Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-10-19
FROHMAM'S FIRST >
THEATRICAL JOB :



Charles Frohman was only fourteen
years old when he got his nrst expert
cnce with the business of the ticater.
The boy. whose sole ambition was to b.
associated in some may with the play
house. was employed in the circulation
department If the New York Graphic
the first illustrated daily ever published
His two elder proihers. Gustave and
Daniel. had become connected with Cal
lenders Original Georgia Minstrels
still dear To the memory of etheatergoers
of forty wears ago. Charles b>}efkst IN
their Mork was ~byundlcSS. forFhc ha-
developed perhaps y grcatcrHwish thar
the other bows for Observation-Disclosures IL
his fathers Broadway cigar store. which
WAS "A rendezvous for many If the noted
dramatf. personalities Of the day. The
little newsboy. for that II what he was
constantly importnned his brothers a.
cet hi ma place with their SHOW DAME
who with Isaac r.. MarcoS>on. has writ
ten Il most entertaining biography of
the great manager. tells the story ~
how they finally succeeded i'm doing This
II is printed in the Cosmopolitan Mag
azinc where the serial publication Of
this notable life story has Just been bc
gun
Though his fingers were in the news
papers. his heart yedrned for the thea
Ter. This ambition was heightened b.,
the fact that his brother. Daniel. havin,
needed the lure nf GuStavc. joined the
Calender MinStrel> IL advance agent
while '%iustayc remained back with the
show. Slowly. but surely. the theateI
WAS anncxing the Frobman bows and in
the summer 1871. ChJrlcS WAS drawn in
ia lis charmed circle. and in a pictur
eSuuc fashion.
1t WAS the custom for minstrel rom
panleS and other theatrical combina.
tionS "a rent theatres outright during
the dull slmngr months. The playh houses
were glad 10 got the rental. and the or
CARNATIONS could remain intact during
what would otherwise bc 4 period D,
di>nr.anizatinn and loss. Gu~tavc there
fore. tcok IiooicyS Thcater in brooklyn
and on Il memorable mornin. III July.
Charles Frohman WAS clcs. fled to rc
ceive the following letter 10 mhim:
You can begin yonr theatrical "a
reer ~ the box office ~ IIoulcy'S Thea
ter. Take u ferry aud look IA the thrater
ti''IfN ~ eplu. 10 rent W 10 H> Tor the
Snmmcr. Your work viii begin ~ ticket
seller. You will have to sell -. ~ aud
- cent tickets. and they will all ~ hard
tickets. hat j. u" reserved seats. Gle,
some p~iSicholrl slips or 4 pack 81
cards aud practise handing them. Nonr
sue eSS will lie in the SwiftnrsS with
With ,ou can hand them ont. Will
these reIrarSalS Won will hr able tn a.,
Your work we'll and look Iik. i profcS
c%>innal.
Charles immediately bought a pack
Of the thIckeSt PLAYING cards h. could
hid and began IT, practise with them
Soon he became an expert shuficr. Often
h. used his fathers cigar counter for Y
make-hclicvc box on: = sill and across
Y he handed out The ~pa>tcI~ar,l~ ~ i'm
a"iitrv patrons. 4 dozen times he went
over ~ Hrooklyn and eazcd with eager
eXIcctanry ~ tho old iheltrr. destined
by reason of his aSSociation with IL. 1,
bc 4 historic lanhmrrk in the annals ~
American amusement.
He. wrote t%iuStavc almost inmcli
(, atclv:
will hc ready when the tim,