The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-14
FORTUNE MADE IN ACTING.
Stage Stars Who Leave AS
Much AS 100000 Few.
INVEST IN REAL ESTATE

asnees While TrsvelIng--Few own
Houses-Unsuccess Productions
Swallow Profits.
The fact that few actors and man
ayers leave behind them any fortune
appears to be just as true in other
countries as 1t is here, says the New
York Sun. A statistlcian has recently
figured out some interesting details as
to the estates left by distinguished
players and managers in England.
Henry Irving left only 100000. and
much of that was realized from the
sale of his pictures and other works
of art. The fact that Ellen Terry had
benefit shows how much she has
saved from half century of work.
Unlike Sir Henry she never had any
share OF losses to bear.
Wilson Barrett, who had known
many ups and downs in his career,
found great prosperity in The Sign
of the Cross" during the latter years
OF his life, but none of the plays that
he attempted after that time ever
: made any money for him. Probably
the $4,000 that he left behind him
came altogether from the royalties
that he received from that play. 1t
has been acted In this country for six
years.
Some of the American fortunes have
, turned out just as small IL was
thought always that the late Fanny
Davenport was rich woman. She
had acted for years with great sue
cess and been great popular fayorite.
Yet she left practically nothing. That
was in a measure due to the failure of
several productions made just before
her death.
Henry e. Abbey died poor man,
although he had handled millions.
Maurice Grau, on the other hand, re-
tired from business worth $500 900,
part of which was made from success
full speculation. The rest o. his for
tune was earned during the last ten
years OF his managerial career
Joseph Murphy made fortune out
of his irish plays, especially The
Kerry Cow" and kept the money.
Some OF his colleagues say he still has
the first dollar he earned in the busi-
ness. He invested it all in real es-
tate in different cities and today has
more money than any Of his profes-
sion.
Maggie Mitchell owns a large block
of real estate on the upper West Side
New York City, and has built several
apartment houses there which repre-
sent very comfortable fortune.
Richard Mansfield is one of the
| richest actors in service and will be
well able to retire when he wants to
! at the end of the three years his press
agent has allotted to him. He plays
long seasons, always draws large
audiences and has inexpensive com
panies. Joseph Jefferson, who did
business on the same meagre scale
during the later years of his career,
left more than half a million.
No woman ever had greater vogue
here than Helena Modjeska, who has
| been in financial troubles during the
last few years. Most of her money
disappeared through her Western
ranch and her family. She always
supported practically in the West a
small colony of Poles who lived on
her ranch. That has now been sold
for $4,000. She earned $25, 900 from
her tour in 1895 and will keep on
acting for several years to come, so
she will probably be able to retire in
comfort.
1T is always a little difficult to tell
Just how actors do spend their
money" said a manager, for very
few of them live in luxory. They
may have house and a valet, but
with expenditures OF this kind they
stop. They rarely keep yachts or
horses and few Of them make the
least pretence Of keeping up an es-
tsblishment
One way they use up money is, OF
course, through a certain kind OF os-
tentation in which they live on their
travels. They take suites In small
hotels, have their meals served up
stairs when they are, If possible, a
little bit worse then they are down
stairs and they give suppers TO the
members of their companies and in
other ways that do not show but cost
a great deal they let their money Slip
away.
II know one star who travels now
In the most extravagant way and
suppose she enjoys 1t. She takes a
motor, two maids, a valet and always
has a large suite of rooms in which
there is a supper almost every night
OF course that ray be fun. but II is
using up every cent she earns Yet
that wOman has very modest house
in the country where she spends her
summers and no home at all in New