Variety (February 1914)

VARIETY LONDON PROMENADE CONCERT NOW PROPO SED FO R BROADWAY New York Pooling Capital to Insure Installation in Local Theatre of European Idea. High Class Amusement New to Manhattan the Wrinkle. According to plans afoot by a party of New York men, Broadway will have Promenade Concerts this summer pat- terned along those which have been so successful abroad, particularly in Lon- don. A goodly sum has already been subscribed to the movement and more is promised. It's the plan to land an uptown thea- tre (perhaps the Park), which will be transformed into a magnificent "prome- nade," where the place will be given the necessary class to make it not only a big novelty for Broadway but repay the men who are backing the venture. It's the idea to get work started in the early spring so that the Prom thing will be in full blast all summer. An admission around the dollar mark will be charged and for this dollar one will be permitted to enjoy the pleasures of the promenade and incidentally listen to a fine musical concert. Singers, mostly importations, with an orchestra of 75 musicians as a feature, will be on the concert bill. Evening concerts, starting at 8 and running until 1, will be offered, but it is almost a certainty no liquor will be served. To the uninitiated the promenade plan sounds like Greek, but to those familiar it sounds very feasible. They are nothing new to Europeans, but to the majority of Broadwayeans the Promenade Concert may prove a nov- elty. The men interested are quite enthu- siastic, but many things have yet to be worked up before the proposition be- comes the reality it is expected to be after once in operation. MOVING IN INDIANAPOLIS. Indianapolis, Feb. 25. By next season the Columbia Amuse- ment Co. (Eastern Burlesque Wheel) will have arranged to move from its present Columbia theatre to another and larger local theatre. Negotiations to this end arc now afoot. "S. R. O." IN PROGRESSIVE. Pittsburgh, Feb. 25. Up to Monday the "S. R. O." sign existed only in theatre reviewers* minds. There have been shows to sell out this season, but nothing like the rush to the Victoria (Progressive Burlesque Wheel) has been witnessed. A real S. R. O. sign was hung out and soon there was not even enough room to crowd into. The police stopped the crowding beyond regula- tions. The show was "The Rector Girls," and the big attraction was Bob Fitz- simmons and his son. It caps the cli- max for the theatre, whicli has been playing to big houses since it opened. But two or three shows have failed to pet the crowds. At the same time the Gayety (East- ern) is cutting down its Sunday ad- vertising. It was sliced in half several months ago, and half again last week. Result: less mention in the papers. The house, however, has never cared much for the newspapers. The Vic- toria does. Its announcement of ca- tering to women got good publicity. Result: best paying proposition in town. DOLLY DeMAR RELEASED. Cleveland, Feb. 25. After a preliminary hearing Fed- eral officers released from custody Dolly DeMar, an actress summoned before United, States Commissioner William H. Marlatt in connection with the arrest of her husband, Charles Warner, who is charged with using the mails to defraud. Miss DeMar appeared here last week at the Em- pire with "The Happy Maids" (bur- lesque). Warner was arrested in Lowellville, Ohio, last week upon the charge of operating a scheme to de- fraud by selling information as to how women might earn from $10 to $12 at hom^ each week. In return for ?. fee of 25 cents women were fur- nished with samples of goods and given instructions for making ties. BOY BLACKMAILER JAILED. Cleveland, Feb. 25. George Hobbs, a youth of 16, whosie home is at 3310 Lakeside avenue, was arrested last week on the charge of sending letters of a blackmailing char- acter to Zella Russell, an actress who appeared here during the week with the Al Reeves show at the Star. The boy is in the county jail pending a hearing. Miss Russell received several let- ters, each one threatening her with violence unless she deposited $25 at East Thirty-second street and St. Clair avenue. One of the letters warned her that death would follow unless she obeyed. PICKING VIRGIN STAND. Springfield, Mass. Feb. 25. Beginning March 4 with "Mischief Makers," the P'-ogrcssive Wheel will play the Greenfield every Wednesday night at Lawler's, jumping from there to Holyoke for the rest of the week. Greenfield is about 25 miles from Holyoke and is virRin territory for burlesque. Looking for Site in West Lynn. Lynn, Mass., Feb. 25. Boston theatrical interest.s have been in Lynn this week looking: for a suit- able location for a new playhouse in West Lynn. They are bein^ represented l>y Charles Dooley who has entered iiitn negotiations for options <in si-ver;il de- sirable sites. ADVOCATES ANKLE SKIRTS. Cleveland, Feb. 25. Ankle-length skirts for Columbia Amusement Co. shows are being advo- cated by Drew & Campbell, managers of the local Columbia house, and owner of a production now playing this bur- lesque circuit. Drew & Campbell believe that there now are too many "tight" numbers and that a reduction would bring many women patrons to the houses, espe- cially for the matinees. It is pointed out that the Gayety, Omaha (Columbia), has housed as high as 800 women at one performance. The reason for this is due to Manager John- son there, who exercises a strict cen- sorship over all shows, cutting out some of the skirt numbers and making the performance free from all sugges- tive matter. TIFFANY DUGAN DEAD. Washington, Feb. 25. Tifiany Dugan, age about 62, a well- known advance man in burlesque, died here Feb. 20 of heart trouble. His re- mains were taken to Baltimore for in- terment. STAIR LIKES HAMILTON. Hamilton, Ont.^ Feb. 25. F. W. Stair, of the Star, Toronto, has paid Hamilton several visits of late and would like to open a burlesque house here for the Progressive circuit. The Canadian Theatres Co. has the Columbia Burlesque (Eastern Wheel) franchise for this town, without mak- ing it active so far. TRUNKS IN THE ALLEY. Val and Ernie Stanton, of the Hast- ings Show on the Eastern Wheel play- ing at the Casino, Philadelphia, last week, had a physical encounter with the manager of the organization after a series of bickerings, and on Thurs- day landed in jail after one took a swing at their annoyer. On being released they were re- fused admittance to the theatre and found their trunks in the alley. They have placed their case in the hands of O'Brien, Malevinsky & Dris- coll and will sue for breach of con- tract. TAKEN FOR WHITE SLAVERY. Cincinnati, Feb. 25. Harry J. Palmer, of Cincinnati, manager of the "Musical College Girls," a small musical comedy, was arrested at the Majestic theatre, Lon- don, Ky,, today by Deputy U. S. Mar- shal Ford, on a charge of white slav- ery, preferred by Jeanette Puckett, of Bradford, C, and Ruth Vernon, of Cincinnati, chorus girls. He hired them at a Cincinnati hotel. Miss Ver- non says Palmer attacked lier in the Campbcllsville, Ky., opera house Miss Puckett says he attacked her also and tore loose an appetidicitis opera- tion incision. Moneyless, they aeccjmpaiiied him to Coluinbia, Ky.. where lie deserted tliein. rharles Kinu:tnorc. of Philadelphia, and Minnie \Oice, (>\ ( "ohiinhii-^. O,, of Palmer's company, were arrested at London today. WEBER GAINS HIS POINT. The Appellate Term last week unani- mously reversed Justice Hooker, who decided at the trial of the action for $100,(XX) damages against the Columbia Amusement Co. brought by L. Law- rence Weber that Thos. W. Dinkins should be joined as a co-plaintiff. The Supreme Court Justice's decision was rendered after the plaintiff's case had been presented, upon motion made by the Columbia's attorneys. Mr. Weber appealed from it through his counsel, Hayes, Herschfeld & Wolf, with the favorable opinion from the higher court now placing the case upon the preferred calendar for early retrial. The damage suit results from the Columbia Co. cancelling its contract with Weber & Rush for the Mohawk, Schenectady, N. Y. The original les- sors of the house were L. Lawrence Weber, Edward F. Rush and Thomas W. Dinkins. Later the then existing firm of Weber & Rush entered into aa agreement for five years with the Co- lumbia people to play the Eastern Bur- lesque Wheel shows there. After two years had passed, the Columbia, which admits the breach, canceled. It sett up as defense that Weber &. Rush ao^ later Weber (who had purchased the Rush interest) were enjoined by the terms of the contract from engaging in burlesque, alleging Weber thereafter, and before the breach occurred, formed and commenced to operate the Co-op* erative Circuit that booked "Cohan from Africa" into the Van Curler, Schenectady, although it was not pror* en at the mistrial the show had ever appeared there. Another contention of the defense was that Dinkins, as one of the lessors of the theatre, could also bring an action against the Columbia Co., and it was upon this point Judge Hooker vacated the action upon motion of Leon Laski and George Edward Josephs who represented the Columbia people. The plaintiff maintained that inas- much as the contract between the Co- lumbia and Weber & Rush was a dis- tinct agreement by itself, if any action laid for Dinkins in the matter it was against Weber, now the sole party in interest. The Appellate Term upheld this view. Upon the cross examination of Web- er during the incompleted trial, it developed that the Mohawk, while play- ing Eastern Wheel shows, had earned about $11,000 net for each of the two seasons, plus the rent, $5,000, which had been deducted from the jjjross for the house. When the Supreme Court threw the Weber case out, the Columbia Co. made use of the decision in the press, and upon the reversal last week Weber did the same. MANAGER MARRIES. Indianapolis, Feb. 25. In Newport, Ky., last week the inar- riaue took place of J. I*' .Sullivan to I'velyn Flntnrnes'; Mr. .Sullivan i> manaK;cr of ihe Pro- gressive r.iirlesfpie Wheel theatre, Ma- jestic, ill this city. TOM JONES