New-York tribune., 1920-02-29
Like Dewey at Manila,
Six Big Film Directors
Cut Managerial Cable
By Philip Mindil

OF now, poor actor, without cent
| IN his pocket and q wife and baby to
support, ten years ago, he had risen
through the pictures by hard work and
business acumen, added to a basic
artistic training, to be a millionaire,
regarded by many as the most success
ful independent producer in the entire
field.
Il was driven into the pictures" he
SAID, his blue-gray eyes twinklng with
mlrth at the recollection, "and my
hard luck proved my salvation. Out of
job and penniless, l saw man had
known ss very bad actor lump out
of his own fine limousine, arrayed in a
fur coat and smoking a big cigar.
Through curiosity l followed him into
cafe. had been acting under Froh-
man and Belasco in small parts rather
than accept bigger money and bigger
parts from cheaper arrangements, be-
cause l wanted to Preserve my high
ideals Of the stage, which, thank
Heaven. l still have.
Asked how he did it, my friend told
me he was a director in pictures, which
held in as much contempt as tho
freaks in a Fourteenth Street dime
museum. He offered me So a dav to
come up and act for him. I scorned
the offer inwardly, but, luckily. had
sense enough to realize that l might
have to accept. and asked for few
days to consider it. The next day |
reported to him and got s. day. |
was so successful that soon | was get
ting $40 a day and when | worked
nights $40 night in addition.
Then came the opportunity to ac-
cept the munlficent salary of $50 a
week and become a director 1t was
not long before my real chance came.
! heard that New York firm wanted
director to put on Western pictures.
had a friend, Doc Willet, who
sported a six-carat diamond ring which
borrowed before calling on the head
OF the firm. | looked very young and
had grown fierce mustache to make
me look more impressive. 1t came out
red in spots and yellow in others. and
had to dye it to make it look present.
1be
"Gesticulating constantly with my
friends huge headlight and stroking
my hand-painted mustache, so i'm
pressed him with my independent
wealth and importance and so high
{ browed him with talk about my years
with Belasco and Frohman that he be-
lieved me when l told him. I had it in
mind to go West and make for myself
just such pictures as he was contem-
plating. He offered me $3.50 a week,
apologizing for the smallness of the
amount, which almost staggered me-
would have gone for a few dollars
more than the $50 I was getting-say
S62.50. | kept my nerve, however, and
made the proviso that l should take
my family, my assistant director, my
camera man and my leading woman.
He soon hired the 'l0l Ranch
show intact for me. 1t consisted Of $50
horses, rs Indians and so cowboys, and
with them I put on my first big pic
ture, The Battle of Gettysburg.' The
company for which ! had previously
worked for $50 week then tried TO
get me back and offered me more than
was getting. My firm increased my
salary and gave me an interest in the
organization. Later they Joined the
Mutual Film Corporation, which at that
time promised to be one Of the biggest
combinations in film history.
can outgrowth OF that was the Tri-
angle, SO named because of the three
directors, Griffith, Sennett and myself.
Then Griffith got out and the three
sided affair was split up l started for
myself three years ago, making deal
with Famous Players to release my
pictures. In the meantime l had saved
for the Triangle 100000 of the money
sent me to produce pictures while
with them, and with it built for them
the great Triangle studio at Culver
City. which the Goldwyn people after
ward bought for about Q million"