The Life of a Modern American Butler

Ian Smithe has been serving wealthy and famous families for twenty-two years. He finds that many people are surprised to learn that the Butler profession is still thriving and that it isn't the life of boredom or drudgery that many people think it is. He makes more money than his brother who is a lawyer, he gets access to exciting people and places, and he takes pride in a life of excellent service.

I met Ian when I had to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada for a work trip. Ian was sitting in a casino bar and I happened to sit down next to him. He was impeccably dressed and I could help but watch him sipping scotch and I wondered if he was one of the high rollers. We struck up a conversation and when I found out what he did for a living I asked him for the chance to interview him. I am delighted to be able to offer this unusual look into the life of one modern American Butler.

Q. Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Smithe.

A. Please, just Ian. My employees call me Mr. Smithe.

Q. Oh, yes, sorry. I guess my impression of butlers comes from the old television show with Mr. French and it seems that you might not even have a first name!

A. I don't know if I've seen that program, but I can assure you that we still exist and we still have first names. [laughter]

Q. Well, let's start at the beginning, Ian. How did you get into this profession? How do you even learn to be a Butler?

A. My father was in service for his entire life. He started out as a boy working as a stable-hand on an estate in Wales. The lady of the house took a fancy to him and he worked his way up to Chauffeur and eventually to Assistant Household Manager. Some families now use the title Household Manager instead of the traditional one of Butler. I saw my father doing something honorable and actually making a really good living at it. I knew it was something I wanted, but I also wanted to go about it more directly. I spoke to my father about it and when I was twenty-one he sent me to an excellent Academy in the Netherlands. They had an entire program for those who wanted to go into Private Service as a profession. We were able to intern as butlers and therefore had good references by the time we left school. I was lucky to land a job as Head Butler right after leaving school, but the family was American and off I went.

Q. So, you've been a Butler for a long time?

A. Oh my, yes. I've been doing this for more than twenty years now and the last twelve have been with the family that I work for now.

Q. What was Butler School like?

A. We learned about the history of the profession from the days when 'butler' meant that you were in charge of the bottles in the wine cellar. It was in Great Britain that the profession really took hold and was elevated to a role of management over the entire household staff. In school we learned about household management, valet skills, etiquette, overseeing the kitchen and other responsibilities that are common for a head Butler.

Q. I've always thought of Butlers as men who are impeccably dressed and constantly waiting on the gentleman who employs him. I never really thought about what all this means or how this is truly a full-fledged profession requiring specialized training. I guess in the back of my mind I thought that today a butler is kind of like a waiter in a restaurant who works for a rich family at a low wage but later moves on to a real job. Don't take me wrong at all -- these were just my general impressions and I'm here to learn how wrong I was. What do you say to that?

A. I don't take this wrong. I think that many Americans have this idea of the profession and I'm not even sorry about that. The more you all think this, the less you'll be inclined to join our ranks and the more we retain job security. [laughter]

Q. I hadn't thought of it like that! So, my ideas about butlering were way off?

A. Yes, rather off. The Butler is usually in charge of the entire household staff which can range from a few employees in a moderate home to a very large staff when working for some families. Typically one is in charge of at least one multi-million dollar estate and manages the rest of the staff while also overseeing other properties, vehicles, and grounds. And, what makes a Butler is his sense of style. With all this responsibility, a good butler is also far more than a waiter and gets paid far better. The average pay for a trained Butler can range from fifty-five thousand a year to over two-hundred thousand dollars a year.

Q. Wow. I may be in the wrong profession. Are all butlers male?

A. No, not today. While it is still more common for a Butler to be male, there are some excellent female Butlers in service today.

Q. You are the first Butler I've ever met and that makes me think there are few of you, at least in this country. Is that true?

A. No, actually. You could probably get some numbers from the International Guild of Professional Butlers. You may not meet many Butlers since they are
often more likely to be in the company of celebrities and are therefore often insulated from the public along with their employers. There are so many wealthy American families in need of well-schooled Butlers that there is actually a demand for more.

Q. Tell me about some of the interesting challenges you face as a professional Butler.

A. As a young man it took some practice for me to learn to have the Butler face. One must be able to perform duties in front of visitors and assist guests
without ever taking personal notice of any goings-on. One must be something of an actor. I've had to serve at parties where women have removed their clothing at the table. Other times a visitor may just be very eccentric. The Butler must be able to serve a guest who is nude, inebriated, or perhaps even a little mad. The Butler should never blink and eye but should think of the guest as an extension of the employer.

Q. It seems like it would be difficult to make the leap from attending a Butler school to working in a celebrity family, even with the internships? Especially with the special challenges like you just mentioned.

A. Most young butlers don't start right out working in a prominent family. They often take positions with agencies that place them in a variety of homes for short periods. This allows them to earn a living in a real working environment and polish those skills at the same time. There are also entry-level Butler positions available at many hotels and some fine-dining establishments.

Q. What is the key to being a successful and well-paid Butler?

A. I would not say that there is one key to this. Perhaps a key fob. It is imperative to keep one's mouth shut about family business, to exhibit perfect manners, and to know the employer almost better than he knows himself.

Q. Is it ever very difficult to maintain propriety when someone really famous comes to visit?

A. Not for me. The method I use is not to suppress my excitement or wonder, but to internalize it until I am alone. One day I might meet a prominent actor, another day a writer whose work I truly enjoy, and then a politician whose work I don't appreciate. I treat them all the same when I'm working and they get the respect that I believe all persons deserve. When I am alone or speaking with a very trusted confidant, then I can express excitement or surprise.

Q. What if you have a family? It seems like it would be difficult to take care of your own family when you are working so much.

A. It is certainly not impossible, but it is an added challenge. Some employers are fine with a Butler who has a family. It is quite common for a Butler and his wife to both be employed in service and this is sometimes an excellent arrangement. I chose not to have children and I think this would be much more difficult. I know that some employers are extremely accommodating and will allow the children of his employees to use the pool or other facilities. Other employers have no problem with families as long as they are basically unseen. A few do not hire a Butler who has children. When you work for a family that travels a great deal, your wife may have to home-school your children or live apart from you.

Q. What is the hardest part about being a Butler?

A. It is sometimes difficult to know how to maintain that perfect balance between knowing your employers well enough that you can anticipate their needs and behaving in a manner that isn't overly familiar. The other thing one must adjust to is that you are on call all the time. If your employer needs you at four in the morning, you should be available, dressed appropriately, and able to come awake very quickly.

Q. Hmm, I guess I've thought of butlering as being something sort of elite and that still sounds true, but it's also definitely work. Have you ever wished you'd gone into something else?

A. The professional Butler works very hard and very long hours. Many have to travel with the family on a regular basis. It is most certainly hard work. One does get regular time off and most have a private apartment within the home or cottage on the grounds. I feel that I'm well suited to a life of service and have rarely thought about doing something else. I suspect it would be harder to go from another profession and become a Butler later in life. I am lucky that I started out doing this.

Q. If someone reading this was interested in becoming a Butler, what would you recommend?

A. Get as much education as you can. If you choose a service profession such as landscaping or housekeeping you may be able to start with only specialized training in your field. A Butler needs to be generally well-educated a well-read. He or she must be able to speak well. In some cases the Butler may need to step in and take over as chef, secretary and even therapist. It never hurts to consider training formerly to be a Butler. One isn't going to just find an help-wanted ad and become a Butler overnight.

Q. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me about this. We are all so familiar with Butlers from television and movies, but I don't think many of us have thought about what it is really like. It could be a great profession for the right person, don't you think?

A. I am glad that I had the opportunity to visit with you about this. Yes, it can be a perfect profession for some individuals and is an area in which one can make a very good living with only a moderate amount of formal education. The key word when considering a service profession is "service." If this word doesn't appeal to you very much, this is not the profession for you. If you love the idea of truly serving an employer while enjoying free lodging and a provided luxury vehicle, this could be for you.