The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-17
FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.
Actors ns They Really -Intcrcssing Facts
About Weli-Known Peopic Of whom Very
I.ifiIe Indeed IL Actually Known.

the peculisrities OF the wear and tear before
him but an sctorhas no change. OF course the
general Impression is contrary to this; but let
us see.
II an actor be at the top OF the ladder, he Ia
what IL called a star. why, don't know; but
he Is. II he be at the top of any modern lad
der, he has play or pait, which he produces
and enscts night after night, word for word,
gesture for gesture, scene for scene. There IS
no variation nor even shadow OF turning"
about him OF II. His only consolation Is a check
| his only spice the sight Of some friend In the
| audience, at whom he plays, for whose approba-
| ton he works, and who to him Is the entire pub
| lie for the time being.
Perchance the actor at the foot OF the ladder
has a better time than his envied superior II
he he In q star theatre, where one luminary sue
cceds another, he. at all events, has that variety
but in these days OF long "runs " no actor can
have what can truly be termed variety or excite
ment.
| Acting Ia tedious IL the hardest kind Of DOrk.
| Probably no class OF men are more written Of
than actors, aud in the general mind there Is
always great curiosity to know who they are,
what they are, how they live, and how they pass
| their time.
As rule, actors ore not over bright or quick
witted and actresses In private life are neither
| clever nor witty beyond other women. Chance,
accident luck, has more to do with the choice
Of this profession than genius or adaptabty.
he children Of actors are more likely to be-
come actors than not. II Il the habit of sun
dry clergymen to dcnounce the stage, and to
use, as a powerful weapon against IT, the
argument that actors do not allow their children
to become familiar with other actors, nor with
the scenes behind tho footliehts remember
howl from sanguine BROOKLYN clergyman, who
said that no actor OF repu.e would allow his
| child upon the boards-lnd this In a city where
Mr. and Mrs. +. Is. Conway lived successfully ana
died respected, leaving their two daughters
mombers OF the profession they had honored;
and In city adj AGENT to that In which Lester
Wallack follows the footsteps OF his honored
father, while L. L. Davenport finds "a much
pride in the progress Of his daughters as In the
successes attending bis own bright path.
The history OF the stage abounds in stories OF
self eni Il, heroism In times Of suffering, and
amazing endurance OF physical pain and mental
misery. One lady, now a leading member OF
her calling, was playing at her benefit, when
word was brought that her husband, whom she
had left but an hour previous in perfect health,
h d fallen from a third story window, aud was
dead. She went on with her performance as
though nothing had occurred-and her hair
turned gray before the morning dawned.
A comedian, now making full houses roar
every night, not long since left dying daughter
at six In the afternoon. lie went despondngly
TO his duty, and tlckled the ears OF critics and
groundllngs too. Hurryiug home after his
CHEEKY response to a call before the curtain, he
found the daughter gone naught but her clay
remained.
Generally actors retain their own names, but
occasionally change them. wallack played for
years as John Lester. Barney Williams was
kncwn in private life as Bernard Flaherty. Law
renee Barrett played tag as a boy as Paddy
Brannigan, his real name being Patrick Branni-
gan. The gay and festive George Clarke Of
Fifth Avenue fame and London renown WINS
christeoed O'Niel. sothern, the inimitable
D1tndredrv, Is properly addressed IA Edward A.
Stewart or Stuart, and even the genial StdrbOttte
IL known at home as Henry Robson stuart.
These, however are the exceptions. Ordinarily
the men retain their own names, but as q rule
the women and II pIeasanter to change.
Gina fMo5{s started as Clara aonison and Is
Rankin. Fanny Morants real name Ia Smith.
Charlotte Thompson Is Mrs. Rogers. Maggie
Mitchell responds to Mrs Paddock. Montague =
correct title 10 Henry J. Mann. About the time
Ned Booth and Ned Adams were born. Ned For
rest was very popular and those addliio to
the human were baptized Edwin Forrest
Booth and ditto Adams. They subsequently
dropped the Forrest. for an obvious reason.
There are very few old men or women IN tho
profession. Where they 90 TO lie a conundrum.
William Warren, John Gilbert, John Brought
sm. Charles Fisher, Mrs. Farran, Mrs. Gilbert,
and Madame Ponisi are about the only people
We can call really old, and some Of them are as
risky as colts ; one indeed, Mr. Fisher, having
but just essayed a second matrimonial venture.
Where are the ninety aud miner
There are not many deaths IN the profess on
can count on my fingers all the deaths OF the
last Ave years.
Perhaps the women marry out. Certainly some
of the men take to chop house keeping, while
not few turn up here and there us teachers
OF elocution, filters for the stage, and OCCASION
ally clergymen where the rest go Ia a mystery.
But let that pass. will deal with the living.
The names we see printed on programmes and
published In newspapers are by no means the
full list, as the pay-rolls testify. From the
humble super who has hfty cents a night, to the
star with his 5000 "A week, there Is "a trem en-
dous distance, nut on all that long, long scale
there is not one who does not consider himself
an actor and feel pride in belonging to the
profession"
Stars have no common rate OF compensat on
| Booth often has half the gross receipts. Then
again he only has half the profits. Occasionally
he has a guarantee OF $500 a night. Jarrett 4
Palmer offered bin three months engagement
Win CeilhlntN OF tluV hntEht, nut ne Declined
because II would be painful t. him to play in
Booths Theatre after 1t had passed from his
control. This was shortly after he had gone into
bankruptcy. Booth is not a man OF wealth, but
1t can readily he seen that with ordinary pru-
dence It Is possible for him to become enormous.
ly rich, as his expenses are triling, and his in
come immense.
The Florences share receipts az wallacks after
$500 a week. That is, IL the receipts are $1,000
week. they have for their weeks work $1,000
Out OF New York. where expenses are less, If
business be good they have better terms, and
may net from $3.50 to 5000. For eleven wosk'
this summer they received nothing.
1t is often profitable to managers TO run stars
rather than well-equpped company, because
the stars own their pieces and virtually share
the risks OF production.
II Is OF course profitable for the stars II they
are fortunate In their plays. within a week
MIR. Raymond has been led to submit his affairs
to a board Of arbitration. 1t seems no was not
oyerlush when he took the Gided Age of MIR.
Clemens's hands and very absurdly toun him
self to pay the author nifty per cent. Of what he