Variety (February 1920)

s VAimFVIIT.R IN PARIS •£•■:''■ -'.:■ Br Edward G. Kandraw. Paris, Feb. 15. Pierre Benoit was accused this week of plagiarism in writing bis success* ful novel, "L'Atlantide," which baa been awarded the year's prize by the French Academy. It is alleged to be a copy of Rider Haggard's "She," and the resemblance is so close Haggard has petitioned the Academy to act as arbitrator. Benoit declares he has never heard of or read "She," and does not know English. "She" was pub- lished in French in a Paris magazine, La Vie Moderne, in 1898. Agents and managers were invited to a private show of a new sketch by Lucien Boyer at the Theatre Femina the other afternoon. Jane Pierly and Madeleine M add appeared. It is a witty effort, but hot stuff. The same verdict can be rendered for the so-called operetta "Gigoletto," by Rip and R. Dieudonne, presented at the Cigale. It is a sort of skit on Alfred de Musset's "Barberine," and very near the knuckle, but Nina Myral as Mme. Leonore is worth the money. A smart court gentleman imagines every woman is in love with him, and vows to possess Barberine while her husband is at the wars. This lady locks him in a cell, compelling him to knit for his food. Such is the original comedy. Rip and partner have im- agined a lady, Leonore, who cannot resist and gives Gigoletto so much to do with other ladies at Court that his reputation as a prize bull is ruined. Awfully funny at parts; second act poor. Isabelle Fusier sings curiously as a chambermaid, Odette Darthys illuminating as a courtisane, Mr. Mar- : tinelli out of place as the naive hus- band, Henri Jullien fair in the title role. M. R. Flateau, the manager of the Cigale, has overcome the coal crisis. Frank M. Armington, Canadian painter, exhibits a fine portrait of Vette-Bianzaj the dancer, at the ex- hibition of Paris Modern Painters in the Galerie La Boetie. The octracism proclaimed by the Paris syndicate of musicians on Saint Saens because - he prohibited the strikers of the Opera recently to use his works in their popular concerts, has a resemblance, but for other rea- sons, in Berlin where the. orchestra of the Opera has refused to execute the music of Weingartner. This boy- cott is due to a declaration by the famous conductor in which he ex- presses gratitude towards the allies and Americans for having delivered Germany from the power of its mili- tary dictators. His case, however, is remarkable, according to the Berlin press, as he signed the famous manifest of 93 cultured professors praising Ger- manic kultur at the earlier stages of the war. This analogy does not find favor in Germany, where the military cast has still a large following. Before leaving Paris the Russian bal- let troupe created a sort of panto- mime by Igor Strawihsky. with the title of "Chant de Rossignal" (Song of the Nightingale). The poem is said to be extracted from one of Anderson's fairy stories, but it has been more of a dental operation. We may not be lofty enough to understand the Rus- sian composer's latest work, and it is to be feared we are, in the majority. It is something about a Chinese em- peror whose life is saved by the song of the nightingale. A mechanical bird is presented by an ambassador which disgusts the real nightingale and it flies away, eventually returning just in time to revive its master by its sweet notes. Confidentially we did not hear the sweet notes, bat snobs of to- day call it harmony and Strawinsky has fallen a victim to their school. Tamar Karsavina and M. Idslzowsky (the automatic songster) do their best with this dull ballet. Anna Pavlowa likewise created a fantomime ballet prior to quitting aris for Brussels, where the is to have a month with her troupe at the Theatre de Galerie St-Hubert Her effort is more simple, and at least we understand the story if there is little to be said of the music. "Les Pantins de Bois" shows us three wooden dolls belonging to a poor child dying of cold. It is a topical story. They dance and'then throw themselves in the fire, causing a blaze' and thus saving the life of the little girl by the heat emitted during their consumption. This supreme sacrifice*was applauded. It is a nice little ballet for the young- sters. The program at the Alhambra in- cludes Len Car rod us, violinist; Belle Davis and".her coons; Maggie Clifton and partner, balancing act; Paul Gor- don, wire act; Otorasan, Japanese singers; Lor-Dain, Italian operatic with four voices; Yen toy, Scotch acro- bats, Yamamoto and Koyoshi, equili- brists; Lydia and Francis, acrobatic dancers; Elsie Craven with Frank Godden, and eight English girls, pre- sented by George Shurley; Three Bros. Huxter. NEWS OF THE MUSIC MEN. Billy Berkes has joined the profes- sional start of Jerome H. Bemlok & Qo. Jlmmle Hartley, formerly with the Sha- piro-Bernstein writing sua, is with T. B. Harms. Billy Jerome has Joined the Barry Von Tilzer staff and will write lyrlea to which Mr. Von Tllxer will set music. /' Wolfe Gilbert and Max Silver have left for a ten-day Western trip that will take them as tar as Kansas City. Herman Schenck, professional man- ager for Harry Von Tllaer. has been confined to' his home for the past tan days through Ulneaa. . Burton King, director, haa completed arrangements to produce a aeries of pic- tures under his own name. Mr. King haa leased the Mirror atudloa at Glen- dale, Ii. I., and is now selecting hla cast Bob Harrison sailed for England on the "Sansonla" last Saturday to estab- lish a London office for A. J. Staaney. He will remain abroad indelnltely. Temporary quarters for the Staaney London office have been arranged for In the Piccadilly Square Hotel. „ Harrison will contract for aeveral electrical signs to be erected on buildings in the heart of London to advertise the Staaney pub- lications, similar to those maintained by the Stasney conoern In New Tork. Al Plantadosl Is using an effective "plug" in conjunction with bis "bona- nde Bong-writing royalty contract" prop- osition. A number of throwaways are left with the doorman. One aide of It Is for the title suggested by the patron tor a popular song. The three best titles are selected by Plantadosl and Walton and written up prior to the last abow on a Wednesday or Sunday night Of the three, the one accorded the hest re- ception will receive a regulation royalty. Gilbert ft Friedland have registered the title page of a new instrumental number called "Danoomania" as a trade mark, in addition to effecting the usual copyright arrangements. The - trade mark registry was secured to protect the title of "Dancomaiila" in the event the piece should attain popularity and a theatrical producer should desire to use It for a stage production. Accord- ing to Wolfe Gilbert the title of "Hltchy Koo," written by him nine years ago, was taken by Raymond Hitchcock with- out permission and exploited as a revue title by Hitchcock for the past six years. Under the provisions of the trade mark registry any one desiring to use the title of "Dancomanln." or any other song or instrumental piece similarly protected for a stage production would be com- INSIDE STUFF OW VAUDBvTLLB 3 , ... V :' ''.-'■• Whether intimidation is practiced by out-of-town vaudeville managers to prevail upon acts appearing in their theatres, to contribute entertainment for local iocial gatherings is not ex- pressly stated in a letter received by Varubtt on the subject. But the writer ftomhis comment certainly believed it. He said acts are often called upon to "volunteer" for those sort of af- fairs with the assumption the house manager has agreed to deliver a show for the evening, without cost to the society holding the dance, banquet or whatever it may be. The house man- ager puts the "suggestion" to the acts, and if it is coldly received by the artist approached, the writer to v«nn claims the manager is not backward intimating that acceptance might mean a better standing in the booking of- fice, and so on, with the presumption from that that the particular house manager will color his report on the performance in accordance with the willingness of the artist to give away a performance for the managers local. prestige or benefit Making a charge general in this way no doubt would include many resident managers who are above that way of taking advan- tage of their position. If a house manager should make a threat of a "poor report" it would have to oe made to a vaudeville novice to carry weight. The manager has a better card in the chance he will still be at the same house if the act plays a return date there. The latter may depend. If there are acts that have been taken advantage of in this manner, they had better tell it in a letter to the Forum in Variety-. It is not necessary that their signed name be attached to the letter when published, but.it should be signed for Varibtt's information. polled to seek permission of the pub- lisher holding the trade mark and, It obtained, pay a royalty for its use, If demanded. A number of acts in vaudeville seem to have acquired the habit of not re- sponding to applause, signaling for the lights to be doused after one or two bows and causing a stoppage of the show. If it's a play for the booking office men who may be in the house, or for the manager who can report they "stopped the show," or possibly for the trade press reviewers, is specu- lative. The latter supposition, alone, is borne out by the number of vaudevil- Hans, usually of a small time caliber, who have been known to carry around clippings in which he or she or they —usually of the sterner of the species, however—boastfully brag at the ac- - cusing evidence that so and so stopped proceedings in the such and such spot. From London comes word that Wil- kie Bard, the English comedian who had some difficulty in getting properly started on his current vaudeville tour in America, has written to friends at home that he should worry what they think of him in America, as he is get- ting the dough and doesn't care a rap; also that he thinks he is coming back next year to get some more. According to an ordinarily veracious member of the Keith Booking Offices, Elmer F. Rogers, manager of the Pal- ace, was called by 'phone by an un- known individual who said he was sending up for a hearing "a most as- tounding individual." The applicant was a woman 23 years old. She said she was an orphan employed to do housework in the home of Phillip E. Leon, employed at Bloomingdale's. With comparatively little education, no knowledge of music in any form, she received a "spirit manifestation" last Augustand thus inspired went di- rectly to the piano, where she played and sang. Last week Miss Philrose (that 's the name she gave) was accorded a trial at the Palace in the morning. She is said to have a good soprano voice and can play almost any piece of popular music Present at the audition was Mme. Yeager, a teacher of vocal cul- ture, who has promised to take "Miss Philrose" in hand and develop her voice. It sounds as funny as it reads, known as an "old boy," long since tried and died. . Willie Edelsten returned from Lon- don last week and immediately joined other Englishmen in New York in tell- ing how good a fighter Jimmy Wilde is. Asked whether he left his brother, Ernest, back in England, Willie re- plied "Well back," which has a double meaning the way he said it, for the brothers are "friendly enemies." Wil- lie smiled when asked if he had put anything over on Ernie and admitted that he had. He explained that Bert Levey refused to select which brother should secure English bookings for him starting this spring.- Willie cabled Levey an offer and 'Bert accepted and that leaves Ernest nothing to worry about in regard to that particular act, said. Willie. The Racine, Wis., paper carried an account of a vaudeville act in that town defrauding a local hotel out of $14, after paying $24 on account of a $38 bill. The act.contained eight peo- ple and stopped at the Racine hotel, playing the first half at the Rialto Theatre. After all of the act except- ing the owner had left the hotel with their baggage, the account says the owner of the act handed the proprie- tor of the hotel $24, saying that was all he had. The newspaper clipping (which gives the name of the act) says the hotel previously catering to vaude- villians has decided to no longer do so. X memo on the clipping sent to Variety; written in ink says the Racine circumstance is one of the reasons why the profession does not receive the attention and recognition it is entitled to. That may be so but it is also true of every*trade or profession that has a large number of people in it—all can not or will not be perfect, and the good suffer through the bad. The little fel- . low who can't be big always remains little, as a rule. . The reason behind the differences of Lloyd and Christie who are separating after next week, is one of figures. The - team formed recently and has been playing a routine along the lines of the old Aveling and Lloyd turn and the act's salary is $400 weekly. Of that Christie has been receiving $65. The agreement between the men was that Christie was to work for that figure for the first season, after which the salary was to be split. When the team arrived in New York Lloyd re- pudiated the equal split basis for next season, which lead Christie ■ to serve "notice." ILL AND INJURED. Luba Meroff underwent a nasal oper- ation and is recovering. Henry. Scussel, treasurer Illinois Theatre, Chicago; flu. Harry Seamon (Hurtig & Seamon) is recuperating from an attack of flu at Lakewood. Billy Delaney, Keith Vaudeville Ex- change, has an attack of grippe. Ches- ter Blackwell is handling the books in his absence. ~ Mabel Griswold returned to "The Passing Show" at the Winter Garden/ Monday, after an absence of four weeks throUgb illness. — :W. z...<A. . ■ ■■',■■• ■ . ".■'.'. m ,-'-,v -■% ■ ■■■■■ ■ ■■■ ■:■■■■: I . ; , •■ '"L-vSKP ■■■••: ■;•■•'■ : •