Variety (January 1916)

CABLES CUT RATE SEATS AT HOTELS UNDER MANAGERIAL NOTICE Meeting to Be Held for Discussion of it. Shuberts Reported Opposed, With Interests Antagonistic to Them Favor- ing it. Would Be Confession by Managers and Affect Country Business. A plan is underway to be definitely settled this morning, which may mean that cut rate theatre tickets are to be on sale at all of the hotel stands con- trolled by the Tyson Company. The idea has been under discussion for sev- eral weeks past and at present there is only one hitch to the scheme. The Shuberts, who are reported more inter- ested than it appears on the surface in one of the already existing cut-rate concerns, refuse to sanction it. Just what would happen if the cut- rate hotel scheme should go through is a matter to be given deepest con- sideration by the managers of the thea- tres before it is adopted or discarded. The function of the hotel ticket agency is in a great measure to act as booster for the theatre to the out-of-town vis- itor. This faculty, it would seem on the surface, is to be destroyed by the inauguration of the proposed scheme. At present the Tyson Company con- trols the theatre tickets stands in the Waldorf-Astoria, Ritz-Carlton, Plaza, St. Regis, Belmont, Astor, Knicker- bocker, Vanderbilt, Holland House, Imperial, Wolcott, Savoy, Breslin, Murray Hill, Marie Antoinette, Clar- idge Hotels and several clubs. With the exception of about three of the ho- tels in the center of the theatrical dis- trict the majority of the business these hotel stands do is with the transients in town. ' If a double scale of prices should be displayed at any of these stands it might make it almost impossible for the salesmen to direct people to houses other than the biggest hits in town. The out-of-town visitor comes to New York with the idea of spending money and once he is wise that the New York theatre and producing managers are and have been handing those living in the outlying sections of the country what might be popularly termed as "bunk" it may be about five times as hard to attract money in the smaller cities than it is now. The present scheme is said to be fa vored by interest antagonistic to the Shuberts, as a possible means of straightening out certain difficulties en- suing with a ticket agency over a brok- en agreement. McNAUGHTON CANT ENLIST. The English Army has turned down Tom McNaughton. It came through the English Consul at New York. Mr. McNaughton, who is engaged to ap- pear in the new Henry W. Savage pro- duction of "Pom Pom," presented him- self at the Consulate, stating he was 47 years of age and wanted to go to war. The Consul replied he couldn't under- stand why a married man should still be looking for fight, and if Mr. Mc- Naughton must battle, he, the Consul, suggested Mrs. McNaughton for the training episode. Besides said the Con sul-General, that though he must ac- cept McNaughton's word he was 47, he, the Consul, couldn't believe it, as Tom didn't look so old. Whereupon Mr. Thomas McNaugh- ton related the story at the Lamb's in proof of other assertive statements the head of the McNaughton family has been lately called upon to give out through certain mischievious allega- tions of his friends, said allegations (from latest reports) having been founded upon a false alarm, much to the anguish of Mr. McNaughton and his supposed temporary period of renewed youth. HITCHCOCK NOT SETTLED. London, Jan. 19. Although Raymond Hitchcock has been here for several weeks there has been no announcement by the Alfred Butt management as to the vehicle for the American comedian. Hitchcock has been seeing the Lon- don theatres and favorite English comic* Yetta Rianza Can Dance. London, Jan. 19. At the Hippodrome Yetta Rianza, premiere danseuse of the Opera Comique, Paris, was introduced in the "Joyland" revue with success. She is a splendid dancer. If you don't aoWtlM In VARIETY, don't advertise. VAN HOVEN1 VAN HOVENl THE DIPPY MAD MAGICIAN Wanted, a few nice squirrels. I promise they will not be underfed. Didn't YOU notice that we have been import- ■ iik a lot of nuts lately? LONDON REVUE IN NEW YORK. London, Jan. 19. The success of "Joyland" at the Hip- podrome has decided Albert de Cour- ville to make arrangements for the presentation of an American edition of the piece. This is the reason for Wil- liam J. Wilson's hasty departure from England immediately after the opening of the new Hip production. He is to complete the arrangements in New York. On his last trip to America the Shu- berts were reported to have offered de Courville the Winter Garden if he cared to bring a production over, but at present it is a possibility the Lon- don producer will close a deal for the Century opera house and the produc- tion may eventually be staged there. There is to be a meeting of the con- trolling board of the Moss Empires Corporation here this week that will definitely set the future plans regarding the de Courville invasion of America with a revue. Before leaving for America Wilson signed a contract with the London manager to stage at least two produc- tions annually in England. BERNHARDT THRILLS. London, Jan. 19. Sarah Bernhardt's new playlet at the Coliseum, entitled "Du Theatre au Champ D'Honneur," is an enormous success. The diva appears as a French soldier lying on a battlefield, wounded, after capturing the German colors. She gives utterance to some powerful speeches, leaving the audiences spell- bound as she dies crying: "Vive L'Engleterrel Vive La France!" BILL FIELDS, CHAMP ATHLETE. Chicago, Jan. 19. Malcolm MacLean in the Chicago Evening Post the other night, carried a story to the effect, W. C. Fields( jug- gler) is the best all-around athlete on the stage not excepting Fred Stone. The sporting writer referred to Lar- ney Lichenstein, manager of Joe Well- ing (fighter) saying that on an ocean trip the juggler made a firm showing against Jim Clabby and Welling. He says Mr. Fields is an expert in base- ball, shooting, throwing quoits, and boxing. SENSIBLE ELSIE JANIS. Elsie Janis last week at the Orpheum was billed throughout Brooklyn as "America's Wonder Child" and "Clev- erest Girl in the World." Both were distasteful to Miss Janis, according to a short speech made by her at the opening of her act at every porform- nnce. She informed the audience the bill- ing over-praised her but wished she might please. Miss Janis remarked that a "wonder child" in her estimation was one with six or seven legs and she only had two, which was nothing to' write home about. As far the "cleverest girl" line, Miss Janis said she was but one of many who tried to sucreed by hard work. REVUE LOOKS LIKE 'TURKEY/' London, Jan. 19. Jack Norworth has handed in his "notice" to the management of the re- vived revue which was moved from the Garrick to the Queens. Hetty King and Ernie Lotinga are scoring in it, but the scenery and cos* tumes are so cheap and "fakey" the production looks like a "turkey" bur- lesque. The management won't spend any money either on production or adver- tising. Norworth returns to the music halls until another legitimate offer presents itself. PRODUCING FROM HERE. While Selwyn & Co. and A. H. Woods, who are jointly interested in the successful farce, "Fair and Warm- er," at the Eltinge, have received in- numerable offers from London man- agers to reproduce the piece for the English capital, the American owners of the copyright have determined to make their own production abroad. This will be done shortly, according to report, which also says that had the rights been leased to an English- man the condition would have been 50 per cent, division on both show and house profits, besides a bonus for the transfer. SUBMARINES IN ENGLISH WATERS. The New York Evening Sun Tues- day in reporting the accident to the Rhyndam said there was reliable in- formation last week in New York that German submarines were again operat- ing in English waters. The Sun men- tioned that the Huronian, an English boat, had been torpedoed off the Irish coast very recently. Variety- had a cable from its London representative last week, stating the submarines had been driven away from waters adjacent to England. 50 WOMEN ATTEND. At the first closed meeting of the White Rats to which the members of the Affiliated Actresses of America were admitted, held Tuesday night *»t the club house, over SO of the female members attended. Flowers were distributed to the visit- ing women who took considerable in- terest in the resolutions passed and the business before the meeting. PLUGGING "SWEET ADAIR." Not content with having his plug- gers bodily ejected from the Automat restaurant a few weeks ago for whist- ling "Adair" at the noon hour, Wolfe Gilbert, professional manager for the house of Stern, has perpetrated anoth- er stunt of that same brand. The other day he sent a wire to the Grand Central Depot, addressed to "Miss Adair," who was supposed to be aboard an incoming western train, and in addition, 'phoned over, request- ing she be paged and called to the telephone. As a result a messenger boy and a telephone page were both yelling "Miss Adair" at the tops of their voices as the passengers emerged from the train,