El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-29
COMEDY |SK|NC
IN THE MOVIES
Picture Managers All Agree
on This; Like Theda
Bara's Vampire Stuff.
A Fool There Was"
Midnight at Maxim's--
"Cabiria-"

Midnight at Maxims.-
"Cabiria-"
These are the most popular plays
that have been put on in FL Paso. ac-
cording TO several of the captains Of
| The movie" industry.
Comedy is still king. they say. with
Novelties" and plausible stuff close
behind. Indian and civil war pictures
are sleeping the everlasting sleep. and
/ the moribound military pictures were
given a salt solution by the European
war and the recent border excitement
I Among the actors, Charlie Chaplin Is
the ~surest fire" Of course. although
| he is said to be losing some of his
popularity because mis- slapstick stunts
are getting worn Charlie is gradually
working into more refined stuff. the
dopesters say. and has even been dab
bling into pathos lately
Theda Bara Popular.
Theda Bara is still the super-vampire,
although a host of imitators have en-
tered the homewrecking business.
''vamping' as whole is losing its for
mer hit. although the incompatible
Theda is still reported to be as hiss
producing as ever.
Besides collecting the nickels. dimes.
and sometimes even quarters of the
movie ldnS. W III X w men, manager
Of the Wigwam theater, has been stor-
ing away some rather keen observa-
tions regarding their psychology For
one thing. he has noticed that comedy is
hard on the seats.
People move their feet when they
laugh" said Mr. Winch Il first noticed
this when ] was with the Orpheum the
alter in Kansas City.
7 was in the office downstairs. when
7 heard a most alarming sound on the
= 7 M oh
that the house was in a panic. but
found out that the comedian was put
ting across some of his strongest stuff.
and the people were laughing TO beat
the band. moving their feet all the time.
Loosen Seats Laughing.
Whenever we ran good comedies. the
house man had to tighten the screws
OF the seats at the end Of the week The
movement OF the body when one is
laughing tends to jerk the seats loose"
There are three questions that are
puZZling the moving picture manufac-
turers. says Mr.. Winch. They are:
Are features more popular than
mixed stuff
rs the play the thing or do people
go TO see their fsvorite stars?-'
Mexicans Like Serials.
DO serials or complete stories draw
better"
IT'S about $3.50 on all the questions
now said the Wigwam big chief. L
find that Americans prefer complete
stories. but that the MeXicans like seri-
ais I have turned down several serials
because 1 think they are losing ground
A chart has been drawn up by experts
on this question. showing that serials
are dying out in the downtown shows
but that they are still strong in the
suburban districts. This is no doubt
due to the fact that in the suburbs the
population is more or less constant and
that commuters have certain nights set
APART for their movie entertainment at
which time they like to see their favor
ties. The children. too, are a strong
deciding factor.
Some Pictures Overdrawn.
Inc average serial is Overdrawn.
and the suspense has to be exagger-
ated in order to hold the interest be-
tween instruments A lot of people
mistake series of episodes like Who's
Guilty with the regular serials where
the thread of the narrative is con-
tinuous For this reason. managers
found it advisable to announce the in
stalment title only. leaving out the
name of the serial in order not to keen
away people averse to serials. Topical
pictures are very popular. says Mr..
Winch. especially the news weekIies
The only drawback to these movie
newspapers is that they can't ALWAYS
be presented to the people before the
news is stale, said the imnre~~-7e ~'
the celluloid- It usually takes two ar
on the screen. But when the subjects
are or continuous interest. as the Eu-
ropean war. these weeklies have great
pulling power.
Vice Pictures Losing.
White slave pictures have lost much
Of their vogue. says Mr. Winch. The
first vice picture was made with Ell
aso capital. There were several films
OF this kind that had a big run. but
their popularity had greatly declined.
There are swO classes to whom sex
pictures appeal-the thinking people
and the morbid ones"
Good comedy is still most in demand.
ana IS hard TO get Five-reelers in
comedy don't take says Mr. Winch
T. NJ Hervey. manager of the UNIQUE
theater is an ardent champion of
FEASIBILITY. The people want modern |
classy stuff like the Madam Petrova |
plays" said Mr.. Hervey Far fetched
films don't take.
Like Red BIOoded Pictures.
The ,red-blood' pictures are also we'll |
liked Gods Country ard the Woman |
pies OF this. Mr. Hervey believes !
serials are still popular. provided they I
are very good. Otherwise they are al /
most sure TO be failures
The manager Of the Eureka theater /
beheves that Americans as well as 1
MeXicans enjoy serials better than any
other type or movie drama. About 30 1
percent of my audience is American !
when 1 put on Serials" he said. "On |
other days, the percentage of American
is 20 Francis Ford and Charlie Chaplin |
are the most popular actors"
Operator Says: "COmedies.0
ID o. Held. chief operator Al the Gre
clan theater. agreed with most of the /
other movie experts that comedy still D
hoidS sway OYER the affections OF the