Variety (September 1919)

BUY BONDS T'H NOTES -. * “The NRitghty Wife” has been out, by Harry L. Parker, and is booked primarily as a camp attraction through the east and south. The piece will also be shown at various cities along the route. The cast includes Fred Sumner, Gaston Bell, Reva Greenwood and Belle D’Arcy. Inasmuch as no casting has been done for the new Winter Garden show, which is expected to replace the pres- ent Garden attraction which goes on tour, the present show is now almost certain to remain there until around the holidays. There are to be but two companies of “Going Up” mainly because of the production being too costly to tripli- cate. It entails an expenditure of $12,000 for each company. One com- pany is on the road. Chicago is being held for the original cast, which is still drawing strongly on Broadway. Berry Melton, who is a professional, has a brother, a sailor, in a New York hospital. He would like to get into communication with her. If Miss Mel- ton will write the Soldiers’ Welfare Department, Women’s War Relief, 366 Fifth avenue. New York, she will be further advised. In the new Edgar Selwyn-Channing Pollock play, “Crowded Out,” there are Franklyn Ardell, Allan Dinehart, Christie Norman and Willette Ker- shaw. It opens Oct. 7 in Washington, then goes to Philadelphia for several weeks, with New York as its ultimate goal. • ^ . ■ Joe Click is to be back with “Leave It to Jane,” the second company of that show to be sent out by Elliott, Comstock & Gest. The show opens at Schenectady, N. Y., Sept. 30, and then plays the middle west week stands. The attraction carries 60 people. Captain Malone, one of the directors of the London Gaiety, and the man who directed the New York production of "The Maid of the Mountains,” has been going over the various Elliott, Comstock & Gest productions in com- pany with William Elliott with the idea of finding material suitable for a London presentation. Mike Donlin , is playing Muggs in “Turn to the Right” at the Standard, New York, this week. Mr. Donlin has been with the show for a month past. It’s his first real acting role in the legitimate, though he has extensively appeared during the past couple of seasons in pictures. ^ The French theatre “du Vieux j Colombier” (formerly Garrick) starts J its second season under the direction , of Jacques Copeau Oct 14. The rep- ertory of plays in French will be . changed weekly. The first attraction will be “Le Secret,” by Henri Bern- i stein. It was done in English, with Frances Starr. Richard Herndon con- tinues as manager of the house. , the fighting pep of the U. S. Marines i and subsequently built up a stage ef- i feet, entitled “The Spirit of 1917,” 1 which resulted in Miss Wilson receiv- ' ing some unexpected attention from I the Corps stationed in New York. They I called at the theatre where she was playing last week and complimented her for her patriotic endeavor gnd the singling out of the Marines for a special play. Previous to the performances at all the Keith theatres the “Star Spangled Banner” is played by the orchestra and the verse of the national anthem flashed on the screen. At the Alham- bra last Friday night Manager Wayne noticed one of the patrons remaining seated and reprimanded the mani who refused to stand. He was taken to the rear of the house, where it was found he was a German without citizenship papers or a registration card. He was turqed over to the Government authorities, and is being held as an enemy alien. Laura Guerite> in South Africa for the past six months, has played suc- cessful engagements in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg. While at the latter city. Miss Guerite produced a revue, which ran for six weeks, a record for Johannesburg, which has but a population of 100,000. She also produced “Very Good Eddie” and played the Ada Lewis part. Miss Guerite was then commissioned to write an entirely new revue which is now being produced. Other American artists, including Charlotte Perry, Marguerite Calvert, The Flying Mayos, are tremendously .popular in that coun- try at present. William Harris, Jr., opened the second season of “The 13th Chair” last night at Richmond. The Company will tour through the south and west. Blanche Hall will again be in the lead- ing part. Several of the old cast have been retained. Among the new mem- bers are Elizabeth Dunne, Helen Hil- ton, H. Nelson Dickson and Robert Thorne. Captain James H. Morrison, recently invalided home from Italy with a decoration presented to him by the king, will again be in the company, but this time in the leading male role. Captain Morrison will remain in this country until able to return to the front. Coincidental, but Richard Bennett and Joseph Plunkett are back in the Lyric again with the same production, and, strange to say, with a show that has a similar title to the one they ap- peared in at that house some years ago. When the Lieblers produced “The Deep Purple,” Bennett was one of the principal players and Plunkett the com- pany manager. At the Lyric now Ben- nett is the male principal of Roland West’s production of “The Unknown Purple,” while Plunkfett is company manager. The demand for tickets for the West show is such that Plunkett declares will keep the show in New York at least this season and next. i "Sometime,” Arthur Hammerstein’s new musical play, will open at' the Shubert Monday, playing one addi- tional date at Long Branch Saturday. It succeeds the San Carlos Opera Com- pany, which fared better than ex- pected at the Shubert. The opera com- pany:,.;.ta,kes..,.t,a. ion in the larger cities, and will return to a Broadway house later in the season. The opera tour will include Chicago, Frankie Wilson, who has “The Mirage” in vaudeville, seized upon the spirit of a poster calling attention to Secretary of State Francis M. Hugo was the speaker at the premiere of the Yiddish version of “Potash and Perl- mutter” at the Lexington Sunday even- ing. Mr. Hugo touched upon a num- ber of things. After praising the pa- triotic spirit of the people of New York State and lauding the work of the soldiers of our State, Mr. Hugo particularly praised the efforts of the • theatrical pro-fesHou in’ wl^^^ done and what they are doing to help win the war. The production has been routed^ for a week at the Standard, following the Lexington engagement ■with the probability that an uptown theatre will be found for it after that, around and there is no peace ih tb? Tho Bronx International Exposition is ending its first season with anything but a successful premiere. The grounds were to have closed Saturday, but the managers discovered that would bring a flock of lawsuits, since the conces- sionnaires’ contracts named Oct. 31 as the final day instead of reading “for the season.” There is a charge by some of the smaller stockholders that the downtown financial interests that backed the exposition are attempting to freeze them out. The exposition cost $2,000,000, there being a number of permanent buildings on the grounds and a large swimming pool which is the feature. Harold Thoinai, now in the British army in France, was formerly an American actor, though of British al- legiance. His last engagement was with the George Arliss company in JJisraeli, four years ago. Mrs. Thomas appeared before the Actors’ Equity Association and produced a let- ter from her husband asking whether he cannot become a member of the A. E. A., which carries with it exemption from payment of dues to all members m the American service. This was the first instance v/here an actor already in the service had applied for admis- sion. The A. E, A. elected Mr. Thomas and IS willing to do the same for all non-member actors now in the Service. Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Shea now wofoughly understand each other. They were both interested in a thea- tre Mr. Shea had last season in Union Hill, N. J. He sold it this summer. While running the house Mrs. May Shea invested $1,800 of her own money in it, giving that amount to her hus- band. She often referred to her in- vestment while Harry-was trying to get rid of the lemon, which ultimately cost him several thousand. dollars. When the house was sold, Harry made up his mind that as his losses had run so high, a few hundred more wouldn’t make any difference, and gave/ May $2,500 in payment. May Shea, since locating Hackensack as a Jersey metropolis, has developed business in- stincts that ofttimes surprise her hus- band. They book in the same office. When Harry turned over the twenty- five hundred, he forced a smile and said, “There you are. May. Now that every little thing is perfectly O. K. in that matter, I know where to go after this if I want something in a hurry. I must stand great with you and good for a quick touch any time.” “Yes, you do,” answered May. “Try and get it.” "Oswald” the prize hound of the Guy Rawson family is dispirited. The dog knows something is up. The something is that Guy Rawson and Frances Clare are going to close their home in Au- biirndale, L. I., next month. Then they will send “Ossie” back to the kennel. will send “Ossie” back to the kennel. But they don’t speak about it in front of the mutt. Mrs. Rawson has a rev- erent awe for the intelligence of the hound. She claims it knows whatever they are speaking of. Once, says Frances, and you feel sorry for her as she proceeds, they spoke of going to a picture show in Flushing and Oswald started to howl. Now when they want to see a picture show, if “Ossie” is around, they spell it out: “f-i-l-m.” But this didn’t do it, so Guy and Frances commenced learning French. No good either, as “Oswald” picked it up while they were practicing, asserts Frances, who also says that that hound has obliged her to believe in reincarna- tion. Miss Clare isn’t exactly certain who is represented from thq past Jn ^‘‘Oswald’s’’"present pr€^^^ sort of thinks it is some relative—from Australia. Frances has Guy believing it, too. Every Friday they read “Oswald’s” advertisement in VapietV to the dog. Frances is willing to affirm the dog knows when Friday comes pround and ther? js no peace in thq house until he hears what he has to say in the paper that week. It’s just ttirrible, that’s all. The Rawsons talk the “Oswald”, thing to death upon the road, and they threaten all who don’t listen to bring “Ossie” himself along the next time, for proof and to bite the disbelievers. The affection the dog bears for the Rawson family is pathetic, according to their story. Barring that it chases Guy off the lot once daily and tried to annex Frances’ father’s feet. the other day "Oswald” is a peaceful hound, if givelf plenty to eat and left alone. Guy admits that much. But Frances says the dog is al- ways thinking of the 10.40 p. m. train from New York, which the Rawsons catch when working around the city. The train was late the other night, says Frances, and "Ossie” jumped on a chair near the phone, waiting for it to ring to let him know why Tiis family ■hadn’t returned. And fight I Well, that’s where Miss Clare shines while vividly discoursing upon the good traits 'pi her animal king. "Oswald” has never been whipped and he will tackle any- thing that walks. The Rawsons agree upon that. It did happen one day this summer that a Belgian police dog hopped, in near the Rawson home. “Ossie” saw him and disputed owner- ship. They fought for 30 minutes, five minutes at a time with one minute rests. "Oswald,” following the battle limped in the house, crawled under the kitchen stove_ and after two days wagged his tail for the first time. A week after that “Ossie” could sit up and a month or so later was able to recognize the family. Now he’s all right again, but Frances says he wasn’t whipped, for the Belgian has never been seen since. The Rawsons’ worry now is how they are going to get/out of Auburndale without “Oswald” know- ing it and what "Ossie” is going to do when told he must go back to the ken- 3 PUT “FOUR ON THE BUM.” The following letter was received by Joe Cooper, who is associated with his brother, Irving Cooper, in the lat- ter’s agency. The ^writer, Harry Schieber (called “Bennie”) has been reported decorated for distinguished service since the date of his letter. Schieber was in the Cooper agency before enlisting. He was 20 years old when entering the service: . France, Aug. 27, 1918. Dear Joe: Received your letter dated July 12 and sure was glad to hear from you. The letter was handed to me only yesterday. Just got out of the trenches. It’s pretty tough to get the mail up to you in the line and we had to v/ait until we got out. That German dog shells the roads and it’s no cinch trying to dodge them “whiz-bangs,” as we call them. I am getting along fine. Lost a few pounds in this last trip of mine into the line. It was tough, but am out for a rest now, so will take that lost weight On again. In your letter you say that should I meet any German acrobats to give them bullet kisses for you. Well ! did,', but I don’t know whether they were acrobats. One thing I do know is that as far as they are concerned the war is over. I put four on the bum at one clip. They came over, but never will go back. A bomb and my trusty pis- tol did it. One guy tried to get me as I was helping a wounded man back. There was ope cure for him. He got it. I managed to get behind a tree and aimed my gun. Bang—it went as true ,as am ari;Q^ He. .fell. Jike,..a .Jog..,, It’s^, great fun potting those Germans. Our boys here are knocking hell out of ’em. Will close now with my best re- gards to you, your brothers and Miss Ginsburg from i' (My address is the same, viz.. Corp. Harry Schieber, Co. L, 3Q8 Inf., A. E. F., France.)