Variety (September 1918)

NINE-MONTHS’ TOURISTS TICKETS FI^T F EDERAL CONCESSION Washington Railroad Conferences Give Traveling Public Advantages Over Expected Rate—Indications Point to Theatrical Concessions—Coast Tickets Show Only 10 Per Cent. Raise. Washington, Sept, 18r Nine months’ tourists tickets from New York aiid Chicago to the coast and return have been decided on. While the rates are Set, the announcement is unofficial, the Railroad Administra- tion probably holding the actual pub- lication of the rates until'a decision is giyen out regarding the appeal of the- atrical interests for rail concessions. It is understood that a favorable re- port has already been turned in ad- vocating the granting of concessions. Director General of Railroads McAdoo has been away from the capital for several days and the report has await- ed his final consideration. It is up to -him to permit\the allowances as^ set forth by the board of control. The entire managerial committee was here last week and several prominent mem- '“bers arrived here again today. The coast return trip tickets are not / acated as high as first expected, the . advance being about 10 per cent .over the old rate instead of the predicted 20 per cent, increase. From Chicago to the coast and return the rate for a nine months’ ticket is $121, plus the war tax (8 per cent.) or $9.68, making the actual figure $130.68. The nine inonths’ rate from New York to the coast and return, is $163.12, plus the war tax of $13,05, or an actual cost of' $176.17. The three months’ summer rate tourists’ tickets will cdntinue to be sold at $117.29 including war tax until the end of September and are valid until October 31. After that time they will be exchanged for the nine months’ tickets on a pro rata increase based on the mileage yet to be cov- ered. This is as arranged for early in the summer. r Partial payment is to be allowed on what was formerly called the “manu- ,j8cript ticket” plan, A certain percent- age of payment will be required at designated points, with the entire cost paid in full at the “turnaround,” which IS the coast. This is the same accom- modation allowed by the individual toads in the past and is looked upon f js a valuable aid to touring companies : and vaudevillians. GORDpN-WILSON STORY. Los Angeles, Sept. 18. Simultaneously with the arrival here • of Kitty Gordon and Jack Wilson with attendants to start feature film work for the United Picture Theatres' Co. at the Brunton studio the newspapers printed that Miss Gordon would sue " Captain Beresford for divorce with the conjecture that she would then marry Wilson, Miss Gordon’s manager denied the report but understood that papers are being prepared. DAMAGED SEVERAL WAYS. Chicago, Sept. 18i Irene Koepping, known in vaudeville variously as Irene Davis and Lee Mil- ler, has filed a suit for $50,000 damages in New Orleans against Ben Montele4 one, son of a wealthy hotel owner in New Orleans. . The suit is b^sed on incidents whifch transpired in 1912, when Miss Koepping was a minor. At that time Moneleone was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for a violation of the Mann. act. It was stated by the girl, when she was taken into custody in Chicago later, that. Monteleone had taken her to Key West, Fla., where he had compelled her to live an immoral life. In her suit. Miss Koepping asks $20,-' 000 for breach of promise, $15,0(K) for' impairment to her health, and $15,000 for degradation and disgrace following her' association., with Monteleone. Monteleone has been a fugitive from justice for six years. He was arrested last week in Denver. CINSITS FORCED EARLY SHOWS. Cincinnati, Sept. 18. Hubert Heuck, president of the Cin- cinnati Theatre Managers Association, says that managers of road shows are complaining; because under Uncle Sam’s administration the trains leaving Cin- cinnati for the north and west at mid- night have been taken off. Actors are obliged to catch trains at 11 o’clock. This necessitates starting shows at 8 p.m., at the Grand and Lyric, while Manager Ned Hastings, at Keith’s, is letting ’er go at 7.30. “Friendly Enemies,” playing its sec- ond week at the Lyric this -week, is an indication -that to beat the high cost of traveling, managers will keep their shows in normally one-week towns, or considerabl}T longer, unless business is so bad that it would be folly to remain. 7 MORTONS NEXT WEEK. The Palace, New York, program next week will, be full of Mortons, led by Sam and Kitty, the parents of the flock. Three separate Morton acts will group when the father and mother appear with their younger children, now also known as the Four Mortons. The other two turns are Paul Morton and Naomi Glass, and Clara Morton. It is anticipated that Sam and Kitty and Paul and Clara may do some of their former turn, when the elders and their children were first known as The Four. Miss Glass, privately, is Mrs. Paul Morton. N. V. A. ORDERS TRIAL Through charges preferred against a member,' the National 'Vaudeville Art- tists has ordered Billy Force before it for trial for failing to make a vaude- ville production as agreed between himself and one Sohn, a non-profes- sional. Sohn was to furnish the money and Force do the producing. Sohn pre- ferred the complaint. Force was of Bernard and Force, a vaudeville team. ARRESTED AS DESERTER. Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 18. Serg. "Victor Gordon was arrested here last Friday by a U. S. marshal as a deserter from the British Army. Gordon was appearing at the Arcade Theatre at the time. He has been play- ing in vaudeville since the early sum- mer, as a monologist, appearing most- ly in the Middle "West. "DOUBLING." For next week at the Royal and Al- hambra, New York, it has been pro- grammed for two acts to appear on' both bills. They are Trixie Friganza and T. Roy Barnes and Co. CAMPS QUARANTINED. Spanish influenza, an affection which first made its appearance along the fighting front in France, has developed in four camps which are now under quarantine., Cantonments under quar- antine are Camps Upton, Lee, Quantico and Newport. The latter two places are naval bases, but are included in the bookings of the Commission on Train- ing Camp Activities. At Quantico, near "Washington, the “Mimic World” was kept out by the quarantine, but instea.d the attraction was rushed to Camp Humphreys^ "Va. There is no Liberty Theatre there, though one is building. The Commis- sion working with the quartermaster’s department at Humphreys, arranged to transport the company and production in army trucks. Through the efforts of a Washington society woman, a spe- cial stage was constructed in the op<’ i at Humphries with footlights and com- plete equipment provided. Seats were arranged in a natural amphitheatre, capable of seating 15,000. At Camp Upton there was no inter- ruption of bookings. “The Red Mill” played the firm three days and was al- lowed fo depart when finished,-Which will be the same where other attrac- tions appear in the infected canfps. At Upton there is no danger Of contagion to the visiting artists as their living quarters are considerably separated from that of the men. At Camp Lee, starting “Sunday next. Gus Hill’s Minstrels are bboked, and up to Wednesday it was expected that the attraction would open on schedule. The Commission is continuing its book- ings, not figuring the epidemic as ser- ious. At Upton next week a number of fea- ture pictures have been arranged for. That because the week was open, hav- ing been partly held fot "Yip, Yip, Yaphank.” In addition to the pictures, concerts will be given Thursday and Friday by Mary Zentay, Violinist, and Henry Waterous, basso. Camp Upton, L. L, Sept. 18. The Liberty and Buffalo theatres here have been ordered closed for the present, due to an outbreak of Spanish influenza. i. The company playing “The Love Mill” this first half of the week was obliged to vacate. ^ SHUBERT’S SUNDAY BOOKER. Rufus Lemaire is out as booker of the Sunday shows at the Winter Gar- den and Central, the latter being the new Shubert house at 47th and Broad- way. The withdrawal followed words with Lee Shubert, but Lemaire, who between times is a chief petty officer assigned to naval headquarters at 280 Broadway, has “resigned” a number of times be- fore. Ed. Di^vidow, a brother-in-law to the Shtiberts, who has been associated with Lemaire in his office in the Putnam building, is handling the Garden and Central Sunday bookings for the pres- ent. PRESSMAN’S PLAYLET. “Life’s Studies” or "Etudes de Vic,” as it may be called, is a playlet in two scenes that Charles B. Maddock will probably produce for vaudeville. The piece was written by G. Horace Mortimer of the Orpheum Circuit’s press department. It is his maiden' playwrighting effort, with a unique idea basing it. JACK ROSE FINED. New Orleans, Sept. 18. Jack Rose, of Mike Bernard and Jack Rose, was arrested and fined $40 here Monday, after he had gotten into an altercation which led to fisticuffs. Rose paid the fine. He reports for military service in two weeks, the act dissolving there- after. MORE VOLUNTEERS SAIL. ' Two more units have dailcd overseas to join America’s Over There League of volunteers, each unit holding four entertainers. In addition the League sent over Dorothy Donnelly, the act- ress and playwright, who is to put on plays for the service mOn who will ap- pear in them. Assisting Miss Donnelly and sailing with her were Patricia O'Connor, also Grace Henry, who will do the same sort of work. The units which departed, together with their titles, are. "A Mmicar Fotiraome.” Maude Allen. JLucie Babcock. , Vera .Barstow. Mildred Evans. "A Little Bit of Everything,” Mabelle Adams. » Mary. Cameron. Lida McMillan. i Bert Snow. “A Musical Foursome” is the first alUwoman unit to sail, save for the concert duo consisting of Amperitp Farrar and niother. Counting Miss Donnelly and party, the volunfeers al- ready sent over by the League num- ber 61. The operation of the new draft is not expected to interfere with the League’s work and there will prpb- ably be some provision later for the registration of those already over there. SAILORSVMINSTRELS OVER. The Sailors’ Minstrels of. the New- port Naval Station, 90 in number, wound up their season Sunday night at Worcester, Mass. The show made several cities in New England, under the direction of Mark Levy, and were entertained by the local officials, also the society folk of Newport, Taunton, Fall River, Springfield and Providence. In the company Bill Jones and Noll and Kenney “walked away with the show.” HELD UP AT BORDER. Winnipeg, Can.; Sept. 18. Through not holding their registra- tion .cards, King and Harvey were held up at the Canadian border for two days, leaving it impossible for them to open here Monday. The men had registered by mail with their New Yotk Draft Board without receiving an acjcnowledgment. They had to register again, iii Pembina County, North Dakota and were then allo-wed to leave the States, motoring from the border to Winnipeg and opening here this evening. MARX BROS. IN SHOW. Chicago, Sept. 18. The Four Marx Brothers "have temporarily forsaken vaudeville and will go out in a production. It is to be a romantic farce with music, written for them by Joe Swer- iing, presented by Minnie Palmer and produced under the direction of A1 Shean. The piece, in three acts, is entitled “The Street Cinderella." The . music was written specially for the production by Gus Kahn and Egbert Van Alstync. In addition to Julius, Arthur, Leon- ard and Herbert Marx, who will be featured, the cast will include Edward Metcalfe, Mary Orthe, Betty Carpen- ter, Saba Shepard, Mary Aldis, Trixie Van Ness, Ida Lampton and a chorus of twelve. "The Street Cinderella’’ opens on the K. & E. time at Grand Rapids Sept. 28. Lou Lockett—Emma Haig Act. Lou Lockett, formerly of Lockett and Brown, with Emma Haig in an act written by Eddie Madden and staged by Frank Hale. Jenie Jacobs is handling the_ nejjt- team. Jessica Brown is in “Gloriaita,” a new John Corf musical piece. M«k6 m» your fun oodfathor. CHA8. ALTHOFF.