FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 16993, 15 March 1919, Page 9

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By Loiterer.} AN EVIL TRAFFIC CHECKED. Tho theatre managers of New York have at last secured an ordinance from the city's municipal authorities which breaks the back of the traffic in theatre tickets—a form of speculation by ■ brokers in no way connected with the theatre —that had become an absolute canker spot. The ordinance of the New York Board of Aldermen, adopted in December by a vote of 50 to 5, provides that agencies selling theatre tickets must pay a yearly license of 250 dollars (£SO), and must not charge a purchaser more than 50 cents (about 2s) above the price stamped upon tho theatre ticket at the box office. Ticket speculation is, of course, essentially the product of a very large city, and, intensively undertaken as it has been in such cities as New York and Chicago, it had the paradoxical effect of making the theatre box-office a place where tickety could not be obtained, and the theatre manager an unwitting sponsor of fraud, in that, while he advertised a certain price of admission for his best scats, no such seats wore obtainable at less than twice tho sum advertised. The method of the speculator was to obtain large blocks of tickets for the best part of a house as soon as they were put on sale, and then to sit back and wait patiently. Presently prospective patrons appeared at he boxoffice to buv 'their seats —two in the orchestral stalls let us say. The box-office man had to reply, perhaps, that there was nothing to be had in the orchestral stalls for six weeks to come. Thus the patron was forced to the ticket, speculator. Ho would get his seats, but instead of paying, say, 12s for his two seats, ho would be mulcted of 245. Tims, while the manager said the price of admission to his best seats should be 6s, the ticket speculator decreed that it should be 12s. Floren-r Ziegfeld, tho most determined enemy of the speculator, stated recently that these spoilers had got as high as 42 dollars (£8) for a table at his 9 o'clock revue (a restaurant show) for which he got 12 dollar* (£2 10s) ; and Wm. A. Brady has stated : "The theatre managers of New York no lonjiev fear the dramatic, critic : it is the ticket speculator who makes or breaks outplays." Rut while the best managers have consistently refused to recognise the- speculator, it is stated that some theatre managers have " stood in " with them, handing them big blocks of tickets before they were put on sale, and sharing in the additional profits. More than this —according; to the New Y,ork ' Theatre,' "To not a few managers the speculator appeared in the guise of a financial allv and backer, advancing large sums in return for ticket privileges; while other managers sold out their houses to speculators at so much a seat. In case of a success, the speculator resold at high premium ; where the play fizzled ho had to sell at a greatly reduced figure." In general, it was the theatregoer who suffered, and, as the. ' Mirror' says, "it was only through a lazy, indifferent, and extravagant public that the abuse of theatre ticket speculation grew to such degree." The penalties provided for breach of the new ordinance are a term of imprisonment not to exceed six months, a line of £IOO, or both ; and in addition the' city may bring a civil action against the offender for recovery of a penalty of £SO, and his license niav be revoked.

DOROTHY CAMMING SCORES IN NEW YORK. Another Australian actress has scored in New York. The critics devote quite a lot of space to the performance of Dorothy Gumming in David Belasco's latest productifin, ' Tiger. Tiger,' at the Belasco Theatre, with Frances Starr as the chief luminary. Writes Burns Mantle, in the 'Green" Book Magazine':—"Tho night Frances Starr hurst through her more or less placid past'as the amorous cook-lady in ' Tiger, Tiger,' there appeared with her a strikingly attractive girl named Dorothy Gumming.." The wise first-nighters, quite sure they know all the players there are worth knowing, began immediately to rattle their programme* and lean over their stomachs in "an effort to read her name. Thoy discovered her to be. to them, a stranger. -Miss Dorothy, it transpired, is an Australian girl. She was playing in Australia, but getting mad at the gent for whom she was working she quit her job and came to America, determined never to work on the island continent again. Arrived in New York, ahe was immediately engaged by Cyril Maude, who needed a leading ladv for his Australian tour. So back home* Dorothy went, played with Maude as long as he was there, and then came back to" the States with him. She toured with Maude through the West v but this is her first real chance in New York. It is safe to predict it will not be her last. There are many beautiful actresses available in this here land of the free and tho handsome, but not many of them can_ act." Another version of the story, with a photograph of the actress, appears in the January number of the New York ' Theatre Magazine.' The sponsor for this account, evidently pictures Sydney as a very one-horse town, with its "local theatre": Although the social philosophers, have said that temper is a hindrance, it served well Dorothy Gumming. Miss Gumming demanded from the manager of the local theatre in her " home town," Svdnev, Australia, an increase in salary, He sent her down to the stage to watch a rehearsal by her understudy of the part for which she wanted more money. Presenting herself to the manager after the rehearsal, she asked : " What does this mean'.'" "it means you will play the part, Monday, for what we are willing to pay you," was flic retort. Miss Gumming" swept out ol the office, sailed next week for America, and secured an engagemciit- with David Belasco in ' Tiger, Tiger.' Miss Gumming appeared here as Beauty in ' Every woman' in May, 1912; with Julius Knight in 'Milestones' in September, 1913; as leading woman with ' The Man Who Staved at Home' Company in October, 1915;' and with Cyril Maude in ' Grumpy ' and ' Caste ' in January. 1918. She played Virginia Bnllivant in the former, and Esther Eccies in the latter piece.

The Max Figman Company's projected Dunedin season (the final dates booked wore 19th to 21st March) has been abandoned at the last moment, an order of recall having come from Sydney. Mr Jim Matheson (touring manager) reached town Wednesday night to arrange the billing, etc., and "was apprised by wire of the change of plans on Thursday. A short note on the death of Charles Taylor,* son . of old Charley of TaylorCarrington memory, appeared in this column a few weeks ago. It was not mentioned there, and may be of interest to recall, that the deceased and his wife, Laura Pwbei'ts, appeared at the King's Theatre many years ago in vaudeville sketches, playing under the Fuller management, and then calling themselves the Rollos. The Fullers arc reshuffling their New Zealand hand a little. Tom Havorly and the Kewpies finish at Christchurch tonight, and open in Auckland on the 24th.

The Bruco Company, who have been in tho northern town, sail for Sydney. Apparently, also, the Minstrels' season here ends next week. The Walter George Compauy are still scoring heavily in Wellington. One may hazard the guess that they will be the next revue, attraction for Dunedin. Frank Harvey, leading man with Muriel Starr, has expressed himself very pointedly upon the offer of tho Victorian Minister of Health (Mr Bowser) to find positions as wardstr.cn in the influenza hospitals for any artists to whom the closing of the theatres has occasioned distress. The actor expressed himself as under to the Melbourne 'Argus':—"l should like, through tho medium of your columns, to express the thanks and gratitude of myself and many others of my profession to Mr Bowser for his kind and generous offer to turn us all into hospital wardsmen. I should also like to assure. Mr Bowser that, in the event of a short-sighted, misguided Government placing him temporarily out of employment, I would be delighted to offer him"tho position of my dresser." The retort courteous, if you like! Yeetcrday afternoon Manager Hamer, of the Prir.ceis, took a party of entertainers to the Benevolent Institution, providing a happy hour for tho inmates. The artists, all of whom gave their services with alacrity once the project was mooted, were Signor and Sicnorn, Molinari, Mr and Mrs James (Lew James and Reina. Selma), Miss Nellie Kolle. Miss Marjories Alwyn, and M. Georges Roger. Ballads, grand opera selections, comedy, and finally some old plantation melodies, in which the audience joined heartily, comprised the pro ! gramme, and as Mr W. T. Talboys said i in conveying the thanks of the old folk. I the artkts never had a moro responsive i audience. The orchestra were not able to attend, but Miss Kollc's versatility wan equal to th-3 oc-cas.on, her technique enabling her to "hit the ivories" correctly, even for the operatic score. Mr Hamer assured the inmates, in the course of a short address, that the artiste were as pleased to provide the Show as the inmates were to see it. Subsequently, m the matron's quarters, the company were entertained at afternoon tea by Mrs Mec (the matron). The members of the Hosipital Board present were Mesdames Jackson and Gordon and Mr Talboys. Violinist Keith Kennedy and his talented company of musicians and. entertainers will probably play a season at His Majesty's in a- week'or two. The_ company now include Keith Kennedy, Miss Bronwen Fairhall (soprano). Miss Minnie Boaidjioi'f. Miss JVnnie Cree (songs _ at the piano), Madame Bertha Kennedy (pianist), and Ad Crec (Scotch comedian). Messrs J. and N. Tait have concluded arrangements with Harry Lauder, the world-famous Scotch comedian, to commence another tour of Australia and New Zealand in Sydney at Easter or a little later. Writing from New York recently, Mr E. J. Tait said that he had the pleasure of seeing Mr Lauder a few evenings previously at the Boston Opera-house, which (feats 2,700 people, and even there the crowds were being turned away from the doors unable to obtain seats. Tho war has made Mr Lauder a greater patriot and a. greater Scotsman than ever. Ho lost his son in France, and subsequently went over to see the grave of his best beloved. There he mingled with the soldiers from all parts of the Empire. His stories of what he saw and what he felt in the vast graveyard of the civilised world are marvellously appealing and interesting. Though his heart was breaking, he sang to the troops wherever opportunity offered —by the roadside, in tho trenches, in the estaminets. or Y.M.C.A huts—anywhere was good enough for Harry to pipe a stave to the boys who fought with his boy. It is stated that Mae Marsh is thinking seriously of deserting the screen for the legitimate stage. Mrs Vernon Castle, who worked m the London hospitals last year, danced before tho King and Queen on December 17 last in His "Majesty's Theatre in aid of the King George's "pension fund for actresses and actors. Chyles Waldron (who played here with Kathlene MacDone'll in ' Daddy Longlegs ') has the leading role in a. baShng mystery play ' The Woman in Room 13,' now current'at the Booth Theatre, New York The stage name of Anna Meld, jun., has been assumed by the dead actress's daughter, Liane Carrera, who has entered American vaudeville. The United Booking Offices, perhaps the most important vaudeville exchange in the world, have been renamed the " B. F. Keith Vaudeville Exchange," to perpetuate the name of one of the first sponsors of the varieties. A widely-circulated London rumor that Mrs Irene' Castle had become engaged to be married to Tom Powers, the actor, who was recentlv discharged from the_ Royal Flving Corps, has been emphatically do- J nied by Mrs Castle's mother, Mrs Ehoy j Foote. (Mrs Castle's late husband. Vernon Castle, was killed in an aviation accident.) , . _ . n ., ! Xkw acts coming to the Prmosss I lie- \ niiv (,i! Monday are Louis Nikola, the , highly-accredited mystery man, and the j musician Alsace. Patrons lose the K lentos, | James and Selma, and Rieuse and Roger. I During the incidence of the influenza epidemic in Melbourne Muriel Starr has been spending part of her enforced boh- ; c'-iv at Portsea. One morning the actress j gave a line display of aqua-planing, _ the latest and most popular water pastime. I Standing on the board drawn at great speed by a crack racing motor boat. Miss Starr showed an expert knowledge ol the I art of balancing, to the admiration and j astonishment of'the onlookers. _ It appears , that she went in for aqua-planing at Wai- j kiki Reach, Honolulu, and become exceed- [ iiigly proficient in this sport. i SNAPS iM THE STUDIOS. J Mr Frank Plunvmer, manager of tho ' Oeta-on Theatre, has gone on tour with ' I Want My Children.' one of Leo <le Chateau's picture attractions. Mr Plum- ' mcr is hardly recovered as yet from the ; very serious illness which supervened upon the " ilu ," and hir many friends will hone that the little trip—he will return to Hay wards' in a few weeks —will restore him to his old vigor. _ Winter Hall, the well-known Lhrist-c-luirch actor, is to support Nazimova in her Metro plav, 'The Rod Lantern.' Devotees of" the picture entertainment will regret that Max Figman is not to appear in Dunedin. Mr Figman is as big a star on the " movie " as on the " legitimate " stage, and several of his screen comedies have been staged here. Madge Kennedy, in ' The Danger Game,' is causing thrills to accelerate many a feminine pulse at Everybody's this week. "I'm going to marry him, but it's you I love," is one of the remarks she makes — pictoriaUy, of course. The picture is well up to the best Gokhvyn standard. To have held the centre of the Ameri- ' can and English stage for years, to be crowned its most beautiful woman, and to \ have her own playhouse in Now York, is ' the quite remarkable record of Maxir.e Elliott, who is being screened in the North just now in the Ooklwyn feature. ' Fighting Odds.' ' The Eagle's Eye ' serial coming to the Empire Theatre on April 1 is said to be j unapproached in public interest and the intimacy of its theme. Its 20 episodes show the startling facts of what actually was planned and attempted by tho Im-

I perial German Government's spies. The serial is by William J. Flynn, recently retired chief of the United States Secret Service. Many important facts, and the nature of many important conspiracies, are made public for the first time. The "stars" in their latest: Viola Dana, ' The Gold Cure ' (Metro); Dustin Farnum, ' The Light of Western Stars ' (Sherman) ; Tom Mix, ' Treat 'em Rough ' (Fox); Gorinne Griffiths, ' The Adventure Shop ' (Vitagraph) ; Fred Stone, ' Under the Top ' (Paramount) ; Francis X. Bushman, ' The Poor Rich Man ' (Metro); Wm. r-araum, 'For Freedom' (Fox); Wm. Fabesham, ' The Silver King' (Paramount) ; Lilian Gish and Robert Harron, ' Tito Greatest Thing in Life' (Paramount) ; Mae Marsh, ' The Racing Strain' (Goldwyn); Norma Talmadge,.' The Heart of Wetona ' (.Select); Anita Stewart, ' Virtuous Wives (First National Exhibitors); Alice Brady, ' In the Hollow of Her Hand' (Select); Dorothy Gish, ' The Hope Chest' (Paramount); Pauline Stark, ' Irish Eyes' (Triangle); Tom Mix, 'Go West, Young Man ' (Goldwyn); Lila Loo, ' The Secret Garden ' (Paramount); Constance Talmadge, 'Who Cares 1 ' (Select); Mae Murray, «D<mger-<Jo Slow' (Universal); Dorothy Dalton, 'Quicksands' (Paramount) ; Frank Keenan, ' The Midnight ' (Pathe); Pauline Frederick, ' Out of the Shadow ' (Paramount); Carlyle Blackwell, ' Love ifr- a Hurry ' (World) ; May Allison, ' Her Inspiration' (Metro). It is reported that Douglas Fairbanks is the next "star" in line for the First National circuit. Universal has signed on the ex-pugilist James J. Corbett, who for some years has been a big draw in vaudeville. ' You Can't Relievo Everything' is the title of a Triangle piny described as tho most unconventional picture ever filmed. Gloria Swanson is the star, and a special picture is ' The Neptune Dinner,' at which all the guests wear ultra-modern bathingdresses. You can't believe everything, but seeing is fairly good proof, and the picture will be shown at the Queen's next week. "To Hell With the Kair-er " ! ! This exclamation has been said, either silently or aloud, by lovers of decency everywhere. Everyone agrees that the monster of Europe- is not fit to live anywhere else. But in, this Metro eight-reel screen classic now showing at the Empire, the expression is taken literally. The Beast of Berlin is actually shown in the "hot place." How he gets there and what becomes "of him after his arrival form an interesting pavt of this remarkable picture. ' To Hell With the Kaiser' is a great arraignment of Prussianism and the Hohenzollerns. Womenkind a.ro sometimes referred to as thojfair sex and sometimes as the unfair &ex. 'They are also at times called the expensive sex, and it is in this latter category that they are dealt with in ' Mrs Letfingwell's Boots,' in which Constance Talmadge is the cause of the trouble. The picture deals with a unique pair of lady's shoes, which were found, with their owner's feat inside them, in rooms of which a husband did not apprgve. The story develops into a lesson for suspicious hubbies. Mollie King, former " star" of vaudeville and photo-plays, including two Pat ho serials, is to return to the pictures. Kitty Gordon, in her production just completed for United Picture Theatres, wars a solitaire diamond ring that is valued at £2.000. The ring was purchased by Miss Gordon in London. England. It was formerly owned, it is enic], by royaltv. All who would know what is meant by the frequently-mentioned " mvstei-y ships" of the British Navy should see one of them in action in tho German naval surrender pictures that are to he shown here under the management of ,T. and N. Tait. The ship is a harmless-looking old tramp, with a motley crew, until the order is (liven, when "down flops a solid-look: ng dcckhoiifie like a pack of cards,--exposing a- beautiful 6in gun. The crew spring into action like cats at war. and in a few seconds the gun ifi belching shells at the rate of 20 a minute. Then up goes the deckhouse, and again the vessel is the same old harmless tramp, with a tired crew who look as though they would feed out of the hand. Mrs Vernon Castle, one of the mostcharming women in the celluloid dram'!-, returns to Dunedin shortly in 'The Hillcrest Mystery.' a- bewildering stmy that takes a 'lot of unravelling, and gives the star ample opportunities for the display of her beauty and ability. Pat-he's 'History of the War' is to be continued shortly in pictures. In the picture.''To Hell with the Kaiser' a fleet of allied aeroplanes axe shown hi battle with the enemy air force. This is one of the big thrills at the Empire. Wallace E«id has 'a new leading lady for his next Paramount play, Miss Nina Bvron, of Christc-hm-ch, who sailed from New Zealand with her mother at the a-gc of 15 years. She was p"*»n a lead with William Hart in 'Truthful Tulliver,' after playing small parts in Ince pictures. Later she" played with Frank Keenan. the lead opposite House Peters in 'The Heir to the AgCs",' and then leads in the picturisation of O. Henrv stories. Since then Mi"* Byron has plaved important parts in many I Laslcv productions, including ' The Source/ starring Wallace Rcid_. in support of Free; Stone in. 'Johunv, Get Your Gun.' in Lilt Lee's initial Paramount feature '"J he Cruise of the Make-Believe.' and agaiu with Wallace Roid in 'The Dub.' P?arl While, the heroine of many Pnthcserials. Ins passed through enough strenuous adventures during the past 20 wee!-;? of "The Fatal Bins;' to satisfy_ most people ; but all that she has done is said to bo child's plav to the happenings in 'The House of Hate,' new serial commencing at the Queen's next week. The handsome Antonio Moreno plays oppositeLook out. Empire patrons, for 'P-aylng the Game,' featuring Charles; Ray, tin Thomas H. Ince star. The story is said to be the most compelling that has been -Avon to Charles Buy for some time. Anions the many scenes is a. ihnihrnr fi<rh; b-tw-eim Billv Elmer, a "pug'" in real life and Charles Rav. It is a genuine go, and a scorcher at that. Charles Chaplin is to be scon at t-ne Queen's this week in one of his old favorites. 'Shanchaied.' It is hoped to present ' Shoulder Arms ' shortly. l Mabel Normand "saw virions and hearo voices" just as -loan of Arc did. She re-it it her ambition to emulate Frances heroine, and tho result was the picture Moan of VhiUfbunr.' a Goldwyn play, to be shown next week at. ITaywaios . There was a distinguished audience athe first wiblic screening in the Wellington Town Hall of the official pictures ot i"c German naval surrender, which jiaye been Ul vd for Australia and i\ew Zealand by V" and N Tait. The Wellington public evinced the keenest enthusiasm and av.rhvuded the chief episodes in the gre:.. historical event with unfailing zest am. f-rvor. Anient: those nv-esent v.-cr-s the Rons. Arthur Mvers (Minister of Mum-for-,0 C. W. Russell (Minister of Literal Affairs), and J. A. Hunan (Minuter ot Education). Captain Hall- Thompson (Nava. Adviser). Commander Keily (omcer m charge of mine-sweepers), the 1 own Cierk (i-eni canting the absent Mayor). Mr \.. II Morton (citv engineer), most of die. | Consuls of the allied nations, and eevera, members of the Defence Headquarters Staff Durir." the interval Mr Maui-icc-B-'ipii entertained the above-mentioned neople in the large committee room where the Hon. U. W. Russell proposed ' I be King and the British Navy," and in doing P „ expressed thanks to Messrs J. ana N T a it for the opportunity of seeing _ the official picture (as approved bv the British Admiralty) of such a great national evenl-. It was a- ricture that would live m the memory of" all who saw it. It was tradition in being, and from an eaucatiomn point of view its value coula hardly bo ovet-cstimated. On behalf of Messrs .f. and N. Tait. Mr Ralph stated that he wai •leased to be associated with a firm that touched nothing but the ben in any line, and he was stt'e that the big picture wornd be eagerly anticipated all over New Zea land. , . Norma. Talmadge has the stellar role m 'Bv Right of Purchase.' a gripping society di-ama commencing at Havwn.r.ls' to-day. It is raid to be a story that will appeal to every girl and woman, and—if they will admit it —to every man as well. Is it 'A Man's World' rr s. woman's? The subject is debatable. How one wo man tries to prove that the world is a woman's as well as a man's is shown in (-tiong scenes in 'A Man's World,' a Metro AU-Star version of Rachel Crother's

powerful Broadway play, which is to b? the attraction at the Empire Theatre on Fridav next. Emily Stevens is the, " stir!" After nevrly n year's disappearance from the studios, Anita Stewart comes back, to Black-and-white life with her populnnty apparently uudimMished. It is nut yet eertiin whether her first New Zealand' release will be • The Mind-the-Paiut Girl' 01 ' Virtuous Wives.'