The sun., 1919-08-22
STRIKE CLOSES
BOOTH THEATRE
Stage Hands and Musicians
Put Quietus on "The
Better 'Ole."
ONLY TWO SHOWS LEFT
Playhouse Not Yet MOlested
and the Winter Garden
Still Survives.
ONLY TWO SHOWS LEFT

Though many plans for mediation
meetings were projected yesterday
the endurance contest between the ac-
tors and the managers still remained
the featured production in Broadway
with THE Better ole" being closed in
the Booth Theatre when the stage
hands and musicians stepped out Of
the house and didn't return. This, the
capacitated, in addition to three roof
81 ows, leaves the Producing Managers
Association with AT 9:45" at the
Playhouse and the melange at the
Winter Garden as the only two pro-
ductions running.
The Actors Equity Association struck
at The Better ole" on the opening night
of the actors strike, and Charles Mac
Naughton and Colin Campbell, who
played Bert and Az to Charles Coburn's S
| old Bal, were among the players who
/ took French leave. Mr.. and Mrs Coburn
however had several road companies
lurking in the background In rehearsal.
and from these reserves were quickly
II.
fathers musical comedy and the play
and the fight went on. But last night
when L union delegate told the stage
hands and musicians to drop out of sight
they lung the Grape on one of the sea-
sons biggest successes.
The Winter Garden remained open,
with The house half full, a non-union
pianist officiating. and the ballroom set.
left standing from the preceding night,
as the unchanged background for the
high kicking.
PIaywrtghts Organize.
The playwrights who have been seek
! ing to make Broadway safe for the thea
/ tregoer, undaunted by their failure to
bring about peace between the actors
and managers on Wednesday. met again
yesterday at the Hotel Astor to consider
, ways an means to devise a last act for
happy ending to the strike. To further
this aim, as well as to look after their
own rights, they formed an organization
called the Stage Writer'S Protective As
sociation, to comprise musical composers,
dramausts, scenario writer's. and, in fact
every one who ever exercised his pen on
paper in the name of the theatre.
The officers elected were Otto Harbach
president owen Davis, secretary, and
Silvio Helm. treasurer. George Broad
hurst announced late in the afternoon
that the call had gone out for all Ameri-
can authors within reach to convoke at
! the Astor on Monday afternoon at 2
o'clock to see IL they couldn't let little
| light in on the dark stage.
| James Forbes. John Emerson, Chan
! ming Pollock, Eugene Buck, Rupert
/ Hughes. John Hazard Eugene Presorey
Ro Cooper Megrue and Irwin 5. Cobb
were among the playwrights who at
tended the meeting. 1t was pointed out
! that many of the dramatists friendly to
| the managers had stayed away from this
meeting while a good proportion present
! could look upon an actor withint seeing
/ red.
Other speakers who carried the meet
ing by storm were John Cope. Henry
E. Dixey, Ralph Morgan and Ernest
Truck who turned out during the day
! to be developing into one of the stars
OF the Equity as n persistent arranger.
He made known that he Is settling the
/ details for an unique tour Of Long
/ Island by a company OF well known
/ talent including himself which pro-
poses to play every small town on the
/ island for the benefit OF the Equity.
/ even IL they have to turn fire halls
! into temples OF the drama to do so.
! John Hazard, Oscar Shaw, Flora "a
l
ton and White and De Wolf Hopper are
! among those who are willing to go
/ transforming in the near future in order
1 that the Equity may become one of the
! leading producing Arms OF Broadway.
( Another meeting is to be held to-
morrow at the Hotel Biltmore at 2
! O'Clock, consisting OF players who are
( hard bent on peace, under the guidance
of Louis Mann, minus his dialect. A
/ committee consisting OF Robinson New
bold. Lowell sherman. Allan pinehart,
/ Fay BANTER. Olive Wvndham and Janet
/ Reecher has been sending kilograms TO
prominent theatre folk who might be
able to stem the tide of battle.
Equity Mass Meeting.
. At about the same time a mass meet
I ing of the Actors Equity Associat ton
will be shouting themselves hoarse at
! the Lexington Theatre. the first cheer
being scheduled to break loose at ? 80
: p NJ The purpose OF the gathering is
/ to acquaint the public further with the
! general objects of the Equity and TO
keep the fires OF determination going
so that the Equity may be recognized
/ by the Producing Managers Associa
( tion before all the theatres in the city
are torn down to make way for garages.
N
received messages of support from the
! executive board of the National Wom-
ems Trade Union League of America.
/ now in session here and from the North
Atlantic feet which passed a resolution
not to attend any =. NJ. A members
| theatre. II was said so long as the
strike made Broadway poor place for
a sailor to get his land legs
/ 3 II was also stated that assurances
had also come from Lieut.. H. c.
Henderson one OF the aids TO the Prince
of Wales on the latters trip here. that
the Prince was not attending any the
atrical performance while In Toronto.
This was in response TO a letter sent TO
the Governor General cf Canada by 900
British actors in the Equity 100 OF
wLori had been In the English military
service. and who asked whether the
Prince, as they had heard, was to at
! tend a performance In Toronto of "Chu
tContinued on Third PdOe.)