The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-30
SALARIES OF ACTORS.
POOR PAY AND SHORT SEASONS THE
RULE NOWADAYS.

Complaints That the Scale OF Salaries All
Through the Profession 10 Much Lower
Than Formerly-Actors who Cannot Save
Money TO Tide Thorn ovcr tho lido season.
"How tall are you 7"
Five feet nine"
"How much do you weight"
About 100, I think"
"Turn your profile"
A moment of silence followed, while Q young
man. turning a clear-cut, regular profile to the
view Of his companion, stared at a franc of
theatrical photographs on the wall Of a man.
ayers office.
"Stand up and let me look at you"
The young fellow arose with some slight en-.
barrassment. His two years experience had
not placed him in just this position many times
before, 80 he flushed a little as he got up. But
he remembered we'll enough what was Just then
necessary-to throw back his shoulders and
stand as high as his straight, slender legs would
allow him.
You'll do" the manager said, with some res
e%rvation in his tone, land you're one of the cases
in which the photograph did not lie entirely.
But II l give you q part can you dress itT
What is the parts" the young man asked,
determined to say he could dress it whether able
to or not; whether it took q frock coat and Q
dress suit or a Roman toga.
"Oh, it's a very pretty part" the manager
said. Its the leading one, and the only COS
tunes you need are two colonial uniforms. ono
fatigue and the other full dress. You ought to
be able to do 1t for $3.50. The parts that of Q
young Captain and it's q very good one"
What are you paying :" asked the young
man, with as much decision in his mind il not in
his tone as there had been when he inquired
about the costumes he would have to wear. 1t
was a reputable firm Of managers and there was
the prospect Of making a contract Immediately
inatead of nassinp throu0h n aunpna ~ upcor.
tainty. with the possibility of. being compelled al
the end to accept an offer that was not so good.
So 1t seemed to him that whatever the amount
might be he would accept 1t.
ave are paying $35 for a season of thirty
weeks" answered the manager. You are GER
tain Of employment through all that time. And
you know our reputation here he smiled
~grimly-"and you are not likely to lose your
time in working for u.s."
Thirty-tive seemed a small sum even to that
eager applicant. and he was busy with mental
mathematics the moment he heard the amount.
For his young wife and child it would take at
the least $40 a week in New York, or wherever
they decided to live permanently. 1t was out OF
the question for them to travel: On the road ne
was So a week to be paid for costumes, TO make
up the cost Of $3.50 for the thirty weeks. That
during. which he would BIO unemployed. It
seemed g desperate enough outlook. nut It was
quiz. ihCE McIc IL WHO anu tUC DHus hlu
there was a living for them out OF that sum.
Other offers might not come, and they they might be
tons passed, rapidly through his mind and he
decided quickly.
said hc the m an to,mo @rDS I tH 81 sign ab the &c eo ,nIT Sdu
then about the rehearsals. Wen probably have
The actor thought of this with a pang. but II
disappeared IN the satisfaction of having settled
his Plans for the winter; 1t was true hat the
usual physical to get the place, and
his ability in his profession had been cs,ab,
come to that managers office and talk business.
This case was one used to illustrate the claim
they were several years ago. in spite OF tho
stories SSn esd frequently snth heard = Of pop popular rl leading ma1 ms2
comedians who get equally ii sIlo large rewards. and
same proportion. That these stories are exag,
never thought that there had been any such
dimtnHtion In pay as recent cases indicaims' ov
popular actor Of old mems parts, 500 a week,
and George Hg Jordan, called the handsomest man
papers spoke Of those figures as very high. They
were, indeed. for that time" said an old actor 70
from $4ot to 300 for the best Of the actors OF that
period, but these figures were larger for that
cost Of living was very much cheaper. Tho
y years engagements were longer; At the mosta
weeks. Now the longest period of work that an
actor can get under any circumstances II y
season OF thirty-fOur weeks. During the other
eighteen he is compelled to 1.-Two on what he can
save in the season. Tho salaries paid do not
afford much surplus for that. The Average
actors salary to-day ID not 30 much as S!ns
week. 1t is, In fact. considerably under ihat
sum, In. the past actors would live with ihrlr
families In the town in which they were acting.
Now they must pay the expenses of their, fam
lilies as well as their own when travelling. Years
ago | got $50 a week in Chicago and WAS able 70
save money. besides supporting my wife and
child. But II / had been com PEELED to travel hs
well as pay the advanced prices OF living OF to-
day | never could have done so.
The actors pay has not advanced IN pro
portion to the compensation paid to other I'm
ployces. In many cases 1t has declined. Inc
were larger than any paid to-day, Charles
T,horne received between $l75 and 500 during
his greatest popularity at the old Union square
Theatre, and Montague got 500 at Waliack =.
Now. one OF the best-known leading actors got
last season Sl25. another receives S1S, and u
third gets 800. Yet they are In exactly me
places occupied by the men who in the past r..
ceived salaries nearly twice as large. The same
change has taken place all tho way down
tho line, and. while the salaries paid 10
young men may not actually be smaller IN
whore much higher. | know from my own eN
periencc that two'iifths OF tho actors on me
stage Today are dependent for their support
during the summer on relatives or friends. This
Is not the result OF improyidence in many cases.
but IL due 10 the fact that salaries have been re-
duced 10 II figure which makes any saving, even
with economy. out OF the question. There are.
of course. exceptions TO this rule, but they In
clude a very few people, while what say V tue