San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-07
FIGHT OVER ACTORS
EQUITY nISTASTEFUL
TO BOTH PRINCIPALS
Strike Would Mean Loss of
Thousands Weekly to
Managers.
BY MALCOLM ELLIS.

Copyright, 1924. by Consol. Press Assn.
New York, April 7.-One's afraid
and the other doesn't want to fight,
the old taunt hurled at school boys
braced for battle neither desires
fits the situation in theatrical cir
cles of New York growing out of the
strike of 10000 actors in the United
States that was threatened.
Neither the actors nor the Pro
ducing Managers Association wanted
a fight. but each has been making
bluff to force concessions. 1t has
been a war of threats and calling at
tcntion to consequences. Visions of
ribbon counters and telephone switch
boards were limned before the eyes
of 10000 chorus girls and bankruptcy
courts were thrown in sharp relief be-
fore the gaze of the managers.
10 the actors. Il strike means find
ing something TO do to tide them over
the period of disagreement. To man
ayers it means financial stringency if
not ruin.
The Shuberts, controlling something
over 40 theaters in the city. stand to
lose by strike between Sl50.000 and
S2Oo,O0O a week in theatcr rents and
taxes ON idle buildings, besides profits
that would acruct from running pro-
ductions, The loss. in theatcr rents to
all managers exclusive of the loss of
profits. has been estimated as close
to 100000 week.
When strike talk started. Morris
GeSt. who staged THE MIRACLE a
stupcndous pageant into which he put,
according TO his own version. close TO
SJ0O.0O0. followed the lead of David
Belasco. his father-in-law. by ANNOUNCE
ing that he would close his shows be-
fore he would yield to the actors de-
mands. Along Broadway his an
nOuncement evoked the comment that
1t would mean financial suicide for
him. as the proceeds of THE Miracle"
although the greatest along Broadway.
have not netted him third of that
sum. Mr.. Gest stands to lose by a
strike a good part of his original in
vestment and all chance of making il
back Immediately.
David Belasco has closed several of
his shows and has not put any more
into rehearsal. Other managers. fear
ing the strike. have refrained from
making investments in new shows TO
open in the early summer.
Flo Ziegfeld is an exception. On
the assumption that there would be
settlement. he has been running daily
rehearsals of the Democratic Fol-
les which he expects TO stage while
the convention is in session here in
June.
Talk of the strike has thrown some
thing like 5000 actors and actresses.
5000 of them chorus girls. out of work.
Managers have withdrawn road shows
and chorines have trooped back TO
New York TO find no new shows
awaiting their figures and talent.
George NJ. Cohan announced that
he would take his shows to London in
the event of strike and stage them
there. How he would be received has
been matter of speculation on
Broadway in view of the English As
sociation's announcement that they
would send no "black jackerS" or
strikebreakers to America during the
EQUITY strike.
The bone Of contention in the strike
has been the actors demand for an
Equity shop. flat-footed contention
for a clause that the members of all
casts must be members of Equity. with
the concession that Equity will grant
membership to any person a manager
desires in his cast.