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An actress and her manager sit in an office. Caption: The Star — I’ve had my diamonds stolen three times and been married four. Now, what else can I do? / Manager — You might take lessons in acting!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1902-03-19
At center is a theater manager, his hands and pockets stuffed with money. Around him are four scenes showing how he manages a scam to extort higher prices for the theater tickets, using scalpers (called “Speculators”) and by bribing the police. A fifth scene shows how the public can change this practice, by not attending the theater productions. Caption: The manager the real culprit.
Puck here ventures into a controversy largely forgotten today, but a hot issue at the time, when theaters and musical production proliferated on Broadway. The so-called “Theatrical Trust” was comprised almost exclusively by Jewish mangers, owners, and producers. The “culprit” in the center drawing by Ehrhart has mildly Semitic features, but in the pages of Puck‘s rival comic weekly, Life, the first decade of the century saw a relentless campaign against scalpers, purveyors of offensive content, ticket scams, shoddy construction materials (theater fires were not uncommon), and banishment of certain critics. Life ran many theater reviews, and its critics were banned from many theaters. The “war” attracted charges of anti-Semitism because of vituperative columns and cartoons with caricatures.
President William H. Taft directs male and female dancers on a stage in a production of “Princess Prosperity,” a script for which he is holding in his right hand. The male dancers hold empty wallets and the female dancers each carry a “Family Market Basket,” which is also empty. Caption: Stage-Director Taft – Smile! Smile like I do! Smile all – Smile!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1909-09-08
An opera manager talks with an attractive young woman who aspires to be an opera singer. Two somewhat less attractive and considerably heavier women wearing costumes stand behind them. Caption: The Young One — But if my voice and acting are satisfactory, why is it you won’t let me sing “Juliette”? / Manager –Woman alive, I can’t! You are only nineteen, and as pretty as a picture, and you weigh less than 140 pounds!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1913-02-12