STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 143, 16 June 1917, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Allen Doone's New Zealand tour has been cancelled, the actor being debarred by the United States Military Regulations from leaving that country.

The late 'Mr. Harold Ashton, who died on April 21. in Melbourne, left real estate valued at £1.033, and personal property valued at £7,160, to his 'brothers-

Grace Paiotta, the partner of Hugh J. Ward's pre-directorial stage successes, has evidently grown tired of trimming hats, and is said to Le coming to Hugh D. Melntosh's Tivoli circuit.

Miss Maud Beatty, the well-known I musical comedy star, who is at present in New York, recently had the misfortune to slip on the pavement and break her leg. She has, however, now completely recovered. The Wellington operatic singer, Adelaide Van Staveren, appeared at Liverpool i-n April in the title role of "Carmen," with the Harrson-Trewin Opera Company. The Micasla of the east was another ex-Wellington girl — Nora D'Argel. There is a society in Sylney known as "The Gold Bricks, and it is co called because its members distribute small blocks of gold of that shape. They recently presented one to Maggie Moore for her performance of \Lts. Semple in "Daddy Long Legs." Slay Martin Wirth, of the Australian circus family, has been astonishing Chicago at the great Coliseum, where they clear four stages and two rings when it is time for the dashing little horsewoman to skip in for her act. The average daily attendance at the giant showplaee is" between 10.000 and 12,000, and the Australian girl is star of the long bill.—"Bulletin." The dramatic critic of the London "Referee" recently dropped into the Lyceum to find "3000 persons fairly eat-j I iiig" Mr. Walter Howard's capital "Seven Dave' Leave," a play that has been secured for Australia by the Williamson management. One of the best scenes m the piece is when chairminij. Miss Annie Saker, as Fielding's sweet-, heart, the plucky Lady Mary Heather,' •'does her bit" for England by swimming out to sea a mile or more to cut a cable which results in the destruction of a Germaji submarine. "J.F.H." -writes from London to the "Bulletin": the new revue at London Hippodrome, has given Daphne Pollard an excellent chance to sing and dance, and she does both so well that j she adds to the credit and renown of the old Australian theatrical family to I which she belongs. Daphne rivals Ivy Shilling in her astonishing feats of acrobatic dancing, and ehe hae the added advantages of an excellent singing voice and a madcap style at bomour. Her "Little Miss Quaint," ifluetrated with uncanny upookery and electric trimmings, is far and away the beet and most successful song in the revue. France, not unreasonably, is held up to us a3 a model in all things for a belligerent nation. So we need no excuse tor pointing to the case of the Pane theatres. Some time ago they were com- : pelled to close for several nights a week, and the chief reason for the order being, it was understood, the desire to economise in fuel consumed in lighting and heating. The managers, though, of course, they loyally accepted the restrictions, were not content with the situation, and signified the same in the ueual way. The authorities were willing to hear reason, and the Paris theatres are how giving their normal number of performances. When Mr. W. B. Spong, ecenic artist and father of Hilda Spong, flrat arrived in Australia, under engagement to the old Brough-Boucicault Co., he wae the ideal of the English gentleman, placid, courteous, tactful, and correct in hie diction, a "sport," but one, -who was never heard, even when exasperated beyond measure, to venture more than a simple "damn." A confirmed cigarette smoker, his nerves were never of the best, and during hie first week in the paint loft he was worried much by the I loud conversations of the stage hands below. At last he could endure it no longer. He turned to the "splodger," the scenic painter's assistant, and said: I "Kindly request thoec men to moderate the intensity of their voices." "Kighto," ] agreed the splodger, and descending the I ladder one floor he leaned over the rail and yelled: "Hi, there, yous blank , blankers, Mr. Spong says ter shut up that blank blank row 'r yell git yer blanky jors broke." The cast of " The Pink Lady," staged at Her Majesty's, Melbourne, by the Royal Comic Opera Company, includes the following:—Phil Smith ac Philippe ■Dondidier, Roberts as Lucien Garidel, Jack RaLston as Maurice D. j Uzac, Leslie Holland as Bebe Guingolpli, j Claude Solomon ac Ywaxy, Clyde Look j 'as Bobevol, Gladys Monchieff as Angele, ' llelia Ghiloni as Madame Domliuier, j j Nellie Payne as Serpolette Pochet, Florence Young as La Cointosse, Al.ce Ben[netto as Desiree, Maie Baird as Suzanne, 'Minnie Love as Claudine, the Pink Lady. I There are three a<:te. The first takes plate in the gardens of Le Joli Coucou, a restaurant in the Forest of ('onipiegnu, France; the .second in the antique shop lof Uondidier in the Rue St. lionore, 'Paris; and the third in the Hall of tiie Nymphs and Satyrs, Paris. A recent cable stated that Charlie Chaplin had refused an offer of £200,000 for 12 pictures, and had said t ! iat if he didn't get that amount for eight he would produce them himself, and xnll them to the highest bidder. The offer represents £10.000 a picture, and the demand at £25.000. The salary of the , President of the United States is I £ 15,000, with a travelling allowance of i £5000. So that the amount of work that the famous comedian does on one I picture, which might take him a whole ' month, is worth more than the whole 'year's work by the President. A great "roan is going up from exhibitors all over the world because of the enormous : fees paid to movie start, and the consequent heavy film charges. The producer does not care so much; he pays the money, but the exhibitor pays the cost. Tho committee of the New York State Legislature which inquired into conditions in a moving picture business made special reference to this point, and described the salaries paid to stars as ridiculously high. There has been much legislation to provide a legal.method for employees to make claims ' for increased salaries and wages. Will there some day be a tribunal to prevent salaries becoming extortionate? Writers in American magazines contend that high-water mark has boon reached in connection with the salaries of movie stars. Various instances have been quoted of successful resistance to claims for huge salaries. But it would need an Act of the Legieilature to restrict Chaplin's "wages."