Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-24
Ghe Daily Movie Magazine
FILM ACTORS LIFE
NOT ONE OF EASE,
SAYS DAVID BUTLER

s0TyHE actor should not be blamed for
J. whatever depression exists in the
motion picture industry" declares
David Butler, who has risen to the de.
fense of the craft. Buffers remarks
were prompted by the Associated Press
dispatch, dated New York and quoting
William Brandt, president of the
Theatre Owners Chamber of Com
merce, as saying that motion picture
stars must reconcile themselves to SAL
ary cuts to bring theatre business back
to normal.
"There seems to be popular impress
sion that motion picture actors live n
life Of ease and luxury" said Butler.
IT want to cite one example, not to
engender sympathy for myself, but TO
indicate how actors are co operating
with the producers to effect the e.greatest
economy possible in the cost of a pic
ture.
'.In the making of my present story,
According to Hoyle.' Louis Burston,
the producer, called us all together and
asked II we would be willing TO spend
Christmas away from home. \ leading
lady is more often than not pictured
as excessively tempcramcntal and
exacting in her demands. Helen Fer
guson, who is playing opposite me, was
the first to speak up and cheerfully
agreed to 60.
"While home people were enjoying
themselves at pleasant fireSjdes with
their families and children on Christ
mas Day our company-which means
mechanics as well-was in a bleak little
town where the hotel accommodation
are not anything to advertise broad
cast.
CLOUDY weather developed. Hud-
died about a little brush fire, we pa
tiently waited for stray shafts of sun
shinetto shoot scenes. Weather con-
ditions delayed our schedule to such
an extent that Mr.. Burston said he
would hot ask US to remain New Years.
hut that IL we went back to Los An
geles and returned to finish the work it
would cost him approximately $4,000.
One and all voted to remain.
CD ETURNING to Los Angeles we
IL had additional exterior scenes to
make. One day this week we began
work at s o'clock in the morning, laid
of from to 6 o'clock in the afternoon,
resumed work at o and worked con-
tinuously until 3 o'clock the next morn
ing, with a bitter cold wind blowing
ali the time.
"Here Is one point which I want to
emphasize about a motion picture star 9
salary-a thing a bank president or n
layman seldom takes into considera-
ton. A bank president, for example.
L. g. L..A ~ 4
motion picture star can be in 22,OOO
theatres simultaneously. That is the
reason why a picture star receives more
money than a legitimate stage actor.
In short, he is $4,000 persons. There
fore, from a simple point of economics
he receives a proportionate share of
the receipts of each theatre where he
sppears.
"But the salaries, even at that, are
not what they are believed to be. We
have to buy an extensive wardrobe for
a picture and never use 1t again. Hardly
a day passes when it does not fall to
our lot to be host either to some no.
table person or man OF Importance
or q group of fans from another city.
STT,HERE are half dozen stars who
L are rich, comparatively few
compared to financial success which |
comes to men in other walks of life.
"And don't overlook the fact that |
actors salaries have been cut. know |
actors who formerly received 5000
week who are now getting $50. This |
sounds large-the 5000, mean-but
It must be remembered that an actor is
not continuously employed. The best
of them seldom average over forty |
weeks work a year.
al confess to only a layman's knowl-
edge of how a theatre is conducted, but |
I will say this in reply to Mr.. Brandt
II is the motion picture stars back |
that is bending under the burden of |
the tremendous expense of prologues |
and extensive orchestras."