Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1919)

anis. ivasion The advancing Army of Influenza found most of the shadow cities empty — the GreatVaca* tion and how it was spent in California. By Alfred A. Cohn Decoration by R. F. James C'EST le guerre,'' they say resignedly when anything goes wrong abroad these days. "It's the flu," they say in Califilmia when referring to cameraland's biggest panic. Yet, like other disasters, the anticipation of the enforced vacation was much bluer than the realization. To the majority of the stars, four weeks of idleness came as a relief. To the majority of the lesser lights it was more or less a hardship. Although the impression prevailed throughout the country that the manufacture of films had become extinct because of the ravages of the epidemic, actual figures indicate that the decrease in production was not more than forty percent. Custard drama suffered not at all, and the laugh canneries plodded along as though half the nation wasn't sneezing its head off. The big program concerns suffered most because, operating on a close financial margin, retrenchment became imperative when the money ceased coming in from theaters and exchanges. For example: The gross income of the ParamountArtcraft exchanges is something like a half million dollars a week. Production and exchange expenses are only slightly less — profits are not what they used to be in the film business. With only, a third of that amount coming in and all the banks using their spare change to help out the Liberty Loan lrive, it became necessary to stop spending money. The stars of the big program corporations were let into the actual condition of affairs and asked to accept a four-weeks' vacation without pay, the lost four weeks to be idded at the termination of their respective contracts. So far as known all agreed. Upon the completion of the current production each star took a four-weeks' layoff. On the Coast this rule became effective at the Lasky, Universal, Fox, Vitagraph, American and Triangle studios although the last named was giving up the ghost at the same time. Metro and Goldwyn were moving West. The rule also applied at World, in the East Among the Artcraft stars, the three leaders, Mary Pickford. Bill Hart and Fairbanks wen not working when the suspension came. Man' had been idle since the first week in July owing to the termination of her contract; Hart was selling Liberty Bonds throughout the East, and Fairbanks was boosting bond Flu Flurry Figures TEN thousand picture theatres — 80 '< ot the total in the United States and Canada — closed for a period varying from one week to two months. Loss in gross receipts at these theatres: $40,000,000 (estimated). Theatre employees deprived oi income: 1 50,000. In California, 60^0 of all production activity ceased. In the East, production ceased completely Strange to say, the comedy companies — all of them in California — did not stop working at all, nor was their personnel seriously affected by the epidemic. Star salaries stopped for four weeks, on the uniform and generally accepted basis of a fourweeks' extension of the stellar contracts. In fatalities, Metro was the heaviest loser, by the deaths of Harold Lockwood and John Collins. sales and endeavoring to ascertain his military status in the National Capital. Nor was Charlie Chaplin hit by the new order. He was "between pictures"' and was spending most of his vacation at Catalina Island in pursuit of the festive swordfish. (He caught one which weighed 168 pounds en deshabille.) Roscoe Arbuckle was on the Island at the same time, doing a comedy which bears the interesting title, "Camping." Roscoe also kept busy during the "flu" flurry. The first victim of influenza in the film colony was Bryant Washburn. Bryant had been east with a company of Lasky players including Director Donald Crisp and Margery Wilson, doing some scenes for "Venus in the East." When their train reached Los Angeles. Washburn. Crisp and Miss Wilson were seriously ill. They were among the first influenza patients on the Coast, but did not suffer any lasting effects. However, completion of the picture was postponed for the usual four weeks. Wallie Reid was the first to draw a vacation, as he was far ahead of his release schedule. He spent most of the time on a hunting trip. Anna Little, his co-star, knitted several bushels of socks and took long auto trips with her mother. Lila Lee took the occasion to hie back to her beloved Broadway to visit with her foster parents. Mr. and Mrs. Gus Edwards, and to be "Cuddles" again, until the holiday season should end. Ethel Clayton spent most of her time at Camp Kearney, visiting with her brother. who is in the army. Vivian Martin enjoyed a mountain trip and Constance Talmadge went on location with Sister Norma, who arrived on the Coast simultaneously with the "flu" to make "The Heart of Wetona." The exteriors were made in the San Jacinto mountains and the interiors at the Lasky studio. C B. deMille was the last 10 suspend. He was engaged on a production similar in theme to "Old Wives for New." but with the emphasis on the husbands this time. The leading players in it are Elliott Dexter. Theodore Roberts. Gloria Swanson. Lew Cody and Sylvia Ashton. Blanche Sweet and Clara Kimball Young disregarded the suspension and continued work at the Griffith studio. Miss (Continued on Page 97)