The San Francisco call., 1909-11-26
MFYFRFE[D LAUGHS
AT NORRIS PLANS
0rpheum President Says OppO-
sition Can Not Succeed With
High Class Vaudeville
KIaw & ErIanger's Experience
Quoted to Show COMPETE
ton Will Not Pay

Norris Meyerfeld Jr. president of the
Orpheum realty company, returned to
san Francisco late Tuesday night and
yesterday was at his desk in the Or
pheum building and secuted the idea
that the opposition vaudeville planned
by William Morris and his western
associates would amount TO much
Meyerfeld said that the canards con-
cerning Martin Beck. general manager
Of the Orpheum circuit, We're false ana
that the effort TO create the impression
that Beck or anybody else now con-
nected with the united booking Offices
was dissatisfied or "at outs" with the
parent concern were merely rumors
circulated to injure the established
vaudeville which he (Meyerfeld) and
his confreres represent
The Orpheum." said Meyerfeld, at
tends strictly to its own affairs Ii
builds its own theaters with its own
money and supplies its own playhouses
with its own attractions produced by
its own producing department"
OPPOSITION CALLED FUTILE
AS far as William Norris is con-
cerned, We are personal friends, and L
san Francisco, and would welcome him
when he does come; but he knows
better than anybody else in the world
the impossibility OF running success
fully an opposition in the realms OF
high class vaudeville. He surely found
that out when he was booking manager
for Klaw & Erlanger at the time that
company broke into vaudeville. They
had millions at their disposal then and
AZ n
portance in the United States
After four months Of vaudeville op-
positions, and after losing millions Of
dollars, Klaw & Erlanger were glad TO
retire from the vaudeville game. IL
was one that they didn't know any
thing about. We have been at II Tor
Is years. and in the last analysis the
Judgment that is acquired by an in
timate acquaintance With business
can not fail TO win.
NOT ROOM FOR TWO"
As a matter of fact there is not
room in this country for two concerns
operating high class vaudeville. It
can not be done. IF Morris should
secure the backing he needs and should
establish theaters all over the country
either Morris or The Orpheum would
90 broke The players would be the
only ones 10 get any money.
Al present MOTIFS mas lol titN
sters nor the facilities that we have.
We can offer an act secured liveli-
hood for at least two years. Morris
can only give the act months. II an
act is PLAYED through the Morris book
ings the Orpheum scratches 1t off its
books and viii never consider II at any
price. We do not blacklist it We
lust ignore ii. In consequence we get
the best acts and keep them. No riv-
airy is possible in this business.
MANAGERS RENEW CONTRACT
During the four weeks that Meyer
field has been away he has visited Win
nipee. where an Orpheum theater IS
being built in Portage avenue; Duluth,
where another Orpheum is being
erected; Chicago. where there was
meeting Of the Western vaudeville as
sociation; Des Moines, where a theater
formerly only booked, was leased and
New York, where a meeting Of the east
ern and the western wings Of yaude-
Vile was held
Keith. Proctor Williams. Hammer
stein. Poll and others werc there" said
Meyerfeld, referring to the New York
meeting and the contract-booking
and territOrial-which has been in force
between US was renewed and strength
ened. We participate in the bookings
and keep out of the others territory,
the sphere of the Orpheum's real activ
ity being limited to the country stretch
ing west Of Cincinnati. We have now
IS houses west of q straight line
through Cincinnati. and we have only
begun.
PLANS FOR THIS CITY
Referring TO the Orpheum plans in
this city Meyerfeld said that the Car
rick theater would be redecorated and
renovated as soon as the Klaw & Err
lsnger attractions now playing there
were through with the Ellis street play
house. That viii be some time in jan
usry.
A new vaudeville production viii be
given every week" said Meyerfeld. We
viii get four acts from the northwest
and four from the south, and these will
comprise our show of eight acts. Just
what the price schedule will be l am
not prepared at this time to say. But
the attractions will be regular Orpheum
acts OF a high class"
It is understood. OF course that the
Orpheum viii not resume its control Of
the Ellis street theater until after the
New Columbia is completed to house
the Klaw & Erlanger attractions. which
are now being played at the Van Ness
and at the Garrick.
Referring 10 the war which the Shu-
berts are waging against the Klaw &
ErlanEer interests in this city and else
where, Meyerfeld said:
There is no more chance for the Shu-
Morris in his effort to buck the vaude-