Motion Picture Magazine (Aug 1918-Jan 1919)

<p SM°S^E!^t Letters to the Editor (Continued from page 122) program on which the Weber productions also appear, that to throw a sop to Cerberus the releasing company always threw in a Weber play. Consequently the really fine work which Miss Weber put out was shown in little Mexican theaters in Sonoratown, the older part of Los Angeles. It's pretty hard to build up a reputation when one cant show at one of the big houses — Chine, Tally, Kinema, Miller or Graumann — and she cant. I believe the independent exhibitors' idea is absolutely the only solution of the present picture output if one wishes to make money. Miss Weber was under contract and could not get out and join the independent forces, so she just stopped working. Our theaters here are spending enormous sums in a wild endeavor to make the houses pay. Graumann has one organist at $125, another at $60 and a 35.piece orchestra, besides singers and entertainers. In this way he fills the house, but I saw Hayakawa's iatest there last week, and the much-advertised star appeared and was coldly greeted after a clever little speech. There's a feeling against Japs in this land, where we have about 7,500 to buck up against if there's ever any trouble. It's well known that the Japs alone do the farming and moneymaking here in fruits and vegetables, and they all own motor-cycles — why? Mrs. G. Lydell has a word or two to say for Earle Williams : In the April number of your Magazine there appeared an article referring to Earle Williams as a "has-been." I believe the letter was written by two young women who are living on the ragged edge of nowhere and probably go to a picture show once a month. Of course, they are entitled to their own opinion, but why should they be allowed to force their silly little thoughts upon the public ? I am using Mr. Williams as an example, because I know that he is very popular both here and abroad. I do not base my statement upon hearsay, but on actual experience. My husband and I travel extensively, and always make it a point to visit the leading picture houses everywhere we go, both of us being ardent picture fans. Always we have found Mr. Williams' photo displayed in the most advantageous spot of the lobby, and upon inquiry were told that he was a much loved idol. Of course, it is needless for me to tell you that he is one of the most popular screen stars in New York today, and New York is an acknowledged criterion as far as the popularity of both the legitimate and screen actor is concerned. We also know our city has set a very high standard for. her artists to live up to, having had at one time or other the best artists in the world appearing here, and there is not the slightest doubt about Earle Williams having won our affectionate regard and a most sincere respect and admiration for his artistic work. I understand the Motion Picture Magazine has no personal feeling in the matter, so I expect to see my protest against having Earle Williams called a "has-been" published. Private Alfred Bowher, 6141,' Machine Gun Corps, B. E. F., France, tells about the movies "over there" : It is with the greatest of pleasure that fT\ (Continued on page 126) P 124 The Movie and the Soldier (Continued from page 61) exploitation of pictures ancient in art and origin which had long since been relegated to the scrap-heap. Another problem was the lack of operators for the projection machines. To meet the first problem, a committee of the leading Motion Picture producers and distributors were formed under the supervision of the War Department Commission on Training Camp Activities, which has charge of camp recreations. Together they worked out a cooperative scheme of extending film exhibitions in the camps and supplying the soldiers with the best of pictures at the lowest possible cost. On the other hand, the solution of the second problem was comparatively simple. A call was posted for men who had been Motion Picture operators in civil life. There was a rush to _ respond, for every trade and vocation is represented in the army. Now the soldier is seeing the latest releases as quick as the metropolitan movie-goer. They reach the camp theater thru the same channels of distribution that bring them to the theater in the city. All this has been made possible thru the patriotic cooperation of the producers and distributors of the film industry. They are sending their productions into the camps at a charge sufficient to cover the cost of distribution only, altho in cases where feature photoplays have been recently released a graded scale of rentals has been established in accordance with the length of time they have been on the market. Altho picture shows are the order of evenings in every recreation hall and hut in the camps, the government is establishing real theaters in the camps to make more entertainments of this kind possible. Sixteen theaters have been erected already and fifteen more are now in the building. These theaters are theaters in every sense of the word. Experts in theater construction have designed them. They seat from 900 to 2,500 persons. They are well lighted and heated, and the acoustics are of the best. All in all, the soldier in his theater is just as safe and comfortable as the man back home in his orchestrachair, even tho the seats, which are not seats at all but pine-board benches, are sans upholstery. For admission to the camp movie the soldier is charged 5 and 10 cents — and there is no war tax. But the government is endeavoring to relieve him of even this nominal expense. To do this it has originated "smileage." "Smileage" is a term that applies to the book of tickets which " the soldier uses in lieu of cash to pay his admission to the cantonment theater? The idea is for the folks at home_ to buy "smileage" and send it to the boys in camp so that the cost of their amusements will not come out of the meagre wage they receive as fighters. In the million-dollar "smileage" drive that went "over the top" recently, Motion Picture stars played a large part. Doug Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin— all of them helped. They not only bought "smileage" freely, but they went out and sold it. In fact, it was Doug Fairbanks himself who coined the most original definition of the word. "Mileage," he said, "is stretch of miles ; 'smileage' is a span of smiles." But the Motion Picture is not only amusing the soldier — it is developing his spirit of fellowship thru the congenial association of the theater, and it is educating him. In illustrating the sex hygiene lectures that arc a part of his military routine the Motion Picture has been found indispensable. Graphically and convincingly, far more so than the spoken word, it points out the perils of social diseases and instructs him in the healthy care of his body. In addition, it is showing him the latest methods of warfare, the correct way of doing many of his regular duties, and the strong analogy between boxing and bayonet-fighting, of which the former is now the basic training. ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE MOVIE CHARADE PUZZLE IN the April number we published a Movie Charade Puzzle which literally flooded our office with answers. Practically every city in the United States of any size at all was represented — and some twice over — so quite a little time was necessary to look the answers over carefully and make the proper selection. The puzzle, as you all know, was easily solved with a little thought and concentration upon it, so we received a great number of correct answers. Of course, every one couldn't win, so we chose the answers which were the most artistic and original, and trust that every one will accept our decision like good sportsmen. It is with great pleasure that we announce the first prize as going to Canada. We have hundreds of Canadian friends, all of whom always try to solve the puzzles and take an active part in our various contests. The first prize of $5.00 goes to Vera Hassert, 314 Kensington Ave., Montreal, Canada. Miss Hassert's idea was most original, yet simple. She took a tiny photograph book and on neat little strips of white paper printed the question. Then in one corner she gave the answer, and in the other corner she pasted a photograph of the answer, such as May Allison's picture and the Lasky trade-mark. The idea was indeed simple, but very effective, and quite a lot of time was evidently devoted to it. The second prize of a year's subscription to the Magazine and Classic goes to Jennie C. Colvin, 2010 Roscoe St., Chicago, 111. Miss Colvin cut a string of tiny pennants from various gay-colored ribbons and printed one answer on each individual pennant. She then sewed them all on one long strip of pink ribbon. The idea was unique, the work neatly done, and, like the above, undoubtedly took considerable time and effort. The third prize of $3.00 goes to E. Louise Espe}', 2010 First St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Miss Espey removed the contents page from the Motion Picture Magazine, pasted the contents border design on a plain sheet of paper, and then typed her answers in the middle of the sheet. This, too, was simple, yet it made an artistic and attractive page. The remaining winners merely wrote their answers on the typewriter, but because of the typed designs they made or the unusual neatness and dignified quality of the work, we felt they were deserving of a reward. Fourth prize, one year's subscription to the Magazine — William F. Werner, Mt. St. Marys, Emittsburg, Md. Fifth prize, one year's subscription to the Classic — Anna E. Lubar, 764 East 152d St., New York City. Sixth prize, $1.00 cash— L. C. Smith, 3037 O St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Seventh prize, $1-00 cash — James R. Lamb, 1120 Miller St., Utica, N. Y.