Variety (December 1914)

14 BURLESQUE B * Frederick m. mcCloy While the domestic affairs of men and women of prominence in other di- visions of stage work are revealed to the public with never lessening fre- quency through published reports of divorce proceedings, it is a very long time since anything of a similar nature has come forward with reference to people in burlesque. Whatever may be the cause, the fact remains just the same, and it must be taken as a favor able commentary upon the moral sta- bility of the people engaged in this branch of the business. Unfortunately, however, there is a case of this char- acter approaching that gives every ad- vance indication of being one of the most sensational that has ever been tried. Last week a justice of the Su- preme Court at Mineola, L. I., granted Mrs. Al Reeves $350 a month ali- mony and $1,000 counsel fees pend- ing the determination of her action for absolute divorce from her widely known husband. The complaint filed by Mrs. Reeves teems with shocking details that are not less revolting than the charges that are made against her in the counter-suit that has been filed by Mr. Reeves. This incursion upon the long-main- tained serenity among the people of burlesque is highly deplorable. If it had arisen through the conduct of people of less prominence, or of whom their confreres had no particular right to expect protection of their good name, the circumstances would pass with little or no damage to the moral serenity of the men and women of the burlepque stage. To a very great extent the burlesque business in this country is individual. Its operations are so intimately a part of the Colum- bia Amusement Co. that anything af- fecting the status of any one of its integral parts must reflect for good or for evil upon the name and standing of that great corporation itself. Burlesque in America is the Colum- bia Amusement Co. The thousands of people that constitute its personnel, both in management and on the stage, are so perfectly well known to one an- other that the salutations "Mr." and "Miss" and "Mrs." are rarely indulged in. To a greater extent than in any other business in the world, anything that affects the standing of one indi- vidual affects all of the others'. It is enough that a person is "in burlesque." To such a degree does this mutuality extend, the financial credit that is given one operator is enjoyed by all the oth- ers just because they are a part of the Columbia Amusement Co. This condi- tion has its very serious disadvantages as well as its advantages. There are many separate concerns operating in the burlesque business and each is held responsible for the obligations it in- curs. Yet I have frequently heard mer- chants, hotel keepers and others that extend credit to these people make the remark, "He's all right. We never worry about our accounts with bur- lesque people." And this with no thought of investigating the individual responsibility. Let one of these sepa- rate managements fail and the present financial integrity of the whole insti- tution would suffer a shock that would place in jeopardy the commercial standing of all the others, even includ- ing that of the Columbia Amusement Co. itself. And the bigger the name of the insolvent the more damaging the consequences. Just how far the Columbia Amuse- ment Co. would go in the extention of sustenance to an embarrassed unit of its business, should such a contingency arise, cannot be speculated upon. Hap- pily, however, there is no surface indi- cation of cause for apprehension in this particular. It may be taken for granted that the directors of the Co- lumbia Amusement Co. have so firm a grip upon the guiding helm of their business and are so perfectly familiar with possible existent shoals, they are in a position accurately to perceive and measure the distance of storm-clouds and proceed accordingly. The fountain head of this great con- cern may not be able to guide the mor- als of their associates and compel the sort of personal conduct that will avert a recurrence of the Reeves scandal, but so complete is its control over the bus- iness aspects of the concrete institution it can at least scent danger to its sol- idarity and overcome it before a crisis is reached. I do not hesitate to express the opin- ion that any management or individual in burlesque that fails to be represented in an important way in the Anniver- sary Number of Variety will feel some pang of regret, at least when he glances through the columns of that publication a week from today. Self- effacement from its pages will mean an oblivion that is not in keeping with the spirit of advancement that should direct the operations of people to whom publicity means so much. "Not in it" is a significant expression. And it will be a literal case of not in it to all that are so short-sighted as to dis- regard this unusual opportunity for ac- tual world-wide and convincing exploi- tation. The last forms close Monday. Are you in it? MARION'S LICENSE REFUSED. Philadelphia, Dec. 16. In the Ocean County Court yester- day Judge Carmichael refused to grant a liquor license to the Marion Inn, a new hotel just built in the central part of Tom's River, N. J., and named after its owner, Dave Marion, the burlesque actor. The application was in the name of Frank Tilton, who a month ago ended his term as Sheriff of Ocean County. The Court took the ground that there was no necessity for another licensed hotel, there now being two. Burlesque Sure Now. New,, Haven, Dec. 16. Burlesque is certain at the Grand. It commences Dec. 28, playing the Co- lumbia attractions. The contract was entered into yesterday in New York. Chicago's Columbia All Summer. Chicago, Dec. 16. Plans are under way to keep the Col- umbia open all summer. It is the idea to arrange a big, elaborate show, some- thing on the order of the roof garden variety, with smashing choruses and many gay and giddy features. CARNATION BEAUTIES. Charlie Robinson strikes the true burlesque note in his "Carnation Beau- ties" show even if he has failed to reach the standard of class in the de- tails of the production. And a real burlesque show sans class is preferable to a talky, pointless, two-act affair that has nothing else to commend it than a display of beautiful scenery and cos- tumes. Quality in cast and sartorial acces- sories are wholly admirable. But weighed in the balance with those ele- ments in a burlesque show that pat- rons of this form of amusement en- joy, they go up like a feather against a nugget of gold. The Robinson show keeps the auditors laughing or applaud- ing with little cessation throughout the performance and in the accomplish- ment of this there is never the slightest indulgence in offensiveness. The comedy is good, there are many highly amusing situations and the mu- sical features, excellently rendered, have the desired ebulliency and snap. These qualities, plus a rattling good olio, embrace the constituents primarily necessary to the success of this type of entertainment and they are found in abundance in Mr. Robinson's offering. The customary two acts with an olio between is departed from, thus giving the formation of the show an unusual turn. The first scene of the first part is followed by the olio, after which there is an elaborately presented finish that consumes 15 minutes. This delays the intermission until close to ten o'clock, but it is so well handled and there is so much attractive entertainment given, the audience shows no sign of the im- patience that might be expected of peo- ple accustomed to having the intermis- sion come around 9.30. It is an innova- tion, anyway, and anything that tends to newness is welcome in these days of similarity in details. Although Mr. Robinson dominates the cast, this is by no means a one- man show. All the principals are given opportunities to score and they give an even, well-balanced performance. Mr. Robinson's material is all new to the patrons of the Columbia. This is his first appearance at that house in three years, and the heartiness of his receptions at every performance during the week indicates his popularity. This excellent comedian, always versatile and distinctly original, emphasizes these qualities by the introduction of a Chinese characterization in which he is intensely funny. The dialect he has adopted to aid him in this bit indicates his resourcefulness, and his make-up and dress, together with his antics as the "Chink," keep the audiences in con- vulsions of laughter. Mr. Robinson's new monolog, which he gives in the olio, is a rapid succession of sparkling witticisms and he keeps his listeners constantly interested and amused. Gladys Wilbur, the statuesque and beautiful prima donna of the organiza- tion, displays a fine voice of evident cultivation, and she sings her numbers with exceptionally good effect, and by her commanding presence and skillful acting easily ranks with the best lead- ing women in burlesque. May Bern- hardt, whose laughing eyes, petite fig- ure, enjoyable singing and all 'round cleverness, make her the ideal soubret, added greatly to the favor in which she is held by the regular clientele of the Columbia. James X. Francis, a classy straight, and possessing an uncommon- ly agreeable singing voice, adds ma- terially to the enjoyment of the per- formance and Frank Mackey renders valuable service playing the German opposite Robinson. Other bits are competently perform- ed by Joe Feeney and Gus Knoll, while Mabel Lee makes a distinct hit in an ingenue part that is full of good ma- terial. Edith Marcell deserves a word of praise for the delightful manner in which she leads a number in the Chinese scene. In the olio Feeney and Knoll do a characteristic Chinese dance that is a novelty and that is so well executed it elicits well merited hearty applause. Miss Wilbur does a turn of popular songs which she sings delightfully and Frank Mackey, Bobby Raymond, James Francis and Irving Blackman, consti- tuting the Beauty Comedy Four, keep the audience in good humor by the general excellence of their work. Mr. Robinson has assembled an un- usually attractive chorus which is dis- tinguished by youth and comeliness and whose singing abilities are far above the average. REAL MONEY GIVEN AWAY. "The Girls from the Follies" man- agement attempted some publicity this week at the Murray Hill theatre where the show is playing. Monday at one o'clock bags of money (real) were thrown from the roof of the theatre. It was previously announced this would be done. When the money twirling started, however, there were but a few people around. A crowd numbering about three hundred soon gathered and there were some good scrimmages for the bags as they dropped. The most popular man in the neigh- borhood of 42nd street and Lexington avenue at that moment was Charlie Levey, who has the candy privilege of the theatre. Every time Charlie dropped some coin he was cheered for an encore until all that could be heard above the noise of the scuffle was his name. From the front of the house it didn't look as though the people were going to spend the money they re- ceived in the scramble to buy seats for the matinee. The bags probably held 20 to 30 cents each, of the smallest change, and the total amount "thrown away" may have reached $7. $350 WEEKLY ALIMONY. In the divorce actions of the Al Reeveses, Mrs. Alameda Fowler Reeves was granted $350 weekly ali- mony pending the trial, by Judge Crane at Mineola, L. I., last Saturday, with an additional allowance of $1,000 for counsel fees. •dvortiM at all.