Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-18
In the Spotlight
r ]. SHUBERT has departed with
out having leased a theater or

]. SHUBERT has departed with
out having leased a theater or
e. made arrangements to build one.
His firm has given up hope of secur-
ing the Majestic, as oliver Morosco
was not entirely satisfied with his eX-
perience with the Shuberts at the time
of their combination with F1ske ana
Belasco, when they slid out of the deal
and lined up with the trust. The Au-
ditorium would not be available Tor the
Shubert productions, which VIII pc
mainly dramatic pieces, with small
companies not suitable for so large
house.
The position of the Shuberts in re-
gard to their coast operations was
made clear during the stay OF j. j.
Shubert in Los Angeles, and apparent
ly they have scrambled into a crler
bush which may leave some scratches
before they scramble out again. When
thev secured the American theater in
San Francisco they took a long chance
on getting other houses In Los An.
geles and the northwest which would
enable them to book attractions from
Chicago without playing Intervening
cities. When it became apparent that
John Cort had the northwest nicely
seWed up they made desperate
scramble to secure a house in Los An
peles which would enable them to open
the American theater by September l,
according to contract. This would not
have enabled them to bring out their
big productions but would have neces-
STATED the installation of stock COM
panies to hold the houses until new
theaters can be built. Shubert is SAID
tn he making an effort to secure an eX-
tension of time on his American thea
ter contract, as Cort's enterprise IN
covering the circuit a few days aheau
has left the fasteners in a difficult
hn
have been lined up by Cort, and Den
yer likewise has been cut off from the
Shuberts by Pete McCort of the
Broadway theater. who is associated
with Cort. 1t will require a goodlE
string of coast theaters to make the
jump from Chicago posslpie, anu II Wil1
take fully a year and half to Dulld
them In the meantime the American
theater must be supplied with attrac-
tions. The game still is young, but MI.
Cort seems to have most OF the chlps'
Manager John Blackwood of the Be-
lasco theater and the Grand opera
4 house announces that Bobby Harring-
ron has been secured to handle the &C.
centric comedy business in the new
Murray and Mack company, to be IN
stalled at the Grand May 2. Harring-
ton is one of the best Cohanesque CO.
medians on the American stage. Whef.
the cOnNOlVulOuS 0tOISt M vas W.
with rheumatism, Harrington was
chosen to take his place in the No.
of Little Johnny Jones' several
wears ago. He made such decided hit
in the part that he has been follow
ing the same line of work ever since.
Lillian Sutherland and Jack Curtis,
now playing with the Blair company al
the Unique, also have been engaged 20
join the new company. George Fields,
IN middle circuits
already is on the ground. Miss Bessie
Tannehill, whose songs were so highly
appreciated in the Belasco production
of "A Stranger in New York, will take
the leading soprano roles in the new
company.
oliver Morosco has established the
record for rapid song writing. In re-
hearsal of Gay New York" Miss Hall
remarked that she had no entrance
song for one of the numbers and Mr.
Morosco CALAMITY volunteered to write
one in a minute and a half. Although
the company was skeptical he seized
a pencil and wrote two verses and a
chorus in exactly one minute and
twenty-eight seconds.
If you pass the Security building and
see a line reaching out into the street
and around the corner, don't think it's
a run on a bank. 1t is merely ambitious
thespians seeking engagements with
Dick Ferris company, which he will
take to Minneapolis to begin a stock
engagement June l with the Metropoli-
tan theater. Mr.. Ferris has so many
interests in Los Angeles that he Of
fered the theater management $1,000 70
release him from his contract, but the
offer was refused and the popular ac-
or-financier must perforce HE him
northeastward.