Variety (May 1918)

VARIETY 11 KrIety PaMlshed WmUt ay SHverinan, President New York Advertising eopy for current iesae will.** aeeeptedattke Mew York offlee ep to Wedaee- 4ay ni«kt. Ad iuIIm mm nta eent by mall shoal* 1 be ae- eempenlert by remittance. SUBSCRIPTION Annual *4 Foreign 91 Single Copies. H cente Bntered at aeeond-elaes matter December 21, IMS. «t tb* Poet Office at New York, New York, under the Act of March 8,117f. Vol L. No. 10 Al Jolaon sold a German helmet two or thr^e times last week on the stage of the Winter Garden, securing Lib- erty Loan subscriptions to the amount of about $40,000 for the headpiece, which had been a part of a Winter Garden production of about five years ago. Mr. Jolson and Stanley Sharpe, the Winter Garden's manager, con- ferred after reading one day last week that a German helmet had been pur- chased on the steps of the Sub-Treas- ury for $50,000 by a banking firm. Mr. Sharpe recalled the old German helmet number and said he thought Jolson could get away with it, as he gets away with almost anything up there. So Al said he would try. The last pur- chaser took the helmet away with him. It was the only one left. Last Saturday night a couple of General Pershing's boys who were especially returned with 48 companions for the Liberty Loan campaign over here, presented themselves at the Winter Garden, asking for Jack Aldrich's wife, who is a member of the chorus in the current Jolson attraction "Sinbad." Mr. Aldrich was the property man with Jolson's production of "Robinson Crusoe, Jr." The soldiers gave Mrs. Aldrich a ring sent by her husband who is in the trenches over there. The ring was made out of a steel shell and held a button taken from a Ger- man's coat. During the bond selling Mrs. Aldrich asked Mr. Jolson if he thought he could obtain more bond subscriptions by offering the ring. $20,000 was subscribed and the sub- scriber left with it. During Jolson Liberty speeches at the Garden he has been telling two gags. One was an "old boy," Al remarked he wondered no one else had dug it up. He said he was living next to 500 Germans and hoped there soon would be 500 more there, adding he lived next to a ceme- tery. The other is Jolson's own. When importuning offers for bonds, he says: "Don't you know the Huns may come over here if you don't pre- vent it, and if they do, we won't be able to sing the 'Star Spangled Ban- ner' any more? We will have to sing 'Wacht Am Rhine,' and that's a hell of a song for anybody to sing." A monthly magazine for April has an article on South America and the danger to girls going there for osten- sibly a theatrical engagement without being assured in advance of the exact conditions. The article mentions an American who has been a South Ameri- can agent for some years and was always accounted a reliable booking man for that country. As the article did not distinguish between the regular vaudeville circuit in South America (Sequin Circuit), which has played American acts for many years without any specific complaint arising from an engagement, the writer of the article docs not appear to have been fully informed, although the general sense of the story, which was for girls to be warned before leaving for South America without investigation, is good advice. Now that the Sequin tour has made a booking connection with the Marcus Locw Circuit there need be no hesitation regarding accepting con- tracts that go through the Loew office, but for all other South American the- atrical engagements inquiry should first be made before completing the contract and more particularly when professional women are wanted. Any South American consul in New York or elsewhere could be consulted or in- quiry at the New York office of Variety, in person or by mail, will furnish the person considering a South American engagement with informa- tion as to the character of the engage- ment and the responsibility of the con- tracting (managerial) parties. This point is most important, especially to the women, since it was but recently the United States Department of Justice conducted (and may still be conducting) an investigation as to the purposes for which a chorus girl group of 16 young women were taken to that country by an independent manager. The B. F. Keith Boys' Band has been called repeatedly during the Liberty Loan Drive. It led the Allied Trades divisions of the Liberty Loan Parade last Friday, with the Theatrical Di- vision, the first in line. The boys' band was organized by A. Paul Keith and E. F. Albee. It has been given quarters at the Alhambra theatre, New York. Two floors are devoted to the organization, one for rehearsal and the other for lounge rooms. The band now has 135 players, with 250 listed as available. All boys are musicians. They receive proficient instruction, Messrs. Keith and Albee maintaining it. The idea of forming the band came to its patrons during the talk of last summer over the lack of playgrounds for the young boys in New York City. The demand for the Boys' Band is so in- sistent they have been appearing in hear "Union Hill" is Harry Shea, but some day Harry may get rid of the U. S. Temple over there and it will be different. And if he does that will be some day for the Shea family. The third new show for try-out this spring by George Broadhurst went into rehearsal this week. It is called "His Wife Believed Him," and is the second farce by Mark Swan in Broad- hurst's new group thus far. In the cast are Ernest Truex, W. J. Ferguson, Alphone Ethier, Robert (Jber, George Le Soir, John P. Wilson, Leila Frost, Janet Travers and Kate Roemer. The piece is taken from the French of Keroul and Barre. Life on the fifth floor of the Palace building has just been one raffle after the other for the past few weeks. Lately N. V. A. benefit tickets have been the prizes, but last week several good-sized Liberty Bonds drew atten- tion. The high man for the bonds is Gordon Bostock, who split a $1,000- bond drawing with Max Hart and later got two $100 bonds. James Plunkctt runs third in the winnings, having pulled down three $100 bonds in one day. Amsterdam, N. Y., means nothing to Bill Delany any more. The Lyceum in that town has been on his book on and off all season. Saturday F. G. Terwilligcr, who was the fourth man- ager there this season, left the three acts on the bill flat, or rather, gave them about $80 to split between them. The mattei is in the hands of the V. M. P. A. Jerome Flynn has been transferred VARIETY FREE TO THEATRICAL MEN IN THE SERVICE While the war continues VARIETY will be sent com- plimentary to any theatrical man in the U. S. Service. Name, with address, should be forwarded and proper mailing address sent at once if ordered elsewhere. The list will be maintained also for re-mailing letters sent care VARIETY. erty Loan march, the band went to Mt. Vernon, then to Larchmont. Sat- urday it marched in Newark and Sun- parades incessantly. Last Friday, for instance, after taking part in the Lib- day in Jersey City. Jack Curtis (Rose & Curtis) became an agent through the unsuspected aid of Charles Wilshin, who is and then was an agent. Once upon a time Curtis was an actor. He admits it with his right foot set for a running start. After acting for a while Curtis thought he might as well go into vaudeville with a two-act. All he needed was the other end ofjhc act—a girl. The team was formed and Curtis applied to Wil- shin concerning booking before he had rehearsed. Wilshin said he thought it might be all right and to return at two. It was then eleven. Back at two went Curtis, still unrehearsed, to find that Wilshin had contracts for 10 weeks for the act. "Take those con- tracts back," said Curtis. "If it's as easy as that I'm going to be an agent mvself." Elsie Reisenberger, secretary to J. J. Murdock, spent a split week at another hospital, closing Saturday and return- ing to work Monday. Miss Reisen- berger took the first half off for a last look at Union Hill, where she lives, then hopped into the infirmary for the same old scat of the trouble that caused her to play the hospital circuit twice within the past year, Klsie is all right now and will continue to climb the grade to Union Hill once daily, only she doesn't like this Union Hill kidding. Claims the town is A. K. Another person who doesn't like to from the Hudson to the Fulton as treasurer. Con Little and "Dude" Harris, who were in the Fulton box office for Hitchcock & Goetz, have gone on vacations. They will enter the Globe box office during the run of the new Hitchcock Revue, which starts early next month. Al Leichter, who books the negro- patronized Lincoln theatre at 135th street, has taken over the offices in the Putnam Building formerly occu- pied by Harry Rcincrts, the theatrical agent, now at Camp Upton, L. I. Leichter, in addition to booking colored shows for his hoflse, is also placing a number of white acts up there. Sam Shipman is now going the route, which takes in all the Broadway places, besides the Fifth Avenue hotels. Kvcry week Shipman receives a royalty check from "Friendly Knemies." Last Saturday Sammy disappeared, and had not been heard from up to Wednesday, although expected to he around Thurs- day, Check day. During the final Liberty Loan Drive this week a ladder truck has been in Times Square evenings, with an ex- tension ladder extending into the air. A fireman starting at the bottom ad- vanced a rung each time a bond s;ile was recorded until he "went over the top," amidst clanging of fire gongs, auto horns and whistles. William Blockhouse, former man- ager of the Hamilton, and other Moss houses, has resigned liis position. Mr. Blockhouse has been connected with the B. S. Moss Knleipti-es f<»r a num- ber of years, and lately was taken into the general offices. He was succeeded by W. Macguire at the Hamilton. Chauncey Olcott ends his engage- ment at the Fulton, New York, Satur- day, and his company will lay of! for four weeks while he joins the all-star company which will tour the big cities in aid ol the war charities. Olcott will resume his appearances in "Once Upon a Time" in Paterson, June .1. Lea F. Leland, for three years a prin- cipal with "Kverywoman" and who is now appearing at the cantonments entertaining the soldiers, is much per- turbed by the reported arrest of a "Leah Leland" in Hamilton, O., re- cently, and says she is not that Miss Leland. Patricola will start a return engage- ment over the Pantagcs Circuit May 12. She played Shea's, Buffalo, last week, and was to have continued on eastern time until, it is said, the Orphcum Circuit placed an objection through Patricola having but recently finished a Pantagcs tour. Al Sherry, of the Gardiner Syndi- cate at Buffalo, while in Albany re- cently heard a big Hollander make some disloyal remarks. He knocked the man down. The defaincr was then pulled to his knees and made to swear his loyalty to the American flag. Perfect weather Sunday drew the first big crowd of the season to Coney Island. All places open did business. "Hot dogs" were 10 cents. The "red hot" men say there is no profit at 5, although a few of the smaller stands sold at that price. »» One of the playlets tentatively selected by the Entertainment Com- mittee for the proposed public gambol of the Lambs is "The Best Seller," written by Koy and Kenneth Webb, tried at a private entertainment given in the clubhouse a while ago. The Friars had a crowded house Sunday night when the club gave a dinner to William Morris. Besides Mr. Morris, James W. Gerard, Harry Lauder and Police Commissioner En- right spoke. Louie K. Sidney, manager of the Ja- maica theatre, has been notified of his appointment as chairman of the Bor- ough of Queens Committee on Thea- tres in the second American Red Cross. Drive for $100,000,000 war fund. Florence Rittenhouse, with the Audi- torium Players in Lynn, Mass., is leav- ing the stage this week, under the in- struction of her physician, to take a long rest. Miss Kittcnhousc was lead- ing lady with the stock organization. Keith's, Lowell, Mass., closes this week with its regular big time vaude- ville. Next week pictures will be played, and following that over the summer split week vaudeville is to be installed. Johnny Simon, the Chicago agent, arrived in New York Monday for his spring visit. He will headquarter at the Weber agency and remain about -ix weeks. Laura Roberts, one of the cleverest comediennes on the Australian stage, is shortly expected to arrive in this country, with the intention of appear- ing in vaudeville. Mclntyre and Heath will do their new act some time during next week's stay at the Palace, but it is unlikely they will present the new turn at the Monday opening performances. The partnership of Max and Kdward Spiegel, known as the Max Spiegel's I'.nt erpri cs. has been dissolved. Max Spiegel will continue the business alone.