The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-12-03

WHY "BETTER FILMS?,
Helen Duey, in woman's Home Com

panlon.
Six years ago there was man in
little town of pennsylvania who
was bartender in saloon. He
saw some motion pictures, realized
their wonderful entertainment value.
and decided that here was his big on.
portunity. He rented the empty
room above the saloon, got a scrub
brush, some strong soap and a pal,
of water, and scrubbed the place on
his hands and knees. He painted the
walls and chairs tan and the floor
brown. A well-tuned piano was in
stalled. few green plants were ar
ranged or the raised platform serv-
ing for stage. Then he contracted
for film service from an exchange.
This man received his pictures on
the noon train from the nearest town,
fifteen miles distant-once he drove
the fifteen miles in deep snow so that
his patrons should not be disappoint-
ed. Very often he went without his
luncheon in order to run off the pic
lures before the performance. Any
picture that he thought was bad he
would not show. Objectiona le
parts Of other films he cut out, after
marking the place so that the piece
could be inserted again before the
filn, was sent on to the next man on
the circuit. If he had to make so
many cuts that his program was too
much shortened, he called upon an
ever-ready singer in the neighbor-
hood to help out.
At first the rougher element Of the
small town patronized his show, but
gradually more particular type Of
patrons climbed the outside stair
way. Then he had to move his
theatre" for two reasons-his pat
ronage demanded change OF loca-
tion and he was hurting business
downstairs.
He moved many times after that,
always to larger city, carrying
with MIN his ideas Of cleanliness, de-
cency, clear pictures, good music
and artistic settings.
Finally he came to New York city,
where in due time he dedicated 70
the new art the most beautiful photo
play theatre in the world. This thea
tire has set the standard all over the
United States. Its beautiful stage
setting, with trellised garden and
tinkling fountains, its symphony
orchestra, it's great pipe-orgar and
it's courteous ushers, have been imi-
tai"' IN nearly every large city, ON n
similar or limited scale. The gene
era. plan Of it's most satisfying pro-
gram Ga feature, a constrasti
comedy or story, a tropical news, an
fnimated cartoon, scenic or travel
or science picture) is being used IN
every high-grade photo-play theatre.
THE secret Of my success as an
exhibitor? A very simple on a!" he
answered. %, have always catered
t.. the tastes OF the plain people, the
wholesome, discriminating Tiid'e
class. They appreciate a clean, at
tractive picture in clean. attractive
theatre. They love good music, cs-
Lccially what call the heart melC-
Gies. They do not want their eyes,
their ears, or their noses offended il
a public place any more than tn ~ 10
in their homes. They shoulI have
what they wan, ard in time the will
get 1t everywhere"
Those same features for which he
pays a thousand dollars week for
fist run service. in the course OF
time come to the smallest town that
has a picture theatre-for ten OF
fifteen dollars. A.gona, Iowa, with
about three thousand inhabitants,
shows these identical pictures.
II the picture is blurred and hurts
the eyes. complain to the exhibitor.
1t ;s caused by dirty or tarnished
screen; insufficient light or a badly
focused light; or a poor lens. If the
picture fiickers or dances, the trou'
BILE is a poor machine, or a good one
either out of order or improperly
operated. Sometimes when a feature
is being shown, part of it shows
clear and steady; the other part ia
dim and fiickering. This operator is
alternating two machines, one OF
which Is old or out of repair. 1t is
rarely the fault of the picture.