The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-11-03
Lives of Actors aud actresses.

Lives Of Actors aud actresses.
l The average theatre-goer has an
idea that actresses have little to
do besides posing before admirIng
multitudes and having the pleas
ure of shifting the eyer-ascending
incense of alteration. The major
ity of girls picture an actress as
being of beauty, who sleeps until
noon, breakfasts on cup of choc.
olate aud a roll in bed, drives out
in the afternoon clad magnificent.
ly, is smothered in boqnets in the
evening, and revels in champagne
suppers at night.
Unfortunately such is not the
fact. Even Bernhard had her mis-.
cries. Clara Morris is profes-
sional sufferer. Langtry, in spite
of her thick hide, was sensitive to
the ceaseless slight and censure
snub of the people who were viii
ling to pay to see her attitudinize,
but who under no consideration
could be induced to touch her
hand or invite her to their homes.
Patti, with her $4,000 night, has
u carking worm not far from her
heart. Nilsson, in spite of her
magnificent presence, her phenom.
enal success and triumphant man.
ner, is troubled four.tifths of her
waking time, and groans in her
sleep at night.
Booth, to whom Henry L. Abbey
would cheerfully pay $1,000 a night
for $50 consecutive nights, is one
of the most unhappy men on the
face of Gods earth. He has bur.
led two wives, been through the
modification of bankruptcy, and
so far AS worldly wealth is con.
eerned, so far as the comforts of
a settled home 90, has yet to make
the one and secure the other.
This being the case, what do you
suppose is the fate of the minor
people : The fact is that they
work hard, are underpaid, never
play the parts that they prefer,
pay much-by far the greater por.
ti0n of their salaries-for stage
costumes, invariably have u gapg
of hangers-on who eat the bread
they earn, are out of engagements
most of the time, and ninety.nine
times out of one hundred die so
poor that they are buried at the
expense of their fellows.
In the first place it is extremely
difficult for them to obtain n posi-.
tion, and having u position how
few its advantages. They have to
rehearse at inconvenient lines;
they go ont in all kinds of weather,
regardless Of their health, or com
fort, or home desires; they dress
in outlandish places, either wet,
damp and chilly, or overheated.
they are at the capricious mercy
of speculative managers, and hay.
ing found by experience that there
is very little sympathy for them,
either before or behind the foot.
lights, they wrap themselves in a
garment of mental Indifference
to appearances, which is utterly
misunderstood by cynical and
suspicious world.
Actors, as far as personally is
concerned, are before the public
more than any other people, and
yet how little is known of them.
The glare of foot.lights, fictitious
surroundings, characters aud sen.
/ timents diametrically different
from their own, absolutely veil
them from the public gaze, so far
as their individuaities are con
cerned. How often do stars even
sleep in their own homes!
During the long nine or ten
months of the season married ac-
tresses can have no comfort with
their children. no intercourse with
them, can take no care of them.
! read a day or two ago q story of
girl who was called to Sunday
night rehearsal. Her father was
very i'll, but rental of their rooms,
the fees for the doctor aud money
for the drugs depended upon her
attending to her business. 1t was
imperative that she should be in
/ the theatre at 1880. Having ar
ranged the room as women only
can, having placed upon the table
by the bedside of her father bis
medicine, she kissed him goodbye,
and with loving touch promised
to be back as early as possible.
You know what Sunday night re-
hearsal mean. They mean |, 2, 3,
4 o'clock the next day. This is
what this one meant. The girl
hastened home. The candle.light
had gone, the cold gray of early
morning was in the room, aud the
father was dead upon the bed.