The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-11-18
is The CAREER OF A DRAMATIC
STAR A PROFITABLE ONE !?


Miss Adams actually receives is, there
fore, more or less matter of guess.
work but her salary has been reported
10 be $1,000 a week, and her share in
he profits have been estimated at
sums as high as 100000 for a season
The fortune which THE Music
Master" brought David Warfeld is a
conspicuous example of the money to
be made under the proiit-sharing
system. 1t is said that he has played
in this company to receipts aggregat-
ing $4,000 a week, and that his share
of the profits and salary have amount.
ed to more than 100000 for a single
lseason.
William Gillettes large earnings
from the stage is not precisely a par
allel with these earnings, for he draws
an income from his plays as play
wright in addition to his share as an
actor Mr.. Gillettes annual income
has for the last fifteen years, it is
said, exceeded that of the President
of the United States. In addition TO
his salary of $500 a week his profits
are reported to have totaled as much
as $4,000 in a single season.
In the same way Francis Wilson
days a salary, a share in the profits,
and royalties as a playwright from his
current farce The Bachelors Baby
The salary is reported to be $500, a
seasons royalties to be about $4,000,
and his profits for the year sum
slightly exceeding the latter amount
None of these instances, however,
compares with the swift rise to fame
and fortune of Rose Stahl. She was Il
hard-working actress of recognized
standing before James Forbes, then an
attache of Henry Harriss business Of
combination of slang and sentiment
THE Chorus Lady" as a sketch in the
vaudeville theatres. But the elabora-
ton of this one-act play into an even
ings entertainment and it's suisse
quent popularity is said to have
brought Miss Stahl nearly 100000 in
profits from receipts aggregating near
ly $1OOO,OOO.
An example of the fortunes which
may be sunk in theatrical productions
was found in the case of Mr.. Sothern's
recent series of Shakespearean re.
vivals, with stage pictures of unusual
beauty. AT the outset, the manager
explained, the production of each play
would cost in the heighborhood of $780,
600. Six or seven baggage cars would
be required to carry the scenery and
accessories. The expense account
would mount up to $4,000 or $4,000 for
the week, and there could be little If
any profit in a venture at first aside
from artistic results. In Richard
Mansfeld's case the cost of such elabo.
rate productions was balanced by the
comparative cheapness of frequent
performances of such plays as "Jekyll
and Hyde" and Beau Brummel'
which seemed to bring that actor au.
diences just as large as his more
elaborate stage spectacles. Henry Try.
ing adopted the same policy during
his final tours. All of the English
actors of note, the manager added are
also producers of plays and manag,
ers, and their earnings or losses are
hardly to be compared with those OF
the average American star.
Much has been written of the play,
lers, essentially creatures of emotion
losing their money in independent ven
lures, by extravaganza, or while acting
on the generous impulses that char
, acterize so many of them. Inquiry
J among managers regarding these
phases of the subject brought the re-
Spouse that while there were examples
, of fortunes lost from each of these
causes, the player must be judged al
are his fellows, with possibly the
usual proportion who saved what theJ
{ earned, and the customary number
: who were improvident or spendthrifts
One case was mentioned of note.
l actress who was allowed $1,000 every
r. week as a salary, and was also givel
r a share in the profits Of her play Will,
y her hotel bills in some cases foote,
5 up to $500 and more for a single week
+ 1t was cited as a case Of needless ex
q trayagance, The actress, indeed, di,
b travel with an encourage much NOR,
{ elaborate than that of the averag,
+ star. But the success Of her perform
ances depended on moods compounde,
r Of emotion, and to preserve them sh,
a was guarded and coddled like sen
r sitive dollhouse plant.
g This extreme instance was mention
? ed to one of the best-known manager
b in New York, He listened to the de
t Tense of actresses expenses bills, es
z pecially those of noted stars Quit,
apart from what a woman of position
, does or should sDend" he said sc,