Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-07
nHIRPINGS OF THE FLY MAN
 AND DRAMATIC MUSINGS.


 street car without holding to strap it is a sign he is out of sleeve buttons.
 Six years ago well-known star actress was married in Sl20O dress. Now she is
 digging potatoes on a Jersey farm to sup
 port two children and drunken husband. A faithful and old time actor was asked how he had been doing. "First rate,' he
 replied. 'sBeen upderstudy for intermis- sion all the season.'
 A good story is told on Mir. John Steton, the veteran Boston theatrical manager. Some years ago one of his strongest dramatic organizations was filling fort night engagement at old "Uncle Dick' Hooley's theater in Chicago. MT. Hooey's treasurer and confidential man in the box office was that prince of good fellows, MT. Robort Sharp. The first matinee day of the engagement was Wednesday,, and MT. Sharp, with an eye strickly to business, had placed at the front of the house large sign with the legend, "Matinee o'clock, happened to stroll in front of the house, having previously agreed to go in search of some inviting place, where man slaketh
 his thirst and for the novice the cares Of life are forgotten, when the eagle eye of the veteran beaneater caught the matinee sign, procaiming that amusement would
 be furnished the residents of the Windy City at 2 o'clock, sharp.
 "Now, look here Hooley,'' said MT. Stetson, 'sjust see the impudepc ce of thoso fellows when you give them little author ity. Look at that sign. Matinee o'ciock today sharp. You send a man right oH aud
 have that sign changed to read matinee o'clock today. Stetson. and not sharp; he's your treasurer. but want him to know am manage Of this dramatic organization aud'he can't usurp my authoriiy.' The south has been a much more profita-
 ble field for the dramatic profession the season of 1894 and 1895 than either the east
 or west. Very few compap ies have stranded
 in the south, aud the majority have made some money.
 The following good story, told by MT. Sol Smith Russell to Pitsburg Dispatch reporter, has been going the rounds or the press. Mir. Tom Jeffers, who was superin- tendent of the company at the time, veri- 1es the story:
 BOOMING A TOWN.
 SOL SMITH RUSS ELL TELLS A GOOD ONE ON
 FORMER scRANToNIAN.
 "I never fully realized the advantages of having diversified interests,' said Sol Smith Russell the other day to Pittsburg
 Dispatch reporter, 'until lhad an experi- ence in Birmingham, Ala, with man who RaVe m0 sOno pOlubo III th0 aAo DNoiuOoSs
 When Birmingham was having its boom Frank O. Brieu then one ofthe most prom inent men of the town, but having since fallen to be member of the state leglsla- ture, was most ardent boomer. He ala all in his power to advance the interests of the city, and among other things built theater. or course Birmingham was not considered among the professions as bo- nanza town, and was permitted to retain its daily routine of business without being hx,fb ba ad n a theatrical com. pany. But MT. O'Brien, ever energetic,
 was bound that Birming ham should have, if not the position she desired among show towns,' at least the position he wanted her to have. So he induced the very best s- fractions to come to his house by offering guarantees. On one occasion l contracted to appear at his theater with my company, he guaranteeing certain amount Tor the one night. When we got there that night we found that, through some accident or other, there was no gas in the theater. Of course this was rather awkward, so went to MT. O. Brien and told him that while It would be ineonvenient wo could get along with lamps very well. No, sir, he replied, tonight. will not jeopardlze the lives of my patrons by using kerosene lamps. If one should explode or be overturned during the performance just imagine If you can the sell, is the amount guaranteed you, and he handed me check; I was surprised, and expressed myself, saying: But. MT. O'Brien, this is rather rough on you, to pay this amount without getting any return. We can play tonight with lamps without serious in- convenience, and you will not have to stand this loss.' No, sir, Mir. O Brien persisted, T will not open. Pm going to sue this = gas company for damages; that's what I'll do.' But how do you know you can re-
 cover from the gas company| How do | | know? Why, Pm sure of it; Pm the sec retary and treasurer and hold the money of the gas company.' p-ScranJon, (Ps.) Truth.
 "The Girl Left Behind Me- seems to | be loitering around the lumber regions of | Wisconsin, but she or 1t, is trying hard to | get back to New York. Truly the way of | the pagearist is hard.
 An actor does not "create" character. | The author creates-the actor interprets. | He may originate or create new business | in the character, but the actor never ere" | ates It, unless be is the author himself. It | is noticed, however, that it is to great | extent the variety actor, when given some | part in piece for the first time, who loves | to indulge in this mammoth work. The following is taken from tue New | York Dramatic Mirror. Branch was in l Birmingham two weeks ago as the advance | agent of the Sadie Martinot company: | The irrepressible Branch O'Brien, known l from Hoboken to Jers-we mean from | Maine to California--as an indefatigable manager and agent-aud Lester Gurney,
 whilom assistant secretary of the actor's s | fund-tbe man who did all the work while | the secretary went about his other busi' | ness-have formed a partnership for the | purpose of conducting general theatrical l business. Their advertisement in another column will tell you all about it. They l have taken quarters in the heart Of the. l atrical circles, at the Packard Musical and Dramatic agency, 47 West Twenty-eight street. From their extensive acquaintance l i. l, and fhair nnIrart huSl.