The Washington times., 1933-05-23

about SO years of age and 1t
would have been obvious to
almost anyone that he was the
sugar daddy to one of the girlies
in Take a Chance"
Gentleman Speaks
Thanks" he asserted, as he
puffed on his cigarette. I
nodded and was about to move
on yhen he tapped my arm.
This show will be out in a
few moments" he observed.
Some nice girls in it all right.
I suppose you're waiting for
one, eh?"
NO." I returned affably, II
am not. Just happened to be
passing, that's all. AS a matter
of fact, 1 don't know much
about Broadway or girls. I'm
in the hardware business"
He rested easily on his cane.
You're better off," he MUIR
INJURED. ne less you know
about Broadway today. the bet
ter off you are. It's not what
it was when I was a youngSter.
The spirit is gone. And the
girls are different. They're out
for the money and-Well.
they're different"
I smiled to myself. Here was
one sugar daddy, I felt, whose
baby was going sour on him.
couldn't feel particularly sorry
for him because it was appar-
ant that he was in the dough.
I said something that wasn't
very important, and he returned
the compliment. And at that
particular moment, the show
broke.
The side doors were opened
and the people began to file
out. My companion excused
himself hastily and dashed back
to the stage door. I watched
him-and my eyes grew wide.
He yanked the flower from
his lapel and placed it in his
pocket. He stood his cane
carefully to one side. And then
racing to the line of taxis, he
opened a door.
Taxi, sir?" he cried. "This
way. madam. Taxi, sir?"
The mug was grifter who
made a living opening taxi
doors!
CoIden's Fight
Regardless of the outcome,
one of the most interesting cases
of it's kind to pop up in some
time is John Golden's present
argument with the Interna-
tional Alliance of Stage Hands.
To put it very briefly, Mr..
Golden, after being assured of
cooperation by both the Actors
Equity Association and the local
Union of Stage Hands, brought
back to Broadway when Ladies
Meet" one of the most popular
of last winters productions. He
brought it back at a top price
of 81, which makes it the
atrical bargain de luxe.
In order to do this, it goes
without saying that the pro-
ducer had to cut expenses to
the bone. Equity permitted him
to place the troupe on a stock
company basis and the local
stage hand union agreed to the
same proposition. That meant
that, instead of using IA men
backstage, the production would
be operated by six.
Accordingly, to the tune of
some costly advertising, Mr..
Golden opened his experiment.
If the thing clicked. some so
people would hold jobs through
the summer and other producers
would fall into line. The dollar
top might become established
as summer top for most of the
Broadway attractions and hun
dreds of people-including nu-
merous stage hands-would be
able to combat the dreaded lay
O41' p6r1OQ.
The show got off to a brisk
start-and in stepped the In
ternational Alliance of Stage
Hands. This outfit surveyed
the situation and informed Mr..
Golden that it was no go. He
would have to put IA stage
hands to work or close up en-
tirely. So the producer, unless
the demand is withdrawn, will
close up entirely next Saturday.
Such a classic piece of stu
pldity must rank side by side
with Equity's persistent refusal
to permit Sunday shows. In
some respects, this thing is