Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-10
TEE PAY OF ACTORS.

The salaries Of actors vary according to
experience and talent, The pay Of leading
performers outside Of New York ranges
from $50 to $3.50 week, while minor
actors receive from SIS to $50. In New York
small " utility " people get from SIS to $40.
& good Dutch comedian, like Williams or
George Knight, averages SlO0. Ballet
girls are paid from 81 to s. a night, and,
of course, have their dresses from the
theatrical wardrobe. They are the poorest
paid of all the theatrical attaches, and yet
| there is q constant pressure for such en-
ployment. Scene painters are for short
timo among the best-paid theatrical peo-
pie. sherwood, formerly of Wallack's,
has SIS week, while Roberts and Witham,
OF the Fifth Avenue, get 500 week.
Nat. Morgan, Voegtlin. and Leary are paid
by contract, averaging about $500 a CON-
plete set of scenes. Stage managers aver
age from $40 TO SO a week. and business
managers, outside of New York, are paid
little better. Prompters are rated at
S25. The business managers of the New
York theaters are well paid. Tooker, for
merry of Booths, got while there 500
week, and percentage on the sale of
tickets; Stephen Fiske, formerly of the
Fifth Avenue Theater, had considerable
more. Theodore Moss, of Wallack's,
is said to be partner, and a. NJ.
Palmer, OF the Union Square, is also q
partner. Augustin Daily is said to have
made large sum by writing plays, but
his failure as manager shows how easily
money can be lost. The history of the
atrical management, indeed, is a strange
record of failure, occasionally set off by
brilliant success, and the risks of the
drama are considered greater than almost
any business. The salaries paid to New
York actors and actresses are estimated
as follows: Clara Morris, when at the
Union Square, had 5000 week, furnishing
her own dr,s es. Fanny Davenport is
said to have received $3.50 a week last
year at the Fifth Avenue Theater, but it
is more probable that her pay was 81 900.
Rose Eytinge got $3.50 a week at the
Union Square Ada Dyas had $3.50; Kate
Claxton had Sl75, etc. These salaries seem
large, but when one considers how many
ambitious girls are broken down to make
one good performer, and how brief the
range of popularity may be, and also the
expense of such life, it is not SO very
large after all. Salaries are paid for sea.
sons of eight months, and leading men
who can command large houses have an
annual benefit in addition. John Brough-
am Melted 81, 100 by one benefit at the
Fifth Avenue. Thorne made 81 600 by
benefit at the Union Square. Some other
princely benefits can be mentioned, but
a common benefit is a poor affair. George
Rignold, during his last engagement,
was paid $3.50 per week. Sothern
had one-half the house, after expenses,
I
terms. Edwin Both was the only Ameri-
can tragedian who had half Of the entire
receipts, but Fanny Davenport, as come.
dian, has claimed in a few instances at least |
the same enormous fee. Booth, while itin-
Grating through the principal cities in
America, received $500 per night, which |
was the largest fee ever paid under such !
circumstances. He will not, however, re-
peat that intinerancy. The late E. L. |
Davenport had from $500 to 81 900. His
place has never been filed, and managers
often sigh when they recall the loss of this
once Admirable performer. Joe Jefferson |
has been paid az high as So, 500 per week,
and his managers were said to have made |
money by his engagement Charlotte
Cushman was allowed half the whole house. |
Such is the power of the star performers to |
force both managers and perform ers to /
bow to their dictates. "Stars," however,
are very rare, and even this so.called for
tunate class is not TO be envied The glare !
and glitter Of the performance is one thing,
but the reality of the stage is very differ
ent. The difficulties under which this !
class often go through their performance
are peculiarly distressing. A physician is
always in attendance to assist in sustain
ing exhausted nature, and the applause OF |
an admiring audience may be followed by !
the agony which such efforts have cost the |
performer. -[Cincinnati Gazette.