The Moving Picture World (October 1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. S4i in playing prude. And the Fire Department scene at the end of the sketch was just about as funny. Ernest kept us fairly howling with his Dutch dialect Did you ever see meat run through a sausage machine? Well, that's what he does to the English language. Well, listen! I heard some of the girls who had been to the Scenic rave over George Graham; but then, you know how those things go. I didn't blame them, though, when I heard him sing "Dreaming" and "Pal of Mine," for honest truth, I never heard such a sweet, sympathetic tenor voice; and he is as far ahead of any singer ever heard in Meriden as the Scenic show is of any other ever given here. He wears eye glasses, too; and do you know, I think glasses do make any good-looking young fellow awful swagger. The stout man with the specs, who plays the piano—they say he's the best man in his line the Keith theaters ever had— provides one of the most enjoyable parts of the show, too. He doesn't just sit there and try to smash the instrument; but every note seems to have a meaning, his selections art always peculiarly appropriate to the pictures; and really, his playing is a treat in itself. They have a matinee every afternoon, and change the pic- tures and songs every Monday and Thursday, and say, girls, I'm going again Saturday, and you can put me down as being at the Scenic two afternoons every week hereafter. The swell- est girls in town are getting the Scenic fad; and you bet I'm in the swim. I've seen lots of shows at Keith's in New York, and at Poll's that couldn't touch the Scenic for real fun and enjoyment— and all so clean and refined, too; and I don't, mind telling you— on the quiet, mind you—that George Graham can count me among his admirers.—Mildred Irving m Meriden (Ct.) Record. * ♦. * WHY THE "NICKELS" ARE POPULAR. A Mirror man, who dreads a crowd as does a lqst puppy, braved One, not realizing the magnitude of it, and went to the Nickel Theater. He soon wished, however, that he had stayed outside, for de- spite the kindly proffered services of Patrolman James Hampston, who looks after things and men and women and children there, lie found himself in a crowd the like of which he has not seen in a theater for a long, long time. All of this is leading up to the psychological question as to what it is that accounts for the craze. The theater was packed to the doors from pit to upper gallery and hundreds were stand- ing, and it was only after some one had gone out, that with the aid of the officer, a seat was found. — What is it? It was only a short time ago, within two years, that the public having seen a good show that closed with pic- tures would leave when the show was over and not wait for the pictures. Now the pictures have driven the shows out, roller skating out, burlesque out, and about everything else in the amusement world. One answer might be that the pictures amuse. They surely do. Another is that they picture some of the true character- istics of men and women in such a far speedier way that they do not tire as one watches. Another is that they often instruct. They do this, but a tired working person is not looking for in- struction, he is looking for rest, and it seems that herein lies the solution. The other day a Mirror reporter had reached the corner of Hanover and Elm streets, when two matronly women rushed at each other and embraced as effusively as an armful of bun- dles would permit. They had been shopping and were evidently tired, though smiling. "Let's go up to the Nickel and see the show," said one. "What is it?" said the other. "Moving pictures. Come on. It's only a nickel." "But I have to get home and get John's supper." "Come ahead and get rested. You will get him all the'better supper after resting there half an hour," and off they trotted. Without a doubt John did get a better supper and the woman who prepared it did so with more comfort than if she had not taken that half hour's relaxation. And if one studies it, there is a good deal in this. This is not a press notice fo"r the Nickel—but it is just an attempt to offer an explanation for the craze. Think of theaters all over the country that were charging anything from twenty-five cents for a seat to a dollar and a half being given over to a five-cent piece and making all kinds of money, and then offer a better explanation if you can. To this Mirror man's mind these entertainments arnrJike^ a good strong cup of tea, and a bit of gossip with an entertain- ■ng neighbor who has called is to a woman, or a chat with some good fellow over a cocktail to a man—they rest, that's all. —Manchester, N. H., Mirror. . • * Wellsboro, Pa., October 15, 1907. Editor Moving Picture World: Dear Sir—As a subscriber to the Moving Picture World, will you please give me what information you can regarding the so- called Passion Play films ? If I understand the thing correctly, no films were made at Ober-Ammergau, and that the so-called Pas- sion Play films are posed by actors properly costumed, and the scenes enacted as nearly as possible to correspond with the scenes of the production at Ober-Ammergau. If you can do so, please advise what maker or makers put out the above films and which is the best. Very truly yours, . A B. Deane. [You are quite correct in your surmise. The only films of the Ober-Ammergau are in possession of W. T. Stead, of The Review of Reviews, of London, England, for whom they were taken. We have no knowledge of any being on the market, but the Warwick Trading Company produce the Horitz Passion Play, a complete reproduction of the Life and Passion of Christ, as enacted annually since 1816 by the peasants of the little moun- tain town of Horitz, Bohemia, after the version of Paul Groll- hesel, and under the direction of Ludwig Dcutsch. This is en- tirely different from the Ober-Ammergau production. Pathe Freres make the Passion Play films so largely used here, but do not claim it is the Ober-Ammergau production.— Ed.] Austin, Minn., September 16, 1907. MARRIED.—The marriage of Miss Ruth Zeno to W. J. Mahnke, of Austin, took place in Mankato, Minn., Monday, Sep- tember 9. Miss Zeno is well known as an accomplished singer and worked for W. J. Mahnke last season when he had the management of the Majestic Theater at Mankato, Minn. The groom, W. J. Mahnke, now is the proprietor and manager of the Gem Family Theater, at Austin, Minn. He is well known in the moving pic- ture business, he being an expert operator and having worked in some of the largest Eastern. houses. His home is Cleveland, Ohio, where he. has many friends that will be glad to note that he is still in the business and meeting with big success in the West. i - . Philadelphia, October 19, 1007. Editor Moving Picture World: Gentlemen.—I note your remarks in the current issue of the Moving Picture World relative to second-hand film. ■ You advise that all film rentors, although they do not advertise snch, have considerable in stock which is unfit for rental purposes. While I have not used the columns of the Moving Picture World to advertise second-hand goods, I merely take this means of advising that I have upwards of 150 reels that I offer singly for $45.00 each, six at $35.00 each, and twelve reels for $350.00 You can easily calculate that these are offered at very much less than 5c. or 4c. per foot. Yours very truly, L. M. Swaab. Editors Moving Picture World: Macon, Ga., October 7, .1007. As I have not seen any special mention in your splendid paper regarding the moving picture business in this part of the sunny Southland, I would like to'inform your many readers that the South is actively waking up to the many benefits to be. derived from the popular-priced moving picture show. Macon has three shows, all doing very nice business: The Theatorium, owned and managed by H. D. Pasey; The Elite, owned and operated by J. W. Little and Louis Rebb; The Pictorium, operated by The King's Daughters. All three of these have illustrated songs, the Theatorium and Elite showing dissolving views. The Theatorium is the oldest show in town, having been in successful operation over one year in the same building, and has just closed a five- years' lease on the premises. Mr. Pasey is an old hand at the business and orders the best and not the cheapest service, and his shows are therefore always popular. If any of the readers of the World desire to know anything further in this line from this city, I will gladly inform them if I can, either through the. col- umns of the World or by mail. C C. Turner.