Variety (January 1914)

VARIETY BOND OWNERS DKAW INTEREST. Bond-holding and coupon-clipping actors arc commonly supposed to be a paradox. Vet, scores of actors con- nected with the White Rats Actors' Union of America or one of its affili- ated organizations may possibly ex- perience a slight cramp in their fingers within the next couple of days by rea- son of clipping the tiny oblongs of paper from the imposing looking docu- ments which indicate that they have invested in the First Mortgage Gold Bonds of the new W; K. A. U. build- ing on West 4oth street, New York. Jan. 1, the Happy New Year's day, l-rings another interest day on the Londs and those who have listened to the arguments advanced in favor of the purchase of the bonds are experiencing material proof of the wisdom of their decision. Bond holders arc clipping coupons and sending them to the Co- lumbia Trust Co., New York, and in return are receiving for each coupon the sum of $3 in coin of the realm. A glance at the statements which are provided the White Rats Realty Co. by the Columbia Trust Co. from time tc time in connection with the pay- ment of the interest on the bonds de- velops an interesting point which is another splendid argument in favor of the bonds. Interest is paid every six months and, as a part of the system, the coupons are arranged in numbered series, the coupons now being re- deemed belonging to Series No. 4. It is of record that a number of peo- ple who have purchased White Rats bonds have not yet taken the trouble tf- collect the interest on them which has accrued and therefore now have coming to them the sum of $12 on each bond in their possession. It is a fair deduction that these bond holders went into the proposition merely for the purpose of finding a particularly safe and profitable place for the money which they had earned and saved and with the idea of "forgetting that they had made such an investment." They know that their money is as safe as if it were in the custody of the United State* government and are content to let it pile up. Should bond holders in this class continue with their present j Ian. each one-hundred-dollar bond they own will have borne $42 interest in the seven years which will have c-apscd when the first third of the amount of the bond matures. There are still a number of White Rats Realty I'onds to be sold and it is noticeably true that the recurrence < 1 tlic^c semi-annual interest days is I loving a strong advertisement for the bonds. The actor who sees his fellow- actor "ca^hinp" regularly on this little investment which he has made with little or no trouble to himself is be- coming more and more convinced that the bonds arc a good investment. The easy payment plan for the pur- chase of bonds, which Will J. Cooke, treasurer of the White Rats' Realty Co, will be clad to explain by letter to rill those who ask for information, •^ratly helps the prospective purchaser who finds himself unable to part with iIt* entire purchase price of a bond at ;ii.y ( T iven time. If jnu don't advrrtliw In VAKIRTY, don't advrrtlMt at all. BB SURE OF THE CONTRACT. If an artist is offered time for his act in the west and he or she is in New York at the time the offer is made, before jumping to Chicago or Terre Haute, the point of opening that act has been offered, act should be sure they have contracts for all the time offered. A letter or telegram from an agent is not a contract. An agent is only a "go-between." He is not one of the principals. Bear this in mind, Mr. Actor and Miss Actress. You must have a contract with the manager. No matter how nice a letterhead the agent's letter is written on, in which he states where you play, it is not a contract—has no standing in court. If the agent or manager is on the level about the 10 or 12 weeks of- fered, he will not hesitate to issue you contracts. A word to the wise is sufficient. PAY YOUR DUES. "Keep your dues paid up," is good advice to all members of the White Rats and Associated Actresses. Al- lowing your dues to lapse puts you out of benefit. You never can tell when you may WHAT ARE YOU DOINGT "What are they doing?" This is a question that, no doubt, you have often heard asked by men and women, as regards the White Rats. "What are they doing?" The next man or woman who puts that question up to you, ask them the same question: "W^iat are you doing? Are you help- ing the great army of players by be- longing to the White Rats—keeping your dues paid up—thinking of the profession as a profession and not yourself as an individual, or are you one of the fault-finders, a member of the wrecking crew, one who is a men- ace to society; who is, and always has been, holding down the race through all the ages, the type of person who helped break the spirit of Geo. Fuller Golden, the founder of the White Rats?" Generally, the one who asks "What are they doing?" measures up to the last description mentioned in the above paragraph. W. O'K. HILLIS DIES. William O'Kane Hillis, well known a? a legitimate actor of the old school who appeared in support of a number rf the big stars during his days of ac- WHITE RATS NEWS (The matter on this page has been furnished VARIETY by the White Rats Actors' Union of America, and is vouched for by that organization. VARIETY, in its editorial policy, is not responsible for it.) need the organization. Then again, you may never need it—but in keeping your dues paid up, you are helping some player who is not as fortunate a<; you, perhaps, and the greatest joy in life, to real men and women, is in doing good for others. ROCCO PICARO INSANE. Rocco Picaro, formerly of the Picaro troupe of acrobats, is in the King's Tark State Hospital for the Insane as the result of a nervous breakdown which he suffered recently. He has been in poor health for some time and has been unable to work with the troupe of which he was a member. Mr. Picaro disappeared from his home in New York City Dec. 1 and was missing until Dec. 3, when his brother, Luigi Picaro, found him in East New York. He was unable to give any account of his wanderings and examination by a physician developed the fact that he was suffering from an affection of the mind. The patient was first taken to King's County hos- pital in Flatbush and later to the King's Park institution, where little hope is held out for his recovery. tivity on the stage, died at the Actors' Fund Brunswick Home at Amityville, L. I., Tuesday morning of a complica- tion of diseases. Mr. Hillis had been ill for a couple of years and had been in various hos- pitals and institutions around Greater New York. He was a member of the White Rats Actors' Union of America. Pending advice from a relative in Rich- mond, Staten Island, funeral arrange- ments had not been completed up to press time. W. R. CLUB A MONEY MAKER. The question has been raised as to what benefit the White Rats Club is to the member who seldom gets to New York or, in some cases, never reaches New York. In this connection the statement has been made that the out-of-town mem- ber is helping to support, by the pay- ment of his dues, a club that he never enjoys. This is a misstatement of facts. The out-of-town member is not, by the payment of his dues, helping to maintain the club. The club is self- supporting. In its first year of oper- ation, with extraordinary expenses that go with the first year of any big in- stitution, it shows a profit. If it con- tinues to increase in business, the en- sung year will show a profit of approxi- mately $10,000 over and above all ex- penses. This includes a sinking fund which, is reserved for the taking up of the bonds as they mature. Last week the gross business was $1,300, as compared with $900 for the same week a year ago, showing an in- crease of $400. The White Rats Actors' Union, as an organization, rents offices from the club. Offices would be necessary un- der any conditions. If there were no club building, the organization would have to rent elsewhere. The present offices of the organization could not be duplicated in New York for the money paid. The organization, along with indi- vidual members, has invested in club- house bonds, receiving six per cent, on its investment, which is better than having the same amount in a bank at three and a half or four per cent. Therefore, an investment earning six per cent., and offices at greatly reduced rent, are two great advantages the or- ganization has in connection with the present White Rats' Club. LEFT THEATRE FLAT. Toledo, Dec. 31. A strike is on at the Orpheum, as the result of the manager, Charles Nassr, insisting upon employing Waltrr ISrady as stage manager. \The latter is not a member of the umon. Stage hands, musicians and operators participated in the walk-out. BUCKNER CONVICTED. Before the Special Sessions court last Friday, Arthur Buckner was convicted of doing business as a theatrical agent without a license. He was remanded for sentence Jan. 2, the former bail of $500, furnished by John J. Reisler ("John, the Barber") being continued. Investigation as to his character has been going on meanwhile. The maxi- mum penalty is $250 fine and a year's imprisonment. Inspector Whelan of the License Commission office had the case against Buckner, who was arrested on a war- rant issued in May, 1912. At the trial Bobby Pandur (Pandur Brothers) testi- fied for the prosecution, but stated the monies given by him to Buckner were "friendly loans." SPECIAL NOTICE. The regular monthly meeting of the White Rats Actors' Union will be held Tuesday, January 6, 1914, in the White Rats' building, 227 West 46th street, New York City, at 11 p. m. sharp. $3-A-DAY ACTORS' SCALE HERE. Kemmerer, Wyo., Dec. 31. This town (it is really a mining cajnp) boasts the busiest troupe of per^ formers in the state, if not the country. Kemmerer has a theatre where pic- tures vie with vaudeville. Frontier, a hamlet a mile away, has a theatre also. Performers in Kemmerer have to play in both places. Their baggage is loaded on a dray after the afternoon show and moved to Frontier for the night performance. There is no distinction between big and little time, and all actors "cut their salary." Everybody receives the same pay, $3 a day, and nothing for over- time. 22 ACTS RILLED. Hammcrstcin's program for next week claims 22 acts, giving the list with the time of appearance Ot each turn. The show will start at 1.45 and 7.45. 3rd AVE. REOPENED. Keeney's Third Avenue, redecorated and improved in divers ways and flash- ing a huge, new electric sign in front, reopened Monday with five acts booked in by Harry Shea. The prices arc 10-15c. Eugene Burns is house man- ager.