New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-05
Mr.. Ziegfeld and
The Willy Spectator

or: AN cGltOrlal IN one OF the morn
ing papers to the effect that managers
were in a position to stamp out ticket
speculation or ticket profi.eering com
pels this statement of fact from the
honest fight made against this evil
during the engagement # the "Ziegfeld
Follies" at the New Amsterdam Thea
ire. which opened last June and closed
the latter part Of September No tick
cts were knowingly permitted to fall
into the hands Of spectators, and
every precaution possible was taken to
sell tickets direct from the box office
! to the theatregoing public.
1t was the first time in many years
tfat a line often q block long was az
the box office TO secure tickets at box
office prices but with all the precau-
ton exercised, all the extra expense,
all the unusually liberal newspaper ad-
vertising and everything else that
could possibly be done, l was unable to
prevent a certain number of tickets
from falling into the hands of the
ticket profiteers. They secured them
by making confederates of passersby
on the pavement whom they sent to
the box Office to purchase for them
tickets we'll in advance. and by 40 do
ing securing choice locations.
IN many instances stores were
opened in the immediate neighborhood
of the New Amsterdam Theatre, in
/ West Forty-second Street, for the dis
posal of these tickets, which they had
/ illegitimately secured by what is
known in the profession as digging"
1t is needless to say that they sold
! them az highly exorbitant prices, en-
unfortunate phase which can never be
! stamped out under the existing condi-
tions. At the time | appealed 70 Dis
trict Attorney Swami, who was re-
/ sponsble for number of arrests, but
the present laws only permit of slight
inconsequential fines.
1t is no secret that. there are
some managers who openly do business
with ticket spectators. 1t is said that
in certain instances their productions
are almost financed by them, but pos
tive distinction should be made be-
tween what is termed a ticket specu-
lator or profteer and the legitimate
ticket agency such as McBride's and
/ Tyson's. l have had occasion to obtain
the views of these agencies, and they
are most earnestly in favor Of the
Williams ordinance, which places
1 price Of so cents over the box office
price printed on the ticket, provided
Of course, the managers will sell their
tickets to the agencies at the box office
price. For the accommodation that
reputable agencies offer the theatre
going public their patrons are appar-
emily perfectly willing to pay fee of
! so cents.
There has been suggestion for the
establishment Of union ticket Office
to distribute the tickets for all of the
! theatres at box office prices to the pub
/ lie, with branches in various con-
venient locations throughout the city,
have no faith in the success of such
an undertaking, which would be an
enormous expense to the theatres in its
operation.
do not believe it would succeed be-
cause there never has been to my
! knowledge any union among theatrical
I managers, nor have they at any time
even in matters of vital Importance to
themselves ever been able to stick to-
gether. furthermore do not believe
that the nnanagcrs of New York City
could be relied upon to take the same
stand upon any one subject. Should Il
union box Office be established it would
/ be simply question OF whose tickets
would be favored when they were being
disposed of to the public. 1t can easily
| be realized that union box Office con-
trolIed by managers would be suborned
| in it's recommendations of the different
attractions A union box Office would
only benefit those managers whose pro-
auctions have no financial appeal to the
public. In their case any kind of box
Office Is supcrhous. and only the dis
tribution Of passes is necessary, for
such attractions either quickly go to
the storchouse or the tickets arc han
| died at cut rates.
Very truly yours,
| J.. ZIEGEELD.