Variety (June 1915)

VAUDEVILLE CONEY ISLAND BY THE SEA WONDERS WHAT'S GOING TO BE Rain-Jams, Chill-Jams and Jams-Jams Oyer Decoration Day. New Excepting a Typewriter. Only One "Barker" Left and He's Been at "The Island" for 27 Years. Waiting for July 4 and Rent. Coney's official 1915 getaway proved a sort of tail-of-the-kite affair. The parks, Surf avenue and Bowery shows, dance halls, movies-with-the-beer re- sorts and cabarets were all framed for a three-day clean-up Saturday, Sunday and Monday. But the weather man's rain jam Saturday and chill jam Sun- day gave the concessionaires and own- ers jim jams that the fine weather and fair crowds of Memorial Day itself only partly relieved. "Butch" Ehrman, the West Second street Jay Gould, was the only dyed- in-the-wool Islander to make a killing, with umbrellas at four bits Saturday and earlaps at two jits Sunday. Save for two new dime illusion shows in Luna, "Niagara" and "Edge of the World," both from vaudeville, there's literally nothing new at the shore. Coney's Brighton section that cer- tain investors periodically said would be the Atlantic City of the future is still about a thousand years from re- alization of the prophecy. Luna is all dolled up again in new paint. Steeplechase is virtually un- changed saVe for a new typewriter that emits picturesque numeral efflu- via recording novelties and extensions that are only visible in mimeography. There's a whale with cedar ribs on Surf avenue this season. It has a tarpaulin tail and incandescent eyes and poses gracefully on a painted float. It was once a real spouter. The cabarets are in the dumps. The Manhattan and Brooklyn resorts of like character, running all winter, have jaded the crowd that last year bought their vaudeville with a beer. Feltman's nine years behind the crowd in offer- ing pictures, now announces the open- ing of a dance hall when the tango at present is locally slightly taboo. Dick Martin, the raucous ballyhoo for Thompson's screamery railway, 27 years a barker at Coney, is now the only old timer left of the Island's hypnotic brigade. King Karlo, ten days back from the twin fliv fairs at 'Frisco and San Diego, is special announcer at the Reynolds' Dreamland freak show. "Sylph" Smith, weight 315, is selling at the "Butterfly" Surf avenue freak vaudeville shop next door. There's an Oriental Midway in Luna at three jits for the gate and a Streets of Cairo on Surf avenue at two. You can get a better hootch for a nickel on State street, Chi., than in either. Zaza is the name of the Sultan's par- ticular favorite among the undulating agitators in the Luna line-up, but you get more action from a nickel mould of set cornstarch at Child's. Nothing new on the Bowery. Some blares, glares and malodorous airs. Most of the Surf avenue eat shops have cut their prices. "The other kind of eaters don't come to the Island no more!" is the way one of the price cutters explained his change. There were 150 dispossess proceed- ings last season before July 4, the nut- lift date. Unless a miracle happens, the elastic numbers of the Tilyou type- writer will be stretched to the bustin' point to record this year's list of "I want me rint" writs. Chronic kickers against more than two-a-day in vaude. will find hearten- ing stimulus in the cheery air of the crowd of lilliput performers this year in Luna, who run a wide gamut of variety cleverness in a long program and give 15 and 20 per day smilingly. RATS 9 SCAMPER POSTPONED. The big all-star scamper of the White Rats organization, scheduled to open next week at the Auditorium, Chicago, and continue for a 17-day run to the Pacific coast, has been tempor- arily postponed and the various mem- bers and non-members who consented to participate in the affair have been notified to accept engagements that would have otherwise conflicted with the route of the proposed scamper. The principal cause of the sudden postponement was the short time allotted for the tour, many of the towns where arrangements had been original- ly made for a one-night visit having made insistent application for a longer booking while other towns not includ- ed in the original itinerary "demanded" recognition on general principles. In order to accommodate everyone as far as possible, the arrangement committee called a hurried meeting where it was decided to** temporarily call the event off until such time as a consistent route could be laid out. Jake Rosenthal, who had made all prepara- tions for the advance work, was im- mediately notified and the pending dates cancelled. The committee in charge is now working on a new schedule that will permit a three-day stand in some towns, a week stay in others while the smaller towns in between will be booked for one-night stops. Those principals who have accepted engage- ments in the meantime will be replaced by others and the opening date and town announced within a few weeks. CO-STARRINO. London, June 2. Lewis Waller and Gerald DuMaurier will commence a co-starring engage- ment when opening at Wyndham's in "Gamblers All." LOEWS BEAUTY CONTEST. The Loew Circuit had a "Beauty Con- test" in its Ave. B theatre Monday night. From accounts it was wholly a success, financially and otherwise. Po- lice reserves from two precincts were called out by 7 o'clock, and the the- atre doors closed at 7.30, with an over-capacity attendance. The contestants were all neighbor- hood girls, 31 of them, with but two blondes. Each of the blondes finished in the money, taking second and third of the three prizes, a brunette winning the capital prize, a solid gold wrist watch that would be worth $40 if on the level. The winner's relatives wore out four sets of teeth biting the prize before they decided it was genuine. All the prizes were solid gold. They were made solid so the X-ray could not expose them. Just faces were judged. These the entries poked through holes in a cur- tain, five at a time, for the judges and the audience to look at. Three judges, also from the locality, sat around the stage, wearing masks and colored glasses. The faces of the girls came and went through the curtain, with the crowd in front wildly cheering. The Belle of East 5th Street did not enter. It was said her parents thought she in- tended going on the stage, and told her to hold out for a picture engagement. (Some parents believe picture acting is more healthful than stage work, as the picture people are outdoors more). The judges inaugurated an elimina- tion process, to faithfully select the handsomest face. Out of each five one face was reserved for a repeat, and these were reduced down to the final three, who were labeled first, sec- ond and third. There may be a re- turn match at the same house shortly, as two other blondes in the district claim they were not aware the contest was to be held. " The Loew Circuit may hold a Beauty Contest at several of its New York houses, with a grand finish, also a grand prize (probably a solid dia- mond), at the Madison Square Gar- den the first day it isn't busy. Points figured for winners of beauty contests are: Smile, 4 points; com- plexion, 3 points; mouth, 3 points; nose, 2% points; eyes, 2 points; hair (straight down), 1H points, (curly) 2*4 points; looks, 1 point. N. T. Grantland, of the Loew press department, is reported to be the doper-out of the beauty contest. He did not enter it himself, nor did he know anyone in it, so he says; still, a brunette won. ALL PICTURES AT PROCTOR'S. Two of the Proctor houses will adopt a picture policy next week, replacing the present pop vaudeville shows. The 23d Street and the 125th Street houses are the ones. Josh Daly, manager at 23d Street, will leave there after Sunday. AGENT EXPELLED. (Continued from Pas* 8.) something else beside merit is needed, or he may conjure up other excuses to obtain money from the artist other than what he is entitled to, but the artist, if he does give money to his agent to aid bookings with this office, is throwing his money away, and we do not want him to do that. "It is our desire to protect the ar- tist with whom we do business as far as it is within our power. It is in our power to stop this extortion, and that is up to the actor; he must tell us; the agent will not. "I hardly think, though, that this happens very often or that many, if any, others would attempt it. How- ever, publicity can do no harm and I hope all vaudeville will have their at- tention drawn to this." HUNTSVILLE PRISON SHOW. Huntsville, Tex., June 2. The convicts of Huntsville prison are arranging to give their annual Prison Show, and have sent out the following circular, as an appeal, concerning it: This Is the moat unusual letter you've ever had. It cornea from a hunch of convicts I And It la not a sympathy alobber, nor a "pity us" plea. It la an out-and-out appeal to your nohle aelf, combined with Juat a wee hit of the aplrlt that "one touch of nature makea the whole world kin." Llatent Every year, here at the freat Huntsville Prison, the boya get together and Kut on a crackerjack Fourth of July Show, oth for Inmatea and outaldera. Nor la thla merely for time passing;, but a vital need for the men: thua putting It up to us, "we aoclal outcasts.' 1 to make good Society's deficiency. We've simply got to raise the money, ao that we may read good hooka, good magailnea, good papers—we simply have to help ourselves to our better things. Will you help tooT Of course, we collect some little coin at the gate—but our best and most deserving support comes from the unique progrsm that we Issue for this show. And right here Is where we hope to declare you In on our souvenir program—lc you will. Hundreda of tbese solenoid, preservable programs are dis- tributed here, and thousands are mailed to bualness houses, publlo Institutions and Indi- viduals all over the country. To all who contribute—we are proud to de- vote an entire compliments ry nor Hon f > souvenir program, homing that you will re- spond to this worthy cause with a dollar— more if you like or can. "Train our mlnda. Five tlmea as rainv frtaonera come from the Illiterate claaaes as rom the literate. Doesn't It stand to reason then, that the more real education you give your prisoners, the less chance there la for their becoming again a burden and charge on aoclety?" Is It not evident that every bit of assist- ance we get makes us more able to cope with the struggle when the gates open again to us? We have to be Improved If we may again Join the social structure—but we can't do It with- out tools. Will you help ua to keep up our library? We cannot stand still! We must go for- ward ! Let ua give you complimentary apace In our truly De-Luxe Prison Souvenir Pro- gram, fit for any deak or houaebold. Thanking you. we are, appeallngly yours, etc. TWO TEAMS REUNITE. Joseph Herbert, Jr., ar.d Lilh'an Gold- smith have reunited- for vaudeville for the summer and.will.open at; Morrjson's Rockaway tomoircw playing the house for two days. Then they -wil! take the regular route for th* *ct. Tempest and Sunshine are another team that will come together soon. PAIR BURLESQUE SCENE. London, June 2. The "On Trial" burlesque scene, placed in the Alhambra revue, last week, does fairly. GBRRARD-AYER TURN. London, June 2. Teddie Gerrard and Nat Ayer are arranging to appear as a two-act in the halls. Two "Pegs" in the Province*. London, June 2. Next fall two "Peg O' My Heart" companies will be equipped here to tour the provinces.