 In 1907, William Morris, a respected vaudeville performer in America, was sent to London by the czar of the American legitimate theatre, Abe Erlanger, who had formed "The Advanced Vaudeville".It was created to act as direct competition for the newly established Vaudeville Hegemony, which was operating in the eastern half of the USA.Whilst in London, Morris saw a performance of Elen's at the Hackney Empire and signed him to take part in the new company.