Variety (January 1916)

CABLES GABY AND PILCER AT ODDS; HARRY AND TEDDY NEW TEAM? Harry Piker Discontented. Probably Entering Vaudeville Here With Teddy Gerard. Harry Peeved Through Non-Prominence in Show. A prospective stage partnership for this side is reported as Harry Pilcer and Teddy Gerard. The combination is planned for vaudeville, about the time Mr. Pilcer's present contract with Charles Dillingham's "Stop, Look, Listen," expires. That agreement has 2C weeks to run. It is for $600 weekly, and Mr. Pilcer is supposed to be jointly starred in the show with Gaby Deslys. Mr. Dillingham has lived up to the letter of the starring contract. Gaby's name on the sign outside the Globe may be seen with the naked eye, whilst Harry's is not so prominent, though there. Something akin to jealousy is some- where hidden away in Pilcer's dis- content, the report says. Mr. Pilcer has been Gaby's tutor for several years, as far as her practical stage experience is concerned. When the French girl first came to New York, at the Winter Garden, she had little knowledge of performing beyond the wearing of hats and clothes. Mr. Pilcer taught her what he knew about dancing, and Gaby evidently looked upon him as import- ant to her future professional career, for the two thereafter signed theatrical engagements together. When the Globe production was launched, after Gaby and Harry had come over here especially to play in it (Gaby receiving $3,000 a week), young Mr. Pilcer found he had little to do. That little was still further reduced when the show started its New York run. Besides it is said Gaby didn't seem to mind when her assignments in the performance often called upon her to work opposite Joe Santley, more often than with Harry, and so often it was decidedly noticeable. The changed condition is said to have made Harry irritable. After the re- views of the piece in the dailies Harry became more irritated, for most of the critics must have gone home by the time he appeared for his best effort. Then Harry's thoughts turned to Teddy, in London, a young woman he had danced with in the halls over there when once separating from Gaby for a spell. Miss Gerard's chief claim to fame in New York is that she married Joe Raymond and can wear less clothes on the stage than anyone else, without being interfered with. Harry Fitzgerald, the agent, thought Teddy and Harry would look like a $2,000 act for New York, and Harry agreed with him, even making it $2,500. The only blot in the offing appears to be Joe Raymond. Mr. Raymond's marriage with Teddy was such a hasty affair Joe can't quite recall all the details. He remembers the license and the ceremony. Then he picked up his hat, turned around to look for his bride and she wasn't there. Nor has Joe seen her since, though she admits that for America only she is Mrs. Joe Ray- mond. What Joe might do if his lost Teddy comes over is an aspect on the Teddy-Harry act that will have some weight, though Teddy is likely con- vinced that her Joe will listen to reason at any time. DE COURVILLE'S HAWAIIANS. London, Jan. 5. A. P. de Courville has cabled to America to Frederic McKay to secure a troupe of Hawaiian musicians for the new revue which he is to place into rehearsal immediately. Mr. Wilson sailed on the New Amsterdam from Falmouth Monday. There are rumors he has closed- a big deal for future London productions of his own in which both he and Arthur Voegtlin, the American pro- ducer, formerly at the Hippodrome, are to be jointly interested. DEMAND FOR VAN HOVEN. London, Jan. 5. Van Hoven plays one of the quick- est return dates on record here at the Victoria Palace next week, also ap- pearing at the Kingston Empire, about seven miles away. Booking Agent Jack Hayman's gen- eral policy is not to play any act twice in one season. It is only a few weeks ago since Van Hoven played there. He appeared at two halls last week, his salary for the joint engagement to- taling $1,200. Next week Van Hoven resumes his interrupted engagement at the Alham- bra, broken into by being compelled to play previously contracted dates. WRESTLER ATTRACTION. The Loew Circuit next Monday at the American is presenting Tofalos, the Greek wrestler, now engaged in the Wrestling Tournament at the Manhat- tan opera house. Besides exhibiting as a wrestler the Greek will give a strength performance and also sing. S. Rachmann booked the act. ARMY LIFE DULL. Rex McDougall, an English actor, who was in this country about a year ago but who returned to Great Brit- ian for army service, is back in this country again. He says that there wasn't enough doing in the army to keep him busy. HARRY BURNS MARRYING. London, Jan. 5. Harry Burns, the agent, will marry Florence Pett next Monday (Jan. 10). The bride-to-be is a niece of Walter de Frece. London, Dec. 22. Business at the theatres and music halls continues to show improvement The public appear to have forgotten the "Zep" raids and if the authorities would only allow more light, things would be normal. Encouraged by stories of large profits made from revues, speculators have been induced to invest capital in these touring productions, but many are feel- ing a bad draught and at least one-third are not playing to expenses. Because a revue is successful in London it does not follow it will be in the provinces. "Shell Out" is a case in point and Harry Day, who is one of the most ex- perienced revue producers, has already sunk $10,000 over the provincial rights. Lockhart's Elephants are again per- forming in London. When the war broke out they were captured in Bel- gium by the Huns, who tried to utilize them for drawing their big guns. But, as the sagacious animals only obeyed their trainer, Captain Taylor, nothing could be done with them and, in order to save their enormous board bill, they were put over the frontier into Hol- land, where their trainer resumed pos- session of them. Walter Passmore and his clever wife, Agnes Fraser, have scored a success with his revue "Ducks and Quacks" touring in the provinces. Johnny Dan- vers, late of Drury Lane pantomime, supplies most of the comedy and the principal dancer is Topsy Phillips from the Gaiety. The revue is well dressed and mounted. "The Starlight Express," described as a fantasy for children and adults, will be produced at the Kingsway by Lena Ashwell at Christmas. The authors, Algernon Blackwood and Violet Pearn, will endeavor to show that "tears of trouble are really tears of laughter— gone astray." G. P. Huntley, who has arranged to visit America at the end of December, in connection with his films, has chang- ed his mind and will resume his origi- nal part in "Betty" at Daly's on Boxing Day. C. B. Cochran has arranged that, when a successor to "More" is wanted at the Ambassadors, it shall be written by Fred Thompson and Morris Harvey. Allan Aynesworth is the latest actor- manager to revert to variety. He will start his vaudeville career with a re- vised version of "Ready Money." With the advent of Christmas all the West End theatres will be in full swing and in many cases giving two perform- ances daily. With regard to the pan- tomimes, we are to have "Puss in Boots" at Drury Lane, "Robinson Cru- soe" at the Lyceum, "Babes in the Wood" at the Aldwych and "Cinder- ella" at the Palladium, the latter at matinees only. In addition to these pantomines there will be special attrac- tions for children with the revival of "Alice in Wonderland," "Peter Pan" and "Where the Rainbow Ends." There is also to be a new production at the Kingsway, "The Starlight Express," de- scribed as a fantasy for children and adults, while the evergreen "Charley's Aunt," which is a Christmas fixture in London, will be presented at the Lon- don opera house. The all-conquering revue will also be a strong attraction in the West End, and in addition those now running at the Comedy, Playhouse, Alhambra, Empire, Palace and Pavilion, the Hippodrome reopens with a new revue entitled "Hullo, Joy-Land." There are also several managers, in- cluding Charles Hawtrey and Frank Curzon, who are looking for theatres in which to produce new plays early in the new year. This satisfactory state of things should be an object lesson to the Huns who had hoped to demor- alize London by their air raids. That the Huns have not succeeded in their designs, the declaration of a 22%% dividend at the Alhambra, Glasgow will prove. Mme. Sarah Bernhardt has selected "Les Cathedrals," by M. Eugene Mor- and, with music by Gabriel Pierne, for her reappearance at the Coliseum Jan. 3. The play was recently produced by her at her own theatre in Paris, she taking the role of the spirit of Stras- bourg. Mme. Bernhardt is in her 71st year and it will be her first appearance in London since her leg was ampu- tated. Alfred Butt has entrusted the English version of "Stop! Look! Listen!" the next production at the Empire, to Ar- thur Wimperis and Fay Compton has been engaged to play a leading part C. H. Bovill, the author of "Honi Soit" is writing a new revue to re- place it at the London Pavilion, due early in the new year. Clifford Dickson, who is appearing in "Hullo, Joy-Land," was, till recently, a lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. He was wounded in the trenches at Hill 60 and has been invalided out of the army. Although it is not generally known, Miss Horniman acquired the remainder of Charles Frohman's lease of the Duke of York's theatre some time ago. Un- der her control "Alice in Wonderland" will occupy the stage during the after- noons, while in the evenings Miss Horniman's own company will appear in a double bill consisting of Shakes- peare's "Comedy of Errors," played without an interval and the "Blue Mocking."