Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-02-13
PECULIAR BRANCH or NEWSPAPER
SERVICE IN VOGUE ~ NEW YORK.
Not n Critic but n Gossip Gatheror--Co..
Maple SON ms Press Agent-An
Amusing Story OF Edwin Booth.


of our large newspapers, and the re-
porter who makes the round OF the
theaters not only looks in at the house.
but often interviews the manager and
sometimes one or two of the players.
The critics. both musical and dra-
matte, have nothing to do with the
news Of the amusement world If IN
actor falls dead on the stage. the critic
may mention the fact, but it is the
duty of the dramatic reporter, if the
accident happens in theatcr. or the
musical reporter if it is in opera house
or concert hall, to find out all about
it aud treat it accordingly.
believe that Mr.. Leauder Richard
son, now the editor of one of our dra-
matte journals. was originally respon-
sibe for extending the field of dra-
matte journalism so that it might take
in everything. from the details of the
stars private life, down to the color of
the chorus girls stockings. Richard
son was employed as a reporter on the
Times. when, ten or fifteen years ago.
he began to make daily notes of what
this or that actor or actress had told
him. He was acquainted with many
DtNpAO huO "tiC OulN wv
glad TO see their names in print. Rich
ardson 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 and
told the readers of his paper all about
il. Managers have told me that they
often looked among Richardson's notes
TO find out what was going on in their
own companies.
One night last winter | was told bv
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 10 join theatrical COM
panies as their press agent. One of
the offers came from New York man.
ager who would require 10 travelling
from his agent and would pay him $50
a week, with vacation of Il month in
in summer. His duty would be TO get
all the free advertising for his employ
er that he could manage. 1t may seem
strange that "A manager and his clerks
can not write what are known as press
notices so that they will suit the ell
itorial eye and find their way into
print. but it is well-known fact
that fluent writer with knack for
dressing up little bits of news or Cos
sip for print is rs rare as he is indis-
pensable in every large theater. 1t is
the duty of this man TO know that the
chorus girls stockings were changed
to match the prima donnas hair and
to put this fact in such shape that it
will find its way into print as an anus
! ing item.
The famous Col. Mapleson. once
commander OF Her Majesty S operate
forces, who made a great deal of mon
ey by giving Italian opera in this coun-
try, was his own press agent, and a
most efficient one. Mapleson used TO
say that he got more free advertising
in 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 a special notebook devoted
10 such stories or anecdotes as might
look we'll in print. II there was =
squabble in his company. he was the
first To send word down to the news
paper offices. with request that the
reporter should call upon him. He
reveled in squabbles, and | have more
than half an idea that some of the
furious feuds between members of his
company were organized by the gall
liant Colonel in order that the newspa-
pers might find preteXt for devoting
a few columns to his affairs. He used
10 tell the critics that he liked abuse
provided that there were columns of il;
he could stand anything but silence
upon the part Of the press. When his
prima donna had her diamonds stolen.
which happened every season, he had
no end of "reminiscences about such
misfortunes. and he was always more
than willing to tell the reporters all
about the affair. incidentally mention
ing the fact that the opera house was
always crowded, aud the performa uces
under Col. Mapleson's direction the
best that America had ever seen.
Mapesoa was remarkable press
agent but he was too extrayagant to
: succeed as manager. He made q
clear profit OF about $4,000 a yeal
during the six or eight years of his
prosperity here, but he spent S25 600
As a man. he never knew what it wa,
to ho down-hearted. No matter how
desperate were his straits. he foun'
means to drink champagne at dinner
every day and to wear January ros,
in his button-hole.
For instance. that story that old
Ben Baker used To tell about Edwin
Booth being billed all over Rochestei
as Simple Edwin Booth. drew out o
Baker. aud it made capital anecdot'
, for ever paper in the towns wher'
Edwin Booth Is to play this season
Booth took II into his head in Roches
ter one day that he would drop tn
Mr. before his name on the blay-bills
and sent Baker to the printers to maxi
il simple Edwin Booth wherever hi
name appeared ia programs, posters o
hand-bills. Baker gave the message
aud the printer took it literally with tn
result that the cast OF the play appear
ed on every dead wall headed by