New York Clipper (May 1923)

May 16. 1923 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 7 MOUNTFORD & FITZPATRICK WILL FIGHT TO R ETAIN VAU DE CHARTER Ready to Combat Equity Should Latter Organization Attempt to Wrest Control of Vaudeville Branch from Them— Have the Situation Tied Up Despite the fact that James William Fitzpatrick and Harry Mountford were not re-elected to the offices of interna- tional vice-president and international ex- ecutive secretary, respectively, of the As- sociated Actors and Actresses of America, which was held last Thursday, the two former White Rat heads who are now president and executive secretary of the American Artists Federation are still in a position to control the organization and afiSliation of vaudeville actors with the American Federation of Labor and pre- vent the Actors' Equity Association from taking any such steps. Though Fitzpatrick and Mountford are in the position to kill any endeavor on the part of the Equity Association to organ- ize the vaudeville actors and bring them under the wing of the association both are reluctant to discuss the situation. They sit in their headquarters at 1440 Broad- way and when any inquiries are made with reference to Equity organizing the vaude- ville field they point to a frame which hangs above the desk of Mountford which contains the charter of the A. A. A. A. Further than that neither one will pass any comment beyond saying the A. A. A. A. is the international organization or parent body of twelve subsidiary organ- izations which include the Actors' Equity Association, Equity Chorus Association, American Artists Federation, Grand Opera Chorus Association, three branches He- brew Actors' Union, three branches He- brew Chorus Union, German Actors' Union, Polish Actors' Union and the Yid- dish Playwrights' Union. Each of these organizations cover their specific field with the American Artists Federation covering the vaudeville, bur- lesque and circus fields exclusively. At the meeting of the A. A. A. A., John Emerson, who is president of the Equity organization, was re-elected president; Fitzpatrick declined re-election for vice- president and Jean Greenfield, of the He- brew Actors' Union, was re-elected to succeed him; Otto Steinert, of the German Actors' Union, was elected to succeed Frank Gillmorc, :executive secretary of the Equity, as treasurer, and Paul Dalzell, assistant secretary of the Equity, was elected executive secretary to succeed Mountford. Despite the fact that Mountford and Fitzpatrick were not included in the list of officers they still hold their position of International directors of the A. A. A. A., due to the fact they are representatives of the A. A. F. to the meetings of the Inter- national body. This position as International directors of the A. A. A. A. they consider stragetic, it is said, for in that way they will be able to ward off any endeavor by Equity to appoint a committee to investigate the affairs of the A. A. F., with a view of collecting evidence upon which charges might be brought against the branch of the A. A. A. A. that would result in the taking away of its charter to allow the Equity to organize the vaudeville, bur- lesque and circus fields on its own. They held the original White Rat Char- ter prior to the admission of Equity into the ranks of organized labor and when the Equity heads wanted to come into the fold, but objected to coming in under the head of the White Rats, the title of the organ- ization was changed to the A. A. A. A., and the charter granted on July 18, 1919, by the American Federation of Labor. The charter and its provisions which were drawn up by Mountford, Fitzpatrick, Francis Wilson, who at that time was head of the Equit}-, and Frank Gillmore, was drawn up in such a manner by Mountford which would obviate any possibility of the A. A. A. A. from expelling the A. A. F. or annuling its charter, without the ap- proval of the American Federation of Labor and this it is said would not be gotten as Mountford has connections with the A. F. of L. that would serve him in good stead in case any such endeavor is made. In the agreement which was signed, when Equity was admitted into the A. F. of L., by Wilson and Gilmore, there is a clause which grants absolute local auton- omy to every branch of the A. A. A. A., so as to prevent interefcrence with anyone of them, by any or all of the others. Be- sides this clause, it is understood that the A. A. F., upon the composition of the A. A. A. A., had secured itself a contract from Wilson as head of that organization, which would prevent Equity from exer- cising the least-jurisdiction in the vaude- ville, circus and burlesque branches at any time. That this portion of the agreement was respected by Equity was, demonstrated some time ago when Mountford compelled them to turn over to the A. A. F. all of the unearned dues paid to Equity by its members who had passed from the legiti- mate or returned to vaudeville. After the wrangle which resulted in that settlement Equity advised its members in vaudeville to pay their dues to the vaudeville branch. It is said that Equity in its endeavor to take the vaudeville charter away from the A. A. F., will endeavor to prove that the organization was not showing progress in obtaining new members and that its mem- bership roll was decreasing. On this point, it is claimed, that Mountford will be prepared to combat Equity and if com- pelled to may make known some secrets that will prove injurious to the Equity in its endeavor to prepare for the difficulties that might ensue when their contract with the Producing Managers' Association ex- pires,'June 1, 1924. It is said that Mountford and Fitzpat- rick are prepared to fight for their end to the finish and regardless of what overtures Equity may make with respect to organ- izing the vaudeville field they will stand fast in their demands that the A. A. F. will be the organization and that they will head its destiny, otherwise they will not tolerate any interference from the A. A. A. A. or the Equity. According to reports, Mountford as a result of his loss of considerable revenue through his replacement as executive sec- retary of the A. A. A. A., is incensed and will stand ready to thrust off every over- ture that may be made by Equity unless it is unqualifiedl)r in favor of the American Artists* Federation. SAYS RADIO HURTS CHURCH MiNNEAFOUS, Minn., May 14.—The Rev. Phillips E. Osgood, rector of St. Marie's Protcstant-E|nscopal Church, here, last week expressed the desire that wireless broadcasting of religious services should be confined^ to week days in order not to interfere with public worship on Sundays. In an address delivered to church folk, he said: "If we could guarantee that only shut-ins should listen in on Sunday, there would be no problem, but sitting in a rock- ing chair listening to a star preacher and great chorus choir puts the wireless into the class of pious entertainment." ZIEGFELD SAYS ACT CAN QUIT Gallagher and Shean can walk out of the "Ziegfeld Follies" at the New Amsterdam Tbeatre. on June 1st or as soon after as they choose. Florenz Zi^eld, Jr.. will make no endeavor to stop them. Such was the annouQCcment from Ziegfeld on- Mon- day night. He said that as long as - Gol- la^ier and Shean have declared they are going to quit the show he is satisfied they do so and he will not make any eadeavor to restrain them by applying to the courts ior r^ief. Ziegfeld stated that they bad broken contracts with others and as long as they were inclined to do likewise with him he did not feel that it would be worth while resorting to the courts to prevent them taking this measure. Prior to this announcement the Actors' Equity Association served notice upon the Producing Managers' Association that they would not arlntrate the differences be- tween Gallagher and Shean and Ziegfeld. This notice was sent to George H. Nicolai, secretary of the Managers' organization. 'Equity stated that their reason for not wanting to enter into the matter was that the Equity run of the play contract ex- tends from Sei>tend>er 1 tmtil June 1. and after that period a minimum contract con- taining the two weeks' cancellation daose is in vogue, with its rights to be exercised by either party. lln the matter of the Gallagher and Shean contract they, contoid that as long as Mr. Ziegfeld did not use the regulation Equity contract, which is in itself a violation of At P. M. A.-A. £. A. agreement, it is their right to take the position that Ziegfeld did not take advantage of their protection in the beginning, and that at this time he is not entitled to ask them to step into any controversy that arose and ask them to use their influence in its adjudication. It is also said that should Equi^ have joined in any art>itration proceedings la this particular case they feel that the man- ager should be penalized in this instance for not having strictly adhered to the P. M. A.-A. £. A. agreement with refer- ence to the form of contract to bfe used. Ziegfeld also announced on Monday that Eddie Cantor, with whom he recently signed a three-year contract to appear under Ziegfeld's management, would be added to the cast of "The Follies" on June 4th, as an added attraction. Cantor that week will also appear in a Keith vaude- ville theatre in New York, having signed a four-week vaudeville contract prior to closing negotiations with Ziegfeld. Cantor is scheduled to remain with ''The Follies" until the close of their run at the New Amsterdam Theatre, after which Ziegfeld will star him in a new musical show. Galla'gher and Shean. it is raiderstood. upon leaving the "Follies" will begin the making of comedy motioa pictores for William Fox and at the oompletion of diis work in August will begin rehearsal in a new musical show in which George White will feature them. It is likely tlut should their film work be doiie in the vici- nity of New York they may play several weeks in Keith vaudeville. A. E. A. WARNING ISSUED The Actors' Equity Association has broadcasted a warning to' managers that hereafter they will only be responsible for the actions of members in good standing. Should a manager elect to sign contracts without consulting the association as to the status of the player engaged, they will do so at their own risk and if a disagree- ment should arise later, the Equity will have nothing to do with the matter. The notive further explains that mem- bers who are elected on promisoo' notes are merely probationers and are not in good standing until this note is taken up. "NOT SO FAST" FOR MOROSCO Thompson Buchanan's play, "Pride," which the Morosco Holding Company pre- sented at the Morosco Theatre for the past two weeks, closed on Saturday night of last week. The play got off to a bad start and was severely handled by the critics. On Mon- day night John Henry Mears will present "Not So Fast" at the theatre'. The play earlier in the season -was presented in Chi- cago nnder the name of "The Blimp." ADDISON FOWLER and FLORENZ TAMARA Now playing a return engagement at Balaban & Katz. Chicago, Tivoli and Riviera Theatre*. Chica,:;o, in stage preientation* of exquiaite beauty and artiatTy.