Variety (Mar 1907)

VARIETY THE FIRST EQUITABLE ARTISTS CONTRACT * ■—■■-— ■■-._._ — — Issued by William Morris After Having Been Favorably Passed Upon by the White Rats of America and the Vaudeville Comedy Club TELEPHONES: 953, 954, 955 BRYANT. 1440 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CABLE ADDRESS WILLMORRI8. WESTERN UNION CODE. M MORRIS *>*> 167 DEARBORN STREET, CHICAGO. ILL. • F>arty of the second p*rt, vaudeville: engagement contract "CbtO HgWCMKIltr ma»le this day of 190 between party of the firat part, and CdifmsBCtb: 1. The aaid parties of the aecond purt hereby ajrree to tender their aer\tc«>8 to tlie party of tbe first part at the Theatre for a term of weeks, commencing 190 f at two performances each week day, and at such Sunday concertH as may be lawfully given, to- the sum of dollars per week, payable at the end of tbe week. 2. The aaid partiee of the second part agree that they will not either privately or publicly give :iny performance ut any theatre, ball or public place within ten city blocka of .. Theatre for a period of 6 mouths previous to the opening date of this contract, except by permission In writing by tlie party of the Urst part. 8. That In case of a violation or threatened violation of this agreement it Is consented that an Injunction may Issue from any court of competent Jurisdiction to restrain any aucb violation or threatened violation. 4. If, on account of sickness, or other unavoidable happening, the party of the second part Is unalile to and does not render the services called for at tbe time herein mentioned, then tbe party of the second part shall not, privately or publicly, perform or appear for any other person or In any other public place of amusement uutil tbe said party of tbe aecond part shall have given two weeks' notice In writing at the office of ami to tbe party of the first part that tbe party of tbe second part will In said two weeks b«* ready to perform and give unto the party of the first part an option and right in and to tbe services of the party of the second part at the expiration of said two weeks for as long a period as the party of tbe second part would have appeared and performed, providing tbe said Illness or other event bad not happened. 5. It la further agreed that tbe party of the first part aball have an option upon the services of tbe party of the second part for a period of ten weeks at the expiration of this contract by giving tbe party of the second part a notice of ten weeks prior to the expiration of this contract. "" 0. Tlie party of the first part is to deduct per cent, commission from tbe salary of the party of the second part and pay tbe same to WILLIAM MORRIS for service* rendered to tbe party Of the second part. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have hereunto set their bands and seals tbe day and year first above written. In the preseuee of: RULES AND REGULATIONS. All performers must report at 10 a. m. on the first Monday of tbe engagement and remain for rehearsal. Acta are advertised, billed, programmed and scheduled as the theatre manager may designate Dressing rooms arc assigned by the theatre manager. Full eeta of photo* must be delivered at tbe theatre ten daya prior to opening date. The act must provide billing, scene and property plots to tbe theatre ten days in advance of the beginning of the engagement. The above is the contract now in use by William Morris, and which will be given to all artists engaging through his office. Committees from the White Rats and Comedy Club consulted with Mr. Morris and his attorney, Geo. M. Leventritt, of Leventritt and Brennan, 320 Broadway, before the draft of the contract, drawn by Mr. Leventritt, was finally passed upon. It is the first equitable contract ever offered to a vaudeville artist by a manager. Mr. Morris stated to the committees that any sug- gestion for the improvement of the agreement to the artists' satisfaction would be followed. The United Booking Offices has also a draft of a new proposed equitable contract, which has been submitted to the two societies. When favorably passed upon the contract will be printed and issued. The contract of the United Offices will be slightly altered from the personal instrument to be used by Percy G. Williams, who has the present draft in his own name. This 1 will be his form, and Messrs. J. J. Murdock, for the Western Vaudeville Association, and E. F. Albee, for the United Offices, have agreed to accept the form decided upon by Mr. Williams and the artists' organizations, with changes in the "barring" clause. The Williams contract forbids an artist appearing within twenty city blocks of the house booked for prior to tbe engagement. The United Offices and Western Associ- ation will prescribe the barring limits by towns or cities. The Williams form of contract will not mention Sunday concerts as at present framed. The clause relating to this subject will read as follows : "One performance each afternoon and one performance each evening, but not more than 14 performances in any one week." Mr. Williams when seen this week said that he preferred not to give out the contract for publication until it had been finally adopted. It was in manuscript at the time. Mr. Williams further said that the contract he thought would be passed upon Friday (yesterday), when it would be immediately printed. The United contract will also provide that when a date is shifted, if extra expense is incurred by the artists in transportation or otherwise, the management respon- sible for the change in time will bear the additional disbursement. Meanwhile artists are signing the former form used by the Keith Booking Office. LEW CRAKE'S DREAM. Philadelphia, March 1. Lew (Hi Gander) Crane's dream is out. According to the way the Long Island Sheriff tells it, he had a dream two weeks before the Keith-Proctor-Williams-Ham- merstein combine was effected, in which he saw salaries cut so low that the actors had taken to all sorts of jobs to earn a living. Crane said he could see himself standing in front of the Metropole Hotel looking at George Fuller Golden, Charlie Guyer and James Dolan, who were full-fledged Jehus. He was telling them of the com- bine and Guyer asked what he was doing. Crane answered, "Oh, I have been a sheriff ■ long time now." He managed to escape hy way of a subway train on which Bel- mont, his partner, was a conductor. Crane 'lid not explain his whereabouts of the night before he had this dream, but he was telling the story in Philadelphia this Week. BOOKING FOR 8o WEEKS. It is officially stated at the United Hooking Offices that they have given out contracts to a number of acts for eighty weeks, covering a period of two complete seasons. The statement is further aug- mented by the declaration that no artists care to play more than forty weeks in a year, preferring to lay off for the remainder of the time. In this connection is the emphatic decla- ration of the United that in not a single instance was there a reduction in salary and in several cases < there was a material increase. Booking conditions in America are now rapidly approaching the methods that pre- vailed in Europe for many years. Be- fore the present season is brought to a close most of the desirable attractions will have made definite arrangements for the coming year and be able to rest at ease on their Summer vacations. DR. BODIE POSTPONES TRIP. Dr. Walford Bodie, the "healer" now under engagement to Al H. Woods, will not appear over here until next October. The Metropolitan Opera House has been engaged for the magnetic man to apply his salving palms. Dr. Bodie was to have arrived about this time, but the trip has been postponed owing to several obstacles arising. The contract for the Metropolitan is under- stood to have been signed by Mr. Woods, who will bill the Doctor largely upon his arrival. SUBSCRIPTION FOR DESTITUTE ARTIST. Mme. Emmy, who has a» bird act in vaudeville, has started a subscription for Mile. Theo, a former artiste, until lately known as Mrs. Clifford C. Fischer. Mme. Emmy makes the statement, in which she is corroborated by Mile. Theo, that the latter is destitute; and an effort is being made to realize sufficient money from those conversant with the circum- stances to redeem the costumes of Mile. Theo, which have been pledged, and place her in a position to re-enter vaudeville. TIRED OF PROVIDENCE. Providence, March 1. It is rumored here that Imperial Thea- Irc playing the burlesque shows of the Empire Circuit, will be offered to Klaw A Krlanger. should that firm show any disposition to enter Providence. Ix>ttie Gilson plays at the American Theatre to-morrow night for Ted Marks. Miss (iilson has been under treatment in ■ hospital for some time. Guy Rawson and Frances Clare have been re-engaged by Weber & Rush for the "Bon Tons" next season. Both will be featured. The high point for vaudeville receipts is said to have been reached during Vesta Victoria's openitig week at Williams' Or- pheum Theatre, Brooklyn. The gross tak- ings were $15,981). CHARLES ZIMMERMAN DEAD. Indianapolis, March 1. Charles Zimmerman, who has been man- ager of the Empire, the Western Wheel burlesque house here, ever since its open- ing, fifteen years ago, is dead here. The end came after a very short illness. Charles Zimmerman was born in Cincin- nati and began his business career in the employ of Fennessey and Heuck. Phil Brown, who has been acting as press agent for the Empire, has been appointed to the post of manager.