Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-03-08
THINGSTHEATRICAL
THE GOSSIP ABOUT THREE PROMINENT ACT
RESSRS.
The Transatlantic Experiment Of Manager Abbey
Big Salaries to Be Pald-Ths Dramatic
Protective Association - News Notes
About Actors and Theaters

New York, March Three ac-
tresses were sharing the gossip OF the
Rialto yesterday. One was Minnie Pal
mer, and it was talked that she may not
always be with us. She is said to have
begun to sigh for another sight OF Lon
don audiences, and she wants to face
them in opera or burlesque. This would
be possible if it came by arrangement Tor
release from "A Mile Minute,
which variety melodrama now employs
her on tour The other actress was
Mrs. Leslie Carter, who seems TO have
been of late target for malicious shafts
in consequence of a shortening OF her
tour. Bad health and bad play have
exhausted her in the West, and
she will stop on March 10. Mrs. Carter
success as an actress is undoubted
She will play an engagementat the new
Fifth Avenue next season with play
by David Belasco, stage genius, whose
withdrawal from collaboration partner
ship with De Mile seems To have set
tongues wagging. The third actress
was Lydia Thompson, about whom man
ayers have begun to fight. Her recent
engagement in this city has had sequel
in a lawsuit, but it did not get TO trial,
for there was monetary adjustment OF
the dispute Miss Thompson's man
ayers agreed that it would do 10 con-
tlnue week longer in this city than
the fortnight originally planned.
This extension of time necesstated can
ceiling week at the Grand Opera
House in Boston; and, on the promise
that the perennial Lydia would surely
play there later on, the manager con
sented to the release But be was an
gered week afterward TO find that
John Stetson, who controls the Boston
Globe Theatre, had quietly engaged
Lydia for that playhouse. Lydia was
sued for an alleged breach OF contract.
Half an hour before the case came to
court she paid money enough to COM
penSate the plaintiff for his loss. 1t
was like old times for Lydia.
Transatlantic singers have become
excited since il was published that
Henry T.. Abbey intended to pay TO the
De ResZke brothers, who are coming
over here next season, something like
-. 500 a night. OF this, so goes the
pretty story, Jean de ReSzke will get
-. 900 and Edouard de Reszke $500.
Jean is a tenor who must be approach
lug 80. Abbey will surely pay fancy
price for him, but il may not be so
high as the European papers have been
led to believe. Mr. Abbey's last nOta-
bic experiment with tenor was in the
case of Tamagno, whose wages were
enormous. but who did not profit his
manager as speculation. Con
tinenta opera goers declare
that Jean de Reszke must win his Amer
lean triumphs on his voice alone, and
that organ he can force, at his age,
without counting disaster. Moreover,
his is not the captivating and romantic
personality os Campanini. This pre-
dction is made that Nine. Media, who
comes over with the ReszkeS, will be
worth quite as much to Manager Abbey,
although she will not draw so much
money from the treasurer.
Professional actors of repute general
ly agree that it is serious offence to
pirate copyrighted American plays here.
The punishment is usually swift and
severe. Amateur actors, on the other
hand, are unaccountably lax in respect
ing the rights of authorship, and for
years managers and playwrights have
suffered from non-profeSSional thefts of
their property. The Brooklyn anna
teur dramatic societies have repeat
edly given offence in this respect,
and now w. H. Gillette is going TO
make a vigorous test case that may eS-
tabish a warning penalty. Two or
three weeks ago Brooklyn amateurs
performed Gillette's Held by the En-
envy" at the Criterion without the au-
thor's permission and in the face Of his
managers protest. Counsellor Walter
NJ. RoSebault has now proceeded against
the fifteen persons who were response
bic for and appeared in the perform
ancc. The suit will be vigorously pros
ecuted. and it may be expensive for the
defendants. who are charged with Sc
curing a copy of the play by fraud.
There is trouble in the new Dramatic
Agents Protective Association. Messrs.
Simmonds q Brown refuse TO enter the
association because they don't want TO
affiliate with variety agents, and be-
cause they think they can manage their
business without outside assistance.
J. j. Spies and Col. Milliken were APP
pointed committee to visit Simmonds
& Brown, neither of whom had done
anything toward joining the association
since signing the agreement by which
the agents decided to supply each other
with lists OF the actors who were not in
the habit of paying commissions for
securing engagements, and to refuse TO
do business for these actors. Mr..
Spies said yesterday that in
his opinion MesSrs. Simmonds
& Brown wished 10 use the Association
as a means of blacklsting certain actors.
"They sent us their blacklist" he said,
almost before the ink on the agree
ment was dry, and on that list are sew
erav people who have invariably PAID
me and other agents without question,
and who say they do not owe them
pennv. as the firm never got them en-
papements. Some say SimmOnds
Brown engaged them for season with
Helen Dauvray. They were employed
for three weeks, received three weeks
salary, and then the company closed.
Inc actors OUtTtu W pay POI l"r
of the salary they had received, but
this was declined by the firm, who want
ed commission based on an entire sea
sons salary.
Col. Brown said that he and Mr. Sim
monds saw no reason for an association,
as the blacklsting was all that was nee
essary, and even that was not urgent IN
their case. as they never did business
twice with an actor who neglected TO
pay when money was due. Owe also
refuse to recognize variety agents.
said the Colonel. 1--WE are dramatic.
not sidewalk or gutter agents.
The managers of the association say
that they take no step without legal
advice. and that almost $1,000 OF OLD
debts has been recovered since the
agreement was signed on January 9. 1t
is the intention of the association to
give the actors little more leeway
abopt having up. They will shortly