Ernest Albert was also involved in the establishment of a nineteenth-century theatrical organization called the American Society of Scene Painters. On June 26, 1892, the Pittsburg Press noted that that this movement was “first put in motion” by Harley Merry – a mentor of Albert’s. Its membership included some thirty of the most prominent and representative men in the profession. The author of the article further wrote, “The objects of the society are to promote the artistic and practical efficiency of the profession, and consolidate as a whole the dignity of the profession hitherto maintained by the individual artist. Practical reforms in the conduct of the professional business are anticipated.”
Organized in Albany, New York, the executive staff included Richard Marston (Palmer’s Theatre), Henry E, Hoyt (Metropolitan Opera House), Homer F. Emens (Fourteenth Street Theatre), Sydney Chidley (Union Square Theatre), Harley Merry (Brooklyn Studio) Brooklyn and Ernest Albert (Albert, Grover & Burridge).
On July 2, 1892, the Chicago Tribune (page 4) published, “The prominent scene painters in New York have organized under the State law to promote the artistic and practical efficiency of their profession. Their new combination is known as the American Society of Scenic Painters, and they promise that many reforms will result from their united efforts. Their chief grievance, however, borders on the unique, and the scenic painters have adopted an effective way of remedying it. The members of the organization, particularly those who work by the job, as is the case with the best of them, claim that the stage manager is their worst enemy. They say that scenes are set nowadays not with painters direct, but in accordance with the off-hand wishes of the managers, and accordingly much of the most artistic effects of the scenes are lost by the failure to properly display them.
The plan of the new organization is for its members to accept no work from the theaters except on an agreement that the scenes are to be set exactly as they dictate. Harley Merry planned the organization, and among its officers are Richard Marston, President; Henry E. Hoyt, Harley Merry, and Ernest Albert, Vice-Presidents; Homer F. Emens, Treasurer, and Sydney Chidley, Secretary.
Merry was also involved in another theatrical association – the Actors’ Order of Friendship. In 1888, the New York Tribune (Dec. 16, pg. 5) reported Merry’s involvement in the AOOF as the group sought to protect the American actor against foreign competition. He and others instigated a discussion among leading theatre managers nationwide and sought to alter foreign contract labor laws.
The AOOF is often considered to be the first “theatrical club” in America, founded in Philadelphia during 1849. The Edwin Forrest Lodge in New York quickly became the dominant branch of the organization with 187 members by 1890. Joe Jefferson even donated a library to the branch’s 47th Street location where the order met in a residential home. Like many nineteenth-century fraternal orders, it also provided benefits to members and their families if they became incapacitated. The AOOF Shakespeare Lodge of Philadelphia came in as the second largest branch with approximately 30 members. In 1888 an AOOF committee composed of Merry, Louis Aldrich and Frank Sanger not only brought the order to Washington, D.C., but also sought to pass an amendment to the foreign contract labor laws.
A newspaper article noted that there were over 300 dramatic companies that employed about 4,500 professional actors, “who, with their dependent families, may be estimated at 20,000 persons, all looking for their support.” At the time numerous companies played at leading theaters with troupes completely composed of foreigners, brought over by contracts made in Europe. The AOOF complaint was that foreign contracts were contributing to the unemployment of more than 1200 American performers and that they were seeking an amendment of the Foreign Contract Labor Law.
Merry, Aldrich and Sanger appeared before Congressman Ford’s Investigating Committee in Washington D.C. and asked for an amendment that would bring all foreign actors, except “stars,” under the provisions of the statute. New York’s “The Evening World” (Dec. 15, 1888, pg. 2, NY, NY) published that “Actors, managers, agents and everybody connected with the theatrical business in any manner, are discussing the matter at the Rialto, at the dramatic agencies, in the Actors’ Fund rooms, and in the hotels and resorts on ‘the Square:’ and there is but one sentiment among theme – that the foreign actor who comes over here under contract made in Europe must go.”
The order gave rise to the later Actors’ Fund of America, just as the American Society of Scene Painters gave rise to a later Protective Alliance of Scene Painters of America formed in 1895. It prevented stage employees from handling any scenery except that painted by members of the Alliance, stirring up excitement among English managers. George Becker, Moses Bloom, Harry Byrnes, Sydney Chidley, James Fox, W. Crosbie Gill, Frank King, Richard Marston, Harley Merry, John A. Merry, Thomas G. Moses, Arthur Palmer, Seymour D. Parker, Frank Platzer, W. T. Porter, Adolf T. Reinhold, John Rettig, John W. Rough, Horace N. Smith, Orville L. Story, Howard Tuttle, A. G. Volz, Harry Weed, and David W. Weil were just a few of the participants actively involved in the establishment of the alliance.
On April 3, 1896 members gathered in the lodge rooms at 153 West Twenty-third St. for the installation of officers. Six trustees were installed representing New York, Boston, Pittsburg and Buffalo with corresponding secretaries from San Francisco, Cincinnati, Boston, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Philadelphia. During the meeting, the following statement was recorded: “If George Edwards brings a shipload of scenery from England to America he will not be able to get a scene shifter or carpenter in New York to handle it, and the orchestra will not even play slow music. For that matter, no piece of scenery painted by a non-union man will be handled in any of the large cities in this country. We have to protect ourselves against the hordes of fresco men who dabble for a farthing, and some of the managers who care nothing for the art, but only for making money.” They all banded together, but it was not a movement without condemnation and protest.
The American Society of Scene Painters, the Protective Alliance of Scene Painters of America and the Actors’ Order of Friendship were more than just benevolent societies, providing benefits and funeral services for its members. Each organization sought practical reforms in the conduct of their professional business.
To be continued…
