Variety (October 1914)

28 VARIETY NEW ACTS W. H. Murphy, Plancke Nichols and Co., new sketch "A Quiet Room." "Mutterzoll an* Son/' by D. Darby Aaronson and Walter £. Colby. Percy Haawell, just closed stock engagement in Toronto, will enter vau- deville (Alf. T. Wilton). Ben Bamett'i "The Black Sheep," melodramatic, has been rehearsed for the pop houses. E. V. Culberson has organized the Cathedral Band, 25 musicians. Ethel Barrymore and Co., reviving 'Drifting Apart," at Majestic, Chicago, this week.* "Faust," condensed version, with Ed. Manchester as Faust and Louette Jane Babcock as Marguerite. George J. Floeck, just returned from Germany, where he was held in cap- tivity for one month with his trained troupe of monkeys, is arranging a new act Jeanette Louden will revive "A Fourth Ward Romance." Fred Arm- strong and Margaret Birtch engaged. Jack Hawkins has gone back to his old act, "His Sister." James E. Ryan will revive "The Country Editor" at the Palais Royal in Detroit, next week. Wilton Lackaye, with four people in a sketch, opening end of November; Mike Bernard and Amy Butler, re- united; John E. Henshaw and Grace Avery, new act (Wm. L. Lykens). Blossom Seeley will join her hus- band, Rube Marquard, and his partner, Larry McLean, in a baseball sketch. Nellie McCoy is preparing for a vaudeville debut within a fortnight. Roy and English, dancing, opening Nov. 9 (M. S. Bentham). Rawaon and Clare, new act by Ed- win Arden. 14 people and 4 musicians. Clara Palmer, new act. Priacella Knowles in a sketch by Marion Short called "Easy Money," with Louis Leon Hall as leading man. Mercedes Clark, new act. Homer Mason and Marguerite Keel- er, in sketch by Porter Emerson Brown. Rose Coghlan in sketch by Edgar Allan Woolf (M. S. Bentham). Percy Plunkett and Co. in "Dad's Visit" with Helen Davis and Elsie Thomas. NEW BUILDINGS. Not. 20 is set as the date of the opening of the opera house. Le Seur Center, Minn. Seats 1,000. The new Royal, Pullerton, Neh., L. B. Rolph, owner, has been completed. It will play vaudeville this winter. MAY WARD DIDN'T SHOW. May Ward and her "Dresden Dolls" did not open at Frank Gersten's Pros- pect, Bronx, Monday. The company appearing there this week under the Ward paper and billing is said to have been "The Cabaret Girls" that closed at the Murray Hill Saturday. Freeman Bernstein agreed with Ger- sten to play Miss Ward for four weeks, changing shows weekly, and starting with "The Dresden Dolls" that opened the season as a Progressive Wheel at- traction. The contract between the two men is said to have been for a 50- 50 split of the gross, with a forfeiture clause of $500 weekly for default. Un- der this provision Gersten is reported to have started suit against Miss Ward and Bernstein Tuesday, to recover the full amount of liquidated damages, $2,- 000. No one appeared to know why the Ward show did not go in the Prospect Unbilled and advertised. Gersten was reported unaware of the change, up to last Saturday. The Prospect with burlesque would be in opposition to Miner's Bronx, playing the Columbia Amusement Co. shows. Bernstein places the Sunday vaudeville concerts at two of the Miner theatres. It was said later in the week that the May Ward show might find its way to the main circuit of the Columbia Co. The Jeanette Dupre burlesque show is said to be next week's attraction at Gersten's house. ( i JACK SINOBR MAROONED. Montreal, Oct 26. Jack Singer, owner of "The B eh man Show," spent last week, marooned in his hotel, in order to avoid breaking a stage hands' union order. Singer holds a union card in the In- ternational Association of Theatrical Stage Employees, and when he reached this town found a strike was on, in- cluding the burlesque house, and the stages being run by non-union stage hands. The union order forbade the pres- ence of union men in the banned the- atres, so Singer decided to stick to his hotel rather than run risk of having his card called into question on complaint of the Montreal local. NORFOLK O. K.'S BEDINI. Norfolk, Oct. 28. After witnessing "The Mischief Mak- ers" this week, Norfolk puts down the arrest of its manager in Richmond last week to the narrow minded puritanism of that city, and absolves the Jean Be- dini aggregation of giving an offensive show. Last week members of the company were haled before Justice John Crutch- field (who is said to have been the model of W. C. Kelly's "Virginia Judge") on a charge of presenting an improper performance. Richmond's last spasm of virtue was the stopping of "The Easiest Way." "Before and After" also shocked the town. Here the Bedini show is looked upon as one of the best the circuit has so far sent to the Academy. It has plenty of ginger and snap and a lively chorus. Its principals are good and its comedy clean. The manager declares it has not been censored since it left Rich- mond, except that the specialty, "The Girl in the Muff," has been trimmed slightly and certain restrictions placed on a "hula" dance. The publicity attendant upon the Richmond affair resulted in boosting lo- cal business. LEWIS WITH MARION. Wednesday Andy Lewis signed a contract to be featured in v Dave Mar- ion's "Dreamland" show. Mr. Lewis recently returned to New York from his Progressive Wheel tour with "The International Girls." OBITUARY. Roy Keyser, for many years prop- erty man at the Academy of Music, Atlantic City, died there last week. He had long been a sufferer from lung trouble. Binghamton, N. Y., Oct. 28. Lucius B. Cofferty, one of the best- known hotel clerks in the United States, died Saturday. Lynchburg, Va., Oct 2a James Barrett, known professional- ly as Walter Flaxton, dropped 3,000 feet to his death when his parachute failed to work while he was making an ascension at the county fair held at Fincastle, near Lynchburg, afternoon of Oct. 22. He attempted to make a triple parachute drop. The first para- chute did not open and prevented the others from serving their purpose. His remains were shipped to his home in Gloucester, N. J. Aaron Feist, brother of Leo Feist, the music publisher, with whom he was associated in business, died Oct. 22 at the age of 55. The mother of Major Smith (Major Smith and Mae) died at her home in Corning, N. Y., Oct. 22, at the age of 78. Buffalo, Oct. 28. William W. Pierce, treasurer of the Shea Amusement Co., and one of the leading stockholders of the Shea enter- prise, died at his home, 575 West Dela- van avenue, Monday night. He had been in ill health for years and was confined in his home since February, with a complication of diseases. Mr. Pierce was sixty-seven years of age, born, raised and educated in this city. His chosen profession was that of structural engineer. Thomas F. Dunn, old time comedian, dropped dead in Lynn, Mass., Oct. 27, while out walking. Dunn was one of the original cast of "The World" dur- ing the run of that play and it was he who spoke the tag line that brought down the curtain for the last time at the old St. James theatre in Boston. Milwaukee, Oct. 28. "Alfred Freeman," pianist in the Al- hambra, the picture house of the Saxe Amusement Enterprises, failed to ap- pear for work a few days ago and his place in the orchestra was filled. His body, identified as Selden Miller, of a prominent Philadelphia family (who disappeared from his home there, 312 South Tenth street, Nov. 23, 1912), has been disinterred from the potter's field at Kenosha and sent east. It was found in the Pike river. Miller was a remarkable linguist, a wonderful mu- sician, but a hard drinker. He was an Englishman. His mother, who married into nobility, died near Florence, Italy, two weeks ago, broken hearted after two years' search for her son. A brother came to Kenosha and identi- fied the body, and every possible means were used to keep the details of the case secret ON THE BATTLE LINE. "A contemporary military feature, direct from Europe. A thriling, exciting drama, pro- duced under actual war conditions," is the program matter for this Kleine-Clnes three- reeler. The only truth told in the billing 1b "direct from Europe." An exhibitor can ex- pect little confidence from his patrons after showing this film aa a "war picture." The nearest to "war" it gets is for about 400 feet in the second reel, when a handful of Eng- lish soldiers in the Soudan ride out to meet about 20 Arabs, who had attacked a small de- tachment in the desert. The staging of this tight Is silly, and looks to have been done In or about a studio. An English capltaln is shot to death while behind a natural breastwork. According to his contortions he was shot near the heart. That would have been necessary for the bullet to penetrate about 10 feet of earth, as only his head was exposed. The remainder of the "war" scene is about as logical. The scenario is of an Englishman, ostracised from his "set" in London on a charge of cowardice. He goes to Africa, meets the army people. Is with the detachment when it is attacked, and is rewarded by the shotted Captain Just before death for remaining with them under fire. Returning to England with an adopted daughter, she falls in love with the son of the Captain. Tbe son is a lieu- tenant in the English army. A friend of his father informs him the foster father of his fiancee was^shunned for showing a cowardly streak. Then everybody mourned, the girl, the father and the lover. It dragged out the third reel, until it grew as funny as it was tiresome. The film appears to have had some matter cut out of the last part, which was disconnected. But the only hope of "On the Battle Line" is its "war" title and con- nection, which should never have been in the first place. In these days of real war. the title and the billing can only be stamped as phony. On its merits as a feature, besides that, the film barely passes. 8ime. THE ADVENTURESOF KITTY COBB. A four-reel feature (Warner), written around James Montgomery Flagg's artistic creation that appeared in the Sunday World and syndicated throughout the country. This should have a box office value for those who were Interested in the girl as drawn by the ar- tist will want to see her in pictures. However, the story of the photoplay is entirely different from the Kitty as she is recalled in the draw- ing, but Interesting nevertheless. Kitty is first shown on Long Island as a simple country maiden, who after hearing tales of New York from the lips of a young Inventor whom she secretly loves, decides to come to the big city. She arrives and goes to an actor's boarding house, looks for employment and falls, ana ia about to be thrown out of her home when a good angel in the form of a fellow lodger takes her to the theatre, where Kitty secures employment as an usher. One night her lover attends tbe play accompanied by his mother. He sees Kitty and recognises her. Kitty is persuaded to take employment In the in- ventor's family as the mother's secretary. The inventor has evolved a new form of defense for the United States government which a foreign power is desirous of learning either by hook or crook. Kitty foils the plot and is kidnapped by the agents of the enemy. She is later rescued by her lover and a friend from "down home," and all ends happily with Kitty and the inventor in each other's arms. It is a commonplace story which while very well produced will not send an audience out of the theatre raving. There are a number of thrills throughout the film play and a fight In the kidnappers' den is very well done. Marian Swayne as Kitty Cobb Is most charming in appearance and most satisfactory as an act- ress. Jack Hopkins as the Inventor and How- ard Miasimer as The Spy render excellent sup- port to the little lady star. The picture is one that will get money in the smaller houses through its title. WHEN HIS SHIP CAME IN. A sea drama by Sellg in two parts in which Bessie Eyton and Thomas Santschi are featured, it is melodramatic and has sev- eral stirring scenes, one in particular where Neptuna is in the hold of a ship laden with gunpowder, which Is on fire, and the crew, not knowing she Is aboard, have deserted. The story concerns Neptuna, the granddaughter of Captain Melody, who has left the sea to mend nets. The girl is loved by Josh Rawlins, a sailor In humble circumstances, but whose uncle is owner of a ship. Neptuna tires of the humble life, her humble lover, and says she will go away. She finds money on the beach and runs away to the city, where she finds work in a laundry, but is discharged and left penniless. In the meantime Josh Rawlins has heard of the death of his uncle, who has left him the ship. The ship, the "Maid of the Mist,' is loaded with gunpowder, and Is about to sail, when rats begin to leave it, and the crew refuse to sail. While they are arguing with Steuben, the captain, Neptuna wanders down to the wharf and goes aboard. She climbs down Into the hold and falls asleep. The crew finally comes aboard and all sails are set Tire is discovered later, the crew goes away In boats and there is a big scene in which Neptuna is hemmed in by fire and smoke. A wave dashes over and puts out the flames. Being acquainted with sea craft the young girl begins to steer the ship to Home Port. Before she arrives sailors tell of tbe supposed destruction of the ship. After twenty-four hours at the helm, the girl faints and the schooner drifts Ir to port. The action 's good, tbe photography excellent and the nelodramatlc features well wrought out Miss Eyton is especially effective as Neptuna and Santschi is forceful In the character of the sailor. The picture will be released Nov. 9.