Vaudeville
The Champaign Daily Gazette reported that the board of directors of the Illinois Theatre Company, at its meeting on 3 February 1912, decided to end their relationship with the Comstock Amusement company of New York, as managers and booking agent for the Illinois Theatre. Going forward, the board would manage the business of the playhouse themselves. “The directors were dissatisfied with the way the New York firm had been managing the Illinois. The Comstock company is in arrears to the owners for two years rent, judgement for the sum of $6,000 having been rendered against it. The company is also obligated to pay G.W. Chatterton of Springfield $1,900 for back rent. There are also three lawsuits pending against the Comstocks.” 1
The current president of the Illinois Theatre Company was C. N. Clark and the secretary/treasurer was M. W. Busey. The directors retained the present local manager, J. Earle Moor, as manager and booker for the Illinois. Mr. Moor soon sold his shoe shop in Urbana to devote all his time to theatrical bookings. 2 Mr. Moor, who had just returned from Chicago, reported that the chances of booking any legitimate shows for the remainder of the season were very poor. it was then suggested that the Illinois would present vaudeville exclusively for the remainder of the season. 3 Mr. Moor then immediately went to Chicago to book acts for the Illinois. One of his visits was to the Chicago offices of the Sullivan and Considine vaudeville circuit where he hit paydirt. 4
The Urbana Daily Courier ran a story on Monday, 9 February 1912, headlined “Illinois Booked On Best Circuit.” It could likely be argued then, as now, whether the Sullivan and Considine Circuit was “better” than the Orpheum circuit, but S&C definitely booked high quality acts as did the Orpheum circuit. At this time, vaudeville acts were playing in Champaign at the local Orpheum Theatre, booked through the Western Vaudeville Manager’s Association, which, for all practical purposes, was a division of the Orpheum Circuit.
The theatre situation in Champaign in 1912 played a part in the decision to bring vaudeville to the Illinois. The ‘old’ Orpheum theatre in Champaign at the north-west corner of Hickory and Washington Streets in Champaign was being forced to close due to a city ordinance requiring any building used for theatrical purposes be of brick construction. 5
[You can learn more at the Orpheum page]
The first line of the Courier article was both news and a call to civic boosterism for Urbana residents: “The Illinois Theatre will become a vaudeville house on the Sullivan – Considine Circuit Monday, February 19, and in the meantime, it will be the duty of every resident of this city to advertise the fact in every way he can.” 6 Quoting the Courier article: “This decision was made at a meeting of stockholders, held in the Elk’s club rooms at 4:30 o’clock Thursday [8 February 1912] afternoon. Manager Earl Moor, having just returned from Chicago, reported that the Sullivan – Considine agency was desirous of securing the Illinois and the meeting had hardly adjourned before a telegram was on its way to the Chicago offices of that arm, notifying them to include this site on their circuit. No better recommendation for the class of bills is needed, for everyone who knows anything about theatricals knows of Sullivan and Considine. The University will be canvassed and there is little doubt that the name of the booking agency will work like magic among the students.” 7
The stockholders calculated that it would take $510 a week to run the theatre. They realized the new vaudeville plan might lose money early on. In order to cover expenses while building the audience, the stockholders established a reserve fund of $750 that they would contribute to based on the number of shares they owned. 8 The directors knew the Orpheum in Champaign was clearing $10,000 annually. This fact increased their confidence that vaudeville at the Illinois, a larger, nicer, and better equipped theatre would be successful. 9 The article said the prime interest of the men heading the vaudeville movement was giving Urbana citizens a place to go for amusement. They would be satisfied If the plan at least broke even. 10
The Sullivan and Considine Circuit was desperate to increase their business outside of the east coast and had become aggressive in their fight with the Western Vaudeville Association who were entrenched in the Midwest and west. “During Manager Moor’s conference with their Chicago agent, the latter agreed to give bills that will kill local competition. They book no cheap acts. A five-act bill will be furnished three times a day, matinee and two evening performances, at the Illinois. Illustrated songs will be omitted and one reel of moving pictures, containing two subjects, will be shown at each performance. Price of admission will be 10 and 20 cents.” The acts booked for Urbana would split the week with Decatur. 11 The Champaign Daily Gazette reported that “it will be necessary to have an audience of 500 people at both evening performances or 750 all day in order to make the venture a paying one. 12
The Illinois Theatre began its run as a vaudeville house with the matinee on Monday, February 19, 1912. The Champaign Daily Gazette reported: “A capacity audience witnessed the performance which was creditable from start to finish, much care and diligence has been exercised by the management of the Illinois in presenting a first bill which is of sterling merit and also a drawing card. The management has succeeded admirably. The bill for the first part of this week features the Models de Luxe, which are fine beyond any shade of criticism. The light effects produced on the models are not only an innovation in their line but enhance the beauty of the pictures wonderfully. 13
The Gazette story continued: “It is the intention to play vaudeville at the house only, changing the bill bi-weekly, Mondays and Thursday. If a certain number of people attend each performance the venture will be a success and when once the “Illinois habit” is formed, it will undoubtedly prove a good habit. The theatre is owned by Urbana business men who are determined to make the vaudeville try-out a “sure go.” With the closing of the Champaign Orpheum in June this will leave but one vaudeville house in the Twin Cities and it is the intention to keep the Illinois open throughout the summer months.” 14
The Champaign Daily Gazette reported in its Saturday, June 8, 1912, edition that Illinois Theatre manager J. Earle Moor, had left that day on the Big Four bound for New York, the ideal place to book the best vaudeville acts and road shows possible. He planned to spend a week to ten days booking attractions to appear at the Illinois in the next season that would include both vaudeville and legitimate shows. 15 Not a full month later, The Champaign Daily Gazette ran a story on 5 July 1912, that announced Marcus Heiman, current lessee of the Walker Opera House, had closed a contract to lease the Illinois Theatre for a term of three years to begin immediately. Mr. Heiman had leased the Illinois for a single season some years earlier. J. Earle Moor, Illinois manager, was offered the opportunity to continue in the position. 16 Heiman’s plan was to book the road shows in the Illinois while the Walker would have the vaudeville attractions. 17
The Walker Opera House closed permanently in spring 1914 at the end of the 1913-14 Vaudeville season. It was razed and the Hamilton Hotel built on the lot. Marcus Heiman’s new Orpheum Theatre became the local home for vaudeville when it opened on October 19, 1914.