The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-30

TT HEATRE managers are the prey OF
ticket grafters to an extent that
few persons outside of the profess
Theatrical Managers association is to
eliminate the grafters.
The grafters the managers want to kill
off particularly are the ones who supply
the ticket scalpers with theatre tickets
These grafters, and they include both
men and women plead for tickets until
they get a pair, Then they hurry to the
Office of the ticket sealper and sell the
tickets for half or nearly half their face
value.
1t Is from these grafters that the ticket
sealpers get the tickets they sell They
Ised to have other sources of supply, such
as window privilege tickets, but few thea
tres now keep any advertising matter in
store windows. The managers associa-
ton did away with the window adver-
Using, and at the same time dealt bod5
blow to the snipe the small sheet that
used to adorn ash barrels and dead walls
If one wants TO watch the ticket CRATER
at work the place to see him Is In the
lobby of a theatre fifteen or twenty MIN
uieS DeiOfe the peIlOiDldnt utbilos iAN'iS
theatre-goer has noticed the men and
women standing idly about the lobby
around theatre time. These for the most
part are ticket grafters who are waiting
to get the ear of the manager OF the
house or the manager of the attraction.
As a general rule women are in the
majority in these idle crowds. This Is
especially the case at the matinees. II
is better than show to stand within
hearing distance of a manager or sit In
his office and see the grafters try 10
shake him for seats.
The applicants some times come armed
with letters, but their prieipal weapon is
card. Cards are convenient and cheap.
| If one card has been used too much it Is
| easy to get a different set printed even
II one has to change his name.
Women are the boss sharpers at this
sort of game. For the most part they
have at one time or another been on the
stage. Maybe their stay thereon has
| been short, but 1t has been Sufficiently
long to turn them into ticket grafters.
! Actors and actresses of standing are
| always welcome at the fTst-elass thea
tres and they never have any trouble
getting tickets for their own use. Even
chorus girls may obtain tickets at thea
tres provided their cards are indorsed by
| their stage manager or business mana
, ger before they apply for tickets. But
as for the grafters, the managers are on
the outlook for them.
"Where did you last play?' asked a
manager of a woman at a Wednesday
matinee.
my card says l was with Mrs, Leslie
Carter" said the applicant, with q good
deal of hauteur.
Did you play in Zaza?" asked the
manager.
p 4nlia1 the
81 do so like to work for Mr.. Beasco!
He's such a charming man"
A few more questions about where
'Zaza" was first produced and the wom-
ar falls into the trap the manager has
| laid for her. She names the wrong the
atre where the initial performance took
place In this city, and the manager tells
| her SO.
How careIess!'' says the woman. 81
always get the Garrick and the Belasco
theatres mixed
The manager has no trouble In sizing
her up as a CRATER and he turns her
| requests for seats down none too gently.
She sweeps out of his office insulted.
Say, let me into the mat" says a
blonde woman, marching into the man
ayers office
She flashes a card with the name OF
a theatrical troupe the manager never
| heard Of
where are you playing now, Miss
| Smythe?" the manager asks.
| 'T am playing in hard luck mostly"
replies the blonde. with an expansive
grin. but hope to catch on soon"
well, you are so frank 7 guess will
have to give you pair OF seats" said
the manager.
He writes out pass and the blond per-
son futters away with thank you"
/ l. 81.
| his office.
Now, she is on the level said he. land
I don't mind them when they come at
| me like that. It's plain TO he seen that
she's a chorus girl running In hard luck. "
"can you extend the courtesy OF the
house to me and a friend9" said q tall.
ford faced man. the next visitor.
Are you in the profession" asked the
manager.
Certainly. sir; here Is my card"
] "Maude Adams company, season Of
19O2-03,' reads the manager from the
card
THAT'S right" said the forld faced
one.
Were you one of the principals OF the
company or an extra2' asks the manager.
81 don't remember your name"
sir. | didn't come here to be cate
chlsed." was the reply. Neither did ]
| visit You to be insultcd. bid you good
| day, sir
| He swaggers out like much injured
man. Two others follow him. They are
| entitled to tickets and they get them with
out any trouble. Then comes a telephone
| call for the manager.
I'm sorry, madam" he says over the
phone. but we have not single seat left
for the matinee"
That's another CRATER after seats,
says the manager. She's probably tele-
phoning from around the corner.
1T like TO give passes or seats to those
who deserve them" continued the man
| ager. "but hate to be taken for an easy
\ mark. As a rule the persons who ought
TO have free seats seldom ask for them
NOW there Is a whole raft of grafters
| not stage grafters. but newspaper grafters
in this city and in the nearby suburbs
| whom we are going to get after. These
newspaper grafters are as bad as the
stage grafters
Possibly at some time or other they
have been employed on some little week
ly sheet that nobody sees and nobody
cares about These fellows write regu-
iarly for tickets and demand thein VIII
as much right as II they were entitled