The Washington times., 1914-11-24
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
Rothdpfel's AdOice to
the O7onerS OF
the Smaller
ThedterS.

The day has come when the own
er of the small motion picture thea
ter is compelled to do something
more than merely show a program
CT photoplays to his audience as
quickly as possible and get the
house cleared for a second and third
audience. The exhibitor in the small
theater is beginning to feel the ef
fects to the slump that has hit the
photoplay field and his inexperiencc
as a Snowman is also beginning to
tell. So long as screen dramas were
novelties and the quality Of the pic
lures shown was Just average, the
smaller house owner could make an
income simply through the process
Of exhibiting any old film and sell
ing tickets to witness the exhibit
ton to the trusting public. He need
not know the amusement business,
he need not have the fainest idea
Of catering to the public taste. His
was the only house in the vicinity
and the people who wanted to see
pictures must come to him.
The situation is entirely changed.
The people are hegining to notice
the difference in pictures and they
are beginning to know which COM
panies produce the best. The price
being the same, they intend to pa
troniZc only those houses that
show the hest. And with this COM
petition growing every day, the
lack of capacity of the exhibitor
the amusement seeking public is
becoming painfully apparent. We
believe that the cheap theater will
So-the scent theater. We do not
believe an exhibitor can show the
better class of films for that price.
And We also believe that the pub
lie is not going to patronize any
other class. The result will be
disastrous to the small exhibitor
IL he does not bend every offort
toward making his house as at
tractive as possible.
Sidney L. Rothapfel. who created
the famous Strand Theater in New
York. has studied the exhibition
business in all its phases. He
hibitor as well as the troubles and
trials of the owner of the larger
theaters. And his advice to the
former are valuable because Mr..
Rothanfel Is an experienced show
man as well as a successful mo-
ton p!cture exhibitor. His ideas
are largely expressed in connection
has stated so many times that the
exhibitor must first have the very
best pictures obtainahle that he
regards it AS unnecessary to re-
peat the statement.
No miracles are expected OF the
exhibitor in the small house." Mr..
Rothapfel declares. But he can
study his picture and treat it in the
light Of Intelligent analysis. / refer
particularly to the music he uses in
the production of his program
II think a dignified treatment of
the pictures with we'll thought-out
pianissimo effects on the piano is
on way in which the smaller eX-
hibitor can improve his presentation.
II the operator, the musician and the
put their heads together and
carefully and Jointly study the pic
ture many things will suggest them
selves. With honest and enthusiast
tic cooperation the three OF them
will work out many a novel and
originate something. say only once
a. month. it will SOW the seeds Of
more Improvement, they will please
their public, and incidentally take
renewed interest in their work.
Most of the light effects can he
worked in a small house just as ef-
fectively as in a larger one. Tho
much superior in quality to that in
bigger houses. The operator and the
pianist and the exhibitor in a small
town and a small theater often feel
their individual responsibility for
giving a first-class show much keen
er than the managers in bigger
places where things are often apt to
degenerate into a routine and then
into a rut.
II think that the word effects
covers a very wide field. Do you
know that the sense of smell may,
at times, be appealed to and highly
eratified? Let me give you an eX-
ample: ] was running a very humble
theater when we got the Flower
Parade at Pasadena I looked at
the pictures and noticed that the
prevailing flower was the rose. l
bought an ounce of rose perfume
dipped them in tiny paper stream
ers and as soon as we set the fans
going we let the currents OF the air
blow the streamers all about the
theater ] noticed that the audience
looked very closely at the picture
when the scent made itself felt. One
young lady stopped me on going out
and said: why. Mr.. Rothapfel. those
rose pictures looked so natural
honestly thought could smell the
perfume Of the rose
81 should say that. as a general
rule, # is safe to keep away from
effects entirely in a dramatic pro-
duction, unless. Of course. the
srectncuiar element is emphasized.