The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-21
BEHIND THE FooTLIGHTs.
The Pay of Actors and Actresses.

The Pay Of Actors and Actresses.
The writer Of dramatic gossip in the New
York Turf, Field and Farm, in the last number
Of that journal, says:
Madame Tostee, In the first year she was
here, made five thousand francs month du-
ring eight months. The second year she made
eight thousand per month. Every cent of this
in Paris. Mile. Irma (who is talking of COM
ing back here,) made six thousand francs
month; Madame DesclauZas, five thousand;
Rose Bell, five thousand, and very little OF 1t
found circulation in New York. BuS these are
exceptional cases, and 1t must not be supposed
that all foreign actresses who have starving
wages in their own country can make for
tune here. It was only the effervescence of
opera bouffe that permitted such extravaganza
on the part of managers. And see how lamen-
tably it all ended Bateman did well the first
year. Grau thought to do better, also went
into opera bouffe, and killed not only Bate
man, (which rather gladdened him. but him
self. Yet the acme Of salaries has not YET YET
been reached by opera boutfe. Operatic sala-
ries 90 q great deal higher. Lefranc, who is
now singing at the Academy of Music, and Is
worth one dozen BrIgnolis rolled into one, Is
paid $4,000 per month for ten performances.
Madame de e.Briol gets $1,000 for the same num-
Der of performances. But we can go yet
higher. At time not very far distant we are to
be favored with the two queens OF the lyric art,
PATTI AND NILSSON,
the first of whom Is under engagement to Maui
rice and Max Strakosch for the fall of 1871, and
the latter to Jarrett & Palmer for the spring OF
1872. Patti is engaged for one year, and d,l-
ring the year she Is to give one hundred per
formances, for which she will receive $4,000 In
gold each performance. Max tells US that he
will put the scale at SO and SIS, and at these
prices he can make money, not otherwise
that Is, If PATHS voice holds out till 1871. The
voice is so fragile an organ that 1t can never
safely be specuated on. Nilsson Is also en-
gagged for one hundred nights, at $1,000 In gold
each performance, besides travelling expenses
OF oil kinds, and expenses of suit of four per-
sons Another person who commands price Is
PEcHTER,
recently engaged by Harry Palmer when he
was in Europe. We know not exactly the
terms Of the present engagement, but, as
Fechter sWOre never to come over mere aC less
than $500 per night, we presume that Is what
he gets. Fechter is Frenchman, and Estill
preserves the foreign accent; so much so, IN,
deed, that one must have become accustomed
to him before he can be thoroughly under
stood. But he is a splendid actor in the ro-
mantle drama. Dawson, when he was here,
received $1,000 night Hermann Hendricks
and Heinrich Helms ditto. Fanny Janauschek
manages her own business. Of other foreign
artists it Is unnecessary to speak apart, for
they are identified with our own theatres. The
LYDIA THOMPSON TROUPE,
tor instance, has become acclimatized, and by
the way, reappear at Niblo's In March. Miss
Lydla's terms are half the gross receipts, and
she pays her company. Its members receive
from $50 to 5000. Pauline Markham had sl0O
at the Tammany, and now gets $3.50 travelling
with the Blonde Brigade of British Burlesquers.
DOMESTIC STARS
have a uniform rate. 1t is fifty per cent. on
the gross receipts. This is what Lolita receives
at Niblo's; what Lucille Western receives at
the Grand Opera House, and In fact what they
oil receive. It then entirely depends on thell
own efforts whether they make money or not
These are the terms of John Owens, Joe JET
richest actor In America. He Is worth $500, 600
Jefferson comes next, and Is worth, we be-
lieve, $500, 900; and Barney Williams, s400, GOO
Jefferson, in his recent engagement at Booths
made, in seven weeks, s27, 600. He then went
over to Brooklyn, and in four nights drew nuel
SS0UU, which he divided with the manager
Such earnings make the mouth water. Edwin
Forrest, who has taken to the stage once
more, Is rich man. He always receives sixty
per cent. of the gross receipts, and If he haC
acted all along would probably have been the
richest actor alive. But Forrest is charitable
and, besides, he prefers taking his rest al
times, to wearing his life out continually on
the stage The actress who at present is max
ing the most money OF anyis
MISS KATE BATEHAN,
who, when taken charge of by the old gentle
man, can feel assured Of being coached by tho
best manager, without exception, in the coun-
try Kate gets the usual fifty per cent, ant
herself pays George Jordan, er supporter
5000 week. Thus not single one OF the
houses Kate has drawn has come under sl400
ilii1 tiloy sometimes 60 up to $500 and S2oO0
Little Morrissey is Kate's special sSent.
STOCK.
AS O general thing, when an actor mas not
succeeded In rising above the rest OF hls con
fiereS, like Jefferson or Owens, for instance
he Is the worst paid man it is possible to i'm
agine. Poor stock actors get from $l2 to $40 9
week; good ones from $40 to $30-never above
At such theatres as Wullack's and the Fiftl
Avenue, 1t Is different There 1t Is aimed tt
get q stock of stars. At the latter place, FOL
Instance, Mrs. Scott Siddons recently received
$500 per week for short engagement. Mrs
Chanfrau, the best leading lady we have, get
$3.50 per week. At Walacks, Madeline Hen
riuucs and Louise Moore both get 500 PEI
week for the whole season Of eight months
playing or not playing; John Gilbert gets SlOO
Stoddard $50; Charles Fisher $50, and SO OF
down.