Variety (May 1918)

LEGITIMATE. 13 SHOWS AT THE BOX OFFICE IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO End of Season Finds Some Old Plays Still Big Favorites on Broadway. "Fancy Free" Surprise of Late Comers. Liberty Loan Drive and Red Cross Campaign Becomes Parts of Theatre Performances. With the end of the legitimate term nearly here, Broadway is still holding among its biggest $2 favorites, pro- ductions that have, run the entire season or nearly so. Now the theaters have the warm weather to contend with. The drop in business that naturally happens with it will be less appreciated than ex- pected, following the Liberty Loan Drive in which nearly all the legit houses took part. Commencing May 20 the Red Cross campaign to heap up $100,000,000 will start and the aid of the playhouses invoked for it. Unsettled conditions to a greater or lesser extent have varied the box of- fice takings of the past two months, with the tierce huge battle on the Western Front, along with the war happenings at home, including the Draft, Income Tax and Liberty Loan, all of which have furnished enough excitement for folks to remain at home nights discussing them or being held by street spectacles and speeches, leav- ing the theatres to depend greatly, even more so than usual, on the transients in the city. That New York has becm holding its full quota of visitors seems to be borne out by the long runs of some of the at- tractions. No fewer than 17 attractions are in "cut rates" and on sale at Joe Le Blang's ticket agencv. They are: "Lombardi, Ltd.," "The Little Teacher," "The Doll's House," "Business Before Pleasure," "The Servant in the House," "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath," "The Man Who Stayed at Home," "A Pair of Petticoats," "Fancy Free," "Nancv Lee," "Flo Flo, Hie Copperhead," "Maytime." "A Cure for Curables," "Eyes of Youth," '•Salome" and "Seven- teen." Variktv's estimate of box office tak- ings, based on last week's figures (which was also the last week of the Liberty Loan campaign), is as follows: "Polly With a Pa.t" (Belasco). One of the season-old hits. $9,200 last week. Capacity around $11,500. "A Pair of Petticoats" (Bijou), $4,100. "Seventeen" (Booth). Piece appears to be hugely enjoyed by young people, of whom it draws a faithful picture, but while running along is not the suc- cess financially many believe it should have been. "A Tailor-Made Man" (Cohan & Harris). Another long run. $8,650 last week. Big takings considering. Per- haps will run through summer. "Business Before Pleasure" (Eltinge). $7,200 last week. Season's run, ncaring its end with a remarkable record for laughter and receipts. "A Marriage of Convenience" (Henry Miller). Opened last week with Billie Burke and Henry Miller starred. Did $6,100 in four davs. "Going Up" (Libertv. Cohan & Har- ris* solid hit. $14,000 last week. "The Eyes of Youth" (Elliott). Down to $6,200. That amount a slight in- crease over previous weeks, but a drop from around $12,000 when Marioric Rambeaw was in the cast. Miss Ram- beau may return to the play Monday, having nearly recovered from the ac- cident (broken ankle) which has kept her out of the performance for sev- eral weeks. "Lombard!, Ltd." (Morocco). $5,100. A long and successful run with Leo Carrillo featured since the second week. Soon to move. Is due to open at the Cort, Chicago, in August. "The Little Teacher" (Playhouse). A Cohan & Harris play that did not de- delop into the hit looked for. $4,850 last week. Will remain until June, perhaps longer. "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath" (Re- public). A. H. Woods' show with the attractive title that is doing business. $8,200 last week. "A Cure for Curables" (William Hodge), (39th Street). Down to $3,400 and probably staying in through finish of season. "Fancy Free" (Astor), The surprise to show people of the latest crop of new productions. Professionals feel like walking out on it while the public is taking to it, with Clifton Crawford the evident draw. Show brings out the classiest and wealthiest set in the city, .indicated by the largest Liberty Loan sales recorded for that house. $8,000 last week with strong demand. "Maytime" (Broadhurst), $7,200. "Flo-Flo" (Cort). Consistent plug- ging has held this show in the theatre and up to a good standard of receipts. Show well advertised and billed. $7,- 800 last week. John Cort did the same thing with "Upstairs and Down." Showmen speculate what Cort might do with a hit from the start. "Salome" (Comedy) (3d week). Is scheduled to stop Saturday. Another production planned. Drew $5,500 last week, just about breaking even. "Jack o' Lantern" (Fred Stone), (Globe). Still capacity. Run only lim- ited by length of time theatre will re- main open. "Cheer Up" (Hippodrome). Last week of a big season for this house, with no opportunity lost to boost along theatre and attraction. The Hippo- drome has probably received more le- gitimate publicity this season than any 10 Xew York City theatres combined. Hip's most successful season. Total gross around $1,775,000. Profits nearly $300,000. "The Rainbow Girt" (Amsterdam), $16,800. "Oh, Lady, Lady" (Princess), $5,200, close to capacitv. "Sinbad" (Al "jolson), (Winter Gar- den). Remains the big hit it started off ps. Around $30,000. Packed Sun- day night houses for vaudeville con- cert with receipts increasing $800 to $1,000 (though added prices and in- creased standing room) when Jolson appears. Could run through summer, but star is understood to insist upon his customary hot weather resting spell. If Jolson concludes to appear in hot weather, the Shuberts may try to talk him iuto moving over to the 44th Street theatre. "The Man Who Stayed at Home" (48th St.). Spy play, formerly called "The White Feather." Now opportune. $5,100 last week. "Nancy Lee" (Hudson). $5,350. "Tiger Rose" (Lyceum). A drawing piece peculiarly attractive to tran- sients. Holding on big. $11.5(H). "Seven Days' Leave" (Park). An- other surprise, off the regular line. Co- lumbus circle, and holding up all ihe time. $7,100. "A Doll's House" (\ T azimova) (PIvmouthL Ibsen season with Xa/i- niova under direction of Arthur Hop- kins, to fair returns. "Hull's Mouse" doing about the best of the Ibsen plays. $7,000 last week. Due to close Mav 25. "The Copperhead" (Lionel Barry- more), (Shubert). Play a dramatic success. $#,000 last week. "Belinda" opened at the Empire Monday and 'The Kiss Burglar" at the Cohan Thursday. The Amsterdam Roof with "The Midnight Frolic," presenting its newest fchow, had the banner receipts of its career last week, doing $7,800 at the box office (six performances). Other than the admissions, the roof secures 35 per cent, of the restaurant receipts. The same percentage the refreshment checks is given the Century Grove management atop the Century, which has not been doing so well since open- ing, probably less now that "Chu Chin Chow" has left the theatre below. Century Roof did under $6,000 last week. Changes expected there before Summer fairly starts. Chicago, May 8. Theatrical business is not bad here in view of the weather and the nu- merous second rate plays which could not draw money at any time. An estimate of local takings for last week is * "Hearts of the World" (film) (Olym- pic), $12,600. Received additional pub- licity through censoring attempt, but Griffith film easy draw. Picture man- agement renting theatre during run. "The King" (Leo Ditrichstein) (Grand). Doing its best in the high- est priced seats. $10,500. "Friendly Enemies" (Louis Mann and Sam Bernard) (Woods). Probably the biggest dramatic hit in the world; $18,302 last week (counting premiums). That is $500 above box office capacity of the house. "Leave It to Jane" (LaSallc). With assistance of "Special tickets at reduc- tions" did $9,700 last week, its 14th here. "My Four Years In Germany" (Co- lonial). The James \V. Gerard film. Did a surprising flop. Leaving this week, only its second, to be followed by the "Tarzan" feature. "Eyes of Youth" (Lou Tellegen) (Powers). Miserable failure. Exact gross not procurable, but undoubtedly under $3,000. "Lord and Lady Algy" (Garrick). The four-star combination started lightly, but brisk sale immediately after opening. "Her Regiment" with Donald Brian closed last week at the Gar- rick to $7,500. "Yours truly" (Illinois). Commenced with but fair prospects. "Land of Joy" with the Spanish Dancers closed here to terrible business. Princess.— Dark this week after short engagement of John Barrymore in Pe- ter Ibbetson, which picked up amaz- ingly. Sold out last six performances and got $13,875 on closing week. Studehaker.— Dark this week. Opens Monday with jack Nor worth's "Odds and Ends." "BACK AGAIN" FOR NEXT SEASON. There is little likelihood the new Weber & Eields show, "Back Again" (the revamped "Pick of Pickle," which Kolb and Dill used so long on the Coast) will play New York before next season. The show is in its third week in the Chestnut, Philadelphia. It may close there and be shelved until next fall. When the show is made ready for New York a number of changes will be made in the cast. NEW DOYLE AND DIXON SHOW. A new production is in prospect fm next M'li-nn by Charles Dillingham with Doyle and Dixon as the stars. R. II. P.urnside is to be one of the authors, although the show will be "built" as it progresses in rehearsals, it is said. 'I he opening is due in September. Doyle and Dixon closed their very successful season at the head of Dil- lingham's "Chin Chin" in Baltimore last week. HITCHY KOO'S BIG SAURIES. Chicago, May 8. It is reliably reported that when "Hitchy Koo" left here early last week, that the company did not receive sal- ary for the final performance, which was on Sunday night, April 29. Sev- eral strenuous "objectors" were moli- ticd by getting "theirs," but the balance are still waiting. It seems that the Hitchcock show was "hooked up" wrong with a salary list so large that it was impossible to make money. The weekly pay-roll is quoted at $11,000. Thus even with the takings at the Colonial, Chicago, around $18,000, but a few hundreds in profits were turned, for the attraction was in on a 65—35, which is a low per- centage for that class of show. The big salaries were Lillian Russell at $2,000, Mr. Hitchcock at $1,500, Leon Errol at $1,000 and a jazz band of eight which drew down around $1,500. The chorus was an expensive bunch of 30 girls. However, one of the girls is said to have "part angel" on the road. Preparations for the new show have not progressed any too smoothly. Flora Zabelle has engaged some of the tal- ent, which lends foundation to the re- port that she will hack the piece to a certain extent. William Daley, mu- sical director for Hitchcock, has re- signed, due to his refusal to play re- hearsals without pay, it is said. Ray- mond Hubbell may accept the post. BROWN'S TRIO OF PLAYS. Martin Brown, formerly one of the cleverest male stage dancers, has de- veloped into a playwright and already has finished three pieces. One has been accepted for produc- tion by Arthur Hopkins. It is called "The Very Good Young Man," and it will be used to open the Plymouth next season (late in August). The show is a comedy, whose characters are "types." Edna Aug is listed as of the cast, Mr. Brown not appearing in the play himself. Another Brown piece called "Penny" has virtually been accepted by Mrs. Fiske for next season's production. Disposition of Mr. Brown's third play- wrighting work is not yet definite. "SEVEN DAYS LEAVE" TOUR. "Seven Days Leave," now playing the Park, New York, is scheduled to open a Chicago run at the Garrick Sept. 1, with the season re-opened at Wash- ington Aug. 18. Robert Campbell will again have the management of the show and a second company of the same piece is scheduled to start a road tour at Stamford, Conn., Aug. 26. It will play all the territory not covered by the Co. A. The Canadian tour of "Seven Days' Leave." which started Nov. 15 last, will remain in operation until June 15. A SUMMER "BUY." Another indication of Broadway's predicted "open" summer is seen in the ticket agencies' activities regarding "The Kiss Burglar." which opened Thursday at the Cohan. The brokers arranged an outright buy of 400 scats for six weeks, the deal being consummated early this week, although really framed immediately after the show started in Baltimore two weeks ago. This buy ensures an $800 advance for each night's performance until well into the summer. "OH LOOK" CHANGES HANDS. Through negotiations handled by Lawrence Weber and James Montgom- ery. Llliott. Coin-tock & Cest have takm over the production rights to "( 111 Look." I'.v the time it has finished playing the Subwav Circuit in New York 'he piece will have been more or less ic- (•;t»l and will then be sent to the La- <-iii«» r 'iiii-nirn fur a summer run.