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I

Vol. XVI

The MOTION PICTUIM} TI&lDB JOURNAL

CHICAGO, OCTOBER 7, 1916

MARY MILES MINTER WITH AMERICAN-MUTUAL

7 No. 15

Motography's Circulation Records Are Open for Inspection

The Master Drama of a Super— Criminal

> r

I h rough the

The great mystery story by Cleveland Moffett

FEATURING—

Sh i pman Ml I fern Duncan and Georg

A, Six-part Blue Ribbon Feature. The drama of an arch- fiend of the underworld, a giant of evil,in his supreme , Satanic struggle against the forces of lav/ and order

399)

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

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TRIANGLE

RELEASES FOR WEEK OF OCTOBER I LT "THE JUNGLE CHILD"

A wholly "different" Kay-Bee drama featuring Howard Hickman and Dorothy Dalton.

A'vital, strong picture of un- doubted charm and stirring mystery.

The romantic presentation of an unscrupulous and adventurous ex- plorer who discovered a lost heiress in the depths of the Brazilian for- ests, and of the unsuspected and terrific developments that followed her transplanting to New York.

A "puhW" in every sense of the word.

DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS?™ -

"MANHATTAN MADNESS"

This is a typical Fairbanks pic- ture, and merely its announcement is sufficient to pack the house.

You already know this by experi- ence if you have ever run a Fair- banks picture.

Here is the rushing, dashing story of the young Westerner who comes East with the conviction that nothing exciting ever happens on the Atlantic seabord, and who gets the greatest thrill of his life in New York City. If your audiences don't cheer this picture you can offer them their money back.

K EjY S T O N E C O.IV^E DIES

— Two of them. Isn't that enough to tell you?

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WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NICKELODEON

Vol. XVI

CHICAGO, OCTOBER 7, 1916

No. 15

National Association Attacks Censorship

MEETINGS IN NEW YORK— MANY PROMINENT FILM MEN SPEAK

TO stand together and to fight censorship, in any form, to its extermination was the attitude of the directors of the National Association of the Mo- tion Picture Industry expressed at a meeting held at their headquarters in the Times Building, New York, on September 21 and 22.

The meeting was presided over by President Wil- liam A. Brady and the first order of business was the discussion of the problem of censorship. Those who were inclined to favor Federal regulation were first heard. Several spoke on the subject, giving it as their opinion that a national censorship would protect the industry against state and local laws to regulate pic- tures. It was asserted as a belief that censorship in some form would probably prevail ultimately and it was better to have it centralized in the national gov- ernment than to have it scattered anions the states and municipalities.

One idea advanced was that if the film people did not oppose Federal censorship and if it became a fact they might be permitted to offer suggestions as to the regulation of pictures.

Federal Instead of State Censorship i)nc speaker -aid that lie had no liking for the

principle of censorship; indeed, was keenly against it. and cited the unwise and unfair methods employed by censorial bodies at different times. He maintained. however, that it was necessary to set about getting the best ultimate result. It was his contention that regula- tion rather than censorship was the better word, and that the idea of supporting Federal regulation was that a disposition had been found among the people in gen- eral— not the reformers, but the people of ordinary sort — in favor of it. The police power, he said, should be, but was not sufficient. That a further development of local censorship would be a terrible embarrassment. If carried out it would mean that the day of pictures other than educational in character would practically be ended.

"If," he said, "Federal regulation is enacted it seems clear that those who want protection, having had it, will not continue to agitate for state or local censorship. It seems the only way to avoid the awful difficulty that such censorship would bring to the industry."

Griffith Condemns Censorship

The opponents of Federal or any other sort of regulation were then given the floor. The most sensa- tional speech of the day came from David Wark Grif-

fith, who affirmed that he was inalterably opposed to censorship in any way, shape or form.

Do we know what censorship means? Five hundred years before Christ, ideas were advanced of peace and love to ob- tain an understanding between humans. The author of this ideal was censored by every religious society. Later came our Savior and it can scarcely be said that his ideas met with general approval. In the middle ages it was the same and so down to the day of Guttenberg. There have always been censors. When somebody said the earth revolved, it was called an evil. Later still, the stage was censored. The press in this country did not come into its freedom all at once. During a good many years it was very much censored. Yet, if the press were censored today, we would realize that it meant an autocratic form of government in America.

Once Federal censorship is established, what power can break it? Who will stand a chance of arguing with the United States Government? Who would be able to object, if the censors objected to Mary Pickford smoking a cigarette in the first act?

Seriously I believe that Federal censorship means the end of the motion picture trade as an act, industry and form of speech. Not even the stage or the press could survive as forms of speech under Federal censorship.

If we would use our weapons in fighting what censorship already exists instead of seeking to impose more burdens on ourselves, we would be doing the logical thing. There has been no concentrated effort to fight the evil, with the people behind the movement. Why not try that first and then, if necessary go after Federal censorship? Personally, I shall devote my time, in that event, to chasing the sharks that have been infesting your shores. In California we have fought and defeated censorship. Why not fight it here on those lines instead of putting ourselves in a position where we will be hanged before we have committed a crime?

Griffith Wires President Freuler

The serious and sincere stand which Mr. Griffith takes in this matter is shown by the telegram which he sent to John R. Freuler, President of the Mutual Film

rporation, in regard to this restriction of the films.

A great crisis confronts motion picture industry through secret effort that has been carried on by minority of pro- ducers for federal censorship law among the membership of National Association of Motion Picture Industry. Special meetings are being pushed through to railroad an endorse- ment which can be presented at Washington as representa- tive of desires of entire industry. We know from investigation that action is not representative and that whatever has been done favoring a federal bill has been acceded to thoughtlessly at behest of this active minority. You must realize with me that federal censorship will not do away with state censorship. We know from our personal dealings with state and city boards these past two years that each resents suggestion of interference from any board outside their own locality. They will not let Washington think for them. As a matter of law it is not true that federal censorship will do away with state censorship, for it is the constitutional right of every state to retain this power of censorship even if a federal board is established so that effect of latter is only to double tax and to establish a censorship from which, unlike state censorship,

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MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

there can be no appeal. I believe firmly that federal censor- ship wili mean eventual strangulation of the motion picture in- dustry. The final meeting of National Association will be held "tomorrow night and if your convictions permit a wire from you would be of great value.

Freuler Strongly Opposes Restriction

President Freuler showed very clearly the stand which he takes in this matter of censorship in the answer which he sent to Mr. Griffith, and which he requested be given publicity at the meeting if it would aid in the fight against the restriction.

I consider any effort to represent that the motion picture industry favors censorship in any form, guise or color is nothing less than incendiarism and treason.

I want to go on record now with the declaration that the Mutual Film Corporation and the other film interests which I represent will never at any time, under any conditions, submit to or participate in any proposal to accept censor- ship in any form. We are fighting and will continue to fight every form of censorship existing or contemplated, city, state or federal.

Any man or any interests which suggest acceptance of federal censorship as a lesser of evils is guilty of suicidal error and ignorance.

Any film man who stands for such a policy should not be in the motion picture industry and will not be for long.

Acceptance of any form of censorship would mean the violation of the primary principles of Americanism, and a surrender of our right to do business. If there should be censorship, then there should be no pictures. Our rights and those of the free press are equal and identical.

The Mutual Film Corporation and its allied interests will not be associated in any relation with any organization which stands for or proposes any compromise on the censorship issue. We shall fight to the everlasting finish for our principle.

Further there is no possible value, even temporarily, in acceptance of federal censorship as a foil against state cen- sorship, since it is established beyond question, just as you point out. that the states would still retain whatever censor- ship power they may have.

Ochs Shows Exhibitors' Standpoint

Lee A. Ochs called attention to the fight made by the exhibitors in defeating Senator Cristman for re- nomination because he had sponsored a censorship bill. He said that censorship existing in some states was in existence because of personal reasons.

"The exhibitor," said Mr. Ochs, "is the best judge of who should be the censors, because he comes in direct contact with the people. If we show indecent pictures we suffer for it by loss of patronage. Ninety per cent of the people, I believe, do not want censor- ship."

Seabury Gives Legal Aspect

William M. Seabury, counsel of the association, agreed with the other speakers in their attitude toward censorship and gave the legal aspect of the case.

Any one favoring censorship does so presumably on the basis of expediency. They are opposed to it, but believe they must have something of the sort, so they would jump in the lap of Federal censorship on the theory that this will do away with state and local censorship. This is erroneous. Censorship begets censorship. The more you get the more you'll have. If you have Federal regulation of censorship you will not stop having local censorship. You will get nowhere by such a method. Many people if asked casually whether pictures should be censored, would perhaps say off- hand, "Oh, yes." But let the people know what it means and the vast majority would oppose it.

Zukor Changes His Opinion

Last year Adolph Zukor, president of the Famous Players-Lasky Company, led in the fight of the Para- mount Pictures Corporation in favor of a Federal cen- sorship bill, but this year he voted with those opposing this movement. In explaining his change of opinion Mr. Zukor said :

I had fought for the passage of a Federal bill, because I

believed that by its enactment, motion picture producers and exhibitors could conform with one set of rules instead 01 being subjected to varying restrictions of the number of state and local boards that now exist. It was my conviction that if the Government maintained a board it would have the respect and confidence of the local boards, in time eliminating them entirely. Such a result would be lar more desirable than the existence of many boards, as a single standard would enable producers easily to avoid the presentation of objec- tionable subjects. I am now advised by the legal board ot the National Association, however, that the creation of a Federal board would not eliminate the state and municipal boards and would in fact encourage such local bodies in places where thev are not now maintained,, because of the Jove of home rul inherent in every state and municipality. Under the circum- stances, I intend to be guided by this legal advice, and will fight the enactment of the Federal board as hard as I have fought until now for its passage.

League Holds Session On the day before the general committee met a meeting was held of the national executive committee of the Exhibitors' League, and at that time a motion was made by Alfred Hamburger of Chicago as foil

That the National Executive Committee of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America hereby go on record as instructing their directors in the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry that they are to vote against any form of legalized censorship, as per resolution adopted at the National Convention held in Chicago in July, and further- more the motion picture exhibitors go on record to the effect that they demand clean pictures from the manufacturers. thereby eliminating the necessity of having any form of cen- sorship.

D. W. Griffith was also present at this meeting and spoke to the members present on the qu- si censorship, on which he insisted there should be no compromise.

Routine Work of the Association

After the censorship question had been tl oughly discussed the rest of the bush - com<

before the directors was enacted. This w routine work such as the schedules of fees, an< and so forth. A number of requests have been rec< from various political candidates asking aid in their campaigns from the association and »sing their

intention of supporting the interest- of the motion pic- ture industry if elected. Lee A. Ochs w inted chairman of a campaign committee | requests.

Those Present at Meeting

Those attending the meeting and tl anies

represented were as follows :

William A. Brady, presiding, the Work! Fill mie, Universal; William L. Sherrill. Frohman: Adolph Zukor Famous Players; Louis F. Blumenthal. Maurice Ch Thomas Furniss, Frederick T. Herrineton. Louis L I Lee A. Ochs, Frank J. Rembusch. Samuel H. Trig Tugwell, Donald J. Bell. J. E. Brulatour, T. H. Hallb< r *?r J- Moore, Hiram Abrams, Paramount: Walter W. Irwin \ L. S. E.; P. A. Powers. Universal: Fred T. Bet Stephens Bush. F. C. Gunnine:. Arthur James Metro- Wil- Vam M- Seabury, Frederick H. Elliott. Theodon V J. j. McCarthy, representing D. W. Griffith: F ' representing J. A. Berst of the Pathe Company V Wright, Kalem Company; Peter T. Jeup, \\ I nomas H. Ince, Mack Sennett, Keysl Jesse J. Lasky, Lasky Companv; Albert S Sweeney, J. A. Barrie, Alfred Hamburger. Mr. . R F

Porter. Mr Sherwood, of the Board of Reviev Louis Frank and Arthur Friend. ,

Gladys Hulette, having finished "Prudence the rate, a Thanhouser feature to be released through P

u f£red ?? an£ther feature b> Ag1163 C. 1 cl- eaned 'Her New York." O. A. C. Lund is

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

801

Chicago Theaters Damaged by Bombs

MYSTERIOUS LABOR UNION TROUBLES ALLEGED CAUSE

SEVERAL Chicago mo- tion picture theaters have, within the last few weeks, been the vic- tims of "bomb throwers," and in two cases serious damage was averted only by a narrow margin.

The last and boldest work of the bomb maker- resulted on the morning of September 25 in an explo- sion at the Orpheum Thea- ter, a large Jones, Linick & Schaefer house located in the heart of Chicago's downtown district. Had the culprits been men- skillful in the placing of their bomb serious damage would have resulted. The blowing up of the Strand Theater on Division street on Septem- ber 21 is thought to have been attempted by the same men. At the Strand a portion of the rear wall was destroyed and the big $10,000 organ was dam- aged. It was only by a chance that the house did not suffer greater damage.

Owing to these and other less serious attacks on picture houses, it is expected that some combined action will be decided upon at the next meeting of the Illinois branch of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America.

The bomb which exploded at the Orpheum. from the best information obtainable, was made of black powder and placed in a tin can. A time fuse was attached and placed at the stage door about 15 feet from the pavement. Its destructive power was slight, but it frightened the inhabitants of the entire section. The reverberation and the consequent air compression shattered windows on either side of the alley and cov- ered the pavement with glass. The heavy corrugated door leading to the stage of the theater was blown to pieces and torn from its hinges. In addition to this a

den and a screen door were de>troycd. A few of the pipes in the organ were slightly damaged but they were quickly repaired and the theater opened at the usual hour, running without any drop in the usual attendance.

These outrages seem to be part of the program connected with the labor war now being waged be- tween two local unions. Getting any definite informa- tion from the people who might be able to throw some- light on the subject is as difficult as locating Villa among the Mexican mountains. The few exhibitors who dare to venture opinions refuse to be quoted for fear of having the bomb throwers call at their houses. Both George Moore, manager at the Orpheum Theater,

The Orpheum Theater, Chicago, latest ji'rfim of bomb placers.

and Ralph Kettering, in charge of publicity and ad- vertising for Jones, Linick & Schaefer, owners of the theater, can assign no rea- son for this entirely un- warranted attack on their house. Both of these men illustrated the injustice of the attack on the firm, which has always been a good friend of the unions.

When the motion pic- ture operators a few years ago desired to organize a union to look after their in- terests, Jones, Linick & Schaefer donated $50 to help along the infant or- ganization and encouraged all their stage hands and operators to join it. This operators' organization is what is known today as Local 110, of which Morey Cohen, city examiner, is president. This is the local against which the war is being waged.

Local 157, consisting almost entirely of electrical workers, was organized

about a year and one-half ago. Peter Cuniff is business manager of this local, and is now said to be under indictment, having been caught carrying dynamite in his pi ick<

Difficulties Between Unions

The difficulties between the two locals apparently hinges on the question as to which organization the stage hand- should rightfully belong, and to which the operators should belong. Local 157 is an independent organization, not a member of the American Federa- tion of Labor, while Local 110, the operators' union, is a branch of the big body. Local 157 maintains that the operators are electrical workers and should belong to their local. Members of 110 insist that their work is di ft' (.rent from that of electricians. Their scale of wage- i^ different, working conditions are different, and the electrical workers' local has no federation charter. The theater owners who have had their houses attacked in the past few weeks intend to learn the identity of the individual or individuals responsi- ble and will spare no expense in reaching this end.

Director Reginald Barker, of the Ince-Triangle forces, established a new record for speed in produc- tion when he filmed in one week 63 scenes for the Tri- angle play by C. Gardner Sullivan, in which Thomas H. Ince will present Clara Williams as star. The scenes are those of warfare and were staged at Ince- ville. Several hundred persons were engaged before the camra.

S02

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

"REVIEWS' BY EXHIBITORS

Actual Statements by Theater Men Concerning Their

Experiences in Running Feature Films

That You Want to Know About

itorial Note; — "The trade paper that can give the most accurate information about current features is the paper every exhibitor wants," said a prominent manager recently. In addition to its regular reviews, MOTOGKAPHY will each week hereafter print the actual unvarnished opinions ■ exhibitors en films they have run in their houses, with the idea of aiding other exhibitors in making up their programs.)

uThe Unwritten Law" was run at the Band-

1 box Theater on September 16 and 17 and was

again shown at the same house on September 23 and 24.

Manager Miller, at the Boston Theater, speaking about "The Yellow Menace," said: "As a serial it has them all cheated a mile. We have been packing them in all day."

"Saving the Family Name" was shown at the Orpheum on September 21 and Manager Moore ex- pressed himself concerning it as follows: "While it is a fair picture it is nothing for one to lose one's mind about. We have been having a fair crowd all day."

Theda Bara in "Her Double Life" was shown at the Orpheum on September 17. Here is the "inside in- formation" on this picture as George H. Moore hands it out : "This picture is just a bit different from anything .else Theda Bara has ever done. Incidentally, it is the best work she has ever done. We played to capacity houses all day long."

Mary Pickford in "Caprice" played to enthusiastic crowds at the Castle on September 2. Manager M. J. Weil, expressing himself about the picture, said : "While the photography is poor and the direction amateurish, which can be attributed to the fact that the picture was made over three years ago, it is a money-getting feature on which none of your subscribers can go wrong."

J. Nassau, manager at the Columbia Theater, Indiana Harbor, Indiana, played "Cabiria" at his house on Sep- tember 21. When seen the next day his enthusiasm over this picture had no bounds. We tried to remember all he said about it. At any rate the following is part of it: "When you stop to consider that my house seats

only 400 people and we took in over $200 with I

ture, you can draw your own conclusions. W e charged

25 cents and everybody seemed well pleased."

"Fantomas," Mutual's foreign-made picture, was played at the Kozy one day last week and George Madi- son thinks thus : "It's a great picture. It made money tor me."

' Manager Weil of the Castle advises that he played Lottie Pickford to a capacity house the entire day of September 26, and they paid 15 cents to get in.

Exhibitors Combine Against Exchanges

A delicate situation has come to exist between a number of small theater owners in Chicago and a few exchange managers.

The difficulties originated when the exchanges granted a number of larger theaters situated on one street in Chicago the exclusive rights to show their features only and depended on the smaller houses to show their program pictures only.

This resulted in about ten of the smaller theater owners combining and demanding that they be given an option of showing the features in their theah they were expected to show the program. Things were brought to a head when the exchanges refused to accede to their demands and the theater men formed a pact to boycott the productions of these manufacturers by re- fusing to show anything released on the programs volved in the difficulties. Two out of about fifteen theaters are now showing the features in question and none is showing the program picture-.

Essanay Actor Killed

Richardson Cotton, an actor with the Essanay Company, was killed by being struck by an automo- bile driven by Ivan Thorpe at Ephraim, a summer resort near Sturgeon Bay. Wisconsin.

Cotton had gone into Wisconsin with Edna Mayo, Eugene O'Brien, and Arthur Berthelet. the dir to produce some scenes for the film entitled - Chaperon." He was walking along the road when doAvn by the car.

DO THEY EAT PEAS WITH A KNIFE?

i C-pHEY say 'youse' and 'his'n'," says I Doug. Fairbanks. No, not speak - y ing of prop men. His remarks

were concerning the fine scorn of good

taste and culture on the part of many

directors.

SERIOUS EXHIBITORIAL PROBLEM

Now here's a hard one. (Even Mister Rothapfel, at the "adjacent desk, An exhibitor said to us a couple of days advertise because it wears out the uphol seats."

creenshme

hi

By Mel Odi

' couldn't crack it.)

ago, "I don't like to

stering on my opera

A LITTLE VERSE ABOUT A LITTLE STAR

Anna Little's gaining weight;

— It makes the P. A. sore. For if the Little star grows big,

She won't be Little any more.

LAST WORD IN GRACE

It beats all how gracefully these movie actors can do things. Here's one now who busted up a happy Chicago family, extracted all the love and still left hubby so good natured that he paid his wife's expenses to Califilmia to see her hero.

EXTRY !

Found: The world's latest wonder —

a modest man in the picture bos And if he were a little further fa haps he wouldn't be so modest.

He's just half way in— under entrance of the Orpheum on Si in Chicago, standing in blue and bul -' before the ticket window. He's special picture house policeman in city He has been a copper ever since 1887 and he la to keep things running without a 'itch es Link,

bchaefer. But this big. blue-eyed violet won'i tell

The blushing petunia !

SERMON

It's only in certain sections that violent and gaudj s \ stuff will continue to good business. If all the films that made and exhibited were ninety-nine and fortv-four one dredths per cent pure it would build up a s constitution for the entire industrv

„„ , THE WISE EXHIBITOR

' Vv hat s a working title. Pa ?" "They're all working titles a good many times."

my boy. They've

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

803

Business Plus

AESTHETIC PERFORMANCES MAKE BALTIMORE'S PARKWAY SUCCESS

Beauty

The splendid Italian renaissance design of the

FU< i.M across seas came the idea for the architec- tural beauty of the latesl addition to Baltimore's picture playhouses the Parkway Theater.

About three year- ago an associate of II. W. Webb, president of the Parkway Theater Company, was visiting England. In the course of hi- rambles about London, he attended a performance at the celebrated Wesl End Cinema Theater, in Pieadilly Circus.

■ impressed was he \\ ith the architecture of the place that he went to some trouble t" *e ure plans and photographs of the struc ture, which he immediately forwarded to Mr. Webb. When Mr. Webb received these plan- and photographs he, too, was so much impressed that he set about the organization of a company to erect a similar theater in the Southern metropolis a theater thai would produce the besl films and cater t" the best element in its com- munity.

The location of the Parkwaj il is on North avenue a door or so from Charles street »e compared to, say, Fortj second

street and Broadway, New York. North avenue, the principal crosstown thoroughfare in the upper part of the city, was until recent year- a quiet, conservative residential section. But the inarch of progress after the great tire of l'XM decreed that business should not stop at ancient boundaries- and so North avenue, partic- ularly in the neighborhood of Charles street (the thoroughfare that divides the city into east and west) has rapidly become an uptown business center.

Draws Exclusive Clientele Within walking distance of the most exclusive residential sec- tion-, the Parkway has drawn for it- clientele upon the cream of Baltimore's population. Its promoters intended that it should be a

high-class theater — as far removed from the ordinary conception of a 'picture show" as the legitimate stage is far removed from the side-show of the medicine faker. Starting with the physical appear- ance of the theater itself, no stone has been left unturned to main- tain this air of dignity and exclusiveness. That is why, night after

night, there can be seen among the audiences there men who are leaders in the city's industrial activities. These men, induced to go to the theater for the first time by their enthusiastic wives, did so in much the -pirit that a boy consents to having his face washed. They expected to spend a very bored hour or so watch- ing the "films." They go now without any solicita- tion— for the management of the playhouse caters to the intellect of its patrons as well as to their emotions and risibilities by showing only the best pictures that filmdom produces.

Chaste Design

A distinctive feature of this picture playhouse. both from an interior and exterior point of view, is its chasteness of design. There is nothing garish; noth- ing to smite the senses with a feeling of the bizarre. Everything i- in good taste, down to the smallest detail. The front of the house is after the Italian renaissance design. It is in simple, dignified light gray terra COtta, with an admixture of light and dark texture brick, the whole giving a charming effect.

At first, as with nearly all motion picture houses, there was fear on the part of the residents of the sec- tion in which the Parkway Theater was a pioneer that the -treet wa- about to be invaded by a cheap picture house that would attract an undesirable element and -end property values down. But as the walls rose and folks began to gel an idea of what the place was going to look iike. this fear vanished. Today the very people who looked askance at all film productions are among the nio-t ardent supporters of "the theater supreme and distinctive," as the slogan of the owners has it.

So much for external appearances. Inside, the

The Parkway's auditorium is egg-shaped, 'with 1,100 deep ,A(l rose seats, indirect lighting and real live plants grow- ing <m the stage. It is gratifying to know that a theater ch chaste beauty is a commercial success.

$04

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

theater might be called egg-shaped, after the lines of its London contemporary, a plan which works out practically in that it presents the screen without dis- tortion to the occupant of every seat in the house, no

The beautiful tea room of the Parkway Theater, finished in delicate French grey with old rose hangings.

matter where located. The playhouse proper is reached through a handsome marble lobby, with mar- ble stairs leading from either side to a large lounge and tea room. The lobby as well as the rest of the interior is designed after the fashion of the Louis XIV period. Hanging lamps, reproductions of chandeliers at Ver- sailles and Fontainbleau, add to the charm of the tasteful decorations. The tea room is finished in a delicate French gray, with beautiful old rose hangings, much after the style of the cozy salle or lounge of the aristocratic theaters of. Paris, Vienna and London.

On each side of the interior there is a commodious "Royal Box," for use' on occasions of ceremony or for special parties. Below are a dozen roomy loges, from which the stage can be seen to excellent advantage. Besides these loges, the first floor contains 800 large, deep-cushioned chairs, upholstered in the prevailing old rose tint with a velour finish, making the seating capacity of the house 1,100 persons.

A $15,000 organ and a large orchestra supply the necessary entertainment for the ear while the eye is engrossed by the scenes projected from an invisible operating room to a screen of radium gold fiber, which brightens the picture and increases its "depth."

One of the most elaborate features of the interior embellishments is the main ceiling, from the large, ornamental dome of which is suspended a strikingly ornamental sunburst. All of the lighting is indirect ; there is no glare — in fact, the theater does not seem to be artificially lighted at all, so equally and unobtrus- ively are the rays distributed.

Of course, the matter of ventilation has been taken care of with the skill and thoroughness that marks the other details. So "fresh" is the air at all times in every part of the theater that potted flowers and plants are kept growing around the orchestra pit, on the stage and at other points.

Children's Matinees Weekly

One of the most successful of the Parkway's inno- vations is the weekly matinee for children, on Satur- day mornings. The critics said it couldn't be done ; that the idea of a special performance for children only was impractical and would prove unprofitable. But,

shortly after the theater was opened, the plan was tried out. Only carefully selected programs of travel, educational and comedy films, such as "Fanchon the Cricket," "Cinderella," "Making United States Money," "Making Stamps," and pictures of bird and animal life, were presented. With a suddenness that was sur- prising, the idea took hold in the community, and mothers began sending their children to the perform- ances in much the spirit that they sent them to school or to the music teacher's. The only problem that the management faces today in connection with these Sat- urday "matinees" is the problem of finding accommo- dations for the patrons of them.

Open Booking Plan The pictures presented at the Parkway are booked on the open booking plan. Every film must be seen and approved by the management before it goes before the eyes of the patron?. Nothing in the least sugges- tive, nothing in the least below the high standard set on the opening day and rigidly adhered to ever since, is even considered for a showing. The programs are run on schedule, and this schedule is advertised so that on; may time one's arrival at the' theater to accord wi;h the showing of the particular film or films which one desires to see. A weekly program heralding com- ing attractions is mailed to 5,000 selected names. I: one wants information as to price of seats, time of per- formances and so on. there is a special telephone information department to answer such inquiries promptly and courteously. Automobiles of patrons are checked and guarded by a special officer. Ushers and attendants are well trained and, above all. ] Prices range from 10 cents to 50 cents. All screen an- nouncements are made in trick film. The theater's own camera man is ever on the alert for ings of interest, and within 24 hours after the occurred big news events of local int< the screen's Topical Review.

These are some of the reasons for the I success. Under the active management rnard

Depkin, Jr. — a very live young man with very pr> g sive ideas and the ability to put them int. the patronage is growing steadily. Young D> believes that there is something more to a m ture playhouse than a projecting machine i and

tawdry color effects in decoration. To the men wh made the Parkway possible the proper pr film productions is as aesthetic an undertak the production of the most expensrv so-called legitimate stage. And that the pub with this professional point of view is evidenced bv the steady clip-clip of the ticket machint office out front at everv performance. That, after all, is the sur< •

Milo Comedies State Righted

Frank P. Donovan, general Pictures Corporation, of Baltimon n!nMM °* smal] «<*anges that all th<

of Mho Comedies will be released tl

^th?feutpura! of which hav<

have written the Milo Company

™LT lectf, for their torritor-v; '

rapidly by the yearly contract.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

805

Providing for the Youngster Patron

The Children and Motion Pictures

Under this caption Weekly Film News, the house organ of the John H. Kunsky Theatrical Enterprises, operating eight motion picture theaters in Detroit, Michigan, gives a brief discussion of a responsibility that some reformers are trying to place upon the film manufacturer and exhibitor. The article, which fol- lows, claims that "What shall the children see?" is a question that must be answered in the home.

"An industry that provides high-class entertain- ment for all the people at a very low price, has been developed to a certain degree of efficiency and useful- ness in spite of the fact that it is hampered by the most insidious kinds of interference. If the lowest price of admission to a high-class motion picture theater were fifty cents, and the best seats were sold for two dollars, we would not hear any comment about bad or harmful influence of the productions on the children, and arguments for censorship could not be ba-ed upon the children in the audience.

"Motion pictures are entertaining and educating the whole world. Motion pictures bring knowledge, inspiration, relaxation. Motion pictures provide won- derful theatrical entertainment, unlimited in scenic effects, direction, artists, story strength and power Motion pictures belong to all the people. The low price of admis-ioii ha- not kept the wealthy and digni- fied people from the theaters ; rather, the low price has been the means of drawing all — the rich and the poor — to a common sour e of knowledge and amusement. But the point that is raising the discussion at the pres- ent time is — children — children in the theater.

"For one little dime the very best entertainment can be enjoyed. This is the result of modern inven- tion, capitalization and organization. Rut, 'one little dime' has caused a peculiar condition to arise — every- one can go to the theater-: and great care must be used in providing an entertainment for an audience compri-ed of the rich M >ung, male and

female.

"The low price of admission to our theaters has made it possible ior the man of moderate means to send his children frequently to the neighborhood thea- ter-. Then, too, many children in this age have money in their pockets all the time, so that they go to the theater at their own sweel pleasure.

"'Many of the picture plays,' says the reformer, looking over the th< v'"g a few children,

'are too strong for children. They present themes and conditions that the child mind should not be allowed to consider.'

"So, with one form of objection, or another plan of so-called reform, or some other method of regula- tion— all emanating from busy people who feel that their method of living and their code of morals is a pattern for humanity — with all this agitation and interference, the motion picture business is kept in a constant state of unr<

"The price lets the children in. And when chil- dren are introduced as an argument for interference with this popular, low-priced, high-class amusement, it becomes class legislation, because high-priced bur- lesque performances and problem plays are not cen-

1. hampered nor molested.

"To meet the objections of these reformers — the same who condemned the pictures entirely in their first stages, ridiculed their development, pooh-poohed the idea of the world's famous artists contributing their ability to the screen, and laughed at the men who in- vested great sums to build better and more elaborate theaters — to meet the impediment that these people are trying to place in the path of progress, all the film plays must be tempered to the child mind. There must be no big themes, no pictures of real life, no pic- torial discussions of the problems that men and women are meeting in this queer world. Instead, the adult, who seeks on the screen some of the stimulation and education that is to be found in our best literature, must sit through film plays of fairyland, nursery sto- ries, harmli tern plays, or censored history.

"Of course, the child is to be considered. In a well regulated home the children are put to bed soon after supper, so that the adults may sit together in peace and discuss the subjects that, possibly, could not be discussed before the little ones. These sensible people do not expect to regulate the whole motion pic- ture business so that everything presented in the thea-

will be harmless and helpful to their children.

"The children do attend the theaters when, per- tiaps, it would be better if they did not; but the solu- tion of the problem rests with the parents. The re- sponsibility of child development and training cannot he placed upon the film manufacturer or the exhibitor. The best entertainment is provided for the public at a low admission price. Parents and guardians know what kind of pictures and what kind of plays they want their children to see. It i< the parents' duty to choose the child's entertainment, just as the watchful father takes an interest in his child's education, directs his reading, and influences his choice of companions.

"There are a great many of our best photoplays suitable for children. There are a great many subjects filmed especially for children ; and some of the theaters conduct a children's matinee every Saturday afternoon. The picture industry has met and is meeting the chil- dren's need.

"It is hardly just to penalize an industry that is accomplishing so much for humanity in an educational as well as an entertaining way, simply because capital- ization and organization have enabled it to present the best in motion photography at a price within the reach of all."

Motion Pictures and the Parents

The Parent-Teacher Association of Kenosha, Wisconsin, has been making a study of the character of the motion pictures shown in the community and is joining hands with exhibitors in a special effort to pro- vide especially fine films for children and young people. The proprietor of one of the principal theaters in Ken- osha has agreed to arrange a carefully selected pro- gram for Priday evenings, showing a drama designed for or especially suitable for children, a travelogue, a cartoon and similar films. The members of the asso- ciation believe that special performances of this kind will remove the objections sometimes made with ref- erence to the effect of motion pictures upon children and are planning to aid the exhibitor by advertising,

S06

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

these exhibitions. The association is inclined to be- lieve that when pictures not designed for children, showing for instance crime with its consequences, are exhibited it is desirable that exhibitors display a sign reading "No Minors Admitted." Several theaters in Kenosha have acquiesced with the desires of the asso- ciation in this matter.

D. V. Head, who is chairman of the committee which has charge of the investigation says: "Each individual fits his own standard of morals to the pic- ture he sees, and I do not believe that any clean- minded adult is harmed by a picture depicting immor- ality. I think they are only disquieted and offended by them. We cannot deprive our children of moving pictures, nor would Ave wish to do so, for there is much of educational value, much information to be gained and there are many ennobling, uplifting pictures which help to make them wiser and better men and women. Much can be said in favor of motion pictures as home builders by furnishing inexpensive amusement for the whole family, irrespective of age or education, and as the most potent enemy the saloons have to contend with. We love the motion pictures and have no quar- rel with many fine plays ; we have cause to be very thankful for them. Of course even parents differ upon the kinds of pictures they wish their children to see. Some take their boys to see 'Damaged Goods' for the moral lesson it is supposed to contain, while others believe it is unwise to teach sex hygiene in this way."

Krazy Kat

Maud The Social Cave Man Shadow and Sunshine The Little Liar Alice in Wonderland

r'niversal Pathe

Fine Arts Triangle

Eskay Harris

Cartoor Cartoon 1 Melodrama 5 Drama

5 Tragedy

6 Fanciful

For the Young People's Program

The list of selected films given below may prove helpful to the exhibitor who is endeavoring to arrange performances especially suited to the young people of his neighborhood :

Name.	Brand.	Company	Reels.	Character.
An Old -Fashioned Girl	Essanay	General	2	Comedy
Artistic Atmosphere	Melies	General	1	Comedy
Getting By No. 1	Vitagraph	General	1	Comedy
Battle in the Dark	Kalem	General	2	Comedy
See America First, No. 53 —	Gaumont	Mutual	1	Scenic
Massachusetts Shore
Komic Kartoons				Cartoon
Reel Life, No. 20	Gaumont	Mutual	1	Magazine
Arabella's Prince	Thanhouser	Mutual	2	Country Story
See America First, No. 54 —	Gaumont	Mutual	1	Scenic
New Hampshire
Tour Family or Mine		Universal	7	Drama
Lord Helpus Discovers Oil		Universal	1	Comedy
Liberty, No. 7	Universal	Special	2	Serial
Under Suspicion	Red Feather	Universal	5	Melodrama
The Underling		Universal	2	Melodrama
Ravengar, No. 14	Pathe		2	Serial
Tokio (in color)	Pathe		H	Scenic-
Jungle Child	Kay -Bee	Triangle	5	Jungle Story
Vagabond Prince	Kay -Bee	Triangle	5
Daughter of MacGregor	Fam. Players	Paramount	5	Drama
Beatrice Fairfax, 5Jo. 8	International		2	Serial
Maud Becomes Useful	International		1	Cartoon
Perils of Our Girl Reporters, No.	10 Niagara		2	Serial
Kidnaped
Perils of Our Girl Reporters, No.	11 Niagara		2	Serial
Counterfeiters
Perils of Our Girl Reporters, No.	12 Niagara		2	Serial
Schemers
Perils of Our Girl Reporters, No.	13 Niagara		2	Serial
Taking Chances
Perils of Our Gfirl Reporters, No.	14 Niagara		2	Serial
Outwitted
Reel Life, No. 17	Gaumont	Mutual	1	Magazine
The Surgeon's Revenge	L-Ko	Universal	2	Comedy
Cold Hearts and Hot Flames	L-Ko	Universal	2	Comedy
V. H. Bailey's Sketch Book —	Essanay	General	1	Scenic
Petrograd
Electrification of Railroads
Gloria's Romance, No. 15	Kleine	General	2	Serial
Country Cousins	Vitagraph	General	9	Comedy
Scarlet Runner No. 7 —	Vitagraph	General	2	Serial
Red Whiskered Man
Gloria's Romance, No. 20	Kleine	General	0	Serial
Royal Blood	Melies	General	1
Love and Duty	Melies	General	1	Farce
The Man Hunters	Melies	General	1	Farce
Taming of Grouchy	Selig	General	1	Comedy
Ships of Sweden's Navy	Vitagraph	General	%	Scenic
Scarlet Runner No. 8— -	Vitagraph	General	2	Scenic
The Glove and the Ring
The Oil Field Plot	Kalem	General	2	Melodrama
Reel Life, No. 14	Gaumont	Mutual	1	Magazine
See America First, No. 48 —	Gaumont	Mutual	1	Scenic
Delaware River
Bell Hop Billy				Cartoon
A Comedy of Terror	Nestor	Universal	1	Comedy
The Dispatch Bearer		Universal	1	Drama
The Critic and the Dancer	Special	i Universal	2	Drama
Laundry Liz	Keystone	Triangle	2	Comedy
House of the Golden Windows	La sky	Paramount	o	Oil Fields Sloo
Husband and Wife	World		5	Drama
Grandeur and the Golden State-	— International			Travel

New Distribution Plan

It is not always an experienced film man, especially one who has for years carried on a successful sale- proposition, turns right around and adopts a film dis- tribution plan that no one thought for a moment would work out satisfactorily. Such, however, is the experi- ence of L. Rosengarten, president of the Herald Film Company of New York, who is releasing the Jules Verne feature, "Around the World in Eighty Day?."

Mr. Rosengarten's idea consists of advertising the feature to exhibitors at a flat price, which in this is $50 per day. Any exhibitor contracting for a week's run is immediately given a first run print. Exhibitors taking the film for less than one week get second, third and fourth runs, depending upon the number of day- contracted for. After all the territory in certain sec- tions of the country especially the larger cities has been covered, the film will be sold outright at a figure to conform to the territory to be covered. The advantage in this method is claimed to be the fact that exhil in small and medium sized cities can secure the first- run films, which they cannot do under existing methods. The way exhibitors are taking hold speaks well for the future of Mr. Rosengarten's plan.

V. Releases on General

For the week of October 2 Vitagraph contribu five reels to the General Film program. ( )n Monday, October 2. General will release the Yitagr; comedy "Making an Impression." It was dire by Frank Currier. On Friday, October General will release a Vitagraph one-part comedy entitled "A Vampire Out of Work." This i.- a -cream ing burlesque on the vampire type of picture and Josephine Earle is featured. As' a vamp of all she surveys her dominion over restaurant patrons makes excellent comedy. On October seventh a Broadwa Star feature in three parts entitled "Canl Madonna" is scheduled. Gordon Gray ami \ Hammond are featured. The director of "Cantrell's Madonna" is Thomas R. Mills. This three-part duction is entitled to rank with lengthier feature- be it contains a powerful story and is superbly done.

Walthall in Seven-Act Play

The silence surrounding the activities of I B. Walthall at the Essanay studios has been E broken by President George K. Spoor's announcement that his big star will begin work immediately in a - feature of seven acts. It is ••The Truant Soul." by \ Rousseau, the famous novelist, and Mr. Walthall the greatest opportunitv of his caret a powerful character portrayal. Approximated- scenes will be taken. Only in a few instances will f one camera be used.

Richard Bennett is diligently nearing the clo- production of "The Lawmakers."'' an American-Mi feature in five acts. This photodrama car preachment against capital punishment.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

807

What Theater Men Are Doing

AN OPEN FORUM

This is a department of, by and for exhibitors. W e want YOU represented here. Other managers and proprietors of picture theaters want to hear YOUR experiences, your opinions and your advice. Write to this department telling us your story, how you started, how you grew and all about your theater and how you manage it. Mention your advertising methods and your lobby displays. If possible send in photographs of yourself and your house. Address, The Forum, Motography. Chicago.

Theaters and Newspaper Hold Contest

A "Trip to Movieland Contest" has been inaug- urated by the Photoplay News in conjunction with the motion picture theaters of Rochester, New York. Primarily the contest was started for the purpose of building up a paid subscription for the paper to supplement the free distribution in the thea- ter-, and secondarily t<> interest the "fans" more directly in the enterprise by offering them a liberal -hare of the profit-.

According to the term- of the contest the city has been divided into four districts and a first, second and third pri/r will be awarded in each district. The first prizes consist of a three-day visit to New York to inspect the great manufacturing studios of the east. Carfare, hotel bill- and all incidental expenses will he paid for the four '"fan-" who win in the various dis- tricts.

The second prize- consist of a visit to the Whar- ton Studio at Ithaca, where the member- of the party will he included in one of the film- then in the making..

The third prizes are consolations four i watches being offei i

I'he city ha- been divided into four districts as

follow- .

District 1 includes patrons of the Regent, Vic- toria and ClintOIl theater-; district 2 includes the patrons of the Gordon, Lyndhurst, Lyric. Empi Aster and Palace theater-: district 3 takes in patrons of the Colonial, Princess, family ami Jefferson thea- ter-, and district four includes patrons of the Knicker- bocker, Grand, Murray. Pullman, Park, Lincoln and Ideal theater-.

fhe contest closes November 15 and the blanks and nomination slips are distributed from the box offices of the various theaters. Subscriptions for -i\ month- entitle the subscriber to 200 vote.-; 1 year sub- scriptions 500 votes, _' year subscriptions 1,250 votes, and 3 year subscriptions, 2.< .XX) votes.

A New Pennsylvania House Rapid progress has been made upon the construc- tion of the new Victor Theater, formerly the Avenue, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, which has heen an- nounced to he opened for personal inspection and busi- ness on Octoher 5. The Victor will be one of the finest photoplay houses in the State of Pennsylvania. The Victor Amusement Company, of which 1 1. A Victor i- president, and Isaac Victor, treasurer, has spared no expense to make this theater the crowning triumph of its long career in successfully catering to the entertainment of the better class of McKeesport people.

In their announcement sent out recently to the trade, they stated that they were confident that their

new house and the new policy which they will pursue in conducting this playhouse, will undoubtedly meet with the cordial approval and appreciation of their many thousands of friends and patrons in their com- munity, as they are endeavoring to have the structure represent their highest expression of sincere apprecia- tion of the Favor and friendship that the public has shown them by their patronage during the past year.

Their plans for the Victor embody the best of all the modern ideas in photoplay construction. They have made careful provision to safeguard the health and insure the comfort and convenience of all their patrons.

The theater management ha- arranged for the ex- clusive showing of Paramount Pictures in this dis- trict, including the Four short reel subjects.

Personal Guarantee for Pictures

By Brui i haw

Manager I M» Theatei

There is bo much censure of the manager of a mo- tion picture theater from all kinds of people because of the films he -how. — -ome liking one and some another -that I have found the only safe way is to simply put the censoring of pictures up to the people themselves. It is impossible to please everyone, for n<> two people like the same thing nor look at the same thing in the same way.

As every exhibitor ha- been bothered, I suppose, I also have had a great deal of trouble with the parents complaining because some of the pictures their chil- dren saw were not just what they would have chosen for them to see. I run a special matinee for the kid- dies at my theater and that ought to take care of the children, but it does not; they want to come in the evening with the older people and in a great many cases the parent- cannot come unless they bring them, therefore I notified the parents that I would indicate in my program whether the picture was suitable for the children to see or not. also when it was a particu- larly >trong play but unobjectionable in every way by putting my personal guarantee to any especially good pr< (grams i >r film-.

Therefore after listing the entertainment for cer- tain nights in my program I add a line such as "We cheerfully recommend this performance with our best guarantee." "A feature with a double guarantee," "We are pleased to be able to recommend this offering with our indisputable guarantee," "It carries a double guar- antee," "We are pleased to guarantee this as one of the best all-around shows in months," "Another guar- anteed attraction," and so forth. When these guaran- tees are given to an evening's performance the people attending may be perfectly sure not only that they are going to see a better-than-the-ordinary show, but at

SOS

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, Xo. 15.

the same time there will be nothing which could offend the most delicate tastes.

The other pictures which we do not care to guar- antee we may praise in some way, but the word "guar- antee" will not appear in the recomendation. We may class it as "A very long and attractive show," "One of the most gripping dramas produced by such and such a company," "Biggest show we ever had for the price," or something of that kind, but it does not carry the guarantee. The pink slip plays are of course listed as "No Children Admitted."

With the people who are regular patrons, this classing of the different pictures allows them to be their own censors. If they care to come to a perform- ance which does not carry a guarantee or a double guarantee then they do so on their own responsibility. I have not recommended the pictures for that night as anything out of the ordinary and they cannot blame me if they choose that night to come. With the person who just casually picks up the program, if they see a guarantee by the manager of the performance for the evening they are pretty sure that it is going to be good and are at once tempted to attend.

I have found that this method of standing back of my word and at the same time throwing the respon- sibility of choosing upon the people themselves has eliminated a great deal of the chronic "kicking" to which every manager is subjected.

Make the First Impression Right

The success or failure of a motion picture theater is governed largely by the first impression made upon the patron when he enters the house. If the first glimpse conveys the impression that the building houses a legiti-

m a t e business enterprise, if an air of reserve and refinement predomi- nates, if the place looks cozy, — then much has been done to- ward attracting people to the theater day after day.

Manager W. G. Sturdi- vant of the Hoy- b u r n Theater, Evanston, 1 1 1 i- nois, evidently is a staunch be- liever in the idea contained in the foregoing para- graph. The Hoyburn is lo- cated in the business section of the Chicago suburb, seats 635 persons, and the musical apparatus consists of one baby grand piano and one Kimball echo organ. Imbedded in the concrete floor throughout the building are 90 grated air tubes through which one large fan pumps pure, fresh air,

Hoyburn Theater, Evanston. Illinois, managed by W. C. Sturdivant.

on hot days it being iced. Two large exhaust fans draw out the consumed air.

Many exhibitors know nothing about the conscious and sub-conscious appeal to patrons or the value at- tached to them when used individually or when com- bined.

Mr. Sturdivant, however, is familiar with their importance. In his eight-page weekly program he con- tinually keeps his truly excellent ventilation system be- fore his patrons, but he has gone further. In his lobby and just outside the auditorium door he has arranged two American flags which flap perceptibly enough in the air current to remind a person entering that the air in the house is continually changing. Of course, you readily appreciate how the average fresh air fiend takes to this. The light colored calcimined walls and ceiling coupled with the indirect lighting system give the place a cleanly appearance, also a very important factor in obtaining and holding patronage. The Hoyburn Theater is only about one and one-half years old and the success it now enjoys can be credited largely to Mr. Sturdivant's brainy magement.

Lo! A New Solomon

ANEW Solomon has been born to us. He runs a motion picture theater, over near the Stock Yards in Chicago, called the "Colleen."

This new Solomon disguises himself under the name of H. Lieberthal. His real identity was revealed one day last week while he and "Sid" Smith, manager of the Kedzie Annex, sitting in the office of the Ex- hibitors' League of Illinois were carrying on an argu- ment which took its origin from a discussion oi the European war.

Mr. Smith evidently has a soft spot in his heart for the Allies and vigorously protested the justice of their cause. H. (Solomon) Lieberthal good naturedly rebuked every attack on the Germans with a wisdom which would have done justice to the original Solomon.

When the fire showed any sign of burning out. M. A. Choynski who was seconding "Sid" Smith would spring some new angle. George Laing, who ma the Burton, would coach H. (Solomon) L., proddin°- him with some particularly witty remark, and presto* the battle of words and wit was on again.

The climax was reached when someone inquired why Germany had allied herself with the heathen Turks. This hit the "wise one" a glancing blow and here is how he retaliated.

"Heathen Turks nothing! They're all heathens over there! They go to church with a praver book in one hand and a sword in the other and pray to their God for more money with which to buy guns and powder and then when their neighbor in the same pew, is not looking they drive their swords him. It you call that Christianity or an tWheathemsm, I am thankful to be a heathen and Jew.

Mr. Lieberthal, we remove our hats to - mg you all that the original Solomon p the exception of his wives.

Roberta Wilson plays the featured k reel Universal drama. The Emerald Pin/

tt • "F°r1 rlIue, Re«ived-gPaid" is un let direel Universal City by Donald Macdonald.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

809

PAUL H. WOODRUFF, Editor

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Volume XVI

CHICAGO, OCTOBER 7, 1916

Number 15

The "Overproduction" of Pictures

OVERPRODUCTION is an old, old cry, familiar to the executives of all industries. It is always true and always false. No business can produce in consequential volume with- out assuming responsibility for a seeming overabundance of product. No business has yet brought forth enough of its best to satisfy those who want only the best.

Surely there is an overproduction of automobiles. The figures are running into the millions, and there are only twenty or twenty-five million families in this country. Yet the makers of really good cars are so far behind in their orders that many of them cannot deliver to their customers within weeks or months of the purchase date.

There is a tremendous, wasteful overproduction of short-story manuscript. It comes to the desks of the popular magazine editors in such quantities that they must employ readers to sift it down to a ponderable basis. Yet these same editors are constantly, month after month, hard put to it to find sufficient material to fill their pages.

And of magazines themselves there are more than our population can ever hope to read; hundreds of them that have no place and perform no function, and persist only because their makers live in never-ending hope. Yet here and there we find a single magazine whose copies run into the millions.

The flood of scenario scripts is scarcely less than the flood of stories. Thousands of them pass through the offices of the film companies (and out again) leaving barely enough, or perhaps not enough, to make the pictures that must be made.

Of course there is an overproduction of pictures. It would be a strange business if there were not. No doubt hundreds of pictures are released that do no good for anybody — their makers, exhibitors, or observers — and so might just as well have died in the scenario.

There are companies producing so many pictures a week who would make better pictures if they reduced their output. But that, also, is true in every business. The publisher of a daily paper could make a better weekly with the same staff; the producer of the weekly journal or magazine could make a wonderful monthly with the same amount of labor and ap- plication. Almost all of us could perform our duties more thoroughly could we but multiply by three or four the time we spend in doing them.

In all human endeavor there must be grades of excellence. Not all of us can hope to write the best stories or produce the best pictures. However high the standard of average, some will be better and some worse. And always the better will be few and rare, and the worse will be plentiful and common.

Comparisons, said Shakespeare, are odorous; yet we go on comparing, establishing this or that standard by which to judge all things upon which we can vent our passions for com- parison. Because there are few masterpieces and many mediocrities, we raise the cry of over- production. Yet the human race itself is so constituted. For every soul of great character there are thousands of little ones; for every success there are a hundred failures.

Because we make comparisons, there is an overproduction of poor pictures and an under-

810 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XVI, No. 15.

production of good pictures. Without the good pictures for standards, many of those we now call poor would be good. The overproduction becomes real only when the clamor becomes universal for those few that are very good, and the many less good are neglected.

There is no solution other than evolution for the overproduction of mediocre pictures; for no producer will admit his mediocrity or cut the volume of his product for the altruistic joy of bettering the industry and demonstrating an economic theory. The old, hard law of survival must prevail. If there be actual overproduction in the lower grades, the inexorable progress of business will curtail it. The overabundance of the inadequate cures itself, and is never a menace to the active world. The inadequacy of the best is far more serious.

If there really be any overproduction in the motion picture business, it comes by reason of the extravagances of those who conceive that expense is the key to popularity, and that a picture supplied with high-priced players and expensive settings needs no other element for success. Of such productions there may easily be too many, and continue to be too many until the money is gone and the lesson finally learned. And of pictures that are made as a "buckeye" painter makes paintings, by rote and recipe for the sake of the price per foot, there may also be too many. Yet ultimately the world will discourage these by setting too low a value upon them for profit, and they will pass out of the scheme.

But of the pictures into which the scenario author has put all his imaginative skill, and the director all the enthusiasm of his profession, and the players all the intensity of their art, there is no overproduction. There are not nearly enough of them ; and there never will be enough. It is only to be hoped that their over-demand may finally evolve, out of the mediocre, more who are able to rise to the requirements of their production.

San Francisco's Substitute for Censorship

REGULATION of motion pictures in the city of San Francisco, Cal., stands upon a simple ordinance, passed by the Board of Supervisors of that city and county, which declares it unlawful for any person to show improper pictures, and provides penalties for the infraction of that rule. Responsibility for both the ordinance and its strict observance rests with the Film Exchange Board of Trade of San Francisco, whose attorney prepared the bill.

The ordinance is positive and even drastic; but it is wholly reasonable. As a common- sense substitute for an inane censorship it deserves the attention of all communities that are actuated by the desire to be just and sane. Its entire adequacy to deal with any situation must be apparent even to the advocates of censorship.

San Francisco's new law is not the act of a community unfamiliar with the possibilities of censorship. The California metropolis has had its censorial experience. Its Board of Supervisors has had before it in the last eight months all manner of censor bills and sug- gestions, and has given them full meed of consideration. Its advocates of full and arbitrary censorships are no whit less active or less importunate than are those who are allowed to outrage the governing functions of eastern cities and states.

Credit is due the Film Exchange Board of San Francisco for the indefatigable effort that resulted in the acceptance of this simple and sensible solution for what all communities per- sist in regarding as a problem. Credit is due the Board of Supervisors of the city and county of San Francisco for passing, by a vote of fourteen to three, the ordinance as it was presented against the determined and active opposition of the censorship advocates.

Hereafter, San Francisco's film men will be subjected only to their own censorship That they will be faithful to the trust which the ordinance automatically reposes in them we cannot question. The Exchange Board of Trade, indeed, has definitely committed itself to the ob- servance of the subject and letter of the new law, and will use the power of its or°-anizatic in maintaining that condition within the jurisdiction of the rule.

It cannot but be obvious to both film men and governing authorities that bv proper ordinance or statute the motion picture can be more efficiently and more satisfactorily re^ lated than by any manner of pre-publicity censorship. Law, in whatever form it appears we all recognize and respect. Censorship is never law, and by its very nature breeds disrespe*. and evasion. The most moral and upright of men can count it no crime to beat a cenV board — and perhaps a bit of credit.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

811

"Split Reel" Notes for Theater Men

HOW OTHERS ARE STEERING THE SHIP

THE Parent-Teacher Association of Portland. Ore- gon, has introduced into the city council an ordi- nance prohibiting children under a specified age from attending regular performances at motion picture theaters. Mayor Albee has been approached on the subject and is said to favor an ordinance of this sort.

English's Opera House. Indianapolis. Indiana, has een showing the historical picture "Indiana" for the Whitcomb Rilev memorial fund.

been showing benefit of the Jame

The Auditorium Theater of London. Ontario, has been advertising in the newspapers lately for sugges- tions for a suitable name for this theater. A new ten dollar gold piece is offered as a prize.

The Colonial Theater, Chicago, closed Sunday night with the spectacle "Ramona" and remained closed until Thursday, when it reopened with the Griffith pro- duction, "The Birth of a Nation."

San Antonio, Brownsville, Austin and New Braun- fels, Texas, are all trying to persuade the Gotham Film Company of New "» <>rk to locate Gotham City, the $600,000 motion picture city, in their territory.

Portland has a clean -late for the August films reviewed by the Board of ( ensors. < »f 730 motion pic- ture reels viewed during \ugust none was condemned and elimination- were required in only 14 reels.

George E. Luxton, assistant manager <>i the Rialto

Theater Supply Company, of Minneapolis, has been on a week'- automobile tour of the southern pan of the state during which time he combined business and pleasure.

A kite with an acrobatic dummy attached was Used by Jack 'Thatcher, manager of the Regent Theater, Min- neapolis, to advertise "The Spoilers." Mr. Thatcher

flew the kite every day during the fair week and it attracted much attention.

Winnie Sheehan, manager of the Fox Film Com- pany, has "gone and done it." lie returned from abroad last week accompanied by Mrs. Winnie Sheehan. form- erly Kay Laurel, and announced they were married in I.. .nd. m several months ag

King Baggot has been appearing at the Victoria 'Theater, Rochester. New York, for the last week. The Victoria has a seating capacity of 1,700, 1,100 in the auditorium. A ten-piece orchestra furnishes the music and Jack Farren is the manager.

Superintendent Alexander of the Turon, Wiscon- sin, schools has arranged for the use of motion pictures in the school work of that city. The local motion pic- ture theater will be secured for at least twice a month for the showing of educational film-.

of advertisements in its columns of motion pictures that base their appeal in a salacious presentation of sex problems.

Mr. Horosford, manager of the Chateau Theater of Toronto, is running a contest in connection with the showing of the serial "Liberty." Three prizes will be awarded for the best answers sent in in answer to the question "Which episode of 'Liberty' do you con- sider best and win?"

The Kansas City Star, published at Kansas City, Missouri, announces that it will not permit publication

The Canadian Buffs, one of Toronto's crack regi- ment.-, have opened the Venus Theater in order to secure funds for regimental use. The house is being run just the same as any other theater although the ad- mission is only live cents. "Shannon of the Sixth," the big war feature, i- at present being shown.

A check for fifty dollars was received by Captain Frank E. Xiegler, commanding Company I, of the Eighth Regiment infantry, at El Paso. This check rep- resented the share of the Dauphin county companies in the fund t - ■ pr.n ide a motion picture outfit for the Penn- sylvania trooper- at the Mexican border.

'The Concrete Theater, Concrete, Washington, was almost entirely destroyed by fire at 6:30 A. M. on Sep- tember 14. The fifth chapters of three Pathe serials that were in the theater were also burned, viz., "The Iron Claw." "The Red Circle." and "Neal of the Navy." ( '. I). Stickney was manager of The Concrete.

The building of a new motion picture theater at Musselhurgh, Midlothian, was stopped by order of the Ministry of Munitions on the ground that the work was nut considered of national importance. The argument was advanced that the epiicker the building was finished the -« toner it would be earning money to pay for the war. but this carried no weight with the officials.

San Francisco will have no censors. By a vote of 14 t" 3 the bill was killed by the Board of Supervisors in spite of the opposition by representatives of several women's club- and Andrew Gallagher, member of the board. Superviser Edward Wolfe, formerly state sena- tor, declared that censorship was un-American and wron<4 in principle.

An ordinance prohibiting children less than 16 years old from attending motion picture theaters ex- cept on Friday after school and on Saturday, has been introduced to the city council at Anderson, Indiana. The mayor has abandoned his plan of creating a cen- sorship board and is advocating the new ordinance in- ul.

Kansas City is having its troubles and the efforts of the motion picture exhibitors to have their operating licenses reduced from $100 a year to $12.50 ended in defeat when the finance committee of the upper house voted to report the ordinance unfavorably. The mayor said : "I have investigated the picture theater licenses

812

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

of other cities and find that we are below the average at $100."

At one of The Liberty's recent Sunday noon con- certs played upon the big Hope-Wurlitzer Orchestra the song, "Memories" was being played. The verse was repeated twice, and then the short chorus was flashed on the curtain, two lines at a time, while it was being heard. The soft, ghostlike reflection on the cur- tain added effectively to the "memory" atmosphere.

S. O. Siegel, general manager of the Brown Film Service Company of Newark, New Jersey, has acquired from the Unity Sales Corporation the exclusive rights to "The Yellow Menace" serial for northern New Jer- sey. During the Elks' celebration in Newark Mr. Siegel entered a big seven-passenger "Yellow Menace" auto- mobile in the parade in which Margaret Gale, the hero- ine of the serial, rode.

The Laemmle Film Service of Des Moines, Iowa, has established a publicity department under the super- vision of Charles S. Stevenson, a newspaper and ad- vertising man of Kansas City. Writing of display ad- vertisements, construction of house organs and throw- aways, writings of newspaper stories and so forth are a part of the service which exhibitors will receive from this department.

H. A. Sherman, president of the Sherman-Elliott, Inc., gave a private showing of the Selig production "The Crisis" at the Strand Theater, New York, on Sep- tember 29. This exhibition was for the press, territorial right buyers and a few well known men of the film trade. Mr. Sherman felt very much honored to have Winston Churchill, author of "The Crisis," accept his invitation to watch the picturization of his novel at this private showing.

The outstanding feature of the musical program at the Rialto Theater, New York for the week of Sep- tember 24, was the first appearance at that theater of A. C. Janpolski, famed for his work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Rialto Orchestra conducted by Hugo Riesenfeld rendered Litoff's "Robespierre" overture ; Mme. Jeanne Maubourg of the Metropoli- tan Opera Company was heard in the "Song of the Blind Girl" from "La Gioconda" ; and Helen Hunt of the Metropolitan Opera House ballet offered "The Hunt," an interpretative dance.

When the Mission Theater, Seattle, opened with the pictures of the famous annual round-up at Pendle- ton, Oregon, the house was all decked for the show. The outside was appropriately decorated, and the door man wore chaps and the other things that go with them, while the girl ushers were dressed as cow girls. The organist was also dressed as a cow boy, and when the shooting scenes were flashed on the screen, he added to the realism by taking one of the revolvers from his hip pocket and firing.

A "box of luscious peaches" were on view at the Rialto in New York last week when the eleven winners of the "Beauty and Brains Contest" conducted by Pho- toplay Magazine and the World Film Corporation were entertained as the guests of Mr. Rothapfel. These young Avomen were selected from among twenty thou- sand contestants in all parts of this country and Canada.

They were in New York to have their availability as screen stars tested, none of them ever having appeared in motion pictures. Tea was served in Mr. Rothapfel's quarters after the performance.

The downtown theaters in Chicago for the week of September 25 are showing Clara Kimball Young in "The Common Law" at the Studebaker ; Tyrone Pow- ier in "Where are My Children?" continues at the La Salle ; Maurice and Florence Walton in "The Quest of Life," also "American Sports and Pastimes" and "Around the World in Fifteen Minutes" opens the last week of the Cinema Concerts at Orchestra Hall ; "The Fall of a Nation" starts an indefinite run at the Fine Arts ; and "The Birth of a Nation" returns to the Col- onial for a long run.

The New Stillman Theater in Cleveland opened September 30. A unique feature of this theater is the fact that the screen is viewed without obstruction from every seat in the house. Similarly there is not a seat from which the picture appears distorted. This system was worked out by a series of sight lines before seats were placed. The orchestra, according to President E. Mandelbaum, will include twenty-five men, led by Hy- man L. Spitalny. A huge organ will be under the direc- tion of James H. Rogers, with three organists. The theater will seat over 2,000, with prices from 15 to 75 cents.

Manager W. H. Smythe of The Strand. Seattle. has recently added a big attraction to his already popu- lar theater, by bringing up from San Francisco Franz Adelmann and his well known Bohemian concert or- chestra of eight pieces. Mr. Smythe had a new orchestra pit built for them and they made their first appearance at the matinee Wednesday afternoon. Septermer 13, when they were accorded a very enthusiastic reception. Franz Adelmann, the leader, is' well known in Seattle, having played for seven or eight years at the Butler Hotel Grill and at the Rathskellar.'and he is becoming more popular now than he was then.

H. E. Smith, manager of the Colonial Theater. Seattle, announces a change in policy. Beginning with October 4 The Colonial will open with "The Shielding Shadow" and Pathe Gold Rooster Plays. Thereafter Pathe pictures will be shown exclusively at The Col- onial. Mr. Smith also anounces a bigger advertising campaign than he has heretofore undertaken He in- tends to tell the people about "The Shielding Shadow" in all the Seattle papers, on a liberal number^of twentv- four sheet stands, and on window card* In fact he says that he is ging to place this big serial before the public in as big a way as was "The Birth of a Nation."

9o11tIhLn5°CTke^Pr0g-am" 0f the La Salle Theater, South Bend Indiana, is an eight page folder of con- venient pocket size. Four of th oted to the programs for the week and the of - con- tain descriptions of the different features Exact information as to the time of starting e is given. The program is printed in bla stock and enclosed are inserts printed on r. stock giving the most important features which' been booked for the theater for the nex-

Altogether it is a very complete and N .gram, giving all the information and j tion required.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

813

First Aid to Theater Men

BY S. L. ROTHAPFEL

ARE you slighting your advertising? Do not expect to get the best results if you do not do your part along this line. It is up to every manager to find out the kind of publicity which best suits his needs — do not fail to find out the kind you need. If you do not take enough interest to tell the people what you have to offer you cannot expect them to take enough interest to ask. Advertise as little or as much as you feel that you can afford — but never- theless advertise.

71 — Some of the women in my neighborhood are trying to get me to run a matinee every afternoon or at least three afternoons in the week as well as the evening performances. I do run a Saturday matinee but they say that does not answer the purpose. They claim that in the evening and on Saturday afternoons their husbands are home and the men don't like the motion pictures and so they cannot come as often as they would like to but if I would have matinees through the week they could come all they pleased and still be at home and spend the evenings as their husbands liked. Do you think it would be worth by while to do this? The women are so liable to just have fads this way and then get tired of them.

If the women really want an afternoon perform- ance and say they will attend why don't you try it out and see how it works. Even if only a few have said that they would come these few may be voicing the sentiments of many and I believe you would find this move profitable. There are a great many men who do not care about going to the motion picture theaters in the evening and would be only too glad to stay at home if the women did not drag them out. Also very often in the evening if there are children it means either that one of the family must stay at home with them or they must be taken along, and it ends in no one attending the theater. In the afternoon the children would be in school or could be taken along and so the mothers could enjoy the performance without feeling that any- one else was suffering because of their pleasure. It might be, also, that you would get quite a patronage from the school children as they came from school in the afternoon. At any rate it seems to me that as long as the women have felt the need for something of this kind it is a suggestion worth giving a fair trial. You do not bind yourself to keep it up if the matinees are not well attended or are not paying, but just try it out and see what comes of it. If the women lose their interest after you have been running the matinee for a month or two then simply drop it.

Spread the news of these extra shows through ad- vertising and get the women interested so they will in- form their friends and thus form the nucleus of your aft- ernoon patronage. You will find that a matinee very often will increase your night business because if the women see a film which especially appeals to them in the afternoon they will tell their family and friends and the result will be a greater interest in the evening performance.

It is an undisputed fact that the women and chil- dren make up a large majority of the attendance of a motion picture theater and for this reason it is well to humor them and cater to them whenever it is feasible, for this will almost always work to the advantage of the theater man. The women may make some rather wild suggestions at times, but the judicious manager

knows how to eliminate the poor ones and make use of the worth while ones.

72 — I felt very much disgraced last week to have a masher arrested in my theater. Of course I did not know he was a masher when he bought a ticket or I would not have allowed him inside but just the same it has hurt the reputation of my house among a number of the regular patrons and they seem to hold me to blame for it. A young girl came out and said the man was annoying her — and I guess he was getting fresh — so I had him arrested. It was done as quietly as possible and I do not think that any of the people in the theater except those immediately around him knew what had happened but of course the news spread very rapidly and everyone in town knew it in a little while and then the town paper came out with an account of it. I am afraid it is going to hurt my patronage for a while and don't know what to do about it. I don't see how the people can blame me but they do just the same.

I really do not see how you can tell whether a man is a "masher" or not unless you are the seventh son of a seventh son and blessed with second sight, but I suppose at the same time it is only human nature for the patrons of your theater to hold you accountable for all that happens in your house. This is a situation with which it is very hard to cope because you never know when it is going to happen or who will be the culprit. I did not think you were often troubled with this kind of nuisance in a small town. You did just the best thing you could under the circumstances in having the man promptly arrested to serve as an example to all other infringers. When you accom- plished this so quietly it is too bad the news had to be given such widespread publicity, but I suppose this is inevitable in a small town where any out-of-the-ordi- nary happening is food for gossip.

If you could tell by the looks of a man that he was going to prove an objectionable character it would be easy enough to bar him from your house. But this is an impossibility. And I must admit that I do not think all the blame is always on the man's side — although by this statement I am not trying to shield or justify the man — but very often young girls invite attention by their action and then become frightened and say the man is trying to flirt with them. An inci- dent of this kind is very unpleasant and one hates to have it take place in his theater. But as I said before, as far as I can see the manager is helpless. You can do this much, though, in an attempt to stop any future repetitions — instruct your ushers when young girls come in alone or two or three together to try not to seat them next to men. This may be almost an im- possibility, but I would follow this policy wherever feasible.

' As to the gossip hurting your house, I believe you can counteract this to a certain degree by a brief article in the daily paper. If they published an account of the affair surely they will be generous enough to allow you to use their columns to justify yourself in the eyes of the community. I would write just a very brief statement expressing your regret that the incident occurred in your theater and showing how you do all possible to keep the house strictly high-class but that unpleasant situations like this will now and then creep in. The fact that you had the offender promptly arrested should show that you did all you could to set

814

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

the matter right and will probably make a like occur- rence less liable to take place in your house. If you issue a program it might also be well to put a little note in this simply expressing" your regret at the affair. As long as every one knows about and is discussing it this action on your part will not be giving greater pub- licity to an incident which is better suppressed, but will simply show your attitude in the matter.

I think you will find that any falling off in attend- ance will only be a temporary matter and a condition that will right itself in a few weeks.

73 — Do you think that a printed program which the people can take home with them and keep — if they will — brings enough more patrons to your house as compared with announcement slides thrown on the screen to make up for the difference in cost of the two means of advertising the attrac- tions of your house? It seems to me the people do not ever look at the programs after they take them home, and I doubt if they carry them home very often. And if they care to go to the theater they will go just the same no matter what pic- ture you are going to show.

I certainly do advocate a printed program no mat- ter how simple it is. What you want is to make the people remember on what night you are going to have certain films or players they are particularly desirous of seeing. The announcement slide is all right as far as it goes, but the difficulty is that it does not go far enough. It calls the people's attention to the night when you are going to have something which they would enjoy and they say "We must remember that for Thursday night and be sure and come," but the difficulty is that as soon as they have reached home they cannot remember which night it was they were going to be sure to go. The program which they take home will help them to remember this. They will have it for reference all during the week and by studying it may find two or three other pictures which appeal to them. "■

If you feel that the people take the printed pro- gram at the door of the theater but do not carry it home, then see that it gets to them in their home by mailing it each week. To be sure that they keep it and read it after it enters their home is another matter and you must make your program so attractive that they will want to save it. A mailing list for programs is an invaluable aid to securing attendance. I know many theaters with a capacity of about five hundred people that mail out five to ten thousand programs every week. They do not simply supply the neighborhood but go into all adjacent communities and places from which the theater is easily reached by car lines.

You are mistaken in your idea that the people will come to the theater anyway no matter what you show. That used to be the case but is no longer true. The good old days when the motion picture was a novelty in itself and just to see anything move was a delight, have long since passed away. Now the people have been educated — perhaps they have been too well edu- cated from the exhibitors' standpoint. They no longer are contented with anything, but want only the best and are very discriminating as to what they are willing to brand the best.

Also it used to be the custom for people to attend the theater in their neighborhood and not pay any attention to what other theaters were running. But this also is a thing of the past, for the mailing list sys- tem which most theaters employ and the motion pic- ture theater advertisements run in the daily newspa- pers as well as the growing prevalence of automobiles,

all make the people more particular and they do not attend any one theater regularly, but study the pro- grams to see who is showing what they know they will enjoy, and go there even though they do have to take a car to reach it. The theater manager not only has to fight the competition in his own neighborhood but he has to fight wholesale competition from prac- tically every picture house in his town or on his side of the city. The feeling of the people now is that it takes a whole evening anyway to see one performance, so they might just as well take time to go to the theater which has a good show. And this is where the printed program proves invaluable. The people may not be in your theater to see your announcement slides. But if they are "fans" at all they will at least take the time to look over your program if it comes to them in the mail, and if it pleases them it is pretty liable to be saved for future reference. Make it unique or espe- cially attractive in some way so that they will have reason to save it aside from the coming attractions of which they desire to be kept posted. Remember that the person to whom your program goes is probably on the mailing list of three or four theaters in the com- munity— and it is once more the survival of the fittest. This is no game in which you can sit down and wait for your turn. It is always your turn and you want to get in ahead of the next fellow who is ever at your elbow trying to surpass you.

Full Orchestras for "The Crisis"

William N. Selig and H. A. Sherman. pre>ident of the Sherman-Elliott, Inc., have completed some un- usual plans for the presentation of Selig"s "The Crisis." Premier presentations in both New York City and Chi- cago have been arranged at the best theaters ami with the aid of complete orchestras.

"The Crisis" is also to be booked throughout the country only at the best theaters. The play will be handled like a first-class theatrical companv and a com- plete orchestra will accompany each film as will motion picture operators. A wonderfully complete line of pub- licity material, including posters, heralds, cuts, special press stories, etc., are in course of preparation.

Winston Churchill, who wrote "The Crisis." i^ ex- pected to visit Chicago during the initial presentation. He has written to Mr. Selig expressing sjreat inl in the drama.

H. A. Sherman, who will give his individual time and attention to "The Crisis." has opened offices West Forty-second street. Xew York City, and Washington street, Chicago.

There is an all-star cast to appear in "The G including George W. Fawcett. Marshall Xeilan. Thomas Santschi, Frank Weed. Will Machin. Nat B <nvder and Bessie Eyton. Eugenie Besserer. and other.. Colin

w°n*!kwh° du'ectfd "The Spoilers," "The Neer-Do- Well, The Rosary, etc.. produced "The . the personal supervision of William X.

When the Los Angeles Hark- Commit had the side ot a mountain at C.

down the explosion Was made the basis

story ot love and conspiracy culminating i„ , tardly plot to rend the hero limb from \- mite. Director Henry McRae of .

pany produced the story-"The 1 scenario by William Parker.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

815

The Photoplay Scenario

CONDUCTED BY B. F. BARRETT

Former Editor of Photoplay Scenario Magazine.

Note — This department will appear hereafter in each issue of Motography, and will treat of all subjects of interest to the photo playwright — whether amateur or professional. You are invited to suggest any subjects you desire to have discussed, or ask questions on any matters relating to the uriting of photoplays which have been puzzling you. The department is also open to you at any time for the expression of your own ideas or the submitting of ideas of others which have helped you, and will be interesting to other photoplay writers.

Selling The Script

By Will M. Ritchey

Till" proof of the scenario is in the selling. Alter all is said and done, .it* a photoplay story can be sold, it is a good one. That is the only test by which it should be measured. That does not mean that no poor scripts arc sold, hut it does mean that if the script has been ottered to representative producers, and has been refused, there is something wrong with it which the author must correct before he can hope for wide success.

Do not concern yourself too much with the form of the script, although proper form i^ almost essential. It i^ the Story, and not its form, which counts. Its form, or manner of presenting it, is merely an aid to easy display.

hirst in the completed script i> the synopsis. This i> a condensed summary, varying in length according i" the length of the Story, but narrating in straight, simple language just what happens in the photoplay. Care must be taken to include everything which is im- portant to the story, and to leave nothing to the imagi- nation of the reader.

Many producers buy synopses only. The plot — the main idea — is all they ask. The detailed action, or "continuity," they feel can be supplied to the hest advantage only by their staff writers. But the striving photoplaywright may gain much experience through working OUt completed scripts, and surely no harm can be done by trying.

Next after the synopsis comes the li-l of charac- ters. This may be written thu> : . n \n \< <

Donald Mackenzie Male Lead

Mary Allen Female Lead

John Ames Heavy

Mrs. Ames, his mother Character

This, of course, has much latitude, depending on the number and importance of the characters in the story. The li-t of character- should show at a glance the number of players necessary to production of the picture, f< >r large casts are a consideration to be avoided unless the picture is of unusual nature.

Then comes the "scene plot." This is to show the number and kind of seem- in the picture and is a guide not only in actual production, but here again gives an indication of the expense and effort necessary to pro- duction. It may be written:

SCENE PLOT

Exterior, country home of simple nature. Nos. 1, 3 15, 17, 30, 35, 37, 39, 41, 6U

Exterior, country road. Nos. 2. 4. 8, 16, 24, 26.

Interior, living room of country cottage. Nos, 6. 9. 11, 25, 28, 34.

Interior, living room, city apartment. Nos. 12, 14, 32. Each scene in the photoplay is thus described and

numbered. The numbering, naturally, cannot be obtained until the "action plot" has been written, and the scene plot is not compiled until the details of the action have been decided upon.

The "action plot" comes next, and should describe, in sufficient detail, everything which the players are to do. Unless absolutely necessary to the development ot the story, however, do not specify some particular "property" or action which may not be available read- ily, but leave to the director the opportunity to furnish whatever situation may be best according to his expe- rienced judgment. The action should be written about like this :

ACTION PLOT

nes

1. Exterior, country home. Iris in — Mary on, sitting on porch, gazing pensively into distance — sees someone coming — happy -waves— then disappointed — holds out arms instinctively, then checks In i emotion and tears come to eyes — Iris out.

_'. Exterior, country road. John enters — walks slowly along road -sees someone in distance — frowns — pretends not to notice — «t.>l>^ ami waves- shakes head in refusal — exits — fade out.

SUBTITLE :

"Man's Love is of His Life a Thing Apart — "

This condensed form of describing action saves words and time. It is much easier than to say: "As the picture opens. Mary is sitting on the porch of her country home, thinking dreamily, when she sees some- one coming and is happy at the sight. She waves gladly to the other, but when she learns that the 'some- one' i- not to join her, she is heartbroken — " and so on.

The most difficult and most important part I have left to the last. This is the title, which is like a show- card placed in a window to attract customers. Little can be said of the selection of a title except that utmost care should be used, and many tried before one is finally chosen.

On the other hand, several successful photoplays have been evolved from striking phrases or names, which have been used as titles. It is all a matter of individual choice.

The methods of selling scripts are many and varied. The established author often deals through an agency, but the beginner will do better to submit his scripts direct to the producer. Do not expect imme- diate results. Do not be discouraged when one is re- turned with a rejection slip. Send it again to another company. Keep on sending it until you are convinced that something is wrong with it.

Above all, study the needs of the various producers. I f a company is featuring a woman star of the sweet, appealing girlish type, for instance, it would be foolish to send that company a story in which a forceful "vam- pire" woman is the principal character.

And watch the screen constantly. If a certain photoplay is recognized as a success artistically and practically, go to see that picture two, three or four

S16

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, Xo. 15.

times, until you know each step in the plot. Each time you see it decide for yourself why each bit of action came at that particular time.

Then be sure that everything you write can bear inspection to the same degree.

Study Motion Picture Publications

By Gilson Willets Staff Photoplay Writer Selig Company

1WISH to start my second article on the subject of writing photoplays by asserting that it is almost as important to know how to market plots as it is to know how to write them.

A writer will turn out what he thinks is a good motion picture script. Maybe it is a good story. Maybe it is a five-reel comedy of worth. The author sends the story to whom? Why he mails it to a feature film concern that specializes in "vampire" stuff, On the other hand a writer may originate a fine and dandy movie drama which would be purchased by some par- ticular concern but he bundles it up and mails it blithe- somely to some motion picture company that special- izes in slap-stick film comedy.

Know your market, for the marketing of movie plots is likened to the marketing of magazine stories. You would not send a fiction story to The Boot and Shoe Record nor would you send a technical essay to a magazine specializing in fiction. It is the same with motion pictures. Subscribe for all the motion picture trade journals. One in particular prints the advance stories of the films released by the different motion pic- ture manufacturers. These stories will give you an insight as to the character of plots that are being released.

And these motion picture trade journals should be carefully read for they reflect the policies of the manu- facturers, afford names and addresses, and will fre- quently cause one to become aware of the changes of policy so frequently made by the manufacturers.

In preparing your motion picture plots remember first of all to use the typewriter. Editors will not read scripts written in longhand. Send out your work in a businesslike manner. Use good white paper, long envelopes plainly addressed. On each sheet of your manuscript have your full name and address plainly written. Always enclose a self-addressed and stamped envelope. These details are appreciated by editors and aid in your script being given proper considera- tion.

There are also many opportunities to sell movie plot ideas by means of synopses. That is details of the plot written clearly and concisely in a few hundred words. These should also be typewritten, should con- tain no "word paintings" but should relate the plot and nothing else.

Prices paid for motion picture plots vary. Twenty- five dollars is the customary price for synopses. Prices paid per reel vary from thirty-five dollars to one hun- dred dollars. More money is frequently paid accord- ing to reputation of the author and worth of the story.

Board of Censors Cut-Outs

WHAT to avoid in order to escape the censure of the National Board of Censors is a question over which a great many photoplaywrights are puzzling.

Of course the easiest way to avoid complications is to write only plays which could not possibly come under the ban, but this does not seem to be the idea in

the minds of most writers. They claim that they can- not get the "punch" and real "heart-interest" into their photoplays unless they border on the sensational.

In their effort to save the manufacturer from hav- ing his film badly cut the National Board of Censors issues bulletins pointing out situations to be avoided in the manufacturing of films. It might be well for the writer to have a few of these points brought to his notice, and to keep them on his desk for ready refer- ence when building up his plot.

Some of the most pertinent of these are:

Unnecessary use of liquor— "A great deal of promiscuous drinking is now shown .in motion pic- tures when entirely unnecessary for any dramatic pur- pose. For example, if two men meet on the street, they dash into a cafe for a drink ; in a club room scene, the principal occupation of club members appears to be constant drinking. Advices reaching the National Board's office indicate serious objection to the constant drinking shown in motion pictures. YVe urge you to eliminate all unnecessary drinking incide:

Unnecessary use of weapons — The Board "objects to the unnecessary and irrevelant use of revolvers, knives, etc., to portray merely an emotion," and says that it is "undramatic, inartistic and untrue to life."

Rough handling of women — "Such brutality is nearly always overdone. The National Board elimi- nates the wanton rough handling of women. Produc- ers are urged to avoid it to save your companies the expense of eliminating such incidents with consequent mutilation of the picture."

Cruelty to animals — "In the future the National Board will continue to be watchful for incidents in pictures which indicate that animals have been ill- treated. It will eliminate such scenes as in its opinion would shock the sensibilities of motion picture audi- ences or appeal to the morbidity of individuals who desire to witness this sort of thing."

Latest Market News

International Film Service, Inc., 729 Seventh Avenue. New York, N. Y. — Are not considering any material from out- side writers.

Vitagraph Company, E. 15th Street and Chestnut \ venue, Brooklyn, N. Y.— Are bought up far ahead on t' i and five-reel dramas and are in the market at the time for one-reel comedies only.

World Film Corporation, 130 We'st Forty-Sixth Street New York City.— In the market for good stories of any kind with sufficient material for five reels. Synopses preferred

"Ne'er-Do-Well" Remains on Vitagraph

So many exhibitors have wondered what would become of the "Ne'er-Do-\Yell" after the withdrawal of Selig from V-L-S-E. that General Manager Walter W. Irwin has reiterated his statement that the "> Do-Well" is not affected by the withdraw; Lubm, Sehg and Essanay Companies from Y-I Inc.

Sol Lesser's statement to Mr. Irwin explic that he is entirely satisfied with the effi which his picture has been distributed and ;* •<" not his intention to disturb this arrangement in - Do WgU»- fetors desiring booking -

?°2 "sf get in touch with their lo<

grapn-v-J_-b-E. managers.

. jf r,anklv? Ritchie and Helene Rosson h

finished work m "Esther of the People," a sociological drama.

October 7, 1916.

Meet Charlie Chaplin in "The Pawn Shop"

MARY MILES MINTER AS SOUTHERN GIRL IN LAT- EST MUTUAL RELEASE

MOTOGRAPHY

817

Photo copyright Mutual Film Corporation. .-/ certain great and sombre funnyman in his newest flay, "The Pawn Shop."

THE sublime and the ridiculous head the Mutual offerings for the- week of October 2, in the ap- pearance of Charlie Chaplin in his newest Chap- lin-Mutual release entitled "The Pawn Shop,"' and Mary Miles Minter in her second Mutual Star Pro- duction, "Dulcie's Adventure."

In "The Pawn Shop" Charlie appears in hi> own famous make-up — the feet, the baggy trousers, the moustache and the funny hat. He assumes the role of the under-assistant to the pawnbroker — the man who shines the three balls over the door, dusts the furniture, and does the dishes for the shop-keeper's daughter. Edna Purviance is seen in the role of the pawnbroker's daughter.

In "Dulcie's Adventure" Mary Miles Minter ap- pears in the role of an appealing young southern girl. The picture was directed by James Kirkwood and abounds in the human touches for which his produc- tions are famous. Bessie Banks and Marie Van Tassell have important parts in the characters of the two maid- en aunts. Alan Forrest plays opposite Miss Minter, and aside from him there are Mollie Schafer, Perry Banks, John Gough, Harry von Meter, Gertrude Le Brandt, William Carroll and Robert Klein.

On this same program appears a five part Mutual Masterpicture, "A Woman's Daring," featuring Winni- fred Greenwood and Edward Coxen, and scheduled for release on October 6. In suport of Miss Greenwood and Mr. Coxen are George Field, the perfect villain, and a well balanced ca-t.

"The False Magistrate," the fifth "Fantomas" in- stallment, will be released Thursday, October 6. The booking reports on this detective series from the Gau- mont studios have surpassed even the most optimistic expectations of the producers. In this, as in the other installments. "Fantomas" escapes at the last moment, and in a wholly unexpected manner, from death at the hands of the law, and from Juve, the world's master detective.

"Arabella's Prince,'"' a Thanhouser two-part drama released October 6, possesses a whimsically humorous turn. Clavering Jones, Jr., a ten-year-old-youngster, has an important part and shares honors with a cat and a parrot.

The Beauty comedy of the week is released as

usual on Thursday. Orral Humphrey appears at this time in an amusing farce, the name of which is "Slick- ing the Slickers." Mr. Humphrey gets out of this funny story his usual amount of eccentric humor.

"A Tduch of High Life," a Vogue comedy in two reels, appearing Sunday, October 8, gives Paddy Mc- Quire, the Mutual funny man, unusual situations to his heart's content. In substituting his station in life from street sweeper to gay young sport at a sum- mer result all in one afternoon, "Paddy" finds himself in deep, but not too deep for him to get out.

The Cub comedies for the week will be three in number. "Oh ! For a Cave Man," the first of these, will appear Friday, October 6, and "Won By a Fowl" and "That Wonderful Wife" will both go out on the follow- ing day.

The remaining releases for the week consist of the usual scenic and current material of Gaumont produc- tion. Mutual Weekly No. 92, the news pictorial, and the split reel scenic-comic "See America First," will go out on Wednesday, October 4. "Reel Life," the Mu- tual's magazine in pictures, will be released on Sunday, October 8.

Mutual Film History in the Making

At the American Film Company studio at Santa Barbara Mary Miles Minter, Richard Bennett, and the comedians Kolb and Dill, are giving the finishing touches to Mutual Star Productions of five-part length, also a five part western with Frank Borzage and Anna Little in the leading roles is rapidly nearing completion and Orral Humphrey is turning out "Beauty" comedies at a dizzy rate.

"Faith," the feature which is keeping Miss Minter busy, was written by James Kirkwood, her director. The combination of the litle star's acting, and Kirk- w< >od's directing on a play from his own pen is hard to surpass and people at the studio who have watched them working say the picture will be a splendid one.

Richard Bennett is deep in "The Law Makers," which is a preachment against capital punishment. Be- fore leaving New York City Mr. Bennett had a long conference with Warden Thomas Mott Osborne of Sing Sing prison planning the details of this drama. Exact replicas of portions of Sing Sing have been made for the settings of this photoplay.

818

M O T O G

"Pock O' Pickles" is the comedy which Kolb and Dill are completing. This will be their third funny pic- ture to go out as a Mutual release. A most remarkable bit of comedy is introduced in the ride of the comedians on the back of a whale.

The western picture in which Anna Little and Frank Borzage are working- is entitled "Immediate Lee." The story is by Kenneth Clarke, the short story writer.

At the Vogue Studios, Paddy McQuire, Rube Miller and Ben Turpin are more than doing things with a decidedly original turn for funny pictures.

"Paddy's Pet Pup" is the present Paddy McQuire picture in the making. While Paddy has the leading role, the pup will no doubt share the honors with him. The dog is one of the most clever ever used for screen work, and in the story, he is the main instrument in aiding Paddy avert a robbery. In support of Paddy and the pup are Gypsy Abbott and Arthur Moon.

A second two-reel funny picture is being produced by Rube Miller and Ben Turpin with the aid of Lillian Hamilton and a large and competent company.

Its title is "Revenge Is Sweet," and the plot de- velops backwards in a most astonishing manner. The setting is western and the situations are unique.

George Ovey, the Cub comedian, is still at work turning out funny pictures showing the adventures of Jerry, at the Horsley studios in Los Angeles. Booking reports show a steady increasing demand for this young actor with his style of playing all his own.

New "Pick-up" System Proposed

Motography, in its issue dated September 30, carried an article on the evils connected with the present system of delivery and pick-up of films from the ex- changes and theaters.

We are glad to report that some action has been taken toward the improvement of existing conditions and urge all exhibitors to investigate the contract which Charles Levy Film Service Company is offering. The contract is reproduced below.

Charles Levy, the owner of the aforementioned de- livery service, has for the past few years been a news- paper and magazine distributor. Among about fifteen magazines of national prominence he distributes the

R A P H Y Vol. XVI, No. 15.

Curtis publications in Chicago and vicinity, he conduct; the entire city delivery service of one of the big Chicago morning papers.

Among other things, Mr. Levy proposes to install a $10,000 equipment with which to handle this service: he proposes to put up a bond sufficiently large to cover any losses which might be incurred through the loss of film in transit to and from the exchanges.

Following is the proposed agreement :

AGREEMENT.

Charles Levy Film Service Company, 27 North Fifth Avenue,

Chicago. Gentlemen :

You are hereby authorized to pick up the films every even- ing after the show at the ( Name ) Theater,

and deliver these films on time at the various exchanges to which they belong. It is understood that you agree to be responsible for loss by theft after films have been delivered to you, and it is also understood the exchange will not hold me responsible if pick-up is made by your company.

For this service we agree to pay you $2.00 per week pick-up, or $3.00 per week for combination pick-up and delivery from exchange to theater, payable weekly.

This agreement may be cancelled on thirty days' notice.

Name of Theater

Address of Theater

Name of Owner or Manager

Date Chicago. Illinois.

Copies of the above agreement have been left at practically all the exchanges and if you are unable to obtain one there, write or telephone to Motography, Chicago.

Fourth Exhibitors Ball

The fourth annual entertainment and ball of the Cinema Fxhibitors' Association of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America will be held on Novem- ber 6, election eve, at Hunt's Point Palace, the Bronx. New York.

There will be a grand march of photoplay star> led by Mme. Olga Petrova and Carlyle Blackwell, and many of the film artists have promised to attend. The fol- lowing committee is hard at work: Henry Cole, chair- man; J. Bolte, H. Pollak, A. Lew. X. Scheinberg, A. Bauernfreund and President J. J. Wittman, ex-omcio.

At the last annual hall more than 4.000 were ent and the coming affair will be bigger than any of the previous entertainments held by the association as the committee has been assured of the co-operation of i manufacturers and photo-plavers.

"Pec

One of the charming scenes in the new American-Mutual Mary Miles Mintcr

play, "Dulcie's Adventure," in which Director Kirkwood brings

out admirably the "human nature in animals,"

Kolb and Dill in New One

n k °'/^}eS'" the staSe success which won fame for Kolb and Dill as Cerman comedian., is now being filmed as a five-act American-Mutual comedy under t direction of Thomas X. Heffron. and personally super- vised and to be presented by Samuel S. Hutchins SC, i » ■ ammmS of incidents appearing in

•TrvVfi* drea,m ride which Louie aml MU> and Dill) take on the back of a whale at sea. The)

hat they are shtpwrecked, and swim to whal to be a small island, but which proves to be a re.V whale winch, tearing through the water with Lome on its back, spouts water all over the c Mike becomes sea-sick, and when the awai they find themselves in their "blind pig," keg has burst and they are drenched with 1, are also a number of other situations just ass

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

819

He Captured "The Crisis"

ABOUT HARRY SHERMAN AND THE BIG THINGS HE'S UP TO

Harry Sherman, the big, husky, natured film man who owns Selig'j "The Crisis."

HARRY SHERMAN, of Minneapolis now. of Chi- cago in the very near future, does not look like a film magnate. He lacks certain prominent fea- tures possessed by many men who have made millions in films. He looks and acts more like a good, big, husky, center-rush on a championship football eleven, and it is just like a center-rush that he appears to have gone through the film industry, taking most of the loose money in sight.

Sherman recently purchased from William N. Selig the rights on "The Crisis." considered by Mr. Selig himself to be his masterpiece in film production. There was no quibbling about the matter. Selig said his price for the rights for all of the United States and Canada was $250,000 and Sherman just remarked "You're on." That closed the larg- est state rights purchase in the film business.

And Sherman says he is going i" make more money on "The ( !risis" than he did on "The Birth of a Nation." He declares be knows how to do it, and he is going to use business method-- to make his $250,- 000 cash purchase show a good, big dividend. He is going to run "The ( !risis" just as if it were a production of the legitimate stage on big time. Every print that he sends out will be accompanied by an orchestra and a complete projection outfit, including booths and an expert operator. He says that he will show it in a tent if necessary, so long as he can get the juice to supply the current for the machine.

About Harry Himself

This young plunger of the film business acknowl- edges having been born in Boston in 1884. Unlike the romance of many successful men, he did not have to walk the streets of Boston during his childhood with unclothed feet. He had shoes and stockings and all that went with them, and also an education: which, with his business experience, he is willing to pit against the kings of the film industry.

He is married, but he says it does not make any difference to the film industry whether he is married or single so long as he is willing to pay cash for what he gets, and he does not believe in making Mrs. Sherman a beauty advertisement for his own business ventures.

Sherman got tired of Boston and its environments many years ago. His entry into the film business is approaching its seventh birthday. About seven years ago he went to Minneapolis, where he started as an exhibitor, and remained in the exhibiting end of the business for two years. He then started an indepen- dent exchange. Shortly after starting the independent exchange, he contracted for the Alco program which he controlled in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North and South Dakota.

good-

"Alco quit and I went broke," remarked Sherman in describing this period in his career.

Upon "going broke" he started another indepen- dent film exchange and did well with it until he pur- chased the state rights to "The Birth of a Nation," which he affectionately calls "The Birth."

Sherman purchased the state rights of "The Birth of a Nation" for seventeen states, which took in from Wisconsin to the coast with the exception of California, Missouri and Texas, which were retained by the New York company. It is said on good authority that the state rights for "The Birth of a Nation" cost Sherman and Elliot, his partner, $100,000. On August 1. 1916, the gross income to the Sherman-Elliot Company from "The Birth of a Na- tion" was $1,360,339. From the time of the purchase, about one year ago, they have been keeping four companies on the road. They are about to put three more on.

In discussing the exhibiting of "The Birth of a Nation," Sherman talks of the film just as if it were a legitimate speaking production. He talks of companies, not prints. He is justly proud of the fact that every print of "The Birth of a Nation" that he has put out really is a company, owing to the fact that he sends with it his own orchestra of from twenty to twenty-five pieces, his expert operator, his press agent ahead, and his business manager with the com- pany, exactly the same as Zeigfield runs his "Follies." After he purchased "The Birth of a Nation," Sher- man got the state rights in the same territory for Helen Hunt Jackson's filmization of "Ramona." The Sherman Company has four prints working contin- ually on "Ramona," and reports receipts of about $5,000 a week.

The purchase of "The Crisis" is the third big film epoch in the life of Sherman. He thoroughly believes that "The Crisis" will be as big a money getter as "The Birth of a Nation." He describes it as the greatest film of American history, and he believes its pulling power cannot be estimated.

"The Crisis" will be exhibited in exactly the same manner as "The Birth of a Nation" and "Ramona." Everything will be absolutely complete for the exhib- itor. All that he will have to do will be to see that his house is neat and clean, and at the same time large enough to take care of a good-sized audience. Sher- man never has done business on the vacant percentage of a house. He believes that every seat should be filled, and for that reason he wants every seat in condition to be filled.

Will Open Chicago Exchange Soon Sherman still continues to be a believer in the in- dependent exchange. He says the time is now ripe for an independent exchange man to make money in

820

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

large quantities, and to show that he believes in his own advice, he is about to open at Chicago the largest independent exchange ever run in the United States. His plan is to release one feature a week from this inde- pendent exchange. These features to be sold at such a price that the renting exhibitor may make a handsome profit without increasing his admission price. In the words of Sherman :

We propose running the best films on the market at a price within reach of all. The open booking idea has so perm- eated, that the time is ripe for a real big independent ex- change. I purpose running it. In order to do it right, I am going to move from Minneapolis to Chicago and will open the independent exchange in the latter city.

Sherman is anxious to go into the producing end of the business, but not so anxious to make the change that he is willing to produce pictures at a loss.

If I cannot go into the producing end of the business in competition with the present producers, he declares, I will stay in the state rights and independent film end, and will go after every masterpiece produced. I like the producing end, but I know of the opportunities in the distributing end.

Adopt

)t New Credit Rules

Xew credit rules, to be effective October 1, were adopted at a regular meeting of the Film Men's Credit Association held in Milwaukee recently. These new rules follow :

Owing to the fact that exhibitors desire to advertise coming atractions with a greater degree of certainty of getting them, the film exchanges being members of this association, agree to arrange their bookings so that booking sheets will be mailed to exhibitors one week in advance. If a cancellation is desired; for example, bookings week of October 16 to 22 cancellation on any day of this week should be in the office of the exchange Monday, October 9.

In order to carry out the spirit of this rule, it will be impossible to accept cancellations for bookings, unless they reach the exchange on the Monday of the week prior to play date; in the case of the above example, Monday, October 9. This will enable the bookers of all exchanges to make use of the most desirable subjects and will prevent the oft-repeated waste of leaving film on the shelves, which many exhibitors would have liked to have in place of what was booked them.

Cancellations reaching the exchange after the specified period will be honored and charge for program will be made as if no cancellation had been received. The members of the Film Men's Credit Association feel that this rule will benefit the showman who attends to his bookings in business- like manner and will work hardship only on the man who carelessly fails to realize that once a film is booked it is not available to anybody but the exhibitor it was intended for. The saving in clerical work alone that will result from the observance of this rule will enable every exchange to give better, more dependable service, entirely aside from the saving it will mean to exhibitors in express charges for paper that will not be used. The members of the association are certain that the progressive elements among the exhibitors will encourage all others to join in this movement, designed to save money and aggravation to everybody concerned. Film Men's Credit Association.

(Signed) General Film Co., H. L. Conway, manager; Mutual Film Corp., O. E. Golz, manager; Universal Film Exchange, J. R. Thomson, manager; Pathe Exchange, Inc., F. G. Honick, manager.

Billie Burke in New Role

Billie Burke, famous star of the George Kleine mo- tion picture novel "Gloria's Romance," it is whispered, is soon to be cast for a far more important role. Ere the leaves fall from the trees, gossip whispers, the radiant Billie will appear as the leading woman in a drama of life called "Mother." The all-star supporting cast will, of course, include Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., husband of Billie, and a tiny youngster, name and sex later to be announced. Success is assured, for never was there a

happier pair than Billie and Flo, and never a more gor- geous setting for such a drama than "Hastings-On-Hud- son," the country home of the Ziegfelds.

With the arrival of a little heir to the Ziegfeld for- tunes Billie Burke will have indeed consummated a ro- mance within a romance for it was during the filming of the Rupert Hughes novel "Gloria's Romance" at the George Kleine studios that the secret of the Ziegfelds was first admitted to the world. A host of film fans, friends in the film industry, and associates during the filming of the great George Kleine motion picture novel, will join in the toast: "Here's to you, Baby Ziegfeld; may you be one-half as clever as your famous daddy and one-half as beautiful as your radiant mother!"

Soldier Drew Bara's Face

Theda Bara undoubtedly receives more "mash notes" than any other actress in the world. Period- ically, however, the unique William Fox vampire gets a really remarkable letter which contains something more than a pyrotechnical declaration of love, or a Patrick Henry plea for an autograph portrait.

Such a letter came to Miss Bara last week from 191 Indian Grove, in Toronto. Here it is :

This note deals with a coincidence in which you figure as the leading lady. About three years ago, a chum and myself after roaming about for several years found ourselves in Paris. My chum, Tom S — , by name, had a certain talent for drawing, which might have won him notice had he developed it properly. He always carried along with him his crayons and often would pass the time by sketching pictures.

We were in Paris when war was declared, and left there for England, where we enlisted under the Union Jack. The decision to enlist had come as naturally to us as a decision to eat; and on the night we departed from Paris, we too were wrapped in the gloom which spread over the city at the time, and were not in any jovial mood.

That night in our room, Tom drew a face which was at once the most beautiful and most repellent I had even seen. I had never looked on one just like it; yet, somehow, it held more than I can tell. I studied it closely, for it was absolutely out of tone with what he usually drew, and as I studied it. sometimes I could discern wickedness, sometimes gentleness' and sometimes a resemblance to the Madonna.

He watched me as I held the sketch in mv hand then remarked:

u . "F"7 there's ,the face °f a woman that a man would hate, and yet go through the flames of hell to please and to gain her love.

a A/let5 \ sh,ort ?e/}°d in En?land. we went to the front and at the battle of Givenchy, my chum was killed and I wa< wounded seriously, and being no longer fit for mi! service came home. Now, Miss Bara, judsre mv a<toni<hr when I saw flashed on the screen in a picture theatre no fe^V.!^* that m>' f"e"d had drawn. After in

I found that it was you

with that which he dre'w: TYhoulcTlike' to' sketch now, but God only knows where it Is, "

Little Bugs That Bite 'Em

A genuine "bug" feature is under coi ,n at

the Fine Arts studio with Director Paul F^i £ " duemg. The characters of the feature are " various fads and ailments; a collection of resn is used and, at the climax, the "little b. em are revealed in microscopic motion solve one of the biggest screen mys* The microscopic work is being ddne at Tolhurst laboratories. Mr Tolburst anH W author of the "bug" photop ^Ve^VV, • scientific microscopic screen work.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

821

Above Miss Florence LaBadie sends her very latest view to you, and on the other side is Jane Grey, an- other featured Pathe personage. All the goings on in the cen- ter picture are to in- duce that dog-goned lucky pup to stay

awake and act. He was insured for $5,000 during the filming of the play and ran away six times. Gladys Hu- lette is the lady pirate in this story, "Pru- dence, the Pirate," which will be. ready October 22.

Gold Rooster a Week for Pathe

ASTRA, ARROW, BALBOA AND THANHOUSER TO GIVE THEIR BEST EFFORTS

PATHE has further strengthened its program by the announcement that alter October 8 one Gold Rooster will be released each week. The features for this program will be furnished by the Astra Film Corporation, Arrow Film Corporation, Balboa, Than- houser and the best the open market affords. This latest increase in program is in accordance with the policy of gradual expansion laid down by I. A. Berst, vice-president and general manager, last spring.

Each of Pathe's producing companies are in friendly competition to produce only the best and their resource- prove that they have ample ability to make quality pictures.

The Astra Film Corporation has at its disposal the financial resources of Pathe and the facilities of the Pathe Jersey City studios. Louis J. Gasnier, a produc- tion expert is president ; George B. Seitz, the secretary and treasurer is author of many features and serials, among them "The Iron Claw.'' The stars are chosen without regard to expense but in consideration only of their ability to play the particular part. Among the Astra directors are George Fitzmaurice; Eduard Jose, who made "The Iron Claw" and is now making the army serial "Pearl of the Army"; and Donald Macken- zie, producer with Louis J. Gasnier of "The Perils of Pauline."

W. E. Shallenberger, president of the Arrow Film Corporation, is one of the progressive men of the industry. He was long interested in the Reliance- Mutual studios and was largely responsible for "The Million Dollar Mystery." Mr. Shallenberger states that men with wide business experience are back of the corporation and they plan to make only the best fea- tures. They now have under contract well-known stars and directors and their scenarios will be prepared from famous stage and literary successes and from original stories by the very best authors.

From the Balboa Film Company will come six fea-

tures with Baby Marie ( >sborne. The first of these, "Little Mary Sunshine," has been booked and rebooked from coast to coast and the second one will be released November 12. Balboa has completed the fourteen

ode, "Grip of Evil" picture, and is now engaged in making another big serial for Pathe. "Sultana," a Bal- boa production with Ruth Roland, has been Pathe- colored and will be released October 29.

The first two Thanhouser releases were "The Fugitive" and "The Shine Girl." Mr. Thanhouser is giving his personal attention to each Gold Rooster he makes for Pathe and has promised that future releases will be of the same high order of merit.

Arrow Adapts Hall Caine's Novel

"The Bishop's Son" will be the first of a series of special seven and eight-reel productions to be made by the Arrow Company. This is based on Hall Caine's novel "The Deemster" and on Mr. Caine's own dramat- ic version of "The Deemster" which his son Derwent Hall Caine produced and played in on the English stage under the title of "The Bishop's Carriage." To add to the value of the production Derwent Hall Caine will play the same role in the film version that he made famous on the stage. The story of the play is laid on the Isle of Man in the years 1700 to 1710 and is, there- fore, a costume play. The costumes for Arrow's film version were brought over from England by Derwent Hall Caine and are identical with those used in the Lon- don production.

Florence La Badie in a Gold Rooster

"The Pillory," a five-reel Thanhouser Gold Rooster play, to be released October 8, might be called a modern version of Hawthorne's "Scarlet Letter." It is a graphic story of intolerance in which the woman is placed in a social pillory more terrible than that of the old New England times.

Florence La Badie is the star of this production

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Vol. XVI. Xo. 15.

and the supporting cast includes Nellie Parker Spauld- ing, Marie llaync, Marie Shotwell, George Mario, Ethyle Cook and Vale Banner. The story was written by Philip Lonergan and the production is under the direction oi Frederick Sullivan.

"The Shielding Shadow" Breaks Records

Every one of Pathe's thirty exchanges has reported record business on "The Shielding Shadow," the serial which will be released October 1. These reports are particularly gratifying to Y'ice-President Berst because the announcement of doubled prices on "The Shielding Shadow" about a month ago in the trade journals was regarded as revolutionary and caused widespread com- ment. Mr. Berst in explaining this increase in prices, said that it had been made necessary by the increased cost of the serial.

The day of the trade showing of "The Shielding Shadow" in the Broadway Theater of New York was also scheduled for a meeting of the New York Ex- hibitors1 League. Both were set for the same time. The Exhibitors' League meeting was postponed until the afternoon to give exhibitors an opportunity to view "The Shielding Shadow." Ever since that day — now more than two weeks ago — A. S. Abeles, manager of Pathe's New York Exchange, has been busy booking the serial.

From the Boston territory have also come reports of business that are extremely gratifying to the Pathe home office. One of the most important bookings re- ported by Manager Farrell is for a full week's showing in the Boston Theater, with a seating capacity of 3,800.

So from all the thirty offices are coming reports of record business and all this despite the fact that each theater is charged according to its seating capacity and location.

Chain theaters are not given a discount but must pay according to schedule or not play. Big theaters that offer much prestige and little cost as an induce- ment are told that Pathe's policy is that each house must pay its proper share, or not play this great serial.

Exhibitors Entertain Stars

By A. R. M. Sutton

Special Representative of Motography.

Seattle film men have just finished a week of entertaining Lucille Lee Stewart with her husband and director, Ralph Ince. Her leading man, Huntley Gor- don, and Richard Dent, manager of Mr. Ince's Vita- graph studio at Bayshore, Long Island, were also members of the party.

The quartet arrived in the city September 11, expecting to make a one-night stand, but Seattle's film row heard of it and frustrated their plans. J. Von Her- berg of the firm of Jensen & Von Herberg, theater owners and managers, took them for a trip around the boulevards Tuesday in his big new Packard car, and later on the beautiful trip to Rainier National Park on Mt. Rainier.

Tom North, Vitagraph's Seattle manager, also played host to them in several trips around the city. Wednesday evening they appeared at The Clemmer, where Manager Clemmer had suddenly changed his program, so as to show the two visiting stars in a pic- ture directed by Mr. Ince, i.e. "His Wife's Good Name," and all three appeared before the curtain and delighted the audience with speeches, Miss Stewart adding a song or two. Friday the party was taken in tow bv one of the prominent real estate men of the

city, and it was whispered very quietly among certain circles that Mr. Ince was ascertaining the values of several sites which he had selected and upon which he contemplated erecting a studio in Seattle to be used by the Vitagraph Northwestern Company.

Exhibitors See "Return of Eve"

An impromptu showing in Chicago of "The Return of Eve" to a dozen exhibitors in advance of regular trade showing brought approximately fifty bookings, ac- cording to advices received from Essanay. Inasmuch as a trade showing was not contemplated and that the exhibitors saw the film when being run for officials of the company, Essanay believes its claims that the pic- ture is out of the ordinary are substantiated. The re- lease date on this feature has been set for October 16, through Kleine-Edison-Selig-Essanay Service. It was previously announced for release October 2.

"The Return of Eve" is in five acts and features Edna Mayo, supported by Eugene O'Brien. It was directed by Arthur Berthelet and taken from the stage play of the name by Lee Wilson Dodd. It deals with two children brought up in a wilderness by the terms of an eccentric millionaire's will and then plunged into civilization to be a part of the life of a colony of ultra- rich. Its contrasts between primitive passions and modern life give it an unusual interest.

"The Prince of Graustark" has been completed by Essanay and will be offered through Kleine-Edison- Selig-Essanay Service following "The Return of Eve."

"Crisis Owner" Entertains

Harry A. Sherman, president of the firm of Sher- man-Elliott, Inc., gave an informal luncheon t<> the representatives of the various papers in the motion pic- ture field at the Hotel McAlpin on Tuesday, Septem- ber 19. Mr. Sherman, who is in New Vork in the interests of "The Crisis." the Selig production of Winston Churchill's celebrated novel said he thought this the best way to become acquainted with the "boys," and the "boys" to a man agreed that it was. for it was one of the pleasantest luncheons the motion picture trade ever developed.

"The Crisis" wall probably be shown to the trade at one of Broadway's leading film theaters some dav during the week of September 24. Mr. Sherman had no announcement to make but to some question- asked merely repeated that "The Crisis" will be exploite< road show in the territory which his firm will hold which is all territory west of and including Chicago! As has already been announced all other territory will be sold on a state rights basis.

Helen Holmes Adopts Baby

Helen Holmes has formallv adopted a baby The little tot had been emploved to work in scenes in the earlier episodes of "The Lass of t,,,, Lum. berlands. Miss Holmes saw it and fell in love v She inquired after the condition of its parents and learned that they were needv. As she grew better acquainted with the child her interest deeper . length she asked if they would consider par it ihey said yes and when the compare Miss Holmes had with her the little chil

The child is a girl of eight months .. will be known by the name of Dorothv V,-

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

823

Four Fox Features Ready for Public

WILLIAM TOOKER, HERSCHEL MAY ALL AND ALICE GALE RETURN TO FOX

BERTHA KALICH, June Ca- price, Virginia Pearson, Gladys Coburn and Fritz Leiber appear in the four Fox features which were completed this past week.

"The Ragged Princess," Miss Caprice's new photoplay, will be released on October 16.

Virginia Pearson has also commenced on a new screen drama under the direction of Kenean Buel. Prominent in her supporting cast will be William Tooker, who, with Herschel May- all and Alice (laic, lias just re- turned to the William Fox play- er-. Mr. Tooker acted previously in "Fast Lynne," ''The Fool's Revenge." "A Modern Thelma," and "Ambition."

Mr. Mayall is with the Gladys Brockwell company on the west ci iast. I le had the role of the mil- lionaire mine-owner in "The Beast." and is recalled as the king in Ince's "Civilization."

Alice Gale, who appeared in "Sins of Men," has a record of thirty years' success on the stage. She has a part in a forthcoming production.

Besides this trie, three new actors have been added to the Fox forces. Alan Hale, late of Bio- graph, goes to the Richard Stan- ton company. He has been in the silent drama for six years and i- a player of proved ability.

Olga Gray, who ha- come from leads with Fine Art-, and Leo Delaney. formerly of Vita- graph, are included in the Joan Sawyer cast. Mr. Delaney i- a graduate of a New York law school, but he heard the siren call of the screen and put away his legal shingle.

Stuart Holmes, the villainest villain of them all, i- featured in Miss Sawyer'- first production for William Fox. Holmes will add the character of a ferocious gypsy to his long line of screen impersonations. In the California Studios

Several photoplays are under way in the Cali- fornia studios. Gladys Brockwell, who played oppo- site William Farnum in "Fires of Conscience," is lead- ing a double life in her film. The William Fox star has the roles both of mother and daughter in the pro- duction in work by Otis Turner and is playing each equally well.

Robert Ross, the assistant director who has been transferred from the eastern to the western studios, is busily engaged in seeing that Miss Brockwell. as the

Joan Sawyti whose twinkling feet will be perpetuated in Fox films

mother, does not wear any of the habiliments of Miss Brockwell, as the daughter, and vice versa.

Mr. Ross was Mr. Turner's assistant for many years before the two joined the Fox organiza- tion. He helped screen "Sport- ing Blood," "East Lynne." and "The Eternal Sapho."

The Stanton picture is pro- gressing rapidly. The town of San Felease, New Mexico, was purchased last week by the Fox Film Corporation for use in the film's raid scenes. The remains of the town will be destroyed by explosion and fire while the cameras grind their hardest.

From "Legit" to the Screen

More than ninety per cent of the photoplayers in the thirteen William Fox companies in the eastern and western studios began their theatrical career with more or less auspicious parts in the spoken drama.

William Farnum gave up cor- neting in the Buckport, Maine. Silver Band to take the role of Lucius in his father's Boston stock company. Farnum was fi lurteen years old when his the- atrical education began. It con- tinued through a hundred roles in all the plays of Shakespeare.

Madame Bertha Kalich, the eminent tragedienne, was with a ( lernian opera company at the age of fourteen. She had just finished a course in the conservatory at Lemberg, Galicia. When fifteen she left this position to become a prima donna in the Jewish theater.

Joan Sawyer, the famous danseuse now in the Fox films, broke into a stage career with the Chicago com- pany of "The Vanderbilt Cup."

Virginia Pearson gave up library work in Louis- ville, Kentucky, for a contract with Henry W. Savage. Miss Pearson had a small part, but she was com- mended for her excellent acting and in a short time was playing Portia in "The Merchant of Venice," with the New Theater organization of .Washington, D. ('. The sirenic Valeska Suratt had a most unsirenic role in the first stage production in which she took part. It was that of a very motherly mother in a vaudeville sketch, and Miss Suratt was the hit of the piece.

Stuart Holmes, the last word in screen villains, made a dramatic entrance in a dramatic way. He used to stride upon a Milwaukee stage and say, during an

824

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, Xo. 15.

awed silence, "The carriage awaits without, m'lord," or words to that effect.

Herbert Heyes, the hardy hero of "Under Two Flags." got his first shekels in the theatrical profession by carrying a spear in a stock production of "The Sorcerer," in Portland, Oregon.

June Caprice, the new William Fox star, made her debut among the thespians in Boston in an engage- ment with Andrew Mack, Harry Hilliard, who plays opposite her, obtained a foothold on the boards with Wilton Lackaye in "The Battle."

Gladys Brockwell began as the newsboy in a charity performance of "Charity Ball," in Brooklyn. She liked it so much that she records the fact that her earliest ambition was to get off the stage.

Walter Law came direct to Col. Sinn's old Park Theater after leaving college and tried for a place in a small opera company in Brooklyn. He attempted a bass part and also made a try for baritone, first and second tenor. Throughout his stay with the company he was hailed as "The boy with four voices."

A "thud-and-blunder" melodrama called "The Fast Mail," was graced by Glen White's first efforts. White says the play was so bad that he used to sneak through back alleys after each performance out of shame. Lee "Kids" Mother in Films

Mrs. Irene Lee, mother of the famous Lee "kids," has responded to the call of the camera. Mrs. Lee has the part of the matron of the orphanage in "The Ragged Princess," June Caprice's third production for the William Fox films.

Little Jane Lee, aged four, and Katherine, aged six, are in the same picture with their mother. While the photoplay was being screened Jane, veteran of ten films, and Katherine, who has acted in five, smiled sympathetically as Mrs. Lee was taught the few things that she had not learned about pictures in watching her daughters act.

Bara Appears in Person at Fox Theatre

The week of September 24 was Anniversary Week at William Fox's Academy of Music. "Her Double Life," starring Theda Bara, was the screen attraction. On the evening of Wednesday, September 27, Miss Bara appeared at the Academy in person.

Alan Hale Joins Fox Players

Alan Hale has joined the William Fox players

on the Pacific coast. Mr. Hale came from the Bio- graph company, with whom he had leads, and has been in motion pictures for six years, although he was born in Washington, D. C, as late as 1892.

He was educated in the public schools of Phila- delphia, then by stock experience in the principal cities of the United States, and took a year and a half of post-graduate work in vaudeville.

Before becoming a member of the Biograph forces he was with Lubin and Reliance.

MUTUAL MAKES CHANGES

Here's the touch of youngster that forms one of the appealing spots in Fox's "Fires of Conscience," in which Bill Farnum is a burly deputy sheriff.

New Arrangements in Sales Forces of Exchanges —

New Men and Two New Two-Story

Buildings

The opening of the fall season has resulted in nu- merous additions and changes in the sales and executive forces of the Mutual Film Corporation's sixtr-eight branches. Plans have been drawn up for the erection of two-story buildings to handle the Mutual's business in Boston and in Cincinnati.

B. Tolmas, former salesman of the Mutual's Xew York Twenty-third Street branch and of the Philadel- phia office, has been appointed manager of the Philadel- phia branch. J. W. Pierce has been made his assistant. The sales force at this office will consist of J. Safron W. Naismith and B. S. Daniels.

E. G. Evans, until recently manager of the Mutual's Baltimore office, has been transferred to Washington in the same capacity at the Mutual's branch here. O. D. Weems, formerly salesman at the Baltimore branch, has succeeded Mr. Evans.

The Indianapolis office has been put in charge of William Engelman, previously manager of the Evans- ville , Ind., branch. Norman D. Dixon, former salesman has been appointed to the management of the Evansville branch.

M. S. White, formerly assistant manager of the Oklahoma City office, has been transferred "to Kansas City as assistant manager of that city's branch Harry M. Young has been sent to Kansas City as salesman. U. S. laylor, formerly Phoenix, Arizona, branch man- ager who resigned some time ago on account of ill health, has again returned to the Mutual fold He will assist Jack Brainard at the Oklahoma City branch W J. Drummond, a former manager of the Mutual's Spo- kane office, has again returned to the Mutual as manager n t, ^°S^n-eles b™nch- N. E. Levi, salesman out of the San Francisco office, has been transferred to Los Angeles, where he used to be.

ih. M6t f°1llmVn" sales™en have recently I [ed to

the Mutual s forces: J. Herrington, Spokane- \ S Kirkpatrick, Seattle ; W. H. Teeple. Buffalo ; Llovd Ha£ mond, Detroit; F. E. McCoy, San Francisco : \rte Hogenson, Detroit; H. S. Waterman, Charles A Gardner, Cleveland; Alfred R

loronto, Ont. C. B. Price, the Canadian ager, has just returned to his office ar trip through the Mutual's Canadian branched nounces the appointment of T C Ma of the Montreal office to succeedN.l left for the European front

tur^AUTT Bemiett' Sales mam?er *>r ' turned from an eastern tour and

number of western centers.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

825

About Vitagraph Players and Plays

STRAND BOOKS "THE CHATTEL" FOR SOLID WEEK

Is there anybody who doesn't knou star, who it now recovering from real automobile accident t

this

ILLIAN WALKER, the dimpled Vita- graph star, is just now recovering from a serious au- tomobile accident in which she was injured a few days ago. The accident occurred near New York when the ma- chine in which the star and some other Vitagraph players were riding turned turtle. The com- pany was en route to Mineola to film some of the scenes in a coming Blue Ribbon feature.

The accident occurred when the chauffeur swerved Miss Walker's ma- chine in order to get out of the way of a Ford. The wheels skidded and the car turned tur- tle, pinning the chauffeur. Miss Walker, Wilfrid North, her director, and Bob Galliard, who was also in the machine, beneath its weight. The player- were unable to free themselves until assistance came, after which they were rushed to the Mineola Hospital. Director North is believed to be suffering from fractured ribs.

Strand Theater Books ''The Chattel"

As you read this announcement the Strand Thea- ter, of New York, acknowledged one of the world's very finesl motion picture houses, will be showing

Vitagraph's first E. H. Sothern release, an original story entitled 'The Chattel," written by Paul West, directed l>\ Frederick Thomson.

Mitchell H. Mark, president and general manager of the Strand Theater Corporation, deliberately switched the announced program for the week begin- ning September 24 in order to headline the Strand's bill with Mr. Sothern's first appearance in motion pic- tures. Not only did he order a switch made in the program to include this Greater Vitagraph production, but he issued instructions to launch an immediate cam- paign of advertising more extensive than any the Strand has ever undertaken on behalf of any previous picture.

To the exhibitors of this country, the action of this theater man is clearly a sign-post pointing in one direction. Backed by a Broadway run and the exten- sive advertising that it will have received through the Strand Theater, "The Chattel" should prove to be a big money maker.

One evening at the Strand, Mr. Sothern, accom- panied by his wife, Julia Marlowe, personally wit- nessed his own premier on the screen as a guest of Commodore and Mrs. Blackton. In the box party

other guests were Miss Peggy Hyland, the famous English actress who is Mr. Sothern's leading woman in "The Chattel," and Paul West, author of the story. The box party followed a dinner party given by Com- modore and Mrs. Blackton. Greater Vitagraph Presents "Through the Wall"

"Through the Wall" is one of the finest mystery pictures Vitagraph has ever produced. For genuine thrills and subtle detective work it equals Sherlock Holmes at his best. It is one of those pictures in which the suspense is completely sustained in every reel. It is the cleanest kind of a picture and absolutely true to life.

Cleveland Moffett has written several bully good stories that have been transformed into Vitagraph features, but never before has he sensed the possibili- ties of the screen as in "Through the Wall," and under the guiding hand of Director Rollin S. Sturgeon Mr. Moffett's scenes develop terrific punch.

William Duncan, who plays the role of the detec- tive, has a magnificent part that he makes the most of. Nell Shipman enacts the role of Heidelman's step- daughter.

Alice Joyce, in a New Vitagraph Play The most significant combination of Vitagraph

stars in any forthcoming release except Commodore Blackton's big spectacle, "The Battle Cry of War," have just begun work in a new play at the Brooklyn studios. They are Harry Morey, Alice Joyce and Marc MacDcrmott, and their vehicle is a new play by Com- modore J. Stuart Blackton and Cyrus Townsend Brady. It is being directed by Wm. P. S. Earle. Mr. Morey and Miss Joyce have been working together in "The Battle Cry of War." Mr. MacDcrmott has just fin- ished a big dual personality story directed by Charles Brabin. The new play in which these three meet all together for the first time is an intense drama the name of which will be announced later.

Earle Williams Again Cast Having completed his big C. N. & A. M. William- son serial. "The Scarlet Runner," the Vitagraph star, Earle Williams, is already at work for forthcoming

'Through the Wall," the Vitagraph six-part play featuring Nell Shipman, William Duncan and George Holt. Delivered Oct. 2.

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MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI. No. 15.

Blue Ribbon releases which come regularly after the run of the automobile adventure story is completed. The story in which he is now busy is by James Oliver Curwood. Naomi Childers will play opposite Mr. Wil- liams. She is the eleventh different heroine with whom he has been cast in the last nine months. The direction of this him has been placed in the hands of \ itagraph's woman director, Miss Marguerite Bertsch, who has just completed "The Devil's Prize," which she wrote and directed in five weeks' time.

Ariljur IjnnpB Ifcaft

The sudden and dramatic death of Arthur Hoops, the popular leading man in many Metro productions, who died in his automobile last week while driving to his home in Bayside, Long Island, is marked with many striking coincidences. -Mr. Hoops was appar- e n 1 1 y in excellent health when he left the Popular Play- ers studio. He had been working in some of the final scenes in "The Orchid Lady," in which Mme. Pet- rova is starred, and which is now being completed under the direction of Burton King. On the pre- vious day Mr. Hoops worked in a big scene near Dover, New Jer- sey. Strangely enough, in this scene he was supposed to be killed. The title which will appear on the screen, in advance of this scene, by one of the coincidences of life, reads : "The Hand of Destiny."

The players associated with Mr. Hoops — and few men were more popular — recalled that Mr. Hoops laugh- ingly remarked a few minutes before he worked in the scene in Dover :

"Well, good bye fellows — here is where I die. You slaves can go on and finish the picture while I am dead."

The actor's death was due to heart failure. He was always nervous when riding in an automobile. He "never allowed his chauffeur to drive faster than fifteen miles ah hour.

The morning of the day he died Mr. Hoops purchased a new Mitchell car. He made several calls on friends after he was through working and started toward his home on Long Island. It has developed that his negro chauffeur came within a few inches of run- ning down a man not fifteen minutes before Mr. Hoops was found dying in his car. Along with other coin- cidences the man was Charles A. Taylor, the scenario ex- pert, employed in the general offices of Metro. Mr. Tay- lor was crossing Broadway when a machine suddenly came from round a corner. Mr. Taylor jumped back, and not a second too soon. The automobile came to a stop, then shot on. Mr. Taylor saw that it was Mr. Hoops in the car, and he shouted after him. There was no response, and he saw Mr. Hoops settle back, as if

Arthur Hoops, Metro star who died in his automobile.

drawing a deep sigh of relief. Fifteen minutes later he was dead.

Mr. Hoops was one of the best known leading men on the screen. He appeared in support of Mary Pick- ford and Marguerite Clark, in several notable screen productions, before he came to Metro. He has been in many big features with Mme. Petrova. including "Play- ing with Fire," "The Soul Market." "The Eternal Ques- tion," "Extravagence," "The Weaker Sex." and Orchid Lady." Before going into motion pictures Mr. Hoops was well known on Broadway where he appeared in several stage successes. He was forty-six years old. and his home was in Milwaukee.

EXPERTS ON "WAR BRIDES"

Herbert Brenon Will Allow No Discrepancies in His

Work and Is Using Expert Advice in the

Settings for the Various Scenes

In producing his photodramatic version of "War Brides," Herbert Brenon is taking every precaution against technical discrepancies and inconsistencies such as often creep into the best of motion picture plays. One of the big scenes takes place in a hospital to which wounded soldiers are brought from the battle front, and the players who take the part- of physicians, attendants and Red Cross nurses had the advantag being supervised in their work by Dr. Orrin S. Wight- man. Dr. Wightman visited the Brenon >tudio at Hudson Heights this week, when some of the big scenes were being made, and volunteered to give Mr. Brenon the benefit of his technical knowledge in the hospital scene. As has frequently occurred in the European war, this hospital is a church.

Other expert "consulting directors" who are aid- ing" Mr. Brenon are two Roman Catholic pri< a church not far from the studio. These two fathers were present when Mr. Brenon directed the scenes showing the marriage of the "War Brides" to the departing soldiers, and scrutinized closely all details of the ceremony, and the fittings of the' church and altar, guaranteeing perfection to a Belascoesque ni While the company was in Connecticut for a week, making a large number oi outdoor scenes, the big church was built in the roomy studio, and three hun- dred extra players engaged for the ensembl

Concerning the work done out of town, it ported that Nazimova displayed versatility in certain directions, unexpected even of this clever woman, the nature of these revelations, however, being kept - until the release of the completed photodrama. which wdl be probably early in November, through Lewi- 1 Selznick.

Curious are the ways— and ambitions— of man

Tom Burrough. the William Fox ph would have been ostracized by all of hi- es j„

Clinton County, Illinois, had they known that " mys great desire was to grow up into the sur tendency ot schools.

Mr. Burrough entered moving ■ with the hrst company ever ore..:-: right to call himself a pioneer.

Grace Darmond. star inPathe's Shielding Shadow." spent several d the home ot her parents in Chi g make a tour ot Canadian theaters '

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

S27

Ann Pennington in Second Feature

WILLIAM D' A. HOPKINS, CELEBRATED MODELER, JOINS PARAMOUNT FORCES

ENORMOUS publicity and advertising aids have been prepared by the Paramount Pictures Corpor- ation in connection with tine two main features on its program for the week of October ('. Ann Penning- ton will make her second appearance on the Paramount program in "The Rainbow Princess." produced by the Famous Players, and Vivian Martin will be starred in "Miss Nancy." a Pallas production.

During the same week the "little feature-" released by Paramount will consist of the 35th edition of the "magazine-on-the-serecn." the Paramount Pictographs, the 36th of the -eric- of "trips-around-the-w orld." con- ducted bv Burton Holmes, in which he will take hi- fel- low travelers through "Old Ireland," and the Par- amount-Bray cartoon. "Col. Ileeza Liar Gets Married." from tlie pen of J. R. Bray.

The four leading subjects <>f the Pictographs -how how wild oysters are captured, planted, grown, polished, tagged and all stages through which the oyster passes; showing the public how to make its municipalities more beautiful is an inspiration t<> turn ugly, unsightly pools into ideal garden- of wonderful artistic arrangement; "Converting Wood Into Paper" tell- the story of how after the discovery that printing paper could be made from wood, the industry was revo- lutionized and the penny new-paper made possible; and the first showing of motion picture sculpture origi nated by William d'A. Hopkins.

The Paramount-Burton Holmes travel picture for tin- week take- a trip "In < >ld Ireland." beginning with Belfast, after which Glasgow and Dublin are \i-ited and the entire country including Achill 1-land and other interesting points are visited, and ending with a ride on the Ballybumston Maro-Railway train.

During the course of J. p. Bray's cartoon "Col. Ileeza Liar Gets Married" the Col.'s new wife goes on a -trike for an eight-hour day and insists upon tin Colonel making hi- own meals.

Second Paramount Comedy Released "Bridget's Plunder" is tin- title of the second Par- amount Comedy to be released October 16. This is

-aid to be more screamingly laughable than the first and contains the same union of real plot with real actors, coupled with the greatest trick camera work ever conceived. This comedy was produced by the United State- Pictures Corporation.

Paramount' s Aids to Exhibitors

One of the features of the exhibitor'- aid cam- paign which has been inaugurated by the Paramount Picture- Corporation in the nation-wide endeavor to have its exhibitor- present its production- in the cleverest manner possible, is the suggestive methods it is offering upon each of the productions of Famous Players. Lasky, Morosco and Pallas.

For month- past Paramount realized that there was a service needed by the exhibitor far more neces- sary than that of simply giving him two feature pro- ductions and four -ingle reel pictures each week, and that was the service of "putting the show across." Consequently every Paramount exchange throughout the country has established its "Exhibitor's Aid De- partment" and has been supplied with a hundred and

one means of promoting publicity, advertising and ex- hibitors' business, which will be distributed to the exhibitor- without cost.

To Advertise "The Quest of Life"

Many suggestions have been sent to the exhibitor by which he can attract attention to his productions. In connection with "The Quest of Life" produced by Famous Players, in which Maurice and Florence Wal- ton, the internationally famous dancing stars are fea- tured, exhibitors are requested to have their local dancing celebrity view the picture and review the pro- duction in the leading new-paper from the dancing angle, and that advertisements to the effect that this picture will -how everyone the very latest dance steps should be spread broadcast.

In this production Florence Walton wears twenty- five different gowns which were designed by one of the world's greatest modistes and the exhibitor- are having (heir leading department -lores copy these designs and displaying them in their show window- in the main -tore- of the city, securing the aid of the society edi- tor- of the leading newspapers to write critical explan- ation- of the costume- which are worn by the dancer Hi the picture-. Many of the exhibitors are planning lobby displays in gowns, something that has never hefore been done in connection with motion pictures hut which will have a wonderfully human appeal for the feminine -ex.

Exploiting the Rainbow Princess

In connection with "The Rainbow Princes.-,'' in which Ann Pennington i- -tarred, there have gone forth many clever and unique suggestions for attracting attention. This being a circus picture, parades led by (down- will he used by some exhibitors and in view of the fact that many citie- were not favored with cir- cuses this summer because of the infantile paralysis the showmen are advertising that they have at last smuggled one into town to be seen at their theater.

( )ther- will attach passes to balloons they will send up from the front of their theater each day, and the persons i ibtaining these balloons when ' hey land will be granted free admission.

One of the clever suggestions tc be used in the presenting of "The Daughter of M acGiegor," a Famous I 'layer- production in which Valentine Grant is the -tar, was to put kilts and tarns on the ushers (provid- ing they were that kind of ushers). Street parades led by Highlander- with bag pipes is another clever medium, while a third was the use of a Scotch collie with blanket signs announcing the production, and which added additional weight by reason of the fact that in the production a feature i- Miss Grant's wonderful dog.

Clever Modeler Joins Paramount

William d'A. Hopkins, the well-known Scotch artist and sculptor, who recently invented a new method of doing animated modeling for motion pic- tures, has given Paramount Pictures Corporation the opportunity of showing his first wonderful works to the lover- of motion picture novelty.

The first of a series of his work will be shown in

828

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, No. 15.

a forthcoming release of the magazine-on-the-screen, the Paramount Pictographs. In the modeling of his characters, besides the wonderful dexterity, every movement of his hand is a new picture and his product is filled with wholesome humor.

In his first sculptured picture he tells a pathetic story of Pricilla and her encounter with the Pesky Fly. The fly makes his entrance on the bridge of Pricilla's nose, which is a very homely nose but a perfect match for the rest of Pricilla's face. The fly's soft footfalls, as he steals about, soon lulls the maiden to sleep. Then she dreams a wonderful dream.

Her features become transformed so that she looks like the sister of Venus with captivating dimples with not even a fly to . disturb. But what a pity that she must wake, and wake she does and finds she still has her old features with her.

PICKFORD FILM COMPLETED

First Production of the Artcraft Pictures Corporation

Will Be Ready for October Release — Wells

Hawks Starts on Publicity Campaign

All who are looking forward so eagerly to Mary Pickford's first production under her own company, the Artcraft Pictures Corporation, will be pleased to learn that "Less Than Dust" is now completed and the cutting and assembling is going on rapidly so that there will be no delay in the October release date tentatively an- nounced.

In this play Miss Pickford appears as a little Eng- lish girl dwelling among the lower caste of a city of modern India. The story deals with her love for a com- mander of the local garrison and the efforts of the wife of another officer to break up this love and later to get her to leave the commander after they are married. She goes out into the desert with a bottle of poison and is about to- take her own life when her husband finds her.

Nearly fifty players are required to portray the story of "Less Than the Dust." David Powell, Mary Alden and Francis Joyner take the principal roles. Others in the cast include Mario Majeroni, Ceasare Gravina, Russell Bassett, Walter Morgan and Mercita Esmonde.

Wells Hawks, personal representative for Mary Pickford, following the completion of her first picture

for the Artcraft Pictures Corporation, has started on a continent-wide trip to blaze the trail through the newspapers. This trip is a sample of the indirect co- operation of Artcraft with the exhibitor. Mr. Hawks will not work with the exhibitor at all but will pile up a volume of personal publicity for Mary Pickford which will be followed by the special campaign ar- ranged to exploit "Less Than the Dust."

While on tour for Miss Pickford he will visit the Artcraft exchanges in Philadelphia, Washington. At- lanta, Dallas, Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit. Cincin- nati and Pittsburgh. He will also be in touch with the newly formed Artcraft Pictures Corporation. Ltd., in Toronto, the birthplace of Mary Pickford. which is the center of distribution of her new productions in Can- ada. He is expected to return with a budget of recom- mendations for achieving perfect co-operation between Artcraft, the branch managers and the exhibitors whom they serve.

Holmes, Gray and Delaney in Sawyer Film

Stuart Holmes, the villain inimitable, will be featured in Joan Sawyer's initial production for Wil- liam Fox. Mr. Holmes will add the character of a ferocious gypsy to his long line of screen impersona- tions.

Olga Gray, who has been playing leads with Fine Arts, and Leo Delaney, formerly of the Vitagraph Company, are also included in the cast. Miss Gray left the stage for the silent drama in 1915. and has acted in many pictures.

Mr. Delaney is a native of Swanton. Vermont, where he was born in 1885. After attending Manhat- tan College, in New York City, he went to New York Law School, and joined the legal profession upon graduation. He soon took down his shingle, however, for a brief stage engagement, and liked the new work so much that he has never hung it out again. He was with Vitagraph for seven vears.

Nat Goodwin Becomes Producer

Nat Goodwin has become a full fledged prodi:; He has incorporated in the laws of New York State, "The Nat C. Goodwin Photo-play Corporation." with a capital of $1,000,000, with studios at San Tancinto. Cali- fornia. The corporation purchased the 1,000-acre plot owned by Mr. Goodwin, which, it is said. ad-

vantage of scenery for the portrayal of aim kind

of picture.

The output of this company will be four large pro- ductions a year, with possiblv some shortei general distribution. The first feature to b be "The Prince of Broadway.'' from a s lohn

W. Gorman, and directed by Bvron Totten will

be started in about three weeks. Oc 20th. Nat Goodwin will be the star. '

The members of the company are John W. Gorman, B. F. Moran and \\ Executive offices will be opened in New Y

Mary Pickford in her oriental role in "Less Than the Dust."

Fred Myton of the Universal >c,nario working on a five-reel story. "The O

J. P. McGowan, direetor-gener. Company, now in the heart of the redv that the switchtender of the statio him while a number of scene< were :

-

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

829

Star Goes "Back to Nature"

INTERNATIONAL APPOINTS B. F. LYON DISTRICT MANAGER

ELAINE HAMMERSTEIN, star of the International Film Service, believes that a woman can successfully cope bare-handed with nature as well as a man and has gone into the mountains to prove her theory.

Accompanied by "Joe" Knowles, famous "nature- man," Miss Hammerstein left on Saturday night for the heart of the Adirondack mountains, where for thirty days, each will endeavor to live by the work of his hands and with only the weapons provided by nature.

Miss Hammerstein will be accompanied by her mother, as chaperone, but Mrs. Hemmerstein will not assist her daughter in any manner during the thirty days' experience.

Twice before Knowles has gone into the mountain fastnesses. Once he went in naked without weapons or implement^-. At the end of thirty days he emerged, fully clothed. During his stay he provided his own food by trapping and fishing, painted pictures and wrote on birch bark the record of his experiences.

On the present test, Mr. Knowles will be clothed, but will later discard the clothing with which he enters for covering he has made. During the first few days he will teach Miss Hammerstein the rudiments of wood- craft— the building of fires by friction, the construction of a shelter, trapping, and the making of garments.

Then each will start on his own account for a bat- tle with nature.

Miss Hammerstein, upon entering the mountains, wore a khaki uniform which will be replaced by the cloth- ing she makes from the skins of animals she captures, from woven grass and other material from the wilds. She, too, will keep a diary on birch bark and will en- deavor, as will Knowles, to paint several pictures.

Miss Hammerstein is twenty years old, the daughter of Arthur Hammerstein and the granddaughter of the famous Oscar Hammerstein. She is prominent socially in New York, has never been without the services of a maid and has enjoyed every comfort and luxury of life. Yet she believes she can go into the mountains, bare- handed, and live. This remarkable test is being made under the auspices of the New York American.

Lyon Appointed District Manager

The International Film Service, Inc., has announced the appointment of B. F. Lyon, manager of the Pitts- burgh Exchange, to the position of district manager. In his new position Mr. Lyon will act as assistant to J. K. Burger, assistant general manager in charge of exchanges. His field will be the entire United States, and he will visit the different exchanges, instilling into the branch managers the ideas of the home office. Mr. Lyon has been in charge of the Pittsburgh exchange of the Inter- national since its organization. Prior to that time he was with the Pathe Exchange.

Edward J. McGurty will succeed Mr. Lyon as man- ager of the Pittsburgh branch. Mr. McGurty, who was formerly with the Liberty Film Company, and subse- quently represented Pathe in West Virginia, joined the International Film Service in April of this year as a road man, working under the supervision of Mr. Lyon. Big Advertising for Jaffery

The International will use approximately 300,000 lines of newspaper display advertising in its exploiting

of the first two of its Golden Eagle Features, "Jaffery" and "The Flower of Faith." The International adopted this policy on its serials, but it is the first time that such a gigantic expenditure has ever been made for advertis- ing photoplay features. This advertising, is, of course, in addition to the regular amount of trade paper advertising that will be used for bringing these two features before the public.

The enormous success of "Jaffery" is bringing into the limelight Eleanor Woodruff, who portrays the char- acter of Doria. Miss Woodruff has had a remarkable career both as a legitimate and screen actress. Her first engagement was with the Orpheum Stock Company and she received a salary of four dollars a week. Later she was made leading lady at the salary of six dollars a week and now she has risen to a point where she is one of the highest paid leading ladies in the profession. Upon completion of her work in "Jaffery," Miss Woodruff was engaged as leading lady for Otis Skinner for the pres- ent season.

McClure Series Not an Allegory

The recently published statement that the new McClure release, "Seven Deadly Sins," is to be an alle- gorical series, is announced by McClure Publications to be a misinterpretation, though perhaps a natural conclusion when the statement upon which the asser- tion was based is considered.

Here is the published item that led to the miscon- struction :

"Seven Deadly Sins" will be issued as a series of seven five-reel feature plays, each complete in itself. For instance, the first McClure play in which Ann Murdock, the Frohman star, is to appear, is called "Envy." The second one, in which Holbrook Blinn is the most important player, is called "Pride." Charlotte Walker is to play "Sloth," Nance O'Neill "Greed," and so on until all the seven deadly sins have been portrayed on the screen. Each play is complete in itself and will stand on its own feet, but all seven form a group that can be advertised together.

While based upon a morality theme, "Seven Deadly Sins" is far removed from plays of the type of "Everyman."

The action of "Seven Deadly Sins" occurs in the present, amidst the glamour and glitter of metropolitan life. There will be no allegorical figures to typify "Envy/; "Pride," "Greed," "Sloth," etc. Instead, these evils will be represented by men and women of today.

Through "Seven Deadly Sins" runs a connected love story. The girl, Eve Leslie (portrayed by Shirley Mason), is championed by Adam Moore (depicted by George Le Guere), a virile young American who res- cues her from perils and predicaments without end.

By thus showing a young girl's triumphs over the evils of her generation, "Seven Deadly Sins" presents a strong moral lesson, but the plays are so colorful and so swift with action that the morality appeal is entirely to the subconsciousness of the spectators.

A genuine blood transfusion operation is one of the features of the Triangle Fine Arts production "Bugs" (temporary title), featuring Wilfred Lucas and Constance Talmadsre.

830

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI. N

McCLURE ADDS DIRECTOR

Theodore Marston, McClure Director.

Man Who Captured Carranza and Villa Soldiers Now

Directing Charlotte Walker in the Fourth

McClure Picture, "Sloth"

Theodore Marston. formerly of the Vitagraph Com- pany, has been engaged by McClure Pictures to direct the production of "Sloth." the fourth play in the McClure series of seven five-reel feature plays — "Seven Deadly Sins." Mr. Marston's work will supplement that of the other Mc- Clure directors, Rich- ard Ridgely and Alan Crosland. who are en- gaged upon other plays in this feature series. Charlotte Walker is to be the star of "Sloth."

In securing The- odore Marston, Mc- Clure's has not only secured a remarkable director, but a man of wonderful versatility and experience, hav- ing been civil engin- eer, actor, soldier and director.

Marston was educated as a civil engineer. He spent three years on the Northwestern frontier, after which he decided to go on the stage, and for several seasons ap- peared in leading character parts. Mr. Marston was favorably mentioned for his work in "Quo Vadis," "Janice Meredith," "Under Two Flags," "The Virginian," "Alias Jimmy Valentine" and "The Man of the House." His last stage appearance was with William H. Crane in "The Senator Keeps House" and the revival of "A Fool of Fortune" at the Garrick Theater, New York.

In 1912 Mr. Marston entered the moving picture in- dustry, starting as director for Pathe Freres. Later on he became associated with the Kinemacolor Company and the Vitagraph forces. During the three years of his serv- ice with this company he directed many of their big features.

Mr. Marston's father was Colonel Marston of the Federal Army in the Civil War, and at the outbreak of the Spanish American War, Mr. Marston enlisted and became Adjutant to Colonel Willard Glazier. Mr. Mars- ton was one of the organizers of the volunteer regiment composed entirely of the sons of veterans of the armies of the world.

At the beginning of the Mexican trouble, Mr. Mars- ton was making "The Secret Kingdom" serial down along the border. He earned the distinction of being about the only man in the border town who didn't carry a six shooter on the hip.

The strength of his personality was demonstrated by the fact that in a great many of his mob scenes there were members of Carranza's and Villa's army who had the reputation of recognizing no superior but the man who held a six shooter clutched in his fist. Mr. Marston without a gun controlled the unscrupulous bandits and though he bears no bullet wounds or knife scars, he man- aged to get the scenes he wanted.

Neilan a Lasky Director

Marshall Neilan, well known leading man, and prominent also as a director, has taken up his new work as one of the Lasky directors at the Hollywood studio of the company. Mr. Neilan took leading^ rol some months ago in the Lasky production of "Th Country Boy," and he has also appeared as leading man for the Famous Players Film Company "Madame Butterfly," in support of Mary Pickford. and in "Little Pal" with the same star.

In the past few years Mr. Neilan has been con- nected with various companies. He was recently wit the Selig Company.

Big World Mob Scene

What will rank as one of the biggest "mob scenes" ever shown in a program photoplay was st E for "The Gilded Cage," in which Alice Brady is starred. This is a World-Brady picture, and the scene represents a great riot at the palace gates. William A. Brady, who has produced many of the most sensa- tional scenes of this nature ever conceived for the speaking theater, fairly reveled in the larger oppor- tunities provided by a practically unlimited out-: doors setting and as many players a- he called for.

Triangle Full of Horses

Six hundred horsemen are said to have been u>ed in staging the run to the rescue -cene in the Triangle Fine Arts production, "The Defenders." These 1 men appear as United States cavalrymen who rescue Bessie Love from the horde oi Mexicans and Indians.

For two weeks the Franklin brothers scoured Los Angeles and vicinity for ex cow-punchers to do >• -ine daredevil riding in the scene. These scenes are am.>ng the best ever filmed of galloping horsemen. The De- fenders is being produced by C. M. and S. A. Franklin

First Five Part Pioneer

Nathan Hirsh, president of the Pioneer Film poration, announces the completion of his first fi\ production, "The Soul of a Child." This is the firs series of big pictures that will be produced under Pioneer Banner, and state righted.

The picture was made at Block Island and feal Em Gorman, the veteran child actress.

Y\ hat is said to be one of the fiercest hand-to-hand clashes between two bodies of men ever staged screen is one of the thrilling incidents in "The rnent," the powerfully dramatic Triangle plav in 1 nomas H. Tnce presents Bessie Barris The encounter takes place in the early par. and depicts a bitter and bloody fight bet and strikebreakers in a small New England mil

Some wonderful results have > .. Essanay through the use of the teh photographing the scenic wonders of wester- In one picture the camera man. th, ; g - away, caught a group of mountain Rockies so clearly that even their Alpii . apparent. 1 hese scenics are be i Essanay in split reels.

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

831

Psychology of Motion Picture Making

"CIVILIZATION" GREAT SUCCESS AS STATE RIGHTS PROPOSITION '

THE motion picture has been termed, with some pre- tense to authority, the greatest art the world so far has seen. It includes all other arts — litera- ture; music; sculpture; architecture; acting; poetry; painting, photography. If you aspire to make a great motion picture, you must draw upon all these manifesta- tions of creative mentality.

And you will find it e.--ential to go much further than this. You must be archaeologist; historian; en- gineer; chemist; naval and military expert; interior dec- orator; fashion expert: "tinker"; tailor; soldier; apothe- cary ; ploughboy. The sum of human knowledge must be at your finger tin-, for you are called upon to -how in it on the screen.

Thomas H. Ince has this encyclopedic mentality. By its aid he has enrolled himself amongst the limited list of the world'- master picture producers, of which there are under half a -coir. There are movie directors in profusion — hundred-, in fact, who work to formulae; who "put on" things; who rue handed scripts and -tars and told to make a sure-fire attraction which will pack 'em in. This i- not creative art; it is sweatshop shoddy- i-m — a disease from which the picture has suffered very severely in recent year-, l'ot-boilerism of a crude and repulsive kind.

Ince, the man appears in Ince pictures, and notably in "Civilization,"— the natural man, the arti-t, the thinker, the dreamer. Birth, training, environment, am- bition made him a master picture producer; tin- same mind in the same man would have manifested great things in other fields ot" endeavor — creative; professional; manufacturing— had it been SO applied.

This is not a "hyperbolical effusion," but a cold analysis of the reasons why there are as vet so few great motion producers and pictures, and why "Civilization" i- included among the feu of the latter. In the great art of the motion picture, be who thinks salacity pro- duces salacity — hence censorship is a troublous sore all ><\ er the world.

Ince is a clean thinker and has always produced clean pictures. This can be seen in the tender message to humanity which "Civilization" conveys.

Xo great work of art that is produced i- lost to the world, so long as its physical existence ha- been pre- served.

The theme of "Civilization" has been used once and for all. The bitter irony of the story told on the screen will stand for ages.

The motion picture, after twenty-five years of ex- istence, is said to be the basis of the fifth largest business in the world, as well as the greatest of all arts.

What will it be in fifty years time? It i- safe to hazard the opinion that the short length futilities which are mechanically produced in such painful profusion today will have died the death. In the last two years this great art has passed through a serious crisis and has -urvived it. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker; the button hole maker, and the sweatshop keeper have had their fling at picture making with disastrous results to the art. There has been a surfeit of medi- ocre and ineptitudinous thing- shown on the screen. The tool has rushed in where the wise man treads cautiously.

Millions of doiiars have been lost in movie making simply because the people who invaded the domain of the art knew nothing about it.

All these hopeless seekers after the unattainable are doomed to extinction or relegation to more suitable fields of endeavor. There is no loom for the banal, the stupid, the ineffective in the field of the Motion Picture.

Big Productions Kill "Program"

The "program" is either dead or moribund, accord- ing to many shrewd motion picture men. The demand i- for big production-, of which at present, there are all too few available. This is a reversion to the primal condition of things in the industry.

"Civilization," Thos. H. Ince's great spectacle, is so successful as a -tate right proposition, so far as it has gone, that the Harper Film Corporation, who control the picture, are hard put to it to keep pace with the de- mand foi unallotted territories.

It may be true that the program will temporarily survive in the -mailer houses, but it appears to be clear from the evidence that short length subjects are in the long run doomed and that the public demand for big and costly productions will have to be satisfied.

The volume <<i unsolicited territory which reaches the Harper Film Corporation from State right buyers; from exhibitor- and, above all, from the general public, irresistibly favors the big spectacular production in pref- erence to many other forms of the motion picture.

Ince Discovers New Instrument

Thomas II. Ince has discovered a unique musical instrument that seem- to possess supernatural tones.

It i- called the Choralcelo and operates along the general line- of the pipe organ, but creates sounds never before obtained except by the human voice or natural object- emitting their own peculiar sounds.

The instrument ha- been installed at the Park Thea- ter at an expense of S50.000 and is used in conjunction with every presentation of "Civilization."

The tones of the Choralcelo are produced magnet- ically by a pulsating electric current passing through each magnet, thus causing natural synchronism with each note, that is to be vibrated.

New Mutual Bennett for October 9

"Philip Holdcn — Waster," the Mutual Star Produc- tion of October 9, featuring Richard Bennett, the emi- nent actor, is the re-title for the five-part production "His Brother's Keeper," announced when Mr. Bennett's contract with the American Film Company was made public as the vehicle for Mr. Bennett's second appearance in Mutual Star Productions.

"Philip Holden — Waster" will be released on Mon- day, October 9, but instead of marking the star's second appearance in Mutual Star Productions, it will mark his first. "The Sable Blessing," scheduled for release on September 11, was postponed after release date announce- ment, and will not go out to the public until a date after the appearance of "Philip Holden — Waster."

Director George Sargent has spared no expense to give this picture its required setting of luxury and ease.

832

MOTOGRAPHY

Vol. XVI, Xo. 15.

Scenes unrivalled in beauty and screen art value have been secured.

Dominated by Richard Bennett's delightful person- ality, "Philip Holden — Waster" yet has room for plenty of other dramatic work of unusual merit. Rhea Mitch- ell is seen to wonderful advantage in her role of "Helen Landon." Adrienne Morrison (Mrs. Richard Bennett), George Periolat, Clarence Burton, and Orral Humphrey are also in excellent supporting roles.

ARBUCKLE TO LEAVE KEYSTONE

Roscoe Arbuckle to Start His Own Producing Com- pany January First — Will Release One Two-Reel Comedy a Month

Roscoe Arbuckle tried to slip in and out of Chi- cago without being seen — but it's pretty easy to see Roscoe, so Motography caught him. Mr. Arbuckle is on his way west after a long season in New York.

As it is pretty easy to see Roscoe, so it is pretty easy to get his secrets from him — on some subjects which he would just as soon everyone knew about because he couldn't keep them dark much longer any- way. So he divulged the startling news that after January he will no longer be a Keystone comedian but will begin work with his own producing company. The output of this company will be one two-reel comedy each month. This famous funmaker claims that you cannot make people laugh for five reels so he is going to make them "simply scream" for two.

The name of Mr. Arbuckle's concern will be the Comique Film Corporation and J. M. Schenck of the Loew enterprises will be associated with him. The company may later try producing some dramas but at first will stick close to the comedies. Mr. Arbuckle has a rather new idea in the starting of a company in that he. is not going to have any stock company of players. His entire force is to consist of three people, himself, Al St. John and a girl — and he didn't tell who the girl was, perhaps he doesn't know that himself. The rest of the players will be picked up as needed and dropped again after they have served their purpose.

Mr. Arbuckle will direct most of the productions himself but not all of them. Another of his hobbies is that he wants to develop new people, and he announces that he will gradually work ottt himself. He does not especially want to feature his own features and actions, but just wants to get into the producing end of the business.

He is going to pay especial attention to his writers and gather a staff which can furnish him with different ideas and many novelties. His plan of releasing has not yet been definitely formulated — although Mr. Arbuckle says that he has had a number of tempting offers made to him, and admitted that the state rights basis looks very good to him.

Screening in Grand Ball Room

"The Common Law," the film adaptation of the Robert W. Chambers novel with Clara Kimball Young in the leading role, was shown for the first time at the Hotel St. Regis, New York, on the evening of Septem- ber 22. The screening of a photoplay in the grand ball room of the St. Regis, one of New York's most dignified hostelries, caused no end of comment along Broadway's film corners. Certainly there was con-

siderable of the "brilliance" the society reporters talk about so much in connection with the premier showing of the seven-reel production produced under the direc- tion of Albert Capellani which will soon be offered to exhibitors throughout the country by Lewis J. Selz- nick. The feature is now drawing big crowds at the Studebaker Theater, Chicago.

Monarch Company Organized

The organization of the Monarch Photoplay Com- pany, of which he is president, marks the latest activity of Bob Russell, who has been a well-known figure in film circles for a long time. The new company of which Mr. Rus- sell is the head — has completed a picturization of "Common Sense Brack- ett." This is to be the first of a series of fea- t u r e produc- tions.

"Common Sense Brack- ett" was pro- duced with great success on the speaking stage by Henry W. Savage, with Richard Golden in the titular role. As a stage produc- tion it played a year in New York and in Chicago, while a road tour that was successful took the play into all the im- portant cities of the country.

The film

version is in six reels. Its exterior scenes were taken on the picturesque shores of Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire, that section of the countrv where the - is laid. The cast includes William Fn merly with Famous Plavers : William - played with well-known stars, notably with M Clark in "The Prince and the Pauper" ; Bai featured m a number of Thanhous< Bradley Barker, Mildred Gregory, Dal and Walter Hiers.

This company of popular players I s tamed for future productions of the M ■■ play Company. Mr. Russell inteiv immediately on the next feature. Brackett will probably be marketed on rights basis. The picture will be sh some day during the present week.

Bob Russell, who has orgar.:-

famy.

m Ruth Stonehouse has filmed and in her own storv, "**"--

'Mary Anne's Fii si

October 7, 1916.

MOTOGRAPHY

833

No Over- Production Says Brady

QUALITY MAKES OVER PRODUCTION AND COMPETITION LOOK SICK

WILLIAM A. BRADY, director general of the World Film Corporation, claims that "there is no over-production of good pictures. There is no such thing as too much competition in meritorious output. Salaries of actors who draw the public pay themselves automatically. The program system is the only one under which the exhibitor can thrive and the producer exist at all.

"It is the inferior picture that is over-produced. There is nobody who can tell to a moral certainty that the great public will respond to his photoplay. But if he possesses the knowledge of what makes drama, and knows good photography from bad, and has a fair knack of mending broken bridges, the producer is in a position to establish a first rate average of quality.

"And quality is what counts. It makes over-pro- duction, competition and the rest look sick.

"There is a theory to the effect that experience as a producing manager for the speaking theater is value- less in the motion picture world — that the two lines are so far apart as to nullify a man's skill in one of them when he applies himself to the other.

"Never in the world was there a more absurd as- sertion. For example, when I came into the motion picture field I noticed among other matters that scenery, properties, costumes and the like were not always on hand when the actors \\ err ready to proceed, and that long delays ensued, during which the salaries and other expenses ran on. This would not amount to much on the speaking stage, where rehearsals are not usually paid for, but what would be thought of a producing manager in the regular theater who allowed his play to go up t" it- actual first night without a complete equipment of m rues, props and dresses?

"It was this very experience of mine in theater pro- ductions which showed me one of the most common and serious channels of that absolute wastefulness and disregard for consequences which have been so costly to photoplay producers.

"This brings us around to a point worth considering. When a man or company is dealing in an article for which there is a general demand, and cannot find a sat- isfactory outlet for his product, the chances are that the product itself is at fault, not that the trouble lies in market conditions, high salaries or any other outside in- fluence or condition.

"The biggest things I have been driving at in my direction of the World-Brady pictures were (and are) the stoppage of waste, the systematization of production a*nd the perfection of the output. We are now so far ahead that we could quadruple our releases if we so de- sired, or we could sit back and rest on our oars for five or six months entirely without inconvenience."

Demand for Miss Young's Pictures

The World Film Corporation's issuance of two new Clara Kimball Young photoplays and eight newly printed and re-edited re-releases appears to have been a particu- larly timely and happy thought. Miss Young had not previously been seen upon the screen in four months, and the World's announcement found an eager response. The corporation's exchanges have been flooded with demands for the entire series.

Alice Brady Completes " Loneliness"

"Loneliness," the World-Brady play upon which Alice Brady has been occupied in the star role since fin- ishing "Bought and Paid For," is the work of Willard Mack, one of the most successful dramatists of the pres- ent time. Arthur Ashley is featured in the principal male role, and the cast also includes Justine Cutting, J. Clarence Harvey, Walter Green, Edward Langford and Edward Kimball. Harry Davenport is the director.

Gail Kane Too Pretty to Fine

Gail Kane, who was arraigned before a Long Island justice for speeding her automobile, and discharged be- cause she was "too pretty to fine," is the star of the World-Brady photoplay, "The Scarlet Oath," soon to be released. The title bears no relation to what the motor cop said when his fair prey was snatched from him.

ROOSEVELT TALKS

Colonel Sees "Our American Boys in the European

War" on Screen in New York — Then

Addresses Audience

A private showing of "Our American Boys in the European War," which is being distributed by Triangle gratuitously for the American Ambulance Service, was given for Col, Theodore Roosevelt at the New York Triangle projection room on Saturday morning Sep- tember 23. Col. Roosevelt was accompanied by his daughter, Mr<. Richard Derby, Dr. Derby, and a party of friends. After viewing the film which gives pictures of the work being done by Americans in France and Belgium Col. Roosevelt made the following address:

Really, I have got very little to say. The most important thing that a nation can possibly save is its own soul and these young men whose deeds we have been watching in the film today have been helping this nation to save its soul, and as a whole, the nation has been thinking of saving everything else except its soul. The nation has been preaching "Safety First." These boys have been thinking of the safety of the soul first. There isn't an American worth calling such who isn't under heavy debt of obligation to these boys for what they have done. We are under an even greater debt of obli- gation to them than the French and the Belgians are. I was just reading an hour ago a speech by Henry Clay in 1824, asking this nation at least to express its sympathy as a nation with Greece when the Greeks were suffering the last extremi- ties of misery, of terror and horror in the effort to fight for great ideals, and in the speech Henry Clay said that he asked that this action be taken for the sake of Greece, for whatever support we could give to Greece — but to ask it still more for the sake of America, so that America should not shrink from doing its duty, should not prove false to its ideals. These