The New York Clipper (December 1919)

December 17. 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIFPER 15 Founded In 185J by Frank Queen Published by the CLIPPER CORPORATION Orland W. Vaughan Pre* *"!*, S* 0 - Frederick C. MttUer Tree* 1604 Broadway, New York Telephone Bryant «117-«U8 WALTER VAOOHAN. EDITOR Paul C. Swelnhart Managing Editor 'ng W YORK, DECEMBER 17, 1919 Entered June 8«. 1878, at the Poet Office at New Tor*, N. *.. as second class mat- ter, under the act of March 8. 1878. THE CLIFPER Is Issued every WEDNESDAY. Forms Close on Monday at 5 P. M. SUBSCRIPTION One year, In advance, 15.00; six months, StSO; three months, 8L8S. Canada and foreign postage extra. Single copies will ha sent, postpaid, on receipt of 13 cents. ADVERTISING RATES FURNISHED ON APPLICATION Chicago Office—Room 841. State Lake Bid. Harry F. Rose, Manager. San Francisco Office—830 Market St. - R. Cohen, Manager. Address All Communications to THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 1604 Broadway, New York. Registered Cable Address: "Authority." The Clipper Can Be Obtained Wholesale and Retail at our Agents, Gorrlnge Amer- ican News Agency. 17 Green Street, Char- ing Cross Road, London, W. C, England; JBrentano's News Depot, 17 Avenue de TO- pera, Parts France; Gordon A Gotch, 183 Pitt Street,'Sydney, N. S. W., Australia. GOOD ADVICE The bulletin that la posted weekly by the V. M. P. A. in back stage of all vaudeville bouses contains some very sound advice to performers In its cur- rent issue. It urges all performers to secure contracts for their engagements and to make sure that all conditions and''agreements are embodied in the contract, leaving no point with merely a verbal -understanding. It Is pointed out in this bulletin that nearly all disputes between actors and managers arise from misunderstand- ings or*r matters that are not covered in writing bat are left in the air with a hazy, verbal agreement. •Performers should let this advice sink deep, and profit thereby. Too often are performers, in tbeir baste to get bookings, willing to acccept any sort of a contract so long as it means ■■vork and are still yelling to tbeir agent the terms that tbey will accept as the rash ezcMetly out of his office to get ready for their opening. And the result of such a coarse is confusion. The actor means one thing. The man- ager, means another. Giving both the benefit of the doubt and presuming that each is acting In good faith, hasty "verbal agreements are bound to become subjects of controversy and each party to the argument will think that he is right It is this method of doing business that tends toward discord and bitter experience. Constant quarrels arising from these missunderstandings result In the manager losing faith in the per- former on the one hand and tile per- former painting the blackest pictures of the manager on tne other. Vaude- ville is a business, primarily. The per- formers has no more right to sell his wares without thoroughly understand- ing the terms or sale' than has the cloak and suit merchant. If the engagement is Important enough to play, the con- tract is important enough to be under- stood. Whatever terms are in the con- tract should be abided by; whatever terms are verbaPy agreed upon are hot a part of the contract. The contract, and the contract alone, should decide all questions of issue. The performer should, therefore, make up his mind in advance as to what terms be demands-and should see that these terms are definitely laid down In his written working agreement. If a performer signs a contract In which those terms are not defined, he has shown himself a poor business man and must live up to the contract that is un- derwritten with his name. Lees haste in signing contracts, more thought as to what these contracts should contain, and less of a childlike faith in the word of the other fellow would mean lessening of disputes and mlssnnderstandlngs in the whole theatrical business. STAMP OUT ROWDYISM The practice of "raizing" a per- former, that unique and terrifying form of rowdyism which seems to have become prevalent in our vaudeville theatres, must be eliminated. Ifs ostensible purpose is to goad per- formers whose act is very bad. But, in reality, it is indulged in by the very lowest calibre of individuals who hap- pen to be in the audience for no other reason than that they must give vent to their natural feelings of rowdyism. Thus, in almost every instance, they have chosen as the fcutt of their row- dyism, a performer and artist if na- tional or international renown. It would appear that their rowdyism is due to a consciousness of a lack of understanding; that they sense the merit but are unable to understand the artistic worth of the performer. And, being of a low order of mentality, they feel that they must show their lack of understanding by booing at and otherwise insulting the performer. Recently, in many of the vaudevillle bouses, including the Palace, Al- bambra. Colonial and Regent, the prac- tice has been to throw coins on the stage. This Is a most obvious sort, of Insult It tends to unnerve the per- former and, as in the recent case of Sammy T>uncan, the Scotch comedian, while appearing at the Regent, baa the effect of driving the performer to tears. We happen to know that the manage- ment at these booses Is doing Its ut- most to stamp out the practice; in some instances has even offered a re- ward of fifty dollars for the arrest and conviction of any one guilty of the practice. But, thus far, the practice still continues to prevail. The only suggestion we have to offer la for the various managements to maintain a stricter vigil in the upper portions of the theatres, where' the practice seems to he most flagrant It may not succeed in stamping oat the practice completely, but it will have the effect of courblng it In a large measure. Performers, no matter how little im- pression their efforts make upon an audience, are entitled to a decent hear- ing in the theatre at any rate. In no Instance should they be made the ob- jects of gratuitous insults. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Toseph Wheelock, Jr. was with Wm. H. Crane's Co. Jacob Ldtt bought the New Peoples Theatre, Minneapolis. The Casino. New York, was fitted op as a Concert halt "Notoriety" waa produced by Ed- ward Harrigan. ^9ay, Sadie Ryan" was sung by Johnny Carroll. H. W. Foster presented the Hula Bulk Dancers. Lizzie B. Raymond sang "Madame Be Fogarty's Dancing School'. Victoria Votes died In London, Eng- land. ""' Wm. A. Brady produced "Human- ity", with Jos. Grismer, W. C. Couldock, Fraser Coulter Dore Davidson, Jas. E. Sullivan, Annie Clarke, Bebe Vlnlng, Agnes Lane, and Phoebe Davis in the cast ANSWERS TO QMS 8. C. F. —Francis Wilson waa presi- dent of the Actors Equity during the strike. He still holds office. A. R. —Triile Friganza Is now on the cosst starring in a new musical comedy called "Poor Mama". Ten Eyk and Weilly are in vaudeville. W. J. L.~ To make a comparison be- tween Irene Frankltn and Sophie Tucker would be quite a difficult job, inasmuch as they are entertainers of divergent types. T. B.— ^Marcus Loew has never, to our knowledge produced pictures under his own name. \«s, B. S. Moss has made several feature pictures. Henry Walthall starred in a number of them. E. Q. H.— George M. Cohan wrote "Hit The Trail Holiday", "Seven Keys to Boldpate", and "Broadway Jones" in all three of which he starred in pic- tures. No longer. D. 8. C. —It is generally conceded that Frisco la the originator of this dance but the real originator will never be known, inasmuch as there are many different claims for the honor. Frisco came from Chicago. A. O. F. —Thomas Meighan starred in "The Miracle Man". He also played the leading character in "Male and Fe- male", Paramount D. F. A.— Douglas Fairbanks has ap- peared on the speaking stage as a lead- ing man and also supporting other stars. "He Comes Up Smiling", waa one of his stage starring vehicles. D. 8. B.—Belle Bennett, the motion picture star, is also a leading lady In California' stock. W. R. a.— Valeska Snrratt is play- ing throughout the West at present She has appeared in pictures also. Yes, she plays "Vamp" parts. C. H— "O, Sohwiegermama" was a German version by F. Herman, of Bls- eon and Mar's "Lea Surprise da Di- vorce". It was produced for the first time at Amberg's Theatre in Xew York City. J. MoH.— The Yorkvllle Theatre, In New York City, was formerly known as Parepa Hall. It opened as a theatre under ifs present name on February 25, 1880. K. O. —Harry Green is playing the Orpheum time. Look up the vaude- ville bills for next week, in this isssue of the Clipper and address a letter to whatever theatre he is playing and yon will reach him. 8. O. X.— Robert Vivian Is now re- hearsing with "The Moving Finger", the new title of "A Boom at the Bitx". F. 17. —A stock company did occupy the EUemere Theatre for two seasons under the name of the Elsemere Stock Company. The theatre is* now a motion picture house owned by D. W. Picker, who also owns the Spooner Theatre irr the Bronx, where Cecil Spooner formerly played with her C—Martha Pryor, of Ward and or, Is now playing In burlesque. ftWTO RATTLES | me my WHAT HAS BECOME OF— The hula dance? Mother songs? tS&Xr** Wt ° ***** "° lTe Soldier acts? FOLLIES AND FOLLIES aegfeW, the price of r oU y 8j gsxo J HE'S A GO9O SPORT ~,^ ert *^, Moat * patron of the Inter- national Sporting Club, has subscribed for come of their bonds. Subscrlh- ing^tor bonds te _one or the indoor HERE'S SOME MORE if Lee Shubert loses at the races, we wonder would Archie Selwyn, hot ^^P 8 -V a Wood - Could JotoCort a girl without her father saying, he Gest It la time that fellow Geota out? To be continued In our next HOW TO DO IT Writing a popular song Is simple, 1 i, . indeed, a poetical nature Is all that yoa __ need, Then a little of brainwork. and without any fuss— But that of course, excludes moat of us. UP AND DOWN MAIN STREET Lee Konppal la growing a moustache that promises to have a twist all it* own. He is encouraging its growth despite the fact that some of his friends have offered him the price of a share. Laurence Schwab Is scouring around for an apartment and la busy pricing furniture. Guess the wedding bells will be ringing soon. Since the N. V. A. has been giving formal dances. John Llddy figures it will be cheaper to buy a dress-salt than to be renting one every month. OUR OWN REVUE* (Solo of Property Man:) Long lists, short lists, Lists of every kind Are thrown at me, And then I have to find Props—props—props— My work, it never stops! It's gimmee, lend me, let me have. For the guy that gets the props, THEY'LL KNOW When WUlIdm and Wolfns pot on their show, "What's In a Name?" it may not be long before they find the) answer. HERE-E HOW Herman Becker is rehearsing a new mnaical farce called, Tm Thirsty.** The title may make the audience feel so sad that they won't be able to enjoy the show. —w» ^ UNTIL NEXT TIME - Preston Gibson la writing a play that David Belasco will produce Wonder if this Is also going to be David Be- lasco's "Last show?" MAY BE ONE OFTHEM "Three Wishes". Maybe one of them will ne that he never produced it GONE ARE THE~DAT3 OF— Audiences bedng shocked at the sight of shed. ! plots of mis taken Identity. he^|e£ X * * * * "V****