Variety (August 1915)

LEGITIMATE, 11 WITH BUT FOUR SHOWS BOOKED MONTREA L MUST PLAY STOCK Her Majesty's Theatre in Principal Canadian City Has Only Four Legitimate Attractions for Next Season. Stock Starts Monday. Klaw & Erlanger House. Montreal, Aug. 11. Through having but four legitimate attractions booked at Her Majesty's theatre for next season, it has been found necessary to place a stock com- pany at the house, to keep it open. George Driscoll, the new manager of the Klaw & Erlanger theatre, will open the stock season Monday with "Big Jim Garrity." Marion Barney and Lewis Anker are the leads. Cyril Maude and Bernhardt are two of the attractions booked. During the four weeks the legits are at Her Mej- csty's the stock will be moved to near- by towns. Canada is not over hopeful at this time over the war. The German suc- cess in Poland has depressed the best informed Canadians. It is expected to show its effect upon the coming the- atrical season. MESSENGER'S MEXICAN MONEY. Walter "Sidepocket" Messenger, who leaves to-day for the coast in advance of Potash and Perlmutter," has com- pleted a collection of United Cigar Stores green certificates which he hopes to be able to pass as regular money when he hits some of the towns along the Mexican border. There arc about five different brands of currency in cir- culation there at present and Messenger thinks that he can convince the natives that his certificates are the issue of a new regime—in revolutions. FIVE OPENINGS ONE DAY. Chicago, Aug. 11. Five openings of new shows for Chi- cago are scheduled for here Sept. 5. They are "Watch Your Step," at the Illinois theatre; "It Pays to Adver- tise,"' Cohan's Grand; Walker White- side, Princess; "The Only Girl," Gar- rick, and "He Comes Up Smiling," Power's. NIBLO'S "HIT THE TRAIL." The new Fred Niblo show which is to be the opening attraction at the Astor has been placed in rehearsal. "Hit the Trail" is the title of the piece which is said to be based on Billy Sunday's revival campaign. Mr. Niblo is to play the leading*role, that of a revivalist. In the cast will be Joe Allen, John O'Hara, Laura Bennett, J. Maynard, C. R. Mc- Kinney, Katherine LaSalle, Harold Grau and Purnell Pratt. JOLSON IN WHITE FACE. It is said that when the new Winter Garden show opens in October, Broad- way is to be handed a surprise in the form of Al Jolson in white face. The chorus for the new show was called for rehearsal last Monday. The Si."berts have decider! to keep "Dancing Around" on tour after Jol- son leaves it. In his place they will substitute a black face comedian who has been on the Loew Circuit for some time past. SET BACK $193,000. From the Coast comes word that G. M. (Broncho Billy) Anderson lost exactly $193,000 in his theatrical ven- tures and theatre building projects and under no consideration will he attempt anything further in that line. ZIMMERMAN'S JOB. J. Fred Zimmerman, Jr., who was the manager of the Gaiety theater for many seasons, has been taken into the K. & E. office to route shows. He will be in the office with Charles Maynard, plac- ing the attractions of the Aarons cir- cuit. TANNEHILL ALONE. Frank Tannehill, Jr., and Gus Hill have discontinued their business as- sociation, which has lasted over four years. The parting, entirely amicable, occurred about a week ago. Tanne- hill is going west after awhile to pro- duce a series of comedy pictures, one and two reelers, at his own plant which he purchased last spring while on the coast. During his association with Gus Hill the author wrote and produced all of the series of "Mutt and Jeff" shows, including the first and the follow-ups "In Panama" and "In Mexico." He also was the author of "Bringing Up Father." EXTRA SUMMER MATINEE. Chicago, Aug. 11. During the next three weeks the last of the Joseph Santley run at the Gar- rick, an extra matinee will be given each Thursday. Williams and Wolfus, in the piece, asked to be featured with the billing, and instead received the usual two weeks' notice. Richard Temple has been engaged for the production. KELLERD TRYING IT. John Kcllcrd, with almost a clear field with Shakespcrian repertoire pieces, is recruiting a new company for a long tour through the country. The closest "opposition" Kellerd will have in the heavy stuff en route will be the Sir Forbes-Robertson company. "KICK IN" WITH BENNETT. Atlantic City, Aug. 11. "Kick In," with Richard Benrctt, opened Monday at the Apollo to $^ *5. It is due at the Olympic. Chicago, Aug. ?3, playing there to a $150 scale. EQUITY'S CONTRACT USED. Members of Equity Association, back from the two big meetings held on the Coast in July under its auspices, are jubilant over the success of the gatherings and also the prospect of the big producing managers accepting an equity contract as sanctioned by the Association. Howard Kyle, an Association official, anticipates no trouble of any great ex* tent upon the uniform contract thing as far as the players are concerned. Kyle this week received a letter from the Exposition heads, complimenting the Association upon the splendid meeting held under its territory last month. The letter came unexpected and is highly prized by the Association. Each of the 10 companies directed by Oliver Morosco are now equipped with players with signed Equity contracts as a result of a speech Morosco made before the Association on the Coast when he told the members he consid- ered its form of contract perfectly fair and entirely satisfactory to him. This week the A. H. Woods' office requested 150 contract blanks from the Equity, while Lee Shubert and William Brady have inferred that they will also use them in the future. The standard form of the Equity con- tract provides in one instance that where any player rehearses four weeks he shall be guaranteed a two weeks' season should the show only stay out one or two days and then close. Several members of the Equity have figured out the Morosco contract usage alone has saved the players be- tween $15,000 and $20,000 and more than 20 times paid the expenses of the Association representatives to the Coast meetings. SHOWS IN 'FRISCO. San Francisco, Aug. 11. Mrs. Patrick Campbell is doing big ai the Columbia and this week's busi- ness started out very well. She has been here three weeks. The Bert Lytell-Ethel Vaughan stock at the Alcazar is .registering good business. "Omar, the Tent Maker," with Guy Bates Post, is holding its own at the Cort. The Orpheum is still turning them away and there is always a big advance demand for seats. The attendance at the Exposition is big. ENGAGED FOR "TOOTSIE." P. O'Malley Jennings has engaged with Klaw & Erlanger for "Miss Tootsie," which is also to have Tyler Brooke. The production is to be put into rehearsal shortly. The chorus was called for last week, but on reporting were told to return in a fortnight. Among the others who have been engaged are William Norris, Felix Adler, Lnura Hamilton, Georgia O'Raniey. Lucy Weston and Harry Fern. Fern will also work in black face. If you don't odvortlM In VARIETY, don't tdvtrtlM. "COMMON CLAY" DID $12,W0. Atlantic City, Aug. 11. The A. H. Woods new show, "Com- mon Clay," is said to have done $12,000 at the Apollo last week. This week the piece is splitting between Asbury Park and Long Branch. It will likely open at the Republic, New York, about Aug. 19. The new show is the prize play se- lected by John Craig for Boston pres- entation last season. Cleves Kinkaid, a young southern attorney, wrote it. This week at Long Branch and As- bury Park at the Walter Rosenberg houses it looks as though "Common Clay" will do between $8,000 and $9,000. The record for both houses on the split is $6,700. S.-H. STARTING. The Stair-Havlin Circuit, through its general manager George H. Nicolai, is getting its houses in line for the fall openings. He has booked "School Days," the new Herman Timberg re- vival of the former musical piece, for the Majestic, Buffalo, Sept. 6. The Prospect, Cleveland, opens Sept. 6 with Vaughan Glaser and company as the attraction. The Lyceum, Pater- son, N. J., has "Kick In" as its starter, Sept. 1. The National, Chicago, commenced last Sunday while this Sunday the Crown and Victoria, in the Windy City, booked by S.-H., will open with stock companies the first to open. HAS THB PARK. Although May Irwin has been booked in as the first of the season's plays at the Park, the company to re- main there indefinitely pending its success here, the Park is how under the control of the Modern Play Co., with Lawrence Anhalt, directing man- ager. Helen Tyler is treasurer of the company and has several new comedies which she hopes to bring out at the Park before the end of the current season. The Modern Play Co. is again pro- ducing "Polygamy" in September, and two long engagements are carded for both Chicago and Boston. FIVE "SIXES" OUT. H. H. Frazee has completed ar- rangements to send out five companies of "A Pair of Sixes" for the coming season. One company will be a week stand show and go to the coast, the others, one nighters. MAY IRWIN'S NEW LEAD. Leonard Hollister has replaced John Junior as leading man with May Ir- win in "13 Washington Square," to open at the Park Aug. 23. He was placed by Chamberlain Brown. PETROVA IN "THE HAWK." The Shuberts are routing Olga Pe- trova in "The Hawk," the starring ve- hicle for William Faversham last sea- son. Mr. Faversham is signed to do another picture for the Metro, r.ft+r which he will be seen in a new play,