Variety (September 1919)

vP.'--- :.-;; v ; :; ''-V;'- ; "';''" ; .'■"■.•"';'•■^ ■''■■: ? P : '"■-•Vi'. ''■■''' : - >"'•. • ■'■':■. :vVv ■-■■■.• ; -•■■':. : '£ : ' v - :;fe¥^v%!: - :f': : ^'-'.' >.: ! ',■ : * ' V '. :■■■■." : -*p"•■ -' ■ £••;.'>■>•''''. '• •■&^*| rS THE COMICAL SIDE THE INQUIRING REPORTER Every Day He Asks Fire Persons, Picked at Random, a Question P ft '■!}■■( (f(A opoIofftM to 5. Jay Kaufman and i>: "Svmino atom.") To-d«r'» <4ne»tlon«v . DAVB CLARKE was the first egg snared by the nosey reporter yesterday Just as he wss diving out of the Mllle HoteL Mr. Clarke was asked his opinion of the strike and replied as follows: "Now you keep iking me about this strike all the time and Its a fanny freak. Now there's a difference between itrlkss and strikes. Around on 45th street It's a bis success, but I can't tell a thins; about It now because I have my own tooth-brush and those "money-from- home-lclds" keep butting In again. That George Meyers has stole a lot of my money from the last bal land Ray Ooetz'n father has sent ms a belt. What a foolish freak It Is to me. That Flor- ence Is some kid and I'm going to Atlan- ' tic city to get away from It until I was born. Get away from me, yoa 'foolish freak, because I know what to do with that "Evad" story and you an craiy-creiy-craty T .JACK McMAHON (Dramatic Editor "American")—He spouted up the follow- . log: "The managers appear to me to be a flock of high and lofty tumblers. ■ Tour "Bulletin" said yesterday 'Mana- gers Away Up in the Air.' Tuesday it ' aald, 'Managers in the Last Ditch.' The Only thing that can save them now la a parachute. I don't understand how the managers could get a thousand 1 members In Chicago, unless they, go to ' Ernie Young's office. Even he couldn't V: grab a thousand around there unless ha I went to Walter Rosenberg for assistance. M~ ARTHUR BTJCKNER was asked what ■ he thought of conditions. Mr. Buokner replied aa folows: "It I could divide thla -"Strike up Into proportions I know I could sell s flock of shares. I know I can promote strikes, but the "chumps" 'won't believe me. As far as I am per- sonally concerned I would love to have the A. E. A. delegste me to organize a >'- production company and give them work. • At the preeent time' things In Atlanta • are great. Joe Raymond and myself will settle this strike if they give us a p cbanee. H .• i' JOHN THE BARBER was next COB- suited by the Inquisitive stiff wbo rune this column. Mr. Restler replied sa folows: "My barber shop is suffering. . s~l; thought I had an ideal location when I learned the strike was to be directed from Weft 4Rth street But, believe me, boy, those actors are either shsvtng I themselves or growing beards. My shop looks like s cemetery on a rainy day, - for no one comes in but the barbers and manicure girls. It's a foolish strike, and as soon as I see Dave Clarke. I'll have things fixed up. Run along now, like a good fellow, and'don't'ask any • jtaore questions." . & '-JHARRY CASEY was approached by 1 he thought of the strike. Mr. Casey he thought of the strike. Mr| Casey m answered: "I don't know anything about SPJM strike. In the third rsce this after- noon, I had a live one and touted It to ggySl my friends, but the nsg broke a ••■leg on the home stretch and It looks ?-like I am friendless. Tbs stock market Is below par and now that Frank Gar- rlty became general msnager of the Strand cafe, It looks as though I will have to get my frankfurters at Mark Aarons. I understand that Mr. Charles Weller Is not In a position to discuss this matter, otherwiss we would make, a Joint statement. Tou wll have to pardon me now, aa I have an appoint- ment with George Sullivan and David J. Clark to discuss ths possibilities for a new album, and also to decide whether the amalgamated "TJmph" stock will be any better today than It waa tomorrow." Tommy Gray reported dubious con- ' ditions at the Hippodrome:/The ele- Bwfehants walked out and took their 4pS*.ninks with them,", he said. [S^v' Somebody telling Morris Gest he vjSJS.Vwa's "the brains of Broadway" and flM^Gest taking it seriously. p^§^-The buffet lunch at the managers' yjfejsublicity department, a new stunt, be- ^W'tween four and five in the afternoon. ||&iWill Page saying some of the "boys" /ii didn't like to drink on empty stomachs. %$&'-*.■ .-'Morris Gest's Korean-chink cook ■' ' .listening in oil the telephone. The much talked about W. A. Brady $250 donation' not reaching the man- H . agers' publicity department. la, ';■■ '.-..dTfee, guests at the Biltmore lining F up to sec the stage stars after the m Actors' Fidelity League meeting. i'^: After the walk-out at the Century )<-'.: ope of the chorus men, Charles Kaalar, joined the Equity. The next day he touched Manager Miller of "Chu Chin Chow" for $21. Morris Gest hearing of both actions, sent for the c. m., who admitted them. Gest asked him whether he had been in the service during the war, and the answer was "Year "Don't yon know what the penalty is for desertion ? They shoot men for that in the army." "Shoot me, Mr. Gest" was the answer, the c. m. lofting his arms. EGGS. The egg who asks how does It stand. The egg who wants your viewpoint • The egg who says "It's a great strike." The egg who wlahea to know which side he should Join. The egg who says I am loyal because ay fellow-actor needs my support The egg who does not understand what It la all about The egg who keeps asking "what la ths latest t" The egg who.Is wondering why Id. Wyna does not wear his hat straight. • The egg who says, "I'm In pictures now, so the strike does not worry me," Other egj All eggs. (The* definition of ths word "egg" bis been dsflcribed as the opposite of "ham"). ■ ■ The possibilities of Ed Wynn and Baniuel Compere comprising a committee to settle ths strike. The fellow who Instated the Hippodrome tnu Immune. - ' The chump who takes his girl down town from the Bronx to see a show and winds up by showing her the Wrlgiey dancers on top of the Putman Building, Will Pags'a stenographer wondering why the newspapermen have such a thirst Will Page's stenographer trying to decide why New York City publications employ fool- ish persona to cover strikes. Will Page's stenographer trying to work I while the scribes are trying to out-talk one another. Walter Klngsley'a absence from the scene. Dave Clark's new position. Those clothes at the Astor last night The conference In the Astor grill last night Difference of opinion between Harry and Mrs. Hary Pox. Frank Pay still Insisting he la serious. Martin Herman's monologues. Martin Herman's inside dope. The house staff at ths Biltmore HoteL CLOSING THE BIG HIP. (Continued from page 1) agers still maintain their policy of waiting for something to break in their favor. If they are pulling wires in any way to have this happen it is a well-kept secret The two actors' societies mostly oc- cupied themselves during the day with writing statements about each other. The Equity did not fall all over itself upholding the contract given the Fidelity by the managers and the Fi- delity boosted its contract, naturally. The Fidelity announced there was no restriction to A. F. L membership; that a Fidelity member might belong to any other organization, with the' only condition necessary to .Fidelity eligibility being 26 weeks' service upon the stage. The closing of the Hip gave Broad- way's dark list 27 productions stopped since the strike commenced, with all (eight) still closed in Chicago, leaving three exempt shows in New York open, and one strike . play still run- ning. The latter is "At 9.45" at the Play- house, a production employing one set. The Tyler show, "Hiring Line," also uses but one set. At the sttike headquarters of the A. E, A., on 45th street, the mega- phone talker from the steps of the house has been in the habit lately of calling out, after giving the crowd in- formation, "Are we downhearted?" al- ways responded to by a yell from those assembled in the street. Following, the Equity song is sung. This occurred again last night after the announce- ment of the Hip's closing. used (It is an over there |gg V ' English call, often during the war.) Times square got another strike yes- terday, that of the clerks in the United Cigar stores. They paraded through the square on a truck, announcing their affiliation with the A. F. of L. and imi- tating the strike methods of the actors quite generally. i OFFICIAL STATEMENTS A. E. A. BT ORANT STEWART. "At last ths managers have bsen forced to come out In the open. No longer csn they In- sist that It waa because of the unreasonable- ness of ths Actors' Equity Association that they severed relatione, as stated in their first letter to the association, and which they an- nounced publicly. . "For behold they are offering now to the Fidelity League a contract far more favorable - to the actor than the one asked for by the Actors' Equity Association; but without the Actors' Equity Association to stand aa watch dog for the actor will their contracts be lived up to? They say they. will. Who says so? Why, the managers. But the Producing Managers' Association has made so many statements which It speedily repudiated that one is tempted to be influenced by tbs experience of the past rather than by the apparently golden promises of the present, and the experience of the past is that the vast majority of the Producing Managers Associa- tion systemsticslly and deliberately endeavored to break or evade their contracts whenever It seemed advantageous to do so. "The Producing Managers Association Is still consistent on one point, that It will not recog- nise the Actors' Equity Aaosclstlon. This one point of theirs may be borne out In fact They may not be allowed to." "Many members of the Actors' Fidelity League, we are convinced, have Joined It through a misapprehension of the facta. Those members, needless to say, will be treated with as much leniency as they deserve when they finally see the light Incidentally the light Is coming and very soon will be vastly Illumin- ating. "What was definitely ststed to be a complete list of the actora and actresses of the Fidelity League is In our possession and contains the names of several managers and of many man- agers' wives, but the number of actors and actresses la strikingly lees than was given out by the Fidelity Lesgue. "We ere creditably Informed that at the meeting last night, a certain well known athlete strayed In and waa approached by Mr. Louis Mann, who asked If he had Joined. He replied: T am not an actor, I am a tennis Slyer.' to which Mr. Mann replied, 'That oesn't matter. We need members.'" "With regard to the Actors' Fidelity League, It seems to be about time to explain that council of the Actors' Equity Association had a good deal of- information about Mr. Howard Kyte'e activities in the matter long before the strike. ■' ' • "A communication came to our office en- deavoring to make an appointment for Mr. Kyle with Mr. Albee and s little later an oper- ator from the Cohan St Harris office telephoned our office saying, "Tell Mr. Howard Kyle that the managers meeting will not take place today.—but' (and here the operator waa forci- bly Interrupted. '•• ■ "Ths first suggested president of the rival organization was Mr. Sotbern and attention has already been celled to the fact that the bill for MO telegrams sent In Mr. 8nthern'a name t omembers wbo they thought cquld be persusded to desert from the ranks of the Equity was sent by mistake to our office. The bll Iwas changed to the Douville Corporation, In other words to Mr, Charles Coburn, one of the producing msnagers, so that the Actors' Equity Association was perfectly well aware of what was In the air and to tell the truth, we are not eorry that the Actors' Fidelity League was founded, as it Is much better to know exactly who your enemies are, than to have unexposed traitors In your own ranks. CHAS. C. SHAY. The following telegram was sent to the I. A. T. 8. B. Executive Bosrd yesterday by Chas. C. 8hay, president, informing the I. A. T. 8. B. that the New Tork State Federation of Labor,! In convention. at Syracuse, had appointed a comtnlttee which has unanimously voted to re- quest the New. York State Industrial Commis- sion to make a public Investigation of the causes leading up to the Actors' Equity strike against the Producing Managers' Assoclstlon. Following is resolution adopted by unanimous standing vote of the State Federation of Labor, the telegram report of special committee to which was referred sll matters In relation to the Actors* Equity Association t Ladies and gentlemen. Tour committee has given Intensive and exhaustive consideration to the matters referred to it The committee finds that the contest between the Actors' Equity and the Producing Managers' Associa- tion embraces conditions that exist behind the stage curtain that are almost unbellevnble. In brief, actors of the stage are kings and Princes, tragedians and comedians, but, under the con- ditions of employment Imposed on them by the producing managers, the actors are puppstts end the playthings of the managers, strutting their brief time upon tbe stage In order that their employers may wax fat Tour eommlttee believes that these conditions of employment should be made public property, snd that ths best wsy to accomplish this publicity is through a public inquiry to be conducted by the State Industrial Commission. Tour eommlttee there- fore recommends that this convention request the State Industrial Commission to, at an early date, Institute public hearings in order to de- termine the cause of the difficulty now existing -Jbetween tbe Actors' Equity Association and the Producing Managers' Association, a contention that has resulted in Idleness ef thousands of actors, stage mechanics, musicians and other wage earners; that Immediately on the termin- ation of the public hearings the Industrial Commission promulgate Its findings and recom- mendations. Respectfully submitted: ames M. Lynch, Chairman; James Lemko, Edward Can- avan, Ernest Bohm, Robert Brlniel, Chas. C. 8bay. After passing of resolution, delegate of Teamsters took floor, stating that twenty tour- ing cars were at the disposal of the Actors' Equity In their strike, at any hour of the day or night 1 . CharUi ft Shay. ACTORS' FIDELITY LEAGUE. After discussing aspersions oast upon the sincerity of George M. Cohan, relative to the announcement that the new contract he had procured tor actors, the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of the Actors' Fidel- ity League lsued the following statement: "The clauses containing the. sallsnt points conceded by the managers In the new contract which were read by Mr. eGorge M. Cohan at the mass meeting of the Actors' Fidelity League, at the Hotel Biltmore, Wednesday evening, and which he obtained through his in- valuable and generous Influence, do not repre- sent the form of this contract In its entirety. "These advantages are not offered as tempo- rary bait. They constitute permanent conces- sions embodied In the contract This contract Is to be made permanent by guarantees stipu- lated In clauses which will be presented In their entirety at the mass meeting of the Actors' Fidelity League, to be held at the Hotel Bilt- more on Saturday evening next "Eligibility for membership in the Actors' Fidelity League Is based on the applicant hav- ing had 26 weeks, continuous or Intermittent experience In drama, pantomine, dsnetng, sing- ing or music, collectively or individually. "There has been current mlrspprehenBlon that persons desiring to loin the Actors' Fidel- ity Lesgue must sever relations with all other theatrical organizations prior to enrollment In the Actors' Fidelity League. Actors can be- come members of the Actors' Fidelity League so long as tbey remain members of the acting profession. Tbe Actors* Fidelity League has no affiliation with any other organisation or association." In reply to a statement Grant Stewart, of the Actors' Equity, made with reference to Howard. Kyle's .activities, tbe latter said: "Mr. Albee had nothing whatever to do with forming the Actors' Fidelity League, although he Is in sympathy with its alms. As he has proven one of the most powerful co-adjutors Equity had in getting the managers together for adopting a uniform contract,'I have always been glad to seek this counsel In behalf of the cause of actors, aa I am convinced, what- ever les informed detractors may say, Mr. Al- bee is sincerely desirous ef bettering the con- ditions of all actors." . When asked whether he had held any con- ference with the managers before the strike broke, Mr. Kyle said: "I spoke with everybody, actors, managers nd everyone I met with the one lsteitfcn and that was to bring about a solution of the trouble and thus save Equity." - '. . BT LOOTS MANN Louis Mann, vice-president of the Actors' Fidelity League, said, when asked what effect the terms of the new contract which Mr. Cohan said he had procured tor the Actors' Fidelity League after retiring from the Producing Man- agers' Association to become the head of the actor organization.) "The offices are flooded with the little folk of the stage who are tremendously jubilant over tbe proposed new form of contract outlined by Mr. Cohan before tha Aetora' Fidelity League. None of us had expected nearly any- thing so good. For in our eommlttee draft of a new contract, we did not Incorporate a number of things that Mr. Cohan outlined In his own vernacular. 'Nix, Nix, boys, I'll show you what kind of a contract we'll get* snd he certainly got more for us than we anticipated ever receiving." Mr. Mann quoted George M. Cohan ss saying that tbe Equity bad nothing to do with getting the proposed new contract "They could never get It, I got it,' ao Mr. Mann expressed Cohan's statement." MIX-UP IN SHOWS. Through a mix-up in the publicity sent out yesterday by the Lexington theatre press department and the A. E. A. publicity department, the Equity bills at the Thomashefsky and Kesslers 2nd Ave. Theatre, starting Monday (Labor Day) were transposed. The corrected bill at the Thoma- shefsky opening, Monday night, will include: Sam Bernard, Andrew Tombes, John" Love and Renee Parker and others. This will be straight vau- deville. At Kessler's 2nd Ave Theatre, the bill will consist of a Revue, "Here Comes Equity," with 24 chorus girls and boys, a burlesque on "John Fer- guson," with Roger Gray in the prin- cipal role. Billy Kent, Jim Barton, De Haven and Nice, and Arthur Barckley. ..'Vv'. 20