The New York herald., 1921-06-10
Cohan to Quit
Stage, Forced Out
by Equity Shop
Says Hampering Force Against
Him Will Cause Closing
Of 16 Companies.

George NJ Cohsn, actor producer,
playwright and all around man OF the
theatre one Of the most picturesque
figures the stage has had in this genera
ton. confirmed a report yesterday tnat
he would retire from stage production
next season. feeling that he was being
made the object of the drive of the
Actors Equity Association for their ver-
sion of the closed shop. But he in
dicated that the retirement might be
temporary.
I'm going to take a vacation, he
said. "I'll just look on. But in wear
all this may be changed. think tnere'I
be wave of public resentment against
the closed shop in the theatre. | don't
think the public will stand for it, l
don't know how the rank and file of the
Equity feel about it. but / don't think
the leaders Of the Equity have the cour-
age Of their convictions and are willing
to fight for the closed shop. They've
said as much themselves.
I'm not yielding when / leave the
show business. The only way they
could get me to yield would be by fore
ing me to sign Equity contracts--and
rhey can't do that They're losing them
selves, for they're putting 1900 mem
bers out of jobs who would be in the
sixteen productions that would have
been sent out from this Office by Sep
tember 1.
They're making personal attack
on me. But they can't hurt me. because
I'm the only man In this game who can
get out on twenty-four hours notice. I
have only small interest in the Bronx
Opera House and twenty-five year
lease on the Grand Opera House in Chi
cago. and both these properties can
readily be disposed Of. / haven't any
money invested in the theatrical game.
1 put all mine away in United States
securities.
IT have an option on lease of the
George M. Cohan Theatre here, and I
would have brought big musical
comedy hit to II. That's The O'Brien
Girl now in Boston. All the players in
it are tied up to me for 1921 and 1929
under individual contracts. signed be-
fore the new form Of Equity contract
which goes into effect on September l.
] could hold them TO 1t and go to court
! about 1t. but I'm going to let my option
on the George M. Cohan Theatre expire.
During the last few days have been
running up against the Equity shop in
endeavoring to cast plays for next
season. The new agreements give the
Equity the right to call out any COM
pany at any time regardless Of the con-
tracts. In other words, the organiza-
ton is put above the contract.
Equity members who are with me
wouldn't quit until September /, you
know, and l could still put out two or
three companies If wanted to. But you
can't run a big business that way, and
l don't want to pike. Henry Miller,
who is president Of the Actors Fidelity
League and is not protected by the
agreement the Equity made with the
Producing Managers Association not to
establish the closed shop against them
until 1924. can go ahead himself and
send out two or three companies OF
non Equity members
But I'm through now. I'm going to
stop playing and producing at the end
Of my contract for the Hudson Theatre.
which runs until the close of this month.
Judging by the business, could continue
in The Tavern there until August l..
but don't see why should go on work.
ing for q lot of actors who are against
me-
Mr. Cohan added that he would not go
into vaudeville-not at present, with
fourteen performances a week Asked
as to his plans, he remarked with char
acteristic satire that che might go over
to Ireland and free it, If conditions
continued to be aggravated by the Equity
shop, he asserted most of the members
in the Producing Managers Association
would join him in retirement by 1924,
when their armistice with Equity expires.
Through Frank Gilmore. executive
secretary, the Equity had this to say
on Mr.. Cohans announcement:
I'VE are centring our fight on no one.
and indeed as far as we are concerned,
there is no fight. Mr.. Cohan forgets
that he is not the only independent
producer in the country and that there
are hundreds Of others from Maine to
California who are also in the indepen-
dent class--that is, not allied to the
Producing Managers Association.
THE same rule applies to them as to
Mr.. Cohan. re says he will retire as a
producer on account Of Equity. There
again he is disingenuous. There are
many ways out for Mr.. Cohan II he
chooses to use them. II is open to him
to engage all Equity companies or all
Fidelity companies, or he can join the
Producing Managers Association. In
the Ia tier case he would have the whole
profession TO pick from.
From an economic point OF view II
will make no difference whether Mr..
Cohan retircs or not. The theatres will
remain open and the same number of
actors will find employment. Once
again VIC ask Mr.. Cohan to join his
class II he thinks 1t Is at fault, let him
reform Il from the inside