coleman, who plays the Ger- man teacher in the "Six Mischief Ma- kers," lost his voice Sunday while the act was playing the Jefferson. Joe Raymond, agent for the turn, who has been waiting for something like this for years, put on the chin whiskers and worked both the afternoon and evening shows. Joe is reported a hit. Coleman was e-.iabled to go on with the act this week al Elmira. HAMBURGER'S ZIEGFELD. Chicago, Feb. 4. The Ziegfeld theatre has been taken over by Alfred Hamburger. He will give moving pictures for the entertain- ment. The house has had several ten- ants, the last lessor announced as Wil- liam A. Brady, who contemplated at one time reproducing the Princess, New York, policy of rep sketches there. JOE KANE'S PARTNER. Joe Kane has found a stage partner for vaudeville. It's a she, by name. Rose Hamilton. They are rehears- irg. ALBINFS WIFE WORKING. Chicago. Feb. 4. Nellie McGuire, wife of the late Her- bert Albini, is vaudevilling in. the middle west, offering a single character song specialty. She is now on the Webster time. TILLIE PICCHIANI FOUND. Cincinnati, Feb. 4. There is joy among members of the Picchiani Troupe of acrobats at the iMupress. Tillie Picchiani, 10, daugh- ter of Guido Picchiani, has been found. The litle girl was reported lost in the Messina earthquake, of 1908. U. S. Commissioner Mark Fotte, of Chicago, on request of the acrobat, sought trace of the child and found her in an orphanage at Genoa. Mrs. Picchiani went to New York to get her daugh- ter. BUTTERFIELD BUYS BIJOU. Bay City, Mich., Feb. 4. J. Don Pilmore has sold his Bijou theatre in this city to W. S. Butterfield for $65,000 cash. This gives Butter- field control of two houses here—the Washington, playing legit attractions, with the Bijou offering vaudeville. Jackson, Mich., Feb. 4. If present plans materialize, the new I'utterfield vaudeville theatre will be ready for occupancy the first day of 1915. The plan is to convert the present liijou into a high class picture house aid name it the Garden. The new theatre will cost about $125,- 000. If you don't advrrtlm^ in VAItlKTY. don't advertise at all. WOULDN'T "CLEAN UP." Lynn, Mass., Feb. 4. Jules Bernshein of New York, man- aging the vaudeville act "Fun on the Briny Deep," and claiming to have a M. R. Shcedy booking from New York on the Gordon Olympic time in New England, is so flat here he was mis- taken this morning for a pancake. The entire trouble, despite Bern- stein's protest of breach of contract, seems to be that he thought he could get across a rather nude act in the best small time houses in Boston and outlying cities. His turn consisted of four men, one an alleged Hebrew comedian, the second a blackface, two straight and seven girls whose principal talents seem to have been endowed hy nature in form other than voice, danc- ing, or facial beauty. After many old time "gags," the girlo dressed in sailor costumes, proceeding; without rhyme or reason to strip to fleshings and clouts. Manager Comerford of Gordon'i Olympic in Boston refused to let the act go on. The contract for 1450 fc. a half week was shown and Comerfor<& said they could go on if they woulo "clean up" the act, but this was re fused. Then Bernshein headed for Lyni where he found the theatre in the same chain, and Monday he entered the office of Mayor George H. Newhall, showing two pennies which he said constituted the total fortune of the company. The mayor passed the buck to th* chief of police who passed it along to the Associated Charities which pro- vided eats. WILSON AVENUE MAY SWITCa Chicago, Feb. 4. Mich Licalzi has assumed complete control of the Wilson Avenue theatr< the title having been passed Feb. I While the theatre is still being bookeo through the Doyle office, a persistent rumor says it will shortly come under the W. V. M. A. banner, although this could not be confirmed by any of the interested parties. A clause in the bill of sale gives Licalzi the option of switching bookings in the event of dissatisfaction. PUYING THREE HOUSES. Will Rogers, the talking lariat thrower, established a new record for vaudeville in New York last week. He played three houses, Alhambra, Hammerslein's and L'nion .Scjuare, in that order, closin!>; the program at the latter theatre. NEW ONE FOR MISS GLASER. Lulu Glaser will be seen in a new act shortly, written by Raymond Peck, author of her first vaudeville turn. GAMBLING CHANCE. Cincinnati, Feb. 4. Theatre r(d>beries arc so common hereabouts C. Hubert Hemk, of the Ifeuck oj)era house, has invented a I)lan for foolinj^ the er.'uksnien. Heuck has three safes in his office. (^)uc cotifains nioncN : the others arc enijjty. 'It's a LMiul)h'r)-; i)r(»position," says n< n( k. "A three t<j()ne chance the ftiirj.;lars won't Id(jw the right safe."