The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-05-01
MOVE AGAINST ACTORS.
Theatrical Managers Endeavoring to Unite
for the Purpose of Fixing Salaries for
Each Line of Business.

A special despatch to Mondays Boston
Journal Gays: Evidences are Accomplishing
that the halcyon days of the American ac-
tor. so far as debating terms Of 0 larry are
| concerned, are very nearly at an end. The
ill-advised competition for managers for the
| services of certain actors and actresses has
resulted in scale of salaries which
no other profession enjoys, and the
average actor of today draws more money
for his work on the stage than he did dur
ing war times, when everything was inaat-
ed, including the currency of The nation.
A dollar now will purchase twice what it
would then, and in every other business
salaries have been adjusted 10 meet the
changed condition of affairs. TIL actor
alone continues TO enjoy the same pay for
his work, and. in many case, more and, of
course, tie long suffering public has to
meet the.bill.
"We have a good deal of complaint said
leading manager to reporter for he
Journal, 'about the price for Seats at ma ny
frst-class theatres. Even the wealthy class
object to paying So for an orchestra chair,
| and Iet crd mental protest every time they
do SO. and they are perfectly right. 1t is
too much money 10 pay for an evening s
entertainment,ande especially just now when
all kinds of business is depressed. But they
| make a great mistake in casting all blame
on t he managers. AS matter of fact, a
| first lars performance cannot be given in
| our best theatres with the present scale of
actors salaries unless this price is paid for
the choice seats.
1.-The general public has no idea of the
exorbitant wages paid 10 some of their fiji "
| orite actors. They far in excess..of. all
reason when the amount of work rendered
for the money is considered and they have
reached this point simply because managers
| instead of combining and acting together
| for their own interests and that of the pub
| lie, have engaged in a cut-throat game of
competition for certain men ana women of
the stage.
1.-The prospect now is that all this is to be
changed. An earnest effort is being made
| 10 unite managers of this city and also
| ira Yelling combinations in a mutual protec-
tive society. and the outlook is very promis-
| ing for successful issue to the movement.
One of the first objects Of the association
| will De to establish fixed salary list for
each line of business. from which members
| will not deviate-at least. to any very great
extent. The actors already understand this,
| and there is good deal of alarm on the
| '4tialto' in consequence.
e. When salaries are brought down to rea-
| sonable 5gure managers can afford to place
| the price Uf seats in the theatre at such a
| rate that a man of moderate income can
| afford to treat his family TO night a: the
| theatre without imroverishing himself The
reduction has got to come. and the sooner
it comes the sooner theatrical business will
improve. and the actor will find himself the
one most benefited, for a few seasons is the
last two will leave The majority of the play
ers without an occupation"