New-York tribune., 1911-02-12
THE PLAYGOER
The Star Trade, Its Plays and
Its Patient Public.

effects upon acting and the drama there
are others still who believe that the star
system is suicidal, that IL is taking It's
own life. The star system may be one'
or two. or all these. or it may be. as
Polonius would say. "tragical-comlcaI-
historical pastoral: but, between our
selves it is mostly ridiculous. Prosper
Gus stars and managers who make
money by freighting these shining lights
about the country are not expected TO
agree with any opinion which opposes
their perfect peace. There are stars ex-
empt from the accusation of ridicule or
slaughter of dramatic art, but it is not
the star system which makes them eX-
ceptions to the mighty and depressing
rule.
Some nanagers-not inconspicuous nor
few in number--and some players. too
exhibit unbecoming and unbeleving
smiles when dramatic art is men
toned in their hearing. Some are
vocally derisive. They scorn such high
brow CUFF" and confess themselves 'out
for the long green" the "simoeons," or
whatever il is that the swiftly shifting
slang of the day calls the elusive dollar.
No one knows better than do the pu5lic
writers who choose the drama for their
theme the superior attitude Of The raw
minds which have inflicted upon stage
plays and playing the grevous burdens
which the profession" has TO bear. No
competent writer on stage affairs is
of he orl #
the producing managers" their allies
and their subordnates. The opinions of
some of these men are well worth weigh
ing; the opinions of others-well. much
depends upon what they are talking
about Because they hire theatres and
sell plays and acting ii does not follow
that they know much about dramatic
art How little they know about It their
traffic reveals.
Any criticism Of popular system must
be, TO some extent. a criticism of the
populace that supports the system. This
is as true Of theatrical affairs as il is
OF political affairs. 1t may he as un-
reasonable 10 expect better control by
the public in one direction as in the
other population that tolerates con-
tinuous farce al Albany need not he ex-
pected 10 demand fineness in dramatic
art in Broadway. After all. the public
is quite as much to blame as any man
ager or any combination of managers.
for what is inartistic on the stage So
long as the public will support the mail
order method of conducting theatrical
enterprise so long will that enterprise
deliver its bulky and unimportant par
cells.
1t is folly to declaim against the ex-
Istence of theatrical stars. All busi-
nesses and all professions have their
stars. The theatrical calling, as a mat
ter Of fact, must have them. Genius will
not be fettered. But the trouble with
the star system as it is worked in this
country to-day is that for lack Of genius
II eXalts mediocrity. 1t makes stars
out of non-luminous material. The sys-
tenn demands somebody who can be
billed rather than somebody who can
act. AS soon as an actor makes hit
as soon as the public talks about him.
he is credited with a following or let
an actress be young. lovely and fetch
ing"-he and she are hoisted into star
dom. There is no difficulty in that
Nothing could be easier. But a man.
ager having hitched one of his creaking
wagons TO star must provide his star
with plays. If there is no part that will
fit the star then a part for which he is
knows anything about the stage knows
IL all the experienced and successful
dramatists of Germany. France, England
and the United States directed their
efforts 10 this end they could not supply
plays enough to give employment to all
the stars that glimmer on the American
stage. And so the output of the Dra-
matists' Correspondence School is drawn
upon heavily. Somebody says that
eighty million persons in our free and
somewhat enlightened population wrote
plays last year The census is not in
fGllible, and the estimate of numbers
may have been slightly exaggerated, but
no harm is done A writer Of plays may
not be dramatist. Usually he is not
But along with other contractors he is
called upon to prop up the star system
which keeps the names Of lot of very
ordinary actors and actresses in large
type and electric letters.
Are the players to be blamed for ex-
acting starring contracts from the nurses
who have Graded them and who, too
often. snatch them from their cradles
ard dandle them, unweaned as to acting,
before a public which loves novelty and
cares little about art? The spirit that
makes an actress or an actor seek star
dom is the same that impels other men
and women TO go into business for them
selves, to be the head of the firm or the
chief officer in the company. Why then,
is II not laudable? asks that noisy and
inconvenient person. the-man-in-th the
street Very well, say that the spirit is
laudable enough. but in one case the
public is not called upon TO put the man
OF woman there, or to keep him or her
there, while in the other case the public
supports the star as carelessly as it sup
ports the politician. In fact, the public
brings TO its contemplation of the star,
minor or major. about as much discrimi-
nation as it brings TO the case of the
politician. principal or peanut. II takes
an unusual man TO move the public TO an
unusual extent in politics; 1t requires a
great actor 10 move 1t greatly in the