Variety (August 1919)

- : 3 ' L m : I V.- I.! In h ft 1 28 VARIETY respect thereof, and we can get In touch with him. Q. Here Is another question) "Have you been at any time, or are you a member of any other theatrical organization, and if bo state the names thereof." What is the object of that inquiry T A. Partly to get a line whether they were vaudeville per- formers, dramatic-performers, or Just in the business.tor the social end of It. Q. When did you first become associated with this pro- posed organisation, tho National Vaudeville Artists? A. From its Inception. ► ". < Q. From its inception T A. Tea, sir. Q. Are you one of the incorporators? A. I am one of the incorporators. ■ Q. How did you come to be one of the incorporators? A. Mr. Ed. Leonard, Mr. Will Herbert and myself were talk- ing at that time about the advisability of forming another organisation. We knew that the White Rats were having trouble. We realized at that time that the managers were not recognizing that organization. We talked the matter oyer and went to see Mr. Murdock, the three of us, and we asked Mr. Murdock If another organization was formed would they give that organization consideration that this White Rats organization would not have. He wanted to know In what way, how do you mean form an organization? We said If we got an organization that the managers would go flfty-flfty with the performers would they in any way help ua organise such an association? He would not give any definite answer. Two or three days later I saw him again. He evidently thought the matter over. He said not only would they recognize a body of actors who were willing to work In harmony with man- agers, but be said be would see that the managers would also help thoBe actors. The outcome was that we applied for a charter through David Stelnhardt. The- first charter was. denied, due to the fact tt was called the American Vaudeville Artists' Association, and we were given to understand that another application had been made years prior under the same title. So then we called it the National Vaudeville Artists, and on May 1, 1916, a charter was Issued to us. Q. Your committee, never talked to Mr. Albee about It? A. No, sir. . Q, In this notice In Variety of May 17,-1918. there is this statement: "As soon as the committee or charter members of this Association have worked out the details, a general meeting of all members will be called at a place in the City of New York of which due notice will be given for the purpose of adopting by-laws and electing officers and directors of the organization and all other details of final organization." Was such a general meeting held? A. Yes, sir. ■ - Q. And notice given? -* A. You are reading from the same? Q. Yes? A. Yes, sir. Q. A notice was given? A. Yes, sir. * ^ Q. At that time the officers were elected? A. Yes, sir. Q. They were elected by vote? A. By the vote of those present • .' Q. How many were present? — A. Our.charter members, and I presume a half-dozen others, because that Is all there were at that time. Q. At that time you were elected secretary and Mr. Leonard was elected president and Miss May Irwin was elected treas- urer? A. Not at that time, no, sir. * v Q. I show you page 13 of Variety dated May 26, 1916, which purports to be an advertisement entitled, "For Peace and Prosperity Forevermore." Signed by the National Vaudeville Artists, Inc., 1498 Broadway, New York City. I will ask you whether or not that advertisement was inserted by the National Vaudeville Artists? A. That date Is what? Q. May 26th. A. That must be wrong. Q. It la 1918. I will ask you if that mi aa authorised Insertion by the National Vaudeville Artist*? A. Yes, sir. CROSS-EXAMINATION. By Mr. Malevlnaky: - Q. Mr. Chesterfield, these advertisements that appear In Variety, Is It not true that substantially all of those advertise- ments appeared In other trade papers? A. Yes, sir. Q. There wss no preference shown, was there, In Inserting these advertisements? ■ A. No, air. Q. By your association? A. No, sir. Q. Variety sent out a certain copy of a letter In respect to a special number, do you remember that? A. I do. Q. Do you remember the circumstances of their using a certain form and your insisting that they change the form of their letter? . . - A. I believe I do, yes, sir. In respect to this special issue, isn't It a fact that other papers, trade papers, took exception to the fact of Variety get- ting out a special Issue and that others got out— A. Well, all the trade papers I believe at that time got out a special issue. Q. Did your association or organisation at any time show any favorites to Variety? A. Yes, sir. Q. You Inserted ads in that paper as you did In other papers! A. No, sir. Q. If Variety for any reason has a stronger status or stand- ing as a trade paper that Is i. matter that has come to It through Its years of successful publication, is it not? A. Well, of-course, each paper baa Its own following. Q. Well now, as a matter of fact among vaudevlillans gen- erally, isn't it true that the majority of vaudevlillans consider Variety the best trade paper? A. They consider Variety the most popular paper. Q. Variety first originated this idea of a personal, more of a personal line? A. Ab far as I know, Variety was the first to publish an intimate line. > Q. And by reason of that it got to be a great favorite among those who were interested in vaudeville affairs? A Yes, sir. Q. In all of your connection with this National Vaudeville Association have you ever beard or known, of any agreement or understanding of any kind with Mr. Silverman or with Variety whereby Variety was any part of any arrangement to fight the White Rats, or anybody else? A. I have not, no sir. - \ Q.Asa matter of fact. Variety lost a great deal of adver- tising at the time that the other papers contended that they should have the privilege of using a special number, didn't they; that Is, a great many advertisements were taken away from Variety and given to the other papers? A Why, yes, because naturally it is rather hard for the majority of the performers to utilize all the trade papers. Some give their ads to one paper and some to another, and yet all the trade papers carried a large amount of individual performer's ads. Q. Have you ever undertaken, you or your association, the National Vaudeville Association, have yoji ever undertaken In any manner, way, shape or form to steer,' if I may use that term, or direct any business to Variety as against any other trade paper or magazine or Journal? A. No, sir, I have not, Q. When you got out a programme in connection with the first special edition, there was some controversy or some issue between you and Variety In respect to taking away part of their profits, wasnt there? A. There certainly was. Q. So that the next year when you insisted upon putting out your programme they never got out a special Issue? A. Well, I guess they didn't want to. Q. Didn't they claim that they had lost 116,000 by of that first opecial issue? . \ A. That is the statement they told me. Of course, we don't know how true that was. Q. Anyhow, they contended that? A. They contended that thty lost $16,000 on that issue. Mr. Walsh: That Is, they did not lose It, they did not get It. ■ . I' The Witness: I don't know what they got, whether they lost It or did hot get It By Mr. Malevlnsky: J ... . ..J-- Q. Didn't they contend to you that it was useles for them to get out a special issue because they could not make It payf A. Yes, sir. Q. And the next year they abandoned It altogether? ..->■_ yes, sir. '•«" V ''." 'fik ■ jt£.. ;.•,-,'.' j i . v.; Mr. Malevlnsky: That "is all. By Mr. Walsh: — „ Q. Why should Variety go to you about it, Mr. Chesterfield? A. Because the other papers were speaking about having a special Issue and we naturally would like ali papers interested. (Whereupon, at 12 :50 o'clock P. M„ a recess was taken until 2:00 o'clock P. M.) AFTERNOON SESSION. PATRICK J- CASEY Was recalled for further oxamlpatlon, and having been prev- iously sworn, testified ss follows: DIRECT EXAMINATION. - _' By Mr. Walsh: . _.„ \L' Q. Before we call Mr. Clark, Mr. Casey I will ask you who owns Kenney's Theatre, in Newark, New Jersey. A. I believe Keeney does. :•'/'.. J . q. Frank Keeney? '. V •" A. Frank Kenney; yes, sir. ;. ' q. Is he a member of the V. M. P. A.? A. Yes. WILLIAM E. CLARK Was called as a witness on behalf of the Commission, and was duly sworn. It is admitted that the witness William E. Clark, an examiner of the Federal Trade Commission, on the 23d day of May, 1919, visited Keeney's Theatre, Newark, N. J„ a theatre owned by Frank Keeney, a member of the V. M. P; A..' and was admitted by the State Manager John Rowe to two of the nine dressing rooms In that theatre. Upon the wall in each of the two dressing rooms which he visited he found prominently displayed a placard about six by eight inches, on which was printed the following notice: "All members of the N. V. A. kindly present their cards, Stage Manager, on request" In one of the rooms there were two such -notices on the wall Tho Stage Manager would not permit blm to take possession of one of these notices, stating that It was beyond his authority, but Informed Will- lam E. Clark that similar notices could be found In each of tue dressing rooms. Mr. Walsh: That Is all, Mr. Clark. HENRY CHESTERFIELD Was recalled as a witness, and having been previously sworn, testified as follows: ■ . ' DIRECT EXAMINATION (Continued). By Mr. Walsh: q. I understand your testimony to be that the advertisement entitled, "Peace and Prosperity Forevermore," dated May 26, 1916, appeared under the direction of the National Vaudeville Artists at that time? A. Yes, sir. (To be continued next week) BACK ON THE JOB FOR BUSINESS JOE MANN TO THE PROFESSION Arrived back in New York this week and am now organizing several new revues for New York and vicinity. Principals and Chorus Girls Needed at Once Phone: Circle 5982 CALL - 'PHONE - WRITE 1664 Broadway, New York LETTERS When sending for mail to VARIETY, address Mall Clerk. POSTCARDS, ADVERTISING OR CIRcn.An LETTERS WILL NOT BE ADVERTISED. LHTTERS ADVERTISED IN ONE ISSUE ONLY. Abbott Grace Albert Nat Alls Roscoe Albrugbt Fannie Andrea Slgna Aqulla Prince Arthur Dorothy B Baker Marlon Baxter ft Virginia Bellltt Henry Belmont Murray Berry David BeBt Bert Blondel! Edw Bond Austin Bonnervllle T D Brenner August Bronson Phil Brown George Burns Billy Burroughs W S C Callaban CAB Caplane ft Wells Carleton Robert Carpenter Edlon C Carlyle Louise Carr Fred Carter Rose Csrty James Chappelle Thomas Chappoll ft Stlnette Chesney Jayne Chllds Jeanette Christy Csrl J Clair. Doris Claire Gladys Clark Miss Clarks Marie Clark ft Bergman Cllne George Cohen Ralph Colin ft Dnnabr Collum Edwin Cone Joseph Connell Teddy Connelly T Cooke W H Conroy John Cooper Irving Cronell Francis Corrlgan Emmett Crawford Clifton Crawford Loiter Creighton Jim Cromwell Mm Louis Cummlngham ft Ben- nett Curtis Julia Curtis Sam Cushman Jack D Dale Billy Diver Jean, Daly Arnold De Haven vMilo Dickey Paul Dickinson ft Deagon Dixon George Dixie Duo Donobue Mary Dorothy Miss Doraldina Mme Draper Bert Duffy Jimmy Dumltrescu Geo Dunan Harry IF YOU DON'T ADVERTISE IN VARIETY— DON'T ADVERTISE PIANO AT LIBERTY! LEADER SOLOIST RICHARD CONN (LATE OF 8EABURY AND SHAW) for standard big time vaudeville act or musical show 2848 Broadway, New York Phone: Cathedral 6316 I 1 K \ E VI-:- I Jmsi. ;-'. . i / - I