New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-15
PLAYS and Players
of the Film World

Some timo ago Tho Tribune printed
nm interview with Mrs. Cora G. Wilken-
ing, who represents tho best known
authors In America, on tho prices paid
for photoplays Mrs. Wilkcning was
quoted as saying that she received as
high as 500 reel for ono-act plays,
ond as high as 81 900 FOR ilve-reel feat
urcs. She takes gentle exception 70
this, saying:
very largo prices arc being paid
for original scenarios. At tho present
time scenario writing IL tho most re-
munerstiye form Of literary endeavor.
Recently | sold two works with
royalty guarantee Of 100000 each.
have obtained from $4,000 20 $4,000
for serials, and one photoplay, based
upon novel, has already earned S22,-
600 for its nuthor.
plays depicting American life
even Western lifo-are In demand, and
the unknown has q good chance 20 sell
his work. provided that he or she has
an original idea The underlying idea
IL everything, and even If the scenario
bo imperfect from a technical view
point, yot, II the idea be there. the
scenario VIII sell readily"
ThIs (, tho story OF Lenore
t'hlrich, A girl who made good. In i've
brief years she rose from no particular
stratum 10 leading woman for David
pelasco and, incidentally, 70 film star
for Morosco- Bosworth This Is Miss
Ihlrich's own tale, told in her suite at
the Hotel Knickorbocker:
you SEQ, was a poor girl In MIL
waukee. Ny people were educated ana
refined, but poor. Ny mother used 70
give me % cents n week allowance. |
had regular seat in tho peanut gal
lery, where / went every Saturday
matinee That was the tidbit OF my
life the thing | looked forward to
the event Of my young life. FOR TINS !
used TO work hard all Of the ak days o.
the week, helping my mother with the
homework after school and DONG
everything about the home 70 make my.
self useful. including the taking care OF
number of young klddies who came 90
my parents in the years following my
own birth.
$50 one day ! approached the man
aver of "A stock company and told him /
must have work that | was going 20
become a great actress. You can prob
ably also picture the incredulous smile
on the managers face as he said 20 me:
My dear child. you don't know the dan
gers. the hard work, the difficulties
which beset your path. 60 and be
stcnographer, seamstress, anything
but an actress. Nothing in the world D.
such hard work But he gave me work
iu the chorus. / imagine | sang
little louder or worked harder or did
something that attracted the attention
OF the managers, for 7 rose step by
sep until. after playing a good many
leads in stock, ! obtained opportunity
10 go with M Morosco as star Of The
Bird Of Paradise
Asked her message 20 the army Of
young girls who would li6o 70 become
stars. Mss Uhlrich said:
"ly message 20 young girls IS 20
work hard--very hard. The stage calls
for work of perhaps q harder charac-
ter than any other form of employment
that girl can 90. Let no young girl
imagine that going on the stage has
merely luxury and ease as its con
c1mtants. There is nothing OF this
sort 20 the life. IL contains q mixture
OF anxiety, or tremendous responsi-
hiiity, of the hardest conceivable kind
col work, and n tales your vitality pro-
r.ded you put yourself into the work.
hat last sentence is really the secret
OF success-puttiEg your very self into
your wark. in other words, be genuine.
BE yourself"