Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-11-08
REFUSED 100000 YEAR
David Warheld Rejected Highest
Salary Ever Offered Actor
onder His Management with David ae.
'aseo He Shares In the Profits and Re.
eeIVes $4,000 a Year.

!" tne Fronts and Re-
eeIVes $4,000 a Year.
The highest salary ever offered an actor
was recently rejected by David War
ielu' VINO appeared In the Auditor-
ium In Brattleboro, a few weeks ago
IN IN MS new play "a Grand Army
man. Felix Isman, the PbiIadaI
phia capitalist and theatrical nror,oter
was anxious to have Mr.. warfieid annsar
as star under his management and
guaranteed him 81 900, 900 for ten wears
or salary Of 100000 year. Mr. war,
neld unhesitatingly replied that ne could
not consider the proposition although
ne was 10 assume no risk and invest no
capital The New York World saws that
during the last two and one-half seasons
OF 40 weeks under Mr.. Belascos manage
ment In The Music Master Mr.. War
field has been receiving about S24O 900
annually. The gross receipts of "The
nearly $50 900 a week.
Mr.. Warfield declined to state the
exact terms of his business arrangement
with his manager, David Belasco. but II
is generally understood that they now
share equally in the profits OF the plavs
IN which he appears. OF 1.-THE Music
Masters" annual gross earnings Of $780,
oOO little more than one-third goes to
expenses Of the company royalties to
the author and percentages paid to
theatres In which the play Is acted.
After these fixed expenses are deducted
Mr.. Warfed and his manager have had
considerably in excess of $525, 900 to di-
vide each year.
Sentiment may have played a consid-
cradle part in my rejection OF Mr.. Is
mans business proposition" said Mr..
Warfield. Since II was David Belasco
who opened the way for me to nv pres
ent work, feel bound to him for life.
No amount Of money from any other
manager would be an inducement to me
to break my artistic and business part
nership with him.
without wishing to make public my
personal business affairs I may say that
an OFFER OF $1,000, 900 for a ten years
contract furnishes no financial induce
ments to me for the reason that I am
already receiving much in excess Of that
sum, and since the success OF my new
play A Grand Army Man. I have rea-
son to believe that my earning capacity
will further increase. The receipts of
The Music Master. which are known
by managers Of all the theatres in which
1 nave appeared. speak for themselves"
David Belasco, who heard Mr. War
fields statement, said:
1T is fact that Mr.. Warield is the
highest paid actor on any stage in any
country. BY this I mean that his con-
tinuous income derived from acting is
the greatest. I am told that Sarah
Bernhard has received sums for limited
engagements which would be in excess
of 500, 900 II computed on a yearly basis.
Richard Mansfield may have realized
even greater profits during the life OF
various of his successful productions,
but Mr.. Warfield easily tops them ALL"
There are many other American actors
whose earning capacities have made
them objects of wonder and envy. In
RIP Van Wrinkle" the late Joseph JEFF
ferson continued I'm remarkable popu-
larity for more than a quarter OF
century. He left a fortune estimated
at more than 81. 600. 900. Richard Mans
field is said to have earned 100000
year at times during his career, but
large part OF his savings were after
ward lost in unfortunate theatrical VEN
lures. Edwin Booths income was con-
sidered exceptional in his day but he,
also. lost large sums in business specu-
lations. Miss Maude Adams is accounted
the best paid woman star on the Amer
lean stage at the present time. Her
annual income is said to approximate
800, 600 She is also a clever business
woman.
Mr.. Warfleld is Al years old and,
though In the front ranks Of American
actors now is a comparatively new dis
covery. He began his career as an usher
in a San Francisco theatre and made his
New York debut at a variety theatre at
SIS a week In 1890. Speaking OF this, the
actor once said, says a writer in Success
Magazine;
IT drifted into a concert hall over In
Eighth avenue, where you can see the
show by buying n glass OF beer, and
struck the manager for a job.
when can you go on?" he asked,
sizing me up.
" Tonight answered quickly. I've
got a dress suit / can go over to my
room and get 1t and be back in half an
hour
AN right said the manager. I'll
take chance on YOU. You've struck me
at good time I'm a little shy of talent
tonight
"Togged out in the evening clothes
that I had ushered in at the Bush Street
theatre, San Francisco, ! appeared tnat
evening, and for a good many that fol-
lowed, doing four or five turns between
q O'Clock and 12."