Variety (January 1918)

VAUDEVILLE U. B. 0. AGENTS FACE PUNISHMENT, OVERCHARGING COMMISSIONS E. F. Albee Issues Mandate Wherein Status of United Booking Offices Is Clearly Defined as to Exact Amount Agents Can Charge Acts for Booking—U. B. O. Wants Complaints to Come Direct. In an announcement issued this week by E. F. Albee, vaudeville artists are informed what amounts should be paid for securing an engagement through the United Booking Offices. The notification Was caused through an anonymous letter, reproduced in the announcement, alleging some U. B. O. agents book their big-time acts on the small-time circuits when the big tim- ers have open dates, the letter charging that through this the acts must pay commission amounting to 20% in all. The Albee notice says that custom provides for a five per cent, fee to an agent for representative and that the U. B. O. charges five per cent, com- mission, which would be the full amount charged if an act booked direct with it. Any commission, says Mr. Albee, paid to U. B. O. agents for ap- pearing in small-time houses is un- necessary, and he invites artists who have paid over 10 per cent, on engage- ments to submit their grievances to the managers, who guarantee them protection. The U. B. O. is open to re- ceive at all times, the announcement states, any complaint by an artist an agent has charged an excessive amount. The communication causing the Albee statement was unsigned, which Mr. Albee refers to. He adds that artists with grievances should come forward with them instead of making sidewalk gossip, if they wish io better vaudeville conditions. The anonymous letter refers to a matter of booking frequently reported, that of big-time acts playing small time intermittently and intermediately dur- ing the fulfillment of a big-time route. There are agents doing business with the United Booking Offices who are said to have direct connections with small-time agents, through which both place when opportunity offers acts from each division on the. other. Though this booking is conducted secretly with the original agent of the turn always ready with a plea he did not book it in the other held (and in a position where his statement can not be dis- proved), it is quite well established this sort of booking by agents has been go- ing on for a long while. What amount of commission the big acts have paid when placed in the smaller houses to fill in open time has been kept as secret as the booking connection. SENTENCED FOR 30 YEARS. Chicago, Dec. 29. About a year and a half ago, Edmund Norton, who played-the rube kid in the vaudeville act known as "Christ- mas at Higgins'," was arrested at Ft. Worth, Tex., under the name of Fred Lloyd, for attempted rape. Without friends or money, his case was rushed to trial with the court ap- pointing an attorney to defend him. The trial was in a way only perfunc- tory, and as the laws through the south are severe for this charge, Nor- ton, or Lloyd, was sentenced to 30 years in the penitentiary. New evidence was later found and the young lawyer who represented him at the trial asked for a rehearing and retrial of the case by the Court of Appeals. With the request for a rehearing however, his interest in the case lapsed and with no one to push it, the matter has been allowed to drag until this time, with Norton still con- fined in the county jail at Ft. Worth, as he had not informed his friends about it, as he disliked the notoriety. Now, after 18 months, he has written to Lew N. Goldberg, the Chicago agent, stating that the court will set Jan. 16, at Ft. Worth, and if granted a new trial by the court, he will be rushed to trial, and won't have a chance un- less furnished with an attorney to look after his interests, and one who can give a bond to stay the case until he is prepared to present his case. C S. ("Tink") Humphrey, Karl Hob- litzelle, president of the Interstate Cir- cuit, Lew M. Goldberg, Irving Simon, John Simon, Dave Baehler, Bert Cor- telyou, Will Jacobs, Marius Heinaw, Coney Holmes, Glenn C. Burt, Chas. Crowl, J. T. Keeler, Edgar Dudley, Ir- ving Yates, Lew Earl, J. C. Elias, Tom Carmody, Eddie Shayne, Sam Nahl, Asher Levy, Harry W. Spingold, Jesse Freeman, Dick Hoffman, Charlie Free- man, H. J. Allardt, Chas. Hoyland, Cal Grims, Walter Downie, Geo. Van, Sam Thall, Andy Talbot, C. W. Nelson, Paul B. Powell, Paul Gordon, Tom Powell and others have interested themselves in the matter and will see that Norton secures a bond and a regular attorney to not only push the case, but to see that the matter is adequately presented when the case comes up for trial. Mr. Hoblitzelle, who as president of the Interstate, has property interests in Texas, will attend to the giving of any necessary bond for appearances as well as the selecting attorneys to look af- ter Norton's interests, both before and at the trial. Any friends of Norton who desire to assist him with money in order that he may have a fair chance in court, may send remittances to either C. S. Hum- phrey, manager of the Chicago office of the United, or to Lew W. Goldberg, Suite 806, Majestic Theatre Bldg. Those who have gone into the case to any extent, claim that with a proper showing of the evidence at hand, Nor- ton cannot be convicted of the charge. KIDNAPPING CHARGED. New Orleans, Dec. 31. Evading the authorities for more than a year, Charles Schaefer, a Hungarian, was arrested in San Antonio, on a tip from New Orleans federal officers, and is being held pending the development cf white slave charges. Schaefer is charged with kidnapping Mathew and Bailor Matina, twin Lilli- putians, aged 14, located in a carnival playing El Paso. The local authorities received infor- mation through Lew Rose, manager of the Dauphine theatre here. CHICAGO PALACE GROSS. Chicago, Jan. 2. The gross at the Palace (vaudeville) last week (Xmas) without an extra per- formance beats all the box office records of that theatre for the past three years. KEANE HELD OVER 3rd WEEK. Robert Emmett Keanc will remain at the Palace, New York, next week, his third consecutive one. He is also ap- pearing in "The Grass Widow" at the Princess. Mr. Keane is the only "single'* male act ever holding over for three weeks at the New York Palace. FRIARS 9 DINNER FOR MORRIS. There is some talk of the Friars giving William Morris a dinner during April next. It may be held at one of the big hotels. Commencing April 22, Harry Lauder, under Morris' management, goes into the Metropolitan, New York, for two weeks, with Morris renting the house. It will mark the close of Lauder's present tour over here. He will return to England, probably coming back here in the fall on his way to Australia, for a return engagement over there, also under Morris' direction. Mr. Morris has instructed his attor- neys, House, Grossman & Vorhaus, to commence actions to recover against the Shuberts and the New York Cen- tral R. R., alleging that through negli- gence on their part the Lauder show missed three performances, two at the Shubert, New Haven, and one at the Academy of Music, Brooklyn. The suit against the Shuberts is for the New Haven lost shows, for which there had been an advance sale of $800 for the matinee and $2,496 at night. In Brooklyn the matinee's advance sale was $1,800, and the claim against the Central will be fcased upon that through delay in moving the Lauder special car from Albany to New York. In New Haven the theatre could not supply heat. PHILA. BLOOMER. Philadelphia, Jan. 2. The "Supreme Vaudeville" show given at the Academy of Music proved a gigantic flivver. First Grace La Rue was announced as the headliner, but her name appeared in the ads. only one day and Ralph Herz, the musical comedy comedian, topped the bill, which also included the Courtney Sis- ters; Bennett and Richards; Dancing LaVars; Four Musical Hodges; May Marvin, a "single"; Walter Percival and Co. in a sketch called "The Way Out," and the Three Kramers, a ring and bar act. The first show given Monday night diew less than $1,000 and the New Year's evening performance even less. The afternoon show had the audience i hilled to the bone in the poorly heat- ed house, kidding the artists and walk- ed out on the acts. It was reported when Grace La Rue was lost to the show, the original backers dropped out and it was diffi- cult to learn just who was behind the bloomer. GASTON AND DINGLE TEAM. Billy Gaston and Tom Dingle have teamed. Gaston has been off the stage for some years, devoting his time to writing popular songs. Dingle has not been able to appear since he broke a bone in his foot while dancing several months ago. "DIVORCONS" CONDENSED. "Divorcons" in condensed form is to be done by Laura Hope Crews in vaudeville, with a supporting cast of five. Grace George had the play con- densed to sketch form and it is this version Miss Crews has secured. Eddie Darling is responsible for se- curing "Divorcons" for Miss Crews. ELFIE FAY IN TWO-ACT. Elfie Fay of "Belle of Avenue A" fame has returned from England. Miss Fay looks in excellent health and has teamed with Eleanor Kent for a two act, the girls opening out of town next week. Arthur Klein is booking. Lady Duff's Now Manager. Myron Fagan is out as business manager of the Lady Duff Gordon act, having been succeeded by Walter GirTord. The act is really managed by Harry Weber. ACTS ON "FAVORABLE LIST." At the last meeting of the Vaude- ville Managers' Protective Association a number of acts who took part in the recent. White Rat strike were placed en the favorable list and bookings ar- ranged for them through the circuits represented in the V. M. P. A. No information was forthcoming as to the number favored*, but it is un- derstood it was around 70 or 100 and included some of those most active in a direct manner. INTERSTATE'S CAMP THEATRE. San Antonio, Jan. 2. The Interstate Circuit will commence showing vaudeville next Sunday at the Camp Travis theatre. The house will play a full week, taking its shows from the southeastern bookings of the United Booking Offices, the bills com- ing to the camp from Alexandria and New Orleans, with a split week between Lake Charles and Beaumont, proceed- ing after the camp stay to Waco. Little Rock and Pine Bluff, when the U. B. O. will again route them. The Interstate also lias Majestic theatre, in the city. ATTACHED FOR "JUMPING." Chicago, Jan. 2. Countess Verona had her act at- tached by the W. V. M. A. on a claim of violation of contract with the asso- ciation. She "jumped" the association time to open for Pantages, after a week's layoff in Minneapolis. Verona settled in full for the claim. RIVAL ACT CANCELLED. „ , Chicago, Jan. 2. Max Gruber (Gruber's Animals) was arrested in Winnipeg last week, as an alien enemy on a telegram jent to the authorities, signed T. W. Shaw of Shaw's Circus. Tink Humphreys by wire proved to the satisfaction of the Canadian au- thorities Gruber had been in this coun- try 15 years, had his first papers and had spent thousands of dollars in Liberty Bonds. On receipt of this in- formation Gruber was released. Meanwhile, Beehler & Jacobs, agents for the Shaw act, notified Shaw all his association time had been canceled. Shaw is an Indian. RATS' HEARINGS STARTING. A resumption of the investigation of the White Rats' financial affairs it expected to be resumed this afternoon (Friday) in the office of referee Louis Schuldenfrei. Postponements were occasioned lately through the holidays and delays in court. Last week's scheduled hearing was called off at the last minute. FRED WILLMOT DIES. London, Jan. 2. Fred Willmot, formerly a variety art- ist and of late years manager, proprie- tor and variety agent, died Dec. 23; aged 50. RUNS PAST iOOTH. London, Jan. 2. "Chu Chin Chow" at His Majesty's celebrated its 600th performance Dec. 2£. 100TH PERFORMANCE. London, Jan. 2. "The Thirteenth Chair" reached its 100th performance at the Duke of York's Jan. 4. Ballad Concerts Continue. London, Jan. 2. Chappell & Co. resume at Queens Hall Jan. 5 their attractive ballad con- certs. Eddie Astor in French Hospital. London. Jan. 2.^ Eddie Astor, dancing juggler, is in the hospital in France.