Variety (December 1919)

VAUDEVILLE -■.-,■■-- ■ .-V .- ■ . ■ • ' ' "'.-. ■ . ■' • ■ WAR-TIME RESTRICTIONS ON COAL MAY CLOSE THEATRES EVERYWHERE Fuel Only for Essentia! Purposes Ordered by Dr. Gar field- Advertising Signs First Hit—Kansas City Houses Shut Up—Same Condition Possible in Chicago—Man- agers Here Meet to. Discuss Situation. " Washington, Dy C Dec. 3. War-time restrictions oh the-use of coal In this country, but actually more stringent than were applied during the duration of the war, were ordered here Monday. Reports from all over the country of diminishing reserves and the possibility of acute distress in some cases caused this actlom The Regional Directors of Railroads the country over have been given the authority to act in their territories as administrators of fuel and light Dr. Garfield, the Fuel Administrator of the country, announced It was necessary that coal should be used only for essen- tial purposes and that public utilities turnlshlng light, heat and power to non- essential Industries should cease do- ing so. Advertising signs were the first hit. Mo coal will be furnished for this pur- pose. ' The Eastern regional director stated on Wednesday that there was little chance of interference with the thea- tres in New York. The difficulty was the shortage of soft coal and as only the Edison plants in this city are using that fuel the'lighting question would,, be the most serious one. This it was ' believed would be handled, however, by the cutting oft of the electric advertis- ing signs. All of the theatres are using hard coal for their heating and all are well supplied with fuel. There was a meeting of the Theatrical Producing Managers called on Tuesday to discuss the fuel situation and a com- mittee, of which William A. Brady Is the head, was appointed to call on the Eastern Regional Director of Railroads, A. T. Hardin, to discuss the situation with him. The Mew York managers stated that they had sufficient coal on hand to heat their bouses for the balance of the win- ter! season. They had been' warned of the situation during the twp years past and. laid in their supplies during the summer. • Sam H. Harris, speaking for the asso- ciation, said that the managers were ready to co-operate with the government In every way and would be 'ready to turn off their signs without any order from the Regional Director, providing it wguld be of any help In the present situation. , ... Many fear that a Ughtless Broadway will naturally affect business, but figure that if a closing-down period must come it could not be at a better time than Just before Christmas. It was reported in New York that the theatres In Chicago were expected to be ordered closed at any moment, fn Kan- sas City and St. Louis the closing orders have already been issued. In the former town the Mltzl Hajos show was per- mitted to open on Sunday night, but closing orders were Issued on Mon- day and the performance was not given. On Tuesday there was some chance early In the day that a reopening might be permitted, but this was killed late in the afternoon by a telegram announcing that the town would have to remain closed. In the case of these layoffs due to 4 orders issued by the' government the members , of the company will not be able to collect salaries under their con- tracts. ' ■ ■ ' , V ' The I. A. T. S. E. headquarters in New York were advised by their Chicago local on Tuesday that a closing of the theatres in that city was imminent. From . the South word was received that the Regional Director had placed in force a schedule of hours under which the theatres could operate. The order permits the theatres to operate from 1 p. m. until 10:30 p. m. Chicago, Dec. 8. The Regional Fuel Committee ordered all of the theatres here closed, but the managers managed to obtain a com- promise providing that the picture houses would cut all matlnoe perform- ances and darken all electric light signs. Levy Mayer, attorney for managers, threatened that if the houses were closed he would take steps to fore the" closing; of every Jewelry store, candy store, cigar store and every shop except those where essentials were sold Des Moines, Dec. 8. All the theatres here were ordered to close on Sunday, but those that had coal in their bins were permitted to re- open Monday and they can run as long as their supply lasts. The majority of houses will remain open all week. Many schools and factories, as well as places of business are closed. Other Iowa cities are in a like situation. CHARLES' REVUE EAS NUDITY. -• Paris, "Dec. 3. Volterra- produced Jacques Charles' revue "Paris Quel Chance" successfully Nov. 29. splendidly mounted. Semi- nudity prevails. Maurice Chevalier and Mistlnguett are good: Dorvllle and Drean amusing, the comedy being mediocre. Carl Ran- dall's dancing was applauded. Dherlys is pretty, particularly as Aphrodite. There 4s a magic piano scene where the title roles from grand opera emerge from the Instrument. A Dutch scene, "Tulip Time - ," ia attractive. . „ . Louis Hlller arranged the music ap- propriately, including Dave Stamper Gene Buck, Irving Berlin and his own compositions, while Randall put on the dances. New Orleans, Dec. 3. The Regional Director has Issued per-, mission for all theatres to employ light and heat only during the hours from 1 p. m, to 10:30 p. m. This effects-all of the Southern States east of the Mis- sissippi* River. The jrder went into ef- fect Monday, causing all the theatres in this section to start their night shows earlier so that the performances would be over at the time designated. The Tutane theatre manager here bas changed his curtain-raising time to 8 o'clock and the vaudeville theatres are leaving their picture* until the end of the performance so as to* be sure that their patrons are out by 10:30 and so as not to disturb the vaudeville section. Ughtless nights have been proclaimed. The stringent orders have been put into effect because of the shortage of coal in the Southern States. Cabarets have been practically put out of business and res- taurants are only allowed to use hall their usual quota of lights. No date for the lifting of the ban bas been given. Kansas City, Deo. t. An order issued by the Fuel Admlnii- tratlon early last week, following con- ferences with the Chamber of jmmcrc* is Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., automatically closed, through the Issuance of this order, every theatre. The order affected all clubs, lodge halls and publio gathering places. The law went into effect last Sunday. The coal shortage as it affects Kaa- sas City was explained by railroad offi- cials in New York and was due, it was ■aid, through the sheer inability of ex- pressing the anthracite product mined in the territories of .ha Alleghany, aad conveyed also from Baltimore, through Pennsylvania and over the Jersey Cen- tral. Even though the nation's coal bin is diminished about 40 per cent, less than the normal output, the situation in the. East and its ultimate effect on theatres here Is one that does not Livor of abso- lute optimism. A committee consisting of William El- i "■::- COAL CRISIS IN PARIS, Paris, Dec 3. The police closed all dancing estab- lishments for three days, alleging a coal crisis, but authorized their re- opening NOV. 29. The authorities have ordered ail, places of amusement, including cafes and restaurants, closed at 11.30 P. HI, until the crisis baa passed. : , "DASSOUEY" WELL RECEIVED. i Paris, Dec 8. Some interest was shown i ' the pro- duction of "Monsieur Dassouey," a play by George Ban- (of the Comdle Fran- calse) which Paul Gavault presented Nov. 80 at the classical Odeon. "Mr. Dassouey" was well received. ■ It is based on the early adventures of Mollere's troupe In the middle of the seventeenth century, Dassouey being a musician with the company and de- voted admirer, accepting- imprisonment instead of Moliere. Unhandsome, but trustful, like Cyrano, Dassouey loves*Mollere's mistress, Made- line Bejart, but hlCes his feelings, fos- tering Bejart's fidelity towards Moliere, though Moliere himself is notably un- faithful, finally confessing his love but respecting the* friendship of Moliere. " GUTTRY'S COMEDY. Paris, Dec. 8. Sacha Gultry's comedy, "Beranger," concerning the life of-the French song writer, is due at thtf Porte at. Martin in February. >Sacha will inaugurate his management of the Theatre Mathurln about Dec 15, presenting Henri Guver- nols' new play with Tarlde and Legamo, Mesdames Temperly and Lucine Gottcs. MAGICIAN DOESN'T DRAW. San Francisco, Dec 8. Malinij a magician, appeared for three nights last week in the ballroom of the Hotel St. Francis, charging ah admis- sion of 13. Few paid It. PEGGY PRIMROSE SCORES. "LondonJ Dec. 8. "The Dear Little Lady" proves to be the usual farce, but has the merit of being short ■ , ■ • Peggy Primrose scored and the play wti.i well received. BEIASC0 PRODUCING "DEBUREATJ" Paris. Pec 8. Charles B. Cochran is producing an English version of Sacha Gultry's com- edy, "Deburcau," in London nexi. March, after which It will be presented in New vl York by David Belasco. VAUDEVILLE LN FOLIES MASIGNY. . . Paris, Dec, "8. Albert deCourville will open the Follea Marlgny with vaudeville Dec 8. The Mogodor Palace opens vrtth pic- ' tures Dec. 2. V •' > : Ai'i r '. : -j£ 7. M. HENGLER DEAD. London, Dec. 8. John Michael Hengler is dead at 90 years of age. He was the last survivor of the founders of Hengler's Circus. m 10RAINE'S LEADING LADY; London, Dec 3. Stella Marvyn Campbell will be Robert Loralne's leading lady at the - Duke of York'tf :'- r m 'd ■--* **£ — .•• *•■•'• . :/'■ •;:- SHOWS CLOSING LN LONDON. London, Dec 8. , "Eastward Ho" closes at the Alham- j bra Dec 13 and will be followed'by a month's run of the picture, "Tarzan of the Apes.". • . ^/v^v'i \> : ■ - ../— £U*M CIGALE'S REVUE FAIR. ^ ■•: Paris, Dec J./ , A revue with Reglne Flory was. pro- duced at the Cigale Nov 26 and was fairly received* ,....-. .,■ £■ '." '/■■ ■ "■,'"' .:•*-.- J-.. ■' '■• •>•; V-.- : ''i:'-'- Jap Donna's Debut, ,-■>;... :■ London, Dec 8. • _'/; Mme. Haru Onukl, prima donna from New York, made her English debut as an act at the Coliseum, Deo, 1,; ^t- ; .; ■She -lias been billed here as from the Metropolitan Opera House, New York. Russians coldly treated. London, Deo. 8. A troupe of Russian entertainer,* opened at Queen's Hall Dec. I. and met with a cold reception from a small audi- ence. Died Unidentified. '..; f \ ''London, Dec. B.;/..^; A man found In the Holborn Empire ;' cloakroom seriously wounded, died on v admittance to the hospital. - V?,: AH marks of identification had been removed from the body; Retiring After 28 Years. San Francisco, Dec. 8. After 28 years on the stage the Musi- cal Shirley* will retire, following their present tour of the Ackerman & Harris Circuit ■ The Shlrleya will live at their home in Los Angeles. llott, general manager of the National Association of the Motion Picture In- dustry, Felix Feist, vice-president Gold- wyh, and Oscar Price, president of United Artists Corporation, were ap- pointed by the N. A. M. P. industry on Monday to confer with Fuel Adminis- trator Garfield regarding the closing of picture theatres In Omaha, Kansas City, Des Moines and other middle western cities Saturday. Following a meeting of the film inter- ests Monday evening, Elliott, Feist and Price, left for Washington. It was re- ported the action of the association in sending the committee to Washington bo hastily was occasioned by a rumor emanating from the Capitol concerning the closing of theatres. Percy Riess on Wsy Over Here. V: London, Dec 8. Percy Riess, the English agent, left last Saturday on the Carmanla with the French clown, Grook. who is to open In vaudeville in New York. •';-,:: Spinelly from Paris Engaged. London, Dec 8 V - :: i Splnelly, the Parisian star, has been engaged to appear In Andre Chariot's -' new revue. : Jimmy Cavanaugh Returning. ;. . ':■■ ' ' , London, Dec. 8. Jimmy Cavanaugh return's to America Deo. 10 on the Crduna. : ^..a •' Acts At Alhambrs, Paris. Paris, Pec. 8*.* > / Rlnaldo, Merle's Cockatoos, Hughes Cycling Quintet Saschoffskl Troupe open at the Alhambra Dec 5. ; ..->,-"., Mrs. George Ley bourne Dead. London, Dec. 8i ;v The widow of George Leyboume died . " Nov.>24. ' ■ ' - :: ;y/. 'r. — mSm Madeleine Louys is returning to the London Palladium Dec. 18, . 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