Variety (August 1917)

J VAUDEVILLE "PENCILED IN" MEANS NOTHING, IS U. B O.'S OFFICIAL NOTICE TUCKER BROS. LOSE OVERHOLSER. STAGE CREWS INCREASE IN CHL Nothing But Regular Booking Counts. V. M. P. A. Letter Warns Agents Not to "O. K." Act* Unless Able to Deliver. Also Says Agents Should Be Held Responsible. A notice has been posted on the bulletin board of the United Booking Offices telling agents to inform acts (and the notice also inform agents) that when names are "penciled in" on one of the booking men's sheet, that it means nothing, and is merely for the convenience of the offices. The notice says "penciled in" is not a booking and should not by any man- ner of means be considered as such. "Penciling in" means names of acts on 'prospective bills is the writing of names lightly in lead pencil often for the booking man to carry the program in sight with its possibilities. When the booking is made definite the light penciling is erased and the name writ- ten in tne customary manner of a regular booking. That many acts "penciled in" later were finally booked gave rise to the belief that to be pen- ciled in was equivalent to a booking. A letter sent out by the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Association and signed by Pat Casey, says the associa- tion ha* received complaints that in many instances acts O. K'd. for book- ings by their agents have failed to re- port at the theatre routed for, after- ward pleading ignorance of the book- ing. The letter suggests the agents be held strictly responsibe for acts they have O. K'd., with such punishment to be meted out to delinquent agents in this respect as the booking office may deem proper. MANAGERS MOVED. The general shake-up in the mana- gerial staffs of the Orpheum house scheduled for next season will bring William Tisdale to the Palace, Chicago, succeeding Earl Stewart, who goes to Oakland, Cat. Since the Palace open- ing it has had four managers, Mort Singer leaving that position to assume charge of the Western Vaudeville Man- agers' Association, being followed by his brother Harry. When Harrv was transferred to the New York Orpheum office, Ross Behne, treasurer of the house was made manager. Behne will probably be treasurer of the Palace again this season. Earl Stewart man- aged the house for the balance of last season. ' George Sackett goes to Milwaukee from Des Moines, Eddie Sullivan will leave Winnipeg to go to St. Louis, and E. C. Burroughs will manage the Win- nipeg house, being transferred from St. Paul. A new manager will handle St. Paul, G. E. Raymond meanwhile super- vising both Minneapolis and St. Paul. BOOKING CONFUSION. Chicago, Aug. 1. The known friction between J. C. Matthews, Walter Keefe and Frank Q. Doyle, all three concerned in Pantages and Loew bookings, drew sparks when the Quero Troupe (an acrobatic turn consisting of nine persons) arrived here Friday last and were informed by Jack Burch, manager of McVicker's, they were not on this week's bill, although the act holds a contract, issued by Keefe for the week, in addition to six weeks. When the matter was put up to Doyle he declared Keefe had never in- formed him of the Qucro Nooking and that he could not pull out any turn to provide for the acrobatic act. The act appealed to attorneys who attempted without success up to Sun- day to get an answer from K**f* Jh« Queros insisted upon the date or full salary on the play or pay clause in their contract. Monday an offer came from Keefe to use the act at McVicker's next week. That was refused by the Queros, who hold a contract for Detroit and Toledo for next week, and since they are not on the McVicker's bill are look- ing to Keefe for full salary. COAST AFFILIATION. Chicago, Aug. 1. An affiliation of the Ed Fisher, Cohn and Levy houses in the northwest and in California with the Affiliated Book- ing Co. has been consummated, this giving the A. B. C. a minimum addition of ten weeks to its books (six weeks in the northwest and four in Califor- nia). The A. B. C. will actively begin on the new bookings about Sept. 15, shows to cost between $800 and $1,000 and to remain intact throughout the coast tour. Additional time will be given these shows, practically bringing them back so that acts could readily be further booked over the present A. B. C. hous- es in the mid-west. The addition of the far western bookings will give the A. B. C. approximately 26 weeks book- ings, as reported in Varihtt early in the summer. At least one of the men concerned in the new affiliation is con- sidered a growing power in pop circles of the northwest, he being Eugene Levy. He has at present but one theatre (Seattle), which is a "gold mine." Levy is reputed to be worth over two millions, not, however, accu- mulated from theatricals. A "hopped" report last week detailing an affilia- tion between Ed Fisher and the W. V. M. A. was quickly nailed as false. The Association is, however, to book some of the smaller Ackerman-Harris houses through Kelly & Burns. These houses are too small to handle the regular bills sent over the A-H string from Chicago. Beginning Sept. 6, four-act shows will start over this time, the bills remaining intact. The first show will open at Bozeman, Mont, Paul Goudron doing the booking. Reports from the Pacific Coast of late say that Bert Levey, the Coast manager and agent, who has come back very fast of late, will be interested shortly in an eastern connection, but just what is not authoritatively men- tioned. Mr. Levey is now on his way east, it is reported, or has already ar- rived. COLONIAL'S INCREASED CAPACITY. Plans for an increased seating ca- pacity for Keith's Colonial, New York, are being drawn and next summer will be put into effect. At present the house is being extensively remodeled in a modern way. E. F. Albee, who is personally look- ing after the current changes, made an inspection, finding the stage was 43 feet deep and there was a 12-foot areaway on the 65th street side. It is said Mr. Albee ordered plans drawn accordingly, with the stage to be cut down to 32 feet and more seating ca- pacity also obtained on the 65th street side by reducing the width of the open space there. Oklahomt City, Aug. 1. The plan of the Tucker Bros, to ac- quire the Overholser theatre here, through a mutuality plan, appears to have fallen through. It is said the Tuckers have lost or given up the op- tion they held to buy the property, and that the Overholser has been leased for another term, from the present one expiring Sept. 15, next, the present lessee being E. C. Mills. It is vaguely represented hereabouts Mr. Mills has secured a renewal of his lease and will continue to direct the house. The Tuckers, upon obtaining the op- tion, when a preliminary payment of $5,000 was reported made by them to the owners of the property, agreed, it is said, to pay $10,000 Aug. 1, and the remainder of the purchase money upon taking over the theatre upon the ex- piration of Mr. Mills' lease, Sept. 15. The Tuckers advertised an operating company, in which stock, par value $1, was offered for sale to union people at 25 cents a share. This offer was ad- vertised in the theatrical trade press. It was called an opportunity for union- ism, and the Overholser was pledged to be a strictly "union house" in every way. No information is procurable here as to the returns the Tuckers secured from their published announcements, but they are presumed to have been quite meagre in view of the reported lapse of the Tuckers' option. The Tucker Brothers own a local newspaper and also held, during the recent labor troubles in this city, in which the White Rats involved the the- atrical stage hands, the Metropolitan theatre, leased to the striking factions. This theatre has also passed out of the Tuckers' possession. EBEY LEAVES OAKLAND. San Francisco, Aug. 1. George Ebey has resigned as man- ager of the Orpheum, Oakland, having become associated with George Davis, also connected with the venture Ebey tried out during the summer months. The policy proved so successful they have decided upon a like policy for the Alcazar to follow the return engage- ment of Kolb and Dill. Ebey will be active manager of the Alcazar and also assist in the producing end under the new corporation, The Alcazar Produc- ing Co. Ebey was solely responsible in turning the Oakland house into a winner over the summer. Last week Ebey left for the east, to engage some principals, the remain- der of his company being selected on the coast. At the same time he will no doubt arrange for a number of musical pieces, together with some musical novelties and dramatic scripts which he will produce upon his return. The summer policy now in vogue at the Orpheum, Oakland, will continue under Ebey & Davis until about Augr 19, at which time the house will under- go a number of changes and decora- tions to be in readiness to open the Orpheum Circuit season. As yet no one has been named to suc- ceed him in running the house during the regular vaudeville season. HIGH CARNIVAL FEE. Paterson, N. J., Aug. 1. They are still making it harder for carnivals. The Paterson Board of Al- dermen has passed a new license fee, charging $150 for six days. With the Island Grounds rental $250 for exhibi- tion purposes, the public (electric) service charges $100 before they place the poles and connecting lines for light, 'tis surmised that $500 must be expend- ed before the exhibitions are made. SOUTHERN HOUSES CLOSING. The U. B. O.-booked theatres at Savannah, Jacksonville and Knoxville close this Saturday, to remain shut three or four we*k* for rapaira. J. J. Murdock Goes on Vacation, John J. Murdock has gone on a va- cation trip of about l\v r o weeks, on board his yacht. His tour will embrace an inspection of the Adirondack chain of lakes, also the St. Lawrence River, Chicago, Aug. 1. The Chicago Managers' Association, acting on a petition drawn up by a clearer who is now dead, has agreed to a salary increase of clearers, spotlight men and operators, which practically effects a universal rate for the entire stage crew of $24 weekly. The stage hand's daily rate per per- formance is $2, but in vaudeville thea- tres the rate is set weekly at $24, save in the cases of double shift houses, as the Rialto and Hippodrome, where a $23 weekly rate obtains. Considerable dissatisfaction and sur- prise amongst stage folk was occa- sioned by the managers' action since the I. T. A. S. E. signed a wage agree- ment only last summer, when stage hands were granted an increase from $21 to $24 weekly and clearers and operators were raised from $16 to $19.50. This agreement was for three years and is operative until the fall of 1919. Stage hands declare the increase granted is not equitable and that a shortage of men will result since there is no premium on such jobs, as a clear- er can get the same wage for "carry- ing on a chair" as does the more expert stage worker. They point out that the job of a stage hand requires skill and experience, while a clearer can be "tak- en from off the street" and an operator taught his duties within a few days. The stage hands further say that clearers and operators are not members of the I. T. A. S. E., but merely mem- bers of the local union, and, since no per capita tax is paid by them to the Alliance, the latter's members should have precedence in the managers' con- sideration. Several of the managers say they favored the increase, regardless of the three-year agreement. In the case of the legitimate houses, the theatre bears no burden, and as the visiting attrac- tion pays for the clearers and opera- tors, they aren't much concerned what rate is established. A protest is not unlooked for from the stage hands. PHILLVS STRIKE SETTLED. Philadelphia, Aug. 1. An agreement was reached by the managers' association and the strik- ing musicians of Local 77 this week, the orchestras which walked out last week going back to their places Monday. The musicians' committee held a meet- ing Friday and agreed to accept the offer of the Managers' Association, which gives them an increase of $3 per man instead of the raise of $4 de- manded by the musicians. It is understood the settlement is not final, but the musicians have agreed to accept this rate until Sept. 1, and if no permanent agreement is reached by that time, the musicians are to give the managers two weeks' notice before walking •OuT*a"fa"m\The" musicians at all the vaudeville houses are affected by the new scale. The matter was adjusted by Harry T. Jordan, manager of B. F. Keith's theatre, who handled the strike with excellent judgment, taking care of all the other houses affected as well as his own, and it was mainly through his personal efforts and standing with the musicians the agreement was reached. SALT LAKE'S PLAYING CHANGE. Denver, Aug. 1. A change has been made in the Or- pheum Circuit's routing for Denver and Salt Lake. Through it Salt Lake will be given nine (instead of seven as be- fore) performances, from Wednesday night to Sunday night, the shows there hereafter gaining the Sunday perfor- mances, something Salt Lake previous- ly missed. The Orpheum, Denver, will close Its regular week Monday night, open- ing with tha- now bill Tuesday mat- inee.