Billboard advertising (Jan 1921)

JANUARY 29, 1921 The Btlibeara Among the many hundreds of letters I have received commenting on the article on “‘Actors’ Meals and Actors’ Making Monkeys of Themselves, for the Managers’ Profit and Amusement,” are some which tell me they do not understand what I mean by saying that this one advertisement shows the trend of the Managers’ minds, nor do they see that one advertisement or one Manager is any proof of what other Managers. think, and that it is not fair to damn all Managers because of the slip-up of one. But my argument was that these very slip-ups show what is going on in the Managers’ minds and the following advertisement in an Indianapolis paper shows that the Austin Manager is not alone in his opinion of Actors. This advertisement from The Indianapolis Sunday Star is. twelve inches wide, that is, five and one-half columns wide, and eleven inches deep. It says: ACTORS’ TRYOUTS—BROADWAY THEATRE 10-to 15 Acts on the Opening Show Every Monday NOTICE—On our opening show every Monday we will have from 10 to 15 acts from which we will select our regular week’s program. Come early. You be the judge, help us select. Applaud acts you like.. Performance at 2 p. m. Is this enough to prove to Actors what Managers think of them? They are just cattle brought for the inspection of the multitude, or, like the gladiators in the Roman Coliseum, depend upon the fickle fancy of the crowd for the week’s engagement, after having paid their own fares and expenses to Indianapolis. < . If another example is wanted it is found in circulars distributed in Nashville, Tenn., in a column statementin a paper known as‘‘Loew’s Weekly” (the rival of Mr. Albee’s ‘‘Vaudeville News’’), which is described on its first pageas “Issued Weekly Without ° Charge to Patrons of the Loew Chain of Theatres.” In this, and in advertisements in the Nashville papers, we find that at Loew’s Vendome, for the period of from January 10 to 31, the public is in vited to come ’round behind the stage and to see ~ “the artists’ dressing rooms’? and “THE ARTISTS MAKING A QUICK CHANGE OF THEIR COSTUMES.” ee For fear the insinuation put in might be missed by the Nashville young men, Loew’s Weekly says: . “Next comes the visit to the artists’ dressing rooms, NEXT? AND WE WON'T TELL YOU WHAT YOU WILL SEE THERE.” And to be sure that one should get what this means the article in ‘““Loew’s Weekly” says: “YOU WILL SEE SIGHTS THAT WILL HOLD YOU SPELLBOUND.” Every Vaudeville Actor and Actress knows what making quick changes means. For the purposes of making changes the less worn underneath the better. And this invitation to the town boys of Nasliville to come ‘round and see the women make their quick changes, and the further insinuation that “we won’t tell you what you will see there,’”’ is about as low and oer as advertisements can go. Can there be anything more disgusting, more degradirig, more obscene, more lowering than such an invitation as is contained in this advertisement? And the suggestion, “WE WON’T TELL YOU WHAT YOU WILL SEE THERE.” Actors and Actresses are compelled to rehearse in public on a Monday morning. Actors and Actresses are compelled to perform on a Monday afternoon, their engagement subject to the applause of the Indianapolis Monday afternoon audience. Actors and Actresses have been compelled to eat in publicand make monkeys of themselves, AND NOW THE WOMEN AND GIRLS OF THE PROFESSION ARE EXPOSED IN THEIR DRESSING ROOMS FOR THE APPROVAL OF VAUDEVILLE PATRONS. WHAT NEXT? Is-this proof that Austin, Texas, was not an Isolated instance? Is this proof of the way Managers: regard actors? ‘ IS THIS PROOF OF THE PRESENT CONDITIONS IN VAUDEVILLE? 18THIS PROOF OF MY STATEMENTS? I THINK SO, BUT WHOSE FAULT IS IT? WHO SUBMITS TO IT, MANAGERS OR ACTORS? THE ANSWER IS WITH YOU. 1440 Broadway, New York City.