The Motion Picture Director (1925)

July, 1925 PUBLICITY a la Mode By Dorothy Collins F you stop in front of a magazine rack and glance over the many brightly hued covers you will find that nine-tenths of them are motion picture magazines. A portion of the make-up of these magazines has to do with pictures and advertisements, the balance with the prating of the publicity writers. The art of publicity writing bears a strong resemblance to a bake-shop, wherein the pastries with their real foundation of good cake-batter becomes submerged in thick layers of icings and whipped cream. And like all things too sweet, a customer now and then is taken sick from overdoses. Where is the line of demarcation between truth and fallacy in the art of publicity writing? How are we to know the truth when we see it? Where are we to find the good cake-batter that we can eat without becoming ill? Certainly not in the motion picture magazines. They are sticky with sweetness; and a sick public instead of being allowed the opportunity of getting better, finds that the publicity baker is adding more and more story cake with the brightly colored frostings to the already groaning rack. And the public is overwhelmed at the thought of trying his digestion powers further. Consequently, Mr. and Mrs. Public are leaving the ranks of the cake eaters, and are, when the occasion arises, taking what satisfaction they can out of facts as printed by the newspapers. Actors Are Real At least, even if the news be scandal, they have the impression that the actor or actress involved is a human being with the same likes and inhibitions as the rest of the mortals of this earth : that they are not gossamer souls floating in another ether relieved of earthly tribulations. Everyone who punches a typewriter for a livelihood, puts into his articles a certain something that represents himself. One man I know who is an exhobo, became a feature writer for the largest studio in Culver City. One day he was given the name of a certain motion picture star and a few facts as to her meritorious rise to stardom. That was all. He was told to supply the rest or atmosphere we’ll call it for a two-thousand word story. Part of it read something like this (I quote this from memory; it happened nearly three years ago) : “The motion picture stars and their satellites resemble nothing so much as a string of box cars.” He was an ex-hobo, remember! “Some are newly and brightly painted, some are a little faded, others look worn and broken, but all in all their days of use are numbered. Little Glorious Bubble is at present like the brightly painted cars, but ber future seems more secure than most for she has given us some of the most marvelous interpretations it has been our good fortune to see for many a day.” And on and on and on. If he had been a dry goods salesman first and a publicity writer second he would have swathed his girl in yards and yards of chiffon or something like it. But being an ex-hobo, his thoughts went to his early means of transportation — box cars. Author’s Personality I was present when little Glorious Bubble read the article. She turned to the ex-hobo publicity writer and gushed: “Oh — o— -o — o!” long and ecstatically. “Oh — o — o — o ! Your article frightens me a little, but I do hope I can live up to the lovely things you have written about me.” Some of the things were true, but most of the article was the mental contribution of the publicity writer, who was putting himself across bigger and better than he did the little actress who was NOT many of the things said of her. Still she is very charming and a real personality. He gave her paint instead of icing, but the effect was the same, for she was completely camouflaged. When a publicity writer does say something about how Lotta Fun loves to cook, dig in her garden, play with the babies, go to the ball game and make her own clothes, the public is in doubt whether to believe it or not. They have been fed iced cake so long that a plain sponge cake takes on a none too real appearance and taste. Recently I read an interview by one of the foremost publicity writers of a well known motion picture magazine. It was about an actor who lately was elected to stardom, although for years he has been a favorite leading man and a big drawing card. The article had to do with everything except the real personality of the man. Truth in Print This man I know personally. I know he has one of the finest libraries in Hollywood. It is not like a lot of libraries I could mention, either. For the books in this particular library have been read, are thumb-marked, and have the margins written in. They are in reality the most constant companions of this man. He loves his garden and writes for some of the horticulture magazines. Some say, “Why the devil put that in? It’s enough to have him a great actor, he doesn’t have Continued on Page 36 15