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

"why motion pictures should not become the most universal and artistic form of dramatic entertainment, as well as the most popular. "As conditions are to-day the influence of the firstclass theatres in this country is tremendously restricted. Even the hugest successes in New York — the plays that run one or two years — can be taken only to the largest cities in the country. And even then the inhabitants of large communities outside of New York and Chicago witness much cheapened presentations by inferior companies, while the great bulk of the people of the country — the thousands who live in country places and in villages — cannot see these plays because of the basic necessity for an opera house. "The motion picture, though, can invade the smallest communities, even the most secluded districts. Of course, many fine films have been produced, both in this country and abroad, but no motion-picture producer yet has ever given to motion pictures the same expert attention and lavish, intelligent expenditures that characterize play production in the $2 theatres. Most motion-picture actors have been recruited outside the members of the profession who have won their laurels in the high-class theatres. Occasionally some "star" has been induced to appear in a film, but the supporting companies have never been made up of recognized Broadway favorites. "The reversal of this system is to be my first innovation. Not only do I intend heading the cast of every one of my photoplay productions with one or more stars of the utmost eminence, but every single player who appears in my pictures, even though more than 300 are utilized in a single production, will be