Variety (November 1917)

14 LEGITIMATE. SHOWS OUT OF TOWN ± Philadelphia, Oct 31. All but one of the legitimate houses provided new openings for their pa- trons this week. Despite the unusual force of conflicting attractions, busi- ness was generally good. "Mary's An- kle," still at the Adelphi, has been do- ing well and Monday night held a two- thirds filled house. This is the final week, "Good Gracious Annabelle," Nov. 5. The principal opening was 'The Fol- lies," which got away to a flying start at the Arrest. In the past "The Fol- lies" has opened good and then picked up, but Monday night's audience crowded the theatre and the show went over.with splendid results. The Boomerang** opened very well at the Garrick and made a favorable impression. The press comments were generally good. Ruth Chatterton in the comedy, "Come Out of the Kit- chen," received a warm welcome at the Broad. This show appeared to be the only one to suffer greatly through the conflicting openings, but the house was fairly well filled. Miss Chatterton is a great favorite here and business should improve steadily, par- ticularly at the matinees. Victor Herbert was given an enthusi- astic reception here at the opening of his Irish opera "Eileen," which began a four weeks' engagement at the Lyric. Mr. Herbert directed the orchestra for the opening. The piece scored and re- ceived favorable comment. "The Wanderer" continues a steady draw and the extension of the run for an extra two weeks is announced this week. This will hold the big spec- tacle here until Nov. 17. "The Lily" this week at the Knicker- bocker by the* Emily Smiley Stock Players. "The Fascinating Widpw," with Thomas Martelle featured, moved to the Orpheum this week. It was planned to close the show here, but the piece will continue with bookings at Balti- more, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleve- land and Detroit. "So Long Letty" is at the Walnut. Harry Lauder opened at the Acad- emy of Music Tuesday afternoon. The Scotch comedian is here for five per- formances with a heavy advance sale reported. A heavy rainstorm hurt business, but the show had a fair audi- ence considering the conditions. San Francisco, Oct 30. Stella Mayhew predominates through- out in "Broadway and Buttermilk," which opened to good business at the Alcazar. "Potash mnd Perlmutter in Society" opened at the Columbia, with Jules Jor- dan as "Potash" receiving a number of laudatory press notices. Business down- stairs was very good, with bright pros- pects ahead. The La Salle Grand Opera Co. in its second week at the Cort is slightly falling off, undoubtedly due to the large Italian clientele remaining away. Last week they registered close to $14,000. New Orleans, Oct. 31. The Chicago Grand Opera is attract- ing good business this week at the French opera house. "Pom Pom," again with Mizzi Hajos, is getting real returns at the Tulane. The Al G. Fields Minstrels with Billy Beard and Lassies White corner- ing the comedy honors, is doing capa- city this week at the Lafayette. Los Angeles, Oct. 31. The week opened strong at the Ma- son with "The Thirteenth Chair," draw- ing a big house, with indications from advance sale that the thriller is set- ting a record for the season. It is here for two weeks. The other houses report steadily in- creasing receipts. SHOW INDIFFERENTLY PLAYED. Atlantic City, Oct. 31. "We Should Worrv," a new musical comedy at the Apollo Oct. 25-27, was a somewhat puzzling production. Pre- tented by Elizabeth liar bury arid Fred- eric McKay, written by Henry Blossom and A. Baldwin Sloane, it had flashes of ability, but there was much that seemed extraneous and a good bit of dancing of the kind that didn't flatter the pro- ducers. The fun that flashed through the lines "carried" the play. The opening scene, showing a few skulking Mexicans in a haphazard dance, occupied a perfectly useless ten minutes before the first mu- sical number. The first act, saved by a well directed finale, had but one song of striking melody, but this was all but spoiled by the posing of the singer—in fact throughout the entire show there was a lack of natural action by most of the cast Ray Raymond, as George Cop- well, and W. L. Romane, as Senator Bellows, were perhaps the only mem- bers who seemed thoroughly at home on the stage, and much of the humor and action was the result of their ef- forts. As it stands, the production will make a good road show, but needs consider- able subtraction and addition before it will please New York. IN THE SERVICE Sergt. Barney Toy, assistant band- master of the 23rd Regimental Band, New York National Guard, now en- camped at Spartanburg, has written the words and music to a new marching song, "Hip, Hip, Hooray I We Are Marching Away." Headed by Ser- jeant Tellington, 20 members of the Quartermaster's Corps, including ieorge Sofranski, Jack Crisp, Willie Cohan (Gordon Bros.) and former .as- sistant Stage Manager Levine of Proc- tor's 125th Street, made nightly rounds of theatres and restaurants for the benefit of the Liberty Loan. Capt. Gardner Crane, at Camp Up- ton, Vaphank, L. I., motored to Phila- delphia last Sunday to see his wife, at present over there with "You're in Love." It was the first time in three months the couple had met. They were formerly in vaudeville. Frank O'Brien, the Wilmer & Vin- cent booker at the U. B. O., entered the navy Monday, assigned to the U. S. transport "Madagascar," with the rating of coxswain, because of form- er experience. His book has been tak- en over by Jack Hodgdon. B. D. Berg, a producer of vaudeville acts, states he will not engage any men for his production of draft age. Arthur West, Luther Yantis and Alf Bruce, who were in Berg acts, have been called by the draft. Earl Carroll Wednesday passed the highest in competition with 27 others in his examination for admission to the United States aviation corps and was accepted. He expects to be sent to Texas shortly. C. Carroll Clucas is a corporal in the Quartermaster's Department at Paris Island, S. C. (Last week under this same heading Mr. Clucas' name was misspelled.) Cliff Stirk (Newport and Stirk) re- jected by army physicians after enlist- ing in Denver, the examining doctor refusing to overlook his flat feet. Alex. Guber enlisted in the Quarter- master's Corps and is stationed at Gov- ernor's Island. N. Y. Bill Rose is a member of the machine gun battalion at Gettysburg, Pa. STOCKS OPENING. Jay Packard signed a contract Mon- day to resume former stock operations in the Orpheum, Newark { reopening November 10. Packard is reported having unloaded his Jersey City stock to devote all his time to Newark. "The Scrap of Paper" has found its way into stock. Charles Reno is on the road with a revival of his old stand-by, "Human Hearts," playing New England terri- tory. Eddie Cuddy has organized a new company, including leads, to replace his present one at the Lowell, Mass., Opera House. Nov. 5. The opener for the new troupe will be "The Silent Witness." Alice Clements was engaged last week as leading woman for the new stock that opens at the Auditorium, Manchester, N. H., Nov. 5, the first production being "The Silent Witness," staged by E. J. Blunkhall. William O'Neill is the company manager. William O'Neil and Peter McGuire have selected "The House of Glass" as the opening attraction of their new winter stock in Manchester, N. H. Harry Clay Blaney, who with his brother. Charles E.. is operating the Cecil Spooner stock, Grand, Brooklyn, is planning to establish a new stock in Baltimore. Unless other arrangements are made for Winifred Claire, she may play win- ter stock season in Newark. Lowell, Mass., Oct. 31. The Emerson Players, at the opera house since Labor Day, will be reor- ganized by the Emerson-Site Co. Un- satisfactory burraess is the reason. ST. PAUL BUSINESS OFF. DRAFTED. Bud Murry with "Doing Our Bit," has been drafted, but obtained a month's furlough in order not to in- terfere with the earlier performances of the show. Jimmy Cooper (Cooper and Steppe) has gone to Kansas City to report at the camp there. Steppe will probably head a new, "girl act." Charles Fleming (The Flemmings) was notified to report for examination last week. Claims exemption; depend- ents. Little Billy, 23 years of age and 36 inches high, was called before the ex- amining board. The board was final- ly convinced Little Billy was the per- son called. Wesley Ruggles, the Vitagraph di- rector, who had just started producing "The Agony Column" for Vita, has been ordered to Camp Upton, L. I. Some of the boys from the show ranks now at Camp Upton, L. I., are expected to be transferred to Tenafly, N. J., until time to go overseas. A. P. Waxman,* last ahead of the "Italian Battlefront" film, is with Bat- tery E, 306th Field Artillery, Camp Upton. N. Y. Frank P. Lea, with the Quarter- master's Corps, Hoboken, has obtained a long leave of absence to attend to some theatrical work. Foley and O'Neil enter a denial that Foley had been drafted and the act dis- solved, as a result of the draft. Jeane Wentz i^ with the 322d Field Artillery (Headquarters Co.), Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, O. Tom Dooley, formerly chief usher at the Columbia, New York, at Yap- hank, L. I. Charles Hunt, treasurer of the Great Richards circus last summer for a time, will report to Camp Dix, N. J. Weston (Weston's Models) accepted. Mrs. Weston will work the act with a substitute in Weston's place. Harold Victor Arnold, at Camp Up- ton. Jim Barton, of burlesque, exempted at Cincinnati; physical disability. George Poli exempted at New Haven; dependents. Joe Brown, exempted, dependents. St. Paul, Oct 31. Business for legitimate shows Is decidedly off here. The Lyceum and the Metropolitan have not been getting the returns the shows playing here warranted. . , . Among the attractions lately have been "His Bridal Night" and w "When Dreams Come True," at the Lyceum, and "Springtime- and "Pojlyanna, at the Metropolitan. One of the local papers has been making a direct editorial appeal for business tor the theatres, saying that good shows will cease to come here unless they get business. "RED CLOCK" TRYING AGAIN. •The Red Clock" is to go out again. Ernest B. Slade, reputed to be a munitions man, has incorporated a company for that purpose, with Sylvio Hein as general manager. The latter composed the music for the show. When it suddenly stopped in Boston several weeks afo, Mr. Hein supplied the money to bring the company back to town. . Edwin Perkins, the first producer of the show, has dropped from sight. One week's salary due the company was paid last week. REWRITING ACT FOR SHOW. "A Trip Around the World" is re- ported being rewritten as a musical comedy in two scenes, to travel as a show over the International Circuit. It was originally produced about three weeks ago by Leo Edwards as a vaudeville act, "breaking in" at Jersey City. DITRICHSTEIN AT COHAN. Leo Ditrichstein, in his foreign adaptation, entitled "The King," is slated to succeed "Here Comes the Bride" at the Cohan theatre Novem- ber 12. CHICAGO BOX OFFICE MOVES. Chicago, Oct 31. Many box office shifts are taking place in Chicago. Ross Behne, treasurer of the Palace, has resigned because of failing eyes, and is succeeded by Bob Beverung, his assistant, whose place is taken by Walter Clark, formerly of the Cort, recently of White Sox Park. Fred L. Steward moves from the Princess to become treasurer of the Studebaker, and Dave Itzel, assistant at the Garrick, succeeds Steward. Charles Thanhouser, formerly at the Illinois, takes Dave's place as assistant at the Garrick. $6 Wookly Not Enough to LIto On. Cincinnati, Oct. 31. After released from the workhjuse, where he was detained for 30 days, ow- ing to having connected with a strange watch, Harry Wilkins was arrested here yesterday charged with stealing an overcoat from Dr. S. S. Bush. Wilkins is 19 years old, and an actor who has played in stock and road companies. Upon his release he se- cured a position at $6 weekly, but couldn't save enough from it to buy an overcoat. Frank Lalor Going to London. In two or three weeks, Frank Lalor will sail for England, to appear in the production of "The Lilac Domino" (American) to be presented there. Willie Edelsten, who placed the en- gagement of Mr. Lalor, will also sail about the same time upon one of his several trips abroad since the war started. Mr. Edelsten goes over to book and engage. Hammarstaln-Friml Poaco. Arthur Hammerstein and Rudolf Friml are speaking once more. Otto Hauerbach acted as peacemaker. Mr. Hauerbach had a book, to which Friml set music, and it will now be produced by Mr. Hammerstein.