Variety (April 1915)

VAUDEVILLE 9 SHUBERTS SHUT OFF LIGHTS TO STOP WINTER GARDEN ACT Neil McKinley Called Down Wrath of House Management Sunday Night—His Turn Abruptly Terminates When Stage Electrics Are Turned Off—Precedent Es- tablished—Affair Causing Much Talk. J. J. Shubert, at the Winter Garden Sunday night, ordered all lights turned off in the theater and the orchestra to stop playing while Neil McKinley was going through his turn. It was an action unprecedented in the annals of New York theatricals. McKinley at the time was "working in the orchestra." He thought the house had been plunged into darkness by accident, and to allay any nervous- ness, audibly remarked, "I will finish this song or bust," but was recalled to the stage by Jule Delmar, who stood there snapping his fingers and calling to him. McKinley thereupon left the theatre by the stage door, going around to the front of the house and presenting a return check for admit- tance, but he* was not allowed to en- ter, although having purchased a ticket at the box office before the show started, remaining in his seat until his turn ("No. 8" on the program) ap- proached. For refusing to readmit him, McKinley said Monday he would bring an action for damages against the Shuberts. The talk along Broadway, created by the Sunday disturbance, brought McKinley several offers, according to report, one for a revue and another for Hammerstein's. McKinley had been playing on the Loew time and opened Monday at the City theatre for William Fox. The commotion at the Winter Gar- den lasted 20 minutes or more, ac- cording to a version of the story by an eye-witness, and about one-quarter the audience is said to have left the Garden immediately the noise subsid- ed. McKinley is what is known as a "nut single," appearing alone upon the vaudeville stage, going th ough his turn, ad libbing at will. During his act is a section of talk preceding a "cissy" recitation wherein he fits the dialog to the manager of the theatre he may be appearing at. Sunday night McKinley, at reaching this point, re- marked, "I'll tell you, folks, how I happened to be here tonight. I was walking along Broadway, when I met Jake Shubert. He said, 'Hello, Neil, what are you doing?" I answered, 'Nothing, Jake.' *Do you want to work Sunday night at the Winter Garden?' he said. And I answered, 'Yes.' Now I am going to give you a little recita- tion that I want you to take seriously, for Mr. Shubert told me if I got it over he will let me do it in one of the Shubert shows." With that AC^inley commenced his "cissy" recitation, and completed it be- fore J. J. could rush back on the stage, McKinley by that time having gone into the orchestra to sing "The Lit- tle House Upon the Hill." Shubert, once back of the stage, ordered all lights out, sending word to the mu- sicians to stop playing forthwith, and a messenger to the spotlight operators in the balcony to shut off their lights. When McKinley left the stage, Mol- ly King appeared to continue the show, but the jeers drove her off, and repeat- ed it each time on her six appearances during the tumult. Delmar walked upon the stage, saying to the audience, "Mr. McKinley cannot appear as he has been taken ill." A loud voice from the orchestra replied, "You are a liar," , whereupon Mr. Delmar retired,' to re- turn later and say McKinley had left the theatre, which the audience prob- ably believed as quite possible, it set- tling down shortly after. No inter- mission was allowed the Sunday night performance, and the house accepted that the management dispensed with the intermission period to prevent a discussion of the occurrence during it. At the theatre it was said Shubert had become incensed at McKinley's "cissified" number and the accompany- ing remark to the effect he had been told it could go in a Shubert show. On the other hand it is well known by many artists that J. J. Shubert hat a decided aversion to having his name mentioned on the stage. Much comment was passed over the McKinley incident during the remain- der of the evening. Varibtt received a letter Monday from evidently a lay- man who said he had been present Sun- day night. It severely criticised the Winter Garden management for not considering the public. From all accounts, McKinley had scored in his act, as far as he had reached before the affair happened. Those who know his turn say he had not deviated in its running trom his usual act. PORTLAND ORPHBUM CLOSING. Portland, Ore., March 31. The Orpheum will close for the sea- son April 3. The business has been off considerably of late. Acts routed in here after that date may have to lay off a week because of house closing. SONG WRITERS' BALL. May 15 at Terrace Garden is the time and place for the first annual ball of the Popular Song Writers' Associa- tion. The organization is composed of hit makers, who are really serious over their organization. If you don't advertise In VARIETY, don't advertise. COHAN'S NEXT REVUE IN FALL The revue George M. Cohan will write for Raymond Hitchcock will not be produced by Cohan & Harris until next fall, at the Astor theatre. The Famous Players feature, "The Eternal City/' opens at the Astor April 12, succeeding "Hello Broadway," which goes to Philadelphia and Boston for two weeks in each city. The Famous Players is said to have secured the Astor from the date of opening until May 30, for a rental of $1,350 weekly, the F. P. taking full charge of the house during its tenancy. Cohan & Harris are reported to have offered 11,500 weekly rent for the Astor by other picture interests, but pre- ferred the F. P. at the lower price as the tenant. MIKE BERNARD'S SIDE. Mike Bernard, who returned to New York suddenly last week after dis- solving his vaudeville partnership with Harry Sykes, offers an explanation for his rather hasty retreat from the mid- dle west Mike discredits the charge of a tem- peramental spasm and claims Sykes, whom he originally engaged on a sal- ary basis, "held him up" for more money before agreeing to play the con- tracted time. Bernard claims he decided to call the affair off while on the train bound for Wichita rather than wait until the team's arrival in Kansas City, which would necessitate a larger fare back to Chicago. Both men agreed to disagree at Streator, according to Mike, and or- dered the baggage removed from the train. The Interstate time was duly cancelled one week before the scheduled opening date and Mike hastened to New York to look over the field for an- other partner. FIRST BALL TEAM. Proof that spring is here has been established by the organization of the Sheedy Baseball Team, composed of employees and attaches of M. R. Shee- dy's offices. Lou Edelman has been named busi- ness manager and Joe Shea, captain. The trainer will be Jasper Dunstan and the mascot, Sheedy's office boy, Ed- ward Stroh. A game with the Loew offices will open the season and the Sheedy's will also issue a challenge to the U. B. O., William Fox offices and the Varietys. The Sheedys will line up as follows: Jim Kennedy, p; Harold Cole (loaned by the Varietys), c; Bennie Piermont, ss; Jim Sheedy, lb; Ralph Ashe, 2b; Joe Shea, 3b; Oscar Gilfoil, If; Andrew Hayden, cf; Lou Edelman, rf. TILFORD MARRIED. Lou Tilford, the ventriloquist, and Billie Davies of "The Rosey Posey Girls," were married Sunday in New York. NEW ACTS. Blanche King-John, woman cartoon* ist of the New York Evening World, has put a monologue-picture and draw- ing act together for a vaudeville debut i'hil Taylor produced it. The Four Fords were not able to as- semble as soon as expected. This week on the Interstate time three of the four, Max, Mabel and Dora, are doing an act, with Eddie the absent one. Eddie was not able to secure a release from his contracts on the Loew circuit and will join the other three when these contracts expire, which will be in about two months. Anna Vecchini, the operatic singer, makes her vaudeville debut at Memphis April 5. Joseph Hart hat placed Richard Carle under contract for a vaudeville tour. There will be two women principals in the act and a chorus of ten girls. Paul Dullzell, who placed the trainer in "The Little Stranger," will return to vaudeville, with George Nash, in the Edwin Milton Royle sketch, "The Stray Kid." "Dum-Dums," a playlet based upon the Bibical saying that "Whatsoever Thou Givest Shall Be Rendered Unto Him," and is a neutral skit dealing with the war, is in rehearsal. Edna Mitchell, piano act, assisted by Joe Dewey and Bobbie Simonds. Mrs. Robert Downing, in dramatic playlet. Harry Vokes, formerly of Ward and Vokes, and John Lorenze, are break- ing in a two-act for vaudeville. Eichlin, Guyer and Co. have a sketch called "Inspector Ridgeway." (M. S. Bentham.) NOBODY KNEW. Tuesday afternoon Hammerstein's held nearly capacity. The unexpected sight during a matinee in Holy Week brought queries from those who ob- served it. One person standing in the rear of the house remarked it must be a holi- day of some sort. Someone else walked around asking the staff men and others if there was a holiday, but nobody knew. It was the Jewish Passover holiday that accounted for the attendance. PERRY-HEATH TURN. A new two-act is composed of George Perry and Frankie Heath. They will first open next week. Mr. Perry was formerly of George Perry and Lee White. (Miss White is now in London.) Miss Hea'h has been a leading woman in burlesque for sev- eral seasons. It was lately reported she would do a single turn in vaudeville. Frank Bush Playing for Loew. Frank Bush opened on the Loew Cir- cuit Monday under a blanket contract for 30 weeks placed by M. S. Epstein. MOTHER BURNED TO DEATH. Los Angeles, March 31. Mrs. C. A. Phillipson, who until re- cently has been in vaudeville with her husband, was burned to death here Monday while bathing her baby. The woman's clothes caught fire from a gas jet and the flames had enveloped her before extinguished. The couple had intended to resume their vaudeville work in a few weeks.