The sun., 1919-08-08
MANAGERS SAY
THEY'LL FIGHT
PLAYERS UNION
Audiences Totalling $1,000
Are Sent Home and The
atres Lose $4,000.
II HOUSES STILL OPEN
Actors Equity Demands Rec
Ognition and Extra Pay for
Holiday Matinees.

Fer the first time In the history OF
the stage an actors strike on large
scale was called last night by the
Actors Equity Association. AS a re-
suit, IL Of the 23 legitimate theatres
in the city running this summer were
closed, about $4,000 patrons of these
houses were forced out upon Broad
way for entertainment and the man
ayers lost at least $4,000.
How long the strike, which is con-
fined so far to the performers of the
legitimate stage in this city alone,
will last no one in stagedom would
venture to guess last night. But only
few hours after this extraordinary
manifestation of labor unionism oc-
CURED several managers set to work
to break the strike with improvised
cases or filled the gaps with under
studies In cases where the cast had
been crippled by the withdrawal Of
ofIfy 1ve or six thespians.
Two managers announced definitely
that they would resume performances
tonight. and several others started
looking about for substitute players.
The others decided TO bide their time
to see what this first real test of
strength between the actors union
and the organized managers would
bring forth.
The Actors Equity Association,
whose president, Francis Wilson. or
dered the players to walk out, did not
call out the actors in every one Of the
twenty-three legitimate houses now
open in the city because. as they let 1t
be understood, they simply wished to
show the theatrical captains Joined to-
gether in the Producing Managers
Protective Association, how far they
could go toward embarrassing them
by calling out only part Of their
artistic employees.
Well Known Players Affected.
In the twelve houses where the strike
was called more than 400 performers
were prevented from appearing. This
affected such well known players as
Frank Bacon. Fay Banter. Holbrook
Bllnn, Olive Wyndham, Harry Kelly,
Frank Fay. Frederick Santley, Newbold
Robinson. Tessa Kosts and Ralph Nor
gan. Not all these players struck of
themselves. but were kept from per-
forming by the closing of their theatres
The houses which shut down for the
night and their attractions were the
following:
Astor. East Is West; Broadhurst.
THE Crimson Alibr: Cohan & Harris.
The Royal Vagabond"; Forty-fourth
Street, 'Shubert Gaieties OF 1e1e";
Gaiety. "Lightnin'"; Lyric, THE Five
Million; Playhouse. AT s:45": Princess,
"Nightie Night: Republic, "A Voice in
the Dark; Knickerbocker, Listen Les
ter; Selwyn. The Challenge" and
Shubert, "oh. What a Girl" The the
atres which continued playing were:
Casino. "a Lonely Romeo" Booth.
THE Better Ole" Fulton, John Fefgu-
som; Globe, She's Good Fellow" ;
Greenwich Village, Greenwich Village
Foliies"; Henry MiIer's, La La, Lu-
cille" Liberty, Scandals OF 1919"
Maxine Elliott's, "39 East: New Am
sterdam, "Ziegfeld Follies"; Thirty
ninth Street, THE Red Dawn" and the
Winter Garden Monte Cristo. Jr."
None OF the vaudeville or burlesque
houses was touched by the strike, al
though the players In these houses are
collateral members with the Actors
Equity Association of the Associated
ACtOFS ana ArtlbteB OF america, and the
producers OF these branches OF enter
tainment AFFILIATED themselves two days
ago with the Producing Managers As.
sociation.
The officers of the Actors Equity de-
clined last night to state how many other
theatres would he called out or what fur
ther steps they would take in the next
few days. Both sides expressed them
selves as well satisfied with the course OF
events so far. the managers declaring
that they could take care OF themselves.
Sam Harris president of the Producing
Managers Association, declared that
other forms OF business had contended
with similar trouble. and he did not see
why the managers could not come out OF
this as triumphantly as other industrial
leaders.
Many Audiences Sent Home.
the persons who seemed to be the most
bewildered and taken aback by this turn
OF affairs. In few OF the houses they
were turned away at the doors. the strike
having been called by representatives OF
the A. f. A. before the spectators assem-
bled. But In most OF the play shops the
| audiences were already in their seats and
had to be told from the stage that there
would be no performance.
| Thereupon resigning the comfortable
| seats In which they had ensconced them.
(ContiHued on THIRD Pd0ss