The New York Clipper (October 1916)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER October 7, 1916 BRONX THEATRE BOYCOTT IS GROWING MOSS HOUSE NOW INVOLVED NO MOURNERS FOR HAWKINS Chicago, Sept 25.—Chas. B. Hawkins, a famous comedian of. the Civil War days, was buried here to-day without a mourner present The veteran actor was found dy- ing a week ago in a cheap rooming house. - The strike of the stage hands, mu- sicians and operators at the Picker Thea- tres in the Bronx, which was reported in last week's Clippeb, has been settled, fa- vorably to the unions. The trouble started more than two week* ago, when the demand of the unions to discharge the non-union men employed by David W. Picker was refused. He gave as hia reason that the men had been faithful and efficient, although, he claimed, he bad no objection to their join- ing the union. The Bronx is strong for unionism, and the pickets and street meetings did not Bnd it hard to keep the people from pat- ronizing the Burland and Spooner theatres, owned by Mr. Picker. Patronage at both these houses fell on", it is reported, to such an extant that Mr. Picker, on Thursday, roet the union representatives in confer- ence and gave in to their demands. Corse Payton, who is a member of the White Rats, and who is conducting a stock company at the Spooner, absolutely re- fused to aid the unions by withdrawing his company. If. I* Abbott, of the Theatrical Pro- tective Union, and Harry Mackler, of the Moving Picture Machine Operators Union, have started work unionizing the two houses, those of Mr. Picker's men wishing hi join the organization being retained. On Monday the strike extended to the Prospect in the Bronx, a Moss house, and all the other houses on the Moss circuit wilt join, it is reported. $100 A WEEK FOR MANAGER'S WIDOW HENDERSON PLAYERS READY Beginning on next Thursday the Hender- son Players, directed by Alfred E. Hen- derson, will give monthly performances of one act plays at the McAIpin Hotel. Music will be provided by the Henderson Trio. Miss Agda Granberg, pantomimist, • will present Victor Hugo's "The Trumpeter'B Betrothed" at one performance. STRIKE BOARD FAVORS OKLA. ACTORS SAYS THEY SHOULD HAVE UNION KINDEST STAGE MANAGER DEAD Asks for Mor* bat Surrogate Cohalan Decides She Will Have to Worry Along on That Amount. Mrs. Martin C. Wright, who was for- merly the wife of the late George H. Huber, the wealthy museum manager and sporting man, has asked for a. weekly al- lowance from the Huber estate of which she is an heir. In her petition she stated that her present husband is unable to support her in the style to which she is accustomed and asked for $150 per week. The petition further stated that as the income from the estate was about $3,000 per month the amount she asked for was little enough for her to receive, pending the final decision of the court as to. whether she is to receive the entire estate or only half of it—the decision resting upon which one of two wills the court shall decide is valid. Surrogate J. P. Cohalan, to whom Mrs. Wright made her application, decided that she had asked for too much and that she would have to worry along on $100 every seven days. He therefore signed papers for this amount. Arthur R. Evans, Who Befriended Many- Chorus Girls, Expired Last Week, Following Nervous Breakdown Word of the death of Arthur R. Evans, for years known as the "kindest" stage manager on Broadway, which occurred Sept. 20, was received by his many friends and admirers. Evans, who was forty-three years old and lived with his mother in the Bronx, died in a sanitarium at Watkins Glen, N. Y., following a nervous breakdown. For the past seven years he had been stage manager for "Ziegfeld Follies," and prior to that time was with the Winter Garden and the Broadway Theatre. He earned the name of 'kindest stage manager" because of his consideration for chorus girls Harry Mountford, international organ- izer of the White Rats of America, in speaking of the present conditions of vaudeville and the relative attitude of the White Bats, in a recent interview laid par- ticular stress upon the fact that all talk of strikes and walk outs were emanating from sources other than official. He has been quoted repeatedly as threatening the vaudeville interests with such a catas- trophe, without any reason whatever, he insists. "The union shop, of course, is our ulti- mate object," he said, "and we have no fear whatever that my object and the ob- ject of the White Rats of America will not be attained. "Conditions in vaudeville as they exist at present are largely due to the fact that the bookings at the vaudeville houses are handicapped by personal reasons and fra- ternal affiliations interfering with the cor- ■ rect and effective construction of the vari- ous bills. No matter how valuable or desirable an act may be for a certain pro- gramme, for a reason of belonging to a certain order or being in disfavor in cer- tain directions it cannot be placed. On the other hand an. act which may be en- tirely unsuitable to a bill or an audience has to be placed by 'orders' to meet cer- tain obligations or considerations. . POPULAR VERA DORIA HERE Vera Doria, the English actress, who arrived last week from abroad, is ap- pearing this week in Pittsburgh in "So Long Letty" and will soon be seen in the show on Broadway. ■.• Miss Doria previously appeared on both stage and the screen for Mr. Moros- CO in "Tik Tok Man of Oz," and "Ma- jesty of the Law," a recent photo-play release. Her work on the TCngllsh stage' with Hawtrey, Wyndham and other widely known artists made her popular, on the other side, and it is expected that she will duplicate this popularity in this country. Toe photo was snapped by Al Foatell, GUESTS AT ACTORS* FUND HOME AT WEST NEW BRIGHTON Left to right—Charles Morris, Wm. T. Stephens, Minnie Oscar Gray, Mr. and Mrs. George Morton, Nanie Cotter, Fred Runnells, May Silvia, Mrs. Alice Adams, Mrs. Preston, Mrs. Brennan, Marie Jackson. HERZ IN NEW MUSICAL COMEDY Ralph Herz will be seen in the new musical comedy, "A Regular Girl," to be produced by the Greeley Producing Cor- poration. The piece will open in Boston in about two weeks. Martha Mayo has been en- gaged for a leading role. Betty Hamilton is in Chicago. MANAGER MARRIES MILLINER Klgin, 111., Sept. 26.—W. B. Newman, manager of the Grand Theatre, married Myrtle Wade, former Elgin milliner, Sept. 21, in this city. "The announcements made to frighten the actors are in some measure lived up to with the above mentioned unfortunate results." When a possibility of a sympathetic strike was mentioned, Mr. Mountford em- phatically stated that there does positively exist no agreement at present providing for any such contingency between the White Rats and the musicians or the stage hands. The recent happenings at Oklahoma City which were forced upon the White Rats, Mr." Mountford declares, were strictly a local agreement, and have resulted in the (Continued on page 88) HERBERT BRENON SEEKS TO ENJOIN FOX Claim. "The War Bride's Secret Is an Infringement of His New Pro- duction "War Brides." Claiming that the Fox Film Corpora- tion's picture production, "The War Bride's Secret," is an infringement' of the Nazi- mova picture play, "War Brides," Herbert Brenon has served a notice of injunction on the Fox Company. - The picture "War Brides" is founded upon Marion Craig Wentwortb's play, in which Madame Hazimova appeared in vaudeville with marked success last sea- son. The copyright title to "War Brides" was secured from the author by Madame Nazimova, who in turn transferred it to the Brenon Company. Mr. Brenon claims that the use of the name "War Bride's.' Secret," or any similar title, is an in- fringement of his copyright. The Brenon picture will, it is claimed, be one of the moat expensive productions seen this year, Madame Nazimova alone' receiving $30,000 for her services. COWLES, YANKEE COMEDIAN, DIES Cleveland, O., Oct 2.—Charles Or- rin Cowles, for many years a favorite comedian, noted for his artistic imper- sonations of Yankee character roles, died 1 here on Sept. 20, at the age of fifty-five years. He had been on the stage practi- cally all of his life, up to nine years ago, when ill health compelled him to retire. His death was due to an automobile ac- cident, sustained when taking an outing last week with friends. Twenty-six years ago he made his New York suc- cess as a co-star with McKee Rankin in "The Canuck," at the Bijou Theatre, He remained with Mr. Rankin for three years, going to the Hoyt & Thomas' forces, playing several seasons, as "The Stranger" in "A Hole in the Ground." Afterwards he starred for several years in his own production of "A Country Merchant," written for him by Mr. Ran- kin. Later he played for several sea- sons in vaudeville. The funeral took place in Cleveland today. He is survived by a sister. UNIVERSAL, LYNCHBURG, RE-OPENS Lynchburg, Va., Oct 3.—The Uni- versal Theatre, which was closed down several months ago by the Piedmont Amusement Co., opened its doors this week as the Broadway Theatre under the' same control with L. M. Abbott as man- ager. ' .>i " '