Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-28

.NFN i'iIN, august 2I.--1t becomes
readily apparent 10 the most casual
inquirer here that the motion-picturc
busineHs is passing through a parlous
and troubled phase OF it's spectacular
career Immense sums of money have
been poured into the movie business.
Wherever this wealth is going, i, is
certainly not returning to tho inves-
tors. The exhibitors Will earnestly
tell You that they are not getting it
either. Regulations growing out of
the infantilc paralysis plague have
made II necessary for many houses
hero IN New York TO close their doors
parts of tho country. But that is not
the only difficulty. The price Of fllm
has steadily risen. Many n small en-
hibitor who once paid only $40 for a
weeks program is now paying that
much for the releases of a single night
II YOU continue your Investigations
and approach the actors on the Same
subject. YOU Will likewise find some
dissa t'sfartion. Salaries among the
regular motion picture folk are bcrin-
ming 10 go down, and show a prospect
OF going down still more.
This. of course, does not apply To the
moving picture stars. who are the most
handsomely rcmuncratcd people on
earth. They get salaries that the stage
could never touch, and they get them
by yearly contract, not by tho on
gaGcmcnt. which may end At any time.
These stars. however, are not nanv.
The majority Of the people who make
the movies are not oNcr-paid. Lead
ing parts arc played by men and
women who earn from siop "a $ooG n
week-aute competent actors and :c-
tresscs who have not happened 20
s..,.1
work is nevertheless very acceptable.
both to tho companies and thc public.
The innumcrabc lesser parts pay still
less money. the remuneration ranging
down to the $50 day people who
make up the crowds and armies.
Eut there Is to-day in the movie
world another and at this time II
would seem, Il crucial clement. II is
commonly referred 10 among the movie
folk the Broadway people" The
broadway people. you must understand.
are the actors and actresses from the
legitimate stage, who have invaded the
movies. aud carried away from them
large quantities OF money--just now
very much needed. The regular movie
actors SAY that broadway people are
KILLING the game" The directors adj
NIT that tho Broadway people must
60 before the business will again he
on safe and sound financial footing.
The only ones that are not eager for
broadway and the movies to be d.
vorccd arc the Broadway actors them
selves
You can always get n Broadway
star 10 do part in q !ilm for about
four times the price of a regular movie
actor-and do il worse" explained one
director. or course. there are cNcep-
tons to the last part OF this state
mcnt. Some OF the broadway people
h.,v hea Ia. f,,l
the movies. Likewise. some OF the
films they made have never appeared
on the screen.
There are no exceptions 10 the high
prices, however. \ couple OF years
ago, when thc big companies were maxi
ing LOCO per cent upon their invest
ments. and were ready to bay ANY thing
in the world that would boom the bust
ness, they began to east covetous eyes
and aIluring offers toward broadway.
Now the broadway people were strong
ly allured by the offers. Despite the
large size Of the stage salaries, acting
upon the legitimate stage is one of
the most poorly paid professions in the
world. Even an actor OF high ability
is lucky il lac is employed half the
time. In case play fails. lie may ;.c-
tually lose money having gone through
the rehearsal without pay and invest
ed lot Of money in costumes. TO this
followers OF this uncertain calling.
yearly contract at an immense salary
looked almost unbelicvably good.
But the actors had the dignity Of
their profession to think about. The
dignity OF the theatrical profession is
one OF the most immense and amazing
things in the world. An actor will re-
main idle for years rather than take
any part which is below his own csti-
mate OF himself. So the STAGE folk
scorncd the movies and the bids for
their assistance kept going up.
Then Sarah Ecrnhardt--thc divine,
tho supreme Sarah, who is everything
that an actress should he both Ia tho
public and the professions signed "a CON
tract with d great motion picture COM
pany and made several most SUCCESS
full Aims.
Needless to say. the season opened
then and there. The Broadway people
entered FINLAND like sheep going
through a gate. And the money that
came to meet them was something
stupcndous. Billie Burke is said to
have received $4,000 for making :,
single serial. Geraldine Farrar is re.
putcd TO have made $4,000 "A week.
Such near-Srcat ones as Ethel Barry
more. Anna Held and Dustin Farnuln
arc said to have been paid In the vi
entity OF $1,000 week each. t. ~.
Sothern. who Is now making three
pictures for one Of the big companies,
is said to receive $500 week Mrs.
FiSkc. Mabel Italia fcrro, Douglas Fair
banks and Olga Pctrova arc some Of
the other well-knOwn ones that made
the change. \ host OF lesser ones
followed. leading man who had
been on Broadway for many wears.
hut had never achieved any national
80 go tr,. IL