Reproduced below is a period article giving advice to any members of the theatrical profession planning an engagement in the United States.
The Stage Year Book 1909.
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
SOME ADVICE TO ACTORS ABOUT TO VISIT AMERICA
By W. H. Denny.
In view of the great number of members of the theatrical profession and others who are continually leaving these shores for the United States, an article dealing with the matter will, perhaps, prove acceptable to those who, for the first time at least, contemplate making the trip, though naturally the space allotted in the present volume will merely admit of treating only the fringe of the subject. With this in mind, it may be imagined that brevity and conciseness form rather the aim than an ornate style and a diffuse method.
REGISTRATION OF CONTRACT
To jump at once into the matter, the first thing to be considered is the question of the contract, and with whom the contract should be made. It is most important to bear in mind that contracts made in England have no legal standing in America unless they be registered at the United States Consulate in St. Helen's Place, Bishopsgate, where for a small fee they may be registered, recorded, and made valid wherever the American flag flies. With regard to with whom the contracts should be made, that is, perhaps, a more difficult matter, for in the States, as here, theatrical business is very much of a lottery; and there are many who, if the money comes in, pay salary, and if it does not, don't pay.
Such managers as Charles Frohman, David Belasco, Klaw and Erlanger, Henry B. Harris, Harrison Grey Fiske, the Shuberts, James K. Hackett, Henry W. Savage, the Lieblers (George Tyler), Charles B. Billingham, William A. Brady, and others are as safe as the Bank of England; but in all cases where the name of the manager is not well known it is just as well to make inquiries, for once in America it is a deuce of a long swim back.
The Vaudeville managers, too, are mostly reliable. The bulk of the business is done through the United Booking Offices in St. James Building, Broadway, where the bookings of Keith and Proctor and Percy Williams are carried through; and William Morris, on Broadway and Thirty-ninth Street, who has also an office in Bedford Street, Strand. At these offices the Vaudeville arrangements are giltedged.
HIGHER TERMS AND EXPENSES.
It must be remembered that the terms in vogue in the States are greater than those in this country, but at the same time the work is heavier, and the travelling expenses are much larger. In the theatres the salary covers, as a rule, all matinees. The item of sleepers on the train, which the artist pays himself, is quite a heavy one, particularly on one-night stands, when the expenses are all round much increased. Out West, too, and down South, Sunday performances are given, sometimes two a day; so it will be easily seen that the money must necessarily be more, to repay the wear and tear. In Vaudeville particularly it means "two a day" for the seven days, and no "let up," while in some of the stock companies out West fourteen performances a week are the custom.
Take it to heart, and underline it heavily, that the one aim of every soul in the business portion of the drama in America is to make money as fast as possible, and every other consideration is rendered subservient to that idea.
BAGGAGE TROUBLES.
When you have made the contract, the next proceeding is the booking of the passage. Usually it is booked for you, though to comply with the law dealing with contracts it is always understood that the actor pays his own passage, and it is as well to remember that one is supposed to have not less than fifty dollars, or ten pounds, to land with, otherwise you run the risk of being sent back.
From the office of the steamship company you are sailing with you get labels, which you affix to your baggage. That which you require on the passage has been specially labelled to that effect. It is then put in your state-room. The rest is put down the hold. It will also be necessary to obtain labels with your initial on to put on the baggage, since on arrival it is taken to the Customs shed, where baggage is ranged alphabetically under the initial letter. If your baggage has no initial, it will cost you much time and bother to find it. A good plan is to have the initial painted in some particular way, and in certain colours, so that you may recognise it at once, for it is marvellous how one trunk looks like another when they are piled up together. As a suggestion I may mention in my own case I have a large red D on a white disk. In order to get your baggage on board with the least possible trouble, it may be added that Messrs. Carter Paterson, for a comparatively small charge, collect baggage from the house and deliver it at the ship's side. This will be found to save an enormous amount of worry and trouble, and possibly expense in the way of tips for porters, etc. Provided your luggage has been properly labelled, you will find no further care necessary, for the stewards of the ship take each parcel intended for your state-room and place it there, and there you will find it.
One most important thing to bear in mind is the liability to lose things from pilfering, even among the passengers. Unless your valuables, in the way of jewellery and trinkets, are placed safely under lock and key, you will have cause to remember the voyage. Furs, valuable rugs, indeed anything which may be turned into cash at the port of arrival, are liable to disappear. This disappearance is most apt to occur during the bustle and confusion of landing, when, as a rule, the passenger is completely off guard. Bundles of wraps, etc., have an unhappy knack of disappearing on these occasions.
ON BOARD.
As regards what is necessary for the passage, that will depend to a great extent on the habits and tastes of the voyager, but it will be well at all times to remember that the less you can do with the better. It will be desirable, however, no matter what time of the year you travel, to take a good overcoat, for during the summer the northerly course is steered, and when the Arctic current is reached that article of clothing will be found most welcome. A travelling rug, too, is desirable for use on deck. A deck chair is not necessary, since this may be hired on board at a charge of one dollar (4s. 2d.), or in English money 5s. It is not always necessary to dress for dinner, as on the P. and 0. boats; but many do it from sheer custom, though it is a bit of a fag, at least for professional people, who as a rule have as much of changes of dress to satisfy anybody. A liberal supply of collar studs will be found useful, as they have an awkward knack of passing out of ken, and on these occasions a stud in hand is worth a dozen at home. Besides these few things, the usual articles one takes on tour will be sufficient.
TIPS.
Tips are a rather important item. They present a difficulty to many people. The general rule for a first cabin passenger is to give the state-room steward and saloon steward ten shillings each, the bath-room steward five shillings, the boots half-a-crown, the smoke-room steward in proportion to the services he renders you, but as a rule less than the state and saloon stewards; and there is a usual whip-round for the deck steward of perhaps a shilling, as a recompense for attending to the deck games, which are a feature of an Atlantic trip. The second class passengers usually give about half these amounts.
With regard to ladies requiring the attentions of the stewardess, the amount of the tip depends upon the services rendered, for it often happens that the fair voyager is unable to put in an appearance at the table, when the stewardess has to bring each meal to the state-room, and the frequency of this service has to be taken into account when the farewell is said. While on this subject it is as well to take into consideration the matter of that dreadful malaise, sea-sickness. Some people must always suffer from it, but the worst effects may be minimised by going into training before sailing, avoiding rich foods, for it is akin to biliousness, and if the liver be put in good condition it will go far to prevent any violent symptoms. I have frequently cured cases with a ten-grain dose of bromide of potassium, but any nerve sedative will be useful. It will be just as well to remember, however, that nerve sedatives are extremely lowering, indeed dangerous, if taken to any extent, and biomides should be used most sparingly.
Perhaps the very worst thing to take is alcohol in any form, particularly brandy, except a few drops added to a, spoonful of iced beef tea - not the greasy beef tea made on board, but made from the usual extracts, Bovril for choice. It must be remembered also that the beef tea must be taken in teaspoonfuls at intervals, for what has to be avoided is to give the stomach, which is in an irritated condition, much to do. It is advisable to lie as flat as possible, without a pillow, and to give with the motion of the vessel. Above all it should be borne in mind that on deck is the best place to combat this insidious enemy. Nothing is so conducive to a continuance of the complaint as the close atmosphere below.
ENTERTAINMENTS ON BOARD.
One of the items of the voyage is the entertainment, which usually takes place the night before the arrival, and it is then that the wisdom of those who can sing in putting a song or two in their cabin trunk is evident. The proceeds are given to the various charitable institutions.
One thing to be most careful about is card playing, for sharpers travel on nearly every boat, on the look-out for dupes, and long practice has made them most plausible and seductive in their manner of approaching a victim. They are, as a rule, quite well known to the officers on board ship, but, beyond the usual notice cautioning the passengers regarding this evil, little can be done. I have known, however, in flagrant cases stringent action on the part of the captain.
SANDY HOOK AND CUSTOMS.
On the arrival at Sandy Hook the medical and Customs officers come on board, and then the fun begins. A medical inspection takes place, which, however, is not so minute among the saloon passengers as in the second class. This done, you are handed over to the tender mercies of the Customs and Immigration officers, and various forms have to be filled up with particulars which need not be recapitulated here, for the forms are handed round and instructions given regarding the filling of them up. It is necessary, however, to remember the information given at the beginning of this article regarding the amount of money in your possession and whether you paid your passage yourself.
As regards what may be taken into the United States free from a foreign country, the position in life of the immigrant is taken into consideration. The personal effects of a saloon passenger would naturally be of a more extensive and expensive description than, say, those of a steerage passenger; but it may be taken for granted that clothing and effects for the personal use of the individual arriving are admitted without question, but in every case the articles should bear evidence of wear, except, of course, gloves and such items of a like nature which are intended to last during your stay in the country.
Members of the dramatic and musical profession were allowed great latitude in this respect formerly, but the generosity of the Customs officials has been so abused that instead of having their baggage hastily examined as before on the arrival pier, the latest regulation is for them to be taken to the Appraiser's Office (John Wanmaker), who, however, shows every consideration to the artists. The uncouth and brutal manner of many of the Continental officials is not met with.
In all my experience I have not known a single instance of incivility on the part of the Customs officers on arrival at the piers at New York. Indeed, the deputies, Messrs. Bishop and Matt & Coneys, seem to take a pleasure in rendering the task of examination as little irksome as possible. The new regulations necessarily absorb more time, but I rather imagine that they are only temporary, and that before very long a reversion will be made to the original method.
On landing the first thing to do is to see that all your baggage is placed under the proper initial. This is when you will find the benefit of the distinctive mark on your trunks, for there will be no rushing backwards and forwards to discover a missing piece of luggage. When you have all in readiness you take your place in the line before the desk of the Chief Customs Inspector and await your turn. You give your name and receive a ticket, and, armed with this, you are put in charge of an inspector, who will overhaul your stuff and mark it for removal.
Outside the barrier you give your luggage to the express man to forward to any address you may have. Should you, however, not have an address ready, it may be left at the Customs for twenty-four hours free, but after that period rather heavy storage fees are charged.
THROUGH THE CUSTOMS.
When you have got through the Customs examination, it will be necessary to see about your baggage being sent to the place decided upon as your residence while in New York. For cartage a charge of forty cents (1s. 8d.) is made for each article, large or small, and in view of this it is advisable to have as few packages as possible.
Don't buy expensive trunks in England. They will be smashed to smithereens on the first trip. Procure the usual theatrical trunks in use in the States, which defy an elephant's attempt at destruction.
An important thing to remember is the high charges made for cabs in the cities, nothing, as a rule, being under one dollar. There is a movement on foot to reduce these prices, and certain cab companies have a charge for a certain distance of fifty cents. The omnipresence of the street car, subways, and elevated railways renders one practically independent of cabs.
COINAGE.
The coinage will be rather difficult to understand, owing to its extreme simplicity. Except for the smallest amounts, in New York at least, and the Eastern States, paper money is used, but out West and down south silver and gold are more generally used.
The smallest coin is the cent, equal to our halfpenny; the next is the five-cent piece, usually termed a nickel, being made of that metal. It is equal to twopence halfpenny. This is, perhaps, the coin most used in the States, owing to the fact that the car rides are almost invariably that amount. Then comes the ten-cent piece, or dime, so called because it is the tenth part of a dollar. It is equal to our fivepence. Then comes the twenty-five-cent piece, or quarter as it is termed, since it is the fourth of a dollar, and is generally looked upon as the equivalent of the shilling, though in reality it is one cent or a halfpenny more. Then comes the fiftycent piece, or half. This is considered the equivalent of the two-shilling-piece, though it contains one penny or two cents more. The dollar is mentioned elsewhere, but it may be borne in mind that very few silver dollars are in circulation except in the districts already referred to.
LIVING.
It is most advisable to inquire of one of the passengers a likely hotel where you may pass the first night until you are able to make arrangements for your permanent stay if you remain in New York long. In the event of a long stay it is usually most economical and advantageous to take a room, if by yourself, in a private house in the neighbourhood of West Fifty-first Street, where a very nice room, with hot and cold running water and the use of a bath, may be obtained for five dollars (one pound) and upwards. Hotels are more expensive. If more than one, say a wife and "encumbrances," a furnished flat may be obtained at a very reasonable rate. The desirability of living in this style arises from the fact that the commissariat department in boarding-houses and hotels in the United States does not quite agree with the insular ideas of the Britisher, and for a time at least, until you have become acclimatised to the stomach-trying food in vogue in America, it will be as well to cater for yourself. If care be taken in the respect of living this way, the expenses in the States are not so appalling; indeed, three pounds per week make a very liberal allowance. But, of course, you must not expect to live at the Waldorf-Astoria for this amount.
For the individual who values his health, it may be just as well to mention that the various seductive compounds under the cocktail denomination are most destructive. The careful man, who desires to live well and comfortably, will never take a drink of any sort in a saloon, but will go to the best wine and spirit stores, where the best stuff is sold, Macy's for choice, and pay a good price and get a warranted article.
REMITTING MONEY HOME.
When you have settled down, and are earning a salary, it is necessary to know as to the best means of remitting money home. In New York this may be accomplished through the American Express Company at their offices near Thirty-ninth Street, on Broadway. In order to understand the remitting of money at the least possible cost, it will be necessary to understand the coinage with regard to the relative value of the two countries. The cent is the equivalent of one halfpenny, and one hundred cents, or one hundred halfpennies, make one dollar, or four shillings and twopence. Now, there are four hundred and eighty halfpennies in one pound, so that four hundred and eighty cents, or four dollars and eighty cents, represent the normal value of the English sovereign. It may, however, be understood that the bankers are not going to send the money without a consideration, and that is represented by the rate of exchange, which fluctuates with the demand. Sometimes it goes up to as much as four hundred and ninety-five or six, though this is heavy. I have bought as low as four hundred and eighty-three. These figures mean that for each pound sent home at the highest rate mentioned the cost is eightpence, and at the lowest three-halfpence.
It may be easily understood that in cases of large amounts it is greatly to one's advantage to get a low rate. At the post-office, in addition to a fixed rate, they charge for the order. The banks have a "flat" rate of 4.88, and some even 4.90, but the American Express, for all amounts over ten pounds, will give market rate, or perhaps a slight shade above it. If the rate of exchange is watched a large amount may be saved. As a matter of fact, I find the officials most obliging and willing to give me information regarding the tendency of the market.
For use on the voyage one should buy a few dollars at one of the numerous money-changers in London, providing you can get them within a reasonable relation to 4.80. On board their arithmetic is of the simplest description. Five dollars go to the pound, a loss of tenpence on the home journey. On the outward journey sixpence is accepted as the equivalent of the dime, or ten cents, otherwise fivepence.
CONCLUDING ADVICE.
I think that this is about all the information I can get into the space, so I will conclude by giving a little advice which may prove of great assistance. While in the States remember that you "cannot expect a' the comforts of the Saut mairket when ye gang visiting your Hielan' kinsfolk," and that because you have not been used to them, the habits of the people you are amongst are not necessarily incorrect, no matter how objectionable they may be to you. Remember you are in the way of being a guest there, and take matters as they come. The universal worship of the dollar may be distasteful to the average English mind, but you will find the usual mix-up of bad and good. Above all, put out of your mind that the American actor is "up against" the English professional; nothing is farther from the truth. From a long experience I have always found the greatest courtesy and hospitality at the hands of the American, both professional and private. Indeed, most of the incivility and brusqueness has been forthcoming from English actors who have been in America for a little time, and have been successful. Underline in your mind that if you don't care for the country or the people, there is nothing to compel you to remain. So don't kick when you are scooping in the dollars from Uncle Sam. If you feel hurt, jump on the steamer and go home.
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