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CENTURY THEATER 543
theaters, the custom of announcing showings of picture plays with a premiere at the Century Theater was discontinued gradually by motion picture distributors, these premieres being held instead at theaters affiliated with the distributing companies.
In consequence of this new situation the program policy of the theater changed to one of selecting the best picture plays available. This policy was maintained for about two years, when larger theaters were built which were able to offer greater revenue to distributors, either on a percentage basis or in the form of higher rentals. At this time, the ownership of the Century Theater changed, and a new policy was placed in effect. During 1925, under the new management, it was the policy of the theater to present revival showings of the most popular films of the past. Revivals proved to be highly attractive, so much so that a number of the cheaper theaters in metropolitan New York followed the example of the Century Theater with such success that the latter was unable to continue the policy without losing its reputation with the public as an exhibitor of first-class entertainment.
Early in 1926, the owners of the Century Theater gave their support to the development of the Film Arts Guild, which had been organized by Mr. Symon Gould in 1925 to promote interest in the cinema art much as the Little Theater movement had in the art of the stage. Its main objective was the establishment of a circuit of little theaters where only the better films would be shown. Through an arrangement with the director of the Guild, the Century Theater was to receive assistance in the selection of its entertainment, and the benefit of publicity related to the Guild movement. Under the new policy, the screen repertory idea, which had been inaugurated about a year before by the Guild, was introduced, with an increase in weekly revenue of $3,000 over the average previously attained by the theater. The main feature of screen repertory was the revival of film classics. After this entertainment program had been in effect for several weeks, the Guild imported a famous German film which, after extensive editing and titling, was presented for its American premiere at a special subscription performance at the Century Theater. The film was a sensation and a repeat performance was necessary to accommodate the overflow. Interspersed with such outstanding foreign cinemas were first showings and revivals of unique films produced in America. Such pictures