The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-16
THEATRES IN SLUMP;
5000 ACTORS IDLE
Continued from First Page.


approval of special rates by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission or petit
ton TO Congress for repeal OF the law
a movement for a petition to the
commission and Congress for a more
lenient Interpretation Of the passenger
and baggage schedules already Is under
way. with the probable backing Of the
Vaudeville Managers Protective Assoc
citation. the National Vaudeville Artists.
the Actors Fidelity League and the
Touring Managers Association. Work
ing along similar line, the United
Managers Protective Association has
taken the matter up with the executive
board OF various railways, who have
referred the question OF new special
7 rates to commission OF experts. A
report from this commission Is ex-
pected in two or three weeks. after
which Mr.. Johnson win take up the mat
ter with the l. c. c.
One Night stands Poor.
Gus Hill, head OF the Touring Man
ayers Association, which looks after the
one night stands on the road, recently
returned from three weeks trip In
which he visited forty cities and towns
in Canada. the middle West and the
South. and reported the one night stand
business as very poor. with the possi-
bility OF worse to come. He attributed
the poor showing to unsettled economic
conditions. 1t also has been pointed out
that audiences in the smaller cities are
growing as critical as New York the
atregoers, choosing only the best and
refusing to take third rate companies
instead of the original stars. They have
been educated UP to all the leading
stage luminaries by overzealous press
agents in the illustrated magazines and
newspapers. and resent substitutes
Sometimes the manager can't control
this. as principal players, and even high
priced chorus girls in musical shows, de-
cline to leave New York for the road.
wedding Bells" a success last season
in New York. has just stopped In Chi
cago, Wallace Eddinger and Miss Mar
garet Lawrence dropping out of the
projected tour. Similarly. Sam Bernard
is reported to be contemplating a return
to the city instead OF going on the road
with "As You Were" at the end of its
Boston run. The reasons given for this
diffidence among players include poor
hotel accommodations at high rates and
the possibility the last year or SO of
getting long engagements In New York.
Cheaper Prices Lure.
Az an instance Of how public taste
through the country Is swerving from
mediocre productions on the legitimate
stage II Is pointed out that a large busi-
ness Is being done In vaudeville. bur-
lesque and motion picture houses, though
Adolph Zukor, president Of the Famous
Players-Lasky Corporation. has just
sounded note OF warning as to the
future of the Aims. Aside from having
the original New York company" for
such productions, the cheaper prices are
a lure.
In New York the ticket agencies re-
port that the public is beginning to balk
at paying $3.50 for the best seats at
night, with 81 for Saturdays and holi-
days. John Barrymore first set the $3.50
top for dramatic productions In Richard
III" In the Plymouth Theatre toward
the end Of last season. Charles Dilling-
ham some time ago predicted unfavor-
able results from the adoption OF the $3.5 o
scale, but was forced to fall in line by
its general acceptance. Wiseacres point
out that as a result two motion pictures.
Way Down East" and "Over the Hill, =
are occupying legitimate theatres long
after the usual period for making way
for spoken productions, and that the
latter film has actually kept a musical
comedy, Lulu" out of the Central The
atre with a bonus OF $1,000 week
offered by William Fox to the Shuberts.
In view OF disappointing road condi-
lions ben Hur" will not be sent on
tour this season by A. L. Erlanger. for
the first time In twenty years Erlanger
has been cautious about productions this
season, and the Shuberts are also mark
ing time and letting new managers test
the prospects Of the producing field,
preferring to book shows In their 100
houses over tho country. In the twelve
theatres under their direct control In
New York-aside from the Century
Promenade---there Is only one show pro-
duced by the shuberts alone, 'rhe
Outrageous Mrs. Palmer"
Are Paid When Idle.
Another factor mentioned in the
closing OF road shows. with a few pro-
auctions like East Is West" Irene"
and "Lightnin'" really making big
money on tour. Ia the strict enforcement
by the officials of the Actors Equity
Association of the clause In their con-
tract with tho Producing Managers As
ISOLATION requiring all salaries to be paid
whom players are laid of following a
preliminary tour while the producer Is
negotiating for a New York booking
To avoid paying managers must dis
band their troupes, and then, upon re-
organizing the company and training the
newcomers when a Broadway theatre
is assured, they must pay the theatre
proprietors because OF the congestion,
n guarantee OF $1,000. usually during a
week devoted only TO rehearsals.
A committee from the =. NJ. A.. COM
posed of George Broadhurst, Arthur
Hopkins, Charles Coburn, Winthrop
Ames and Henry W. Savage. have re-
Gently waited upon the Equity execu-
lives with view TO having this clause
mitigated, and action Is still pending.
Many actors, with unemployment In
their ranks increasing and a consequent
reduction in salaries because Of flooded
market impending. are said TO favor a
modification OF the clause. In fact, Il
was said that an attendance of only
fifty players at a recent Equity meet
ins and the nonpayment Of dues by
so per cent OF the membership were
expressions Of resentment at action by
tho executives. which was throwing
many actors out OF work.
Frank Gilmore, executive secretary
OF the Equity. commended. however, that
more hardship would have been worked
without such a clause. He preferred TO
take the view that the economic situa-
ton had Influenced the theatre.
THE recent closing OF six trust COM
panies and banks In Boston he said.
''ls evidence Of the money situation I.
Ia almost Impossible 10 obtain money
20 get shows started. While l under
stand the number Of actors out of work
raf