The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-24
POVERTY STRICKEN ACTORS
Who Lead Dogs Life in New York.

ers down to stage hands, have known few
II any more disastrous SEASONS than the
now far advanced season of 1856. If
seems to be the climax of Succession of
adverse years, bearing hard on backs al
ready bent by heavy burdens of mistor-
time. The failure of many scores of ex-
cellent travelling companies that yaiplv
sought support from the patronage once
accor ied abundantly by the minor cities
and towns attests that the hard tim as
from which the country has suffered since
1892 are not yet over. Money Ia not vet
sufficiently plentiful to permit indul-
gence in amusements to the same extent
as formerly. This is in no wise dis
proved by the exceptional successes of
few theatres in the principal cities
where rich people live and where the
large floating populations maintain an
abnormal scale OF expenditure. The press
ent situation is bad enough for theatrical
enterprises and those employed in thenl
but worse is to come, because a presiden-
tlal campaign year is always a bad one
for the theatrical business.
One reason for the ever-increasine dis
tress among caterers to the public amuse.
ment II that the ranks Of the profession in
every department are now over crowded.
not only BY the natural growth of the
established sources of native supply, but
also by hordes of imported performers,
who. as general rule, remain when they
get here. For the last decade almost all
English stars have brought their own
entire companies to this country to sup
port them thus depriving Americans of
chance of employment.
Other artists, also, of almost every race
color, and previous condition Of ssryi-
tude. have fiocked to this country, and
have often been preferred by managers to
native performers. The consequence is
that only the comparatively email num-
Der who are in the front ranks are always
in demand. A FIVE others ranging down
ward from this line manage to exc out a
precarious livelihood by occasional jobs,
but among the rank and file of American
professionals the distress increases from
year to year.
Some do not get single job In an en-
tire season, and SO, by sheer necessity,
are forced out of the profession altogeth-
u into other occupations. AS rule act-
ors are ill-adapted to and care nothing
for a ny pursuit other than theirs. There
are, however, few notable exceptions of
players making a SUCCESS in some other
business. But while most of them still
hang on to their own, they conceal their
struggles in the poor abodes they call
"home," and put brave face upon air
sufferings, not only because aetors-in
that word are also included actresses
are naturally proud, but also because
they know the Importance of keeping
up appearances. They are aware that if
they look doleeul and shabby the infer
epce will be drawn that they are out of
an engagement because they are no longer
attractive, and as nothing succeeds like
success they must at least seem to be at
the head and not at the foot of the pro-
cesslon. Moreover, so long as he can
Keep we'll dressed hope springs eternal in
tho actors breast. He is sure that SO
long, as he can hold on to his wardrobe
he mry at any moment seize job.
Therefore daily he joins the crowd on
the actors change, and helps to swell
the swarm at the dramatic agencies,
with gayly uplifted head, and cracking
Jokes with the most prosperous--or the
reverse-of them all. He may feel a trifis
hollow in the stomachic region, and his
trousers may be fringsd at the ankles.
but they will tie newly creased and his
face will be olean-shaven. The women's
black satin shirts, from overmuch clean
Ing and pressing, may shine like an old
stove. but their hang and fare will be in
the latest style, while their hats will be
so beflowered and befeathered that no one
will catch even glimpse of Black Care
as he rides ON the rim behind. 1t is only
when the players toys become thread
bare, Or he is obliged to consign them to
the care of his "uncle," that, losing
heart along with the most essential tools
of his trade, he drops out of it altogether.
1t is net only the incompetent and the
boards, but also those still in the prime
OF life and with unimpaired dramatic
power, whose services were in demand
and we'll renumerated until the "Assvri-
ans came down like wolf on the fold.
There is one native actor who used to
receive an average weekly salary of $40.
He has had no steady employment for
five years, and is overjoyed at the now
rare chance of getting a IS job.
Many among the retired ranks were
provident in their by-gone prosperous
days, and put by something, but, except
in the case of stars, their earnings were
seldom in excess of the indispensable out.
lay for costumes and other incidentals. 80
that few of them now find themselves in
position to live without an inc.me
from continued employment. Hence one
comes across retired artists of both sexes
in the most unexpected places anu pur-
suits.
In the list of the impecunious are not
included the vast hordes who gain sub
sistence by instruoting pupils in the vari
GUS qualifications of the dramatic art. as
this Is the naturnal resource of their nro-
fession. Being overcrowded, like the pro-
fessiOn itself, only occasionally is the
business of the instructor sufficiently
profitable to put those engaged in ii in
fourishing circumstances.
All sorts of strange expedients to keap
the wolf from the door are resorted 10.
One ex-heavy villain Of the melodraInatic
stage row trudges meekly and uncom-
plainingly in all weathers through the
suburban districts as peddler. His stock
in trade consists Of coarse wooden socks
muffiers and mittens. His customers
are farmers, gardeners, conductors. driv-
ers and such other laboring men as 10
winter work outdoors and require extra
heavy covering for their hands and feet
The goods are knitted by his wife, who
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