University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-12-15
49, ss.,'ti
The Picture Shows.

"W-hat is the most frequently uttered
remark of the modern university stu
dent-that earnest young deliver into
the wisdom of the ages and the prop
lens of the future?" And the philos-
opher said: 1T is. wish to know.
The scientist said Il wish to solve,
but the mere man said it is come
on fellows, lets so to the Nickel, anu
iurv OF his peers awarded him the
lprizc.
What did the University student do
| for entertainment before the coming
of the moving picture show? What
a Sahara of dead levelism his lie
must have been-or else what bedlam
with SO much cffervescing spirit COM
nelled to seek outlet under the able
guidance of that celebrated Parsonage
who is supposed to take charge OF
idle hands!
But now the moving picture craze
has hit the university town hard, ana
| the youthful seeker after knowledge
proceeds to divide his evenings be-
tween the nickelodeOn and his best
girl. or better still. combine the two,
and together they watch the pictures
and laugh or writhe according to their
natures at the vaudeville stunts.
Probably the most popular moving
picture show is the one presenting
vaudeville "artistes" between pictures.
and the nickleodeon vaudeville act
has come to be a recognized institu-
ton They are all very much alike,
either of the musical or humorous
type. broad humor of the slap-stick va
riety 1t is an exquisite joke for one
comedian to do personal damage to
the other, and the height OF convul-
sive humor is reached when one slaps
the other ON the nose. But nothing
pleases quite so well as the good old
fashioned song and dance. The Jig
dance with fiat shoes and great deal
of noise. and a monotone song about
one Kelly who seems to have been
lost. or something similarly classical.
A pretty girl is an absolutely neces-
sary accessory, one manager said, or
the students won't come.
The vaudeville joke, too. is an in
stitution. The ,mother-in-law joke, the
hen-pecked husband witticism, jokes
that have grown old with the race
flourish as the green bay tree. and
bring the same number of laughs as
they did in their youth now lost in
antiquity.
| Another nickelodeon feature is the
soprano soloist who hits very high
notes rivalled only by car-wheel
sliding on track. If she sings about
the lily and the rose and pining lovers
and moonlight to the accompaniment
of Venetian-sunset-gon colored
pictures she is sure to bring an encore,
and lovers in the audience sit a little
closer together and touch hands
when her voice trembles on the
lonely"
| Vaudeville artists are in tremendous
demand at the nickelodeon and some
OF them command high salaries for
their turns Most of the moving pic
ture shows depend upon regular book
ing exchanges for their vaudeville
talent. and the artists travel from
town to town under management like
any star in the legitimate Most of
them are "old legits," former ac-
tors in stock companies. At this
particular season novelty acts become
'headlined," for the circuses are, 60
IinS into winter quarters and their
performers tide over the winter
months Oh the vaudeville stage.
! The university student is much like
anyone else i'll his moving picture
tastes. He laughs at the comedy with
its endless chasings and tumbling,
shudders with the beautiful heroine in
the almoSt-mclOdrama and thrills at
ha!rbreadth escapes with the rough.
rider cowboy. The drama or comedy
OF the moving picture is seldom very
subtle. The student or the business
man does not attend with a desire TO
aDalyzc and dissect human emotions
Tor dclve into psychology. He de-
MAIDS mental relaxation after the
days work. and entertainment that is
amusing and restful, and the nickelo-
dcon is the logical product of this
demand.