Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

September 28 , 1 9 1 8 2021 Parsons Comments on Serial Business P. A. Parsons. Advertising Manager of Pathe Exchange, Inc., has made an interesting statement to Motion Picture News on the serial business. He follows this "business" in his article from the time serials came into being, about five years ago, to the present day. Exhibitors will find this enlightening as well as interesting. Pauline Very Popular THE serial idea for motion pictures came into being about five years ago — a long time as time is counted in the motion picture business. At that time " The Perils of Pauline " was brought out by Pathe and Pearl White obtained a sure footing as a serial star. " The Perils of Pauline " played to a business undreamed of; it made over a million for Pathe by the time it had run its thrilling course in every nook and corner of the civilized world; many fine theatres today are monuments to its success, for they were built with the profits made from showing " Pauline " ; and furthermore the serial established serials as a definit branch of motion pictures. It proved that the public likes to see serial pictures IF they are of the RIGHT KIND and properly presented. This does not mean that any serial will be popular with the public and profitable to those who father it. Far from it I The shores of the motion picture business are strewn with the wrecks of many and costly serials, which were launched with bands playing, flags waving and a grand hurrah from the builders. Even Pathe, with twenty-two serials to its credit, a record unapproached in the industry, with an organization which has been most carefully trained in the selection of the proper stories, with the most skillful directors that can be secured, with stars who have been educated in serials and for serials, with a sales force which for years has been taught the marketing of serials morning, noon and night, confesses that once or twice its judgment has been faulty and that two of its serials made no money to speak of for either exhibitors or Pathe. If such a specialized organization can go wrong the hazard must indeed be great for the inexperienced who see in serials only the successes and forget the failures. Since " The Perils of Pauline," Pathe has put out in rapid succession " The Exploits of Elaine," " The New Exploits of Elaine," "The Romance of Elaine," "Who Pays?" " Neal of the Navy," " The Red Circle," " The Iron Claw," " The Grip of Evil," " Who's Guilty? " " The Neglected Wife," " Mystery of the Double Cross," " The Seven Pearls," " The Fatal Ring," " Pearl of the Army," " The Shielding Shadow," " The Hidden Hand," " Patria," " The Price of Folly," " The House of Hate," " Hands Up," which has only just been released and " Wolves of Kultur," which will not be issued until October 13th. This list of serials far exceeds that of any other house. It gives to Pathe the undeniable right of the title " The House of Serials," which Pathe adopted nearly four years ago because of its phenomenal successes but which later was dropped because of the fact that it was " lifted " boldly by a producer with one or two serials only to his credit. Pathe's success in the serial field is not accidental. It has come through strict application, careful study and the expenditure of vast sums of money. " There is no royal road to learning,'" said the wise tutor to the princeling entrusted to his care. Just so there is no easy road to success in the serial business. The Pathe organization has studied the desires of the public ; it has learned the kind of stories in demand ; it has found the writers who may be depended upon to furnish the proper kind of material ; it has learned that only certain stars " wear well," for remember that a serial is of some fifteen episodes long, and that it takes a strong personality to be seen weekly over such a period of time and not lose in public favor ; it has learned that many first-class feature directors cannot " make good " as serial directors ; it has learned that the public taste is not stable but subject to change and therefore that it is well to be in advance of the times and not keep to the same old stereotyped style; it was learned how to market and how to advertise. Every phase of the serial business demands specialization. Pathe has learned that, and its serial methods are entirely different from feature methods in every particular. " The Perils of Pauline " would not be anywhere near the success today that it was five years ago. It was adapted to the time in which it was put out. Judged by present day Pathe serials it was primitive. Pearl White has no rival in the number of serials in which she has starred. Her personality proved itself to be so adapted to the serial type of story that the big following she gained in " Pauline " has been vastly increased. Since that first serial she has starred in the three " Elaine " serials, " The Iron Claw," " Pearl of the Army," "The Fatal Ring" and "The House of Hate." It has just been announced that she is now actively engaged in another, her ninth, which at present is called " The Lightning Raider." All her serials have proven to be not only big money makers in this country but in every civilized country as well. She is as popular in Great Britain as she is here and just about as well known. She is an unequalled box-office attraction in France. Pathe Freres, in Paris, report that the poilu on leave throngs the theatres where she is playing, and Miss White receives many letters from her French admirers. Italy, Spain, India, Singapore. China, Australia, South America, Cuba, Japan, and other countries all report that she is their best attraction. Porto Rico long ago took her to its heart. Ruth Roland, the star of " Hands Up," probably ranks next to Pearl White in the number of serials in which she has starred. Beginning with "Who Pays?" there followed "The Red Circle," " The Neglected Wife " and " The Price of Folly." " Hands Up " is therefore her fifth serial. Other stars of Pathe serials have been Mrs. Vernon Castle whose piquant personality did so much for the success of " Patria " ; Lillian Lorraine of " Neal of the Navy " ; Jackie Saunders of "The Grip of Evil"; Anna Nilsson of "Who's Guilty? "; Mollie King of " Mystery of the Double Cross " and " The Seven Pearls " ; Grace Darmond of " The Shielding Shadow " ; Doris Kenyon of " The Hidden Hand," and now Leah Baird in the new serial not yet released, " The Wolves of Kultur." Among the men are Crane Wilbur of " Pauline " fame ; Arnold Daly, Lionel Barrymore and Edwin Arden of the Elaine serials; Henry King of "Who Pays?"; Burr Mcintosh and Max Figman of " Wallingford " ; William Courtleigh, Jr., of " Neal of the Navy " ; Frank Mayo of " The Red Circle," " The Neglected Wife " and " The Grip of Evil"; Tom Moore of "Who's Guilty?"; Creighton Hale of " The Iron Claw " ; " Mystery of the Double Cross," and " The Seven Pearls " ; Ralph Kellard of " The Shielding Shadow " and " Pearl of the Army " ; Sheldon Lewis of " The Iron Claw," " The Hidden Hand " and " Wolves of Kultur " ; Warner Oland of " Patria," " The Fatal Ring," and the forthcoming Pearl White serial, " The Lightning Raider " ; Leon Bary of " The Shielding Shadow," " Mystery of the Double Cross " and " The Seven Pearls " ; Mahlon Hamilton of " The Hidden Hand " ; Antonio M6reno of " The House of Hate " ; Charles Hutchison of "Wolves of Kultur " ; Henry Gsell of " The Fatal Ring," and George Chesebro and George Larkin of "Hands Up." This is a most imposing list of stars ; including as it does many of the highest salaried players in the business, and shows the effort Pathe exerts to get the very best players available for its serials. The Astra Company has produced for Pathe more serials than has any other. The Astra has to its credit " The Shielding Shadow," " Mystery of the Double Cross," " The Seven Pearls," "The Fatal Ring," " The House of Hate " and " Hands Up," as well as the new Pearl White serial, " The Lightning Raider." Louis J. Gasnier, president of the Astra, has probably a more intimate knowledge of serial producing than any man in the business. " The Perils of Pauline " was produced under his direction and ever since that time he has always been actively engaged with one serial or another. Associated with him in the Astra is George B. Seitz, who did scenarios on " The Perils of Pauline " and the " Elaine " serials and has since written more serials than any other writer. Mr. Seitz graduated from the ranks of the writers to those of the directors and has put over one big success after another, directing "The Fatal Ring" and "The House of Hate," and is now at work on " The Lighning Raider." The Astra has another man who is a serial expert in Bertram Millhauser, the author of a number of the Astra serials. He wrote " The Lightning Raider." Paul Brunet, vice-president and general manager of Pathe Exchange, is determined to put out no serial that will not stand the most rigid tests as to quality. It takes nerve to " scrap " a serial that cost up to rejection nearly a hundred thousand dollars, yet (Continued on page 2022.)