Moving Picture World (April-June 1915)

May 22, 1915 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1235 George K. Spoor. George Spoor Talks President of Essanay Tells of the Development of the "V. L. S. E." Idea.— The Aim of Essanay. ALTHOUGH George K. Spoor, president of the Essanay Company of Chicago, and an officer and leader in all of the ventures undertaken by the socalled "licensed" manufacturers of films, has taken an important part in the development of the industry, it is seldom that he has anything to say on the subject of his business activities for publication. If a newspaper writer visited Mr. Spoor in quest of information on trade matters it is more likely that he would get a good story about his high-powered speed boat or his latest deal in Chicago real estate — two things in which Mr, Spoor is known to specialize. But the importance of the latest venture with which Mr. Spoor is connected — the V. L. S. E. Inc. — has induced him to loosen up and tell a few things concerning its inception and, incidentally, something about the efforts and aims of the company he represents. Upon his return from a recent trip to New York Mr. Spoor was seen at his office in Chicago, and after some hesitancy quite natural to a man who works and seldom talks, he made the following observations: "To the uninitiated it might seem that this step was the work of a week," said Mr. Spoor. "Those who took active part in it know that it was the result of looking into the future years ago, of months and months of planning and hard work to perfect details. The final plans or organization were completed quickly, but the basis of these plans grew out of long and careful study. "Essanay was making definite plans for feature releases more than a year ago. Photoplay rights on novels that had been stamped with the approval of the public, and written by authors of world wide reputation, were being purchased and the books put into dramatic form. Before the consummation of the plans several features had been completed and were ready to offer to the public. "This is but one step forward in the line of Essanay policy. It is but one step forward in the progress of the photoplay industry. Other and greater steps will follow. "The motion picture industry has gone through a more rapid evolution than almost any other. It now has reached a solid and lasting basis, but there is no limit to its continued advance. It is the man of to-day who is planning for the needs and demands of the future who will be making a success ten years from now, just as it was the man who dreamed of the possibilities of the present time ten years ago who is in the producing business now. "In 1895, when I was first making pictures, anything that would move on the screen would pass. Moving pictures were a novelty and everything was accepted. Then was conceived the 1,000 foot film with some connecting idea, though loosely constructed, and the picture was born. "This gave way to the photoplay of the present, a play with a genuine plot, a picture with a problem of human life to unravel. And the photoplay still is in the making. "Essanay has fought to bring the photoplay up to its present standard, to' make all its plays of consistent worth, standardized plays; to inject realistic action into its dramas and do away with the old time fake camera tricks. It has aimed to make its plays of high moral standard, to raise the artistic value and to better the photographic work. "It is not content, however, to stand on this. It is looking into the future. It hopes to raise a standard as much in the next ten years as it has in the past. It is seeking to find what the public wants tomorrow, that it may be first on the ground to supply the new needs and the new demands. "It is still dreaming dreams and hammering away to make these dreams a reality, so that the photoplay of to-morrow will be a thing of art and beauty, while losing none of its human interest touch, the touch which always has and always will endear it to the mass of the people." Big Screen Order Cameoscope Corporation Makes Deal for One Thousand Picture Curtains With Simpson Company. BUSINESS seems to be looking up in the line of motion picture screens. There has been quite some rivalry for orders among the various manufacturers of screens and reports of big commissions have been coming in quite frequently. The latest information contains what is probably the largest single order that has ever been given tor screens and comes in the form of a copy of a letter to H. H. Stanton, manager of the Alfred L. Simpson, Inc., makers of the Simpson Solar Screen, at 113 West 132d street, New York. The letter reads as follows: "My Dear Mr. Stanton: Enclosed please find contract for One Thousand (1,000) Simpson Solar Screens. "In giving you this contract covering the exclusive metallic screen business for the Cameoscope machine, we do so only after having made rigid tests of all other metallic screens on the market, and we are thoroughly convinced that the merits of your screen so far e.xceed everything else that there is only one thing left for us to do. "Assuring you of our entire business and wishing you every success in which you shall have our hearty co-operation, we beg to remain, yours very truly, "CAMEOSCOPE CORPORATION, "By Reuben S. Baldwin." , Guess that is some screen order. Theodore Roberts Re-Engaged by Lasky THEODORE ROBERTS, who is the acknowledged supreme star of the screen, has signed with the Lasky Feature Play Company to continue under this management for another year. In making this announcement Mr. Goldfish of the Lasky Company states that by his determination Mr. Roberts pays a wonderful compliment not only to the Lasky Company in particular but to the entire interest and future development of photodramatic work. During the year that Mr. Roberts has been under the Lasky management he has been literally deluged with propositions from various "legitimate" managers to return to Broadway. He has had ofifers of larger salaries than ever in his entire career, and promises of special star roles to be written especially for him by leading dramatists, but he has remained steadfast in his decision to continue before the camera. When Theodore Roberts forsook Broadway and his hosts of friends to go to the Lasky studios in Hollywood, many people thought that he had made the mistake of his lifetime. But Mr. Roberts had been on the stage too many years to make such a mistake and was wise with that wisdom which can forsee the future in all branches of art. When Mr. Roberts began to make his screen appearances and his amazing characterizations were at once hailed as photodramatic revelations, his friends saw that he had chosen judiciously. Some of the most important roles assumed by Theodore Roberts during the past year have been Sam Stone in "Bobby Burnit," Mike Reardon in "Ready Money," Grand Duke in "The Man from Home," the stellar role of "The Circus Man," Jack Ranee, the sheriff, in "The Girl of the Golden West," Bruno in "After Five," secret agent in "The Unafraid," the burgomaster in "The Captive," the Senator in "The Governor's Lady," and the Senator in "The Woman." Theodore Roberts. AD KESSEL RETURNS. Monday, May 10, saw Ad Kessel of the New York Motion Picture Corporation back at his desk after a sojourn of several months in Los Angeles. He was looking fine and said that his company had a lot of big things on the way which would soon be announced.