Variety (July 1929)

VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, July 3, 1929 Ui^e Loyalty and Obedience at 4th Equity RaDy-No'^mbsher Z-OB Angelea, July 2. Equity had its fourth rally at the Hollywood Women's Club last Thursday night Some 1,250 per- sons gathered in and about the place to. listen to speakers state If they keep up the one-for-all and all-for-one spirit, Equity is l>ound to get its contract and recognition from the producers. At the same time the speakers in plugging the morale spirit let loose on Conrad Nagel especially and others whom they modestly called cesslonists in one breath and in another plain "scabs." With the attendance of each meeting growing in size they also brought out representative people of stage and screen. Though the most active in the present crisis are those who came from the stage within the past year or do to the screen, a great many stage people who have done picture work for a number of years have rallied to the cause and are out in the open to support Frank Gillmore. The high spots of the meeting were developed by Gillmore and Sam Hardy, the latter a member of the local advisory board and also president of the Maskers, which wants itself to be known as the' "Lambs of Hollywood." Gillmore stated that the artists, representatives and agents must now show their colors. That they can not handle Equity and non- Equity players at the same time, by selling the former to take jobs rightly meant for members of Ekiuity. He stated the agents must be for Equity and handle only Ekiuity members or Equity mem- bers should not be represented by agents who get Jobs for people out- side of their ranks. Hardy, after putting the torch to Nagel and doing so plentifully, said Equity would call upon every mem- ber who is working at present to contribute tO per cent of their weekly earnings to the regular Equity relief fund as long as the struggle continued. Considerable applause for this announcement. Gillmore previously had men- tioned that Walter Huston, on his way to New York, had told him he had turned down two Jobs and then gave him $500 for the fund. Gillmore read a letter from liCwis Stone in which Stone denied a statement in the local papers at- tributed to him that "Equity Must Fail." He also read a letter from Joseph Schildkraut saying regard- less of misconceptions, that he, his father and his wife are for Equity. No "Bombshell" Those who came to the meeting had been expecting a bombshell which Gillmore had Indicated at the previous meeting jvhen he said they would bear about big news in 48 hours. Gillmore sort of disap- pointed them by saying they bad decided not to go through with a plan In mind which it is understood was to call out the contract , play- ers,' but that they were now work- ing.on what is considered a better plan. Gillmore spoke of his trip here at the end of April to sound out folks on the question of a strike. He said he had dinne:- at home of Conrad Nagel where a lot of latter's friends were gathered and told them of the plan and declared they were hearti- ly in accord with his line of action. Then he lit into the petition for the closed meeting that Nagel had 33 sign at the Beverly-Wllshire meet- ing. He claimed he had never ofll- clally received it and that anyway It was no good as only 11 of those who signed were in good standing; that one, a Junior member. Jack Dempsey, haci no vote and was in (Continued on page 89) AT WARDMAN PARK HOTEL WASHINGTON, D. C. The combination of swimming with dining and dancing is register- ing one of the biggest hits imagln' able. The Club Chantecler Orchestra, a MEYER DAVIS de luxe unit, play- ing at PLAGE DEAUVILLE, goes in for Continental tyi>e music of the subtle, vivid sort. Society has adopted the Plage Deauvllle as its own. Equity s Coast Meetings (Continued from page 6) whose contract they were working, settle the question. Bushmanjjiere hopped up again and said be felt the Academy was casting a shadow over the meeting, that the actors wanted Ekiulty and not the Academy to do their deal- ings with the producers. He said they could not serve two masters, and the best one was Equity. Albert Gran Booed Albert Gran, second member of Equity to be suspended by Gillmore for taking a film Job, arose to say he wanted to explain his position. Patriots tried the booing method, but were stopped. Gran declared he felt he had a grievance against Equity, as in May he started nego- tiating for a Job. No date was set, but on May 2B the producers told him he would get the part, but that he didn't sign the contract until June 12. Gran stated he was almost TO years old, had spent 40 years on the stage, and figured he had the same right to sign as others who signed June 9 and 10 and who were (okayed by Equity. He maintained that before he signed he talked to Gillmore, told him the conditions, but that the latter told him he would have to expel him if he signed. ' Gran then said he played on Glllmore's friendship of long standing, to no avail; and finally told Gillmore that at his age he would like a clean sheet, that he would stand for a fine to cover the full salary of the engagement, but that he had to go through with his promise to the producer. Silvernail Jumped up saying GUI- more did not do the suspending, but the advisory and Judgment commit- tee had done it This was the first inkling that Equity had any gov- erning committees on the Coast. Sheridan Interrupts Frank Sheridan then began har- —ranging—thoso*-who~spoker~"NageL stated they were trying to treat those present aa ladles and gentle- men and the only insults Jtelng tossed about were -by people who were espousing the Gillmore cause. Sheridan then, replied he was ser- geant-at-arms of Equity and he would guarantee anyone protection " without molesting if they wanted to talk at the Equity meetings. He and Sllvemail then tried to get through a motion commending Equity for Its stand. Willard Mack Talks Considerable rumpiis when Wil- lard Mack Jumped into the breach Latter raid it was the first time in 30 years that he and the actors were at variance. Mack claimed that what h«. find heard all evening was the firiiia of blank cartridges. Mack stated he was trying to promulgate the cauiae of the stage actor in pictures, but the way they were going about It, when just get ting a foothold, they would find themselves back where they started from. He advocated taking time for if they didn't he predicted that within a year about 97 per cent of them would be back in New York He went on to say that he was on the Coast, as the rest of themt for the coin and would always sell his hokum to the highest bidder, stage or screen, and that they would do likewise. Mack finished by say- ing that the tradition of the the atre always would get the actor's support as none of them liked to have their friends.look at the fig- ure of their cold shadow on a screen and eventually they wanted to talk aerosa footlights again anyway. One actor here shouted that Belasco had Mid "Thank God for Equity in pio tures." Mack's reply was that "Belasco will say 'Thank God' for anything.L' Mack's final words were that he would follev/ Equity to hell as a body, but that he would not follow one man blindly against his principle. Silvernail then challenged anyone to come to the ^ext Equity meeting and debate with Gillmore. This drew red from Marie Dressier who stated she would have debated with Gillmore, but was basy at the time of previous Equity meetings. Petition Signatures Following this there was a cross fire with an- ende..vor to again put over the Equity oommendation. Ad • .jeurnment-then-took-place,—- Petition' for. the closed meeting was then signed by Lois Wilson, Hedda-Hopper, Conrad Nagel, Noah Beery, Hallam Cooley, Claude A|- listalr, George K. Arthur, Bessie Love, Helen' Ferguson, Francis X. Bushman, Basil Rathbon, Patsy Ruth Mille ; Florence Eldredge, Ramon Novarro, Lloyd Hughes, Chas. Heinte Conklin, Aileen PArcy, Marie Dressier, Frank Looses, PLAGE DEAUVILLE Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Stanley Smith, Bacloneva, John Cromwell, Jane Keckley, Leila Hyams, Donald Crisp, Ronald Colman, Clive Brooke, Estelle Taylor, Jack Demp- sey, Phillip Strange, Eleanor Board- man, Willard Mack and Anders Randelf. Majority of those signing were en the acreen prior to the talker in- vasion and all are known as screen credit' people. Of thio number about 12 are free lance players. Equity's Secret Committees Not one, but three committees are working with Gillmore in the current. fight. Gillmore made this announcement following the state- ment made at the (Beverly-Wllshire meeting that the Coast advisory committee of Equity had been arbitrarily dissolved and that now no committee existed and that he was handling the situation alone. He admitted that all three are secret committees and that their memberships will not be made public. Investigation committee probes all cases in which suspicion is di- rected against an actor to the ef- fect that he has signed studio con- tracts in violation of Equity's rules. Findings of this committee are sub- mitted to the Judgment committee which decides on the action to be taken. Gillmore stated that he no longer has anything to do with sus pensions on these grounds other than . to execute them on the de- cision of the Judgment committee. Commenting on the Beverly-Wll- shire meeting, GlUmore stated that when Nagel phoned him the day More Equi^tes Old Form Stu£o Contracts Since June 25 Hollywood, July 2. Majority of the players listed below are reputed to be members of Equity and have signed the regular studio form contract since June 25. Others similarly were reported signing studio contracts In Variety of June 11 and 18: t Lew Dunbar Alice Day Irene Rich Peter Hawthorne June Dunlap Ann D'Vorak Pavl Van Zazu Pitts Paul Hurst Washington Blue Babs Norman Frank Chew Patsy O'Byme Xioulse Beavers Gertrude Sutton First National Donald Reed . Ethel fitone • Fox Mae Clark Metre-Goldwyn-Mayer Elizabeth Turner Louis Natheauz (leorgla Snedecker Paramount Tom Matson Pathe tJharles Hamilton Budd iFine R-K-p S. J. Sanford George DeCount Dorothy Phillips Universal Eugene Bordba Irving Bacon Hayes Robinson Anders Randolf Duke R. Lee Fifl Dorsey Helene Splane Haze) Steglett Jacqueline Logan Frank Hagney Fred Burns Mildred Van Dorn before the meeting inviting him to be present, he declined, and that he told Nagel he saw no oc- casion for such a meeting. He said he told Nagel that any member of Equity was at aU Umes at liberty to speak from the floor at the open Equity meetings and that that was the place to present Equity matters. He said he assured Nagel anyone who spoke from the floor, regardless of the views expressed, would be treated with every courtesy. Ques- tions from the floor were ruled out of order by George Arllsa at Ekiulty's first meeting. Day followin<c the Beverly-Wil-^ shire meeting, Gillmore stated he* had not made any decision afl to the calling of the closed meeting of paid-up members requested by the petition signed by 32 members at the hotel gathering. He could say nothing official concerning the peti- tion as it had not yet been submit- ted to him. Renavent's Permission ' George Renavent, in Hollywood, wired to Variety his contract .with Radio Pictures was entered into with the sanction of Equity. His name appeared in Variety's list last week of reputed Equity members who had signed the regu- lar studio form .of contract since June 6. Stodio Noises When Suspended Actors on Stage Los Angeles, July 2. Claiming that threats have been made to disfigure Conrad Nagel since the meeting he called on the Equity situation last week, Metro- Ooldwyn-Mayer has furnished per- sonal protection for Its star while . lii the studio. Paramount is reported as having , undergone niany annoyances oii the lot since the Nagel meeting. Sud- den coughing and dropping of btllbs on sound stages are under- . stood to. have allqwed the taking of only two scenes in two days on 'Kibitzer.'^ On the Metro. lot similar inter- ruptions seemed to occur in shoot- ing on "The Thirteenth Chair," par- ticularly in scenes containing Charles Quartermaln. The latter was the first member to be eus^ pended by Equity for signing a film, studio contract after June 6. Albert '■ Gran, In "Kibitzer," was the second to feel the sword. Yesterday Frank Olllmore stated . he had not received the Nagel peti- ■. tlon for a closed meeting of pald-up^- members on the subject of Equity ' desirability on the Coast. If the sheet bears sufficient signatures ot l' bona fide members the Equity head'^" stated he will grant the request' He added: "'^ "They have voted- once, on thls_,'j. proposition; but If they want to^',^ vote again let them." lilONEL^BARRYMORE^-- When Lionel Barrymoro forsook acting to bccorao a dlroctor of talking pictures and. launched "Madame X" he made screen history. Not only did he pave the way to a new tcolinlquc of the screen, but produced tho first talking picture adjudged perfect by critics and public. "The Green Ghost," Ben Hcnlit myHtcry drama, was his next dlreotorlttl assignment Shortly he will direct John Gilbert in Franz Molnar's stage play, "Olympla." Borrymore brought to the direction of talking picturcH years of ^experience as a stage and screen star. IIo has done more In a few pictures to reform the technique of tho "Talkie" thiin any tfthcr director to date. Equity's, Refief Comm. Los Angeles, July 2. ' Plans to help needy Equity mem-.'V bers, as a result of the fight with the film producers, was launched last week when an Equity Relief Committee • was appointed with Mrs. Charlies Miller, wife of Equity's Coast representative, as chairman. > Headquarters for the committee are esUbllshed at 1779 N. Highland ave. Special membership commit- tee to receive new applications, con- sisting of Mire McKlnney and Al G. Kobs, has headquarters at the same address. Official "Out" Iios Angeles, July 2. As a protection for actors who sign istudio contracts which weri negotiated but not signed before June B, Equity now demands a ' wUten .statement:_fr,om _^the studio ca.3tlng director involved^ that "the , agreement for the player's services was reached prior to that date. ^ Two Instances of this have nl'' ready been recorded, that of Cha.vlcs Hill Mails, -working In Gloria Swan-, son's picture, and Sheldoii Lewis; engaged for a Universal serial. Iri each case the casting dlrcotors wrote the necessary ■ document to put the actors in the dear.