Variety (September 1919)

■iWr&ffl®®:-? ^S^^^f!^^-. /: ■ - •' . ■- ■ :■;■ •/■rV-V:^'-;-' . VARIETY DAILY BULLETIN z«m: ^WWmi OFFICIAL STATEMENTS THE COMICAL SIDE g :v- , . .. ■ ! A. E. A. LETTER HEAD OP GUGGENHjaiMBK, UNTBBMYBR & MARSHALL, 120 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. Sir. Frank Qiiimore, Secretary, The Actors' Equity Association, 1472 Broadway, New York CUT. Dear Mr. Gillmoro: I deeply regret to be deprived o( the oppor- tunity of availing myself of the invitation to address the members of your association. When I was called upon by you for that purpose, V had already made commitments that It was impossible to change, and am compelled to leave town this afternoon. . I would like to have you say again to youi members and those affiliated with your asso- ciation in the present struggle to vindicate the- right of collective bargaining, that I am with them heart and soul In their fight and that X shall remain there until the end. There is nothing within my power to do to aid In bringing this struggle to a successful termi- nation that I will not cheerfully do, tor to my mind It la a high public duty Involving a. principle of fundamental Importance not only to this community but to every part of the country. I have never known ot anything quite so indefensible as the attitude of the Producing Managers' Association. Having dlstlnctlyand expressly recognized the Actors' Equity Asso- ciation In the formulation of the present con- tract, they now see fit, "without rhyme or reason/' to repudiate such recognition. According to my understanding ot the facts, the present form ot contract was negotiated and settled with your association as a body and through Its representatives. Article 18 of the contract provides that in case of dis- pute not only over the terms ot the contract but over other matters outside ot the contract, the manager who Is a party to the contract uball select one arbitrator and that your as- sociation, not the actor who is the other party lu the contract, shall select the other arbi- trator on behalf of the actor, thus delegating tbo power of arbitration to the assoclalton. , There could be no more distinct and un- equivocal recognition than Is Implied In this provision, and, as I have already written you, I am firm in the conviction that as mat- ter ot law the refusal ot the managers to abide by that provision with respect to con- troversies arising under the present contract constitutes-a breach of the existing contract that entitles the actor wbo 1b a party to It to declare It abrogated. But the most astounding .feature of this situation arises out ot the concerted action recently taken by the new Fidelity Associ- ation in combination with the Producing Man- agers. Mr. Cohan is reported as having an- nounced that he has arranged a form ot con- tract with the Producing Managers whereby every contention made by your association In the Interest of Its members Is conceded by the Managers' Association and still further concessions are made. It was on account of these demands by your association that the managers arrogantly refused to further recog- nize you, and now, whilst conceding the Jus- tice and moderation of those demands, your asoclalton 1b told because you advanced and Instated upon these requirements, your asso- olalton Is to be outlawed and crushed by the managers. In other words, having, through your right- eous persistence, secured a more Just form ot contract for the coming year, you are to be set aside and driven out of existence for your temerity and no one who, has been concerned in securing this JUBt recognition is hereafter to be tolerated by the managers or per- mitted to represent the membership of the actors. The only logical conclusion In this position and the result that Is bound to fol- low as surely as fate, Is that, if the power to enforce these concessions Is surrendered, the concessions will be of short duration. The next contract that is made by the new Actors' Association that has been set up under the protection of the managers and that will presumably be under Its influence, will be such a contract as the managers may dictate. Judging from past experience of the in- credible oppression that they have exerted over your profession, we can conceive ot what sort ot contract that will be. No one who Is not a mere tool of the managers or a creature so trustful and .unacquainted with the ways of the world that he ought to have at least two guardians, Is likely to cast aside the In- dependent organization that has served him as yours has served and embrace in its place what amounts to the mere pretext of a pro- tective association. ' , *• : -. I understand that In your demand for the recognition of your association by the man- agers you have expressly disclaimed any thought of Insisting upon what is known as the "Closed Shop." Whilst the excess ot moderation on your part Is praiseworthy from one point of view and ought to attract to your support the sympathy, of all classes, I feel that you are wrong. In theory there may be such a thing as the "open shop," but In prac- tice there Is not. Your profession should either be represented through your associ- ation for the purpose of collective bargain- ing, or you will be left at the mercy of the individual bargaining against the managers, who whilst arrogating to themselves the right of collective bargaining have had the Im- pertinence to deny it to you. If they have a decent pretext for that attitude, I have never beard It presented. It would be interesting to know what It Is. If you compromise your controversy on the basis ot an "open shop," which means that the managers are at liberty to deal Indi- vidually with such of the actors as do not choose to Join your organization, the result will be that in courae of time they will under- mine your association by discriminating against its members until they succeed in dis- integrating It. This is far more easily done In your profession that in the ordinary trade UD My' advice to you is to "stick it out." You ■ have the sympathy ot the publlo, and with proper organization of your forces you will be able to secure Its material suaport. Permit me to wish you every success in the stand you have taken and you will succeed because you are entitled to do so. Very t"*JL y « u "- • (Signed) Samuel Untermyer. FORUM. JAMES' BOY'S FATHER TALKS. Great Kills, N. Y., Aug. 31. Editor IVarubtt: . Your Bulletin of Aug. 27 contained a statement, by Ned Sparks, under the heading, "Official Statements." ;.; = •■■ Kindly give the following facts simi- lar publicity, concerning my son Gard- ner James. To begin with, Sparks >s a liar and a coward; a liar, ^Or he would not have called up Chamber lam Brown's office and apologized, and a coward or he would never have at- tacked a sixteen-year-old boy. . Ned Sparks and "his men 1" Intelligence department I •• ■'.• Sparks' methods remind me of Sam Parks and "his" entertainment com- mittee, and ar.e equally unsuccessful, The truth about this matter is as follows: Gardner James went to the Equity headquarters at the request of Harrison Hunter, who wished to meet him. Hunter did meet him—yes f after Sparks and "his men" had tried to strangle Gardner in then- efforts to search his pockets. ■ Sparks would not have dared to tackle him alone. There are several things I shall try to find out, by legal means if neces- sary, among others, is this Sparks a "striking" actor—if so, when did he work last*. Who gave this fellow Sparks authority to ask for my son's Equity card? Why did Equity apolo- gize for Sparks, and why does Equity tolerate such as Sparks? ■--———— Just as soon as business enables me to get back to Manhattan I shall find out why Sparks at all. \ . A. James, (Father ot Albert and Gardner James, and proud of it.) B. Iden Payao's Correction. Editor Varibtt: I shall be obliged if you will correct an error in your Bulletin of last Thurs- ' day. /■ * •..'■■.••■'■■•■■ %.*&> ■■ : I did not say that I would usV no strike breakers in the castof any plays I produce hereafter. That would be virtually to act on the principle of the closed shop, which is not demanded by the A. E. A.. $:*: What ,1 said, and reaffirm, is that I shall make no attempt' to use strike breakers during the continuation of the strike. B. Iden Payne, SMALL TIMER'S LAMENT. (To the time ot "I'm .always chasing rain- bows.") By Grade De-agon (OF DICKINSON AND DEAGON.) At the end of the small-time there's happi- ness, «-■ But to find. It how often I've tried To land two a day I've tried every way, Still my dreams have all been denied. Why have I always been on second I wonder If, the wife's to blame / I know darn well it can't be me. CHORUS. I'm always chasing. Murdock, Martin Beck and Albee too. I thing the wife's a Jinks to me what am I to doT 8he Is a White-Rat and pro-German, While I'm a good staunch N. V. A. To ber I preach this dally sermon You're kid stuff's getting too passe. Believe me, I'm Just a small time actor Trying to buy a home In Freeport in vain. Coast House Playing Pictures. Seattle, Sept. 2. Because of the actors' strike in the east, the Metropolitan will switch to pictures, except for "Tea for Three," now playing in the west. THE NOSEY REPORTER (With apoloaiei to 8. Jay Kaufman end "Evtnina Globe.") TODAY'S QUESTION: "What is go- ing to happen to the Actors' Fidelity League if the Actors' Equity Association and the Producing Managers' Associa- tion settle the strike this week. This question was put to seven birds last night on the Main Stem while they were tea lug up. The answers are: LIEUT, WILLIAM WOOLFENDBN, U. S..AT: "I am living In a first class hospital at Fox Hill, Staten Island. All of the guests there seem to be satisfied with the situation. The food Is nifty and the booze is great. So why should we try to get out!" LOU DAVIS, beef packer: "I think the price of pork chops Is going to go down. There isn't as much of a call as usual from Chink restaurants, and chat means--that they are losing their after theatre trade. Who isn't eating T Why ask me, I am getting my chuck regular at the Strand and It Is good scoffing. Another thing- that I'll tell you 1b that they haven't raised my rent at Mur- ray's. Tip me when the panic is on, that's a good guy." BILLY LA HIFF, restaurateur and dispenser of liquid refreshment: "When all the strikes are ended I'll still be selling the best food in New York, whether they eat It or not. I eat It myself and Frank Qerrerlty thinks it's the best ever. I think I'll have to get a larger bar. If 'Dinty* Moore didn't have George McManus as his press agent Where would he get oft at? Now honestly I ask youT It this sunshine keeps up I think I'll have to get smoked glasses." SLOVAK-SAM, the bus boy at the Astor Grill: "Dees is noting. I got work every night three sometimes two o'clock. What dey tink, I got to stick by the floor. The light he cost money. I don't care. But when.he bring bottle in pants he stay here all night. It Is rain on the commune." . TILLLIE ZINK8IDE8, the brassiest gal on the coat rack: "Listen to me, this stuff is all wrong. I had a chump brace me here one night. He writes plays for the saps to act In. This bird comes to me end tries to slip me a'half a yard, cause he thinks I'm a poor frail and teaching school. I stall him for he looks soft and I think I can take him for a c.ouple of grand and then this thing breaks. It's tough, I'll say an honest gal ain't got no cbanct at all these days. Say who'd yer think I'll win the 1 foist tomorrer? Maybe I kin get a bet down." DOC STEINER, speaking with a mask and straiser on, replied he had never "heard ot a strike, that he has been tak- ing care of himself since, a boy and re- fuser to permit the nosey scout to call htm Doc. "I'll tell you what I think," Siuoth the doctor. "All you guys are oo fresh. You think you can kid me - and print it in English eo my friends can't read it. If I want to be kidded I speak with the.gentlemen of the Staats. I know every foreign act that ever did' a flop and a lot ot others that never had a chance, and strike only means one thing to me,-three times for a nickel and If you send the little block of wood to 2,000 It costs you nothing. I did that once. I tried It and drank a beer between each blow. It cost me- 75 cents tor beer and 25 cents tor the strikes before I found out tbe thing wasn't working, and at that I missed a stein. . . ■■ ■ - : BUTTERMILK JERRY, the pest of 'Broadway, remarked he had some very opinions. "If you are the nosey writer, tip me where I can get some shots cheap. These tough times are holding me down to two a day when I use to get 50 and at that I can't sniff. If all the actors are striking why ain't I * working? I'd make a good actor. They * tell me Lew Kelly is a great dope on tbe stage but he's got to make up for - It, Tell me where there's some good loose hop, will yer, and tell Kelly to hire me for his understudy/' agora going to and from the meeting, Mario Walnwrlght giving the Equity the 4MKgf. and grabbing a Fidel lite line. ,; . f. :'-M'i V y i V.fe* That early A. M. meeting for the ticket takers, ushers and doortenders. . : *V Jay Brennan says: "What Is pride when pen- ■ nles are concerned." . Those Talntor letters. ' '■-■-'.-.' : "-«jgi Goat's telephone call to Pago after the letters were delivered." ;-'" : '-'> :iy .■'-:-■ \< : ' Sam Rotbapfel feeling hurt because Ttaiater , didn't write to him. A t' I Vi Bessie McCoy's two-gun man. j V ..'. itfsr The former ex-pres agent of a producing ^* arm being steered by Tod Sloane into a "gtnny" - ? and the chorus gals ringing In every skirt that , needed a drink. " ,,-. ■ Slipping the "old Bubsldy stuff" to an eminent | Chicago theatrical scribe and hoping to got X away with It - .. = v^i£* The newspapermen figuring on circulating ? : -% petition to bar Moscba Gest tram the manager. lal press room. BUI Brady's "drink line" of striking actr at a certain cafe at West 48th street and manner in which It grows nightly. Yes_, is the host and principal check grabber, X. W H > v ". IN CHICAGO. Chicago, Sept. 2. It is quiet in theatrical strike cir cies here. All the attention is cen- tered upon, the two $2 theatres open, Auditorium, and B lacks tone. ; . The Auditorium, with an A.vR-A.s benefit show, will do $30,00 on the week; the Blackstone, with Geo. Ty- ler's "On the Hiring Line," will do $7,500 on the week, The Auditorium got $4,000 tonight. Its money capacity at the scale is around $5000. 7%. • " ;;■ Tyler's 'Tillie," at the Davidson, Mil^ waukee, opened last night to $1,28% Laura Hope Crews did not want to||: appear in "The Hiring Xine" following;", % the receipt by her of a threatening letter 'sent special delivery. Miss " Crews was persuaded to go on. The letter stated if she persisted in ap- !>earing in a non-union play, she would lave her face burned off. The letW;" was received by her at one o'clock this morning. The post office is investi-i|I gating. It is believed to have been sent by a sympathizer of the strikers.; The feeling around is that the the- atres will open by next Monday. No-, one expresses what that implies, ' * the : theatre managers seem cqC^k : Vi.., "The Passing Show," held .,ct^ stead of going to New York, ia;<iue' to start a four-weeks' engagement at the Garriack. Opening date is reported for Monday. The show when playing at the Palace was stopped by the strike. There are forty "Passing Show£ chorus girls here who have lived bri, $15 each for the two weeks since clos- ing. That was the amount of their half-week's salary. The girls are.tr% gcther, four and five in a room'.^trV-;* out funds. Through the chorus gii.'^ auxiliary of the A. E, A. having no Cfc^fej cago branch, the girls say they do M'Hj know where to apply for funds need* -M The A. E. A. is reported angling to secure the Playhouse. It seats 700 and is owned by a picture concern; hThii deal may go through,/asthe^ owners v only ask assurance that a successful^ show shall be put in there. -7- wwSI \ SAN FRANCISCO NOT AFFECTED, .;/.,.. San Francisco;'-Sep't. ; 2.'|;!|?i ; Aside from talk and rumors that iH0'f ' musicians and stage hands would a iy. imt the call in-the event they ; a»^ ; asked to walk out to aid the A.E/A'J^ Critics discoursing on union actors. Critics talking about "three hours of union acting." Eddie Cantor's mustache. Morris Cost's lengthy debates In the press room. • ' •»' ' Tbe newspapermen figuring on ibarrlng Gest because of his gabblnoss and his Insistence that nil work stop while he-talks. :. . Those signs In front of the theatres. The Amsterdam sign: "Follies Closed By Contract Breaking. Bftulty Actors."., Tbe mora dignified three-sheets in front of the other houses. ,-.-.• ' . ^,„ William A. Brady making good on his $250 donation with his wife's permission. The elevator cross-fire between the man- as there is no indication of the storike if| f reach here ■ "'.'"' : '-v. /-''u'yf'^. A local daily carried an artltle la.W - week quoting Edgar Selwyn, who w ;%? visiting here as expressing his opinio • that every theatre in the country legi timate, vaudeville and picture woukj L be closed before the actors'' strike if i Vp settled He referred to the 8trikm»>M'' actors . as sincere and numbeifii':M|| among them 2,000 of the best actors'/? .'?;;$ Broadway, and that they were' stickii.^H together closer than brothers for',: t'T?? first time in the history of ther. * and that the same thing hold j;'" the managers. 33