Variety (September 1919)

E' '■ ■ . ' . ■ : ' .'.' 1 ' ■■••-". . • ' •■ ■ ■"- ... . ■ • • H^ & m :.' ■• • - ■•' -.■■:- ' ■ '■."' • -.. ■ • • 7 ■■■ ^- pppp^^ss CLOSING THE BIG HIPPODROME CAUSES MUCH EXCITEMENT Strike Extends to Washington, Where Leaders Are in Execu- tive Session. No Meetings Yesterday but Number of "Statements" Issued. Actors' Equity Bail Last ' Night at Hotel Astor. Tyler in Chicago Vows He Will Open "On the Hiring 1 ... Line." the enforced shutdown of the New York Hippodrome last night was the big excitement yesterday in the strike situation in New York. The s Hip was closed by a walkout of the stage hands, over 400 being employed there. The closing is reported to have followed telegraphic instructions from Washington. The house had been pre- viously classed as exempt by the. Actors' Equity Association, although operated by a member (Charles Dillingham) of the Producing Managers' Association. It was understood that when the ques- tion of the Hip's opening came up in the A. E. A. quarters before the pre- miere of "Happy Days" last Saturday, it was decided the Hip show was prop- erly in the vaudeville classification through giving two performances daily. The union destiny of that house was then placed with the vaudeville branch of the Associated Actors and Actresses of America (Four A's). An announcement was given out at the A E. A. the Hip show was exempt and the performance opened as sched- uled, with all of its people. While neither the principals nor the musicians walked out of the Hip last night, it was said by stage hands Marie Dressier had ordered out the chorus girls of the show. The chorus girls had a short parade in the early evening, ending at strike headquarters. An indication of an intended exten- sion of the strike by the stage hands at least was the closing of the Shubert- Belasco at Washington, D. C, last night. The report of it in New York said the stage hands had ordered it. The play was "Up From Nowhere," with Norman Trevor starred. It's a new production and a John, D. Wil- liams attraction, due to open at the Comedy, New York (Shubert), Labor Day. The Managers' Association, upon re- ceipt of the information from Wash- ington gave it as their opinion that the stage hands had taken the strike upon themselves and were directing it. During the daytime yesterday events 9 were quiet in strike matter. All sides issued statements, but there was little action. That George M. Cohan was out of the city all day and could not be located brought some speculation as to . his whereabouts. Mr. Cohan left town shortly after the Actors' Fidelity meeting adjourned Wednes- day night. He was expected back late last night or this morning. Labor circles were looking forward last night to some report from Wash- ington of the meeting of the American Federation of Labor heads there yes- terday. The heads were those of the theatrical unions, with Samuel Gom- pers presiding. No one at the stage hands' headquarters in New York would give an inkling of the purpose of the Washington labor conference, but the Hip closing may. have been one result. They admitted the conference but disclaimed further knowledge. It had quite some import to the unions, however, from casual rumors in'con- nection With it. Times square was enlivened at night with the A. E A. ball at the Hotel Astor. The Equity members had been actively boosting the ball since its an- nouncement and the profession ap- peared to take to it John Drew and Ethel Barrymore led the grand march. Tickets were $10 each, including sup- per, with boxes held at $100. Thursday saw things stirring in Chicago. The important matter of moment out there was George Tyler promising he would open his "On the Hiring Line" at the Black stone, Chi-; cago, despite-anything or everything. It was a defi that caused a little ripple on the Windy City Rialto. Mr..Tyler proposes making his non-union test Saturday night, opening with a non- union crew without musicians. It will be the first test of its kind in a strong union city. No public meetings were held in New York yesterday. The managers met formally as customary and seemed cheerful. If they did anything worth while none told about it. The man- continued on page 2) WASHINGTON HOUSE CLOSED. Washington, Aug. 27— The Shubert-Belasco was closed to- night at the order, it is said, of the stage hands' union. This brings the actors' strike for the first time outside*. New York and Chicago. -: • The piece at the theatre was "Up from Nowhere," with John W. WU- . Hams the producer. It starred Nor- man Trevor, who is a member of the Actors' Equity Association's, Council. In the cast is Margola Gillmore, daughter of Frank Gillmore; secre- ' tary of the A. E. A. " f Mr. Trevor stated that all the mem- bers of the company had Equity con- tracts. The cast and production gill return to New York immediately. Mr. Trevor also stated no strike had been called by the A. E A.,/ but that the company left the theatre to pre- vent any attempt to run the show with non-union stage hands. The National, Poli's and Shubert- Garrick were not affected, although there is a strong tip that one or all may be "pulled" within the next few days for effect. It is reported that George M. Cohan is in Washington, the rumor saying he came on to see Samuel Gompers. Up to midnight the Washington Post had been unable to locate Mr. Cohan. "Up from Nowhere" is billed in New York to open at the Comedy (Shubert) Theatre Labor Day night. John D. J^illiams, the producer of the show, is not a member of the Pro- ducing Managers' Association, unless joining since Monday. • It ,was reported in yesterday's Bul- letin .a conference in Washington would be held today. Attending were reported Frank H. Gillmore, Charles C. Shay and Jos. Weber, of the three unions (actors, stage hands and mu- sicians). Samuel Gompers presided at the meeting. Other members of the A F. of L executive board were * present. It was • umored -last' evening that the object of the meeting was to de- - termine whether it was advisable to extend the scope of the strike. It was reported last evening that long distance phone orders had gone out from the New York headquarters of the stage hands' union, but.the in- formation disclosed, nothing else. No one was at the union headquarters late last night. Several of the officials re- maining in New York were reported speech-making around town. It could not be learned whether Chas. C, Shay had remained in Syracuse or gone to Washington. -A wire to Vabimt from Syracuse, received about eight last night, said Mr. Shay had presented a resolution before the State Labor Con- vention there yesterday afternoon. 19 SUIT AGAINST HOPPER. Although the -claim that many players lined up for the benefit Weq-; nesday night at Saratoga had been enjoined, the performance was given.- The only AJE. A. stopped was through the. injunction proceedings: on the. ap- ; ;; peal of Charles Coburn. A statement /fom Coburn last night was-: * fe*j "A temporary injunction was granted yesterday by Judge Richard P. Leyden restraining De Wolf Hopper from ap- pearing in any performance either at,: the Lexington Opera House or else- where during the life of a contract with Charles D. Coburn, a member of the Producing Managers-Association. .This''contract calls for the appearance of Mi> Hopper in The Better 'Ole* for 35 weeks at $1,000 per week. He should have-appeared in Toronto last Mon- day, but refused to either rehearse or appear. Mr,. Coburn states that in view of Justice Hendrick's decision, it will be possible to restrain Mr. Hopper from appearing in any other theatre in America this season, and that legal opinion asserts that he will, not be permitted to appear either at the Lex- ington or anywhere else in Equity performances, whether he is paid for, his services or not. Mr. Coburn also states a damage suit for $200,000 will be the next legal step taken against Mr. Hopper." ;"ii TEAMSTERS IN SYMPATHY. Supplementary to the statement is- sued by the I. A. T. S. E. yesterday, regarding the adoption of a resolution by the State Federation of Labor in convention at Syracuse this week, calling upon the State Industrial Com- mission to make a public investigation of the causes of the Equity strike, the following was issued at I. A. head- quarters : After passing the resolution, the Teamsters' delegate took the floor and stated that after a conference of the" Joint Council they had voted to refuse to. haul any scenery for managers "unr, fair'to our several organizations.* : v ■ ■ : I : I *'*<!§ ' ■'■••'•TstSi % MISS BARRYMORE RETICENT. Attempts yesterday to secure a statement from Ethel Barrymore re- garding her stand in the matter of the new Zoe Atkins play which was started , in rehearsal by the Charles Frohman office, was not forthcoming. The star refused to state whether she would . appear nor would she say whether she would rehearse. ' . It was intimated Miss Barrymort might go into preparations for the play, but would appear only with the .proviso tha{ the strike was over by the time of premiere. :, ; j