Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-09

Many inquiries have been received ask
ing If one can copyright a motion-pio-
ture play manuscript. A writer cannot
copyright motion-picture play manu-
script as such The production can be
copyrighted after 1t Is filmed, but the
writer of an original plot cannot send
copy OF that picture play plot to WASH
ington and obtain copyright protection
thereon.
Attorney Frank B. Willis. recently
elected Governor OF Ohio, introduced
measure in Congress a year ago asking
for copyright protection to modon-picture
play plots, classifying them as dramatic
compositions" Up to date, this bill mas
been buried in the Patents Committee ana
has never seen the light of day. Inc
Photoplay Authors League or Cahlormsr
II is said has engaged legal talent In an
endeavor to force out the bill and obtain
action thereon. Whether this attempt Will
be successful remains to be seen.
Legitimate motion picture manufactur-
ers will not filch the plots submitted 10
them by authors and the agitation lor
copyright protection develops from the
fact that some few obscure or "wildcat
companies have appropriated Ideas iouhu
In submitted manuscripts.
Tbsen's Umbrella
| The famous umbrella without which, IN
rain or shine, Henrik Isben. the immortal
Scandinavian dramatist. was never seem
has been brought to this country by
Betty Nansen, the great tragedienne' who
| created most of the master-playwright
hectic and uncanny heroines, Miss Nan
sen, who also possesses several of losen
original manuscripts, with notes and
stage directions in his queer, grabbed
handwriting scrawled on them, has been
imported to this country under the high
est salary ever paid for a foreign actress
TO nose in a notable series of feature
films. The first release is n wonderfully
powerful screen version of Echegaray'
| drama, The Celebrated Scandal
The Ibsen umbrella was as famous In
its way as Oscar Hammerstein's nat or
| George Bernard Shaws whiskers. The
dramatist carried 1t always. 1t hgured'
said Miss Nansen. in the only episode IN
which she ever saw lbsen lose his temper
| He was ordinarily tlmid, shrinking
! man. living all alone in huge house OF
| 90 rooms. At the theatre he rarely inter-
fered in rehearsals of his work. on the
| occasion referred to, however, an othcious
| stage manager had had the temerity to
rewrite one of the dramatist's speeches.
Ibsen ordered it put back in its original
form. But the next day at rehearsal II
| was still changed The dramatist's face
turned purple, his eyes blazed. He rushed
out of the wings and, calculating Fool,
he brought down the heroic umbrella with
full force on the unlucky stage director
head. The umbrella in itself is not one
of which any one would be proud II was
a cheap affair originally, and time has
turned its original hue TO dull green;
but TO Miss Nansen It is more precious
than even her famous golden gown
which Is valued at $4,000,
Odds and Ends
Edna Mayo, leading woman with Essa-
nav. has established a new precedent In
photoplay work. in insisting on thoroughly
learning her part before posing in scenes
Under Essanays new system of drama
tizing all It's photoplays instead of merely
writing scenarios, she is enabled to learr
the words She studies her parts care
fllIy at night Just as on the speaking
stage and talks just as the character