Variety (September 1919)

O N D S IN THE SERVICE VOLUNTEER CAMP SHOWS [This Department has been carried weekly in Variety since we declared war. -It has noted a list of theatrical men in the Service that seldom ran less than twa columns, and more often much beyond that.] CASUALTIES. Richard Marshall is recovering in France from wounds received at the front. He was formerly treasurer of the Majestic, Los Angeles. Jack Lynch is in the Base Hospital, Mineola, L. I. (Ward No, S), where he may be seen, or letters addresseid to him. Pvt. Lyle R. Mabrey, 308th Inf. Band, was severely wounded in action, Aug. 31, and is now convalescing. Louise Astor, his wife, received the official notification. The son of Charles Simone, the Gen- eral Film Exchange manager at New Haven, has been gassed twice since reaching the battlefront with Per- shing’s troops. H. E. Belford, recently killed in an aeroplane accident at Leaside Camp, Toronto, was vice-president of the I. A. T. S. E. local 40d in Moose Jaw, Sask. Jimmy Martin (Martin, Roberts and tones), gassed while in action on the Western Front, according to a letter just received by his two former part- ners. He writes he is now in a base hospital near Paris and doing nicely. L. Andrew Castle, of Chicago, and a professional, was wounded in France. He is recovering in a hospital over there. Mr. Castle is a machine gun- ner with the Amer. E, F. Information of his injury was received at the New York offices of the Actors’ Equity As- sociation. Corporal Hsurry C. Frey, killed in action Aug. 20, was well known in. vaudeville as one of the Frey Twins. He-was married, 25 years old, and lived at 155 Audubon avenue. New York, He had been wrestling instructor at Camp Upton and left for France in April with Battery C, 304th Field Artillery He was a brother of Captain Charles Daniel Frey of the American Protec- tive League at Washington. His twin. Sergeant Harvey L. Frey, is with the , U. S. Customs, Bureau. Edward Hayes of Nev' York is in Paris as a K. of C. secretary. W. A, Jones, 42d Co., 154th Depot Brigade, Camp Meade, Md. Jack Stern (Douglas-Newman Music Co.), ordered to Camp Greenleaf, Ga. Arthur Lyons (formerly with Harry Shea), at Camp Gordon, Ala. Fred Goodwins (playing with Bryant Washburn’s film company), leaves for an officers’ training camp. W. T. Walker, stationed at El Paso, Tex., has been honorably discharged from the Army. Will Dillon, stationed at Camp Hum- phries, Vd., is not Will Dillon, the song writer (who is not in the Service). L. A. Rahe, formerly with the Ed Rush offices, now in the Navy, has been assigned film detail work in New York, James Clark (vaudeville) has enlisted for service with the British-Canadian forces in Siberia. Monty Brice (song writer; formerly writing with Jimmy Monaco) ordered to Artiiy Transport Division last week. Louis Muller (Feiber & Shea) ap- pointed manager Liberty Theatre, "Camp McClellaii'i'Afinisre Willie Sufface (Meyer Cohep Music Co.), ordered to report this week to Camp Gordon. Tom Stuart (William Collier com- pany), in the Q. M. Corps and sta- tioned at Fort Slocum, N. Y. Fred Hubener (manager of the Gar- den, Richmond Hill, L. I.), ordered to the Syracuse Camp, Sept. 25. Gus Kleinicke (formely musical director for Fritzi Scheff) is at Fort Hancock, Ga., where he is bandmaster. William. F. Young (Young and Wheeler) ordered to Camp Gordon, Ga. Lewis J. Rosenberg transferred to 33d Field Artillery, 11th Division, Camp Meade. Md. William J. Kelly (Reel Guys Co.), 19th Co., C. A. C., Fort Hancock, N. Y., promoted to corporal. Arthur J. Grebner is in the Casualty Company at Camp Colt, Gettysburg, Pa. Jack White (former cabaret enter- tainer) at the New Hampshire College, U. S. Training Camp, .Durham, N. H., Co. A. Lew Sharp ("Five Merry Young- sters") is in the Service under his own name, Louis Syilles, Battalion No. 15, Camp Greenleaf, Ga. Clarence B. Lovell is a sergeant with the 301st Ammunition Train, American Expeditionary Force, France. He was a manager before entering the service. VARIETY HAS NO FREE UST Due to the regulations of the War Industries Board, as men- tioned on Page 11 of this issue, and through the^ Post Office Department deciding that the complimentary copies sent by VARiBrr to theatrical men in the service were "sample copies," Variety has regretfully' discon- tinued mailing its weekly issues to soldiers and sailors who were in theatricals before entering the service. From many letters received Variety was very gratefully re- ceived by all of the several hun- dreds of men on Variety's ser- vice list. If relatives or friends^ of the- atrical men in the service wish them to continue to secure Variety it will be forwai^ed on receipt of a subscription in their names for one month or one year or any interim period at the present subscription rates— $4 in the United States and $5 foreign annually. Fred Esmelton leaves “Watch Your Neighbor” as soon as a substitute can be secured. He has received a com- mission in the army. Herman Barrens is assistant amuse- ment director ata Camp Gordon, Ga. Fred • Berrens is a seaman in the transport service. ' , ' Harry Chapman (Atlas Comedy Four) has joined the army and is a member of Truck 516, Camp Humph- reys, Virginia. Lieut. M. S. Bentham, U. S. N., ap- pointed aide for Third Naval District, with headquarters at Bensonhurst, L. I. , T • Milt Lewis, brother of A1 Lewis (Lewis & Gordon), at Camp Meyer, Va. He is to enter Major-General Crowder’s office in Washington. George Harcourt (dancer), has been put OK'Special •detail in gineers Training Regiment, Camp Humphreys, Va. Bud McPherson (Belle and Bud Mc- Pherson) has enlisted for foreign mili- tary duty, through Canadian recruit- ing channels. . . „ . Charles Withers (“For Pity’s Sake ) at Fort Slocum, N. Y,, has joined the (Continued on page 25) John Provan, known professionally as Scottie Provan, now at the battle front in France, in writing to New York says that in addition to soldering in the trenches he has found time to jump over to the nearest Y hut and put on his vaudeville .turn, the Scotch comedian enclosing one of the small bills the Y used to advertise his ap- pearance. The most amazing part of his entertaining stunt was that he had to return to the firing line at 6 o’clock. This is the first report where a former vaudevillian in addition to entertain- ing the soldiers for awhile was ordered right back- to th'e front line trenches. Provian recently had a furlough, and spent it in Paris. Sailor William Reilly, who has ap- peared in local vaudeville houses on leave from the Navy, will do no more vaudevilling for the present as he is assigned to special Liberty Loan drive work, spending one week in Pittsburgh as the guest of the Banker’s Club. Reilly, with a musical accompaniment by the Pelham Bay band, stood on the top of the new Selwyn theatre awning last week and sang songs, with a pic- ture camera working while Reilly put in all of the gestures. Reilly was due in Washington this week for -some special entertaining stunts. - The War Hospital Entertainment Association'has added one' more link to its claim of hospital theatres. This is at the U. S. General Hospital, No. 3, Colonia, N. J., newly established under the auspices of the Red Cross where the maimed who return from the war will be taught useful crafts and oc- cupations which will enable them to earn a remunerative livelihood in spite of their infirmities. Fred Harten, 57th Regt. Artly. Band, A. E. F. in France, has organized a nine-piece jazz band which gives fre- quent entertainments at the various base hospitals and at the Y. M. C. A. “Huts.” The majority of the jazzers are fjom New York and were former professional musicians. v A farewell vaudeville entertainment was held recently at Camp McArthur by the 5th Battl. Inf. in which Pvt. F. 0. Williams, former assistant man- ager of the Globe, Kansas City, was the master of ceremonies. Through the courtesy of manager Harrison of the. Orpheum, Waco, Tex., the entire Paiitages bill was transported to the - camp. The entertainers included, Zene and Mandel, Aerial Patts, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Aarros, Ford and Goodrich, Dot- tie Vau, Mazie Oliver, Mae Whitfield, Jack Oliver, Foster Hoffman (“Flirta- tion” Co.), Rose Mary King, Vivian Osborne, W. L. Thorne, Kenneth Grat- tan, John J. Farrell, Charles Hathaway, Edward McDermott (“Notorious Del- phine” Co.), Sergt. Earl M. Castle (Castle-Davis Trio) rendered a number of saxophone solos. A1 Jolson, by arrangement with Major-General Barnett of the Marine Corps, appeared in Washington, ISun- day, and sang for the general staff and several thousand marines, his “Tell That to the Marines.” The number has been accepted as an official song by the marine corps. At Larchmont, N. Y., Sept. 20, for the Red Cross, at St. John’s Parish House, by E. F. Albee: Van and Schenck, . Eddie ; Dowling,. Six.vKirksmith--Sisters -r- and pictures. The American Ambulance men sta- tioned at Longchamp, France, under the command of Lieut. Pierre J. Le May, were entertained recently by Billy Gould with his “Yankee Doodle Five.” The entertainers included Louise Carlyle, Renne Dietrich, Gilley Gregory and A, L. Wright. They are members of the Over There League. A few nights following Will M. Creisy, Blanche Dayne, Helen Goff, Helen Davis,' (Over There League) furnished the show. i Lewis Riley, detailed to entertain in the camps in France, appeared at the American Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Club concerts iii Paris, assisted by Leo Freddy. ■ At the Walter Reed Hospital, Wash- ington, D. C, Sept. 17, through Keith’s (Rdland, S. Robbins, manager). The hospital holds wounded boys from the front. Manager Robbins escorted the party. Included were United States Senator Reed of Missouri, General Emmett Newton and DeWitt ’ Lillie- bridge. The artists were Blanche Ring, “Crosby’s Corners" and the brass band' (with Felix. Rush), Joe Jackson, Olga and Mishka, all appearing at Keith’s last week. Mr. Robbins is arranging a performance weekly for the hospital. The entertainment Sept. 17 was the second he had given last week there, with the first show consisting ofr.Mc- Kay’s Scotch Lads and Lassies. Corporal DonMd MacDonald," late of “Toot Toot,” and now with the Marine Corps at Camp Fuller, Paoli, Pa, was the director of a vaudeville show given by the marines of the camp at the Grand Opera House,, West Chester, Pa., Sept. 19. The following appeared: Corporal MacDonald, Sergeant G. Shepmoes, Corporals Wallie Lewis, Al- fred Freund, John P. Eichmiller (with squad), Ralph C. Shireman, Simrd O. Hermansen, Hugh N. Bancroft, Pri- vates Donald Moyer, Earl Smith, Hey- ward Wever, Harvey Wheeler, John G. Whittier, Louis Gardner, Louis • Brown, Jack Hempel and James T. Shine. Also Miss Bessie Phillips, a “daughter of the Marines.” Corporal John P. Eichmiller announce^ and Private J.1E. Foreman was staged man- ager. Two concerts were held last week at Camp Merritt, N. J., under the auspices of the K. of C., arranged by V Mrs. Carrie V. King. Those wHo entertained were: Mme. Mai Kalna, Ethel Morrison, Amelia Summerville, “K, C. B.,” Joy Sweet, Lily Sutherland, Jessie Morris, Ethel MacDonough, Helen Lyons, Webster Norctoss, Arthur Carter, Davis Quixano, Mr. and Mrs. George Spink. Headed by Tavie Beige the company of “Fiddlers’ Three” visited a United States battleship in the harbor last Sunday afternoon and gave a per- formance before 700 sailors. May Irwin made a special trip to Clayton, N. Y., to give an entertain- ment Wednesday night for the Red Cross. Keith’s Military Boys’ Band camped Sunday afternoon in Van Cortlandt Park with their own equipment, in- cluding cook tents. One hundred and fifty were in the detachment under the direction of W. B. Sleeper, who gives his special attention to the Keith band, organized and maintained by A. Paul Keith and E. F. Albee. The boys gave a concert during the afternoon. Sunday evening. Sept. 29, a free per- formance for men in the Service will • be ■given by -’-Mead Over-Heels/^-at-the. Cohan. Fifty-one wounded marines, _men who saw service at Chateau Thierry and are now in the hospitaj at Nor- folk, Va., were the guests of Otto Wells and the management of “Flo- Flo” at the theatre Sept. 18. B^ty (Continued on page 24.)