Alphabet Crisis

For longer than Hitler has had his eye on Poland, and in much the same way, the potent, aggressive stagehands' union (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes) has had its eye on the plushy performers' unions (allied in the Associated Actors & Artistes of America). Between them, white-collar A. A. A. A. and no-collar I. A. T. S. E. are in a position to start such a strike as the U. S. entertainment industry has never experienced, and all summer it has been touch-&-go whether their long-simmering jurisdictional disputes could be settled without war. Last week came the crisis all showfolk have been dreading.

Unable to get in the actors' front door, I. A. T. S. E.'s President George Browne two months ago found a back door open. On charges of mismanagement, A. A. A. A. tried Executive Secretary Ralph Whitehead of its subsidiary union, the American Federation of Actors (vaudeville and variety performers). When Whitehead, supported by A. F. A.'s sentimental President Sophie Tucker, fought back and A. A. A. A. finally withdrew A. F. A.'s charter, Stagehand Browne stepped in, gave Whitehead and his rebels an I. A. T. S. E. charter. This maneuver threw the actor-stagehand brawl into the laps of the A. F. of L. executive council. But no satisfactory compromise was forthcoming. To touch off a jurisdictional strike that might shut down Broadway's eleven shows, cripple night clubs and radio stations over the land, close Hollywood studios and possibly (through I. A. T. S. E.'s control of projectionists) every cinemansion in the U. S., only a suitable "incident" was lacking.

So the situation simmered last week as Producer Vinton Freedley made ready to reopen his musical, Leave It To Me! on Labor Day. In Leave It To Me's cast definitely ready to reopen with it, was blondined, billowy, 55-year-old Sophie Tucker herself. Ultimatumed A. A. A. A.: If Comedienne Tucker, suspended by its member Equity for "treason," rejoined the cast even at rehearsal, the actors would walk out. Ultimatumed I. A. T. S. E.: If Producer Freedley tried to hire a substitute, the stagehands would walk out. A. A. A. A. President Frank Gillmore rallied his Thespians. His lieutenant, acting Equity President Bert Lytell, his eye on the headlines, keynoted: "We are in the same position as Poland. We have been invaded and we must fight."

On the eve of the Labor Day deadline, A. A. A. A. convened in the balconied grand ballroom of Broadway's Hotel Astor, where Equity was born. Tallulah Bankhead in pink pajamas, Francis Lederer in an open shirt, Katharine Cornell in a white turban, 5,000 equally perturbed showfolk mobilized in the historic chamber to hear their marching orders. Thoroughly enjoying his big moment and appreciative audience, Actor Gillmore intoned: "You have come here prepared for a message of war. Instead I bring you a message of peace."

As the A. A. A. A. members momentarily sat stunned at this unexpected cue, President Gillmore proudly brought news of a complete I. A. T. S. E. backdown. Stagehand Browne, declaring "this is no time to quibble over trifles," had agreed not to contest the actors' jurisdiction, had agreed to scuttle A. F. A., turn its members over to A. A. A. A.'s newly chartered American Guild of Variety Artists. Back into Equity went Sophie Tucker. Though actors suspected Stagehand Browne was less magnanimous than alarmed by a C. I. O. flank attack, for the moment at least it was peace.

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