Variety (July 1918)

VAUDEVILLE CAMP VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS SUPPLIED BY VAUDEVILLE United Booking Offices in New York and Chicago Arrange Bills to Play Cantonments. Artists Volunteer Without Salary* Transportation and Board Only Paid by War Department. Through an understanding reached with Commissioner Reper of the , Entertainment Committee, Military Camp Activities, the United Booking ' Offices has been furnishing canton- ments with vaudeville programs wholly made up of volunteer artists. The acts volunteer their services, with transportation and board pro- vided by the War Department. The vaudeville managers, upon representa- tions made by the commissioner, agreed to request volunteers from the ranks of the artists during the two or three weeks Mr. Reper stated the camps would be in need of the shows. The New York and Chicago of- fices of the U. B. O. have been secur- ing bills. In New York the programs were arranged under the supervision of E, M. Robinson, with Harry Mun- dorf principally assisting, he having the aid of William J. Sullivan and Charles Anderson. Bills arranged by the New York U. B. O., with the dates of showing, all containing volunteer artists are: Camp Devens, Mats.—June 20-23: Mabel Fonda Co., International Duo, Frank Harron, Parsons and Irwin, girl act. June 27-30: McDonald and Kada, Dave Glaher, "Nowadays''; Sophie and Harry Everett, Hanlon Duo. July 1-3: Melody Girls, Bob Denney, Templeton, Gossler and Holt, John Dunsmore, Chris Richards. Camp Merritt, N. J.—June 21-22: Rodriquez and Co., Conway and Fields, Florence Timponi, Pope and Uno, Leo Edwards and Elliott Sisters, Loney Haskell, Catherine Powell. June 27-30: Field Sisters, J. and T. Weir, Yokes and Dog, May Mann, Holt and Rose- dale, Burns and Frabito, Mabel Fonda Co. Camp Dizy N. J.—June 21: Boyarr Troupe, 3 Leonards, Breen Family, Scotch Lads and Lassies, Houdini. June 24-26: Merritt and Bridewell, Lou Holtz, McDonald and Kada, Eva Puck, Tom Linton and Jungle Girls, Burns and Frabito, Regay and Lorraine Sisters. Camp Upton, L. I.—June 27-29: Fly- ing Venus, Irving s^nd Ward, Sidney and Townley, Francis and Ross, Bert and Lottie Walton, Lyons and Yosco, Orville Stamm. Camp Meade, Md.—June 28-30: Mer- ritt and Bridewell, Edith Mote, Pistol and Gushing, Josephine Davis, John R. Gordon and Co., James J. Morton, Witt and Winter. Plattsburg, N. Y. (Officers' Training Camp).—June 29: DeOnzo and Co., Calvin and Thornton, Harry Ellis, Lawrence and DeVarney, Brent Hayes, Harris and Burr, National Comedy 4, Frank Nelson. A bill compiled for Camp Merritt for July 4-6 was called off by the officers of the camp through some quarantine order. This bill held Brown and Taylor, Stanley and Burns, 3 Armstrongs, Ameros and Jeanette, Helen Trix and Sister, Joe Browning, Honey Boy Minstrels. J. Howard Reber, the New York rep- resentative for the Commission on Training Camp Activities, sent a per- sonal letter this week to each artist who volunteered to appear at the can- tonments. The letter wa^ cordial in its terms of appreciation and that only their hearty support had made entertainment for the men in service possible at this time. Chicago, July 3. The following shows, all composed of acts volunteering without pay fgr services, were formed by Tink Hum- phries in charge of the local United Booking Offices branch: Camp Grant (June 20-23)—Ellis and Ellosworth, Sarah Brin and Thelma liriney, Geo. Damorel and Co., Draper and Murphy, The Brads. Camp Cutter (June 23-26)—Bill Kal- ama, Ruth Roden, Three Geisha Girls, Fogarty and Foster, La Vine Trio. Camp Taylor (June 27-30)—Wright and Earl, Lotus Lee, Hughes Musical Trio, Mack and Maybelle, Lewis and Raymond, Rice, Bell and Baldwin. Camp Dodge (June 28-30)—Aerial Mitchells, Inness and Ryan, Harmony Girls, Isabelle DeArmond, Areo Bros. ''BILLBOARD" AGAIN SUED. An action for damages alleged due *J?.,!l^^^ *^as been started against The Billboard. $100,000 is asked. The plaintiff is Thomas A. Boyle of Gran- ville, N. Y., who has a theatre at Rut- land, Vt. The paper published a story reflecting upon Boyle's Rutland the- atre. Trial of the action is asked for in the Supreme Court of Washington County, N. Y. "WILD** BOY STOPPED. "He's Wild. He's Wild/^''the"b^arker shouted at Riverview Park last week, and a goodly crowd gathered around to see who was wild. "Look out I" the barker shouted again. "He bites, he's wild. Then the barker shot a bunch of gib- berish to the wild boy, and the wild boy seemed to understand. He leaped up, screamed, snapped his fingers, tried to bite the cage, and then fell ex- hausted. The boy clad in a Chinese sailor suit and shaved around the head so that only a small tuft appeared, did his tricks and fell exhausted several more times before an investigator for the Humane Society appeared on the scene and stopped the proceedings. The little fellow is 7 years old and has the brains of a child of 4. The parents were in need of funds, so they rented him out to a conces- sionaire. MOSE GUMBLE TRAVELING. The guy with the bunk laugh, other- wise identified with his hat off as Mose Gumble, started westward Wed- nesday, provided with a return ticket from any point on the Remick music circuit. Mr, Gumble will use up about two weeks in telling the Remick branch offices what a great song "Smiles" is, then return to New York for a fresh supply of laughing gas. Bob Russak joined this week the professional staff in New York of the Remick Co. Big Show Due in Chicago. Chicago, July 3. The Barnum & Bailey circus is com- ing to Chicago. The big show will have a three day stand at White City, play- ing July 12-14. ARTISTS' FORUM GoofliM lattart to 1M ^vvrdt and write «n AiMwyMWH cooiBiaBlaatloiia will not bo prinlML N andwUI bo hold In ttrtet oonidno*. If ' oldo of paper only. of writer muit bo tifntd Latter* to bo pnbilihod in this oolnnin moet be wrHtm oxeluelvely to VARIBTT. DupUeotod letters will not be printed. The writv who dapUeatee a letter to the Forum* either before or after It appears here, will not bo again permitted the privll^M of It ^^ July 3, 1918. Editor VxRiBTr: I wish to contradict the letter pub- lished in your paper about me stealing an act belongmg to Fletcher, Levee and McCabe. I have never done a trio act in the history of my theatrical career. Miss Levee accused me of being nothing but a black face comedian, which is true, as I have done the character all my life in my single act and all girl acts which I have ap- peared in. Furthermore, Lillian Steele IS too talented a woman to have to steal anyone's material. She is now doing a single act under the direction of H. Bart McHugh, and Mr. Hoffman is too well known, being Ben Deelev's straight man for years, to ruin his reputation by stealing someone elses' material. Happy Reilly. New York, July 2. Editor Variety: Having suffered thefts of my ideas and material to an unlimited and un- paralleled extent, I am in full sym- pathy with Bert Levy in his efforts to protect Albert Whelan's entrance and exit but I must except to his state- ment, which mentions Joe Jackson's Rags and Bicycles. Mr. Levy, like many others, are ex- cusable for their innocent error. I have been away, on the other side, for some years, but always continuing in my comedy cycle acts, and I have indisputable proof in my possession which anyone will be permitted to see who may be sufficiently interested that I have been "stealing a bicycle" on the stage since 1894. I went into the show business 25 years ago. Rags and bicycles were in stage use before my time, most likely, but the fact did not give about 600 cycle acts the right to use without permission my comedy originations in cycle wheels. Perhaps Mr. Jackson has some bits in his turn he created. I am not cer- tain, but to me tiiose bits are mistak- ing spittal on the floor and getting the handle bar caught in the rear of his trousers. There are so many others, however, in the Jackson turn I recog- nize as my own, also in any other comedy bicycle act almost that could be mentioned that the count is always against the lifter, though he may claim or be credited as an originator. W, E. Ritchie. The Original Tramp Cyclist. (Now with "Ziegfeld Follies.") Newport News, Va., June 25. Editor Varietf: Newport News, Va., spells Embar- kation, and for days and sometimes weeks, the boys are here in thousands, quarantined for safety, so as not to contract disease before sailing. Yes, boxed up, nothing to do, nowhere to go, and oh! for some fast vaudeville sketch. I have two very excellent little ama- teur troups here and I want good pa- triotic artists to barken—send us a few copyrighted, typewritten copies of their sketches—this is what we want, and we will play it to these soldiers or bust. Of course, we have to work in a small Y. M. C. A. hut, or in the open air, or on the deck of a ship, so nat- urally we want sketches requiring no scenery or props, nor sitting down at tables, making the jammed-in audi- Howdj. B*7. H«wd7t RUBB CHA8. ALTHOFF. ence of show-hungry boys crane their necks—you have the idea. Do not forget little bits of comedy, funny songs, comic verses, and obi for a few good monologues. These things, if sent to us, will be guarded and protected in the same pa- triotic and unselfish spirit, in which they are loaned. It will be played to entertain thousands of show-hungry boys, in Uncle Sam's uniform. Folks I We wish them "Good-bye- God's speed, and give 'em hell I" Geoffrey O'Hara, Army Song Leader, Newport News, Va. Manchester, N. H., June 29. Editor Vabibtt: I had engaged a man by the name of Roy Gordon. He worked with me seven weeks. We were in Hartford, and our next jump was Manchester, N. H. He came to me after the per- formance for the money to buy our tickets with as u«ual. 1 gave it. He returned, gave me my ticket, my trunk check, and all seemed well. When I arrived in Manchester there was no Gordon or his trunk or one word. I was helpless, and had to learn some son^s and put on a tingle act by the matmee. Afabel Hamilton. Editor VxRiBTr: Atlantic City, June 27. In VxRiBTr Oscar F. Hodge of the Neil O'Brien Minstrels was credited with stating he gave me my first stage trial with his show last season. I was engaged by Mr. Hodge as one of his principal comedians, which posi- tion I fulfilled. I have been in the theatrical business 14 years, and was a principal comedian with a recognized mmstrel show over 10 years ago. Dan Fitch. MUSIC PUBUSHING VACATIONS. Yulan, N. Y., which last week was in Sullivan County, is having its troubles this week if it's still there. A music publishing brigade de- scended upon the place, last Friday, stopping at Bornstem's, the proprietor of which is a brother of Bennry Born- stein. Benny is among the mob up there, also Lee Lewin, Joe Young, Max Cooper, Jack Glogan, Maurice Ritter, Walter Van Brunt, Iris Shuster Mon- roe Sieber, Jack Mills, Alec Cantor and Lew Reed. INJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT. Cincinnati, July 3. Mrs. Ira Fennett, aged 22 years, of Indianapolis, former chorus girl with (ius Edwards' "School Days," was seriously injured in an automobile accident early this morning. She and two other girls (non-professionals) were in the machine, returning from a roadhousc, when it collided with a telegraph pole. Toomb«s-Park«r Two-Act. Right after "Flo Flo" closed its engagement at the Cort Andrew Toombes and Reine Parker were given a ten weeks' route by the U. B. O. The act plays the Palace, New York, week after next. The booking was arranged after consent had been given by Mr. Cort and C. B. Maddock, the latter handling the vaudeville turn.