The Washington times., 1915-07-27
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Amicable Adjustment
Of the Stage an d
Screen Troubles
Seems Possible

WIN tHe tHdt Is SuTC
to come shortly in the amusement
world there Is every reason to be-
lievc there will be a betterment Of
theatrical entertainment and of the
patronage of the theaters as a result
of stage stars motion picture ex-
pcriences. 1t may seem like heresy
to make this statement-but the mo-
tion picture will force producers to
use more care in the production Of
plays for the stage. and to put ac-
tors and actresses Of experience and
ability in the various roles instead Of
putting out plays in the fashion that
has prevailed during the past few
years. ,..
The business Of making play
popular with a big cast of efficient
players, when 1t Is first produced.
and then sending 1t through the
country with a badly chosen collec-
ton OF fifth rate people supporting
the original star or featured mem-
bcr OF the original cast-this busi-
ness will have to stop. The motion
pictures have made fairly good act
ing too popular with all classes of
people in all parts of the country,
and the acting in the pictures Is i'm
proving every day.
Ol pcOple "Ho hCScL
heard of stage stars are seeing them
in the motion pictures and Will be
glad to avail themselves of the op-
portunity to see them In person In q
play with spoken lines. This is one
of the things that theatrical man.
ayers are raving over Just at pres
cnt. They claim that when they
charge 81 for star In q legitimate
play. a motion picture house next
door shows the saame star In q mo-
tion picture for 10 cents.
There Is come little justice In the
complaint-but not q whole lot. be-
cause this Is purely matter Of
manager of the theater and the man.
ager OF the picture house. We know
OF one motion picture company that
will not show stage star in any OF
its houses In a city where that star
Is playing. Within the past two or
manager Of one Of the legitimate
houses hurr!edly canQeled the en-
gagement Of q very popular star be-
cause he heard the star was to ap-
pear in the same week at q motion
picture house.
nothing Of the stars coming to the
theater until they were informed Of
the cancellation. They were very
much concerned. They took the
trouble to inform the manager that
they regarded II as their duty to
cancel the film and let the star
have the right OF way in person.
They also announced that this is
their invariable custom.
Manager Poll is authority for the
statement that the biggest weeks
business he has ever done In one OF
his New England houses was with
the production of Tess of the Storm
Country" by his stock company the
week after 1t had been shown across
the street in motion pictures. James
*. Hackett declares that he has
done bigger business In towns where
ne was unknown except through
motion pictures.
1t would seem therefore, that the
cure for the situation 10 for the
theatrical managers and the motion
picture producers to come to some
agreement. And THIS agreement can
be reached in no better way than
for both factions to divide the
services of the same people between
them and decide on how they Will
utilize these services.
DESPITE the fact that some Of the
motion picture stars who were not
stage successes make much better
actors before the camera than
learn to be camera-wtse, at the
same time it must be admitted that
the acting in notion pictures mas
improved 100 per cent by reason OF
the advent Of the experienced people
of the STAGE to the business during
the past year. =,
The thing for both rarties to the
present unnatural situation to do.
therefore. seems to be to- get TO.
pethcr as soon as possible and
reach some agreement. AS long as
they insist on pulling against each
other-just so long will the condition
exist and lust so long will the fl
nancial drain on both be continued.