Tullar's Weekly (October 1923)

NEWS and CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES [From time to time leading people in the industry will furnish us articles embracing their ideas and experiences.] THE CHILD AND THE THEATRE By Mack Sennett “Scanning the list of pictures re- leased, there is a noticeable dearth of suitable screen material that could boast of any appeal for the young mind—the children. “Children and the theatre,” Mack Sennett claims, “are, or ought to be, inseparable. “I seriously contend that no pic- ture can become a great, popular suc- cess unless it appeals with irresis- tible force to children. “I would not suggest limiting the appeal in pictures entirely to the comprehension of youth, for that would retard and interfere with the thought and creative genius of writers and producers. But I do think, in its fundamental value, a photoplay, to be successful, must touch the depths of sincere simplicity and sound a note of human interest which will find an echo in every heart, both old and young. The abil- ity to create this appeal is essential to success. “Youth is the age of accomplish- ment. It must also be remembered that youth demands action, whether it be found in the home, the big out- doors or in the theatre. Considering the element of action, I try to incor- porate in each of my productions enough humor to provide plenty of laughs. “Childhood can hardly be too young to react agreeably to a certain amount of romance. A picture, to make a really deep impression on extreme youth, must not have too much ro- mance, and above all it should not be ‘mushy’ or maudlin. This is true, also, if such pictures are expected to ap- peal successfully to the wider circle of maturity. Certain'y nothing is mere boresome than too much senti- mentality in a play, whether it is on the stage or screen. Here, then, you see that a child’s taste shall lead them, for what is popular with imma- turity is also popular with maturity as well. With romance, adventure and comedy as the principal elements in a story, youth is served and oid age is likewise pleased. “Pathos, I don’t think is so essential to a child’s happiness in a theatre, although a certain touch of it is almost necessary at times to supply balance and contrast. The final qual- ity which I deem necessary for proper appeal to children—a quality which should also be invested in pictures ad- dressed to maturity, is wholesome- ness. “No picture can attain popularity if it offends the finer senses of decent people or badly influences “imagina- tive’ youth. Neither is laughter gen- uine unless it is caused by clean inci- dents of enacted humor. Course laughs from uncouth minds in the presence of ugly facts has no place in the scheme of decent picture-makers’ ministrations to the public. When in this regard you offend children, all right-minded men and women are also offended. “I think you’ll find that any appeal destined to be broad and embracing in its scope must compass a child’s wishes, aspirations and faith. It must have action, it must have com- edy, and it must have romance. It must suggest youth with a suspense and spirit of adventure which, taken with qualities of tenderness and pathos, must be clean, wholesome and fit for the great American Kid.” BUDDY MESSINGER MAY CARRY $100,COO INSURANCE It is highly probable that Julius and Abe Stern, Century Comedy officials, may insure Buddy Messinger, their boy star, for one hundred thousand dollars. This is not certain, as far as the amount is concerned, but that the famous boy star will be heavily in- sured is an absolute certainty. This is the desire of the Stern Brothers, for they feel their young star is worthy of such heavy insurance. It has been their intention, for some time, to attend to it, and with prep- arations for a new series of stories for Buddy, this will become a reality within a short time. “Yes, We Have No Pajamas,” the story that will make the next Century Follies Girls picture, is in readiness (in script form) to be turned over to a director for production. This comedy is an original by Sig Neufeld and Bert Sternbach, having been written from a suggestion based on the song hit, “Yes, We Have No Bananas.” The entire group of Century Follies Girls is awaiting the announcement as to who will direct the picture. Rob Wagner, nationally known author and humorist, is compiling typical “Rogerisms” for the subtitles of “Two Covered Wagons,” a new Will Rogers comedy Hal Roach is just completing for Pathe. Wagner di- rected the picture. It is a satire on the original “The Covered Wagon.” Rogers plays two roles, those por- trayed in the original by J. Warren Kerrigan and Ernest Torrance, and Marie Mosquini takes the girl part portrayed by Lois Wilson. A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM AL CHRISTIE This is going to be a big year for comedy, and the laugh-makers will come into their own more than ever before in the history of the motion picture business. The tide of long and boresome fea- ture pictures has been turned, and ex- hibitors everywhere have demanded in ertain tones their desire for pure entertainment, whether it comes in large or small packages. What will our part in this be? Our entire organization has been concentrating these last few months on new ideas, new situations, new gags, building up a type of comedy for laughing purposes only, without detracting one particle from the standard we have set for quality pro- duction. We are starting on our fourth year of distribution through Educational, our eighth year as independent pro- ducers, and my own thirteenth year of directing behind a camera, and I want to say that I fully believe there is nothing unlucky about the latter num- ber. It has always spelled good for- tune before, and this should be our most successful period. We are encouraged everywhere by exhibitors who believe in the two-reel comedy as a regular diet on all pro- rgams. The comedy has been likened to the funny page and the funny daily strip in every successful newspaper. Publishers have long realized that the cartoon strip is the biggest single cir- culation builder in the paper. Likewise, real motion picture exhib- itors know that the building of a steady clientele is dependent to a large degree on the showing of come- dies which put their patrons in good humor, which give them good fun for their money. They know that run- nni a picture theatre without high- class comedy is like printing a news- paper which is all editorials and read- ing matter concerning the business, the crime, the grief and the strife of the world. And there’s enough grief in the world without going to a theatre to get more. The whole world loves a laugh, and the most successful the- atre men are taking advantage of this universal demant by making the com- ety part of their programs one of the biggest advertising assets.