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250 THE HOUSE THAT SHADOWS BUILT
in Australia a wide education as an exhibitor, and T. L. Tally, who owned many theatres in and about Los Angeles, spawned early in 1917 a brilliant idea “Let the exhibitors own production.” With this idea in mind, they incorporated the First National Exhibitors’ Circuit. Chaplin and Pickford were still the symbols of suprem.acy. First National proposed to corner them and the other great stars by offering a virtual partnership and guarantees exceeding even the swollen salaries of the moment. Otherwise, between the first rough scenario of a picture and the twenty-five-cent piece of the spectator at the door, there would be only one profit — that of the associated exhibitors.
Williams and Tally toured the country, selling the idea to theatre owners. The “programme system,” then just beginning, galled some of the exhibitors; and the idea of producing for themselves fascinated them all. First National, while it still existed only on paper, signed up so many important exhibitors that the banks gave generous backing. Williams and Tally had been hammering at Chaplin; now began a bidding match for his services between them and Mutual, his present employer. An offer of $1,075,000 for eight two-reel pictures, with certain conditions regarding liberty of expression, won him over. Two-reel pictures, notice, Chaplin was still working in that archaic form, still throwing custard pies. Not until he settled down with First National did he begin to appear as sole star in long