New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-08
Plays and Players
of the Film World

PITY the lot Of the film actor. Tor 10,
bia lot ia unhappy and his lor herr
pocketbook lean and attenuated. o Dc
brutally frank the phOtoplay actor or
actress. Is i'm worse financial pllghg
than those who seek living on the
Speaking stage. In fact, there are
thousands Of film mummers SEEKING
engagements along Broadway ana lts
environs many Of them IN desperate
straits for actual food.
When the photoplay first came INTO
being there were no Il I'M actors'
Arthur d. Hotaling. one Of the deans
among film directors. in relating me
tribula,ions Of the early days OF the
photoplay. said that then the MN
actor received 81 a day and was re
ouired TO do everything from acting up
20 scrubbing studio floors.
Then came the infancy Of the screen
play. Actors were made by directors
and force Of circumstances The pro
ducers. unable 70 get mumrers from
the legitimate stage, assembled STOCK
companies and paid the members iar
salaries for hfty-twO weeks every year
Thu next phase came with the suH
den influx Of the stage stars. due 10
public demand for new faces on me
screen. Audiences were weary OF see
ing the same hero. the same heroine
The same villain day after day. ] ne
result was the abandonment OF the
stock company idea. and with 10 the day
20 day. week 20 week engagement.
As result, it is possible to get
GOOD leading man to-day tor aoo
week. where two years ago me same
man could have obtained thrice that
sum. A good leading woman cannot
get much above $50, unless she mas
we'll established reputation and mas
intrinsic worth from a box ONCE new
point.
To-day tho various buildings which
house producing companies. such az the
Longacre. Gambler. Fitzgerald 100 West
Forty-sivth street. 1900 Broadway, 1870
Broadway and other structures are
crowded daily with men and women.
and children even. seeking work. Signs.
"No Casting To-day" h>ng at many an
Office door. The writer was present
the Offices Of a film company when
more than three hundred applied TOT
work as extras at SO day.
And even when work il obtained all
Il, not roses. Or course. reputable pro-
ducers treat their employees well. Dut
there are certain concerns which nave
earned uneuviable regulations Tor their
despicablc meanness. In one instance,
which may yet be settled IN court,
Girl was engaged al $40 a week. FOR
three successive weeks she received her
.alarv without comment. The fourth
Tuesday she went 20 the cashier she re-
ceiyed 1898 Upon asking the |nere
and WHY the cashier replied that as her
services had been utilized FOR only Two
days she was entitled 70 only one-tnird
Of a weeks pay.
The fact that the girl reported for
work every day. and that no word was
said about the reduction, had nothing
10 do with the case nor that she need
ed her money 20 support an I'D mother.
n is common habit for a producer to
engage an actor or actress for so mucn
a week. STIMULATING 10 definite en-
gagement. then lump all the scenes IN
which the star appears so "a 70 MIN
Them in few days, pay the pro rat"
share and 30 fool the hummer. n
doubtediy. this money-saving scheme is
within the Law. but its ethics are open
20 serious doubts
The remedy for this state Of affairs
seems 10 be an actors union or inc
IfIllIN INlhl UAbAlA ~ NNtANN
diving fame sometimes and the at
tendau, demand for services
Mary Pickford Among the many pub
Lefty experts in this city and there
are many competent ones Is Arthur
James. who looks after the news If the
Metro films and its stars. Asked 70
recite a little piece about publicity. ne
said:
zone Of the most interesting things
about publicity is the great mystery
with which II has been surrounded. Il
is in reality the simplest and most in
formal Of industries. arts or businesses.
Publicity. according 20 the publicity
given the word by Webster. Is the
state Of being public Therefore. II
YOU happen 70 be interested in motion
picture publicity the only real essen
tial is 10 have stars or plays that are
in the state Of being public. In the
case Of Metro pictures we have Ethel
Barrymore, Francis Y. Bushman. Bev-
erly Bayne, Mary Miles Minter HamIl-
ton Revelle. Nalli Nslli, Nine. Petroya.
julius Steger. Edmund Breese. Martha
hedman. Lionel Barrymore. Emily
stevens. Marguerite Snow, Emmy Web