Variety (February 1914)

10 VARIETY HENRY MILLER AND JOHN CRAIG LAND PR ODUCTI ON SUCCESSES Miller's ''Daddy Lx>ng Legs'' With Ruth Chatterton Featured PronouncedJHit. Craig Puts on Unnamed Piece in Boston That Immediately Goes Over. Grace George Best Part of William A. Brady's Newest Play. Atlantic I ily, Feb. 25. Alth<»nKli the title 'Daddy LoiiK LcKs" suj^gests the kindergarten and the billboards which announced the production further conveyed that idea, because of a blackboard and the child- ish characters scrawled thereon, there is nothing kindergartenish about (Miss) Jean Webster's three-act comedy, which opened at the Apollo Feb. 20 for the first time on any stage. "Daddy Long Legs" is a full grown comedy in which the author has blended a laugh and a tear in almost every line, with such wonderful effect that hardened theatregoers were visibly affected by the emotional plea of the theme. The play made a hit that brought the S. R. O. Sign out for the balance of the engagement. Miss Webster's play is an ingenious character study. A young orphan, rescued by a Prince Charming from lowly Asylum surroundings, is sent to college to be educated, and 'later to be loved by this Prince, who has never allowed Cinderella to know his real name, preferring to be known to her as John Smith. The girl's only glimpse of him, at the time she is taken out of the Asylum, has been his shadow, cast by an automobile headlight. This shadow suggests the name—"Daddy Long Legs." Miss Webster has painted a pathetic little figure of the poor foundling and Ruth Chatterton reads the role won- derfully sympathetic. At times she re- minds one of Maude Adams, and with a personality equally as charming. Frederick Truesdale is exceptionally well fitted with the title role. The company supporting Miss Chat- terton included Frederick Truesdale, Charles Trowbridge, Albert Reed, Robert Waters, Edward Howard, Richard Hale, VV^alter Fisher, Daniel Pennell, Jennie Eustace, Ethel Martin, Agnes Miller, Cora Witherspoon, Mrs. Jacques Martin, Edna McCauley, Car- rie Smith, Margaret Sayre, and Master Dewey Smith. The play is in four acts. Henry Miller is the producer. Boston, Feb. 25. John Craig i.s an aggressive producer .ind usually picks a winner with but little trouble, as was demonstrated in bis "End of the Bridge" and on a smaller scale with "Believe Me, Xan- tippe." But in his offering this week of an unnamed farce for the first time on any stage he has to thank Donald Meek, a snappy little comedian, who discovered it and only after consider- able difficulty succeeded in inducing C raig that it was a winner. On its opening night it proved to be a genuine knockout, and the first $2 producer who sends it on to Broad- way should make a big clean-up. The author is mentioned on the pro- gram as Noel Campbell Springer, but it is understood that Thomas Grant Springer, a former San Francisco news- paper man, is the author and that the name Campbell is a tribute to his wife who collaborated with him. Noel is the name of a third collaborator. Craig has offered $100 for the best title for the farce submitted this week by pa- trons. The basic idea of the productio-- .> \ satire on modern methods of using cir- cumstantial evidence in investigating crime. A newly married couple leave their apartment in a big hotel hurriedly on a business trip, and the husband takes $2,500 from the safe of the firm of which he is junior partner. A brace of ducks just shot have left bloodstains around the apartment, and when a gossipy woman in the next apart- ment hears a telephone inspector say in the darkness "She's dead, all right," with reference to the wire she immediately starts a story of the hus- band having murdered the bride packed her in the trunk and fled. The police fall for the story, learn of the missing $2,500 also, and the complications start. There is a role of a servant girl and a telephone in- spector, both worthy of being featured. An incident in which a "phonograph dictograph" is used by the chesty head of the New York sleuths is a riot. The especial virtue of the production is the logical interlocking of over 30 unexpected climaxes in rapid sequence, and there is not a second's cessation of speed. The same set is used through all the acts, and when the denouement comes a bright ending is secured by the doughty detective, who promptly denounces the poor patrol- man on the route for being a bonehead. There is another corking development when a police reporter who knows the ropes is interviewed by a cub who thinks he is a detective. The cub is arrested for a sufficiently long time to permit the other to slip across an "ex- clusive." Craig has secured control of the farce for a year but is only to use it in stock this week. Grace George's new comedy vehicle, "Jim's Marriage," given its metropoli- tan premiere at the Shubert this week (and which will have only the week) is of value mainly through the fact it gives the public a chance to see her. It is old fashioned in theme and slov- enly in construction, and might well be in the hoop-skirt play period but for a few slangy remarks and the presence of an automobile. It is the joint work of Forest Halsey and Olive Porter. Miss George has many good lines, and the character portrayal is good; but, as a legitimate production, "Jim's Marriage" passes only fairly satisfac- torily. The plot concerns a man loved by the daughter of a millionaire lard manu- facturer. This man will not marry her until he needs money immediately in order to save his younger brother who has forged a check which falls into the hands of a blackmailer. He then an- nounces his engagement, but the bride- to-be learns of his real motive, and the wedding is called off; but a reconcilia- tion is effected just before the curtain. The play will appeal to that element which likes a matter-of-fact portrayal of characters in a matter-of-fact man- ner, with an accomplished actress making the most of a fair role. The cast includes Howard Estabrook, Clinton Preston, Rex McDougal, Ed- ward Mannery, Forrest Seabury, Bever- ly Sitgreaves, Josephine Lovett, Maud Hosford, Jean Shelby and Camilla Oume. The characters are the conventional ones, including the black sheep brother, the irreproachable son of the house, the gentle lachrymose widowed mother, the gruff villain and his accomplice, and the loquacious family servant. The first act is the best, the fourth very poor, and the end of the third savoring much of the drunken husband scene in "Bought and Paid For," only with the situation reversed. The first act contains a good char- acter portrayal, showing the back-bit- mg between the old sisters in the best families where there is a younger sis- ter with the enviable virtue of being young. "Jim's Marriage" will do for Miss George but could hardly do without her. SHOWS CLOSING. "The Divorce Question," which Harry Ridings and James Wingfield leased from Rowland & Clifford, was closed by the management Saturday night, as the show has lost money on the past two weeks' route. A. S. Stern's "Officer 666," which has just finished a tour of the Dakotas, is announced to close Saturday in Sioux City, la. Grant Luce is managing. "The Man From Home," a produc- tion placed on the Stair &, Havlin Cir- cuit by the United-'Play Co. of Chi- cago, closed in Baltimore. Proridence, Feb. 25. "Years of Discretion," the comedy by Frttdef^ck and Fanny Hatton, which David Belasco has had on the road since last fall, closed here Saturday night. Herbert Kelcey and Effie Shannon, who have been playing the leads, left Sunday for San Francisco, where they will fulfil a short engagement with Fred Belasco's stock company. "" Philadelphia, Feb. 25. "Come and Take Me," put on at the Little theatre, has gone to the store- house. It may be played later in Chi- cago. SHOWS IN CHICAGO. Chicago, Feb. 25. Several stars of the first and some of lesser magnitude arrived to grace the stage this week. Among the fore- most is Ethel Barrymore, who came to the Blackstone in "Tante." Edith Wynn Matthison began an engagement at the Howard in a new play called "The Deadlock." The Taliaferro sisters, Mabel and Edith, reached Powers' in "Young Wisdom." In the realm of minstrels and vau(!c- ville are Primrose & Dockstader, Weber & Fields, Gertrude Hoffmann and Mile. Dazie. This will probably be the last big gathering of stars for the season, as there is very little now in sight. Among the attractions headed this way are: Kolb & Dill in "Peck of Pickles," the American Music Hall, March 8; "The Argyle Case," with Rob- ert Hilliard, Olympic, same date; "Pru- nella," with Marguerite Clark, at Fine Arts, March 16; E. H. Sothern in reper- toire, Garrick, March 30, and "The Bird of Paradise," Olympic, April 26. THREE WEEKS DID IT. Spokane, Feb. 25. Three weeks after her secret wed- ding in Spokane last July to Clark R. Jackson, state tax commissioner, Viv- ian Raymond (daughter of Melville B. Raymond, a New York theatrical man) left him and went back east. So Mr. Jackson testified in securing a divorce on the ground of desertion. It was granted by the Pierce County court. Mrs. Jackson did not contest the action. The wedding was one of the most im- portant celebrated here last year and the divorce has been the subject of much comment, Mr. Jackson declining to give out the reason for his wife's return east. "HELP WANTED" DRAWING. The Jack Lait play, "Help Wanted," drew on its first full week at the 39th Street, getting around $6,000 for the period ending last Saturday. An advance sale is claimed reaching into three weeks ahead. Mr. Lait, in New York for the past two weeks, re- turned to Chicago Tuesday. DAVIS* NEW HOUSE LOCATED. Plans for the new Harry Davis-John P. Harris theatre, unnamed, announce- ment of which was made in Variety several months ago, are now being completed by the architects. The house will be opposite the Nixon and cost more than a million. The plans call for two theatres in one on the lot fac- ing both Sixth and Oliver avenues, to be ready for next season. The Davis Stock company, from the Duquesne theatre, which will be torn down, will be housed in the new build- ing, and whether vaudeville or some- thing else will occupy the roof garden, has not been announced. Maud Tiffany sails March 4 on the Olympic to open in the new revue to he produced by Alfred Butt at the Lon- don Palace. "Maria Rosa" Going in the Bronx. Instead of closing its season Satur- day night "Maria Rosa" will play at the Royal in the Bronx next week, with possibly the Majestic. Brooklyn, to follow.