Variety (February 1914)

12 VARIETY WITH THE PRESS AGENTS From a Mlai B«ulah LlTlngston. the fol- lowlnf press matter la contributed: At the Longacre theatre matinee March 8. Paul Swan, a young American pupil of Pavlej and Mordkin, lately appearing with unusual suc- cess In Russia, Egypt, Greece, Sicily and Prance, will glTe his annual matinee of poetlo and InterpretlTe dances. Mr. Swan not only ooncelTsa all his own c^hsbIc, oriental and pantomime dances, but aij) designs and exe- cutes his own costumes. Charles Klein's play, "The Moneymakers," the rights of which are vented In the Authors' Producing Co., will not be presented until next season. Klaw A Brianger will produce immediately "The Unseen Empire," adapted for the stage by William Young. Taking advantage of the Beautiful Snow dls- oorered by Whittler. the Press Agent Eternal framed a snowball fight In Central Park be- tween Blanche Ring and her "When Claudia Smiles" company on one side and Rosle Dolly and the Winter Qarden show on the other. Wednesday morning papers carried the story and some printed pictures of the "fight" The story furnished mHd diversion for those who care for snowballs. The revival of "The Oirl from Kay's," now under way by the Shuterts, will have Sam Bernard In his original role and (Tkby Deslys In the part of the Olrl. Others In the cast will be Harry Pllcer, PYltsI Von Buslnv Her- bert Ayllng. Jere McAuliCfe. Grafton Williams, Alice Gordon. Adele Rowland. Edwin T. Emery will stage the production. William L. Wllken hit Philadelphia this week ahead of the Gaby Deslys show, which Is again In the east. Wendel Phillips Dodge, former critic of the New York Press, has been appointed editor in chief of the new press department which the Strand magasine Is installing. Chauncey Olcott winds up his month's stay at the Grand opera house. New York. Feb. 28. It was printed hereabouts that Eva Tan- guay has Invested fAn.onr) In eleven lots at Sea Gate, near Coney Island. All the papers printed a paragraph about the purchase. William Moxson, who biased the trail for "Polly of the Clrciia." returned to Broadway Monday where he reretvad the glad mitt from the many agents now "at Ilbertv." Of course Bill isn't losing any sleep, as he was a half owner of the show whlr'b Is said to have re- turned a profit on the season. It's announced that .Toseph R. Ortsmer the plajrwrtght and ex-produdng nnrtner of Will- iam A. Brady. Is now a benedict. Mrs. Orls- mer was formerlv Olive rtarper Thome, of the original east of "The Family Cupboard." Joseph Hart has mwde an arrangement with Tad for a thlrty-mlnutc nlav to be writtn around the hero of the "BIIV Hat H<»rrv" car- toons. Tom Barry and Stanlev Mnrphy are to write the book, and Tom Marshall the music. H. H. Frasee has Issued a formal announce- ment denying the I^onaacre will pa^s from hln control. He admlta that he has had aoveral offers for the property of late, but declares that the theatre wll continue under his man- agement. George M'ooser announces his musical com- edy orvantsatlon. headed by Kolb and Dill, as s permanent affair. Thev will open In Cin- cinnati on Mondav and after a week there win pisv St. Louts for the same period, and then occupv the American Music Hall rhlf'aio. for an Indeflnit- enrarement. In addition to the romedlana the company will Include M"" Lillian Berrl. Earl Benham. Alice Hills. Rubv Leslie. George M. G»»orre. E. D. Rolfe. PRFSS OPINIONS. RULE or THREE. Mr. Bolton did not compensate for his lack of acquaintance with his craft by any wit of his own.—Sun. For an act or so, "The Rule of Three" la very amualng, but then the altuatlons be- come obvious and the laughter lies alone in the bright dialogue and the acting of the capable company.—Herald. It 1b a pity that bo large a proportion of the poBBlbllltlea for fun must be rxhauBted when first the three husbandB mnrt and Rlaro at one another and a pity that t. at mu«t come BO lonK before the curtain falln upon the last act.—Times. But even with an extra annle to Its credit, there la no likelihood that Mr. Rolton's new play will survive the present snowfall.—World CANADIAN OPERA CO. THROUGH. Kansas Cily, Feb. 18. The Canadian Opera Company went to smash in Denver last nJRht, when ihc troupe failed to show and a super announced the members hadn't been paid. Commissioner of Safety Pilcher at- tached the show, the town having raised $5,000 to bring the company here. Leo Slezak, Marie Rappold and Greville-Reacbe are members of the organization. COMPANY MUST MOVE AROUND The principals and chorus people of the "High Jinks" company are grumb- ling over the orders issued by the management for them to appear at the various restaurants and dancing em- poriums after the regular show at night. Monday evening they were commissioned to visit Churchill's, Tuesday night the New York Roof, and they fear that before long they will be booked for every night in the week. "COOK'S" SHOW GETS IN. New Haven, Feb. 18. Lee Shubert journeyed to New Haven last night to witness a performance of George Scarborough's new piece, with the idea of presenting it at the 39th Street theatre next week. On his return from New Haven Wed- nesday morning Lee Shubert arranged with William A. Brady to present Frank Craven's new comedy, "Too Many Cooks," at the 39th Street next week, moving Blanche Ring in "When Claudia Smiles" to the Lyric, cutting down the William Faversham engage- ment from three to two weeks. Craven will be prominent in the cast of his own play. H« will be assisted by Inez Plummer, Mattie Keene, Jennie Weathersby, Eva Condon, John Crom- well, Edward McWade, Jonathan Keefe, George Williams. BLANEY'S STRAIGHT FARCE. "A Million Dollar Girl" is a new straight farce by L. G. Humphreys which had its first stage production at the Cecil Spooner theatre last week. Miss Cecil, Mary Gibbs and Edna Spooner created roles. A. O. Huhn staged the piece. It's likely Charles Blaney will give the play a road production next sea- son. DANCERS HAVEN'T REPORTED. The Shuberts are evidently in earn- est in their intention to. enforce their alleged agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Castle to appear under their manage- ment. They have notified the dancers to report for rehearsals, but the noti- fication has not met with any response to date. They will not appear in the new Dil- lingham show until next season, and if the alleged Shubert agreement holds good in court, may decide to make no stage appearances for the remainder of the current season. "CHANGE" WELL GREETED. Pittsburgh, Feb. 18. "Change," the Welsh play that New York couldn't see at all, opened at the Alvin Monday, and the local critics raved over it. The piece has been endorsed by the Drama League and the College Club. This section contains more Welsh people than may be found elsewhere in the states. That is the principal rea- son the show was brought down this way. IRVING-HACKNEY REP. Ottawa, Feb. 18. Laurence Irving, second son of the late Sir Henry Irving, with his wife. Mabel Hackney, and an all-English company of 30, opened a four days' en- gagement at the Russell theatre Mon- day, playing in turn "The Unwritten Law," "The Typhoon" and "The Im- portance of Being Earnest." At each performance they have played to good business. E. H. SOTHERN'S STATEMENT. E. H. Sothcrn wired Variety and other papers which had the story from Portland, Ore.» the following, too late for publication in last week's issue: The statements concerning a dis- agreement between Mrs. Julia Mar- lowe-Sothern and myself contained in Variety Jan. 30, are calculated to cause extreme pain to a woman already sadly afflicted. It is easily disproved by anybody who desires to ascertain the truth. My wife, myself. Dr. Thorpe, of Los Angeles, Doctors Wag- ner and Wilson Shields of San Fran- cisco, who attended Mrs. Sothern in Los Angeles, Doctors Futterer of Chi- cago and Bissell of New York, and three specialists whom he called in to consult on my wife's illness could have and would have given information which would prove the story untrue. There was no immediate danger in her transfer to New York. She did not hire a special train but went in our own private car; every- body in the theatre at Los Angeles knew of her illness and of her heroic determination to do her duty as she saw it. For two years she has been overworked and has proceeded for my sake and in spite of the advice of phy- sicians. Nature at length rebelled. I make this itatement concerning my affairs to relieve the anxiety of many friends of my wife and myself through- out this country. For my part I have a company of about 60 people whom I cannot lightly put out of employ- ment when it is not necessary; also we face great financial loss which I hope to modify, and in consideration of my obligations to managers of theatres is why I continue my season alone. SMITH'S, HAMILTON, PASSES. Hamilton, O., Feb. 18. Broomhall & Schwalm, who own and operate the Jewell theatre, yester- day acquired possession of Smith's theatre, Hamilton's largest legitimate house, by outright purchase. The house will be entirely remodelled and given the original name of the Jeffer- son. Thomas A. Smith, who has been manager since the theatre was built, is critically ill at his home in this city. with but little chance for recovery. J. E. McCarthy, of the Grand, who had been negotiating for Smith's, has secured an option on a prominent site and announces he will build a new theatre at a cost of $80,000. Bank Staff on the Job. Vicksburg, Miss., Feb. 18. Dr. S. Myers, president of the Na- tional Bank, who has been running the Walnut Street theatre himself the past two years, with his cashier in the box office and his paying teller at the door, and making a success of the venture, has installed a "Rose Maid" curtain in honor of the performance of the piece of that name which plays there this week. WILL ARCHIE TUo diminutive comedian who has scored a nensatlonal Bucceis as the bellboy In JOSEPH P. HKKFRTON'S latopt (pfC^ comody production "THE RULE OF THREE" at the Harris thvutre, New York CUy. Theatre Dark. Promise City, la., Feb. 18. Th* opera house is dark and there's no telling just when its doors will re- open. M. E. Stout, who has been managing the theatre, is striving to ob- tain a.iother leasehold.