The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-10-29
MOVING PICTURES
ARE VERY POPULAR
Growth of Industry Remark
able in Seventeen Years
The Total Business Of the Industry Last
Year in the U. S. Alone was Three
Hundred Million Dollars, Max
ing it Fourth Industry
Choutauqua Paper By II. j. F.

AS we are all more or less inter-
ested in the movies" | have taken
them for my subject. omiting the
scientific part and giving the more
understandable.
Seventeen years ago, there was
not moving picture house in the
q. S, and animated photography
was in it's infancy. 1t has since then
developed aud spread more rapidly
than any other industry. From the
black top' with which street carni-
walls introduced the movies into the
west, to- the present million. dollar
palaces, from The heart of clvillza-
tion to the very out-posts of tn ,
world. 1t is called a craze of the
people, but it is the natural develop
ment long needed to get the people
out of their houses and away from
private cares and worries, aud this
1t does perfectly.
| To emphasize the growth of the
movies, let me state the following
facts: At the present day there are
1000 picture houses in the British
Isles. 1000 on the Continent and in
The U. S., there is not a village but
what has its movies. numbering
some 10000.
The total business of this last
year in the q. S. alone was $780,
OOO, 900, making it the fourth larg-
est industry, and at least thirty new
millionaires have been ADDED by it.
In 1918. there were five billion
paid admissions, 96,000,000 feet of
film being shown. and it is stated
that 25. 900 miles of film will be ex-
ported this year.
While Thomas A. Edison, the
wizard inventor has probably bene-
tiled financially by it more than any
other American inventor, his royal
ties amounting TO $40, 900 per week,
The most money is beiug made in
producing the films and showing
them. The rDeteoric career of
America S leading picture Snowman
is as interesting as it was rapid;
showing what American brains, in
genuity and natural business ability
can do.
A day laborer by the name of
Rothapfel. living in Forest City,
Pa. six years ago. saw the possibili.
ties of the movies and Immediately
rented an empty store, seated his
auditors in rented funeral chairs
and, fguratively speaking, began TO
turn the crank of which has proved
to be a gold machine. He made
good and went TO Milwaukee to
have room for expansion. He sue
cessfully managed picture house
there until he accepted a position
in Minneapolis.
| He there reopened the Lyric The
atre as picture house after having
it thoroughly remodeled, and start
ed showing what he called and ad-
vertlsed. Pictures de Luxe" in
Producing at the same time his own
original idea of daylight pictures.
The ticket Office was plate-glass
booth in the center of the lobby; a
neat, pleasant and particular girl
making one feel welcome when you
bought your ticket. presided inside
the booth. As you handed your ticket
to the door man, colored maid in
black and white uniform ushered
you to your seat, not into mass of
black vacuum, but into the twilight
body of the house. The screen
itself was not at the front of the
stage, as was usual in other houses,
but at the rear. On one side of the
stage a twelve-plece orchestra in.
Guiding a pipe organ was seated,
while on the other side. fountain
midst mass Of plants and flowers
splashed lnerrily. The pictures
themselves were not only of the
best but appropriate music was
played to each reel. Between reels
a male quartette clad in evening
7 dress, or white flannels, made har-
mony; and every week there was a
soloist, either vocal or instrumental,
who was exceptionally good. Sum-
ming it up, it was high-class with
the strong personality of the artistic
finger of Mr.. Rothapfel making it.
|, self felt.
). Mr.. Rothapfel is now in New
York city where he holds the po-
sltion of the highest-priced house
manager in the U. S. He it is, who