The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-28
MOVIES START
CUTTING DOWN
Actors Being Laid OFF by Thou
AZ sands and Production
Slashed in Halt.

NEW YORK, Dec. 2s.-A radical
change In motion picture production
in the United States for the comm
year was announced today by lead
ers In the industry. The chief aspect
OF the readjustment is a~marked cur
tailment In production aireadS
started.
Plan so FER CENT CUTS.
The reduction Is OF a siashinS
order, as most OF the producing con-
Germs have set out to cut their pro-
duction 80 per cent. Some big con-
Germs have laid off more than that
proportion Of studio companies
Among those nlm corporations who
/ are known to be cutting down on pro-
Z duction. reducing the NUMBER OF
actors and studio help employed ana
, in some instances shutting up p,an'o
\ entirely are the famous players
1U.asky. Goldwyn. Fox. Metro. VITA
graph and Universal, constituting the
biggest array OF motion picture
! forces. In Los Angeles, the chief
! photoplay producing center IN inc
world. more than 10000 actors ana
fothers connected with the industry
rare now out of work. In the Eas,
this freeing up" OF the movie nero
already has caused the suspension OF
lIthe film activities of high salaried
norsons estimated to number 5000,
connected with the trade either as
actor. technical assistant or MIN
handler. .
LITTLE CHANCE TO 'BREAk IN"
"Fewer and better pictures" is the
slogan now adopted by practicaliy
every Aim producing company. both
here and in California. a lowering OF
the Importance OF the individual star
Is generally considered a concomitant
with this, and the long lines or
/ optimistic persons besieging studio
doors in the hope OF becoming screen
stars have less chance than ever,
especially with a retrenchment on the
number OF players engaged.
That allegiance in film productivity
liz expected to last into the middle
OF March according to notices oil re-
duced output given out by movie
companies themselves. Some COM
panies have announced they will not
make contracts with new actors Tor
pictures until after February !. evi-
IDENTIFY expecting the producing bus-
mess to pick up after that date. But
no one in the business would ven
,ture a guess as to how long the luli
would actually endure.
OVERPRODUCTION limited.
The fewer and better pictures
policy will apply to every producing
company, both here and in California.
one company recently made known
that it has $6,OOO.000 worth OF hims
on its shelves awaiting disposal, and
from a source close TO the various
Leading companies it was learned
yesterday that $25, 100000 would not
he an overcstimate for the amount
of money sunk in films throughout
the Shole industry which are now
sto! ed away and have not yet been
NEGOTIATED for.
prominent factor operating Tor
ovcrproduction has been the NUMBER
of wildcat film companies that have
sprung I'D in the last two years,
drawn into the business by the pros
meet of easy stock selling schemes,
bringing buyers with the lure OF
quick and heavy profits in the movie
business. The vigilance committee OF
the National Industry of the Motion
Picture Industry. composed of reputa-
BILE concerns, declared short time
ago that worthless stock was offered
to the country annually at an aggre-
gate price of $3.50, 100000 by irresponsl-
BILE companies.
As the underlying reason why so
many expensive films have been LETT
high and dry without a bidder, one
authority advanced the explanation
Yesterday that small neighborhood
houses throughout the country have
raised their prices.