Variety (July 1915)

VAUDEVILLE PANTAGES' CHICAGO AGENCY LOOKS SUBJECT TO CHANGE Head of Circuit Out on Coast Reported Not Over Well Pleased With Circuit's Bookings From the Middle West. Too Many Acts Playing Pantages From One Source. Shake-up Expected. That a general shake-up in the book- ing forces of the Pantages circuit was imminent became known this week through inside circles, the report go- ing sufficiently far to indicate that Alexander Pantages himself will in all probability take a flying trip cast im- mediately after the opening of his new Seattle theatre, to personally supervise the readjustment of his staff. At pres- ent the circuit is being jointly booked by J. C. Matthews from Chicago and Louis Pincus from New York, with Pantages headquartering in Seattle, and J. J. Cluxton representing the or- ganization in San Francisco. The existing difficulties are alleged to have arisen over the recent activi- ties of Sidney Schallman, a Chicago ten percenter and a former employee of Matthews. It seems Schallman's su- preme business acumen led him to com- municate with several New York agents, seeking to secure the western representation of several particular acts with a promise of a Pantages tour at a $et date. A few of the New York agents, having previously made over- tures to Pincus for a route for the same acts, became suspicious of the re- quests from the west and indirectly no- tified Pantages. The Matter's investi- gation revealed that Schallman had been placing an unusual number of turns on the circuit and it is said a comparison of salaries with due con- sideration of conditions on the coast, convinced Pantages he was paying over the limit. Just what action followed is unknown, but it is believed Schallman was somewhat curbed and the suc- ceeding move may result in a general all around shake-up. Several years ago when Norman Friedenwald was active in Chicago, with offices adjoining the Pantages headquarters, it was persistently ru- mored he was favored in the selection of material for the Pantages circuit, but appearances were finally decided deceptive, for while Friedcnwald's of- fice looked like a part of the Pantages office through "the continual open door" between both suites, Friedenwald never became wealthy through his friendliness with Matthews. With the engagement of Arnold Hirsch as chief assistant to Matthews, the ten percenters faced a stone wall barrier, for while Hirsch carried a per- sonality that seemed hostile to the average bookman, he knew his busi- ness and his opinion on vaudeville ma- terial was unchangeable. The "boys" soon began scheming to oust Hirsch and it became a general topic of con- versation that with Hirsch on the job there was no money in the Pantages office for t]ie r'r'^nr^ Several wceV« ago Hirsch and Matthews parted com- pany for some unexplained reason and the Schallman office apparently profited most by the move, the result being the present situation which may eventually eliminate all ten pcrcenting franchises through orders from Alex Pantages direct. Seattle, June 30. The new Pantages theatre and office building is scheduled for an opening some time during July. The structure is a 12-story affair and the theatre will house the Pantages road shows, with the present Pantages stand probably becoming a picture house. LILLIAN LORRAINE'S DIVORCE. Los Angeles, June 30. Lillian Lorraine, here in pictures, says she will sue her husband, Fred M. Griesheimer, for divorce. Griesheimcr is now in jail in Seattle, having jumped a bail bond of $5,000 further down the Coast after being arrested for attempt- ing to defraud in connection with an alleged fund Griesheimer claimed he was raising for the Germans. The couple was married about two years ago. PEKIN MYSTERIES DISSOLVING. The various members of Han Ping Chien's Pekin Mysteries combination will sail for their beloved China on the "Ventura" leaving San Francisco July 31, after cancelling a tour of the Orpheum Circuit previously arranged by Rose & Curtis. It is hardly probable that the aggre- gation will remain together after reach- ing home since Messrs. Cltien and Chow have practically decided to de- sert the profession to engage in the manufacturing business. China, it seems, has no cutlery fact- ories and has been importing all its hardware and cutlery. The President of China recently sent an army general to Hartford, Conn., to study the busi- ness, and while the Pekin outfit were playing there, the President's emissary convinced them of the possibilities of a home factory and Chien, Chow and the general will immediately arrange for the construction of a large factory over which the general will have com- plete control. BONUS FOR RELEASE. It looked this week as though Clark and Bergman would be called upon to pay Jesse L. Lasky a bonus of 9100 weekly to secure a release from the Lasky management, in order to join the Shuberts' production of "Hands Up," now in rehearsal. The team were to have started an Orpheum Cir- cuit trip in the lead of Lasky's "So- ciety Buds," when the tempting Shu- bert offer presented itself. Other members of the reformed "Hands Up" will be Irene Franklin, Burt Green and Ralph Herz. Lew Fields withdrew from the company late last week. Among those remain- ing with the piece are Maurice and Walton and Bobby North. A dispute between the Shuberts and A. H. Woods is said to be on over the leported engagement of Tom Wise for the reorganization. The Shuberts claim Wise, who is to start next sea- son again in "The Song of Songs," the Woods play. ALDRICH OUT OF "CHIN CHIN." Charles Aldrich has given Charles Dillingham his "notice" for the "Chin Chin" show, as a contract to do some feature film work is calling him away. Oscar Ragland was engaged this week and started rehearsals in the Al- r , - , ' rU part Th:»rsr! -.. MILLS IN GLOOM. The music publishing headquarters of F. A. Mills had the shutters up this week with no one at home. It was reported earlier in the week a deputy sheriff was in charge of the offices, but a visit there disclosed no sign of human activity and if the official had tenanted the place, the prevailing gloom apparently induced him to take a "run-out powder." Mr. Mills was not to be reached and his chief aide, Max Silver, could not be located to con- firm the possible future of the Mills catalog. Silver was located on Broadway later in the week and said the sheriff had been visiting the firm, but found noth- ing attractive about the Mills office and had decided to vacate. The Mills place is closed for good. The Maurice Richmond Co. has made an attempt to reorganize the publish- ing company after paying off its credi- tors 15 cents on the dollar, thus avoid- ing bankruptcy and suspension pro- ceedings. W. Brookhouse has been engaged as sales manager (coming from the Harry Von Tilzer firm), while Jack Robbins, who has been with Richmond for six years, will han- dle the professional department. Jas. Kcndis has left the firm and may go into business for himself. It was reported during the week sev- eral small publishers were seriously considering the bankruptcy route to avoid facing a string of creditors with nothing in the way of assets but a flock of professional copies and a few pianos, the latter mostly kept via the installment plan. ANTHONY AND ROSS ARRESTED. Cincinnati, June 30. The vaudeville team of Anthony and Ross ran afoul of Uncle Sam's secret service department this week, having been committed to the county jail in default of $3,000 bail on a charge of stealing articles shipped through Inter- state commerce. They will have a hearing July 9. It is claimed that Santa, alias Harry, alias Pat Ross, 27 years of age, and William Anthony, aged 29, both of this city, participated in the theft of furs valued at $5,000. Harry Levine, 24, of Somerset, Ky., is also under arrest. Levine and Anthony were arrested in a rooming house, the detectives wait- ing until Ross made his appearance. A Philadelphia fur salesman named Harry Ross shipped the goods from Philadelphia to Chicago in his own name. It is alleged that a letter sent him in care of a Chicago hotel was opened by Pat Ross. When the furs were missed the Philadelphia firm sent a bill for $5,000 to the Pennsylvania Railroad, thinking the furs had been lost in transit. An investigation showed the furs had been sent as far as Cincinnati and by tracing the ex- pressman who hauled three trunks the articles were recovered. WAYBURN CAST COMPLETE. The "Town Topics" cast had been completed by Ned Wayburn, it was said Wednesday. No date of opening nor house for the revue have been given out by the Wayburn office. Though Wayburn still expects to open at the Century Opera House, the company operating that place author- ized a statement this week the opera house was on the market. WRESTLERS ON THE ROOF. With the ending of the Wrestling Tournament at the Manhattan Opera House last Friday night, when the gross receipts for that evening (at increased prices) were $3,900, the cos- mopolitan collection of mat men moved over to the Roof of the New York theatre. There, commencing Monday evening, another tournament commenced, for exhibition purposes only. William Morris started the experi- ment in a quiet manner to determine if the sport would be an attraction on a ballroom floor. It remained a ques- tion whether the feminine portion of the audience would care for it. With the closing of the Wrestling Tournament last week William Berner, Champion of Germany, was engaged for the Moss vaudeville houses, open- ing at the Jefferson Monday. Tuesday evening some difference is said to have arisen between the wrest- lers and their management, with the result they withdrew from the Roof engagement, pending the settlement of reported threatened legal proceed- ings. GEOROE PISH RETURNS. Cincinnati, June 30. It is announced that George F. Fish will return as manager of the local Kmprcss under the Sullivan-Considinc regime next fall. Fish had charge of the house under the Sullivan-Considinc management and made it a huge suc- cess. Last year he managed the Wal- nut. Fish has been appointed assistant general manager of the S.-C Circuit, and will look after a half dozen thea- tres in the middle west. He was here several days this week, arranging to give the Empress a thorough rcno* vation.