The theatre of science; a volume of progress and achievement in the motion picture industry (1914)

36 Cfje Cfteatre ers, he lost his all with his first venture. To him the loss of $250 invested in a little picture theatre in 1907 was a calamity almost as great as the loss of Standard Oil would be to a Rockefeller. Horsley had never failed in his previous business career to make at least a good living. The loss of all his savings in the nickel theatre, he says, took all of the sunshine out of his life ; but he then and there took a vow that he would get that $250 back from the same "game" he lost it in. Investigating the moving-picture situation, Horsley found there were three branches to operate in. He had failed in one of these. He did not have capital enough to embark in the exchange branch, hence there was left for him but one choice — that of manufacturing. He had never even used a kodak in his life, and the only place he had ever been in a theatre was amongst the audience. Associated with Horsley in his ill-fated picture show was Charles Gorman, who had two years' experience with the Biograph Company as actor and all-around helper, and the two joined hands, having obtained a promise from a semi-professional photographer who knew a little about moving pictures to look after the all-important problem of securing a camera. Horsley raised some money, converted the picture theatre into a factory, and Gorman was to paint the scenery, write the stories, engage actors, and direct. The photographer was to operate the camera and supervise the dark-room work. Horsley was to be the boss, paying salaries to the others and a part of the profits. In January, 1908, work began on the factory; by March 1st it was ready to operate, but the photographer was non-est. The latter had become "leary," and had accepted a surer job, even selling his camera to a