The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-21
TIE rHrArRE DooRKEEprR.
A Functionary whose Style Has Changed
Greatly within Recent Years.

The merits and virtues. some authentic
some debatable, and most OF them imaginary
OF the old stage doorkeeper have been sung In
poetry and extolled in prose. He has been
made the subject OF stage Characterization; he
has been a theme Of ballad. and his crusty
speech and underlying benevolence have In
voked the considerate regard OF many persons
vaguely described as the friends and patrons
| OF the stage. But the front doorkeeper. the
man who takes the tickets OF the theatre
| goers-not the Cerberus who. In fancy at
least. handed the perfumed letters to the
soubrette or the leading lndy-has received
very little attention. though perhaps. every
thing considered. he Is worthier OF IL than the
Rruff and u~ncommunicntive stage doorkeeper.
usually n retired and often a disappointed
actor, a misanthrope. whose chief title to re-
tention often was that. II replaced at all. he
could only be replaced by another stage door
keeper OF like attributes. n distinction with
out a difference. While the practical aban-
donment OF stock companies In a majority OF
the theatres has had, the effect of relegating to
obscurity the stage doorkeeper.a like change.
though from different causes,, appears 10 nave
nESTSsd the iSc, position psCaSTIv OF illa 5ss ,rSn' by p0 tRc
York theatre doorEeepers: Louis @ vTSmXss.
Goort %s%Sss Y Hs. % Sas q g f e tii%GEY g. ' RSitse
ddo oor@a6o l Of tES Maaison s SQUARE s'S From oSal tSerss
he went to the New Park, now the Herald
square Theatre. and from there to the Garden.
His brother was for many years q theatre DOOR
In other days there devolyed upon the door
keepers OF New York theatres duties and OBJ
legations WHICH required an experienced mar
to perform, he was EXPECTED, nrst OF all 1; 70 90
to greet them at appropriate occasions OF the
s~eason-the opening night oil. y, the closing
night of 1t and at the principal beneflts--with
hpnrtfnaas and pnr1inlity He VIVA nyDpCfe0 TO
privilege OF admittance without the ,formality
OF q ticket, and to use fair discretion IN the
matter. He was accustomed to know and to be
to those calling socially during q performance.
and one OF his chief duties. now obsolete. was
to know the names and seats OF, the stock;
holders, for the leading theatres had several
seats emitting them TO- admittance at any time.
to any performance. The custom OF dropping
into a theatre late was quite genera! In New
York when the city was smaller and the thea
more general. too, when two. three or more
plays constituted the evenings bill, instead OF
only one. as ia usually the case now, One by
one the old-styie doorkeSpers have passed
at the entrance Of New York theatres
have been taken by doorkcepers OF the new
style, recruited usually from the ranks Of those
and whose particular and peculiar function It
is not to seem to know anybody. Such are tho
managers instructions: such are the require
mentso OF the present conditions OF theatricals.
many ma J years Srs' to. come. No. one would think
nowadays Of having n preliminary conversa-
ton with q theatre doorkeeper In New York
any more than with n street-car Gripman. The
business II. indeed. az. is sometimes said. the
business has not retired from him..