The New York Clipper (April 1919)

April 30, 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER NEW PRODUCERS ASS'N TO DEMAND EQUAL PERCENTAGE Smaller Managers Sore Because Larger Ones Get Better Break on Both Terms and Houses. Another Meeting to Be Held This Week and Plans Formulated Just what will be the direction in which the newly formed Producing Managers' Association will start in its contemplated purpose of correcting, many evils now ex- istant in show business is causing much speculation, many smiles and some sneers along Broadway, where most everyone connected with the business is awaiting the outcome of the next meeting, scheduled for this week, when the plane of the new organization are to be formulated. Considerable secrecy was thrown about the meeting held last week, in an effort, it was said, to keep the details of what transpired from the two big booking of- fices, the Shuberts and Klaw and Erlanger, inasmuch as representatives from neither had been present. The fact, however, that one of the main persons present at the meeting was not only seen, but could he heard by all nearby telling Lee Shubert what it was all about the next day at lunch in the Astor, made it evident that neither office would have much trouble in finding out whatever they wished to know. Among the many complaints, to the eradication of which the new organization is to devote itself, the one of percentages seems to hold a prominent place. Many of the smaller managers, who produce only one or two shows a season, have found out, it is said, that they do not get the same percentage when playing a theatre that some of their more prolific contemporaries do. In some cases, it is reported, the dif- ference between what-a. producer of many plays and one who produces only one or two, will get amounts to as much'as 10 per cent. Consequently, the smaller pro- dueer-ftels he is not getting a square deal and, through the new association, wants to say so. Another grievance along the same line is regarding houses, some of the members of the new organization feeling that a man who produces three shows a season should be- able to get a Broadway bouse more readily than one who puts out only one production. This point is of great interest to the members, and as one of them pointed out early this week, there is considerable feeling over it. As an example, some of the members feel that Roland West should not have been given the Lyric when men who pro- duce more than one show a season wanted it. Arthur Hammerstein, it is said, wished it for "Somebody's Sweetheart," but was refused by the Shuberts. He then wanted the Central, where Alice Brady was playing at the time in ■ "Forever After," 'and was again' refused. He then threatened to go over to Klaw and Er- 1 anger, where, at that time, he could have secured the Knickerbocker. This brought the Shuberts through, and they got "For- ever After" to move and Hammerstein's show went in. Some of the members of the new organi- zation seem to think that a man like Hamm erstein, who has three shows on Broadway this season, should be given preference in the choice of houses to a man like West, who has only one company playing. It is also said that the same feeling ap- plies to William Harris' occupancy of the Astor, the best Shubert honse, for which a number of other producers were "g^g when the run of "Keep Her Smiling" "with Mr. and Mrs. Drew began to edge off at the box-office. A definite statement of the intention of the organization is promised for the end of this week. The members of the new organization are as follows: Sam H. Harris, president; Lee and J. J. Shubert, William A. Brady, Arthur Hop- kins, Marc Klaw, Alf. Hayman, A. L. Erlanger, David Belasco, Arthur Hammer- stein, Oliver Morosco, George- Broadhurst, John D. Williams, Charles Dillingham, F. Ziegfeld, Jr., William Harris, Arch and Edgar Selwyn, A. H. Woods, -George M. Cohan, Winchei Smith, John L. Golden, Morris Gest, F. Ray Corns took and William Elliott. GIVES DETAILED TESTIMONY Chicago, April 25.—Venita Gould, well known in stock and vaudeville, gave some interesting details in her suit for divorce against Harold R. Jones. She described a raid upon his apartment as follows: "Yes, the door of the sun parlor opened, and there stood Mr. Jones, clad in a look of surprise and an outspread newspaper. ' The three detectives and I had entered the Sat so softly he had not heard us. "I said: 'Where's your friend?' Mr. Jones replied: 'In there.' We went into the sun parlor and found a girl. Her cos- tame did not include even the newspaper. She wept "The next day Mr. Jones said he didn't care if I had caught him, and that if I tried to do anything about it be would call out his friends among the crooks and bar- tenders of the community, and they would testify they had been oat with me." TRY TO STOP "TIGER! TIGER!'' Newark, N. J., April 28.—^Vice-Chan- cellor Lane today granted to the manage- ment of the Broad Street Theatre a tern- porary restraining order to prevent the police from stopping tonight's performance of "Tiger, Tiger," David Belasco's produc- tion, just from New York. MERIDEN MANAGER CHANGES Mbkiden, Codil, April 24.—William E. DeCroteau, manager of the Life 'Theatre here, will leave Meriden next Saturday, May 3, for Lewistown, Me. There he win join, the William Gray circuit, which oper- ates a string of honses in New England and will take the management of the Strand Theatre in that city. UNDECIDED ABOUT DREW PLAY Richard Walton Tully and his general manager, James Peede, are in a quandary what to do with "Keep Her Smiling," the piece in which Sidnej; _Drew was starring with his wife at t h e UiL e" he was taken ill. To begin with,-the-play is a heavy one, requiring thirty peopl^which includes a crew of six to pbr-ft5oif5egpite all the cuts that can be made. 'TEere are also two carloads of scenery and the payroll, with- out the Drews, ran over $1,600 weekly. In- order to do anything better than break even, the piece has to play to over $8,000 weekly. In view of the fact that the dead come- dian was the main draw in the show, Mr. Tully is somewhat doubtful -whether it would be wise to rehearse another lead and start the piece oat again, rather leaning to the idea that it would pay him better to devote his time to a new piece entirely. The matter is to be settled this week. THE TOWN IS MOVED .George Leffler, booking manager for A. H. Woods, fin trying to route' * show through Minnesota last week, found that the entire town of Hibbing, with several thousand population, is being moved. The town has a theatre, known as the Powers Theatre, and managed by J. W. Powers, but it, like (bedrest of the buildings, is being moved a distance of three miles. The reason given in answer to bis corre- spondence with the theatre people, is that valuable ore deposits have been discovered underneath the present site of the town and, to extract them, the city had to be moved. DUDLEY PULLS A SIR GALAHAD Edgar Dudley, the booking agent, palled a Sir Galahad last Wednesday night, and, in his capacity as knight errant to Martha Mansfield, of the "Midnight Frolic," is re- ported to have thrashed George Bern- heimer, son of the wealthy brewer of this city, in front of the stage entrance of the New Amsterdam Theatre on West Forty- first street. Witnesses report that, after leaving Miss Mansfield at the stage door, Dudley valked over to Bernheimer, who was standing at the edge of the curb near his limousine, and, after a few words, struck him. The latter fell, but, after rising to his feet, did not attempt to strike back at Dudley, entering his limousine instead. However, he emerged from the car a moment later with a cane, witnesses say, and, while Dudley's back was turned, struck the latter over the bead, inflicting no injury, but breaking his derby hat. "Whereupon, Dudley turned and is reported to have administered more punishment to Bernheimer, the latter submitting meekly and filially entering his car again and ordering his chauffeur to drive away. The cause of the thrashing was Bern- heimer's alleged remark to Miss Mansfield, whom Dudley had escorted from the Wal- lack Restaurant, that he would like to take her out after the show that evening. She says she told Dudley to tell Bern- heimer that she didn't care to meet him, wMch Dudley says he did. Bernheimer, Dudley says, uttered an offensive remark, which caused him to strike. A number of show folk were in the immediate vicinity of the fight when it occurred, among those who witnessed the occurrence being Joe Scbenck. WILL PLAY ONE NIGHT STANDS Mahanoy CRT, April 28.—The Family Theatre here will play one-night stands hereafter. Mrs. Christine Knoblauch bas purchased it, and Oscar W. Althoff, who has been appointed manager, is instituting the change in policy. COBURNS HAVE NEW PLAY Louis K. Anspacher has written a new comedy called "All the King's Horses." It will be produced next season by the Co- burns. KING BAGGOTT PLAY FLOPS King Baggott has failed as a drawing card on the legitimate, and the play in which he starred, "The Violation, came to a halt with a jolt in Bloom ingtoo, HI., according to stones that reached Broad- way early this week and brought back by returning members of the company. These members of the cast have filed a. complaint with the Actors' Equity Association for back salaries. According to iheir stories the play had not been.drawing any too well in March and April, but the members of the organi- zation were paid in full up to April S. At Peoria, April 10, after the curtain had gone down for the first act, an announce- ment was made from the stage that Bag- gott could not go on, due to a collapse caused by the news of the death of Sidney Drew. The company then went to Bloomington -and sojourned there until it dawned on the thespians that the run was about com- pleted. No salary waa forthcoming, and the cast then wended its way hackfto New York as best it knew how. The Actors' Equity Association will take the matter up with Harry Hunter, Inc.. producers of the show, if they can find the officers of the concern. Up to a short time ago the offices were on West Forty-fourth street, but they have been moved, and the new renters stated that they did not know where the producers could be found. Baggott opened about six weeks ago at Columbus, Ohio. It was the intention of the producers to bring the picture star into New York in the fail. EYRES PLAY NEEDS CHANGES Atlantic Ctfy, N. J.. April 28.— Laurence Eyres' new comedy, "Port o" Happiness," presents to the critical mind a very interesting subject As it stands in its present form it would be difficult to foretell its future, bat if the combined minds of those interested In it work the changes that can and ought to be worked, the play will make a strong hid for popu- larity and stMcem. There are two rather important phases of Mr. Eyres' play, which cannot escape a. sophisticated public. His character of Becky is not a psychological study as it should have been. With all the talents of a great musician, Becky possesses the tem- perament of a cabaret singer. The two won't jibe. The deep emotional capacity of a real musician is nowhere expressed, not even hinted at. The other fault lies in the fact that Becky is of the Jewish faith, raised and trained so. Clayton Galloway is a gentile. Becky's grandfather, in the third act, makes the religious difference deep and dear in a splendid piece of acting. Yet in the story's last act, which, by the way, waa by far the weakest, this almost impassable gulf is bridged with a platitudinous grip that is not even good. ATLANTIC CITY HOUSE HAS FIRE Atlantic Cttt, N. J.. April 28.—Fir* broke ont in the new Globe Theatre at 1 o'clock last night and for a few minute* looked Berioux. However, the prompt ar- rival of the fire apparatus and a full "boardwalk quota" of fire fighters soon had the blaze under control. At about 1 o'clock smoke was noticed iRKuiDg from the center of stage of the the- atre, which bas just been remodeled. A still alarm was sent in, and Chief Grain responding sent in a regular "boardwalk alarm." The fire fighters made abort work of the blaze, which burned a considerable hole in the stage flooring. The properties of "Hello, Alexander," the new Mclntyre and Heath show, were everywhere about the stage and several seats were slightly damaged, but they can be repaired before today's matinee. The management acted promptly and had everything in first-class order for the after- noon show. The chief difficulty was en* countered in driving the smoke from the house in time for the matinee. The entire Ions was negligible. MABELLE ADAMS Returning shortly from overseas, where she bas been entertaining "the boys." She for* mcriy appeared in the act "Cotton Stockings," with her sister. Marion. MOROSCO HAS NEW FARCE "Married in Triplicate," is the title of a new farce which Oliver Morosco will produce. It comes from the pen of Anna Nichols. .