Variety (January 1918)

LEGITIMATE 13 CENTURY'S LOSS PUT AT $350,000; COVERING THIS AND LAST YEAR "•■■ House Closet Tomorrow Night Under Dillingham & Zeigfeld Direction. Elliott, Comstock & Gest Reopen It Jan. 12 with "Chu Chin Chow." "Mi»a 1917" Possibly May Tour. Next Monday Elliott, Comstock & (Gest will succeed Charles Dillingham and F. Zeigfeld, Jr., as the managing •directors of the Century reopening the 'house on Jan. \1 with "Chu Chin •Chow." The announcement that the firm was to take over the house came last Monday night. It was generally believed for the last two weeks "Miss 1917" would not remain at the uptown house after this week, when the ticket buy for it from the hotels finished. Tne change was reported directed by Otto Kahn, who, in addition to being one of the directorate board of the Metropolitan and one of the founders of the Century, is also said to be in- terested in the Manhattan opera house and the production of "Chu Chin Chow," now current there. On the two productions, "The Century Girl" (last season) and "Miss 1917/* at the Century, under the Dil- lingham and Zeigfeld direction, the losses are reported in excess of $350,- 000. Last season the losses at the house were $130,000 in the face of a tremendous gross the attraction rolled up. At the time it was reported the loss was because of the tremendous amount spent renovating the house. This season the loss, in November, is said to have been $67,000. December is believed to have been in excess of that, and there has been no payments made on production cost for the cur- rent show. The weekly loss this season is re- ported at from $4,500 to over $6,000. Several weeks looked like winners, but forgotten items consumed what surplus was left. The total loss is estimated at a quarter of a million, taking in the production cost, in excess of $100,000. Operating expenses are known to have reached triple the sum ordinarily needed and these expenses are deemed high in spite of the fact that the house is an abnormal one to conduct. The house electrician has been getting $75 per week and was given three assist- ants whose union wages calls for a minimum of $35. . Employees of all classes were num- erous and the weekly "overhead" was counted at $25,000, including a charge for rental. Dillingham & Ziegfeld have prac- tically made up their minds that "Miss 1917," is to be sent on tour. To that end they have been arranging with a number of the principals to go on the road with the show. Those ap- proached are Lew Fields. Andrew Toombs. Bessie McCoy. Savoy and Drennan and Van and Schenck. ' If the plans are successfully com- pleted "Miss 1917" will open at the Academy of Music, Baltimore, Jan. 12. Wednesday night it was not defi- nitely settled whether or not Dilling- ham and Zeigfeld would send the show Dn tour, but the plans tended to point to a combination of last season's big scenes of "The Century Girl" and some of the material of the current show, to be sent out under the title of "The Century Girl." Immediately after the notice was posted announcing the closing of the show there was a mad scramble by the principals to seek engagements else- where. Lew Fields may form an alliance with the Shuberts and Arthur 11am- merstein for the production of one or more shows bearing his name. Elsie Janis will play vaudeville for a few weeks prior to her departure for Europe, where she is to open in a revue under the management of Al- bert deCourville. She opens at Keith's, Cleveland, next Monday, receiving $2,- 500. Vivienne Segal has been engaged by Elliott & Comstock for their new mu- sical show, to be entitled "Oh, Lady, Lady I" Bessie McCoy has indicated a wil- lingness to accept vaudeville engage- ments but is asking too much. The Spanish Dancers from "The Land of Joy," who have been appear- ing on the Cocoanut Grove, have also received notice of the closing, but the Valverde people who booked them for the Century roof hold a contract which does not expire till Feb. 6. Morris Gest is to take active charge of the management at the Century, and the house staiT is to be replaced en- tirely, according to the present plans. At first no attempt will be made to conduct the Cocoanut Grove, all cfTorts being directed toward making "Chu Chin Chow" a draw in the downstairs house. The roof is to be an after consideration. Mr. Gest stated Wednesday he be- lieved "Chu Chin Chow" with a heavy advertising campaign, would continue at the Century until July. Next season, for the opening in September, he is counting on "The Maid of the Moun- tains." which has been running suc- cessfully in London. The present Century "flop" is the second the house has liar! in as many years. Ned Wayburn took over the place, backed by the Eccles bovs of Salt Lake, who deposited $100,000 to the credit of the Ned Wayluirn Pro- ductions, Inc., before the lease was signed. Prior to the opening they were called on for an additional $25.- 000, and with the losses represented by the creditors in the consequent bankruptcy proceedings the hisses amounted an additional $40,000 for a seven-week season at the Century on that occasion. The Wayburn deal for the house was 12j/a per cent, f the gross a. a rental, with a guarantee that the rcr.tal would not fall below $2,000 weekly for the bare wa'!s of the theatre. It is under- stood the llliott. Comstock & Gest arrangemcnt'is somewhat similar. HERZ REPLACING BARNES. Ralph Hcrz is to go into the "Over th« Top" show, replacing T. Roy Barnes in the piece. Max Mart, who represents T. Roy Barnes, states the latter was under a contract to the Shuberts and if they did not utilize his services in the "Over the Top" production they would have to place him elsewhere or make some arrangement. "SOME DADDY" NEW. "Some Daddy," a comedy hv Harry Allan Jacobs, a new author, will epen at Atlantic City Jan ID. It is the first legitimate production effort by Alexander Lef'wich. William Mor- ris will he featured. Others m the cast are Inez Puck. Henry Yo^el, Fred Marklyu, Alice Fleming. Alice Baker, Florence Davenport, William Evans. "RAINBOW GIRL" RESTARTS. Klaw & Erlanger have again started rehearsals of "The Rainbow Girl," which they opened out of town several weeks ago and then shelved it. It seems the intention to bring it into the Knickerbocker after whipped into shape with a new cast. Donald Brian is said to have been signed by K. & E., while Beth Lydy is also in the new cast. Billy Van leaned to "Words and Music," will again be in the show in the principal comedy role. The fact that Brian is going with "The Rainbow Girl" may mean Jos. Weber will withdraw "Her Regiment" from the road within the next fort- night. Joseph Weber denies Donald Brian is to leave his management to go with Klaw & Erlanger, although admitting that management had made overtures to his star and when unable to secure him wanted Weber to come in on the production and let them have Brian. The Shuberts hold a contract with Beth Lydy ami state they will not per- mit her to work for the "other side." Miss Lydy's walking out of the com- pany on the occasion of the opening in "New York of "The Star Gazer 15 caused the piece to be postponed. OLD EMPIRE FAVORITE BACK. Mary Hampden is back at the Empire. To the present day theatre goer and critics that means nothing, but to those who have watched the Empire since it began to develop in the days of the early stock companies under the direc- tion of Charles Frohman there is a "something" about her return that means a lot. Mary Hampden (Mrs. E. J. Henley) was at one time considered the suc- cessor to Viola Allen, when Miss Allen was the leading woman at the house. When "Sowing the Wind" was pro- duced it was Mary Hampden who went forth as the leading Jady of the West- ern Frohman Stock Company that pre- sented that play, after having appeare 1 in the original productions of "Aris- tocracy" and other famous hits. Now Miss Hampden is back in the Empire and playing "Nanine" to Ethe' Barrymore's "Camille." None of the many wise critics seemed to know it CRAWFORD IN "FANCY FREE." "Fancy Free" has been selected for the co-starring of Clifton Crawford and Marilyn Miller by the Shuberts. The piece is at present in rehearsal un- der the direction of Eddie Hutchinson. Harry Connor, who was wuli the pro- duction, is out because of illness. BROUN RETURNING. Hayward Broun, former dramatic critic of the "Tribune," who has been abroad representing the paper in the war zone, is returning to New York with his wife, formerly Ruth Hale, and is on the ocean at present, lie is to return to the "Tribune" according to the present un- derstanding. BENNETT BACK. Edward I 'epics new piece "Maggie." which ficDTge C. Tjler is producing, will be without U'ichard Ilennelt. although re- ports hid him with the show. Bennett, who is in "The Very Idea/* started rehearsing with the Tyler show hut returned to the "Idea" cast after be- ing threatened with court proceedings by \\ eher & Anderson. Bennett's excuse was that he did not en re t<> leave New York since his wife was appearing in a current play at pres- ent lie joined the "Idea" company, winch uncus at the Garrick, Chicago, next week. WORM "PULLS A BONE." The prize bone of the year was pulled by A. Toxin Worm, press agent for the Shuberts, when he issued a story last week to the effect that the authors of "The Grass Widow," Channing Pollock and Retinoid Wolf, were barred from the Princess theatre. The statement went further and said that the Shuberts insisted on a guarantee for the house. None of the dope has the least truth. Mr. Pollock is present at the Princess at almost every performance of the show and he and Lee Shubert are call- ing each other by the first names. The Princess management did ask for a guarantee for the show, but it was Lee Shubert himself who offered to go good on that question. "The Grass Widow** is routed in the Shubert theatres following the Prin- cess engagement. Ray Comstock is reported to have protested to the Shuberts on the Worm story and Madison Corey has also taken up the matter with them. PROPAGANDA PLAY. Ike Weber is producing a propaganda Slay called "Love Forbidden." in which obert Edeson will be starred. It is by Jacques Kenaud and ran for seven months in Paris under another title. Kir. Weber has the support of a national society which has 3.000.000 members and was formed to conserve health. The manuscript has been read by a number of public men and the written endorsement of these person- ages will be used in an unusually big publicity campaign designed for the play. It will oncn at Ford's. Baltimore. Feb. 4. and after play the Broad street, Philadelphia, will come into New York. "AZORA" SUNG FOR FIRST TIME. Chicago. Jan. 2. Henry Hadley's opera "Azora" had its world premiere here at the Audi* torium last week. The story of the opera is similar to that of "The Woman God Forgot" in which Gcraldine Farrar appeared in pictures. It is concerned with the love of Azora, the daughter of Montezuma, for Xalca. a prince of Tiascala. The scenes are laid in the land of the Az- tecs. The music and orchestration of the opera received high praise from the local critics. K. & E.'s K. C Kansas City, Jan. 2. Klaw & Erlanger representatives are looking over the Garden theatre, a vaudeville theatre here, with a view of acquiring it for their local stand. Melville Stoltz. managing the Jef- ferson. St. Louis (formerly in the pool) will be the K. & L. rranager here. K. & E. look over the At rican (vaudeville). St. Louis, last week, and will play their shows there, the Jef- ferson remaining with the Shuberts. MILLIONAIRE INTERESTED. William F. Orr. reputed to be a mil- lionaire horseman, is reported to have bought in on the Fulton theatre and he .% also interested with Hitchcock & Goetz in their new show, "Words and Music." Mr. Orr's racing stable is said to be operating at New Orleans at present, though he has an office in the Fulton theatre and has been in the city for some weeks, lie ami Ray Goetz have been intimate friends for several years. Greenroom Dinnering Hopkins. The (irrenroom Club is to give a dinner Sunday night to Arthur Hop- kins. "Heritage" Canceled Through Illnens. Syracuse. Jan. 2. The Shuberts' production of Fu^ene Walter's play. "The Heritage." to li;ive opened at the Witting Monday, was postponed with the cause given as ill- ness of one of the principals, reported to be Cyril Kcightly or Lowell Sher- man. "Les Miserable*/* the film, was rushed in for the week.