Variety (July 1915)

LEGITIMATE, 11 ac CHICAGOANS SUBSCRIBE $220,000 IN FOUR DAYS FOR GRAND OPERA Sum Wat Raited By Volunteer Committee to Convince Mill- ionaire Guarantort That Windy City Wanted Music. Ten Week Seaton It Now Assured. Campanini Hat Not Yet Announced Schedule of Operas for Season. Chicago, July 7. The surprise of the day is the state- ment issued by the Chicago Opera Association, which has taken the place of the Chicago Grand Opera Co. as the provider of opera for Chicago only in the big Auditorium. When, in March, the millionaire guarantors of previous seasons were asked if they would give opera in 1915-16, they replied: "Yes—if we can be convinced Chcago wishes opera." A volunteer committee of convincers raised $220,000 in four days; and the guarantors said: "That's the answer! Go to it!" The report was that June 1, $110,000 had been taken in subscriptions for a tep weeks' season, not counting the boxes, which cost $600 apiece for ten nights—one night a week. They are nearly gone for the entire season. Yet, Cleofonte Campanini has not made known his schedule of operas or on what nights the great stars will sing, so that the subscribers have really been buying blind. Cleveland, July 7. The Cleveland municipal grand opera venture which has been rumored for some time will in all probability come about next season according to plans being made. It is intended to have grand opera here during the season Fridays and Saturdays, to be given by the Cleveland Opera Company, to appear here under the auspices of the American Grand Opera Association. The municipal symphony orchestra will co-operate with the opera idea, taking part in the production and also giving its own concerts. NAZIMOVA'S FILM OFFER. Bidding for the services of Nazimova in feature pictures is proceeding among the manufacturers, with Morosco understood to be in the lead. M. S. Bentham, Nazimova's theatri- cal representaive, is receiving the offers, and it is said Morosco's latest is $50,000 for the actress to complete two features. DECIDES AGAINST FIGHT FILM. Portland, Me., July 7. Judge Clarence Hale in the United States District Court here decided against the application for an injunc- tion restraining the Government from interfering with the importation into this country at Portland of the Willard- Johnson fight film. The application was made last week by the Kalisthenic Co., on the ground the film was not intended to be used for public exhibi- tion. In delivering his opinion after listen- ing for three hours to the atorneys, Judge Hale said: "It is incumbent upon the plaintiff to show that the nega- tive is not a pictorial representation of the prize fight and not designed to be used for purposes of public exhibi- tion. The plaintiff has failed to make this point clear and from the evidence offered it is to be used for public exhi- bition." FIELDS WITH BELASCO? Stories about seem to agree that Lew Fields is going under the management of David Belasco, to be starred in a piece named "Bosom Friends," which Mr. Belasco will bring out shortly after the first of the year. Meanwhile Fields and his stage part- ner, Joe Weber, expect to make comedy films for Keystone, the contract for the connection having been drawn and held in abeyance through some possible legal entanglement. The pictures will call for the comedians to devote about six consecutive months to the camera. Until the withdrawal of Mr. Fields from "Hands Up," he had played under the management of the Shuberts for a long while. It is said the troubles at- tendant to the premiere of that pro- duction led to the separation by Fields from the Shuberts. OFFICE SALARIES DOWN. The order to retrench has been issued from the inner sanctum where the Shuberts hold confab. The axe has been wielded right and lift within the last ten days. It is the second time within the last few months the order to cut has been heard in the Shubert office. The last time found all of the office girls suffer- ing from thinness in the envelope. But on this occasion the cut was more far reaching and some of the larger sal- aried heads of the firm were heard emitting shrieks of anguish when they learned to what extent their weekly salary had been shaved. MADE IN-IRELAND SERIES. Commencing July 14, Lubin will start releasing a Made-in-Ireland series of pictures, with Valentine Grant starred in each film. The pictures were taken in and around South Kerry, Ireland, noted for its scenery, also in the Gap of Dunloe and the Lakes of Killarney. Miss Grant was engaged for the trip and series by Sidney Olcott, who pro- duced them, playing opposite to the star. Miss Grant last appeared upon the screen as leading woman with Walker Whiteside- in "The Melting Pot." LA SALLE SITUATION. Chicago, July 7. Everybody in the theatrical know here is smiling at Aaron Jones' "em- phatically denying that the La Salle opera house will be sold or leased by his firm." He was telling the simple truth, however. His firm, Jones, Lin- ick & Shaeffer, has about as much right to lease or sell the La Salle as they have to lease or sell the Metro- politan opera house. The theatre is leased by Harry Askin, individually, by C. P. Taft, of Cincin- nati. When, two years ago, the Askin- Donaghey interests rebuilt the theatre, part of the money was raised by an issue of short-term bonds against the lease. Askin foolishly took over ar old contract, made by him for the La Salle Opera House Co., to stage "A Texas Steer" as a musical comedy; and it was with this piece — written by Henry Blossom after Frederick Don* aghey and Will M. Hough, George V. Hobart and Otto Hauerbach had passed up the job as hopeless—Askin reopened the rebuilt house. It flivved, although the vogue of the theatre kept it on the profit-side for about six weeks. Then it started to slip; and by Dec. 1 Askin told the bondholders to take over the theatre. J. L. & S. then assumed the man- agement on a year-to-year arrange- ment, under which they pay the first $10,000 profits to the trustees, keep the next $10,000, and then fifty-fifty. GARDEN BUSINESS GOOD. Chicago, July 7. The summer garden season is in full sway and according to reports the good weather that started aoout two weeks ago has brought much money into some of the gardens around Chicago. At the Midway Gardens Pavlowa opened Saturday night, to an admis- sion from 50 cents to $1.50. At the Green Mill Gardens Patricola is heading a revue that draws 25 cents admission. This is said to be the first time admission has been charged at this place. Business at the Green Mill has been tremendous ever since the weather took a change for the better. The safe blowers robbing the Mid- wood Gardens Monday night are said to have cost Pavlowa and her Russian ballet $15,000, their share of the re- ceipts of the holiday (three days) busi- ness. The safe was blown at day- break, after two watchmen had been overpowered. MISS FARRAR LEADING MARCH. A telegram was received by the Par- amount New York office this week from the coast stating that that com- pany had secured the prize section at the coming Exhibitors' Convention to he held in San Francisco and also has the honor of having one of its stars, Gcraldine Farrar, now at work at the Lasky studio in Hollywood, lead the Rrand march at the hall to be held dur- ing the convention. Her partner will be cither the Mayor of San Francisco or the Governor of California. If you don't advartlM In VARIETY, don't odvortlso. DENIES SURATT INJUNCTION. The opinion handed down last week by Justice Goff in the Supreme Court, in which he denied the injunction re- quested by Lasky restraining Valeska Suratt from acting for Fox and Fox from producing and distributing "The Soul of Broadway" film, carries one or two very interesting phrases. The Lasky people claimed Miss Su- ratt had entered into a contract with them Oct. 29, 1914, to appear in a motion picture, and that she agreed not to sign with any other picture company prior to June 15, 1916. Lasky maintained she had violated her con- tract by appearing in a picture for Fox; that her services were unique and extraordinary and could not be dupli- cated. Lasky presented affidavits from Archie Selwyn, Morris Gest and oth- ers to uphold this contention. The opinion of Judge Goff in full, denying the motion, read as follows: Whether the contract contains re- ciprocal obligations sufficient to sus- tain an action for breach by either party is a question which should properly be determined by the Court, in an action by law and not by the Court where its equitable! power is invoked. If there has been a breach by the defendants, or either of them, the remedy is by action at law for damages. Before equity be exer- cised it must clearly and satisfac- torily appear that there is no ade- quate remedy at law, that damages will be irreparable if equitable rem- edy be withheld, and that the right to such equitable remedy is clearly established by the terms of the con- tract. While it is claimed by the plaintiff that the services to be per- formed by the defendant, Suratt, were unique and extraordinary, it is in- teresting to note that she, herself, denies that they are of such a char- acter, and asserts that ner "value as a 'Star' in a motion picture is ab- solutely unknown"; that she has never'"appeared" as such, and that the estimate placed upon her ser- vices is purely speculative. In the absence of proof I will not hold that the services of a person who is en- gaged to pose before a camera for what is known as a photo-play are either unique or extraordinary or pe- culiar to the person posing. The camera does not and cannot repro- duccthe voice and expression of one individual which would stamp with certainty the identity of the person, such as the voice of a singer or the expression of an actor. Indeed, it is not beyond the bounds of proba- bility that for the benefit of the guile- less public the enterprising manager could not in an emergency substitute one person to pose for another. Against neither of the defendants should injunction issue, and the mo- tion is denied. DID $500 ON HOLIDAY. Chicago, July 7. The Bryn Mawr Theatre on the north side, a picture house, was broken into by thieves Monday night and the holiday receipts amounting to $500 were taken.