Variety (January 1916)

VAUDEVILLE TO BUILD MASSIVE THEATRE ON PRESENT NEW YORK SITE Building Now Containing New York and Criterion Theatres to Be Razed. New Structure to Cover Entire Block Will Seat 4,500. Store and Office Building Included in Plans. Marcus Loew and K. & E. in Project The newest theatre New York is going to have, according to report, will be on the site of the present New York theatre. The proposed building is to contain a theater seating 4,500, with stores and offices around and above it. The story also says Klaw & Erlang- er, who control the New York, will have Marcus Loew (its present tenant) associated with them in the new edi- fice. The New York building, also con- taining the Criterion (Vitagraph), has been held for a long time by K. & E. at a selling price of $4,000,000. The site for the new house is to run back toward Sixth avenue, beyond the lim- its of the New York's plot. Options are said to have been secured from property owners of property necessary to the addition, with the exception of one house on West 44th street, which stood for a long while in the way of a realty corporation which wanted the New York's site for an immense hotel. The property across from the New York on the northeast corner of 45th street, with nothing of value on it, is held at $2,500,000. An offer of $1,750,- 000 made for it a while ago was re- jected. The plot is smaller than the New York's. SOPHIE TUCKER'S TROUBLE. The trouble of Sophie Tucker at the Palace, New York, last week, has re- solved itself into a quest for the sponsor of a gallery boy who called out to Miss Tucker during her act at the opening matinee, "Why don't you sing 'Louisville?' I sent you the flowers." This was so obviously arranged to injure the reputation of Waterson, Berlin & Snyder (who publish "When You're Down in Louisville") that sus- picion finally pointed to a theatrical trade weekly as responsible in order to "pan" the Waterson firm for "song plugging." It was a silly and futile attempt, since no publishing house having any brains around its establishment could ever sanely adopt this method, nor is it believed by people in the music busi- ness that there is a publisher in it who would stoop to such tactics to annoy a competitor. Miss Tucker gave her full perform- ance Monday afternoon, and after the night show the management request- ed Miss Tucker to cut down her run- ning time to eight minutes. This she declined to do and agreed with the Palace she would leave the bill. This week the singer is at the Royal, next week at the Flatbush, Brooklyn, with no future dates on the New York big time at present. The Palace-Sophie Tucker incident of the song matter, practically invited by the artiste herself from the manner of her turn (which asked that calls be given for songs desired), has been fool- ishly used by two or three people, also the paper referred to, in an effort to place the Palace as a "song-plugging" scene, something that never has hap- pened at that house where every mu- sic publishing professional manager in town knows they could never get it over on Elmer F. Rogers, one of the wisest and most capable vaudeville managers in the country, who is in charge. The Palace is also too important a theatre for any professional music manager to toy with his standing there, and that is likewise generally under- stood in the music trade. Miss Tucker seemed to be at a loss to fathom out who might have caused the yelling. She wrote several music firms, blaming each one. THERE'S A REAL HELEN STEWART. There's a living Helen Stewart on the stage, and she has been greatly embarrassed through the mention of a "Helen Stewart" in Variet* of Jan. 7. That issue carried a story of how Harry Fitzgerald had caused one "Helen Stewart" to be paged in the 50th street subway station. In writing the story, the name of the girl was made mythical, to conceal her identity, at least so the writer of the story thought, as he selected the first name that came to mind. Friends of Miss Stewart (who was of Grossman and Stewart, in vaudeville) commenced to josh her about the sub- way incident, particularly as Mr. Fitz- gerald is a vaudeville agent, the young woman's stage name was the same and she is living, with her husband, Harold R. Woolf, near the 50th street station. Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Woolf have appeared together, professionally. The matter ceased to be funny and Miss Stewart decided to set it right. BOBBE AND DALE SEPARATE. Chicago, Jan. 19. Robbe and Dale, the vaudeville team, have separated. Billy Dale is leaving this week for the Coast to join the Keystone. WHOLE AUDIENCE CREDITORS. Violinsky made his re-appearance on Broadway this week kfter several months in Los Angeles, during which time he temporarily left the stage to in- troduce a new business idea under the title of Violinsky's Broadway Winter Garden, an ice cream parlor dansant. Violinsky gambled on the Prohibition movement and figured the abolition of the liquor traffic would drive the cabaret patrons into the ice cream stores for their customary Fox Trot and Tango, but the musician was somewhat ahead of the time and his Winter Garden went "democratic" after a few months. Violinsky, in addition to his business experience, has also accumulated some valuable statistics on the confectionery question and claims no one of the pres- ent age has any idea how fast ice cream can really melt, once it starts. His business venture necessitated a journey through bankruptcy, but Violin- sky merely included his business debts in the schedule and decided to look after all personal obligations. Shortly after filing his petition he appeared at a Los Angeles theatre and for an encore an- nounced that if his creditors present would kindly arise and step back stage he would arrange to balance his ac- counts at once. Violinsky says he was somewhat startled to see the entire or- chestra arise in a body and file toward the exits. Violinsky will play vaudeville dates in the east, offering his former specialty in which his original "bits" of playing at a picture show and in a "free and easy" are featured. "LOOP" SHOW GOING OUT. Chicago, Jan. 19. "Within the Loop" at the Chicago has failed to do any business in the Windy City and withdraws from the house Jan. 22. The incoming attrac- tion advertised is "Two Is Company," opening Jan. 23, and headed by Amelia Stone and Armand Kaliz. "Within the Loop" will take to the road and play week and one night stands toward New York, going to St. Louis from here and then playing Cin- cinnati (week), three days Indianapolis, Dayton, Wheeling, Bradford, Pa., each one night, and then into Baltimore and Washington. Muriel Window left Saturday. She is going into vaudeville around here. Billy Gregory has been replaced by Bobby Higgins, whose vaudeville part- ner, Ivy Lancton, has teamed with Bonnie Gaylord to present "On and Off" over the Orpheum Circuit. Ed Coe, trombonist, quits to return to vaudeville. Will Philbrick goes on the road with the show. Dave Lewis will not go out with it. GARDEN SHOW IN PHILLY. With the leaving from the Winter Garden Saturday of "A Whirl of Pleas- ure," it is said the. Shuberts will send it on the road. Probably first to Phil- adelphia. Early this week there was a report Kitty Gordon, Jack Wilson and Frank- lyn Batie would not go on tour with the company. It was also mentioned Rita Gould might join the show on its first out-of-town stand. BARRY JOINS FELIX. The newest vaudeville partnership is George Felix and Bobby Barry. Mr. Felix is arranging the turn, to be a comedy one. Mr. Barry was recently of Ratlif, Earry and Hayden, where he was the mainstay. Mr. Felix, of late years, has been appearing with the two Barry girls, sisters of Lydia Barry (Mrs. Felix), who is also a brother to Bobby, all children of their famous father of similar name. No announcement has been given out regarding the future of the Barry girls. They recently, with Mr. Felix, went west to play the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association houses. Mr. Felix said the Association made every concession he asked for, but after four weeks or so the girls grew lonesome for New York, and Mr. Felix was obliged to cancel the contracts. It is the second time in his stage career of 33 years he has had to "walk out" on a manager, Mr. Felix adds, stating the other time was at Hammerstein's on a return date, when the manage- ment failed to keep a promise made on a previous engagement. A "FATTY" ARBUCKLE M0N0L0G. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, the star comedian of the Keystone, has a mono- log which he expects to launch upon a vaudeville stage around the end of the month. Arthur Klein secured Mr. Arbuckle for vaudeville, after the film comedian is reported to have asked $1,500 week- ly for the speaking stage. "Fatty" is as well known to Key- stone picture fans as was Charlie Chap- lin when with that company. Tempest and Sunshine Departing? A story says a possibility exists that Sunshine and Tempest will leave the Gaby show at the Globe. The two pirls receive $600 weekly with the pro- duction. They have but one song to sing, in the second act, and do not ap- pear otherwise, excepting in the finales. BRADLEY AND NORRIS. Wallace Bradley and Nevcna Norris (Bradley and Norris) arc photographi- cally reproduced on the front cover of this issue. They are at present touring the United time in a typical variety offering entitled "In Loveland," de- scribed as "A Dainty Vaudeville Cor- dial." It is a melange of songs, danc- ing, patter and some unusual trick bicycling performed by Mr. Bradley. Kver since the formation they have been playing continuously for the United Booking Offices and now have a route until May next. This week they are at the Bush- wick theatre, Brooklyn, their second week across the river, having played the Orpheum last week. Keith's, Washington, will see them next week. Miss Norris is one of the best dressed women in vaudeville, carrying sufficient changes of costume to stage a Fashion Display of her own. Jenie Jacobs, of the Pat Casey Agency, is their booking representa- tive.