The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-07-08
On : AE Stage
Better Shows for Norfolk.

! long waged between the hlaW EFT
LANCER and Schubert forces, will mean
much for Norfolk in a theatrical way
the coming season. 1t will mean bet.
ter plays than ever.
Last year Norfolk got the best OF 1t,
because the Auditorium stayed with
Klaw 4 Erlanger Lincoln, which open.
ed to the independents, got a line OF
plays inferior to those in Norfolk.
Incidentally the settling OF the war
has brought Maurice w. Jencks, who
manages the Grand at Sioux City and
books the Norfolk Auditorium, into
position OF first magnitude in the
theatrical world. Concerning the sit
uation, the Sioux City Tribune says:
The theatrical war, which long has
bitterly waged between Klaw Ell
LANCER, the Shuberts, and the Nation.
al association Of theater owners, has
come to an end at last, having auto.
matically adjusted itself. precisely as
Maurice w. Jencks, manager of the
New Grand theater here, predicted 1t
would when interviewed by the Trib-
une on his return from New York the
middle Of May. Early in June he was
called into New York again, because
OF new developments of a most start
ling nature, and he has since been
prominent in the settlement of the in
tricate difficulties between Klaw &
Erlanger and the independents.
When Henry w. Savage this week
officially declared that all his attrac-
tons. among which are numbered lots
of the most successful in the business
such as THE Prince of Pilsen," "The
Merry Widow" Madame X" 1.-THE
Florist Shop" 1.-THE Love Cure" and
Little Boy Blue" would play indie
pendent theaters as well as Klaw &
Erlanger houses, the crisis was reach.
ed. AS soon as the other wavering
, producing managers heard Of Mr.. Saw
ages decision they Immediately did
the same and now the "open-door" has
been established throughout the whole
United States and Canada, not the
: way the Shuberts, or Belasco, or the
, Fisks would have wanted 1t, but the
, way the theater managers themselves
have wanted it to be for years. Many
, a theater manager has been asked
again and again why such and such
an attraction did not play his house
whereas it appeared in the next city,
and he has never been able to make
satisfactory answer, one that could
: be understood by the general public
which supports his business. The his
( tory of the theatrical war was so deep
that 1t took a great deal of explana.
ton to convince the ordinary man of
it's existence at all. Henry W. Savage
l1a, % loo citnRfinn and
: the way he came around and saved
: the day was characteristic of his great
, business acumen.
i Jencks Director.
Monday afternoon Mr.. Jencks was
elected one of the nine directors of
: the National association of Theater
D Owners, which now controls the en-.
tire theatrical business of the who,e
e Uni ed States and Canada. This is 4
: position of much trust and honor, and
| Mr. Jencks is the youngest man and
I the youngest manager in the direc-
tory. He was largely instrumental in
!, securing Mr.. Savage's decision, and
in a personal letter to E. p. Bower,
his secretary here, he says: 81 sup
= pose | am the only one night stand
: manager that ever sat on a pile of
! tOa Ids with Mr. Savage for two hours
: in The middle of the night" The fran
| chises for the principal show towns in
n Minnesota South Dakota, Iowa and
Nebraska are now controlled by the
Jencks circuit of theaters, which has
it's headquarters here.
Next year at the New Grand thater
in Sioux City promises to be the best
d in it's entire career, for it will play
= both kinds of attractions, any and all
6 that are good enough to pass Mr..
l. Jencks' inspection. Such prominent
1 Klaw & Erlanger shows as Lillian Rus
a sell, "The Round Up" Ben Hur," AIDE
q laide Genes, Little Memo" and Nat
;, C. Goodwin, with Henry w. Savage S
:. "The Merry Widow" "The Florist
u Shop" "The Love Cure" Madame
/ X" and "The Gay Hussars," Henry B.
l. Harris Where the Trail Divides,
l. with Robert Edeson; Rose Stahl in
It "The Chorus Lady" Helen Ware in
l. The Making Of Bobby Burnt" the
It Belasco attractions, numbering Blanch
1. Bates, as Matrimony a Failure" "The
q Easiest Way" with Frances Starr;
' Daniel V. Arthur's Betty and the
|, Boys" with Marie Cahill; also De
- Wolf Hopper; the Shuberts big pro
auctions, sucn as "The Chocolate Sol
der" Havana" Sothern and Marlowe
together with the best attractions OF
T. every producer in the United States
n regardless of his former affiliations
t will play the New Grand, each que
d receiving the same treatment as the
q next. Just as, they deserve. The open
r ing attraction will be announced or
Mr.. Jencks' return from the east
Something on Fight.
Now that peace at last hovers over
both of the opposing camps of this bit
!. terest of theatrical wars, and the fin
g al meetings are being held, looking
- toward an agreement that will be g
capitulation for neither side, but g
reconciliation of personal differences
j., for the sake of the general good II
= may be interesting to review brie
resume of this fight.
The so-called trust, or syndicate
was formed about 1896 with Klaw
n Erlanger Nixon & Zimmerman, Char
9 lie Frohman, AL Tayman and others
q It's purpose was to organize the the