Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1927)

Advertising Section 115 Why It's So Hard to Get Into the Movies Continued from page 17 6,000 women, 5,000 men, and heaven only knows how many children, waiting for calls. There are more women than men, yet of the 259,259 placements made last year, 68 per cent went to men, 28 per cent to women, and 4 per cent to children. "And still the girls and women come — all wanting to get in on those 710 placements a day. Before this bureau was organized, there probably were 30,000 persons in Los Angeles and Hollywood who believed they were in pictures just because at some time or other they had worked a day or two at some studio. The first thing we did was to eliminate some of these, until we have now got the number of movie applicants down to about one third of what it was. But the number must still be reduced. There never has been a time when more than half of the people on our lists were at work at once. "This bureau is maintained by the studios themselves. We have twelve employees who do nothing but call players as needed by the studios. For the principal companies we supply all the extras they use. "One thing we feel the bureau has accomplished is the raising of the standard of extra players. Before the bureau was organized, it was common custom for bootleggers, vagrants and sometimes thieves to say when arrested, T am working in pictures.' We arranged with the Los Angeles newspapers to check up on such assertions before they were printed. This not only resulted in eliminating undeserved smirches upon our good name but it also gave us a line on undesirables who really had got work from us. "Furthermore, the establishment of the bureau resulted in abolishing the employment offices which had charged players 8 or 10 per cent of their wages for whatever jobs they got for them. Now the players can use this money for keeping up their wardrobes." Day after day and week after week the Central Casting Bureau hums with activity and harkens to heartaches. It is endeavoring to solve the enormous problem of what to do with the hundreds of boys, girls, men and women constantly flocking into Hollywood seeking opportunity in the movies. And its belief is that the only solution is to put a halt to this steady stream, to refuse to sign up any more applicants until the thousands already on its lists have been taken care of — if that day ever comes. A Music Professor and the Harmonica "Inspiring people to play a musical instrument means laying the foundation for much happiness and contentment" says Peter W. Dykema, Professor of Music Education at Columbia University. "No instrument is better adapted to universal use than the Harmonica. May the time soon come when everyone will feel it is an important part of his equipment." Thi9 learned professor, who has taught thousands of students the way to happiness through music, knows that the Harmonica is one instrument which anyonemay easily learn to play. And millions of people the world over know that to play the Hohner Harmonica is a source of happiness and satisfaction Get a Hohner Harmonica today and ask for the Free Instruction Book. If your dealer is out of copies write : M. Hohner, Inc., Dept. 246, 114 East 16th Street, New York City. A Man Who Makes a Monkey of Himself Continued from page 55 facilitates his monkey impersonations. Furthermore, he is an acrobat of no mean ability. He was born in Russia. At the age of four, he was taken to Paris by his parents, and a short time later the future delineator of monkeys began his stage career. His acrobatics he learned in a circus that he joined at the age of eight. Following this course in tumbling, he traveled about the Continent doing everything from grotesque Russian dances in wandering troupes to slapstick parts in French farces. As he grew older he devoted more and more of his time to character roles. To-day he is known as one of the greatest character actors in Europe, being something of a Continental Lon Chaney. His work in the stage production of "The Monkey Talks" brought him world-wide fame, for the play made a hit in three nations, with Lerner in the outstanding role. When William Fox purchased the film rights to the play, he of course sought Lerner for the film production, and got him. His appearance around the Fox studio in Hollywood, while the photoplay was in the process of being filmed, sometimes caused considerable excitement. Often, -while passing in make-up from his dressing room to the set, or going off to lunch at noontime, die was mistaken by some stranger for the real thing, who straightway raised a cry that a monkey was at large, until Monsieur Lerner ambled up and told him, in a mixture of excited French and English, that he was a man. A problem that has puzzled scientists for many years has been solved by Lerner — at least to his own satisfaction. That is, what is the reason for the habitual look of sadness on every monkey's face — a sympathystirring look that bespeaks tragedy, futility, remorse, and unspeakable suffering. And Monsieur Lerner, who may be considered to have a broad understanding of the race, answers the question in this wise : "It's because they have to look at men." Enjoy your farorites again at tome! PfoieCtOr «S This remarkable device projects scenes from latest photoplays by *»35*Cenes merely holding it before any light ONLY Sizeofpicturegovernedbyintensity p-„naid oflightanddistance from wall. The **OS*age 1-repaia 25 scenes include important still scenes from 14 recent big pictures and some of the 6tars in these pictures are Gloria Swanson. Pola Negri, Rudolph Valentino, Richard Dix, Thomas Meighan. 15 stars positively appear in the film sent with this outfit. Send SI for Your Outfit TODAY. NjO.Donlon Co., 404 W. 44th St., New York, N. Y. The Old Reliable Credit Jewelers IOFTIS BOiBR0S.&C0.riTsi Dopt. A927 108 N. State St. Chicago, in. DIAMONDS GENUINE DIAMONDS GUARANTEED AT IMPORTERS* PRICES ^^= Send for FREE Catalog Over 2000 Bargains in Diamond-set Jew. elry. Watches. Silverware and Gift Articlesfor every occasion. Catalog explains how to have any items shipped for yoor FREE EXAMINATION without sending us any money whatever! Write now for this lig. valuable book— no obligation. Rectangular Wrist Watch i. 16-14-k white gold. 15-J . S14.85 i exceptional bargain. 51 .48 a month. Wedding Rings No. 824-The "Elite" S^SO' solid 18-k white gold . . * : Set with 3 Diamonds. $22.50; 6 Diamonds. S32.SO; 7 Dia.monds. $42. 50: 9 Diamonds. S52.SO; 12 Diamonds. 567.50 Satisfaction Guaranteed or Money Back