Evening star., 1913-11-23


best seats possible, box if available, set
aside for these people. To my astonishrnent,
he told me that the performance | men
toned marked the opening of new theater;
that the management had been paid lump
sum for the opening night, but the boxes
and seats had been on sale for two months,
and had, so far as he knew, been entirely
disposed of at big prices.
Feeling very sensitive about my pledged
word, had canvass made of places where
tickets were sold; but all that it was pos
sible to get were three seats together in the
balcony and one in another part of the house.
They cost me seven dollars apiece, or twenty
eight dollars for this courtesy to my friends
friends
Returning to the East later on, met the
friend who had made the request of me, and
was much surprised at the disagreeable man.
ner of the man who had always been SO very
friendly After little the subject of the
seats came up, and asked him if his friends
in Des Moines had enjoyed the performance.
With manner as if | myself was under
some deep obligation to him or had put my
self in a ridiculous and miserable position
intentionally, the man replied that he was
much surprised when his friends wrote him
that the four seats were in the balcony, that
they were not even together, and were very
undesirable, and he actually demanded an
explanation as to why his friends had been
so inSulted.
| explained the situation to him, mention
ing the fact that the seats had cost me
twenty-eight dollars, and that they were the
only ones that could be secured at that time.
His reply was, "But / wrote you fully
three weeks before you played there. At
that time you could have made the arrange
ments You delayed it too long. feel very
much hurt"
SOMETIMES one of these indicate, per-
- sistent deadheads runs up against thor
oughly seasoned joker. | know of one in
stance of just retribution that occurred.
Louis Harrison, we'll known practical joker
of our profession, was approached by one
of these persons, who airily asked him for a
box at the Casino, where he was then play
ing The actor, Of course, is paid regular
salary, like any other professional man, and
has as rule no more rights over the box
office than the employee of any business con-
Germ has over financial returns Of the busi-
ness. Mr.. Harrison replied pleasantly, Ger
tainly" then, after pause, "Would you
care for two boxes?"
The man was a little surprised, hesitated,
and presently said. Il am afraid | will not
have time to dispose of two boxes; but |
will think it over and let you know tomor-
row. Probably | could dispose of one for
some other evening, however,
"Very we'll" said Mr. Harrison, and TAX
ing out pencil he wrote on slip of paper:
Mr. JOHN JONES, No. 90 Broadway
Dear Mr.. Jones-Pleaseg give the bearer, Mr..
Dash, one box, and oblige,
Yours very truly, L. H.
He handed this slip to the deadhead, ex-
planning that boxes could be issued by this
agent Jones was an undertaken in the
vicinity of the Casino. Nothing further was
heard from this particular deadhead
THE influence of the deadhead upon the
theater is realized by everyone con-
nected with that institution. If the audi
ence is particularly cold and uninterested
and hard to impress, the actor and manager
instinctively feel that deadheads are present
in unusual numbers. Monday night being
for some reason Fighter than at other per-
formances, it became the habit to speak of
it as billboard night" and to restrict seats
paid in exchange for advertising to that oc-
casion. Every actor used to be primed for
the peculiar quality of that much-dreaded
evening. One very witty actor with whom
/ was associated for sometime used to saw
"Ah-Monday night! | hope at least the
deadheads will come, and not send the bill
boards
Actors and playwrights are included