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

84 Cf)e Cljeatre present volume has necessitated, has cast such theories to the winds. Elsewhere in the volume the career of Lawrence Trimble, expert author and producer of photoplays, is fully described. Mr. Trimble came to the Vitagraph studio to prepare a series of articles for a magazine and remained there for years without accomplishing his task. Instead he became a celebrated director and is now turning out photoplays in which Florence Turner is featured. Mr. Trimble never was connected with the theatre in any capacity. And now comes before me the unusual achievement of George W. Terwilliger, whom I recall on the editorial staff of the "Dramatic Mirror" and who afterward started the "Morning Telegraph's" motion picture department under the pen name of Gordon Trent. While on the "Telegraph" Terwilliger wrote scenarios between issues, as the paper was published on Sundays only. These he sold to the Biograph Company and they were good enough to be directed by that master of picture craft, D. W. Griffith. From there he joined the Reliance Company as scenario editor, also writing one story a week. Later Terv/illiger saw a chance to better himself with the Lubin Company. Here he turned out two plots a week, but one day he approached General Manager Lowry. Terwilliger said to the Lubin business head: "I don't believe it requires an actor or even a stage manager to produce a photoplay. Give me a chance and I think I can prove it." Lowry, from what I have heard of him from men who are in a position to know whereof they speak, is a man who believes that the motion-picture art is yet to find its greatest geniuses. That these may not be discovered until the idea now prevailing as to stage