New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-07
THESP|ANS THREATEN
ACTORLESS BROADWAY
Low Comedy "Stuff" of Police
"RookieS" Jars Them
While They "ReSt."
KEPT TOO MUCH ON MOVE
Rialto Talkfests Interrupted by
New Patrolmen, Who Don't
Care to Hear of How /
Hit En- in Oshkosh"

Captain Edward Walsh, of the West
47th street police station. received
threatening letter yesterday which prom
Uses dire things for his district.
"Of course | cannot speak for ali the
members of the profession, nor do 1 like
to make threats said the writer, who
signed himself Thespis, but if condi-
tions are not bettered among your men
/ would not be surprised to see actors
making a concerted movement to desert
Broadway altogether as promenade and
lounging place
The conditions which aroused the ire
Of the anonymous actor seem to consist
in the low comedy manner" of the police
rockies" in telling members Of the pro-
fession" TO keep moving.
The letter is as follows:
Now there arose up a new king over
Egypt, which knew not Joseph Broad
way is in much the same position as
Egypt since the coming of the new police
men. ! stopped near 44th street yester-
day afternoon to tell fellow-actor what
a successful summer 1 had in Middle
Western stock when l was rudely tapped
on the shoulder by one of your men.
Take that stuff up stage he said
Il was surprised and indignant. but my
friend informed me that such occurrences
are now common. He added that only the
other day he and a group Of friends were
aecosted by one of your policemen as,
Hey, you bunch Of Edwin Booths one
of the leading members of the burlesque
stage was told the other day TO get out
of the spotlight and make an exit
Are your policemen behaving in this
manner at your instgaton? In former
years the police realized that Broadway
was our field Of activity and should be
reserved for us just as part of Broad
street is roped off for the curb brokers
Broadway is a spot to which all of us
long TO return, because it is there we
can meet our friends once or twice
year. Theatrical engagements also result
occasionally from chance meetings in the
street OF course / realize that some OF
the other members OF the profession are
a trlfe garrulous and may prolong unduly
the account of their exploits. thus block
ing pedestrians. l do not object to a
policeman's occasionally taking the liberty
Of telling an actor not TO stay in the same
comedy manner of your men in perform
ing these duties"
The threat to leave Broadway fat on It's
back follows.
Mild weather and the curtailment of the
number of theatres in the Middle West
have served to keep up the Broadway the
atrical parade later this season than ever
before. There are more actors in New
York out of work or resting" as the
profession" puts il, than any other No
vember has seen.
One big vaudeville booking agency has
in a prominent place in its Office the
sign Touches this season limited TO two
bits" and one OF the best known of the
theatrical clubs has found it necessary
to pass a bylaw forbidding members from
trying to borrow money from each other
while in the club. 1t has been observed
that since that law went into effect many
of the members have made the sidewalk
Just outside the entrance their lounging
place.