Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-14
COMEDY STIRS
THEATER FIGHT
MOROSCO THREATENED WITH
SUIT FOR DAMAGES
John cort Replies That Adverse crltl-
cisms of Play In San Francisco
Were Unwarranted and
Unjust

oliver Morosco is threatened with
suit for heavy damages as a result OF
his refusal to permit ''The Girl from
Rector's." a musical comedy, to be
played at the Majestic theater. The at
traction is booked for the Majestic by
John Cort, acting in behalf of Mr..
Moroseo, and was to be played here
week after next.
Last week the comedy was staged in
San Francisco, and the San Francisco
newspapers cricicised 1t severely, de-
claring the piece immoral in the eX-
treme. Practically every publication
In the Bay city roasted the SHOW,
and after Mr. Morosco read the notlces
he promptly wired Fred Fleck, manager
of the company, canCeltng the time
here Mr.. Fleck protested, but in VAIN
Then he threatened suit, and yesterday
his attorneys called upon Mir. Morosco
in an effort to bring about settle
ment of the difficulty outside the
courts. In the end, however, they went
away, having accomplished nothing
definitely, although their statements
cast a new light upon the matter
The attorneys representing Mr. F1eck'
Messrs. Parshall and Smith or san
Francisco, declared that Mr.. Fleck Is
in a position to prove prejudice on the
part of the San Francisco papers
against his attraction; and said their
client had been advised two weeks be-
fore "The Girl from Rector's" company
arrived in SAL Francisco that his snow
would be roasted there. They ad-
mitted that the comedy is not designed
for the entertainment of boaring school
misses. they even admitted that it
might be termed risque or snicy; put
the charge of nastiness urged against
it by one San Francisco paper they ue-
MED with much emphasis and ind1gna-
tion, citing in opposition the opinions OF
District Attorney Langdon and Chlet
of Police Cook o. San Francisco, both
of whom attended a performance OF
the play in their official capacity and
both of whom decided it to be within
the law governing theatrical perform
ances in California.
When Mr.. Morosco persisted in his
refusal to abide by the contract the
attorneys threatened not only TO prlns
suit for damages but declared they
would institute injunction proceedings
in case any attempt was made to play
another attraction during the week
originally allotted to "The Girl from
Rector's." This being entirely legal
question, Mr.. MoroSco promptly re-
ferred it to his attorneys, Messrs, DAVIS
Rush and Willis. In the end, however
he agreed to wire John Cort in chicago
an extended statement of the contro-
versy and to abide by Mr.. Corts de-
cision.
The message was sent last night, and
contained extended quotations from the
San Francisco newspaper criticisms, to-
gether with the Langdon-Cook state
ment and Mr.. Fleck's claim Of preJu-
dice on the part of the papers. In II
Mr.. Morosco expresses the wish that
the man who made "The Girl from Rec
tor's'' contract find a way out or II II
possible He agrees, moreover, TO pu'
on the play, provided Mr.. Cort, who has
seen 1t in the east, is willing TO assure
him that 1t is all right. AT the same
time he asks the manager Of the North
western Theatrical association not to
be influenced by money considerations,
declaring that he would rather stand
tbe Decuniary loss entailed by any suit
the "Girl from Rector's' company could
bring than play an attraction OF the
kind the San Francisco reviewers de-
clare this to be.
one of the San Francisco papers said
what Three Weeks promised the
Girl from Rector's' did.
On the other hand, Mr.. Morosco, VINO
had sent a telegram to George Axteli'
a personal friend in San Francisco
asking him to see the show and report
on it, received an answer from MT
Axtell last night saying that the
comedy is no worse than "Sapho,
''Zaza," "Du Barry or any other plays
that have been popular successes within
the mast ten years.