broadwaytheatres

Striking cast members of the Broadway show "At 9:45" parade down Broadway in the Actor's Parade on August 18, 1919. The banner suggests 100% of the company supports the strike by Actor's Equity Association. Actors joined by stage managers, stagehands, chorus girls, musicians, variety artists and musical artists went on strike forcing shows all over the country to shut down. It was one of the most significant strikes in labor history as it reshaped the definition of labor.

"The parade of the actors down Broadway was staged despite the drizzling rain, which kept down the numbers of those along the line of the march but did not in any way affect the numbers or spirits of those in the procession. It was led by Major Reginald Barlow and several hundred actors who had served overseas, many of them in uniform."  [1]

The biggest stars of the time locked arms with their lesser known brethren – several thousand strong – and paraded down Broadway in full solidarity. The parade kicked off a week of benefit performances for Equity at the Lexington Avenue Opera House. Eventually, the producers had no choice but to recognize Actors' Equity Association (AEA) as the bargaining agent for their performers.   [2]

"At 9:45", by Owen Davis was performed at the Playhouse Theatre on Broadway, June 28 - October 1, 1919. It starred George Backus (1857-1939), Clifford Dempsey (1865-1938), Madeleine King and Noel Tearle who are likely shown parading in this photograph. Other members of the company (who may be in this photograph) were Idalene Cotton, Marie Goff, Harry Green, Nedda Harrigan, John Harrington, Frank Hatch, Frank Hilton, Peter Lang, Leo Mielziner, Gustave Rolland, Edith Shayne, and Robert Thorne. "At 9:45" was directed by John Cromwell. This photograph is looking north on Broadway between 37th and 38th St. The bottom of the sign ("ANDIE") for the Hotel Normandie can be seen top, leftish. (This view was likely taken from the 2nd floor of the Regal Shoe Store at the corner of 37th Street). Just beyond the Hotel Normandie is the Casino Theater (1882-1929), said to be the best example of Moorish architecture in the country. It was the first theatre with a roof garden, the first to be entirely lit by electricity, and the first to feature a chorus line – the Floradora Girls, who included Evelyn Nesbit, over whom Harry K. Thaw murdered Stanford White (1853-1906). [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/angel-face-6751
Ran Dec 29, 1919 - Feb 14, 1920

Music by Victor Herbert:

The Knickerbocker Theatre was a Broadway theatre located at 1396 Broadway (West 38th Street). It was demolished in 1930, along with the nearby Casino Theatre. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knickerbocker_Theatre_(Broadway) Streetview: www.google.com/maps/@40.7530421,-73.9873455,3a,75y,72.6h,... www.whatwasthere.com/browse.aspx#!/ll/40.752991,-73.98754...

B-59 and swanq: Thank you for the street address of this building. We will add it to the record when we update.

@LOC, I think it would be "Theatre", notwithstanding data on negative or caption card.

Agreed, Pixel Wrangler. The name is clear on the front of the building too.

Grace George (1879–1961) was a well known actress, director, producer and writer. She both produced and starred in Major Barbara, by George Bernard Shaw, which had it's U.S. premier at the Playhouse Theatre on Broadway on December 9, 1915.

Grace George (real name: Grace Dougherty) married producer William A. Brady (1863–1950) in 1899, and was stepmother to his daughter, Alice Brady (1892–1939), (real name: Mary Rose Brady). A son William Brady Jr. (1900–1935) was born in 1900. [1] [2] [3] [4]
 
There is also a photograph in the LOC Collection on Flickr of Grace George dressed in her role as Mrs. Cynthia Karslake in The New York Idea. The play opened September 28, 1915, at the Playhouse Theatre and was played in repertory with Major Barbara.

                                       
 

This is fantastic. I love getting to see these peeks into the past!

Pixel Wrangler: Thanks for the additional info on Grace George. We will add to the record.

NYT pictorial section of Jan 2, 1916, page 11 had another picture of her in Major Barbara costume. memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/np_item.pl?collection=sgproto&... or memory.loc.gov/service/sgp/sgpnyt/1916/191601/19160102/00...