Motion Picture Mail (October 28, 1916)

October 28 , 1916 . MOTION PICTURE MAIL. Page 17 . Brack? Advocates the Film Program Discussing the controversy between the advocates of open booking' and those who pin their allegiance to the programme, William A. Brady, di- rector general of the World Film Cor- poration, says: “I perceive that the great majority of exhibitors, (those at least whose views are reflected in print), very sensibly retain their faith in the pro- gramme. Scanning the published re- ports of interviews on this subject — and it certainly is a big subject — I find that many of those who favor the open booking system are actuated by fear that the exhibitor across the •street or around the corner will ‘have a shade on’ them. “This is a short sighted and inad- visable policy. The exhibitor who goes in for these big star features will in- variably find his expenses getting away from him. Further, he will be building up a demand among his customers which he cannot meet when the supply runs short, as it surely must. Those who stick to the pro- gramme can afford to wait for the other fellow to blow up. "The exhibitors should bear in mind the indisputable fact that not all the big special features are successful. Without going into particulars, we all know of certain big pictures pro- duced within the past few months at enormous expense which died almost before they were born. “All the advertising in the world will not force a picture when the pub- lic doesn’t want it, no matter how pretentious or costly it may be. Neither the exhibitor nor the manu- facturer can go up against this situ- ation repeatedly and escape getting the worst of it. “It is further true that a great star in a bad picture is a very unprofitable investment. The producer who makes enormous inducements to stars to win them away from the programmes must get his money back from the ex- hibitor, who in turn must collect the increase from the public. So these high priced stars must have better material than others, or they will fall down and pull the exhibitor and manufacturer down with them. “There are other phases of the present situation which are worthy of consideration. One of these which comes up constantly in the published utterances of exhibitors is expressed as follows by the owner of a chain of theatres in a large city of the middle West: ‘If we knew positively that certain stars would remain on certain programmes, then we Could go out and select our programme and feel assured that we would get these stars by signing up with certain pro- ducers.’ “This is a situation that will be ad- justed when manufacturers place themselves in a position to announce their product for a considerable time in advance. The World Film Corr poration has already published a defi- nite statement of all its releases for several months to come, and no ex- hibitor can possibly complain of his inability to be sure of all our stars wilhii that period at least. "Please do not think I am criticis- ing anv of our competitors. This is not the idea for a moment. When I took over the direction of the World Film Corporation I had some ideas which were not in general use, and as I advanced these I was usually met with ‘it can't be done.’ “But it has been done in most in- stances, and will be in the^ others. Among the ideas I had in mind was the completion of World releases so far ahead that the exhibitor could rest perfectly easy as to what he was to get and when he was to get it. More than this, he was to be so placed that MISS HANSEN WITH KEYSTONE. Juanita Hansen has joined the Keystone company. She entered into a contract with Mack Sennett last week. It will be remembered that Juanita received her initial com- edy experience under Sennett's di- rection. She left the Keystone com- pany two years ago and has since achieved considerable success. She was featured in the serial, “The Secret of the Submarine.” and sev- eral film productions. In her new capacity at the Mack Sennett-Keystone studios Miss Han- sen will head a company directed bv Harry Williams, erstwhile writer of popular songs and more recently co- director with William Campbell of Chester Conklin’s company. Williams joined Sennett’s organi- zation two years ago as a member of the scenario department. His knowledge of stagecraft stood him well on the Keystone lot, and it was not long before he joined the force of Sennett's assistant directors. As director of the company headed by Juanita Hansen he will produce light comedies. <©P ¥ Ike New And fpect&cvlar Chapter-Ptay HELEN HOLME? FIFTEEN CHAPTERS Directed by J. P. McGowan RELEASED OCT. 23rd Big Box-ofiice Receipts for Fifteen Weeks! Dare-Devil Feats, Reckless Risk of Life and Limb, Stu- pendous Climaxes, and Hairbreadth Escapes, make every chapter of “A Lass of the Lumberlands” unusually thrill- ing. A huge automobile crashes through a bridge railing and goes hurtling down into the river below—in chapter two of the newest Helen Holmes chapter-play. In another place Helen Holmes, seated in a frail birch-bark canoe, is lowered by ropes from a railroad trestle, a distance of sev- eral hundred feet to a stream beneath. The whole produc- tion is marked by unusual thrills. Audiences will sit breath- less in their seats as the players risk their lives time and again. “A Lass of the Lumberlands” will make big profits for any theatre. Startle your patrons with this phenome- nal chapter-play. It is backed by a tremendous national advertising campaign. Book it TO-DAY. Wire, Write or See Your Nearest Mutual Exchange he would take plenty of time in an- nouncing his programme, thus in- stilling absolute confidence in his patrons. “From my own point of view this is entirely satisfactory as a solution of the open booking problem which has been assembling itseif for many months. No exhibitor can consistent- ly give up the World programme on the ground that he does not know what he is going to receive-for a rea- sonable time in the future as to both plays and stars—for _ the plays and stars are on the spot.” “BIG V COMEDIES" COMING Harold Edel, managing director of the Strand Theatre, New York, has just booked several Vitagraph come- dies after seeing them projected in the exhibition room of the home office at 1600 Broadway. These are the new “Vitagraph Big V Comedies.” Beginning Monday, November 13, the Vitagraph Company will release each week through the V-L-S-E or- ganization a one-reel comedy, to be known as a “Vitagraph Big V” com- edy. These Big V comedies will feature Hughie Mack and Patsy de Forest. “The Big V Comedies” will be written by Graham Baker and Lawrence Semon and directed by Mr. Semon. WILLIAM A. BRADY in association with WORLD PICTURES Presents ROBERT WARWICK and GAIL KANE in “The Heart of a Hero” A visualization of the life of Nathan Hale founded on the play “Nathan Hale,” by Clyde Fitch. • Directed by Emile Chautard. iniiiis TRIANGLE RELEASES for WEEK of OCTOistK z9 Bessie Love in ‘‘Sister of Six” —Fine Arts There's a “something” indefinable about this dainty, demure little star that’s irresist- ible. Her sweet, winsome manner reaches right down to the heart of every moving picture patron and “gets” it. Somehow they can't help loving Bessie Love. And when you show “Sister of Six,” the latest picture in which this star appears, you will understand why this is true. You’ll enjoy it — and so will your patrons. They’ll go away loving Bessie Love more than ever. Louise Glaum and Howard Hickman in “Somewhere in France” A picture that holds you in suspense until the very end—a tale so full of mystery that you cannot guess the outcome—a story so gripping that hours pass like minutes. Such a picture is “Somewhere in France,” the new TRIANGLE PLAY co-starring Louise! Glaum and Howard Hickman, written byf the late Richard Harding Davis. 1 There’s no question about the Way this picture will be received. Keystone Comedies— Two gattling guns of fun and frolic as usual.