The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-06


going into the money earning
field as advertising and press
agent 1t is needless to say that there.
as elsewhere, the really new woman is
successful.
The press agent is an individual prac-
tically unknown to the great audiences
who are entertained at circus or thea
ter, yet wherever a performance is ex-
traordinarily successful and profitable
it is safe to conclude that this person
has done much fine work. The press
agent is the employee of an entertain
ment company who goes on ahead OF
the company to a given place a week or
several days before the company itself
arrives and prepares the way. Famous
lecturers and musicians like Paderew-
ski also have these agents.
1t is primarily the task of the press
agent to visit all the newspapers of a
town and get notices of the coming
show in them. The agent who under
stands his or her business has these
notices already printed or typewriter
When a woman press agent arrives in
town she attires herself in a neat and
tasteful but quiet street costume. pro-
ceeds to one newspaper Office after an
other and asks for the dramatic editor
or the city editor. She talks to him
DTl0ily-IOl LOO briefly, DuL just l46llN-
produces her written notices. anecdotes.
jokes. puffs and information concerning
the coming show and asks him to use
these in his dramatic column. He is
usually glad to do it if they are well
written and not too utterly horid. 1t
saves writing notices himself With
complaisant city editor and a skillful
press agent sometimes columns in de-
scription and praise of a play will be
thus spread before the public, thor
oughly acquainting newspaper read
ers with it, from the press agents
standpoint, at least.
Frequently the press agent visits in
huential citizens of town, too, enlist
ing their interest in the performance.
1t is not altogether unknown for an
adroit agent even to get subscriptions
for boxes and seats for theater parties
from wealthy citizens, the success of
the play or entertainment being thus
assured. very skillful agent will
sometimes have a whole house sold in
advance of the arrival of the company.
This makes the managers heart glad
and adds to the value of the press
agent.
It is not uncommon for the duties of
both press and advance agent to be
performed by one person. In that case.
and prominent citizens, the agent must
obtain hotel accommodations for the
company and make railroad rates for
their journey, getting the best terms
possible. Besides the other matters the
agent must bill the town"-look to it
that picturesque posters of the show
cover the billboards. There are also
the local managers of the playhouses
to be met and reckoned with.
agent must be not slow. She must
have eyes, ears and brain alert and
tongue in her head-a tongue that has
a pleasant wit and a cheerful, merry
word If she has troubles of her own
she must bury them deep as oblivion.
If you want favors you must wear
cheerful face that all mankind will be
glad to see Keen business shrewdness
is necessary in order to prevent loss in
stead of gain for her company. Above
all, the successful press agent must
maintain good temper, everlasting good
temper, even in face of exasperations
that would provoke saint.
The woman agent must have health
that can endure the strain of long
Journeys, sleepless nights and missing
meals. or, better yet, the enthusiasm
that does not mind little things like
these.
Sometimes newspaper people VINO
know how to write well adopt the bust
ness of press agent as being more lu-
crative than that of ordinary journal
ism. Again, number of successful az
tresses are now press agents quite as
successful.
Among the ladies in this new field for
woman's endeavor one may mention
Grace Noble, who journeyed in advance
of the Little Princess" and Anna
Marble. who has been Elsie de Wolfe's