The Billboard 1921-08-13: Vol 33 Iss 33 (1921-08-13)

AUGUST 13, 1921 = The Billboard 23 ACTORS FOUIT ASSOCIATION 115 W.47™ST. Tel. BRYANT,2141-2 Paul N-Turner, Counsel CHICAGO OFFICE 1032-33 MASONIC TEMPLE BLDG TOB “NEW ORGANZATION’—A rumor has been assiduously spread that a new actors’ orgupiaticn is being recroited from Equity members who are out of sympathy with “Equity Shop’. What a fine chance such an organization would have if Imited to the 115 who voted against this policy, as they have since declured that they would abide by the will of the majority. It may be contended that there were many who opposed it, yet failed to register this opinion, If there be euch members of Equity, and we doubt it, they would be in a position of citizens who stay away from the polls after being asked to vote on an important question, and then kick because is seed It is sald that these alleced seceders do not relish going into the Fidelity, that they are willing to join an entirely tew organization, and that the presidency has been offered to Ceorge M Cobain. The aeport ia altogether ridicvlovs and emanates from our enemies. The fact of the matter is that the Fidelity is on its last legs, and its leaders are casting around in a last desperate hope of finding something to take its place, something which will continue in opposition to the real actors’ organization that bes ever exisited, the one that speaks and works fearlessly for the actor, and which matntains his self respect. [lence this new idea, which is Fidelity in everything but name, and whose half score men bers are ready to transfer the measure to it in a dody, if their dreams come true, which they won't. Just as before the referendum vote, a few renegades and a few managers persisted in expressing their belief that “Equity Shop” would be defeated, so now that the “Eyuitr Shop’ is passed they persist In stating that there {is a large body opposed to it. A sure way of sensing opposition is by our mail; thousands of letters come to us from all parts of the conntry, and again hundreds of mem! ers visit our offices every day, yet we fail to near of any discontent, for the simple reason thet ft does not exist rh ORRIFN GINL"—We -gisited the “O'Trien Girl’ in Beston the other day «sn? bad the pleesvre of witnessing a very saappr and entertaining show, performed by an unustally good company. Afterwards we met the members thereof, and were much impressed by their loyalty to the Actors’ Equitr Association. These people have aronsed the admiration of everrone. Mr. Cohan has done bis utmost to undermine thelr loyalty, but without success. They all like bim as 9 manager, but they refuse to be false to their princiwes. They cannot forget that they have signed a solemn obligation to obey the rules und mandates of the Council, and Ite properir enstituted officers. If they were to break this ther would be foreeworn. Mr. Cohan's representative Im Roston is an old enemy of the Pomity, he waa the manager of the Woo's Theater In Chiengo at the time of the strike, THAT FIVE-PER-CENT-ASSESSVENT YARN -One charming Iittle report was to the effect that Equity Intended to assess its members five per cent of their salaries, and that this woul! con'inue indefinitely. Of course, there Is not a grain of truth in it. Tlow can there be when it is the members themselves who outline the Policy of the Conrcil? What an aprising there would be against such a ruling, and quite rightly. We regret to eny that eometimes these false Statements emanate from people of high post“tion who should know better and who ordinarily are to be trusted. When In donbt 71! members are asked to write immediately to hea dquerters so that the truth may be told them without delay, While In Boston we had the pleasure of meetine our attorney, Mr. Flaherty, who has a bumber of A. FB. A. cases on hand, all of which are progressing favorably, tho pot as fast as oor members would wish. rut anyone acqQuainted with the law knows of its delays, WHAT THE MOVIE EXHIBITOR WANTS— An Equity representative who has just returned from a tour made espectatly in order to interview motion picture exhibitors concerning the German films, reports the following: 1, Fxhibiters don’t give a hoot where the Picture le made provided It fa good. 2. They don't think the German films are Rood, ensidering the prices they pay for them, aod ere afraid their patrons will complain if they rum any more of them, 3. They are agreed that business in thelr theaters is generally good 4. They feel they are paying too much for thelr pictures and are engaged in a flerce cootroversy with the exchange men. John Emerson, President Ethel Barrymore, vice Pres. 14 Grant Stewart, Cor & Ree See Frank Gillmore, Seiretary This last point is interesting in that it brought out the fact that the exchange men are enueavoring to convince the exhibitors that the high price of pictures is entirely due to the “unreasonable”. demands of actors, stage hands and other employees. Ove exhibitor was assured by the representative of one of the largest distributors that “You'll get still be ter piccures in a short time, when we've got these damn Girectors ard rectors where we're gvuing to put ,them,”* with the added comment that directors are worth ebout $9 to 2150—if they're good—and the ,lcading actors from $40 to $50. The exchonge man announce that there would be practically no new productions until his corporation was able to keep the salorics of ali their production companies at something like these figures. The exhibitors solemuly warned our representative that actors must get ready for an economic war in the very near future, If exhibitors harbor the hope that a cut in actors’ salaries will reduce the prices of thelr pictures they should consider the following facta: The rental prices of German made pictures—which were brought into this country for a fraction of the cost of an American made photoplay—were precisely the same as those of the American product. It’s rot the cost of production which controls r-atals—it’s the old criterion, “what the traffic will bear.’* A RECORD RUN—Mr. George L. Patch is on his way to establishing a record which wil! not be beaten for a period of time. He is playing for the thirtieth year in “The Old Homestead” Company. Mr. Patch celebrated the anniversary last week by joining the A. B. A. A VOICE FROM AUSTRALIA—Australla is a long way off, but not too far away for Mr. Charles Dunn, recording secretary of the Actors’ Federation of Austraiasia, to send a grecting and a warning to members of the A FE. A. The gieeting contains a reminder that they may join the Federation in Australia without paying an entrance fee, upon showing their pald up Equity cards; the warning informs us of the fact that managers are attempting to contest terms of the Award which governs relations between Federation members and the managera in Australia, so that actors receiving abeve a certain salary will be exempt from its protection. This would mean that these actors, moe than the man who came withia the terms of the Award. could he forced to work an unlimited number of performances without extra pay, while the lesser paid man would be paid for all over eight performances. ‘ Mr. Dunn asks us to issue this warning to all artists who may be considering a trip overseas and to further notify them that upen joining the Federation, the terms ef the Award will apply to them, ard such parts of their contracts as contravene the Award will be null and void. The Federation members, he adds. not only decline to work with but also will decline to live in the same house with a nonmember.—FRANK GILLMORE, Exccutive Sec retary. TO BREAK RECORD Chicago, Ang. 4—‘‘The Bat"? will have broken the Chicago record for long runs before it leaves the Princess. The only production that is now ahead cf it is ‘Welcome, Strenger,"’ which went thirty-eight weeks in Cohan’s Grang before quitting. By Labor Day “The Bat” will Lave eompleted forty weeks and may fold its tents, altho attendance is increasing rather than falling off. oo LONG RUN DRAMATIC PLAY RECORDS Number of consecutive performances =D to and including Seturday, Aug. 6. IN NEW YORK Bat, BOR. cocsccconeccensnecscs First Year, a cecccccvcccces Getting Gertre’s Garter....... Just Marrie@.cccccccccccccsecs Lightnin’ LiNOM ...cccccccccsccccccccces ectcceccecs SLOPOSCO . saccohoeses SUED beeee jE cccecees DEMS . ce Green Goddess, The............ George ArlisS...+-+0- Lcdemtihdiretastankuce tall Ditieic ceeds neve Gaiety Vr. lim Passes By.....0++000 ———————__- cocecee Ang. 23..... 411 ~ 20..... 357 S.ccee 1S..... 234 Auocee 11F Booth ceccccees Shubert .....+.-.. Apr. cccccccccs ADE. Fulton ..ccocceces APT. eacgiets Garrick....cccceeFeb. Nice People. ..ccccccescccseese. Francine Larrimore... Klaw eceoonceccoos We Sccete TO Syklark, The... Teaser, The... wteeereeeee Rat, The Pee ereesesersessssse ee eee occcececceo MME. covccesee, SY W...cs WM sacccccee Playhouse. scoccsee July IN CHICAGO eccccccces PPIDCESD ccccccese DOC. Smooth a8 SIE .occecccccccc cm cece ccc c eee OOFt ceccccccccece May 2T...06 13 26...00 27 15..... 118 DRAMATIC NOTES _ | altho only receiving a few shillings, Ernita Lascelles has secured a role in ‘Other Livea."* “The Temperamentalisis’ has been changed to “March Hares.”” Willlam Hodge has begun rehearsals of his new comedy, “‘Beware of Dogs."* Herbert Ashton and Mme. Marguerite Barry are in Alice Brady's suyport in ‘“Drifting.’* Arnold Daly Insists that his plans regarding the Greenwich Village Theater are serious, Holbrook Blinn in “The Bad Man’ will open at the Princess, Chicago, on September 4. Brock Pemberton lias started casting for “Swords,” with Clare Eames in the lead‘ng role, “Honors Are Fven" will begin {te New York engagement at the Times Square on Wednesday, Aucust 10, Richard Ridgely, actor, author and motion picture director, has been added to the cast of “Otuer Lives,”” Florence Aver has been engaged for ‘‘Drifting,”” by William Brady. Alice Brady is starring ip this piece. eee Ciande King has been engaged by Willlam Tlarris, Jr., for the leading male role in ‘“Bluedeard'a Eighth Wife.” s --_— Reach Cooke, last seen on Broadway in support of Leo Ditrichstein in ‘‘The Purple Mask” and “Toto,"’ has been engaged by the Selwyns for the coming season, Theresa Maxwell Conover will be in “Don Juan’ which Frank Reicher is preparing for the Garrick, New York. The opening date of “‘The Temperamentalists’’ at the Bijou, New York, has been changed to Thursday, August 11. Stella Larrimore, the sister of Francine Larrimore, of ‘“‘Nice People,”” has been added to the cast of “Don Juan.”’ _ John Mackenzie will appear in ‘‘We Girls,”’ the Hatton comedy, which Mare Kiaw, Intc., will present in New York in the fail. -_— — Maclyn Arbuckle will be starred by the Shnberts next season in a new play, the name of which has not been divulged as yet. Robert Hilliard has accepted a play from the pen of Elaine Sterne which will be produced this season, It is her maiden effort. Robert Milton will direct the production of Arthur Richman’s ‘‘Ambash,"’ to be presented by the New York Theater Guild at the Garrick Theater in October. ee Junior Tierman, § years ¢°4, who appeared in “Florodora’’ inst season, has signed a contract with Mare Klaw, Inc., for a part in “Other Lives."* Wallace Ford, who was in ‘Abraham Lincoln” last season, has left the cast to appear in ‘‘The Poppy God."" Incidentally, he is stage manager of the company as well. “Red Heart,"’ the Bolshevik! drama by Richard Fletcher, is to be revived. A special per formance of this was given in March, 1919, with Gilda Varesi, Jobyna Howland, Bugene O'Brien and Olive Wyndham as the players. The piece has been revised by James Sinnott and will be presented in New York in October. “The Skylark’? went to the storehouse last Saturdosy. This is the first failure of the new season in New York. It was at the Belmont. It was poorly cast and staged. pnenien Madeline Delmar has been selected by Charles Frohman, Inc., for a role in ‘Blood and Sand,"’ opening in New York at the Empire on September 20. The cast of the “‘Pink Slip’? is complete, as follows: Bert Williams, Bobby Watson, Helen Bolton, Leis Josephine, Marion Ballou, Frank Otto, John Cherry, Ned Burton, Eva Puck and Spencer Charters. George Cohen, not content with owning theaters in Pittsburg and Neweurg, N. Y., and constructing more at present, has decided to take a flyer in the hotel game, and will build a large one in Newburg. Josephine Royle will play the role of ‘‘Elaine”® and Selena Royle is to be ‘“‘Queen Guinevere” in Edwin Milton Royle’s romantic comedy, which is to be produced shortly and in which Pedro de Cordoba will be featured. —_—_— Robert E. Homans, Edward Poland, Max Waizman, Edward Duane, Charles Esdale, Lucille Parker and Margaret Wiltshire have been added to the cast of ‘“‘Like a King,’ which Adolph Klauber will produce, Catherine Calvert, the widow of Paul Armstrong, is to play the leading role opposite Otis Skinner in ‘Blood and Sand,”® the play by Tom Cushing, founded on Ibanez’s novel of the same name, John Meehan, too, is starting his initial production. He has signed Marie Wainwright, who has been associated for fifteen years witb Charles Frohman, Inc., and the present engagement marks her first change in management since that time, Augustin McHugh is going in for producing. His first vehicle will be ‘True to Form," his own play. This play was“tried out on the Coast and ran six weeks. It will open in New York within a month. Sue MacManamy, Margot Kelly, Eugenie Blair, Fred Graham and Stuart Sage will be the leading players. oo Sam H, Harris’ first production this season will be ‘“‘Six-Cylinder Love,” by Willfam Anthony McGuire, which will be presented at the Iiarris Theater, New York, on August 29. Ernest Truex is the featured player, and the rest of the cast includes Donald Meek, Eleanor Gordon, Betty Linley, Kenneth Hill, Calvin Thomas, Ralph Sipperly, Berton Churenill, Fay Walker, Toward Hull Gibson and John Scanlon. Winchell Smith’s and Tom Cushing’s new comedy, ‘Tips,’ was produced at the Lyceum Theater, New London, Conn., Monday night, August 1, by John Golden. The cast included larry Davenport, Blythe Daly, Donald Foster, Frank McCormack, Theodore Westman, Jr.; Geo. A. Shiller, Al Kappeler, Dick Woolman, Herb Saunders, Al Ilyde, Fred Malcohn, C. W. GoodTrick and Frank Munroe. ———s DRAMA LEAGUE TO GivVE SUMMER COURSE Chicago, Aug. 5.—The Drama League has anrouvced its program for a summer institute, beginning August 15. Eleven courses in the theory and practice of the stage art will be given during the sessions which will run until Avgust 25, Studios on the sixth floor of the Fine Arts Building will be sed for headquarters, but practical demonstrations will be given in the Civic Theater on the Municipal Pier and the stuge of Armour Institute. Lectures and demonstrations on methods for developing dramatic art among high school, normal school and cclieciate students on junior drama work, playwrighting and pageantry, on costuming and scenery, On the community theater and how to develop it, on makeup and on drama in the church and Sunday school, will all be given. GOES TO NEW ORLEANS Chicago, Ang. 5.—Oliver Edwin Hinsdale of the Chicago School of Expression ard Dramatie Arts, has been engaged to take charge of the Le Petit Theater, New Orleans. After efght months in the Lonisiana metropolis Mr. Hiasdalie will return to Chicago and reopen his studio where he will direct the Campus Players of Northwestern University, MAHONEY PRODUCING -_ Chicago, Aug. @—Jack Mahoney has been engaged as producer for the Theater Service Company, of Minneapolis. Thie company has broadened its field of operations and announces that it is now buying and selling theaters in its surrounding territory. we Gi wawcugeiate nine A Tahu se ANN ATL NCL GAP eT Pes mens til 80 PR me 4