The sun., 1919-08-13
Is HIT BY
STRIKE OF ACTORS


duction. No new theatres were closed
by walkouts last night and none were
reopened by the managers, though the
latter state positively that East Is
West will positively start packing 'em
in again at the Astor tonight, with Fay
BANTER and Lester Lonergan as the
leading members of the cast who are
still attached to their parts n their
salaries. The Shuberts maintain their
consistency by repeating patiently that
"Those Who Walk in Darkness will not
fall to find landlegs tomorrow night.
the premiere being at the Forty-eighth
Street Theatre.
An important announcement came
from the Actors Equity Association, that
Walter Hast, a leading English pro-
Queer. who has established himself here
this season, was willing to grant only
Equity contracts to his theatrical hired
talent Mr.. Hast said In reply to in
quiry that actors employed by him had
always signed the dotted line on Equity
contracts.
In some quarters this is looked on
as n break in the managerial lineup.
Mr.. Hast sal that he is not a member
of the Producing Managers Associa-
ton, that. In fact, he was not a MEM
Der of any organization, not having
done n thinking on that subject. But
he is looked upon as one of the most
important producers outside the Produc-
ing Managers Association, and is allied
with the S%huberts. who are among the
leading powers in the managerial body
and have brought the first legal action
in which the actors were judged SOL
vent enough to be called upon for $780,
900 damages.
Mr.. Hast his season is to produce
the following pieces in conjunction with
Lee n j. ]. Shubert: Scandal" An
Exchange of Wives Eve and the
Man." THE Master of Ballantrae." The
Law Of the Wild" "A Daughter of Two
Worlds' and a seventh production which
10 as yet i~hcognito.
The managers took action looking
toward a future blight on the produc-
lions in Chicago, following a report
tina Francis Wilson. president of the
Equity, had gone there. During the
afternoon the Shuberts and other mana
gers were in communication by long
distance telephone with their Windy
City representatives.
All the producers went ahead with
| preparations through O'Brisn & Male
whisky, their attorneys. for Injunction
| suits similar to those instituted by the
Shuberts and by Mr.. Ziegfeld. the az
| gregate sums to be demanded. IT was
said, being $1,000, 200. Meanwhile SER
vice was said to have started in the
Shuberts' $500. 900 suit for the closing
| OF Monte Cristo. Jr.," and the "Shu-
bert Gaieties of 1872 while Mr.. Zieg-
field deposited bonds to protect the de-
fendants from loss in the event hat his
injunction proceedings to keep the Fol
lies in their stride should result in IA
vor of the defendants.
A,tor. Con.uIt CaunsaI
The actors made ready to meet the
managers court man9uvres, particularly
! to do battle with the Shuberts, when
their case ZONES up tomorrow. For
this purpose they consulted with counsel,
who was at first reported to be George
wickersham. though the former Attor-
n~ey-General denied this.
The organization meeting of the
| chorus girls at the Amsterdam Opera
chorus girls at the Amsterdam Opera
half a dozen current musical shows,
including thirty members of the Hippo
drome ballet. whose advent marked the
first time that Charles Dillingham's big
house has been brought into the strike.
Following considerable discussion, Marie
Dressler was acclaimed temporary
president, after she had told the girls
how she had once been a chorus girl
at IS a week for the privilege OF having
a manager say to her. Where did you
get that face?"
Miss Barrymore confined her remarks
to the girls to I'm with you" Other
speakers were Barney Bernard. Franz
Fay, Sam Bernard and C. c. Shay and
Thomas Gamble. heads of the stage
hands union, h promised the support
of that organization ito the extent that
its laws permit" The girls are to meet
again tomorrow afternoon, having
chosen the title of the Chorus Equity
Association of America,