Exhibitors Herald (Sep 1920)

September 11, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 59 IptMiunisiMMm^ "Must Eliminate Inferior Elements' ' Albert A. Kidder Declares That the Industry Is Facing A Struggle for the Survival of the Fittest — Declares Player and Producer Must Be Put to a Very Rigid Test SiiiiiiiiiiuiuutiiuiuiiraiinmiiiiiM Looking into the future of the motion picture industry, Albert A. Kidder, Jr., assistant general manager of Charles Ray Productions, Inc., tc/zo is in New York conferring with Arthur S. Kane, president of Arthur S. Kane Pictures Corporation, and others, declares that the industry soon 'ivill face "a titanic struggle for the survival of the fittest." His views in this regard arc set forth in the following statement: By ALBERT A. KIDDER. JR. THE next few years will witness a titanic struggle for the survival of the fittest. The player and the producer arc to he put to a test which only those who can measure up to the standard through actual value of performance will be able io meet. Merely heavy expenditures in production and advertising will not suffice. The people, always able to discriminate between the very good and the extremely bad, now draw a sharp line of distinction between the merely good and the best. With the weeding-out of the inferior, there will remain ample room at the top of the ladder for the top-notch product. Many of the unworthy — producers, players, pictures — will he forced from the industry. Unfortunate as this experience will be for them, such progress and advancement must be a source of gratification to all who have the best interests not only of the industry but of the country at heart. * * * The future is bright with promise, but it is fraught also with tremendous responsibilities. A wonderful opportunity is ahead for everyone who is engaged in making big pictures. It would be difficult to say which has done the more to elevate the standard — the pictures or the public. Naturally, the more and better the pictures shown, the greater has been the popular clamor for others of the same character. At the same time, not even poor pictures have been without their value. By their very exaggerations, their disregard of realities, their carelessness in matters of detail, they have caused picture devotees to rebel, such errors of omission and commission being regarded as insults to the intelligence. Again, the old slapstick, rough-house, so-called picture, is losing vogue rapidly. The motion picture theatre lias become the American family's club house. No clean minded man would any more think of taking his children to sec a film on which the vulgar, the suggestive, oven •the merely unwholesome is featured, than of placing a degrading literary work on his library table. * * * So high, indeed, is the standard which the public has set that a picture which is merely inoffensive no longer satisfies. It must be more than passively good. The insistent demand is that real folks be pictured as they are in real life — redblooded folk, with human frailties, indeed, but in whom the good predominates, as assuredly, the good does predominate in the normal American. The motion picture has come to be recognized as an educator of the masses, which is another reason for the demand that it present what is true, good and wholesome. A few stars and a few producers foresaw years ago conditions as they exist today. They anticipated the public demand and prepared for it. Among the few artists who have consistently stood their ground for the most wholesome subjects is Charles Kay. His case is the ALBERT A. KIDDER ANKixtniit K«*nrral mnnneer of Chiirlex liny I'rodut'tlonH, Inc. more notable because he has not been actuated by financial considerations but by principle. Behind the camera he is tlie same clean, wholesome man that he is in front of it. Rumor George Walsh Will Leave Fox in September George Walsh, who is now working on what is rumored to be his last picture for Fox, "Dynamite Allen," is on location in Milford, Pa., the leading mining country of that state, where exteriors are being made. Dell Henderson is directing the picture, which is from an original story by Thomas F. Fallon. "Dynamite Allen" may be Walsh's last picture with Fox, as his contract expires early in September, and it is already being whispered that he is considering signing with another producing company to star in a series of George Walsh specials. Mayflower-Kinograms Arrange Press Tieup Papers Featuring Sales Girl Contest Will Cooperate With Theatre Men Through an arrangement between Kinograms, a news weekly, and Mayflower Photoplay Corporation, exhibitors throughout the country will be able to make an effective tie-up between their theatres and local newspapers which have been featuring the National Sales Girl Beauty Contest. This contest. arranged by Mark Larkin, publicity director for Mayflower, is being handled by Newspaper Enterprise Association working in cooperation with 300 newspapers. After judges appointed by the papers had decided upon the local beauties, their photograps were sent to the New York office of Newspaper Enterprise Association, where they were turned over to the national beauty committee, which soon will announce the national winner. Quirk on Committee This committee is made up of Neysa McMein, famous illustrator; Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.. famed as a connoisseur of feminine beauty: Alfred Cheney Johnston, foremost photographer of women: James Quirk, editor of Photoplay Magazine, and R. A. Walsh, motion picture producer. Under the supervision of Ray L. Hall, managing editor of Kinograms, motion pictures are being made of the contenders for first place. These pictures will be published as an exclusive news feature through Public Distributing Corporation to all theatres where Kinograms is shown. 10,000 in Contest Tt is estimated that at least 10.000 sale* girls in cities throughout the United States entered this contest, and as a consequence there will be great interest attached to the news reel featuring the^e bauties. The tie-up arranged by Larkin with Kinograms will afford exhibitors of their news weekly all kinds of publicity and exploitation possibilities. Through Newspaper Enterprise Association, papers which featured the contest will be told that the news reel i< coming to their town and they will be advised to communicate with the exhibitors showing this feature, with the idea of cooperating on a publicity and exploitation campaign. "Forbidden Fruit" to be Next DeMille Production "Forbidden Fruit" is the title chosen by Cecil B. De Mille for his new special production for Paramount, now in the making at the Lasky studio. The story was written by Jeanie MacPherson. The cast is headed by Agnes Ayres and Forrest Stanley, and includes Theodore Roberts, Clarence Burton am! Theodore Kosloff. Douglas* Dog Dies Of Grief Is Claim (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, August 31.— Douglas Fairbanks is mourning the death of his famous dog, Rex, reported to have died of loneliness while Doug and Mary took their honeymoon trip.