New-York tribune., 1919-09-02
No Explanation Given, but
y Francis Wilson Hints That
Gallo's Offence Was
Giving "Aid to Enemy
Cast 100 Pct. Equity
Walk-out Of Moving Picture
Operators FOreshadowed
; by Uptown House Tie-up

son of three weeks. Last nights per-
formance was to have been THE Mi
kado," with Jefferson De Angels.
leading member of the Actors Equity
Association, in the roe of koko, the
Lord High EXecutioner.
Fortune Gallo, the producer. was
wrathful as he watched the box office
man begin to refund $4,000 that had
been taken in through the advance sale
of seats
Frank Gilmore told me a week ago
that it would be all right for me to
Open" he said. "He even told me to
insert in my advertising an announce
ment that the performers were 100 per
cent Equity and that the opera was
being given with the consent Of the
Equity. Now, | have to pay for this
theatre, anyway, because Of contract
with the Shuberts- On Saturday, after
the musicians had attended rehearsal,
] was informed from the Offices of ] O.
seph Weber. Of the musicians, that
might not be allowed to open Why?
That's what ! want to know
Hints Aid Given to Enemy
Francis Wilson, president of the
Actors Equity Association, undertook.
to answer this query when he said:
"When shows are closed now and no
definite reason is given for the action 1t
is because We have discovered that the
producer is lending aid and comfort to
the enemy Our enemy Is the Produc-
ing Managers Association"
"Up From Nowhere" which gas
closed at the Shubert- BelasSo n Wash
ington last week. failed 70 cve.l At the
Comedy Theatre here last night, al
though John D. Williams, the producer.
had said he would open. The scenery
failed to arrive and ii was impossible
10 FIJI the places OF the striking actors
on such short notice
Ruth Gilmore, daughter Of Frank
Gilmore, was one of the members OF
New York yesterday and said:
"Papa came down and called Us out
on strike and I was glad of 1t, for
had felt terribly working when every
one else was on strike.
Movie Strike Fcreshado~cd
The closing Of many New York mo-
hon picture houses. and possibl thou-
sands throughout the country. vas in
dicated as q possibility yesterday when
it became known that motion picture
nAchine operators had been ordered to
strike at the Bronx Opera House, l49th
Street and "hird Avenue, on Sunday
night. preventing the initial presenta-
tion there of "a Prince There Was"
pictured version of the play produced
at the Cohan & Harris Theatre lass
season
S. D. Newman, an Officer of the union.
which includes stage mechanics and
n,stion picture operators, explained the
attitude of the operators He sale the
! l. Col p
q firm which they considered "unfair to
union labor
Something Ike riot was promised
at the matinee performance Of the
~Greenwich Village ollies" a the
Greenwich Village Theatre yesterday
afternoon Bessie Mccoy Davis, a
member Of the cast, is member Of
the Actors Fidelity League All the
others belong to the Actors Equity
Association
Miss Davis "Reinforccd"
Thus far no strike has been called
at this theatre, but the show has been
forbidden to move uptown into any
theatre controlled by the Producing
Managers Association, under penalty
of immediate closing through strikes
of musicians, stagehands and perform
erE
Word snread through the Broadway
SECTION Yesterday LlidN MISS DuH lS w dS
to be embarrassed at the matinee per-
formance- Possibly press agent was
responsible for the speed with which
the rumor travelled to newspaper Of
ficee, but just the same five of the
dancers fellow members on he execu-
tive committee Of the Actors Fidelity
League CfaitS.ful to the managcrs>
travelled down to the villa~e and SAT
through the afternoon performance,
id 10 aid Nj a v
IN any way
They said hey hal been warned Of
by members of the Actors fqrty AS
sociation- No demonstration was
made. The filedity reinforccments
consisted of Louis Mann, William Gill
more Lenore Uric, Arthur Ashley and
Fred Carr
Gallo Reasons Withheld
The Gallo English Opera Company s
fate was decided definitely yesterday
afternoon at q meeting in the offices
of the musicians union in the World
Tower Building, in Forticth Street, OF
the "war council" Of the strikers. This
council is composed of Joseph Weber
president Of the musicians; Charles
Shay, president Of the stage hands;
Frank Gilmore, executive secretary Of
the Equity; Marie Dressler head OF
the chorus girls union, and Hugh
Frayne and ". B. Rubin( Of the Amer
tcan Federation Of Labor
No reason was made public as tc
why the unions decided to prevent the
opening of the Gallo company after
having authorized the producer to ad-
vertise: The Actors Equity Associa-
ton. the unions of stage mechanics anG
musicians have given their approva
TO this company, and performance vii
positively be given"
Mr.. Gallo didn't know at 80 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon whether he woulc
be allowed to play, but the stage hands
all had "whisper' and the ticket
brokers had stopped selling seats early
in the afternoon.
Predicts Victory in Ten Days
At the afternoon meeting Of striking
actors in their headquarters in Forty
fifth Street Ed Wynn said:
"Our officers gave Marie Dressler fits
for calling out the Hippodrome, but SHE
told them that Mr.. Dillingham; presents
on the Hippodrome posters was reason
enough for calling a strike. "Dilling-
ham is the only manager I've never
met. Also he is the only manager
can't sue. Just one word more. The
theatres are going to be open inside OF
ten days-and we hams won't be the
ones who surrendered either"
This statement was issued by the
Actors Fidelity Leaue:
"At a rneatino of the hoard Of d. rec