... I'm off to brush up my HGV! SIR,--Last year's Equity Council, in the teeth of a 10 per cent Pay Policy endorsed by the TUC, and with all in sight accepting increases around that figure, obtained (after a long, hard, and determined fight) increases in the Repertory minimum ol 29 per cent, together with a tion in the basic working week of 20 per cent. This year's Council, with a pay policy ...

... Agents--the moral SIR.--It is regrettable to note that in almost every edition of Show business publications, either weekly, monthly or quarterly, derogatory remarks are made' about agents. Apart from labelling any section of the community as a type instead of treating them as individuals, good, bad or indifferent, as the case may be. is stupid and most of the remarks printed show such ...

... Hart's lyrics SIR, Together with Dorothy Hart I am compiling a book The Col lected Lyrics of Lorenz Hart. We have a certain amount of dif ficulty finding copies of some songs from the three shows Rodgers and Hart wrote for London. If any of your readers have copies of any of the following songs could they write to me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Lido Lady, 1926: ACupofTea; ...

... Old Boy network? SIR. I am interested to hear about the Jobs Grapevine and do not wish, here, to decry it. But is it not that old phenomenon (much hated and de spised by the left) the old boy net work under another name? It makes no new work but has a certain effect on the distribution of what there is. In this case it has a tendency to help those who keep in constant touch with the ...

... WILL HAY SIR. I have completed a biography of the stage and film comedian Will Hay, which is to be published next spring. To fill the photographic gaps I am anxious to obtain any photographs of his famous stage act, featuring Harbottle and the boy. The act toured parts of the United States, South Africa and Australia in the late twenties, but was broken up when Hay entered films in the mid ...

... William Dunlap THE ANNUAL public lecture of the Society for Theatre Re search will be given this year at the Art Workers' Guild, 6 Queen Square, W.C.I, on May 14 at 8.30 p.m. The speaker is Professor Norman Philbrick and for his subject he has chosen The Father of the American Theatre: William Dunlap. George Nash will be in the chair. ...

... Powers of Equity SIR, As an actor manque, now a chartered accountant, but still retaining a deep interest in the theatre, I have followed closely the recent discussions in your columns and the House of Lords, and elsewhere regarding the powers of Equity under Mr Carr's new laws. Mr Maskill, in your issue dated August 12, suggests an Equity official delegate to con trol point of entry be ...

... Women Dear Sir, What welcome comment on women in television last week in Television Today. Included in the male strong holds I would like to add such supposedly progressive pro grammes as Monty Python's Flying Circus with its ex traordinarily old-fashioned treat ment of women. This much acclaimed bunch of old boys seem unable to cope with women at all apart from the oc casional guest ...

... Prosecution and prison Sir. The current edition of Equity discusses the Obscene Revue case, when the revue was seen by the police ten times during it's eight week run in Manchester. Harley Street Notes say, jokily: In reality, of course, we wish neither to share a bed with Mrs Whitehouse nor Kenneth Tynan. Personally, I thought, and still think, the story about the policeman he probably means ...

... Shows folded SIR, We are often told that apart from theatres where they have a membership club, or a normal mailing list facility, there often seems to be a lack of interest by the public in productions at other theatres. If my recent experience with booking at the Piccadilly to see Dear Antoine and at Her Ma jesty's *o see The Ambassa dor are to be the future trend, we shall see a great ...

... Howard and Wyndham SIR, I am in the process of completing Mr Howard and Mr Wyndham, the story of the well known theatrical company of Howard and Wyndham Ltd., which runs from 1895 to 1971 and into the years to come. I am trying to locate photo graphs of the two founders of tiie firm, actor-managers J. B. Howard who died in 1895, and F. W. Wyndham. It would be appreciated if anyone who knows ...

... Open mind on L.E. Dear Sir, With reference to Len New- combe's letter (Television Today, September 30. 1971) urging producers to remember that there is plenty of talent off the screen as well as on: I would just like to remind Mr Newcombe that we at Granada are well aware of this fact. The Comedians, for in stance, has brought together the talents of dozens of new faces and we are at present ...