The Washington times., 1915-03-24
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
How They Spend the
Day in One Of the
Big Photoplay
F." Studios
BY GARDNER MACK.

-iIIIOSL every neTspn WIN iuiS WV
tim TO the motion picture habit
sooner or later has the desire to visit
Il studio and sec how pictures are
made. For a long time the manufac-
turers of pictures endeavored to keep
the public out of their studios and
were rather cool in their reception of
what visitors came their way. Re-
Gently there has been a change In
this attitude and the manufacturers
have exhibited evidence OF desire
10 give the, public all the information
possible about the way pictures are
made and the manner in which the
actors and actresses deport them
selves.
Within the past month our friend
Willard Howe. who has written a
number of interesting things for this
column. paid visit to the Edison
studio as an incident to a trip to
New York and the story of the visit
is most interesting:
,.,y III YOU war, want . to experienSei Si,,t the
big photoplay studio like that of the
Edison Company at Bedford Park,
New York city. The whole COM
munity--officers. directors. players.
cameramen, and the cook Included
is one big family where .comradeship
prevails. They have their arguments
and differences of opinions and artis-
tic temperaments to contend with,
but throughout it all there Is that
unity of purpose for good pictures.
1--WE aim to maintain spirit OF
good fellowship at the studio, re-
marked Frank Bannon, assistant to
Horace G. Plympton. manager OF
production, land I believe We have
succeeded, even with the changing OF
casts
Mr., sannon is likely to tell you he
is the "step-child of the studio but
the good d-natured big brother, who
smooths over difficulties and gives
counsel and encouragement. Mr..
PNmpton, well-known for his calm
Judgment on ethics and art in mo-
ton pictures. is quite frequently
He believes that the executive juris--
diction of studio Is best exercised
by personal contact with players,
directors and camerarien.
There was pathos and humor. do
pelltical schemes and gangsters' plots
all in progress at the same time, yet
no one thing interferred with the
other. Even fire was blazing on
the outside Of the building.
The chief photoplay Of interest
was the Edison.Dramatic Mirror
trait In which Gertrude Mccoy.
Edward Earle. Sally Crute, Helen
Strickland, William 7. Carlton, and
George Wright compose the cast.
. Twenty-Five or thirty magnificent
oil paintings were secured for the
idea Of the infinite care necessary.
test motion picture was taken Of
this set to discover IL there were
any disagreeable reflected or counter
lights. from the gloss Of the paint
"When Director Collins was salts
fed on this point from a close scru-
!. tiny Of the celluloid ribbon which
was brought to him, the camera
man was ordered to turn his crank
again and the scene OF the photo
play, began in earnest.
they are delightful. human crea-
= tures! Gertrude Mccoy freely ad-
mitted that she loved the dangers
Of screen life.
"I want to play real tragedy.
she, exclaimed. I want to kill some
reaching toward my ambition
Edward Earle is such an earnest
worker, with the same graciousness
and same touches of quiet humor
that have made him popular on the
screen. He is lover of the home
too. IT am always glad to receive
criticisms from my public" he said
earnestly. ''It helps and encourages
a fellow who can't hear a hand
clap" Harry Eytinge. who ranks as
the Edison critic, is a Washington
man. whose mother resides in this
CITY.
THE Edison Company maintains a
kitchen department at the studio.
1T saves the time and energy oi
the players. directors and camera
men," explained Mr.. Bannon. "A
satisfied appetite is conclusive OF
good nature and we need all we car
get of that in the motion picture
business
"The dressing rooms are the most
complete one can imagine. Certainly
motion picture studio life can be
made delightful big family