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Show CHICAGO SMS ni Two Playhouses Dark as a Result of Walkout by Cast Principals. CHICAGO, Aug. 32. The actors' strike which has closed several of New York's large theaters, spread to Chicago tonight. The Cort theater and Cohan's Grand opera house were closed after the principals prin-cipals and other members of the casts announced they would not go on the stage tonight. The strike was called following the arrival ar-rival of Francis "Wilson, president of the Actors' "Equity association. He declared the strike would be as thorough as in New York and prepared an appeal to all actors to join the walkout. Although members of the Actors' Equity association are appearing at at least three other theaters, the managements of those houses sain they had not been involved. The first announcement came from the Cort theater after William Courtenay sent a note to the ef'ect that he would not appear tonic ht. T'r.e second principal princi-pal to refuse to appear was Grant Mitch- (Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) EDWAED COVINGTON, hotel man in the early days of Salt Lake, and express rider in pioneer days, whoso death, in his ninety-fourth ninety-fourth ysar, occurred Monday. mN i ' 4 i g -1 'V 4 CHICAGO ACTORS M 01 STRIKE (Continued From Page One.) ell, who has been appearing at Cohan's Grand. Pickets were soon organized and sent to arious theaters. Some attempts to persuade performers to join the strikers' ranks were reported. Charles F. Brown, who represents Grant Mitchell, said the latter received a telegram tele-gram from the association's headquarters in New York, directing him to refuse to appear tonight. Patrons who appeared to find the the-ters the-ters closed were given a surprise as no hint of the strike plans had been received during the day. The local actors' demands are virtually virtual-ly the same as in New York. They want pay for rehearsals and extra pay for more than eight performances a week. Their association has been recognised, by the managers. In anticipation of a possible strike by the members of the company at the Woods theater. Manager S. J. Rosenthal tonight had his attorneys prepare a petition" pe-tition" for an injunction to be filed in court to morrow morning against the officers of-ficers of the Actors' Equity association and members of the company. The petition peti-tion as prepared would seek to restrain I them from "breaking the contract with Lhc complainant." None of the companies at theaters other oth-er than the Cort and Cohan's appeared to have been crippled. Prior to the receipt of the telegram from the actors' headquarters in New York, alt programed actors appearing here had received a message from E. H. So-tiiern. So-tiiern. of New York, who recently i e-signed e-signed from the Actors' Equity association, associa-tion, asking If they would Join him and others in forming a new actors' orgariiaa-. orgariiaa-. tion "for maintaining the dignity and bettering the conditions of the American theater." NEW YORK, Aug. 12. In an effort to prevent a spread of the strike called by I the Actors' Equity association to other j cities the Producing Managers' Protec-I Protec-I tive association announced tonight that i its attorneys had been instructed to bring injunction suits against the Equity asso- ciation in Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia, Philadel-phia, restrainng it from interfering with productions in those cities. This step, it was said, was taken after the managers learned "through reliable sources," that Francis Wilson, president of the equity, had left for Chicago for the purpose of attempting to call out actors there. It also was stated that the suits for $500,000 filed yesterday by the Shuherts against the equity and nearly 300 of Its most prominent members were but the forerunner of suits to be filed bv other managers which would run into the millions. mil-lions. With ten theaters still "dark"' tonight, active picketing was carried on by scores of well known actors and actresses who presented impromptu sidewalk shows to attract the crowds from theaters which were open. Chorus girls to the number of about 400 today organized a union which will be known as the chorus Equity association associa-tion and will be affiliated with the actors' I organization. Marie Dressier, a former i chorus girl, was elected presiden t. Sam : Harris, of Cohan fc Harris, and Morris j Gest. a producer, appeared in the west side police court today in answer to war- rants charging them with assault on ac-; ac-; tors. Their cases were continued. Other developments of today included I the resignation of George M. Cohan from the Kriars club, of which he was one of the founders and abbot, and the resigna-j resigna-j tion of David Warfield from the Actors' I Equity association. |