Variety (May 1918)

VAUDEVILLE ■*i CIRCUS "OPPOSITION" KILLED BY NEW TERRITORIAL DIVISION Heads of the Barnum & Bailey and Hagenbeck-Wallace "White Tops" Realizing War Conditions Mutually Agree to Split Territory So All Chances of Bucking Each Other for Business Are Eliminated. B. & B. Does Phenomenal Business Under Tent in Brooklyn. What is claimed as "unparalleled" in circus history is the mutual arrange- ment recently effected by the circus managerial interests controlling the Hagenbeck-Wallace shows and the Barnum & Bailey circus not to sanc- tion "opposition" this summer. The routing of territory will take care of it. "War times" is given as the reason for the pact on booking and the cir- cuses now playing eastern stands are widely separated. The B. & B. show is in Philadelphia with nearby territory to follow, while the Hagenbeck-Wallace show is sched- uled to cover New England stands and upstate booking. Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse are listed for consecutive stands May 8-9- 10. May 15 the H.-W. aggregation hits Poughkeepsie, the nearest it plays to New York. What is regarded as the biggest circus week's takings in Brooklyn were chalked up last week by the Barnum & Bailey show when some- thing like $90,000 was listed on the gross countup. Had the circus been enabled to ac- commodate the nightly "turnaway crowds," there is no telling what kind of a record under canvas for Brook- lyn would have been registered. The Ringlings cleared a handsome profit on the stand across the river as it was regarded as a "standing still" engagement which involved compara- tively little cost in the first movl- ment. In other days $60,000 to $65,000 gross was about as far as the money high water mark went, so the cleanup last week in the face of an unprecedented condition is regarded as amazing. In Brooklyn the cook house was up and everybody was fed on the lot, yet allowing for the operative expenses which across the river might have been covered by $3,000 daily, the Ringlings look like unusually big winners if the interest continues on the road as it did in Brooklyn. When, the regular road movements start and the "ad- vance" costing perhaps $600 compared with $300 and $400 in, the old days, is tacked on the increase is more notice- able. In 1914 veteran circus men state that the big shows were at a daily ex- pense of about $5,000 on the road. An unofficial estimate of the 48 per- formances at the Garden, New York, is around $180,000, and perhaps more which further attests to the wonder- ful receipts in Brooklyn. The B. & B. show is understood to carry for seating purposes under tent 2,300 "star backs" or "six-bits" seats, getting 75c. each, 3,000 grandstand "reds" of the folding chair specie sell- ing at $1, with 56,000 and 7,000 "blues" or bleacher seats at 50c. Upon opening in Philadelphia Mon- day the B.-B. show did an enormous business, up to Tuesday evening when rain interfered. The circus draw had an apparent effect upon the theatres in Philly. CUNNINGHAM "WALKED OUT/; The United Booking Offices booking forces felt somewhat resentful last Friday when Cecil Cunningham "walked out" of the bill furnished by that agency for the last half of the week at the Liberty theatre, Camp Up- ton, L. I. Miss Cunningham's complaint or rea- sons for leaving abruptly were trivial ones, according to the booking men, who say the only substantial cause given was a hoarseness, with the U. B. O. people still unconvinced that the vocal trouble was permanent instead of transient. They based their con- clusion upon the hoarseness being transient through hearing Miss Cun- ningham speak. They allege her voice only sounded husky when she men- tioned her throat. The U. B. O. booked in the best bill so far given by it to the Camp for last week's last half, and the report from the theatre confirmed the judgment. Thursday afternoon E. M. Robinson, Billy Sullivan and Harry Mundorf went to Camp Upton to watch the perform- ance. They say that, seated in the last row of the big auditorium, the perform- ance seemed an extremely fine show and they noted that they heard Miss Cunningham most distinctly during her turn. After the performance, a mes- senger sought out Mr. Mundorf, say- ing Miss Cunningham wanted to see him. She told him of her complaints, but Mr. Mundo'rf did not take them seriously and said all allowances should be made under the circum- stances. Miss Cunningham said she would ap- pear Friday night, but not after that. Friday morning she 'phoned Mr. Rob- inson at the U. B. O. in New York, stating she had left the performance. Vaudhan and Dreams, a "sister act," were rebooked, in substitution, by re- quest, the girls having been a decided hit at the camp on their previous ap- pearance. The complete bill for the last half as finally made up contained Howard and Sadler, Milton Pollock and Co., Con- lin and Glass, Bowman Brothers, "Melody Garden," Vaughan and Dreams, Collins and Hart. MET DISMISSES STARS. Boston, May 1. A dispatch received here over the Associated Press wires on Friday last told of the investigation of the status of all aliens in the Metropolitan by the opera directors. A representative of the opera company stated that all members whose loyalty was even sus- pected would be dismissed. Ever since the German operas were taken out of the Metropolitan reper- toire last fall the problem of the Teuton singers under contract with the Metropolitan puzzled the directors. The Boston denouement is supposed to have helped in the solution, whereby about a score of German members are reported to have had contracts can- celled. The salary drain on the Metro- politan treasury can be imagined when at least one of the urfused songbirds (Matzcnaucr) is quoted as having a contract for 40 performances at $1,000 each. Mme. Ober is reported as draw- ing no salary since Christmas, and is suing the Metropolitan for $50,000. Even if she wins it is thought in legal circles that a judgment obtained by an alien enemy will not hold. In cutting down expenses through contract can- cellations because of citizenship the Metropolitan runs little risk of the Chicago Opera Association signing up the Teuton stars since the Chicago organization has also eliminated the German operas. TWO FLIERS KILLED. Lieuts. Bert Levy, Jr., and Cyril Whelan, of the Royal Flying Corps, were killed April 28 in England, when both fell with the machine in which they were flying while doing stout duty" around London. A cable with bare details were re- ceived that day by Levy's parents from ent countries and they died together. Lieut. Levy enilsted in the R. F. C. at Toronto, went through the train- ing period there and was ordered to Ft. Worth, Tex. He left the' latter place with the rank of second lieuten- ant for the training camp in England LIEUT. CYRIL WHELAN. relatives of the boys in England. Later the English Air Secretary sent a cable of condolence but no further information. Lieut. Levy was 19 years of age and the son of Bert Levy, the artist-enter- tainer who is known throughout the world through his cartoons and sketches. He is especially popular in American vaudeville. Lieut. Whelan was IS years old and the youngest flier in the R. F. C. in England. He had been advanced to Stunt Instructor with the corps and was an unusually efficient aviator. His father is Albert Whelan. an enter- tainer of high grade and repute in England who appe.md over here some years ago. Lieut. Whelan entered the Service when 17 and had been flying 12 months. The boys were cousins and their fathers Australians. The sons grew up together excepting when separated through their families being in differ- LIEUT. BERT LEVY, JR. and receiving his commission as a first lieutenant when going into active serv- ice. His cousin also received a first lieutenancy. Both boys were on scout duty around London. A letter lately received by Bert Levy from his son stated the boy was flying regularly about live hours daily. Burial was held by the relatives of the boys in London with Jewish rites. Mr. and Mrs. Bert Levy live at 1104 East 21st street, Flatbush, Brooklyn. They left their home Tuesday to seek seclusion. MET/J BOSTON TAKINGS. Boston, May 1. The Metropolitan Opera for its sin- gle week here ending last Saturday drew a shade over $80,000. The date was not profitable, for the company in- curred enormous expenses for the en- gagement, it necessitating two spe- cial trains, one for the company and the other for properties. Even supers were carried from New York. Especial care was taken this sea- son because of the criticism of the newspapers last year, when, it was said, the Met operas v/erc not com- plete in their presentation. A four weeks' subscription campaign netted $4K,000 before the engagement opened. The orchestra did not return with the organization, but started from here on a tour of New England cities.