The billboard (Dec 1917)

-The Bi llboard “DECEMBER. 22, 1917 The ‘Tab’ Show (Continued from page 21) ‘managers: have thrown .up thelr hands in despair, having conclnded that there is practically | 20 oF Iittle hope for this brasd of entertalnment and yet they continue to increase the “capacit of thelr theaters from time to time and shake thelr heads tn amazement when they are asked ‘what polley they would use to replace the tab an attraction. ‘PRESENT CONDITIONS 1¢ ts estimated that po less than two hundred of theo organizations aro operating at the qesené thee, empieying frei 30 to 38. pe plo exch, and there is a demand for more shows ‘that cam give the best of satistaction: further, it seems that the elghteen and twenty-people at: ‘tractions are In Une to enjoy a prosperous sea eon, and managers of the smaller companies are enlarging thelr organizations ‘with a great deal ‘of confidence In the “big idea.” Four years ago| ‘we bad a small namber of the larger tabs, and ‘it was considered 2 dangerous venture to carry re than twelve people; at any rate it was not practiced to: any great extent. Now that the demand exceeds the supply we must have tabs. of any size and description slace there 1s a certain per cont of tliem that ‘fail to reglater, and are branded by the manager and agent as navallable. ‘Varlons cireults have been organised. in the last few yearo, enabling a company to work mteadily for am entire season without layof, excepting, of course; layoffs resultlog from Un. favollable mishaps.” The greater percentage of companies entrust thelr bookings to the ggent, lle a few are content with the old les of people attractions have exfeted apd operated at a proft on an average salary dasis of $270, lew the agent's five per cent Weekly. In the last year, bowever, theater managers have Increased salaries to companies as well as guarantees, Dut the goat has not deen |] reached yet. Theaters in the Southwest were the first to really offer more reasonable com‘pensation and Detter terms to the companies, Dut houses in ather sections have followed in ‘ers! aularlea have increased beyond expectations. ‘Four years ago girls recelved ten, twelve and, in some cases, Atteen dollars as thelr two ‘tty. Principals are receiving better walaries also, and even In the face of all these {nducements there 1s an alarming scarcity of jtalent. , Company managers who have been so tunate as to keep thelr organizations Intact for an entire season have voluntarily increased sal: arles #0 as to avold any disruption that would eventually oGcur fn the event necessary precau: tions were taken, ‘This field has its hindrances, ‘obstacles and disadvantages, however, the majority of which we can overcome after having effected a better understanding between agent, theater manager, company manager and performer. For several reasons the performer>should be given the advantage inasmuch a4 he bas. the| east protections his services are indispensable, yet he 1s beaten out of his salary In a number’ ‘of instances despite the fact that “all inten tious are good.” The unreliable manager who “pays them if be makes it” never inverts the clause in thelr contracts that they (the perform ers) shall abare pro rata in the profits over a certain amount for the good weeks, but when & losing week 1s encountered Mr. Performer is prevalled upon to “igo the Umit™ in sharing the Jouses, ‘The employee ls in no wise responsible for any mlamanagement ‘on the part of the emplozer. ‘There are g number of mansgers who Invariably attempt to avold paying people, and im a number of cass sald managers bave “skipped” with the receipts, Jeaving = stranded troupe to square thelr hotel Bilis or risk losing thelr trunks and wardrobe St has taken them years to accumulate. Further, the unprincipled sueak will visit a fellow manager’s show, select the talent be c. Compliments. of Dramatists Composers Gerald F. Bacon, Now York ~ = Times Building Telephone: 600 Bryant = New York 4.8.0. SHOW PRINTERS, LITHOGRAPHERS,. ENGRAVERS ST. ‘Mind Readings So) EL CATALOGUE’ of Wnile and Colored Min: ‘The.New Process Has Produced the Sanger & & Jordan Walter a eee President Successors to Frank W. Sanger International Playbrokers and Authors’ Agents : Representing American and Foreign Authors London Times Square THE National < NEW YORK ORCHESTRA AND VAUDEVILLE ” INSTRUMENT MANUFACTURERS WISH ALL READERS OF THE BILLBOARD A HAPPY AND INTERESTING CHRISTMAS and G. CONN, Ltd., Established 1885 Managers ¢Pablishers General Manager Paris “bo York Cable Address "Campene” Code, 5th Kaition DESIGNS ‘CARRIED 18 STOCK FOR ADVERTISING: ALL LINES OF AMUSEMENT, noted (Nan yg) CATALOGUE” MAILED (UPON, REQUEST. SPECIFY) KIND: DESIRED. THEATRICAL CATALOGUE, No. 15/0 Dramatic: Reperto Stock Waudeville, Comedy. ec Motordromie! S(acty Auld. Horse Shows, ete lism; Magic) Hand Cutt) ec trel'and Colorea Musical Comedy 01 all Kinds MUSICAL COMEDY CATALOGUE of Operas and Musical Shows with andiwithout title CARNIVAL CATALOGUE of Pri CIRCUS and WILD WEST CATALOGUE of Complet CATALOGUE OF DATES: Price Bills, Stock Letters. FOLDERS OF NON-ROYALTY PLAYS with Complete Lines of Paper ‘hicks wil strengthen his attraction, and will make @attering offers to them. In the event they. falt for his “ine” and make the change for & better salary they are ofttimes subjected to reasonable cut or decrease ia atlary after the rnager bas them well within Bie gromp. To’ sive some verifable instances relativg to the! above practice would cause the reliable and con. sclentlous manager and performer to become amazed at such apparent outrage ‘On the otter band, however, we have the per formera themselven to ceomure for some of the ethods they employ. since there are two sides to every question, and it 1s our tntention to ‘vlay fate with all concerned. Let us deal with the “ticket cadger! and “‘common thief" as an opener Severe. run Intent shoald be meted out to all of them whiea they are apprelioded and caught with the-soods ‘whether or Dot It ts the rascal's or the rellable manager's moory that ts Involved. Murrepresentation {2 very. expecaive to all con cerned in prastically every instance, and it scems that the incompetents would have become sstisted by this me that sympathy end oft talk cannot aed docs not win rlace for| them ox a rellable show even after they bave tad several dollars” transportation and exprasts| advanced to them. it is usually empbarized Im ads for people nowadays that onjy the com petent aod thoroly rellable need apply, and. yet| ‘the ambitious Incompetent will take « long chance of Iandiog regardless, Indsmach as there| is a great demand for musical comedy performers, ‘Managers encounter. this--classfrequently ig for Featuring Carnivals) Street Fairs and like events. feline of handsome up-to-date Paper Banners, Tyae (and Block Work! ete Ail the o10 favo and we are in search of a remedy for this pa ticular “ailment The “tourist” is next 1 Une for reprimand, atid Is, Jostly entitled to certain amount of punishment when be Jomps show without notice in favor of anotter posltion withoat Just cause. Last, bot not least, misconduct on the part of choras' ladies In numerous cases has effected the cancelation of the company by the cautious th ter manager The careless clement of choristera have contributed thelr share of discomfort, and It fs n0 uncommon thing to hare hotels relect all members of companies, thelr alfbl belng that ther ave discontinued “taking show people,” as they pres and Joy rides. as practiced im the amall-towns by come ponicn who crave to be entertained, have angered house managers to pach au extent that they wurw Jocowing shows each week that unbecoming conitact on the part of any member of the company will result In immediate cancelation of the company or a One of several dollars To prevall upon the offenders fo uso a Iittle common sense along these lnew ‘would certalaly prove of waterial benefit. At any rate At could not do any great amount of harm, ‘The terms, “personal Uberties’ and company Fuies and restrictions, stould not be confused, ‘and if the considerate employee has the in: terests of the company at heart he or abe will ‘make a special effort to understand and regard the above, ‘Now for a few remarks anent the theater man‘ager, in whom is vested the power to elther make| ‘an-engagement most agreeable or decidedly un A MOST PROSPEROUS AND SATISFACTORY NEW YEAR The Conn, Ltd., is pleased to announce its raj being nearly triple that of any previous year. tion will show to our trouper friends some of the improvements recently made. NEW WONDER MODELS Write for catalogues, etc. Address id growth in business as e accompanying illustra Don't Ti Them or ‘You Will juy Them ELKHART, IND. Plearant for the company in general, It admitted that ofttimes bo is invited to resent some disagreeable fustances when bls patronage ‘dangs tn the balance and when the company is unquestionably at fault. Unbecoming conduct oo the part of members of the company, and de cldediy. unsatisfactory performances, Dave ev ery reason to be resented, bat ‘the chronic grambler or the “brick” tnvarlably becomes obnoxious and unbearable. We come in contact ‘with both elements of the “boeres” been a hard Wo will not go into details ‘regarding the boss who operate, theaters and use girl shows convenience, ‘99 that 1t 1s possible for them to Keep in close contact With the lady members aod aggravate the company manager when thelr affections are resented Fresh drinklog water and tollet advantages are things-of the past {2 the eyes of some we are forced to deal with, to sey nothing of cold or no dressing room accom ‘modations. . Some few of them when in need of an attrac: tion badly will guarantee a company an attract ive salary, only to retract or. violate the orfgloal agreement by cutting thé sald salary, Using the trite allbt that the attraction does not ‘warrant a guaranter, offering -as an alternative a straight percentage proposition or a very ‘small salary remuneration. It would seem more becoming to this brand of undesirables to close the show outright provided, of course. that the opening night's receipts, are satisfactory and apy company that is closed after the first performance does not recelve any part of the guar. antee. It la with pleasure that we record the meth 0d practices of regi “fren” who provides rooms for’ the pertor the glad hand for the dete And while their goo nature 1 eblp goes a loug way tn preserving thelr ki ness for the profession’ in general. ‘The main spring of our machine, the booking agent, has only been mentioned ta passing that st, but the man who routes the varlous shows from week to week Is of no little concern to the theater or company manager. There fs a great dea; to be sald for and against them inaxnach 8 frankness holds forth at the present. First, It ts unreasonable to expect some shows to make the jamps that are ansignéd to them every Week, and especially 1s this unjast tn casrs where declded favoritism ts, shown, preference being Siren the “pet” orgaalzitlop,. yet there 1s vot contention ‘that St Is posslble to route every the time to the satistaction of every manager every week Some agents contend that they are foreed to Jomp the weak shows a long Gistance as a regular occurrence in order to It 14 expected, and agreeable, when Ned pon to make 2 long leap In an occa ‘onal caxe of emergency, .but under prevent Alflealt for even a fale company capable, cast when railroad fare greater per cent of the prosts weekly. Now the situation becomes more alarm: tg since rates on fares and excess have 10: creamed, While it Is admitted that the route man bas bin shore of dificultien it rrems chat a rerlous state ‘of affaira Ix Inevitable Shorter imps may .go a long way in “solving the probYeu," aud while the worst fu feared for the bis shows and-one-night stand attractlons-the week. stad tab should survive the stroggle In the event the necessary precautions are taken. SYSTEM In every branch of industry and in every prvfersion we find “system,” organization and protection, in the most part for the employer. and employee: is it unreasonable to ask. ourselves ‘why we have not established Itke measures and