New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-05
THE ACTOR MANAGER HERE
Better Opportunities in America
than in England.
BY Lewis Waller.

The position OF the actor manager In New
York or America Is even better than In
England, II any general comparison can be
made ! can now speak from experience,
having produced The Butterfly on the
Wheel and Monsieur Beaucaire' here
and having also acted in the latter and
feel confident that my Judgment is not err
roneous.
The great commercial arrangements dc
not interfere with the actor-manager ON
the contrary. they help him and might al
most have been created for his advantage
These arrangements are very wonderful In
the extent Of their control their systems
and their facilities, which are put at the
! disposal OF the actor manager and are far
greater assistance than he could hope &c
| get from the hands OF any one English
director.
II the actor-manager is a man of ability
If he has good plays, is a good actor and
F, competent stage director-all doors are
open 10 him I'm New York. He can go to a
single office and book all his companies in
New York or on tour for an entire season
and he will be received most enthusastical-
ly. He is not an impeachment TO established
rule. Instead, he is helping to solve tho
difficulties which confront and hamper the
men who devote their entire time and labor
to management and have so many con-
Germs Of finance and booking that they are
only too glad to be relieved OF some OF the
producing which is necessary TO I'LL their
houses with first class attractions.
In the second place, the chances Of sue
cess in New York appear to me TO be far
greater than I'm England. II Is a we'll
established fact that, though a New York
success is very desirable, plays that do not
make an overwhelming hit In New York
often redeem themselves and become profit
able ION the road" New York may be the
centre OF theatrical interest and judgment
but 1t is by no means the only criterion.
Any well Informed American will give you
lists Of plays that have failed in New York
and succeeded In Chicago, or vice versa. In
England there Is absolutely no hope at all
for a production that does not make an In
stantaneous hit in London. There Is no
Chicago. so to speak.
Owing to the size OF the country. II Is
possible for the actor-manager TO multiply
his companies In one successful play much
more than he can do In England single
play may make a large fortune I'm America
and four or five companies may be on tour
at the same time without conflicting. The
road IL an infinitely larger and more
profitable territory than are the PROV
inces."
The actor-manager finds himself es-
pecially welcome In New York, not only TO
the people. who seem to take to the idea
or seeing play produced By the man who
himself appears In &. but also to the other
managers. In the constant search for Of
ferings to supply good entertainment for all
the hundreds OF American theatres, II is
not unnatural that the big managements
should welcome the man who Is ready to
risk his own money and at the same time
Is capable Of producing his own plays and
conducting his own business
The Limitation OF the work OF the actor
manager Is that he cannot have any very
great number OF different plays, because he
must not forget that he Is an actor, and
ne must give much OF his time and effort
to the practice OF his profession In such a
manner as to do Justice TO what the public
has'a right to expect from him. This same
'hihg' however, Is an assistance In certain
ways as II forestalls any rivalry with the
commercial arrangements who are assisting
him. The players themselves appear to find
Satisfaction In working under the manage
ment OF man who Is q professional BROTH