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WELLINGTON THEATER 585
each to the theater. This fact was of some consequence, since any two pictures appearing on the same bill were not bought as a program nor were they usually purchased at the same time or from the same distributor. A question of separate valuation was, therefore, a definite consideration if percentages were to be of the greatest value to the exhibitor as aids to future pricing.
A third method was suggested in an attempt to secure separate percentages for each feature. It was proposed to attribute arbitrarily a certain percentage of the total gross to the two pictures of the double-feature program. For example, 75% of the gross might be considered as earned by the featured production while 25% would be allocated to the program feature. This sharing differential between the two pictures might be increased, or diminished to an equal split of 50% to each. In spite of the arbitrary allocation of gross in this manner, the method possessed the advantage of securing a percentage relation of rental to gross for both pictures individually which could be used as a criterion to future buying.
One serious disadvantage existed in the use of this plan. When pictures were contracted for in advance, no definite play dates were set; consequently, the exhibitor could not tell which pictures would appear on the same program. The featured picture was always a high-grade production. The program feature, however, usually varied; sometimes it was of equal quality and run, while at other times it was inferior to the featured film or was a subsequent-run picture. Thus a current program feature might be purchased at a price based upon that paid for a comparable film which had been secured and run during the previous season as a featured production, and vice versa. This fact militated against the use of wide differentials in allocating gross to the two pictures appearing on the same program. For example, suppose a picture was purchased for $300 and was run as the featured picture of a double program. Further suppose that the gross of the run amounted to $2,000. Allocating 75% of the gross to the featured picture yields a 20% relationship between rental and gross. Now assume that a picture of the same type or with the same star is purchased for the current season on the strength of past records. Three hundred dollars would appear to be a fair price for such a picture. Suppose, however, that the film is dated in as a program picture with another featured