The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

/W Jl^ /W /W /fi. J\\ /W n\ /\\ /V AV^AS /fi.M\M^ ^\-^\\ f\\ My J^AS.\ /M /\\ f\K /\i ^A^^A.'^v^li, n\ /i\ J.<^ /X^JHM /l^ >iy Ml ygzcaE from if}Q Xn6u&trp'& Xi eaters A/ That, If liTil -the First Time the Signatures Ha^tie Appeared Under Material Written "By a Typebvriter Pounder, "But the Press Agents JVe^Oer Kept It to 175 Words W. W. Hodkinson of Hodkinson Company Dear Santa : I need your help. Please fix it so that the Shuberts, Erlangers, etc., can build at least a dozen more Broadway theatres this Spring and have them all ready for me next Fall. I took over the White Way playhouses on a wholesale plan this Fall, to take care of all my big specials, but even with all the ticket windows I had working for me I didn't have enough. I suppose you noticed that announcement I made a week or so ago of six big specials that I have had up my sleeve all the time and haven't said a word about. These are big enough for Broadway but I ran out of theatres. So they go right to the exhibitors after the first of the year. The New York dramatic critics are complaining that they have forgotten the sound of the human voice, so many of the legit houses are confined to my silent drama. Dear Santa : I ask nothing for myself — all I ask is that you fill the stocking of every exhibitor in the country with "Plunder." You can't give them a better present if you comb the earth — take my word for it. And that of the reviewers. Also that of P. A. Parsons. And anyone else you happen to meet. I have a tip for you. The other day I saw a letter in which a fellow asked you for an idea for a serial to run in fifty-two episodes and guaranteed to hold up to the end. Tell him about Pathe News. If you're real good to me I may fix it so that O'Flaherty will put you on the screen the next time he travels to Eskimoland. Some of these other film men may not believe in Santa Claus, but I've seen "Nanook of the North" and I know there is a Santa Claus. Dear Santa : If you want to be real nice to me this Xmas give me a radio broadcasting set that will enable me to talk at one and the same time to the fifteen thousand more or less exhibitors, er, I mean, the fifteen thousand exhibitors more or less, er, you know what I mean. Be sure it's a radio set that won't slur or cough on the word "Percentage." If I can put that message over I won't ask you for anything next Xmas. I won't need it. I've got the pictures, got the greatest home office executive stafT in my history, and a selling force that is stepping. Of course, I can put that "Percentage" argument over in the trade papers, but the editors tell me no one reads those solid pages of type and it takes me two pages to tell 'em anything. If they hear my voice on the radio they won't realize how long my story is. But I can't draw a diagram by radio, can I? Dear Santa : Just slip me a little legal advice, Santa, and I'll be satisfied — If it was alright for Sammy Goldwyn to change his name couldn't we, individually and collectively, or whatever it ought to be, change our names to "Warner Brothers?" It don't seem to make any difference anymore whether it's Harry, or Abe, or Sam, or who it is, half the men I meet say, "Hello, Mr. Warner Brothers." We don't need any of your help this year, Santa, we're hitting on high. But just to show how generous we are, if you have any presents to spare you might slip a few to the poor loco bird who said five years ago that "My Four Years in Germany" was just dumb luck. If there is anything left after that hand a lollypop to the gink who muttered that "Why Girls Leave Home" was another lucky accident. We showed them how to set a i)ace and HOLD IT, didn't we?