Variety (February 1914)

TJlLltlITT 5 KEITH SWITCHES THE POUQ AT BI G NATIO NAL, BOSTON House Supposed to Have Re-Established Itself With Pop Vaudeville Suddenly Goes Into SO-Cent Musical Stock. Boston Show People Surprised. Boston ,Feb. 11. The change by the United Booking Offices in the policy of the big National theatre, which seats 3.800, and which has been playing big time vaude- ville at small time prices, came like a thunderbolt just as Manager Haley and Press Agent Charles Winston had succeeded in getting the house on its feet. Beginning this week, the house abandons vaudeville and will use the Morton Opera Company in a series of musical comedy revivals at a maximum price of 50 cents. "The Red Mill" was used for the opening Monday night, and did a surprisingly good business. STILL DEMURRING. Another demurrer was entered this Mreek in the U. S. Court on behalf of the Central Promotion Co. and Mar- tin Beck, two of the defendants in the action brought by H. B. Marinelli against the United Booking Offices and associates for a few millions of dol* lars as compensation for damages caused. The demurrer states that not suf- ficient facts are set forth in the Mar- inelli complaint to constitute an action at law. Argument on the motion will come up in a few days. A demurrer previously interposed by the defendants was lately passed upon. BILLPOSTERS SATISFIED. Pittsburgh, Feb. 11. Trouble between the circuses and the billposters has been postponed for at least three years, according to Geo. VV. Lowrey, representative of the Na- tional Alliance of Billposters and Billers, who returned last week and announced that peace had been de- clared. The firms which signed the new union scale are: Barnum and Bailey, Ringling Brothers, Wallace-Hagen- beck, and Younp Buffalo. Lowrey says it means $60 a month and expenses for posters, or $10 to $15 more than in the past, and the agreement is for three years. THAW SHOW LAYS OFF. The Evelyn Nesbit Thaw road show had an enforced lay off Feb. 7 (Satur- day). The date was for Charlotte- ville, Va., where the University of Vir- ginia has its grounds, also quite some male students. When the Gertrude Hoffman road show struck that vil- lage the college cut ups are said to have given Miss Hoffman's chorus Rirls such a good time they all sent doctor's certificates for the day's per- formances, with the result the town didn't see the show and the University experienced difficulty in continuing business in the same old way. When the Thaw show was an- nounced the local Solomons inquired about its chorus girls. Finding there were a number of them the town sent word to skip it and let the U. of V. wind up the week properly. The sug- gestion was accepted by the show's management. Miss Thaw improved the unexpected vacation by jumping into New York over Sunday. William Oviatt is now managing the Thaw company. William Holde, who has piloted the show over the country so far, returned to New York this week, reporting at Comstock &. Gest's office for further assignment. Miss Thaw is bound for the Coast with her troupe, on a route that is ex- pected to hold the company on the road until July. The show has kept up its good business pace, and is now on Southern one-nighters. ANOTHER IN ROCHESTER. Rochester, Feb. 11. There is to be more opposition In Rochester, with two large theatres, Shubert and Temple, already showing vaudeville to capacity. It was an- nounced yesterday a fourth vaudeville house is to be erected. Th% site pur- chased fronts 165 feet on Chestnut street and 90 feet on East avenue. The house, to be known as the Hippodrome, V ill seat 2,100. The erection will start shortly and it is expected the theatre will be ready for occupancy by Sep- tember. The East Avenue Amusement Co., as it is called, was incorporated a few days ago for $100,000, with George E. Simpson, president; Albert A. Feny- vessy. secretary; William A. Callahan, treasurer. With the change in policy at the Shubert, Rochester was left with only one first class theatre, the Lyceum, booked by Klaw & Erlanger. When there was opposition the prices were 25 cents to $1.50 and occasionally 50 cents to 12. Now the prices are 50 cents to $2 and occasionally 25 cents to $1.50. I A. C. B. Keith is said to be behind the new project. This Keith (not B. F.) has vaudeville theatres clscwhcri' in the state. NEW COMEDY AT MARIGNY. iSfteeial Cable to Varihtt.) Paris, Feb. 11. Quinson and Abel Deval presented Feb. 5 a new comedy "Le Manne- quin," by Paul Gavault, at the Marig- py. The piece met with a fair recep- tion. It is well played by Marcelle Lender. Juliette Margel, Marcel Leveque, Jean Dax. ALICE LLOYD'S LAST SEASON. Chicago, Feb. 11. It is announced by Tom McNaugh- ton, husband of Alice Lloyd, that this season is his wife's final appearance on the stage. Miss Lloyd will retire, says Mr. McNaughton, although pro- posals for her professional services for next season have already been re- ceived. It is estimated Alice Lloyd is worth about $250,000, all earned in America, and mostly invested in staple bonds of this country, besides some real estate holdings in the east, and theatrical properties. Alice Lloyd came to New York some eight or nine years ago, unknown on this side, and scored a phenomenal suc- cess at the Colonial theatre, New York, where she had been lightly billed as an ordinary turn on the program. The same day of her first appearance, the electric lights in the front of the house were given over to her name, and since then she has been a recognized attrac- tion. Miss Lloyd in her travels back and forth over the continent has cultivated a wide acquaintance, numbering the best society people of all the towns where she has played return engage- ments. No reason is attached*to her pro- posed retirement than that she is satis- fied, and, following George M. Cohan's example, wishes to leave the stage while at the pinnacle of her playing career. SUN GOING BACK? Chicago, Feb. 11. A report around says Gus Sun may shortly sever his eastern booking con- nection with the Loew-Sullivan-Con- sidine agency, returning either to the Family Department of the United Booking Offices in New York or the Western Vaudeville Managers' Asso- ciation of this city. When J. J. Murdock left New York last Thursday on his way Westward Gus Sun is said to have been in his company on the same train. Cincinnati, Feb. 11. Gus Sun sold a half interest in his agency to the National Vaudeville As- sociation at their annual meeting in Columbus yesterday for $25,000. POLI'S "SILVER JUBILEE." Springfield, Mass., Feb. 11. Poli's is advertising for next week what it terms its "Silver Jubilee" bill. A nine-act show has been booked. CAFE STARS IN PLAY. (Special Cable to Varietv.) Paris, Feb. 11. Cora Laparcerie, R. Trebor & Cie, attain assumed charge of the Renais- sance and presented Feb. 7 a play by Mile. Jehanna d'Orlhiac, entitled "Les Chiffoniers," which did very poorly. A reined aristocrat joins the ragpickers and elopes with a poor girl. They start life afresh. Two cafe concert stars, Dorvillc and Mile. Delmares. hold parts and made Rood. It is the first legitimate attempt of Dorville, the Olympia comic. Jules Moy, the sonj.,' writer. Miles. Faruens, Huiructte Dastry and Gaby de Morlay. also younp Jacques de Fcraudy (pre- viously seen at music balls), arc like- wise aiipcarinj? at the Renaissance. "L'.Xmour Thiissonier." a risque farce in two a :ts, by Rcjiiiain Coolus, is on the same bill and met with a i^ood reception. MARIE LLOYD OPENS UTE. Seattle, Feb. 11. Marie Lloyd opened late at the Or- pheum this week. It was Tuesday be- fore the advertised headliner for the local bill reached town. She had been detained at Vancouver on the old charge of moral turpitude, but was re- leased after an examinatioti and with another bond of $1,500 guaranteeing she would leave for Elngland again de- posited with the immigration author- ities at Washington. Miss Lloyd could have reached Seattle in time to appear as scheduled, Sunday, at the Orpheum, but the barring edict against her did not release Bernard Dillon, and Miss Lloyd said at first she would not re-enter the U. S. without him. Later she changed her mind. Carl Reiter, the Orpheum's man- ager, was pushed to an extreme Sun- day for a feature with the show and brought Chic Sales over from Port- land to fill in the vacancy. The bill gave satisfaction, even with the dis- appointment. In the examination at Vancouver, Mr. Dillon would not admit any do- mestic relations with Miss Lloyd since arrival over here, but, answering sim- ilar questions by the examiner, Miss Lloyd freely spoke her mind, which resulted in the exclusion order being pronounced against them. Miss Lloyd also stated they had not been married in the States, despite reports to the contrary. Saturday afternoon in Vancouver Miss Lloyd horsewhipped ex-Mayor Taylor, editor of the Vancouver World. A front page>-^erititism of herself and songs angered the Englishwoman, who "went after" Mr. Taylor in his private office. Pat Casey again adjusted Marie Lloyd's troubles with the government last Friday, when he travelled to Washington upon being informed of the difficulty Miss Lloyd had met with in Vancouver. A bond of $1,500 was filed in Seattle, in addition to the for- mer one of $3,000 required at this port when Miss Lloyd and Mr. Dillon came over some months ago. Casey could not, however, secure a release for Dillon. WOOD'S HOUSES DISPOSED. (Special Cable to Vawbtt.) Berlin, Feb. 11. L. J. Goldsoll is out of the Cines Corporation, which controls the pic- ture houses in which A. H. Woods is interested. Goldsoll takes the Apollo and Zoopa- last himself, the Cines Nolleiidorf is retained by the Cines Corporation; the Friedrich Wilhclm has been leased for operette and the disposition of the Breslau house is still unsettled. None of the theatres has made any money thus far, it is said. "THE SNOB/' COLD. (Special Cable to VAwrrr.) Berlin, Feb. 11. The Kammcrspiele brouubt out Karl .Sternheim's new comedy, "The .Snob." It is a satire on the modern Sficial life and shows much talent, but leaves a cold impression. don't aftvertlRft at all.