The New York herald., 1921-10-23
High Lights and
ShadoWS in NeuS
of Screen Drama
Producer Finds New Way to
Get Young Men to Invest
in the Movies.
BY raANK vREELAND.

- ereu Oh getting young men
with plenty of money and
plenty Of time in which to figure out
ways of spending 1t to rally to the
support of the movies. A certain pro-
ducer, who has quite a club orbit, has
developed the habit of dropping into
one Of his clubs and gently warming
up the subject of movies in conversa-
tion. Then, as he notices the men
near him showing signs of life and in
tcrest, he begins shooting statistics at
tnem-and statistics are usually their
vulnerable spot.
He tells them how much money "The
Birth of Nation" made. and that hits
them between the eyes. When they
are gasping for air he plays his trump
card-he springs on them the picture
or the pretty girl who Is going to yield
her charms to the camera for him. and
the lightning of her smiles has struck
Even elderly men in the club are
known to brighten UP at sight of her.
Then the producer tells them that he
won't hold anything back on them-he'Il
let them invest in the company. For
s25 they can not only buy a block OF
Block. but they can even watch the
A.'ohiHs VI the AlfH as IL IS being pro-
duced at a fashionable summer place
familiar to all of them, and IL they
behave themselves they'll be allowed
10 work as extras In the picture and
maybe get chance to speak to the
lovely star. 1t Is surprising how many
OF them not only buy stock but actually
take no trouble to find an excuse for
being at the place mentioned.
There they have a chance to gaze into
the eyes Of the enchantress and do
their best at impersonating men Of
money and leisure. They are allowed
to work before the camera for only a
few days. possibly because the strain
of being in the company Of the comely
star Is considered too much for them.
And anyhow. they would probably be
expected to pay about $4,000 for the
privilege Of working right through the
picture
And-here's the catch In the story,
unusual in schemes for floating movie
concerns--it's a bona fide venture. The
producer Is a man with good reputa-
tlon behind him, he Is actually making
picture which he has every intention
of selling and the wealthy extras"
stand substantial chance of getting
more than mere smiles out of their in
vestment.
"Out In Los Angeles" says an actor
who grew up in that city and is now
pushing art on the speaking stage here.
zone certainly finds the players para.
disc. with actors riding around in auto
mobiles and having homes so beautiful
they're afraid to enter them. Wide
spaces are all around, and they inveigle
actors into leading an open air healthy
life without their knowing 1t. The sun
shine Is wonderful--you can be sure IL
the morning Is clear that you can go of
on picnic all day without wearing your
self out putting up the one man top.
You can get all the sunshine you want,
and that's just the trouble. You get
too much OF It; it grows beautifully
monotonous.
"Ali these lovely allurements prove
but delusion and snare for new
player out there nearly breaking his
back. He goes out there with a contract
from Famous Players-L Lasky at $500 a
week for year. and he looks around at
the handsome homes of the film folk
and says to himself. John Jones can do
this-and I'm as good man as he is.'
SO he starts by buying a house, dollar
down and dollar whenever. you turn
around. Then he drops into a furniture
store and puts his shoulder to some
more bills at instalment rates. He gets
himself tangled up In some fxings-
there are merchants out there just lay
ing for that kind of player.
Before he's through he's loaded UP
with 100000 worth of stuff, with only
a years work provided for in his con-
tract and probably nothing to look
forward to after that but starvation.
That's why so many players. though
they seem to be investing in good solid
property out there aren't really saving
anything and have been caught by the
slackening In pictures with scarcely
enough to get hair cut. I've met
movie chaps out there who haven't been
working for a year and who might bet
ter join Stefansson In the Arctic
region with chance OF finding some
thing to do"
The return of Charlie Chaplin en-
phasizes the fact that sgd Chaplin. his
brother Ind manager has been lost in
the ius. OF FOLLY wovd, so far as the
movies are concerned, save for one
sortie on the screen a year ago in
king. Queen. Joker" Years ago when
Charlie and his brother were trying to
get England to give them a living on the
stage sgd was considered the funny
man of the pair. Charlie being merely
his shadow but now the elder brother
has gone underground. cinematographi-
cally speaking. The principal reason Is
that he Is soaring above ground In the
airplune businisi
For while. with his elaborate flying
held and his passenger planes sgd Chap
lin rode the sky as the aviation king
OF California. In a business that was
easy compared TO some OF the stunts
he has done In the movies. But Just
when money seemed raining on him
from the sky Cecil B. De Mile, noted
director, built n flying field near Chap
Inns. and the air wasn't so free. How
ever. there would seem to be patronage
enough for all. as the movie actors and
actresses are in the habit OF going TO
the flying station at San Diego an taking
an aerial trip 70 Tia Juana and laying
a bet on the races there for the lack OF
some better way TO kill time-and may
DO themselves.
An interesting explanation has just
been offered as to why Los Angeles Is
less angelic than Broadway. Stage
players are part OF the night life OF this
and other towns and when they've An
ished their work they welcome bed with
both feet. They're often safe from
temptation because when they're at lib
erty for II all the places are shut up.
and they have to do likewise. In Los
Angeles. II Is pointed out. the Aim play
ers. after working all day ure let loose
on the night life at the same time as
all other folks but burglars. Having
plenty of money in normal times, they're
apt TO ride high and free, especially af-
"A Iast -