New-York tribune., 1919-08-22
Only One Playhouse Con-
trolled by Managers Asso.
citation Is Now Open on
Broadway; Nineteen Dark
s Shut Down in Chicago
Billposters to Meet To-
night to Take Action to
Aid Equity Association

That the actors strike has taken on
the aspect of a war of attrition was
made manifest last night, when a SYM
pathetic walkout of stage hands and
musicians from the Booth Theatre,
where "The Better 'Ole" was being pre-
sented "darkened" that house and left
only one theatre in Manhattan open
against the will of the Actors EQUITY
Association.
The sole survivor is the Playhouse,
where William A. Brady is producing
"At 9:45.' Five others are running
under exemption from the Equity.
Nineteen have been closed by the strike.
From Chicago came word that eight
of the city's nine downtown theatres
were closed by strike of actors, stage
hands and musicians.
The belief is current in New York
that burlesque, vaudeville and motion
picture houses also will close soon un-
less the managers give in. The Chi
cago bill posters union was scheduled
to meet tonight to consider striking in
sympathy with the actors.
To Be Seen on Broadway
At the Globe Theatre Thurston, the
magician, is trying to lure crowds past
the box Office with feats of gerdemain
and levitation. Near by, at the Central,
there is now showing "Pcck- a. Boo" a
burlesquc show that formerly appeared
on Seventh Avenue.
Theda Bara in a motion picture is
now Pickering across screen each
night at the Forty-fourth Street The
atre, where, until the strike was called,
Ed Wynn cracked his jokes and typi-
NH hnV.f oh \
At the Lyric, in Forty second Street,
the striking cast of the comedy drama
"The Five Million" has been replaced
by motion picture, "Deliverance," of
which blind Helen Keller is the heroine.
The substitute shows have no cause
for complaint, but the vast majority
of persons in the throngs who seek
amusement along Broadway each night
try to crowd their way into the vaude-
vile and the regular moving picture
theatres. At the Palace this week more
than 1000 persons have been turned
away each night.
The Actors Equity Association ben
eft at the Lexington Avenue Theatre
is playing each performance with the
IS. R. o. sign out
Roadhouses Profit
ROadhouses within fifty-mile radius
of Forty second Street and Broadway
also are protiting by the actors strike,
and from the Petit Trianon on Long
Island to Tumble Inn up the Hudson
there are reports of unusual throngs
of automobiists.
The fever for organization that has
spread from actor to theatre scrub
women has at least infected the play
Wrlghts, who banded together Yesterday
RI ,oI 70
for a charter for the "Stage Writer'S
Protective Association"
About fifty of the best known dra-
matte authors attended the organiza-
ton meeting yesterday at the Hotel
Astor, and when it was all over the
secretary, Owen Davis, announced that
the other officers of the "union'' we're
Otto Harbach, president, and Sylvio
Holm, treasurer.
You can call us a union if you want
to, said Mr.. Davis. "We shall be alb
solutely neutral in the dispute between
the managers and the actors The Stage
Wrlters' Protective Association hopes
that, on account Of our undeniable in
terest in the early settlement of the
controversy and through our good Of
fices extended in an earnest spirit, some
agreement may be reached.
"One thing is certain: The play
wrights are opposed to any radical
change in the old order in the theatre" "
Cobb Speaks to Actors
Irwin Cobb, who has been partici-
pating in the mediation efforts of the
playwrights, addressed a meeting of
striking actors at their headquarters
in 100 West Forty fifth Street. He
said
eve of the writing profession are
with you from hell to breakfast. When
any one tells you, as the managers
have, that his cause is SO righteous
he doesn't need to arbitrate you can
bet his cause is weak in the knees"
The managers issued only one brief
announcemnet yesterday. They simply
said:
Owe are standing pat"
Frank Gilmore, executive secretary
of the Actors Equity Association, made
the following statement:
"The producing managers statement
of yesterday says: The Actors Equity
Association has branded itself as an