Variety (September 1917)

VAUDE.VILLE t ( PUGIARISTS SAID TO BE OPERATING IN NEW ENGLAND Rumored Play Produced by Henry Jewett English Players Is About to be Floated in Stock Circles by 'Tirate Agents" Because of Success in Boston* Boston, Sept. 26. With the Henry Jewett English Play- ers starting on the 16th consecutive week of "The Man Who Stayed at Home" at the Copley theatre, and with seats on sale three weeks in advance, the report has been circulated locally "pirate agents" are preparing to unload the manuscript to New England stock companies. This English spy play, full of thrills althoufi[h without gun play, flopped sadly when It was produced here at $2 a couple of years ago under the name of "The White Feather." Manager H. W. Pattee of the Copley 16 weeks a^o took a gamble on it by producing it under its original title, "The Man Who Stayed at Home," this decision being arrived at through the advice of Leon Gordon, one of the Jewett English Players, who was in the original company. Three times the end of the run has been announced, only to have such an incredible turn-away business that a few more weeks were tacked on. The 15th week broke the house record, this be- ing accomplished by sticking a few ex- tra seats in the boxes to beat the pre- vious capacity figure, which was sup- fosed to be unbeatable at the $1 scale, 'attee is said to have secured a $200 a week price from WiUiam Brady for the opening week, after considerable hag- gling over Bradv's demand for $300 (without scenery), and this price has continued. From present indications the run will last 25 consecutive weeks, averaging $4,- 000 a week, with a small company and no star. The present royalty tangle that has the local stock companies guessing is based on the contention of certain agents that Brady has abrogated his contract with the authors through some techni- cal disagreement over payment of roy- alties and that pirate agents, who have obtained manuscripts, are peddling the play at low figures in remote sections ol New England. ERNEST BALL CONTROVERSY. With the announcement Leo Feist had signed Ernest Ball and J. Keirn Brennan (who has been contributing lyrics for Ball's melodies for several years) comes a statement from M. Witmark & Sons to the effect the writers have been contracted for a term of years by the Witmark firm and the latter will press every legal means. to maintain the publishing rights of the combination's works. Ernest Ball has been identified with the Witmark catalog for a number of years, during which time he became decidedly popular as a vaudeville at- traction. The Feist firm has been woefully in need of capable writers for some time and it has been an open secret they have been after several of the promi- nent lyricists and composers in order to provide a catalog that could com- bat with the market's present stock. "BLACKLISr' WELL REDUCED. The names on the manageriar'black- list," recently lifted in part, have been reduced almost to a minimum. In- vestigation proved there are hardly any names on the list this week that will not remain there, although there are a few exceptions, through some s penXlmi cases peir^ng on account of investiga- tions or other matters. There are now about 150 names on the undesirable sheet, some having been placed there since the White Rats strike fizzled, the acts having appear- ed in houses prescribed against by the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Association. Other names are those of the rabid Rats the managers appar- ently have no intention of removing. SUNDAY GOING TO ATLANTA. Atlanta, Sept. 26. Billy Sunday will be here in Novem<* her, as Bill wants to keep working the year 'round and picks the south for the cold spell north. His advance phalanx is already on the local ground, sowing the seeds for the forthcoming contribu- tions. Work has started on the Auditorium at the old show ground, to make it seat 15,000. Sunday expects to run here 30 days. Local showmen are not worried over his advent. There will be about 60,000 soldiers at Camp Gordon, the local train- ing camp, when Bill arrives. There are at present three shows at the Camp, a carnival, a " '49 Show" and a musical tabloid, the latter playing to the best business. CONDENSED "QUEEN OF MOVIES." A condensation of Tom Ryley's "Queen of the Movies" is to be made by Harry J. Fitzgerald for vaudeville, with Felix Adler in the principal role, a part taken by him in the original show. Mr. Ryley is reported interested in the play as a vaudeville act. It will carry about 20 people. MANAGER LANE DISAPPEARS. New Orleans, Sept. 26. Arthur Lane, supervisor of the Or- pheum, Memphis, during the past three seasons, mysteriously disappeared last Saturday. No trace of him can be found. Charles E. Bray has taken charge of Lane's affairs and will direct the house until a new manager is ap- pointed. DRESSING UP THE KIDDIES. Portland, Me., Sept. 26. Catherine Crawford, who is playing through New England with her vaude- ville "Fashion Show," is offering $5 to the best dressed child attending a spe- cial children's matinee on Saturday, the contest being decided after the performance. SONG ABOUT THE CZAR. Following the rush of "Rasputin" and Russian revolutionary feature pic- tures, some well-known song writers have adopted a Russian finish to their names, composing a number''called "Everybody Took a Kick at Nicholas." The writers are Cliff Hessowitch, Joe Youngovitch and Sam Lewisich. (The song may be published by Water- son, Berlin & Snyder.) Jack Von Tilzer Takes to Pictures. Jack Von Tilzer has given up the music publishing business, to engage in pictures, and he may locate next week with the Fox business forcps, NESBIT WITHOUT aiFFORD. When Evelyn Ncsbitt reopens in vaudeville next week, she will appear with Bobby O'Neill as her siage part- ner. Jack Oifford, Miss Nesbit's husband and former partner, will not appear with her again upon the stage, at least according to the present arrangement, although the separation is said to only affect their professional engagements. Clifford may enter vaudeville with an act of his own. One report said he would solely manage his wife hereaf- ter. Another is that Miss Nesbit sug- gested the stage partnership be dis- solved. The Nesbit-O'Neill engagement next week is at Newark, ts a preliminary work out for the new formation. Gifford has been Miss Nesbit's part- ner for several years, first meeting her in Paris, when he was engaged to dance with her. Miss Nesbit at that time requiring someone who could hold her up while being taught to dance. Frank Hale (of the present act of Hale & Paterson) was first en- gaged as Miss Nesbit's dancing teach- er, but gave up the task shortly after- ward. Miss Nesbit and Mr. Clifford were married about three years ago. WITMARK'S PRODUCTION MUSIC. The music publishing firm of M. Wit- mark & Sons have made especial ef- forts to corral a list of musical pro- ductions fo'r the coming winter and have succeeded in lining up a credit- able list of scores which they will pub- lish in conjunction with their popular catalog. Among the new pieces musicallv controlled by the firm are "Going Up, the musical version of "The Aviator" (which Cohan & Harris oropose to produce simultaneously in New York, London and Australia), The Grass Widow, also listed in theii^ musical comedy department, and "Yesterday," which carries great musical promise. Others include The Rainbow Girl" (K. & E. production), "A Full Honeymoon" (Morosco), which is a musicalized ver- sion of "Sadie Love"; "The Beautiful One" (Cohan & Harris), and a new version of Hoyt's "A Black Sheep" with no new title as yet, will be handled by them. "Yankee Love" and "In Shang- hai" will also bear the musical stamp of the Witmark firm. By arrangement with T. B. Harms & Co., the Witmarks will publish the mu- sic of "We Should Worry," the new musioal version of "A "Texas Steer" and the same two firms will cooperate in the publication of the scores of "Marrying Money," to be reconstruct- ed to carry music under a new title, not yet selected. SOUTHERN '^EBER AND FIELDS." A rather smart team of individuals have thrown the Weber and Fields combination in a turmoil through their activities in the south, the couple whose real names are Weber and Fields, according to report, having opened a theatre seating 3,000 in the vicinity of the cantonment camp at Chattanooga. Taking advantage of the established reputation of the New York producers, these men have called their house the Weber and Fields theatre, and are of- fering musical comedies in burlesque form. An injunction will be aimed to force them to discontinue trading on the commercial reputation of Joe Weber and Lew Fields. Hoffmann Act on Orpheum Circuit. Gertrude Hoffmann with her vaude- ville act of last season has been con- tracted to play the entire Orpheum Circuit. Miss Hoffmann will open Oct. 22 in Chicago. FRANK FAY ''ENTERTAINS.'* The marital troubles of Frank Fay were further entangled last Thursday, when a process server called upon Fay at the Riverside theatre and served him with a notice judgment for $2,- 500 procured by the attorneys of Frances White by default, the amount being for alleged money loaned Fay by his wife shortly after their mar- riage. According to Fay, the claim was made when he began suit against Wil- liam Rock for alienation of Mrs Fay's affections. He alleges that during ^ consultation in the office of Edw. S. Keller, Miss White agreed to withdraw the claim provided Fay withdrew bis suit against Rock. The latter lived up to his agreement and savs he fullv ex- pected his wife to do likewise. How- ever the judgment was taken. Fay re- ceived the legal visitor in his dressing room with a few wallops, which may result in an additional suit for dam- ages being instituted against the "liti- gant extraordinaire." In the suit for counsel fees brought against Fay by Sam Golding, his at- torney, the $750 bill for services was settled for $300 out of court. DUFFY AND INGLIS CLOSED. Duffy and Inglis were reaoved from the Orpheum, Brooklyn, bill after the Monday night performance as a result of their refusal to acknowledge the continued applause of the audience following the termination of their spe- cialty. Prior to the night performance House Manager Kerrigan instructed the team to eliminate three minutes of their 13-minute specialty. They strenuously objected to the order, but finally acquiesced and when conclud- ing the act ordered "lights out." The audience, apparently feeling the stage manager was at fault, insisted on a re- turn which the team ignored, walking directly to their dressing room. Meanwhile the Dolly Sisters* card was placed in the anunciator space, but the crowd was insistent and only be- came quiet when one of the girls an- nounced that since Duffy and Inglis had ignored their re<)uest for a bow, it was very embarrassing to them. The house quieted down and the show was resumeo. J. J. Malony was present in a box, and upon his report the act was imme- diately ordered closed. Whether it will have any effect on their future booking is problematical. ABRAMS KILLED AT REHEARSAL Buffalo, Sept. 26. During a dress rehearsal of "The Red Clock" Sunday night at the Star theatre here, David Abrams, the animal imper- sonator, was struck by a table while im- personating a goat and died shortly afterwards in a nospital. As a result of his collision with the table Mr. Abrams suffered violent con- vulsions. While lying on the floor back stage, just as the ambulance drove up to the stage door, he heard the introduc- tory music to a scene in which he and Muriel Window were to have appeared. Abrams attempted to struggle to his feet, to answer the call, but was re- strained by the ambulance surgeon and the injured man was carried away, pro- testing against his removal because he had heard his cue. The remains were shipped to New York in response to instructions from Mrs. Abrams. Dave Abrams was a noted stage ani- mal impersonator, on both sides of the water. He was born in England, but had appeared in the largest of American productions, calling for "animal act- ors," for the past 30 years, ofttimes dur- ing the period going across the ocean to take up an animal role abroad. He was accounted one of the best animal impersonators the stage has ever held. H n J ^ i 4 ■■a 38 1 i '^