Variety (August 1915)

(i VAUDEVILLE NO CHANGE IN KEITH THEATRES; NOTHING IN WILLIAMS REPORT $1,500,000 Already Paid Percy G. Williams on Account of Purchase Price, $5,000,000, for Former Williams Theatres. No Conditions Attached to Sale. Spend- ing $20,000 on Keith's Orpheum, Brooklyn. The New York Sun Tuesday printed there was a likelihood Percy G. Wil- liams would resume the management ot the theatres in Greater New York turned over by him in 1912 to ihe B. F. Keith interests. The story never had • he slightest foundation, and the Sun, when asked on what its tab- had been based, is said to have replied nothing beyond report. The Keith people will continue to operate the former Percy G Williams theatres as they have done since ac- quiring them. No condition? were at- tached to the transfer of the Williams property to the B. F. Keith New York Theatres Co., other than the terms im- posed by the bond given tor the re- mainder of the $5,000,000 purchase price. These terms called lor an an- nual payment on the principal, and semi-yearly payment of interests. In accordance with the terms of the bond, Mr. Williams received last month from the Keith Co., $194,000, $100,000 on ac- count, and $94,000 interest. When the final papers were signed passing the Williams theatres to Keith, Mr. Williams received $1,250,000 in cash. In 1913, according to the agree- ment, he received $50,000 on the prin- cipal, and last year, $100,000, besides the interest as it fell due. The amounts of the payments to be made up to the maturity of the bond are set forth in the sale contract and only in default of any such payment could Mr. Williams interpose in the management and conduct of the the- atres transferred. So far there has been no intention in the Keith offices to change the regu- lar season policy in any of the houses, which will be big time vaudeville as before. Each of the houses is entered in the route sheets issued by the Unit- ed Booking Offices for next season. Keith's Orpheum, Brooklyn, one of the former Williams theatres, is under- going repairs and alterations at a total expense of $20,000. It will look prac- tically like a new theatre inside when reopening for next season. WEBER & FIELDS' ACT. The Weber and Fields vaudeville en- gagement is for 19 weeks, it is said, at between $3,000 and $3,500 weekly. The couple start their tour next week at the Palace, New York. Kastern and west- ern time is included in the travel. Frank Kvans is the v.iinlcvilh a^ent who made the capture The act the tram will give is to inn about 2N t<» 30 minim v It will em- brace four of their famous 'bits," the "Tool Table." "Choking" scene <"\' ; ' '•. T love you"), "Sticking in the Eye" and the "Statue Scene" (which employs a girl). Weber and Fields will play during August on their vaudeville contract, finishing it 'in January, February and March, taking September, October and November to make their contracted comedy pictures for Keystone, again returning to the picture work next \pril, May and June. It has been long years since Weber and Fields appeared in vaudeville, where they started from. A couple of "Jubilee" excursions by the team as road shows at legit admission scales have been about the extent of their reappearances since the separation some years ago. While the vaudeville engagement has been spoken of often, it was not con- summated until last Saturday morn- ing, after negotiations had been pend- ing over Lew Fields appearing at the head of a musical comedy skit from "The Hen-recks." "HANDS UP" FOR THE ROAD. There seems but little question the Shuberts' production of "Hands Up" is going on the road, where it was evi- dently built for. Crates are being made for the scenery, and the show is not expected to remain at the 44th Street much beyond a month or so longer. "Hands Up" is said to have done about $9,000 last week, when all New York suffered from the heat. Hotels and speculators are reported to have taken $14,000 worth of tickets the day after the piece opened. It is probable Ralph Herz will short- ly leave the company. One of the mem- bers of the cast attracting quite some attention and creating no end of good amusement is Alfred Latcl, in his im- personation of a dog. Mr. Latel does some remarkably good work in his scene with Irene Franklin. VON TILZER QUITTING SHOWS. The legitimate productions have seen the last of Harry Yon Tilzer, who says that hereafter he intends devoting all of his time to h's music or.Mishing business. Mr. Yon Tilzer was largely inter- ested in the successful piece. "To-day." He will probably dispose of Vis s\ire iti the show. ELSA RYAN NOW READY. Lisa Ryan, one of the "Pegs" of the companies playing that piece last sea- son, is ready for the vaudeville entry. This week she consulted M. S. Hentham in reference to making her variety debut. HOUSES RE-OPENING. The Orpheum at Allentown, Pa., will reopen its vaudeville season Aug. 16, with Frank O'Brien again attending to the bookings in the United Booking Offices, of the Wilner & Vincent theatre. Shea's, Toronto, will reopen Aug. 23, weather permitting, the weather like- wise being a proviso in any number of other reported openings en definite dates. The Majestic, Milwaukee, opens Aug. 16; Palace, Chicago, Columbia, St. Louis, Orpheum. New Orleans, Sept. 6: Orpheum, Memphis, Aug. 30, booked as before by George Gottleib in the Orpheum Circuit offices. Keith's at Lowell, Mass., opens Aug. 30, with Lewiston and Bangor (split week) starting Aug. 23, again booked by Harvey Watkins. The Temple, Rochester, opens Sept. 6, booked by Carl Lothrop, who also handles the Temple, Detroit. The Hippodrome, Cleveland, opens Aug. 30; Grand, Syracuse, Sept. 6, both booked by Joe Goodman. Keith's, Toledo, will probably open Aug. 23; Keith's at Cincinnati and In- dianapolis, Sept. 5; Grand, Pittsburgh: Colonial, Erie, Pa., Sept. 6; Keith's, Louisville, Sept. 12, all by Johnny Col- lins. The Orpheum, Montreal, opens Aug. 16: Dominion, Ottawa, Aug. 23. BARNES IN ASSOCIATION. Chicago, Aug. 4. While no official announcement is forthcoming on the matter, it is un- derstood by those on the inside that Fred M. Barnes, generally acknowl- edged to be the best park and fair man in the country, will become as- sociated with that department of the Western Vaudeville Managers' Asso- ciation next season, handling the park and fair business of the "Association" in co-operation with Chas. Marsh, the present manager. This will bring the park and fair business of. the middle west down to a few contenders, the principal oppo- sition to the W. V. M. A. being Ethel Robinson's organization, the Robinson Amusement Co. Miss Robinson hand- led the park and fair department of the "Association" under the regime of C. E. Bray, retiring to be succeeded by Marsh. Barnes, prior to the current season, had his own concern, backed by a wealthy Chicago jeweler, but a course in bankruptcy proceedings upset the Barnes plans and the rumored move is supposed to be the result of his present condition. With Barnes and Marsh working to- gether, the "Association" will be well fortified in the particular department. McVICKER'S "BLACKLISTED." It was said in New York this week McVickcr's. Chicago, under the Jones, Linick & Schaeffer management, had been declared a "blacklisted property" and the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association bookers have been in- structed to refrain from engaging acts that play that house. BERNSTEIN BUCKING PHILLY. Philadelphia, Aug. 4. Despite the heat and Freeman Beili- sten), Philadelphia is still in Pennsyl- \ania. Mr. Bernstein has now been here for six weeks, and the town has withstood it. He is in the city attend- ing to the making of a five-reel fea- ture film called "The Continental Girl," in which his wife, May Ward, will be starred. The feature is being prepared at the Liberty studio. The outward indications are that Bernstein likes this burg. He has taken a summer residence in exclusive Ger- niantown, on one of the very spots where the Battle of Germantown was fought in the Revolution. At night Freeman sits on his rented front porch and tells his wealthy neighbors of the many interesting battles lje has had while in show business. It is said Mr. Bernstein has the wealthy neighbors much interested. They are very wealthy. MANY ACTS DISAPPOINT. Reports of many American acts, booked to appear in England during the summer, disappointing the English managements, are about. Last week the Alhambra, London, was much ex- ercised over its failure to locate Tro- vato, due to open there Aug. 2. Tro- vato is still on this side. Charles Born- haupt had placed him for twelve weeks abroad, to open May 31 in Glasgow. His foreign salary was to have been $300. Bornhaupt says he will start suit to recover commission due him on the engagements, also similar suits against Other turns booked by him for Eng- land, but which failed to play. Mr. Bornhaupt says he intends to go to Holland within a few weeks, and from there to Brussels (Belgium)*, clos- ing out his interests in the latter city, which he left just before the Germans occupied it. Mr. Bornhaupt is a nat- uralized American. FOX HOUSE IN WASHINGTON. Washington, D. C, Aug. 4. A very definite rumor says William Fox. the vaudeville-picture man of New York, is about to start building a pop vaudeville theatre in this city. Plans have been drawn and nothing remains incomplete excepting the procuring of a small plot of land adjoining the site already secured by Fox. The rumor details the proposed loca- tion in the theatrical district. »> OTHER BOOKERS' "OPPOSITION. The Sheedy Agency placed a new ruling into effect this week, when M. R. Sheedy declared any agent doing indi- vidual booking of theatres would be looked upon as "opposition" and not permitted to book through the Sheedy office, even though such agents booked vaudeville theatres that did not com- pete with any "Sheedy house." In consequence of the order, two agents were informed in the early part of the week their absence from JL.Ur Sheedy headquarters would not be missed. If in America right now I might get a week at Brighton Beach and then "lay off" till fall. VAN HOVEN.