The Washington herald., 1920-07-31
Financial Angels" Who Back
New York,s Theaters and Plays
Often Wall Street Pouers
BY RAYMOND G. CARROLL.

By RAYMOND G. CARROLL
New York. July so.-Hesdline
from current newspaper reads:
Banker Jones asks break with
Brady; wants court TO dissolve
partnership in Playhouse Thester."
II lifts but tiny corner OF the
lcurtain of mystery surrounding the
financial angels" Of the vast amuse-
ment world of 20. Henryviile." the
comedies, grand opera. vaudeville.
.concerts.~ tragedies, musical shows
and the movies. Let us peek fur
ther into the relationship between
the men OF Wall Street and dollars
with the managers who put the H.
Illuminated electric signs over the
portals OF the eighty theaters and
behind picture houses of New York
City.
For seldom does the business man
from. say indianapolis. loIIins com
fortably with his family in choice
orchestra seats at a Broadway thea
ter, realize that the entertainment
he enjoys he may have helped
finance. How? Well, IL may nave
been paid for in part from the u Of !
per cent brokerage commission his
broker charged for the handling Of
that last flyer in stocks he took.
1t is often so.
Banker Wants Bresk.
Or later in the evening at a popu-
lar restaurant he recounts the high
spots of a musical show he has
just seen. He yaps a check for what {
he has eaten. Little does he know
that the men who run the restau-
rant are the hackers of mat very
show.
E. Clarence Jones is a banker and
broker. He has been a quiet part
ner of William Brady in the own
ership of the Playhouse Thester for
a number of years. Recently he be-
came dissatisfied with the partner
ship and has gone 20 law for its dis
solution He wants his money out
Now for the other downtowners and
outside persons who have enjoyed
| similar partnership with theater.
dom. often exceedingly profitable
ventures. and still continuing.
Three Back Hopkins.
Three neophytes backed Arthur
Hopkins in the production Of The
Better Ole" They were: Anderson
T. Hurd, a broker; Harvey Sickler
banker and shipbuilder, and Jack
Carpenter, capitalist and real estate
operator. The show was a mint.
Now the trio are in the theatrical
business more or less permanently,
for Mr.. Hurd put out the Red
Lady" and Mr.. Sickler has two new
shows ready for theaters in the
bright light belt when he can get
them-""The Charm School" a COM
edy, and Kiss Ne Again" a farce,
Mr.. Carpenter says he is looking
around.
No secret is made OF the business
association Of Howard Gould with
many OF the musical enterprises Of
Charles B. Dillingham;. Mr. DiIling-
ham operates the New York Hippo
drome for syndicate of which Har-
ry S. Black. the real estate king. and
Iohn w. Drake, the fnancier. are
members. Mr.. Gould's brother
Frank. is heavily interested in a
chain of London music halls.
] Gen. T. Coleman du Pcnt is hnsn-
cially behind the New Capital Thea
ter and a large film company. be-
sides being interested in a string OF
hotels. Associated with Gen. du Port
in his theatrical ventures is Ness
more Kendall, the broker.
Walter Lewisohn, banker and
! broker, financed The Bonehead," a
play in which Claude Beerbohm
Tree, son OF Sir Herbert Tree,
starred. Burton Castles. the cotton
broker, backed John Cort in a mum
Der OF shows. Jefferson Seligman
has been interested in Broadway
/ attractions, some produced by the
Shuberts. Joe Rhynock. OF CincIu.
natl, is interested with the ShU-
berts. as was the late George Cox
Republican boss of Hamilton Coun.
ty, Ohio.
Grand Opera Popular.
4 In the field of grand opera we
have a host of wealthy financial
angels. Otto H. Kahn. the interna,
tional banker, has for years beer
the principal mainstsy of the Met.
ropolitsn Opera House. in which hi
shares honors with W. X Wander
bilt. The late Oscar Hammersteir
in his operate expansion TO Phila
delphia had the assistance OF Ed
ward T. StotesbUry. Cyrus H. Nc
Cormick. the harvester king OF tht
Midwest. has poured thousand.
and thousands Of dollars into tn,
Chicago grand opera.
No theatrical magnate takes AZ
outsider in for a partner unless h,
needs the money. Some have riser
to such financial liberty" they car
go it alone. A. L. Erlanger, of thu
firm OF Rlaw & Erlanger. is OF
this class. Another is E. F. Albee
owner OF the Keith vaudeville cir
cult Of forty theaters Mr.. Albet
controls the bookings for 400 vsude
willie theaters and annually find.
work for upwards of 10000 actors
Flo Ziegfeld can get money in Wal
street whenever he needs II. which
is seldom of late years David Be.
lasco is another magnste inde,
pendent Of hackers, with his son,
in-law. Maurice Gest, of the firm OF
| Comstock & Gest. a rising star in
the theatrical armament.
Fascination OF Gambling.
No gambling game has the fas'
cinstion OF the snow business
Many start but few hnlsh TO sue
ceed requires special talents in
! urban centers and held important