Variety (September 1919)

'/-- ■ "~7 t .. VAMETY DAM BULLETIN , > --. : WALTER HAMPDEN PLEADS FOR J NATL. CO-OPERATIVE THEATRES i =* Equity Members Attend Meeting at Lexington, Making Record-Breaking Crowd Frank Gillmore Intimates That Settlement Between Warring Forces Would Soon Be Reached. Lillian Russell Arraigns Manager. 44 SHOWS CLOSED. The closing record of the strike hat 44 shows upon it, cither closed or pre- vented from opening since the strike started Aug. 7. Besides are untold rehearsals of new and old plays that had to be aban- doned. If the strike is settled this' week the theatrical season for '19-20 will start from four to six weeks late. • miy^ m _JS£g£ SPSS- mm kg?'- An intimation by Frank Gillmore that the strike is nearlng an end, a scholarly plea for the establishment of co-operative theatres on a national scale by the Equity by Walter Hamp- den, severe arraignments of the man- agers by Lillian Russell and Henry Dixty and an. amusing recital of the events attending the strike in Chicago by Hat en Dawn were the important features of the regular Tuesday mass meeting of the A. E. A at the Lexing- ton yesterday afternoon. The theatre held another record-breaking crowd, standing room being at a premium fifteen minutes before the session was called to order at 2:30 by Francis Wihon. Others whose remarks excited con- siderable interest were Lillian Albert- son, Bessie Tyree, Frank Bacon, Peggy Wood, William J. Kelly, Emma Dunn, Richard Bennett and Everett Butter- field. Mr. Gillmore's intimation of an early settlement was made during a speech, in which be stated that he (Gillmore) was in possession of certain important knowledge which could not be divulged , at present for obvious reasons, and ' that while the Equity members had waited patiently for good news it would seem as if they (the A. E. A.) had but little longer to wait With reference to the Gallo Opera Co. closing, Mr. Gillmore stated that the Equity had been subject to criti- cism, and he felt that an explanation was called for. Mr. Gallo had clearly understood, since last Friday, Mr. Gill- more stated, that, although the Equity was favorably disposed toward him (Gallo), a hitch might occur that might affect the Sbubert Theatre opening , Labor Day. Sunday night Mr. Gallo 7V*e called up the Equity offices, Mr. Gill- HAL FORDE SUED. - Boston, Sept & Hal Forde, of "Oh. My Dear," was served in a. suit for $100,000 today for : interfering with the tour of the Corn- stock & Gest production. Two players Cohan was "the young man who has are reported having been cited for been misled into being the managers' contempt, but when served claimed cat's-paw." V.-: such an order was illegal because yes- The Equity had a perfect right to terday was a legal holiday. i'$~fi ;">!'■ ?&> ; J»v w r M unionize, Miss Russell declared, citing the Bar Association, Architects' League and other professional organizations as proof that the idea was sound. Louis Mann, according to Miss Rus- sell, was the only actor who refused to give a free performance for the soldiers in Chicago during the war. This information, Miss Russell stated, came to her' through a Chicago dramatic critic, who wanted to pub- lish Mr. Mann's alleged refusal to entertain the soldiers at the time. The name of the Chicago critic was not Even. Henry Dixey rapped David elasco in particular and all managers in general, winding up his remarks with a cleverly delivered poem by James Stevens. Hazel Dawn gave a history of the Chicago strike from the time it started to the present. Harry J. Powers, although a manager, was for the actor, Miss Dawn said. Mr. Powers, ir~ seems, saw her (Miss Dawn) selling Equity propaganda in front of the Blackstone Theatre (Chicago) and asked her if she (Miss Dawn) did not know that she could be put in jail for breaking a city ordinance. Upon Miss __ Dawn replying that she was not afraid of going to jail Mr. Powers, according to Miss Dawn, said: "God bless youl I think you are right" Lillian Albert son declared that, although her husband (Abe Levy) was a partner of A. H. Woods in the owner- ship of the Eltinge Theatre, both she and her husband were, heart and soul with Equity. The managers are hav- ing their own troubles in holding out according to Miss Albertson, who cited as an example of overhead cost that the weekly expenses of the average theatre with the curtain down and the house dark was $600-$700 weekly. Francis Wilson, opening the meet- ing, characterized the attitude of the managers as "damnable and un-Ameri- BOSTON REMAINS CLOSED. Boston, Sept 2. The six closed theatres of yesterday with their legit shows remained closed tonight There was plenty of talk in connec- tion with the local strike but no move pf any consequence was made today by either side. LITTLE ATTENTION IN ENGLAND. i London, Sept~2. Very-little attention Is being given here by the dailies to the strike of the actors in America. Actors and managers over here are not commenting publicly about it Hartley Manners, a playwright, at the Greenroom Club Saturday night declared he is returning to New York the end of this month and that he will devote a million dollars, if necessary, to aid the actors' game. Mr. Manners said that actors and authors are the brains of the theatre. He denounced the managers. MANAGERS AFTER WM PLAYERS. Los Angeles, Sept. 2. There is an evident effort being made here by the New York theatrical man- agers to secure players in pictures in the Los Angeles studios. These players are wanted by the New Yorkers, it is said, to fill up the' open casts of plays in the east closed or stopped in rehearsal by the strike, Manager members of the Producing Managers' Association in New York, have claimed they can find all the playing material required in the mem- bership of the new A. F. L. ' Coir more continued, and at* that time had can." Through the offering of conces 13 ' been informed that the matter of the Ai Gallo opening had not been finally decided upon as yet As late as 6 p. m. Monday the Equity was still unable to inform Mr. Gallo of the probable atti- tude of the organization toward his opening The mysterious hitch, how- ever, was not explained by Mr. Gill- more, whose explanation left the im- pression that the stage hands and musicians, as is generally known, had been the cause of the calling off of the Gallo show. Walter Hampden paid a tribute to the stage hands and musicians in his speech, declaring that the Equity could never have gained its present position without the aid of organized labor. A plan to form a co-operative organiza- tion, with twelve actor-managers as a nucleus, was outlined by Mr. Hamp- den. His remarks met with responsive applause. Lillian Russell, making her debut as an Equity speaker, was accorded a wonderful reception. The greater part of Miss Russell's speech was taken up with an arraignment of David Belasco and George M. Cohan, the latter not ~x£y mentioned, but unmistakably identified : shot by Miss Russell by description. Miss ; turc Russell's favorite characterization of fu- sions the managers, Mr. Wilson added, had tacitly admitted that Equity was right Peggy Wood, speaking with refer- ence to the closing of "Buddies" at the Park Square, in Boston, Monday, afternoon, stated the newspapers had misrepresented the position of Wallace— Eddinger, Donald Brian and herself. According to Miss Wood. Eddinger, Brian and she own 70 per cent, of "Buddies." The Selwyns own the other 30 per cent The Equity had not called upon Miss Wood, Eddinger or Brian to walk out, Miss Wood said. How- ever, neither Eddinger, Brian or her- self had registered the slightest objec- tion to any member of the cast walk- ing out in answer to the Equity strike order. Miss Wood make it very plain that Eddinger, Brian and herself were in entire accord with the Equity and were decidedly pleased at the strike order,, although the peculiar position occupied by the three as "manager- actors' prevented them from taking action with the rest of the "Buddies" company. Miss Wood closed her re- marks with a pledge of fealty to the A. E. A. for herself and partners and the hope that Equity would be success- ful THE SITUATION IN NEW YORK SHOWS CLOSED. "!»• ntj»\ Vagabond* (Oohaa * v ^Harris), Cohan a Harris. -Lum Uiiei" (John Cert). Kalek- •rbocker. "Cko cm. chow* (Comstook * Oest), Century. "Mldalgjht Whirl" (Morrla Oast), Century Roof. "Ok. What a ow (Bhuberta), Sha- h««t The Five hUUlaaP (Comstook a Geat), Lyrie. "Tha Crlataea Allha* (Oao. Bread- burst), BroadburaL -A Volea la th. Dark" (A. B. Woodi), Republic. "Ktsatla Night" (Adolph Klaaber). Princess. -Ughiaio'" (Smith * Goldea). Gai- ety. "She*, a Goad Fellow" (Chaa. Dil- lingham). Globe. "Mom. Crista, Jr.." Winter Garden. "ScaaAala at 1B1»» (Geo. Whit.), Liberty. ea* (Lew Fields), -A Leaely Casino. "Galetlaa at U1F* (Sbubert), 44th ■treat, •The Better >Ole" (Chaa Coburn), Booth. «s» Baat" (Shubert-Baehel Croth- ara), Blaslno Elliott Toiile." (Flo. Ztegfald), Aaater- 6am. •-a itttiut Fellow" (a X. Cook), Cort "Adam and Era" (Comstook * Gist), Long-mere. •Gallo Optra to. (F. Gallo), Shuhert •"»»e Would and Ska UMf (W. A. Brady), Vanderbllt. Klii O'Claek aad Utdalght (Zlegfeld). Amsterdam Root. "Theae Who Walk, la, " (Shubert), 48th StrooL •"Too Haay Hoafaaoda" (A H. Woods). Hudson. "La La Lucille" (Alfred B. Aarons and Geo. D. Salts), Henry Miller. Thurston, Globe. '"MKbtie Night," "A Regular Fellow," "Ehe Would end She MaV* "Too Maay Huahaao*.'* "Dp From Nowhere,".Gallo Opera Co., "Aden and Bra" Thurston, announced premieres alncoatrlke started; could not open. SHOWS OPEN. "At »i4F> (W. A. Brady), Playhouse. >? EXEMPT SHOWS. " ^ " J £f. •■•*■*»•■» (Theatre GuildJ, "Happy Daye,* Hippodrome. Fulton. Boaeflt Ferforaaaaee by Aetera* "Greenwich Village Foil lea" (AL Equity Aaaeelatlea. Lexington Jones), Greenwich Village. -Ave., Second Ave,, and Thomaa- eh e f sky's. REOPENED WITH PICTURES. t 44«h Street, "Krangellne" "Kathleen Marourneca." . r Central, "Checkers." Lyric, "Deliverance." IN CHICAGO SHOWS CLOSED. "Copy Rleka" (Morose*). Cert "Prlaee There War" (Cohan A Har- ris), Cohan's Grand. "Up la Mahera nteone" (A. B> Woods). Woods. "Aawei Face* (Geo. w. Lederer), Colonial. SHOWS OPEN. -Hontynioea Town" (J.-U Blanch. ard), LaSalla. «Seaadar (Walter Bart), Garrlek. "Take,It From Me* (Jo* W. Galtes), Btudebaker. .._.._.. .' -pa«i«g show" (Shabert), Pelaee, "Up IN WASHINGTON SHOWS CLOSED. Nowhere" (J. D. Williams) Shubert-Belaaco. IN BOSTON SHOWS CLOSED. "Sea-Saw" (Henry W. Savage), Tre- mont. "Bitchy Koo" (Raymond Hltcheook), Colonial. "Breakfaat la Bed" (A H. Woods), ' Plymouth. "Somebody'. Sweetheart'' (Arthur Hammersteln), Shubert "Ob» Mr Dear" (Comstook * Gest), "Baddlea^ (Selwyn A- Co., Donald Brian, Peggy Wood, Wallace Ed- dinger). (Three latter named co- stars of play. Previously an- nounced by Selwyn A Co. aa hav- ing Imerejt in production.) Park Square. 38