The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29
FIVE-CENT THEATRE Is
A PAYING PROPOSITION

hours of the theatres day are from II to
and from to p. M, when the capacity
of the house is taxed as a rule. The pic
. lures are of 10OO-foot film lengths, and
embrace three or four subjects, generally
the latter number Because there is no
singing an electric piano is used, and the
expense of a pianist eliminated.
The price of the films for the picture
machines is the one uniform expense. In
all of the theatres changes are made
twice week. Sunday and Wednesday,
and contracts are made on the basis Of
1000-foot films, for which the weekly
charge Is $40 The variety of subjects is
large, and the manager can have his
choice of hundreds, in comics, historical
and sensational, the thrilling exploits of
escaping convicts the horrors of railroad
wrecks and the terror of made-to-order
catastrophes. The comics mostly are i'm
ported from Paris, whence also come the
historical pictures The rest are of do
nestle origin and many of them local.
The films make the rounds of the the
aters and begin a career of wandering
, about the country until scratched and
torn beyond repair, they are discarded.
One Chicago firm practically has a monop-
oily in supplying picture films to the Chi
cago houses, and It keeps constantly on
hand hundreds of different subjects.
business and watch the despised nickel
grow into the treasured dollars need not
be appalled, at the figures for the house
in the loop section. They are excep-
tional, and largely due to the location
and the necessity for a large seating ca
pacity in order TO get the 2200 scent pieces
required for daily expenses and a little
over for profit on the investment When
bought outright the picture machine costs
S1E0- when rented q ic
$50 a week. which includes two sets of
films and the operator. A house, with a
seating capacity of 1870. was fitted up COM
plete for $1,000 which included the cost of
remodeling the interior and moving the
stage back several feet. The STAFF is con-
siderably smaller than in the more pre-
tentious house One ticket seller at $40;
rental for machine $50, including operator
and films; electric piano. $751; barker and
ticket talSer s14-these are the expenses
for wages. The rent is $500 a month, and
there are the bills for lighting and heat
ing. which are varying. The electric lights
will cost on an average $75 a month, and
under no circumstances will exceed 800.
Each performance lasts twenty minutes.
Outside the heart of the city pictures
are supplemented with illustrated songs,
and in one case a pretentious variety
show is given. with two. three or four
turns, and also the songs. The rents
range from $3.50 to $3.50 and, while sail
aries rule lower, there is added to the
pay roll singer at $15 to $40 week and
a pianist AT SIS to s1S. A snug little theatre
can be established for $1,000 If the task of
adapting the interior to the purpose is not
too expensive and involved. Most of the
theatres own their own machines, and
the salary of operators is thet,same all
over town. Where ushers are employed
81. 90 is considered fair salary, and usu-
ally the usher has a side line In the
way of CONNECTIONS which he sells on COM
mission. Three shows an hour is the rule,
with an extra one thrown in on Sunday
for the benefit of the box office.
The proposition pays. and pays well.
While the sproprietors are willing TO take
reporter into their confidence as to the
actual cost of beginning business. and
thereafter of operations. they are coy and
I difident when 1t comes to giving out fig
ures as to their profits. oh we do pretty
well. No kick coming here is the usual
reply TO request for this particular
bit of information. And. from the fact
that most of the theatres have an appear
ance OF permanency they probably are
telling the truth
| The winter days are the best for them.
when the gusty winds and accompanying
chill make shoppers and pedestrians seek
| shelter. These drive them indoors and
the moving picture show idea has grown
| to such an extent that IL is a habit wit n
thousands to plan TO see one or more
! of the performances each week The
woman would not hesitate to spend 80
! cents. or even Is cents VIII part witt,
! her little nickel without a qiIalm of con-
science, and find enjoyment in the value
returned her for 1t.
| And the nieke1s count.