Variety (November 1922)

u LEGITIMATE Friday, November 94, 102S 33C P. M. A.'S SPEC CURB <Coiitlnu«d from page 1) of holding down prtniiumH is almost an acceptPd fact, since such lows are fallacious in disropardlnK the law of supijly and demand. But that the intricacioa of ticket sale and distribution can be Ironed out in Tpari at least is a growing conviction among managers. Reacts on Theatre Belief that the methods of ticket brokers have discouraged or tend to discourage theatre patronage is spreading. Partly the evil of the buys system Is to blame. That a broker will push the sale of tickets for attractions having buys, to the ' detriment of other attractions, is a natural business procedure, since the ticket broker will attempt to minimize his losses. By doing away "With the requirement calling for brokers to buy a fixed number of tickets each day, unfair competition within the agencies themselves would be stopped. The percentage of returns to the box office permitted brokers does not enter ihto the mat- ter. There still Is a set number of tickets allotted them and charged against them. <« Installing "regulars" in the agen- cies would eliminate the buys. Brokers would be given an allot- ment of tickets for sale, all unsold tickets to be returned. Fewer Ucl«- ets would normally reach the agen- cies and more tickets would be on sale in the box offices. The value of being able to accom- ' modate patrons at the box office window has been demonstrated by three of the current successes. "Hamlet" opened at the Sam H. Harris last week with not one ticket given over to the brokers. The sell- ing at the theatre was so lively and continuous that virtually all per- formances were capacity, and at the same time all of the moderate priqed tickets (balcony) were disposed of for days in advance. Arthur Hop- kins, who produced the show, per- mitted brokers "regulars'' this week, ^ but wa* not disposed to favor the agencies. That the latter were handling "The Old Soak" and "Rose Bemd." also his attractions, prob- ably figured. Buy-less Play Prospers "The Fool' at-the Tii. os Square started without a buy, and although the agencies are doing good busi- ness with tickets for It now, there has been a goodly amount on hand in the box office. "The Music Box" reduced Its buy by the brokers after the ftr.'-t week, when exorbitant^ prices were being charged for rear locations. The house has been capacif' since opening, has satis- . fled patrons at the box office and is nom In . the position of having broKcrs request further allotments. While there seems to be general understanding among manager^ that the buys should be thrown out, there Is a sharp difference of opin- ion as to cut rates. There are a number of Broadway theatres which will not permit th%ir tickets to be sold In the cut rate agencies. They are opposed to the system and ad- vocate its elimination, such man- agers believing bargain theatre tickets attain but mediocre results , and cause mediocre business gen- erally. From that class of man- ) agers complaint Is often made that because of the cut rates balcony tickets cannot be sold at the box ofllcea. That, however, is partially disproved by successful attractions. The other managers regard the cut rates as a valuable aid to bA pects. One of the leading producers, whose attitude on the subject was not known, stated this week there waa no doubt In his mind but that the cut rate agencies had actually made pome shows. The general Idea as to cut rates is that an im- portant percentage of attractions will always land in the mediocre classification, the great number of theatres to be supplied with attrac- tions making that a certainty. The natural condition resulting is a bar- gain ticket, ihe condition being comparable with the finest business establishments in the commercial field who at times -have "cut rate" sales. rpr Regulation What (he deliberations (»f the manapers may bring forth will probablybf regulation of the agency field instead of elimination. It is posBiMo some of the broker?* will be done away with, and that is claimed to he Homethlnpr thn mnn- ager«j can ncc^omplish any time they wish. Rome re?Tulatlon of cut rates may alBo be arrived at. mostly in the manner of selling there. It is known that when a bargain ticket hunter asks if tickets for a success ai'e to b«f had there, the answer is "no, but we'll have them in a few days." Smh practices are consid- , veU unlaii. The bulk of the cut rate business Is In balcony and gallery locations. Around 15,000 tickets are disponed of in the cut rates daily, or. roughly, about a third of the total capacities. Tickets for the outstanding hits are also in the cut rates, but at 60 cents over the box office price. At present advance tickets for "The Music Box Revue," "Little Nellie Kelly," "Greenwich Village Follies," "Itain" and "Loyalties' are listed. But such sales are small and the tickets carried as an accommoda- tion to patrons. The P. M. A. is seeking concerted action, and whatever is decidrd on is expected to be acted on by all managers alike. The prQvi.<«ion for action In concert Is supposed to be encompassed by the bonds filed by P. M. A. members, in which it is agreed by each member to adhere to the policies and regulations of the organization. Chicago, Nov. 22. Chicago's ticket scalping situa- tion moved closer to tMt explosion that threatens to rock the loop when it comes In full blast—close stu- dents of the situation claim that this season can't pass without the explosion coming—with th^ happen- ings of the past week. For years ticket scalping in Chi- c£fgo has been emphatically misun- derstood by those outside of local circles. The functioning of the brokers here is vastly different from New York. Broadway methods don't go here because the biggest portion of the local scalping is di- redted by Mrs. Couthoui. Her offices are unique in their handling of the tickets, but this year, due to huge losses, the stalwart front the Cou- thoui offices have put forth in other years is missing, and the situation, as it now exists, calls in that slo- gan of "every man for himself." The suprcm^ reign of the i ower- ful Couthoui forces appears to be close to a cessation. Terrific losses Since/August 15 prevent the t.'ou- thoui offices from fighting conditions in old-time form. There is no pre- Shubert offices. Right in the middle of the stream of jealousy swam Mrs. Couthoui, and many times this sea- son she has gone "over her head" in attempting to conceive the strictest of diplomacy. Sometimes there is a united vo- cabulary attack on the Couthoui system by all the managers in town. When a "break" appears im- minent the satisfactory Couthoui arrangement pops up and the sea bedomes calm. It is the biggest ex- hibition of one ticket broker "loldrng managers in the palm of ihe hand (and it's a lady in this instance) probably noted anywhere »i Amer- ica. Many times the Couthoui sys- tem is wrongly attacked, for as one manager has expressed, It "the Cou- thoui system is an asset of evil for the Chicago houses." In Ktneral, however, the Couthoui system, as it is loosely conducted at times, makes the system a liability for the loop houses. "Kempy's" arrival at the Selwyn poured more fire into the blazing situation the past we^k, 'lie heat- ed arguments at the Woods of a fortnight ago over the tickets fo;* "The First Year" and the back pay- ments on "The Guilty One'* t-ekets were still smouldering when the "Kempy" fuss broke with unmls- taken furore. The happenings proved that the Couthoui offices and certain magnates in town are hold- ing peace by the tn<nnest thread. Once broken this thread will posi- tively reveal the explosion and bring about a complete revision of the ticket scalping affiliation with the local theatres. It is also said a cut rate exchvnge may result from the fumigation of the present situation. The bour is ripe for a cut rate ex- change in Chicago, say many. "Kempy's troubles popped up over the refusal of the Selwyn offices to contract for "Partners Again" with the Couthoui offices. On "The Circle" engagement the Couthoui system lost plenty after the first two weeks. With "Partners" Mrs. Couthoui expects to win bat'k this loss, and the Selwyna are now r'ady to help her. but not under the method the Couthoui offices desire. Not being assured that "Partners" tickets would be printed |3, whereby she would get 50 cents commission, the same as she did on "The Cir- BEI13E CHATS BT NELLIE EEYEU. ,►>■ ,'J^' „.v- ■■'•A . * ■ tense on the part of the city's lead Ing ticket broker to dispute the I cle," Mrs. Couthoui is said to have financial losses she Is credited around town to be enduring. So extensive have been these lo-'ses the Couthoui branches of condy and cigar trade is also being hit: Just how the lady has stood up under the mammoth losses is one of the topics of discussion by those who know the exact situation. BiUer Rivalries Mrs. ^Couthoui has a big array of admirers In town, especially In the present administration, all of whom regret to observe the troublesome hours of the woman gambler. On the other hand, there are those the- atrical managers, who claim that in the yesteryear they had some of their productions spoiled at the box office because of the alleged high-handed methods of the Cou- thoui offices, not offering a single iota of syhipathy for the present wearisome moments known to be in full possession of the Couthoui forces. It's all a very unique situation with no telling what effect a full explosion will make in the local the- atrical market. "There are good rea- sons at had to fully believe that the reported losses of the Couthoui offices since the start of the sea- son are rightly placed at $150,000. adway. at least in certain as--) ^he greatest portion of this loss ^ came about through Mrs. Couthoui thwartipg all possible competition from the Independent brokers at the refused to take "Kenfipy" tickets for the 25 cents commission. It devel- oped that the Couthoui offices es- sayed to use "Kempy" as a means of winning the "Partners" fight. The Selwyns seem determined that the Couthoui oflAces will not set the' prices for "Partners." The new theatre is advancing a timely campaign on "Partners," with prices set at 12.50. This price will not allow Mrs. Couthoui to gain her 50 cents commission, but It Is reported the Selwyns are willing to give the licket broker 25 cents commission on a specified number of tickets, with a full privilege of returns by 7 p. m. Just what will happen de- pends upon how each side holds to the present respective stand. The Couthoui offices started to make a fight out of the issue by refusing to take "Kempy" seats for the premiere a week ago last Mon- day. A small supply of "Kempy" tickets got to the hotel stands in time fojr the opening performance sale, but the word quickly came to the theatre that no more tickets were wanted. Then the newspaper reviews for "Kempy" came oat and suddenly a big demand popped up. When the Couthoui offices recon- sidered their previous decision not to take "Kempy" seats and asked for the balance of the week's stock, the theatre refused. It was reported on the very best of authority that the Selwyn re- YoA've said it with music, • - • You've said it with flowers, '' ' i^ You've said it in person, by ealls at all hours; • ^ You've said It with fruit, nuts, candy and pie, Jellies, jams, pickles and cakes to the isky. . You've said it With perfume of odors so rare. ;*'^ Said It with soap and oils for my hair: You've said it with stamps, pencils, papers and pads. Writing portfolios—the 4)est to be had; You've said it with postals and magasines. too. Smelling salts, watches and clocks not a few; You've said it with wines of vintages old. You've said it with silver, with banknotes and gold, ' - . . • : . You've said it in bottles containing real gin. You've said it with smokes and matches thrown In, You've said It with bathrobes, nighties and hose. Though where you got them to flt me the Lord only knows! You've said it with priests, prayers and preachers, Bibles and prayer l^oks. healers and teachers; You've treated my qpental and flnancial illi. Your love has done itiore than all of their pills. You've said it with, doctors, more than I could use; With dressing gowns, jackets and pretty bed shoes, Hahkies and scarfs, pictures and dolls, ribbons and toys and pink foI« derols. Said It with words, with songs and with looks, ■,;.;^ Playing cards, lamps and all the new books! * : You've said it with jobs more than I could fill. ^ Said it with what will pay my doctor bill; > , You've said it In prose, in rhyme and In print, i Y'ou've cheered and encouraged me without stlhl; ' Said it with eggs, said it with tea, ", Said it with meals which you stopped to feed me; Said it with towels and fancy wash rags, /.. , Rubber air cushions and hot water bags; Said it with films and »•■ movie machine, Victrola and bird, sash, curtains and screen. You've said it with a'l kinds of fowl, fish or cheese, ^ Orchestra bands and three Christmas trees; You've said it with tears and said it with smiles. With wires and cables that spanned many miles; Stoves when I ^as cold, fans when I was hot. You've given me everything that I've got; / , You've said it with everything under the sun; • If I don't get well—the Lord's will be done. ' * ; '■ .-■-•■.■■-'■. -•,.••«■■.■■ ■■..■.:•;«■ It is .ilmost Thanksgiving again. Many of you will say, "How time flies." It hasn't flown for me the last 39 months. It has seemed an eternity. And yet, on this, my fou-th Thanksgiving in bed. I will have much to be (hankful for. True, I have not had the amount of pleasure some of you have had. I have not seen my family. I have not been able to go abroad. I have not seen the fine scenery, the flne plays, the ocean, the lights, the crowd.'', or taken flne motor trips. I have not always been ab'e even to read and sometimes unable to eat, and, when I could eat * it was not from a menu )f my selection and in a brilliantly lighted dinlne; room surrounded by friends, while listening to flne music. It is in the same room, looking at the same ceiling, eating the same institutional routinefood. excepting when a friend sends in a meal. Yet I am thankful and am keenly alert to all I have to be thankful for. I could be worse. I could be incurable. I could be lying alone and friendless in the city hospital over on Blackwell's Island. But I am not, and I am' thankful. 1-' •■* '■^. ■•■: •f I.- \ ■;if. «■■■ J- start of the season. She bought up I '"«e<^ ^o give Mrs. Couthoui the everything in sight, going beyond balance of the stock of "Kempy" her own good common-sense in making "buys" in order that no good seats would flnd their way into the offices of the Independents. The independents failed to come forward with their reported bank rolls, and. Instead, it was a case of the Inde- pendents scheming to get their tickets from the Couthoui offices. Some day it will be an interesting story for Chicago consumption to relate how the independents get their tickets from the Couthoui of- fices. Between Two Fires Fear that one manager Is pet- ting a better "break" than the other from the Couthoui offices is what keeps Mr.'*. Couthoui In hot water with all the manaprers in town. The fthtibrrt nrrnngrment that the Cou- thoui offK es settle for all tickets taken for the Shubert houses every morning at 10:30 o'clock started the Syndicate «ErlanKor) house.^ under Harry Powers' ruling to formulate stricter nilings with the Couthoui contractH. There were happenings with the Twin Theatres that Mrs. Couthoui functioned that raised a Jiowl from both the Syndicate and Thankful for the lessons I have learned through suffering. '> > Thankful for the help I seem to have been able to give to others through my experiences. ♦ Thankful for the friendships I have inspired during my illness. Thanl»ful that I still have my nerve left, and that I have ijpt given up hope. Thankful for the hundreds of letters and visits which I have received and all of the kindness shown to me. ..„, Thankful for my canary and victrola. ' '' . v Thankful I can heaiv them. , ■:'' Thankful that my loss of eyesight was only temporary. \^" Thankful I can walk a few steps,and sit up, if only for an hour. Thankful for the interest shown by my own profession. j?* * Thankful that I am just this much nearer Welldom. ' '^i Thankful that I belonged to that great university whose class colors are red and gray?—meaning red lights and gray matter. -. • .- Thankful for the nice dinner I know I am going to get. '*^ Thankful for my column and the opportunity It gives ms to keep la touch with you all. I am thankful that Mary Moore, Emma Halg and Lillian Lorraine recovered. That gives hope to the rest of us cripples. I am thankful that I am able to write, and that my ti '«nts were such as I could use even though partly incapacitated. I am thankful that Irvin S. Cobb thinks my material good enough foi a book. And that he honors me by writing the foreword to It and helpinr me to get it published. I am thankful for the illustrations made for it by our best comic artists. I am thankful that Blanche Merrill wrote a sketch for Molly Fuller, and that Mr. Albee is personally iupervising the casting, presenting and booking of it. Now Molly can work. And work is the greatest blessinir we have. I am thankful that vaudeville has men like Mr. Albee and his asso- ciates, who take that much interest In our unfortunates. seats until she had paid for the last week's tickets on "The Circle." Managers in town are still won- dering how the Couthoui concern succeeded In maneuvering the de- lay in the payments for the Paij!'ne Frederick tickets until they neach a reported total of $13 500. It Is reported that on the New York end A. H. Woods was greatly angered over the workings of his Chicago house In allowing payments to be delayed for such a big amount, and It might result in a new Woods representative here. The Selwyn-Couthoul fuss over "Kempy's" tickets gave promise of developing into a good fight as re- sult of the chatter heard at the Couthoui stand.t. "We are not handling 'Kempy' tickets; we are having trouble with the theatre". was the answer in response for ro- que.sta for ,Se1wyn tickets at the hotel stands. Nothing was 8ai«J at the theatre. Just when the fight appea|/ed to be ready to "break," the demaind for seats for "Kempy" at th^^ hotel stands became hit-like, a^d Va- (Contlnued on page Si) I wonder If Stafford and Stone recall the Thanksgiyinflr we iq^ent together in Decatur, III.? I wonder If Delia Watson, piano player of the theatre in Rockford, 111., recalls the one we spent together? I wonder if Walter K. Hill and Arch Donaldson recall the Thanksgiving dinner we ate together in Burns' restaurant—my first Thanksgiving in New York? • I wonder If Percy Williams, Belle Blanche. Lillian Shaw. Walter Kelly and Andrew Mack recall my having them photographed with Lillian Russell and the warden of the prison at Blackwell's Island 12 years ago, when we went over to put the Fhow on? ' ' . I wonder if Adelaide and Hughes recall, 10 years ago this Thanksgiving, our eating dinner together in Boston? They were with the "Passing Show" and I was in advance of It. I wonder If dear Irene Franklin recalls the Thanksgiving p^^ty she gave at the Hotel Markwell 13 years ago? n^ j kjitohu took me home. I wonder if Mrs. Louis De Foe will recall or repeat that delicious mince pie she thAde f«r mc? * ■ J. wonder if Bob Russell recalls cha.s]ng all over Hartem to get a lyumpliin pie made for mc? I wonder if Ethel Robinson will recall the Thanksgiving we were on the same bill at Winnipeg and two newspapers said we were the same p«<iX'>ion doing two acts? I wonder if my old boss, John Cort, will recall my eating dinner at his home four years ago? ,, • I wonder if Frances Wayne of the Denver "Post" recalls our ThanlcB- piving together in Chicago? I wonder if all of the friends who met in my room last Thanksgiving will recall the occ.nsion, and if we all will ever meet again? I wonder where I will eat my next Thanksgiving dinner—yes. I wonder! I hope you will all have a flne Thanksgiving dinner. Eat it in health and with someone you love. It isn't so much where or what we eat that matters; it's who we eat with. | . ■ , . .^ . ^