The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-07-21
PIN HI
 | NEW Ng l YORK
nr IuIrA BLANsHARD

By JULIA BLANbHAhD
 New York.-There is one show still running on Broadway that IS always a success.
 r. If is the Actors Dinner club. now at the woodstock hotel, or Ranized primarily to feed unem- ploved theatrical folks It has turned out one of the most popu- lar dinner places in the city for New Workers and out-of-towners because not only do you see stage celebrities eating at every table, but the volunteer floor show Is worth more than the dollar you pay for dinner Your dollar feeds you Gan excellent four course meal) entertains you and pays for dinner for some actor or actress who wouldn't eat other wise All the headliners from Otis Skinner, Maida Reade. Ethel Barrymore, Cissie Loftus down to the newcomers, such as Francis Lederer and Mitzi Mayfair, have been "billed" to do their bit. Keeping Spirits High
 Selena Royle and William Sauter are the originators of the club. They planned 1t year ago last December, between the acts while playing in Galsworthy's "The Roofs |. Three weeks after the opening night their play closed | it's doors and they themselves were among the unemp1oyed-for- ! tunately only for a short time Bessie Beatty. playwright, au- thor, and Mrs William Sauter in private life, really organized the club She is president today.
 responsible for financing 1t ... She puts in such long hours at 1t
 that she had had to hire q boy down in Gramercy Park to exer- else her little terrier for her 4. Actors and actresses have to
 keep their 'maximated ego" or
 they can't ever get work" Bessie Beatty explains the rollicking-hail- fellow-chummy-lilting spirit of
 this unique club. T don't believe
 that single guest Gas they call
 ed from having come This keeps them all in touch with that
 world they love and might be out
 of entirely now, just because they
 are unemployed"
 |
 Clothes and Lodging Too
 Drop in for dinner any night and the infectious spirit of the place will get you. Daniel Frohman calls 1t 'the most dramatic per- formance I've ever seen." Unem- lployed actors and actresses are
 walters, waitresses, bus boys and
 door men ..4-. They have a rollick- ing lit to their work Various
 corners of the dining room have
 names, "Hoogan'sI Alley" Mrs
 Murphy's Boarding House." and so forth.
 In addition to food. the Actors
 Dinner club has found many a person a place to sleep Also
 clothes. Last week Daisy Humph- nations, phonedl Jane Cowl. who lhas been lavish in her generosity. asking for a tailored suit.
 "I only have one left" Jane walled. 'Tf I should give that, I'd
 have to stick to dresses!" "Wel1, go on and stick to them."
 was Daisy's unsympathetic answer.
 i've found a $10-a-week job for a girl who has been out of work a year and half-provided she can find good-looking suit for her part"
 ' Within an hour, Jane Cowl arr
 rived, wearing a printed dress. car- Irving a box with slick, natty .lit- tie black tailleur. also two fresh
 b1ouses. gloves, purse, shoes and stockings.
 Backed by Celebrities
 ]! Actors finance the club. in ad- dition to the money rolling in from tickets the public buy for eating :. there. Frank Crummit and Julia Sanderson send substantial check :. the first day of every month. Louise Closscr Hale is the only
 Hollywoodite who has contributed lmoney. But Lee Tracy. arriving from Hollywood. checked his things at the station and took a taxi to get there in time to appear on the opening night when the
 club moved into the Woodstock
 hotel. Mary Pickford and many
 others from Hollywood take par ties thera to dinner. when in town