The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-03-17
CHILDR EN- OF THE PUBLIC.
HOIV ACTORS ARE PAID AND now
THEY 1--WE


THEY 1--WE
Tho "Supe" and tho "CaDtain"-- Some
Local "Reminiscences.
1t does not require any great
originality Of thought to advance
the remark that actors, like all other
kinds, Glasses and conditions, have
their peculiarities. Perhaps ccccn-
triclties Of one kind or another are
better developed IN the disciples of
the stock and buskin than in any
other strata Of the community, save
in the possible exception of these
indescribable anthropophagi who
linger about the portals of leading
newspapers and harass the news
gathcrers and mculders of public
opinion on all possib @ occasions.
There is general sort of fratcrni
zatlon among actors and actresses Of
all grades, from the variety artist to
the beetle-browed leading man,
which latter finds it to advantage to
drop his Importance between and
after acts, as there is much he dc
pends upon in his underlings who
can easily mar good scene or i'm
pair his dignity on tho boards, Il
trick which has not been unfrequent
where the leader has been afflicted
with what is technically called in
stage phrase "swcll- heads
Thus they are to be found banded
together, "thcatrical boarding
houses" being as necessary to the
life of q gIcat city as it's hotels,
churches and brass bands. Here
"after hours can be seen "Ludovi~
co or "Chas. Surface" suffering at
dominos or "Sancho Pedro" at the
hands of a utility or responsible
man.
1t is a matter of fact we'll known,
that no class is so often called upon
to donate their talents to the pun
poses of charity. Beyond this there
Is always some brother or sister in
misfortune whose wants call upon
their purses and it is seldom that
their appeals are not met, provided
the improvident habits of the CHART
ably-disposed historian precludes
him responding as he could wish.
This is a matter of constant every
day occurrence among actors and it
can never be known or told how
much has been given or distributed
III charity, without reference to the
public affairs in which their services
are given freely and almost invaria-
bly, at call
Actors salaries range very differ
emily; IL good leading man or
woman may command from 500 to
500, and thus they range down.
ward. Some of the New York
theatres have salary lists which are
terrible to contemplate, and it is
only through long runs, high prices
and full houses that they are en-
abled to pull through. The thea
tres in St. Louis have much better
companies than our citizens have an
idea OF. or are willing to think, but
the chief expense is in the dress
ings of the stage and the setting of
now plays with costumes, scenery,
properties, etc. But that is rather
out of the line of tho present arti
Gle. Comparatively the best paid
men are those who, possessing some
years experience in the ranks, have
acquired confidence and certain
amount of ease, are elevated to the
dignity of utility or responsible,
these receiving from fifteen to
twenty dollars per week, and having
but light labor to perform; ladies
in the same line receive trife
less.
The supernumerary is at the bot
tom rung in the ladder and is gen,
orally an aspirant for fame, one who
is curious to sec behind the scenes
or an impecunious individual who
can thus obtain the price of meal.
He is the victim of tho "captain"
generally, that dignitary doing the
engaging of the armies of France
and England, the happy poasantry,
etc. Ho receives so much per hoad
for number of supes and drills
them into shape, either forgetting
the matter of payment OF substract>
ing his commission. ''Supes" rc-
ceive presumptively from twenty
five to fifty cents each performance,
according to the amount of work
they have to perform.
AS was said, it affords some who