Variety (March 1921)

Friday, March 25, 1921 LEGITIMATE I 13 PRODUCTION PLANS FOR NEXT SEASON SHARPLY CURTAILED BY ALL MANAGERS DAMAGES FOR MANAGER ON ACTOR'S DESERTION J. D. Williams Recovers $12,- 500 from H. B. Warner. Restricted L»Jj|. pf Jfarfog TryPVt^Jfw Full Produc- tion—One Manager Has Nothing in View— Woods Plans Only Five—Sam H. Harris Leader with Fifteen—Comstock and Gest's Idea* Plans of several big managers show marked curtailment for next season. In one case there has not been one piece selected for produc- tion. Usually the spring find* the various managerial offices practical- ly "Ret" In the matter of try-outs, aimed for fall and winter presenta- tion. It is only true of some pro- ducers this season, and indications point to a smaller number of try- outs than predicted. A. II. Woods who fo:- the past sev- eral seasons shone as the mofct pro- lific individual manager on Broad- way, has but five attractions lined up fur the fall. Two of them, "Wo- man to Woman* 1 an J "Getting Certie's Garter." are already on the boards and there are to be three, bihtr piece; tried out this opting. Comstock & GCtt have nothing n«W in line for lite full. The firm will stand pat with "Mecca." "Aph- rodite," "Chu Chin Chow" end "Afgar." Though several small p'.COOS may he don \ Mr. (lest stated i.e was finished with big productions, due to conditions, which, he de- scribes as impossible. Arthur Ham- merstein will produe? but one mu- sical show for next season, but will make a try with three non-musical plays. Sam II. Harris lines up as the leader in productions for next sea- son. He has secured 15 plays and many or all may reach the boards. At present Mr. Harris leads the managers In the number of p!ay3 on Broadway, having five attrac- tions now current. Other managers have not decided on production cur- engaging in Chicago. | AUTHOR SCORES CRITICS FOR PANNING PLAY Chau'auquas Taking Bookings from Nsw York to Mid-West tailment to date, though those with fixed policies take in that group of producers who limit their output. I>avid Bel a sco will put on two new shows this spring and summer, and is interested in one production with the Frohmun office ("A Uomantie Young Lady"). John C olden is starting his try-outs early, the Sel- wyns should figure strongly. Charles Dillingham is preparing two mus- ical plays. William Harris. Jr., has a three-play program for fall, and other managers Stat* they have not , yet altered plans. The Shuberts have four or fi\i] musical attractions ready. Two . of them are already open and will be J brought in this spring. Activity by j this lirm point! to a felling off in j summer production, which marked the past two seasons. General conditions explain the reason for the proposed cutting down in new productiern. High costs are paramount. Theatre short- age which has cropped up regularly on Broadway since the w;ir and con- gested road bookings also figure In the managers' curtailment program R jr >orts from the road this week The mid-west chautauqua man- agers, who heretofore have oeen n the habit of recruiting their com- panies in New York, are now en- gaging for the coming season in Chicago, the departure having been brought about by the high cost of rail transportation from New York to the middle western States, where the companies play. A large number of chautauqua people left New York thn! week for Chicago, owing to the scarcity of engagements in the East. 3ARRYM0RE CAST ASKS . PAY FOR FIVE WEEKS Held During Star's Illness Is Players' Claim. Former members of the "De«ias- .u e ' i output.;,' have filed ft protest with the Actors' Equity Associa- tion, claiming that as ft r<iult of Ethel JBarrymores recent Illness tiny had been unpaid for five weeks. are that business is as bad as it can I They claim they were not permitted be. Some attractions are said to ta secure other engagements since have cut four and Jr. e weeks from the season route!. The closing movement has started strongly again. This Saturday "Listen Les- ter" will stop at the Montauk. Brooklyn, end "I'P in Mabel'l Room" will bo brought in from London. Ont. Last week's closings included "Nightie Night" at Salina, Kan., "Tiger Rose" at Ann Arbor, and "When We Are Young" at Detroit. "Cognac" stopped in Chicago two weeks ago. ALBANY STRIKE HITS JITNEY BUS SERVICE Traction Co. Applies for In- junction—Decision Awaited. Albany, Mar.cn 23. Patronage at the Albany theatres Is threatened as a result of the an- nouncement by attorneys for the United Traction Co., on whose lines In Albany, Troy, Watervliet, Cohoes, Green Island, Rensselaer and Waterford there has been a strike for eight weeks, that they will seek a court order to have the jit- neys prevented from carrying pas- sengers in the places affected by the strike. This latest move by the traction company caused no little end of worry among managers of theatres hit by the strike, as it is lelt by the theatre men that if the court grants the application of the trolley line business will drop off greatly. Although the cars are now being operated until midnight by strike "busters," residents of Albany re- fuse to ride in the trolleys and go back and forth in jitneys. Several hundred run night and day over the same routes as traversed by the trolley cars. The jitneys charge ten and fifteen cents for a trip, the fare depending on the section of the city, while the rate on the trolley cars now is eight cents, under an order issued in January by the Public Service Commission, Second Dis- trict. To add to the troubles of the thea- tre managers, the Delaware & Hud- son Railroad announces another lay-off to take effect Saturday, March 26. Thirteen hundred work- ers will be dropped temporarily at the Colonic shops, the employes be- ing mostly from Albany. Troy and Watervliet. The New York Cen- tral system laid off 1.500 men at the West Albany shops last week. It is not known when the railroads will put the men back to work and Indi- cations aro they will be idle tor W'oeks. "RIGHT GIRL" AT $2.50. Several cast changes are, to be made in "The Right Girl" which opened at the Times Square last week. Tom Lewis will replace Rapley Holmes, in the role orig- inally played by him when the show first tried out. It was then called "Maid To Love." The admission scale will be low- ered next week from $3 to $2.50. Extra advertising is being used) RED) AGENCY DISCONTINUING. The Reid Agency, which has handled dramatic and picture people, is going out of business. The agency has sent out notice to people who have photographs to call for them. they were under contract, and th t out of loyalty to Miss Barry more they refrained from doing so. This matter, it is understood from one of the ex-members, has been hang- ing fire with All Hayman, repre- senting the Frohman interests, with Hayman said to refuse to yield on any point. This member's version states the company travelled for several weeks from point to point, and were kept together in the hope Miss Barry- more would recover. Speaking for other members he declared imme- diately after her recovery the an- nouncement was made fhe'wouldn't continue in "Declassee," but would open currently in April in her sister- in-law's new play. It is understood that Miss Barrymore held an in- terest in "Declassee," besides en- acting the star role. It is said that during the single week's illness in Chicago the com- I pany was paid in full. Discussing Hyman's attitude in the matter and after he had been interviewed by several artists and asked if he would do anything to make up their loss, Hayman is said to have disclaimed all responsibility. "We have our homes to main- tain," one of the actors declared. "Since when have actors homes?" Mr. Hayman is quoted as replying. Geo. H. Atkinson Incensed at Reviewers for Ridiculing Through a letter sent by George II. Atkinson, writer of "The Sur- vival of the Fittest," to a theatrical club and posted on the latter* bul- letin board, a feud between the author and dramatic critics was disclosed. The author stated the reviewers had dubbed his show "the worst play in New York" and planned to use the comments in the letter in the Sunday ad for the show. He was dissuaded by his press representative. The ad was made to read that the "Survival of the Fittest," Ilk© "Hast is West." •Bird of Paradise," The Vavern." "Lulu Bett" was a press failure but a public success. Mr. Atkinson took the angle that the critics insulted him not so much by their reviews, but by their con- duct during the premiere perform- ance. He alleges two critics whispered together, nudged each other, calling attention to certain points with lour guffaws. The au- thor referred to one critic as the "living corpse of the New York press." Mr. Atkinson states he would test public popularity by continuing the show for four weeks' contract at the Greenwich Village. He refused offers to take over the time there. It was proposed after the first night to burlesque the plot and turn the piece into a satire. The author re- fused assent. VERDICT AGAINST C0RT. Law Studios Secure Judgment—Cort Disclaimed Personal Responsibility. The H. Robert Law Scenic Studios, Inc., was awarded two judgments for $1,017 and $1,273 in" the City Court before Judge Walsh Wednesday afternoon, in its two actions against John '"Cort, for monies due on some scenery work executed for the .defendant. The $1,017 judgment covers a balance due on the "Roly Boly Eyes" pro- duction and the other judgment em- braces three old Cort shows, "Cosette," "Fiddlers iMiree" and "Flo Flo." Cort's defense was that he does business under a corporate title and that ho personally did not as- sume any responsibility. The Jury held otherwise. Charles Frohlich. of the Nathan Burkan staff, handled the natter for Law. Justice Guy's decision In John 1). Williams vs. H. B. Warner brca* h 0| co.ntr/vet HI!' ,ln, wju- h.-thft w •**.., ducing manager is awarded dam- ages for $12,500 against Mr. War- ner, establishes a precedent in theatrical litigation. For the first time hus the employing manager been granted a monetary judgment against the breaching employe. Williams had sued for an Injunc- tion — which was granted — and damages alleging he had suffered irreparable financial loss by rea- son of the fact Warner resigned from "Sleeping Partners." In which he was the featured player. Mr. Warner's compensation was 10 per cent, of the gross receipts for the run of the play. When he resigned to accept a starring contract in pictures for Jesse D. Hamptor. and Robertson-Cole, he gaye two weeks' notice, which the complainant maintained was not equitable, con- sidering the terms of the contract calling for the run of the play. A temporary Injunction to pre- vent his appearances in pictures was granted Williams, and subse- quently upheld by the Appellate Division on the defendant's appeal. Arthur Hammersteln and L. Law- rence Weber testified for the plain- tiff that a show of this sort with its metropolitan cast Intact is cap- able of earning $1,000 per week profits and It was the plaintiff's burden to prove the extent of his damages. Through William Klein, his attorney, be proved $12,500 worth. Justice Guy's brief decision fol- lows: "The law of the case having been settled by the issuance of the injunction, and there being no occasion, by reason of the subse- quent breach of his contract by defendant for the awarding of equitable relief to prevent a failure of justice, the court awards judg- ment to plaintiff for $12,500, with interest from February 15> 1020. to- gether with the costs of the action." Mr. Williams also has pending a $100,000 damage suit against Jesse D. Hampton, Harry Robertson and Rufus S. Cole charging the defend- ants Jointly with having enticed Warner away from the plaintiff's management to their fold. The de- fendants individually and generally deny all allegations. Still another action of a similar nature is pending by Mr. Williams against Lionel Barrymore and Ar- thur Hopkins, alleging the former with having deserted the cast of the plaintiff's "The Copperhead" pro- duction to co-star in Hopkins' "The Jest" with John Barrymore. Edilh Hallor in Vaudeville. Gdiih Hallor, recently in the casl of "'Broadway Brevities." i> opening In vaudeville as a single, wiih Joe Daley as ti •«• mnatiist. PEARSON, NEWPORT and PEARSON "A STUDY IN PEP" This wed; (March 21). at River i<! ', New York. Orpheum, BrouMyn, n-xt week, and then (April 4>. PALACK .\i: , v YORK. All return en- gagements. Booked i «»i ; «l unlli tune 16 r»:i i • ■ This iii«». while In Chic •.<. recently, pi^- •' Lake, MaJeMie : i <• I',. Direction, n v;:»:\ Fll MlKHAhU Keith Circuit. < !v.<iecii?ivf*!y 11» ■ •' SOME REASONS FOR DIVORCE Washington, D. C, March 23. Because she deserted him some three years ago in Montreal, coup- ted with the fact that she was a poor housekeeper ar.d would not cook hie meals, nor mend his clothes, won an absolute divorce yesterday in the Circuit Court at Lexington, Va., for W. Irvine Crad- dock, formerly electrician with Maude Adams. Craddock filed the suit against his wife, Mrs. Hdmonia Craddock, when here, last January With "Aphrodite," the cave being han- dled by Attorney Neudecker, of this city. "IRENE" VS. "FOLLIES." Cincinnati, March 23. Zlegfeld's "Follies," at the Grand and "Irene," at the Lyric, are bat- tling this week, both opening Sun- day. The "Follies" at $4 and "Irene" $:i top. not Including war tax. 'in ne" holds over m xt week and will have "Bun-Daughter" as com- petition "GOLD DIGGERS" IN CHI. Opening at Powers' Labor Day— "Easiest Way" Lyceum's Next. From present and tentative plans "The Cold Diggers," i.s Bet to Open in Chicago at Power's Labor Day. It has not yet been decided whether the piece will leave the Lyceum early or late in the summer. "The Kaslest Way" revival Is due at the Lyceum to succeed Frances Starr in her original role. A 73-fo.it drop or eyclorama scene la now in the course of construction. BELASCO'S DEFENSE David Belaseo's answer to Ed- ward* Davis* $0,000 breach or con* tract claim has been Interposed to the effect "the producer agreed to pay Mr. Davis %2M weekly salary for his Service! in "One" (sta—ing Frances Starr) only when actually working. Mr. DaylK. r alleged j -season-'* eon tract was cancelled before he opened with the show. Mr. Davis is also plaintiff in a lio.ouo damage nuit against Miss Starr, the star of the tdiow, on the grounds of having Induced Mr. Be- lasco to discharge the plaintiff frog* the .Rclasco employ. COHAN IN MEANESx MAN." <;<•<•;'. m. Cohan will return to "The Meanest Man in the World" »t th' Hudson Monday, replacing OttO Knit" r. The business has dropped of lstc anil it w a* thought *dvis*hl* for Cohan i<. step in to hold it over until the summer. GILPIN'S OWN PLAY Charles Gilpin, the negro star of "Emperor Jones.'' has under con- sideration a new starring veil for himself. Gilpin has secured bucking and Will produce the piece for a Kroait- way showing. Ciilpin came Into prominence with the advert of "Emperor Jones" and was at one time leading man with the colored stock company at the Lafayette on Seventh avenue