Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-31
EAVES DROPPING
Is MADE TO PAY
The Dictograph Finds New
Place in World of
Business


pass through the foyer after the last
lingering kiss and soothing fade
out" have marked the end of the
movie romance.
81 think he's a dear" returns
Mamie.
In an office on the second floor,
separated from Bill and Mamie by
lot of thick walls, sits the man
aSer of the theater, listening for
Just such remarks as those made by
Bill and Mamie. And when he hears
this particular conversational pas
sage he mentally jots down the no
tation: Show making good with
the women" Which means that
the weeks show will be a winner,
because it's the women's choice that
controls the attendance at the mo-
ton picture houses. What n mere
man thinks of the. picture is a mat
ter of little passing consequence to
the manager.
But how does he overhear the re-
marks made by Bill and Mamie and
the many other movie fans when he
is removed from them by a floor or
so and several walls that smother
sound like a wet blanket does a
flame? That is the latest secret of
the movie theater, and it enables the
manager to get a line on how his
show is getting over" 1t permits
him to overhear valuable criticism
and suggestion that may mean sew
eral hundred dollars to him that
week.
Secrets in Receiver
If one could peer into the manag-
er's office he would get a hint of the
secret in the receiver that the man
ager holds to his ear. 1t looks just
like an ordinary telephone receiver
but it isn't. The receiver and the
little switchboard on the managers
desk enable him to overhear what
is being said in almost every part of
the theater. 1t is one of the latest
applications of the dictograph.
A Chicago motion picture house is
said to have been the first to try the
photograph. 1t was an instantaneous
success. When Frank l.. Newman
built the Newman Theater here he
installed a dictograph apparatus and
according to Milton H. Field, man
ager the device has been of inesti-
mable- value in registering opinions
of the audiences.
Just to see how the dictograph op-
crates let one drop into a managers
office and take the receiver for
little while.
There comes a lull in the orches-
picture. A feminine voice is heard
speaking.
THAT love scene is just too sweet"
Yes, but who would want to kiss
with a hedge fence between them?
Why doesn't he climb over?" comes
the highly practical masculine an
swer.
Another switch is opened and the
listener thereby connected with an
t.f of
A masculine voice now is over
heard. 1t is that of ''the man who
knows" that chap who is present in
every movie audience and who ex-
plains how it is done and what is
going to take place next.
The speed of the film is regu-
lated by" but what is the use of
listening to an old acquaintance
whom we've heard many a time
much to our distress. So another
switch is opened.
ut is too warm in here" remarks
a feminine voice. There is a criti-
cism the manager needs to hear.
The photograph has proved its worth.
The manager hurries out to see that
some of the heat is shut off.
Did you see that woman's coat?
Isn't it positively ridiculous?" speaks
up a feminine voice. Interesting,
but of no value to the management
in the way of helpful criticism,
''I wish they would show another
Charles Ray picture. / like the
bashful way he makes love and he
can do so many funny things" says
another feminine voice. The man
agement mentally notes that Charles
Ray is a good drawing card with the
women. He will watch out for the
next picture featuring the timid Mr..
Ray.
Get Criticism and Praise
So the conversation runs. There
is much in it that is valueless to the
listener in the managers office
things about motor cars, plumbing,
the high cost of living, the relative
beauty of brown and blue eyes and
other subjects of great consequence
to the speakers, but of no importance
to the man running the show. But
interspersed in between these re-
marks will be bits of illuminating
criticism and praise, with here and
there a hint as to how the show can
be improved. One manager says he
has obtained at least one valuable
suggestion at every night perform
ance. Perhaps several remarks will
be anent the music, If that is fav-
orable the music will be repeated
the next night. A singing feature
was retained an extra week at the
Newman just because of the dicto-
graph. A certain type of picture
went into permanent disfavor for a
similar reason.
The dictograph at the Newman Is
connected with eighteen different
sections of the theater. The micro
phones, or sound detecting appara-
tus, is cleverly concealed so that no.
body in the audience would suspect
their presence. And, for the COM
fort of those in that audience, it may
be said that the photograph doesn't
register worth a hang when the or
chestra is playing. 1t is only in the
lulls in music or during intermis-
sions when the audience is passing
o out that it performs it's helpful
work.
So George and Hortense may feel
free to indulge in those delightful
little personal chats that lovers en-
joy, but don't care to have over
heard-if they watch the orchestra.
PERSHINC ASKS FOR