New-York tribune., 1921-06-11
CoIlan's Z" All
Through" Nov
"May Never
Manager Less Vehement in
Declaring He Will Quit
Stage; Says He Wants TO
Write Play With Idea
Joking, Equity Asserts
Organization Asks How Pro-
ducer Can Be Actors
Friend and Close Shows

Although on Thursday George M.
Cohan vowed and declared that he was
through" with the stage he was less
vehement yesterday when he reflected
his thoughts by saying;
81 may never produce another play"
The stage hands demands for 81 a
performance instead of $3.25 are gen
orally accepted in the theatrical dis
trict as the most disturbing element
in the situation. These figures apply
only to the "grppers," the unskilled
workers who, after the curtain falls,
shift off stage the cherry trees or the
sewing table at which has been seated
the abused wife while she waited for
her husband to come home. Thus far
the high priced carpenters and cleo
tricians have not made demands, but
their new scale must be negotiated
before the beginning of the next
season.
"Yes." said Mr.. Cohan sadly, "I may
never produce another show. What I'd
like to do would be to write a great
play or comedy or farce-I don't care
what, just so it's great and got an idea
in it. It's got to have an idea.
Plays by Formula
''What chance have you got to write
when you hustle down to an Office every
morning at 9 o'clock? Yes, know.
We've served up lot of shows. Used
the we'll known formula. You come
down with a scene. Try that out.
When you go home that night you say,
That was all right; I'll fatten it up a
e.t.' When you get through, the first
act ls poor, the second little bette~
and the bang comes in the third act
That's where you put the joke. No
more of that. l want to get something
across with an idea in it.''
Mr.. Cohan frightened visibly. saw
ing:
81 poisoned that Equity crowd with
my line about the song and dance men
being the only people who can really
act. On. that poisoned 'em But the
hooters liked it. I'll bet all those boys
have been going up and down the street
to-day telling how right | am. Those
oables will agree with me about that if
nobody else does"
Equity Replies
Aiie LquiIy HotlCed MT. COhan'S re-
marks but as many of the song and
dance men belong to their organiza-
ton they couldn't be quite as tart as
they desired in their reply. How
ever, here is part of it from the type
writer Of Frank Gilmore, executive
secretary of the organizations:
surely, Mr.. Cohan is only trying
albeit in rather bad taste-to get over
one OF those jokes on which he has
made his reputation. For example.
there is his statement that he is the
actors greatest friend and then-in
the next line-he is going to throw
hundreds of these actors out of work
by closing up his companies. Mr., Co
han cannot throw hundreds of actors
out OF work, because his place will i'm
mediately be filled by other managers; {;
witness his statement that his theate,
leases are most desirable properties.
But. If he could, would it be the part
Oh the actors friend to go after the
rank and file of his profession rather
than to make an attack upon the lead
ers who, he says, have misled them :
Another of Mr.. Cohan's little Jokes
is his remarkable statement that the
only people who can really act are song
and dance artists. We recognize the
high degree of art which has been at
tanned by this very talented branch
of the profession, but very few OF
these artists themselves would make
such statement as Mr.. Cohan's. II
is witticism which is apt to be mis-
understood by the thousands of dra.
matte players who have spent wears
studying their art, only to be con.
temptuously classed as second raters
by this great man."