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THE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1907.
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PORTLAND is favored with many fine
theaters, whose management is in
the hands of enterprising and pro
gressive men. The amusement-loving
public is liberal in its patronage, and the
theatrical managers are quick to give
them the attractions that meet the pop
liar fancy.
Heilis a Prominent Figure.
Samuel Calvin Helllg, president of the
Worthwestern Theatrical Association, la
line of the most prominent figures in the
atrical affairs on the Pacific Coast. The
association controls 63 theaters in the
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States of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and
Montana and British Columbia, making
It the largest syndicate of Us kind in the
country, wtfn the single exception of the
Klaw & Brlanger concern.
As lessee and manager of- the Marquam
and Helllg theaters for the past 12 years,
Mr. Helllg is one of the best-known and
most successful business men In the city.
He has made a thorough study of amuse
ment matters, and has consequently made
few mistakes In catering to the theater
going public
For years he has been offering the very
best companies which vlelt the West, and
his name has become a guarantee of ex
cellence. Owing to his extensive Inter
ests, Mr. Helllg has been absent from
the city much of the time during the
past year or two, and most of the man
agement of his local business has de
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volved upon William T. Pangle, his local
manager.
The Heilig lias enjoyed a very prosper
ous year, and Its prospects for 1307 are
even more promising.
George Ii. Baker In Front Rank.
George I. Baker stands In the very
front rank of Western stock managers,
and his company and the splendid offer
ings of high-class plays are doing much
to advertise Portland as a theatrical cen
ter. During the past year Mr. Baker
successfully managed a road tour of bis
company. playing "The Christian"
throughout the Northwest with most sat
isfactory artlstlo and financial results.
At the close of the tour he brought the
company backs to Portland for a Summer
engagement, and re-established the Baker
as a stock theater. The regular seaBon
opened September 2, and. ha been the
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most brilliant and profitable In the his
tory of the city. He is also "manager of 1
the Empire, devoted to the Stair & Hav
lin attractions.
Mr. Baker has been connected with the
theatrical business In various capacities
since the early 'SO's. His experiences have
been many and varied, but as a result
he knows the business thoroughly. In
his early years he was connected with
the mechanical staff of San. Francisco
theaters. For a time he appeared as an
actor In the support of Rose Wood, a
famous star of the period. As he ex
presses it, he soon made up his mind
that, 'while acting may be art, the man
agement department of the business gets
the most vegetables, bread, butter and
other luxuries of life, so he gave up try
ing to pose in the spotlight and devoted
himself to the business end.
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He came to Portland about 13 years
ago, and shortly afterward became as
sistant manager of the Marquam, under
Calvin Heilig, with whom he has always
been closely associated since. Becoming
ambitious on his own account, he se
cured the old Metropolitan Theater, now
the Baker. He managed It for a year or
two with varying success, until he con
ceived the idea of making It the house
of a permanent stock company, since
which time, with the exception of the,
season o,f 1906-6. when, he devoted the'
house to burlesque, he has been Identified
with stock productions.
He has built himself up to a point
where he Is a commanding figure In the
atricals In this section, and the future
has even better things in store for him.
His spacious and elegant suite of offices
ln the Mohawk building are the most ex-
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tensive and elaborate theatrical offices
In the country outside of New York. His
present company Is the best he has ever
recruited, and his plans for the future
contemplate more ambitious efforts than
he has" ever made before.
Portland's most successful vaudeville
manager is James IL Errlckson, who
came here two years ago to take
charge of the Grand and Star Theaters
for Sullivan & Consldlne. During bis
management of the Grand he has
raised the standard of vaudeville here
far above anything we had enjoyed be
fore. During most of his stay here
the Star lias been devoted to popular
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priced stock which has proved
highly popular and lucrative.
Mr. Errlckson is - pre-eminently a
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business man, having had a wide range
of experience in other fields tlian the
theatrical. Although but S3 years of
age he has engaged extensively In
mining and other lines of business ac
tivities quite foreign to the theater.
From the time he was ten years old.
however, he has been associated . at
various times with, theatrical work.
His uncle, Francis Penn Steel, was
president of the Academy of Music
corporation In Philadelphia, and when
Sullivan & Consldine's present chief
lieutenant was but ten years old he
was given a position at the Academy,
one of Philadelphia's chief places of
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amusement. He early developed a taste
and ability for the work upon which
most of his subsequent efforts have
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been centered. From 1895 to 1898 he
temporarily abandoned the business,
however, to engage In mining In Arlt
zona. He returned to his first love,
however, and later successfully con
ducted theaters of his own In Seattle
and British Columbia. He has been
here more than two' years, and has
built up the business of Consldlne &
Sullivan far beyond all expectations.
He always keeps faith with his pa
trons and demands the best that can
be secured for- their entertainment,
and it is by such methods that he has
made the names of the Grand and Star
synonymous with excellence.
Star's Fine Stock Company.
P. Tl. Allen, owner of the Allen
Stock Company, which makes the Star
its permanent home, brought his fine
organization to Portland about six
months ago. During this time he has
been offering a fine line of plays and
has made the Star one of the most
popular theaters In the city. Mr. Al
len has been In the theatrical business
about 15 years as an actor and man
ager, most of the time in the latter
capacity. He has brought travelling
companies to Portland a number of
times, but has only recently cast in his
lot permanently with the Rose City.
His company, headed by Verna Felton,
is a well-balanced and capable one.
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and the tremendous patronage it has
received here Is the- best proof that It
Is a favorite with the public
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