New-York tribune., 1883-11-04
EVILS OF THE NEW SYSTEM.
UNEIPE AND UNDEvELoPED ACTORs-THE VIEWS
OF CHARLES CoGHLAN.

UNEIPE AND UNDENBLOPED ACTORS-lih 'iH""
OF CHARLES COGHLAN.
In n pleasant sitting-rOOm in the WINDSOR
Hotel Charles Coghan found by TRIBUNE reporter
costly ensconced in huge easy chair 80 you come 10
me as a representative leading manP said he, "Weu III
the first place. want 1t to be distinctly undcrstood t
am not the leading man In Mr. stetsOns stock company
as can easily you by these letters and telegram
and Mr. Coghan rapidly turned over the contents OF
desk close at hand "Mr. setson engaged me as star
attraction supported by company which he was TO supply
but over which exercise full control since my
arrival find the statement has frequently been uauc
that was merely member of his stock company, ana
hgh-prced one at that.
NOW "a to the question of managers paying dspopor
tionate salaries their leading men in general IL
appears TO me to be- after all, matter affecting theh
selves alone man is fool enough to pay dollar lof
thing he can buy for twenty-five cents you cant Diane
the seller for taking the dollar, can youf If manager
pays an actor more than he Is worth, why inc h'5'i
will suffer, that's all"
"Do YOU think there is really doarth of leading actors
and aotre5sesV
a. Most decidedly You see have too many theatres
In this city, and Boston, believe is just as bad IN tha
respec If not worse Thatmakes the market 80 nuch o
larger even If all do not succeed, as believe not ure
oucnty the case Then there is not the least doubt hat
vouur mon of the present day ndit almost impossible 10
learn their business as thoroughly we learned ours
under the old stock system I haye as q young man.
pIoved eighteen distinct parts in one week. How can
yo expect young fellow to learn even the rudiment' Oh
his art when plays part for perhaps twelve months
at time or for twice twelve months do not know now
things are worked here, but in England know the pre-
else method. A yrungster goes to theatrical agent
whose books are full Of the names OF precisely sucn as ne
If he has little money the agent ends him position in
combination. He coached by the stage manager 70 90
this and that and struggles through small part II nc
does II fairly well land 1t takes stupd nan 10 30
very badly he goes the road with the company plays
n mo as & they
cisely the way night after night II there is any
originality him Il chOkcd out III he has an IN
cpent talent for eccentric character comedy ten chanceS
10 one he never has chance Of displaying oryeaTs
and by that time IL has been OhOked by the weeds OF the
pul training he has received in some different line OF
parts" .,,
What remedy You suggest" -.
None; am not rcfOrmer. simply state the IaCts.
think too by the way, that the growing tendency 10
discard all tradition stageart is working mich evil IN
the same direction l believe that when for years ANA
years part played by greater or less actors the
aftcr-C0ncT has much of his work already done Tor hn
and done better than he do himself even spposnG
his talent TO be great But nowadays every man Sets
himself ND as his own model ard the consequence u that
there are hundred failures to one artistic success