Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-26
MERGER FOR
HON0LULU'S
VAUDEVILLE
Liberty Interests and the Hon.
Amusement Co.. Sign
Agreement
BIG CIRCUIT PLANNED
TO INCLUDE ORIENT
No Houses To Be Closed; Pol
icy of High Grade AttraC-
tions Announced

Honolulu's leading vaudeville inter
ests are to be consolidated at once.
Formal arrangements for the mer-
ger OF Ye Liberty theater and it's in
terests with the Honolulu Amusement
Company were completed at noon to-
day, when an agreement was signed
by representatives of both sides and
preparations were made to file incor-
poration papers at once of the Con-
solidated Amusement Company.
The merger of these theatrical in
terCsts brings to cOnsummatOn ne
gotlations that have extended over a
considerable period. Dropped once
before, the negotiations we're lately
renewed and a definite agreement was
finally reached. Under the agree
ment, the Liberty and the Honolulu
Amusement Company will each hold
% per cent of the capital stock and
share and share alike in the financing
of the new venture. The properties
are lot consolidated, the merger in
Guiding, however, the management of
all the properties by the one head.
The properties are not put into the
capital stock account, the stock being
placed in the incorporation papers at
$4,000. All of the individual structures
are leased to the consolidated COM
pany for a period of three years.
: Robert R. McGreer, nov manager
of the Liberty, is to become general
manager and treasurer of the new
company and will have general super
vision of the theaters. The officers
will be as follows:
&. T. Chong, president; J. A. Ma
goon, vice president; J. H. Magoon,
secretary; X. r. McGreer, treasurer
and general manager.
No showhouses Will be closed, it
was stated today by Mr.. McGreer. The
present houses will be run along prac-
tically the same lines as at present,
except that better attractions, says the
new management, will be secured for
all the theaters. The Liberty will
undergo some improvements, particu-
Iarly as to acoustics, and will be made
a strictly :high-class vaudeville house,
and strong attractions are to be Sc
cured for all the houses. The En-
pire will feature first-run, expensive
films.
Big Circuit Planned.
in connection with the consolidation
of interests, the new company plans
an ambitious circuit that will carry
acts of the highest class from San
Francisco to Manila. The new circuit
is now in process Of organization, with
Shanghai, Hongkong and Manila to re-
ceiVe the attractions after they leave
Honolulu. Should the plan be sue
CessfuI, the circuit will practically
control high-grade vaudeville on the
Pacific and in the Orient.
The completion Of this cOmbina
tion,' said Manager McGreer today,
means that Honolulu can and will
see more and better vaudeville attrac-
tons than have ever come to the Is
lands. In the past, with two rival
companies bidding for acts, the prices
have been raised so high that it was
eXOrbitant and consequently local
had to go slow in getting
the big attractions. Furthermore,
many of the acts came here for
agents who did not have houses, but
who got a percentage from the the
4ters here.
"All these conditions have not only
made the theatrical business here too
expensive, with a consequent increase
IN what the public must pay, but also
would not warrant managers in get
ing high-ciass attractions week after
week
with the local situation straight
aned out and the big circuit to the
East under way, the Consolidated
Company starts out with
ne definite policy Of bringing the
very hest attractions here that are on
he road and will come. Personally,
would not stand for any other pol