The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-03-11

or the three points of the Triangle Film corpora
ton, which inaugurated in New York, Philadel-
phia and Chicago. motion picture theater pro
grams, where two dollars was charged for the
best seats. The new plant will consist of twenty
or more concrete end steel freproof buildings,
including nine separate inclosed with ground
glass stages-one for each producing organiza-
ton.
The players will have every comfort, including
individual dressing rooms, with steam heat, cleo
trio fans. and hot and cold water, etc. Factories
in connection with the plant will manufacture all
sets, furniture and wardrobe needed. The ranch
studio will be maintained. end there two big or
CARNATIONS making western drama will be main
tanned.
Every hamlet in the country has been invaded
by Keystone comedies made in Los Angeles
Four years ago the nucleus of this company, con-
sisting Of Mack Sennett, Mabel Normand and
Fred Mace, arrived there and rented a vacant
lot. Now the Keystone studio occupies two city
blocks, practically half of which space is COW
cred with stages, where fun making reigns s-
preme, Padded bricks, billies and trick props
of every nature, from a toy warship to an aero
plane, are on hand at every turn, and here are to
be found the greatest collection of comedians the
world has even known-Weber and Fields, Sam
Bernard, Eddie Foy, Raymond Hitchcock, Roscoe
Arbuckle, Chester Conklin, Charlie Murray of
Murray and Mack fame, and scores of others who
have graced the comedy and vaudeville stage or
-ToF 49, "a" A~hAA6 10
here a serious proposition and the hundred odd
players, writers and directors treat it as such
even the famous Keystone cops.
The producing quarters of the maker Of the
most profitable motion picture ever filmed, The
Birth of a Nation" adapted by David Mark Grit
fifth from the book, The Clansman,' consists of
two city blocks at present--one taken up with
executive Office buildings, stages and dressing
rooms, laboratories, and factories, and the other
block retained as a site for settings. Mr.. Grit
fifth came. to Los Angeles in January, 1914, and
leased a lot containing a bungalow. Back of this
he built a stage and began work. Additions to
the producing staff were made so frequently that
no time could be given for future planning. AS
the result scores of buildings were erected as
needed for workshops, developing and printing.
laboratories, dressing rooms, etc, so that the
studio now has a hit-or-miss appearance, where
about five hundred people are employed, fully
two hundred being actors, actresses and writers.
In February, 1914, a livery stable in Hollywood.
which had later been used for a garage, was
leased by two men well known in the theatrical
producing world, and they began making a motion
pictPre along new lines. That their method was
successful is proved by the fact that FIVE times
since they have found it necessary to lease ad-
ditional grounds, and their plant now covers a
block $50 by 700 feet, and the studio is crowded.
The men were Jesse L. Lasky, previously a vaude.
VILE producer, and Cecil B. de Mile, legitimate
stage producer and playwright, Their company
became the Jesse L. Lasky Picture Play company,
and they, during the last year, introduced Amer
ica's greatest opera star, Geraldine Farrar, on the
motion picture screen. Miss Farrar worked at the
studio twelve weeks in the making of three five
reel subjects at a salary of more than a dollar a
minute.
In a brief manner the foregoing describes the
producing plants of the largest makers of motion
pictures. There are many other studios in Los
Angeles, with from one to four companies work
ing at each. 1t would be impossible TO go from
the center of the business district to the city
limits in any direction without coming upon one
or more motion picture plants.