Variety (Oct 1926)

Wednesday, October 20, 1926 LEGITIMATE VARIETY EQUITY THINKING OF 'BLACKLIST FOR DODGING EIGHT SHOWS RULE "Tricky Managerial Practices" Subject of Confer- ences by Equity's Officials and Council—Brady and Mrs. Harris Named Determined to protect its mem- I bers from tricky managerial prac- tices Equity's officials and council are holding special conferences with the idea of (raining retalia- tory measures. Equity, although reluctant to state particulars, is said to have called its Executive Committee In session on two occasions recently. Rarely Is this committee called to- gether, and then only on matters of importance. The evading of contract provisions is the principal problem being considered but there are other managerial misdeeds as well. Subterfuge In the matter of Equity's strict eight performance a week rule arounsed Equity to such a pitch It was intimated that trouble would follow If certain managers did not play according to rules. It Is understood the present agi- tation arose to a crisis over W. A. Brady sending "The (ireat Catsby" company to Chicago. Regular con- tracts were Issued but a letter was appended, wherein the players were made to understand that if nine performances were played they were to receive the same salary as set forth in the contract. Equity rules call for an extra eighth, where the ninth perform- ance la played. When Equity advised Brady that such an arrangement was out, he withdrew the appended contract letter but it seems sent other letters to each player having about the same effect. Equity did not learn of that for several weeks later. As yet Brady has not ad- justed the breach with Equity. Equity's "Blacklist" That Equity may establish a blacklist of managers and even theatres Is quite possible,''judging from the mood of its officers in re- gards to certain managers. The council was on the verge of pass- ing a resolution to the effect that its members did not care to play for Mrs. H. B. Harris nor in her Hudson theatre last summer when she refused to abide by a salary agreement. At the time Mrs. Har- ris had a musical show playing out of town (never reached Broad- way). She agreed to play four weeks provided the cast accepted a salary cut. The show closed three weeks later. Complaints were filed and Mrs. Harris was asked either to pay full salaries for the three weeks or pay the company for the final week on the reduced basis. She refused until the matter was placed before A. L. Erlanger by an Equity officer, who did so with the Idea of informing him of the situation before the council took drastic action. It Is further reported that Equity's deliberations on ways and means to enforce its contract regu- lations is "with the knowledge of other violations of the eight per- formance rule. Most of the latter class are verbal arrangements be- tween players and managers. Some managers concerned are New York producers. Others nre coast show- men when the violations nre re- ported even more prevalent. MISS TAYLOR FRANK ABOUT NEW PLAY Tells Baltimore Interviewer 'Cardboard Lover' Needs Revision Baltimore, Oet. 19. The local public got a journalistic echo of a back-stage tempest at the Auditorium, where "Her Car,!- board Lover,'' a sophisticated adaptation of a clever French farce, paused last week en route from a Washington premiere to Broadway. An interviewer from a leading afternoon paper quoted Laurel te Taylor as saying the play's first act was far from right and the produc- tion was due to close for repairs at the end of the Baltimore engage- ment. The journalist was as sur- prised as the public, who read the Interview the following afternoon. Neither journalist nor public had anything on the astounded house management, which had been hus- tling about announcing how good the entertainment was. Jane Cowl arrived from New York around mid-week without any heralding. She watched the gay goings-on In this Parisian comedy for the rest of the One Lambs' Ticket The election of officers for the Lambs Club will be held Oct. 2t (tomorrow). Although an opposi- tion ticket was announced, it has been withdrawn and only one tick- et will be voted on. The fight within the club resolved Itself down to a question of a new treasurer. Harry Allen, the oppo- sition candidate, withdrew and the atmosphere cleared. The new offi- cers will be Tom Wise. Shepherd; R. H. Burnside. Boy; Joseph Sant- ley, secretary; Arthur Hurley, re- cording secretary; Walter Vincent, treasurer; Priestley Morrison, li- brarian. There are a number of directors also to be elected. GUITRYS IN MOZART' AT 46TH ST., XMAS Sacha Gultry.' Yvonne Prmtcmpa and their French supporting com- pany will be presented under the management el' A. II. Woods at Chanln's 46th Street theatre, "Mo- tart" will be their tuft nnd may continue fur th-> limited engagi - menf. The opening data is set for Christmas week. The admission scale Is not definitely decided hut the front section of Ihe house Is ex- pected to be scaled at $11 top. "The Shanghai fJewtur*," also a Woods attraction. Is en rent at tie ■ISth Street and « 111 probably mov< I to another lions, when th» Gultry.* CAST CHANGES Winnlfred St. Clair has succeeded Sara Sothern in the title part of "The Little Spitfire" at the Qort. Jack Hartley uas succeeded Sid- ney Toler in "Lulu Belle" at the Belaseo, New York. Irvln Jardon replaced Ercd Le Quornc in "Sex" at Daly's, New York, last week. Ernest Cossart supplanted George Barbler In "Loose Ankles" list week. Dawn ^ in "The ' Ramblers," Lyric. -New York. Mildred Wall, too ill to appear as "Massle." at the Broadhnrsi. New York, has been replaced by Con- stance Brown from the Paradise Night ciub. Stafford Campbell, newcomer from California, has replaced Nor- man Pouter as "Dick Fellows" in "Just Life" at the Henry Miller Howard Runasey Divorced From Florence Eldri(«KC Syracuse, «> 1:' Tie second romance of Howard Ramsey, former Syracuse »tu k erator, has gone the way of 'i:e c Kumaey bos admitted that 11 m-ir-ths ago !ie was quietty divorced .' • -n KTorenee RldrJdge, nelreap, Mb* Eldridge became II „.•».„•-. im i nd w i fe i . lmn l . o i . - . l i i.i n-ril DRAMA STAR WATCHED MOVIE AS AUDIENCE GIVEN REFUND Square Crooks" Co. Blows Up in Chicago as Players Go Unpaid—Waived Equity Bond on Chance Show Would Make Money in New Stand Tho Eye» of the World Were on Baltimore Last Week Mayor Howard W. Jackson, Balti- more's progressive mayor, paid his respects to the theatrical profession by officially proclaiming the week of October 4 as "FRANK VAN HOVEN WEEK" Who Says There's Nothing New In the Show Business? See My Ad. Pages 5S, 55. 73, 75, 95 RAIN' IN PHJLLY AS FINALE; FLOPPED THERE Jeanne Eagels' Request — 'Grafters' Into Music Box Jeanne Bagels will not close her four years' engagement in "Rain" at the Century this week. The final week will be played in Philadelphia at the Broad Street, starting next Monday. The Philly booking fol lowed a request to Sam H. Harris from the star, who wants It to close there. When "Rain" opened in that city .four years ago it was rated a flop so far as the Quaker City was concerned. The request for the extra week was made for a fast day around the Harris office because of a nec- essary switeh in bookings. "Gen- tle Grafters," slated for three weeks at the Broad, will leave there Sat- urday and open at the Music Box, New York, next Wednesday. "Loose Ends." the English play imnounced for the Music Box next week, will be sent to New England instead, and opens In New York at the Rita, Nov. 1. "Rain" was sent Into the Cen- tury for two weeks immediately following repeat subway circuit bookings. The first week in the big house grossed over $17,000, a surprising figure considering the fact that the show had been play- ing the neighborhood houses at a cheaper admission. Elusive. Art Theatre Impresario Is Served Kfforta to serve Henry Stillman and John Patton Russel, who con stltuted the Art theatre, have re- solved themselves in a legal order to leave a summons at Stillman's address, the Players' Club, tirau-.- ercy Park. New York. Stillman and Kussel had a lease on the Punch & Judy theatre, dating from Jan. 26. 1023, to April 4, 1925, but vacated tho house March 14. 1925. There came due J4.0I4.96 in ac- crued rentals and other expenses, figured at the rate of $1,000 a month, but failure to serve stillman halted proceeding* to collect. arrive. i.y Minim ftotnfeM Miss Elil ' ' was. Palling woman of a llo .. stock (tmipnay la whi«h it ", var icterfs'ed. The next seiiKOIl, MH»S Kl'i: i'il, • rebiared Mia* oombei as lendlnr, woman of th» loeiii Mock company, I'«t f j'ed to draw, i nd the HeflMtti ended wit* Ituinscv tinanci !,. broke. i WHITE'S FREE HATS Win n Geowi White howled hi* prlr^s fur "Scandal*/' the ticket broken told him wa* taking a chance on Hhortenlnn the run of his show. l'op Krwlfly and Baturday the top pHc* is $•'..*>•» : ml lit* litflt- ir.fe Rcftta waa Sifted to $4.4*, Six hroror* bet Unit" a hat that ho would p'i» do enpaclly fur the three :.i.i(in<<« laat tf "«*k. but il"" Abo* "u» iit '•!#*an*' :md the mawc+r now ha« orders for a h»lf-«lwn a rierbleft. itmbltion to lend Rroftdwny ■ rosM N prompted bin luftinjf of the scale, 'Sunny/* lH*»awiji»? of .i larger •.. . !>■ hoiifte, had topped llifl on km iJicnt& Through orif** IncVMUM "ftrgnduN" ii< v " it In SHUBERT TREASURERS ASKED TO "SPLIT" 'Outside Money' Wanted— Managers Reported 'Do- ing Business' Direct The Btaoberts are reported again having gone after the treasurers of its Uroadway theatres for half of j their "get" from the ticket agencies. 1 This is regarded as "outside money" i and is additional to that believed j to be paid direct to the Hlmberi [ office by the brokers. Half of all | such funds are supposed to be paid the government under the law. A season or so ago, the Shuberts are said to have advised Its lw»x ottlee staffs that all money in the way of gratuities from Ihe ticket agencies must be turned over to them. Afterward it was discovered that in addition the brokers paid the treasurers Ave cents on each ticket handled. The box office peo- ple were then ordered to turn In half of all that money. There was resentment on the part of the box office bunch, who are rated being paid less salary by the Shuberts than In the other theatres. For a time the Shubert office waa reported having stopped exacting .",9 per cent of the treasurers' "side money." Managers "Standing ln H FYom the agencies comes the complaint that certain managers •re In on the high premiums ex- acted on tickets for the outstand- ing new successes. It is claimed some managers have ordered their treasurers to get ft and 12 over the box office prices and that the extra money bo given them. This order followed reports of brokers charging from $7.70 to 19.80 for tickets priced 13.86 top at the box office. The 50-cent premium agencies have been somewhat affected by this situation, since the choice loca- tions are claimed to be handed over to the other agencies. FUTURE OPENINGS "Naked" Pirandello's "Naked" sponsored by Au^'ustin Duncan will get un- der way at Stamford, Conn., Oct. 28, and bead into New York two weeks later. Aside from produc- ing and staging Duncan will Mho create g principal role. The support includes Mimic Keenest, Carroll Washburn, Carllti Crandall, Porter Hull, Walter Den- ning and other*. "Daisy Won't Ttll" "Daisy Won't Till," comedy by Owen Winter and I^'onard < line, has been secured for production by Laura D. WHck, who will put It on in De c em b er in association with Sum li. Harris. 'Home Towners' dosed; No Available Theatre Tin ■ losing of George M. Cuban's lleine Tow iters'* at the Hudson. New fork, RatttrdJsy, wa« sotnetblng of a Rarprl*e, .is the nbjpw was ex* pectc.j i,i he :.,oved to another; the- atre. It may oe sent en tour later in the »n>l Stir*. II R fjnrrW hew prodoe- I'"II. ' T. c NoO'e," Oflens at lie Hudson tonight t Wednesday), Mrs Harris controls ihe theatre, she re si. ,1 i-ptmn to find aitnthej -i m "l Ii.r lit', i" TolUVrV tited. Two t o atres w re offered, birt.'al 'he Inst inln 'te : * was disco* I th« ''in Tor 'II' ie Towners" oouM hot b« opC'utec itn the stage of Mftter lions.-. Hitting* T»r Ihe Coi'an show r#'VO|ve, ore iroinplele 'etiion helna n- led ii.lo riiher alnir l.e , . en' elml'ge. Chicago. 0>-t. 19. The CluVtrto .ompiiny of "Square Ciooks." epiHiirlng with the piece at the l'l.iyliense. through an agree- no nt with the management that should the show click here they would if, .live s share of the intake, Just mlssod a premature break-up tv-fore the hist two performances, Saturday matinee and evening. Ii was raid that the Chicago com- pany, launehed by 'Jeorge ("I^fiy") Miller, had no: received full salaries before coming to Chicago and had continued In the thought that the show would make money here. Opening a week ago Sunday night, it waa a failure from the start. Players Take All Tho break come Friday, when It looked aa though the show would .top then and there and not con- tinue tho weak. The matter waa referred to Frank Dare. Chicago icpi-esentatlvo of Actors' Kquity, who got In touch with New York. It was arranged that If the caat would agree, the intake for the three remaining performancea, Fri- day evening and tho two shows on Saturday, wojM go toward payment of the caat. This was accepted all around, including Bo,nity. Friday •venlng the show was to have gone on. but Dorothy Appleby-, featured placer and in the lead, could not be found at curtain time. At 9 o'cloeM the Playhouse box office « indow waa opened for refunds to the waiting audience. At 9; 10 Miss Appleby appeared at the theatre, after moot of the audience had got tbelr money back and gone. Miss Appleby and her mother cald they had gone to a loop picture house and while there had "forgot- ten," thinking that she had "hours to spare." She wanted to go on, though, at the late hour, but the rest of the cast la believed to have refused, in view of most of the audience having deputes], and the show did not go OB. All Waive Bond. It was resumed flhturday matinee and evening, with the regular cast. The attendance at both perform- ances wan small. "Square Crooks" made interme- diate money on a rim of several months in New York. A second company was taken oat by Harold Jacob!. That company closed two weeks ago, with the producer In- debted to the coat for 10 days' sal- ary. Tho sum Woe protected by Equity bond with the players. Equity giving Jaoobl two weeks to raise the money baforo collecting on the bond, The Chicago company was I rougbt hero by Miller with Miss Appleby, who was also In the lead In the New York production. Be- fore leaving New York, all members o r tin east, except one. waived their Equity t.onda. The one, J. Murray I'. illicit, Is bonded for tt!3. Tlio players left tho City Imme- diately after tho last performance Saturday. Those not financially aide to get to New York were fiaked l y Equity, through the or- ganization's emergency fund. Although Bmilty gent $^9l for re- turn fares Prlaay, Saturday Miller sent *3H0 to the company manager for 'he aeime purpose, but that money was not used. Five of the eafit caana back to Mew*York, ihe other* remaining In Cbicigo lo take other engagements. While the she'.'.' Was In Miller's" n idio, he uvratd it si per cent. Mil e (Joldreyer had 10 per cent and 111! balance of Ihe st.»k was held b; Elmer Powell. Bannister and | Puwel! originally prodneei low* The total hsw '"I "Soium s Crook lndin- last in« "i In New York 111 fit'It'll.