Moving Picture News (Jul-Oct 1913)

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THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS 17 man slips a sardine into his dessert and refuses to pay for his dinner; held to be encouraging to defrauding of restaurants. A child of the slums picks a flower from premises of a rich man; held to represent crimes of trespass and theft. A woman drops her glove, her lover picks it up and conceals it next to his heart; held to encourage infraction of the law that requires finder of any article to turn it over to the police. There is crying need for reform and the greatest care must be exercised, but sanity must go with censorship. PHOTOPLAYWRIGHTS OF CENTRAL WEST GATHER AROUND THE FESTAL BOARD AT HOTEL EUCLID, CLEVELAND Photoplaywrights of the Central West gathered around the festive board at the Hotel Euclid, Cleveland, Ohio, Saturday night, June 28th, at which time the first photoplaywrights' dinner ever held outside of New York City, and, by the way, the largest gathering of scenario writers ever assembled, took place. Success marked the banquet from start to finish. Good cheer was everywhere. "If this is only the first dinner, what will the second be?'' remarked one writer, and the cry in unison from all the others was, "This is only a starter." When told that it v.'as larger than any dinner held in New York City, the "home of studios and writers," there was applause and questions of "Why doesn't Cleveland have studios?'"' which was answered by Samuel Lustig, president of the Columbia Film Company, that Cleveland will have a studio, to be located on the picturesque Rocky River. Mr. Lustig's company is now furnishing Keith's Hippodrome with current event films of Cleveland. ^ ^ ^ In the absence of R. P. Stoddard, of the Cleveland Leader, A. W. Thomas, editor-in-chief of the Photoplay Clearing House, Brooklyn, N. Y., was toastmaster. After welcoming the writers to Cleveland, Mr. Thomas said: "The chief word I bring to the scenario writers, both experienced and inexperienced, is that reputation is an unknown quantity in the moving picture plot-making field. 'Punch' is the only thing that sells a story. There are a number of magazine writers, whom you would know were I to mention names, who have been unsuccessful in selling picture stories, which goes to show that it wasn't their names that added strength to the plot; the plot wasn't right and a rejection followed." ^ ^ ^ ^• ]\Iaibelle Heikes Justice, of the Selig Polyscope Company, Chicago, was unable to be present, although she had made reservation and had her ticket and Pullman berth purchased for the trip, but she was stricken by the intense heat and her physician forbade her making the trip, but instead ordered her to the country. Miss Justice went to her mother's country place at Quincy, 111. Miss Justice sent words of cheer to the writers and conveyed also greetings from the Essanay and Selig studios. Mr. William N. Selig's message was that his company was in the market for the best scripts obtainable at highest market prices, the writer being neither limited to style or plot, diversity of story being in demand. "I wish I had time," Miss Justice wrote, "from an author's standpoint to tell of the difference between writing fiction and pictures. I might briefly state, however, that in fiction we write dreams, while in pictures we finally see our ideas into life. But I shall strive to be with you at the next meeting — praying for cool weather — and the great pleasure I would have had in coming to Cleveland would have been in meeting you. I wish you all success, at any rate. The moving picture is the great game, and T know personally that the earnest writer will never receive warmer or more sincere encouragement than from the big film manufacturer himself." ^ ^ 'ffi One of the most pleasing features of the dinner was the showing of pictures, the scenarios for which were written by those present. While the author of "The Post-Impressionists," Miss Justice, was not present, Mr. Thomas was familiar with the cubist story and outlined briefly the theme of the picture play. The next film, and one that received perhaps the most applause was "The Anti-Fly Campaign," written by Dr. Jean Dawson, of Cleveland. The story features Mayor Baker and May Buckley, and shows the cause of much disease which is due to flies. Miss Dawson spoke on the great need of educational films, declaring that "One can't teach the older people, but the children are quick to drink in the knowledge gained from motion pictures." * * * * Other films were "Overcoats," by Aaron Bishop; "Ma's Apron Strings," by Mary Blanchard; "Roses of Yesterday," Maibelle Heikes Justice; "The Redemption of Rivers," by A. W. Thomas, and "Two Glasses," a Pilot release, by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. S]< jjc ^ ^ Aaron Bishop, author of a number of comedies, gave a brief talk on his success and what he regarded as the necessary elements of writing salable picture plays. Mr. Arthur Cloud, new manager of the Photoplay Magazine, Chicago, delighted his hearers with a few "funny sizzlers," saying he was reminded greatly of the railroad man, who when called upon to make a speech, said he didn't know what to talk about except that he would take about a minute and "beat it." Mr. Cloud was compelled to leave early for Chicago. * * * * Among the number of telegrams and letters of regrets of being unable to attend and sending congratulations were those from Eugene Brewster, editor of the Motion Picture Story Magazine, Brooklyn; N. G. Caward, editor of Motography, Chicago; William Lord Wright, Moving Picture News, New York City; W. D. Clark, Columbia Theatre, Marion, Ohio; Will T. Henderson, Chicago; Clarence A. Frambers, president of the Chicago Photoplaywrights Club; C. Hoerr De Packe, writer, New York City; R. E. Frederick, Ashland, Ohio; William N. Selig, Chicago; Cora Drew, Boston; William Armstrong, Springfield, Ohio; Maibelle Heikes Justice, Chicago. The show was "put on" by A. P. Anthony, of Clevelaid, who has been given the credit for giving more moving picture entertainments of an educational nature than any other so-called exhibitor. Mr. Anthony carries all the equipment of a first-class theatre and was voted thanks for the excellent manner in which he conducted the Central West picture playwrights' exhibition. All the films were furnished gratis by the General Film Company, the Lake Shore and Victor exchanges. Those registered at the dinner were: Professor C. G. Ames and wife, Akron, Ohio; Stephen W. Humble, Cleveland; Edith V. Considine, Cleveland; Aaron E. Bishop, Cleveland; Kenneth G. Cloud, New York and Chicago; R. A. Magee, Toronto, Canada; W. N. Butz, Cleveland; Dr. Jean Dawson, Cleveland; George H. Scott and wife, Cleveland; Arthur D. Cloud, Chicago; A. W. Thomas, Cleveland and New York; Mary Blanchard, Mrs. Blanchard and Mrs. Cowan, Cleveland; A. P. Anthony and wife, Cleveland; E. H. Painter, assistant manager of the General Film Company, and wife, Cleveland; Samuel Lustig and wife; S. H. Morris and wife; S. Wilk and wife; G. Randal and wife, of Cleveland, and H. Gowans, Pittsburgh. May Buckley, former Lubin leading lady, now playing at the Colonial Theatre, Cleveland, and Jack Halliday, former picture player, arrived after their performance, but Tom Powers, Vitagraph comedian, missed connections at Massillon, Ohio, and did not arrive until after the banquet was over, which was 1:30 Sunday morning. Everyone was so enthusiastic over the success of the first dinner that a movement was set on foot at once to have a second dinner late in the coming fall. Wray Physioc, manager of Ramo productions, is planning some new trick pictures soon to be produced at the Ramo studios. The films will be in 5()0-foot lengths and will involve educational and scientific subjects. John Arnold, who has been responsible for Ramo's excellent photography, has been experimenting with Mr. Physioc for several months, and they both claim that the result of their labors will be in the exhibiting of trick pictures never before attempted in cinematography.