The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-01
THEATORIALLY
Things That Would Never Be Said
Regarding Movies, ct cetera, In
Any Other Way.
BY al.
A movement has been started by Alfred

movement has been started by Alfred
S. Black, president of the Motion Picture
Exhibitors Of America. which has for its
objective the elimination of advertising in
motion picture theaters- There are many
patrons of picture theaters who will hail
this new ideal as an improvement in the
movies, but there are just as many argu-
ments against as there are for the 1nnoVa-
ton.
without doubt the chief idea of Presi-
| dent Black in starting this drive is an al
| truistic one. Without doubt he beileVes
the showing Of a program Of ads prior to
a motion picture program tends to cheaper
the artistic value of that for which the
| that the elimination of the ads might be
another step toward the elevation OF the
level. But is the general public quite ready
for such a move?
| That advertising slides and movie adyer-
Using is a considerable source of revenue
| to the theater manager goes without saying.
The next question then is, can he eliminate
sbe for a tbe ss sa se mission charge
The chances are, the next step in many
theaters where the ads were eliminated
would be either the cheapening of the pro-
gram offered, or the increase of the ad-
| mission charge.
And after all, are the ads SO objection
able? No one ever thinks of suggesting
that the wonderful advertising sections. OF
the national magazine, be eliminated, be-
authors carried to the public in this
economical way. No one ever suggests tina.
the newspapers of the country eliminate
their source of revenue because the ads
| detract from the value of the news articles
carried. In fact many persons enjoy the
| advertising in the magazines and what
would the women of the country do with
out the bargain announcements in the news
papers?
| Advertising has become just as much an
art as writing or acting. The screen-is a
combination of both these Advertising
carries with it q certain amount of ed
ucational value. Many magazine readers,
read the advertising section quite as abb
sorbedly as the pages on which are printed
the latest stories of Rupert Hughes or
to the screen presentation or advertising
in combination with the screen presentation
of the stories by those authors?
One of the greatest pieces of work done
for the nation during the war done by
the slide and movie advertisements shown
in the theaters. Right now, the exhibitors
Of the nation are cooperating with Herbert
Hoover in his appeal for food for the starv-
ing children of Europe. They are running,
as a part of their advertising programs,
scenes showing the need "Over There" and
methods of distributing the food sent by
aters this would not be possible.
It may be you are thinking of the
public, Mr.. Black. It may be that you are
thinking of the uplift of the screen, but
except for very few theaters of the coun-
try, you are misplacing your ideals-yet-
awhile at least
Vitagraph's eagerly awaited special pro.
duction based on BLACK Beauty the fam
Gus story by Anna Sewell is now practicaI l.
" completed and win be presented early in
the new year. The film, which was made
at the West Coast studio at Hollywood
Cal, has been assembled and edited at the
Brooklyn studio under the direction of Mr.
adapted the story to the screen.