Variety (June 1917)

VAUDEVILLE 5 INTERNING GERMAN ARTISTS IS GOVERN MENT'S PLAN Secret Service Agents Checking Up Permit Applications with Emigration Records. June 9 Last Day Permission to Travel. Germans who do not make applica- tion to the Government for special per- mits to travel into the restricted zones prior to June 9 will be checked up by special deputy U. S. marshals and taken into custody.' Later they will be sent to internment camps which will be lo- cated in various sections of the coun- try. The camp for the eastern section will be in the vicinit" of Lake Erie. An official attached to the U. S. mar- shal's staff for the southern district of New York gave an opinion there were in the neighborhood of 300 members of the theatrical profes- sion listed on the books in the of- fice of the Department of Justice. Of these less than half had applied for permits. Those who did not will im- mediately be looked up as suspects and interned. Especial attention will be paid to theatrical cases because the members have a legitimate excuse for traveling. The investigation thus far has brought to light that from time to time a number of men of German origin, who had not professed their intention to become citizens of the United States, had acted in the capacity of jurors in the courts of this country. In each of the cases where this will be proven, the verdict will be thrown out of court and a new trial ordered. Jas. A. Power, \J. S. Marshal for the Eastern District of New York City, is making a special investigation of Ger- mans in the Brooklyn and Flatbush sections'. The edict of last week prohibiting all alien enemies from approaching within a half mile of the water front, wilt make it impossible for even those Ger- mans who have secured permits or made application for permits to play any of the theatres located below 14th street, as Manhattan Island narrows down to such an extent that any of the theatres in that section are within less than a half mile of the water front and adjacent to the bridges. DOWNTOWN'S GARDEN FEATURES. The National Winter Garden man- agement has finally made arrangements for Belle Baker to headline the opening bill at that house. The feature atraction will be Ben ...Welch r rvdthffr-of whom Ha.«_sipnfar*d.. • in that section of the town since win- ning vaudeville laurels. This section was the scene of the early appearances of Belle Baker as a member of the casts presenting Yiddish plays here. The East Side Winter Garden books its pop vaudeville shows through the U. B. O. * 8WITCH PARTNERS. The most recent example of a 50-50 split is the switching of partners of two vaudeville teams, breaking up two teams and Organizing two new ones. Lou Luckett of the team of Lucketf and Waldron, has taken Jessica Brown of Young and Brown as a partner, and Jack Waldron has teamed with Myrtle Young. Aaron Kessler is handling the former act PALACE'S "LEVY MORNING." The Palace, New York, has invited Bert Levy to give a children's morning at the Palace theatre this Saturday morning. All of the children are to be invited as the guests. Mr. Levy has been giving a series of these entertainments throughout the country in the various houses at which he has appeared. PLAYLET TITLE INFRINGES. Edgar MacGregor has informed his attorneys to take steps to prevent the use of the title, "Here Comes the Bride," in vaudeville for a playlet, writ- ten by Ruth Comfort Mitchell Flo and Ollie Walters, heralded as "two clever society entertainers/' are on their way to New York from Cali- fornia to appear in the playlet BATES AND VAUDEVILLE. Nora Baves is returning to vaude- ville for a tew weeks, perhaps opening Monday (June 4), or a week later, placed by Jenie Jacobs. Miss Bayes will do a single turn, without any of the company in her personal show at the 39th street thea- tre, which closed Saturday. CHARLOTTE PARRY. Casting aside all of the protean hon- ors earned in vaudeville where she be- came famed for character playing and quick changes, Charlotte Parry has evolved a single turn, reported as a unique combination of story-songs, and will first present the new act on Broad- way next week at the Colonial. NO LONGER MR. AND MRS. CARTER. Chicago, May 31. Frank Carter and Lucy Weston are no longer Mr. and Mrs. Frank Carter, according to Carter, who is here, while the Al Jolson show is laying off, pre- paratory to its trip to the coast. The final decision the pair had agreed to disagree was reached lately. It is understood Mr. Carter has become en- gaged to a Chicago heiress. BACKWARD SUMMER. The backward summer has upset all theatrical plans, with those houses not having closed, continuing without date announced. The weather break, of frequent oc- currence with past years, has been ex- tended beyond customary time this season. The theatres now open report 4>r.o.6iable..bustn.eM and are prepared to declare the weather man in on the gross if he doesn't change the temperature BILLY GRADY'S PASSING. Commencing Sunday, June 3, Billy Grady, the agent, will be a Benedict. On that date poor Bill marries, to Mar- guerite E. Foster, a Brooklyn young woman and a non-professional. The ceremony will be performed in Brooklyn, a fit place for the deed. Claudius and Scarlet in "Follies." The Ziegfeld "Follies" for this year will have Caludius and Scarlet among its attractions. The team .will travel with the show, leaving "The Midnight Frolic" on the Amsterdam Roof, when "The Follies" starts on the road, mean- while likely appearing in other per- formances over the summer. Norworth-Lorraine "Breaking In." Jack Norworth and Lillian Lorraine will "break in" their vaudeville turn week of June 11 and play together a few weeks this spring. AL JOLSON DROPS IN. Al Jolson dropped in on Broadway Monday, to remain until necessary to leave and rejoin the Jolson show, "Rob- inson Crusoe, Jr.," reopening at St Faul Monday, June 4, after laying off this week. It gave Al a chance to re- turn to New York and incidentally make a few disc records, at so much (which is very much) per disc The Jolson show starts for the Coast al>out June 7, opening at San Francisco June 24, remaining there three weeks and then going to Los Angeles for two weeks more. The show took the town record at Kansas City when playing to $23,500 at a $2.50 scale, on the week. Three days in Omaha got it $7,800 and two performances in Sioux City brought $4,200, with corresponding business since the attraction left the Winter Garden. As Jolson is "in" on the show besides his salary weekly, it's likely the present trip to New York became settling day with the Shuberts for Jolson's share to date. This seemed Jossible since it was rumored around olson intended purchasing $100,000 worth of Liberty bonds. That show business has been good to Jolson is evidenced by the special car he is traveling in, at his own expense, paying $55 daily for it The New York Central rented the car to the star, equipping it with a porter, waiter and cook. It has brass beds and is a reg- ular traveling home, says Al. The car is tacked onto the special train carry- ing the "Crusoe" people and produc- tion. The next Jolson show due for the Winter Garden next fall, may be a sort of continuation of "Robinson Crusoe," and it is practically settled that Jolson will be found again in his comic role of "Good Friday" JORDON JEWELS RELEASED. Chicago, May 31. Collector of Customs Rivers McNeil has released the $50,000 worth of gems seized some weeks ago from Mrs. Nel- lie Jordon, wife of Joe Jordon, the negro song writer. At the time Mrs. Jordon arrived from Liverpool she failed to declare the property and the jewels were held as smuggled goods. It has since been proven thev were personal property. Mrs. Jordon, though an English citizen, is said to be the daughter of an East Indian merchant. The customs officer is still holding $2,000 worth of jewels belong- ing to her husband, who is the colored song writer. RUTH RANDALL MARRYING. Chicago. Mav 31. Ruth Randall lately divorced from Saronoff, the violinist, is to marry Dan Hanna, Jr.. of Cleveland. He !s a student officer at Fort Harrison, ac- cording to a news report from Indian- apolis. SONG WRONGLY U3ED. Arthur Hammerstein, Ltd., through House, Grossman & Vorhaus, has no- tified Rooney and Bent they must eliminate from their act the musical number, "Allah's Holiday," from "Ka- tinka." Pat Rooney has been using the music for a dancing number. Maude Fealy's Condensed Playlet. Denver, May 31. "The Reason," a one-act play by Maude Fealy, the actress, was tried out here Thursday. It is a condensation of "Shadows-Lights," a four-act com- edy by Miss Fealy, which she pro- duced at a benefit here a few weeks ago. The longer play has possibilities, but the sketch doesn't seem to have the punch. CHAS. E. KOHL DEAD. Chicago, May 31. Charles E» Kohl, managing director of the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association and active representative and general manager of his late father's theatrical interests, died under mysterious circumstances in a sani- tarium Monday, his death being as- cribed to heart failure after an autopsy held by representatives of the coroner's office. Kohl wasHound running through the streets MoAay morning claiming he had been s^t, hut no bullet wounds were found on his body by the physi- cians who attended him. For the past two years Kohl has been suffering from melancholia and of late his actions had caused his friends much worry. He re- signed recently from the officers' staff of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry. Ouring a training period with his regiment Kohl was struck^ on the head with a spade and this injury is supposed to have had much to do with his death. Charles E. Kohl first became presi- dent in the active management of the- atricals when he succeeded Charles E. Bray as general manager of the "As- sociation. Shortly after he was ap- pointed managing director of the or- ganization, an honorary position, which carried little or no authority or work. His first move was to appoint Mort Singer as general manager of the W. V. M. A., which position Singer still holds. With Singer in active charge of the agency, Kohl devoted most 6f his time to traveling, and beyond being recog- nized as a figurehead in Chicago the- atricals his connection with the indus- try was purely of a financial nature. He is survived by a widow and two children, a daughter and son, the lat- ter being named Charles E. Kohl, 3d, mother, brother (Jack) and two sis- ters. He was about 38 years of age and in physical stature resembled his father very much. DANCER AND ORCHESTRA. Chicago, May 31. Marion Morgan, now resting at Ash- ville, N. C, will return to the New York in three weeks to direct a new act to be done by the Morgan Dancers. Miss Morgan has several plans for next season's offering. One is to carry a large orchestra when the act would consume half the running time of the average big time bill. MISS MERRILL'S "FOLLIES" SONGS. The comedy songs to be sung by Fannie Brice and Bert Williams in the new Ziegfeld "Follies" will be rewrit- ten by Blanche Merrill, who accepted a contract to write this much only of the entertainment. WOOD FINED AND APPEALS. Judge Schmuck of the City Court fined Joe Wood, the theatrical pro- ducer, $250 for contempt of court for failing to appear and be examined in supplementary proceedings, with Charles S. Rosenthal appointed re- ceiver for Wood to endeavor to col- lect the judgment of $800 secured bv Olga Feldman (Countess Olga Rossi) for breach of contract. Wood claims that he was detained In Elmira on the day he was to have appeared in court owing to the serious illness of two girls in one of his com- panies and has secured a stay of execu- tion. He will appeal the fine to the Appellate Division. Perry Managing Columbia, ChL Unless other plans are made, Frank G. Perry, who formerly m&nsged the Gayety, St Louis, will manage the Co- lumbia (burlesque), Chicago, succeed- ing E. H. Wood, who has had the house since Colonel Billy Roche severed con- nections there. The Columbia dose4 May 19 for the summer season.