The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-29
THEATRICAL EXCHANGES.
Business Far less Probable Nov Than Form
eriy. save for variety Agencies.

CITY, taNe toT NhFttty Agencies.
The theatrical exchange is not the profitable
enterprise IL used to be some twenty years ago.
Then the successful agents were powerful men
In affairs Of the theatre. and two or three Of
them are said to have grown rich out of the
business. All the actors Obtained their engage
ments through them. and they naturally played
a conspicuous part in the profession. But the
abandonment OF the Old stock system gave them
one blow, and other blows followed, until there
was only a small field left TO them. AZ the great
interests OF :Ac profession Logan 10 be &C ;rolled
by q comparatively small number OF managers,
the latter took to engaging their actors directly
or through an agent who was practically their
employee. THIS phase OF the matter put a prac-
tical end TO the usefulness OF the agencies, and
their business to-day is very small. There are a
number OF them still in existence. but their
business is far from being so extensive as il was
in the past. Some idea o. the decline may be
gathered from the fact that some Of the most
prosperous among them to-day are managed by
women. Others are employ ed by a large Arm Of
managers 70 attend to al! its work, and this puts
them practically on @ saIariea basis, although
they are not prevented from doing work for
other Managers.
The agent still proepers as much as he ever
did in the vaudeville end If the business. He
has suffered TO some e&tens il the same way as
hkcubS II the OIucE UTdnCD- Inc metnDfFs OF
the large variety companies that travel over the
country are engaged for a whole season. The
agent for variety actors accompi.shcs most bust
ness when he gets a new engagement every
week for his actors. There are, luckily. enough
variety actors outside OF the travelling con-
panles to keep a large number OF agents very
proitably. occupied: There are many OF these
agencies here in New York. and all bear a re-
In their importance. hut they all have a look
which shows plainly their uses. Some OF them
neighhorhoods. and they are often dis;an, irom
the theatres. az well as from the customary
One Of the largest of them all used to tie stu.
1ted on a consricuors, corner OF Union, square.
crowded. The outside room. which AL arrivals
entered trst; was furnished only with a wooden
the walls. were Photographs. for the most pay.
unframed. and Autographs .. all species OF The
men, short-skirted Ssiiadis,s. sfsoSs 'W Women,
thin men. sisters" who danced or sang. or
did both, and m"a who COMPOSED their own
songs and sang them 10 the accompaniment OF
magic lantern pictures on a canvas screen.
Nothing about these pictures was nearly so
which the originals had written over the pic
tqres. The best Of her kind. Yours truly.
Photograph OF u stout Amazon in tights Tho
Siersre:t song writer in the tn-inc-s" 40.
of wing dancers" and The emperor Of Cog
dsncecs' We're some o. the mocest descriptions
attached 70 the faces OF these celebrities. But
among all he faces there were very Jew that
were familiar. One got from looking at them
an .Iea Of how numerous the army Of these
mumme-s must be.
But il only an occasional face looks familiar
n The larger Places and only an occasional name
looks as though Il had stared once before from a
metropolitan billboard. there is nothing sus-
Ssstive OF one experience in the smaller places.
wholly new, even 20 the man who has spent
many OF - evenings in the city variety theatres.
The same photographs. with The same fai;.rinC
lima a fhN. fnA LNNR . la--
about on the walls: These people are Of the
kind to be seen in tie cheapest OF the
admission is charged. They play IN the CGney
Island halls and The other resorts which are no;
than a low screen or a hslE-closed door. one
curious feature OF this class is thar the only
Tel!,kn9wn nsmss that happen 10 be seen are
their present grade through one, OF the
many causes thar lead 10 downfall on the
stage. Cnly Nfew weeks ago there was woman
singing in an oPcn'air resort near New York
who was in her day one q the most conspicuous
OF them in England rs well as in this country.
But she had neNe: saved anything. and to-day
she can get. and lha'nkinx COD ~" and SsS nSsnt
for it, snii one OF the old variety managers,
who was wondering the other day how she could
have made so much money for 90 LONG \ time and
have none OF il left to-day.
Some OF the agents for the variety actors
the employees of certain large music halls VINO
get engagements for actors in them and then
euasec thcui iooF 10 per cent. OF .tictE salary.
whatever their rate happens 10 be. But this
does not IN reality 80 to the agent. He draws a
regular salary. The percentage supposed 10 20
10 the agent goes IN reality TO the manager. who
Is able in this way 10 get the actors for some 10
or Is per cent. less than their salaries. The
agent is a sort OF stool pigeon who only helps
the manager TO keep salaries down. But this 40
not supposed to be known TO the actors he EN-.
p!oys. II they are aware OF 1t, and there is no
reason why they should not be-, they keep quiet
ahonti'. One of Tho most profitable rlethoas OF
the agents nowadays is 10 engage some I'M.
known but promising performer for a certain
number OF years AT q modest figure. Then the
agent hires him out at u large advance, and IL
be docs not disSppUint cNDeCt,tIons, he will
probably make enough to nay the agent " ell FOR
the undertaking. Tor some time 10 como. This Is
not confined 20 the vaudeville agents, however,
but is as true OF the concert agents.