Variety (March 1910)

VARIETY WOMEN ON "SMALL TIME" AND THE "CHASING" MANAGER "The Skirt" Says Publicity is the Only Cure, and Offers Aid to Those Annoyed by the Leeches. By THE. For two or three weeks now I have had handed over to me several letters coming to Vabdett about vaudeville women in the south on that "small time" down there. These letters all speak of a lamentable condition as to the managers in their attitude toward the "singles" and "sister acts" playing in their houses. Not all managers, of course, but from the let- ters I should judge that most of these over-night or "Adam Sowerguys" have a frailty for a woman. If she is a good looking girl, so much the harder for her. To my mind, it remains with the woman whether she shall be insulted in the first place, or whether a worse result occur in the second place. But I have never been on the "small time," so per- haps I am not qualified to speak of what is the general remark when things of this nature are mentioned. Some one is cer- tain to say: "Oh, it all depends on the girl herself." From what I have read in these letters, and what other information I have obtained, I am not so sure that this is true in the small vaudeville houses. When butchers, grocers, livery men, blacksmiths and what not suddenly find themselves "theatrical managers" meet- ing "stage people" for the first time, with their "yap" opinions formed of women on the stage, usually taking the opinion from some highly colored piece of literature (written because "women" and "the stage" are always attractive be- tween book covers), the suddenly made manager considers them his legitimate prey. I asked one man on a point I was doubtful about and he replied: "Well, sup- pose a girl, working and traveling alone, struck town on a Monday morning with- out any money, and after the night show the 'manager* made advances, telling her she would be 'closed' immediately for the engagement if she did not prove agreeable, what do you suppose might happen in three cases out of five?" There are other arguments showing where the woman is at a disadvantage also, so I am forced to believe that the lot of a girl all alone playing in houses run by these leeches is not a happy nor a comfortable one. I know that a girl who goes out with a "Johnny" can take care of herself. In 99 times out of 100 she has the "Johnny" at her arm's length all the while, but it must be different when a "manager" approaches you. He can threaten "bad reports," "cancellations" in houses conducted by friends, and say there will be no more work for her on that circuit, etc. What is the girl or girls to do? 1 don't think it is much different in the south than in other parts of the country where this "small time" has sprung up so quickly. A letter turned over to me from one of Variety's correspondents in the south, touching intimately on this subject, says the theatrical press doesn't give it attention. I asked in the office about this, SKIRT. and was told it was a delicate subject to handle; that the women would not permit the use of their names, nor could the name of the manager incriminated be used without absolute proof which could be put forward if an action for criminal libel fol- lowed, for the publication of this matter is unquestionably criminally libelous when names are mentioned. What girls can do is beyond me. It seems to me that Variety's correspond- ent is right. Only through publicity can this thing be stopped. If I were working in a "small time" theatre and the manager "made a play" for me, I think I would lead him on until I had him compromised in some way, in writing or in front of witnesses, then I would give it to him right, and also threaten to expose him in the theatrical papers. I am told in the office that Variety will print any story of this kind, men- tioning the manager's name, if the story is properly authenticated. If I didn't care to be annoyed by the manager, I would threaten him immedi- ately to write to Variety, and I would, to prevent future underhand annoyances, write Variety at that time relating the circumstances so that any "revenge" at- tempted by this manager in the future through others might be traced. And I would tell the manager that so that he might know beforehand to what future troubles would be attributed. If any girl who has been, or may be, annoyed by any of these so-called "the- atrical managers" wish to write me about it, I will go into the matter with the editor of the paper, and make any man- ager mentioned place himself on record for defense. I will agree to hold the girl's name in confidence unless she agrees otherwise. Let any girl traveling over the "small time" or any other time, cut this out and show it to any manager who has forgot- ten or not read it. It will probably prove sufficient, for the editor of Variety has told me I can go as far as I like with this, and that he will stand for anything that comes up. So if the girls who are pestered, nagged and insulted because they are attempting to earn an honest living on the stage, working themselves to death doing many shows daily, want protection from the press, they can have it, but they must help me by either threatening these "man- agers" or entrapping them. "CHINK" THEATRE NOT READY. It had been the purpose of Raymond Hitchcock to launch himself as a local theatre manager last Monday, but the re- pairs to his Chinese theatre, in Doyer Street were not completed, and it may be still another week before his plan of Chi- nese plays and moving pictures as the policy of the theatre is put into operation. "Si Foon Kick Chung" ("The Persecution of Kick Chung") will be the opening bill. INVESTIGATING "TIPS." This week all resident managers on the Orpheum Circuit were requested from the New York headquarters to report to Mar- tin Beck the condition regarding tipping of stage hands by artists in the theatres. A card has been hung up in the various Or- pheum Theatres to the effect that no gratuity was to pass. What the investigation may amount to is not known. No one believes that "tipping" can be eliminated. A few weeks ago the Toronto papers had a story about the abolishment of "tipping" behind the footlights as so many artists were mem- bers of the T. M. A. (the organization of the stage crews). Recently a Chicago representative of the T. M. A. called upon Messrs. Beck and Percy G. Williams requesting a donation of $1,000 or more towards the T. M. A. home to be erected. The managers con- ferred upon the subject, concluding that since they paid the union scale the request for a contribution was not in order. It is said that the managers suggested at that time that the T. M. A. place boxes in dif- ferent theatres into which artists could drop what they pleased, and all members of the T. M. A. at the same time waive the "tips," suggesting when one was offered that it go in the box toward the home fund. PAULINE ON TOUR. At the New York office of the Pantages Circuit, in the Casey Agency, Louis Pin- cus said that when the tour of Pauline, the hypnotist, over the Pantages Circuit had been concluded, Pauline would be taken on tour in the northwest, playing the smaller towns, surrounded by a vaude- ville company. The success of the hypnotist in the 10-20-30 houses of the Pantages Circuit so far played has been phenomenal. Mr. Pin- cus is authority for the statement that during one of the two weeks at Pantages. Seattle, Pauline played to between $8,000 and $10,000 at this admission scale. MELVILLE ELLIS RETURNS. After traveling over Europe as the rep- resentative of the Shuberts, in search of attractions and artists, Melville Ellis re- turns to Broadway this week. Mr. Ellis said he had seen very little of value on the other side in the way of plays or productions, but had signed a number of foreign artists for forthcoming Shubert productions, and especially the new Lew Fields review. "LLOYD" IMITATING LLOYD. In the houses around New York where acts are used for the purpose of making moving pictures exhibitions worth five cents there is a young woman billed as Stella Lloyd. She claims to be another of the numerous family of Lloyds England has sent over, one at a time. As she shines best as an impersonator this Lloyd has chosen the star of the family circle and does a specialty composed entirely of imitations of Alice Lloyd. Whether or no she is a regular Lloyd or just "copped the act" is not so certain as is the fact that she is "getting past" with the family name. "They say she is good." but as she has not yet reached the stormy sees of even "small time" her merits remain to be demonstrated. HEARINGS ON NSW LAWS. Boston, March 2. Agents, managers and acton, both vaudeville and "legit," are eagerly await- ing the report of the joint judiciary com- mittee on the "child labor" and "mesne process" amendement bills, both of great interest to theatrical people. The joint judiciary committee gave a hearing on the mesne process bill Feb. 24, and on the child labor bill Feb. 25. The bill to amend the mesne process to require that the plaintiff shall be a resident of this State or that the contract shall have been made in this State is known as the "Lindsay Morrison" or "M. Douglas Flat- tery" bill. Mr. Morrison is manager of the American, the local Morris house. Judge Albert J. Brackett, who con- ducted the hearing for the petitioners, ex- plained how the present law was often used to collect doubtful claims. He styled the present law archaic. W. E. Collins, representing the Keith interests, and one of the petitioners on the bill, emphasized that the desired amendment was not intended to enable one to evade just debts. Joseph R- Jacobs, of the local law firm of Jacobs & Jacobs was one remonstrant. He said that the change proposed would avail nothing, as non- resident claimants would merely have themselves incorporated under Massachu- setts laws and thus become residents. 'Then you really have no serious ob- jection to this bill?" queried Representa- tive Hurd of Salem. Jacobs did not re- ply. John H. Devine said the law was working well as it was. Philip W. Jacobs spoke in favor of the present law. The petitioners are very hopeful of favorable outcome. The next day the joint Judiciary Com- mittee gave its hearing on the petition that the Massachusetts child labor law be amended so that children under four- teen years of age may appear on the stage under certain restrictions. Speak- ing for the amendment were Francis Wil- son, Director Henry Russell of the Boston Opera Company, Edith Taliaferro, Char- lotte Hunt, Lawrence McCarthy, Eleanor Moretti, Attorney J. Albert Brackett, Lotta Crabtree, Sir Charles Wyndham, Henry Clay Barnabee, Jay Hunt, Sidney Drew, Joseph Hipwell and M. Douglas Flattery. Points made were that the present law is an injustice to the child, that children on the stage are thoroughly safe-guarded, that children are absolutely necessary for certain productions, and particularly that, under the desired amendment, no child could appear on the stage without a license, granted after a hearing by the city or town authorities. Opposing the amendment were Howard W. Brown for the Massachusetts child labor law committee, former President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard, Bishop Will- iam Lawrence, Miss L. Cate of New York, President Henry Sterling of the A. F. of 1,., Secretary Everett W. Lord of the National Child Labor Committee, and H..W. Williams of the Children's Mission. They argued that it was unwise to modify the child labor laws in any way, that there were enough children over fourteen to take juvenile parts were neces- sary on the stage, and that there was no reason why a change in the laws should be made in favor of the theatres.