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

— as 34b The Billboara MARCH 22, 1924 a ACTORS’ EQUITY SURVEY OF VAUDEVILLE CONDITIONS Relation of the N. V. A. to _ Vaudeville Artistes Is Discussed IF THERE IS BRIGHT SIDE IT’S 1M FUTURE The seventh installment of the survey of vaudeville conditions in this country, compiled by expert investigators for the Actors’ Equity Association, treats principally of the N. V. A. and its relations to vaudeville artiste, and reviews briefly the conditions which the artiste is “up against”. the | Small Time | three times a day—as he frequently does in popular-priced small time houses—it usually meens that he has to stay within the four walls of the theater from the time he commences to dress for his first performance until he is once in his street clothes at the conclusion of his last appearance. Even three shows a day, if they call for elaborate makeup and take long to present, require constant attendance at the theater. The reason, of course, is that the frequent appearances resulting in comparatively short intervals between shows make it impossible for the actors to change from their makeup to their street clothes and back again. Scarcely would they be washed and dressed in their civilians than it wonld be time once more to makeup, and all their energies would be dissipated in changing costumes. Consequently these actors and actresses have no choice but to sit around back stage, painted and powdered and costumed from seven to ten hours a day. They cannot even go out for meals and must be satisfied with whatever they can get delivered to them in the theater—a cup of coffee and a sandwich, perhaps, which they eat in some dingy, dirty corner, lucky if they can find an old box to use as a table. The big-time theaters which are being built nowadays are equipped with every convenience and comfort for the artistes. Beautifully appointed and comfortable rest and smoking rooms where the actors can await their call; dressing rooms that leave nething to be desired, showers and the actors can refresh themselves after their hard day’s work: and many other luxuries und conveniences administer to the wellbeing of the vaudeville actor in the I AN actor must present his act more than more sometimes baths where these big-time house of modern design. These are the show places to which Mr. Albee can point with pride as visible evidence of his achieve ment in raising vaudeville to its present dignified position. There is, of course, no objection raised by actors to this form of display; but they do not appreciate it quite as much as Mr. Albee thinks they should. The big-time actor spends comparatively little time at the theater. After ep has finished h afternoon performance he washes up, gets ont and returns only in time to prepare for his evening appearance. No 12% to 30 per cent. obtained from profits of Vaudeville Company. competition of amateurs. Highlights in Foregoing Installments 1. Keith and Orpheum Circuits, after 1906, assume control of big-time vaudeville field, while Keith’s influence and control in small-time field embraces 200 to 350 theaters, booked thru Keith Vaudeville Exchange, this including the so-called “affiliated circuits”. 2. Pantages Circuit offers Orpheum “bloc” in West only real opposition, while Loew, Inc., tho technically classed as “opposition”, is not treated as such as long as it refrains from invading big-time field. Opposition of other independent circuits regarded as negligible. 3. Few acts booked direct by Keith or Orpheum Circuit, both extracting commission of 7'% per cent from performer, while agent, now termed “nersonal representative”, gets extra rakeoff on client’s salary ranging from 4; No justification found for existence of agent in vaudeville; agent, bound by iron-clad rules of booking office, being actually in position of booking employee. Actor who performs in, or agent who provides acts for, “poison ivy” theaters is placed on Keith or Orpheum “barred” list. ~ 5. Analysis of financial condition of Orpheum Circuit, Inc., and Loew, Inc., holding companies, disclose huge incomes on vaudeville, despite stock promotion methods; inkling of big earnings of Keith’s, closed corporation, 6. Other abuses suffered by actor under present system include unsatisfactory conditions regarding tryouts, playing at cut salaries, Sunday work, cancellation of contracts, prevalance of “graft” and necessity of “pull”, lack of voice in making contracts, extra services without extra pay, pressure to join National Vaudeville Artistes, Inc., “company union”, extravagant routing of acts, resulting in unnecessarily huge traveling expenses, unfair Exchange and New York Theaters matter how attractive the theater may be, the vaudeville actor will spend no more time there than necessary, and he is the better actor for the diversion and the rest and the change of atmosphere he gets between shows. It is the small-time actor who needs pleasant and comfortable surroundings to make his enforced stay at the theater as little irksome and fatiguing as possible, but he finds few theaters which fill his requirements. iContracts | The contractual relations between the booking offices and the vaudeville actors may be described as of the “‘sign on the dotted line’’ or the “take it or leave it’ variety. The actors have no voice whatsoever in the making of the contracts, either as to their form or as to their substance. The contract is not the result of negotiations between the parties nor of arbitration before an impartial outsider. It is imposed by the one party which has all the power upon the other which has none. This is true, despite the fact that the National Vaudeville Artists, Inc., was instrumental in formulating the contract now in force in the Keith, Orpheum and other circuits represented in the Vaudeville Managers’ Protective Association. The onl protest the actor can make is to withhold his services. As there are, perhaps, two applicants for every job such action would be a noble gesture but would be useless as a weapon for the correction of an abuse. Only collective action—force matched against force—will ever bring an equitable contract to the vaudeville actor. | The N. V. A, Inc. { The National Vaudeville -Artists, Inc., always spoken of as the N. V. A, is Mr. Albee’s favorite child. He has done, and is doing a great deal for it. Cynics say he receives his quid pro quo. Mr. Albee himself avers that his only return is the satisfaction he gets from doing something for the vaudeville artiste. We list the N. V. A. among the abuses from which the vaudeville actor suffers because it is one of the obstacles which blocks the only road which we believe can lead to an improvement in the status of the vaudeville artiste—organization into a labor union. If the N. V. A. were merely a social club or a fraternal or besevolent order which artistes could join if they desired or stay from if they preferred, vithout prejudice to their professional career; and if membership in it did not preclude membership in a labor union—all of which ‘‘ifs’* are conditions contrary to the facts—then there would be no valid objection to the N. V. A., even tho it is under the control of Mr. Albee and the Vaudeville Managers’ Protective Association, The N. V. A. was organized about 1916. We have been unable to ascertain the exact circumstances attending its formation, but apparently E, F, Albee and the Vaudeville Managers’ Protective Association—which will hereafter be referred to as the V. M. P. A.—were the prime movers and the occasion was the activity of the White Rats. Eddie Leonard was the first president and he was succeeded by Willard Mack in June, 1917. Fred Stone is the present president. After the White Rats’ strike, the N. V. A. came into possession of the White Rats’ Clubhouse at 229 West 46th street, which was remodeled by Mr. Albee at a cost said to have been $500,000, making it one of the best appointed clubhouses in the country. Just how title was obtained we do not know, but it probably was by purchase. The building is owned not by the N. V. A., but by the 229 West 46th Street Corporation, with offices in the Palace Theater Building, which leases the building to the N. V. A. The principal stockholder is Mr, Albee. The corporation is said to have paid par for all the mortgage bonds held by members of the White Rats. The N. V. A. is incorporated under the laws of the State of New York, and, of course, has a constitution and by-laws which are said to have been ratified at its first meeting. It has been impossible to procure a copy of the censtitution or by-laws and it is believed that not one per cent of the membership has ever seen one. The N, V. A. claims a membership of between twelve and fifteen thousand, tho there are some who think this is an exaggeration. Dues are per year, payable semi-annually. All vaude. vile artistes are eligible for membership at the discretion of the admissions committee. Three questions appearing on the application blank are of interest and speak for themselves. They are: ‘Have you been at any time or are” you a member of any other theatrical organization? If so, state names’'; “Are you in Good Standing in said Organization? If not in good standing, state reasons briefly’. £10 As to whether or not membership may be considered compulsory depends upon the point of view. Mr. Albee says it is not, as evidenced by the following excerpt from a letter written by him and published in a recent aumber of Vandeville News, a weekly magazine which is the official organ of both the N, V. A. and the V. M. P. A.: “A misstatement has been made in one of the English papers that the N. y. A. members are obliged to join that organization. There has never been such a rule, and it is the essence of untruth. There are as many nonmembers of the N. V. A., looked after thruout the world as members, and I want to state here that this is not a managers’ institution. We have our own organization—the Vaudeville Managers’ Protective Association. The National Vandeville Ar. tists, Inc., is purely an artistes’ institution, run by artistes, fathered by me, with the gracious help of all the vandeville managers in the United States and Canada. They ask no questions of me, being ‘satisfied that something is being done for the welfare of the whole business. The artistes write complimentary and considerate letters for what they consider is of value to themselves, All in all, it is a most happy condition, if there are any unhappy ones it Is to their own faults."’ As supporting the other point of view, we call attention to the clause, formerly incorporated in all contracts, quoted in another connection—which warranted that the party of the second part, the actor, was a member in good standing of the N. V. A. This clause was in effect for about two years prior to the investization of vandeville by the Federal Trade Commission in 1919, Technically, this clause may not have constituted compulsion for the actor was at liberty to refuse to sign the contract, but actually it brought the strongest kind of pressure to bear upon the actor to join the N. V. A. Since 1919, as has already been stated, this clause has been dropped from contracts, but it is an acknowledged fact that actors desiring to play circuits controlled by members of the V. M. P. A., and, especially, the Keith and Orpheum Circuits, do well to join the N. V. A, They may not actually be disbarred by nonmembership but they are discriminated against. Since the omission of this clause, more subtle means of coercion have bee applied. Tho actual copies are not available for reproduction here, it is a fact that the writer has seen letters from house managers to Mr. Albee and others in which actors are reported as not holding N. V. A. membership cards. The reports from managers are followed by letters of “advice” from Mr. Albee to the actors in question, and after a sufficient lapse of time the managers of the theater in which the actors are scheduled to appear at a later date on their routes ar requested to check up on the actors and notif,s BLACK MAN, BE ON YO’ WAY! YOU'LL JUST LOVE THIS NUMBER! 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