The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-25
THEATER ANGELS WITH NERVE
PROPERTY MAN WHO FINANCED A
SHOW FOR FORTY WEEKS.
Risked All His Savings and Won Out-An
Example for Timid MilllOnaires-Phila-
delphia Perseyerance-Act Helped
nv Rubber Shoes-SOme Women Angels, |

delphia observation-disclosures Helped
b, Rubber ShOes-SOme Women Angels.
sEvery time read of tinlid millionaire
being sued by actors to make good for
debts of a theatrical company for which
he acted as angel think Of fat Jack Cooley,
the earnest angel any company ever had,
and he was only a property man at that
said theatrical manager. Amy fool
millionaire with money can be an angel
and never mind the loss. 1t requires no
nerve to pay out money when you have
millions still remaining in the bank. The
real test of an angel comes when he is risk
ing his last dollar to keep the show going
and is interested in the venture from other
motives than simply liking the pretty face
of a chorus girl.
Eight or nine years ago Cooley was the
property man of a company was managing
on the Pacific Coast circuit. We were try
ing to get to the rich pickings on the far
sl11e of the Sierra Nevada, but after we
had been out six or seven weeks and had
reached Henver we struck a period of bad
business.
Il was taking long chances on winning
with small backing, for only had three or
fqur thousand when took the company on
tour. and this was nearly exhausted by
acvan es on salaries and railroad fares
before the curtain rose the first night in an
Ohio town. We just managed to pay ex-
yenses and a little besides until we struck
Colorado. and there trouble began.
Salaries figured up about 5000 week
and railroad fares about $3.50 week more,
not to mention printing bills. When we
10, nj vht | the end
was in sight and posted the usual two
weeks notice. Those last two weeks wiped
out my bank balance, and l was ready to
pawn my watch for the price of ticket
to New York when the leading man made
ME a proposition.
4 know you cannot pay our fares back
to New York he said. And evenif you could
we would all of us be dead broke and out
Of work when we got there | have been
talking things over with Camille Hildegard,
the leading lady, and she is willing to join
me in this propostion-if you will continue
to act as manager we Will all continue
on the commonwealth plan. sharing receipts
and expenses. until you are ready to con-
tinue on your own account or we are all
ready to cry quits.
This commonwealth proposition has
saved many an actor his salary, and it
appealed to me just as it did to the others,
for / had no wish to return to New York
and acknowledge failure. Miss Hildegard
the leading lady, and Montague Rath-
owen the leading man-these are not their
real names. hut they're not far wrong
persuaded the company to go into the
profit sharing agreement. and so we kept
going for five weeks longer.
t. ~. .-.lt
simply plain rotten. That's the only word
for it. Finally in one Of those Western
burgs when We had s45 house with which
to settle hotel bills, and a payment to the
railroad of sl5o which simply had to be
met before We could move the next day,
] saw the finish had come.
Il called the company together. ex-
rained matters, and said that the end of
The rope had been reached finally. In
the general CONSERVATION caused by this
announcement. | didn't notice old Jack
Cooley edging toward me nervously.
Jack had been an excellent property
man for three seasons in my employ, and
he was downright sorry to see me dead
broke. What he did then was the finest
exhibition of nerve l have seen in long
time.
Governor he whispered to me, can I
speak with you a moment?'
Il thought the was going to give me a
hard luck story and ask for money. but l
went with him over to one side of the stage.
leaving the other members Of the com
nany talking over tho sad news.
well Jack, we're all in the same boat
and on the rocks, ] said, to anticipate a
touch.
But Jack looked serious. and then said:
"Is this really the end of the show"
AS sure as anything, is in the show
business, replied. And how we're going
to get out of this blooming town is too
great problem for me, since we only get
IS per cent. Of the si5 there was in the box
Office tonight
Well governor asid Cooley, 7 have
saved up trihe over 5000 and I've got it
right here in my pocket now. Do you
want it?'
Il was simply anna zed at this offer Cooley
only got $50 week. and how h" ever saved
500 was a mystery.
forth roll of bills that looked more heauti-
full than a green field to a famished horse
The green bills were the grecnest ! ever
saw. while the fow yellowbacks among them
looked brighter than pure gold.
But I hated to take the money. I knew
It was all he had in the world and we were
600 miles from Broadway. J tried to
argue with him,
at would only be drop in the bucket
J ,aid. IT isnt enough to get us back
to New York it wouldn't begin to pay sala-
rios, and tomorrow night We would all
he Just as badly of. Better keep it your
Golf
But he was obdllrate and insisted on
lending it to the company, if not to me.
Finally I made a speech
Ladies and gentlemen, said, Mr..
Cooley has 500
You ought to have seen the stampede
IN my direction. and the love and reverence
with which the former despised property
man was viewed. 1t was downright affec-
tion those players bestowed upon the man
who had always been called Props.
Mr.. Cooley il willing to lend the com
panv his 5000, ] continued. He believes
business will pick up and that we can
keep ding once We get to the Pacific
Coast. If accept his loan I want 1t dis
,inctlv understood that this sum. which
represents his savings for several years,
must bc returned to him the moment bust
ness improves. If business does not i'm
prove. and the company has to end its tour,
Mir Cooley will pocket his own loss. But
] think. since he is riskng everything he
has, and are risking only our services:
that If the company is able, Mr.. Cooley should
lie repaid with twice what he loans us
say. the hystercal Joy of that company
was such that thew would have promised
Cooley ten times the amount of his loan:
for probably not one of them ever expected