The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-15
/ IN THE
sFRONT ROW
HEApLINEae TONIGHT.
Musical Comedy.


ing Edisonhouse Sammy. What he &C
eomplished in the twinkling OF an eye
was the destroying of nuisance
that had kept the numerous Hippo.
drome managers during the last six
years on ragged nerves. Popcorn is
as essential to the success OF musical
comedy, vaudeville, legerdemain, blood
curdling dramas and pictures az are
the actors themselves-at least this
seems SO when the projecting is done
at the Hippodrome. No one mad ever
devised any sort of receptacle in
which to convey the toothsome morsel
from the-popper to the populace bet
ter than the ordinary paper bag, tut,
poke or pouch. And therein reposed
the source OF wakeful moments for his
managerial majesty 1t is a part OF
the history Of the Hippodrome that al
one time the practice OF prankish boys
and others called forth admontion
from previous manager, who ascend
ed to the stage and there in the heat
of passion shouted to the audience:
Stop that there. Dustin them there
bags. lie reached the limit of
his euduIuuLe uuu extreme measures
were necessary. II had become a nui-
sance. The irresistible desire TO blow
up the empty paper conveyors had be-
come epidemic. The command though
not entirely ignored failed to stop the
practice. So the sale OF popcorn was
suspended. Soon another manager
moved in, and the lure OF profit in
the traffic in snowy hecks was too
much for his resisting powers Then
the popping OF bags again became a
familiar feature in which the audience
either INDUCED or put up with.
During Dave Heilman's reign, when
the melodrama was the vogue, and the
audiences were largely women the eX-
plosions were less frequent. but the
rustling of the empty bags several
times spoiled the intense dramatic mo.
ments OF siIencn and the sale was
AGAIN discontinued for a time.
Thus it has been a troublesome ven
ture for all succeeding managers Dur
ing the present season of musical com
edy when the shows were heavily pat
ronized by the soldier boys the pop
ping of the bags reached its height.
Something had to be done. Sammy ov-
erheard the perplexing problem being
discussed by Manager Sol Burka and
assistants. He felt vitality concerned
To stop the selling meant hunting a
new field Of endeayor. In less than
twenty four hours the solution was in
practice. The horrors endured by a
half dozen theatrical potentates who
accumulated gray hairs and finally
pulled stakes had been given an etfec
tual quietus.
Sammy does not regard his invention
as wonderful thing. Like truly
great" he looks upon his achievement
as a simple problem which he readily
solved by merely cutting small hole
in the corner OF each bag before
filling.
You see," he said, by way of dem
onstration, ut won't hold the wind"
Jack Roofs Company Next Week.
The Hippodrome patrons may look
forth to next week in anticipation
Of a panacea for the ills endured the
present week. The attraction coming
to this house is one OF known quality,
some of the principals in the company
enjoying considerable popularity in
this city among the devotees of must.
q cal tabloids. Jack Roof, himself, is
always headliuer anywhere, and al
the head OF his own company which
bears the ingratiating title Some
Pretty Babies" he promises us some.
thing exceptionally good. He has a
repertoire of up to date musical COM
edies, three of which, the pick of the
list will be presented here during the
week. The opening bill is Madame,
Excuse Me-" followed by change at
the Wednesday matinee to "Schultz's
Cabaret" and on Friday to "A TRIP
Across the Ocean"
Tonight the final performances Of
1.-TWO Jolly Birds" by the Margaret
Clark Company will be presented.
This is the new bill presented for the
first time yesterday and includes a
cleverly executed eccentric dance by
Farrell and Mattison and an Init.
mate" song with hits selected from
the audience by one OF the comedians.
o. Henry, Black Cat and Comedy.
o. Henry denies that Fortune,
Chance and Adventure are synony.
nous. In The Venturers," at the Mel.
son today, his profound story of hu.
man natures paradoxical upsets as
pictureized for General Film, he draws
his finest distinctions.
ryith tuo y,ap Ona MAJ,