Variety (March 1920)

^8 ■:■•<■-?^-»'':-■'■ -.■ -'■:■■;• • ••' ■ ■ . " ■•':■ variety' ;■. "9- MUSICIANS 660 DEMANDS COVER ENTIRE FIELD OF AMUSEMENTS Musical Mutual Protective Union 310 Begins Series of Annual Meetings March 8 to Consider Radical Advances Asked in Wage Scales. Managerial Interests Con- cerned Over Proposed Revolutionary Changes. WITH THE MUSIC MEN A revolution In musical circles affect- ing the entire- wage scale of musicians playing In all manner and form of thea- tres from the small time film house to vaudeville, burlesque, legit and grand opera, la looked forward to with the la* suance of 660 resolutions drawn up for action by the Musical Mutual Protective Union, Local 810, A. F. of M., 210 East 86th atreet and 209 East 85th street This local embraces the membership of all musicians playing standard houses In Greater New York, and are to be aoted on Monday, March 8, which la the be- ginning of their monthly meeting. The meetings are to be continued at ad- journed sessions each Monday, Thursday and Friday thereafter—prior to -the monthly meeting of April. The time of meeting on Mondays and Thursdays is at a.so p. m. and on Fridays at 10.80 a. m. The text of the new resolutions prior to adoption are already In the hands of theatre operators, and a look of con- cern was discerned on all those who have given the subject any thought. The resolutions make for the most ra- dical.changes In the wage scale ever at- tempted In the history of theatricals and unionisation schemes, although the object of their enforcement Is still In abeyance and is to be acted upon during the scheduled sessions. The new resolutions come under the provisions of (thllr) Article XIII. en- titled By-Laws. 660 resolutions are con- tained tn the document, the more impor- tant of whloh are embodied in the fol- lowing, quoting at the same time the number Indicated by (their) text: No. 8, New. Chairman of Trustees to receive $600, payable weekly, outside of the regular allowance for attending meeting of Board of Directors. The other trustees to receive 8260, payable weekly, outside of the regular allowance for attending to Board of Directors' meetings, and shall assist chairman In all his duties. ; , No. 8, Art II, Sea (, page St. The entrance fee shall be raised to 1800, pay- able |60 annually. No. 33, New, page 80. No engagement can be, cancelled except on two weeks' £otloe and then only under penalty of alf the union price of engagement. No. 86. No member shall be permitted to perform In any theatre, band or or- chestra where any pitch Is used than low pitch, 440 A, United States Standard. No. 87. . For violations of above: For a first offense the penalty shall be a two hundred (8200) dollar fine. For a sec- ond offense the penalty shall be sus- pension from the,union for one year. No. 49^4, Class 1, Grand Opera. 1: Let there be understood, no free re- hearsals of any kind, For eight three- hour performances weekly, per man 880. Contractor 8125. Performances exceed- ing three hours from time ordered, for each hour or fraction, extra, man f 6. Contractor $8. , 2: Extra man for single performance, per man 815. ' 3: Out of town performances to pay $6 extra to eaoh man. 4: Overtime on rehearsals to pay $2 an hour or fraction. 6: When musicians are required to re- main over night out of town, each mu- sician shall receive, in addition to pro- vision of preceding paragraph, for hotel accomodations 88. Stage Band, 1: For not more than 6 Serformanoes eaoh week (no free re- earsals), per man $45. 8: Extra man for single performance $10. The ruling on the wage scale for grand opera has been further amended by the following: • GRAND OPERA—CLASS I. Paragraph (a). Musicians for grand opera In any language, holding contract for season, for not more than eight 4- ' hour performances weekly 880. Elimin- ate rest of sentence. Keep lines 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 14 and 16 Intact. Paragraph gfj ilngle performance ohi and eliminate rehearsals. (b) to be extra men. Change 810 to $12; on single performance change $10 to $12, Rules for Class I to read: » No free rehearsals. . Rehearsals 8 hours or less, per man $4. Overtime ft hour or less $1. Night rehearsals not to ex- ceed 4 hours, and not later than 12 o'clock, same price as performance. On out of town performances traveling ex- penses to he paid by engaging party, and $6 per man for each calendar day or part of calendar day In addition to the above. On single out of town per- formances during contract season, the time of a calendar day may be extended one hour, provided the returning train The newly organised Consolidated Music Corp. has located offices in the Strand theatre building. Phil Kornhelser returned to New York last week after an extended road tour. v Joe Maxwell will publish numbers for his act*. • is scheduled to arrive not later than 1 a. m. Symphony concerts given by opera orchestra subject to Article X of the, By-Laws. , I Note: The conditions of paragraph (a) to apply only if not less than 76 men are under contract for not less than 24 consecutive weeks. ■ Class I—Stage Bands. (a) First three lines to remain. 4th line to read: For 6 or less performances $86. Eliminate rest of sentence and the next 4 lines. Additional, performances pro rata. * (b) To read: Extra men or single per- formance $9. Rules for orchestra to apply, except last sentence which should read: Condi- , tlons in paragraph A to apply only to men under, contract for not less than 20 consecutive weeks. No. 96. All salaries to be raised 50 per cent. No. 97, Theatrical Price List, New. A week shall constitute six days. No. 98. Moving ploture houses, vaude- ville, burlesque not more, than 12 per- formances weekly. Sunday to be charged double the pro rata of six day/ No. 99. No free * rehearsal for the above, either before or during the season. No. 100. Rehearsals for the above not exceeding 2 % hours, $3 per man. No, 101. Contractor double. Overtime, $2 per hour per man. No. 102, Class 4, Burlesque Shows. . 60 per cent. Increase for men engaged for four or more consecutive Weeks. 75 per cent. Increase for less than four consecu- tive weeks. Contractor to receive $16 a week more. No free rehearsal, r . No. 104. Relief pianist 60 per cent. Increase. No. 107. For Sunday concerts in any hotel, the Bcale shall be $9 for 2% hours' work. , , (No. 108. For theatrical engagements, a performance.'shall consist of three hours from time called. An .opening night performance shall be 4 hours. The scale shall be $7 per performance. Eight performances a week guaranteed. Over eight performances pro rata. No. 110. Productions such as are given In the Winter Garden, Follies, Passing Show, Frivolities, Revues and similar productions to pay for eight or less performances, not Including Sunday, $56 per week. Contractor $70. No. 111. Musical shows to pay $60 per week for eight or less performances with privilege of substitutes (moderately). Contractor $66. Without privilege of substitutes, to pay for eight or MM per- formances $66. Contractor $80. No. 112. Same shall prevail for dra- matic houses as In musical show prices. No. 118. Hippodrome shows, two per- formances dally, excluding Sunday, $60 per week. Contractor $75. No. 114, For Sunday performances given regularly in conjunction with 10 or 11 week-day performances, or less, 8or man $10 without rehearsal. Two- our rehearsal, extra man $2. Contrac- tor $12 and $3 for rehearsal. No. 139. Overtime for performance or rehearsal 60 cents for each % hour. Con- tractor 76 cents. ' '• No. 144. A free week day rehearsal Is permitted for a change of program from preceding week, not to exceed one hour, unless provided for, , ! No. 146. If fourteen performances are given weekly and the bill is changed during the week an additional rehearsal, not exceeding one hour, Is permitted free of charge. No. 147. Seven night sessions op roof gardens in conjunction with the above with the privilege of one week day re- hearsal not exceeding two hours and no session to • exceed three, per man $86. Contractor $62.60. No. 169. Change the entire Theatrical Price List to read 76 per cent. more. No. 168. All theatres where 14 per- formances are given, a half day be given to each man, cost of any sub- stitute to be paid by the management No. 181. Extra men engaged to aug- ment orchestra In combination houses, ■ etc., a 75 per cent. Increase and .no free No. 191. Vaudeville shows, 60 per cent increase and no free rehearsals for four weeks or more. 76 per cent. Increase for less than four weeks. Contractors to receive $15 a week more than regular men. No. 196. That the Winter Garden shall Say all performances alike, and also to ave no concession on its Sunday night concert No. 198. That every theatre employ- ing an orchestra to have not less than eight men throughout the season. No. 821. No two-day vaudeville or ploture house (6 hours per day) shall "Dardanella" out of town has been advertised by cabarets and hotels as a special' attraction. •• One advertisement reads "'Dardanella' will be played to- night at —r Restaurant" Earl Fuller has gone Into the record making business, making* his own discs. His first Is called "Earl Fuller's 'Jassol- ogy.'" selling retail at $1.25. Mr. Fuller Is distributing to the trade In the usual way. He Is also Issuing in book form the Earl Fuller's Jast Classics, selling the piano number for $1.60, with the or- chestrated parts sold separately. Jack Landau or has been added to the Jilano playing staff of Gilbert ft Fried- end. ' Charles Pea re e Is professional ger for Al. Plantodosl & Co. Cowan & Stark will open a Chicago branch office next week. Harry Jentes has joined Harry Von Tllzer's professional staff. Milton Lee has been placed In charge of McCarthy ft Fishers band and or- chestra department \- ( Abe Olman arrived In New Tork last week to arrange for a branch offloe for Former, Chicago publisher. Rae Garden is In charge of the profes- sional counter In Joseph. W. Stern & Co. Leo Jacobs, pianist, Is with Harry Von TlUer. Jack Beasley (Lawrence and Beasley) has been added to the Remlok staff. , . a. M. Gillespie, of New Tork, has pur- chased substantial Interests in and will be president of the Riviera Muslo Com- pany of Chicago, succeeding M B. Lee. The Arm will spend $26,000 In an ad campaign to popularise their new num- ber, "Desert-Land." The conflict In titles of two "When My Baby Smiles" songs has caused the Registry Bureau of the Music Publish- ers' Protective Association to undergo several radical changes last week. Where heretofore one publisher oould not issue a number with a title identical to that Issued by another publisher, more pro- tection Is afforded under the new rules In that a title shall not infringe through a similarity In Idea, phrasing or pun- ning. At the mooting at the Hotel Astor iast week, It was brought out that a lumber heretofore could be issued under the former rules with but a change In one or two words or the addition of a short phrase to the main stem of a pre- viously-registered song title and yet not be a technical infringement, under the bureau's rules, yet would cause confusion In the sheet music buying public's minds. To eliminate thlB and the ensuing pub- licity campaign expenses such conduc- tions usually entail, a more, stringent enforcement and Interpretation of the pay less than $60. No free rehearsal, except for leaders. No. 222. Moving picture houses where ftrice of admission exceeds 26 cents and ess than 50 cents, the price shall be $46 for 12 performances. Sundays special price. No. 223. Resolved, That vaudeville houses, such as the Keith's Palace Thea- tre, where the price of seats exceeds the sum of $2 at any time, per man $70 per week; 'The leader to receive $90 per WOGrC . ,o. 224. Resolved, Where the mem- bers of the orchestra are required to assist any performer In his or her act to make it effective with the audience they must pay $10 per week in addition to the regular weekly salary. No. 225. Vaudeville, burlesque and moving picture shows where the price of admission exceeds 26 cents for the choicest seats, exclusive of box seats, 12. performances weekly, exclusive of Sunday, $52 per man. Contractor $70. The total time not to exceed 6 hours dally divided In 2 performances. No. 229. In moving picture and vaude- ville shows where the policy of the the- atre Is to run continuous, such as Loew and Fox houses, there must he an In- termission of not less than 2 V, hours between performances. Also a 20-mlnute Intermission on'eaoh performance of a feature picture. No. 320. For high class moving plo- ture theatres, such as the Rlalto, Capitol' and Strand, hours to be 2% eaoh show for two shows dally with one afternoon off, $65 per man. Contractor $80. With- out afternoon off, $70 per man... Con- tractor $90. 1/ a m I ' if j. rallng will be adhered to. An amend- ment to that effect was passed upon. Lou Fordan, professional manager for Bhaplro-Bernsteln, returned te town this week after an extended southern tour In the | Interests of his firm. -Ed . Moebus, Frank GiUen and Jack Stanley are now connected with the Shapiro-Bernstein professional forces. .' Burglars visited the professional rooms of two music publishers last week. Leo Feist's casualties were a couple of stolen typewriters, while Maurice Rlobmond's studios suffered the abduction of some sheet music. A clothing shop on the floor belOw hod $8,000 worth of mar- ' ohandlse stolen. The burglars then broke into Richmond s office Where they changed olothes, discarding their anolent apparel and donning the newer raiments..' Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby may do a vaudeville act If Eddie Keller can ar- range It with the songwriters and man- agers. ,...■,...'.; Joshua Jones, formerly of Waterson, Berlin ft Snyder's Chicago offloe, la in New York with the firm. ILL AND INJURED. V Ernestine Myers (Myers and Noon), pneumonia, Minneapolis. Helen Armstrong (Tappan and Arm- strong), recovered from recent illness, has rejoined show in Buffalo. ;.,' ' ■•• Grace Carlysle, leading woman Jef- . ferson Stock Co., Portland, Me., unde.fo' went successful operation last week. ' . Minnie Blaumann, Irving Berlin, Inc.. recovered from influent*.'* Charles M. Smith, C. C. Church, re- covered from ihflaenza. - , Jim Francis (Francis and O verholt) confined International Hospital, Chi- cago, stomach trouble. '•'-'-■; '- Frank Hogan (Whirlwind Hegans) influenza, Gloversville, N. Y. Robert Hilton (Fritcher and Hilton), typhoid, fever. Good Samaritan Hos- pital, Zanesville, 0# Dell I. Farlardeau, "The Old Maid Clown" confined at New Lorraine, ChicftsTo ,' * -V William E. Meehan, of "Bucking the Tiger," nervous breakdown, home, 133 W..129th street, New York... Edward Margplies, the Shubert the- atre builder, will undergo a serious op- eration. He expects to get back in a month. Louis Hurtig, manager of Hurtig and Seamon's, returned to his post i last week after six weeks' absence with bronchial pneumonia. •'■'" Victor Lay ton, head of K. fit E. book- ing office, is recovering from a fort- night's illness. • -f •Peggy O'Neill, of "Shubert Gaieties 1910" Co., influenza, Toronto. Rejoined show in Buffalo last week. v r Ernest and Bobbie, ah English aerial act, while playing the Music Hall at Tarrytown, N. Y.. had a serious acci- dent. Ernest while 20 feet in the air fell and hit the footlights. Defective rigging is said to have been the cause. They allege lack of co-operation by the management was responsible. Ernest received bruises all 'over the: body, and Just escaped fracturing his , skull, because of an extra heavy wig;' he was wearing, While ^coming out of Fox's Bay Ridge - Theatre. Harold Goldberg, of the Fox' office, tell and dislocated his right ! ankle and,tore three ligaments in his right leg. He is back at his desk after a week at home, but is forced to walk with a cane. ', Gertrude Webster, "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath" company, ill at Los Angeles, Rejoins show at Denver March 7. Mabel Darrell left the Colonial, De- troit, last week, with an attack of frippe. She was forced' to cancel hiladelphia this week. / . • Dan Dody is out again after several weeks'attack of the "flu." ' William Holly, "Aphrodite," over- come in fire in his Brooklyn apart-' ment. J. D. Elms, agent, has returned to his desk after a two weeks' siege of the "flu." \ym ,";wg •":' •'