The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-01
EQUITY STAGES
THREE STRIKE
PLAYS TONIGHT
They Are Forerunners of a
National Profit Sharing
Show Syndicate.
FINAL VICTORY is SEEN
Confab With Managers Not So
Distant, Is View of In
surgents.

oficials of the Actors Equity Assoc
citation We're gratifled yesterday at the
opening of Happy Days" at the Hip
podrome this afternoon, since a
threatened boomerang that seemed
likely to-react unfavorably on the pub
lies attitude toward the striking
actors had been turned into a. complete
success--just as though the Hippo
drome walkout had been Cohanized.
In return. for recognition of the
Equity and a minimum wage of $35
week for the chorus Frank Gilmore.
executive secretary OF the A. e. n,
thought II only fair to recompense the
Hippodrome management with a COM
plimentary statement. After distrib-
uting verbal flowers for the broad
minded way in which they had met
the Equity. Mr. Gilmore added that
"inasmuch as the corporation owning
the Hippodrome- represents the keen
est business intellect of this country,
we feel the more encouraged in the
hope that other arrangements may
follow suit"
George M. Cohan's statement at the
meeting of the Actors Fidelity League
on Saturday that he expected Broadway
theatres to be reopened within ten days
without mentioning that they would
use Fidelity casts and non-union stage
crews-there was an impression yester-
day along Broadway that the strike at
mosphere was clearing and that a con-
ference between Equity officials and rep
resentatives OF the Producing Managers
Association was impending unless one
side missed the cue and gummed up the
show. This belief was heightened by
the new contract read by Mr.. Cohan on
Saturday, which allowed for arbitration
through an association representing the
actor, which might readily be the Equity
unless the managers put their foot down
hard on this possibility.
Since the Equity was not actually for
bidden as the arbitrating organization.
this was considered to be what DR..
Crane calls 'the way out" However,
though 1t was said at Equity headquar-
ters that conference on these matters
seemed to be Gin the air." apparently
none of their leaders INDUCED In any
repartee during the day with managers.
Francis Wilson. the president, remained
in his Lake Mahopac home.
Other executives of the organization
were busy putting the final touches on
the three new shows with which the
Equity Will signalize- Labor Day under
the direction of Earl Booth, who Is de-
veloping q national profit sharing SYN
dictate" Of his own. Chief among the
productions tonight will be the produc-
ton at the Second Avenue Theatre, 35
Second avenue, presented under the title
of the Equity Revue" as a musical
show designed to take the place of what
the Equity representatives themselves
call ''the late lamented Follies' and
'Gaieties.'" The beauty chorus will be
composed OF fifty union madcaps.
The Lexington Avenue Theatre will
of 1.-THE Copperhead," with Lionel Bar
ryTuore playing the Union secret service
agent Other stars of the Lexington
programme are Johnny Dooley and
Yvette Rugel the Equity Minstrels-
composed of we'll known monologists-
Adele Rowland. Gertrude Vanderbilt
Ray Raymond. Gladys Rice. Adelaide
and Hughes. the Watson Sisters and
Fred Hildebrand. who, being announced
as an Equity discovery" is proof that
the A. E. A general staff is discovering
talent like real managers.
Most of last weeks performers at the
Lexington will to-day carry the war into
Brooklyn at the Academy of Music there
Tomorrow an all-star bill will make tn.
Thomashefsky Theatre on the East Side
known to persons who never knew be.
IOTo buCn n HOuSo cAlStcu 1HeTc VIII
be another mass meeting at the Lexing
ton at 2 80 tomorrow afternoon, ant
until the strike ends. 1t is announced
these Tuesday and Friday soirees vii
be continued The Motion Picture Play
ers Association will meet with blood in
their eye tonight at Geneva Hall, IA;
West Forty-fourth street.
The signs outside the Hippodrom'
were changed again yesterday by th'
tireless painters. and announced tina
New York, starting with to-day
matinee, would once more have "Happ,
Days" replacing that short lived produc
tion called by Mark Luescher Nothing
Doing"
The Gallo English Opera Company
with a cast headed by Jefferson d.
Angels, who has so far moved in tn
most select striking circles. opens III
season of two weeks of light opera will
THE Aiikado' in the Shubert Theatre
having been granted exemption by tn
Equity although the Shubert has beef
one of the prescribed houses. 1t wa
explained by the Equity that Fortuna
Gallo, the producer, is not a member o
the p. NJ. A.. that he leased the hous
before the strike began and that ever,
nIaver has an Equity contract