The New York Clipper (April 1919)

Copyrighted, 1919, and published weekly by the Clipper Corporation, 1604 Broadway, New York. Entered at the Poat-offica »t New York. June 34.1»7». M secosd-class saaB. matter sndsr Act oMIarca 3. 1P>» Founded by FRANK QUEEN, 18SJ NEW YORK, APRIL 23, 1919 VOLUME LXVU-No. 11 Price, Ten CenU, t4.ee a Year STAGE UNIONS TO FIGHT BOLSHEVIKI GOMPERS ORDER, IS REPORT Lynn, Mass., April 21.—There were general reports at the annual meeting of the New England district of the I. A. T. S. B. here, last week, that every local of the association in the country would be used as a unit to fight the spread of Bol- aheviki propaganda, and these statements were borne out by Charles C. Shay, inter- national president of the organization, who flayed Bolshevism and pointed out its dan- ger to organized labor. The return of Samuel Gompers from overseas is believed to have something to do' with the move. It is said the American Federation of Labor Is well satisfied with the men at the beads of the different unions and that the spread of Bolshevik! propa- ganda would disrupt the present organiza- tion. ' Other business taken up at the meeting included the passage of a resolution op- posing the bill in the Massachusetts legis- lature to close theatres on Sundays. The bill came up for final reading two days after the convention and a large number of representatives of the association were present to aid in the fight against its pas- sage. The bill was defeated in the Senate by a vote of seventeen to seven. Reports were made of the theatrical managers at Bangor, Me., trying to crowd out the local there. The association mem- bers went on record as taking umbrage at the action of the Bangor Amusement Com- pany in the arrest and incarceration of George Foster, an official of the Bangor local. Foster was arrested for the dis- tribution of circulars pertaining to a con- troversy between the amusement company and the union, which was over wages. It is said the -union has not been able to get its side of the question presented in the Bangor papers and this was set forth in the circular. Foster claims he was not in the city at the time the circulars were distributed. Harry Ryan, president of the Lynn labor union, welcomed the 100 delegates present at the . meeting in behalf of or- ganised labor of this city. Charles Leo Benson, manager of the Olympia Theatre, told how harmony between' manager and employe is necessary for prosperity in the theatre. John J. Barry, Boston, general organizer, told of the days when a stage- hand was paid 50 cents a performance and was lucky if he' got it. He was a member of the committee when only 11 cities were organized, and today' 1,100 cities are or- ganized. He thought he was the oldest delegate present. F. G. LeMaster, gen- eral secretary-treasurer of the union, told of the financial standing. Haverhill was selected for the next con- vention, May 30, 1820, defeating Fitchburg. William/A. Dillon, Local 57. Fall River, was elected secretary for the 25th con- secutive term.. ... -, ■... .' •• ••• The . following delegates,were in attend- ance: .J. H. Fairclongh, E. Rv Jones, Boa* (Continued on page 32.) CORT REHEARSING NEW SHOW "Claudia" is the title of a new play John Cort is producing, and which he placed in rehearsal last week. The piece is an episodical comedy in two acts and eight scenes and was written by Mary Ellis, who adapted. it from Gertrude Hall's novel "The Truth About Camilla." Miss Ellis had originally called her play "Camilla," but' Arthur Hopkins' production' last Winter of Clare Kummer'n comedy "Be Calm, Camilla" led her to adopt the present title. Mme. Mimi Aguglia, the Italian actress who has played nere before, but never in English, and who appeared on the Bowery several years ago, in the play now being presented by Arthur Hopkins with the brothers Baxrymore called "The Jest," will be the featured player in the cast. Other players who have thus far been chosen are: Byron Beasley, Ralph Locke, Jeffreys Lewis, Mrs. Jacques Martin, Will- iam Raymond, Gretchen Hartmen and Dorothy Lewis. S. K. Fried is staging "Claudia," which will open out of town the middle.of next month. .'...' v ■ " , DONALD BRIAN'S DAUGHTER GONE The daughter of Donald Brian, the actor, has been- missing from the Brian home at Great Neck, L. L, since last Thursday, according to information re- ceived at Police Headquarters from a woman giving her name as Mrs. Donald Brian.. No information could be obtained at the Brian home. The girl is, according to the police, about 14, but appears much older, and friends of the family think it possible that she has run off with some show troupe. Donald Brian.married Mrs. Charles H. Pope in March, 1910.. She was previously Florence Meagher Gleason, of Saratoga Springs, N. Y. SELLS-FLOTO COMING EAST That the Sells-Floto Circus plans to in- vade the same territory in the East in which the Ringling - Bros.-Barnum and gailey's Circus rs scheduled to show next summer was learned last week when Ed- ward Arlington, the Sells-Floto booking representative returned from a booking tour in which he arranged- that his circus play in Boston the week of May 26, Deco- ration Day week. In order to play Boston, the. Sells-Floto Circus will be brought from the Middle West, where.it is. now booked to-show during next month. WHITE SHOW OPENS MAY 15 When Georgie White's "Scandal of 1910" opens in Wilmington, Del., May 15, there win be nineteen principals in the cast who have, for the most part, been drafted from musical plays now running on Broadway. Two of them are already known; these are Ed Lee Wrothe and Mae Grey. Klaw and Erlanger, who are booking the "Scandal" show are reported to have provided White with some of the money necessary to put the show on. "FOLLIES" TO HAVE $3.50 TOP That a $3.50 top will prevail at the New Amsterdam Theatre when the' new "Fol- lies" comes to town in June was reported last week when it was .also stated that Ziegfeld has-raised-the.-prices'of-seats in the balcony, to $3 top for. the -'first three rows.' The .top.figure, set by Ziegfeld will make of the "Follies" the. highest price show to see in this country. E. F. ALBEE OPENS NEW HOUSE IN PROVIDENCE MANY NOTABLES PRESENT Providence, R. I., April 21.—About everybody who could get inside, filling all the 2,500 or so seats and standing rows deep in the rear, attended the brilliant opening of the new $ 1,000,000 E. F. Albee Theatre to-night. The opening exercises consumed about an hour before the regu- lar vaudeville bill of headliners came on. ■ Introduced by Manager Charles Loven- berg, there ' were addresses by Mayor Joseph H. Gainer, Col. H. Anthony Dyer, Representing Governor Beeckman, Mr. Al- bee and our own George M. Cohan, who received an ovation when he stepped from the wings. Mr. Albee received a royal greeting and said that he was especially gratified to see a number of his competitors sitting oat in front, not at all envious of his success. He said: "I am more satisfied and gratified than I know how to express. I have not seen much of Providence lately, for I have been busy all over the United States east of Chicago. > "I feel that I have exceeded myself np to the present time in building this thea- tre. Mr. Lovenberg is a most excellent manager, as you all know. As far as the Albee Stock Company goes he conceived it and gave you all the success and pleasure yon have had in the old theatre. Now I have turned over this theatre to him and I am sure he will give you the same satis- faction." Mr. Albee then told a little about his beginnings, in Providence, and before in- troducing Mr. Cohan read a letter from - Lew Ddckstadter from Wilmington, which also brought np old times when he had his try out in Mr. Albee's old theatre in this city.' Mayor Gainer and CoL Dyer re- ceived the theatre for the city and state, and congratulated ail hands on the beauty of the. house and the enterprise and senti- ment which ' gave it to this city. The vaudeville program included Marguerite Sylva, Cressy and Dayne, the four Mor- tons, Walter C. Kelly, Ivan Bankoff and Company, the Seven Bracks, the Lightner Girls and Newton Alexander, Asahi, and I.iboDatL , Among the guests of Mr. Albee present were: Col. and Mrs. Theodore Marceaux, New York; Judge Edward McCall, New York; Mr. and Mrs. John McNaUy, New York; Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Lander, New York; Miss Lauder, Philadelphia; Win. L. Mitchell and. Miss Mitchell, New York; Rev. Dr. Richard. Cobden and Mrs. Cob- den, Larchmont, N. Y.; Rev. Fr. Cbaa. A. Finnegan, Boston;. Miss Smith, New York; Mr. and Mrs. Reed Albee,. New York; .Mr. and Mrs. John'J. Murdoch, New York; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. B. Sleeper, N*ew York; Mr. and.Mrs. Maurice.' Goodman,. New York;~B. V. Daring,: New York; 8. .K. Hodgoh';' Martin '--'Beck, genera] manager of the Orphenm Circuit' of Theatres; Dl F. Heunessy, New York; John P. Gar-" ny;*"* -rr'*i;"'-' ■.'; '■• •■■■••■r : : :-.••:.:•'? "■ r XCon{inue4 on- page 25.) "STNBAD" TO SAIL FROM BOSTON Boston, April 21.!—It is understood that Al Jolaon and the Winter Garden extravaganza, "Sinbad." which opens here to-day, will go to Paris as soon as the run is completed, and later be shown in Lon- don. Before the company sails, J. J. Shubert will have returned from Europe and will come to Boston and look the pro- duction over, making any necessary changes.. ..--,_- • Although the Sbnberts during. the last three or four years have received numerous foreign offers for their Winter Garden pro- ductions, they have, always refused them, awaiting the opportunity to bring their productions over themselves and present them to London and Paris audiences. In London, Drury Lane has been chosen, and in Paris the Hippodrome, both places seat- ing almost as many as the Winter Gardes in New York and the Boston Opera House here. Jolson is already well known by repu- tation to foreign audiences, while both Paris and London are filled with Ameri- cans. The plan is for Jolson and "Sin- bad" to embark is Boston early in July and opeu in Paris in the middle of July, and in London in September. The entire "Sinbad" organization and chorus will be "FOLLIES".HAD TO CHANGE SONG Toronto, April 18.—The feeling of re- sentment toward what Canadians claim is boasting on the part of Americans as to the part played in the war has grown to such an extent that theatre managers are beeom.ng very careful to eliminate as much as possible any bits and songs that praise the United States. That the sentiment baa spread was clearly proved, when Frank Carter with Ziegfeld's "Follies" was obliged last week to substitute the word "Canadian" for "American" in a song telling about the soldier who never is beaten. Sergeants Shea and Bowman were hissed off the stage at Loew's here several weeks ago, and since then parte of films in which the feats of the United States are played np have been cut oo,t and Americas perform- ers generally have taken care to avoid too great a mention of the exploits of the boys from the states. WEBER AFTER RIGHTS OF BOOKS Joe Weber is negotiating with E. P. Dotton A Sons, the publishers, It became known last week, for the dramatic rights to the "Four Horsemen of the Apo- calypse," the season's most popular novel. The book is from the Spanish of Vlasqnes Ibanez, one of the foremost living Spanish authors and if Weber obtains the dramatic rights, he will have an adaption made to be produced by him early next season. SHOWMAN IS BANKRUPT Rutland. April 19.—F. S. Story, of St. Johnsbnry, showman and entertainer, has filed a petition in bankruptcy in the office in this city of the clerk of the United States Court. His liabilities are $6\9S&48 and he has assets of $200, all claimed ex- empt. There are 63 unsecured creditors, nearly all in St. Johnsbnry. - "THE DANCER" CLOSES The' Shuberts hate pat "The Dancer" into the storehouse and may present K in New York in August. Martha Hed- mah, who formerly played the female lead, opened this week in Three for Diana."