The Detroit times., 1914-04-10
WRITING PLAYS
NO EASY WAY TO
MAKE A LIVING
-nRoADuunsr.
Famous Playwright Has, How
ever, Risen From Place ~
Clerk On Change
HAS LOST LARGE SUMS IN
(. HANDLING DEAD ONES
Dropped sos, 900 on Unsuccessful
Plays; Stin Makes $4,000
aYear

All this talk about q mans being
able to buy motor cars. country homes
and numerous and various trips
abroad az soon ~ he psrsuadss some
manager to buy . play from him
should be taken with q grain of salt.
There ID really nothing in 1t. At least
George Broadhurst. writer Of plays
with q punch" and thrills. says 80.
Indeed, he goes 20 far a. to point out
that this business OF trying to catch
the public's favor u the most pre-
carious method imaginable Of making
Q living"
And this comes from the man who
only week or so ago told q judge In
New York that he had made some
100000 In the last two years from his
plays, and added that for 20 years he
has been able to wheedle on an aver.
age Of $4,000 year from the fckle
public.
It was Mrs. Broadhurst's demand for
heavy alimony which brought forth
the dramatist's statements, together
with an analysis of the drama and the
history of one OF its constructors.
Some Of Its attendant losses were also
revealed. And these statements con-
stitute what might be called the con-
fessions OF q playwright.
Twenty years ago . clerk on the
Chicago Board OF Trade decided that
he was tired Of being sort Of drudge.
He wrote play OF conditions a. he
saw them on the Chicago change and
called Il 1.-The Spectator" The play
was . hit and 80 George Broadhurst
launched himself In this precarious
livelihood
And he has remained at Il all these
20 years and has managed to make q
living, but his pathway has not al
ways been minus rocks and pitfalls.
He says that luck II q responsible ele-
out . little luck an ambitious play.
wright might a. well burn up his
trunk of manuscripts (they always
keep them In trunks. It seems-just
why has always been an insoluble
mystery and 60 out and try to hnd q
nice tame truck to drive.
Twenty years. he IL careful to point
out, is the period in which play
wright may depend on his work. After
that he IL . candidate for the bone
yard, and while Mr.. Broadhurst hates
to admit It, he doesn't mind telNng his
honor that he fears his own days q
production are almost over.
Each play must depend ON IT. own
merits" the statement says III & ap-
pNals 10 the public Il will succeed.
Otherwise Il will fail. Generally they
fail to please. In this regard piaywrit-
Ing II unlike the learned professions.
Let lawyer or physician demonstrate
his abilities and he ID forthwith ~
sured Of a comfortable income. But
the most learned professions are exact
sciences. There are authorities to
consult and Get principles to follow.
Then energy and industry will make
for success.
There are no rules In playwriting.
You may write successful play and
earn $4,000 . year for three to four
years, but never have another success.
In other lines when one earns an In
come Of $4,000 . year he b reasons
bly, sure Of it, continuance. More
than occasionally the writing Of Q
highly successful play 10 . stroke Of
rood fortune. the same q . miners
lucky strike In the gold fields. There
Il no way Of sansins< ths yalus Of .
play In manuscript form.
The most experienced manager
may be wildly enthusiastic over .
play. only to discover after he has IN
vested his money the public does mot
care for Il. One Of the characteristics
essential to playwriting II imagine
ton, and that - sometimes an atfrt-
butte Of youth alone. / am In my
forty eighth year, and while do not
cay my days Of achievement are over
~ prefer to think to the contrary,
anyWay--I fear u n 90.
"From my flrst play made . LIVING.
From my next two ! made IN income
Of $4,000 N two years. In 1896 l
wrote two successful plays and lost
what made ~ producing two that
were not successful. I lost money In
the arm Of Broadhurst Z CurT1e. In
the Duke Of Duluth lost $4,000.
TIE Dollar Marx cost mo oS0,O0o;
the Girl and the Drummer $4,000.
AZ the time wrote The Man q the
Hour hadn't saved anything. ! had
70 take IN intoEeet n Bought ana
Paid ,roS,' which has now played every
nook and Granny Of the country. %
credit.
''Dxplolting sJust Like John cost me
$4,000, and Don't weaken $1,000. I
can't hope for - bright . future -
the past hai besa. History Shows
that 8 years u about The limit q =
- ~, AZ