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De Gives Not Worried by Syn dicate’s Stand For All Nothing. K. E. WILL WITHDRAW ALL THEIR ATTRACTIONS! Report From New York Says’ They Will Build Theater Here at Earliest Time Possible. It now appears that Instead of the Shuberts and their cepronicent compa nies leasing or building a new theater In Atlanta and fighting the estab lished Klaw Erlanger forces, it will be the Klaw Erlanger line on the outside looking in. And if the famous booking agents do build a theater in Atlanta—as they are said to contemp etre, will be a merry war in tlanta next season, with the theater goers having the benefit of both syndi cate and independent attractions and that of competition in theatera—some thing which has not existed since the Wells-DeGive interests took over the Orpheum vaudeville attractions a year ago. It would appear to the onlooker that Atlanta has Sontap theater buildings, with the old Orpheum closed and the Bijou running ten-cent vaudeville, but there is hardly a likelihood of Klaw Erlanger interesta leasing any of the Atlanta houses, which are all controlled by the Wells-DeGive combination, Hen ry L. Defive was asked Wednesday morning if it would be possible for Klaw Erlanger to lease the old Or heum or any other theater here. Hen Ty, Bee “Why, I hadn't thought about it.” he replied. It was evident that he didn't anticipate leasing a house to a rival, ready to fight. The declaration of Klaw Erlanger, sent out In a press dispatch from New York, that they would book their at tractions exclusively or not at all, evi dently makes no difference to Mr. De Give, who had expected such a reply, ne, he told the sufficate heads that In future the Grand would be open to other attractions thmn theirs, the ex= prg seize. willingness to book Klaw Kanger shows on the same basis as the independents. It means that the companies which have played In the Grand will play here no more and that those which have been shut out will appear there in future—the many for mer Klaw Erlanger companies have left the syndicate and joined the inde pendents, and these, of course, will play at the Grand under the new re gime. Mr. DeGive states also that his Ma ton theater will be in line with the At lanta Grand, occupying the same posi tion In regard to attractions. The National Theater Owners asso ciation, formed recently in New York, includes ten circuits, with the South ern theaters as an important sink In the chain. They declared for the “open door” policy, opening their houses to all alike and offering to book the Klaw @ Erlanger attractions, no longer ex clusively, but on the same footing as others. The movement was brought about largely thru the work of John “ort, who controls a string of theaters in the Northwest and who has been dis satisfied with the attractions sent him by_the combination. Should Kian Erlanger succeed in building a theater in Atlanta by the opening of next season—a dificult un dertaking—Atlanta will profit, but should the companies in that organiza iion be withdrawn from this city thea tergoers will lose as much as they gain thru the change in policy, the syndicate it is controlling a number of plays and Mayers which about balance in draw ing power the attractions under the direction of the new organization, A New Theater Here, Mr. DeGive hardly believes the syndi cate will build or contract for the lease of a new house in Atlanta. A Southern circuit would necessitate the building of a theater in almost every city of the South, according to his view. Klaw Erlanger alrewly own the Tulane and Crescent theaters in New Orleans, but no others in the South. It may be that they can lease houses in some cities, but, as mentioned, it is hardly possible that they could secure a house in At lanta without building it. Jake Wells, who controls a long string of popular-priced theaters, is out of the city and no statement as to the effect of the change upon hie nypulaes priced circuit could be obtained. It was reported from Birmingham a short time ago that Mr. Wells was negotiating with the Shuberts for leasing some of his houses or giving them water, but Mr. Wells, when asked by The Georgian for a statement, replied that he had ab solutely no negotiations with the Shu berta, tho he was interested In pending arrangements with other Interests, whose names he would not disclose. Klaw Erlanger’s statement, issued in New York, is, in brief, that none of their attractions will play In the “open door’ theater, the syndicate sticking to absolute control or nothing. This say that this step will cut the South out of Klaw Erlanger attractions un til new theaters can be built, and that steps to erect a new theater In Atlanta will be taken at once, with an effort to complete it by early fall.
Newspaper Details
Atlanta Georgian and News
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Wed, May 11, 1910
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Todd D.
USA 25 Jul 2026
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