Exhibitor's Trade Review (Mar-May 1922)

March 4, 1922 EXHIBITORS TRADE REVIEW 943 Giving the Public the Facts Michigan M. P. T. O. Works Out Splendid Plan of Constructive Puhlicity — '^'^Go-to-Your-Editor'^ Idea Used by Wilmington, Del., Exhibitor npHE attacks to tvhich the industry is being subjected at the hands of the so-called reformers, and the lurid sensationalism ivith which some newspapers have attempted to indict the whole picture business, are common knowledge to every exhibitor. More than that, they undoubtedly present a very real problem to the exhibitor in dealing with his public. He knoius, of course, that the industry has been maligned and vilified and misrepresented. But the public, in part at least, may not understand the true facts. Getting the facts to the public is a highly important thing, especially at this time. And that is just what the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan are doing. They have worked out a constructive plan for newspaper co-operation — and, what is more, they have got the co-operation. The plan is told in detail in the following letter from H. M. Richey, general manager of the Michigan organization, addressed to the Editor of Exhibitors Trade Review : DURING the past few months the motion picture industryhas been cursed with some very undesirable notoriety, following two regrettable events in which prominent screen personages figured. "Practically every newspaper in the country has spent the entire front page, and as many more pages as possible, with lurid stories, playing up unimportant details in 72point headings, and injuring the industry to an extent only to be determined later. "Because of this I feel that you will be interested in the inclosed articles, which have been published during the last few days through cooperation with the Detroit News and Detroit Journal, and I feel that it is the most constructive propaganda for the industry that has been used in any newspaper in the Unite.d States. "Following the appearance of one of the articles, I enjoyed a conference with Mr. H. Scott, managing editor, Detroit News, and Clarence Linder, motion picture editor, Detroit Journal, and I am glad to call your attention to the excellent cooperation they have given. "In order that the people of Michigan can hear the other side of the story, I have sent copies of these articles to every exhibitor in Michigan, and have made arrangements tvhereby he can purchase at cost a folder containing these articles. I feel, and have been informed by Mr. Scott, that these articles were well received by the motion picture going public who love the picture folk, and ivho were only too glad to read some constructive publicity concerning them. "It seems to me that other newspaper editors over the country should be interested in similar articles, for I don't believe that it is their desire to be unfair to the industry. But, as Rev. Carl Dodd, Hollywood minister, has pointed out, virtue seldom gets on the front page of any newspaper. "I just wanted you to have these articles so that you could know that in Michigan we are receiving some excellent co-operation from at least a portion of the newspapers." Setting the Public Right The articles to which Mr. Richey refers were written by H. G. Salsinger, and have appeared in newspapers in other cities also. They were printed by the Brooklyn Eagle, the initial article being headed "The Truth About Hollywood." This was reproduced in part in Exhibitors Trade Review last week. One of the most striking sections of the Salsinger articles, printed in the Detroit News, had to do with the views of the Rev. Mr. Dodd. It follows : "The Rev. Carl Dodd was an Episcopalian minister in New York for several years. He was called to be assistant rec tor of the 'Little Church Around the Corner, in New York, refused the call, and came to Hollywood, where he established St. Mary of the Angels Church. The Rev. Mr. Dodd is called the 'Shaplain of the Movies.' He is known to every motion picture actor in the business. He is the officiating minister at the baptism of their children, at their weddings and at their funerals. He is father confessor to the screen performers, knows their virtues and their vices. He is their minister — their friend. "While in New York, the Rev. Mr. Dodd came in contact with the majority of the members of Manhattan's smart set. In his position he gained knowledge of the inner secrets of New York's social leaders and their followers, knew the scandals, and was aware of the private affairs of these men and women who pose as the leaders of New York life. I met the Rev. Mr. Dodd last night and we discussed the exclusive set of New York and the motion picture people of Hollywood. A Minister's Analysis " 'Speaking without reservation I will say that the motion picture people are far above the most exclusive people of New York's smart set and the men and women that are in their circle,* said the Rev. Mr. Dodd. " 'The public reads only of the "vices and sins," it does not read of the virtues. To be decent is to be obscure, and the public does not care about knowing that you are decent. Virtue makes neither news nor gossip, nor does not get you on the front page of the newspapers. " 'You do not read about the great majority of motion picture performers who lead clean and decent lives, but you do read about the few that have gone astray. " 'If you stick a pin through a spider and hold it before your eyes and concentrate your gaze upon that spider, the entire world becomes a crawling mass, because the spider is all you see. You can take an insignificant part of a great whole, center your gaze and attention upon that part and exclude the vast remainder. " 'Why is the entire motion picture world condemned because of the few? Why is not the banking business condemned and why are not bankers looked down upon because of the Stillman case? Why are not the oil men of the country ostracized because of Jake Hamon? Doc