Variety (December 1914)

CABLES ii GAG" OUT OF PRODUCTION BY MANAGERIAL INSTRUCTION Charles Dillingham Protects Bert Leslie's Material, Inadver- dently Placed in "Watch Your Step" When That Show Played Outside New York. A protest against a borrowed "gag was removed from the Charles Dilling- ham show, "Watch Your Step" while the piece played in Detroit. It belonged to Bert Leslie, who had used the line in his vaudeville act. The "gag" (about the "tolled bell") was inserted after the opening performance in Syracuse. It was employed during a table scene, in which three of the principals took part. Each one of them, from vaudeville, pro- tested against the use of the line when its source was brought to their atten- tion, and upon Mr. Dillingham being informed, he ordered it out in the mid- dle of the Detroit week, although it brought a strong laugh at each per- formance. Last week when Mr. Leslie played in Detroit, the newspaper reviewers mentioned that some of his material had been used in the show. Investiga- tion by Mr. Leslie brought out the facts. PAUL MURRAY, SOME SCRAPPER. (8pedal Cable to Varirtt.) f*. London, Dec. 16. Paul Murray, formerly a booking agent here and who enlisted, spent two weeks in the Regimental hospital, ow- ing to a wound in the foot, received at the front. Upon leaving the hospital Murray was offered an honorable discharge from service. He declined it. PROFESSION WELL REPRESENTED. London, Dec. 7. The lists compiled in London show- ing the number of professional people who have enlisted, contains many names of stage notables. It is probably not known to the pres- ent generation of Americans that Sir Chas. Wyndham is a veteran of our Civil War, serving first as surgeon and afterwards as a soldier. He is of course too old for active service now, but has associated himself with Sir Arthur W. Pinero and others in the Artists Emer- gency Corps for Home Defence. It is making use of Earl's Court for drilling recruits. Arthur Collins' eldest son Dick is a member of the London Scottish regi- ment and is now home suffering from wounds George Edwarde's only male child, D'Arcy, is in the ranks. Leonard Boyne's son, Lytton, is also laid up with wounds contracted in action. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Terry's son, Denis, is a lieutenant in the Eighth West Surreys. Robert Courtenidge has a son, Charles, serving with the Fifth Dragoon Guards. Harry Lauder's boy, John, is in the Argyll Highlanders. Leo Dryden is with the Legion of Frontiersmen; Walter de Frece, with the Sportsman's Corps; Cyril Young- husband, manager of the Alhambra, has returned wounded; Laurie Graydon, Richard Winslow, stage manager of the Hippodrome; William Ward, press agent for Oswald Stoll; Robert Loraine, also on the wounded list among others. The theatrical profession, between its numerous benefits for all sorts of War Funds, personal contributions of money in addition to its services, and its fair proportion of recruits to the general army, is certainly entitled to dignified recognition in connection with the sup- port and defence of the English realm. BROADHURST, THE CRITIC (Special Cable to Varirtt.) London, Dec. 16. George H. Broadhurst, the Ameri- can playwright, reviewed "The Man Who Stayed at Home" for the Daily Mail. The piece opened Dec. 10 at the Royalty. It was favorably received by the critics. LONDON PAYING HIGH. (Special cable to Varibtt.) London, Dec. 16. - Acts for the halls have grown so scarce circuits requiring them are giv- ing private guarantees to the artists engaged for amounts over the probable share they would receive under the co- operative division plan in effect. In some instances even abnormal salaries have been contracted for by the circuits with desirable headliners. VESTA VICTORIA'S VERDICT. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Dec. 16. A judgment has been entered against the Moss* Empires in favor of Vesta Victoria for $16,000. The action was brought on a breach of contract. The trial was before a jury, and the judge delayed entering the judgment pend- ing a legal argument over the action last Friday. ZANGWILL'S-BOUCHIER DRAMA. (Special Cable to Varirtt.) London, Dec. 16. Israel Zangwill has written a drama for Arthur Bouchier. It is called "Too Much Money." GAIETY MUSIC HALL? (Special Oabl* to Varirtt.) London, Dec. 16. There is talk about that negotiations are on^or the leasing of George Ed- wardes' Gaiety, London's home of musical comedy, by responsible parties, who may wish to convert it into a music hall. SINGERS WAR VICTIMS. New Orleans, Dec. 16. Word was received here this week that Fontaine, a noted French tenor of the New Orleans French Opera Co., and M. Combes, the baritone for four years at the French opera house here, have been killed on the firing line. irS OFF WITH GABY-HARRY. (Special Cable to Varirtt.) London, Dec. 16. Harry Pilcer has finally decided to leave Gaby Deslys on Dec. 26, and as he puts is, "never to return again." Trouble, as reported in Varibttj some time ago, has been brewing since the couple opened at the Palace. It is in the form of one Basil Hallam, the juvenile lead in ihe Palace revue. Basil is a dapper looking chap of the Eng- lish Johnnie type who before his ef- forts at the Palace was a George Ed- wardes man but never before had he the opportunity to become famous. His work, however, in the Palace revue made him a big London favor- ite at the start of the production. It is said that Gaby, like her Eng- lish sisters took quite a liking to the juvenile and this made Harry peevish. Pilcer has been assisting Gaby in her productions, in Europe and in America, for about three years. It was he who started Gaby to specialize in dancing. It is further reported Harry will re- turn to America unless negotiations formulating place him in another pro- duction here. SHOW BUSINESS IN PARIS. Paris, Dec. 16. Vaudeville on a small scale is being given in Paris. The Moulin Rouge is open, with a mixed program of small acts and pictures. The prices are 1 fr., 2 frs. and 3 frs. for fauteuils. Business good. The Kursaal, Concert Mayol and some other small halls have also opened. The Olympia is making ar- rangements to open as a cheap house for a time, 1 fr. to all parts being pro- posed. The entertainment will be small acts and pictures. No promenade is allowed in Paris for the present; everyone in the audi- torium must be seated. There is every indication show busi- ness will pick up about Christmas. It is possible however receipts may drop after rent day Jan. 15, for a few weeks longer. Then there will be a general revival. Kept "Alien Enemy" Out. Toronto, Dec. 16. Van Dyck, a singer, to have ap- peared at Loew's Winter Garden here this week, was stopped at Windsor, Ont, Monday morning by the author- ities, and had to return to the States. This is a bad time for German or Austrian artists to attempt entry into Canada. They are looked upon as alien enemies. Government's Crystal Palace. (Special CabU to Vartrtt.) London, Dec. 16. The Admiralty has taken over the Crystal Palace grounds. The public will be excluded, commencing in Jan- uary. Coliseum's War Sketch. (Special CnbU ttt V» m gi f > London, Dec. 16. "My Friend Thomas Atkins" is a war sketch produced at the Coliseum Monday. It is the usual of its sort, the Allies triumphing over the Prus- sians. SAILINGS. San Francisco, Dec. 16. Arrived from Australia on the Sonoma, Dec. 9; Jerome and Carson, Dumitrecu Troupe, Mercell and Bell, Tom Kelly, Great De Witt Reported through Paul Tausig & Sons, 104 East 14th street, New York: Dec. 12, Lillian Webb (St. Paul); Arthur Warwick (Megenic). LAUDER WORTH $1,000,000. Though sailing but last Saturday for England, Harry Lauder expects to re- turn over here and again take up a tour under the management of Wil- liam Morris around Feb. 1. It is the Scotchman's intention to then make a long stay on this side, summering in the Adirondacks with Mr. Morris, and probably playing the better known beach summer resorts for a few per- formances in the hot weather. Mr. Morris is said to have paid the Scotch star $4,500 weekly during the tour of 16 weeks over here just ended. Immediately prior to that Lauder played 20 weeks in Australia at $5,000 a week. He is said to have left Aus- tralia with $100,000 and took as much more back from his American visit, having received phonograph record payments and song royalty also while here. Lauder is reputed to be worth at the present time nearly $1,000,000, all out of monies saved by him from stage work. As a thrifty Scot in a country of thrifty ones, Mr. Lauder is credited with occupying a class all his own. MOBILIZING IN WINNIPEG. Winnipeg, Dec. 16. Winnipeg is the central mobilization point for western Canada. The military about is making business especially good at the picture houses. 3,000 sol- diers were drawn to this city, and an- other 3,000 are promised. Until the arrival of the soldiers show business was light. LONDON STILL DARKER. (Special Cable to Varirtt.) London, Dec. 16. London is to be still darker next month through vhe prohibition of out- side illumination of shop fronts. BEST MONDAY OF SEASON. Philadelphia, Dec. 16. The Keith staff at the Chestnut street house says Eva Tanguay, opening Mon- day there, drew the best Monday busi- ness of the season so far. Collins Secures French Rights. (Special cable f Varirtt.) London, Dec. 16. Arthur Collins, the English manager, has secured the rights for France to "Potash & Perlmutter." Lillian Lorraine Preparing Act. Lillian Lorraine is preparing another act for vaudeville. She recently left "The Whirl of the World." Miss Lor- raine will be booked for the twice daily by M. S. Bentham. If you don't advcrtlsa in VARIETY don't advert!** at all.