The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-27
William Morris Has Acquired a
String of Theaters.
Extending From the Atlantic
Ocean to the Pacific.
GETS % IN ONE BUNCH
Began His Career by Booking
for the Trust.
He Has Control of a Number of
Big HeadIiners.

New York. July 27.-One of the
biggest producers of the vaudeville
branch of the theatrical business was
quoted as saying not long ago that
vaudeville. if not dead, at least was
gasping and gurgling. having been
throttled by the moving picture in
dustry. But up in the headquarters
of Independent vaudeville today
there is indication of life. Just about
year ago William Morris. who got
his training by booking practically all
the acts for the Keith h-Hammerstein-
Williams Proctor Albee % Martin
Beck United Booking company-the
so called ''trust'-started out on his
own hook and acquired the American
theater here. It was the general YER
dict of older and wiser heads then
that william Morris. Inc" even
with the financial backings of Felix
Isman, would not last more than
sixty days.
In short time the new Gin
dependents" got hold of Blaney's
theater in Lincoln square. the Fulton
in Brooklyn, and the Lyric in Newark.
Then they took over the Orpheum in
Boston.
''HeadIiners'' Attract Notice
When Mr.. Morris got hold of Harry
Lauder, Arthur Prince. Vesta Vic
toria. Jack Lorimer, and big group
of other headliners folks "sat UP and
took notice"
Today the William Morris company
announced that it has closed a deal
for a string of theaters in that part
of the United States and Canada.
bounded on the north by Toronto and
Buffalo. on the east by Boston and
New York, on the south by Atlanta,
Memphis. and New Orleans. and on
~ T1nrfGn pnaef cffzr of
importance from Los Angeles up to
Vancouver, 3. c.
Mr.. Morris especially was elated
when he and Walter Hoff Seeley.' the
san Francisco capitalist, announced
today the acquisition of twenty-five
western and middle western theaters
in lump, with more to come.
Heretofore" said one of Morris
staff. lone big drawback has been
tugging at us. We couldn't assure
the big headliners long engagements.
for the reason that we had no thea
ters west of Chicago. In fact. we
didn't have a theater even in Chicago
until we got the American there last
January. AS we now have six more
theaters in the west than any other
circuit, by adding our eastern and
southern theaters we can book the
absolute top notchers.'
"String'' Covers Whole Country.
With the incorporation Of "The
William Morris com pany. Western.
which is the name the new company
today. the independents"
in less than two months will open for
the first time as vaudeville houses
theaters in San Francisco, Denver.
Salt Lake. Portland. Seattle, ogden.
Omaha, Los Angeles. Sacramento,
Oakland, Tacoma, Butte, Helena.
Spokane, and Vancouver. Houses
that Mr.. Morris acquired in southern
cities, including Memphis. Atlanta.
and New Orleans, to be taken over by
him this present spring and summer,
do not enter into the compact with
the western managers.
Associated with Mr.. Morris in the
Incorporation of the new Western
circuit are Walter Hoff Seeley and J.
Charles Green of San Francisco and
Felix Isman, a Philadelphia real es-
tate man. Mr.. Morris is president of
both the eastern and western COM
panies. The new company is capt.
is said to be fully paid up.