The Billboard (1920)

f mSm m#i- -,-,. • ■•■ . ........... ■.:-:*.-,;'-: BUY BO N D S \, ?. i IP' 11111 Ijill HHil 'SB' : 1 Tltis s3--i-[ *s*Hlwillt.?- n BBSB5BB:' as*" sfSSpSH /-if! ! BjfiSlasa .;1 . 4 HI ' aST" lli'i llilllr '"■ THEATRICALS PLAY STAR PART IN DRI VE FOR SIX BILLIONS Allied Committee, E. F. Albee, Chairman, Has Stage Set to Surpass All Previous Collection Marks—Amusements Prepare Special Films and Bills—Enthusiasm Unbounded. FULL WEEK INCREASE. (Written for Varibtt by the Pub- licity Department of the Liberty Loan Committee, New York.) Of the $33,000,000 subscribed to the Third Liberty Loan through the ef- forts of the theatrical profession," a substantial part was raised by the ef- forts of the artists who devote their energies to the lighter forms of amuse- ments, provided in the variety and combination theatres. Heeding the call of the Government, the combined variety interests have come forward with greater enthusi- asm for the Fourth Liberty Loan. Under the direction of E. F. Albee the chairman, the organization of the last drive is retained in its entirety, and pledges by each member of the com- mittee have been given for a total ~ volume of sales in excess of the last drive. The committee includes Henry W. Savage, George M. Cohan, Marc Klaw, David Belasco, Sam M. Harris, Edgar' Selwyn, Martin Beck, Sam Scribner, William Fox, B. S. Mo^s, William A. Brady, and Joseph M. Schenck, repre- senting the legitimate and vaudeville theatres, with an added staff of re- sourceful managers from the motion picture fi*ld, noted among whom are Adolph Zukor and J. T. Brulatour. Several gifted jirtists achieyed not- able results in the third drive, and James T. Powers, Grace LaRue and Lillian Russell made exceptional sales. These favorites and many others will do their bit for the Fourth Loan. The victories attained by our forces in France furnish the most potent ar- gument for a warm response from theatregoers. < Facts, reinforced by figures, induced the Government to include the theatre among the essen- tal industries. The drive is on, and the artist, manager and other elements _ of vaudeville and variety will do more than their share in helping the war. The headquarters of the Theatrical Allied Interests Committee will be in the Longacre Building. ( Tomorrow (Saturday) with the be- ginning of the three weeks' Fourth Liberty Loan drive, the Theatrical Al- lied Committee E. F. Albee, chairman, will again inaugurate its campaign to swell the sales of the loan. The com- mittee expects to dispose of over fifty million dollars worth of bonds in this drive. The theatrical unit's headquarters are located in the Longacre Building this year. Walter J. Kingsley will again direct the publicity of the cam- paign. Elmer F. Rogers will also again have charge of the speakers. Plans for creating further interest in the Loan were completed early this week and start agoing this evening. The National Vaudeville Artists has enlisted the service of 100 of its mem- bers to act as newsboys at the various theatres throughout Greater New York, They will receive assignments daily to distribute late copies of "The Stars and Stripes," the daily paper, printed by the American Expedition- •ary-. ; ,Eor.ces.. in... France,, mother.lobbies;,- •• of the theatres every evening during the Loan Drive starting at 7:45 and remaining until the intermission pe- riod. They are under the leadership of Henry Chesterfield, who is acting as captain, and Hugh Herbert, who is acting lieutenant. At the Colonial this week during the . intermission period the reverse side of an old drop is being shown upon which is pasted a 24-sheet of the at- traction for next week. This drop will most likely be used to further the Lib- erty Loan propaganda at this theatre Monday and may be followed by the other theatres which are now lower- ing the asbestos .drop during the in- termission period. Starting next week most of the Keith vaudeville theatres will have a big .thermometer placed in the lobby on top of which will be figures representing Uncle Sam, a sol- dier 1 -'and a sailor and the amount which that particular theatre expects to raise for the Liberty Loan. The Greenpoint theatre has already or- dered the thermometer which will be installed tomorrow and has $200,000 as its goal for the sale of bonds. Special loan pictures will be used to start the show and help bond sales and several propaganda acts will be employed. The Palace, New York, will only have a bill of eight acts dur- ing the drive, allowing plenty of time for the sale of bonds. Chicago, Sept. 25. The theatres have received recogni- tion for their work in the Third Lib- erty Loan drive by having a special division set aside for them in the fourth drive, which opens Sept. 28. The loop houses will be captained by the manager of each individual house, who will be held responsible for the activity of his own theatre. The Stage Women's War Relief will also take an active participation in the loop situation, aiding drives in each of the houses. Peter J. Schaefer has been appointed chairman for the theatrical division, and has secured the first sale. Dick Green, international vice-president of/ the Stage Employes and Operators Union, was the purchaser. He bought $10,000 worth of the bonds. Ed. Bal- lard, proprietor of the Hagenbeck- Wallace show, has assured . Mr. Schaeffer he will purchase $25,000 worth of bonds before the circus leaves Chicago. Ottawa, Sept. 25. With this season the local Dominion theatre has' played vaudeville a full week, increasing the gross receipts weekly from $700 to $800 over the amount the same house played to last season when the policy was «a split week. The bills for the Dominion this season has been somewhat improved in material, with a consequent in- creased cost in the salary list, but nothing to compare with the added takings. "* Last season the Dominion "split the week" with the Theatre Francaise, Montreal, both- operated by thtf Can- adian Circuit, with Clark Brown, gen- eral manager. The Francaise is now dark. MAJESTIC,!. A., VAUDEVILLE Los Angeles, Sept. 25. Ackerman & Harris have been here several days conferring with Adolph Hamish and the Hamburgers, owners of the Majestic, over the lease of that theatre for vaudeville. As a result of this conference the Majestic may re- open within six weeks. SKETCH WITH DICKENS. Ben Barnett has completed a sketch dealing with the life of Charles Dickens at the time of his first visit to America in 1842. The sketch has four characters. It is called "Boz," after the pen name given him in his early youth. Dickens was about 30 at the time of his first visit to thesefshores. DOOLEYS SUED BY ORTH. Gordon and William J. Dooley are named as defendants in a suit brought by O'Brien, Malevinsky & Driscoll, as counsel for Frank Orth. Orth al- leges he wrote and copyrighted a a song entitled "Stroll Down the Ave- nue," upon which he holds the exclu- sive rights. Since Sept. 1,1917, the Dooleys have been using the song and Orth values its use at $25 weekly. Orth estimates his damages amount to $2,000. The defendants, through their coun- sel, Harry Saks Heshheimer, put in a general denial. DUMONT'S MINSTRELS. Philadelphia, Sept. 25. Frank Dumont's minstrels, now at Dumont's, have Eddie Cassady (fea- tured comedian), Richard Lee, Joe Hamilton, Bennie Franklin, Burke arid Walsh, Charles Gano, Alf S. Gibson, Tom O'Brien, Harvey Brooks, Oscar Smith, R. P. Lilly (musical director). THEATRE BUILDING HELD UP. Los Angeles, Sept. 25. Alexander Pantages has postponed construction on his new theatre at Seventh and Figueroa. It is ^under- stood that he was advised to do so by the Government. Work on his new Salt Lake theatre also has been held. up. Cummings and Mitchell Separated. Roy Cummings reopens in vaudeville next week, as Roy Cummings and* Girlie. He was formerly with Ruth Mitchell (Cummings and Mitchell) with "Hitchy Koo." Miss Mitchell re- mains with the show, where she has been given a part. Vincent Serrano in Lait Playlet. Chicago, Sept. 25. In Chicago now Vincent Serrano is rehearsing a playlet for vaudeville, written by Jack Lait, called "Between the Lines." It calls for two principals, both men. Mr. Serrano will be represented in vaudeville by William Morris. Ernest; Sturm Has Divorce. Chicago, Sept. 25. Ernest Sturm of the quartet at the Rialto last week, was granted a di- vorce from his wife, Freda Stone. PAUL LYNWOOD UNDER ARREST. Elmira, N. Y., Sept. 25; Investigation into the past of Paul Lynwood, theatrical producer, arrested here last week on a serious charge lodged by the police when he was found in a room in the Reggio Hotel ■ .with Bessie Phillips, a 16-year-old local girl, has resulted in sensational dis- closures. Lynwood, who was in Elmira to pro- duce the Red Men's Kirmess, it is now revealed was arrested and indicted on a similar serious charge in Albany last December. The Albany charge was made by 16-year-old Evelyn Albert of that city, while Lynwood was there to stage "Melodyland" at Harmarius Bleecker Hall for an Albany evening newspaper. • '".■. While the Albany indictment was pending against Lynwood in January last, he was married to the Albert girl by a Rensselaer clergyman and the case 'Subsequently was dropped. The investigation also shows that Lynwood's right name is Percy Lyn- wood Capes, that he is 36 years old, and the son of a minister of funnel Hill, Ga. The records also disclose he was twice married before he mar- ried the Albany' girl, and twice di- vorced. His first wife is^ living • in Maine and the second in Minnesota. The present Mrs. Lynwood is staunchly defending her husband. She had one of the principal roles ia "Melodyland." After it had been pro- duced, the girl's father complained to the police his daughter had not been home the previous night. The police probe resulted in Lynwood's arrest. In the Albert case the parents of the Phillips girl complained that' the daughter was missing and Lynwood's arrest' followed. The story told the local police by Lynwood was that he was ill, that the Phillips, girl told him she was a nurserand offered to go to the hotel and take care of him. Miss Phillips' story was different. Lynwood admits that he failed to register ^ for "the draft -Sept. 12 "be- cause his hand was shaky." His case will come up for an ad- journed hearing Friday. He is attempt- ing to secure bail. LOEWS SOUTHERN TIME. I With the dropping of a couple of towns in the south formerly booked by the Loew Circuit, Lbew is now placing bills only in its own theatres down there, at Augusta, Atlanta, Bir- mingham, Memphis and New Orleans, playing a split week in each. The southern houses are booked by Ernie Williams in the L/>ew office. « The house opening in South Bethle- hem, Pa., this week, is booked through the Loew office by Solly Turek, who also places the Sunday Loew vaude- ville in the 7th Avenue, New York, and Shubert, Brooklyn. Henderson's Closing Long Season. This week when all Coney Island of- ficially closes for the summer, Hender- son's Theatre with its vaudeville will also cease, after its longest season. PRODUCING FIRM. A new vaudeville office in the Gaiety Building has* been opened by Bob Sterling and Irving Stone. Sterling is a former vaudeville artist and the writer of several songs. Stone is a vaudeville author and stager of acts. The company will confine itself to producing acts and publishing, the special songs used. "Gates to Para- dise," with 10 people, will be one of their first productions. .... . w ,LEON.E.RRQL'S. ACT-.,..,.,,,.,,.. Chicago, Sept. 25. Next week in local vaudeville Leon, Erroll will debut in an act, headed by\ himself and carrying one other man. The booking, made by Jenie Jacobs in New York, calls for a |plary of $1,- 500 weekly during Errol's temporary stay in the varieties. Detroit Agent Branching Out Detroit, Sept. 25. R. E. Mack, manager of the local International Vaudeville Exchange, will-open offiees in Cleveland and- Buf- falo. Tabs & Stock at Orpheum, Zanesville. Zanesville, O., Sept. 25. The Orpheum opened last week under the management of W. D. Brookover. The policy of the house will be musical tabs and stock. East and West Inter-Representation. Chicago, Sept. 25. Jake Sterhad of Chicago and Jack Potsdam of New York will give each other mutual representation in their ,xes.p^ctiye.ci.t|^a : .herea£ter^, : , ,,,-.,.,... ^New Booking -Arrangements. William Casey is again booking the Grand, New York, since Fally Markus decided to discontinue handling its bills, while the Olympic, Brooklyn, is now being booked by Walter J. Plim- mer.