New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-15
UNSUCCESSFUL SEASONS.
4 MANAGERS EXPERIENCE.

~ one OF the genus hustler Mtcf inc
usual salutations between acquaintance who have
not met for several months the reporter inquired
what sort of a season the had experienced.
" \ terror my boy. a perfect terror was the reply.
Worst ever knew. Yen newspaper men are always
telling about the great successes and the fabulous
fortunes made by managers and stars. Now suppose
for once | give you peep at the other side OF the
picture. ! don't Imagine it will do much good as Il
warning because when people have the starring mania
they have it so badly that only death or utter i'm
pecuniosy can stop IT. But few Of my experiences
this may show the public that the actors life
is not always the lazy and happy it is generally
imagined TO be. and that the managers couch is not
a bed Of roses.
Men stand The rough times all right enough
but they come drcadfully hard on the women. have
been In this bu incsS-y ou sec don't call il a pro
fcSon'-fOr twenty years and can honestly say that
any Young woman who has comfortable home is
fool to leave II TO out with travelling company
Salaries getting smaller arc crowding into
this business greatly in Of the demand and the
number Of combinations that be relied on TO play
ont their and pay salaries in the face OF poor
receipts IS extremely small. The actor Is really too
often partner in the business with no share In the
profits and liberal share Of the losses. That Is to
saw II the manag cement does well the actor gets the
salary he engaged for II business /, bad salaries
are reduced or temporarily suspended. or the season
j.
difficult perhaps impossible to get other places. II
is knowledge Of this fact that induces actors to
accept reductions Of salary. and TO remain with
organizations which il has been proved cannot sue
coed. Let me tell you right here that the girl who
can get SO week in an Office Is great deal better
of than the who is supposed to get go week as
actress. For even II she receives her salary for
thirty five weeks by the time she has paid for her
cl,hc, and her summer vacation, she will have
nothing left.
But let get back 10 my experiences OF This
season. Last year clever soubrctte actress came 10
me and aid i am going to star next season, and
want you to manage me. VIII YOU do it asked
her two questions, Have You got any money! and
Have you got a plav' She told that she had
5000 and that a play hid been offered her. which
with little alteration she thought would do. agreed
10 read it and give her my answer In few DAYS The
p,,v wasn't bad on the conventional lnc,-thc poor
cirl who j. found TO be- hcircss and wears long
train I'm the last act. The stars spccial'ics-slngng,
dancing and banjo pLync-Wcrc introduced, without
too much the appearance Of being 'lusgcd in and
finally consented to become manager. It wa, neccs-
sary Ia get a New York theatre for a week IN the
summer In order - make reputation for the pec"
and secure notices. the strength of which could
book routc for tho following season. secured an
East side thcatp-for ours was not Broadway at
traction and We dd not want 10 play AZ any bur
aver that hi, share should not De les than $1,000 II
was not probable We should take in that amount. but
the loss was necessary Investment. We got together
pretty good campauy-thc only heavy salary being
that Of the comedian. who sang and danced with the
star. The total salary list. Including NINE was "nN
$50 a week. and when We went ON the road tins was
incrca ,cd by $50 FIR an advance agent got good
one TOO and was fault Of hi, mat we failed ana
good advance agent is more than half 'hc battle now
adays Well We didn't get ont much printing Cor the
trial week lut although the piece went well ana VIC
received good notices were IN the hole ~ 800 when
II Va. over our total receipt, $3.50 50 We
had t. l.vc the $3.50. salaries, a. 'aih De-
fore. were $50. and the Other $500 was eaten mp
In printing and extra advertising. ON the strength Of
our New York hit ! Wa, able to book a pretty fair
route thouch as We were unknown attraction
coun not get the various stands IN the best po'shlr
order and hero and there We laf 10 MAKE some IN
t.ualiv eNpcu. i've Jumps ! estimated our weekly
CA t.'-c, Al only 800 allowing 200 FOR printing
Ike amount for falroadln,. go fr royalty on play
and $50 for the stars board and personal expenses
~ the time wc started the getting up Of printing
ard ,ar.ou, expense, had absorbed another fi,'oo'
still. W had $1,000 in hand. and at the estimator
worst that should have lasted some time.
Our nr,, stand was not three hours from New
York and the fare, were lst. - unfortunately was
the business. The weather va, ~ul! not ana WIG"
the evenings were not oppressive, the ram was -
heavy that people wouldn't 20 out At the cnd oil
fbe week the reserve ilud was drawn on for $500.
uur second week Wa little more favored IN point
az weather. and made profit OF 30. We were
uiilnui believing the tide had turned. The rejoicing
na, premature. Tat Was III" only WNhs "ecN
We had the whole -ca-on. Every ono Knows that
last winter wa, exceptionally vet; but thhh We
had the n- fortune To- thc storms with IL every "hcrc
A the end OF ten week, there was only 5000 LETT
ftff al
o. 20 ou losing at tli" same rate 80 We '"H'u INC
company together. told thcn tl" exact st'tc 2i
.-.u- and -.nd that We would continue To pay ilil
trl., for tWp weeks ana then close The season. Z"
tiai u they Would submit Z" rdnrton OF UNIV
of their ,alag,- an hu-in'-, Impfoycl sc WpHM Try
to 20 on. Micr mnch DISCUSSION inc 'c'"'M pUPV 49,
ton va, accepted. ON expense were certainly IL
difference vi, thai ihc reserve una was u,U S"o"
slowly. At last even Ihht va eN'' ,c;
Again called the company t"eetler, si'pWcn
Them the booh-. and told them PLAINLY we la, no ,'iI -,
money III could suggest va, - further reduction 81
salaries To one half th' original amount II was 'hrS'
Chicago. on, one or two had money for fares to
Sew York. aud there Wa scarcely any chance ol
getting ANYTHING to do there me ulshot VIZ, t az
all agreed to hang together little longer By 'nl'
time hnd been unable 10 pay the printer, regularly,
all TIE printing e. o. d.. liz had to get the local
managers To advance the amounts I" pay Tor H. ana
this not always easy to do. as they Knew we werc
m Queer street and might not reach the town,
and then all they had advanced would have been
dead loss. one manager positively refused 10 pay
for the printing until the company got into town.
st the end OF the week h. incd rs 800 on Che
plea tina: - the printing not up IN time We had
not been properly advertised. and hcIcc the lad
buslnc--. We toull 10; STAY to bring suit and thcrr
whs nothing 10 do but submit. Many 4 time dld
not have money 10 pay fares and had Ia get the
manager OF the next town Ia advance IN" amount
Whcn he wouldn't do th-. have plcdg,i the hotel
baggage to the railroad company, who held IT till
We PLAYED night or t"o and taken III enough TO re-
deem IT, From the tine we lcft New YORK, only.
once had a week the gr0>' receipts Of which touched
5000 and that was IN large city where we ma
give up the first 300 IL the managers. 50 we lost
there.
At last the time came when could not any
longer keep up the pIccncc Of paying even half
salaries We were week, behind for salary day. which
had originally been Monday had been shifted further
back till it had finally pcrforce rested at saturday All
that remained 10 be- done TO tell the company we
would 20 on We paying their board al the rate of ~
DAY and aloviug each - a week for small expenses.
The comedian would stand this. and he thought