Variety (July 1916)

' > ■ • VOL. XLIII, No. 6 NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1916 PRICE TEN CENTS MORRIS -CORT-MOROSCO CIRCUIT OF BIG VARIETY ROAD SHOWS New Circuit to Start in Early Fall and Every Program Headed by Internationally Known Hcadliner. All Week-Stands and Three Shows Daily to Reported Top Admit- sion of 50 Cents. Rumors in New York. San Francisco, July 5. Opon the arrival here Monday of William Morris and John Cort from Los Angeles, it was announced they had completed arrangements for a coast to coast vaudeville circuit, play- ing big time road shows, each headed by an internationally known headliner, and that the circuit will commence op- erating in the early fall. The deal was put through in the office of Oliver Morosco in Los Ange- les. Morosco is reported interested with Morris and Cort. Among the houses so far mentioned as a part'of the combine are one of the Morosco theatres in Los Angeles; Cort, San Francisco; Heilig, Portland (Ore.); Moore, Seattle; Tabor Grand, Denver, with others on the western Cort chain. No names of any eastern theatres have been announced. Mr. Morris declares the public will see big time vaudeville at the cheapest scale of admission in vaudeville history. He says the consummation of this deal marks the perfection of his plans of nearly a decade ago for a cross-country circuit Mr. Morris will leave here, taking the southern route back to New York. Mr. Cort, going away at the same,time, will take the northern route. Each will make frequent stop-overs. The first story published of the pro- posed new Morris-Cort circuit ap- peared in the New York American last Monday. It embodied about the state- ments above, without any more com- plete detail. There have been rumors of late on Broadway William Morris was expect- ing to actively re-enter vaudeville as the head of a circuit. The Cort con- nection was mentioned in the stories. No backing was named, although once in a while it was heard James K. Hackett was to be financially interested. Another story said that Pacific coast in- terests, before connected with Morris in his personal attempt to create a country-wide vaudeville chain, had again been in communication with him. Then there were reports that certain legitimate theatrical people were look- ing with favor upon the Morris plan as an opportunity to place some of their theaters upon a vaudeville circuit. Acts have said the William Morris office in the Putnam Building, of which Jack Goldberg is the general manager, has of late been negotiating with them for contracts to play 35 weeks next sea- son. Acts have been inquiring to learn the basis 6f the Morris-Cort formation. Several headliners Morris is on inti- mate terms with have been talking busi- ness with him recently. The reported plan was for Morris to form several variety road shows, placing a well- known headline with each, and to send them over a route of erstwhile legiti- mate theatres. The Morris-Cort- Morosco circuit may be an outgrowth of that plan. The understanding among those who seem somewhat familiar with the scheme is that the shows will play three times daily—matinee and two night performances—to an admission scale mostly confined to 50 cents, top. This is said to be aimed at the West- ern vaudeville layout. At present hi the west the Orpheum Circuit charges one dollar top and the Pantages Cir- cuit 30 cents. The Morris scheme is to come between them with the 50- cent scale, advertising big time vaude- ville. The Pantages Circuit is playing three shows daily—a matinee, with (Continued on Page 7). MUSICIANS SCENT DANGER. Winnipeg, July 5. The unionized musicians of this city are said to scent danger in the inten- tion of the theatre managers to engage returning soldiers as musicians or stage hands in theatres. The musicians, probably acting in concert with the stage hands, have a meeting dated with the theatrical managers for July 9, when the matter will be discussed. The union men are believed to have in mind a possible expectation of man- agers to non-unionize the theatres in this way, and that the move may be taken up throughout the Dominion, the managers having public opinion with them in the attempt, on its face, to give to returned soldiers employ- ment. GESrS "APHRODITE." Morris Gest is pLnuing unusually big things for the Manhattan Opera House the coming season. The pro- ducer has secured among other things the rights to produce "Aphrodite" in this country and intends making it one of the noteworthy productions of the season at the Manhattan. "Aphrodite" was first done in Paris about two years ago. At the opening performance abroad the actress por- traying the role of Aphrodite appeared swathed in gauzes and the press and public of the French capital took offense at this and dubbed the produc- tion as suggestive. Later when the lady appeared clad in nothing but a smile the performance was admitted to be "artistic." K. & E. POSTPONE TWO. Klaw & Erlanger have decided to postpone two of the productions they had slated for the early part of the season. One, the Victor Herbert Irish operetta, intended for production in September or October, will not get under way until about the holidays. "Danger," the gigantic melodramatic spectacle in 16 scenes by Bayard Vel- lier, has been postponed until such time as the managers think there will be a field for it. From the present outlook and from indications in the K. & E. offices it is doubtful if the piece will be produced at all next season. White Rats Newt will b. found on PAGES 14-15 COX'S WORTHLESS STOCKS. Cincinnati, July 5. An inventory filed in the Probate Court of the late George B. Cox by his attorney, Ben L. Heidingsfeld, reveals. ** that although the former political lead-' er and theatrical magnate left an estate of over $1,000,000, he held thousands of worthless shares of stock in mostly mining and theatrical corporations, ac- cording to the appraisers. The actual value of the Cox estate was found to be $1,00,513. Of it, $100,- 000 is in realty. No will was left and the entire estate goes to .the widow. Among Cox's theatrical holdings ap- praised as worthless were 3,049 shares of the Shubert Theatrical Co. and three $10,000 debenture bonds of the Shubert Theatrical Co. In the list of valued stocks are 3.600 shares common stock in the United Theatres Co., 975 shares Olympic The- atre Co., 58,216 shares World Film Cor- poration, 10 shares Cincinnati Walnut Theatre Co., 11 shares Strand Amuse- ment Co., 5 shares Loew's Theatrical Enterprises. DIDNT THREATEN "STRIKE." A report which appears to have been started by a story in the Billboard say- ing Harry Mountford had stated there would be a strike by White Rats in November was laughed away by Mr. Mountford when he was asked about it Mr. Mountford said in effect that the Billboard in its Spleen so illy con- cealed might be apt to say almost any- thing. ACTOR WITH TROOPS. W. T. Morgan, with Fiske O'Hara last season, has the distinction of being the first of the actors to go to the front. He is now on the border with the 71st Regiment, attached to Co. I. Terry McGovern is also a member of this company. Norman Selby (Kid McCoy) is like- wise a member of the 71st. If you don't advertlM la VARIETY, don't edvertlee.