New-York tribune., 1912-04-07
THE PLAYGOER
.Actinu and the 0verpaid, Under
educated Young Men of
the Stage.

rather than artistic accomplishment
Where We are 70 get our new supply Of
Joseph Haworths Kyrle Bellows, +. II.
sotherns or John Masons from heaven
alone knows I'm sure | don't And |
have made a pretty thorough study If
the subject When one remembers the
apprenticeship which all our leading men
NJ even d dozen years past were obliged
10 serve before they received anything
like the salary which any one Cf our or
dinarv leading juveniles demands it
makes Your blood boil TO most Of them
literature and the classics of the drama
are utterly unknown. They can neither
walk. speak, fence or dance, as a general
rule. and most of them would far rather
sit i'm their clubs talking about the cnor-
nous salaries they draw than to make
any endeavor 10 perfect themselves in
the simplest rudiments Of their profes-
sion. With our actresses it's entirely the
other way. No women in the world work
harder and are more sincere in striving
to realize their ambitions.
'"The average young American actor is
the most overpaid and undereducatcd
person that ! know of in any profession
or trade What he does know about his
chosen line Of work is simply lamenta-
BILE"
This is refreshing utterance from
manager Wearied critics often have eX-
pressed similar opinions, only To be re-
buked by the profession" and its man
ayers If any one has rebuked Mr.
Relasco for his forcefu declaration the
rebukc has not come to the attention of
the present writer. But actors seldom
criticisc managcrs-pu publicly. Many of
them do little else privately.
MIR Belasco, however suggests no
remedy. although he does mention tn"
possibility of starting school Of his
own. Perhaps he may say that it is no,
his business to suggest remedies for
condition which he deploros. He may
think it sufficient once more 10 call at
tention to the state of things We
should bc grateful and most Of us are
grateful for his blast of criticism. 1t
was high time that d manager Of dis
tinCtiou said something pointed on this
subject. Nsny managers say great
deal but not on this matter. They are
accustomed to telling jaded world oi
the wonderful persons they have on their
salary lists. But they would he amazed
and scornful if any ono were 70 tell
them that they could, if they chose, d.
something in a practical way 10 recruit
talent and intelligence for the stage.
Manufacturers maintain schools in
which apprentices learn the rudiments
of their business; they maintain in their
establishments apprenticeship courses in
which the graduates Of technical schools
and institutes work their way through
the various departments of industry. OBJ
tanning promotion by merit 10 the larger
and higher branches Of the business.
Theatrical managers, Of whom there are
many. and of whom many are prosperous
enough do nothing Of the kind. But IT
would not be difficult to do something of
the kind if these gentlemen could for
once agree among themselves on ques
tions beyond the booking of attractions.
They might among them, support 4
school Of acting from which would be
excluded al stage afflicted youth TO
whom literature and the classics of the
drama are utterly unknown" In such a
school walking and speaking and fencing
and dancing could be taught, and all the
teaching should exact high degree Of
competence The school should not he
dependent upon tuition fees; it should
he wholly independent Of them. And no
rupil should be permitted to continue in
the school without earning the privilege
NJ continuing there by demonstrated
competence.
Nobody in a world largely encountered
hy utilities values what he gets for
nothing Perhaps on that account, # on
no other. the pupils Of this imaginary
dramatic school ct is likely to remain
for long time in the realms OF imagina
tion) should be compelled to pay some
thing for tuition; but it would be better
n the instruction were so cXactng that
they would have 10 pay in hard work.
school in which the pupil would he per-
mitted 10 remain as long as he paid his
tuition fees would he useless. For that
reason the school should be entirely in
dependent Of any income obtainable from
the persons it seeks 10 instruct.
The managers could support the school
Actors would not. The state or the
municipality will not The cost would
not be great. But the funds should be
hberal enough to conduct the worl, per
sistently. efficiently and with dignity.
And from this school Of acting the man
ayers should take their recruits.
No school can make an actor Neither
can any theatre. You must have the in
gradients before you can make the pud-
ding You must have the actor in the
novice before you can train the novice
into the beginnings Of a dramatic artist.
The school would eliminate the ignoram
uses, the stupid the superficial. the me-
diocrities, the incompetents, the impos
sIbles that find their way to the stage
nowadays and that draw good pay for
having neither the accent Of Christians
nor the gait OF Christian pagan nor
man"
II you ask why the managers should
be expected to establish and maintain a
school Of acting one answer is that they
are not expected to do so. Another
answer is that nobody else shows any
disposition 10 do so. As the managers
make the most money III the theatre,
they can best afford to support the mod
est institution here suggested. As actors
oro tho nrincinaI tools Of the managers