Variety (December 1916)

G I TIM ATE, Caruso wu guest of honor Sunday night at the first big dinner given by the Prlarain their new clubhouse. Answering a toast the tenor said In hla halting English: "Here are your ups and your proslts. I am surprised that you Friars here In your monastery your abbot allows such orderly bubbling- wine. Brothers, here's to you alone and all; one and all." Others who were Rennold Wolf. Raymond Hltchoock, George M. Cohan. A vaudeville en- tertainment Included George Sydney, Harry Bills, Bert Leslie, William McCarthy, John Beck, Carter De Haven, Van and Schenck, Will Rogers, Doyle and Dixon, Loo Carrlllo and Irving Fisher. The New Tork "Tribune" has started a new circulation campaign which from appearances, Is of a very costly nature for that dally. The plan consists of phoning all parties living in apartment houses, especially those located In the theatrical section, and asking each person If they will accept a two weeks' subscription to the 'Tribune" free of charge. If satisfied with the paper they are asked to subscribe permanently. Helen Freeman's Nine O'clock theatre gave a private performance 8unday evening, after the police had Interfered with the previous start of the renture. Gov. Whitman and Presi- dent of the Board of Aldermen, Curran, were present. The house Is In the exclusive resi- dential section south of Central Park, near Fifth avenue. The entertainment is mads up of a series of playlets. A score or more of the biggest stars of the- atredom took part in the benefit to F. F. Mackay in the New Amsterdam last Friday. The receipts were nearly 94.000. Henry Miller, Ruth Chatterton, William H. Crane, Bruce McRae and Raymond Hitchcock were a few of them. Adolph Phllipp, builder of the Bandbox the- atre, has associated himself with 8. Rech* mann, proprietor of the Torkvllle theatre, where German oomedies are played. He will be Interested in the management of the house, and will appear there In some of his own Pieces. Police Commissioner Woods opened the Stags Children's Baaaar at the Hotel McAlptn lata last week. The funds collected will be need for the building of a homo for stags kiddles. was also subtlety In the manner in which the author handled a vital theme.—World. Burr Mcintosh has filed a petition In bank- ruptcy, 912,687 liabilities, no assets. He 'ires his occupation as that of photographer, a..«l hla present address aa 421 West 57th street, New Tork. g The Casino, at Ottawa, Can., devoted to ploturea and vaudeville, was dsmaged to the sum of 840.000 by Are a few days ago. The lire started In a store In the aame building. Brleux's comedy "La Frencalse" was given at the New Garrick Monday evening In place of the new piece. "Le Maltre de Forges," which was delayed a day. Tim Murphy Is the new Long John Silver In "Treasure Island" at the Punch and Judy theatre. Bthelbert Hales succeeds Murphy In the role of Capt. BUI Bones In the same piece. Joe Drum is associated with Richard Lam- bert In the press work for "The People Vs. John Doe," the Universal feature which Is to open at Broadway theatre on Dec. 10. Maxlne Elliott Is on her way to America, after an absence of five years. During the war she has been active In hospital work In England. With his appearance at the Palace this week, Dtgby Bell Is celebrating the fortieth anni- versary of his stage debut. Eugene Walter has written "Pussy-Foot Patricia." Charlotte Walker will play the leading part. The Canslnos, Edouard and Else, were added to the Anna Held show Just before Its opening at the Casino Wednesday night Wlllard Mack's new • play, "Her Market Value," was shown In Chicago Sunday night by A. H. Woods. Twelve thousand persons attended the nine Important musical concerts given in New York Sunday night. PRESS OPINIONS. THE HARP OF LIFE. Play by J. Hartley Manners produced at the Globe, Nov. 27, with Laurette Taylor. His (J. Hartley Manners) new play, a finer, more delirnt* «*rtd mnrp lofty wnjV ♦fcf.r; "i'eg," Is a tender and penetrating comedy of motherhood, a drama woven from too utrands that make up the' tvar'i conspicuous beauty In the fabric of life.—Times. Laurette Taylor played superbly. There was humanity In the play everywhere. There was pathos that was profound. And there PORTMANTEAU THEATRE. Six Who Pats Wiille the Lentils Boll, a one-act nursery play, by Stuart Walker; nevertheless, an interlude, . by Stuart Walker; The Oods of the Mountain, a one-act play, by Lord Dunsany. At the Thirty-ninth Htreet theatre, Nov. 27. A program of one-act plays so varied, at- tractive and, all In all, so well presented, that you should put It on your list.—Times. The two pieces, both In the writing and acting, resembled nothing quite so much as impromptu charades at a glrla' boarding school. The longer play by Lord Dunsany was, of course, much better. It belongs to rarlfled kind of dramatic art, but it contains Imagination, poetry and real characterisation. —World. MILE-A-MINUTE Comedy In three acts, by Owen Davis. Pro- duced at the Lyceum.by Oliver Morocco, Nov. 28. This newest addition to dramatic art was quite Innocent, wholly futile and Insufferably tedious, for once the creaky mechanism was set going, half an hour after the advertised time, any one with even the most distant ac- quaintance with the theatre was able to an* tlclpate every detail of the piece.—World. It provides a good deal of laughter, most of It provoked by somewhat too visibly me- chanical means, and altogether, supplies a fair-to-middllng evening in the theatre.— Times. SUCH IS LIFE. Three act farce by Harold Owen, produced at the Princess, Nov. 27. It is a doll, punful, and mildly nonsensical bit of English humor.—Times. The piece, however, flssled out completely. Why 11 was brought to New Tork at all still remains a secret.—World. ENGAGEMENTS. Arllne Boley (leads. Shubert Stock, Mil- waukee) (replacing Isabel Randolph). Laura Walker (leads, stock, Blmlra, N. .T.). Sidney Oreenetreet ("Standards"). Vera Shone ("Peg o' My Heart"). Bleanore Martin ("Common Clay"). Agnes Martin ("Daddy Longlegs"). Joseph Latent and Hale Hamilton ("A Pull Honeymoon"). Florence St. Leonard ("Bunker Bean"). Lenora Phelps ("Her Day Out"). Mitchell Ingram (Franklin Oalo and Co.). Jessie Arnold (Wigwam stock, San Fran- cisco). Bessie Leonard ("Hans and Frits"). Kathleen Barry (Harry First and Co.). Eleanor Martin ("Common Clay"—John Mason Co.). Jack McGowan ("Girl from Brasll"). Jessie Relpb ("His Bridal Night"). Everett ButterOeld ("Arms and the Girl") (replacing Francis Eyrne). Isabel O'Madlgan ("The Brat"). Jessie Bonstelle'e "Little Women" will be sent on tour by W. A. Brady, the show open- ing at the Plymouth, Boston, Dec. 11, and staying for three weeke. The play then conges Into New York for a series of special matinees and after which It takes to the road for the balance of the season. The cast haa Lynn B. Hammond, Marlon Swayne, Lola Meynelo. Elenor Seyholt. Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Eberle. John von Rlttberg, Florence Huntington, Paul Kelly, Adelyn Wesley, Cherle Coleman and Charles White. Arthur Howard leads and Jack Lewis Juvenile (Sommervtlle Players, Sommervllle, Mass.). Francis X. Conlin ("Pals First"). BELASC0 SHOWING ON COAST. San Francisco, Dec. 1. The early *^r^ of December is the date set for •the first presentation of the new David Belasco play "The Em- press," at the Alcazar. Meldoir Leng- yel and Ludwig Biro wrote the drama in Hungarian, and at one time it was produced in Budapest. The piece, when secured by Belasco in New York was rewritten, with a clause in the con- tract calling for a production before Jan. 1. Due to the oresent shortage of theatres in New York Mr. Belasco forwarded the manuscript to his brother, Frederic, to present it here.- The regular Alcazar stock will play •l!.c -{rjctfc*;—whh iiie exception"XTi"'"Oia Humphrey (Princess Hassanl. who has been esneciallv engaged to head the companv. Arrangements so far call for a single week. It will be staged by Addison Pitt. WOWS CLOSING. "The Blue Envelope" closed Satur- day at the Montauk, Brooklyn. 'The piece wai to have continued with its tour under the direction of Eddie Gar- vey, but was suddenly called in through the author demanding advance roy- alty. "Fate Decides" (Henry W. Savage) closed in Cleveland Saturday after a little over two weeks on the road. The show is to be rewritten and recast. Detroit. Nov. 29. "The Girl from Brazil/' here this week, is to close Saturday. The com- pany goes to New York. The southern "Common Clay" closes Saturday in New Orleans. The John Mason company from Chicago has taken up the route of the No. 1 com- pany, which closed last week, playing this week in Buffalo. SHOWS OPENING. T. Daniel Frawley and William Cur- rie are sending "The Right Little Girl" en tour again. The company will open Out of town on Christmas pay. Manuel Klein, who has been abroad for more than a year, returned on the Philadelphia last Sunday. Mr. Klein is retiring from the theatrical business and in the future will be associated with his father-in-law. A revival of the old melodrama, "Hu- man Hearts," has taken to the road un- der the management of C. R. Reno. The piece is playing a one-night route in the Middle Atlantic States. NO CREDIT FOR STOCK. Small town business men are making it difficult for stock managers to place companies in the towns owing to their refusal to grant any credit to stock organizations. This has been brought about by the number of stock failures in the small towns within the past few years. The management of a new stock in a tank town is now forced to pay cash for all the necessities which go with a company, such as the rental of furni- ture for productions and newspaper ad- vertising, with the members of the companies treated in a similar manner regarding their personal wants. In former years credit was freely granted to the majority of stock organ- izations. BILLIE BURKE Who will return to the stage under her hus- band's management in a comedy drama written by Edward Sheldon. Miss Burke's last legiti- mate stage appearance was in "Jerry" under the direction of the late Charles Frohman. Since then, Mrs. Ziegfeld has been in pictures , and .risu .'iu 7. o.r.Ti'Ts A-s'..T«"-Tx^uTTm!—Paw"K:rr Burke Ziegfeld). Mr. ZirgfeM hnvv't -dabbled in ■ other than musical shows in years back, from the time he was associated with William A. Brady in "Way Down East." The Billie Burke company will be assembled around Jan. 2, when rehearsals are to start. BERNHARDT^ ADVANCE SALE. Although the road reports on the Bernhardt tour have been discourag- ing, just the opposite is indicated by the advance sale at the Empire for the three-week New York engagement, which begins Monday. The demand is so heavy that the French star will give four matinee- next week- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. An advance of $40,000 is estimated by Saturday. Will Connor, her American manager, has planned additional extra matinees for the other two weeks. The tour will be continued after the New York date, which, it it expected, will get over $80,000, and it is possible that a return engagement will be made before departure. A tempest in a tea-pot arose this week over the request for Bernhardt to appear at Strand on the afternoon of Dec. 8 (next Thursday) when a benefit performance for the American ambu- lance corps iq France will be held. Society women, including Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt and Anne Morgan, are patronesses, and Elisabeth Marbury is arranging it. The latter asked Mr. Connor to have Mme. Bernhardt on the program, but the manager refused. Whereupon Miss Marbury wrote the actress in Boston couching the letter in spirited terms and received a reply saying that Mme. Bernhardt would be glad to appear. An announcement was made to that effect to the press which brought out a strenuous denial from Mr. Connor. The French consul-general then opined the actress would surely ap- pear for she would not refuse to help her country. But the facts seem to be Bernhardt will not appear as she has a matinee on the day of the benefit. Mr. Con- nor explained to Miss Marbury it was not a case of Mme. Bernhardt's desire, but that his contract with her calls for a guarantee and her showing at the Strand might be harmful to him. Mme.' Bernhardt will, however, be in a bene- fit at the Biltmore Sunday night. At the Empire the prices for the Bernhardt engagement have been raised, $3 being charged for the entire lower floor and part of the balcony. The same rates apply for the matinees. MEASURING THE HIP. Surveyors have for several .days been busy about the Hippodrome, measuring the house inside and out. No one con- nected with the amusement place was aware of the purpose of the measuring process, but stated the men had the au- thority to complete their task issued by the realty corporation that controls the house. It is hardly possible that some one would want the location for a popular priced department store, as the site has not sufficient depth, and the two ho- tels which are located on the prop- erty in the rear could not be secured. When the Hip was originally built the walls were so designed that at any time in the future additional stories could be added to the structure. Several Chicago capitalists have beeu reported as making inquiries into real estate circles regarding the Hip prop- erty, but to what purpose could not be ascertained. HILL'S DOZEN. Gus Hill is . rehearsing the "Hans and Fritz" show, which opens Dec. 18 at Freehold, N. J., making the twelfth attraction in which Hill is interested this season. i» RECASTING "SEREMOND&.' After two weeks on the road "Sere- monde," the Julia Arthur play, returned * ind ic -b-ri-ag- reci^-tr- **" The show is reported satisfactory and will be opened in a Broadway house not vf» obtained. If you don't advertlaa la VARIETY, don't advertise.