The Billboard 1924-03-22: Vol 36 Iss 12 (1924-03-22)

—_— 22 The Billboard MARCH 22, 1924 N. Y. THEATRICAL RESTROOM MEMBERSHIP ON PAY BASIS Overhead Expenses Halt “Free” Activities of Organization, With Annual Dues Fixed at $8—Drive Starts for New Members — YORK, March 15.—The New York Theatrical Restroom and Emer we Service wt was from the drive for the erection here for s é sudder stopped, h act S OF free” basis aS was t Beg g this month dues of $2 every jarter. or $8 a year, are being lex ‘ members of the Restroom. The members unibering more than 2.000, have been notified that each will have to pay these dues in order to enjoy the privileges of the club. It was d ij to charge every member this f ¢ zg e t t « y recentis put on at I Gar x grossed only $2,254, an 4 t t rz er zh to maintain the Restroom 1 Emerg Service free for the actor The entire first floor occupied by the k n W ¢ Forty-serent s*reet, eats up 2 good deal of rent each month and the other overhead expenses, it was found, could pot be met uniess the members were to pay dues A campsign for new members has heen started ts he membership committee, beaded by “Bill Murray, of the motion picture department of the Actors’ Equity Assuciation, who is co-operating with he ‘Sestroom and donating his serviwes in this resxect. More than 2,000 .et*ers ‘ave slveadyr been sent out to prospe:tite cow members (Mplosment avd the emergency Ber eatores of the Restroom, it is thought, will peal sireng!y to tbe actors who receive t titers. Several munagers and agents have r, y availed themselves ef the employment of the Restroom and many favorable ns have been made in this manner. oyment serv rent a8 well ice is free te the manager as to the actor who is a paign is also under way to extend gency service feature thruout. the United States by appointing a pbysician in €a large town who shall be one of the active members of the Restroom and administer a ser to the holders of Restroom cards si ar to that which is given in New York bs rs » are on the emergency staff of the org zatior Ir +s ndle this service in the outelds s t I sicians would be required to t I ber of the Restroom, entailing 2 of $10, and also would have to agree ke care of the first call of any pa’ fr the su visits, if there wer ny, t g I rates. I arg s s Philadelphia, Boston, Cr 2 San Fr see etc., more than one do r be 1 t is expected. Pa M. | tt, formerly an operatic star j rominent in Long Island t s \ inteered to act as fire f Restroom, beginning this r ge in officers is the a Vv tt to the position of secretary, f held by Carlton M. Hub. “WHIRL OF THE WORLD” RECEIVES GOOD NOTICES London, March 15 (Special Cable to The Billboard).—“‘The W of the W is % 1 a at the Palladium Mar 14, rece 1 good press notices, with Billy Merson, star comedian, and Neliie Wallace receiving nm 1 praise, while Nervo and Knox also received their full share of honors. The staging, grouping, etc., is in the usual DeCourville extravagant style. All is not well between DeCourville and the Actors’ Association in regard to his alleged harsh treatment of his choristers, of which more may be heard. LEAGUE SEEKS OPENING OF WEMBLEY ON SUNDAY London, March 15 (Special Cable to The BillLeague of Freedom and Reform rganizing a press campaign looking to the if Wembley on Sunday, excluding Luna board).—The is < opening Park. It is feared, however, that this will necessitate a special act of Parliament. As public opinion is not sufficiently informed in this matter, and Puritan England being no further in mind in this direction, not much is expected from this agitation, HART IN CHICAGO Chicago, March 12.—Bill Hart, two-gun man from movieland, was a Chicago visitor yesterday. He was on bis way to New York. organized last October with money realized of a theatrical hospital, a drive which is found it impossible to continue the original intention. FRANK’S REHEARSAL BOOKLET A clever “rehearsal booklet’’ has been originated by “‘Frank’’, of the vaudeville team of Frank and Hunt. The booklet contains a num ber of sets of gummed labels on which are printed conventional] musical and theatrical terms which, properly placed in arranging music for an act does away with misunderstandings with the orchestra and assures prop er playing of music for the act. GAZZOLO BUYS VALUABLE SITE March 15.—Frank A. P. Gazzolo, theatrical manager, has purchased the fee at 7 West Randolph street, just off of State, a lot 20x81, for $100,000. Chicago, wealthy “EQUITY SHOP” Explained by Frank Gillmore New York. March 15.—Frank Gillmore, executive secretary of Equity, has recefved numerous requests from newspapers thruout the country to give them an exact definition of ‘Equity Shop’’. A form letter has been drafted by him to answer these inquiries and it is presented bere so that The Billboard readers may have an official explanation of just what Equity means by “Equity Shop’’. The letter is as follows: “Dear Sir—The only real point of issue between the Actors’ Equity Association and the Producing Managers’ Association is ‘Equity Shop’. *“**Equity Shop’ is an agreement by which members of the Actors’ Equity Association will p-ay only in companies in which all the members are members of Equity in good standing. “Our opponents claim that ‘Equity Shop’ is a closed shop, and that it will bar from the Stage all those whose scruples will not permit them to join Equity. “Even under ‘Equity Shop’ rules managers may organize companies in which no member of Equity appears. In addition a specified list of actors who were ‘'~ good standing in the Actors’ Fidelity League as of September 1, 1923, Was guaranteed exemption from ‘Equity Shop’ in perpetuity. But if a manager wants any Equity actors in his casts otber than these then all must belong to Equity. “The charge that this is a closed shop remains to be disposed of. Without discussing the merits or demerits of that institution the Actors’ Equity Association asserts that ‘Equity Shep’ is not a closed shop. “There are three in closed shops which are } ] points nearly always found not included in ‘Equity = Sarasota County, at the Florida State Exposition, Madison Square Garden, New York. This exhibit of fruits and vegetables occupied the entire width of the Fourth avenue end of the Garden. It also shows a fine variety of fish and other products. Now York was ixterested especially in this exhibit, as it is Sarasota County where the Ri-glings reside in the w'n‘er. taken to New York. It was thru the instrumentality of John Ringling that the exposition was SANGER’S CIRCUS OPENS London, March 15 (Special Cable to The Billboard).—Sanger’s Circus, Britain's biggest and most representative white-top organization, starts its annual tour of Great Britain today and will visit 180 towns, traveling as far north ns Inverness, more than 500 miles from London. There are more than 150 people with the show and as many horses, “DIPLOMACY” REVIVED London, March 16 (Special Cable to The Billboard).—Gladys Cooper and Frank Curzon revived ‘‘Diplomacy’’ at the Adelphia Theater this Miss Cooper wore a series of remarkable Owen Nares apparently enjoyed making Boris Ranevski, a Russian actor, previously unknown here, played ‘Orloff’ extremely well, week. frocks. love. G. A. F. MAKES CHANGE Chicago, March 14.—Georgia Alabama Florida, ahead of the “Give and Take’’ Company, has closed to go with the road company of “Just Married’, which he will pilot to the Coast. Sammy Rothschild will be second man ahead. WOODS HAS “CONCHITA” New York, March 15.—Al H. Woods has procured the American rights to Edward Knoblock’s drama, ‘‘Conchita’’, which opens shortly in London with Tallulah Bankhead in the principal feminine part. Fay Bainter, originally slated for the Woods production, may yet be seen in the title role, she having freed herself of ‘‘The Other Bose’’. Shop’. They are a limited membership with a longer or shorter preliminary ap >renticeship, uniform pay scales and a strictly limited working day, with pay for overtime. “Equity has offered to guarantee that its membership rolls will be open to any actor, whether a beginner or an experienced actor, who is offered a position by any manager. “Equity has never attempted to interfere and has offered to guarantee not to interfere with the wages paid its members. They are regarded as an arrangement to be worked out between each actor and his manager, “Equity has offered to guarantee that {t will not dictate the hours for an actor's work. ‘Equity has offered to guarantee that it will not interfere with the subject matter, casting of plays. “A guarantee has been offered that there will be no sympathetic strike on the part of its members should trouble arise between the managers and other unions, This is given with the endorsement of other theatrical unions, “The Actors’ Equity Association wants ‘Equity Shop’ to be able to protect responsible actors and managers from irresponsible managers and actors. In the last three years contract jumping has been cut by two-thirds and stranding almost e''minated, “Only ‘Equity Shop’ will give perfect protection to both sides. The managers have had the power to remedy these abuses for many years, but have consistently failed to exercise it. If anything was done it was to encourage the irboth sides to evade thelr obli text or revponsible on gations. “**Equity Shop’ will work, It is no experiment. For three years it has been in operation with ali theatrical producers of the country whe Actors’ Fund Benefit Takings About $15,000 Chicago Show a Colossal Suc. cess, Breaking Records for Its Kind _—_ Chicago, March 15.—About £15,000 was r ized by the Actors’ Fund Benefit in the torium yesterday afternoon. Harry J fk as general chairman, proved that be kn to make a benefit show go over about a as any other person. This was the big Actors’ Fund Benefit ever held in (© g Stars and others who ought to be «tars ! the loyal rank and ‘file of performers went straight to the front for the bvenefit The bill was too long, but that was beeacse everybody; worth while wanted to lend uasistance. Some of the acts and individ were: Paul Whiteman's Band, Duncan Sisters, Jack Norworth, Patricola, Lester Allen, ‘Gree: Chartreuse’, a knockout, which showed Alphonz als contributing Ether, John Halliday and Edward Ellis; “Washington and Spy’, with Carl Ant b Dudley Hawley, John Wray and Lillian Kingsbury: “Playmates’’, with Taylor Holmes and Vivian Tobin, Gregory Kelly and Edna Hibbard. Paviowa was there, too, and executed a minuet with Theodore Stier S:tll others wer Tiller’s London [alaece Girls, Ceci! Lean and Cleo Mayfield, Benny Leonard, Otis Skinner and Charles Richman, JEANIE MACPHERSON AGAIN SIGNS WITH PARAMOUNT Los Angeles, March 15.—Speculation as to what Jeanie Macpherson would do upon the completion of her old ntract with Paramount ended this week with an announcement by Cecil B, DeMille, director-general, that the writer has been signed to @ sew document by Famous Players-Lasky. It is known that the great box-office sux ene of Jeanie Macpherson stories during the ast years has placed ber services in extr linary demand, a demand accentuated ma fold by the tremendous popular acclaim accorded r story, “The Ten. Commandments" Fa $ Tlayers-Lasky, however, will continue to be her beadquarters becanse of a cor t «aid to be more far-reaching In its rights and advantages than has been given any other film writer, The team of Cecil B. DeMille as director and Jeanie Macpherson as writer has set up an outstanding record of box-offi s ess Miss Macpherson has written exclusively for Mr. DeMille for nearly ten years and ber success as a writer has the achievements of the general. ked with been closely +f producer and director The new contract calls for a_ series of stories exclusively for Cecil B. DeMille productions, Miss Macpherson’s successes Include ‘Joan the Woman", “The Little American’, ‘The Woman God Forgot”, “The wi Chorus”, “‘Don't Change Your Uusband", ‘For sperit ' Better, for Worse’; “Male and Female’, ‘“Manslaughter’, “The Ten Commandments” and Cecil B. DeMilie’s latest Paramount picture, “Triumph”. were not members of the Producing Managers’ Association, They included: all independent managers, all stock companies, all repertoire companies and all tent shows, “There are three or four hundred managers in these groups who have been working under this form of contract for nearly three years. There or lees than thirty members of the Pro ducing Managers’ Assoc'ation lling to accept it, and none of them has ever tried t see whether or not it with the who are unwilling ” work has will) work. It w Producing Managers because it worked with everyone else. “A few of the managers who oppose ‘Equity Shop’ are genuinely afraid of it as a cl 1 shop, and honestly its restrictions belleve that hamper and inoproductions will be im tho mistakenly will so that them crease ‘ xy nses possible, “The great majority are out to break Equity as the only power standing between them and the complete control of thelr actors they formerly exercised,, They want an immediate re turn to the days when the manager Imposed any conditions he saw fit, and the actor accepted them or quit the stage. ‘There are no other conditions to the contract that could not be settled In fifteen minutes with ‘Equity Shop" out of the way. The managers have said so themselves. The issue is ‘Equity Shop’, and this is what ‘Equity Shop’ is, “Faithfully yours, “FRANK GILLMORE, “Exebutive Secrotary.”