The Washington times., 1914-03-17
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
What Sort Of a Play
Does the Public
Want to See?

w Mrs Public?
OF the three classes of
people vitality Interested IN photo
plays. the public so far has only
been permitted to pay the freight.
Enough il supports the pictures and
makes possible the fortunes that
have been piled up in the business.
II has never had an opportunity TO
tell what ii wants. The manufac-
turer has served out what he thought
ought to please. The exhibitor has
utilized what the manufacturer gave
him. Both are anxious to know
what it is the public would like best
TO see. but neither has ever be-
fore had the means for securing
the information.
The trouble has been just this:
Some years ago a gentleman own
ing an interest in a circus became
involved in financial troubles in a
small Tennessee town. He managed
10 save from the wreckage 4 few
dollars and a thing called a moving
picture projecting machine. There
was also a few hundred feet OF
film showing the movements of the
Empire State Express moving at
full speed. This man rented an
empty store. set his machine up in
side and outside put up q lot of old
circ;s posters. Then he sat down
and waited to see what would hap
pen.
The moving picture theater hap
pened
I'eople came in droves to see the
SHOW The old Empire State ES-
press puffed its way over that few
hundred feet OF film until the reel
was worn out-but the people came
The novelty of seeing pictures that
actually moved was upon them And
il cnIy cost them a few cents. The
gentleman who had been absolutely
broke a few days before packed
s,Iit case full of real money. jumped
on j train and went to New York.
where the only film factory in the
United States was then located He
impressed on the manufacturers the
desirability of photographing plays.
They couldn't see if at first But he
Persuaded them, And then
A man who had divided his time
between smashing baggage at the
Northwestern depot IN Chicago and
dom: a turn in the small vaudeville
theaters that dot the Windy City
went to New York, to take part in
q production of d moving picture
play called Tine Great Train Rob
hery." He happened to be fair
hoTSeman. He assumed the part of
the leading robber and galloped with
his comrades through a few hundred
feet of film arrayed in cowboy cos
nll
became the greatest film made up TO
hat time. The people came in hun
dreIs and thousands to see the gal
lUDiRc horses. the reckless cowboys.
the rushing train-here were all three
clements of the moving picture ac-
ton worked into a romantic play.
The whirling picture OF the Empire
state Express. which was a novelty.
and the dashins picture of the train
robbers. which gave a thrill. brought
n tic first peanies that grew into
tho dollars of the present moving
picture business-almost sl00. OOl, 900
ar.tal is represented by it nov.
In place of the few hundred JeO-
pl" who attended that mrSt moving
"t.'ture theater in tn Tennessee
store there ar- now lnHGt,JA men
women. and children ;-ning To- the
Tia9 theaters in III" TBited States
"""rN d2T iu the yCar. And the
"Utnher OF GranTfaC t,I~ers 0f films
Ia" Srowr in q proportional way
B't tn" VAST ma iority o. thrm still
~" tn" Er1oire state express and
The Great Train Robbery idea. They
LICK 10 II th1t IT, , HoDle must be
iriilCd through and through every
''r0" the "ranI o. tE"ir projecting
U@"h;nes turn. This 60, : not M. an
'Hat there ar not still So'nc mighty
GOOD pictures mad of railva trains
and cowboys. But to :, vast major
iN II IN" i|.0n.6t) !atr"'s there iS
no" something better in n"vi1., pc
ini"S tn1n novelty ami t thrill.
Many Of the manufacturers arc
r"a llzinS this ana are .ryia.: ia I,uIt
~ tho Kind of fin that Satisfies.
.Id In" exhibitors ..r-. ii,tny TO
show tn"se iilms when they en- get
II. ~
FIt the public mas never been con-
sulIed. There has move, been a vsv
= could be consulted. ii has been
compelled Ia take what the manu-
aCtVrer and TIE exhibitor thought il
ought 10 haNe-thc manufacturer and
exhibitor who stand ready TO give il
what IL wants because il paws them
10 do So. The novelty Of the -nov-
- - ih6so WI II VII llt ef XII
mai thrill has died down to a slight
trefnor. Today the public interest
centers in the personality OF the
actors, the stories Of the plays that
are produced. In the wealth of ma
terial that has been unea rthcd In the
last dozen years a point has been
reached Whcr" VIC can pick and
chose which play and whici! actor
snd which company We will see.
Vow. v hat are thesr?
What KIND OF moving pi'iur. do
you want to see. Mt. and Mrs. Pub
IL and all you little PubliCS"
That is what TAe Washington Tines
10 csta blishing its PhotDpla Depart
melt for. We want TO know what
you want So We can tell the cx-
hihitoTS through our comments on
rleir films And We want YOU TO
write and tell us. We don't care Who
yoI arc or where you Iive-vorI have
phptoplay theater IN your Jrjch-
oorhood- Sit dUUn right af:ar Won
read this and write I" the Photo
plaE Editor. Washington Times. inst
what yoH would lik" TO hav,. i,,o-
duCcd at your favorite phottonJay
house. w" will print some Of the
Ieti@rs-bIt "" want to know. aGout
Il ourselves So that We can N,r,to
fn"lligentlv about Il for other peopIe.
6. N.