The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-02-21
DRAMATIC REPORTER.
PECULIAR BRANCH or NEWSPAPER
SERVICE IN VOGUE IN NEW YORK.
Tot Critic but Gossip Gatherer-coi.
Maple son ms n Press Agent--An
Amusing story of Edwin Booth.

pers contained an account Of how two
Young men went 10 eighteen theaters
II one evening and saw something OF
tao play nj each one. III these Young
men had been in the newspaper BUSH
hess they would scarcely have thought
OF their performance rs feat 10 boast
Of for the same thing, Is done every
evening by the representative of each
o. our large newspapers. and the re-
porter who makes the round OF the
theaters not only looks in nj the house.
but often interviews the manager and
sometimes one or two OF the players
The critics. both musical aud dra-
matte. have nothing TO do with the
news Of the amusement world. IL an
actor falls dead on the stage. the critic
may mention the fact. but il is the
duty Of the dramatic reporter. II the
accident happens ia theater. or the
musical reporter IL II is In opera house
or concert hall. to find out all about
II and treat II accordingly.
/ believe that Mr.. Leander Richard
son. now tho editor OF one of our dra-
matte journals. was originally respon-
sible for extending tho field of dra-
matte journalism so that il might take
in everything. from the details of the
stars private life. dawn 10 the color of
the chorus girls stockings. Richard
son was employed ms reporter on the
Times. when, ten or fifteen years ago,
he began 10 make daily notes Of what
this or that actor or actress had told
him. He was acquainted with many
professional people who were only too
glad 10 see their names ia print. Rich
.nrdson did his work SO we'll that the
place OF theatrical reporter was created
for him on the Times. and for several
years his duties consisted in visiting as
many theaters as he could every even
ing. and following up every bit of gos-
sip about theatrical people. IL Miss
Lillian Russell had made up her mind
TO elope. he knew il before she did. aud
told the readers OF his paper all about
IL. Managers have told me that they
often looked among Richardson's notes
20 fluid out what was going on in their
own companies.
One night last winter was told by
n clever and pleasant young fellow
who had for two years held the place
OF dramatic reporter for one of our inn
portant papers. that in his rounds that
evening he had received no less than
three offers TO join theatrical COM
panies ms their press agent. One OF
the offers came from New York man
ager who would require no travelling
from his agent aud would pay him $50
week, with Il vacation of a month In
in summer. His duty would be TO get
ali the free advertising for his employ
er that lac could manage Ii may seem
strange that manager and his clerks
can not write what are known ms press
notices SO that they will suit the ed
itorial eye and find their way into
print but IL is well-known fact
that iluent writer with knack for
dressing up little bits of news or Cos
sip for print is as rare rs he is indis-
pensable ia every large theater. Ii is
the duty OF this man Co know that the
chorus girls stockings were changed
10 match tho prima donna's hair aud
60 put this fact in such shape that IL
viii find its way into print MS an anus
ing item.
The famous Col. Mapleson. once
commander Of Her Majesty's operate
forces. who made great deal OF mon
ely by giving Italian opera in this coun.
try. was his own press agent. and
most efficient one. Mapleson used to
say that lac got more free advertising
ia week than other managers got in
month. simply because the reporters
knew that he was always ready for
them with some tale worth printing.
He kept q special notebook devoted
20 such stories or anecdotes as might
box well In print. III there was
squabble in his company. he was the
first to. send word down 10 tho news
paper Offices. with request that the
reporter should call upon him. He
revelcd in squabblcs. and ! have more
than half au itlca that some of the
furious feuds between members OF his
company were organized 10y the gall
liant ColOnel in order that the newspa-
pers might find prctcxt for dovoting
n few columns TO his affairs. He used
10 tell the critics that he liked abuse.
provided that there were columns of II;
he could stand anything but silence
upon tho part of the press. When his
prima donna had her diamonds stolen.
which happened every season, he had
no end Of "reminiscences about such
mislortunes. aud he was always more
than willing Ia tell the reporters all
about the affair incidentally mention
ing tho fact that the opera house was
always crowded, aud tho performances
under Col. Maplcson's direction the
best that America had ever seen.
Maplcson was remarkable press
agent hut hn was too extravagant to
succeed rs manager. He made
clcnr profit of about @20.0O0 year
during the six or eight years Of his
prosperity here. but he spent s25. coo.
As "a man. he never knew what II was
20 be do~n-hcarted. No matter how
desperate were his straits. he found
means to drink champagne ut dinner
nrnrx tlnx md 10 wear q LAnnnrY roso