The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-11-18

1
profits of a much larger class of the
atrical stars sharing in the returns OF
noteworthy successes. With these
players one-half of the profits on an
attraction bringing from $4,000 to &c.,
600 into the box office of a theatre
every week may seem like another El
Dorado How can star with such
an Arrangement die poor or go into
bankruptcy? They have done so, new
ertheless, and this is how it happens:
First. the cost of a production must
be paid before the profit-sharing be-
gins. Productions with elaborate
scenic displays and large companies
cost as much as $4,000 in preliminary
expenses. This must go back to the
manager before the stars profits APP
pear on the balance sheets. When
such an enterprise is an undoubted
success in New York the cost of the
production is usually repaid during
the run in that city. The star realizes
from the profits ION the road"
Then the $4,000 or $4,000 weekly
receipts of a Broadway hit goes
through a process of subdivision be-
fore the stars profits are to be thought
of.
The gross receipts, as one of the
managers explained, are first split up
into shares for the proprietor of the
theater and the owners of the attrac.
ton. In New York these shares are
usually so per cent to each. In cities
like Boston or this city the owners Of
the attraction get Is per cent, the
theatre proprietor 25 per cent. In
smaller places the percentages vary,
but always with the manager of the
attraction getting the larger share.
The minor expenses of the company
are borne by the managers of the at
traction and the theatre in similar
proportions. Then there are the roy
alties for the playwright, usually not
less than per cent Of the gross re-
ceipts, and the salaries of the other
players and stage attaches. In a dra-
matte company with a cast of moder-
ate size the salaries average from
$500 to $4,000 a week or perhaps
$4,000 with a prominent star These
companies require receipts of at least
$4,000 every week to pay expenses.
With one of the new comedies now be-
ing played on Broadway the receipts
must be at least $4,000 every week
before the manager can break even,"
owing to an expensive cast. With a
musical comedy manager may calcu-
late on a payroll of something like
$4,000 every Saturday night
After the deduction noted the week
; ly balance sheet for a successful play
drawing $4,000 a week to the box Of
flee might be summarized thus. The
share of the manager of the play
would be $4,000 From this would be
deducted authors royalties, amounting
to at least $500, and salaries and ex-
penses aggregating $4,000, leaving
, $1,000 as net profits available for di-
vision with the star. If this average
, were maintained throughout a season
a star sharing in the profits on a so
per cent basis would receive $500 ad-
ditional a week or from $4,000 to
$4,000 in addition to their fixed salar-
les
: 1t is in such facts as these rather
than in stories of the extravaganza of
players or productions that suggest the
key for the comparative lack of great
wealth among the players It also
applies to the rank and file of promin-
ent actors and actresses to an even
greater degree than to the famous
star.
T. Typical of the players generally are
the earnings of leading man and a
leading woman of established reputa,
tion-Broadway favorites who have
: spent years climbing to a pinnacle OF
fame.
r What may these players regard as a
good years income? The question
I was put to one of the best-knowr
, agents, and she and the reporter pre-
1 pared summaries showing a typica
e balance sheet of a player in each OF
/ these classes. In these summaries 81
weeks is considered a good seasons
= work. This does not include the tim,
/ spent on rehearsals, for which the
e player receives nothing. These per
e iods Of rehearsal usually last from
T. four to six weeks, with four weeks a,
/ an average.
e The expenses in each case, too, ar;
T. purely those of their profession The,
do not include the cost Of maintainin,
l. independent homes in the absence O
s the players.
= The balance sheet Of the leadin,
+ man would look something like this,
e The income for thirty weeks at 5000 {
4 week would be $4,000. The expense.
, included four suits of stage clothes