Variety (December 1919)

■ ; " -..■.•••"•'.■"•-V.-.':VVJ ,: .-'■■"•.-■■"•' $&%&&&*?? ' ' " v" " • V ■ ' " ■. t - • " ■ '. ■- • ' '■'■'' ' ; ; " • - .. '■ • " LEGITIMATE i :••■;••> ••; • [EMORIAL PERFORMANCES HELD IN 221 CITIES TODA Officials of the Fund Expect to Obtain at Least $1,000,000 by These Special Matinees—Entertainments Are Being Given in 45 Theatres in New York—$2,000,000 Is Set as the Figure Required to Estab- _, Hah Permanent Endowment -.--■ ■--.' ■• 5'.?7■;"'•.';Under the country wide slogan "Think. Thank, Help!" special matinee per- - , .formances will be given this afternoon . (Friday) in 221 cities dotting the coun- 1 • try trom Skagway, Alaska, to Pensacola, ■■ Fla., In celebration of Actors' Memorial Day and In benefit of the Actors* Fund. ; It was not possible early this week to secure from the fast speeding commit- teemen an approximate total which will be netted by the special performances, but it looked assured that $1,000,000 would be attained when other perform- ances necessarily postponed will have been given. That, however, is but halt the goal sum set by the committeemen. Upon investigation of the Actors' Fund activities the financial and mer- cantile leaders who are heartily sup- porting the Actors' Memorial Day drive .Bald that $2,000,000 would be required to provide a permanent endowment, the Interest from that sum providing the expenses and disbursements annually. The promise to Daniel Frobmajn that $2,000,000 would be gained Justifies a continuation of the drive, regardless of whether tome benefits will be given as late as next spring. Mr. Frohman stated this week that should the original sum be secured the Actors' Fund would be safe for the present at any event. But It Is the full purpose of the committee- men to continue their drive activities, making every effort to endeavor to have all cities reach the quota allotted. New York is leading the country, as expected, both aa to money subscribed and the number, of performances. Shows are being given'in 46 theatres in New York this afternoon, that b'ing 90 per cent of the legitimate houses. It is ex- pected that New York will turn in over $500,000, though its allotted quota was more than $1,000,000. Chicago 1b expect- ed to run second and in that city six special matinees are being given, In- stead of fourteen, as first intended. The actual number of cities and towns given a quota is almost 1,000, or nearly every community having a population of over 5,000. Some of the smaller places have already reached their quotas and have Bent in their checks. Many of these .cities, not mentioned in the list below, will bold their performances on another afternoon. Others are giving special per- formances, including vaudeville, and still others, where attractions are not numerous, are holding dances and simi- lar functions in aid of the fund. * ' Several Important cities have post- poned their Actors' Memorial Day per- formances. Washington will net give Its special matinees until Jan. 13, while Bostons' matinees have been postponed until next May. This goes also for San Francisco, Buffalo and Cleveland. In the latter two cities the delay ia due to civic conditions, but most of the post- ponements are due to the fact that those cities have not nearly approaches the kuota allotted. It is felt that in grant- ing the delays a bigger sum for the fund will be secured. Failure to attain the quota at many points is explained by the.fact that the committee* -re not sd centralized. Today marks the culmination of seven months' labor for ihe Actors' Memorial | m - - i • i >: :.- ■ '.. ■ ; . ■ >"• I Day. It has meant Incessant effort on the part of men prominent in large af- fairs, in addition to the never ending labors of Daniel Frohman. Oliver Jones, as secretary for the fund, has carried a big burden. But the man who has actu- ally managed the campaign not only in New York but throughout the country ia W. Ward Smith, who is modestly listed as associate chairman of the Me- morial Day Committee. Mr. smith is a lumber man and one of the most promi- nent in .the Liberty Loan drives. Criti- cism was aimed at him for bis concen- tration on the theatres. So to show his spirit he gave up his private duties and has been working for eighteen hours a day on the Actors* Memorial Day drive. He has Infused mu 'h of his spirit into the local committees. This afternoon's performances will have speakers prominent in the local communities where the shows are given address the audiences for four minutes, outlining the patriotic work done by the theatre and Its people. There will be a response by an actor-speaker express- ing appreciation of the stage for the support given the Memorial Day celebra- tion. In New York the allotments for the various houses has not only been reached, but in many Instances they have gone far ahead. Several houses have subscribed more than $30,000, while for others around $5,000 has been se- cured. There la no secret to the stump- ing of activities in the outside cities. Many drives, including one for the Red Cross, seriously cut into the Memorial Day work. Monday. Mayor Hylan of New York issued a proclamation to the- people of New York endorsing Actors' Memorial Day and calling on the public to heartily support the celebration Friday by sup- porting the special matinees and mating the event a "banner day of apprecia- tion and generosity." The proclamation includes appreciation of the stage for its work in the war drives and Its par- ticipation in going overseas to entertain the A. E. F. Sunday last In the pulpits of the Catholic and Episcopal as well as churches of other denominations ap- peals were made to support the Actors' Memorial Day and the Actors' Fund drive. Ono r>f the leading committeemen was in conference with John D. Rockefeller, Jr., this week. The financier has aided in the Memorial Day drive and he ad- vised the committee that a substantial subscription would be made by him on Friday. Last Sunday night in Newarrc Louis Mann gave a special showing of "Friendly Enemies," it being figured that more money would be drawn than on Friday afternoon in the Bronx. It was the first legitimate sbow ever permitted by the city council of Newark on Sun- day. Jersey City also held several spe- cial performances for the fund on Sun- day and in Atlantic City and other points vaudeville shows were held for the same benefit. Providence, R. I., Dec. 3. Rhode Island's campaign for the bene- fit of the actors' fund was given material impetus last week by the announcement of an Initial gift of $5,000 by Col. Samuel P. Colt of Bristol, head of the United States Rubber Company and father-ln- (Continued on Page 27.) EQUITY'S ACTION OH w S0HDAYS. , » The Actors' Equity Association wUJ seek to counteract any Influence toward the enactment of a law m aking Sunday performances legal. The association ia opposed to such performances. The members who attended a closed meet- ing held Sunday afternoon at the Hotel Astor, emphasized it without a dissent- ing vote. Aa a result of a number of resolutions embodied in one and submitted by John Emerson, the future of Sunday per- formances over the United States, where performances are legal la to become an issue absolutely unfavorable to Equity. As a result of the resolutions an artist now playing in one of the New York productions offered an amendment which was adopted. It called for a com- mittee to be appointed by the Equity to go to Albany. Comparison was made and discussed as to why the actor should be compelled to work Beven days in the week. . An issue was also made of the no- Sunday shows at the meeting in its re- lation to Equity artists playing vaude- ville in dramatic playlets. After Borne debate it was declared that that art let came under a different branch of the organization when so employed. The future action of the Equity in this re- spect, as discussed at meeting, so far does not conflict with vaudeville. The only theatres in New York offering legitimate productions on Sundays are the Yiddish playhouses, playing both matinee and night The Sunday shows are the biggest item in the business of the Yiddish playhouse*. Further Interest In the course of the meeting centered Itself on the proposed erection of Equity theatres. It was stated, members are opposed to Ihe erection of a clubhouse, but that they favor the theatre Idea. Artists were urged not to engage themselves to a certain producing man- ager, who, it was declared, was making a bid for actors among the agencies. A few minutes before the meeting was adjourned, a motion was made and seconded, It was said, that a contribu- tion of $1,000 be sent to the steel workers, who. it was declared, were still striking. The motion was "nayed" out and pronounced uncarried by the chair- man. * : ' Francis Wilson presided. The meet- ing was attended by a membership that filled the boxes and the entire floor of the ball room. In a letter under date of Dec. 1, signed by Sam Harris, president of the Produc- ing Managers' Association, and Marc KJaw, president of the United Managers' Protective Association, sent to Francis Wilson, president of the Actors' Equity Association, It was denied that these or- ganizations were sending representatives to Albany to promote Sunday night per- formances. The letter in full reads: Mr. Francis Wilson, President the Ac- tors' Equity Association, 1476 Broad- way, New York. Dear Sir:—The morning papers record the fact that a resolution was passed by the Actors' Equity Association yesterday to oppose the lobby alleged to nave been sent, or about to be sent, to Albany to promote Sunday night performances. Neither the Producing Managers' Asso- ciation nor the United Managers' Pro- tective Association has -made any such move nor authorized any such step. If agitation of this kind is going on. it is by Individual managers, of which we have no knowledge. SAM H. HARRIS, President the Producing Managers' As- sociation. MARC KLAW, President the United Managers' Pro- tective Association. POLICE INSPECT "DEVIL" SHOW. A complaint filed with the police re- garding Job. Weber's "The Little Blue Devil" at the Central had Inspector Henry sitting in for one of last week's performances to judge if the show was "saucy," as claimed, or not. The In- spector tailed to find mucb really ► - naughty, but thought the "Naked Truth" number, which had the chorus disrobe so much that they showed their bare knees, should, be cut—and it" was. . Reviews, which pointed out the few clothes of the girls, has been one of the beat box office magnets for the show, but for some reason the producer failed v td give out the Inspector Henry visit. "Little Blue Devil" was the only mu- sical show to offer a special matinee last • Friday. With the holiday and football crowds in town, the house management figured a Friday matinee better than the usual Wednesday matinee, elimi- nated last week. The dope ran true, the show getting $1,061 for the Friday afternoon; Just doubling the usual Wednesday afternoon.receipts. Through rescallng of the house the show tipped $15,000 for last week. M0B0SC0 CLOSING TWO. Oliver Morosco will close his "Merry Mary Brown" In Elmlra on Dec. 13. The show will be brought into New York and fixed up for a local presentation early next year. This week in Syracuse an entire new act is being interpolated into the piece. He is also.closing "So Long Letty." CLOSES "SCANDAL" IN DULUTH. Duluth, Dec. 3. The road company playing "Scandal," and headed by Ann Winston and Herbert Ransom, closed at the Lyceum here last Saturday, after doing poor business on tour. "Too sophisticated for the road" was the verdict of the management. The entire crmpt.ny left for New York. Selections for Gorky Play. Although no official announcement has been made, Arthur Hopkins has selected a number of players for the.proposed Gorky's piece called "A Night's Lodging.'' The players .nclude Gllda Varesi, Rollo Lloyd, E. G. Robinson, Pauline Lord. Charles Kennedy - ■ - - ••■ CAB SHORTAGE ACUTE. Before the week is over, it is predicted,^ . the routing of railroad shows will be eo seriously hampered that every road show wllfl be stalled. The first Indications of tHe blow were felt In the Morosco offices, when it was announced that the ''So Long Letty'* company, now In the South, would close Dec. 13 In Waco, Texas. It was said that the principal reason was the inability to-secure baggage cars. It was also pointed out that as early as Nov. 20 the Morosco officers wrote J. M. Conn ell, general passenger agent of the Santa Fe Railroad, with headquarters In Topeka, Kan., asking for a reserva- tion to take effect on Dec. 7. His reply In the form of a telegram came back saying: •Your letter 20th regret account ex- treme shortage will be unable to provide baggage cars "So Long Letty" company as outlined itinerary. Miry possibly be able to provide combination baggage car and mail car with thirty-foot baggage space."; SHUBEBT FBESIDENT OF C0BF. The Nicram Producing Co, Inc* has •been formed, capitalized at $10,000, for the purpose of producing Max Marvin's playa The corporate title is the.play- " wright's name reversed. Lee Shubert is affiliated with Marcin in this venture and will be president of the corporation. Marcin will be vice- president William Klein and Nathan Burkan, the attorneys, will be re- spectively treasuior and secretary, Klein representing Shubert and Burkan. for Marcin. The corporation will produce plays other than Mr. Marcln'B plays. Marcin turned over the dramatic rights to several books which he held, in consideration for $5,000-worth of stock. "Mabel Be Careful" Closes. Max Spiegel's "Mabel Be Careful." a musical comedy, closed at Newport News. Va„ last Saturday night The company returned to New York on Mon- day. Poor business and the fuel short- age is ascribed as the reason for closing. ♦ . •. ; r ■-'.•' . ■■■? i* : ... i ■ ■ 6 ■ I .:■ * ■ ...... . :.• . ■. .- ■ ■ -\ /■: : !