Variety (August 1914)

VARIETY PATRIOTISM FIRES CANADA HURTING THEATRICAL BUSINESS Toronto Nearest Normal. Newspaper Bulletins and Parades Occupying Attention. Montreal Star Giving Free Picture Show Besides. Stage Hands Strik- ing, Causes Further Managerial Concern. Ottawa. Aug. 12. 1 lie European war in which England is playing a leading role has already ^jripped the amusement business throughout Canada, particularly in the larger cities where theatrical compe- tition is keen. With the daily papers throughout the colony issuing minute bulletins of the doings abroad, the regi- ments parading up and down the streets, and the excitement of intermit- tent attacks upon German and Aus- trian residents of Canada, the general public finds sufficient excitement on the streets, leaving the theatres to their fate. Here and there one finds a prosperous movie house exhibiting a patriotic film, but show business otherwise is in a comatose state and the vaudeville, legit and burlesque managers are looking forward to a de- cidedly lean season. The Dominion opened its vaudeville season this week with a fair bill. The opening business was light and in addi- tion to this, four stage hands and the stage manager went on strike Monday, forcing the management to employ four inexperienced scene shifters. The orchestra was jjiven a $2.00 raise start- ing this week, which prevents any trouble from that source. Montreal, Aug. 12. Montreal theatrical men are already feeling the effects of the war, the news l)ulletin<5 monopolizing the public's at- tention. The Star. Montreal's leading paper, is giving a free open air picture show at their bulletin which is hav- ing its own effect upon the theatres The whole town is dotted v/ith Vrlle- tin boards. The movies look forward to a big season provided they can se- cure the proper thrillers, but His Majestie's and the Princess, with a mediocre line of booking in view, can hardly expect a successful season. The cheap melodramatic houses, of which there are several, will make a strong bid for the young patriots. .\11 the- atres are giving war bulletins in ad- dition to the regular show. Recollections of the South .\frican war times, together with the advanc- ing food prices, have thrown a scare into the local theatricil managers and on top of this comes a demand from the stage hands for a salary increase. The managers are endeavoring to have them continue under their old contract rintil the theatrical horizon clears. Toronto, .\ug. 12. Toronto is apparently in better the- atrical condition th^n any of her neigh- bors, the business np to date remaining normal with a n(>ticeable shortening here and there, probably due to the iTiovics playing patriotic films. If the war continues, h>*;wever, business will niidoubtedly suftjr. So far there has been little trouble between Canadians and Germans, of which there are plenty in town, and the excitement has as yet to reach the high water mark. Things did not go swimmingly for the road troupe of "Kitty MacKay" on its invasion of Winnipeg last week. For some reason or other, the show people ascribe it wholly to the war excitement, the company averaging about $100 a night on the Canadian engagement. SCHAFFER-SHUBERTS, SO-SO. The Courtney Sisters will be one of the American acts engaged by the Shuberts for Sylvester SchalTer's vau- deville show, opening tomorrow night in New York. SchaflFer and the Shuberts are divid- ing the show's share, SO-SO, with the understanding if the gross for the week falls below $IS,000 (fifteen thousand) Schaflfer will have to stand the ex- pense of the added turns. The run of the show in New York will depend upon the business. FLIRTING WITH EVELYN. The United Booking Offices is re- ported flirting with Evelyn Nesbit, to play the big time vaudeville houses next season. Two impediments to the reaching of an agreement are said to have arisen so far. One is the salary, now rumored set at around $2,300 or $2,500 weekly, and the other to Miss Nesbit's insist- ence that she and her dancing partner. Jack Clifford, shall reserve the privilege of appearing at any dancing cabaret during a vaudeville engagement. THREE SHOWS IN ONE. Oswego, N. Y.. Aug. 12. To bolster up business, the Hippo- drome this week adopted a policy that includes stock, vaudeville and pictures on one bill. The William I".. Culhane IMayers opened the stock season Monday. The Hippodrome is preparing to oppose the Richardson, which will reopen this sea- son under new management and a legi- timate policy. Doc Steiner's Celebration. Doc Steiner says President Wilson should be petitioned to declare a holi- day to celebrate the cutting off of Rich- ard Pitrot's base of supplies. (Doc says if Wilson doesn't understand that. Pit- rot will.) Buy Circus and Dog Show. The Hugo Brothers, of Odar Rap- ids. Mich., have taken over the Boyer ( ircus and the Gentry Dog Si Pony Show, which they will rer -ganize and may send to .Australia an( South Af- rica. TWO FARNUMS IN ONE ACT. The two Farnums, William and Dus- tin, will appear in New York vaude- ville nbout Sept. 15, in a sketch that will be selected by Jesse L. Lasky, who will manage the legitimate stars. It will be the first time the brothers will have appeared together on the variety stage. The debut will be an important one. as on top of the fame gained by each of the Farnums on the speaking stage, they have acquired additional prominence through their recent moving picture connections. It is said Mr. Lasky will likely ask the vaudeville managers at least $2,500 week'v for the attraction. CHANGING ACTS DAILY. To play a week in a vaudeville the- atre, irivin/ a different comedy sketch each day. is the plan of James F. Dolan (Dolan and Lenhar). .Mr. Dolan has several of his popu- '■.\r vaiulevillc immbers, the accumula- tion of the several seasons, he and his wife have been amusing the variety public. Mr. Dolan says he can- not see nor find anything as humorous for them to use as those that have been emi)loyed by the couple. The Dolan-Lenhar idea of changing acts daily, with a continuous stream of comedy for the several turns given during the week, would be a novel one for the vaudeville stage. 'CHASING" AN IMPERSONATOR. Pittsburgh, Aug. 12. Dudley Lidell, 16 years old, known on burlesque circuits as a female imper- sonator, is held under a charge of lar- ceny. Shopkeepers complained that a mysterious "Miss Walker" has duped them. In police court Lidell told the magis- trate how he dressed as ^ girl and had a merry time for several weeks, hav- ing rich men take him out to dinners, and buying him clothes. In his room hundreds of dollars worth of feminine finery were found. "T had a hard time stalling the men when they took me home." the imper- sonator said, "but I always managed to part with a sweet 'goodnight.'" DAINTY MARIE MARRIED. Kansas City, Aug. 12. Maybelle Meeker, known in vaude- ville as "Dainty Marie," was married in Leavenworth, Kan., last week to Clarence Foy. a picture producer of New York. The bride was scheduled to open at the Winter Garden, Berlin, Sept. I, and was to have sailed Monday, but the war prevented and she opened at the Palace. New York, instead. MELVILLE-HIGGINS CASE. While playing in Boston last week Robert Melville and Mae Higgins were granted a temporary separation through a mutual understanding, pend- ing their final divorce decree. •Mthough they have decided to free each other from the l)onds of matri- mony, they will continue together in vaudeville as heretofore. Aside from the little domestic difli culties the ccniple claim the best pos- sible feeling exists. If you don't advertise in VARIETY, don't advertl»e at all. MEMORIAL TO WILLIE. .\ meeting to be attended by a num- ber of vaudeville managers and promi- nent artists will be held at. the Hotel Knickerbocker next Wednesday to con- sider and decide upon a suitable me- morial to the late Willie Hammer- stein. The tribute to Willie's memory will probably be in the form of a room in one of the city's hospitals to be per- petually maintained by his numerous friends. .Among those working up the plan are Percy Williams, Morris Gest, E. F. Albee, Bert Levy, Frank Fogarty, Millie Taylor and Nat Wills. Bert Levey and Loney Haskell will he the honorary secretaries. HAMMERSTEIN'S TWO-PLY WEEK. Hammerstein's advance billing for next week, when the "regular fall sea- son opens" by the show remaining downstairs thereafter, is catching the reading public coming and going, through announcing that if you don't see the Hammerstein bill, it's a week o(T your life, and if you do, it's a week on. No entertainment for the Roof has yet been designed to follow the re- moval to the main floor. 20 acts is the headline feature of the next week's bill. P. Alonzo entered a protest at Ham- merstein's Monday, saying he had noticed all the crowned heads of Eu- rope billed outside the theatre in con- nection with an impersonator on the ))iU this week, but he failed to see the King of Italy among the bunch. Alonzo told the Hammersteiners to watch out, as that might start some- thing between Italy and the U. S. Someone remarked the King of Italy was neutral; Alonzo replied if that were the case, he wouldn't expect Ham- merstein's to do anything the Board of Health might object to. The colored ushers at Hammerstein's were shocked Monday, upon learning they finish their long engagements at Hammerstein's this Sunday. Monday ^irls replace them on "The Corner." All of the colored boys have been there from five to 15 years. Dick Abcr- nathy, the head usher, has been direct- ing the Hammerstein patrons to their seats for 14 years. ORPHEUM BACK IN SPOKANE. Spokane, Aug. 1.2. .-\rrangements have been completed to restore Orpheum vaudeville to this city through the Orpheum bills play- ing the .Auditorium, controlled by John Cort. The Orpheum acts will play the house the first three days of each week opening Mondays, while the Cort road shows will be routed to fill it on the )ther nights. Orpheum shows will jump here from Calgary on Sunday, rest one day and after closing here go to Vancouver. The new policy will commence the 'atter part of this month. "Claudia" in Vaudeville. Chicago, Aug. 12. lilaiiche Ring will come to the Ma- jestic September 7 in an abbreviation of "When Claudia Smiles."