Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-10
WORKING THE NEWSPAPERS.
why Jimmy M%Orrissey is EN-.
plOyed.
How Much of this is True.

Dramatic News.l
There seems to be for the coming
year a widely divergent view among
managers as to the class ofmen known
rs the theatrical agent. There are
managers who hold on the one hand
that the agent should simply be a sort
of advance porter who viii see to hotel
accommodations, interview the bill
posters, aud deliver the scene plots to
the local painter. With that, this
class of managers say, the agents use
fulness ends. But there is another
class who employ agents with quite q
different purpose, the more particular
one being to work the newspapers.
Mr.. Joseph Brooks, for instance, has
engaged James Morrisey for that
special purpose. He believes him to
be capable of getting into the papers
two or three times as much about
his attractions as would be got in
without him. Mr.. Morrissey has the
reputation of having invented the
abbott Kiss" and several other
ingenious and original methods OF
giving %notoriety, il not celebrity, to
the particular artists he may have en-
gagged to work up.
But say the 6rst-class OF man
ayers, your Morrissey business is
played out. Everybody knows him,
and your newspaper man holds him
in special detestatiOn because he
is we'll aware that Morrissey only
holds his position and draws a
salary from the representations
he is able to make, that he c n control
the press
To which Mr.. Brooks replies:
There may be some cases where
Aorrissey and his kind ave held in
aversion. but, as a rule. he can go
into a newspaper Office, taffy the
dramatic man, aud get rietly well
what he wants into the paper. They
know it's his business to do it. and
that next year he will be going
around Wanting the praises Of The
World just as he has been Wanting
those Of Emma Abbott. Nevertheless
he has a nice confidential way about
him. Every man is his best and Oldest
friend, and he dosen'tsPa his money.
Morrissev is a man who gets u large
salary. He always holds his end up
and spends about three quarters of his
money with the gentlemen at the
press. lie never asks you TO t,ke
a beer. His invitation means any
thing from brandy and soda up to a
bottle of wine. All this comes out Of
his salary.
What Mr.. Morrissey might be
able to get into the papers if he
dropped his brandy and the sOdas
and bottles of wine is a question |
am not prepared to answer" cOntin-
ued Mr.. Brooks. I must say
that he is a mighty useful man to
have about
The first class of managers reply
again to this that to employ such
agents is an insult to the intelligence
of newspaper men. Take a man like
Dave Henderson, of Chicago, for in
stance, whose business it is tn give his
exclusive attention to theatrical mat
ters. Dosen't he know all the facts
about an actor or a combination with
cut the agent coming to tell him? Is he
be made use of to excite public curl
osity by such vapid nonsence as Abb
bott kisses, etc? or is his intelligence
so low, hat a man of the Morrissey
stripe must needs be employed to
prick it up?
The oourse Mr.. W. R. Hayden, the
manager Of Tom Keene, adopted this
season, in working up his star, has
caused a good deal of indignation
among managers generally. Mr.. Hay
don's plan is to pay so much a line for
editorial notices of the star. 1t is
unfortunately a fact that very few
newspapers through the country can
resist the temptation ola dollar a line
for prostituting their opinions. So
that, instead Of Mr.. Hayden sending
an agent ahead to work the news
papers, he walks into a newspaper
office himself and says:
II want a half column of editorial
saying that Tom Keenc is the greatest
actor living. l will write it myself and
pay you your rates"
"All right, says the publisher. and
the next morning tho paper is commit
ted to Tom Keen Tor $50 or $50, what
ever it may be.
The enthusiasm displayed by the
press throughout the south over Mr..
Keene excited a great deal of wonder
ment in the north, until it was found
out how the thing was worked. In
Atlanta, Ca, particularly, the praises
received by the tragedian was some
thing beyond description. 1t cost a
dollar a line. Mr.. Hayden's bill in
Atlanta for newspapers was something
over $500.
Mr.. Hayden said; "You see the
advantage of this. | get an ad.
vance editorial notice in this way
aud pay for it. When they come to
see my star and write their criticism
they cant go back on what they
have already said, aud | don't pay
for that
YES, but" says the other mana.
ger again, next year, when Mr.. Hay
den goes to Atlanta, or wherever it
may be, he has got to repeat the
same thing. He will walk into the
newspaper Offices and say L want an
advance notice
"a dollar a line the publisher will
say, and if Mr.. Hayden can't give it
Mr.. Keene will get no notice. Damn
Mr.. Hayden, anyhow, seems toIbe the
general opinion, for what he does.
newspaper publishers are beginning
to think other managers ought to do.
A publisher naturally remarks to the
advance agent: | can't afford to give
you a long puff ofyour coming attrac.