Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-20
DAILY EVENING STAR.
Salaries of Actors.

It is the right, and the prerogative, of
every actor-of every artist, connected
with the stage, to obtain the largest pos
sible price for his services. 1.-The can OBJ
tain two hundred and fifty pounds, or one
thousand dollars, for a single nights SER
vices, he is not to be censured or con-
demned. His talents are his merchan-
disc, and when he takes them to the mar
ket, he has right to get for them the
highest prices the market will afford.
The writer in the Westminster Repiew
has committed an error by asserting that,
I'm the time Of the Kembles, twenty
pounds a week was considered an senor-
nous salarv;;" that John Kemble had only
twelve pounds a week: that Munden
never had more, until he reached his IA
mons farewell night-that Mrs. Glover
never received over ten pound the week."
&c.
The last season Of the times of the
kembles, that is to say, of John Kemble's
time, at Drury Lane theatre, closed in
the year 1901. His pay list is now be-
fore us, and we find the following rates of
salaries. Mr.. Kemble's weekly pay was
ESQ ii, Banister was paid Eli: King,
ZIG; Pope, f13; Celly, ZIG; Wroughton,
fl3: and Scott, f12. These were the
principal male performers. Of the fe-
males, Mrs. Jordan received f31; Mrs.
Crouch, fla: Miss De Camp, f12; Mrs.
Mountain, f12; Mrs. Bland, ELI; and
Mrs. Pope, I'll. The sum total paid each
week, by Drury Lane theatre, for per-
formers only, amounted to Glib 4s., or to
about two thousand and seventy dollars.
The average amount of the salaries paid
each performer in those days, was about
double that which is now paid to the Lon
don players. There are now few leading
stock actors in London, who receive
salary of ten pounds the week; whilst the
greater proportion Of them are glad to re-
ceive five pounds, or five and twenty dol
lars the week.
With the exception of Macrcady, An
dersOn, and Power, most of the leading
stars from England have never obtained
at home prior to their visiting the United
States, over five pounds, the week.
When the late Mr.. Simpson engaged
MIR. James Anderson for limited period
at the Park, he found him in London, a
subordinate actor, in the receipt of a
weekly salary of five pounds ten shillings.
lie came to this country, and compare
lively failed at the outset: but, by dint of
industry, and appealing to the efforts and
Influences of the press, he finally sue
ceeded, and became the leading attraction
of the country. He then went home, en-
dOrsed by the people and critics of the
United States, and demanded and COM
manded a salary of fifty pounds per week.
Collins the actOr-Irish Collins-when
he left England, could not obtain an en-
gagement a. a higher rate than five pounds
the week at the hands of the managers of
provinces, or those Ct the minor estab-
llShments in London. Here he was re-
ceiyed most cordially,-nade a decided
hit by his songs, and finally obtained
engagements cot far behind in profit those
which had been realized by the most
celebrated Of American stars. Indeed,
he at once stood in advance Of every
other artist in the Union. He held this
happy position till he had almost PLAYED
the country to death, and was finally
compelled to quit the Atlantic theatres
for those of the West, where. we believe
he now remains, the recipient of very
small favors.
Miss Cushman was many wears the
leading actress of the United States
sometimes the leading manageress From
1880 to 1916, she was steadily attached
to the American stage, and never re-
ceiyed salary, independent of benefits,
beyond twenty-five dollars the week.
During the period she managed the Wal
nut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, for Mr..
Marshall, t;:at sum was her weekly pay.
She went to England, and though she
meyer reached the dignity Of Drury Lane
or Coycnt Garden, she produced sensa-
tlou, and obtained name. After having
gone the rounds Of the Provinces, she
returned to the United States, and landed
III Boston. She received at once overtures
from all our leading managers, some of
whom boarded the steamer, outside of
Cape Ann, for engagements. Although
she was neither any better or worse an
actress than she was when she left us
and nobody will deny that she is and
always has been an actress of extraordi-
nary merit-she demanded, as she had
right to, the round sum of two hundred
and fifty dollars the night, or one-half of
the clear receipts for eachnight perform
ance. This immense reward was allowed
her. II she had not gone to England,
but had remained contcnted at home, and
had struggled onward, as " stipendiarY
oad m,rceHGry octreSs"-we hope the
expressive language, thus employed, will
not stir up the tile that is lodged in any
professional gizzard-she might have con-
tmued to struggle on, from July to the
end OF eternity" and failed to obtain
means sufficient to enable her to purchase
villa on the margin the Lake of Como.