Variety (July 1923)

OUTfiTOOR AMUSEMENTS Wednesday, July 4, 1923 1 TENT DRAMATIC SHOW SEASON STARTING OFF DISASTROUSLY Several Closing—Average Weekly Lost $350—Three Reasons Advanced, Besides >yeather, for Conditions PHILIP WORTH IN N. Y. ON HIS FIRST VISIT Controls Wirth Bros. Circus in Australia--30 Years Ex- perience Chicago, July 3. The Celeste Comedy Company, a tent dramatic ihow owned by Lit- tle' A Powell, closed at Crestline, O., and tlM proi^erty was sold under taammer last Saturday. The Forest Smith ComjSf&py also closed in Ohio recently. ' The Charles Llndholm one-night stand company, touring under can- vas in Mlni\esota with a play called "The Man From Mlnneeota," has closed. Tent shows generally are doing a very poor business. Al Clark, of the Skiuity organisation, who has made a tour of these shows, re- cently reports that he did not en- counter a single organization mak- ing money. The losHes In the Jnst weelc or two have been particularly heavy. The Tom Brown company is said to have lost $350 on a week at Monticello, III., an average loss. The cold weather some time ago was followed by such warm weather that people remained away and re- cently with favorable weather the attendance baa not increased. It is predicted that the tent dra- matic company Is following In the footsteps of the airdome, which had a period of prosperity and passed. Robert Sherman, a spokesman for that form of entertainment, at- tribute* the slump to— 1—Lack of plays to be obtained at royalty that can be paid. 2—Increase in cost of operation. S—^DlfflcQltles which make it im- possible to play every town. When the tent show business was establlslfbd, actors could be secured at small salaries and other costs were comparatively small. At that time a show could play every town, while now a company must jnake long Jiuoips oftentimes to avoid other shows or to miss towns where license fees are considered exorbitant The license ran about 16 a week when this form of enter- tainment sprang up and now it runs as high as $10 a day and In some instances as much as $150 for a we^. Lots cost a few tickets a few years ago and now run as high as |SB a week. Royalties used to be small, but now desirable plays cannot be obtained without huge expenditures, while all of the cheaply obtainable plays have be^n used up. The weather recently was so cold that last week those who have been attending tent dramatic shows in Michigan have been forced to wear overcoats. OPEN AIR DEMAND FOR JAZZ BANDS AT LOW PAY Parks Set Small Figure for Long Hours—$450 for Ten Pieces A big demand Is reported by agents supplying the {^utdosr flf'ld for jazz bands this summer, but the agents are unable to ftll most of the orders through the low price of- fered by the park and outdoor peo- ple. An Illusfration of what the aver- age large park figures a band should cost is contained In an order to an agent by one of the big Coney Island parks for a band of 10 to play from 2 to 6 p. m. and from 7 until hiidnlght daily, with the mu- sicians starting an hour earlier Saturday and Sunday. The park of- fered $450 gross for the ten men. In addition to playing for dancing the band would have to play selec- tions on a platform for a ballyhoo. The situation as applied to trav- elling organizations Is similar, tho shows wanting the bands, but bcinj:: unwilling to pay any price for them. JOHN ROBINSON CIRCUS Burlington, Vt., July S. Making Its l^Oth tour of the CIRCUS ROUTES Wurter t.. Main July 5. Menomine; 6, Rice Lake; 7, Superior; 9, Ashland, Wis.; 10, Ironwood, Mich.; 11. Park Falls; 12. Lady smith; 13, Med ford; 14, Rhfodllnder. Wis. Sparks July 5. Runford Falls; 9, Lewis- ton; 7, Madison; 9. Bangor, Me. John Robinson July 5. Gouverneur; 6, Fulton; 7, Pen Yan, N. T.; 9, Lock Haven; 10, Clearfield; 11, Johnstown; 12, Greenburg; 13, Uniontown; 14, .Somerset, Pa. Sells-Ffoto July 6, Nashua; 6, Manchester; 7, Rochester, N. H.; 9, Haverhill; 10, Salem; 11, Lawrence; 12, Lynn; 13, Lowell; 14, Framingham, Mass. Ringling Bros.-Barnum-Bailey July 5, Albany; 6, Utlca; 7, Bing- hamton, N. Y.; 9, Pontiac; 10, Flint; 11, Lansing; 12, Battle Creek. Mich.; 13, South Bend. Ind.; 14-22. Chicago (Grant Park.) OUTDOOR ITEMS Work has started on the open air stadium at Denton, Texas, which will seat several thousand people. It is intended for use of summer lyceum numbers, band concerts and other entertainments. Preparations have been made for a free fair at De l«on, Tex.. Nov. «t8. The prize list Is four times as large as any previous year with twice as many amusement conces- sions granted. BURLESaUE MEN AT CONEY Rush :rmon, operating burlesque shows In the winter season has tH^ "King Tut" show at Luna P rk this summer. Sam Rice another burlesquj Is a lecturer at one of the Surf avenue freak sho.c. Philip Wirth, Australia's oldest showman, who, with his brother George controls the Wirth Brothers Circus, Is In New York on his first visit. In chatting about American attractions booked for his big top the most vivid recollections pertain to the wild west features first ap- pearing there 30 years ago. "My brother George," he said, "went across to seek something dif- ferent, and he booked the outfit of Capt. 'Happy Jack' Sutton, who was just forming. Most spectacular in the Sutton camp were George Fel- ton. Jack Brown and the Arkansas Kid. Of that original crew the Ar- kansas Kid Is still In Australia, and so Is Bronco George, who tours about with his own little wild wes-t show. "I shall never forget the exciting times that followed the American cowboys' debut in 1892. When drinking they would Invade the sa- loons and shoot the tops off the bot- tles, pretty much like the scenes In the woolly western moving picture scenes of the olden days. Naturally they did not turn up on the lot. Being active performers ourselves we were able to appear for them. Somehow throwing the lariat came as an easy accomplishment to me. and my sister, Mrs. Martin Wirth, now here with the Wirth family, de- veloped into an expert roper. "Felton was a man six feet six tall and A marvel with the rope. One of his favorite tricks was lassoing a running dog in the street. Dr. Car- ver came over with his outfit In '93, but had an unhappy timfe of it. He lost about $30,000 on the venture, playing in close by opposition to our show. Carver was unfortunate In that some of his stock was afflicted with glanders and quarantined on Shark Island. But the public was with him. and his apparatus was hauled around the ring with ropes by volunteers. "We had the cowboys with the show two years, and In that time they raised such havoc that We booked the circus for South Africa without them, for they nearly dis- rupted our organization. I will say they were supreme In their line In every way except tying down a steer. At that time the Australian trick of snapping the tail was not known by the cowboys, but It was by that stunt that one Australian cowboy beat Felton's record by 10 seconds." Mr. Wirth trained and developed May Wirth. whV at the age of eight was a marvel of stamina. He con- firms the fact she Is the only woman in the world to accomplish a for- ward flip-flap on bareback and the only girl to leap to the back of a moving horse with her feet in bas- kets without the aid of a spring- board. He said It was no trick for May to turn 50 flip-flaps In the same spot. The Wirth Circus, years after the first wild west engagements^ secured specialists. Among them was Will Rogers, who was billed as the "Cher- okee Kid" and who received £5 ($25) weekly, v.. ■•■•-, ■ „ .,,•, ;, ■ ':;,. sented around track by their trainer, Cheerful Gardner. Community fairs will be held at Avery, Detroit, Bogata, Annona and Cuthand, Texas, just prior to the annual Red River County Fair, scheduled for October 9-13 Inclu- sive, at Clarksvllle, Texas. The first annual exposition of the East Texas Cotton Palace and I'oultry show will be held at Athr ns, Texas, October 4-6. Sheik Hadja Tahar. who intro- duced the whirlwind Arab;: to vaudeville In this country, Is now furnishing whole tribes of Arabs and Hindoos to the large moving picture concerns. He pkced 350 with Famous Players for "ZaZa." and over 400 with Distinctly e Film.s (old Biograph). There was con- siderable surprise among picture people to find that such lar,;e num- bers of these nationalities were right here In their midst until Tahar dug them up from the settlements in different parts of the covntry. .. TOM MARTELLE Appearing' this week <July 2), at B. F. Keith's Alhambra. New York, in The Gay Voung Bride." • Thirty-eight consecutive weeks of stock, starring with eighty more wr«^ks ahead of me. t'nder the dirf<ti«.n of th. CENTURY PLAY CO, ' United States, tne John Robinson Circus entered Vermont June 22 and played si stands, thence heading westward. The show did top busi- nesa at every stand. The entertainment value of the show is 100 per cent. Running for two hours and 20 minutes, the big show has several unusual qualities not found In the ordinary circus. It opens with a fairyland phantasy that works wonders with the pat- rons, and close.: with an act that S^mpletes the show fh a/ltting man- or. The reviewer, last seeing the show back In 1918. could not help but marvel at the complete change in type that he found. It undoubt- edly offers the greatest variety of acts of any circus of Ite size. The features <^cserving of special merit are: The opening number, a musical extravaganza. "Peter Pan In Animal Land." (Miss) Billie Burton as Wendy enters the steel arena In the center ring and there goes to sleep, where ehe "dreams" the grand entry. The entry circles the track to the weird music of bells and'drums In the arena ap- pear E. V. Dixon as King Tut and Ola Darraugh as Peter Pan, and a number of dancing girls. Julian Rogers, the circus prima donna, adds much to the number by a song from the bav?k of an elephant. Allen Haneer. handling a group of Arabian horses, made a hit. Peter Taylor (i^tive of Englan I and the grandson of George Wumbel) has one of thdi best anirnal acts that has ever b.een seen In Vermont. Among the slack wire- workers Piqxiita Morales ruled supi-rmc. She had a number of turns that were excep- tionally dangeroue and worked without a parasol. , The complete prograhi is: Disi)lay No. 1. ''Peter I^an in Ani- mal Land," featuring the Grand Entry and Julian Rogers as Queen Prima Donna. 2. Allen Han:.vi- with Arabian ponies in left ring. Miss Renaud in center. W. W. Weaver with ponies in right ring. 3. Clyde Beaty with Alaskan Polar bears in steel arena in center. Dewey Butler with Rocky Mountain ehccp in left ring. Harley Wood- son's South American Andes goats in right ring. Babe Peterson In front of left general admissions with group of rabbits. Leona Plank In front of right general admissions with white rats. In the track, clowne and "hippopotamus drawing an African cart. 4. Mary Bedini In a menage act in right riflg. Erna Rudynoff In left ring in bareback act. On track, pig wagon, "Pike's Peak or Bust." 5. Steel arena. Miss Johnson, the dancing girl in the lions' den. Right ring, camels and horse Worked by Miss nisie MoAllL-jter. Left ring, camels and horees worked by Miss Pompey Biao. Clowns in the track. 6. Miss Weaver In her Dore Song; astride a white Arabian steed and uses about 20 ur vea In the number. 7. Jockey riding by Rudy Gebhardt and Co. In 1< ": ring. The same by Bernie Reed and Co. In right ring. 8. Football horsefe In the right ring worked by Carlos Caneon and in the left ring by Charles Fulton. Trained cats before the general ad- missions worked by Billy Styles and Abe Goldstein. Clowns on track. 9. Morales Family In teeth, hair, foot and head .slides. 10. (Miss) Billie Burton in steel arena working leopard, bear and dog riding on backo of horses. Right ring, Harold Prophet presenting collie, resus monkey and pony In riding act. Left ring, animals simi- lar to those In right ring, worked by Richard Sadler. 11. Center, Moore Sisters. Right ring, Aerial Grants. Left ring. Fly- ing La Vans. Before general ad- missions. Cecil Fortuna. Mies .Wockener. Before reserved sections, Tresa Morales, Emmett Kelly. 12. Steel arena, lions worked by John Gullfoyle. Right ring, Arabian horses worked by Charles Fulton. Left ring. Kentucky thoroughbreds worked by Allen Hanser. Before general admissions, Sam Myers and John Calvert with high diving dogs and monkeys. Clowns around the track. 13. Aerial act: Center, Aileen Tinckon; right ring, Edeline Wea- ver; left ring, Jacquine Grisby. On swinging ladders about the track, Marion Wocl ener, Eva Moore. Cecil Fortuna, Margarette Morales, Kath- ryn Plank, Agatha Dixon, Gertrude West. Mary Mann, Mies Lordon, Bessie Lordon. Clara Smith. Anna Butler, Ruby Orton, Concho Mo- rales, Pompey Biao, Dora I>avan. Mitzie Moore and Tresa Morales. • 14. Tn steel arena, Persian leop- ards worked by Verne Hauscr. Elephant, dog and pony worked in right ring by Ola Darraugh; in left ring by Ml.^s Peterson. 15. Comedy bareback riding: Rudy Rudynoff troupe In left ring; Ber- nard Grigge and Co. In right rin^,. 1«. In center. Petite Tetu oa silver thread. Right ring, Piquita Morales on slack wire. Left ring, Felix Morales In backward somersault on t<pht wire. 37. .Sixty tons of elephants pre- 18. Steel arena, Madame Harrietts Gullfoyle riding lions on backs of horses. Dogs -and monkeys riding ponies, worked In right ring by Bernice Renwick; left ring. Blanchs Meyer. Track, elephants In ths "Spirit of '76." worked by Gardner. 19. Twenty-four dancing horses and girls performing on the track. 20. Dental dexterity. Right wing. Morales Slaters; left ring. Lordon Sisters. ;' - A. 21. Steel arena. Peter Taylor working 15 lions and tigere. Right rin.g. five Duroc pigs worked by Rube Dewey Butler; left ring, five ■ razorback hogs worked by Farnsttti J Harley Woodson. ^^M 22. English fox hunt. m1 23. Center. [Madame Harrietts 'i Guilfoyle with Hon on balloon plativ, : form. Fireworks and electrical ef- , fects. Miss Gertrude West an^ pony in left ring; Miss Plank and pony in righ.. ring. The band under the direction of Edward Wockener was exception- ally good. The clowne are under the direc- tion of Abe Goldstein. Allen Hanser is equestrian director; W. C. Chap* man, legal adjuster, and Gardner Wilson, pre.ss agent. RusaelL DARE-DEVIL ACTS. AT LOW MINIMUM SINCE 1g Demand Fell Off as Performert Increased Hazard—Trick . Films Do Great Feats The demand for "daredevil" acts featuring an element of danger as their chief source of appeal has reached a lower minimum this sea* . son as regards outdoor shows than any season since 1918. Previous to the war most of the parks, fairs and especially the circuses had a feature turn that had a definite chance of the performer receiving bodily Injuries while doing his stuff. Gradually the outdoor public lost Interest, the circuses being tbs first to eliminate the dangerous spe- cialties. The number of daredevil acts suf- fering Injuries while performing ' gave the public a revulsion of feel- ing, according to outdoor agcnta j This was reflected In the drawing j power of acts specializing in ultra- ) dangerous stunts. Another factor affecting the lort of Interest in the daredevil turns was that the acts doing that typs had Increased the hazard each sue- . ceeding year until the ultimate 0t i danger was realized; In other wordm It became too diflflcult for the dars- i devils to top their past efforts. Not» ] withstanding, many of the daredev- lis went ahead and tried for mors risky stunts, with the result that / the competition became so strong an era of recklessness set In about flvs years ago which caused more in- juries and deaths In one season than in the five preceding. The death of a building scaler last February while doing a publicity stunt In New York, with the acci- dent coming at a time when ths outdoor shows were considering acts for the present season, h|id a de- cided effect on the daredevil en- gagements this year. Opposition on the part of mu- nicipalities, with several passing laws aglnst the vltra-daredevll stunts. Is another potent reason for the outdoor people cutting down to such a large extent on the dangerous turns. • '" ' Still another Is that the pictures, through trick photography, can de- pict an apparent disregard of dan- ger In a film that a performer in life cannot possibly duplicate. NO PARADES IN PROVIDENCE No more parades by circuses or other outdoor shows will be per* mitted hereafter In Providence, R.L according to an or.der issued to th« police department by the mnydt, who in turn was commissioned to «o inform the police department by tb« city council. Tho no ;>arade oid< r rame aboti*- following the playing of Providence by the Sells Kioto show June 7. and the Uirgling-Barnum show June ii- The Sells Kioto show it is claimed held their parade on one of th« hottest days this summer, with tb« pavements softened up by the su" and with consequent damage to tb* pavement caused l-y the heavy wagons. > . . :■ . ■ ;=