Part 615: Theatrical Guides – Cahn-Leighton and Julius Cahn-Gus Hill
In 1911, Julius Cahn and R. Victor Leighton created the successor to the Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide. It was the Cahn-Leighton Official Theatrical Guide. The 1912-1913 season publication noted it was “the first combined effort to give the theatrical public a guide with many radical changes and new ideas.” Cahn & Leighton wrote, “the object of this guide is to assist the producer and theatre manager to reach each other in a practical business-like manner with the least trouble. Among the new features in their guide was several tables of freight rates, party fares and the mileage to next point from each point in the guide.”
It contained, “Authentic Information Regarding all Cities, Towns, and Villages wherein Theatrical Organizations may find a Theatre, Opera House or Hall to exhibit in as well as the Information pertaining to these places of Amusement, the Railroads, Express Companies, Newspapers, Billposters, Transfer Companies, Hotels, &c., throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii and Cuba.” The publication office was New Amsterdam Theatre Building, located at West 42nd Street, New York, New York.
For the second publication, Cahn & Leighton wrote, “Today we are offering our patrons the best and most complete edition ever published. The past year we made a number of changes in the construction of the guide, toward the betterment of the publication and the present issue offers not alone the oldest, but most reliable publication of its kind ever printed. It is the only recognized book of reference of the theatrical profession as well as those who come in contract or do business with this class of patronage. We bespeak from our friends an appreciation of the merits of the book and a frank and friendly criticism of what they consider its faults.”
The Cahn-Leighton partnership was short lived as Cahn then partnered with Gus Hill and the guide became known as the “Julius Cahn-Gus Hill Official Theatrical Guide and Moving Picture Directory.” Times were changing and many theaters began featuring films for entertainment.
Before partnering with Cahn, Hill published his own guide. His first publication for the 1914-1915 Season was “Gus Hill’s National Theatrical Directory,” published by Hill’s National Theatrical Directory, Inc. in the Columbia Theatre Building, New York. Hill (1858-1937) was a performer turned burlesque and vaudeville entrepreneur, becoming one of the Columbia Amusement Company founders. Once a wrestler and juggler, he later became a manager and producer. One of his popular entertainments was a series of cartoon theatricals. These were musical comedies based on cartoon strips.
According to Hill, his Guide contained “The most complete list of Theatres yet compiled for the United States and Canada, arranged alphabetically according to the States and Cities in which they are located.” It promised, “condensed information as to Towns, Theatres, Billing, Hotels, Newspapers, Railroads, Express Companies, etc.” as well as:
“A complete list of Theatrical Managers, Producers and Booking Agents
A list of plays, Musical and Dramatic.
A list of the Vaudeville Theatre, Agencies, Acts and Performers.
A list of the Moving Picture Houses and Film Exchanges.
A list of Representative Attorneys qualified to handle theatrical business.”
Hill’s book included something new – “The Reporting System.” The publication noted, “In conjunction with this Directory, the publishers will establish a Reporting System, which is intended to be to the theatrical business what Dunn and Bradstreet are to the commercial world.”
From Julius Cahn’s premier issue in 1896 to the Julius Cahn-Gus Hill Theatrical Guide and Moving Picture Directory, one can explore a shift within the entertainment industry. There is an amazing amount of information waiting for someone to see how quickly the popularity of “Moving Pictures” swept the country. Many of the theatrical guides are available as free downloads. What makes this wonderful is that one can complete keyword searches and quickly access information.
To be continued…
