The record-union., 1897-07-18

the cost of the production and some
thing besides. Miss Fanny DaVen-
ports season of twenty-five weeks, il
is said, netted her about $4,000, and
she was seen only in her old Sardou
repertory, which, by the way, is now
shelved Miss May Irwin, with
"Courted Into Court cleared about
$50, 600 for herself and her managers.
Frank Daniels, too, had a successful
season with The Wizard of the Nile, .
and cleared between $4,000 and $50,
600. Francis Wilson probably made
an equal amount with Half a King, -
while De Wolf Hopper did much bet
ter with lei Captain" The Boston
ians, with THE Serenade," no doubt
cleared SO, 900 or $4,000.
One of the largest money makers OF
the season undoubtedly was Jack and
the Beanstalk," which, after an only
moderately good engagement at the
Casino, did some phenomenal business
on the road and cleared more than
S60,OiO on the season. Lost, Strayed
or Stolen" too, during the sixteen
weeks it was under Miner & Brooks
management cleared nearly $1,000 a
week. In Cay New York" and The
Lady Slavey'' also made their mana
gers good round sums on the road.
THE Two Little Migrants was only
moderately successful, probably not
clearing more than $4,000.
At the Lyceum there were no aston
ishfng successes during the regular
stock company season, but it is likely
that counting in what was made by
The Prisoner of Zenda" on the road
the Lyceum mana cement pocketed full
ly $4,000. THE Myterious Mr.. Bu-
gle" which was put on for a short run
at the Lyceum, was a good money
maker, and doubtless made it's owners
several thousand dollars.
The foreign stars who visited Ameri-
ca last season We're not particularly
successful, but it is likely that Beer
bohm Tree, John Hare and E. S. Will
lard each went home some $4,000 or
$4,000 richer than when they landed
here. Sfngularly enough, THE Sign
of the Cross" which was such a
frost" at the Knickerbocker, proved a
good money maker on the road, and
the managers are going to send it out
again next season.
So you see, that the theatrical sea-
son of 1867 wasn't such an awfully
bad season for some stars and mana
gers after all, even if We make a pret-
ty large allowance for the inevitable
managerial ''whoppers."
Some time ago the intense rivalry
among the billpOsters for the most VAL
liable advertising places resulted in
contests that were exceedingly anus
ing TO the public, but which were stern
struggles with the professionals. One
of the most interesting of these fights
took place at the time the Broadway
cable was being constructed. At night
the excavations We're marked by long
lines of barrels, connected by rails.
with red lanterns placed upon every
barrel. 1t did not take long to con-
vince the bill posters that here was
a chance not to be lost So one man
started his employees out one night to
cover the barrels with the little dodg-
ers called "snipes," which advised the
great American public not do a thing
until they had seen Uncle WHY'S Zinc
| Teeth"
The man did this work WELL and af-
ter covering every barrel in sight with
his wholesome advice returned to see
how the things looked What was his
surprise to find another knight of the
paste brush laying over his "snipes'
/ before they were even dry another
series, which adjured the people of the
metropolis to Hear Tottie Gumdror
Sing Rally Round the Rum Punch. -
There were words and blows. in the
midst of which a policeman arrived
and carried off the combatants to the
nearest police station.
The echoes of the fray had scarcely
died away when Tottie Gumdrop's adj
veTtising was blotted out with the
praises of Jim Jam Jerry, the Human
| Ostrich" The courts were full of the
trouble until the cable had been en-
tirely laid.
A veteran manager told a Tribune
reporter recently that probably 81 .0OC
every week was taken out of the pock-
cts of the managers of New York thea
ters in this way alone. In a season
of thirty-five weeks, which is a good
average, this means about S140 900.
OF late the rivalry has not been SC
I
ers bidding against each other for the
use Of specially desirable locations
But even this mild rivalry has now
become almost a thing of the past. for
the bill posters have formed a union
/ as they realized that nothing is to be
gained by internecine struggles. "Why
fight each other" they reason. when
1t is so much easier and so much more
profitable to combine against the man
ager."
Up to date the manager seems to be
the one who is getting the worst of it
And there seems to be way for him tc
avoid the payment of big prices for the
fattening of the bill posters pockets
unless he combines with other manag-
ers and refuses to use the stands ex-
cept at his own price. But that such
combination will be made is ex-
tremely unlikely. The managers do NOT
seem to combine well. They have tried
1t on various occasions, notably for the
suppression of ticket spectators. but
without the slightest success. Even
should the managers bovcott the
STANDS, the patent medicine firms Would
/ De glad 10 get the use of them. to saw
nothing OF the owners of various large
stores. Thus far. however. the thaatri-
cal people seem to be willing to nav
the top-notch prices. And If they think
II pays, Who has right to COMPLAIN
/ BESIDES, theatrical managers are not
as class. noted for throwing thei,
money aWay--New York Tribune.
concerning the performance of 'I.o-
renzaccio" by Sarah Bernhardt at the
London Adelphia, the London ..Tfmes
says; From note by the adapter
or the mana 2gement ono ern4l.A.. -.