Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

40 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 3, 1925 EDVCATlOy iL BEAUTIES! Rif>ht to left: Vera Stedman^ Christie comedies i Natalie Joyce^ Christie Comedies^ and Kathleen Myersy Christie comedies. Importance of Short Subject Established During Year Says E. W. HAMMONS President of Educational Film Exchanges Twelve months ago a serious situation faced the exhibitors of the country. The over-length features which were being produced threatened the very cornerstone of the industry by depriving the exhibitor of a diversified program — the one quality which has made the motion picture screen the most popular form of amusement ever presented to the people of the world. Stories which could have been told in five reels were being stretched to seven, eight and nine reels through the ego of directors and short-sighted production managers who were envious of the success of some few exceptional super-productions and who desired to equal their records, in length at least, if not in quality. Distributors accepted these overlong productions on the theory that more money could be charged for eight reels than could be secured for five, and at approximately the same distribution cost. The exhibitor’s viewpoint, and his task of furnishing his patrons with a well chosen, diversified program, were overlooked in the mad rush of production of padded pictures. The reaction set in when the ultimate consumer — the patron — began to complain of the absence of short subjects on the program and the consequent lack of diversity. Exhibitors, sensing the menace to their future, also began to make themselves heard, with the result that during the year feature productions have returned to a nearly normal footage basis. The situation and subsequent reaction on the part of the theatre patron established for all time the importance of the short subject as an amusement item. Previously regarded as a mere “filler” by some short-sighted exhibitors, the entertainment and box office value of these one and two-reel subject was vividly impressed on them when they found that their patrons literally demanded these short pictures on their entertainment bill-of-fare. From a subject booked merely to fill out the running time of the show, the short subject became an indispensable part of the program. Today, every week finds more and more theatres embracing advertising of their short subjects as part of their regular exploitation program. Comedians in short subjects are recognized as box office stars of high value. The coming year will find advertising of the whole program even more general than it is now. It is bound to come. It is good business, good showmanship and good sound sense. ANNE CORNWALL Educational-Bobhy Vernon Comedies THEY ADD PEP TO THE PROCHAMt Left to right: Molly Malone, Educational-Christie player; Marion Harlan, Bobby Vernon*s leading woman, and Duane Thompson, who plays in W alter Hiers subjects. pictures given to film theatres immediately. Herald begins publication of the “Memoirs of Thomas H. Ince,” • Texas exhibitors hold most successful convention in history of the state organization. Walter Hays elected head of M. P. T. 0. New York to succeed Michael Walsh, who resigned on account of ill health. Directorial Advancement {Continued from page 35) but positive. At any rate the constant growth, which for some inexplicable inherent reason, pictures have forced upon the director of imagination, intelligence and experience, has transformed him from a mere Jack-of-all-trades, into a highly specialized artist, whose appeal as well as whose identity, has become internationalized. Check up the advances made in the director himself and you will have the reflected advancement made in pictures. We have cited as a matter of generality but a few of the changed conditions under which the director now manufactures his product We are positive that these changes are for the better and have come to stay. Close co-operation between the director and his staff — the director and the producer — will bring what in the future? Space forbids the venturesome pronouncement of a prophecy! HARRY LANGDON It was not a circumstance which brought Harry Langdon to the screen. Rather was it the result of years of hard and consistent work and the surmounting of real hardship. His early schooling in the art of which he now is one of the representative leaders, was a long and tedious job, replete with hard knocks, Langdon is a comedian at heart, though to meet him off the screen one would not suspect it. His is a quality of humor not acquired. It is inborn. He has laughed his way around and past privation to affluence, and his jovial disposition, it has been claimed, is more contagious than a malignant fever. As a kid in school Langdon drew funny pictures and impersonated comedy stage types. When he left school he made his living drawing cartoons, but quit that to become an actor. He could not be funny enough on the stage, so he worked a few seasons with the Hamburg and Wallace circus as a clown, before returning to the stage again in an act of his own creation. But even in this the scope for his natural humor was limited, and he came to the screen. Harry Langdon’s rapid rise in public favor is phenomenal and almost without precedent. He has proven beyond question that he is justly entitled to the position he now enjoys, although in the opinion of those qualified to judge, be will yet reach heights which have been attained by but a very few.