Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

'i > OH, IT'S AN INTERESTING LIFE! Punctuated by George D. Proctor LIFE in the motion picture business is kaleidoscopic. All the component parts of the spectacle are nicely straightened out when along comes an unseen hand and gives the -whole thing a shake. Then the units rearrange themselves in a different pattern. For further information on the kaleidoscope part of it refer to Joe Farnham, "Alkali Ike" Carney, Hector Streychmans, Willie "Wishful" Hines, John B. Clymer, Larry Griffith, Herbert Brenon, State-rights buyers, actors and myself. As far as I am concerned, I like the way the world looks now the best of all. There is nothing new nor novel in writing about Joe Farnham, the weightiest of those who have made changes during the week. Men and Arthur Leslie call him "Jolly Joe." That's al) right as far as it goes, but if that sort of pet name were popular, men would some day call him "Brainy Joe," for he's a student of the business. Joe is now safely ensconced as right-hand man to Harry Raver, president of the All-Star Feature Corporation. Thus is a happy family reunited. For Joe quit "making the rounds" as an advertising man way back last Winter to decorate the front office of the defunct Film Supply Company of America. Now he is back again with his old playmates, right where he wants to be, right where they wanted him, so everybody is happy. Which reminds me that the All-Star crew, which has been making "Soldiers of Fortune" in Cuba, is due back next week. The roster includes Richard Harding Davis, war correspondent and author of tht book; Augustus Thomas, playwright and head producer; "Silent Bill" Haddock, whose return the new Screen Club awaits with shivers, aidede-camp to Gus Thomas, and a picked lot of players. Harry Raver showed me some of the "still" pictures, and the only comment was "they're doing it right." It's not a bad little thing for the business, either, to have men like Thomas and Davis putting their gray matter into it. There's room for all, and may the best man be the most prosperous. By the way, I hear rumors of a new concern to work along lines parallel to those of the Famous Players and the All-Star. Three firms won't over crowd the field, for, after all, there's always room at the top, which being freely translated means, "Good pictures are always welcome." With a Baedeker of Paris under his arm, Augustus Carney, the famous little "Alkali Ike" of Essanay pictures, dropped in sort of casually Wednesday. Carney has left his friends at the Niles, Cal., studio and is now en route for Europe, where he will spend a vacation of several months, with the accent on his old home in Ireland; for "Alkali Ike" first saw the light of day 'mid the lakes of Killarney. Carney has no plans for the future, but he should worry. After three years in a little town, with no chance to be frivolous, he feels he is entitled to kick up his heels for a bit, and, on his re " ALKALI IKE" In a "biled shirt" and string tie. turn, will think about working again. He's a little bigger than the dolls that Don Meaney sent around to his friends, but not so much. During his brief stay, "Alkali Ike" said a few of those things that I am always glad to hear. "Exhibitors do read and exhibitors do think," he said. "I met a lot of them last year when I was appearing at picture theatres, and on the whole I think that, around Chicago, anyway, they have tlie uplift idea. The folks that think the operator in the booth is the only person to see the motion picture publications are mistaken. The exhibitor reads every editorial and every review he can get hold of. Of course, he judges a picture by the way his own patrons re {J ceive it, but he is anxious to learn all he can about the business and get all "the different attitudes on it." President Neff's censor board has struck a very concrete snag out in Ohio. The Mutual people at first opposed the dull weight of inertia to the censor idea. They simply failed to show their pictures. Now they have gone farther and obtained a Federal injunction freeing them from the censors' action. This will be water-tight till December 6th, anyway. At that time it comes up for argument. Censorship long has been a vexing question. President Neff proposed to stage a conference of manufacturers a while ago to discuss the subject. Only two showed up and they were only there to look around. I asked one of them "why weren't more there?" "The manufacturers aren't taking any interest yet," he said, "because they haven't been affected." That was before the Ohio bunch got going. Now, when state censorship starts the Mutual runs to Uncle Sam. Without taking any sides, it is evident that the start has been made in a series of events which will settle the legal status of the first official censor board. Every picture has its buyer. Sort of Napoleonic that. Like "every bullet has its billet." Whether at eight cents a foot or ten cents a foot, the buyer is always found. That is, right now. Six months from now things will be different, judging by the way the barometer is jumping. Remember that there are only about twenty-five live State-rights buyers, and most of these are either tied up with standing orders with firms who can deliver the goods, or are tying up. Harry Raver, who has been marketing films and doping out the situation for, lo, these many moons, says that six months from now the man with only one feature to sell will be in an unenviable position. As Kipling used to say, "That's another story." It's a long if not sad story. More about it later. Lots more. Dignity doesn't buy any shoes, but it's an asset which many have been trying to apply more and more to the