New York Clipper (Jun 1923)

June 27, 1923 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 7 A. H. WOODS EFFECTS PLAN FOR INTERCHANGE OF PRODUCTIONS Has Evolved System Whereby Prohibitive Bonuses for Foreign Successes Would Be Done Away ^th—Sam Harris and the Selwyns Also in <m the Trading Arrangement with London As a result of the hurried trip to Eng- land recently by Al H. Woods, a recipro- cal agreement was effected between i group of American producers and a simi- lar group of English producers whereby an interchange of plays will be made by the respective groups which will elimi- nate large bonus payments and high royal- ties. Mr. Woods announces that he, Sam H. Harris and the Selwyns are the American group of producers and that the English group comprises Williani Cooper, Hewitt, Grossmith and Malone; Robert Evett, a director of Daly's Theatre; William Qifford Gaunt, director of the Amalga- mated Cotton Mills, Troy; Thompson Jewett, chairman of the British Industrial Corporation; James White, chairman of the Beecham Trust; Lord Ashfield, chair- man Provincial Cinematograph Theatres; Lord Lurgan, Lord Tcynham and George Dance, the producer. The theatres that are to benefit through the interchange of plays in London are: The Adelphi, Apollo, Gaiety, Daly's, Wintergardcn, Shaftsbury and His Majes- ty's Theatre. The American houses in- cluded in the agreement are: The Eltinge, Selwyn, Apollo, Times Square and Sam H. Harris theatres in New York; Apollo, Woods, Adelphi, Sam H. Harris and Sel- wyn theatres in Chicago and the Selwyn Theatre in New York. According to the arrangements made by Woods the interchange of plays between the producers of both countries will not become effective until the season of 1924- 25. In discussing this phase of the agree- ment Mr. Woods says: "Should either the American or English producer choose a play from the other group that is pro- duced during the season of 1923-24, ac- cording to the agreement he will be privi- leged to produce the play in his country the following season, or practically a year from the time the play is originally pro- duced in its native country. "This plan," says Mr. Woods, "is for the purpose of establishing the identity of a play and establishing a prestige for it. The producers in this agreement feel that the sudden rush to produce something on one side or the. other of the Atlantic is unwise at times and does hot act to good advantage for the play. However, after a play has run a year and all the terms of the International agreement are complied with, the producer on one side or the other of the water can then go ahead and produce his play and benefit through the prestige of it in its native country." Through these negotiations the only payment to be made by the producers in Uie foreign countries are the regular ad- vance payments and the royalty payments that are in existence in the country where the play is originally produced. This, claims Woods, will eliminate the payment of the usual advance bonus which runs at times from $10,000 to $25,000, according to the play, and will also eliminate the payment of fifteen per cent royalty for the plays of some authors. Woods says that American producers who have taken over English plays in the past and made large bonus payments as well as being compelled to pay fifteen per cent of the gross receipts as royalties have not been able to make a reasonable amount of profit with their attractions, no matter how large a business the show might have done. He argues that in many cases producers who have imported foreign products and paid the large sums demanded for them were compelled when they found that business was only fair or good to abandon the production of the play due to the large sums that had to be given to the foreign producers and authors. Under the new arrangements he con- tends that everything will be done in a normal way in both cotmtries and the im- porting producer will have an opportunity, if his show does not boom from the start, of beinp; able to get reasonable returns from his investment, as payments to the author will not eat up all of the profits. First call for all foreign musical shows according to the agreement will be given Sam H. Harris and the. Selwyns, while Woods will have the first pick of all comedy and dramatic attractions for America. For the purpose of handling the ex- change of plays a concern known as the Anglo-America Theatres Company has been organized. This concern is not in- corporated nor will it have any stock- holders. It will be simply used as a trade name to identify the managers who are interested in the agreement. Woods, Sam H. Harris and Archie Selwyn are to have several conferences on the proposition during the present week and it is likely that Mr. Woods may make another trip to England shortly for the purpose of solidifying the pact. NO WHITE-ZIEGFELD MIX-UP The hopes of Florenz Ziegfeld that George White would bring injunction pro- ceedings against him to restrain Wild, West and McGinty, a foreign act from appearing in the summer edition of "The Follies" were blasted last Monday night when sheriffs failed to appear and inter- fere with the performance at the New Amsterdam theatre. Ziegfeld last week sent out an an- noimcement that an agent of his in Eng- land had stolen a march on White's rep- rcsmtativc and signed the trio up for shows could get the benefit of the pub- licity that would be derived from the pro- that the proposition would not be worth ducer from whom Ziegfeld had taken the act would bring court proceedings. Over- tures, are said, by George White, to have been made to him from the Ziegfeld camp to begin Court proceedings so that both shows could get the benefit of the publi- city that would be derived from the pro- ceedings. But White who had gotten some advance information on the act, prior to the opening of the show Monday, decided that the proposition would not be worth- while and allowed Mr. Ziegfeld to keep the act without he bringing any proceed- ings which would interfere with the Zieg- feld show. At the same time White is a bit in-, censed over the sending out by Ziegfeld of programs from "The Folies Bergere" in Paris which show the cuts of the ori- ginal "Human Curtain" used by the White show and the "Chandelier" Scene used at the Widtergarden. White says that he was not trying to deceive the newspaiKr men, as the Ziegfeld program might in- dicate that the idea was on'^nnal with him as he was crediting the Folies Bergere on his program for the novelty he is using. CLARICE IS A. E. A. TRAVELER Alfred Clarke has succeeded Edmund Flynn as traveling representative for Equity out of the Chicago oflSce. The new appointment was made necessary because of Mr. Flynn's continued illness and his inability to continue his duties. The Equity Council has forwarded Mr. Flynn a letter lauding his good work with the association aiid a sincere wish for his speedy restora- tion to health. BRADY, JR., PLAY READY William A. Brady, Jr., will on Friday night make his debut as a producer when, at Stamford, he will show "The Earth- quake." by Theodore A. Liebler, Jr. The latter is also the son of a theatrical man- ager, who was for a long time the partner of George C. Tyler in Debler & Co. "The Earthquake," which calls for elal>- orate staging has been financed by the younger Brady. He is also directing his own production and has handled every- thing himself without the aid of Brady, Sr. Combe and Merins have been routed over the Orpheum circuit STAGE CALLS SOCIETY MEN Society girls and wealthy women have for years heard the call of the stage but few young men in society's circle have been attracted to the acting profession. This year, however, is different, a big flock of the sons of pronunent New York men are taking up stage work. Borden Harriman, so> of Mis. Oliver Harriman of New York City is now in Fall 'River and has joined the Wood play- ers, a stock company under the manage- ment of Leonard Wood, Jr., son of Major Gen. Leonard Wood. •William A. Williams, Harvard, '16, an- other member of the company, which is to rehearse here for a week in "Up the Lad- der," with which the Wood Players will open in Lancaster, Pa., Monday, July 2. A third is Romeyn Park Benjamin, son of the late Park Benjamin, and a brother of Mrs. Enrico Caruso, who will make his professional stage debut in Stamford next Friday night, when he will appear in one of the leading roles in "The Earthquake." Jacques Tyrol, motion picture pro- ducer, is leaving for Los Angeles this week. EQUITY ACTORS SUSPENDED Tim Ryan and Irene Noblett have been su.<pcnded by the Actors' Equity Associa- tion for "contract jumping." They had been in the employ of S. S. Davidson under the regular Equity form contract and left his employ despite the fact that the contract had not terminated. Davidson complained to the Equity and the Council sustained his complaint They also forwarded a check covering the amount of two weeks salary of the defaulters, which was due as a for- feiture because of their having failed to live up to the terms of their contracts. ONE SHOW IN PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, June 25.—"I'll Say She Is." the new Joseph M. Gaites summer song show at the AdelpM, is the lone survivor of a supplementary season here. The show enters upon its fourth week and has been doing sufficiently well to warrant its retention for an indefinite run. The Philaddphia Theatre GuiM, which had been holding forth at the Lyric, put up "the shutters" last Saturday night YOUNGEST PLAYER FOR "VANITIES" Sam Herman, said to be the youngest xylophone player in captivity, will be one ,of the features of Earl Carroll's "Vanities of 1923,"' which opens at the Earl Carroll Theatre next Monday night MAJESTIC ON SUBWAY aRCUIT The Majestic Theatre, Jersey City, which has been taken over by M. S. Schlesinger and will be added to the Sub- way Circuit, will open on August 27 with the Number 1 company of "Lightnin*" as the opening attraction. The theatre, which seats 1,900, will be scaled at $1J0 top for dramatic shows and $200 top for musical attractions. SHUBERT SHOWS FOR LONDON J. J. Shu6ert, who sailed for. England last- Saturday, will while in London make arrangements for the producdoa there next season of "Whispering Wires," 'Dew Drop Inn" and "Blossom Time." The latter attraction is due to aoea in London late in August, and Mr. Smibert will arrange for the production of the other two shows early in the winter. JOLSON HAS "SCREEN FRIGHTV, ■. Al. Jolson bad an attack of screen f'Pifit and he -had it so badly that without ootily- ing friend or foe he booked passage last week on the Majestic sailing for England Saturday and left America without even personally conveying his reasons to the eager ship news reporters who thronged about his cabin for an interview. Jolson some time ago signed a screen contract >with D. W. Griffith under the terms of which it is said that Jolson would have profited to the extent of $3,000,000 at the time of the expiration of the agreement For two wedcs Jolsoa after the closing of his show "Bombo" rcfaearsed and worked at the Griffith studios ia Mamaron- eck on his Arst picture, wider the supervision and direction of Grimdi. ' It was said that this jricture when oonqileted would cost in the neighborhood of $S(IQ>000. Everything seemed to go according' to schedule until last Thursday m'glit rwfaen the black face stage comedian got Ae first glimpse of himself in the "natural" through the running of several tests of films which had already been completed. The sight of this was more than Al could stand. It just broke him up for his screen portrayals were .most disappointing to him and he felt that he was ruined. 'With everybody ready for work on the lot. Friday morning to continue .work on the picture', Jolson failed to put in an appearance. Efforts were made to locate him when finally a call to his home on the telephone brought the response from Mrs. Jolson that her husband was ill and unable to work. It is said, however, that AL was at the Aqueduct race track that afternoon looking the ponies over. Nothing, how- ever, was said to Grifihh personally at that time that Jolson. had temporarily abandoned his screen career and was pre- paring to sail for Europe. But late on Friday night a friend of Griffith called the latter on the phone and informed him that he understood Jolson would sail the next day for England. Mr. Griffith was very mudi surprised and be- gan to remonstrate with hia mformant stat- ing that Jolson was ill but would be back on the lot Saturday sure. However, Saturday morning, Mr. GrilGth decided he would appease his own mind on the subject and phoned the White Star line offices. There they told him that Jclson was "aboard the Majestic, in his stateroom and was not to be distuitted." It became known Monday that Griffith had alread expended $50,000 in tlie maldng of the picture and that he had engaged ten other actors besides Jolson to appear in the picture, who had already been at work for several weeks. Griffith also had spent considerable money in the construc- tion of sets that -were to be used in the picture. It is said that six thousand feet of film had already been completed and that Mr. Griffith figured that he had only about 4,000 feet to shoot at the time when Jolson failed to respond for work. The tentative title of the picture while it was being made was "Black and Wliite" but when released it was to be known as "The Gown," because of the part Jolson played. Besides Jolson the actors who were working in the picture arc, Tom Wilson, Irma Harrington, Harlan Knight, Frank Puglia, Eville Alderson, Edna May Sperl, Mrs. Stuart Robson, Kate Bruce^ Anne Eggleston and James Phillips. According to a statement made by Mr. Griffith on Saturday, Louis Epstein. Jol- son's business manager tdephoned the studios on Saturday^ rooming and said. "Mr. Jolson has sailed for a rest and might return in three or four weeks." "Jolson did not know the hard work that pksure screening entails," said Griffith. "He thought he would just have to romp into his make-up and then ronq> through his parts as he did in his singing parts," he continued. Griffith then imparted the information that Jolson did not like the way he looked without Mack make-up and thought he did not look that way. Mr. Griffith said that first sight was frequently a shock to stage artists appearing on the screen. Remark- ing on Jolson's talent on the screen Mr. Griffith said it was "striking." It is said that Nathan Barlcan who is at* (Continued on page 30)