Yes, actors were looked down upon and the women treated like prostitutes. Of course, there were admired actors and actresses like Edwin Booth and Laura Keene. Edwin Booth founded The Players (a club) in order to improve their lives and their reputation. 125 years and it’s still going strong.
Honestly miss marmelstein, there are very few actors I ever thought were good actors and decent people. Truth is, the ones I truly admire are long gone. My favorite was Claude Rains. The epitome of the polished urban sophisticate.