New-York tribune., 1920-09-26

eral manager and president. respective
ly, of the Columbia Amusement Com
pany, which controls thirty-eight
burlesque theaters in the country
Frederick M. McCloy, manager Of their
Columbia Theater in New York ever
since its opening more than ten years
ago, told Of their efforts to make bur
lesque fit entertainment and of the
success which had met their efforts
mot only have Mr.. Scribner and Mr.
Mack been striving for more than ten
also have been striving for higher
standards in all it's details. They
have urged the value of improved IL
brestos, of original music, especially
for the finales of acts, and have
brought about great improvements in
scenery and costumes used in bur-
lesque. 1t is not unusual now for
company to carry ak or eight full
stage sets, painted by the same scaric
artists who are engaged for the higher
priced productions. Ten or twelve
years ago scarcely q company carried
more than two full stage sets.
I'm no theater on the Columbia cir
cult is blasphemy permitted, and it Is
an inviolable rule that no person shall
appear on the stage in bare legs or
with any part Of the legs bare. Even
Scotch costumes, showing bare knees,
are not permitted. No shimmying
movements are allowed. These rules,
Tor things which are permitted on
lesque. If they are tried on burlesque
stages people say, 'Oh, we'll, of course,
what else can you expect from our
lesque?' Columbia burlesque is really
c'ean now"
Only glance at the figures will
show what strides this type of stage
production has made within the last
ten or twelve years. Then there were
no burlesque organizations which hsd
salary, lists exceeding $1,000 weekly,
and this included everybody in the
Organization. But with the improv,-
ment Ill the character and magnitude
OF thtse productions there is now NOS
a farlcgque organization on the Co
!umbia circuit that has a salary .ist
less than $1,000, and this for the per-
iciiners alone. Some run as hic1 as
$4,000. OF course, prices have gone
up IN this period, but this does not
account Tor the great increase.
Chorus girls Of the kind employed
employed for $l8 or $50 a week. Twenty
dollars was the outside limit. The
type Of chorus girl now playing in
burlesque would not consider it ten
years ago. They are paid from s35 to
$50 week and some receive even as
high as $50. Formerly the wardrobe
mistresses bought materials and made
the costumes themselves To-day the
same costumers that make dresses for
! the big producers Of legitimate musi-
cal comedies and revues make the
dresses for the Columbia burlesque
organizations.
Last summer Franz Marie Texas, a
girl In one of the shows, wore a cos
tune which cost more money than was
spent TO dress an entire company ten
or twelve years ago. The gown she
wore cost $l,2oo," said Mr. McCloy.
1--WE feel that burlesque shows now
are clean and worthy without boasting
Of their musical scores or the merit Of
the books. But we often get protected
songs which are sung for tho first time
on the Columbia stsge before they are
heard elsewhere. Irving Berlin's popu.
lar 'Alexander's Rag-Time Band was
ono OF these songs. Burlesque people
hsve often considered q man like
Georve v. Hobart as a writer Of H.
brettos for burlesque. but 1t was felt
that with his limited knowledge Of the
| peculiar needs of burlesque ne could
not write a libyetto for II. Real bur.
! Iesque consists Of q musical member, a.
specially end . comedy bit alternating
tnr0ngh0ut the pex&oYuAs,eo.
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