New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

photogra phs in the Sunday newspapers, de
sCription OF her repertoire, and the date OF her
first performance, she opened her engagement
at theater on West 42d-St., New York. he
audience at her premiere did not fill the house,
nor did the box office takIngS increase during
the ensuing week Forthwith the star 5 mana
ger told her press agent to get busy, and the
order was obeyed with enthusiasm that bOr-
dcred on frenzy
On the following evening. when the dramatic
reporters OF the numerous metropolitan dalhea
were making their rounds in quest of news,
they discovered that 42d-st.. in front Of the
playhouse where the English actress was
appearing, had been covered with layer OF
tanbark fully two inches in thickness.
Why" they inquired OF everyone in the
neigh borhood; but none could return salts
factory answer, until application was made at
the theatcr, where the reporters were informed
by Mr. Press Agent that the street had been
mattressed with tanbark at the behest of the
English actress, who asserted that she was
greatly annoyed by the rumblIug wheel OF
passing wagons and had obtained permit
from the Department Of Highways 70 cover
the street and deaden the sound.
Nerscd byeXperlence IN the ingenuity OF press
agents. the dramatic reporters smiled and SAID
Fake" When they called up their several
ciJv editors by telephone and mentioned the
incident they were ordered
Get all the details. We can use column
." But it looks like a press agents plant,
said the reporters.
Fake or no fake" was the imperative IN
struction. its good story The tanbark
is in the Strcet.-hrst time anything OF the
sort has occurred in New Nork,-the woman
Is willing 70 stand Tor the yarn. Send 1t along
quick"
One reporter who failed 10 telephone 10 his
office about the matter was disciplined with a
fortnight compulsory vacation. The story
Wa, Spld>hcd all over the front pages OF New
NOrk'S newspapers. travelled % every part OF
..1 Ia
and marked the opening shot OF the SenSa-
tioual publicity campaign which was waged
in this country on the occasion OF this actress $
first visit
In addition to her other possessions. the
actress owned about two pounds OF woolly
dog meat in the shape Of tiny japanese
poodle. His real name was something like
Oot~v. or Toot-v. bur the press agent pro
vIdcI hlm with "a new certificate OF christening
bV grace ot which he Wa known forever alter
ward AS Pinkv Pauky Poo Surely there Is
-omcthIng IN "a name. at least IN such a peculiar
name Vt it, mention a man would naturally
be- disposed 10 ask, Well, where in the world
iii they ever dig up such name,
Through the publicity promoter efforts that
iu-lgulho4ut ttkc became a public character.
The beast Wu- missed lost found. drowned.
saved, killed rc-urreCtci, injured, operated
upon. cyistci from fashionable hotels. and
thrown through Pullman car windows but
no matter hoW thrilling the adventure. PinkE
tit WITH i- t'l tffNl4'4 anu
~ tan invariably landed sale and sound IN the
columns ot the daily new papers. Indeed d
point Wa reached when it appeared that P'ukv
would eclipse the fame of ms mistress, where
upon her management ordered the press agent
to call a halt ON the dog stories and COu~lgu
the poodle t. eternal Oblivion.
Needles to say the English actress proved
"a great drawing card wherever she appeared.
and her season was an enormous financial sue
cess. On subsequent trips to America how
ever She was an indifferent attraction from
box office viewpoint, and She attributed her
later failures To the boomerang effect OF the
freak advertising 10 which she had been sub
lccted during her first visit. II i sand that
the mention ot her sensational pre- agent S
name nowadays viii prcciptate her INTO a
state OF uncomfortable anger. while the pres
agent III sell Justification Will stp,yliiv COM
pare the box office success that accompanied
his campaign with the monetary hiatus OF her
subsequent tours.
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