Motography (Jan-Jun 1913)

PTR TB)TkT WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NICKELODEON CHICAGO, APRIL 5, 1913 PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY BY ELECTRICITY MAGAZINE CORPORATION MONADNOCK BUILDING, CHICAGO Telephones: Harrison 3014 — Automatic 61028 Ed. J. Mock and Paul H. Woodruff. Editors Neil G. Caward, Associate Editor Mabel Condon, Associate Editor Allen L. Haase, Advertising Manager Entered as second-class matter at the postoffice at Chicago, Illinois, under act of March 3, 1879. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION United States Cuba, and Mexico Per year, $2.00 Canada Per year 2.50 Foreign countries within the Postal Union Per year 3.00 Single copy 10 NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Changes of advertising copy should reach the office of publication not less than ten days in advance of date of issue. Regular date of issue, every other Saturday. New advertisements will be accepted up to within five days of date of issue, but proof of such advertisements can not be shown in advance of publication. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS Remittances — Remittances should be made by check, New York Draft or money order, in favor of Motography. Foreign subscriptions may be remitted direct by International Postal Money Order, or sent to our London Office. Change of Address — The old address should be given as well as the new, and notice should be received two weeks in advance of the desired change. 1 ) *4 London Office 36 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden S. Rentell & Co., Representatives This publication is free and independent of all business or house connections or control. No manufacturer or supply dealer, or their stockholders or representatives, have any financial interest in Motography or any voice in its management or policy. CHICAGO, APRIL 5, 1913 TABLE OF CONTENTS Scenes from "A Wise Old Elephant" Frontispiece Editorial 219-220 "Moving Picture Sections" 219 The Power of Pictures 220 C. W. Post Uses Advertising Films. By Watterson R. Rothacker. .221-222 Biograph Identities Revealed 222 Who's Who in the Film Game 223 Klaw and Erlanger to Enter Picture Field 224 Motion Picture Making and Exhibiting. By John B. Rathbun 225-228 Releases Diplomatic Feature 228 Sans Grease Paint and Wig. By Mabel Condon 229-230 Current Educational Releases 231-232 A Diamond-S Potpourri 233-234 May Buckley Joins Selig Forces 234 Motography's Gallery of Picture Players 235 The Photoplayers' Pennant 236 On the Outside, Looking In. By the Goat Man 237-240 New Publicity Stunt 240 The Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America 241-242 Photoplays from Essanay's 243-244 "The Queen of Spades" '. '. 245-246 Of Interest to the Trade 247-254 Brevities of the Business 255-258 Complete Record of Current Films 259-260 "MOVING PICTURE SECTIONS." NOT long since we were accustomed to open our local newspapers with a sense of hostility and suspicion, scanning the editorial columns for innuendo or open attack against the industry. Today we see not merely favorable comment, not merely occasional short stories of the films, but whole Sunday pages, and even "Moving Picture Sections," installed as regular features of metropolitan dailies. Casually viewed, this change of heart, or development of interest, seems but a national tribute to a constantly growing business and a recognition of the people's choice in entertainment. An investigation of the newspaper motive shows in many cases, however, an ulterior purpose. That purpose, naturally, is to secure advertising. With the encouragement of example, several of the many bright minds engaged in trade publicity work have conceived the plan of establishing motion picture departments or press syndicates in connection with the big newspapers of the country. But to overtures in this direction the newspaper publishers have made, as a rule, but one reply. "Show us the business," they say, "and we will give space to your department. But first we must be assured of so many dollars of advertising." So some of the newspapers are running motion picture departments and getting a little advertising. A few bold spirits are even running their "sections" without any advertising. But, with a few exceptions, the newspaper's tendency is to demand payment in full, in advance, for its film exploiting. Of course the newspaper publisher feels sure that the motion picture business is overflowing with easy money, that it appeals directly to his readers and that those readers ought to be worth something to the rich and open-handed film man. In this attitude he is just naturally and humanly selfish. He does not take into account the fact that all the films shown in the country are made by the same few manufacturers, while every other newspaper in the country has as much right to film advertising as his particular paper. The result, should every newspaper succeed in establishing a motion picture section with advertising accompaniment, is beyond imagination— and certainly beyond any possible commercial merit. Let us take another view of the situation. Our national entertainment is motion pictures. Our national pastime is base ball. All the newspapers give unlimited space to baseball news and stories, and they do it without any advertising, because their readers demand it by buying the papers that print most about it The only reason people buy newspapers anyway is because the newspapers print what the people want to read. They want to read about local and national happenings, about their favorite sports, about entertainments. The newspapers already print the news and the sports ; but they want pay for printing the entertainments. Is the attitude logical? Exploitation in the newspapers is good for the