Judge — August 16, 1919 — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Drawn by Stvamt Har HE surge and thunder of indus- rial unrest has at last broken tem- pestuously upon By the placid shores of art. The actors of America have or- ganized themselves into a labor union and have affli- ated their ambitions and their futures with the United Boiler-Plate Workers and the Amalgamated Brother- hood of Hod-Carriers. Romeo is now privileged at any moment to “walk out” in the midst of his impassioned appeal, leaving Juliet “flat” on her balcony and the audience clamoring for the return of its money at the box-office. The cornered crimp in a “crook play” may, at the behest of the walking delegate of the Plasterers’ Union, thumb his nose at the astute detective who trailed him to thrilling defeat and, reaching for his hat, leave the “big scene” up in the circumambient i ether. The pos: bilities are numerous and fantastic. The play-producin have refused to recognize the actors’ union, fearing such a move would place them in the players’ power. The actors—chiefly the unsuccessful ones e strong for their alliance, puts in their hands a weapon that will yield them money for less effort. The managers call the actors “nuts”; the compliment i reciprocated by the latter who d thropophagous at effect. And anagers since it more the managers a cubi, or words to t there you are. It must be said for the aspiring members of the “profesh” that they have a real grievance, since they re- ceive no pay for their several weeks of rehearsal and, “on the road,” fre- quently have to appear at nine per- formances being paid for eight. On the other hand, no class of workers is com- pensated so generously for tasks demand- ing a minimum of intellectual effort and a maximum of managerial flattery, as is the case of the mummer. There are actors who should be made to ETIES OF Why Actors, Anyway? | °< Perriton Maxwewr Marte Srarrorp of 1919" THOUGH FIRMLY ENSCONCED IN THE FEROCIOUS MAW OF GREEK COMEDY pay a bore-tax to the audi- ence; some Thespians should compelled to exchange their histrionic endeavors in perpetuity for cold-storage hen-fruit. And by the same token there are managers whose very existence is an offense to the drama and the ordinary ethics of business. Viewing the question from the fence of disinter- estedness, one may speculate ad lib. upon the effect of the actors’ labor union on the play itself and likewise the play-goer, whose money makes its existence possi- ble. If a Broadway “hit” is likely to come suddenly to a climax not provided by the author, with the he ine steadily nearing the deadly teeth of the buzz-saw or the mortgage still unlifted from the dear old farm, while the rescuing hero is beckoned off the stage by a thick individual with large shoes and an imperious manner and whose purpose in life is to “call out” strikers, we may look for a new era in play-making. Provision will have to be made whereby huge gobs of dialogue may be instant deleted and tense situations held and developed in spite of the absence of the principals. An actorless play may be the one big. new thing for which managers have so longbeen groping. Theidea has, at least, the entrancement of sub-solar novelty and the ensuing rapture of large gains for a small investment. Officially the players’ organi- zation is known as the Actors’ Equity Association and that of the theatrical firms as the Managers’ Producing Association. The star of the former group is the stern and ter- rible Francis Wilson; the “ heavy" of thelatter cluster is John L. Golden, book by George M. Cohan, lyrics by A. Woods and music (fortissimo furioso) by David Belasco. Even the downtrodden press-agent bobs upon the crest of the whirlpool and has “pulled” a story about walk-outs, scabs, riots and compremises. The American stage is at lasthumanized. “Tue Gat- UNPERTURNED comicbooks.com