Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1920)

Photoplay Magazine The World Shortage of Theaters By O. R. Geyer AnNKivrisiNG Section 91 D UE to two causes — the cessation of all theater building operations for six years in the leading countries of the world and the enormous increase in the number of fans — the world motion picture industry today finds itself confronted with a shortage of high-grade motion picture theaters numbering from 10,000 to 15,000. This is the second year of peace, but as yet little or no progress has been made towards a reduction of the shortage of motion picture theaters. The nations more or less directly affected by the war have had to turn all of their building resources to the construction of such necessary buildings as homes for workers and factories and office buildings for the industries. Great Britain, according to conservative estimates, has urgent need of at least 1,000 motion picture palaces of the type now more or less common in the large cities of the United States. France needs an equal number, as many of its cities of from 10,000 to 50,000 are practically movieless. Germany and Central Europe, also, are movie hungry. In Berlin, more than 600 new theaters have been improvised from store rooms and other buildings, and in Frankfort there is a movie theater for practically every street. Central Europe, including Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Czecho-Slovakia and the Balkan nations, could make good use of several thousand iiew theaters. Spain, Italy, Switzerland and other small European nations have either been too busy fighting or trying to keep neutral to bui'd high-class motion picture theaters, and today find themselves from six to ten years behind the times. In the days before the war Russia was just beginning to turn to the motion picture for surcease from its sorrows and troubles. It is estimated that when peace and order are restored that many hundreds of new theaters, seating from 1,000 to 5,000 will be required there to care for the millions who have become interested in motion pictures. China, with its 400,000,000 population, has about sixty theaters, located principally in Shanghai and Hong Kong. When interior transportation is improved, hundreds of new theaters will be required to stem the tide of new fans. Already Japanese, American and European capitalists are casting hungry eyes upon the millions to be made from entertaining the Chinese with screen plays. South America did little or no theater building during the war, and today Argentina, Brazil, Chile and the other republics could make use of several hundred fine new theaters. India, with its huge population, Asia Minor, as yet undeveloped, but which will be exploited on a large scale during the coming year, Africa, Australia, and the other nations of the world are turning their attention to the building of houses for the proper presentation of the best motion pictures of the day. Despite the resources now available for the construction of new theaters, it will be a matter of many years before the standing room only signs are abolished from the larger cities of the world. The high cost of water This is one reason why Quaker Oats will often cut breakfast cost ninety per cent. Quaker Oats is only 7 per cent water. It yields 1810 calories of food per pound. Many costly foods are largely water. Note this table. Percentage of water In Quaker Oat3 . . 7°o In round steak 60% In veal cutlets 68% In fish . . 60°o In hen's eggs . 65% In oysters 88% In tomatoes 94% In potatoes 62% The cost of your breakfasts Here is what a breakfast serving costs in some necessary foods at this writing: Cost per serving Dish of Quaker Oats Serving of meat Serving of fish Lamb chop . Two eggs Ic 8c 8c 12c 10c In cost per serving these other good foods run from 8 to 12 times Quaker Oats. In cost per 1,000 calories — the energy measure of food value — they will average ten times Quaker Oats. Quaker Oats is the greatest food that you can serve at breakfast. It is nearly the ideal food — almost a complete food. Young folks need it as food for growth — older folks for vim-food. Yet it costs only one cent per dish. Serve the costlier foods at other meals. Start the day on this one-cenr dish of the greatest food that grows. Worldfamed for its flavor Quaker Oats dominate because of the flavor. They are flaked from queen grains only — just the rich, plump, flavory oats. We get but ten pounds from a bushel. You get this extra flavor without extra price when you ask for Quaker Oats. 15c and 35c per Package Except in the Far West and South Packed in Sealed Round Packages with Removable Cover When you write to a'ir.=rtl:«r^ rlea— nipctiou PH( TOPLAY M.iGAZINir.