Variety (January 1917)

■•'• VAODEVILLE ARTIST IN ST. LOUIS POORHOUSE ASKED f OR $30 BY MOUNTFORD — Little Frank Quigg Informed by White Rats Executive $25 Fee and $5 Duet Necessary for Reinstatement. Quigg t Former Partner of Late George Fuller Golden, Founder of White Rats. Golden-Quigg ■* Act Known as "A Man and a Half." St Louis. Jan. 3. Little Frank Quigg, who played with the late George Fuller Golden, founder of the White Rata of America, on the vaudeville stage in an act called "A Man and A Half was informed by Harry Mountford, of the White Rats, after #}uigg had written Mountford, that he would have to- pay $25 fee and $5 for dues in advance to be again con- sidered a White Rat, although Quigg had written Mountford from the City Infirmary (Poor House). Mr. Qujgg who is now 49^-years old informed the St. Louis representative of Varibtt regarding the matter when visited at the Infirmary. * He was one of the first members of the White Rats and rejoined it when it was rejuvenated in 1908. ^Several years ago he suffered an attack of locomotor ataxia and this led up to his present helplessness. Quigg played in America and Europe for 30 years. Speaking of his appeal to the Rats, Mr. Quigg said he had written the organization not for help but to de- termine how he stood with it. The answer sent him by Mountford stated he would have to pay $25 for reinstate- ment and $5 dues, without mentioning his position or offering .to lend any assistance. As Quigg knew this was impossible he tore up the letter. The veteran said he wrote the "International Union" at the same time he appealed to the Rats. Shortly afterward, said Mr. Quigg, Frank Tate, the head of the local managers, turned over $10 Mr. Tate had received as an anonymous present for Quigg and the latter is desirous of expressing his thanks to whoever helped him in' his misfortune. Quigg's real name is Frank Kofron. He is now the neatest and best- groomed man at the institution and still respected and visited by many ar- tists when passing through St Louis. NEW YORK'S ONLY EXTRA SHOW. The Columbia, New York, gave the only extra New Year's show, having a third performance Monday night,jjraw- ing. a little less than $500, barely enough for the attraction and theatre to break even on the expense. The third show New Year's day con- vinced the Columbia people New Year's * Eve is only Dec. 31. Sunday night the Hippodrome and Century gave a special vaudeville con" cert, each place drawing a large crowd. The Winter Garden at $5 a seat the same evening, had a turnaway. Nine- teen acts made up the program. DOOLEY-SHUBERT SIGNED. Johnny Dooley of Dooley and Rugel is reported having entered into a con- tract with the Shuberts to appear in the next Winter" Garden production. Yvette Rugel will contiaue in vaude- ville as a single turn, having a piano accompanist. SCHENCK'S WESTERN VIEWS. Jos. M. Schenck and his wife (Norma Talmadge) returned to New York last Saturday after a trip to the Coast, friahen in ccnip«..^ -with I:5rr-aiM IJ.a. Marcus Loew who stopped off in Chi- cago ^fd^soend New Year's. It was Mr. Schenck's first visit to the west. He said vaudeville patronage throughout that section was of the best but that he did not notice any startling merit of the programs, and was sur- prised at some of the shows in com- parison with those of the east that the same admission is charged for. Miss. Talmadge's first feature film "Panthea," made by the company, bear- ing her name and of which her husband is the president, will be first exhibited next week at the Rialto, New York, opening Sunday. CLAUDE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NAME. As a result of Billy Duval eloping with Myrtle Simonds from Springfeld, 111., to Covington, Ky., via train and automobile, where the couple were mar- ried, B. D. Berg's "Maids of the Mov- ies", have disbanded. The cause of the disbandment was due, it fs claimed, to the entire chorus of six being infatuated with Duval. Upon? hearing of the fatal news they immediately submitted their resignation. When the girls arrived in New York they applied to Berg to be placed in another act, but he would not even accommodate them. Thii makes the second carriage within a short time with Berg's acts. The other one was Jack Russell and Lottie Baker with the "Debutantes." SUES "VARIETY" FOR $100,000. The White Rats Actors' Union of America has started some kind of a suit against *muzt. re* asking- $100,GJSr*- Only a summons was served in the action Thursday of last week. No cause of action was mentioned. Varibtt has 20 days to answer, when 20 more days may be taken by the Rats before serving its complaint. The White Rats' latest attorney, J. J. Myers, had his name on the paper that carried the White Rats as a plaintiff. The former White Rats' attorney, James Timony, who resigned at coun- sel to the Rats through being unable to secure his claim for services, secured his money from Harry Mountford. the day after the latter obtained $5,000 through giving a chattel mortgage in the name of the White Rats Realty Co. upon the furnishing of the Rats' clubhouse in New York. What amount Mr. Timony secured is not mentioned but it was said his claim amounted to about $3,000. _ Some years ago when the White Rats under Mountford's leadership was^ about in the same position it now occupies, also under Mountford's leadership, Mountford sued the United Booking Offices, several other defendants and Variety for $100,000, alleging libel through an advertisement Varibtt had k published concerning Mountford. That, case never came to trial. - The suit just started against Vartbtt followed the editorial attitude of the paper, which announced itself as op- posed to Mountford in the Mountfocd single handed rule of the-White Rats and his intention to call a strike 9f vaudeville artists, in the December issue of Varibtt. Varibtt turned the summons over to O'Brien, Malevinsky & Driscoll and also instructed that law firm to com- mence suit against the White Rats to recover the amount due the paper from the Rats for advertising, about $450. COULDNT COLLECT. Chicago, Jan. 3. Carol George (Mrs. Herbert Ge- bauer), of the Alaskan Trio, at the Palace last week, b ought a suit against her husband for salary alleged to be due her, but the case was dismissed last week by a local judge. Romaine Chapelle, a niece of Billie Burke's, who has been skating at the College Inn, has replaced Miss George with the Gebauer turn. Meanwhile Gebauer's damage suit against the Pittsburgh millionaire, Thomas M. Gregory, will come up in court later. ERICKSON IN TAB. ^ Chicago, Jan. 3. Knute Enckson, late of Blanche Ring's company, has just arrived to head a new Boyle Woolfolk tabloid which opens the middle of January on the Association time. PANTAGES HOME. Seattle, Jan. 3. Alex. Pantages reached his Jiead- quarters here the day before Christ- mas after his trip east. Sue for Phonograph Commissions. Arthur Sp&zi and Christopher Cam- panari have started an action through Nathan Burkan against Hipolito Laz- aro of the Metropolitan Opera Com- pany for commissions on engagements secured for him to sing for the Atr.eri- *can Gramophone Company. They declare the Spanish musical star entered a contract with the gramo- phone company through their efforts and that they were to receive ten per cent, of the moneys paid him. He paid them $600 on the first advance royalty of $6,000 which he received, but failed to deliver when he later received $5,000 -.?o«.i the irfii&iriK lua'i/iiiiV'pit/pie. Union Sq. on American Wheel. The Union Square was reported this week as having been secured for the American wheel, starting next season, FRED MACE'S PROPOSITION. Since reaching Broadway late last week, coming here direct from Los Angeles, Fred Mace has received sev- eral picture proposals and. is taking his time about deciding on any one. Mr. Mace nearly had his New Year's celebration ruined through defending a young woman in the Hotel Astor from insult and incidentally saving House'Detective Jacobs from an ejec- tion job. A fe^ow in the 43rd street side lobby was ogling a woman when Mr. Mace intervened. Mr. Jacobs was saved the trouble of ejecting the intruder through the latter passing an unpleasant remark to Mace, who thereupon led him to the 43rd street entrance and with a perfectly aimed upper sent the fellow over near Shan- ley's, on the other side of the street But it nearly cost Mace his celebra- tion. He is stopping at the Astor and the two house men there refused t* al- low him to leave in case the fellow might be lying in wait for him. Mace, to get away, walked over to the starter on the 43d street side and asked if the insulter had returned. "Sure, you'll never see that guy again,'.' an- swered the starter, "after the punch you gave him. He will need six weeks' rest to get hi*9 jaw working to explain how it happened. Detroit's Local Comedienne. Detroit, Jan. 3. Margaret Younghlood. a local girl, who is a singing comedienne, has en- tered vaudeville for a couple of weeks, playing the Temple theatres at Roches- ter and this city, making her debut in Rochester next week. Will Ouit Show for Orpheum Circuit, ~"" "Louise DfeSser wiil remain onTy three weeks with Henry W. Savaee's production of "Have a Heart." which comes into the Liberty next week. She has contracts to open on the Orphcum Circuit at Kansas City, Jan, 28. IN AND OUT. Monday (New Year's) for the first time in a long while no act reported Jl or #& ktoeurVrom a^ig i^ie ^r^iKia*"?*' Whether it was because of the healthy condition of vaudeville or the White Rats' expected strike, the booking men didn't know though they commented upon the occurrence. Cervo left the Hip show, Chicago, last week, through his position on the bill but changed his mind and later re- sumed the engagement. Nan Halperin, after playing Monday and Tuesdav, withdrew from the bill at the Maryland, Baltimore, last week and Venita Fitzhugn was substituted. Miss Halperin reported her voice out of kelter and went home to Chicago to rejeoyer. Janet Adair, dissatisfied with her early position on bills on the Orpheum Circuit, is reported having delivered "two weeks' notice" of cancellation of the tour. Wright and Dietrich left the River- side, New York, Tuesday, Miss Die- trich's voice failing. Kenny and Lusby took their place. The former team re- turned to the bill V/ednesday. Loney Haskell could not open at the Hippodrome, Youngstown, this week, owing to the death of his mother, Sunday. Ellis and Bordoni withdrew from the Alhambra bill Tuesday, with Carroll and Wheaton doubling from the Pal- ace to fill in. Miss Bordoni was ill. Kauffman Brothers are at the Wil- son Ave., Chicago, this week, substi- tuting for McCloud and Carp, who The Ross Brothers, owing to ill- ness; could not open at the Wilson Avenue, Chicago, Monday and th.e Pet- ting Bros, were substituted. The Ross act went into the bill Tuesday. JENNINGS SUCCEEDS LEONI. William V. Jennings, for nearly 10 years a manager for wheel burlesque shows, and for many years director of James E. (."Blutch") Cooper's organiza- tions, has been appointed to the post of | assistant general manager of the American Association (burlesque), held by the late Harry Leoni. ' Jennings will handle the paper of the Wheel companies and supervise transportation. Jennings was last at the head of "The Sightseers." His position with that company will be filled bv Dick Rider, formerly manager of "The Star ana Garter Show." MARRIAGES. Raymond B. Perez, producer of bur- lesque shows for "Blutch" Cooper, and Marie Lynch, non professional, New Year's day in St. Patrick's cathedral, New York. The Los Angeles "Herald" last week reported the marriage of Texas Guinan and Julian Johnson. Mr. Johnson is the editor of a photoplay magazine published in Chicago. He was formerly a dramatic critic in Los Angeles. Miss Guinan has been plaving in a vaude- ville sketch with William L. Gibson. Bertie Ford (wire walker) and Pauline Price, in Australia. A. J. Kilmer ("Clown Bobbie") and Ada P. Kellev, of Kane's "Ideal Girls," in Detroit, Dec, 26. They will do a specialty. Florence Perry to Warren W. Wertz, non-professional, at the House of Prayer. Newark, N. J., Dec. 30. Mrs. Wertz will retire ,from the stage and the couple will ma!.e their home in Orange, N. T. Alice Tucker, 20 years old. of Rita Mario's orchestra, to Aaron Hennings. 21 vears old, a Pittsburgh salesman, while the act was playing Keith's, Cin- cinnati, last week. Mae Miirrav. now screen actress, and J. ;,,; f)'T- . ■!;-?>:-<. f T'< vv " Y^rk." wcre" married in Los Angeles Dec. 18. Tack Ward and F.thel Northlane in KrMvark N T . Npw Year's Fve, If you don't advertise In VARIETY, don't advertise.