The Washington herald., 1913-08-17

presented to her by the Universal Film
Manufacturing Company.
The presentation of the badge was
made by Director Phillips Smalley at one
OF the dancing parties given weekly on
| the largest motion picture stage in the
world by the Universal Company 10 its
| employees. Mr.. Smalley made a delight
full short speech, congratulating Chief
Oakley and voicing the prediction that
| the position she holds will always be
| handled capably.
Chief Oakley responded in a way that
brought forth three cheers for her from
! the assemblage. She spoke of the time
when Universal City was only a thought
and how that thought had grown into the
reality of the worlds only city. devoted
exclusively to the manufacture Of motion
picture films. She reminded all in firm
manner that she would carry out the
duty for which she had been chosen-to
preserve law and order.
ANY one wishing to become associated
with the Photo-Playwrights' League of
America by writing the Motion Picture
Editor will be furnished with addresses
of organizers.
It will be of interest to readers and
contestants in The Washington Herald's
Scenario contest TO know that interesting
announcement will be forthcoming at ali
early day.
Keystone comedies are shown first on
Ninth Street at the Maryland.
Probably very few of the five million
or more people, who daily attend motor.
picture shows, ever stop TO wonder where
all the films come from and how it is az
ranged that they see a different program
every day at their favorite theater.
At one time, before the formation of
the so-called film service organ!za
tions," motion pictures were sold out
right by individual manufacturers to ex-
hibitors, most of whom operated series
OF small and generally unattractive thea
ters, or played "one-night stands" before
lodges, Sunday schools. SC Since, in
those days, the cost OF each film was
about 500 or more. it is obvious that the
programs were limited to a few subjects
OF general interest. The next step was
the establishing of Exchanges" operated
for the most part by men who had fol-
lowed the business Of exhibiting motion
pictures from its infancy, and made cor
siderable money thereby. These ex-
changes assumed the purchase cost O.
films and undertook to rent them to tine
theaters However, because each worked
independently of the other without re-
gard for price or schedule. conditions
soon became chaotic A theater man.
ager would advertise program he had
arranged to get from one exchange, and
wake up the morning before 1t was to
be run to find that his competitor had
secured the same pictures from another
exchange q day ahead. One manaeer
would run q certain number of films for
6 or 10 cents. His competitor would go
him one better.
Then the first would add one more than
the competitor, and SO on until they both
found there was no money In tht busi-
ness. Another evil in those days was tie
frequent repeating" OF films. The sup-
ply was not as plentiful as now. and |
since there was no system OF "booking." 4"
one never knew when he would pay ad-
mission to see films that he knew by |
heart The public did not take kindly |
to the existing conditions, and exhibitors |
with large investments to protect them |
were heartily discouraged at the outlook |
for the future. 1t began to lcok a. h
the picture shows were merely a passing
fancy. The first move toward rehabflita-
tion was the formation of an organiza- /
hon known as the General Film Com
pany QncO. In 1910 this company pur. /
chased certain number Of exchanges
throughout the country and established I
The frst ehicient system of booking
flms according to q definite schedule /
This system. still In use In a modified 7
form. undoubtedly did more than apy |
'ther single thing to establish the rcr-