Variety (February 1914)

r r ''•'^?«r,>5v,-v >-i.-'^^?:^i_ ^;i..^J32t^y-'-^':- Vol. XXXIII. No. 11. NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1914. PRICE 10 CENTS VITAGRAPH THEATRE'S SUCCESS MAY BRI NG CON CERN OTHERS Casino Now Mentioned as an Addition to Picture Makers Legitimate String, Started by the Former Criterion. Daly's Also Reported for Summer. Vitagraph Doing Business. It was reported Wednesday that a deal had been virtually closed whereby the Vitagraph Co. takes over the Casino for pictures. Just when the house transfer goes into effect is not known, but it's understood it will be at the close of the DeWolf Hopper company engagement. To meet the demands of the Vita- graph people a number of changes, somewhat similar to that of the Vita- graph theatre, will be made. Another report had it that the Vita- graph had also taken Daly's and would run it as a movie during the summer. The ballyhoo electrical illumination of the Vitagraph theatre (formerly Criterion) no sooner hits Broadway with its effective rays than William Rock, one of the Vitagraph triumvir- ate, makes the declaration the Vita- graph Company has just begun to show Broadway what it means in moviedom. Rock, to friends, declares that the Vitagraph is not the only house his company will have, as it may go after others. The Vitagraph planked down $60,- 000 for one year's lease on the Cri- terion and then contracted with the Strauss sign company to install the lighting system outside and in. In putting up the big corner electric the New York Theatre Roof management raised the cry saying that the light would draw bugs and insects that would infest the dancing hall. The work on the sign went right ahead. fessor Thomas Woods Stephens, of the dramatic department of Carnegie In- stitute of Technology, who has charge of that part of the work. Percy Mackaye is writing the page- ant with Frederick S. Converse, the opera writer. Joseph Linden Smith and Prof. Stephens will aid in staging it in Forest Park to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the city, for which $100,000 has been subscribed. HOLDING ONTO CASTLES. The American adaptation of "The Midnight Girl" is slated for the 44th Street theatre Feb. 23, succeeding "The Girl on the Film." Scheduled to follow that piece, in the event it does not catch on promptly, is a revival of "The Girl from Kay's," which is owned by Sam Bernard. It is designed to present in it, in addition to Bernard, Gaby Deslys. The Shuberts have a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Castle aj^reeing to join the organization, which they pro- fess to regard as a contract and would like to enforce. The Castles are, however, under con- tract to Charles B. Dillingham and cannot appear without that manager's consent. This he is reluctant to give as he wishes to hold them for a spring production of his own called "Tango Hall," in which Elizabeth Murray is also to be casted. SfiOO SUPERS NEEDED. Pittsburgh, Feb. 11. Six thousand and six hundred actors, mostly "supes," however, will be re- quired to put on "The pageant of the masque of St. Louis," in St. Louis the hist w««k in May, according to Pro- KENYON GOING HOME. Chicago, Feb. 11. Neil Kenyon will leave the Eva Tanguay show at the American next week and return to Europe. Johnny Ford is back in the bill and business has been at top notch all this week with big advance sales. If rna don't advertliif. In VARIBTY. doo't adTertlMi at all. The OFFICIAL NEWS of the WHITE RATS ACTORS' UNION and ASSOCIATED ACTRESSES OF AMERICA, as formerly printed exclusively in appears on Page 8 of this issue. I^LA^ER WILL DAVIS RETIRING. Chicago, Feb. 11. Will J. Davis, manager of the Illi- nois and dean of the theatrical profes- sion in Chicago, announces that he is soon to retire. At his 71st birthday last week Mr. Davis said he was abdbt ready to give up. His son. Will J. Davis, Jr., will probably take up the reins. FLORENCE STONE IN TABS. San Francisco, Feb. 11. Florence Stone, supported by a com- pany of nine players, has been signed by Bert Levy to play four weeks of tabloid drama in the Republic, Los Angeles. Miss Stone is the biggest actress yet engaged for ten-cent vaudeville on the Coast. CAST OF ALL LADIES. "The Pilate's Daughter," with all women in the cast, was placed in re- hearsal this week by George H. Bren- nan, who expects to place it on the road as .soon as it is in shape to open. MISS MARLOWE MAY RETURN. The latest report with respect to the retirement of Julia Marlowe from the Sothcrn-Marlowe organization, is that the pair are patching up their differ- ences and that within a fortnight Miss Marlowe may again he seen in the company. NEW KIND OF "WAGON." Boston, Feb. 11. Lotta Crabtree, the actress, who is now one of the wealthiest women io America, through real estate operations, and who owns the Park theatre, an- nounced this week that she has joined the Millenium Guild. This means that she has agreed not to eat, use or wear anything which is produced by the death of a living creature. It means a vegetarian diet, no furs and even the discontinuance of wearing leather shoes. NO TURKEY TROTTING. On the call board at the .Xmsterdam theatre where "The Little Cafe" is playing, is a notification to the effect that any member of the company seen turkey trotting in a public place will he subjected to immediate dismissal. KLAUBER LEAVES TIMES. A(I(tlpli Klauber, for the past half dozen years drainatic critic of the New York Times, has resigned, to accept a proposal from Selwyn ik Co., to enter that firm. His new work will be con- nected with the preparing of manu- scripts for produc^on. 'TOLLIES" GOING SOUTH. Ziegfeld's "Follies" are not headed for the Coast after all. Just when it looked as though a long western route would be made the management de- cided to take the company, 147 strong, for its first trip through the south, jumping from Baltimore to Richmond, March 8, playing Richmond, Norfolk, Columbia, Atlanta, Birmingham and into New Orleans for one week. From N. O. the show works its way up the Atlantic Coast to Atlantic City. As "The Follies" have never played below the Mason and Dixon line the show is expected to "clean up."