Variety (January 1920)

■:■■.■:.-■' ■ ■' •:■:'. ■■■'..■ _ . ,-.. , ■ ■•.■•'. i ■'■;■ \ ....-.".■.'■■■■■' . •»,'■ '.'*..'"■<•' VAUDEVILLE ■ SUITS FOR SONG INFRINGEMENT BROUGHT W HOLESAL E IN BOSTON Another Suit filed in Cincinnati by Shapiro Bernstein Alleges Playing of Song in Theatre Justifies Damages —T. B. Harms and Francis, Day and Hunter and Irving Berlin, Inc., Sue Hotels and .. Theatres in Hub. . i ■ ! P - a ; ■-; I 5 •-t Boston, Jan. 28. In the United States District Court last week suits were filed by T. B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter and Irving Berlin, Inc.; the music publish- ers of New York charging infringe- ment of copyrights. • ■- Berlin sues Harry C. Demeter of the Cafe Minerva, this city, for an alleged infringement in the use of a song. The suits by the other firms are against the American House, Hotel Lorraine, Beacon Theatre, Inc., Harry S. McDevitt, of "The Chateau," a dance hall and Raymond J. Galvin of Rivoli Hall. -' erroneous. The act wa's called "The Spring, the Maid and Me," but through the mistake of a house manager it was listed as "The Spring Maid." To prevent legal entanglements Mc- Hugh has changed the title to "Broad- way Higgins." .The tab features Eddie Raye. ' i>'V Cincinnati, Jan. 28. Shapiro Bernstein & Co., New York music publishers, have filed suit in the Federal Court here, against.the Hip- podrome Amusement Co., owners of the Hippodrome, Cincinnati, alleging the playing of the song, "Beautiful Ohio," at that house, Jan. 12, Was an infringement of copyright. The com- plainants ask for an injunction against President Isaac Frankel and other of- ficers of the Hippodrome company, and $250 damages. PANTAGES IN NEW ORLEANS. : New Orleans, Jan. 28. Arthur B. Leopold, the theatrical at- torney, has leased the Dauphine for a term of years, ostensibly for the Pan- tages circuit. ' . Pantages has been reported enter- ing this city by way of Texas but has been unable to secure a suitable house. Leopold stated if negotiations pend- ing were finally consummated this'week upon, the arrival of a Pantages rep- . resentative, the name of the theatre' might be changed to Pantages. The entrance of Pantages here will give this city four brands of vaude- ville, Loew at the Crescent; Keith vaudeville at the Palace ; Orpheum acts at the Orpheum and Pantages turns at the. Dauphine. It is practically as- sured the .present Orpheum will be turned into a three-a-day house when the big time acts are shifted into the new Orpheum, which would mean New Orleans would hold five vaudeville theatres, with present indications showing huge prosperity for all. KEITH IN ON "TOPICS." Charles, Leonard Fletcher is no longer interested in "Topics of the Day," the short film of sayings used to open intermission in the big time the- atres. The idea was supposed to have originated with the Literary Digest and mention of that publication is car- ried at the top of the films. The Keith office is now understood to be financially interested in the "Topics," along with Van Buren and' Seigel, the former having been the original backer of the film. NOT THE SPRING MAID." Philadelphia, Jan. 28. Announcement made from here last week that a new tab put on by Bart McHugh carried the name of "The Spring Maid" and that it was a con- densed version of the operetta, was NEW PLIMMER HOUSES. Walter Plimmer has taken over four, new houses in Pennsylvania. Each is to ran five acts vaudeville and a fea- ture picture. ' The Opera house at Slateington will be managed by B. M, Hofelick, the Park at Palmerton will be a split week with Slateington and will be managed "by C. La Barre; the Majestic at Wil- hamsport will be managed by G. H. Bubb; the Garden at Rockhaven will be managed by J. G. Mayer. All open! Jan. 26. Plimmer will open a branch office in Philadelphia, J. Dreno managing it AUDUBON'S 24-PIECE ORCHESTRA. Fox's Audubon will increase the or- chestra to 24 pieces beginning next month. This week a,row of seats was removed to make way for the increase. The move is attributed to the large orchestra in the newly acquired house at 159th street and Broadway. David Picker has taken over the 159th Street house from the Shuberts. He outbid both Moss and Fox for the Fairbanks' feature which will consti- tute part of his opening program. ■■ ■ • ■ i O'FARREL WAITS A WEEK. Talbot O'Farrel, the Irish tenor, reached New York Tuesday, on a de- layed boat It obliged the singer to miss his advertised Monday opening at the Palace, New Work. Upon arrival when suggested to Mr. O'Farrel he appear unannounced Tues- day or Wednesday, he preferred not to, owing to the hard voyage over and a consequently needed. rest. ; • Mr. O'Farrel will start his Ameri- can vaudeville tour next week, tak- ing up the booking placed for him af- ter this week. CHINESE ACT ORDERED HOME. The Royal Pekin Troupe which re- cently changed the billing of the act from the.Imperial Pekinese Troupe, . has been ordered to leave the coun- try by March 26 bjr the Bureau of Im- migration at Washington. At that time the five-year period permitted Chinese to remain in the United States when proper bond is posted will expire. The immigration laws provide that Orientals after here for five years must return to and remain in their native lands for at least six months before again seeking admittance to this country. ...-'...*•... ' '.; . - This routine was carried out by Long Tack .Sam, who recently re- turned here after having sailed to China and remained there for the re- quired six months. . . ■ The Pekin troupe is being handled by Horwitz & Kraus, who have bumped into the same difficulties with several Chinese and Japanese acts. The agents are seeking an extension of time for the turn, which is routed to the Pacific Coast, from which point it will em- 'bark otherwise. Brooklyn Academy on Holidays. The Keith interests have taken over the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, for Lincoln's and Washington's Birthdays, and will present an eight-act vaudeville bill on each holiday. Night perform- ances only will be given. Prices are scaled to $1.50. SINGER DESERTS CHICAGO. Chicago, Jan. 28. Mort H. Singer returned for a clauple of days to superintend the moving of his effects, leaving Monday to become a permanent New Yorker as general manager of the Orpheum Circuit: John J. Nash has moved to his old desk in the W. V. M. At offices and his name has been painted on the doors as "Business Manager. Marcus Heiman of Finn & Heiman, who originally intended to move east with the new changes, will remain here and have an office attached'-to the Orpheum local suite, acting hence- forth as something akin to general manager of Orpheum affairs'in this district, with Cal Griffiths remaining as, representative. • : > •; TOE BREAKS FINGER. t, "■". '' -■ Cincinnati, Jan. 28. Bessie ; Clayton laughs with her friends when she tells them of a most i peculiar accident which befell her at the Mary Anderson Theatre in Louis- ville # last week. Miss Clayton, while dancing, allowed'one of her fingers'to get in the way of one of her tootsies, with the result that the aforesaid finger was broken. She doesn't know whether the foot or the finger was to blame. She is at Keith's Cincinnati, this week, with her act. . . . CLUB SHOW SHUT OFF. V : > An entertainment scheduled for the Brooklyn Edison Electric Light Co. was ordered cancelled by the Board of Health, through the threatened in- fluenza. Joe Shea had booked the en- tertainers and was notified that the Health Department were going to stop all entertainments, clubs, etc. ft behooves mm to speak— Next Week's Attraction: "When Men Desire" — Theda Bara. CHARLES WITHERS MOSS BOOKS GOLDIN. Horace Goldin, the magician, has been routed by the B. S. Moss agency for eight weeks. ' Jack Linder did the booking. Goldin is to play all week stands. Nine peo- ple and a carload of baggage will be carried. LIGHTS' BENEFIT, FEB. 8. The benefit for the Lights Club, to be held at the Astor and scheduled for Feb. 1, has been postponed until Sun- day, Feb. 8. M0UNTF0RD IN FRISCO. San Francisco, Jan. 28. The Actors' Equity Association held an open meeting last Friday night in the Colonial ballroom of the St. Fran- cis Hotel. About 175 people were pres- ent, including legitimate players, vaudevillians, stage hands,' musicians : and laymen. Acts playing the Acker- man & Harris houses in this section . were in the majority among the vaude- ville contingent attending. , , ' .,',, Francis Gillmore and Harry Mount- . ford were the only speakers.. Barry Conners called the meeting to order, introducing Arthur Morey, president of the San Francisco musicians' union,, ,.,' as chairman. Gillmore spoke mainly of the recent strike, pointing out the advantages gained. He stated the local meeting was a get-together affair with no,ul- terior motive. The speaker lauded the Coast players for contributing $20,- 000 to the strike fund of the A. E. A. , He strongly advocated the, community .theatre. '. ' '■>■' '■':■■:■ ' - "■' ■ '■' •' Mountford about, repeated his Chi- cago address of the week before. He referred to himself as an object of ridi- cule, facetiously mentioning abuses heaped upon him by the trade press. He finished with a dramatic appeal for new members. A few went forward and. signed applications.. Mountford quoted excerpts from the testimony of George McFarlane before the Fede- ral Trade Commission. ■';'->'<,• >i '■ -)^ : U No secret' meeting or any meeting following the open one was held her£ o:~-;^ Gillmore and Mountford left Sunday - | for Los Angeles. ■■''", ■ : - . - i ■; ';■■''■ ■■ '■■'.■& ■;'y. ■■:•: ■I : . I m ■■■; -::■ m m < / Chicago, Jan. 28. ,v A further report of the secret meet" ing held here by Francis Gillmore and • Harry Mountford, after they .had spoken at a public meeting, says no- j . thing of import developed. The main < topic was the smaller legit producer, K who is adverse' to a reduction in' theC : "! number of performances from 14 to .-. ■ M 12, for a salary basis. There was some - $M talk of radical action to bring that about if not accomplished by peaceful -_ .; >,l persuasion/ ■'"■ ■■■"■'- ; ':"'■:.■-■ ■■ rfi ... ; .*U: .'/■ ■'■'.{ A vaudeville strike was also dis- cussed, and the local impression is that > . one may be called, aimed against the • .'•' continuous or- small time housesi Whether any action, If taken, will < break here or in San Francisco seelms. ,' uncertain, but rumors favor: the Coast , for the 'first step. It is said dressing - room propaganda is being actively pressed. : •■ : "■■'■■. ■'■■.■•.'/:; :;-: ; -;':i : i$$b Mountford and Gillmore held several informal conferences while here., ' .-i& RE1TER FILLS lit , r /• Seattle, Jan; .28. , Carl Reiter, local Orpheunt manager, filled. in with a monolog when Fay , Courtney's "Illness "forced her out "of 'the bill at the Moore. He made a hiti Formerly he toured the big time.■'..■■'. 'Ji ■ p :■ m Lietzel Sued for Commissions.;. : Harry Fitzgerald has started an ac- ; tion for $550 against Lillian Leitzel, al- leging that amount is due him for i unpaid commissions under a "mana-; ' gerial contract" for placing Miss Leit- zel with Ziegfeld's "Midnight Frolic." ;, / -The case is scheduled for a hearing in the Municipal Court next week." ' Woolfenden Has Keith Franchise. Lieut. Bill Woolfenden, mustered out of the army last Thursday, follow- ing his discharge from the Fox Hills Military Hospital, Staten Island, has been granted a booking franchise by the Keith offices. Woolfenden will make his headquar- ters temporarily with John C. Peebles. "Cuvlleria" for VaudevUI*. Sim Kerner, the vaudeville producer, has affiliated himself with the Tom Jones office in the Putnam Building. Kerner is rehearsing a condensed' ver- sion of "Cavalleria Rusticana" for vaudeville, to be enacted by a six- people cast. Irving Engl* Managing Dyckman. - Irving Engle has been appointed manager of ,B. S. Moss' Dyckman The- atre. He was" formerly treasurer of the Flatbush. 1 i: ■3 '■ ' CI "■*■; . •■■■■, ',.■> ■ ■m 4 - i *% .. -h . is •■('; ■.:.: