Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-07
NEW SYNDICATE
STIRS ACTORS
WONDER HOW THEY WILL BE
AFFECTED BY MOVEMENT
Thirty Million Dollar Deal Promoted
ostenslbly to Induce Economy
In Vaudeville and Lesltl-
mate Branches

The new ss0,000,00 theatrical syndi-
cate formed ostensibly not to crush
the independents but merely to practice
economy in the legitimate and vaude-
Vile branches has Los Angeles actors
guessing.
Varying Views are taken Of the move
by the members of the profession stay
ing here and those here with travelling
companies.
The initiative has come from a group
of vaudeville managers who control
most of the circuits In the east and In
the central and far west. But the or
ganizers of the scheme include import
ant producers of regular drama and
musical pieces.
Representatives OF Klaw & Brlanger.
3. r. Keith, and Kohl g. Castle, who
have large theatrical interests in the
middle west, and Meyerfield & Beck,
who control the Orpheum circuit of
vaudeville houses extending to San
Francisco met in Chicago two weeks
ago and spent four days arranging the
preliminaries of the plan.
Kelth's Official Statement
The only definite information that has
reached Los Angeles is based In an In
terview with e. e. Albee, general man
ager for B. r. Keith. He says the
scheme has been maturing for several
years and is the natural outcome of
wish on the part of the managers to
create theatrical system which may
be regulated throughout the country
by one general management and one
general policy.
"This combination" said Mr.. Albee,
(which will represent an aggregate OF
fully sac, ,000,0 900, is not designed to crush
any of the independent theatrical firms
now doing business. We are simply or
ganizing to gain greater economy and
efficiency in handling the enormous
volume of business detail connected
with managing and bookings
although this particular plan has
been under consideration for several
months, we are only just beginning to
work out the details. AL Hayman Is
now on his way home from Europe
and upon his arrival will become an
important factor in the formation or
the combination.
"It will be arranged on corporation
basis in which each Of the members
will continue to be identified with his
present name and interests. Each In
dividual will be protected as to his own
portion Of the common pool.
1--WE have as yet not even decided
where our central offices will be, but
that will take only a few minutes
when we get fairly down to business"
The "outs" Talk
TeIegrams from the east say that
other prominent vaudeville interests,
such as the F. r. Proctor, Hammer
stein, Percy Williams and Hurtig &
Seamon houses, do not seem as yet
to have been invited to join the big
inc
The firm of Klaw & Erlanger. whose
name figures conspicuously in the pro-
posed plan, is. of course, an impor-
tant element of the syndicate, and con-
trolls a large proportion Of the first
class theaters of the country MI.
Klaw is now on his way to Europe.
Mr.. Hurtig of Hurtig & Seamon.
when asked what his attitude would
be, said
'The whole thing was news to me.
All can say at present is that Hurtig
& Seamon will go on doing business
INDEPENDENTLY and alone. can give no
opinion of the effect such a syndicate
may have on vaudeville business In
general until I know how the scheme
is to be inaugurated. We have not
been asked to cooperate in any way
with the proposed plan."
Lee Shubert of Shubert Brothers de-
clined to be quoted, but one who is
close to the firm said 1T may well
mean that the Shuberts will stand al
most alone against gigantic comb1na-
ton of theatrical interests, vaudeville
and legitimate, which will be in the
atrical circles what the Standard OH
company is in the industrial world.
can only say that the Shuberts are
not likely to be absorbed in any such
trust. They will continue their pres
ant Y1oIiou nf indanandpnpap
Hammerstein Laughs
William Hammerstein was inclined to
make light of the proposed combina-
ton.
what have they actually done?" de-
manded Mr.. Hammerstein. why, to
me 1t is all a lot Of empty sound.
After a hopeless effort on the part of
Mr.. Albee to weaken William Morris,
Mr.. Erlanger has been called in as a
specialist"
William Morris is the New York
booking agent for circuit Of fifty
two theaters, including Proctor's, Ham
mersteins and Percy Williams houses.
"But why" went on Mr.. Hammer
stein, 'is 1t necessary for these man
ayers to combine unless they fear us?
Haven't all the big vaudeville stars of
this year been brought over by Percy
Williams, Mr.. Proctor and myself?
Have they had such attractions as
Vesta Victoria, Vesta Tilley, "A Night
in an English Music Hail. and all the
others that have been seen here this
season at the Alhambra, the Colonial,
the Proctor houses, and the Victoria?
We have circuit of fifty-two theaters
and can therefore more than take care
of all our attractions.
"And again, why did they have to
combine If they were strong? Mr.. Keith
has always been an independent man.
ager, and In a combination he loses that
independence. Why now does he need
the support of others? These man
ayers have long feared us, have long
known the power of the Morris circuit
and this recent move is only a seque
of others of the same intention. Man
ayers of theaters on their circuit have
written to Vesta Victoria, Rice and Pre-
vost and others Of our stars for book