The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-07
THEATRE MANAGERS
MOBILIZE FOR WAR
Leaders in Every Amusement
Branch Organize in Scrap
With Actors.
STRIKE BROUGHT NEARER
War to the End Now, Both
Sides Declare as Peace
Dove Vanishes.

War to the end was declared yester-
| day by both sides in the struggle be-
| tween the actors and theatrical mana
| gers. After q week during which peace
seemed imminent and the managers
went SO far as to recognize the Actors
| Equity Association TO the extent of hav-
ing conferences with II, the Producing
| Managers Protective Association sud
| denly exploded a bombshell yesterday
| by organizing itself into a far moro pow
efful body that included besides the
legitimate field vaudeville, burlesque.
motion pictures and virtually every form
| of theatrical amusement
This was the managers answer
| to the action OF the players In
affiliating themselves with the Amer
| lean Federation Of Labor three weeks
ago. At the same time the new
| managerial body, as yet unnamed, broke
| of relations with the Equity organiza-
| ton and declared Its intention of treat
| ing with the actors individually, and
| not through their union. This step will
| be reported TO the members OF the A.
| Z. A. at a special meeting which will
| be held this afternoon at 3 30 o'clock
| at the Hotel Astor, instead of yesterday.
| A strike of actors is the result pre-
| dicted.
The new coalition of managers was
| eueCLeu at n meeting VI nohiiy dii thC
| important producing managers In the
city, at which Sam Harris. president Of
the Producing Managers Association.
headed the representatives Of the legiti-
mate branch. Others present were Will
| lam A. Brady. prominent theatrical and
| motion picture producer; Sam Scribner.
| representative burlesQue manager; 10. r.
| Albee Of the Keith circuit. and the chief
figure in the National Vaudeville Art
lists; William Fox. Aim producer, and
| Morris Gest.
| statement Is Issued.
Following the meeting this statement
| was issued
tional organization of the theatrical.
vaudeville, motion picture and burlesque
interests, the following resolution was
passed yesterday by the Producing Man
| ayers Association. the Vaudeville Man
ayers Protective Association, the Ma
tional Association Of Motion Picture In
dustry producers and Distributors
Branches) and the Columbia Amusement
and Burlesque Interests Of America).
Resolved That It is the sense of this
meeting that this association is prepared
to affiliate with a national organization
OF producing managers Of the legitimate
theatres, vaudeville theatres, burlesque
thea tres and producers and distributors
| of motion pictures to the end that such
an association will aid in protecting the
actors of the stage and screen from IN
| equitable and unfair contracts and as
sure to the employers thereof a continu-
ance Of the privilege to deal with them
individually as artists.
Meetings to perfect the new organi-
xation were attended by representatives
of the leading amusement interests OF
the country, presided over by William A.
Brady"
| War. Says Sam Harris.
This means war II they want it," said
Mr. Harris. Were not looking for a
fsht but we mean to deal with each
actor individually and to use only the
contract by which we have been giving
the actors n square deal for the last two
years."
This stand took place a couple Of hours
after M Harris had an apparently
amiable discussion with committee
from the A. T. A. In his office. This
committee was composed OF Bruce NC
Rae, Frank Gilmore, John Cope and Dc
Wolf Hopper. The new alignment oil
forces against them caused a surprise
later in the Offices Of the 4. e. A. ano
Mr.. Gilmore, the executive secretary
Immediately issued this statement:
Tho actors OF this country recent,
! AFFILIATED with the American Federation
Of Labor to tho end that their interna
tlonA union should aid in protecting tn
actors of the STAGE and screen from In
equitable and unfair contracts and as
sure 70 the actors the privilege of beinl
fairly dealt with and dealing fairly b!
; the managers. All branches OF the &C
tors profession are organized Into thii
association, which is called the Asso
: ciated Actors and Artistes OF America
The Actors Equity Association Is I
. branch Of this union. and Ia out 70 SCI
. that itD members AFRO given just treat
nent By the producing managers.
. 1--WE have tried In every way possibl
4 to come to an amicsble agreement witt
: than, and " this announcement mean
. that We cannot do this, then we hav
. been given full power by our member
to use such means as may seem tit 4
! obtain what is justly due US. 1t seem
that by q strange coincidence the actor
! OF this country welded themselves Int
a huge organization and affiliated wit
the A. r. OF L. but few weeks bcfor
tho managers formed their union"
. Actors to Fight BACK.
In reply to Mr.. Harris's declaratio
that his side was ready to give battl
/
: the integrity OF body would natural
l lead them to night back The A. e. A.
l he pointed out, had been organized an
. empowered to deal with the manag ger
. in behalf )of the actors and was full
: representative.
THE managers have themselve
banded together" he said, Gin order I
l deal with the actors Individually"
. While Mr.. Gilmore refused to com
. NIT himself on the probable action o
the Equity members. since that was
I matter for the judgment OF the who'll
body, tho outlook In Broadway last nigh
was that the actors. in the mood OF de
, fiance which they evinced on Frida
last. would feel they have no alternativ
except to strike. The walkout woul
have to be called by the Associated Ac
tors and ArtisteS OF America, throug
which the A. e. A. is affiliated Wi,
. the A F. OF L.. but since Francis Wilson
d and Mr.. Gilmore are leading execu