Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-10
A CHAPTER ON ACTORS

his attention to the profession behind the
scenes, as well as before the foot-lights, and
gives the public some facts about the actors of
wnom the public see so much, yet in reality
from the article:
Mulhtudinous and constantly-varying re-
quirements are made of an actor who has
achieved aleading position. He must be a lin
gust, an elocutiOnist, a feDcer, a dancer, a
boxer, a painter, flor the proper coloring or
making-up" of his own face and figure is no
small part of his art,) q soldier, $50 far as
knowledge of military drill and the manual
exercise is concerned,) and he should be a
singer, and bit of an author And all these
accomplishments do not come to an actor by
nature, more than to another man. He must
spend as much time with his dancing teacher,
must put up with as many sharp raps over the
knuckles from his fencing master and take as
many black eyes and sore ribs from the gentle
man who teaches him boxing, as you, or any
other man. who desires to become a proficient
In those graceful arts. Nor does an actor mas
ter his French verb and pronoun, or get through
his ''do, re, mi" exercises without quite as
much patience and perseverance as those rudi-
mentary Stun bling blocks demand of the un
Tnespian student. Putting genius, or extra
ordinary aptitude for this particular calling
out OF the question, among the natural aualif.
cations the actor should possess are, a good
memory, 'quick study by which is meant
the capability of committing the words to
memory with rapidity, a good FORM straight
legs, and graceful, manly bearings hand
some face is not of so much importance, as
false whiskers, pearl white and rouge will nit
igate or correct any amount of facial ugliness
but where the COSMETIC that shall straighten
bandy-legs,
In theatre where DRAMA unfamiliar to
the company, is produced every night as in
case of new 'star' who PLAYS his own oieces
day work OF an actor may be set down as
follows 10 study Qearn by hearD a part not
exceeding six ''lengths," IA sslengtb" Is forty.
two lines.) attend rehearsal from ten to one or
Two, and act at night in one or more pieces
1hat Is, SIX lengths new study, rehearsal and
playing at night; is what may be required of
an actor for days work without giving occa-
sion for grumbling at the managers. There
are many actors who upon an urgent occasion,
VIII study from ten to fifteen lengths in day,
besides attending to their other duties. This.
however, is never required except in case of
sudden sickness of another performer or some
similar extraordinary event
In provincial theatres the actors are worked
much harder than in New York, and paid
mucn less. Inc starring system universally
prevails, which necessitates a constant succe;.
sion OF new plays most of which have to be
s:udled from night to night, as a play is not
olten acted two nights in succession in small
cities In New York, on the contrary. play
Is seldom brought out without opportunity for
SLOW ana careful study and frequent rehearsals,
and when the piece has a successful Hrun. s-tbe
actors have no new study for several weeks.
In the case OF The American Cousin, " which
was played at Laura Keene's Theatre for one
hundred and forty nights, there were several
members OF the company who, not being in the
piece, not only had no study, but had absolute
ly nothing whatever to do for several months
The salaries of these persons were paid with
the otnerS every Saturday, some of them draw
ing hundred dollars week each This how
ever, was an extreme case, that might not hap
pen more than once in lifetime
The remuneration Of actors comes newt into
consideration, and the scale has a wide range
from three dollars a week, up to two hundred
dollars night. This last sum was for wears
the demand of Mr. Edwin Forrest. Other
stars are generally content with certain ssshar
ing terms" that is, the gross receipts, after a
certain Specihc amount has been deducted for
the expenses Of the theatre is equally divided
between the star and the manager Tbus. for
example, II the expenses of the house are three
hundred dollars per night and the receints
four hundred dollars, the lucky star and the
fortunate manager pocket fifty dollars each per
night. This is the fairest basis on which to
conduct the starring system, because by this
plan the salaries of all the stock company are
assured first, and the profit to the star depends
on MS own power of attracting the public to
the theatre
In New York the salaries paid to stock actors
are higher, on the average, than those in any
other city In the United States The man
ayers ignore, to great extent, the technical
= lines of business" and engage the best
artists that can be had, and then have plays
specially written in which such of their leading
actors shall have part suited to his peculiar
powers. While this plan secures to the New
York public the finest acting that can be seen
In the country, it also entails upon the manap,r r
salary list of dimensions that would swamp a
provincial theatre In single week The lead
ing actors, as Messrs Lester, Brougham, Blake
and Walcot, at Wallsck'S Theatre: Messrs. JEFF
fersOn, Jordan, and Pearson, at the Winter Gar
den; Messrs. NJ. Smith and Vincent, at Laura
heehe y, l. neatre, receive from $50 to 500 per
week The other salaries vary from SIS to $40
per week Salaries for women are about half
or perhaps two-thirds of what are maid 10 men
DO ding correspondent Positions G neral ii
lty men, supernumerarles, and ballet girls re-
cslve from So to $40 per week. When an ul
usual number OF 'ladies of the ballet or .u-
pernumeraries of the other sex are reouired on
some extra occasion, they are specially engaged
at oO cents night, or sometimes for even less
money. The salaries on the east side off the
city at the Bowery Theatre are lower than
broadway, the principal actor seldom receiy-
ing more than S35, or $40 per week, and the
others are in proportion.
In smaller cities, as Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago,
etc, the highest sum paid to a performer sell
dom exceeds S25 per week
Actors who have achieved position which
warrants them in demanding it, stipulate for
benefit" in addition to their salaries. On
these occasions, third or a half of the gross
re 'eipts of the evening isqaid over to the pei
former, according to his agreement for ssthiId |
clear or half clear" benefit. The whole |
beneht system is based upon the supposition |
tnaS none Dut an actor whose position in the |
I theatre gives him an opportunity of making |
himsen iavorite with the people, is entitled |
to q benefit; and that upon such occasions the |
actor and his friends will so exert themselves
to MI the e, house that the benefit WILL in reali-
ty, cost the manager nothing, the ssthirdn or |
half which is paid over to the performer
being surplus over what would otherwise
have been the receipts. Thus, if the ayeraoe
nightly receipts of q theatre are four bundred
dollars, and an actor claiming 'sthird" clear
benefit can, on that occasion, attract two hun
dred dollars more to the house, it will be seen
that the theatre loses nothing, while the actor
gains two hundred dollars
The musicians receive for playing leading
instruments ten dollars per week each: for
second Instruments, nine dollars per week
The leader has from thirty-five dollars to fifty
dollars per week. The gasmen carnenters |