Variety (January 1916)

10 LEGITIMATE, SHOWS AT THE BOX OFFICE IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO Abnormally Good Business in Metropolis. Present Week First Normal One Since Christmas. "Stop! Look! Listen!" and "Sybil" Added to New York Successes. The present week in the New York theatres is the first normal one since Christmas when the tide of theatrical box office returns commenced to sweep upward. This was continued during the holiday period and remained, some- what increased the following week by the large numbers of visitors in New York. Last week the theatres still felt the influence of the strangers in town, and though with this week the western buyers are arriving, New York attrac- tions are now having their real test of drawing powers. The country appears to be resound- ing with the confidence of good times, at hand or on the way, and this be- lief is helping the $2 shows. New York theatrical managers look for the remainder of the season to hold up reasonably well at least, if the show "is there" at all Variety's monthly report of box office receipts follows: "Major Barbara" (Grace George) (Playhouse). Has caught on without much doubt; $6,800 last week. Winter Garden ("A Whirl of Pleas- ure"). Business has gone all to pieces. One night last week reported not six rows occupied in the orchestra. Doubt- ful if Garden show did $10,000 last week, Sunday included. Capacity of theatre, $34,000. Is vivid illustration of the futility of attempting to attrac; business through "blue" scheme of any kind on Broadway. Amount of dam- age to reputation of theatre beyond es- timation. "Town Topics" opening there next week, after having been withdrawn at the Century but a few weeks ago (following a run of eight weeks at the Century to average busi- ness of $11,000). "Topics" stop-gap pending presentation of new Al Jolson show. Something had to go in Garden to keep house open through dismal patronage of current attraction. "Just A Woman" (48th St.). Opened Monday night. "The Eternal Magda- lene" with Julia Arthur closed Satur- day. Did $4,600 in its last week of the run. "Stop! Look! Listen! (Gaby Deslys) (Globe). Playing to capacity; $17,000 last week. A couple of cold nights slightly held down attendance. Same in all Broadway theatres the same eve- nings. The new Charles Dillingham show a certain hit .and now listed among the New York successes. Mr. Dillingham is largely featuring'the Irv- ing Berlin music in the production. "The Pride of Race" (Robert Hil- liard) (Elliott). Doing some extensive advertising, likely on the theory the show can get over and booming from the start will help that to a speedy re- sult. Did $4,800 last week, very good for *he Elliott and a show but shortly opei. aM0 . Hippodrome ("Hip, Hip, Hooray"). The wonder show of the season. Did $73,600 New Year's Week, giving the management a net profit of $35,000. Ordinary week, $54,000 to $58,000. Last Sunday night concert with Pavlowa. $7,000. "Princess Pat" (Cort). Business taking a drop; $6,200 last week, a lit- tle over half capacity, and the show's successor if found may quickly land. "Pat" will jump to Chicago when leav- ing the Cort here. "Common Clay" (Republic).—Last week $9,300. Business jumped after holidays and held. Upstairs liberally patronized at the cut-rate offices. "Treasure Island" (Punch & Judy). This little theatre is playing to all it can hold with "Treasure Island" that looks like a long run; $5,700 last week. •The Weavers" (Garden). $1,200 gross last week. Garden way down- town. "The Cinderella Man" (Hudson). Opened Monday night. "Ruggles of Red Gap" (Fulton). This piece with Ralph Herz starred fell away to almost nothing. Leaves Sat- urday for Boston. Rose Stahl in "Moonlight Mary" opens at Fulton Monday. "Erstwhile Susan" (Mrs. Fiske). Opened Tuesday night. "Sadie Love" moved to Harris Monday. Manage- ment "Sadie Love" now using paper printed before show was produced, carrying names of people not with pro- duction. "Cock o' the Walk" (Otis Skinner) (Cohan Theatre). Did $8,300 last week. Surprised several managements. Offer reported of $1,000 nightly for the house before Mr. Skinner opened. Cut-rate tickets have been plentifully displayed, for any part of the house. "Sybil" (Sanderson - Brian - Caw- thorne) (Liberty). Jumped into popu- larity from the outset and played to full capacity last week, $15,000. Hotels bought immediately for eight weeks in advance. Charging $2.50 Saturday night Maude Adams (Empire). Miss Adams strong as ever. Playing to $20,- 000 weekly whether with "The Little Minister" or "Peter Pan." "Around the Map" (Amsterdam). Hotel purchases ended with last Sat- urday night performance. Not much expected to follow that Show did $10,500 last week and with the hotel end $11,000. It has been averaging around $12,000 weekly. Cut rate offices hand- ling upstairs tickets. This management (Klaw & Erlanger) strongly opposed "cut rates" last season and early this season. "Map" piece may leave Jan. 29, going to Philadelphia. "The Boomerang" (Belasco). Has the longest run this season to its credit and looks good into the spring. Did between $10,000 and $11,000 last week.. Highly commended comedy. "Fair and Warmer" (Eltinge). Reputation of show as a good one in- creases; $11,500 last week. 'The House of Glass" (Candler). About $5,000. Has been held in by EMMA CARUS In one of MME. ROSENBERG'S creations. MME. ROSENBERG it attracting very favorable attastion among show people for the style and quality of gowns made by her. They art being frcqutafly seen upon si) the ftages in New York, the cut rate offices for the past two months. "Hit the Trail, H oil 1 day" (Fred Niblo) (Astor). Around $6,000. Will move to the Candler when the new Geo. M. Cohan revue is ready for the Astor. "Potash and Perlmutter in Society" (Lyric). Renamed last week from the original title, "Abe and Mawruss." De- sire to get "P & P" in name caused it. $9,400 last week. "Alone At Last" (Shubert); $5,500. Light money for size theatre. E. H. Sothera ("David Garrick") (Booth). Has done extremely well. Between $9,000 and $10,000 last week. Leaves Saturday for the Shubert, Bos- ton. "The Fear Market" opens at Booth, Jan. 26. "Katinka" (44th Street). Arthur Hammerstein's music production se- curing fair play and drawing around $6,500. "The Unchastened Woman" (39th St.). About $5,500. "Hobson's Choice" (Comedy). Noth- ing to brag about. $4,200 last week. "Blue Paradise" (Cecil Lean) (Casino). Dropping off somewhat again but has admitted merit $6,500 last week. "Very Good Eddie" (Princess). Started well and the show is liked, but house may be against it Princess very small, could do about $6,500 and is re- ported getting around $3,400. Backing of production isn't worrying. "The Great Lover" (Leo Ditrich- stein) (Longacre). Remains one of the big hits. Sold out all the time. $11,000 last week. "Our Mrs. McChesney" (Ethel Bar- ry more) (Lyceum). Has had a drop Between $6,000 and $7,000 last week. May shortly be followed into the Lyceum by Elsie Ferguson. The Standard with Julian Eltinge in "Cousin Lucy" last week got $8,400. The Bronx opera house with "Rolling Stones," $5,600. Chicago, Jan. 19. Ziegfeld's "Follies" (Illinois). Aver- aging $19,000 on the local run. Has gone over $20,000 some weeks. "Twin Beds" (Olympic). Between S5.000 and $6,000. "Young America" (Grand). Open- ed Sunday night very big. Skidded off Monday through cold weather, but picked up yesterday and today's matinee was sold out in advance. In- dications point to between $8,000 and $9,000 on the first week. William Gillette (Blackstone). Do- ing around $6,000. Blackstone is in cold lake sweep that hurts when the blasts are busy. "A Pair of Silk Stockings" (Prin- cess). Registered around $10,000 last week. Critics gave the show a second review and the boosting jumped the patronage accordingly. Will go above $12,000 this week. "Within the Loop" (Chicago) Everything, from location to show it- self, against the success of this pro- duction. Did $7,300 last week. Leaves Saturday night for St. Louis. "Experience" (Garrick). Between $12,000 and $13,000. "Song of Songs" (Power's). Under $5,000.