The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-13
WOMEN STARS EARN
LARGEST SALARIES
incomes Of Popular Actresses
Exceed Those of the
Men Players.
MISS ADAMS BIG INCOME
Hasn't Earned Less Than $4,000 il
Any Year Since 1.-THE Little Min
lister" Made Its Hit-Mrs.
Carriers Earnings.

CdTLeT ) Earnings
Exchange: by JoveH' said the young
man as they left the theater. ito think
that fellow gets $3.50 a week for doing
that! Here 1 work for seven hours a day
and have been at it for ten years, and l
don't make that much In a month. It's
the greatest snap in the world to be an
actor. Think of it-s250 a week."
This young man voiced the general
opinion of persons who are not familiar
with the conditions under which actors
work. Those who know what they earn
and what they have to do to earn it do
not deny that they are as a body greatly
ovepa.d: but they also tax into consid-
Grafton facts which the general public is
likely to overlook.
Thus the ordinary actor IS not en-
ployed for more than thirty-five weeks
in the year. and in many cases the period
is shorter. Indeed. there are few actors
who stand so high in their professions
that they can compel managers to en-
gage them absolutely for a whole season.
They are always. unless they are stars,
subject to the two weeks notice clause.
This provision Is, Of course, necessary
for theatrical managers who might be
ruined by being compelled to carry an eX-
pensive company over the country for a
whole season when the business was poor.
Then the demand for certain kinds of
sectors is great. Young men of good
presence to play leading roles are not
numerous, nor are there enough women
with notable charm of manner and per-
sonality to supply the Immense demand
that has grown up during recent years
for actresses.
The women stars are the most profitable
today, and by that is meant the women
who are really stars in the ol~d-fashioned
sense Of the word. Women like Maude
Adams, Mrs. Carter, Minnie Fiske, Annie
Russell, Julia Marlowe, Mrs. Langtry and
Henrietta Crosman are sure of large
profits. whatever their plays may be. One
year their earnings may be S15, COO and
the next twice that sum, but they are in
any case beyond the chance of having
their careers suddenly ended because
their plays fail.
The two most popular actresses In this
country are Maude Adams and Mrs. Car
ter, and their earnings during the last five
years have been enormous. Mrs. Carter
Is under salary to David Belascu, lust as
Maude Adams Is to Charles Frohman, and
In addition to their fixed salaries they re-
ceive a percentage.
Viola Alien, when she became a star
with the Liebler company, was not looked
upon by other managers as an especially
Pa Dir ldu d STEtT
degree of confidence in herself thar the
managers had In her, for by her contract
with the Lieblers she arranged for q sal
airy of only 500 a week, but she got a
large percentage Of the profits.
Every pla she appeared in was a sue
cess and out Of THE Christian" alone
she earned more thar $3.50, 900. "In the
Palace of the King The Eternal Citv."
and THE Hunchback' were all immense
ly profitable for her. Now she is SO we'll
established that she can act whatever
she wants to, and in her revival of
Twelfth Night" this year she is to
hnance her own company and be her own
manager.
Mrs. Carter. unlike Miss Allen. does not
take a large percentage and a small sal
airy. She now gets from David Belasco
sl,iW a week and a share of the profits
naturally no large share, as her MANAGER
taxes on himself the financial burden of
the performance In which she appears
me carter plays have been so successful
turing the last four seasons that even a
small share of the profits represents n
large weekly income.
Maude Adams has probablr never
cleared less h $50, 900 a year Since her
nrst season In "The Little Minister" Rv
her contract with Charles Frohman She
gets a fixed salary Of $500 a week and
about 80 per cent. of the profits. And any
10y iahaSet "oulo De giad to take the
contract off Mr.. Frohman's hands
Miss Adams has an enormous follow,n ,
throughout the country, and even in a lit
tie play like Quality Street" which Is an
inexpensive production, her business in
New York city kept up to an average of
$4,000 a week for five weeks. Mrs. Carter
usually has the assistance Of an elaborate
production.
Annie Russell. another Of Charles Froh-
mans stars. has a salary of $500 a week
and a small share In the profits. Ethel
Barrymore, who during her first years as
a star acted for Mr.. Frohman for only $50
a week., now has a salary of $500 and a
small percentage. In these cases Mr.,
Frohman. of course, takes all the risks,
secures the plays and produces them, and
the actress posing as the star of the COM
pany has only to draw her salary.
Mrs. Langtry bays her company, pro-
duces her play-that is to say, she buys
scenery and costumes-and gives half hel
profits to the syndicate for booking hel
tour and running the business end of hel
enterprises. The managers supply her
business staff, press agent, ETC., which
they can well AFFORD to do, besides book
ing her tour.
Miss Marlowe. who Is the producer OF
her own plays. is in partnership with
Charles Dillingham;, who has also the
management of Maxine Elliott and Mile
James, stars differing considerably ir
glory from Miss Marlowe. Mrs. Fiske
selects her plays. hires her company, puts
up whatever the necessary amount o1
money may be, and, like the other ac
tresses mentioned, takes all the profits.
Henrietta Crosman, who follows tbs
same arrangement, does not even have K
hire q manager, since her husband act,