New-York tribune., 1919-12-01
Actors Start
Fig hit Against
Sunday Shows
Equity Association Opposes
Lifting n. Y. Ban on The
atrical Performances and
Continuing Conce rts

Members of the Actors EQUITY As
sociation adopted a resolution ycster
day declaring themselves to be "un-
alterably opposed TO all Sunday night
performances in New York thcatcrs.
About 900 actors shouted a unanimous
"No!' in the grand ballroom of the
Hotel Astor when Francis Wilson.
president of the Equity. called for
vote on the resolution.
The actors instructed their officials
10 send a lobbyist to Albany to fight
the lobby that speakers said the man
ayers were conducting in an effort to
!egalize Sunday night performances.
Just before this was voted on a blond
actress stood up in one Of the boxes in
the gallery cnclrcling the ballroom and
suggested that thc actors Albany rep
resentativc ought to be "a eleven,
woman. This suggestion was ap-
plauded almost as heartily as another,
made by an actor that the people of
the stage would strike before they
would consent to act on Sunday
The question of Sunday night per-
formances in New York theaters WAS
revived recently when Arthur Hop
kns. q spokesman for the Producing
Managers Association. against which
the actors strike was directed. an
nounced that he was preparing series
of serious dramas for Sunday nigh.
performance. Mr.. Hopkins said then
that he felt that such entertainment
was quite as proper as the sacred
concerts that are given in some New
York thcaters on Sunday night, and
which in reality are simply vaudeville
that was that Mr.. Hopkinss plan
would break the ice for other man
ayers who might wish to provide en-
tertainment for the Sunday night
throngs who at present wander aim
lessly before darkened box Offices for
want of a place to go.
Not Religious Question
One actress declared after the reso-
luton had been adopted that Sunday
night performances were inevitable in
New York.
There are million and a half of
Jews in New York; She said 'and
they want amusement on Sunday -
She was interrupted by Mr.. Wilson.
who said
The chair deprccates the injection
OF the religious issue into this dis
cusson. The actor is no more religious
than anybody else. He doesn't want
Sunday night performances, because he
feels that six days labor in week
is plenty and that seven days work
is too much. The lady, if may say
so. is delightfully."- out of ORDER
During the discussion Of the Sun
day performance resolution John Cope
was recognized by Chairman Wilson.
Mr.. Cope said:
at isn't simply Sunday performances $
in the back of their heads is the two-a
day, fourteen shows week time, when
the box office will be grinding out
profits like machine We've got one
way of interfering with them, no mat
ter what is done at Albany. If every
other way of stopping Sunday per-
formances fails we have one sure
course left to us---
There were cheers and applause here.
''-wc can stand up on our hind
legs, as we did last summer. and fight.
Lobbyist Approved
Harry Mestayer asked if John Emer-
son, who framed the resolution, WVNlu
consent to have a rider attached pro
viding for the sending to Albany Of 8
representative to present the actors
side to the Legislature. He said:
The managers are going to Albany
with arms. munitions and money. They
won't leave stone unturned i'll their
efforts to legalize Sunday performances
in New York. We, too, ought to have
a representative there. Let US get our
side OF this proposition before the
press and public. We must let the
Legislature know that the actor
doesn't want to work on Sunday"
Mr.. Mestayer's lobbyist rider was
approved unanimously.
Angry tones and loud shouts were
heard when Frank Sheridan COM
planned about the phraseology of the
Sunday night performance resolution
He said it didn't give the vaudeville
artist a square "shake." He said the
resolution should denounce Sunday
night vaudeville performances as well
as "legitimate" shows.
p Frank Gilmore. executive secretary
of the Equity, explained that the
Equity had no right to legislate fol-