The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-06-24


Few people in Sandusky, o., where
Mr. Frohman was born on June nth.
1860, will remember the little boy who
left the home town when only eleven
yers old to make his own way I'm the
world. He chose New York because
his brother Daniel had gone there six
years before and had prospered sufR-
cientiy TO become a reporter on the
STAFF of the New York Tribune.
Through his brothers influence. he Sc
cured "A position as night clerk in the
business office and attended school dur
ing the day. The age of fourteen
found him an advertising clerk in
the office of the Daily Graphic by day
and a ticket seller i'm the box office
VT Hooleyls Theatre, Brooklyn, by
night
At sevepteen young Frohman mark
ed out theatrical career for himself
by quitting the newspapers and taxi
ing company presenting Our Boys"
to Chicago At twenty he organized
Haverly's Mastodon Minstrels and
took them to Europe II has been said
that he played a cOrnet in the min
strel band. This is untrue, for Charles
Frohman Is not musical.
The little theatrical agency i'm
Broadway near Thirteth street, which
was the real foundation of Mr.. Froh-
mans success, was opened in 1884,
when he was twenty-four years old.
Bronson Howard was one of his
clients, and when the latter's "Shen-
andoah" failed at the Boston Museum
in 1885, young Frohman detected its
faults and persuaded Mr.. Howard to
rewrte It, The changes having been
made he secured the American rights
But he had no money with which to
produce IL. Finally he persuaded Al
Hayman of San Francisco and w.
X. Hooley of Brooklyn to risk 81, 500
each, ana in three succeeding years
made the play earned $l50,000, paying
$50, 900 to the author.
From that day Mr.. Frohman has fl
nanced his own enterprises.
At thirty he organized his first stock
company; at thirty-three he moved
into the New Empire Theatre and be-
gan to make productions on u large
scale. At thirty-eight he obtained his
first foothold In London by leasing
the Duke of Yorks Theatre
Today finds Mir. Frohman the mana
ger of four theatres In New York
and three I'm London. He has other in
direct interests I'm thirteen houses
here and half a dozen in the Eng
lish capital. lie also controls forty
American travelling companies and
supplies attractions for about one
hundred houses scattered throughout
the country.
In the United States alone. Mr.. Froh
man controls 1000 players. His sal
airy list in England shows 600 more,
Among them are sixteen leading Amer
can stars and about half that mum.
Der abroad. During each year lie
makes about sixty dramatic pro-
ductions i'm both countries and at the
height of the season moves 1000 play
ers over the railroads weekly He
has, besides, twelve skilled stage di-
rectors, thirty master carpenters, en-
gagged I'm the mechanical work of his
productions, fifteen master electri-
clans, not employed in his theatres,
but engaged on experimental work,
and four costume designers, whom he
keeps travelling constantly abroad, He
divides his own time evenly between
New York and London.
John Corbin, formerly Literary Di-
rector of the New Theatre, caused a
good deal of surprise IA few months
ago when he said that the experience
of two years had convinced him that
there are 1000 people in this country
engaged in writing unactable. plays.
Mr.. Frohman bears out the statement,
In an interview recently he said
"As the question of reading plays
seems TO be one of great interest !
want to say that, in q period covering
fifteen or sixteen years of play read
ing and with play readers, there has
not been one play sent in WHICH has
ever been selected for production. This
may possibly show what little skill
both | and my play readers posses
in judging submitted manuscripts. The
average number of plays sent in,
should say, Is about twenty-five Il
week and the amount / have paid ror
play readers during my career is about
$3.50, 900. l feel certain, however, that
the right play or one we think Is the
right play, will,c In some day and
give us back the money with inter.
est.
Mr.. Frohman's city Diversion is
work. Work Is also his only vice
Likewise work Is his principal virtue
When he finishes twelve hours at his
desk he goes home and amuses him
self by studying old costum plates
He does not exercise, but his weight
never varies much from ls0, Once
Mr. Frohman was known to play q
game of billiards with Charles B. Dill
lingham and the late Clyde Fitch, HI
got into a discussion with Mr.. Fitch
about THE Truth, and Dillingham;
won, 1t was one OF the few tricks
Mr.. Frohman has lost at any game
or trade.
No prominent theatre manager
either In New York or London is lest
frequently seen around the play houses
or on the streets. AtNhrst performances