The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-17
MANAGER AND STAR
MANY PECULLARITIES, FADS,
 WHIMS
And eaprless Have 10 be Treated cars-
 fully.

The way of the manager who controls
 the services of a popular theatrical star may be strewn with roses of gold.
 but the roses are not without their thorns; and the thorns which prick
 most pertinaceously are apt to be the
 peculiarities. the fads, the whims and
 the caprices of the star.
 Pads and capriees are by no means the hallmark of the actress exclusive ly. Every woman may lay claim to them, dormant or active. But the fem mine star considers that she has reached that point where her lightest wish should be law. Usually of a highly strung. intense nature, she takes herself very seriously, and expects her
 manager to do the same.
 Many Of the most amusing comedies in the theatrical world are not enacted for the public eye, but the managers
 office or the stars dressing room form the stage, with no auditor save the
 manager. his trusted secretary, or the stars maid.
 A frequent cause of trouble between manager and star the latter's attitude toward representatives of the press. When an actress is in the ranks. she counts as precious every picture and line regarding her work which appears in the papers. She will break almost any engagement to pose at the photo- grapheI's studio or to receive a news paper man or woman. Directly she
 becomes d star, however, her attitude changes. She cannot be disturbed. Her privacy must be respected. Her engagements are things to be broken with impunity She is the one sought she. who once sought newspaper notices with avidity.
 Now the manager wishes his star ex- plotted as much as possible, so either through his own efforts or through the
 press agent he tries to keep peace be- l tween star and newspaper representa- tives.
 A we'll known musical comedy star, l whose appearance lends itself admira- l ply to earicature, was asked by her
 manager to grant an interview to one
 of the best known critics and his com panion caricaturist. The day was set and the men arrived at her apartment, to be informed that the star was suf- fering with tonsilitis, and would they call at the same hour next day. They would, and they did--to be told that "Miladi" had been called out of town by illness in her family. The two men strolled up Broadway, and met 'sMMila- di'' star bowling along in a hanson.
 bound for the shopping district. The angry representatives of the press stormed the managerial offices and in- formed the assembled force that unless they saw the star at a certain hour that afternoon there would be some thing tragic in the air. After much tel ephoning and chasing of messenger boys, the manager secured the ear of his star, whose only plea was that she had signed to act, and not to pose. But the two men finally paid her back | in her own coin, for the interview and | its caricatures were the talk of thea- tre-going New York.
 Another musical star objects greatly to facing the camera When her sea- son opened she was far from we'll and maintained that to be phat ngra nhed in that condition would iiijare her reptitet- tion as beauty. In vain her manager pleaded She sent him hundreds of photographs taken for q former star ring venture, four years ago, in cos- tunes out of date and distinctly rem- iniscent. Tn speaking of his difficulties the manager said: T could get her to do anything except enter studio. She went with me to buy q horse used in the piece, she joined me in a hunt for quaint properties, she climbed stairs to select costumes, she did any thing and everything but face the cam- era. and we went on the road with pho- tographs of-her costume plates. But the musical star who tries the soul of her manager most severely is the one who yields to trifiing ailments. ! One singer who has recently been on j Broadway is peculiarly sensitive to weather conditions. On cloudy day, she absolutely refuses to arise, but drowses in her sillSen draped couch un- 1 til late in the afternoon. Then, arising stupid and heavy, she decides that she is ill., and so informs her manager. There is q spirited argument over the telephone, during which she details a series of symptoms that would make tho average hypochondrac turn green with envy. No, she cannot endanger her health by leaving the hotel that night He must remember that she l has a future, a career before her. And 1 he groanss and reminds her that he has thousands right that minute ill her pro- duction, She bids him give notice to l the understudy. The understudy takes possession of the stars dressing room and the stars maid, and about the time she is arrayed for the first act, in comes the star announcing that she has deci- 1 ded to play after alL Perhaps the weather has turned clear, perhaps the manager has dropped hint that he l thinks that little understudy is worth watching--she gives promise of a good voice, etc.-perhaps some one has sent the star a particularly beautiful box of flowers or an invitation to supper after the play Anyhow, the important fact remains that she is on hand, ready for work, with every sign of the megrims gone.
 Even more trying is the caprice of a certain woman popular in New York, who believes ill gauging the gracious ness of her performance by the size of the house. Every night. just before the curtain rises, she sends her maid, a shreWd woman of experience to count l.. 1or