Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-27
NEW YORK LETTER.
FORTUNES IN DrssuIsE-pIscovsaED
IN REJECTED rLAYa
Nassssrs Who Throw Away Golden 0ppor-
tusities-Eow a Posr Printer Has
suddenly Become a Niliionare-
Concluded Not 10 Dis
ICorrespondenco OF the Richmond Dispatcn.
NPw YoRy. January Qe. 1890

which. had 1t been produced, would
have made a ioitune for its owner. lie
also said that IL was doubtful il any
theatrical manager could tell a success
fuSfsay when he saw one. Considering
tfsaumber OF tho remarkably successful
plavs that the shrewdest managers in the
country predicted would be failures this
is undoubtedly true.
OF the recent plays that in an eminent
degree prove the truth of this statement
IS "Mr. Barnes of New York" Every
one prominent in the theatrical world
knows that the author, Mr.. A. G. Gun
ther. bswkcd this play about the city and
was unable TO find a manager who would
touch It. At Inst, in despair, he offered
TO sell ii TO Manager L. Henry French
for 500.
THREW AWAY A CHANCE.
don't want it at any price," said Mr..
French.
We'll" said Mr.. Gunther, 81 need n
small amount for a few days, and | wish
YOU would let ne have 500 on the
play
- would not give you s. on it, but il
you want 500 | will let you have it on
yOur own account"
Convinced that there was merit in the
piece. but that he could not nave it pro-
ducod unless no produced it himself.
which he could not do at the time, he
decided 10 work the material into q
novel. A few months later q book en-
titled "Mr. Barnes Of New York" APP
peared upon the news-stAnds and met
with an excellent sale. Inside Of a year
the book made MIR. Guntber about $780,
OOD. After this when he wished to pro-
duce the play he had no difficulty in
finding n manager. Among the most
eager and generous OF them was I.
Henry French.
The terms Of Mr.. French being the
most liberal his oner was the one accept
ell. IL was 20 per cent. OF the receipts.
The piece is at present having avery sue
cessful run and there is every prospect
that the play will make as much as the
book.
jim PEEMAN.
One Of the most successful of recent
pla,s is Jim the PcnmAn." After being
haWkcd about the city il fell into the
hands of Charles Overton. who offered it
90 a. NJ. Palmer, the manager OF the
Madison Square Theatre, and whose
Judgment rs TO the value Of a play is
fecon1 to no one. While Mr.. Palmer
admitted That the piece possessed
Muuv elements Of success he did
not think that it was "A piece destined
10 have a long run. However. he
agreed to run the risk Of II being a sue
GEES, provided MIR. Oyerton would per-
nit hun to produce the piece at the
Madison }quare Theatre without having
70 Iay u royalty. After that. if sue
c~csslnl. Mr.. Palmer agreed to send the
play out on the road, aud from the road
companies Mr.. Oyerton was TO receive a
handsome royalty. OF course, every
one familiar with theatrical affairs knows
that "Jim the tennman il one of the
strongest plays on the road to-day, and
will also remember the phenomenal run
il had IT the MadisOn-Square Theatre.
1t is estimated that Nr. Overton and the
Madison-Square Theatre Company to-
Pether have made over $500, 600 out OF it.
HELD BY THE ENEMY.
Mr.. Palmer was also the first manager
20 whom Gillette offered his great play
"Held BY the Enemy" The play has
already made over 500, 900 for its owner,
and Is still one OF the best money-makers
III the country.
cit is no doubta clever piece OF work."
ssid Manager Palmer alter reading it,
but it won't appeal to popular favor.
u Is too soon alter our civil war for IA
pay founded upon that great strife to
meet with SUCCESS. The public may DO
ready for such u play in ten years or 80,
Int for immediate production | really
s..ftlI not Elsa won Nlnn for n "
Even this coming from one OF the
most sagacious managers did not shake
the authors confidence in his play, and
he boldly rented Mr.. Pslmer's theatre
outright and produced the play himself.
II had q great run there, and for two
years il has had a most successful run
both in tins country aud England. Now
Mr.. Palmer selects the very play that he
rejected with which 20 open his new
theatre.
THE RAG BABY.
Mr.. Charles II. Hoyt's first play wasnot
a success, but this did not discourage
him, and he wrote tho Rag Baby"
The managers we're not eager to produce
this play for the ambitious young play
wright, and he concluded that lie would
risk some money on II himself. he
found one person who shared his conf
deuce in the merit of the play. The
person was n young man employed on
the staff Of the same paper as Mr.. Hoyt,
named Charles Thomas, who is an
equal partner in oil OF Hoyt'S pro-
ductions. The fathers OF both these
Young men are well-to-do and they
drew on them Tor q few thousand dollars.
The play was produced IN q ANAL Mas
fachasetts city and then made the CIR
cunt Of New Tngisnd. The piece steadi-
" lost money, but the young men had
lots OF courage and they drew upon their
fathers TO make good their losses. FL
nally the elder Hoyt cried enough and
refused 10 advance any more money,
feeling sure IL would only 20 the way
tie other had o The elder Thomas
eso began to feel that he had wasted
about all the money he cared %, but his
s0n after much persuasion managed to
get him 10 advance a final $1,000. very
little Of It was needed, however, for the
play began to make money and before
the end OF the season il becamea genuine
success. understand hoyt and Thomas
have made over $40. 600 out OF It,
Although denied now, 1t Is, to say the
least. singular hat Mrs Hodgson Bur.
Lett vent to London 30 have her play oil
"iitue Lord Fauntleroy" produced.
II IVES not until after it bad met with a
london success that tue piece was pur-
chased by an american manager.
When "Adouis" was produced IN
Chicago for the first time. in 1854. 1T
proved "a most dismal failure. When IL
was put on shortly after this in New
lork, 1t Was not intended 10 run but a
short time. All the same 1t ran two
years Mr.. Dixey has made several Tor
tunes ont Of il. aud be is now making
another ont Of il.