Variety (March 1910)

VARIETY THE ARTISTS' ASSOCIATIONS AGREE ON DEVEAUX'S BILL Sam Gompers, Labor Leader, Brings Artists 9 Factions Together. Sharp Tilt at Albany Hearing. Albany, N. Y., March 23. The situation regarding agency bills in badly muddled. George A. Voss opened things at the committee's public hearing today with a surprise when he announced that the White Rats and Actors' Union had held a conference yesterday, deciding to withdraw the Rats' bill and make some amendments in the Actors' Union bill. These amendments would be tendered the committee later, he said. One member of the committee said he couldn't see any sense of proceeding with the hearing if the artists didn't know how they stood and for a while it looked like a postponement, but Chairman Geo. Green directed the committee to go on with the hearing, allowing each side thirty minutes. Nevertheless the hearing lasted over three hours. Maurice Goodman, representing the United Booking Offices, declared the bill ii.terefered with the freedom of contract and asked the committee why should the senate give so much attention to the vaudeville artist, who is among the best paid men in the country. To prove this assertion he quoted the increase in sev- eral artists' salaries during the last few years. The Great Lester's salary was mentioned. Harry Mountford declared it was wrong, finally suggesting that he (Mr. Goodman) submit to the committee cne of Lester's contracts showing the exact amount. Much discussion about the artists' busi- ness ability took place, Tim Cronin mak- ing a long speech on the subject. The real surprise came when Mrs. Beau- mont Packard, president of a dramatic ugents' society, declared the bill would mean death to every dramatic agent, pointing out it was impossible for a dra- matic agent to do business in keeping with Section 183 of the Rats' bill and Section 174 of the Actors' Union bill. She presented the committee with a statement wigncd by over a thousand persons declaring that the dramatic and vaude- ville agencies are two different busi- nesses. Inasmuch as this bill is designed for vaudeville people she pleaded for an amendment to cover dramatic agencies, who cannot possibly live up to the contract section since they cannot tell where companies arc going. She also pleaded for an amendment to the clause calling for a bigger bond. Assemblyman Green told a Varikty representative after the meeting that the amendment would probably go, as the diamatic agents' position was clearly de- fined in Mrs. Packard's speech. She asked for legislative protection, declaring she ^as no suffragette. Mount ford was repeatedly interrupted h\ Mrs. Packard and lawyer Goodman, the latter telling Mountford he was making misstatements. Mountford said •Tide* Ruby was an employe of the United, but took five per cent, commission occasionally for himself. Goodman said Kuliy was not an employe and accused Mountford of trying to mislead the com- mittee. When it came Dennis O'Brien's turn to speak only three of the committee men were left. It looks as though the Union and Rats had fixed up their differences as far as this legislative business is con- cerned; also that the bill will go through safely, but several amendments and changes will be made, particularly the one referring to dramatic agents. The committee will report next week. Several Labor Federation officers pleaded for the bill. In the booklet gotten up by the United and sent to legislators, there are compara- tive tables showing the increase of salaries within a few years past (from 1905) and also the total cost of bills (itemized) in several United theatres booked by the agency. In another chapter it says "that the artist does not actually pay the commis- sion, but that the manager or owner of the theatre is the one." William Morris is claimed in the book- let to conduct one of the largest booking agencies in the State, and there are other agencies mentioned. Speaking of "The charge that we split commissions with the outside agent" the booklet says: "We frankly admit that we have within the last two years exacted of outside agents a certain part of the fees which they receive. We have no ex- cuse to offer, and are ready to defend our position.*' Further on, after men- tioning use of office, stationery, etc., by agents, the paragraph reads: "If it is right that the performer should pay us a com- mission, why isn't it just as equitable that the agent who makes his living through us should also pay something to us in return?" The booklet addressed to "the Legisla- ture of the State of New York," and con- taining twenty-one reading pages, minus the salary tables, is signed "United Book- ing Office of America, By F. V. Proctor, Vice-President." Any daily newspaper procuring a copy would most likely print the table of sal- aries in the book. The Assembly Committee hearing on Wednesday stirred up much discussion over the "agency bills." The United Rooking Offices, through its attorney, sent to legis- lators, personally, a printed circular and brief, going into the general demerits of the bills, and the alleged unconstitution- ality of both measures. In connection with this literature, the United circulated a petition on Tuesday among the agents booking through it. pro- testing against the bills, among other matter claiming that each agent receixed live per cent, for his service**. It is reported that at the first request, (lie agent in the Long Acre Building de- clined to sign the petition when "the big whip" was applied, and his signature re- sulted. AGENT WINS COMMISSION CASE. Boston, March 23. Judgment was rendered Tuesday in the full amount in the suit brought for com- missions by B. A. Myers against the Ex- position Four. Testimony was to the effect that Myers secured contracts for the act for 26 weeks on the Morris Circuit at an advance over their previous salary on other circuits. The manager of the act inserted several clauses in the agreements, but refused to sign them unless they were permitted to take them out of Myers' office. This they were forbidden to do. They accordingly refused to sign. The court ruled that Mr. Myers had ac- complished all that'could be demanded of him in securing the contracts for the act, and declared that he had earned his com- mission as soon as the contracts were de- livered to the act. This case, then pending, was promi- nently quoted by those seeking to put through legislation against mesne pro- ceedings in the Massachusetts legislature. The plaintiff was represented by Jacobs & Jacobs, Boston, attorneys. "NEMO" EXTRACTS. M. S. Bentham, the agent vaudeville ex- tra cter, has already started his musical comedy apparatus for the removal of fea- tures from the legitimate to vaudeville in operation. So far the extracter has caught on to Harry Kelly and Madeleine Marshall from the "Little Nemo" show, which will close its season this Saturday at the Grand Opera House, New York. Mr. Kelly and Mr. Marshall will go to Scran ton, Pa., for the "try-out." The star of "Little Nemo," Master Ga- briel, has agreed with Mr. Bentham to ap- pear in vaudeville, probably next season, with a new sketch, named "Little Tommy Tucker." Al Lamar will be "Gabe's" man- ager, as usual. There is some talk of Joe Cawthorne taking the route for a brief time, as well, though there is nothing settled. GOODWIN SETS A FIGURE. Three thousand dollars is the figure at last set by Nat Goodwin upon his services for vaudeville. He is willing to appear in "Lend Me Five Shillings" for that sum. William L. Lykens has received a tele- gram from the player with the above par- ticulars in it. It's the first time Goodwin has placed himself on record regnrding a vaudeville salary, though often negotiating through agents in the past. SHERIDAN IN "THE DERELICT." An announcement has been sent out that Frank Sheridan, who created "Captain Williams" in "Paid in Full," is to appear in vaudeville in "The Derelict," "an epi- sode of the Gay White Way." There will be seven people in the cast. GILFOIL, SUMMER STAR. A star during the hot weather only, ac- cording to a press announcement, will be Harry Gilfoil, now in the support of Mlinvhe Ring in "The Circus Girl." Gil foil will bloom forth at the head of "A Hunch of Blue Ribbon." a posthumous play by the late Charles ITovt. The manager or producer of the forth • •oming production has not been men- tioned. "DANCING ON BROADWAY." There is dancing on Broadway every evening at kid McCoy's rathskeller beneath the Hotel Normandie, Broadway and 88th Street. Mr. McCoy's place is the only one to have the distinction of permitting "stepping" outside the theatres in the Street of Light, Lobster and Liquor. Beneath the newly renovated hostelry McCoy has arranged the star rathskeller of New York, with the make-believes of Chicago not even entering. There are booths, restaurant, bar and the dance hall, a large room under the centre of the hotel office, where dancing is indulged in from 0 until 1 a. in. "The Kid" has some place, and it is making the proprietors of one, two or three all-night resorts on the side streets near by very nervous to figure how to stand "McCoy's" off. DIVE FROM GARDEN'S TOP. Harry Six, the high diver, has been en- gaged by the American Hippodrome Co. to appear for ten weeks at the Madison Square Garden this summer as a feature attraction of the "Summer Hip" show to be played there. Mr. Six will dive from the dome of the roof. ^ Six, who lately returned from a seven months' tour of South America, will re- turn there this fall for another engagement, lie expects to add ten female swimmers to his act, and will also take along several other turns. ALL-STAR BENEFIT SUNDAY. The Harry Levey-John J. Riesler all- star benefit for the aid of the Temple Beth Israel is to happen next Sunday evening (Faster) at the New York Theatre. Mr. ftiesler will direct the affair, having the assistance of Arthur Klein on the stage. Announcement of the acts to appear will be made by Joe Humphreys. The prices are to be from fifty cents up- ward. Up to Monday twenty-seven acts had volunteered, including some of the best- known stars, in and out of vaudeville. ANOTHER RESTAURANT SHOW. Another production advertising a res- taurant, will be made by Tom W. Ryley in a couple of weeks or so when his show will blossom forth under a title of "The Girl From Jack's," or something akin. Many bids have been placed for vaude- ville people to drop in the cast. It is said Sam Collins has signed. Montgomery and Moore and Joe Welch have been ap- proached. A CROWD OF HINDOOS. At the American, Newark, April 4 a collection of Hindoos will "try out" an act for the Morris Circuit. There are fourteen Far Easterners in the group, and they will do many things on the stage, chiefly dancing. THREE THEATRES ANNOUNCKD. \nnounccments of plans for the building of three theatres haw been made as fol- lows: Newark, a *l<i')i)l) building at 738 l'road Str-i'l. th<-a»r«' and bir-im^s build- ing; Hro'>Uyn. Mi.- (>yrl. a! Hroadway and Moi c, r..i: .!■■•.- -\- ' iiy, vaude- ville theatn" ai y * >■;t i< c-IT > ::nd Communi- paw AvrrtT.. '-, . ■ .^0.000.