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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 1909)
THE OMAHA. SUNDAY BEE: NOVEMBER 2S. 1909. MIMIC ART COINS MONEY Sun of the Sttgr Draw and Control Streams of Gold. BIG SUKS THE PLAYERS EARN Art far the Hollar's akr Wake llMair Aftwi riUHI Plays Mfmrri r Retaras. MIL f o rrtv not Than rr cent profit. W Adarr.n Is by this tiros mora than a mllllonane, a she has slayi lived nnosttattiily. Dam Wirf'fMi carr is unifj. Tti prTt earn aiH be hi eleventh a a a:r. In the f n vtri h ha ip. P"rel In only three plays. The Aucton t." 'The Music MiHT." ar.d "A Urand Arm Man." Frw the lat f ve yr h ha been seen only In 'The Mu.lc Ma.ter, P'yJ 'Tens'' and " Be-ky Sha-p " - Salva tion Nll" made w much mrn thmiic'iiut the West last K'3Nn that Mr FVk lll W on uin It tVli year. In a ainn1 In jor Ana!"- thlp rtr -d piiy at tracted eos receipts of over t. . Krfi! the deapsad' classics irf not a'-wavs unpof:tab! fnr a star, f -r r.'ibe-rt B M in tail hat fnr a number of ar in the classic repertory cleared profits ja-.alnt. from tXi.WO to K"inO ann jslly. I.e r CD) Certain rritii-s of the drama from time to time fulminate loud'y asint the ":ar" tem that an a-nerally domini I Americas state of today. This ytem. they declare, i in fvfry wsy vicious. It exploits pTmi:nT at the ereT:e of art. niiuiw the dram to a t of mnnolojun with votal aecia:panirrent.. degrades the pti( to the lvl of a r'.T'fi'd d'.me ran mn and enf-ougo a hap f upTficiality and surfae srnartnees in p!a-e of real dra maiic literature and genuine h,is:rionic rkiTV There l more than ha'.f the truth in what these critic ny. The star system Is ipen to aag attacks from mure than one quarter. But perhaps th managTi I who have developed it are tit wholly to blame. Perhaps It will be. fuuad that the state of public taste Is the rial culprit, and that trw- star system la merely a re flection of that taste. "The theatrical .managers are mi totnmftna!" is the c:Tn plaisl of the few crltlca who have verte bral fiber encK.th to say anything but praise of what the managers offer the public. So they are. They are caram'l ciai, indeed. But this is a commerc.UI age and most of us heip mors or less to make it to. If F, didn't, it wouldn't be com mercial. We you, I. all of us are the public taste and. take us collectively, the stars are tbe stage exhibits that get most of our money. The star system, in short. 1 is what it is t.iday because, a the race track followers my, It "gets th- coin." Why does It "ret the coin?" Keeplaus; 1st the Spotlight. Well, this to an age of advertising. Thre' no denying that as a people we Ilka a bit of noise we Ilka a brass band. There are a lot of things that can't be done with out a brass band and aome of them are worth doing. Theodora Roosevelt under stood that. Theatrical managers under stand It, too. Their brass bands are the newspapers, which will toot the trombone and bang the front page drum for a per sonality a hundred times where they will do It ones for an idea. Most of us are prone to Lake people at their own valua tions. Tha star, through his manager, values himself highly and tells you so, through the newspapers, stimulated by the busy press agent, early and often, and again, and repeatedly, and on other occa sions also. And the first thing you know you begin to think that tnayba this fellow Is right about himself. And when he cymes to your town you pay tLM or Ki to find out. And half tbe time you don't knorr then. It Is not an easy thing to make a theat rical star of the first magnitude. It aome times; costs a good deal of money,- but, once made, a star la the must dependable and prolific money-maker tn that precari ous business, theatrical management. Ktars cannot be mads without tbe aid of popular plays, but, once made, they will often run profitably from their own mo mentum for aome time, even though thair lays ba tad. Theatrical goods, like some c( our most famous products, are sold by the label on tbe can quite as much as by the contents. It is just another case of tha trade-mark. Art for th Oollar'a ake. But, you ask. Is the drama then no longer to be Included In the field of art? Perhaps, but It's largely art for th dol lar's sake. And it Is all in your hands. The kind of art that you will pay to see on the other side of the footlights is th kind of art that you will get there that and no other. To an extent true of no other of 'the arts, dramatic art is in your hands. While it Is well known that th star sys tem is profitable, comparatively few per sons have any clear Idea of bow profitable it is when developed to Its utmost. It is proposed to giv her a few figures which will show with a clearness possible la no uther way tha quality of th commercial ism to which our theatrical managers, tempted by the complaisant public, have so generally succumbed. In a few cases It is possible to describe these figures as ex act, but absolute precision is aot claimed for the rest. But fcr all of the figures given bar It can ba said that, while no access baa been bad to managerial balance sheets, they represent in round numbers the careful estimates of men who cava been for years closely associated with the business side of tha American stage, some of then) as business associates of tbe stars menuoned. In tbe last few jears of his life Richard Mansfield was tbe moat profitable star in this country, as he was the greatest actor. He was his own manager and most of his profits he took himself. This particular f-atur of th star system exhibited great acting on th part of a single individual, but tn several of his most profiisble plays Mr. Mansfield was bit Indifferently sup ported and th plays themselves were but backgrounds for his genius. "Beau tiura mell" and "Dr. Jekrll and Mr. Hyde" be longed In this class, the former being :.a especially thinly furnished sketch vitalised by the acting of the great virtuoso. Bui this Is no place to analyse the sources of Mr. Mansfield s success. It is a conserva tive estimate to sar that during the last 5 ears of his life Mr. Mansfield s profits were never less lhau SiOu uuo a year and sometimes exceeded IJitt.ta). and thia esti mate take account of certain extraordi nary expenaea such as the priate car In which be traveled all about the country. On one of his last visits to Sin Krancisco. his receipts for two wt-eks exceeded CM,. Ooft. of which per cut. or M-4U). went to I the actor himself. Along toward th last of his life It nwde little diff-renc what Played. All that was nc-eveanr was to ex hibit his nam In front of a theater and the house wss packed. Big Moaey Makers. Of the living stars It is perhaps In viuioua to single out aome above others. with the exception of a comparatively f-e star of horn Broadway sel-Jom hears performances of "A UrsiMl Amy Man." He make sums that are not by any manner (1 Is the most profitable star in the world at j man to b snerged at. Thomas E. ?ha the present time. The total amount pad f.ir example. tnt ab. ut the countrv pro by the American public to him In 'The j fifing himself not much lee, if any. thn Mjsic Msster" a'one Is known to or.'v thr M-. Msntell. The big theai-rs nevr heard rersons, himself. D vid Bl isco and Ch:le . nf such an actress a M nme Victorson. et she ambies over a circuit trade up of towns of the thi-d an.1 fourth diss and picks '.ip Klein, but it seems certain that in five years the total receipts must have ex ceeded fc.r0.B Tilt I Reesrs. The first year 'The Music Master " went "on the road." after two years at the Bi jou theater In New Tork. Mr. Warfie'id Plajed two fk in Bos'on to receipts of ). and tn.ftnO respectively, ahile a week maae up of three nights in Prov1dnct and three cme-night stands in ma'.r Ne England citis netted a total of f.'mo. Tlut the amasing thing was done when the play came for the first time to the irtlimv of music In New York. . Here Mr Warfleld piayed four weeks to only a few dollars than an even S'.OP.O". an average of le: from to .) annuallv. starring in plays like "The Straight Road ' and "Th Woman Pays ' and there ate mar.y mo; e like her. Profitable A cr !. In qji'e another field. Mor.g.irnry and !:one are among the mo.t sucr-essf jl These- tao players are little more than glor:fId ac-obats. y their first season in "The Rrd Mill." following 'Tie Wirard A Ox." returned profits of fl.'J m many tharks to Victor H--ihert's m.!ic "'f this fvm. the acrobats divided 130.'). They have bet-n doing better than that evtry one of the f?jr yfars since. almost fcCOOO weekly. This Is b!leved to The very latest addition to the theatrical constitute a record. At the same theatee. conter.a::on is Mii-s Elsie Ferjuson. mho In MS. Booth and Barret U then on a joint pir th title part In "Such a Little farewell tour as co-sters. p aved i-i reper- Queen." 1'hs.nnirg Pollock's whimsical ro toir to a total of about for noUjnw of Herx.govina and Ilarlm. Miss week jFercuFon as rot a star when the play was In the present season M- Wrfild. still j t'-rl produced in New York, but within a using "The Mjslc Mas'er." nil! appear In t we-k her name went up on the electric many cit'es in the south and In the mid- " outside tfe th-ai-r. in these das the die and northwest where he has never b j '-r-l 'tid'x of ttardon. ?lie has arrived at fore been seen. Incredible as it may seem . r'er destination over a far shorter rout to th uninstructed. If his 80 per cent pr- ,r,an that traveled by most stars and th. sonal share of the profits of the g.-asc,t : f ' manency of her giip on the uncertain does not amount to a quarter of a million 1 eminence that she now- occupies remains to dollars he will be surpristd, shock-!, j oe ltermlned. pained and rlevd. ' Bu the point is that the success of th This may be Mr. Warfield's last year In ; s:i"" vtm is found-.-d in cash in cash "The Music Master " It ought to be. There f'a,1 b' you ar.d others line you. How Is something melancholy In th spectacle ' much you and the others pay to make that of an artist of his ability putting In six '"c"1" you have sen. If you don't like of the best years of his life pisving one t the system you have only to stop paying part no matter what part. He ought to I ,f Toy a Iik-e it. w hich you probably do. be filling his gallery with fine portraits '0J"''l go on paying and the carping critic Moreover, he can afford It. H has lived J m' crP all they please, for, right ot wrong, the star system American Msgailre. iill continue. AT THE OMAHA THEATERS Continued from Page Eight) almost frugally and Is by this time cer tainly a millionaire at least. Costly Esraraloa lato t laaeles. E. H. fothern has made sum costly ex cursions Into the classics, but he probably doesn't reg-et it. That is the kind of s man he Is. He made more money with ro- uiiiuwc costume piays like "ir 1 Were twn ji ... . t.. Klrr thsn he ever did with his beautiful , wood. His most notable work w as his in "Hamiet" or his "Richelieu." and It is s terpretatlon of the r.ame part in "The natter of record that he temporarily Devil.- Maude Leon i to b In the cast, shelved "Lord Dundreary." which was co n- 1 she ha.ing been epecia.ly engaged by Mr. Ing money. In order to put on "Don Qulx- j Grew for next week only. Mau.le Mcnr je ate." which he must hsv known would J Irtgraham. who will be remembered as I never prove anything more than a success f esteem. Mr. Suthern has know n several seasons when his profits exceeded rm.OOC and his poorest season tn fifteen years has not fallen below ItO.eOO. Miss Marlowe's devotion to tragedy and the heroic drama has also been expensive. With plays like "Bsrbara Frietchie" and "Whan. Knighthood was in Flower." her profits have averaged from to M.- 00 yearly. In other year they sank as low as tX.dDQ to S40.000. From lime to time he ha joined fare wilh Mr. Sothern for season in the classic drama and their com bined receipts represented tn average of not much less than 10.ft4). John Drew, who has been a star for v nten years, has been ne of the most consistent success of them all. JU1 ths way from "The Masked Ban" of 1!" o "Inconstant George" of IX. he has had few poor plays with now and then a reslly big one and never-to-be-forgotten, tender "Rosemary" of Louis X. Psrker. or that most brilliant of all modem light comedies. Henry Arthur Jone's 'The' Liers." Popu-!"- Mr. World is a singing snd dancing larity, wide and steady, has been his and I comedian and Miss Kingston has amed he represented sn average yearly profit of ! rHr tiUe- ",h' soubrette w ith a voice." "Simplicity" in the Burwood production of "Lovers' Lane." is also with the company. Opening this afternoon with the comedy. : "Facing the Music." the company will pre sent it until Thursday matinee, when "The Man On the Box" will be put on for j the balance of the week. Another well diversif'ed bill is scheduled for this week at the Orpheum theater, with John Hyims an Lolita Mclntyre, musicai comedy stars featured ts th headline at traction, in "The Quakeress." said to be a comedy of cleverness. The Curxon sisters, suspended in the air, perform evolutions, first as butterflies and later as filmy gowned fairies. Hanging by their teeth, they do a skirt dance in the air and ofrer other features equally amaxing. "Wanted a Sister," is the name of the one-act col lege plsy to be offered by James Young, assisted by Miss Lorayne Osborne and Robert Strauss. Mr. Toung has supported Viola Allen and other well known stsrs. ong. travesty and dancing will be pre sented by John World and Mindeil King- something like CO. MO. The year he played "My Wife." with Billie Burke as his lead Ing woman, th high water mark was reached wlth from t).9M t K M in profits, of which he got M per cent- A Drswlif Pair. A most profitable conjunction of star was In operation when Nat Goodwin and Maxine Elliott appeared together. They had several seasons when they cleared a This will b th first appearance In Omaha of the famous flute virtuoso. Mm. Psnlta of Cologne. She Is said to be absolute mistress of the Instrument she plays. The Arlington four is 4 quartet of singing and dancing messenger boys who provide a number of popular songs, clever comedy and dancing. Douglas and Douglas are ; comedy acrobats w hose work, in addition ;to striking skill, produce many a hear.y laugn. i he klnodrome. as ususl. will good deal more than HOP .00 In profit. Since ! project th newest of motion pictures and their separation, what with poor plays and devotion to mining interests. Mr. Goodwin's theatrical fortunes have declined, but Miss Elliott has continued to make large sums In her best years and a very respectable Income In her poorest seasons. Th Barn more name Is a pretty valuable trade mark and there isn't ny doubt that It helps Miss Ethel Barry more to roll the year's profits up to somewhere between tae.OW and rs.. Indeed, even as her Uncle John is one of the most consistent of the elder stars, so is Mis Barrynvore Prhaps th most dependable of th younger set. She hasn t always had the bt playa. either. What part of the profits does she retain WH. per cent. pr hapa. and her salary. Billie Burke I or of the latest additions to th stellar rsnks "Lov Watches" was lier plsy last jeer and its profits were perhaps SCO. 008. Viola Allen, from the commercial point of vlrw. has had a varied career. But for aeveral seasons she appeared In "The Christian" to enormous profits, exceeding J0.M annually. Otis Skinner, among our very best actor, is on of th comers. He began to return good profits about the time he produoed "Th Harvester." The proffj of "The Honor of th Family." in which h appeared the last two seasons, were over MOFSJ annually. It has bea uphill work making some of our successful stars. Often the trouble ha bn with th playa It took monev. and a good dal of It. to make Eleanor Robson profliable star, but th thing has boon accomplished. It took a long fight to pia x Jrace George In the successful list. For each of severs! yeais ii coat (). Itt she worked hard and steadily and Improved vastly. L,., ye.r ,h. , goo4 py M ua.ancs sheet showed son. the Orpheum orchestra of fifteen musicians ill offer several high class selections. a profit of tla- ! lb Millionaire Use. , Another very wealthy theatr-cal star who has made sit his Bwney u, ut ln thett la William Gillette. Acting and play-making have combined tu place him surely in the millionaire cla,a. for in addition to his inoi me as a succtseiul star he has received and It is not pretended that all of the big money-maker are nientioued hr. lijilnsi y thousands of oollais some of them ar so luminously in th pub li that no discussion of this sahject would be complete tiat excluded their names. Two such are Maude Adam and David Warfleld. In recent years M,s Adams has been Particularly fortunate la her plsy. Of the last, four seasons she has occupied too ex clusively wtth the adorable "Peter Pan." and one with "Htutl k.r Wuavaa Know a" and the latter Barrle piav will employ her at least ail of th present sea son. "The JtT," iu which she ap peared two aa-rt ago. waa far less popular, kut a reasonable estimate of the profits fron Ser prrformancrs fu the Is.-t four eor wouid pise th aerag at UTS Sua. h baa oeon a iar sine lav; uoelte ear and as a s-.ar of her itl.U-r u cr- VALUABLES INH0TEL SAFES Coests Oftea Leave Persoaal Prop, erty with Clerks for Years at a Time. A woman walked up to the counter of a fashionable hotel and asked for a packige of valuable which was in the safe. "If I had not wanted one particular thlrg I suppose I should have left the package where it was for another tliee years." she said to the clerk. "Ys." said the clerk In answer to a question after the woman left, ' that pao. had rea'ly been in our safe for three yeais. Why. we have all sorts of valuable papers, Jewlry and even money that are entrust d to our keeping for years at a time, people seem to prfr a hotel a fe to a safety deposit vault- One rs.m. perhaps, is that it costs nothing. Another is that the stan dard of hotel clerks has improved. "But it is astonishing the amount ol Jewelry that people keep in hotel safes. Of course the owners have originally stopped in the hotel, but they go away, leaving their valuablea. and I hae known such persona to be gone as much two years and never make an inquiry about th -ir property in that time. "To show you how much orfider.ee peo- j pie have In hotels and their employes I rrght mention that th other day a man came in hire and put four tl.O bills In ar envelop, wrote his nam on the latter and asked Die to put It in the safe. Not long ago another man actually did the tarns thing with eevrn HO.OtO bills." The clerks of several other hotels talkd In a similar strain without any ouis.Je suggestion. "I'll bt I have handled more million dollars worth cf Jewelrv said one. "Look here." and he the safe and piled six or eight big jewelry case on the counter, but hurriedly put them back "la one of those I know there is over fcstt worth. tan a today." ! open -d and what 1 huwd in royalties on you was only a few of what th. f. "Sherlock Holmes." "Secre! ' Lama " such piays , rrivste Secretary." "Held by the Enemy " and "Too Much Johnsoa, sll of I beta most successful with the public. Wiiimni H. Crane, now Bearing th er.d of a lor.g and honorable career as a star, U io a millionaire, for h has made gi-at ma for yeare and has led a cu.et and thrift, private life. Mr Crana. l,K Mim Adama John Drew and Mr. .iilleite. nas larg. investments In real eatate in sad out of Kew Tk City. Mrs. Fl.k. h.. h.d . up- ,n do,u but th. down, have not been .:y do.n, while the up. have bn dminciW Upp.,., It 1 safe to say that . f". f . ..d if. l , tb. fmml, K her kn-oand is her manag-r Perhaps her moat wucceeeful season l"p at a big hotel near the park the em ployes are greatly concerned about tbe freedom with which a wealthy foreign woman who la slopping there displays her jewels Every evening she wears a rope of pearls that goes once around her neck and then falls to her knees, to which Is' attached a lorgnette. EverjUdy who has een tbe itwle ha exclaimed at their sise and per fact match- j ing acd wealthy patrons of the house w bo have sold as well as bought Jewels say the ' neck ace Is not worth a cent less than fcoafcal. The wner went th other day Ini on of the bg Jewtlry hoiuws and business was immediate.)- suspended while evecj' b.lr crowded skoui U admire and es.i- H Christmas piano selling planned on a gigantic scale most impressive low priced campaign in local history inaugurating Bennett L JLO.IL JIO CI uhs The Bennett Company announces today the most attractive piano proposition ever presented to the people of Omaha and Nebraska. A piano club idea that is unique in conception, broad in its sc pe and liberal in character. n extraordinary occassion particularly timed to attract every Christmas piano buyer. JOIN A CLUB NOW Head the liberal inducements uf this romarkable event that i? now ojen to everybody. Select Hny of the fui lowing dubs you prefer. Knroll your name tts a club member and at once have the piano delivered to your home. Every one joining the clubs receives a credit voucher absolutely free for a first cah payment. Deferred payments will be $6.00 er month until full amount is paid in. You hav? choice of Fifteen of the Best Known Makes of Pianos in Seventy Distinct Styles. The best of it is, however, that every single one of these snperb instrument is offered you at from $50.00 to S 125.00 under established prices. Manufacturers are working hand in hand with us in this novel club plan, enabling us to make the club prices liberal beyond all precedent. 1Firt I ash' t Srf raiment A" "v and ilirn S f ret Month f C K 1 Mar. bMk mm PI 8BW fHi Tli rough the club plan you are given an opportunity to procure a strictly high grade I'iauo, such as only The Bennett Co. sell, at a great reduction in price and on terms unheard of before. W!ljaj',TWs,..ii.'L,sLiiiMi'gg First Cash Payment FREE to $P filcnth Just Think of It! Could anything be more simple? Did you ever hear of a proposition so eminently at tractive ! Yon have been thinking of a piano for a Christmas irift perhans. The club plan is dignified and easy. The very piano you like best on the most reasonable terms in the world, and the piano delivered to you immediately. The pianos are old time standard makes, favorably known in America for years as the highest instruments produced. Our December sale last year was a phenomenal success. More pianos were sold in two weeks than was ever re corded before or since in all the west. This year the powerful purchasing influence of the Bennett organization has been brought to bear with more telling effect to eclipse the wonderful record. This year we give you four weeks of more liberal in ducements than we ever made. Besides our annual special terms of $6.(hj monthly payments on world renowned pianos. t Any of the Following Clubs Are Open to You: fiTT TTTTTTi A VLrlUUJiiay ill ' n. 1 l m ii in nia im i Brings you choice f $450.00. S475.00 and $500.60 Pianos for $382.60. Select any wood you prefer from 12 styles. Included in Club A are the following makes: Packard, Ivers & Pond, Kurtz maim, Kroeger, Sterling; includ ing Everett, Mehlin & Vough, not of our regular line In thi rhib you don't have to pay tbe first rash payment of f25 Uy our club plan it la rescinded. fiTT TTTTrh m Offers you a selection from $425.00. $400.00 nd $375 00 Pianos for $348.00. Choice of twenty-one different styles in any wood, from the following well-known makes; Harvard, Sterling, Kohler & Campbell, Kurtrmann, Huntington, and Walworth. In this club yon don't bare to pay the firt rash payment of $: By our club plan it ia rescinded. erase This Club Includes $375.00. $350.00 and $325.00 Pianos for $298.00. Assortment in this Club embraces 18 distinct styles in any wood you might choose, from such lines as Harvard, Huntington, Kohler & Campbell, Brock mier, Marshall & Wendal, Hy. G. Lindeman. In this club you don't hate to pay the firt cash payment of f 1," Hy our club plan it in retcLnded. Buys choice of $300.00. $275.00 and $250.00 Pianos for $168.00. You may make a selection from any wood from 1U different styles, all prominent makes, such as Mendelssohn, Arlington, Cramer & Sou, Chase, Richmond, Haynes, Sherwood. In tlUs club you don't hare to pay the first rash payment of $1 uy our club plan it ia rescinded. 70 SO Chickering rd Sons Kurlzmann Packard Huntington Ivers . Pond Sterling Harvard Walworth Kohler GL Campbell Mendelssohn II. S. G. Lindeman iiIr5M suts rn-TXZsT otxh hash PER MONTH Some of the best known makers interested in our club plan. Read what they say l'i.ua.i 111 . Nov '. Tl.e Ben.irlt I'o . 'in i.i.i Neo. Can wake fsirlv rrurnpt si.ii-menis "f eprlil Tdem fur Har vP'i iui i f r the Pen nett u lipany Fiano Clubn The J.iho f'hurcb Co rzuiomAat Buffalo. N. V . Nov. ;. o. W haxe tarefullv ffna your prupusi- iion and heartily n durs umf althoufi factory . rowded iin order, .'an assura rea so:utbl prumt't si Ip mnts for special or.Jers for the Bennett Piano Clubs. C. Kwurtsinaon A Co. rZLIQUX X York. Nor. tit Plaia for Bennett Ctunpny Cluba an ei (ellent business nwvi ar.d HhO'jid meet itn heart je .espouse from lnienjlr. purchasers ill riane shipin-iu fur pe isl Mers for piaao t.urs uro npi! y. K.jhler A Campbell. TIUOBaJt Ne Tcrk. Nt-. !. ' ' s i t ii )t of rea sonable irumpiness In f.ll,n any additional orders :-jr the Bennett Company p.ano lubS. ' The Auto Plana Co. TILBOBIM rrhy. Conn , Nor so. 0. The lie tine It Company duos proposed by you ill be a prf.nouru-el iiiee.i believe. Will promiM to give ship Biems for ipecial orders far oar tluos prompt attention. Hunt,nirtn Pia'io C. PIANOS SELECTED NOW WILL BE HELD FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY IF DESIRED THE 1 ..tssasMsMill 1 3 "a"""--n? Cs3siik" 3 u Z3 Larcoot Doalors of Hlch Grado Pianos In tho Woot hia she uate th ce.klaca. i