Variety (December 1914)

* ,■ THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 645912 A9TOR. LENOX AND Vol. XXXVII. No. 1. NEW YORK CITY,|SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1914. PRICE 10 CENTS ADMISSION SCALE AT $1.50 IS S. F. NIXON'S SUGGESTION Manager, in Pittsburgh Newspaper Campaign for Lower The- ater Prices, Promises Reduced Schedule for High-Class Legitimate Attractions. Pittsburgh, Dec. 2. In reply to the campaign carried on by Charles M. Bregg, of the Gazette- Times, for lower theatre admission, Samuel F. Nixon has written an an- swer, calling attention to the fact that everything nowadays is higher, includ- ing price for labor and rent, but promis- ing that as many 11.50 plays as possible will be produced by Nixon. The let- ter is: "I have read your column for the past *eyeral weeks in regard to prices for the different theatres. I certainly agree with you that seats from $1.00 to $1.50 would add to the receipts of theatres for attractions that are worth that much and no more. Of course, as you understand there are attrac- tions which must get $2.00. You no doubt noticed the business we did last week with "Seven Keys to Baldpate" at the $1.50 scale and I am going to try and get as many good attractions as possible to play at that price. We must take into consideration the fact that our prices have remained at $2.00 for a great many years, a.though everything else has Increased in large proportion, for In- stance, rent and labor of all kinds; but if we look at the condition of the country we will find that you are right In the suggestions which you made In your paper. "Yours very truly, "SAMUEL F. NIXON." the country near those sections have been advised by native business men the time is inauspicious to send any- thing there at present. In Jamaica martial law has been de- clared and in other points theatrical business is nil. TAKES OAKLAND RECORD. San Francisco, Dec. 2. The Oakland theatre record for re- ceipts was taken last week by "The Bird of Paradise," with Leonora Ul- rich, at McDonough. The gross amounted to $11,594. ALL-GIRL PRODUCTION, Wm. Anthony McGuire, the Chicago playwright, has arranged with Gus Hill for the production of a new piece that will carry an all-female cast. A lady press agent, advance agent, manager, electrician and an all-female stage crew will also attend as a side attraction, it is said. The original title was "When the Women Rule," but it is understood this will be replaced by another name to be selected by Mr. Hill. McGuire will also produce a new war drama in three acts on Christmas day. The cast is being selected now. It v*' op<* i in the tanks to sound its SAVAGE ATTACHES. Topeka, Dec. 3. Henry W. Savage of New York to- day attached the box office receipts of "Little Boy Blue," and filed suit against Sydney H. Smith, manager of the com- pany, alleging Smith owes him $300 in royalty and $700 as his share of the profits of the show since Sept. 14. The attachment tied up all the mon- ies of the company, together with cos- tumes and scenery. The paper was served while the troupe was giving a Performance before Salina Shriners in ("onvention Hall. TOl. > TO KEEP AWAY. New \t k managers and producer? a1 < have !een planning tours through iuii. V.n.rica, the West Indies and c - SUES FOR RENT. The Shubert Theatrical Co. was made the defendant Wednesday in the Supreme Court in a suit by the Tootle Theatre Co. of Missouri to recover $14,000. The Tootle theatre owners claim that the court of Jackson county, Mo., in 1913, rendered a judgment of $4,- 000 against the Shubert Co., but that the Shuberts have not paid anything of this amount. In addition the Tootle Co. avers the Shuberts owe it $1 ).000 more for unpaid rent of the Tootle theatre. KELLERMANN COMING BACK. The headliner at the Palace next week will be Annette Kellermann, re- turning to that house • f 4t'i dun weejes,.. before commencing reHea<rsafs 'in the'.. revue that has been writtV fcy.^Ann . Caldwell, with music by .'Viftbr/Mer* . bert. The show, under. tbe.jngtnafce-'' ment of Lew Wiswell, :w3(*ijikke/it!j..' start some time in January. ' ' * • • '- For the vaudeville date Miss Keller- mann will receive $1,250 weekly. The Palace booking was made through Rose & Curtis, who will also engage people for the Kellermann show. GIRLS TOO FLIGHTY. Chicago, Dec. 2. Girl ushers will be taken out of all theatres, if a new plan engineered in the city council is carried out. It is held the girls are too flighty, and un- able to cope with emergencies that arise in the case of fire or panic. PICTURES AT DALY'S. Commencing Monday, pictures will replace "Yosemite" at Daly's. The house remains under the same manage- ment, which presented the revival that the reviewers pronounced passe. Frank Keenan, the principal player in the show, announced early in the week he had discovered a new policy for the house, but the picture departure will prevail, although it has been re- ported a clause in Charles E. Taylor's lease for the theatre prohibited film. $50,000 IN "PILATE'S DAUGHTER. The production of "Pilate's Daugh- ter" at the Century opera house is a . sto.cjc ,one, in a financial sense. It is .said'"that George H. Brennan, who ■most actively appears in the show's , -management, has a list of stockhold- '.crs behind him, "representing about 550,000 in certificates sold. The Century has been rented for the show for four weeks, at a figure re- ported to exceed $2,000 weekly. The same company first engaged the (Mad- ison Square) Garden theatre, but later relinquished it. "Pilate's Daughter" was originally a New England product, and once play- ed publicly at Roxbury, where it left the impression New York should "see it. The piece opened at the Century Thanksgiving Eve. Not much has been heard of it since, and so far none of the stockholders, among whom are several New Yorkers (in the show business), has expressed any hope of securing a dividend. One stockhold- er, with a $1,500 investment, said Wed- nesday he didn't know what the show opened to, or had drawn since then. NEILSON-TERRY CLOSES. Phyllis Neilson-Terry, in "Twelfth Night," closes at the Liberty to-night. The company will be disbanded and the production sent to the store house. Miss Neilson-Terry will probably return to England. There is nothing slated to follow into the Liberty and the house will remain dark until some time about the holidays. CLYDE FITCH'S MOTHER'S SUIT. In the Federal District Court Wednesday Alice M. Fitch, the mother of the late Clyde Fitch, brought suit for infringement against Courtland H. Young, of New York, and Sallie Un- derbill, of Louisville, alleging they took the theme of their story, "The Liars," from Clyde Fitch's play, "The Truth." Miss Underbill wrote the- story and Young's Magazine published it in Oc- tober. HILLIARD IN PICTURES. Robert Hilliard has finally listed to the call of the pictures. He has been engaged to play the central character in the picturized version of "A Fool There Was." NEW PLAY AT GLOBE. London, Dec. 2. Laurillard ' \<\ ; ;o,,mith will re- place "^♦"..cena, mow at the Globe, with a ne show J?n. 9. PLAYED ONE SHOW. William Morris took "Mrs. Temple'^ Telegram" on tour last week. He pla.',~ ed one performance (Thanksgiv'j n _ Day) in Columbus and then closed^^ and returned to New York.