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What a Picture Earns
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that have done a gross business of dollars can be counted on the ring one hand. One of Charlie Chap "A Dog's Life," his first for First J tional, is reported to have passed th million mark some time ago, with "Shoulder Arms" headed that way. "My Four Years in Germany," also distributed by First National, is also said to have taken in more than a million, largely because it appeared at the proper psychological time. Another popular money maker of the war period, Universal' s "The Beast of Berlin," also "cleaned up," but fell short of the million mark. The next largest money maker of First National was "Tarzan of the Apes." It was something of a surprise picture, as neither producer nor buyer had any idea that the picture would be received as it was. It has grossed 1 to date something around threequarters of a million.
Last year's sensation, both from the standpoint of picture excellence and earning capacity, was Geor Loane Tucker's "The Miracle M Tucker will be remembered for his " in Souls." It is estimated the new Tucker picture will bring in close to two million dollars. It is the first Famous Players-Lasky release to gross a million dollars, and immediately following it came "Male and Female" and "Why Change Your Wife?" both C. B. De Mille specials for Famous PlayersLasky, each of which, it is said, will exceed the "Miracle Man's" financial record.
It has perhaps occurred to the reader that each of these big money makers, with the exception of the Chaplin comedies, were nonstar productions. Going
again and picking up cinema history, e also find some other great money producers which had no star, notably "Cabiria," which gave us our first great spectacle play, and Thomas 11. Ince's "Battle of Gettysburg" and "Civilization." "Cabiria" was the first picture to be shown for which regular theater prices were charged. Then there were Paul Rainey's African jungle pictures, which were shown in theaters at regular spoken drama prices. These made a great deal of money for Universal, as did the first Annette Kellermann picture, "Neptune's Daughter." The latter made close to half a million dollars, although the finished production cost Universal only thirty-five thousand dollars. Although a large number of pictures made more money than "A Fool There Was," it 'has a lace in this story because it gave 3 Theda Bara and gave William x his real start as a picture producer.
No story could be written about the financial returns of motion pictures ithout some figures dealing with the earning power of the most popular stars. "Pollyanna" is expected to enter The temptation is great to classify the the "million-dollar picture" class. stars, or seek to do so. according to
their respective monetary rewards, but the writer will endeavor to refrain from treading on such dangerous ground.
It doesn't necessarily follow that the star is paid in proportion to his or her popularity. As a matter of fact, there are several stars who make a great deal of money for the exhibitors who play their pictures, yet who do not share in. the theater man's prosperity, either because they [Continued on page 96}
"The Daughter of the Gods" cost nearly a million dollars to produce and to exploit, yet it is said to have earned a profit.