New-York tribune., 1921-12-04
CRITICISMS OF A STAGE DOORMAN
JEFFERSON muauun

men-at least as far as I'm concerned. Show
people aren't as liberal to-day as they used
to be, not anything like as much, and can't
say just why. A stage doorman is not only
doorman, but errand boy. postman and general
jack of all trades, and has chance to do
favors for people around the theater Some
how these little odd jobs are not paid for like
they used to be- In 1901 averaged SIS a
week in tips; now the average is about 81.
Little difference, eh? Haven't any kick COM
ing, though, because if anything, everybody is
more pleasant than they used to be, and that
counts, can tell you"
Burgess has found that the stage doorman
is still the foe Of the public at large. "It's
funny thing" he went on, "the number Of peo-
pie and the kind Of people that try TO get past
me and get back-stage to some Of the actors
and actresses-mostly actresses. Unless they
have the goods and somebody back-stage wants
to see them they stop at my chair. We don't
have any fuss about it, but when I mean bust
ness mean business.
ut makes difference to me whether they
come up walking or in limousine, they all
get the same kind Of treatment. All sorts Of
people use all sorts Of excuses In trying to get
back-stage. Young girls, middle-aged women,
old women, young men, old men, tranlps pan
handlers, Congressman, bankers and actors and
show people themseves-all Of them appear at
the stage door entrance. The kind of person
known a downright stage door Johnny
doesn't hang around like he used to, but there
are still enough callers to keep man with a
job like mine busy.
"Some of our callers come with letters in
their hands, others say they're old friends.
others say they have appointments and others
tell me they'll have me fired IL don't let 'em
pass. That don't scare me- Too much hum
bug in the business. Lots Of the letters are
letters asking for money, and when I'm sure
it's panhandling letter it's up to me TO see
that the actor the actress doesn't get it
until the letter writer has gone Stage felix's
are too liberal lots of times for their own
good, and can say this despite the fact that
my tips have shrunk pretty badly in late years.
"Lots of people to the door and say
Charlie this and Charlie that but knowing
me don't do 'em any good If let back stags
everybody who wanted to get back there We
wouldn't have any more privacy IN the thea
ter than I used to have in my old meat mar
ket. Never have had a Senator try to get
past me Mayor. as far Is renienl-
Der, but have had good many Congressman
and q Governor or two. About the incest
Governor ! ever met was from Georgia
several years ago-have been trying to think
of his name ever since. Miss Gladys Hanson,
a Georgia girl, was playing in the house-had
q good part, too. This Governor blew up
with his wife and told me he wanted to get
back stage to see Miss Hanson because she
was his sweetheart. I told him he didn't
have anything me-she was mine, too.
'sIt doesn't matter much to actors or any
body else about what I think OF the differ
ent things I've seen but guess Pm entitled
to my likes and dislkes the same as every
body else Too bad John Mason died. Think
he was the best actor in the country. he was
a gentleman, too. Miss Blanche Bates ia a
great actress, and if people won't take my
word for anything else I'd like them to take
it on that. Every time Miss Marjorie Ram
beau plays this house it takes wheelba1row
TO carry her letters in.
Every year actors and managers and au-
thors drop out OF sight and you never see
them again So many new ones come along
you don't seem to miss them. guess speak
to hundred or more people passing here
every day, and some Of them are pretty big
fellows, too I'm older than most everybody
I know, and guess there's such thing as
respect for old age. but won't allow anybody
to get SO respectful that they'll have to CAL
me Mr.. Burgess. Gee, wouldn't that sound
funny, now-Mr Burgess! When I'm ninety
nine or SO that may be all right, but not yet
anyhow. There are two things Pm proud of
since gave up meat-marketing and took up
this business-Ive never paid my way into
show and I've never been mistered What
more can a man ask than that7U