New Britain herald., 1923-01-19
BIG PRODUCERS IN
 PROPOSED MERGER
Dillingham;, Woods SdTyns and
 Harris Involved

HeM t0fhs JeAs Aes-tAS nAhouhkri
 ment that a merger of big theatrical
 interests is being considered vas aug
 menled yesterday by the news lhal
 the proposed corporation sanld mol
 eHly include A. L, EFlanger and Lsf
 and J, ], shuberl, but also Charles b
 Dillingham;. the selsyns, sam if
 Harris. A. If. Woods and possibl,
 others, Such a combination would
 have virtual control of the theatrical
 business in the United States.
 Information that all the large
 holders of stage interests would be in-
 eluded in the alliance set al rest fu-
 moTs on Broadway Of possibility of
 an opposition agreement among in,
 dependent managers left outside the fold, The finish Of bitter riyalries
 whAeh have kept the theatrical world
 stirred for many years is seen through
 the merger.
 Details Of the new organization as
 worked out by the late Levy Mayer.
 Chicago attorney and counsel for Err
 lsnger. were disclosed by Archibald
 6elNyn, president of the .elwyn Com
 pany. which includes also Edgar sel-
 wyn.. He said it was the plan Of the
 organizer 10 include in the member ship Erlanger. the shuberts. tho sel-
 wyns. Harris and Woods.
 Mentions |. F. Morgan Backing.
 Mir. selwyn said he and his brother were willing to join in the corporation if tho right proposition were submit. ted 10 them. He said he considered the alliance one Of tho best ideas ever advanced for improving conditions in the theatrical business. He had long distance telephone talk with MT. Harris in Baltimore yesterday and said that tho latter held similar views
 The plan for the corporation called for a. capitalization of Si0o.000. 1000. Mir. Sclwyn said. and he understood two Now York banks and two banks combine for this amount. He said these banks were J. r. Morgan & Co. and the First National Bank of New York and tho Commonwealth Trust | company and the Illinois Trust com | pany of Chicago.
 The merger. if it should be consum- I mated. will become effective next September. Mir. Selwyn said. The papers have been prepared. he said, but there are numerous details yet to | be worked out and the papers will probably not be ready for signing for several months.
 Plans for the alignment of the larger interests in the business have been discussed for the last two years, Mir. Selwyn said. He thought Erlang- CT and. the Shuberts desired to stop producing and content themselves with directing such corporation. leaving Wr.ods. Harris and the Sel- wyns to drry on the active work of the industfy
 sMr. Szlwyn bemoaned the fact that the rdfne of David Belasco had not been mentioned in connection with the merger. He thought Mir. Belasco would be one of the most important members of the corporation and that the organization would not be com plete without him.
 !. Arthur Hopkins, who several years ago joined Harris and the Selwyns in forming rival third booking cir quit to fight the Shuberts and Er- Ianger, who then were fighting each other, said last night he had not been approached on the subject of 1 joining. h N Would Control Routing. |,
 MT. Erlanger refused yesterday to 1 give further details of the merger { han contained in the announcement { he night before. Mr. Erlanger is- ( Iued through a representative the ', <Iok hnd I~ ,een considered" That has been his { ,rly statement and he has nothing to a ldd to 1t today. a
 MT. Lee Shubert thought the cor ,oration would provide an efficiency | ystem by which the theatrical busi- q less might be operated as any other t industry. t
 "The general effect of it would be ,romote efficiency and stabilize con- e itions in places where the affairs of a he theater are conducted in 8 most l, manner" he said. r For instance, such combination as t, ,e have been considering would con- il rol the routing of companies and revent two shows of the same kind Ii laying in opposition to each other in u ities where there is room for only t, nc. n
 "As to selling stock to the public. |. e have not reached decision on . rat point. We control many the ters we do not own. If we should ecide to, take over these properties. e would have to have lot of loney and would sell some of the ock of the corporation.
 "The scheme does not contemplate ,ntrol of theaters in small towns. Ut it would incorporate handling the Joking for those theaters and would suit in great benefit to their own s. Through single booking office LOWS could be routed through week ands and one night stands with ref ence to variety. Frequently it is e case that two or three melo- amas or two or three musical com lies follow on the heels of each her. We could avoid that"