New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-01
PIRACY A STAGE CUSTOM
Everybody'S Doin' It, According
to William A. Brady.
WHAT DIRECTOR is FOR
Stealing Parts of Plays Began
with Boucicault, He Testifies
in Furness Suit.

William A. Brady added his expert
views as a theatrical manager yesterday
TO the symposium that had been going on
for three days in the Supreme Court as
to just what was a playwright and when
did reconstructor of plays become
playwright. After Mr. Brady had given
the playwright all the better OF the ar
gument with the reconstruction, Henry
Miller, the actor, and Robert MacKey.
another actor were asked to contribute
their knowledge.
The affirmative side Of the dramatic
side Of the dramatic situation is taken by
Mrs. Edith Ellis F'urness. Her view Ia
that because she rewrote part OF the play
! The Lottery Man" which was the work
OF Mrs. Rida Johnson Young, she is en-
titled to $4,000 as part OF the royalties.
The Shubert company, which produced
| the play, is just as insistent that Mrs.
| Furness Is not entitled to share in the
royalties, because she worked on the play
while she was working In the capacity Of
| stage director at salary of 800 week.
After hearing the testimony Justice
Hotchkiss dismissed the complaint
against the Shubert company, permitting
the case to continue against Mrs. Young,
who was named as a co-defendant.
Enter William A. Brady. Asked to tell
just what pIaywriting is, ne said:
"Playwriting is the construction of the
plot of a play and the writing of dia-
logue The dialogue may be funny or
serious. The construction of one SEN
tence in play might be called play
writing, and on that one sentence the
success of play may depend. Or the
success may depend or word or gest-
ure."
Mr.. Brady expressed the opinion that
the work Of Mrs. Furness. with one ex-
ception, ras the work OF good stage
director, and not a playwright. But he
| considered Mrs. Furness good play
wright, he said.
MIR. Brady was quite frank when coun-
sci asked him if one scene in The Lot
terry Man" had not been taken bodily
from another play. He replied in the af-
firmative and continued: 1T Is the Gus
tom of stage directors 10 steal from any
old play they like in order to get sue
cessful production. That is what a stage
director is for. 1t began with Bouccicault
and Las been continued to the present
! time"
Also on cross-examination Mr.. Brady
pleaded no professional privilege when the
attorney for Mrs. Furness asked him IL,
in his stage direction, he stole parts OF
plays. His reply was, Il subscribe to the
customs Of the profession
ITO stealing?"
In that sense. yes
Mr.. Brady went on to say, in answer to
questions. that he was interested in some
productions with the Shuberts, but that
his spirit in the case at issue was fair.
MY spirit is fair to every one" said the
witness
You are not a Bull Mooser. them"
asked the lawyer.
II am a Bull Mooser" corrected Mr..
Brady. and even Justice Hotchkiss per-
mtted himself to indulge in a smile.
The manager said ne would not neces-
sarlly consider person a playwright who
rewrote a play to run two and half
! hours that was originally written to run
only an hour He gave as an instance
the play Baby Mine which he said was
written 10 run only an hour and half
| and was SO padded that II ran for an
entire evening.
Henry Miller had heard OF play being
produced that ran only an hour and
half, but he could not remember the
name. When asked If he could tell "f
any OF the society plays now run
ming that lasted only that time, Mr.. Mil
Ter replied: Il am playing over In Brook
| lyn at present and don't know what is
going on In New York"
Robert MacKey, who acted in The Lot
| terry Man" told Of some of the changes
| made In the original play.