The Washington times., 1914-07-02
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
System Is
Being Worked Out
by the Film
FdOOriteS

A new departure in the photop,ay
Is the organization OF separate conf
pRnies by the recognized stars.
This is a development that was
sure to come within q short time,
and It is likely that it will do much
toward standardlzing and legitimat-
King the entire moving picture in
dustry. There are several reasons
why this outcome should be looked
for. The personality of the individ-
Ual actors and actresses enter into
the success of the motion picture in
dustry to a far greater degree than
in any other form of amusement
enterprise. 1t is the actor and ac-
tress that the vast majorit: of the
patrons OF the screen so to See--anJ
not the play. At the outset Of the
business those wise enough to for
see something of the future en-
deavored to keep the personal ele-
lnent as far in the background as
possible. Director Griffith, for IN
stance. established a policy of per-
uniting nothing relating to his stars
20 appear in print. Mary P7ckIcrd
was asked for on the screen a long
lime before she was identified By
The name. In spite Of such precau-
lions as were taken, however, the
screen developed stars, and these
stars developed followinGs whose
loyalty was of an intensity hitherto
Unknown.
The demands that wero made for
more pictures of the stars created a
competition among the manufactur-
Hrs for the services of these stars.
During the last year there has been
q constant shifting back and forth.
The salaries OF the actors and &C
tresses have gone up in leaps and
bonds until they are now beyond
al reason. 1t is reported on excel
ent authority that Mary Pickford is
being paid salary that commences
II $50 G90 per year for the first year
and mounts in thousands until It
VIII reach $4,000 within a short term,
David ". Griffith is said TO receive
$4,000 for a yrar's work with the
hutu%l companies. LLOYD I,onerCan
s reported to DE paid in excess Of
$4,000 annually by the Thanhousar.
King BagpGt and Warren Kerrigan
are also said to make more than So
go year from the Universal These
figures seem beyond all belief, and
they may rot he as high as report
states-but on the face OF the facts
II would seem that the manufactur-
ers could easily pay this amount, be-
cause OF the tremendous returns they
receive from the pictures of the
stars. The rental Of film at an aver
age. saw, of cents per foot, amounts
70 big sum when you consider that
film will last through fifty show
lnss and that the stars in. the regu-
lar companies appear in from one to
six hlns per month, depending on
the nature Of the work. There are
numerous copies Of each film rented
on the basis quoted-some Of them
for much higher average price. and
many. of course, at a lower rate.
This has been the condition OF
things for about two years, and the
rompetiticn has been such that the
prices paid for stars have been sim
ply out OF all proportion 10 their
Ealue under ordinary circuInstarces
The assurance can be had that any
ierson who received in excess of
Flu'OJc from a him company was rIak--
ing from Eve to ten times that
amount for the company's treasury.
therefore, il was only reasonable to
expect that tie time would come
"hen the highest price would be
rcached and when the more thrifty
"i the stars, seeing the money they
we're making for someone else, would
Ne seized with a desire 10 make
most o. II Eor themselves.
This is just what has Happened
Helen Gardner, Florence Turner.
-dwin August, King Baggot, War
rem kerriSan, and Hobart Bos-
worth. among others, were among
the first to start. II is true that
BagEot still appears under Universal
trade marks. but he has an arrange
,ment with the Universal that gives
MIN percentage - practically
amounting to a royalty-it is under
stood. It is also true that Helen
Gardner has recently surrendered .
her independence to go back under
the Nitagraph banner. But this is
due largely 10 unfortunate choice
OF subjects in her independent ven
ture. and also TO the extraordinary
Inducements offered her by the Vita
graph Company.
Mary Fuller is the newest Of the
stars 10 organize a company of her
own. She has departed from the
Edison studio. taking with her Wal
ter Edwin and Charles Ogle. She
Is TO make her own films. hut her
releases will come under the Uni
versal distributing agencies. and